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[littleorphanalien]

When Michael had texted Caleb, he'd wanted him to go swing by the house and check on Luke, but then Alex had driven back to get him so they could look at the house and make an offer. Now, he's texting Caleb to get him to stick around at the house, wondering if Caleb thinks it's just little Michael and he's developed some kind of affinity and concern for Luke.

Even if he does, Michael is brimming with excitement and anticipation, because they just bought a goddamn house. Alex and Luke are out at a diner to celebrate, and Michael's heading back to give Caleb the news -- both about the house and about his return to adulthood, along with a heartfelt apology about what kind of an ass he'd been.

Lucky for him, he's had to make that apology before a time or two.

Alex got flowers to make up for it, but for Caleb, he grabs a box of pastries, heading back to the place and knocking (even though it's his home), ducking inside and smirking when he sees Caleb. "So, are former eleven-year-old dickheads allowed to talk to you?"

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[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

Caleb rolls his eyes a little, but he hugs Michael again. "Come on, go easy on yourself," he says. "He was scared and confused. I get it, okay?" He steps back at last, taking the donuts, and he looks at Michael with a small, uncertain expression. "D'you remember, like, everything?" he asks.

[littleorphanalien]

Michael knows exactly what he felt, because he'll never forget the trauma of being that kid. It had been hell, truthfully, and something he didn't want to relive. Alex got him to relax a little with trust and affection, but it still wasn't exactly settled.

He still considered bolting every hour, finding a place with the limited money he had.

"I remember it all," he guarantees, and finally lets go of Caleb. "It was shitty, okay? I had bad foster homes, bad groups, bad families," he says firmly.

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

Caleb nods, and drops that particular subject. "I'm glad you're back to remembering us though," he says. "I think that'd been the hardest. That we knew you, and you had no idea who we were."

Watching Michael's constant distrust on that young face, when his feelings were so similar to the man Caleb knew, had been like a slap, every time. And every time Caleb thought he'd been making headway, a stray thought or feeling would latch onto Michael and they'd be back to square one. It'd been frustrating, tiring, and had stung more than he'd like to admit.

[littleorphanalien]

"What did I feel like?" he asks, careful, because he doesn't really want to know how bad it was at the same time as he absolutely does. It's like picking a wound -- he knows that he shouldn't, but a part of himself just can't help it.

"I'm back, though," he says. "Luke and Alex know, I made my huge apologies to them," he quips. "I bought Alex the biggest bouquet of apology flowers I could afford," he quips. "How are you doing, though? Honestly?"

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

Caleb shakes his head, because he knows that getting into it is a bad idea. Michael doesn't need to feel guilty for something he'd had no control over, and Caleb knows he will if they talk too much about it. So he focuses on the second question, instead of the first.

"I'm good, Man, really. I'm really relieved you're back to normal."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael lifts his brow. "Hey, c'mon, I can handle it," he says, when Caleb seems to want to avoid telling him. He gives him a pointed look, because he does want to know. "Was it just all rage and yellow? Or was it blue?" He wants to know what changed, what happened between then and now.

"If you tell me, I'll tell you the other big news," he teases, grabbing a donut to tear a huge bite out of it with a grin.

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

"Oh, see, that's just not fair," Caleb says with a laugh. Then he sighs, and he takes the donuts protectively to the couch to sit. "I dunno, it was... a lot of it was the same, just... brighter. Sharper." He looks at Michael, eyebrows going a bit puppy-dog. "You didn't have Alex to temper any of it, and we weren't connecting the way we do, so it was just... a lot of red." At times, it had felt like hot coals under his feet. At others, it'd been like needles, jabbing at his stomach.

[littleorphanalien]

He's not surprised by that. He's pretty much expecting it, but he'd almost been expecting something else, but it's the truth. His rage had basically been what powered him for as long as it did, and nothing else.

Mistrust, rage, anger, and an abandonment complex you could write novels about.

"We're good now, right? That didn't disrupt our connection?" he checks, settling in on the chair and finishing off the donut he stole. Because he and Alex are good again, so he hopes that it's the same with him and Caleb.

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

"No, I think we're good. Everything feels... normal." Well, as normal as having an unusually strong empathic connection to a slightly psychic older alien could feel, anyway. "There was... fear, too, but it was still red. Like, you were angry about being scared, kinda, if that makes sense."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael nods, grateful for that, and Caleb can probably feel his relief. He hadn't wanted to lose the connection because the city got weird with him and decided he needed to relive his mistrusting and awful years of his life, when he'd been in the worst home of them all.

He hadn't wanted help, he hadn't wanted to be scared, and he just wanted to be wanted. "Lucky I got such good family," he quips, using his foot to prod at Caleb's leg. "You and Alex both, made sure I got real loved on, with plenty of hugs," he teases.

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

"Oh, totally," he assures. "Even though I was pretty sure you were gonna try to stab me, a couple times." He says it fondly, like it's a joke they can look back on, but it'd been a bit nerve-wracking at the time.

[littleorphanalien]

Michael gives him a guilty little smile, seeing as that had definitely been his go-to defense mechanism. "If it makes you feel any better, I also pulled a knife on my fellow aliens who I consider my siblings back at eleven," he allows, and knows that might not exactly help so much as communicate what a distrustful bundle of issues he was.

