Chapter Text
Chris was tossing and turning in his sleep, letting out small moans and whimpers, looking very distressed. He was being so loud that he woke Matt up, who was sleeping peacefully sprawled on top of him, Mr Wrinkleton clutched lovingly under his arm, and a pacifier gently residing in his mouth. The little turned to look at him confused and scared. Why was Daddy being so loud?
Matt watched his Daddy struggle for a few more moments before he noticed an odd feeling around his legs. Whimpering slightly, he pulled the covers back to look at the problem, his eyes sadly taking in the sight below him. But then he noticed something off about it. He thought it was his fault at first. He’d leaked into the bed before, so he knew what it felt like when his diaper was completely flooded. But this was different. His crotch area was dry. Yes, he was due for a change by now, but he hadn’t leaked and wet the bed. Daddy had.
Whimpering again, he looked over to his Daddy’s crotch and noticed that Chris had wet himself and by extension the bed. Now the little was really scared. Daddy never wet the bed and he still hadn’t woken up. He was still making weird, scared sounds and shaking about. Not really knowing what else to do, the little started to cry. He was scared and his Daddy was being weird. He tried to shake his Daddy awake, but Chris just kept whimpering and writhing.
“Daddy! Daddy wake up” Matt tried again, shaking him harder and crying his eyes out in fear. It took a few more minutes, but Chris eventually woke up with a jump, which made Matt jump. Still crying fearfully, Matt watched his Daddy nervously as he started to take several scary deep breaths “Daddy?” He asked him in a small voice, looking terrified. Chris flinched at him and looked at him with wide eyes.
“Daddy, you wet the bed,” The little told him nervously. Chris’ eyes popped out of his skull and he shook his head in disbelief “What? No?” He muttered back, still reeling from the nightmare he was just in. Matt pouted at him and nodded his head “Uh huh, Daddy” He told him in a small voice. Chris frowned at him, but then he felt the wetness around his legs and knew that Matt was being truthful. He looked down and threw the covers back, just enough to see his mess, before he quickly threw the covers back on and took some deep breaths.
He couldn’t believe it. He had just wet the bed, like a child. He was beyond embarrassed and ashamed. He knew he shouldn’t, but he felt pathetic. Wetting the bed like a helpless baby. He was mortified.
“Daddy?” Matt asked him frightfully, looking at him with a worried expression, nibbling on his fingers as his paci had fallen out during his crying. Chris sighed “Fuck, Matt,” He told him quietly, not really being in the right frame of mind to care for a crying little right now. He looked back over to his baby and burst into his own tears, doing nothing but scaring the little in front of him. Matt looked at him terrified, reaching over to try to hold his Daddy’s hand, but Chris flinched away from him.
Matt frowned at him and tried to hold him again, but Chris pushed him back “No Matt” He told him through his teeth, feeling too many emotions right now to try and comfort someone else. In the back of his mind, he knew he couldn’t snap at Matt. It wasn’t his fault he was in his little space and absolutely terrified, but Chris was still coming down from his nightmare and now his mortification of wetting the bed.
“Daddy?” Matt said to him, sounding very scared and sad, trying once again to hold his Daddy. Chris pushed him even further away and gave him an angry look “No Matt. Go away” He shouted at him angrily. Matt looked at him frightened and flinched, still crying his eyes out. Chris sighed at him unhappily and snapped “Go and see Nick” He told him in a low voice. The little looked at him hurt and taken aback “But, Daddy-“ He tried again, but Chris glared at him and shook his head “Get out Matt!” He shouted at him again.
Matt looked at him heartbroken for a moment, before he burst into harder sobs and bolted out of the room. Chris watched him go angrily before he snapped out of it and sighed, bringing his hands to his face and beginning to cry harder. What the hell was wrong with him? He just screamed at a frightened toddler who was worried about him. The same toddler that is also the love of his life and the fucking person he’d just been sobbing for in his nightmare.
