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Punk's gotten over his sickness a few weeks ago, no longer sniffling and shuffling around like he's got one foot in the grave. Unfortunately for Drew however, this means Punk hasn't been little since. He's obviously glad his boy is back to his usual self, not burning up and crying because of a headache. It broke his heart to see the younger man like that. But it's almost like Punk is avoiding him, but also not somehow.
At Aj's insistence, they all sat down and had a rather lengthy talk about what this changed in their relationship. It didn't change much, he'd never think less of either of them for anything that helps them. But Punk's been awkward ever since, almost timid. They still spend every second they can together, going out and spending hours with each other in the house, but he seems reserved. He brings it up to Aj one afternoon, and she sighs, closing her laptop. Punk is out of the house running errands for god knows what, and she's been working while Drew finds random stuff to clean or repair around the house, Larry laying at her feet. She pats the seat next to her, inviting him to sit next to her.
He sits on the couch and leans against her, practically laying so that she can run her hands through his hair and scratch at his scalp. Punk thinks it's a funny sight everytime it happens, but Drew just sticks his tongue out at him through a smile. Aj hums above him, clearing thinking, and he waits patiently, eyes closing in relaxation.
“He's been- been worried I guess.” She twirls a strand of his hair around one of her fingers.
“Worried about what?” He opens his eyes and tilts his head to look at her questioningly.
“That you'll judge him if he's little again.”
Drew sits up suddenly, hissing when some of his hair gets yanked in the process. “He knows I would never!”
“Logicaly, he knows that. But you try convincing a child that one of their favorite people in the world won't find them weird. It's a lot for him, but I am trying to get him to see he's wrong.”
He huffs and lays back down, shifting until he's comfortable, laying against her again. “What's he worried I'll judge him about?”
“Just,” she grumbles a bit, clearly trying to figure out a way to word this. “Just with the help he needs. With the stuff he has.” At the man's confused look, she continues on. “He has a stuffed animal, a moose, he likes to sleep with, and he's worried you'll find it weird being in the same bed as a stuffie. I- don't give me that look. He's worried, and you know how he gets when he gets in his own head.”
Drew does, unfortunately, know rather well what an overthinking Punk is like. It's not good for anyone, especially not Punk himself.
“Well I'm not going to find anything he does weird, I can promise you that. Being his,” He takes a deep breath, sighing on the exhale. “Being called his dada made me feel good, made me feel special.”
He hears her chuckle above him, and he smiles at the sound. “Trust me, if there's anyone in the world who knows what that's like, it's me. I actually cried the first time he called me mama.”
This pulls a laugh out of the man, and he smiles up at her. “I can totally see it.”
She rolls her eyes but smiles back, tilting her head down to softly kiss him. She pulls back after a few seconds, holding a hand against his face. “We'll just have to convince him otherwise, ok?”
He nods, playing his hand over hers, rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand.
That talk was yesterday, and Drew is still no closer to seeing Punk regressed than he was a week ago. The smaller man had come home and they had had dinner, and then he immediately disappeared somewhere in the house. Both fortunately and unfortunately, Punk forgot laundry detergent, so they're currently trekking through the mall, trying to make it to Walmart in a reasonable time. Aj has a deadline this week, so she had sent her boys off together with a kiss, and a very pointed look in Drew's direction, and told them to not have too much fun without her.
Their hands keep brushing up against each other, but they're not holding hands like they would like too, the mall is too packed with all kinds of people for them to do that. They're both content with the small contact though. Drew notices that Punk's walking seems a bit distracted. When he looks at what Punk's looking at, he suddenly understands. It's a small toy shop tucked in the corner, between two food places. In the windows looking in, the entire place is filled from the floor to the ceiling with stuffed animals, and Drew honestly just wants to feel how soft they are. He goes to turn to suggest this to Punk, but the smaller man is looking away from the store now, glaring at the floor like it owes him money, and rushing to the Walmart.