"So, up to you," he offers. "But I think you should join me, Alex, and Luke for food to celebrate that we just bought a house."

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

Caleb almost chokes on the donut he has halfway into his mouth. He manages to tuck most of it into his cheek so he can say, "Shit! No wonder you're so excited!" But he's such an asshole for waiting until Caleb had food in his mouth to say anything.

[littleorphanalien]

"I mean," he drawls, "I'm pretty excited I'm back to being almost twenty-nine and my fiance is also the same age. Trust me, lots to get excited about," he says with a filthy wink, trying to unsettle Caleb a little, and loving that he can do it again.

"It's scary as shit," he confirms. "It's a lot of money, but it's on the beach. I'd still want to keep most of my alien ship stuff at your place, if that's okay?"

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

"I mean, it's your place," he points out. "Still, technically, right? I'm just borrowing it." Not for much longer, though. His birthday is only a couple of weeks away, and he'll be eighteen, and he'll be able to start renting his own building — and then poor Rosie doesn't have to text him every time someone's coming over.

[littleorphanalien]

"If we move in there, I'd let it go once you did, but we don't have a shed or a garage, so I gotta build that before we move in, if I want to keep my things in there." Which, it sounds like he does. "Eighteen," he echoes, reaching over to clap Caleb on the shoulder, giving him a little wiggle.

"Look at you, all grown up," he teases. "Let me know when I need to move my shit out, okay?"

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

He rolls his eyes, but he accepts the little wiggle with a grin. "Yeah, I will," he says. "Still a little while, though." He grabs Michael's arm, grin widening. "Dude, tell me about the house!"

[littleorphanalien]

Michael digs out his phone so he can pull it out, laughing at Caleb's enthusiasm, though he doesn't know if that's echoing from him or what, just that he's feeling bright and joyful. "It's a beach bungalow thing, a bit of a drive from here, so no more walking to our place," he says apologetically.

"Not huge, a few bedrooms, some kitchen space, but it's on the beach," he says, which is really the big thing he'd been chasing after. "Bigger room for Luke, and a guest room for people to crash. I just gotta build the shed and Alex's bathroom."

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

"I can help, if you want," he offers. "After school, when I'm not working, y'know?" He's love the time, actually, and it'd put his car to good use, now that it's finally finished and roadworthy.

[littleorphanalien]

Michael's whole face brightens and he's pretty sure the flooding out of relief is something Caleb will feel, as vivid as possible. "Hey, man, I'd love the extra help," he guarantees. "If I get two sets of hands and Luke and Alex helping, we can do it in no time."

When they actually move in.

"Shit, man, I can't believe I grew up and bought a house within the same day."

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

Caleb pretends to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye. "I'm so proud of you," he jokes. Then he sobers, just a little — he's still smiling — and adds, "I'm serious, though, this is going to be awesome. A fucking house, Dude."

[littleorphanalien]

"Yeah, it's uh..." He's excited, but then these waves keep crashing over him, that uncertainty and the wariness that comes with it. "It's a lot," he admits. "And I haven't sold any of the drones yet, so that's an extra piece to be worried about."

He knows he shouldn't be, but he is, and it's not something he knows how to fight.

"I'm gonna miss you dropping in so easily, though. I'll hear that engine of yours miles away, the way I installed it."

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

"Maybe I'll still just take the run down, though," Caleb says with a shrug. "Make another route down your way instead of heading to the park." He already runs from Candlewood, through Petros Park a few laps, and then back. It probably won't be much different to just run down to wherever this beach house is.

"Fuck, Man, a beach house. That's awesome."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael's relieved like crazy to hear that Caleb still wants to come around and hang out with him. He knows that it's a little much to expect he gets the house, the husband, the dog, the kid, and he gets to keep the rest of his family, but hey, he's started to get selfish.

"Yeah, it's not huge, but..." He stares at the pictures again. "Gotta install a plant wall and the bathroom for Alex, then you and I can work on the shed."

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

Caleb smiles, feeling Michael's pleased relief.

"It's gonna be great," Caleb assures.

[littleorphanalien]

Michael grabs at his arm again and hauls him up into his arms for a hug. "I hope so," he says. "I meant it, by the way. I want you to come to breakfast with me and the kidlet and the husband to be. You're family, right? You definitely made me remember that," he says, and he's grateful for that.

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

"I'm totally game if you are," he assures. Michael knows how he is about food. If it hadn't been for the desire to actually talk, first, he would've agreed the first time he'd offered.

[littleorphanalien]

"All right, up," he coaxes, tapping at Caleb's feet to get him moving. "Grab the donuts, don't want to lose them," he says, and waits until Caleb is on his feet again to yank him into another hug.

"Seriously, though, I gotta thank you a whole lot for what you did for me while I was little and a handful."

[greatamazingfeelingsboy]

Caleb clutches him, rubbing his back. "You really, really don't, Man," he assures. "Seriously. I'd do anything for you, and I know you'd do it for me, too."

[littleorphanalien]

Michael gives him a soppy look, knowing that he's not supposed to fall apart that easy, but hey, it's not his fault when Caleb says all the right things. He grabs him in for that tight hug, clinging to him so close. "Just remember you said that when I ask for a favor," he teases.