fourteen

Michael woke up at six o'clock the next morning. He could hear Juli's music playing from the upstairs bathroom which meant she was already awake and dealing with her thick hair.

Mike snuck into the master bedroom when he knew Calum would be asleep. Cal was never the one to wake up early, he would always until the last possible minute.

The older man grabbed some clothes then headed to the en suite bathroom. He got ready for the day, sliding on his work clothes and making sure he looked more alive than he felt.

He snuck back out, catching sight of Calum still sound asleep. He looked distressed as he was curled up in many sheets all alone.

Mike packed all three lunches, making sure they were in the correct backpack. Joey came down first, grabbing something to eat and sitting at the kitchen island. He had a Missouri University snapback on, Michael was 90 percent sure it was his.

June came down next, holding Calum's hand. She practically dragged the older man across the floor and into the kitchen.

Michael knew Calum was barely awake, he wouldn't be fully awake until noon.

They finished off the early morning in complete silence. Everyone getting into the right car and getting ready for school. Mike left a kiss on June's forehead as she got into Cal's car.

Michael sat up in the front seat of his truck, Joey in the passenger seat and Juli in the back.

"Can you believe Dad?" Juli asked. She put her feet up on the empty seat beside her, resting her head against the window.

"I know. He's such a dick." Joey watched Mike try to hold in a laugh as he backed out of their driveway. "Right, Mikey?"

Mike shook his head. "I'm not adding to this conversation."

Juli sighed, "He's always been a dick. Even before you, he always irrational and oppressive. He's irritating."

"Nice vocabulary," Michael complimented. He started to pull out of their neighborhood, hitting the main road. "Your dad will calm down, I know he's not a terrible person."

"He's a terrible person," Joey responded. He put his feet below his body, crossing his legs. "Do you wanna fight him for me?"

"Can't do that, Sweetie."

"Dad gets mad about the tiniest things and then pretends it didn't happen a week later." Juli ran a hand through her hair, pulling at the strands. "Why would you be with him? Like, voluntarily? Is he paying you?"

"Your father is not paying me to be with him," Michael responded with a laugh.

Joey groaned, "You're one of those people who refuse to say anything bad. Just gossip with us, Mike, come on."

Michael shook his head, forming his mouth into a straight line. He pulled into the middle school parking lot, getting in line with the rest of the cars dropping off students. "I'm gonna talk to him," Michael said as they pulled closer to the door, "I don't like what happened last night."

"Fight him," Juli encouraged, "Like, physically fight him. Punch him square in the jaw."

"You are so violent. I am not going to punch your father." Michael put his truck into park as the two Hoods made sure they had everything for the day. "I love you two," he said, "Have a good day. No fights."

Juli rolled her eyes and jumped from the back seat. She blew Michael a kiss as she waited for her brother to step out as way.

No one is born transphobic or homophobic or any type of hate towards the way someone is. Juli is able to love and accept Joey for the way he is, and Calum should be able to, too.

Mike drove off, not liking how silent the truck was. He liked driving around with the kids, he liked their personalities and their conversations. He loved them endlessly and he was so afraid of it all being taken away from him.

He got to the high school, parking badly then heading up to his room. He went through the first few periods of math classes, trying not to fall asleep.

Around 10, he got a few messages from Calum. He knew it was Calum because his texts are the only ones that arrive with sound. Every other text he'll ever receive wasn't important, but Calum was important.

Mike left his students to paperwork as he went back to his desk.

From / Calum

You know you're right. Don't make me apologize, please.

Michael bit the inside of his lip as he replied. He sat down in his seat, opening up the message.

To / Calum

He's your child. Treat him like one.

From / Calum

I know, I know. It caught me off guard. I'll make it up to him, I'll make it better. I promise.

To / Calum

We'll talk later.

It was almost twelve hours later when everything settled down. Calum promised to try, he understood that his words would never be taken back. He didn't want his voice to be haunting through Joey's mind for the rest of his life. That wasn't fair to him, that wasn't fair to anyone.

