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“So they were really – shit – okay with it?”
Michael ignored the question, his mouth pressed to Luke’s neck.
Luke was trying to stop him, to keep the older man from sticking his hands up underneath his shirt, to keep some level of decorum as they traded stories of their sexuality confessions. It was one of the main reasons Luke was excited to see Michael, because the text he’d sent – mum & dad cool; not surprised – didn’t really give Luke the explanation he was looking for.
So when Michael asked if he could come over, Luke hadn’t hesitated to say yes, and had snuck him in through the laundry door without his mother noticing.
And they’d barely stumbled into Luke’s bedroom when Michael had kissed him, pushing him up against his desk roughly. At least Luke had managed to get them on the bed before trying to fish for information.
“Michael,” Luke groaned softly, threading his fingers through the older man’s hair and gave a sharp tug. “Seriously? You’re not fucking me in my childhood bed.”
Michael pulled away, a smirk on his lip. “Oh I most certainly am, fucking you on your childhood bed.”
Luke’s stomach clenched, and he bit down on his lip ring and had to tear his eyes away from Michael’s wet, bruised lips before he gave in completely.
“Yeah?” the older man pushed softly, ducking down to kiss up Luke’s stubbled jaw.
“Just, wait,” Luke whimpered. “Tell me how it went with your parents.”
Michael pulled away, settling comfortably in the space between Luke’s spread legs. “It was anti-climactic,” he admitted. “I sat them down and I was shit scared, but instead of being really shocked, they just like, accepted it.”
“That’s pretty much the same reaction my mum had,” Luke commented. “She was more surprised with how long we’d been together, rather than the fact that her youngest son was gay.”
Michael snorted, reaching up to ruffle Luke’s hair. “So can we move on?” he asked suggestively. “Now our parents know, it’s like…I am ten times more attracted to you, if that’s possible.”
Luke smiled, feeling his cheeks warm at the other man’s confession. He knew the feeling, though, because as soon as his mum knew, it was as if the idea of being with Michael was somehow far more desperate than it had ever been.
“Yeah, we can move on,” Luke said quietly, teeth closing over his lip ring.
Michael groaned, sliding up the long length of Luke’s body to kiss his mouth, his own teeth closing over the ring of metal until Luke moaned.
The younger man knew there would be other questions, other things he wanted to talk about; like who would they tell next? John? Dave? Their friends? But Luke knew that could wait, that they had a few weeks until they had to get back to work, and he fully intended to end each day doing exactly what they were doing.
And that very thing they were about to do, was on the cusp of happening, as Michael tugged open Luke’s belt before unfastening the button and then zipper on his skinny jeans, and Luke’s heart was in his throat.
“Been thinking about this for so long,” Michael whispered against the skin of his throat, pushing Luke’s shirt up to his armpits. “Wanted you like this the moment you got out of the cab.”
Luke groaned, lifting his hips when Michael started to drag his jeans down, and made his hands cooperate to drag the older man’s shirt up and off.
“Shit, Luke. It’s over,” he breathed, kissing his way along the collar of his t-shirt. “No more hiding, no more worrying.”
It gave Luke the purest feeling of elation he’d ever had. The idea that he could hold Michael’s hand now, that it didn’t matter if a cab driver saw, or if their friends knew. They were finally out, and it had never felt so good.
“I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” Luke whispered softly, cradling Michael’s stubbled jaw. “So much, Mikey.”
Michael leant up to kiss him again, rutting down against Luke’s hips until a sharp knock sounded at his bedroom door.
“Luke?”
Luke’s eyes were wide with horror as he heard his mother’s voice, frozen there on his bed with his pants around his thighs and Michael’s hands all over him. “Y-yeah?”
“Will Michael be staying for dinner?” Liz asked.
Luke looked quickly at the man on top of him, his mouth falling open.
Michael shrugged, unable to hide a small smirk on his face. “What are we having?” he called out obnoxiously.
Luke elbowed him in the shoulder.
“Roast chicken,” Liz answered. “Be down in 45 minutes.”
