Well...

Here's another Avi and Mitch chapter!

I love their relationship and this chapter will be the calm before the storm.

Oops.

Read with caution and gracefulness, my angels.

I love you all.:)

"Poppy, I have a question."

"Yes, baby?" Avi asked softly, squatting down so he could look at his five year old son. "What's up?"

Mitch set down his crayon seriously, his eyes wide as he looked up at Avi. Avi was expecting something silly ( Why are cookies yummy?) or something that was innocent to Mitch that was actually inappropriate  ( What do the birds and bees do  exactly? Do they play games?), but his heart almost skipped a beat at the question.

"Why don't I have a mommy?"

Avi sighed, knowing that he was going to be asked this question some day.

"Well, Mitch. Do you remember that episode of Barney? Were the kids sang about how different their families are?"

(A/N: That is a reference to a movie I like. Anybody know what it is? :3)

Mitch nodded, smiling as Avi moved a bit closer to him. Avi smiled back, not as bright nor as big as his small son before he continued his thoughts.

"Well, some kids have mommies and daddies, like Mario."

"Mario's daddy is somewhere weird," Mitch replied, frowning deeply. Avi nodded, putting a gentle hand on Mitch's back. "I think it's called rehab? Or something like that. Mario's mommy said his brain is sad so he has to go there to get better. Is Mario's family different too?"

"I guess you could say that. Some people have no parents at all because they weren't ready to take care of their child or they went to Heaven and that's why their child gets adopted, just like you."

"Why was I adopted?"

Oh no...

"Well, your mommy and daddy, the ones who brought you here, couldn't take care of you so they gave you to me and Daddy. They wanted you to be happier."

"Oh, okay."

It was quiet once more, Mitch coloring from his color book as Avi watched over his shoulder. He couldn't help but smile as Mitch tried his best to stay in the lines, humming quietly before Mitch pulled on his shirt a bit.

"Yes, baby boy?"

"Do you promise not to make me like Mario's daddy?"

Avi raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding what Mitch meant. He tilted his head, shaking it before talking again.

"What are you saying, Mitchy? I don't undertsand?"

"I mean...promise me that you won't send me to the place Mario's daddy is because Mario told me it's very sad and his daddy is very unhappy and it makes Mario sad. If I go there, it'll make you sad and I don't want that. I don't like it when you're sad."

Avi almost broke down in tears. What do you say to that? You can't promise someone you won't send them to rehab.

But Avi promised anyway.

"I promise, baby boy."

"Thanks, Poppy."

Anytime.

~~~

Avi and Mitch rarely got into fights, but today was possibly the biggest one they've ever gotten into.

And it was bad.

"Avi, I need to talk to you."

"Yes, Kevin?"

Kevin sighed sadly, causing Avi to look up at his husband right away. Avi's heart nearly broke when he saw how sad his husband looked and wanted nothing more than to hug him.

"What's wrong?"

"I just had a talk with Mitch. Apparently, he's been having mental breakdowns about his homework and he asked his teachers if he could have a break from all his homework until November. Our poor baby."

Kevin might be gullible, but Avi sure as heck was not.

"Let me talk to him," Avi replied, squinting a bit at Mitch's open door. He walked out of the room, looking back at Kevin. "If it was socially  acceptable to spank high school juniors, I would so do it. Also, if you don't hear any sounds in the next five minutes, call 911."

Kevin raised an eyebrow, not understanding one bit of Avi's explanation. Avi knocked on Mitch's door and crossed his arms, getting his son's attention right away.

There was no way Mitch could get out this now.

"So, you're having mental breakdowns, uh?"

Mitch widened his eyes a bit but was quick to change his worried expression and quickly nodded, going back to whatever he was doing before.

Too bad Avi was catching onto his lies.

"Tell me this then...why am I the last person to know about this? You always tell me first that you're having one."

Mitch stopped what he was doing.

"You always tell me when you're having an anxiety attack or something, even if I'm not around."

Mitch went back to what he was doing before, but Avi was persistent.

"Weren't you doing a project last night? Aren't projects usually the most stressful things ever?"

"Shut up."

"But it's true. You've never been like this entire year? So why now? Why this year?"

"Shut up."

"No need to get defensive. Just telling the tru-"

"SHUT UP!"

Mitch threw whatever he had in his hand, pushing back his chair angrily. Avi shook his head, knowing that he had won this battle.

Now it was time to punish his son.

"You know better than a to lie, Mitchell. I am very disappointed in yo-"

"You're always disappointed in me! You're always pressuring me to be someone I'm not and I hate it! I'm not your perfect little Barbie doll that you make her whoever you want her to be! I'm sick and tired of being who you wa-"

"When have I ever wanted you to be someone that you didn't want to be? That's a rude accusation, Mitchell."

"Because you're accusing me in a rude way! Now, if you excuse me, I have better things to do than argue with you."

With that said, Mitch sat back down and ignored Avi, refusing to talk to him.

And Avi never felt more heartbroken.