Matt sprinted out of his little room, down the stairs, through the kitchen, down the other set of stairs and into Chris’ old room, where Nick and Max were curled up asleep. He ran into the room and immediately jumped onto the bed, half landing on Nick, half landing on Max and began sobbing his heart out.
Waking due to the sudden weight on their chests, Nick and Max quickly took stock of the scene in front of them. They couldn’t see very much due to the lights still being off, but they would know Little Matt’s sobs anywhere. Both boys quickly sat up and tried to process what the hell was going on “Nicky” Matt screamed sadly, reaching over for his brother blindly. Nick hastily reached over and grabbed him, while Max turned the bedside lamp on and watched the pair.
“Matt, Sweetheart? What happened?” Nick asked him softly, pulling the little onto his lap and rubbing his hand up and down his back. Max reached over and took ahold of the littles shaking hands and sent him a sympathetic glance before he shared a worried look with Nick. Matt continued to cry, still looking frightened and taking rapid breaths “Daddy” He breathed out sadly. Nick and Max looked at each other with a confused glance, before they both went back to the sobbing boy.
“Where is Daddy, Bub?” Nick asked him gently, moving the hair from Matt’s eyes, but as Matt sobbed again it fell back in place. Max gave him a soft glance and squeezed his hands “What happened Bubs?” He asked him softly. Matt looked up at him with huge sad eyes, before his face crumpled “Daddy yelled at me” He sobbed out, before breaking back down into hysterics. Nick immediately sighed out an angry breath but kept his composure for the crying boy in his arms.
Noticing that Nick was probably livid right now, Max took control, reaching over to softly brush some tears from Matt’s face “Why did Daddy yell at you, Sweetheart?” He asked him gently. Matt took a few more breaths before he looked back at Max with a sad expression “He had a bad dream and wet the bed” He told him nervously. Nick reached up and rubbed his face with his hands, letting out a tired sigh before letting out a small nod.
Max gave Matt a sympathetic smile “Aw Bub. It’s okay. I’m sure Daddy didn’t mean it. He was probably still upset from his dream and he took it out on you” He told him softly, rubbing a hand up and down the littles trembling arm. Matt’s face crumpled again and he began crying hard “He was scary,” He told them sadly. Nick sighed sadly and quickly threw the boy into a hug, kissing the top of his head “I’m sure it was really scary Bub. But you know Daddy wouldn’t have meant it. He loves his silly little baby so much. You get upset when you have a bad dream and accidents, don’t you?” Nick asked him softly.
The little nodded his head in Nick’s chest, embarrassed. Nick gave him a small smile and nodded “See? Daddy was probably just upset and embarrassed. He loves you so much, Bub. Calm down for me Sweetheart, it’s okay” He told him softly, pressing another kiss to Matt’s head. He looked over to Max with an apologetic gaze, but Max just shook his head and pressed a kiss to his temple, giving him a warm smile, before he reached over and gently rubbed Matt’s back.
Matt eventually started to calm down, beginning to become very tired in Nick’s arms. Nick gently kissed him on the top of his head, before subtly reaching down to double-check Matt’s diaper. He could tell he was wet, being honestly very used to the feeling of Matt being wet, while in his lap. But he wanted to see if it could hold more or if he should change the boy before letting him fall back asleep.
Noticing the boy really could do with a change, he gave him a tired sigh. Max looked at him seriously for a moment, before he whispered “Are you going to check on Chris?” He asked him tiredly. Nick drew in another tired sigh and brought his hand up to rub his face “Yeah, I need to. He’s probably beating himself up right now and that’s the last thing I fucking need. Sorry,” He told him exhaustedly. Max gave him an understanding nod and smiled at him “It’s okay. I’m not mad” He told him seriously.
