Nutella (Alternate Version)

. 57 .

When the boys wake up and make their way down stairs, Michael has breakfast ready for them on the counter. Luke is silent as he sits and digs in, not really responding to Calums attempts at conversation.

Calum notices Michael's pretty quiet too and frowns, looking between them and wondering what's wrong.

Halfway through breakfast, Michael sighs and looks at the two.

"Okay, I wanna talk to you both, okay?" The two glance up, Luke looking much more panicked than Calum.

"I hear that when you two play house, you act like your married, yeah?" Calum looks nervously and nods, glancing to Luke to gauge his reaction and wondering if the boy had told Michael something.

"What does that mean?" Michael asks. Calums quick to jump in.

"We just pretend we're married. We take care of our kids and hold hands and cuddle." He answers too quickly and Michael raises an eyebrow.

"Anything else?" Calum shakes his head.

"You don't kiss?"

Luke, who's been silent thus far, suddenly bursts into tears and seems to curl in on himself and Calum looks to him with wide eyes, thinking the boy must've told and felt guilty.

Calum looks back to Michael's suspicious look and remains silent.

"Yes or no? I'm not gonna be mad, loves, I promise. Are you okay Lukey?" Michael asks. Luke doesn't answer, just continues to silently cry.

Calum sits awkwardly as Michael's gaze goes back to him. "Well, Calum?"

"It-its just pretend, daddy." Calum answers quietly and Michael sighs, making Calum wince.

"Okay. I understand you two were just playing and pretending, but just like we talked about how we only take our clothes off at the real doctors, we don't even do it to play pretend doctors, we only kiss our..." he hesitates, not wanting to bring up daddies or boyfriends for fear of making Luke more upset. "You two don't kiss eachother, even if you're just pretending. Understand? Again, I'm not mad, you're not in trouble, just don't do it anymore, okay?" He explains. Calum nods and looks worriedly to Luke, who's still crying.

"Lukey, honey, are you okay? You need some loves?" Michael asks and Luke nods, but stays put. Calums quick to come cuddle the boy and Michael stands as well, hugging the boy between him and Calum and kissing his head, rubbing his back.

Calums clueless as to why lukes so upset but decided to ask him later. Michael decides to have a more in depth conversation with Calum alone later as well.

"Let's finish eating and then we can go cuddle and watch something, okay lovely's?" Michael asks and both agree, luke sniffling and wiping the tears away before slowly beginning to eat again.

Luke finishes first, waiting quietly for the other two to finish as well before silently taking his dishes to the sink and then following the other two to the couch and curling up next to Michael as Calum takes the other side and cuddling solemnly. Michael reaches behind Calum to the bedside table and grabs one of lukes pacifiers (he keeps them all over the place because they seem to be effective at calming the boy) and gives it to the quiet little one, then grabs the remote and turns on the tv, going to Disney plus and letting the boys choose something.

Luke falls asleep about half way into the movie and Michael carefully carries him to his and Calums room, tucking him in, before going back to Calum and pausing the movie.

"Okay babes, I wanna talk. Yes yes, we can finish the movie after, don't whine." Michael sighs and sits, picking the boy up and putting him in his lap.

"Does you and Luke kissing during playing have anything to do with how you told me you like Lukey?" He asks gently and Calum blushes, looking down.

"Maybe." He answers and Michael sighs.

"Honey, I understand how you feel but that's technically cheating, on both you and Lukeys part. I'm not upset, but that wasn't acceptable, especially since we had already talked about it and I told you it wasn't okay. You're not in trouble or anything, I just need you to understand that that wasn't acceptable and if it happens again it'll be a bigger issue, okay?"

"I didn't cheat." Calum pouts and Michael nods.

"I know that wasn't your intention, but like i said. We only kiss our daddies. Right?"

"But I wanna kiss Lukey. I like him." Calum pouts, whining and rubbing his eyes.

"I understand that cal, but you can't. I'm sorry that that makes you upset but I can't change it and neither can you." Michael says finally and Calum lays his head against Michael's chest, giving up.

"Can we watch the movie now?" He pouts and Michael sighs and kisses his head, unpausing the movie.

When the film is finished, Calum makes his way upstairs, hoping lukes awake so they can talk.

Luke lays in bed with his eyes open but looking like he's still rather tired and upset when Calum peeks in, and Calum frowns and makes his way over, sitting in front of the boy on the bed.

"Lukey? Are you okay?" Luke only shrugs in response.

"Yknow daddy's not mad, so you don't have to be upset. I'm not mad either, if you told him, if that's what you're worried about." Calum says softly.

"I didn't tell Mikey." Luke sighs and Calum frowns.

"Then what's wrong, bubba?" The Maori boy wonders.

"Ashy called last night and we talked but he got mad at me for kissing when we play. I think he told Mikey." Luke explains, tearing up and burying his face in his pillow.

"Oh." Calum says and lays down, cuddling up to Luke.

"I'm sorry Lukey, you know Ashtons not in the right place and he doesn't mean it when he gets mad at you, you don't have to take what he says to heart or be upset that he's mad. But it's okay if you do anyway, I understand it's hard. I'm sorry you're upset, bubba." Calum talks softly as Luke sniffles into his pillow.

"Thankyou. I know, it just hurts." Luke mumbles and Calum nods.

Neither boy is really in their headspace or the greatest mood, so they just lay there and cuddle for a while.