HEADS AND TAILS ⇝ MASHTON [✔]

vingt - END.

TWO YEARS LATER.

ashton sighed, locking the door of his house behind him before setting off down to his favorite music store. 

it's been two years since he has declined the crown of royalty and started living up on the surface. the first few months hasn't been easy, but with the encouragement of his best friend ryan, he managed to get the hang of it, and started living a decent life. 

the whole experience has been hard for him, but he doesn't regret any single one of it. however, ashton's hopes of finding michael again was slowly diminishing. what he didn't expect from living on the surface was how big and spread out everything was. unlike his kingdom, they were the only civilization in about thousands of kilometers. it was hard to adjust for living in such a big area, but it made ashton more ecstatic than anxious.

and as for ryan, well, ashton was right. he is ruling the kingdom of lesgrove way better than ashton could have ever done. maybe it was because he connects to the people better, seeing that he was one of the commoners. 

the kingdom was thriving, but unfortunately, according to ryan, his father was beyond furious. he left the kingdom and there are no whereabouts about his location or his status. his mother stayed behind to help ryan out with the kingdom, and whenever ashton visited, she was always very curious about what life was like on the surface. 

seeing the door of the record shop coming into view, ashton snapped out of his thoughts and smiled to himself. this was the first place that he visited ever since he arrived on the surface, since it reminded him of michael so much. it quickly became one of his favorite places, plus he was one of their favorite customers. 

the bell chimed as he went inside, and jason, one of the regular workers for the afternoon shift greeted him. 

"hey ash!" he exclaimed, lifting his arm in a small wave, "looking for something today? or are you here to bother me again?"

ashton chuckled, running a hand through his windswept hair, "i'm just looking around today. i heard there were new cds in stock."

"well, you know where they are already. if you need anything, let me know," jason replied, putting his arms on the back of his head and leaning a little on his seat. 

he hummed in response, heading towards the shelves that read new releases until he bumped into someone, causing the small pile of cd's they were holding crashed into the floor. 

"oh shit! i'm so sorry dude-" 

upon hearing the familiar voice, although it did get a tad bit deeper, ashton perked up, his heart beating quickly in his chest and his mouth turning into a big giddy grin. 

"michael?"

"and it's not your fault- wait fuck. ashton!?"

michael's eyes widened once he took a good look at how much ashton has changed over the year. his hair grew a bit longer (michael wanted to run his fingers through it, it looked very soft), and he was also growing stubble (which looked very mature, and hot).

ashton took in michael as well, eyeing the new pink hair that was slowly fading, to the eyebrow piercing that was certainly not there before, and that michael was probably an inch taller than him, which was a bit embarrassing but he wouldn't say that. 

after about a minute of silence, michael was the first to speak up, "holy shit. it really is you."

the other boy smiled, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck as a sudden bashfulness came over him, "yeah."

the pink haired boy could practically shit himself right now. after about a year of visiting the cove day to day, he eventually gave up, losing all hope in ever finding the merman again. some of his old high school "friends" would make fun of him for it, but it was very rare for michael to develop a romantic interest towards anyone, and once he did he got attached very easily.

he was thankful that calum and luke still stayed in contact with him despite them moving to europe after graduation, and with their relationship that finally happened. they were the only two people that he could rely on after ashton left, since nobody else took him seriously enough. 

and well, michael was starting to slowly accept the fact that ashton was never going to come back. but the walls he's been trying to build up for the past two years came crumbling down in an instant once he saw him again. 

it's been two years since you wanted to confess to him, michael thought, don't let it happen again.

maybe any potential chance of having a relationship with ashton vanished as quickly as it came, but his feelings never faded. not even an ounce.

pathetic? probably, but he could care less. he's willing to give another chance. and even if ashton will most likely never like him back (atleast that's what his conscious is telling him), he would be happy just to have him there as a friend, no matter how much it hurts.

hell, it has been two years. what if he found someone already? what if their friendship back then never really meant anything to ashton?

seeing that michael was making no move to say a word, and that his face looked like he was having an internal battle over something, ashton decided to take a step closer and place a hand on his shoulder, startling the pink haired boy but quickly relaxed. 

"um, i was wondering well, uh, would you like to get coffee on saturday? to um, catch up and stuff," ashton smiled, cheeks tinting pink as he realized how much he stumbled over his words.

the curly haired boy was hoping michael would realize he's actually trying to ask him out for a date, atleast that's what he remembers what humans call it. 

luckily, the pink haired boy smiled, not quite catching on the way ashton just indirectly asked him out for a date, but instead happy to spend time with his favorite person again. 

 make it happen, michael. 

"sure! give me your phone and i'll put in my number, just text me the details later."

ashton obliged, secretly thankful that michael was the one who insisted adding his contact, since he was not quite used to all of this new technology yet. 

once they were finished, they exchanged goodbyes towards each other. ashton walked out of the store, no longer in the mood for being outside. 

instead, he headed out to his favorite resturaunt, fizz & co. with a light feeling in his chest and happiness radiating off of him just from seeing michael again. 

a second chance. a new beginning. nothing can stop him this time. 

END.