interdependence ➸ 5sos

0.5

Calum unlocks Luke's door - they all have keys to each other's houses - and walks inside. They all planned on going to the zoo today, but Luke's phone kept going to voicemail and Cassie wasn't answering. Calum smiles to himself when he sees the two of them sound asleep on the couch. Cassidy's head is resting on her dad's shoulder, and his head is resting on top of hers. They're both cuddled up under a blanket. Calum takes out his phone, snapping a picture of them.

He finds himself not wanting to wake them, but then Michael runs in yelling, "Lucas Robert, get your ass outside!" and Luke rubs his eyes.

"What?" he mumbles. Cassidy is somehow still sleeping.

"We're going to the zoo. Hurry up." Calum laughs at him.

Luke isn't surprised to see that Cassie is still asleep. She's a heavy sleeper already, and she tends to sleep a lot when she has bad days. "Oh, yeah." He stretches the arm that isn't around his daughter. "We'll be ready soon." He smiles at Cassidy, brushing her long hair from her face.

"Stop being a dad and get ready." Michael flicks the back of Luke's head.

"Ow, okay." He laughs, reaching to push his dumb friend away. "Cass," he says softly, shaking her a little, "time to wake up, sweetie." She groans, not opening her eyes just yet. "Come on." He smiles, shaking her again.

She opens her eyes, but then hides her face in his shoulder. "Why?"

"We're going to the zoo!" Luke giggles.

"Is Ryan going?" She's still half asleep.

"Aww!" Michael coos.

"Yeah, he's going." Calum laughs.

"Okay." She sits up.

"Hurry up," Michael whines.

"Get out of my house!" Luke cries, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Weird."

Cassidy falls back on top of Luke, her eyes closed. "Cassie," he whines, letting out the laugh he was holding in.

"Hmm?"

"Get up." He stands up, letting her flop over on the couch. "You're impossible," he mumbles, still smiling.

"Fine," she murmurs, slowly getting up after him.

"There you go. Now speed change!" Luke laughs pushing her towards her room.

The two of them are out the door in ten minutes. "Yes, go us!" Luke cheers, high-fiving his daughter.

"Losers," Michael calls to them. Luke rolls his eyes.

They've had car situations figured out since the oldest were babies--the Irwins and Hemmingses in one car and the Cliffords and Hoods in the other. It's the system they still use now, except Team Lashton usually takes Kennedy for the sake of Team Malum.

"Why does half of Team Lashton look dead?" Ashton teases as he gets Aspyn situated. She refuses to tell Ashton what's bothering her, and will barely leave his side. He has no idea what's wrong or how to handle the situation. She's only six. Girls aren'y supposed to get moody and weird until they're, like, twelve. Right?

"I just woke up ten minutes ago." Cassidy laughs from the very back of the car, leaning up against Ryan. "And I don't know what his problem is."

Ryan hugs Cassie really tight. "Get off my daughter, Irwin," Luke jokes, looking at him through the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, Irwin, get off of me." Cassidy giggles, but she makes no attempt to move.

-

"Scavenger hunt. Go!" Michael announces. Any time they go somewhere, they split up into their teams and do some type of stupid, yet entertaining, activity.