Baby • mashton [complete]

[12]

Chapter Twelve (Edited September 2021)

Once Derek had finally managed to pull Michael from the car, he told stiles to text Ashton. He carried the little boy inside of the hospital, tightly holding him despite his thrashing and crying. It was a struggle to get Michael to calm down, and he was thankful that Melissa, the mother of Stiles' best friend, was working that night. Seeing a familiar face made it easier for Michael to accept treatment.

Once the adrenaline wore off and Stiles and Derek were sat in the waiting room, the anger settled in. Derek tapped his foot incessantly against the floor, his knuckles white with how hard he was gripping his knees. His eyes were staring straight ahead, ignoring Stiles' thumb rubbing circles against his thigh in an attempt at comfort.

"Maybe it's innocent. I read that a lot of people who regress like Michael have a 'mommy' or a 'daddy', it's normal, so maybe that's what this is. Maybe Michael is trying to replace how awful Damien was with how kind and loving Ashton is,"
Stiles reasoned softly.

"What if he's taking advantage of Mikey's headspace? What if he's hurting him?" Derek seethed through gritted teeth.

"I don't think that's wh-" Stiles was cut off by a familiar voice.

"Hey, what happened?" Ashton came jogging up to them, followed closely by two girls, their attire messy and lazy, having probably been in bed before Stiles called.

"Derek, head him out." Stiles was completely ignored and in one quick motion, Derek was up from his seat, gripping the front of Ashton's tee shirt and shoving the man up against the wall.

"Are you fucking my little brother?" Derek spat out angrily.

"What?" Ashton's eyebrows furrowed down, his mouth twisted up, hands coming up to grip Derek's wrists.

"Michael was crying and screaming in the car wanting to see his 'daddy', what the fuck, Ashton! I asked you to babysit him, I asked you to take care of him while I was gone and you do this shit?"
Derek was furious and it was evident in his eyes.

"Wait, you think ash is having sex with Michael?" The ebony haired girl behind them asked. Derek glanced over, still fuming.

"This is none of your fucking business," Derek snapped.

"Dude, Ashton is asexual," the girl said. "He has nothing but care for Michael. Ashton does everything in his power to make Michael happy, so back the fuck off of him and tell us what happened," She demanded. Ashton nodded in agreement, confirming everything she said.

Derek's eyes didn't stray from Ashtons, nostrils still flaring with anger. Stiles gently set his hand on Derek's arm, giving the man a soft, knowing look.

"See, I told you. Just back away, babe," Stiles said calmly.

"For Michael Clifford?" A female voice called out. With that, Derek let go and turned around, facing Melissa.

"Is he okay?" He asked.

"He's perfectly fine. He was a bit dehydrated so we hooked him up to an I.V. We gave him some
flu medicine and I'm gonna make him a bit of honey tea for that sore throat of his," Melissa smiled reassuringly.

"Thank you so much. Can we see him?" Derek sighed in relief.

"Actually, he said big Michael wants to talk to Derek alone," Melissa said, smiling small before walking off. Without a word to the others, the man walked into the hospital room and closed the door behind himself.

He walked behind a small curtain and sighed upon seeing his little brother laying in the hospital bed with an iv in his arm. Derek didn't care if it was just the flu, he hated the sight. He sighed as he sat down beside Michael's hospital bed, taking his little brother's hand in his own.

"Hey bud, haven't talked to you in a while," Derek said, smiling softly. The boy blushed with a small nod.

"I just wanted to explain everything. I'm sorry if I scared you and Sti. I didn't mean to say it," Michael said, his once childish and soft voice gone and replaced with a haunted, raspy one.

"Why did you call him that?" Derek asked, trying to understand. Michael shrugged, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"He's nicer than our dickhead of a dad was so my headspace just clinged to the thought of Ashton as that caregiver. I don't know, he's nice and he does little things for me that make me happy, that make me feel safe," Michael explained, looking down at his fingers. Derek sighed, squeezing Michaels hand comfortingly.

"It's okay, bub. If your little space wants to call him that then go ahead, as long as nothing sexual is going on," Derek said.

"Ew, little Mikey doesn't even want to know what you mean," Michael grimaced despite the giggle that escaped him. Derek smiled genuinely as he leaned up to kiss Michaels forehead.

"I love you Michael, you're my baby brother and I want you to be safe and happy. I love big Mikey and little Mikey, always, okay?" Derek whispered softly.

"Okay," Michael nodded, squeezing Derek's hand. "Can I slip now," he asked, looking anxiously at the binkie sitting on the hospital sink. Derek chuckled as he got up to grab the pacifier, making sure it was lint free before handing it to Michael.

"Can I see him?" Michael asked tentatively before pushing the binkie into his mouth, releasing a relaxed sigh. Derek took a steadying breath before nodding.

"I'll go get him."