Nick gave him a thankful look, before turning his attention back to the tired, sad boy in his lap “Do you want to sleep down here with me and Maxi, Bub?” He asked him softly, brushing the hair from his eyes. Matt looked over to him with a drained expression and nodded, bringing his fingers up to suck on “‘M sleepy Nicky” He told him sluggishly. Nick gave him a small smile and nodded “I know you are. I just need to change you and then I need to check on Daddy, but then you can have a huge sleep” He told him as softly as he could.
Matt pouted and whined at him, shaking his head “No Nicky, want to sleep now” He told him moodily. Already feeling incredibly tired himself, Nick scrunched up his face and closed his eyes “I know you’re sleepy Bub. I won’t be long” He told him almost pleadingly. Matt pouted and shook his head again. Max looked between the brothers for a moment “I can look after him. If you want to go see Chris now, rather than wait?” He offered nervously.
Nick shot his head over to him, looking at him with a look of shock, before he composed himself “He needs a change first anyway” He told him honestly. Max bit his lip nervously but nodded at him “I know. I’m happy to change him if you want me to? If he’s okay with it? If you’re okay with it?” He told him seriously, but his nerves were eating at his words. Nick looked at him incredulously, thinking it over for a moment.
“Matt? Sweetheart? Would you be okay if Maxi gave you a change, while I go and check on Daddy? Then you can have a big sleep down here with me and Maxi” He asked him nervously. He would only act on what Matt wanted to do. Nick trusts Max. He knows his boyfriend is being completely sincere here, with no ulterior motive other than to help him and his brothers out. He’d been shocked by the offer, but he would admit that if Max changed the boy, it would be immensely helpful.
Still sucking tiredly on his fingers, Matt looked over at Nick with slightly wide eyes, before he stared at Max for a moment. After a moment of deliberation, Matt nodded. Nick looked at him seriously “Are you sure?” He asked him sternly. Matt tiredly nodded at him again “Sleepy Nicky” He mumbled from around his fingers. Nick looked back over to Max with a worried expression “Are you sure?” He asked him seriously. Max smiled and nodded at him “I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t” He told him gently.
Nick gave him a tentative nod, before gently extracting Matt from his lap and disposing him in Max’s, the latter hurriedly holding him close. He rummaged through his drawers, looking for a new pair of pants for Matt, noticing that the pair he was currently wearing were slightly damp. He then quickly went into the ensuite, returning with a towel, diaper, wipes and powder. When the boys first came home, Chris didn’t know that he wasn’t going to return to his room again. So, when they had initially bulk-bought all the things needed for diaper changes, he had stocked his bathroom with them as well. Just in case Matt ever needed them when he was in Chris’ room. So far, they’d never been used. Just sitting there collecting dust.
The eldest nervously placed them onto the bed, before fishing out a purple pacifier from his pyjama pockets and sliding it into Matt’s accepting mouth. He gave Max a firm look “Do- Do you know what to do?” He asked him seriously. Max gave him a small smirk and nodded “I’ve watched you change him enough to know what I need to do” He told him honestly, having witnessed Nick change Matt more times than he could even count anymore. Matt wasn’t phased by Max being around during his changes. If he was over and Nick needed to change the boy, Max was always invited to join them by the little.
Nick gave him a small nod, before looking down at Matt softly “Are you sure you’re okay with Maxi changing you Sweetheart?” He asked him gently. Matt whined and leaned closer into Max’s chest “Uh huh Nicky” He told him tiredly. Nick took a deep breath and nodded “Okay. I’m gonna go check on Chris, make sure he’s not- I don’t know. I don’t know how long I’ll be, but if you need me, come and get me. Don’t worry about interrupting us or something. If he needs anything, come and get me” He told Max sternly. Max gave him a serious nod “I will, don’t worry. I will. Go make sure he’s alright” He told him truthfully.
Nick took a few more deep breaths before he nodded and made his way upstairs solemnly. Max took a nervous breath, before looking down slightly at Matt and smiled softly “You okay if I change you now, Bub?” He asked him gently. Matt looked up at him tiredly and nodded. Max took in another breath and smiled at him, gently pulling him out of his lap and running over to the other side of the bed to spread the towel down.