“Plenty of time, cheers!”
Luke’s face burned red hot, and he crushed his eyes shut as he heard his mother give a surprised burst of laughter before it faded, and he could hear her footsteps pad away from his room.
“Are you crazy?!” Luke hissed, smacking Michael in the shoulder. “You can’t make gay sex jokes a few hours after we came out!”
Michael laughed. “Oh come on. I never said anything about gay sex.”
Luke groaned. “You’re a prick. You knew full well what you were insinuating, and so did my mum!”
Michael smirked, shrugging a shoulder. “It’s not like she’s not thinking it, okay? You do realize that every time we disappear up into your room – or even my room at home – our parents are going to think we’re fucking.”
“I know,” Luke groaned, tugging at his hair. “But you don’t have to actively put the idea into their heads!”
Michael leant up and kissed over Luke’s jaw. “C’mon, there’s nothing to be upset about,” he murmured. “Today is a good day, and for once, we don’t have to pretend we’re playing video games.”
Luke’s resolve was crumbling – because it always did when it came to Michael – and he let out a soft sigh and ducked down and kissed over Michael’s mouth, arching his hips up as his silent consent to pick up where they left off.
**
“Do I look okay?”
Michael snorted. “Don’t you mean, do I look like I just got fucked in the ass?”
Luke gaped at the other man, contemplating on smacking the smug smile off his face.
Michael laughed, and rolled his eyes. “You’re fine,” he insisted. “There’s no sex hair or come on your pants, you’re good.”
Luke let out a soft sigh, and ran his fingers through his hair for the thousandth time. He was just so acutely aware of having to face his mother – and his father, no doubt – now that she knew exactly what they’d been doing.
It makes him wish he’d said no, pushed Michael off and insist that they weren’t going to have sex.
But they did, and Luke felt satisfied and relaxed, but the idea of facing his parents was getting him all stressed out again.
“Babe,” Michael sighed, cupping his face in both hands. “It’s your mum and dad, who love you. It’s just a family dinner.”
Luke wrinkled his nose and leant against Michael, curling his arms around his waist. “Should’ve pretended you weren’t here,” he mumbled.
Michael laughed. “Oh c’mon, it’s not going to be that bad. Plus, how long’s it been since we had a home cooked meal?”
That idea alone sparked Luke’s interest, and it was ultimately what had him opening his bedroom door and stepping out into the hall, his fingers laced tightly with Michael’s.
“Can you just please not make any sex jokes?” Luke whispered at the top of the stairs.
“I promise,” Michael nodded, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Luke’s lips. “It won’t be so bad.”
But it was.
So bad.
Because by the time they reached the foot of the stairs, Luke had convinced himself that all was okay. It was his parents, who loved him and missed him, and there was nothing to be worried about.
That feeling lasted all of two seconds when he caught sight of the dining room – particularly the back of Jack’s head, and heard the familiar laughter he associated with Celeste. Ben was there too, sipping from a bottle of beer, and Luke stopped so abruptly, Michael slammed into his back.
“Woah!”
“It’s my entire family,” Luke breathed, shoving Michael backwards towards the stairs. “My brothers, Celeste – fuck!”
“Oh shit,” Michael whispered, his hands on Luke’s hips, squeezing gently. “It’s okay,” he said quickly, trying to be reassuring. “They probably don’t even know.”
“Oh, they know,” Luke scoffed softly. “Jesus Christ, why is this happening?”
“Luke!”
He flinched at the sound of his mother’s voice, wanting to run for the front door and keep on running until he collapsed. It was a much more preferable option.
Michael squeezed his hand and stepped forward, pulling Luke along reluctantly.
Luke almost stumbled, his eyes on the floor as Michael all but dragged him towards the dining room, to the chorus of his family’s happy greetings.
“Welcome home, son!”
Luke held on for an extra second when his father stood and hugged him, and he wasn’t sure if he’d imagined the soft I’m so proud of you whispered directly into his ear. He assumed it wasn’t, because when his dad finally let go, he had the definition of a proud smile on his face.
