twenty nine
Calum was a nervous flier. Michael didn't learn this until they got to the airport on that early March morning. Cal was breathing heavily and checking that they had their boarding passes for the eighteenth time.
Michael wrapped his arm around Cal's waist, pulling him into his chest. "It's just two flights, everyone will be asleep through the first one." He kissed the top of his forehead, rubbing his hands up and down Calum's back.
He could physically feel the younger boy shaking.
"So many bad things could happen," he said in a small voice.
"But so many bad things won't happen," Michael, the voice of reason, reassured.
The three Hood children were standing next to their father and soon-to-be step father, mindlessly chattering with each other. June reached up, pulling on Michael's navy blue sweater.
Michael took a step back, letting Calum free from his arms. He looked down at the small girl batting her dark eyes in the security line. "I can't lift you up right now, Baby Girl, after security I will," he responded, knowing that was what she wanted.
She took a step forward, practically collapsing into Mike's side. He rested his hand on her back, his other still around Calum's shoulders. He did feel like the Hood family was a walking ball of anxiety. He could never stop loving them, though.
They got through security without disaster, and then arrived at their gate an hour early. June fell back asleep in Michael's lap, her small hands clutching onto his soft sweater as if her life depended on it.
Calum looked over at them, not able to stop the smile upon his face. Michael was their father, he knew his children thought of him as one, too. He never thought he'd see June grip onto anyone besides Calum, but now she holds onto Michael more than anyone else. Michael was part of their family, forever.
They got on their plane, Michael helping everyone—including Calum—get their luggage in the overhead. Mike sat in the window seat, Joey to his right, and Juli one seat over. The next row was only two seats: Calum and June.
As expected, everyone fell asleep in the early morning flight. Mike and the eldest two watched the morning city lights below them become tinier and tinier before they reached the clouds, completely blocking their view.
Michael sat back in his seat, resting his eyes shut. He would tell everyone that he wasn't asleep, just 'resting his eyes'. But, the soft snores leaving his throat would say something much different.
Joey leant on Mike's arm, hoping it wouldn't bother him when he woke. One year ago, Joey never thought that Michael would become the truly amazing parent he is today. He never expected to fall in love with Michael like the second parent he doesn't remember.
In his half-sleep, Mike moved his arm, holding Joey closer to him.
Calum wasn't able to sleep, not in trains, cars, or planes. He looked over the aisle, seeing his eldest two asleep. Juli leant on Joey, Joey leant on Michael, Michael leant against the cold window.
He smiled, he smiled because they're finally a family. A complete family, he knows that nothing in their life could possibly go wrong. He is ready to marry the love of his life and live happily ever after, just like he's always dreamt of. His fairy tale came true, it just took a while. It took a whole hell of a lot of heart break, too.
Something bad will always turn into something good, that's how life goes. Life moves on, even if Calum wasn't ready.
Luke opened the bathroom door, turning off the light and standing in the doorway of their bedroom. He shook his head at Matty's hopeful eyes, throwing another pregnancy test on their bed. "No surprise."
Matt looked at the plastic stick, seeing the one line to show another negative. He stood up as Luke sat down, throwing away the test. "It's okay," he reassured his husband, "Really, it's fine. We're twenty-nine, Luke, we have so much time." Matty talked with his hands, Luke usually found comfort in the way Matt's lean fingers emphasized his words, but at that moment, Luke didn't feel much.
The blonde shrugged, slowly burying himself in blankets and pillows. "We can't endlessly fuck when we have a toddler who can actually process what's going on around him. I'm not in the mood to scar our child for life."
Matty rolled his eyes as he plopped onto their lavender sheets. He took the pillow from over Luke's head, refusing to let him make another blanket fort he wouldn't leave for two days. "If we're still not pregnant by the time he's in school, guess what?" Matt took blankets off of Luke, rolling him onto his back and straddling his waist. "We got eight hours to ourselves to do what we want."
"That seems low-key selfish. Let's send our kid to school so we can bone? Okay, Love."
Matty laughed, reaching down his hands and running his fingers over the tip of Luke's nose. "What can I do to make you happy?"
"Impregnante me," he sighed.
"Okay, name something else."
Luke shrugged. "Let's get high."
"That's breaking your house rule: No getting high in the apartment," Matty stated, hating that rule. He booped Luke's nose, the younger one automatically swatting his hand away.
"Okay, name one time you've listened to any of my rules."
Matty faked offense as he put a hand to his heart. "I always do!"
Luke reached out his hand, pointing to Matty's leather satchel leaning against their desk, "I dare you to tell me that there isn't at least three types of illegal substance in there."
Matt bit his lip, "I mean, I can lie to you, if that's what you're asking."
Luke ran his hands up and down Matty's bare legs, his fingers going under his boxer shorts then tracing an ink line down to his knee. "You stay sober in case anything happens with Nolan, okay? I don't care what you drug me with, just drug me."
"But, like, something could react with your medicine and then it'll just be bad."
"You took Adderall with heroin."
Matt sighed, stepping off their bed. He would do anything to please Lucas Robert Healy. "I'm only giving you weed because I know you can handle that." He leant down, digging towards the bottom to find the plastic bag he needed.
"That's so cute, you're like my personal drug dealer. We are goals." He sat up, kicking their sheets off the bed.
He watched his partner roll up the blunt on their desk, making sure nothing fell over the edge. He got out a personalized lighter from a locked desk drawer—locked in case Nolan were to find any lube, dildos, or lighters. "Are you gonna finish this?" He asked, holding it between his tattooed fingers.
"Ask me in half an hour."
Matty opened up their window and brought an ash tray to their bedside table. He took a single hit before passing it over to Luke. "I had to, sorry."
Luke leant back in their bed, his feet stretched out over Matty's lap. He got high as a kite, just like the good old days.
Matty watched him get looser and looser as the clock ticked on. The whites of his eyes turning pink then red, his giggle starting soft and ending loud.
Matt monitored him through the evening then through the night. He refused to sleep until Luke was wide awake and sober the next morning. Matty simply loved Luke, he loved him so much.
This story is almost over and I don't really have anything else prepared. I have a few stories in the making, but I personally don't think they're ready to be published. So, who knows what we'll do in 22 days.
Anyways,
Thoughts on the Clifford-Hood family flying out to California?
Thoughts on Matty/Luke?
Thoughts all together?