Before he could even do anything, Matt sluggishly laid himself down on the towel, tiredly sucking on his paci, looking seconds from falling back asleep. Max gave him a soft smirk and quickly removed the boy's pants. Max would admit he was nervous now. He’d seen Nick do this countless times, but it was a different thing to actually do himself. He was about to change his boyfriends', brother’s diaper. Not exactly the night he had planned when he came over earlier, but there was no way he was backing out now.
He loves Nick more than he’s ever loved anyone. He loves everything about him, including his brothers. He knew the bond that the three of them had was something otherworldly, but he loved him for it. Matt and Chris were the most important people in Nick’s life. Therefore, they were important to Max. If Nick’s brother needed a bit of extra help from time to time, of course, Max would offer his assistance. Helping Matt, helped Nick and he was all about helping his boyfriend.
He also wanted to help Matt. He and Big Matt were good friends. Max was almost living in their house by now. Inevitably he and Matt had grown fairly close. He didn’t care that Matt regressed sometimes. He knew it wasn’t his fault, it was just something the boy needed to do to cope. Matt had been through more shit than one person ever deserved. If this is what Max needed to do to help his friend, he’d do it. A diaper change was nothing compared to the absolute hell Matt had been through.
Pulling himself together in order to help his friend, Max quietly took in a deep breath and untaped the diaper. He quickly grabbed some wipes and began cleaning the boy. He thought he might feel weird by now, wiping another grown man down like this. But he didn’t. He had a job to do and that’s all he could think of. His friend needed some help and Max wanted to be helpful. He glanced over to Matt’s face to check how the boy might be fairing about all of this. But the little was just blearily looking at him, unfazed.
“Is this still okay Bub?” He asked him seriously, wanting to make sure Matt was alright. Matt sleepily nodded at him “’S okay Maxi” He told him tiredly. Max breathed a small sigh of relief and continued to wipe the sleepy boy down.
By the time Max had finished the change, Matt was moments from passing back out. Max quickly moved the wipes, powder and dirty diaper away, while the little slowly wormed his way under the covers, dead centre of the bed. Max gave him a soft chuckle and snatched the towel off the bed, before hopping back into bed with the boy. He hadn’t even gotten around to turning the bedside lamp off before he felt a heavy weight on his chest. He looked down and noticed that Matt had curled into him and was now sleeping. Max gave him a soft look before quickly turning his phone's torch light on to the lowest brightness, knowing the little liked to have a night light on and switched the bedside lamp off. He got himself comfortable, happily cuddling the toddler back.
'Cause that’s what was going on right now. Matt was currently a toddler. There was nothing more to it. The boy was currently in his toddler mindset and needed assistance and comfort. Max realised that this was why he hadn’t been weirded out during the diaper change. Right now, Matt is a toddler and toddlers need help. There’s nothing strange about changing a toddler's diaper, regardless of who they are. Toddlers are too young to do it themselves and therefore rely on others to help them. Matt needed his help and Max wanted nothing more than to give it.
He figured that this is what Nick and Chris must feel like. Obviously, there was more to it for them. They are brothers and they’d seen so much of what Matt had been through, to end up like this. But when you care about someone, if they need help, you give it. Max cared an awful lot for Matt. Nick was the love of his life and no one was going to change that. But his relationship with Matt was different to that. He cared about him, like, he really cared about him. If the boy needed assistance, even for slightly awkward things, Max wanted to be there to help him.
Making his way upstairs, Nick quickly grabbed a fresh set of bed sheets. Knowing that Chris hadn’t already done something about the mess, as he would have heard him come downstairs. When he made it upstairs, Nick barged into Matt’s little room, looking over at Chris who was still sitting in bed stewing, as predicted, with tears falling down his face. Nick was definitely worried about him, but he was also still livid at him for yelling at Matt “What the hell is your problem?” He snapped at him from the doorway, fresh bedding being crushed in his angry hands. Chris looked at him with a guilty expression “Nick-“ He tried, but the eldest glared at him “You scared him, Chris. He was terrified. What the fuck is wrong with you?” He told him angrily.