Calum collapsed on their bed, rolling over after a few breaths to look up at Michael. They haven't talked yet and Cal wasn't sure he wanted to.

Mike gave him a warm smile, letting him know that their fight was over, too. "You know I love you."

Cal smiled. He moved closer to Michael, burying himself in Mike's chest. "I'm a terrible father."

"Yeah, well, a little bit," he responded blatantly. Mike wrapped his arm around Calum's body, pulling him closer.

Calum could hear Michael's heartbeat and feel every single breath he took. He took in his boyfriend's scent, curling himself closer and closer to the older man.

"You know how hard it is to be a kid, Cal. Your parents didn't even come close to accepting you when you came out of the closet, why would you do the same thing to Joey? You hate your parents, do you really want him to hate you too?"

Calum didn't respond. The tears welling in his eyes were enough of his response.

He hasn't talked to his parents since his eighteenth birthday. Calum wasn't ever going to seal the pain they put him through. That was that, he was an orphan in his own mind.

"Being different is so hard at the age Joey is. You remember being in middle school, you want to be like everyone else. These next years are gonna be so fucking hard for him, you shouldn't make them harder."

"You're making me feel awful," Calum said, his voice cracking.

"I'm not going to let you be Joey's bully. They're gonna get enough of that the rest of their entire life. Just please be there for him. Be there for him like you needed your parents to be there for you."

Calum slid backwards, rolling on his back and wiping at his eyes. Michael still had his hand on Cal's stomach, softly rubbing at the bare skin. "I know I screwed up."

"They're getting older every day. I know that you would never, ever forgive yourself if they left one day and never came back." Michael pulled Calum up, holding him in his hands. "You are not your parents, don't go acting like them."

Calum stayed on his back, letting Michael hold him closer and closer until his nose pressed to the crook of Cal's neck. "I'm not trying to be. I just want what's best for them. I don't want them making mistakes or anything."

"I get that, but this isn't them getting high off their ass or asking to stand in the middle of a busy highway. This is something Joey feels strongly about and we all need you to support him." Mike's hand rubbed circles on Calum's torso. "I know you want to be a great parent, but sometimes you have to be more of a friend."

Calum sighed and reached up to wipe at his dark eyes once more. "I know."

"I love you," Michael said again, kissing Calum's Adam apple, "Please never make me sleep on the couch again."

Cal laughed through a few tears. "It was lonely without you. I hated it. June didn't come snuggle either, it was awful."

Michael squeezed Calum tighter and tighter, both of them giggling like children. Mike left pecks on Calum's jaw, going all the way up to his nose. He rolled them over, his thighs straddling Calum's waist. "So, I've got two questions for you that are about kids."

"We're not having children."

"That's not what I was going to ask, but good to know." Michael reached down, poking at Calum's stomach. "So, the first is about June and the whole calling me Dad thing."

"Do you not like it?"

"No," he paused, "I love it. But, I don't want you to secretly hate me for years then it comes out in therapy. You know?"

Calum laughed. "No, no. I think it's great. I don't think Juli and Joey ever will, though. So don't get your hopes up."

Michael's hands crawled up and down Calum's sides, pulling at the skin around his ribs. "I really love the three, is that okay? I don't want to make you uncomfortable if I tell them I love them or if they say it back."

"Why would that make me uncomfortable? You four are the most important people in my life." Calum watched Michael's hand for a while before closing his eyes to take in the feeling.

"I don't know, I don't know how you feel about me and your kids. I'm just the boyfriend."

"Whatever, we're pretty much married. I don't care that it hasn't even been a year."

Mike watched his pretty boyfriend relax, completely admiring everything he is. "Yeah," he agreed, "I feel the same way."

Are you enjoying Emails? i hope u are....,,,,,

What would you like to see happen? Predictions? 

Thoughts of Calum's past?

Juli/Joey being literally goALS?