Separated: 5SOS BSM

71. You're All Grown Up/Dropping You Off At College - Michael

Ashton got up, just leaving his stool in the middle of the driveway, not that anyone cared at this point. You were mentally assembling a grocery list, Michael was wringing his hands and mumbling to himself, Calum was starting the moving van, and Luke was buckling himself in.

While the three of you were climbing into your own car, Calum backed the van out of the driveway. He waved to you on his way by, and when the van was on the road you heard Luke yell.

"SEE YOU SUCKERS LATER!" Then Calum sped off at a probably illegal speed.

"Oh great," you rolled your eyes, "all my stuff will be crushed by the time it gets there."

"No it won't," Michael walked over to stand beside you, "I wrapped everything remotely breakable in bubble wrap."

"Oh," you let some of the tension out of your shoulders.

"Do you have any extra?!" Ashton asked excitedly.

You snorted, but your brother nodded and stalked off. The two of you watched as he disappeared into the garage.

"You know he's only being a perfectionist because he's scared right?" Ashton asked once Michael was out of earshot.

"I know," you nodded. Even if he was kind of a pain, you knew that he had only the best intentions at heart, so you couldn't fault him.

"And that he's basically acting like a helicopter mother who's baby is all grown up," Ashton added, watching as Michael came out of the garage with a whole roll of bubble wrap.

"I can tell," you said dryly, "at least we aren't at the point where he's trying to wrap me in bubble wrap."

"Yeah, that'd be a waste of very entertaining bubble wrap," Ashton giggled, taking the roll from Michael as soon as he was in reach.

"Can I drive?" He asked, shifting on his feet.

"Yeah sure," you tossed him the keys and climbed in the back with Ashton.

Pop, pop, pop pop. He had already started to unroll and pop the bubble wrap. Every time one of the little plastic air pockets let out a satisfying pop he'd giggle for a minute and then move on to the next one.

"Scooch over," you climbed in, moving the piece of bubble wrap draped over your seat so that you could sit, you plopped yourself down and buckled in. Once you were secure, you picked the bubble wrap back up and started popping it with Ashton.

Michael moved slower, he rounded the front of the car to the drivers seat, and got in slowly. He sat down and buckled himself in, checking his mirrors carefully after he shut the door. You saw his eyes linger on you and Ashton giggling in the back.

He did it a lot throughout the drive, you didn't know whether it was creepy or endearing, but since he looked sad, you knew that it was the latter.

You finally decided to address it, " Mikey, everything okay up there?"

"Yup," his eyes flickered back to the road automatically. His tone however was higher-pitched than normal, something you and Ashton both noticed.

The bubble wrap was, temporarily, abandoned. "Really? We have lots of time to talk in here," Ashton pressed.

"I'm fine really," Michael promised.

"Are you really really fine? You don't want a car support group?" You offered him.

"No," his voice cracked. You both looked at him knowingly until he gave in, "yes."

"Pull over," Ashton ordered. Michael pulled off to the side of the road as he was asked, you knew that he was close to tears and that the extra water in his eyes would cloud his vision. "Get out," Ashton said as he opened his own door. The two boys switched spots so that Ashton was now driving and Michael was sitting next to you.