Chris sniffled and nodded “I know. I didn’t mean to snap at him. I don’t know why I did that. I just was so freaked out and then he’d told me I pissed the bed and I was mortified and took it out on him. I’m sorry” He told him solemnly. Nick stared at him for a moment, before he took a deep breath and sighed, giving him a small nod, walking over and dumping the fresh sheets on the corner of the bed.
“Is- Is he okay?” Chris asked him in a small voice, looking incredibly awful. Nick closed his eyes and nodded slowly “He was really upset. Burst into huge sobs in my arms, but I think he’s alright now. Max is giving him a change and then putting him back to bed” He told him honestly. Chris gave him an incredulous look “Max is changing him?” He asked him pointedly. Nick gave him a hard look “Yes Chris. Matt was sobbing his eyes out to the point of exhaustion and I still needed to come and check on you” He told him flatly. Chris gave him a regretful look but didn’t say anymore.
Nick watched him for a moment before he sighed “Are you alright?” He asked him seriously, coming closer to the bed. Chris looked up at him sadly, brushing the tears from his face and nodding “Yeah. I just- it was that fucking day again. Watching them tie him down and hurt him so badly” He told him angrily. Nick sat next to him, doubling checking he wouldn’t get wet before he sat down and gave him a sympathetic glance.
“I can’t keep doing this Nick. I can’t keep replaying them hurting him over and over again. It’s killing me” Chris told him sadly, fiddling with his nails, not looking at his brother. Nick sighed and threw him into a hug “I know… I know. Have you spoken to Julie about it?” He asked him softly. Chris nodded into his shoulder “She keeps telling me that it takes time. But that isn’t helping me. Not when I start to take it out on Matt for god’s sake. The last person in the world who deserves to be yelled at for this” He told him sadly.
Nick pulled them apart, but kept his hands on Chris’ shoulder, looking at him intently “He’ll forgive you, don’t worry about that. That little menace loves his Daddy more than anything, he’ll forgive you. But Julie’s right, it takes time. I know that’s not easy to deal with. But if that is what it takes, then unfortunately, it’s what we have to do” He told him seriously.
Chris scoffed at him unbelieving “How is that going to help me? I need to be able to look after Matt. I can’t do that if I can’t get the images of him being broken out of my head” He almost snapped at him. Nick gave him a mournful look “Maybe you need a break? A break from looking after Little Matt as much as you do” He told him pointedly. Chris looked at him with wide eyes and rapidly shook his head “You’re not taking him from me” He told him desperately.
Nick gave him a soft look “I don’t want to take him from you. But you just said it yourself, Chris. How can you look after Matt, if you’re not looking after yourself? I know it’s a huge ask to look after someone else, as well as yourself. Especially when you didn’t ask to be put in this position in the first place. But this is the job. This is what we signed up for when we became his guardians. He needs us. But he can’t have you if you’re not looking after yourself first” He told him sadly, but honestly.
“You’re not taking Matt from me, I won’t let you. He needs me” Chris told him determinedly. Nick sighed and shook his head “I’m not trying to. I’m trying to look out for you, for both of you. Matt is always going to need you. Whether his PTSD continues to make him regress or not. He is always going to need you. But you need to look after yourself too. Matt doesn’t want to see you like this. I don’t want to see you like this. You’re spreading yourself too thin Chris and I’m worried about you” He told him gently.
“So what? You want me to give up my guardianship of him, is that it? Leave him in the dust?” Chris snapped at him. Nick resisted the urge to roll his eyes and shook his head again “Of course not. I’d never ask you to do that. Maybe you just need some space for a few days. Nothing drastic, just a few days away from everything. Try and help clear your head a bit. Matt would be fine, I’d be with him the entire time. He’d be okay” He suggested calmly.