~~~

The phone rang loudly and Avi was the first one to pick it up, breathing heavily as he waited to hear Mitch speak.

"Mitch, it's Pops. Are yo-"

"Have you applied for life insurance? Just tell us your social security number an-"

Avi hung up, shaking his head as he tried his best not to cry. It's been two weeks since he left Mitch at rehab and tried his best to make himself remember that Mitch isn't at home.

Yet he always walks into Mitch's room to wake him up from school, something Avi did for Mitch ever since kindergarten.

Now he just walks into a room that was empty and cold.

And he hated it.

"Avi, you need to stop that. He'll ca-"

"But what if I'm not there to call him?" Avi interrupted quietly, his voice shaking as he kept his hand on the home phone. "He'll expect his Pops, Kevin. He won't understand if I don't call him. I need to stay here."

"Avi..."

"Leave me alone, please. I need to know if my baby boy is okay. Worrying about other things is the last thing on my mind."

Kevin shook his head, sighing as he walked off, just wanting Avi to have a bit of common sense about this whole ordeal. The chances of Mitch calling were small.

Very minima-

*Ring, ring*

As always, Avi picked up right away.

"Mitch?!"

"Pops?"

"Yeah, baby boy. It's me. It's Pops, it's Poppy. I'm here."

Avi felt his heart break at Mitch's sobs, wanting nothing more than to gather his son in his arms and tell him that everything will be okay.

But he can't and that broke his heart.

"I-I mi-miss you so much."

"I miss you too, Mitchy. I want you to be home, but you need to get better. You deserve it."

Mitch didn't say anything else, worrying Avi a bit. Avi was about to ask what was wrong when Mitch spoke again.

"I'm better, I am. I don't want do drugs anymo-"

"Mitch."

"Yes, Pops?"

Avi sighed, shaking his head before he spoke again. 

"Mitch, just because you don't want to do it again doesn't mean you're better. It means you want to get better. That's a huge difference."

Mitch sobbed loudly, mumbling no as he refused to accept the words Avi told him. It was true yet it was so unfair.

He hated this.

"Ple-please let me go home. I wa-wa-want you. I mi-miss you. So much."

"I know, baby. You'll get better. You'll be happier. Remember when you were younger and you said 'promise me'?"

Mitch sobbed out a yes, sniffing loudly as he breathed heavily. Avi hated this, but it was best for Mitch. It was and it sucked, but it's for Mitch's happiness.

"Well, you're going to get better, promise me." 

Silence.

"I love you, Poppy."

"I love you too, baby boy."

The sound of the dial tone and Avi's sobs were the only sounds.

A/N: Well, this is more depressing than I thought it was going to be. Oops. If you're confused by anything, you could ask me! Anyways, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter and remember that I love you all.:)

-Maddie🐶💕🎤