[ i'm kinda sad but that's becoming normal tbh // song is by kropp circle.

warnings: language!!

concept: it's lewis and the family i'm considering giving to him tbh

stay safe,
lew. ]

——————

"Chloe, what do I do? Tyler won't stop crying and I'm about five seconds from crying too."

Lewis looked incredibly overwhelmed, even over the shitty video call. The bundle of blue blankets were clutched close to his chest as he tried walking around, and he looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep.

"See if he needs a bottle, check his diaper, then maybe try rocking him and singing him to sleep?" She suggested, rubbing her eyes. She looked tired too, and it made him feel bad about bothering her for help.

"I've already done the first two. I can try the second? I'll call you back if it doesn't work," he promised. "Love you, Chloe. Get some more sleep if you can."

"Love you too, Lew. Good luck."

He hung up the call, then found his way to the rocking chair in the nursery. The baby was still crying, and Lewis had to wipe away a tear of his own before softly starting to sing one of his favorite songs, with a few minor changes, of course.

"He held the world upon a string, but he didn't ever hold me..."

After the first bit, Tyler had stopped crying, wide blue-gray eyes blinking up at him. Lewis kept singing, though, the smile on his face growing as the baby slowly fell asleep.

He settled his son into the crib again, then slipped outside with the baby monitor in his pocket. He closed his eyes, though, imagining a bright sun in the sky instead of a million stars as he spoke softly. "I still wish you were here, buddy. Ty would love you, as much as I do, because no matter what, I'd still consider you part of the family. Uncle Logan sounds good, doesn't it? I just... I miss you. A lot. All the time. But things will be okay. They have to be."

Lewis swore to himself he was imagining the warm feeling that blanketed him in the frigid night.

———

"Tyler, buddy, come talk to me," Lewis called out as soon as he heard the door slam. The teenager pretended not to hear him, as evidenced by the fact he continued on down the hall to his room.

Slowly, Lewis forced himself to get off the couch and go check on his son. Gods, he felt old. Softly, he knocked on the door, murmuring, "Ty, what's wrong?"

"Go away!"

"I'm not gonna go until you talk to me, Ty. I'm worried about you."

There was an eerie silence, then the sticker-covered door cracked open. His son was standing there, wiping at his eyes with the sleeves of one of Lewis' hoodies. "Other kids are mean," he ventured shakily after a moment.

Lewis frowned and pulled the teen into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, honey. I wish you didn't have to deal with that."

"Dad, why would they pick on me? I don't have two dads, I don't have speech problems or learning problems, it just doesn't make sense," Tyler said, voice muffled by his father's chest.

"I don't know, baby. Kids are cruel." Lewis was gentle as he swayed them both back and forth, kissing the top of his son's head affectionately. "Do you wanna come sit in the garden with me and we'll talk?"

There wasn't a verbal response, but Tyler nodded, so Lewis led his son out the back door and into their own little sanctuary.

The garden was the thing Lewis was the most proud of. A thicket of bamboo created a little hideaway in the corner, and there were morning glory and other flower vines creeping across the wrought iron bench and gates. It was pretty, and all of Lewis' favorite flowers grew easily.

Tyler was normally pretty proud of his dad's 'talent', opting to sit in the middle of the grass to admire things. But this time, he headed straight for the chairs in the middle of the bamboo.

When the two of them got settled, there was a pause before Lewis murmured, "When I was your age... I didn't have a lot of friends. I was painfully shy, but the other kids were afraid of my brother and our best friend. Uncle Mason and Aunt Chloe made sure I didn't get picked on for being as small as I was, or having a hard time concentrating."

"Being thirteen sucks," Tyler admitted in a small voice, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wish I wasn't thirteen."

"I didn't like thirteen either," Lewis replied, smiling faintly. "Seventeen was better."

"That's so far away, though."

"I met my best friend in the entire world when I was seventeen," he said, looking sad for just a moment before he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "How's school going, though? Is there anyone you've got a crush on?"

"Dad!"

"What? I just wanna know!"

"Is there anybody you've got a crush on? How's work going?" Tyler shot back, a mocking tone in his voice along with laughter.

"Answer my questions, and I'll answer yours."

"You go first."

"Ugh, fine. Work is good. The flower thing is good, and playing shows sometimes with my old friend is nice. I've always had a bit of a crush on that friend, and another friend of mine, but someone else has a big part of my heart I'll never get back."

"Oh my gods, you've got a crush on Mr Walker and Miss Daisy."

"Up shut your mouth, son,"