Rylan reaching upstairs finding Hayden in his tub filled with cold water and some ice cubes just for good measure.
“How’s things?” “Pretty Chill!” “Ouch, that was bad, even for you! Why don't you go downstairs dad, I'll help Hayden.” “Alright, we'll get everything ready down there then.”
Hayden looks at Rylan wondering a little why he is there, as he knows all he had to do was shout and Chris would have taken him down to the others. Vy looks at him and whispers as if saying it out loud would break something.
“I believe you... “
He squeezes his hand, looking down.
“I would miss you all so much. And I believe you, that's why I am scared because I believe you and I want everything you tell me to be true. You're my family! I feel like you're my family.” “We feel like family because we are family”
He remembers the pizza, turning his head quickly.
“A family about to have homemade Pizza “
He gives Vy a quick hug before he goes to take the Pizza out as Chris walks in.
“Oooh, this smells nice!”
Rylan helps his brother out of the bath and over to his bedroom, finding him some light pants and boxers, standing with both in his hands, suddenly stopping, just looking at Hayden.
“Rylan...? Hey, nono, don't go there”
He pushes himself off the bed and walks over to him.
“Hey, look at me, come here... “
he leads Rylan back to the bed sitting him down, understanding why he came up now, Hayden being the best at snapping him out of his panic attacks.
“Rylan, tell me about Flynn, and how he loses his soul?”
Rylan takes a deep breath, looking at Hayden, anxiety making him shudder, then starts rambling quickly everything that jumps into his mind...
“Slow, I can't understand you.”
He has done this a few times now and getting him to focus on something, often going into detail on it, and forcing him to speak slowly. Rylan looking at him, their eyes locked as he slows down, breathing deeply, starting over, while handing Hayden his clothes.
Vy smiles at Chris. Suddenly realizing just how tired he is, both physically and emotionally. It took him a fun day to realized he missed normality, he missed having fun and good days.
“I think after pizza... I might need to go to bed”
He stretches and looks at the pizza that Hayle is taking out of the oven.
“You’ll have to cool a few slices for Hayden, mister Hayle…” “I will, and you should do that, get a good night’s rest.
He takes the pizza over to the table, taking two slices, cooling them on a plate, the temperature in the room lowering, yet oddly not just around the pizza he just took out. “Rylan, Hayden, Dinner!”
Hayden looks at Rylan who nods and lifts him up.
“Pineapple?” “On your side, yes. Weirdo!”
He smiles, happy his brother helped him out of it, impressed by how he does it. It seems to be by far the most effective way of handling it.
“Coming dads!”
Vy watches the pizza, starts zoning out again, smacking his face on the island counter and waking up with a yelp.
“Sorry!”
He blinks eyes repeatedly and rubs face.
“Owwww…” “Maybe you should just go get some sleep? I'll save some pizza for you if you want?
Hayle looks a little worried at him as Rylan enters the room carrying Hayden, putting him on the chair next to Vy. Hayden just looking at them wondering what he has missed, as he has clearly missed something.”
“More pizza for us! I'm joking Vy, sorry.” “No... no! I'm okay! I can have pizza!” “Well, I say let’s dig in!”
Rylan grabs the chips and the bearnaise as well, putting it so they can just grab some when they want, wishing that River was here, as he grabs a pizza slice, Hayden, looking at Vy as his dad brings him the chilled pizza slices, taking a bite.
“Oh, nice! You guys are getting good!” “Well we have a very good teacher”
Vy picks a slice himself
“I saw another pizza recipe I wanna try, where the dough is made of broccoli and it looks delicious!”
He smiles, taking a bite into a piece of pineapple pizza.
“Like, green pizza!” “I'd try it, have to test if its tasty cold. “Broccoli pizza... I am not convinced!” “Figures mr I hate my vegetables!” “ I don't need to eat, why eat icky things!?”
Hayden laughs and shakes his head at his brother and his dad’s banter.
“Doesn't mean you aren’t what you eat!”
He sticks his tongue out at his brother as he takes another bite of the pizza.
“Says the one who has pineapple on Pizza!” “ Vegetables are good and tasty! I'll make broccoli pizza for you! It has a lot of cheese!”
