Work Text:
Life in the manor wasn't all too bad. Mike for the first time in quite a while felt like he was somewhere safe. He felt like he had somewhere he belonged. Sure, sometimes he was picked on but that's what he got for being the youngest of the survivors. What mattered to him was that he finally had friends. He finally had a family.
The one thing that he had carried with him from his past other than the clothes on his back, was a stuffed rabbit Mike had lovingly named Bumbee. Bumbee was Mike's biggest comfort. Everything was alright so long as he was able to have Bumbee. He would bury his face into the well loved on fur of the rabbit and effectively wash away all of the days worries.
Between matches, Mike would even carry him around sometimes. A few survivors found it cute even, and were glad that the young man had a comfort. Norton and Kevin were always making sure that no one picked on Mike for it.
It was well established that Bumbee was important to Mike. He needed the rabbit. And a Mike without Bumbee was never good.
Pranks, high fives, and saying his favourite words could only get him so far. He was always full of energy and always had his mind racing from this place to the next. Sometimes, the speed of the outside world, got too be too much for Mike when it mixed with what went on in his head, and sometimes, he just liked to hide away, cuddle his boyfriends, and hug his rabbit.
Especially today.
Mike was waken up early to start things off. He was forced out of bed by Martha, told to get dressed and meet in the dining hall. He took his time, he was tired after all, seeing as sleep never came all too easy to him. And when he arrived, to see Martha, along with Eli and Helena, he stood by awkwardly. That's when the scolding began.
He was in trouble because he had come late, and when there was matches, a survivor should always be there on time. Mike gave a simple 'yes ma'am' and stood off to the side as they got ready to go.
They didn't even have breakfast.
So, his schedule had been thrown off first thing in the morning, it made him want to cry already, the scolding overwhelmed him, and when they were busy during the match, he only got more overwhelmed. He felt terrible when he was sent back second, and even worse when the match ended up a loss. He was scolded again.
He should know how to run from a hunter by now.
He should know better than to give his legs a break.
Be a team player.
Don't try and rescue that's not your job.
Mike beat himself up over it as he walked away, wanting to go back to his room. His stomach hurt from a mix of hunger and self hate, anxiety beginning to work up in his throat from his overwhelmed mind.
All of it mixed together unpleasantly. So he threw up.
Its never pleasant to throw up bile, but Mike experiences that a lot. He's sensitive, and certain things make him have to be sick.
As Mike hobbled out of the bathroom his looked around. He looked terrible, cheeks red, eyes puffy, hair messy as usual. He just wants something to distract him.
Who better than Aesop.
The embalmer was making his way down the hall just as Mike was searching for something to cheer him up. Aesop helped with pranks sometimes, so why not today?
Asking to do a prank came up fruitless, instead, he got a rejection and a sigh from the male. Mike looked much like a kicked puppy as Aesop walked away from him. He rubbed at his teary eyes, and mutters a quiet 'I didn't want you to do one with me anyway..' And sulks off.
He decided that he was done with today. He just wanted to lay down and cry and hold Bumbee, and it wasn't even 3 PM yet.
The frustrated boy makes his way to his room, tired, sad, and overwhelmed. He pushed open the door, on the verge of tears as he shut it and throws himself onto his bed. He lays face down, giving little huffs and patting around for his rabbit. Left corner, right corner, under the blanket, under the pillows, right corner, under the blanket, left corner.
His breathing begins to quicken as he shoots up, looking around the bed frantically for Bumbee. He breaths words to himself. Quick 'where's and 'huh's. He was panicking. He needed his rabbit. He threw himself onto the floor, tears starting to drip down his face as he looked under the bed, around the bed, behind the nightstand, under the bed, under the blanket, behind the nightstand.
He can't find it and its all too much and he need him.
Mike crumples, curling up on himself and beginning to sob. He can't find Bumbee. He was so terrible even his own stuffed animal didn't want him.
It was a battle with himself for Mike to push himself up, still sniffling and hiccuping in tears as he trudged through the halls, searching for Kurt.
Mike considered Kurt like a dad to him. The man was always looking after him and trying to teach him what he never learned before. He could trust Kurt.
But Kurt apparently just left for a match, and Mike once again breaks down, crying harder and bumping his head against a wall in frustration. He would have done it once more had he not been stopped by Jose. As soon as he was touched he shrinks up, pushing Jose away from him and walking away.
So he tries the next best, Kevin or Norton. His boyfriends.
Norton wasn't there, he had gone on the match with Kurt. But Kevin was here.
"K-Kevin!" Mike sniffled and hiccups as he found his boyfriend, throwing himself onto the cowboy. One of the only people who he ever felt comfortable touching. He buried his face against the confused man, who gave a sputtered noise.
"What.. whats going on Mikey, talk to me, sugar." Kevin soothed, petting Mike's messy hair slowly in an attempt to calm him. He held the boy, in a way that he had learned was most comfortable for Mike, gentle and loose.
And Mike breaks down for the seemingly 100th time that day. He lets it all out. The change in his routine, being yelled at, loosing, being a failure, and worst of all, no Bumbee. And Kevin tries really hard to talk the boy through it, to soothe him and be gentle. He's good at being nice, good at being a gentleman, good at taking care of Mike, but sometimes, he can't do enough.
