Work Text:
Luke was writing in his black notebook. A new song he had in mind. Luke loved writing new songs. He loved the excitement to suddenly think of a melody or a line, he loved seeing the words come to life on the paper, and he loved to sing it for the first time, to hear the lines freshly written leave his mouth and fly through the room, following the rhythm of his guitar.
Music was Luke’s life. He had no friends, but he at least had to have an interesting hobby.
“ You got the beauty, you got the fame; you got to be funny, so you got the friends...” Luke softly sang, hesitantly looking around him to make sure nobody was listening. He was sitting with his beloved guitar at the back of the high school, where nobody ever came, but he needed to be sure about the fact that he was alone.
Luke was a really nervous person.
He didn’t want to be found by one of the jerks in his school, the ones he was currently writing a song about.
Luke was so sick of always being the last one to be chosen in PE, for the science projects, or any project in any subject, really. Luke was a really nice guy, above all. He didn’t know why people hated him. Well, hate was a big word, but... They were avoiding him. Ignoring him. He might not look cool enough for them.
“ All I got are some people saying they love me; but what do I know, when they don’t even need me? You have the face and then you have the body; why do you always need to have more tha- Shit, here should be an A minor chord,” Luke mumbled, changing the chord on his notebook. He sang the lines again and, satisfied, smiled at himself. His first verse was almost ready, he couldn’t wait to make Jack listen to it.
Luke felt lucky to have brothers like Ben and Jack. To have a family like his. It was perfect, from the two caring older brothers to the loving and supporting parents... Maybe Luke didn’t need friends, he had the best family ever.
It still sucked being alone at school, though. Luke hated how a few people believed they were the kings of their own kingdom or something, and just grabbed everyone’s attention. Everyone wore what they wore, everyone laughed at their jokes, and nobody liked the people they didn’t like.
Luke felt lucky not to be hated by these people. They didn’t seem to know him, and it was better like this.
Luke checked the time. It was starting to get late, and he wanted to help his mum for dinner. He closed his notebook, gently put the guitar into its case and stood up. He started to walk towards the school’s exit, putting his earphones on, but suddenly bumped into a body.
“Oh!” Luke winced, rubbing his hurting shoulder.
He couldn’t see the person in front of him, it was dark, and they had a snapback and a hood, but a hand flew to his shoulder, and they gently massaged it, asking in a low voice, “I’m sorry, did I hurt you?”
“I-I’m okay,” Luke mumbled.
“You sure? I didn’t mean to- “
“I’m fine, thank you, I need to go,” Luke said with a smile.
“Ok... Get home safe, Luke,” the stranger let out before disappearing behind a corner of the building.
Luke looked at the corner, confused. Who was this guy who knew his name? Nobody knew his name.
He rubbed his shoulder, where the unknown student had touched him. He had a nice touch and a nice voice, that was all that Luke could know about him.
Well, that was weird, Luke thought.
“Honey, of course we don’t care...”
“I... I wasn’t sure, mum” Luke admitted, leaning onto Jack’s shoulder. He had just told his family he was gay, and they were taking it quite well.
“Come on, just don’t fall in love with my friends, and it’ll be okay,” Jack joked, and Luke laughed, “Not gonna happen, Jacky, your friends are ugly.”
“Hey! Dan is handsome!”
“But he’s not funny,” Luke shook his head. “I want a funny guy. And nice. I want a nice and funny guy.”
“You’ll find one,” his dad smiled. “You’re a sweet boy, Luke. You’re kind and talented and you’re really cute. Objectively.”
“Daaaad, you’re not objective at all,” Luke whined.
“But he’s right, though,” his mum grinned.
“You’re a cutie!” Ben cooed, ruffling Luke’s hair, making him laugh. “See? The cutest.”
“I love you guys,” Luke sighed, cuddling closer to Jack, everyone joining them, surrounding him with their warmth and their love , and Luke felt so accepted that he could have cried of happiness.
“We love you too, Lukey boy,” his mum whispered in his hair. “We’ll always love you.”
“ And I... Stay alone; Watching you rising; feeling me falling; waiting for somebody to see me...”
Luke stared at the notebook, thoughtful, and ended up nodding. “Yeah, that sounds good...”
“Hey, Hemmings! We wanted to talk to you!” a harsh voice interrupted him.
Worried, he looked up, to find three of the jerks of the school glaring at him. How did they even knew his name?
“Listen, Hemmo... Or should I say Homo ? We were told...” the tallest of the three started. He looked proud of his joke. “We were told you liked... Dudes. And, well. We don’t need another faggot in the school, you know? This Clifford guy is enough.”
“I... What the fuck ?” Luke let out, indignant.
“Oh, you’re protesting?” another smirked. “But you should know this is weird , right? You can’t be attracted to guys , you're just a freak.”
“ And we don’t like freaks,” the last one spat.
Suddenly Luke was shoved, and he landed on his back, the tallest guy on top of him, his face a few centimetres away from his. “You’re weird, you fag,” he whispered. “Look at you, you’re all scared, you’re terrified, but I’m sure... If I just...”
Luke watched in horror as the guy straddling him ground down on him, putting pressure right on his crotch. Luke had tears in his eyes now, he felt so scared, so exposed, and so humiliated because despite this awful situation, he was chubbing up just the slightest in his jeans.
“Oh my god, do you like that? You’re horrible, Hemmings, what if...”
