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

(Thursday, January 16th, 2020)

(Thursday, January 16th, 2020)

Michael placed their take out Chinese food on their kitchen table, pouring it into nicer plates. He let Luke chose what he wanted and how much he wanted first. Mike aways took the leftovers, no matter how disgusting it was.

He didn't mind putting more garbage food into his garbage body.

"So, I've been thinking."

Michael chuckled, "Oh, God." He sat down across from his husband, pulling out the bowls Luke wasn't interested in.

"The girls are gonna be born in April, so, in theory, I should be able to go back to work in August." Luke pretended he didn't notice that his servings of food were growing increasingly large. He used to barely be able to stomach half a serving of their foreign food, not he'd gladly stomach more than one.

"You don't need to work, Babe. You could be my house wife, I'd be okay with that."

"I wouldn't, Michael. I don't want to just prance around the house taking care of the kids. I want to have a meaning to my life that's more than just Dad."

Mike shrugged his shoulders as he began eating. "I mean, if you want to, I have no right to stop you. But, I think it'd be better to wait until the girls are at least a little older, you know? I don't really want them growing up in day care or nannies. Especially since they don't need to."

Michael grew up with nannies. His parents came home for dinner—usually—then went to go hide in their rooms to finish work. Mike never, ever, ever wanted his kids growing up like that.

He didn't want his kids to accidentally call the nanny Mom or Dad. He wanted his kids to know how their parents laughed, or their favorite colors, or their favorite games. He wanted his kids to love Michael and Luke instead of just caring for them.

"Oh."

"We don't need the money. You could just work at Cal and Ash's studio or something where you could take the kids so they'll still be with you, but you'll technically be working," Michael offered. He looked up at Luke, not liking the disappointed look in his eyes.

"I guess. I went through six years of college for teaching, though. I want to do that. I only worked at that preschool for a year before these four came along." Luke rested his left hand on his belly, rubbing at the sore skin.

"I just really think you should wait, Boo." Michael held out his hand, waiting for Luke to connect his. He reached over his left hand, entwining their fingers over their dining room table. "I'm sorry, but my career isn't ready to slow down yet. I'm still at my peak, and I don't want it to fall down any time soon."

Luke nodded. "You're gonna try to take more breaks though, right? I don't want to be like Ashton. I don't want to be raising them on my own."

Ashton tried his best to make his family work out. He understood Calum was away often, and he tried to make the best out of it. But, there were a lot of hard nights. There were the nights when the girls just wouldn't listen, and it'd stress him out.

He'd yell, they'd cry, then he'd cry. Calum didn't know about these nights, though. Ash didn't want him to feel guilty, didn't want him to realize how hard it is to raise two girls who miss their father dearly.

"It'll be okay, Luke," Michael promised.

"And you're gonna go on morning runs with me so I can lose all this weight, right?" Luke looked at him, making it clear that his question wasn't really a question.

He groaned. "Do I have to?"

Luke nodded. "Look at all this fat!" He poked at his stomach, feeling the stretched skin that was not always there. He used to be fit, he used to be lanky. He used to feel a lot more confident. And have a lot less boobs.

"You look beautiful."

Luke pouted his lip, and—as expected—his eyes began to water. "I don't want to be fat!"
Ashton stood in the girl's bathroom, drying Ivona's brown curls. He took the old tee shirt to her hair, his mother swore it would make her hair healthy. "—And, like, I don't know. I'm just worried for Luke, you know?"
Cal made Bella's hair into a mohawk with the shampoo bubbles. He laughed as his daughter made faces up at him. "Don't worry yourself out too much," Cal answered his boyfriend.

Ashton tsked. "Luke is still a child! How is he supposed to raise four girls?" He finished drying his daughter's curls as he handed her a set of pajamas, helping her get the thermal wear up her tiny legs.

"You don't give him enough credit, Babe. He's a strong, independent lad." Calum reached up, grabbing the head of the shower. He began washing out Ivona's blonde hair, still not sure where she got the light-hair gene from.

He liked looking at his daughter and pointing out their features. Bella looked like Ashton, with her bright eyes and dark hair. Ivona had the shape of Calum's eyes, but the jaw of Ashton.

Ash began brushed the ends of Ivona's hair, trying not to pull too hard. "I don't know, Cal. He's just so—."

"Ashton, he'll be fine."

Calum would never understand. He would never understand what it was truly like for Ashton raising two very hyper girls. He would never understand it was like when he forgot to pack their lunches the night before, and had to rush in the morning to make sure they had everything. He would never understand what it was like when Ivona forgot her gym shoes and he had to rush back to the school to deliver them. He would never understand what it was like to make sure that both girls are living each and every day to the fullest.

Maybe Ashton just worried too much, but he didn't want his girls regretting anything in life. He didn't want them to miss out on any opportunity. He wanted his girls to live the best life they could possibly live.

And in the end, they'll owe it all to Mr. Super Dad: Ashton.