Double Trouble (Sequel to Baby of the Band)

Fourteen

For the next week, Rob tried to be as helpful as he could, rather than being a holy terror that constantly misbehaved due to a lack of attention. Richie was doing better by leaps and bounds every Day, but he still had a waysta go in making a full recovery from his concussion. To that End, he tried to do whatever he could to help the lil guy, if only so their drummer'd be able to have a lil more of a break. Granted, he wasn't able to do much beyond getting him juice boxes and snacks when he needed them, or help him with changing his Pull-Up, if he didn't quite make it to his potty chair, but he considered it more than enough.

        Rikki couldn't help a smile every Time he found the pair sprawled out on the couch, or cuddled up in their bed, if it was first thing in the Morn. Both were usually asleep when he found them like that, but there'd been a few Times that he'd find the pint-sized bassist just quietly watching TV while the other toddler pinned him down. It was a sight too adorable not to at least smile at, even if he didn't coo at them so he wouldn't disturb the lil guy when he was actually getting some sleep.

        But what neither he, nor the pint-sized guitarist realized was that during this Time, Rob's feelings for the lil guy were starting to shift even more. They'd already started to shift a bit after their mutual admission of being attracted to one another, but he'd fought that shift like a maddened Dragon. He hadn't wanted to let himself open up to anyone else like that, considering how his marriage'd Ended–and that particular Emotional shift hadn't been a good one. There was a part of him that–much like Richie–didn't exactly wanna take a chance with putting that kinda Trust and Faith in another person. On the other hand, there was an even bigger part of him that'd realized that every moment spent with him might be his last for one reason or another.

        Without even truly realizing it till he'd been discharged and brought back home, the pint-sized bassist'd actually started to fall in Love with his Melodic counterpart. There was no denying it now, as they lay on the couch together a week after that discharge, a throw blanket tucked around both of them. And he wasn't about to hide it any longer, even if the younger toddler didn't actually hear him from being deep asleep.

        "Luz chu, 'ichie," Rob murmured, shifting enough to kiss his head. "Luz chu more'n me can ever say."

Said pint-sized guitarist was a lil startled to hear those soft words, but he didn't even gasp in response as he simply laid there. He didn't wanna give away that he was actually awake, 'cuz he wasn't sure if he'd actually been meant to hear that, or if it was more reflexive than it wasn't. Maybe his rhythmic counterpart'd just said it, 'cuz that's just what he was used to doing when somebody he was even remotely close with wasn't feeling good. Course, that made him wonder even more since he'd sworn he wasn't gonna toy with him or his Emotions like that–which'd mean he'd just broken his promise on that, in a way.

        Richie couldn't stand the not knowing more, so he finally squirmed enough to look up at him, somehow not surprised to see his eyes closed. He wasn't sure, if he'd dozed off till he squirmed again, the pint-sized bassist opening his eyes and looking down at him as if he'd never been asleep. Maybe that meant he'd just closed his eyesta get himself together, if he was really feeling half as Emotional as those words'd sounded.

        "Chu...luz meh?" he asked, even as he reached up to rub one of his own eyes.

        "Mmm, hmm." Rob nodded as he hummed, gently kissing his head again. "Chu nuuuu hasta say it, if chu nuuuu luz meh, too."

        The pint-sized guitarist pushed himself up slightly, giggling when he grimaced from him pushing down on his chest a bit too much.

        He simply rolled his eyes and pushed himself into a sitting position once his Melodic counterpart was settled on his rump, then moved to slide off the couch.