unedited
"my mom?" Michael choked out.
Luke nodded, his eyebrows lifted, "she said to tell you she's in town, I told her you weren't here."
Michael nodded, his hands tugging on his slightly damp hair. he got Aden out of the way, now he just needs to get his mother out of the way.
"I'm not just gonna let her come here, and ruin this for me. I know she wants me gone, dead, and if not that, just so unhappy with nothing in this world. I have Ashton to worry about now, I have you, I wanna spend my life with you I can't lose any of this," Michael said, his voice breaking in some places.
he wants to finish school, go to college, have a family, make sure Ashton will be healthy. he has all these things he wants to do and everyone is getting in the way.
"I know Mikey, we'll figure this out. can't we just go to the police? they know about Aden," Luke suggested.
"but I never mentioned my mom, I never told them everything. I didn't think my mom would actually find me, she's too scared to do anything herself. w-what if she's getting someone else to hurt me w-what if--"
"Mikey," Ashton said raspy, his voice scratchy and tired.
Michael turned his head towards Ashton and smiled shyly, Ashton opened his eyes wide, then laughed.
"I didn't get to video you dying your hair?"
"not everything has to be caught on camera ash," Michael chuckled, going to sit beside Ashton who was now sitting up, cheeks reddened due to Calum's company.
Ashton ruffled Michael's hair, then pulled him into his chest, "stop babbling you dork."
"b-but--"
"no buts," Ashton said loudly. "Michael it's just your mom, she's not gonna hurt you, especially not when we're around."
Michael's body shook, flashbacks of his mom hitting him, and yelling at him clouded his thoughts. Ashton looked down at the boy and hoped that he didn't have an attack, rubbing his back slightly.
"Michael it's okay, you don't have to be worried. I'm gonna fix this okay?"
"you fix everything," Michael frowned.
"because I care about you and damn it Michael I'm gonna make sure you have a great life. got it you hard headed skunk?"
Michael chuckled with the boys, all shaking their heads, "skunks have white down the middle."
"I don't care?" Ashton laughed. "now, whose up for some bowling?"
Calum turned to Michael, a smile on his face, "he sure is in a good mood?" he muttered.
Michael shrugged with his eyebrows lifted, intertwining his fingers with Luke's as they all walked out to the car. Michael has never really been a fan of bowling, he thinks it's boring, and stupid, but really he can't even get to a score of one hundred. Michael is worried, he doesn't want anything to happen to ashton, and now he has his mom to worry about?
he thinks too much, instead of actually having fun with his friends, boyfriend, he needs to relax but him and ashton both deep inside know they can't. they're always worried, scared, and cautious about everything. Ashton thinks Michael is okay now, he thinks Michael is finally happy and back to his old self- sorta. Ashton on the other hand, is himself, but his heart is giving out slowly, but surely. he's praying hard for that new heart.
"why bowling out of all things ash?" Calum asks the boy, voice barely audible since the radio was on loudly, and Michael and Luke were talking to each other.
