ten
June didn't like the brown boxes stacked up in the hallway between her room and Calum's (and now Michael's) room. Mike made sure everything important was unpacked and everything else was in the basement—waiting to be unpacked when June was asleep or out of the house.
Michael jumped on the bed he now shared with Calum, missing Joey by a mere few inches.
All three girls were in the bed, the television on the dresser having HGTV playing. A usual night in the Hood house. Michael rolled onto his back, putting his arms behind his head.
Calum came out of the bathroom, his hair still wet from a shower. He looked at his family, all cuddled up in bed together. This is what he's waited so long for, this is what he wants for the rest of his life.
"Are you gonna join us? We're making fun of these dresses," Michael said.
"Someone has to make room for me." He came towards the bed, trying to squeeze between Joey and Michael. June ended up moving, climbing over Michael and into her father's lap.
Mike moved over next, Joey on his right, Calum on his left.
Joey scooted closer to Michael, resting her head on his chest. He let down his arm, giving her more room to get comfortable. This was Michael's family. He finally had a family.
Luke sat in Matty's suitcase. "You're not allowed to leave."
Matt turned around, a pile of black jeans in his hands. "Oh, my God." He smiled at Luke, not believing the tiny boy actually fit in his suitcase. The suitcase wasn't even that big.
"Nope, you have to stay here now." Luke made himself comfortable, even though the zipper was digging into his bare back.
Matty dropped the clean jeans on the floor, reaching down to pick up Luke. He had one arm below his knees, the other under his shoulders. "I have to pack, Darling."
"No," Luke whined, wiggling out of his husbands arms.
Matty threw him onto the bed, laughing through it. "Sorry. I told you that you and N could come." He turned around, reaching for the jeans and folding them up tight.
"Nolan is still too young." Luke pulled their fresh pink sheets to his chest, fluffing up the pillow behind his shoulders. "Maybe for your actual tour we'll join for a few dates. The radio show tour is just too stressful."
"Is this too feminine?" Matty asked, holding up a floral pink shirt.
"That's my favorite shirt of yours."
Matty started to roll it up, tucking it in the suitcase. "Didn't you get it for me?"
"That's why it's my favorite."
Matt started to take off the sweater he was wearing, replacing it with the pink shirt to make sure it still fit.
"Is that a new tattoo?" Luke asked, pointing to numbers underneath his rib. "Is that our wedding date? You fucking loser."
Matty turned to his other side, showing more roman numerals. "Yeah, and this is Nolan's birthday."
Luke loved Matty and his ever-growing tattoo collection.
Calum sat up, trying not to wake sleeping June. "Should we get them to bed?" Cal whispered. The clock on the far wall clicked past midnight, all three girls laid sound asleep.
Joey was tucked into Michael's side, her hands gripping his tee-shirt in her sleep. June had rolled over, attached to Mike's other side. Michael was pretty much a couch to them, that was all he was good for.
"Probably."
"Can you get June and I'll wake the other two?"
"Do you want me to carry her?"
"Do you mind?"
Michael shook his head, starting to sit up as well. June stayed asleep as Joey groaned in annoyance at the movement.
Michael tucked June in his arms, starting to slide off the foot of their bed without disrupting the others. He held her carefully, walking through their bedroom and out into the hallway, sliding though June's door.
He pulled her covers away, placing the sleeping six-year-old in the middle of her twin sized mattress. He tucked her in, making sure her small frame was surrounded with the violet sheets.
June opened her eyes, blinking a few times in confusion.
"Sh, just getting you to bed," he whispered. Michael took a step back, getting ready to leave. "See you in the morning." Mike liked saying that like it was a normal thing. This was his house now, too! He was on the mortgage and that made him extremely happy.
Usually mortgage is something irritating, but knowing that this is now Michael's house, too, means a lot to him.
"Goodnight, Dad," she said in her sleepy state of mine.
Michael paused, one foot in the door, one foot in the hallway. He could feel his breathing stop as he tried to take in the moment. What was he supposed to do? Correct her?
He raced out of her bedroom, making sure her door was open at an exact forty-five degree angle.
He got to their master bedroom, his eyes wide as he closed the door behind him. Calum looked up, his eyebrows furrowed. "Wha—?"
"June called me 'Dad'."
Matty crawled on top of Luke, his hands tracing over Luke's sides. "Don't be sad," he said, his bottom lip puckered out.
"I know," the blonde sighed, "I'm just going to miss you a lot." Luke placed his hands on the curve of Matty's thighs, tracing over a few big tattoos upon his skin. Luke liked Matty's tattoos, he liked following each line inked to perfection.
He remembers the first time he saw Matty completely naked. Luke couldn't stop but stare at the many inkings he didn't know were there. Luke can remember the first time of many that he laid next to a bare Matt and let his own fingers run over the designs.
He loved it, it enchanted him.
"I don't want to leave you here all alone." Matt pushed all of his curls in front of his eyes before pushing it all back and out of his face.
"I've got Nolan this time, I won't be alone."
Matty leant down, leaving a kiss on Luke's nose. "My little boy has to watch out for my baby boy."
"Am I baby boy?"
Matty nodded. "The one and only."
Luke's hands trailed up Matty's chest, pulling at his pierced nipples. "Do you wanna fuck?"
Matt laughed, quickly covering his mouth at remembering the late time of the night. "Yeah, Baby Boy, for sure."
Happy new year, love you all lots.
I have lots of plans for the next few months, so I hope you're excited.
