the sound, settle down [mashton af]

// e p i l o g u e p a r t 3 //

epilogue part 3, everyone

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

"This is your fault," Ashton says again as they get off their plane in JFK. His arms are crossed over his chest, his carry-on bouncing on his back with every step he takes.

"I'm sure it is," Michael responds, annoyance radiating in his every tone.

"The birth," he pauses for dramatic effect, "of our first grandchild. We miss. Why? Tell me why." Ashton trails exactly one step behind Michael.

They stand on the escalators heading down towards baggage claim, Michael finally has a chance to pause and take a deep breath. He looks up at his husband, tired, green eyes meeting annoyed, blue ones. "Because I'm trying to make everything work again, Ashton." He turned around, looking ahead on the crowd in front of them.

Ashton's world kind of froze. Sound from his ears seemed to disappear as ringing filled its space. His eyes glassed over, only fuzzes of his world able to be seen. He could feel himself moving down with everyone else. He could feel his heart beating, shallow breaths of air falling from his lungs.

He wanted to apologize, pretend they haven't hit another rough patch in their relationship.

He can't though. Michael is always at work, always ready to pick a fight when he's home. He's grumpy, never wanting to listen to Ashton's problems. He's convinced Ashton is lazy when all Ashton is just sad.

Ashton wants to be loved like the way he was loved at sixteen.

They got their luggage in silence. Neither of them made a move to hold hands or touch one another as they headed out to their Uber waiting on the curb.

Michael and Ashton got into the back, both of them looking out at the world passing them by.

Michael was angry, too. He comes home from being overworked and underpaid and all he wants to do is lay on the couch and eat Cheetos with their two dogs. Ashton wants to go out, he wants to see the world.

Mike thought taking him to Europe would solve their problems. He wants to make Ashton happy even if it makes himself miserable. Mike is a homebody and Ashton is not.

They got to the hospital where Tim had just given birth. 'Just' meaning 8 and a half hours ago.

They walked in, Ashton placing a hand on his hip as Michael got the correct room. Ashton followed his husband around the hospital, not saying much.

Mike could tell he was annoyed, though. He turned around a few feet before they reached Tim's room. Mike placed his arms on Ashton's shoulders, golden eyes were staring at green, "I need you to behave."

"I'm 45, Michael, don't talk to me like I'm a child." Ashton crossed his arms over his chest.

"I know you're mad at me, you make it really obvious. But, we need to go in there and pretend to be the happiest fucking couple there has ever been. We can't screw Tim over again." Michael's fingers raised to Ashton's neck as his thumbs rested below Ash's cheekbones. He rubbed over the skin, looking at the man he will forever be in love with.

Ashton nodded and swallowed a lump in his throat, "Come on, let's go see our grandson." He reached up, resting his hands on Michael's wrists. Those little touches remind the couple that they are inseparable.

Michael was the first to step into the hospital room. Tim was sound asleep, a damp towel resting over his forehead.

Calum was at his bedside, looking into the cushioned plastic bassinet. He looked up when his fathers-in-laws walked in. "Hey," he said quietly, "everyone has been asleep, it's been so lonely."

Michael scooted into an empty chair as he looked down at his grandchild. "Oh, my God, Ashton look at him."

"Xavier Clifford Hood," Calum announced, "Tim wanted his baby to have his maiden name, I wasn't gonna argue." He stood up, offering Ashton his seat.

Ash sat down, peering at the small, delicate child. "I don't remember Tim being this small." He curled his fingers, sticking out his index finger and feeling over the soft, precious skin of Xavier's cheek.

The baby wiggled in its sleep, smiling at the feeling of skin to skin.

"5.4 pounds, he's really small." Cal folded his hands in his lap as he sat down on the end of the hospital bed, "Isn't he the cutest?"

Michael nodded, a smile engraved into his face. "Tim was so pale when he was born, he was really blotchy."

"Tim was also almost 10 pounds," Ashton pointed out.

Mike looked up at his husband, letting out a quick laugh at the memory. "Tim was a fat baby, it was amazing."

Ashton leant back in his chair, letting Michael have full attention on their grand-baby. "Was the delivery fine?"

Cal nodded, "They got him in, cut him open, got Xavier out two minutes later. I didn't cry, but Tim bawled." Calum patted his husband's legs as Tim began to wake.

Tim moved as he woke from his sleep. He sat up, wiping at his eyes. "I did not," he responded with a yawn.

Michael kept his hands in the bassinet, brushing the small strands of black hair from Xavier's head. "Babies are so cute, you guys need to have more so I can live this moment forever."

Timothy and Calum let out a quick laugh. "Maybe next year," Tim said. "They haven't changed the bandages on my torso yet, I might vomit when they do."

"It wasn't that bad," Ashton said.

"I was the one cleaning yours," Mike pointed out, "it was a little gross."

The four kept a conversation going as they passed around the newest member of the Hood family.

Calum cuddled into bed with his husband not too long after their conversation ceased. Ashton rested his head on Michael's shoulder as they both continued admiring the 5.4 pound sleeping baby in front of them.

Ash rested his hand on Michael's inner thigh, softly rubbing shapes into the material of his jeans. "When Tim was first born, my first thought was about how fragile life truly is."

"Me too," Mike responded. He leant his head on top of Ashton's, slowly closing his eyes and trying to calm down to peace.

"I kind of forgot all of that until I looked at Xavier," Ashton continued, "I love you, Michael."

"I know you do." Michael placed his hand on top of Ashton's, twisting the golden wedding band around Ash's ring finger, "You know I love you too much."

"I know we've been through Hell a few times, but I'm really glad that we made it through." Ashton brought their entwined hands to his lips, kissing each of Mike's knuckles. "Thank you for giving me a few more chances."

"You deserved those chances," he spoke softly, "you're almost 16 years clean, you've really made up all those missed years to Tim."

Ashton could feel his waterline brimming with tears, he could physically feel his heart being pulled from his chest at Michael's words. "You mean the world to me."

"And you mean the universe to me."

Right there in that hospital, all the sound of their life found a way to settle down. 

AAA THAT'S IT FOR THE EPILOGUE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

anyways, next is three parts of prologue then ur free from me