He smirked and his hand disappeared under him, groping Luke’s dick above his jeans. Luke moaned, a tiny bit in pleasure, involuntarily, but most of all in pain, and fear, and humiliation.
“God, you are kind of hard,” the guy snickered. “You’re disgusting.”
“Let me go,” Luke whimpered. “I haven’t done anything.”
“Haven’t done anything, uh?” the guy snapped, slapping him. “I hate you and I’m harsh with you right now, and you still manage to get excited? That’s fucking fucked up, fag.”
He hit Luke in the nose. Hard.
“Stop!”
“Shut up, you’re weak if you can’t handle a little correction,” one of the guys snapped.
Luke received another hit on his ribs, and he moaned. The guys started hitting him everywhere, with few but harsh punches, and he felt so destroyed… He was fully crying now.
“Please...”
“Listen to him, begging for us to stop... He-“
“You think you’re funny? Uh? You think you’re tough?”
Luke was only half conscious, but he saw another boy, hooded, hitting one of the jerks. Then the other. He hit them again, punching and groaning, and the one on top of Luke smirked at the guy. “Well. It’s been a while, nice to see you.”
“Oh yeah?”
The bully was suddenly shoved off Luke, and the blonde closed his eyes, hurting everywhere. He was tired. Maybe he could take a nap, right now.
Yes, a nap sounded good.
“Luke! Luke, please open your eyes! Are you okay?”
Luke whimpered when he felt a hand on his shoulder. The guys had hit him here.
“Luke, you have to open your eyes, please...”
Luke shook his head. Everything hurt. He liked the darkness best. “It hurts...” he mumbled.
“I know, but please look at me...”
Luke didn’t know this voice. He liked this voice, but he didn’t know it. It reminded him of something, though… Yes. He might actually know this voice.
Luke was starting to feel more conscious. He tried hard and opened his eyes, finding himself staring into beautiful green irises. Wow.
“H-Hi,” Luke stuttered. Was he an angel? Had Luke died ?
Shit.
“Hi,” the guy answered, looking relieved. “How do you feel?”
“Humiliated,” Luke mumbled, closing his eyes again.
“No, no, no! Open your eyes!” the boy exclaimed.
Luke did so. When the guy sat next to him to leave him space, pulling back his hood, Luke studied him. Green kohl-circled eyes, purple hair and pink lips. Luke’s eyes widened.
“Michael Clifford!”
“Do you... Know me?” the boy asked with a confused smile.
“Yes, you... I mean no, I’ve never talked to you, obviously you know that, but... You... I mean everyone kinda knows you because you’re all mysterious and intimidating, and you... Well, you... You're kind of the only gay guy in the school?”
“Oh.”
Michael looked at Luke for a second.
“Well, I’m not the only one anymore, it seems.”
Luke shrugged, averting his eyes. “I didn’t think being gay would lead me to this. I feel like shit.”
Michael looked sad. “I’m sorry. People were like that with me, before. They stopped when they understood I could hurt them too.”
“The thing is that I am unable to hurt them,” Luke mumbled, sheepish.
“I’ll do it for you. I’ll protect you, Luke.”
Luke stared at Michael in awe and swallowed, “I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You’re not.”
“You barely know me...”
“That’s wrong. I’ve been... God, is this weird if I say that I’ve kinda been observing you for some time?”
“What?”
“It’s just that... I see you with your guitar all the time and I was kinda curious and I... Listened to you a few times?”
“You... You listened to me?” Luke was so embarrassed. The coolest guy he knew, Michael , had listened to him sing his shitty original songs.
“That was you, the other day! I bumped into you!”
“Uhm... Yeah, that was me, he admitted.
“God, you heard me!” Luke whined.
“You’re great, Luke, I... I love your voice, and how you write. That’s amazing, for real.”
Now Luke was confused.
“Do you... Mean it?”
“Of course,” Michael grinned, and he suddenly became more serious. “For real, mate, where are you hurt?”
“Everywhere,” Luke mumbled, knowing the worst part was his pride. Michael gave him an I know, you idiot look and Luke rolled his eyes. “Ok, my nose hurts a lot, my ribs too, and I feel so dirty...”
“Let me see your nose.”
Michael brought his face closer to Luke’s and gently took his chin into his hand to make him move his face a bit. Luke couldn’t look away from Michael’s eyes and the boy suddenly caught him staring.
Luke blushed and looked down.
“I don’t think it’s broken. You’ll still have to see a doctor. Same for your ribs, but I’m less hopeful for them.”
“Are they that bad?”
“I saw how they hit you, and that wasn’t really nice.”
He then frowned and asked, “Wait, why did you say you feel dirty? What did they do?”
“What... I mean when did you arrive? What did you see?”
“They were already hitting you, why?”
“Oh, uhm, nothing. Just... I’m embarrassed because they hurt me, and I couldn’t do anything apart from waiting for someone to save me.”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “You’re a bad liar, Luke, please... They did something, right? Before hitting you...”
Luke blushed in humiliation and tears started to form in his eyes. “I... they...”
That was so embarrassing. Michael would think he was disgusting, too. He closed his eyes and Michael put a hand on his shoulder, reassuringly.
“The... The tall one...”
“His name was Samuel,” Michael said.
“Well, Samuel... He... He made me...”
Luke was about to cry.
