Progress / Regress

8• Never Ending Nights

"Was he okay?" Ashton inquired, biting his nails slightly.
"Not really. He started crying again as soon as I got up there" Michael told him as he sat beside Cal.
"Oh, what did he say?" Calum asked.
"Well, he went on about how he apologised and said he'd clean it up, but you two didn't listen. Then he was crying about his nappies and how he wanted his pull-ups back"
Both Ash & Cal looked down to the floor in thought
"He even moved away from me, wouldn't let me kiss him on the head or anything. I keep forgetting we're trying to make him like a toddler, it just made sense to be angry like that, when really, he was acting like a toddler. I should've been less harsh. I know he hasn't fallen into a headspace, but, now he hates me." Ash said cupping his head in his hands.
"Hey mate, you aren't the only one to blame. I shouldn't have been so rough with him, it was just in the moment. But, then again, his actions were in the moment too. So I don't know if it's justifiable or not." Cal reassured him
"Well, I think it was a good decision to put him into nappies. But, yeah, he's pretty hurt by how you guys handled it." Michael said honestly.
"Well, he already knows that he's your little princess, so it might take a bit of time for him to forgive us" Calum sniggered.
"Oh my God, can I get him a little T-shirt or something that says that?!" Michael exclaimed. The other two men jokingly shook their heads.

Soon time rolled around to around midnight, the three men were still awake, watching late night TV and having odd conversations, until they heard small footsteps making their way down the stairs.
A sleepy Luke appeared in the doorway, holding his blanket with his dummy in his mouth. His hair was a mess, but it was cute.
"Can we help you?" Calum questioned, smiling slightly at Luke's state.
Luke scowled, running past him & Ash, planting himself down into Michael's lap.
"What's up, buttercup?" Michael asked quietly, rubbing the man's back.
"Needed cuddles" Luke explained, tightening his grip around Michael's neck.
"Oh, I see, Mr. Cuddle Monster. How are we feeling now?"
"Sad." Luke sniffled.
"Why?" Michael patted Luke's behind.
"Because" Luke said bluntly.
"Is someone still grumpy about what happened earlier? How about we go and speak to Papa and Daddy?" Michael suggested, twisting the boy round on his lap go face the other two men.
Luke shook his head stubbornly, facing back towards Michael.
Michael sighed to the other two men. Cal pulled the sulky boy off of his Dada's lap, positioning him in his own.
Luke realised this, leaping out of Cal's lap, racing up the stairs and hiding.
Seeing as Luke wasn't fully regressed, he didn't hide under the bed or in the closet.
He hid in his laundry basket, which was rather full, thus did a great job at disguising himself.
Michael soon followed quickly up the stairs, thinking they'd have another locked bathroom situation, but to his surprise, the door flung wide open.
"Lukey, are you hiding?" Michael looked under his bed, Luke's bed, Ash's bed and of course, Cal's bed. "I think we should talk, Princess"

Luke felt fuzzy inside when he was called that.
"No" he murmured.
Michael turned on his heels, making his was to Luke's room.
"I know you're in here, Lukey boy" he smiled menacingly. He didn't want to feed into Luke's tactics, but it was rather adorable. "If you come out and speak, then maybe we can compromise on bedtimes. BUT, that's only if you're a good boy"

Luke's ears pricked up. He clambered his way out of the pile of clothes, drawing Michael's attention to him.
"You're a good hider!" Michael praised "but, you didn't need to run away like that. Can we go back downstairs and talk like a big boy?"

Luke fumbled a bit, raising his arms up so Michael could carry him. Michael couldn't oblige, it was cute.
Luke didn't want to be like this, but the tiredness left him with no control over his emotions and actions.
Michael scooped up the drowsy man, keeping a protective hand on Luke's back, making his way back downstairs.

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