"I'm right here, baby."
It's all that Kevin has left to say before asking if Mike wants to cuddle and take a nap, after all, he seemed exhausted. And that was an understatement. The crying and vomiting and running had done a number on him amongst the other things troubling him in the present. So Mike nods, and Kevin picks him up, taking him to Mike's room, and pulling him close in bed.
Unlike with hugging, Mike was okay with tight holds when he was cuddled, so long as he could breath. And being held like that was at least okay for the time, he hiccuped as he continued to cry, though his tears had long since dried up. And after some time, he passed out like that, safe in Kevin's arms.
Though the nap didn't help. Because Mike still needed Bumbee when he woke up. Even while cuddling Kevin he wanted Bumbee. He wanted his rabbit.
And so Mike starts to cry again, though his sobs were tearless, all of them dried up from his previous session. His head pounds by now, and it was nearly night time. Kevin insists on them going to get him some water and a meal, and Mike listened despite wanting nothing to do with leaving his bed.
He held tight onto Kevin's hand and followed right at his side like a scared child, sobbing all the while, one arm raised to hide his face.
They were thankful the kitchen was empty, and Kevin grabs a glass for Mike, filling it with water, then handing it to the crying boy.
Mike drinks up the water, feeling rather thirsty and hoping it would make his headache go away and his stomach pains stop. All the while, Kevin finds something small to feed the boy, a plate of fruits. It'd work until Mike could manage a full meal.
Mike sits on the counter, something he's rarely allowed to do, but Kevin says that he would make sure Mike didn't get in any trouble for it this time, and Mike trusts Kevin. So he slowly drinks the rest of his water, using both of his hands to hold the cup, yet it still shook. He eats his cut up fruits, and even asks for some more water and another banana. And Kevin gladly gives both to his lover, anything to help take care of him.
Mike still looked tired, his eyes puffy from the occasional tear and dry sobbing, he was shaking and whimpering, breathing uneven. Kevin thought a few times that Mike would drop his cup. But he doesn't, and Kevin praised Mike for being so strong.
Kevin washed up the two dishes and picks Mike up, the boy had explained that he felt tired. Kevin knew he should talk to Kurt about this, so once Mike was settled in Kevin's arms, face buried in the man's shoulder, Kevin walked them to find Kurt.
He did so with success in around 10 minutes. And began to explain that Mike couldn't find his stuffed rabbit, he was having an awful day. And Kurt understood, gave a gentle apology to both men. He says that he will look around and to have Mike go and relax.
By the time Kevin got back to Mike's room, the latter was already asleep, having worn himself out once more. Kevin wouldn't complain, simply slid into bed carefully and held Mike. He himself fell asleep, and they stayed like that until the morning.
Kurt had seemed to talk to Martha about what she said, and got an apology from her. He had also asked around to see if anyone had seen the rabbit. And he had gotten just the answer he needed.
Kevin and Mike were still asleep when Norton came to the room, gently closing the door behind him and walking over to where the two men were. In his softest voice, he speaks up to wake them.
"Mikey." Norton says gentle, reaching to brush at his hair. The blonde boys eyes blink open slowly, still half closed when he looks to Norton. But the faintest, most tired smile forms.
"Hey baby.." Norton cooed, touching at his face softly. Kevin began to shift and sit up, an arm still around the sleepy boy. "Good news, you two." He starts, giving a little smile. "I was pretty busy yesterday, but Kurt told me to bring you this." He says softly, revealing the stuffed rabbit.
Mike most definitely woke up from that, sitting up so fast he nearly slammed into Kevin's chin, but he didn't get off without any trouble, as he got quite dizzy.
"Bumbee!" Mike exclaimed, snatching the rabbit from Norton, squeezing it close to his chest and burying his face into the fur. His tears start up again, but he isn't sad this time, just happy that his rabbit was back, and he whimpers and sobs into its fur, which was considerably softer than before.
It took him until he stopped crying to notice the difference.
Right away, the biggest change was the fur had been cleaned. Someone had washed Bumbee, they had repaired a few stitches, and essentially, made the rabbit good as new. And Mike giggles as he notices this, sniffling through the little laughs and holding the rabbit up.
"He's back!" Mike says, looking to Kevin, and then Norton, smiling brightly, like everything was good once more. And to Mike, that really was true.
Mike sets the rabbit in his lap and makes grabby hands to the prospector, grinning as he came close. Mike grabbed Norton by his shirt and kisses him, giggling softly, and then turning to give Kevin a kiss.
"You alright now, sugar?" Kevin asked gently, to which the blonde nods and smiles, looking down at Bumbee.
"I'm okay..just sleepy."
"Why don't we take a little nap then, I didn't get much sleep last night, and I missed my favourite boy." Norton says with a playful tone, looking at the acrobat and cowboy. Mike nods excitedly, and they scoot a little, Norton joining them in the bed after discarding his hat and shoes.
The three get comfortable, Norton and Kevin sandwiching the blonde as he cuddled against them both, squeezing his rabbit to his chest.
"Love you.." Mike murmured to both men, receiving a kiss from both as he finally drifts off comfortably.