“Luke, if you don’t wanna talk about it, it’s okay, but- “
“He touched me!” Luke cried out, tears falling down his cheeks. “He touched me just to tell me how disgusting I was and... And... I feel so disgusting right now, Michael, because... Because I hate him, I hated him touching me, but my stupid dick reacted anyway and now he... He’s gonna tell everyone how much of a freak I am, and I- “
Michael hugged Luke.
Luke knew he should stay cautious, he didn’t know the guy, but it was so warm and reassuring, he felt good in Michael’s embrace.
“Luke, it’s okay to cry, please don’t hesitate to clean your nose on my shirt, I hate it anyway.”
That brought a wet laugh out of Luke’s throat and the blond sobbed on Michael’s shoulder for a long time. “What Samuel did is... I don’t have words to tell you how sorry I am, Luke, you don’t deserve this, I... You know this is serious, right? This is... Sexual assault, I believe. God, I wish I had been there sooner...”
Michael’s voice was shaking, and Luke was still crying but he still managed to let out, weak and unsure, “Michael, I don’t want you to feel bad for me, I... You know I’m already immensely grateful, because I don’t know how this would have ended without you, and- “
Luke stopped talking. He couldn’t anymore. So, he did the only thing he could think about doing, and hugged Michael back. He held the other boy tight against him and Michael chuckled softly, “You know, you’ll have to promise to be my friend from now on because I demand hugs like this one all the time.”
Luke laughed and backed up, looking at Michael, who was gently smiling at him. “So?”
“What?” Luke asked, confused.
“Can we be friends?”
Luke gazed at him in disbelief and laughed, “Michael, you’re according to me the coolest person in this school, and you just saved me, I... Of course I want you to be my friend.”
“I’m not cool...” Michael mumbled. Then he looked at Luke with a large grin, “Do you really think I’m cool?”
Luke nodded, rolling his eyes. “You’re tall and older and have cool hair and cool clothes — I love Green Day — and you never seem to give a fuck about what’s happening around you. You’re cool. Intimidating, too, but mostly cool.”
“You think I’m intimidating?” Michael asked, eyes round. “I’m not! I’m a kitten I promise! Ask my mum!”
Luke shrugged. “I’m not scared of you anymore. I think. It’s just because you’re older and I’m shy and awkward and really not interesting and I’m sorry I- “
“Ok, ok, stop!” Michael chuckled. “Please don’t be scared of me, I’m just some dork who likes wearing band tees and listening to rock music, okay? And to reassure you, I think you’re really interesting and cool and cute and I’ve been observing you for the last few months, so...”
Luke thought he was probably blushing. Because Michael had just said he found Luke cute, and Luke’s brain was short circuiting.
“Come on, I’ll bring you home,” Michael said softly. “You have to rest, and to see a doctor, and... And to talk with your parents...”
“Is it... Necessary?” Luke whispered, standing up.
Michael hesitated. “Does your family know you’re gay?”
“Yes. They know. They are really supporting. It’s not about that, it’s just... Fuck, I don’t wanna talk about almost having a boner to my parents,” Luke whined. “It’s already embarrassing enough...”
“Luke, if you want... I can talk to your parents, okay? If it’s easier for you...”
“Yes,” Luke replied immediately. “Please.”
“Okay,” Michael said while sliding an arm against Luke’s shoulders. “You live next to the school, right? Show me the way.”
“Oh my god!”
Luke’s mum covered her mouth with her hands as his father’s face hardened. “These assholes...”
“Thank you for helping our son, Michael,” Luke’s mum acknowledged, gazing at Michael.
“Oh, that was... I couldn't just stay there without doing anything for Luke…,” Michael answered, pressing Luke’s shoulder. “These guys are horrible. They already gave me shit in the past; I know... I know how hurtful they can be.”
Luke looked at him, his eyes still wet from when Michael had explained what had happened to his parents and gave him a soft smile. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Michael’s lips curved up in a gentle smile and Luke felt warm inside.
“Do you want to stay for dinner, Michael?” Luke’s mum asked.
Luke liked Michael a lot, but he just felt tired and wanted to go to bed now. Michael seemed to understand this without even looking at Luke and replied, “That’s really nice of you Mrs Hemmings but I think I have to go home. I’ll let you rest, Luke, I know this was tough for you and you must be tired. I’ll see you at school?”
“Yeah, I... I’ll see you at school,” Luke said. “Michael, thank- “
“If you thank me one more time, I’ll gag you!”
Luke chuckled and Michael looked at him softly. “Can I hug you one more time?”
Luke nodded and Michael came closer, wrapping his arms around Luke’s body. Luke didn’t waste any time to respond to the hug this time, and held Michael against him, until the boy whispered in his ear, “Told you. I’ll never let you live without hugging me every time I want. That is to say a lot of times. Just warning you.”
Luke laughed and bit his lip to fight his smile and let go of Michael. The boy smiled one last time and left, waving at Luke when he turned at the corner of the street.
Luke watched this corner a few seconds, then snorted at Michael’s stupid words and closed the door. His family was staring at him.
“Luke, if you want to talk...” his mum started.
“I’d rather not,” Luke admitted, sheepish. “It’s hard.”
“It’s okay, son,” his dad sighed. “Do you need to rest? You can go upstairs and sleep a bit if you want. We’ll bring you dinner, and I’m calling a doctor right now. We’ll see your school’s headmaster as soon as possible.”
“Okay. Thank you...”
“Do you wanna know one good thing about all of this?” Jack smiled, and Luke gave him a dirty look. Nothing was good about what had happened. Jack grinned and bumped into Luke’s shoulder. “I think you found your nice and funny guy !”
