One Last Thread (DSMP)

"Toddler Tantrum"

Tubbo was woken by screaming and crying from the floor below him, *Michael* he thought, noticing that he was gone as he quickly got up and swung down the ladder. Michael was on his knees on the floor with his head up, screaming at the ceiling whilst Phil and Techno stood next to each other. "Toddler tantrum" Phil sighed. "What caused it?" Tubbo asked, slowly edging towards Michael. "I don't know, me and Techno were chatting in the kitchen until Michael came waddling around the corner, he already looked mad and tired but I tried to pick him up anyway to bring him over to us but he just fell to the ground and started crying. A bit of time later he crawled to the middle of the room and started screaming" Phil explained as Tubbo listened. He soon hesitantly sat down in front of Michael, leaving a bit of space between them before gently saying to him, "Michael buddy, Bee's here if you need him, it's alright". Michael stopped for a second to look at Tubbo before going back to crying, not as loudly as before. "Was there any sounds that might have set him off or something?" Tubbo turned and asked the two. "Don't think so, the only sound there was were us two talking" Techno answered.

Tubbo took a bit to think before coming up with a solution to help calm Michael down, "maybe if you two leave the room it might help calm him down?". "Fine by me" Techno shrugged before going up the ladder. "I'll go outside, I need to tend to a few animals anyway, good luck!" Phil said before leaving. Tubbo turned back to Michael, seeing him struggling to take his jumper off. "Here let me help" he calmly said, shuffling a little closer to him before lifting the jumper over his head and placing it next to him; he then moved back to where he was as he watched Michael start flapping his hands about. *Overstimulated maybe?* Tubbo thought, trying to think of ways to help, he stopped talking and decided to let Michael do what he needed. He closed all curtains before moving back to where he was, facing the door this time before being completely still, letting Michael know that he wasn't watching him, helping to not overwhelm him more whilst also not allowing the light from outside affect him.

It didn't take long for Michael to calm down before Tubbo heard him crawl over to him, sniffling every now and then before he felt a gentle tap on his back. He slowly turned his whole body back around before opening his arms, watching as Michael crawled into him before holding onto him tightly, Tubbo noticed this and did the same, holding Michael tight to help calm him further. "Feel better?" He whispered as Michael nodded. "That's good, wanna go to our room so it's more private?" he quietly asked as Michael nodded again. Tubbo held him just as tight as he was; he took slow movement on getting up and bringing a good effort for climbing the ladder. He entered their bedroom, leaving the curtain closed before he went over to their bed, about to sit down before Michael made a saddening noise. "Want me to stay standing?" Tubbo asked as Michael nodded, sniffling as Tubbo stood back up. He very slowly rocked Michael side to side, whispering small words every couple minutes, things like "I've got you" or "you're ok" or "I'm here".

Almost an hour had passed of Tubbo standing and rocking side to side, he was getting tired but it was worth it since Michael was somewhat calm again. "Tap me once if you wanna stay here or tap me twice if you wanna do something" Tubbo whispered, feeling Michael gently tap his back once, "you wanna stay here?" Tubbo questioned to confirm, feeling Michael nod. "Ok bubs, today is your day ok? We can do whatever makes you comfortable" Tubbo said in a peaceful tone, giving Michael a light kiss on the forehead every now and then. Michael suddenly made a quiet whine noise as he sat up in Tubbo's arms, holding his arms like a t-rex before flapping them about. "What's up bud?" he asked as Michael's lip quivered with unwanted sadness. *If he is overstimulated with something then he should be feeling tingles and if he's not then he's just upset* Tubbo thought before asking in a chilled voice, "do you feel little uncomfortable tingles in your body?". Michael nodded as he started to quietly cry.

"Oh buddy it's ok, in a second I'm gonna hug you and you tap me once if you don't mind it, twice if you want it tighter and three times if you don't like it ok?" Tubbo said before going over it again, "one tap means you don't mind, two taps means tighter and three taps means you don't like it, ok?". Michael nodded as Tubbo brought him back into the hug, feeling Michael tap him twice and so he held him tighter. "Better?" he questioned as Michael tapped him twice again, "even tighter?" Tubbo questioned as Michael nodded. He did as Michael wished as he held him tighter, making sure he was still comfortable. "Ok?" Tubbo whispered as Michael nodded, feeling the tingles slowly leave which helped calm him down more. A couple minutes had passed, Tubbo was getting exhausted of standing and was beginning to get light headed. He slowly walked over to the bed before gently sitting down, not getting a response out of Michael which was a good sign. "Wanna go eat now? Half of the day is almost gone" he spoke quietly as Michael thought about it before nodding.