Baby Steps » Ant x Dec

So why the rush?

There is a scene towards the end of this chapter that is completely based upon the fan art by StrawberryBoi which is my favourite Baby steps drawing cause it's so fluffy and Oh my god Dec looks so lil!! 😭💓💓💓

Super long one...

Ant's POV

"Uh... Mr Donnelly? Mrs Donnelly?" I wrung my hands together nervously as I stepped Into the living room where Declan's parents were both sat on the sofa, Alphonous was reading an news paper while Mrs Donnelly had a laptop on her lap and was rapidly typing up something.

They both turned to me as my voice cut through the quiet room.

"W-would... um... would it be okay if I stay with Declan tonight?" Anne looked at me critically.

"Why would you want to do that?"

I swallowed thickly, "I... he's just not in a good place right now, I don't want to leave him alone."

"What happened son?" Mr Donnelly asked and my heart stuttered but I hid it, he always said it so casually, like a throw away term, he didn't realise how much it shook me every-time.

"Nothing happened Mr Donnelly... he just... switched off, stopped talking."

"An episode." Alph nodded sadly. "Has he taken his meds?"

I shook my head, "he's taken the pain meds but is refusing to touch the anti-depressants."

"If he doesn't take them by bedtime let me know okay?" I nodded.

"D-does that mean I can stay with him?"

"Is it really necessary?" His mother asked in annoyance and I wondered if she'd even listened to a word I'd been saying.

"I just think he doesn't do well on his own. He needs a friend right now." I replied calmly, holding my ground.

"He's got us." I couldn't say anything in reply to that, she was right and I couldn't exactly tell her I thought that her pushing to make Dec okay but also trapping him in a brick box to heal, wasnt actually ever gonna help him. So I bit my tongue.

"Let the boy have a sleepover Anne, it'll do him some good."

Anne huffed and looked at her husband, he gave her a stern look and she seemed to give in. "Fine. But we aren't paying you to sleep."

I clenched my fists, "I didn't expect you to." I ground out before taking a deep breath to calm myself down. I turned to Mr Donnelly seen as Anne wouldn't even look at me anymore. "Thankyou for letting me stay."

"No problem son, Dinner will be in about 15minutes if you're hungry."

"It's no problem honestly." I lied, I was starving since that training session with Dec.

"Nonsense. I'll call you when its ready."

"Thankyou." I smiled gratefully before wandering through the expensive house back towards Dec's room. I'd already told Nan I probably wasn't going to be able to get the girls tonight but I'd be up early to take them to school... I wasn't gonna have time to get a new change of clothes for my own lessons but Emma and Sarha could be very difficult going in if I wasn't there and I didn't want Grandma to have to deal with all that.

"Hey Decky." I smiled as I wandered in, I closed the door behind me cause I didn't want his mother randomly walking in.

Dec was sat on his bed with his back rested against the headboard. He looked up as I entered and smiled at me lightly but it didn't reach his eyes.