Luke blushed furiously and stuttered, “That... That’s not... I’m gonna... Okay bye guys, I’m gonna s-sleep a bit.”
Luke ran – limped – up the stairs and closed his bedroom’s door behind him.
He was convinced that his family was never going to let him live. He was doomed to be teased about Michael for a century.
Shit.
“Come on, they’re really nice!”
“Mike, people that are really nice don’t like me because I’m less interesting than them!” Luke whined. “Please don’t force me to go! I’ll do whatever you want!”
“You’re such a drama queen, Luke, for real,” Michael rolled his eyes. “As long as I would love to see you worshipping me, on your knees, I’m indeed forcing you to come with me.”
“But Michael...”
Michael was now Luke’s best friend. Well, the only one, also, but really, he was amazing. It had been a few weeks since what had happened, and they were getting inseparable. At first it had only been shy smiles and small waves in the school, but after a few weeks, Michael had started to always walk Luke home, he always ate with him at lunch, he always helped him when he needed to talk, about anything, really. He was a year older, but he was nice and he was funny, and Luke’s family always teased them when Michael was coming over and they ended up curled up on the sofa.
They even sang together, and Michael played guitar like a god.
Nobody gave shit to Luke because of his sexuality, and no one seemed really aware of what had happened with Samuel.
Luke didn't even think a lot about it anymore.
Seriously.
Luke was living a dream, but now Michael wanted Luke to meet his other friends, and Luke didn’t agree.
“Luke, they want to meet you. Like, if they don’t, they’re going to torture me. Please, don’t make me suffer their punishment!”
“Ok, now you are the drama queen,” Luke chuckled. “I’m genuinely scared they won't like me, Mike.”
“Dude, I talk about you all the time, and they know how amazing I think you are! They are dying to meet you! I’m begging you, Lukey, please !!”
Luke laughed hard when Michael kneeled in front of him and took his hands into his, repeating, “Lucas Robert Hemmings, I’m begging you — please notice that I’m giving up all my pride here — to come with me at Calum’s house to meet my other best friends and have a good time, and I’ll even offer you your drink, and I can kick their asses if you don’t like them, and I promise I raised them well and they are going to be nice and polite to you!”
Finally, Michael pouted at him, making a puppy face and looking up at him with big and wet green eyes, and Luke cooed, “Aww, look at how cute you are, pup!”
Michael’s eyes widened and Luke saw him blush hard. He frowned. Had he just made Michael blush?
“Okay, okay, I’m coming- “
“YES!”
“... But I want you to thank me at the end of the day the same way you’re currently proposing to me- “
“Okay!”
“... In front of your friends!”
“Luke! They are going to take pictures!” Michael whined.
“Good. They will send them to me after.”
“Luke, I’m begging you, I- “
“You seem to really like begging, Mike, uh?”
Michael gasped and looked away; his cheeks redder than ever. “Oh my god, Luke! Do you do this on purpose?”
“What?” Luke asked, confused. “Are you okay?”
“I... God, you’re serious. Yes, I’m fine,” Michael mumbled. “Let’s go to Calum’s. He’s been sending me death threats for the last hour because he’s upset we’re not there yet.”
“Michael, oh my god-”
“Cal!” Michael whined.
Luke frowned. He was coming back from the bathroom and had stopped to listen to Calum, Ashton and Michael talking about him. He wasn’t spying, he was just... Worrying about what they thought of him. When he had heard his name, he had stopped. Pretty understandable, right?
Right…?
“You didn’t tell us-“ Calum started to shout again.
“Hush, Cal!” Michael cut him again.
“Sorry,” Calum talked again, lower, “He’s so cute , Mikey! So handsome and kind and adorable!
“I know ,” Michael answered, and Luke felt warm inside. Did Michael think he was cute and handsome? Luke wasn’t handsome; he just wanted Michael to think he was, really.
“Can I have him?”
“Cal, oh my god ,” Ashton sighed loudly.
“No,” Michael exclaimed, indignant. “You can’t have him! What does that even mean ?”
“That’s just unfair that I never got the cute friends,” Calum whined, and Luke fought his chuckle when Michael protested, “What about us? We are the cute friends! ”
“You know, Cal, I hate that you are bisexual sometimes,” Luke heard Ashton sigh. “Because not only you can steal my girlfriends, but also Michael’s boyfriends.”
“What the fuck?” Michael exclaimed as Luke gasped silently. “Luke isn’t my boyfriend! We’re not... he’s not... I mean he doesn’t...”
“Come on, Mike,” Calum laughed. “You’re so cute together!”
“No! We’re not cute together! Luke is cute! I am not! We’re not a couple, guys.”
Luke sensed that Michael was starting to get embarrassed, and he himself wasn’t sure that he wanted to hear the end of this conversation, so he entered the room, blushing as the three boys stared at him.
Calum was the first to speak, “Hey, Luke, how... How was the... The bathroom?”
Ashton slid a hand on his face, so done with Calum, and Michael shoved the brown-haired.
“Well, um, fine.”
Luke sat back on the couch next to Michael and the purple haired boy instantly slid an arm against his shoulders. Luke smiled and leaned his head on Michael’s shoulder, ignoring the knowing looks Calum and Ashton were sharing. Sure, he liked Michael a lot, and it hadn’t taken a lot of time for him to figure out he maybe liked him a bit too much for a friend, but still. Michael didn’t like him like that, he had just protested so passionately about Luke not being his boyfriend... Luke was okay with this. He hoped he wouldn’t catch too deep feelings for the guy, though, because he knew he could fall hard, and that would hurt too much.
