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

Cleveland, Ohio (Saturday, July 20th, 2019)

Cleveland, Ohio (Saturday, July 20th, 2019)

Michael stood on stage, waiting for the cover in front of him to drop. It was the Alternative Press Music Awards, and he was the least punk rock person there. He didn't feel like he was even alive right now. There was so much going on in his personal life, he felt like he was just in a hazy state of dreaming.

The cover dropped as the heavy drum line began. He opened his mouth, ready to sing the most guitar-heavy song he's ever written.

Calum stood in the photography pit, trying not to elbow the many other photographers standing next to him. He lifted up his Canon 50D, refocusing his mindlessly snapping shutter.

He, too, didn't feel much at the moment.

Luke sat on the floor with the girls. He had his fingers in Bella's hair as he braided the blonde strands of hair. The french braid was almost done, and he was mighty proud. It was most likely the best braid he has done yet. And, he has done a lot of braids.

Bella left a sloppy kiss on Luke's cheek in thanks before sitting in front of him. She looked at him with big, hazel eyes. He reached out, booping her nose. "Lukey, can you talk to me like a grown up?"

"What do you mean, Sweetie?" Luke crossed his legs beneath each other, resting his elbows on his bent knees and leaning his hands on his head. He anxiously chewed on his finger nails.

"Why does Daddy cry?"

Luke licked over his lip. He breathed in harshly, not sure which angle he should take. "Well, like, he's sad. Your father is a little sad right now.

"Dad told us he lost our baby sister," Bella added. She looked at her sister, both of them nodding in agreement. They were cute, always needing each other's agreement on everything. "We aren't mad at Daddy, we just want him back."

Luke nodded, trying to fill the gaps in their tiny minds. "It might take a while, you need to respect that. Just like you two respect each other, you also need to respect your father in the same way."

Bella looked up at him, tilting her head in confusion. "I don't get it."

"He really wanted that baby, and it might take a little bit for him to accept that it's gone."

"We haven't seen Daddy in days, Dad says he needs alone time," Ivona added. She crawled towards Luke, closing the space between them. She curled into his lap, her head resting on his knee where his elbow once was. "How do we make him happy again?"

"Do you girls wanna draw him pictures or something? He always like that. We can make him some dinner and maybe cuddle with him if he's up to it."

Bella nodded her head in excitement. "I need to get started now!"

Calum stepped backstage, quickly showing the security his pass before rushing to meet up with the blue-haired boy. Their steps became even as Mike looked at him. "You aren't gonna photograph the rest of the show?"

He shook his head, "Not in the mood."

Michael nodded, trying to understand what he was going through. He turned down a few more corridors, collapsing in his dressing room. He stripped off his shirt, sweat lining the seams. "You don't have to stay, Cal. You can go to the hotel with him."

Calum sighed. He pulled up a chair, sitting close to Michael. "I appreciate that and all. But, first, this is my job, I have to take photos of you winning awards and interacting and getting drunk."

Michael quickly laughed before quieting down again.

"Second, I don't think Ash wants me up there. He just wants to sit in the dark in our hotel and be gloomy." Cal stretched out his feet, letting them rest upon the shoulder of the dressing room cough.

Mike sighed as he ran his hands over his eyes. He, too, was stressed out over the matter. "I'm sorry, Cal. How are you doing through this?"

"I don't know, it really hurts and—."

A crew member stuck his head through the door, "You're needed on stage."

Michael sighed, asking for a minute. He gave Cal sad, puppy dog eyes before standing up, helping him grab his gear and head up for an acceptance speech.

Luke carefully poured the hot pasta into separate bowls. He could see the girl's eyes watching over his every move, they were obviously hungry. He put the—now—empty pot into the sink before placing his hands on his hips. "So, we've got cheese, red sauce, silverware. Should we bring some junk food?"

Bella and Ivona nodded ferociously. "Daddy loves Oreos."

"Oh, I know." Luke grabbed two containers of the cookies, just in case. "When I lived with you father back in college, he had a secret stash of junk food that he'd eat when he was sad or stressed out. I didn't find out about it until we were moving out." He stacked the bowls carefully along his arm as he made sure he had the room keys and his phone.

The girls followed him out the door like ducklings, they circled around him, asking him all about college life with their fathers.

Luke gave Ivona two of the four bowls as he dug out the room key for their room. They were met with nothing. Not even a single light illuminated the room. Luke's eyes adjusted to the dark as he could see Ashton's body sitting up in the far bed.

He turned on the front light, placing his bag of junk food, napkins, silverware, then the four bowls down. "We brought food, and drawings."

Ash half smiled, his bottom lip quivering as he tried to stop crying. Hell, he was always crying. That's all he's done for three days. He hasn't checked his phone, hasn't edited photos, haven't left hotel beds unless it was to switch to the bus or another hotel bed.

The girls kicked off their shoes before running into Ashton's bed. The whole mattress jerked as their bodies crashed on either side of their fathers. Bella sat up first, putting her first picture on Ash's lap. Her loud voice began to explain everything in it.

Luke untied his shoes, placing them neatly against the wall. He wandered the room, turning on the bedside lights.

Ashton praised his girls as they continued showing him the many drawings. He kissed their foreheads, his eyes watering as he tried to stop the tears.

Luke brought over their dinners, he knew exactly the way they liked it. Ivona liked red sauce first, then cheese on top. Bella liked lots of cheese, no red sauce. Ashton liked it plain.

He gave them their bowls, placing the junk food in the middle.

Ash looked up at the blonde, mouthing a quick thank you before putting his attention on his daughter's again. Bella was explaining her deep theory on her drawing, it was just a family portrait drawn in blue crayon.

Luke sat like an intent preschooler, munching on his pasta covered in layers of cheese. He stayed at the end of the bed, leaving the girls and Ashton to have a nice cuddling reunion.

He watched the brunette hold the girls closer, taking in their embrace. There was hope for the future, but no one could see it.

(a/n) when can i be tyler joseph