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"Don't read the last page, but I stay when it's hard or it's wrong or you're making mistakes. I want your midnights, but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day."

Ashton presses his lips softly to Calum's as they dances under the moonlight, glitter in their hair and on their skin from the New Year's festivities taking place.

"I'll be there if you're the toast of the town babe, or if you strike out and you're crawling home." Ashton sings gently in Calum's ear as they sway back and forth, champagne coursing through their veins as Ashton pulls Calum closer than he thought possible; 'his love is intoxicating.' Ashton thought, or was it the alcohol? He didn't much care.

It was almost midnight, people were finding each other for the traditional kiss, sharing this thing for five seconds to ring in the new year and never looking in the others direction again afterwards. Ashton chuckles to himself, for he got his midnight kiss at midnight, at three in the morning, at noon the next day when he was nursing his hangover.

And forevermore, he liked to think.

When he held Calum in his arms, Ashton liked to think about what it would be like if Calum lived in Los Angeles. He liked to think about soft, warm kisses on shoulders as Calum made breakfast in the mornings. He liked to think about holding hands in bed, Ashton's hands softly rubbing over the ring on Calum's left finger. He, of course, would lightly touch his ring to Calum's, for seeing their rings together would never get old.

Ashton liked to think about Calum helping him raise Lily. He liked to think about family outings and PTA meetings and Calum helping Ashton make sure that whoever Lily wanted to be with, whether it be a woman or a man, was the absolute best for his little girl.

"10,

9,

8,"

Ashton thought back on the year. He was doing just fine, he drank a little too much but it was okay, then Calum came along and flipped everything upside down. He found a lover and a best friend mixed into one.

He thought back to Luke, he thought about how this year brought a new friendship for the two, as well as an incredibly unexpected friendship between him and Arzaylea.

And he thought about Lily, his sweet flower, and her light. He thought about how he wasn't ready to be a dad in the slightest, but looking back, he couldn't imagine life without her.

"7,

6,

5,

4,"

Ashton places his hand on the side of Calum's face, his thumb softly stroking the smaller boy's cheek. He smiles softly at Calum.

"3,

2,

1!"

"Fuck, holy shit." Ashton groans, shoving his head back into the pillow to block out the sunlight beaming through the windows. "Damnit." He rolls over slowly, his eyes still squeezed tightly shut. He blindly feels for his phone on the nightstand, retreating under his blankets once he finds his phone.

[18 messages from hemmable.]
[13 missed calls from hemmable.]

"God." Ashton mumbled, squinting at the screen as he attempts to read Luke's messages.

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