“Are you having a good time so far?” Michael whispered to Luke, looking at him with his bright green eyes.
“I am,” Luke smiled.
“See?” Michael smiled back. “They are stupid but not dangerous.”
“We hear you, Mikey!”
“Hush, don’t call me that in front of Luke!” Michael protested.
“What?” Luke teased. “ Mikey ?”
Ashton laughed.
“You know, Mikey, ” Luke smiled, “You still haven’t kneeled in front of me yet.”
Calum burst into laughter and Michael whined, “Come on, Luke, I’m not gonna do that!”
“Yes, you are,” Luke shook his head. “That was the deal.”
“Come on, Mike, we want to see you on your knees in front of Luke!” Ashton chuckled.
“Except if it’s to do something naughty, guys, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with Luke enough to see his dick right now,” Calum joked, making both Michael and Luke blush hard.
“Shut up , Calum!” Michael snapped. “I’m not doing this.”
“But you promised...” Luke said in a perfectly sad voice. He pouted while staring right into Michael’s eyes and made his eyelashes flutter.
Michael blushed and groaned, raising his hands in defeat. “Right, I’m gonna do it! Because I promised.”
“Yeah!” Calum shouted.
“You got him whipped already Luke,” Ashton nodded, approving. “I like you.”
And yeah. As Michael kneeled in front of him to thank him, Luke thought that he liked Ashton and Calum a lot too.
Tonight was a bad night. Luke felt like shit, he didn’t even know why.
Well, actually, he did.
He had seen Samuel, today. The guy who had... Who had... Done whet he had done. He had been excluded from the school when Luke’s parents had told the headmaster about what he had done to Luke, but Luke had met him at the mall. Samuel had looked at him with these disgusted eyes, and Luke had heard him laugh with his friends while walking past him.
Thank God he hadn’t done anything, but Luke was still shaken. He wanted to forget this day, he wanted to get over what had happened before Michael had saved him.
Now in his bed, in the dark of the night, Luke was slightly shaking and staring at the ceiling, thinking back to the day the boys had hit him. They had said he was disgusting. What if he was? He had almost gotten to the point of getting hard from a total jerk touching him, wasn’t that disgusting? And why would people hit him if he wasn’t disgusting? Did his family think he was disgusting? Did Michael think he was disgusting?
Luke had tried to play guitar to distract himself but even that didn’t work because he was playing so bad . Luke had not even managed to play his instrument because he was so useless and irrelevant...
Luke had tears in his eyes and he closed them. He couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t forget.
A noise made him move. Something had hit his window. A bubble of hope appeared in his guts because that was probably Michael, and Luke needed Michael right now.
Well, he needed Michael all the time, to be honest.
Luke liked when Michael sneaked in his room. It happened, sometimes, at night, Michael would throw socks at Luke’s windows, and Luke would feel this ball of joy in his stomach, anticipating the cuddles that were coming. Luke truly liked Michael a lot .
He opened the window and yeah, that was totally Michael.
“Hi Lukey, can I come in?” the now green-haired boy grinned.
“No, go away,” Luke teased. “You know I hate you.”
“Yeah, sure,” Michael snorted. “Let me in, you meanie.”
Luke rolled his eyes and backed up, letting Michael in, excitement running in his veins. Relief , too. He would be crying right now if Michael hadn’t decided to come.
The older boy looked at Luke with a beaming smile and opened his arms. “Hi!”
Luke gave him a grin and stepped into Michael’s open arms, sighing when the boy hugged him tight.
“How are you?” Michael whispered, without letting go of Luke.
“I’m-I’m fine.”
Shit, his voice had cracked.
Michael immediately frowned and backed up.
“You don’t sound fine, why don’t you sound fine? You didn’t have your I’m fine tone when you said you’re fine! Luke are you okay?”
Michael looked so concerned that Luke felt tears behind his eyelids again. Michael was a really good friend, but Luke didn’t’ deserve Michael, because he was disgusting and weird, and weak, and untalented.
“It’s nothing, I- “ he croaked, but a sob escaped his mouth and he felt tears falling down his cheeks. Shit. He was crying . Pathetic.
“Luke, shit, what- Luke, why- Fuck let me hold you again,” Michael panicked, dragging Luke to him and pulling him against his chest.
Luke let out another sob and Michael tightened his grip on Luke. “Shh, Lukey, it’s okay... Come here, let’s get comfortable, yeah?”
Luke didn’t open his eyes and followed when Michael made him sit on the bed, they forced him to slide under the covers. The older boy settled next to him and surrounded him with his arms again. They were lying on their sides, face to face, but Luke felt so overwhelmed right now that he didn’t even freak out about the proximity they shared.
He cried softly against Michael’s chest and sank into his warmth. Then he realised that he was probably soaking his friend’s clothes and he backed up, stuttering, “Y-Your hoodie, I-I’m sorry, Mikey, I... I’m sorry.”
Michael rolled his eyes and cupped Luke’s face, causing the blond’s heartbeat to speed up a bit. Michael had those beautiful green eyes and they were staring at him and Luke was mesmerized.