“Fine? You think he’d be fine? You’re out of your fucking mind. He’s dependent on me Nick, do you not get that?” Chris told him angrily. This time, Nick did roll his eyes “I know he is, that’s the problem, Chris. You’re clearly not able to look after him right now. How do you think that affects him? He needs stability and support and it’s okay that you can’t give that to him all the time. But right now, you need to look after yourself first” He told him honestly.
Chris scoffed at him “I had one nightmare, Nick, you’re being ridiculous” He told him defensively. Nick sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose “But it’s not one nightmare is it? You’ve been having them for weeks. We’re coming up on the anniversary of our time in court. It’s no wonder you’ve been out of it for weeks. This time last year we were going over countless details about our case, watching as Matt became the most subdued he’s ever been in his life. I don’t like remembering it, so I know it’s killing you. It’s nothing to be ashamed of” The eldest told him understandingly.
Chris stared at him for several minutes, before he shook his head sadly “I can’t leave him. I’d be breaking all of my promises to him. I told him I’d never leave him, that he’s not too much for me” He said quietly. Nick sadly sighed and reached over to hold Chris’ hands softly “You wouldn’t be leaving him, not really. You just need some time to look after yourself. You’re going to burn yourself out Chris, and then you’ll really be no help to Matt. I can’t tell you what to do, but I am worried about you. You’re not coping and that’s okay, but we need to find a way to help you” Nick told him carefully.
“I’m such a fucking asshole. Matt went through so much more than me and he’s coping with it better than I am. I’m being so fucking selfish” Chris told him moodily, not looking at him. Nick scowled at him “Okay no, we’re not doing this. You are allowed to still be affected by what we went through Chris. There is no expiration date on this kind of thing. Yeah, maybe Matt did have it worse than us, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be traumatised by what happened to you. You were kidnapped, you were hurt, and you had to witness absolutely awful things happen to the love of your life, while there was nothing you could do to stop it. That trauma doesn’t just go away overnight” Nick sternly replied to him, looking at him with a piercing gaze.
Chris scoffed at him again “Yeah, but Matt seems to be coping fine. Why can’t I?” He shot at him unimpressed. Nick fixed him with a hard glare “Chris, I love him. But, Matt involuntarily regresses to the mindset of a one-year-old baby, multiple times a week. Relying on you and I to do quite literally everything for him. Now I’m not judging him or blaming him for that, but please don’t sit there and tell me that Matt is coping fine. His regression helps him, absolutely it helps him. But he is regressing because his brain honestly cannot handle all of the trauma he went through. He might be doing okay on his big days, but we both know he’s far from being fine” Nick told him firmly.
Neither of them said anything for a few minutes, both of them just sitting there thinking everything over “I don’t know what to do Nick” Chris eventually muttered to him nervously. Nick nodded at him and gave him a serious look “You don’t need to decide anything right now. But you do need to think about doing something that will help you cope more. It’s not healthy Chris. It’s not healthy and it’s the last thing Matt needs from you right now. When he’s a baby, he needs his Daddy to be his safe place. When he’s big, he needs his brother, his boyfriend to be okay” Nick told him honestly, trying not to grimace at the mention of the word ‘boyfriend’ when talking about his brother. He was used to them dating by now, but it still weirded him out from time to time.
Chris looked at him with worried eyes but didn’t say anything “You need to talk to Matt. Not now, hopefully, he’s gone back to sleep and isn’t annoying Max. But, you need to talk to him about this. You know he’ll want to know and honestly, I think he deserves to know. You’re struggling Chris and that’s okay, but you can’t keep going on like this. You need to figure something out or it’ll completely consume you” Nick said to him seriously.
The youngest thought it over for a moment before he eventually nodded at Nick solemnly “You’re right. I’ll talk to him” He told him with a sigh. Nick nodded at him and gave him a small smile “I’m always right. Now, do you want help changing the sheets or are you good?” He asked him nonchalantly. Chris blushed a furious shade of red and looked down in embarrassment. Nick rolled his eyes “It happens, Chris. You’re stressed out of your mind, don’t worry about it” He told him honestly, but Chris continued to look mortified.