Luke returned it, though it was a lot shakier than he’d intended.
His brothers gave him a tight squeeze each, and Celeste pressed a kiss to his cheek before they were all taking their seats at the table, in front of the incredible spread laid out before them. Everyone was kind of quiet, sharing looks that said so much, and Luke was aware of Michael’s hand on his thigh under the table.
It felt like too much, like they were so afraid to acknowledge the brand new information, they just weren’t say anything at all.
Luke sighed, letting his hand fall down against the table, rattling his cutlery against his plate.
His mother jumped.
“Can we please just get it out in the open?” he sighed tiredly.
“Interesting choice of words.”
Luke levelled Jack with a look, his eyebrows gathered together, a definite scowl on his face.
But then Michael snorted, and Ben looked between both him and Luke before coughing on a burst of laughter, and it was enough to send the entire table into a fit of hysteria as they all burst out laughing, hands pressed against their chests to regulate their breathing.
And as Luke laughed with them, he felt any residual fear just melt away, because this was his home, and now he could finally be himself within those walls, with Michael by his side.
“See,” the older man mumbled into his ear, reaching across Luke for a dinner roll. “I told you.”
Luke smiled, turning his face into Michael’s so their noses nudged. “Yeah, shut up.”
The topic was left untouched from that point on, as Liz dished out the chicken and everyone helped themselves to the roast vegetables on offer. Luke and Michael both fielded questions about Bali, and shared a funny anecdote or two, and by the time Liz was clearing their plates, Luke was leant up against Michael and relaxed, their hands laced together on Michael’s thigh.
“So, four years?”
The question almost took Luke by surprise, but he figured his mother would’ve given everyone the facts on his confession to avoid any awkwardness.
“Four years,” Michael confirmed, squeezing Luke’s hand.
“So every time you were…playing video games,” Jack said suggestively.
“First of all, screw you,” Luke said pointedly. “I don’t point out all the time you and Celeste spend unpacking when you’re staying here for the weekend.”
Jack’s cheeks flushed red and he raised his hands in defeat. “Alright, Lewi, you win.”
Luke grinned proudly, feeling slightly proud of the fact he had one-upped his big brother. “Anyway, I should be mad that you all blind sighted me at dinner.”
“It was mum’s idea!” Jack insisted. “She called each one of us and told us with great pride that her baby boy was gay, and that we were required at dinner, no excuses allowed.”
Luke smiled, looking over as his mother entered the room, an apple pie in one hand, and a tub of vanilla ice cream in the other. “So, mum,” he smiled. “How’d you know Michael was here anyway?”
She smiled a secret smile, sitting down in her seat. “You used Jack’s line.”
“My what?” Jack demanded, frowning.
She laughed. “Do you remember how many times you used to do laundry when you were first dating Celeste?”
Jack coughed, his cheeks red once more, and gave a short nod.
“Well, I raised you, and I did not fall for that one bit, because I was certain you had no idea how to turn the machine on, let alone wash your clothes. I knew you were sneaking her in.”
“You knew?!” Jack demanded. He turned his attention to Luke. “And you used my line?”
Luke blushed, and could remember stumbling over his words when he’d feigned exhaustion after he’d received Michael’s text, and had flippantly commented about doing his laundry and left the room.
His mum was a lot sharper than he gave her credit for.
“Look, despite the jokes, we really are proud of you, Luke,” his father said. “I wish you could’ve trusted us earlier on, but I’m grateful to know now. And you know how much we like Michael.”
Luke looked over at the man, at his horribly faded hair and dark bags under his eyes from too much partying and not enough sleeping, and Luke knew he’d picked the right guy.
“But a sock on the door wouldn’t go astray.”
Celeste elbowed her boyfriend in the ribs, and Luke couldn’t help but laugh. This was what he wanted; the acceptance, even some of the shitty jokes. That was his family, and as mortifying as they could be sometimes, he was so lucky to have them.
It felt like the start of something new, and Luke couldn’t wait to discover his new life with Michael by his side.