Education [Classification AU]

10. Thankful

**I would STRONGLY recommend re-reading the BBQ chapter for this to make sense, some of the characters are hard to follow if you don't remember who they are lol**

SO SO SO SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER, HERES 9K WORDS TO APOLOGIZE 

Thanksgiving with Caleb's family ended up not being too much of a bust. The rest of it wasn't too bad, there were no mean or crazy comments from anyone this time. So by the time the eating was done, Sam wasn't scared to talk to everybody. 

Since the argument, Caleb hadn't slipped back into his headspace. It was a little alarming to his caregiver, but Sam decided that it was better to just not say anything.

It was weird seeing Caleb act so big after being little for the entire morning and about half of the afternoon. He was having normal teenage conversations with his cousins, or just texting on his phone. 

It's not like he wanted to be big, Sam physically watched the headspace melt from his eyes as his father and brother fought. 

It was sad, and Sam couldn't do anything to help him. 

By then it was about 3, Caleb's usual nap time. Sam debated making him take one. He didn't want to embarrass him, especially when he was stuck securely in his teenage headspace, but that didn't change that his body was the one who needed a nap. 

"Caleb, can I talk to you" Sam asked. Caleb looked up from his phone eyes slightly glazed over. Yeah,  he needed a nap. He nodded and stood, following Sam out of the living room and upstairs.

"Why do we need to go all the way upstairs?" Caleb asked, still following. 

"You need a nap. I figured it was better to tell you not in front of everyone. I didn't want to embarrass you."

Caleb's brows immediately furrowed, and he stopped halfway up the stairs, his expression shifting from mild annoyance to outright indignation. He crossed his arms, his posture a perfect picture of a defiant teenager.

"I don't need a nap, Sam! I'm not five," Caleb huffed, his voice taking on that familiar whiny tone that Sam had heard countless times before when bedtime or naptime was brought up. "I'm fine. I'm, like, completely awake."

Sam sighed, trying to keep his voice gentle and patient. He knew Caleb's refusal wasn't really about the nap itself but more about the lingering frustration from earlier. Still, he had to get his point across. "Caleb, you've been up since really early, and it's been a long day already. You were barely keeping your eyes open during the game, and you were little most of the morning. Your body's tired, even if you don't feel like it."

Caleb let out a dramatic groan, throwing his head back like this was the most unreasonable thing he'd ever been asked to do. "But I'm not even tired! And it's not like I'm gonna miss anything. I'll just sit on the couch and chill. I don't need a nap like a baby."

Sam knew this game too well. Caleb's complaints, the foot-stomping, the exaggerated eye rolls—it was the typical fight against sleep he always put up, but this time with the extra flair of teenage defiance. Sam kept his expression calm, not wanting to escalate things. "I'm not saying you have to go to sleep right away, but I do think you should lay down for a bit, just to rest. We can even play some music or put on a movie."

"No! I don't need that!" Caleb's voice was growing louder, his pitch climbing as his frustration built. "I'm not tired, Sam. You're just—" He fumbled for the right words, his cheeks flushed. "You're just treating me like I'm a little kid. I'm big, and I can handle staying awake."

Sam held back a smile. Caleb's determination to prove he was "big" was endearing, even if his stubbornness was a challenge. "I know you're big, bud. But everyone needs to rest, no matter how big they are. And you'll feel a lot better if you do."