Priorities | Malum

〰 Epilogue 〰

Five years later

Love is fucking terrifying; it doesn't matter what anybody has to say about it. You can choose to let love define you, destroy you or complete you. Michael and Calum chose all three options. If they were slowly being destroyed, then they were okay with it. Because having each other to hold onto when times are hard is all that they truly needed.

It was five years later when Michael finally graduated from college. It was hard, trying to hide his boyfriend from everyone else in a dorm with all the frequent checkups, but he managed most of the time, which made everything better. And once he earned his degree, he found a job as a music producer. He wanted to start a band, but the people who he cooperated with the most were either still in the military, or were off training with elephants.

Calum and Michael were able to buy a small house secluded somewhere inside of the forest near the tree they carved their initials into, and despite it feeling like a thousand years, they overcame their challenges. They managed to get through the little things, and the big things, and grew to feel that connection, that spark that they saved for so long, which led them to their little, twin baby girls, Clover and Saffron. With their love of nature, they wanted to name their daughters something exotic, rare and beautiful. They were beautiful, but it was still engraved in Michaels mind that nothing was more beautiful than his husband.

Calum showed off his diamond ring to his employees and manager at work far too often, but nobody minded. They were happy with each other. And their happiness meant everything to the world around them. (A/N; yes Michael proposed.)

"Clover, Saffron, please come here," Michael cooed as his twin daughters hopped over to him in miniature green tutus and white tees with small holes in the arms. They were cute, and Calum watching Michael take care of their daughters was possibly the cutest thing in the world. "What would you say if you possibly had a chance of getting a baby brother?"

"No!" Saffron whined, covering her eyes with her petite pale hands. Clover resembled Calum more, while Saffron resembled Michael more. It was kind of cute. "No more children!"

"Well you see-"

There was another baby on the way. It was meant to be a surprise, but Clover was the needy type, always complaining about how she'd much rather have a baby brother than a baby sister, and she just so happened to get lucky enough to receive both. Saffron, on the other hand, wasn't all that pleased, but loved her fathers enough to know that she'd be okay with it in the long run.

"What will his name be?" Two year old Clover quirked in excitement, tan hands clinging onto Michael's pale arms, leaving Calum to coo at the sight. Thank god he had work off today.

"We haven't decided yet, but we're thinking about naming him Aster Noah Clifford-Hood," Michael smiled, and Clover began shouting yes while Saffron only rolled her eyes. They were so cute.

"It's time for bed, my little petunias," Calum sighed softly, lifting both of his angels into his muscular arms and carrying them up to their cribs. "Sleep well, darlings."

And they were out like a light, just like every single night. They have been blessed.

Calum made his way into his bedroom, where Michael already was, laying in bed with his hand on his stomach and a smile on his face. "I can't wait to have another little flower running around in our house."

"We'll probably be the kind of parents who end up giving birth to around seven kids," Michael chuckled before pressing a chaste kiss to his husbands forehead and intertwining their fingers. "You know how I said you'd find out about those papers in five years?"

"Yeah," Calum reiterated with a small smile on his face, just before laughing about it because he was being dramatic. He's still kind of curious about what they were.

"They weren't all that serious, and I made a big deal out of them because it was embarrassing at the time. But they were a collection of poems and love letters I wrote about and for you," Michael replied, covering his cheeks that were turning a bright red, with his hands that were much smaller than Calum's, "I know it's not much, but I wrote them while you were in the military and in a way, I wanted to surprise you with them. But it was too awkward and embarrassing at the time, so I didn't."

The brunette glanced over at his husband, placing his larger hand on Michael's pale, red cheeks, "I wouldn't have judged you even if you told me to."

"God, I love you."

"I love you more," Calum said, nuzzling his neck into his husbands before easing his way down and placing a quick kiss on the green eyed boys belly, "I can't wait to meet you, Aster Noah Clifford-Hood."

Michael smiled down, feeling butterflies swarming around in his stomach, his heart race picking up and his pale lips growing chapped as he watched his lover cuddle his tummy below him. It was the cutest thing in the world, to be completely honest.

"Clover Mae Clifford-Hood, Saffron Dakota Clifford-Hood, and now Aster Noah Clifford-Hood," Michael teared up, his hormones getting the very best of him, "I can't wait to raise three angels with you. I can't wait to grow old with you."

"Yeah?" Calum smiled.

"Yeah."

"One more thing," Calum giggled as he ranhis fingers across Michaels arm, "I was thinking we could get a puppy, specifically a Havenese?"

"What would we name it?"

"Juniper if it's a girl, and Almond if it's a boy."

"Sure darling," Michael chuckled, giving his husband one last kiss before shutting off the lamp, "I'll do anything if it means keeping that gorgeous smile on your face."

"Are you sure?" Calum smiled back, admiring the way his husband looked even in the dark.

"You're always my first priority, baby," Michael grinned, knowing that it was Calums' line, but he had the perfect opportunity to steal it. "And if it means keeping you happy, then I'll make you and everything involving you and our children a priority."

"I'm so in love with you," Calum sighed, cuddling into his husband and running his fingers in Michael's hair.

"I'm so in love with you, too."

And they knew that, and if it weren't for priorities, they wouldn't have the beautiful life that they do now, and they couldn't be more grateful for it.

The
        End.

-

A/N; this is now the official end of priorities. Thank you so much if you stuck with me the entire time.

What did you think of the epilogue?

Ily all and I hope I see some of you reading some of my other books in the future. 💕