“Lukey, you don’t need to apologize for being upset. You’re allowed to cry, even if you have no reason to,” Michael said softly, and Luke slightly nodded, entranced. “I’m not asking you to tell me what’s happening, okay? But if you want to, I’m here.”
“I-I don’t know,” Luke muttered. “It’s just... It’s just so stupid...”
“Nothing that makes you cry is stupid, Lukey, believe me,” Michael frowned, drawing southing patterns on Luke’s cheeks with his thumbs. “Do you want to tell me?”
“I don’t... Don’t know...”
“It’s okay,” Michael whispered, one of his hands sliding towards Luke’s nape and massaging it, before petting his hair. Luke closed his eyes. It felt good. “I’ll stay with you, Lukey. Unless you want me to leave you alone?”
Luke opened his eyes and stared at Michael. The older boy didn’t want to stay, did he? Luke was annoying. Michael was wasting his time. So Luke was disgusting, weird, weak, untalented and annoying. He felt tears come again and he looked away from Michael and mumbled sheepishly, “You can leave, you know.”
Michael frowned and made Luke look at him. “Luke, are you sure? You want to be alone?”
Luke didn’t want to be alone. He wanted to be with Michael . But Michael surely didn’t want to stay with him. “I... I don’t... Don’t want to ruin your night,” Luke stuttered. “Leave.”
“Luke, you’re not ruining my night, I’m worried about you. Please be honest with me. Do you genuinely want me to leave?” Michael asked, sounding a bit hurt.
Luke didn’t answer and Michael talked again.
“Luke, this isn’t about me, okay? It’s about you. I want what is the best for you, because right now you’re the one who’s upset. If you want me to leave, then I’ll... Then I’ll leave. But if you need me to stay, just say the word, Lukey.”
Luke nodded and hesitantly put his hands around Michael’s waist, pulling him closer to him. He buried his face into the boy’s chest and whispered, tears falling down his face, “Please don’t go.”
“Thank god,” Michael sighed, sounding relieved. “Okay, Lukey. Okay of course I’m not going anywhere. Shh...”
Luke immediately relaxed because Michael wanted to stay. Michael didn’t want to leave him. “Thank you,” he croaked.
Michael nuzzled into Luke’s hair and kissed the top of his head as he whispered, “Lukey, please don’t thank me, I... God, this is... This is how friendship works, Luke, how love and affection works. You’re one of my best friends, Lukey, I care so much about you, I can’t... I’m here to stay, Luke. You’ll never get rid of me. Never.”
Here. Right now, hearing Michael’s words while the boy’s hands were on Luke’s cheek and nape, with his soft fingers gently massaging his scalp, with Michael’s perfume surrounding him and soothing him in a way that couldn’t be described... That was the moment when Luke realised he was falling in love with Michael.
“I don’t ever want to get rid of you,” Luke replied, voice cracking. “You’re too important.”
More than you think.
Michael kissed his cheek and Luke blushed, hoping the other boy wouldn’t notice.
They laid in silence for a while and Luke was starting to feel better. Maybe he wasn’t so lame if Michael cared about him? Michael had said crying was okay, maybe he wasn’t so weak and useless... He thought of Samuel and his hand over his private parts, and he shivered. He wasn’t disgusting. He wasn’t disgusting. I’m not disgusting.
He wasn’t disgusting, Samuel was. Having a boner when someone was touching your dick was natural, Luke knew this; Touching someone’s dick just to make him feel like shit and hit after was disgusting. Samuel was the fucked up one.
“Luke?”
“Hum?”
“How do you feel?”
“Better. I’m good.”
“You sure? You don’t want to talk about it?”
“I... No.”
Luke didn’t see the point, really. Thanks to Michael’s hugs and sweet words, he had managed to shut down the ugly voices inside his head. He felt good. He felt calm and relaxed, safer than ever and knew he was going to fall asleep soon.
“I’m a lot better now, I promise,” Luke said staring at Michael in the dark. “Thanks to you.” I love you , he said in his head.
Michael gave him a sweet smile. “Let’s sleep, then, uh?”
Luke nodded, grateful, and Michael kissed his forehead, before dragging Luke further against him. At this point, there were barely two inches between them, and Luke was too tired to think about how close he got to be to Michael.
He closed his eyes and fell asleep huddled against Michael’s chest, the boy’s fingers still in his hair.
Home.
“Please, mum, I would be with Michael!”
“I’m sorry, Luke,” his mum shook her head. “I don’t want you to go to this party.”
That was a few weeks after. Now, Luke, Michael, Calum and Ashton hung out all together all the time. One of Ashton’s friends, Alex, was throwing a party, and Michael had wanted Luke there, apparently. The thing was, Luke’s mum didn’t agree.
“ Please , I- “
“No. I won’t change my mind. I'm sorry, Luke, but you’re too young, I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
Luke looked down, saddened, and mumbled, “Okay, mum... I’ll be in my room if you’re looking for me.”
Luke’s mum gave him an apologetic look and Luke went upstairs. He grabbed his phone and texted Michael, telling him he wasn’t allowed to go to Alex’s party.
Michael answered with a sad emoji, and Luke sighed, grabbing his guitar, trying not to think too much about Calum, Michael and Ashton having fun at a cool party without him
The night was going to be long...
Luke was trying to get some homework done when something hit his window. Frowning, Luke took a look at the window and a large grin appeared on his face when he found out Michael was under his bedroom’s window.
“Mikey!?” he exclaimed, opening it.