The scot decides not to say anything for now, and he hurriedly follows his boy to the store. They get the laundry detergent, and maybe a candy bar or two, and also maybe a few bath bombs for Aj, and also maybe a new toy for Larry, but they get to the checkout in a reasonable time, and load everything into a bag. Punk grabs the bag and they leave, soft silence as they walk back through the mall again. They pass by that toy store again, but instead of staring at it with longing like he had the first time, Punk keeps his eyes on the floor in front of him and keeps walking. Drew sighs and grabs his arm, stopping them in their tracks.
“C'mon Punk.”
Punk's confused look turns to one of shame when he notices where he's being dragged, but he doesn't say anything, just huffs. He brings a hand up to his mouth, biting at the fingernail of his thumb, throwing his hand down the moment he realized what he did. They're fully in the store now, no one else there but him, but he's just standing still despite Drew having let go of him. Drew spots a soft looking penguin, walking over to feel it, and when he turns back to Punk, the smaller man is staring intently at the movement of his hand.
“You should pick one out.”
The scot's voice startles Punk out of his staring, and he looks up to meet his eyes. “What?”
“You should pick one out. It'll be your treat for having to go shopping two days in a row.”
“I-”
“There's no use arguing, you should find one baby.”
Drew can physically see something in Punk's eyes change, and he watches as Punk stands there for a few more seconds, before slowly reaching towards a pile that's next to him. Drew watches him shuffle through them, feeling the fur between his fingers before looking for another one. Drew doesn't know how long he waits, but he doesn't mind it, seeing the small smile spread on Punk's face. Punk stops, grabbing a stuffed brown bear and holding it up for Drew to see.
“You want that one?”
Punk nods, holding it close to his chest, and Drew holds his hand out. “Well come here then baby, I've gotta pay for it.”
Punk's silent the whole transaction, but as they're walking out of the store, he bumps his shoulder against Drew's and smiles. “Thank you dada.”
Drew is not being dramatic when he says he feels like the luckiest person in the universe right now. He could actually jump for joy if he didn't think the sight of a 6’5 man jumping up and down randomly would be weird. Instead of celebrating like he wants to, he just smiles down at him and brushes his hand against the other man's. “You're welcome baby boy.”
Drew's heart actually stops for a moment there when he hears Punk's giggle at the pet name. He is going to die in this mall and he is going to die happy. They get to the car, Drew putting the bag in the backseat, trying his hardest not to smile like a maniac when he helps Punk buckle his seatbelt, the smaller man clutching the bear to his chest the whole time. When Drew gets in the car, Punk lets go of the bear with one hand, and reaches over to hold onto arm.
“Are you gonna name your bear something?”
Punk hums, looking into the bear's plastic eyes. “Dunno.”
“Well he needs a cool name.”
Punk shakes his head in disagreement before speaking. “Nuh uh dada, she's a girl.”
Punk is actually going to make his heart start melting in his chest one of these days.
“Ah, I'm sorry baby. Well she needs a cool name, maybe mama can help?”
Punk's eyes light up and he sits up as much as he can, nodding his head in agreement. “She always knows what to names them.”
Drew smiles, pulling into their driveway and getting everything, and everyone out of the car. Punk practically races inside, only stopping to pet Larry at the doorway before he shouts into the house.
“Mama, come look at what dada got me!”
Aj comes around the corner, smiling widely at Drew, mouthing ‘I told you so’, before petting the stuffed animal that Punk is holding out to her. “It's so adorable!”
“I know! Help me think of her name?”
Aj nods and leans up to kiss his check, and then his nose. “Of course. I'll just help Dada put this stuff away then I'll be right there.”
Punk smiles and walks out of the room, Larry at his ankles, disappearing from sight. Drew turns to face Aj, feeling her wrap her arms around his waist.
“It all worked out, didn't it?”
“Yeah, I guess it did.” He smiles and leans down to kiss her, unable to stop smiling into the kiss. She's smiling into the kiss too, and he feels like he's filled with nothing but love.