Nick rolled his eyes again and huffed, sitting up and pulling the covers with him, unbothered looking at the wet patch Chris was sitting in. Chris went even redder and tried to take the covers back from him “I can do it” He told him in a mortified voice. Nick ignored him and began stripping the bed, again, ever so grateful that he and Chris had ordered plastic mattress covers for all of their beds.
“Nick-“ Chris weakly said as he slowly climbed out of the bed. Nick continued stripping the bed down but looked up at him “Chris, it’s honestly not a big deal. You had a nightmare and you’re extremely stressed. Stop worrying about it” He told him calmly. Still mortified, Chris kept his head down and whispered “It’s embarrassing” down to the floor. Nick paused at that and looked back over to him “You don’t need to be embarrassed, it happens, to lots of people. Besides, if you let yourself be mortified over it, how would that make Matt feel?” He asked him seriously, piling up the wet sheets.
Chris shot his head over to Nick with a flabbergasted expression “That’s different” He told him quickly. Nick gathered the ruined sheets in his arms and looked at Chris nonchalantly “Not really. How many times have you or I told him that having accidents is okay? You can’t tell him it’s okay and then be embarrassed when it happens to you. Do you know how shit that will make him feel?” He told him truthfully.
“Yeah, but- Matt’s incontinent. It’s not his fault he has accidents” Chris told him, still sounding mortified. Nick rolled his eyes at him “And this wasn’t your fault. If you let yourself be embarrassed by this, all of our reassurances to him will mean nothing. I get it, it’s uncomfortable and maybe in other circumstances, I’d let you feel embarrassed about it without hassling you. But it’s different now. If Matt knows you’re embarrassed about it, his insecurities will be at an all-time high” The eldest informed him honestly.
Chris looked over to him nervously, still feeling honestly quite pathetic and embarrassed “How are you so calm about this?” He asked him timidly, motioning to the wet sheets Nick was holding casually. Nick smirked at him and let out a huff of amusement “Chris, one of my brothers has been stuck in diapers for a long time now. I think I’m past the point of caring about pissy beds at 2 am” He told him with a small laugh. Chris blushed even harder but gave him a small nod.
“Have a shower and try to go to sleep. I’ll deal with these” Nick told him casually, motioning to the sheets in his hands. Chris sighed at him but nodded “I- Thank you. I really am sorry I snapped at Matt. Thank you for looking after him” He murmured to him quietly. Nick gave him a sympathetic look and nodded at him “It’s fine. That’s what Nicky is here for. Just please talk to him when you can. I’m worried about you” He replied honestly.
The youngest sighed and gave him a small nod “I will. Night Nick… Cuddle him for me” He told him sadly. Giving him a sad look, Nick nodded seriously at him “I will. That Cretin likes to hog the covers” He replied with a slight chuckle, trying to lift Chris’ clearly low mood. Chris gave a meek chuckle and nodded “Yeah, he does” He told him fondly, slowly making his way to the ensuite and closing the door.
Nick stood there for a short moment, feeling honestly quite bad for Chris, but then he remembered he had a little brother downstairs, who he’d left in the inexperienced hands of his boyfriend. Sighing, he quickly made his way back downstairs, throwing the wet sheets into the laundry hamper to deal with in the morning, and quickly made his way further downstairs to Chris’ old room. The sight he walked into made his heart swell. Both Matt and Max were sound asleep, while the little was curled into Max’s chest, with Max holding him in a protective grip. He noticed that Max had left his phone's torch on for the little, and honestly didn’t think he could fall in love with his boyfriend any more than he did right then.
Closing his door, he climbed into bed with the other two boys, positioning himself so he was spooning Matt from behind and placing a loving kiss on the back of the boy's head, before drifting off to sleep with them.