#also i know i normally have eiji proposing to ash but hear me out: this is a cute ending

[chaoslynx]

if you’re taking prompt requests: 1. on hand-holding (w/ ash and micheal maybe)!!

1. tiny hands in big hands

"I was worried about you," Michael mumbles.

Oh.

He takes Ash's hand.

Oh.

"You were—worried?" Ash manages. "Why?" What did Max and Jess tell him?

"You got hurt." Michael's voice is low, and he's looking down, but he doesn't let go of Ash's hand. His grip is—tight, but ... comforting. Like he really doesn't want to let Ash go. "They said you got hurt, and ..."

Ash crouches down in front of him, making sure not to pull too far away so their hands can stay together. "And you were worried?"

Michael nods. "They—sometimes people, when they get hurt and ... fall asleep, like you did, they don't come back." Even with Ash down at his height, he's refusing to make eye contact. "I'm not a little kid," he says, even though he is, and Ash hopes he always stays that way. "I know these things."

"I'm sorry," Ash breathes. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Michael's hand is wrapped around two of Ash's fingers, and—fuck, he's so little. Barely older than Ash was when ...

Fuck.

Michael's grip on Ash's hand tightens. "Is that the only reason you're sorry?" he asks, and suddenly he is looking at Ash, looking up and right into Ash's eyes.

There are tears in his eyes.

"I—what?"

"Are you only sorry because you worried me?"

"Yes?" Ash blinks. "I'm—what else is there?"

"Ash!" Michael cries. He stomps his foot, and pulls on Ash's hand. Ash shuffles closer to him.

"What is it, Michael? What's wrong?"

"You should be ... You should apologize to yourself," Michael says. His eyes are huge, and his lower lip is jutting out a bit, and he's practically shaking.

"I don't understand," Ash says. "What are you saying?"

Michael shifts his gaze away, down at where their hands are joined. "Daddy said it was almost too late. That you didn't call for help in time. That you ..."

"Shit," Ash hisses. "Ah—I mean—"

"Ash," Michael whines.

"Max said that to you?" Ash asks.

"Not to me. To Mommy, on the phone."

Ash sighs. "You're a smart kid, you know that?" He wraps an arm behind Michael's back and pulls him in for a hug.

"Apologize to yourself!" Michael cries. He lightly bangs a fist against Ash's back—not trying to hurt, just ... upset. "You were mean to yourself, so you have to apologize."

"I ..." Ash's heart pangs. "I'm sorry," he breathes.

"Not to me!" Michael insists. "Say it to yourself."

Shaking his head, Ash manages a laugh. "I'm ... sorry?"

"Say, 'I'm sorry, Ash,' okay?"

"I ... I'm sorry, Ash." God, this is fucking stupid, but if nothing else, it's making Ash smile. He ... genuinely can't seem to keep a smile off of his face. This kid is cute.

And ... maybe he's got the right idea.

"Thank you," Michael says. He finally hugs Ash back. "You won't ever really leave like that, right?"

Breathing out a sigh, Ash holds Michael a little closer. "No, I ... I won't. I promise, okay? Not ... not like that. I won't leave like that."

"... 'Kay." Seeming satisfied with that answer, Michael pats Ash on the back one more time before pulling away. "I'll be mad at you if you break your promise, though."

Ash smiles at him. Shit, this kid really knows how to play him. "I won't let you down."

"Mommy and Daddy are getting back together," Michael says, as though the previous topic never happened.

Ash raises an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

Michael nods. "They're setting dates for the wedding, and making bets on whether you and Eiji will get engaged before or after."

"They're—they're fucking what?" Ash sputters.

Giggling, Michael spins on his heel and barrels out of the room.

Hm ... That kid knows exactly what he's doing, doesn't he? And people call Ash smart. Clearly the real brains of Max and Jessica's family are right there, innocently asking for dinosaur chicken nuggets.

Well, Ash thinks, guess it's time to start looking at rings.

Touches prompt game!