Sorry it's been a while since I updated.

Trigger warning.

Remington is quiet. He's got it in his head that he's somehow emotionally abusing Andy and now he's scared to even look at the man, to see how sad he's making his husband. Andy notices virtually straight away that something is wrong. He always does.

"You're being awfully quiet," he observes, sitting in bed and watching the younger excessively brush his hair, clearly consumed by something that he won't communicate.

Remington shrugs off Andy's words without saying anything in return. He puts the hair brush down.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Remington answers quickly, not wanting to get into it. Not ready to admit what's really bothering him.

Andy can see the boy's reflection in the mirror he's standing in front of, looking at himself with some sort of indescribable hatred. Silently tormenting every part of his body, every inch of his mind. Silent but not hidden. "Come to bed," he suggests, hoping Remington will tell him soon enough what's wrong.

"I'm not tired," is the answer that Remington gives, and then yawns, like his body is against him.

The older shakes his head because he can't help but to find it cute. He pulls back the covers and pats the bed as though he's encouraging Jenny to jump up and curl up in between them, purring as they sleep. "Sure you aren't."

"It's complicated," Remington says quietly, hoping Andy will just drop it. "And anyway, it's fine, so..."

"Good thing you're not tired, then, so you can explain to me what's complicated. And anyway, fine doesn't mean fine, does it? So..."

The boy catches his eyes in the mirror, stares at them like they're his enemy. Hates how they're teary and how he can't make them dry. "Please...just drop it."

"Look, kitten, if something's wrong you need to tell me, okay? I know something's bothering you. Don't pretend I don't when we both know I do. And it's okay if you just wanna sleep now and we can talk tomorrow, but sometimes when that happens we never talk about it and then you have a breakdown and I don't want you to have to go through that. You don't deserve it."

Remington looks down his reflection with shame. "Andy, fucking drop it!" He shouts abruptly, realising what he's done as soon as the words are out and covering his face with his hands.

"Come to bed, princess, it's okay. Don't be crying on your own over there."

"No, I..."

"What's wrong?" Andy asks again, watching his husband trying to hide the fact that he's crying.

Remington shakes his head. He can't believe he just shouted. He hates it. "Nothing," he repeats, "nothing's wrong." He pulls himself away from the mirror and leaves the room because he can't bear to let himself stay in there anymore. Andy deserves better.

"Remington, wait," Andy says after him, getting off the bed and catching up to the singer. "You don't need to sleep alone. Just come to bed and we can sort this-" he motions to Remington's sad form, "-out. Okay?"

"No, you don't understand," Remington mumbles, wiping his eyes.

"What don't I understand, sweetheart?"

"This," Remington says, and walks away.

Andy sighs. He lets Remington go and turns back around once he's seen the boy close the spare bedroom door. The man lies away wondering what just happened, why Remington couldn't tell him what was making him so upset. Neither of them sleep well and in the morning, it's Andy who's up first. He partially dresses and goes across to the spare room, opening the door quietly and looking into the darkened room.

Remington's sleeping, red eyes, and Andy knows he was probably up until recently crying. It's still early; only just gone 5 am. The man lifts up the covers and carefully gets in the bed beside the sleeping boy, bringing his lover into his arms and kissing his head as he sleeps. Remington automatically cuddles into Andy, his subconscious recognising the man as safety.

Andy ends up falling asleep again, Remington in his arms, and wakes when the singer lifts his head and rubs his eyes. "Morning," he greets, smiling. "You looked sad so I came to give you a cuddle."

"I am sad," Remington admits, though Andy already knew, and lets his head rest on Andy's shoulder. "The cuddle is appreciated."

"Why're you sad, sweetheart?"

"'cause," the younger begins, feeling for one of Andy's hands and pulling it into his chest. "'cause I'm s'posed to talk t'you 'bout something 'nd I dunno how."

"Well that's easy, kitten. You're gonna gimme a kiss, listen to me ramble about how you're beautiful and I love you, and then you're gonna tell me, okay?"

Remington smiles sleepily, whining when Andy tickles his stomach with the hand Remington previously pulled towards him. "'kay, kiss," Remington agrees, lifting his head up again and licking his husband's cheek.

"That wasn't a kiss."

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't. This is a kiss," Andy says, grabbing Remington's face and kissing him.

"That was awful," Remington jokes, "I expect tongues."

Andy chuckles. "Alright, here." He kisses Remington again, laughing when he pulls away with wide eyes. "What?"

"That was a lot of tongue."

"You said you wanted tongue."

"Yeah, but not to be choked by one." He flops down onto Andy with a hmph.

The man, aimlessly playing with Remington's hair, smiles. "So, beautiful, what d'you need to talk to me about?"

Remington is quiet for a moment. He isn't sure how to start the sentence.

"Number? "Andy asks, wondering if it has something to do with that.

"Twenty six. I thought you didn't care anymore."

"Why on earth did you think that? You know I will always always care."

Remington shrugs.

"Is that what you wanted to talk about?"

"No, there's something else. Just...it's stupid."

"If it's bothering you then it's not stupid, kitten."

"Promise?"

Andy hums. He draws a thumb over the boy's cheekbone. "I promise."

"I just feel like-well-I keep shouting at you and-and making you feel like you've done something wrong and-and what if I'm abusing you?" The words bring tears to his eyes, which he wipes away as he waits for some sort of response.

"Oh no, Remington, sweetheart, you can't hurt yourself like that. D'you know how happy you make me? There is a huge huge difference between getting overwhelmed and raising your voice and intentionally hurting someone because you want to see them in pain. I know you would never ever hurt me like that and I hate that you're hurting yourself by even considering it. I would not have proposed and married you if I didn't want to."

Remington looks up at Andy for a second before rubbing his eyes. "Are you-are you sure?"

"Positive. You gotta give yourself credit for your awesomeness and your beauty. Now, come downstairs with me and I'll make you breakfast and then I need to go to the studio."

"You're the best."

"I know."