“Hush, Luke!” Michael hissed. “And don’t call me that!”
“But I love this nickname...” Luke pouted.
“God, stop pouting, I can’t... Anyway, let me in.”
Luke beamed and took a step back to let Michael enter his room. When the older boy took his hood off, Luke let out an excited squeak, “You died your hair blue!”
“Yeah, do you like it?” Michael smiled big.
“I love it, Mike, it looks so good on you!”
Michael blushed as he sat on Luke’s bed, and Luke suddenly frowned. “Why exactly are you here?”
“Do you want me to leave?” Michael teased.
“No!” Luke cried out, settling next to Michael on his bed. “Was just wondering. Aren’t you at the party?”
“I wanted to see you. I don’t like parties.”
“Then why did you want me to come with you at first?”
“To spend time with you. I wanted to make you smile and have a good time. Turns out we’ll just have a good time together in your room,” Michael grinned.
Luke couldn’t fight his huge smile and laughed when Michael pinned him on the bed, hovering above him with a playful smirk. “What about a tickle fight, first?”
“Mike, no, I- “
Luke burst into laughter when Michael’s fingers brushed his ribs, then his belly.
“My- my mum! She’s going to hear us!” Luke managed to let out, breathless.
Michael pouted. “It sucks.”
He kissed Luke’s cheek and laid down next to him, putting a hand on his stomach. Luke closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of Michael cuddling with him. He felt like his heartbeat should be racing, but it stayed pretty calm and relaxed. The effect of Michael’s touch. His body was so used to it now, that where Luke felt the safest was under Michael’s hands.
He still blushed a lot when the boy touched him, but that was a detail.
“What do you want to do?” Michael asked, hooking his chin on Luke’s chest and looking up at him.
Luke thought that Michael had such beautiful eyes.
“I love the colour of your eyes,” he let out, before his eyes grew wide. Well, that was awkward.
But Michael didn’t seem to think it was awkward. His face lit up and he chuckled. “Thank you, Lukey. But to be honest, yours are prettier.”
Luke blushed and hid behind his hands. He never dealt well with compliments.
“Luke! Come on, I just said I loved your eyes, you can’t be that embarrassed!”
Luke groaned and Michael raised on his elbows, looking fondly at him. “You’re so cute when you’re flustered. I’m going to tell you everything I love about you now.”
Luke didn’t think the list was going to be long. He was wrong.
“I love that you’re now taller than me. You look like a baby giraffe and it’s so cute!” Michael started, tracing soft patterns on Luke’s stomach. “I love your hands, I love your hair. I love how your tongues pokes between your teeth when you’re really happy. You smile a lot like that. I love your smile. And your dimples.” He poked one of them.
Luke was so red right now. Michael chuckled and grabbed his hands, putting them away from his face. “I love how you are so humble that you never believe compliments. I love your cheeks, I love giving you little kisses here...”
Luke looked at him expectantly and Michael laughed before leaning towards his face. He peppered his cheeks with kisses and Luke felt so warm inside he let out a hum of content. Did friends do this? Did friends feel like this? He was so in love with Michael...
“I love how you react to my touch and my words. I love how you’re always blushing, it’s cute, and how you squirm when I tickle you. I love when you laugh. I love your nose. I want to kiss it sometimes.”
Michael seemed to think about it, and Luke looked down at him with big blue eyes. “I’m going to kiss your nose now,” Michael decided.
Luke blushed as Michael’s lips reached his nose, and Michael whispered, “I love your shyness and the way you look so awkwardly pleased when people give you attention. I love how I can get you that flustered with only a kiss on your nose.”
Luke smiled, something buzzing inside of him.
“You know...” Michael said again, staring at Luke’s lips. “If you don’t stop me...”
Luke’s heart started to beat fast because.... Was Michael leaning in?”
“I think I’m going to... I’m going to kiss your lips too.”
Wide-eyed, Luke watched as Michael cupped his cheeks and his lips brushed against Luke’s, before perfectly landing on them. Luke’s mind was racing, but his heart had suddenly calmed down. His heartbeat was loud and pounding against his ears, but it stayed slow and relaxed.
Michael pecked him on the lips one last time, then pulled back and breathed, staring into Luke’s eyes, blushing, “I love your lips a lot too.”
“And I love you ,” Luke whispered, slightly shaking, watching as Michael’s face lit up entirely and the older boy let out a happy giggle. “Is that true?”
“Very true, now kiss me again and tell me you love me too!” Luke pouted.
“ God, I love your pout!” Michael exclaimed. “I’m going to kiss you. Now.”
“Dibs,” Luke giggled and leaned forwards to capture Michael’s lips into his.
Was that really happening? Luke was living a dream. They kissed softly for a few minutes, and Michael hugged Luke so tight the blond had to make him back up. “Michael, you’re crushing me,” he whined.
“But I love you,” Michael pouted.
Luke beamed, pecking Michael on the lips again. He was properly getting addicted. “Then I guess you’re forgiven?”
“Why aren’t you reacting?”
Calum and Ashton shared a look, before bursting in laughter.
Calum shook his head and said, “Guys, honestly... We didn’t know you two weren’t together. We thought... We were thinking that you were already a couple and trying to be subtle. And failing miserably at it.”
“You make it sound like we’re perfect idiots...” Michael groaned.
“Because you are, dude,” Ashton rolled his eyes. “Gigantic idiots.”
