baby, I'll show you the world [muke af]

Paris, France (Friday, May 31st, 2019)

Paris, France (Friday, May 31st, 2019)

Ashton kissed Bella on the head first, a giggle escaping from her mouth. He moved to Ivona, who was resting peacefully in her other father's lap as they watched the television soundly. He kissed her forehead, then his husband's. "Luke and I will be back in probably an hour. Be good."

"Yes, Daddy," Calum answered. He wrapped his arms tighter around the squirming three-year-old in his arms. 

Ashton glared at him as he put on his Converse.

"Shut up, you know you like it."

Ivona finally sat still in Calum's lap. She tilted her head closer to him. "Daddy likes what?" 

Ivona and Bella were in matching dresses, Ivona in blue, then Bella in purple. The dresses had spaghetti straps holding the flow-y material upon their tan shoulders, it stopped just above their knees. The two girls loved matching, and they especially loved matching 'dancing dresses' (as they called it). They'd swirl around in circles with each other watching the skirt of their dress pop up like a cupcake.

Cal rested his head on her shoulder before answering, "It's a Daddy and Dad thing, you'll understand when you're a bit older."

Ashton blew another kiss to his family before meeting Luke in the hallway. 

"How much older?" Iv asked. 

"Maybe thirty."

Luke skipped towards the elevator, glad to finally leave their hotel. Ashton was less excited. Much, much less excited. "You're acting like a child."

"Well, excuse me, Mr. Gumpy-Pants," Luke sassed. He pressed the down arrow on the elevator, the plastic cover illuminating yellow. 

Ashton crossed his arms. "I'm only going grocery shopping with you because Bella is out of her waffles." He stepped into the elevator first, holding his arm out on instinct in front of the doors to keep them open. Ivona had a fear of the doors closing on her before she could get on or off. 

"Don't baby Bella so much. She's gonna end up like Michael."

A smile creeped upon Ashton's face before he wiped it off. "There's nothing wrong with being a Mama's boy."

Luke rolled his eyes, "He can't even clean his glasses by himself."

After trying to use their very bad French skills to get to the grocery store, they made it. Everything in Paris was beautiful. Even their basic grocery store had the most amazing stone, all hand-sketched. Everyone was happy to be awake, alive, and well. The two Americans weren't used to anything like this. 

Michael and Calum always talked about Europeans with such hearts in their eyes, but the other two boys figured they were exaggerating. People held open doors open here, they smiled and asked if one was well. They patiently waited for a response, even in broken French. 

Ashton opened the notes app on his phone, sending half of it to Luke's phone. "So, you get those items, and I'll get these. Meet me in the dairy aisle in ten minutes, okay?"

The blonde boy once again rolled his bright blue eyes."Yes, Daddy."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?!" Ashton asked to no one in particular. He started to walk off, looking up at the aisles and trying to translate the French words into English. 

Luke was lost, but that wasn't anything new. He raced around the aisles looking at all the pretty boxes and cans of food. He picked up certain items he figured they needed and placed them in the basket. 

He met with Ashton again with a basket full of food. "So, I got four boxes of cereal because they were on sale."

Ash furrowed his eyebrows. "We only need two." His tone was surly.

"But they were on sale!"

Flashes of their college life filled his busy head. He remembers the lanky noodle boy telling him the twenty-four pack of toilet paper was on sale and that they needed to get this good deal. 

A smile rose on his face and Luke backed up, not sure why the sudden change of emotion appeared so fast. Luke slowly and carefully started placing his items in the shopping cart in front of Ashton as the other boy stayed in his haze. 

"Do you remember our Target adventures?" Ashton finally asked. 

Luke nodded, "Of course."

Ashton's eyes started tearing up at the memories of the best times of his life. It was when he had no worries about each day, he was finally able to float through life. "I miss those times. Luke, I miss you." He wrapped his arms around the frozen blonde. 

Luke patted Ash's back, "Er, I miss you, too. I see you everyday though, so."

Ashton took a step back, his face flustered. "I wish I appreciated college more, like, the social aspect of it," he said as he started to walk towards the cash registers. 

Luke followed behind him with heavy feet as he tried to catch up with Ash's fast pace. "You did, we had the times of our lives. Even when all you did was yell at me."

"I'm sorry, Lukey."

"You thought I was gonna get knocked up first. Ha, look at you, Bitch." Luke got a slap to the back of the head for that one. Their loving conversation was over. 

(a/n) double update