Prompt: I'd love to see a 16 year old Micah and Ace interact. Like Micah forgives Ace for what he did because he realizes that he would be just as scared to lose Alexis as Ace was. Ace being 31 now is in a much better place and everything is happy
A.N.- I just sort of...ran with this?? I don't know what this is I'm so sorry???
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Micah stretched and got out of bed, heading downstairs. He could hear voices, and paused as he realized the voices weren't Alexis and Jonas.
It was Alexis and Ace, talking in the kitchen. He moved towards the door, listening to them. Ace stopped by from time to time, but it had been a while since his last visit. Micah wondered if something was wrong.
"-getting so busy all the time. Jack keeps offering to babysit Delaney's daughter, so now she's always running around," Ace was saying.
"Must be a surprise, huh?" Alexis said. "Micah and your cousin were the only kids you were used to. Micah was too scared to talk back then."
"My cousin never was," Ace said, leaning back in his chair. "Damn brat. Micah was a nice change of pace. Never complained, just kept his mouth shut and drew all the time."
"I'm glad he got more comfortable once he went to school." Alexis set a mug down, staring at it. "Do you think you'll ever...?"
"Have kids? Doubt it. I'd be a shit dad. You remember what I..." Ace didn't meet Alexis's eyes. "It's been a decade, but I doubt you've forgotten what I did to Micah."
"You were different back then. You've come a long way," Alexis said. "Maybe kids aren't for you, but don't belittle your own progress, Ace."
Micah furrowed his brow. He had vague memories of when he still lived with the others, but he'd been so young, he couldn't remember what they were talking about now. What had Ace done to him?
"Yea, I guess I have," Ace said. He propped an elbow on the table and cupped his cheek in his palm. "I really fucked up back then, huh? Kid didn't deserve it."
"He didn't," Alexis agreed. "But it was all for the best, in the end. Micah is okay, you found Jack, and I got a better job. Besides, it was better for Micah to move out of that house. He needed stability, and we were the least stable people."
Micah felt his heart sink a little. He couldn't fully remember everything from when he was little, but he did remember moving out with Alexis. He dug at the back of his mind, trying to remember all the reasons they'd left the house.
Ace. Yes, he remembered Ace telling him Alexis was going to pick Jonas over him. He remembered the fear back then. He remembered clinging to Alexis and feeling so scared and confused. Ace had manipulated him to control Alexis.
No wonder he'd tried to forget that.
"I think I was plenty stable." Ace was grinning, but it was a ghost of his usual grin.
"You are now." Alexis stood up. "I'm going to make more coffee. Head out to the living room and I'll bring food when the coffee's ready."
Ace got up and Micah backed into the living room. Ace came in and looked surprised to see him.
"Hey, kid. You're actually awake," he said.
"Late night. I went cosmic bowling with my friends." Micah sat on the arm of the couch, looking at Ace. "I heard you guys."
"Eavesdropping, huh? Trained you well," Ace said.
Micah thought about it all. He hadn't understood back then. He'd just been a means for Ace to control Alexis. A way to keep Alexis from leaving with Jonas. Ace had been like Micah; abused, alone, afraid. Reliant on Alexis. The world was scary and confusing, but Alexis was there to make it easier.
"I'm not mad about it," Micah said. He gave a weak smile. "I could've been you, if Alexis hadn't rescued me. If I'd been older, I would've been you. I would've done whatever it took to keep Alexis to myself so Jonas couldn't have him."
Ace looked surprised, but he slapped on his usual grin. He'd dragged himself through hell to get where he was today, and Micah knew he was a different man than the cocky boy he'd met all those years ago.
Ace held out a fist, and Micah smacked his own against it. They didn't need any more words. They'd both grown up over the years. They'd both lost their mothers and been abused by their fathers. They'd both been alone on the streets until Alexis came along. They'd both been terrified when someone new slipped their way into Alexis's heart.
But Ace had been older, manipulation ingrained into his being. Micah had been a child, too young to understand.
All was forgiven. They were both where they needed to be now. Alexis was still here for both of them.
Alexis came out a few minutes later with food, seeming a little surprised to see Micah up. He set the food down and lightly ruffled Micah's hair.
"Slept in late," he said.
"I know." Micah sat next to Alexis on the couch, Ace on Alexis's other side. They could share him. He had a big heart, and they didn't need to fight for a place in it.
Alexis seemed to sense their moods, and smiled just a bit. "Let's eat. I'm hungry."
"Thank god it's not pasta," Ace said.
Micah smiled. "Yea. Thank god. That was the worst part of living in that house."
And just like that, they were okay. The past was the past, and everyone had built a new life for themselves. They dug into the food, talking casually as they ate, friends, brothers, family.
They were okay.