“Shut up, Michael isn’t an idiot!” Luke exclaimed.
“Aww,” Calum and Ashton cooed at the same time, making Luke blush.
He buried his face into Michael’s neck and whined. “They are annoying, Mikey, please bring me back home!”
“Have you had sex yet?” Calum asked, a mischievous smile on his face. Luke groaned, awkward. They hadn’t.
“Cal, that was an inappropriate question,” Michael mumbled.
“Because I can give you tips, Luke. I’ve heard Mike jacking off enough times to know what he likes. We even watched porn together, one night.”
“Calum!” Michael snapped.
“Come on, Mike, did you tell Luke you like to bottom?”
“Calum, if you don’t shut up right now...”
Luke’s brain finally established the connections and he gasped, staring at Michael, wide-eyed, “That was that ! When you were all flustered and blushing the other day! When I called you pup ! And I said you liked begging!”
Michael was as red as a tomato and Ashton looked dumbfounded. “That’s too much information about Michael that I didn’t need to know,” he chuckled nervously.
“Oh my god, can you please all shut up, ” Michael whined. “This is so embarrassing, guys...”
“Why?” Luke whispered in Michael’s ear, a hand squeezing his thigh. “We could try, you know. I kinda like the idea of being... on top of you... I bet you’d feel so good, Mikey...”
Michael whimpered out loud and tried to hide into Luke’s chest. Luke could see he was flustered, and he realized he loved that; seeing his boyfriend lose his confidence and lose his cool, being that affected by Luke poorly talking about sex — he knew nothing about it. That was just so fun.
“Luke, don’t talk about sex to Michael right now because I really don’t want to see his boner,” Ashton cringed.
Michael blushed even more and Luke chuckled, hugging his boyfriend tight and nuzzling against the crook of his neck.
“It’s funny how you used to fluster Luke and now look at who is blushing like a tomato!” Calum exclaimed.
“That’s not fair!” Michael whined. “I didn’t know Luke could be like that? Like, babe, no offense, but you’ve always been so shy and quiet and awkward and now you... You say things like that , and you’re all over me and that’s just too much right now?”
Luke laughed and his laughter died slowly when he saw Michael’s heavy stare. Oh. They gazed into each other’s eyes and Luke swallowed. That was new, this tension between them. A positive tension. A physical tension.
Whatever tension that was, Ashton shifted next to them, awkward, and stood up. “Guys, we’re gonna go,” he muttered.
“Ash! If they’re going to make out I want to watch!” Calum pouted.
“You’re terrible, Calum,” Ashton sighed. “Just come with me.”
“Oh, yes, Ashton,” Calum fake moaned, “Let’s cum together!”.
Michael’s head jerked towards Calum. His eyes were wide and his cheeks were red. His mouth was slightly agape, and Luke thought he was beautiful. He definitely loved the aroused side of Michael.
“Why would you say shit like that!” Ashton snapped. “You’re the worst, I’m leaving without you! ”
“Mikey,” Luke whispered into Michael’s ear again, just to see the boy fall apart again, really. “Mikey, I love you so, so much...”
He softly kissed Michael’s skin just below his ear and the boy shivered.
“Luke, I-“
“Okaaaaay, Ashton! Please wait for me, I don’t wanna watch them anymore because I’m gonna feel terribly single...” Calum groaned, leaving the room too.
Michael closed his eyes. Luke watched him as his chest was heaving slightly faster than normal.
“Mike...” Luke started, backing up a bit to cup Michael’s face and stare into his eyes. The boy looked so utterly confused and flustered and aroused and lost, and Luke started to worry. “Are you okay, Mikey?”
“Now that, thanks to you and Cal, I’ve imagined us having sex in at least five different positions and settings? No, I’m not okay,” Michael chuckled nervously. “I... Luke, I’m sorry, but you can’t joke about things like that, it’s... I’m just a teenage boy, and I... I want you so much, Luke, and- “
“It’s okay, Mikey,” Luke whispered. “I want you too. I’m not joking.”
“But like... Would you genuinely like... To... To have sex? Or just... At least... I-I don’t know, do something?”
Michael’s stare was heavy and his green eyes were shining. Luke leant in to leave a soft kiss on the boy’s lips and he whispered, “I want everything you’re willing to do, Mike, for real... I feel so... I don’t even know. I love you, I... You feel like home, okay? I want to give you the world because you deserve it, and I want to show you how much you mean to me...”
Michael’s eyes were wet and he buried his face into Luke’s chest, whispering, “I love you too, Lukey. So much.”
Luke brought Michael’s face to his and he kissed him gently, humming into the kiss, happy to feel his boyfriend’s lips against his.
“You know, I liked when you were all flustered earlier,” Luke whispered with a bit of a smirk.
Michael groaned and shut him up with another kiss.
“Kinda... Gave me... Ideas....” Luke admitted, mumbling against Michael’s mouth.
“Like what?” Michael asked, voice slightly shaking.
“You’ll know about them when we have a moment alone.”
“But we are alone,” Michael whines, frowning.
Luke shook his head, grinning.
“I'm pretty sure Calum’s still listening behind the door.”
They hear a loud noise followed by swearing, and it's definitely Calum being told off by Ashton after being hit on the back of the head.
Michael and Luke both laugh at their friend’s voyeurism, and Luke sighs happily, cuddling to Michael.
“I love you, Mike.”
“I hope so because I really love you too. Now stop making me horny and let's watch a movie together.”