He smiles, finishing his slice and reaching for a second one.
“Just serve it and don’t tell him what it is, we had vegetables in his favorite meatballs when he was a kid, a picky eater is what he is!” “Oi!”
Hayden just shakes his head chuckling them, enjoying another family dinner together.
“I'll tell him the truth. You'll learn to like veggies with me!”
He chuckles, and drinks a bit of soda, taking one more bite of his pizza, watching them eat. As they eat and talk, he slowly starts dozing off, laying his head against Hayden's shoulder, unfinished pizza slice in hand. Hayden looking at him as he feels the weight off his head on his shoulder. Putting an arm around him just so he can sleep like that for a little while.
“So who is sleeping with me tonight then?”
He notices both Hayle and Rylan raise their hands.
“Wow.. both of you huh.” “Yeah, I need someone to bounce ideas off when you’re awake, and try and keep dad from it, I dare you.”
Hayden just chuckles, gently playing with Vy's hair, a little worried with him, knowing he used way too much energy to just keep him going.
“I'll take him to his room, we have done some changes to it, he probably hasn't noticed since he is always in yours.”
He gently lifts the sleeping dragon into his arms, letting his son kiss his cheek gently before he takes him upstairs. Smiling as he hears a chirp escape Vy noticing he is clinging to him, wondering if he thinks perhaps it is Hayden carrying him, deciding not to ask for now. His room now has a fully open roof, no glass, instead, the cold is kept out with a magic shield Hayle had set up. That way both sun and moon could shine in and help charge him up. The room was also slightly warmer than the rest off the house so he could sleep without freezing.
“Now then, you have a good sleep”.
He sits on the bed like him and his husband had talked about, noticing that Vy looks at him when he puts him down, clearly, a bit confused at first, but then he sees him and calms down.
“Sleep Vy, I'll wake you if I feel the slightest change in Hayden.”
He smiles at Vy, wanting to do what he would have done with his own kids, but a little uncertain Vy would take that well.
“You can use me as a bed if you want, my kids do that so, you are welcome to as well.“
Vy looks at Chris, then at the sky, seeing all the stars, pretty sure this was not in his room when he first moved in there.
“I have nightmares sometimes... “
He scoots closer to Chris, so he can feel his presence, though he doesn't entirely hold on to him, a bit awkward, not knowing if it would be alright, but just being close enough to calm him down
“please wake me up if I have nightmares... “ “I will.”
He closes his eyes, quickly dozing back to sleep. While he sleeps he actually scoots closer to Chris, clinging to the side on his shirt. Chris adjusts his position slightly and lifts him so he can hold him to make him feel safe, doing just what he does with all his kids when they are upset.
“You sleep well Vy.”
He looks up at the stars, half pondering on making one of these for him and Hayle’s bedroom, in the kitchen Hayden sits quietly having finished his food, not really feeling like eating any more than two slices knowing his stomach didn’t like too much food at once.
“I wish he didn't…” “We all do, which it's why it is good he gets a night’s sleep.” “Yeah…”
He knows he will miss him, but with his dad and brother there, it would be good. Not that he would ever say it out loud, but after being told his heart had stopped on several occasions, he wasn't exactly feeling like sleeping alone.
“So you get to help me plot and plan instead.”
He takes another pizza slice, munching on the chips and the sauce, noticing his dad looking at them.
“Plot and plan?” “Yeah, we decided to start up D&D again. Have some fun.” “Oooh, good, then this time we can have homemade dinners!” “Oh wow, that's going to be a shock for them.” “A good one though.”
Hayden watches as Hayle and Rylan start to clean, before he finds himself in his brother’s arms and Carried up to his room, where the tv comes on with a movie, as he and Rylan discuss d&d until Hayden falls asleep.
“I like your idea, with River’s character.” “It was Vy's idea actually.” “It's a nice idea, imagine the surprise when he comes back.”
Rylan looks at his dad and nods, this day has been the first in a while where he has forgotten all about the dream world, and stayed in his real world. And he had to admit, it did feel quite nice. In general, this entire day, or well evening had been nice, they would need to do more off them
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