"I swear I'm not tired!" Luke screamed.
"Just try to sleep before your appointment, okay?" Pleaded Michael.
"Daddy, I'm not tired."
"Luke, you will atleast try to sleep or I promise you'll get a spanking," Ashton threatened the fourteen year old. Luke huffed in annoyance but layed down on his bed and closed his eyes to please his fathers'.
Michael and Ashton were beyond stressed. "I can call off work, love. You go to the interview. I'll pick Calum up and take Luke to the therapist, okay?" Ashton asked.
Michael gave him a small smile, "thank you, Ash."
"Anytime, cutie. I wish we could finish earlier's events, but Luke's here." Ashton pouted.
"There's always tomorrow." Michael smirked.
"Tomorrow," Ashton agreed, "now, if the kiwi one can make it through the school day I think we'll be good."
"Maybe we should just homeschool Luke." Michael suggested. Earning a glare from Ashton.
"No way in Hell, no son of mine is going to be homeschooled."
"Ash, don't be stupid." Michael spat.
"Yeah, don't be stupid." Luke muttered. The two forgot he was still there.
"Go to sleep, baby boy." Michael cooed as he pushed his son's blonde hair out of his face.
Liam, Harry, and Calum finished off the day with Biology. The teacher was lecturing the class about an important test coming up. Calum waved it off as less important than talking to Liam.
"Boys." The teacher hissed, annoyed by the amount of chatter.
"God, she's so ugly," Harry snickered.
"And old," Liam added.
Calum nodded in agreement, "the day she shrivels up and dies will be the day I actually don't hate school."
Eventually, the final bell rang. The three guys said goodbye as they parted for the day. Calum met Ashton and Luke outside. Luke's middle school usually let out before the highschool so he didn't question Luke being there. .
"How was school?" Ashton asked to start conversation.
"It was alright," Calum replied.
"Good... Bringing that grade up?"
Calum bit his lip, "slowly."
Sighing Ashton said, "atleast it's getting better, even if it's a slow process." Luke smirked at his brother knowingly. Sure the boys could lie straight faced to their parents, but to each other? No way. Calum could read Like like an open book, and vice versa.
When the three of them arrived at home, Michael was dressed and ready for his interview. Ashton made a cat-call at his husband jokingly.
"Sexiest thing I've seen all day." He muttered, following the younger adult in the bathroom. Ashton slammed the door behind them as he attacked Michael's lips.
"Wanna look professional, stop," Michael gasped, "noo hickies, need to..." He was pressed against the door as Ashton bit his bottom lip, forcing his mouth to open slightly.
Michael gave into the feeling and let Ashton take him away momentarily until his alarm rang out on his phone. The younger adult pushed Ashton slightly, "I have to go. Make sure Luke gets to the therapist on time."
The older adult pouted, "can't you be a little late?"
"I'm already late," Michael said as he rushed down the stairs. He kissed his boys quickly as he left.
Ashton loaded the boys in his car, letting Luke sit up front since it was his appointment. "I don't see why I'm going," he complained.
"Luke, don't complain. Michael says she will help."
***
"Luke Irwin-Clifford?" A young woman wearing a black and white floral dress asked. Ashton tapped Luke's shoulder to get his attention. They had to wait almost an hour. Calum was asleep on two of the chairs. Luke was day dreaming about random things.
Ashton followed Luke to the room the therapist was leading them to. For the first meeting she requested Luke and a guardian came to talk. Jessica folded her hands over her desk. "Hi Luke. I'm Jessica Flax." The blonde woman held her hand out to the shy boy. Luke smiled at her as he shook her hand.
She caught Ashton grinning happily, "may I ask how you're related to Luke, sir?"
"Oh, I'm his father," Ashton answered.
"I thought Michael was... Oh, oh, hey that's great! My best friend is gay." Jessica winked at Luke to lighten the mood.
He laughed as Ashton scoffed, "well I'm actually bi, but whatever. Not about me, this is about Luke."
"Right," Jessica snarked, "When did your insomnia start?"
Luke fidgeted in his seat, "I don't have insomnia-"
"A few months," Ashton answered for him. Luke grimaced, not wanting to admit he had a problem he crossed his arms.
"I sleep just fine."
"In class," Ashton sassed, "Lately Luke has been afraid to sleep because he's having night terrors. He wakes up screaming, sweating, and crying."
Luke wanted to die right there. Little kids have night terrors. Luke didn't want to be considered a kid because of his problem. Jessica scribbled something on her notepad. "My son had that problem around your age too." Jessica said softly as she wrote more.
"Really?" She nodded, "it's not unusual, a lot of young teens deal with them. Hormones can cause them, or overthinking at night. I think if you started doing some physical activity before bed you would have less nightmares."
Ashton felt stupid for not thinking about that. He's a doctor, he fixes people, but apparently not Luke. "Here, give him this before bed," she wrote down the name of a medicine and passed it to Ashton. "You can buy it over the counter." He thanked her before leaving with Luke and Calum. They made small talk in the car, but mostly about school or the weather.
"Are you working this weekend, dad?" Calum asked suddenly.
"I am. Why do you ask?"
Calum shrugged, "just curious."
"The last time you were 'just curious' you ended up in the hospital with a broken leg." Ashton noted as he turned into the driveway.
"Hey, daddy's home!" Calum cheered when he saw his car. Michael was just getting out of his car when Calum tackled him in a hug, wrapping his legs around his waist.
Michael laughed, "miss me?"
Calum nodded. Luke and Ashton met up with them and squeezed each other in a group hug.
"Love my boys." Michael murmered.
"Hey!" Ashton said feeling excluded.
"You count as 'my boys'," Michael explained, "oh, I got the job."
