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It may have been around the time that Michael had done his hair that blonde-and-brown combo for his solo album, when Luke started getting iffy around the nickname "blondie".
Don't get anything wrong, he really loved it. But he's had the blonde for what, eight years? Nine? And Michael had gone blonde a good few times too. Luke really had liked the pale pink-blonde that one time.
"Luuuuuuuke," Michael sang out, swinging himself around a streetlamp, stopping halfway to gaze at Luke.
"Hm?" Luke answered non-committally, stopping walking for a second to return Michael's look.
He really liked Michael's eyes. They went good with blonde, he really had to admit. Michael, in general, just looked plain good in blonde.
"I was thinking of doing my hair red," Michael said, tapping his chin and letting go of the streetlight, stumbling back into step next to Luke.
Luke blinked. "Really?" He said, still processing. He was just appreciating Michael's blonde.
"Yeah!" Mike said enthusiastically, "like, dark red. Y'know."
Luke nodded, his eyes going downcast.
Michael laughed, a sweet chiming sound, "don't tell me you liked this fried-ass blonde too much?"
"Unfortunately," Luke sighed, breaking into a grin.
"Fair enough," Michael wrapped an arm around Luke's shoulder. "I'll keep it for a bit longer, I guess."
▪︎
Michael did keep it for a while longer. Long after his album released (which, for the record, might've been some of the coolest music Luke's ever heard), and Luke was honestly starting to dread the day Michael showed up on his doorstep with that fated red hair.
And now he was being stupid about this. It was Michael's hair, and really, it was Michael, so everything would look good on him. Michael's had nearly every colour in the book, and Luke’s loved each and every one.
Some part of him would really miss how Michael looked in the blonde that Luke thought he owned, but also really belonged to Michael, in a way.
And apparently, that "fated" day was today. Michael had called him earlier, just some vague "I'm coming over," and even then Luke’s heart still dropped to his stomach.
Damn it. He needed to get his shit together.
Michael texted, "im outside :))" and Luke slinked over to the door.
He very much should've expected the shock of the red. He did not expect the sudden rush of heat through his chest when Michael made eye contact through his fringe and smiled shyly.
"Surprise?" He said awkwardly.
Luke shut his mouth, which he hadn't realized was slightly open, and stared for another long moment.
"Yeah," he agreed, "very much... a surprise."
"Do you like it?" Michael asked warily, reaching up to mess it up a bit.
Luke kept staring. God, it looked so damn good. Why did he ever think Michael shouldn't get this?
"...Luke?"
"Huh?" Luke said, blinking a few times. "Oh, sorry. Yeah. I love it. I really, really, really love it."
"Really?" Michael's eyes brightened.
"Yeah, it's, um," Luke looked back up at the hair, trying to think of something without getting lost in it all again, "it... suits you. Like, so well. Almost like red's your... colour, or something."
"Oh, perfect!" Michael said, beaming. "Exactly what I was going for. I think it'll match everything. But, like, also stand out."
Luke just nodded vaguely, watching intently how Michael moved and how his whole... self looked, like the red was almost the essence of Michael.
Luke wanted to hold the essence of Michael. It just seemed so... perfect.
▪︎
Luke had been bringing up dying his hair black for a full month now. Michael was getting tired of it, but this would also be the first actual colour Luke would be putting in his hair apart from bleach, which would be... interesting. He's always been the blondie.
"Dude, it's March now, just go get it," Michael finally said after another round of Luke reading comments from under their band posts out loud to him.
"I could make this so clever," Luke said, a sly grin on his face.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever will make you shut up about our fans loving your curls so much."
"I'll probably never shut up about that," Luke replied, flashing a dazzling grin at Michael.
"At least you're honest," Michael sighed, walking over to where Luke was sitting and practically pulling him up. "Now go and get the black hair already."
"Do you think it'll look okay?" Luke asked doubtfully, frowning down at Michael.
Michael raised his eyebrows. "Okay? On you? Mate, a fucking buzzcut looked great on you, because you're Luke Hemmings and it doesn't matter."
"Don't use my full name," Luke narrowed his eyes, but he put his phone in his pocket and started towards the door. "But alright, expect me back in... uhh, four...? Hours?"
"However long you need," Michael called back.
▪︎
Luke came back sometime in the evening, after he texted he was done and refused to send any pictures. Michael hated him so bad.
But eventually, the door lock clicked and there was fucking Luke Hemmings with fucking black curls. Michael had never stood up from the couch so fast.
Luke looked up from his phone, staring like a deer at Michael.
"I'm dreaming," Michael automatically said.
"Hi, Michael," Luke grinned, tilting his head to the side and putting one hand in his pocket. He looked like a goddamn angel in disguise.
"Hoooooly shit," Michael blinked, stepping towards Luke tentatively.
"Is that a really good 'holy shit'?" Luke asked, his tone sounding like he knew it certainly was and was teasing Michael for it.
"Dude!" Michael came up in front of Luke, realizing on the spot he'd also done his makeup, a simple smokey eye that matched the hair so well. "Yes! So good!"
He hesitated, then reached a hand up. "Can I?"
Luke nodded, bobbing his head down for Michael. Mike ran a hand through the soft, slightly straightened curls around Luke's temple, and gave a soft grin.
"I love it," he said earnestly, finally looking Luke in the eye. Luke hummed, pulling his head away and smiling back. That stupid dimple in his cheek showed.
"Although," Michael pointed out suddenly. Luke’s expression immediately changed, flitting from joyous to curious.
"I kinda can't call you blondie anymore."
Luke shrugged. "I think 'Luke' has worked just fine this whole time."
Michael made a face. "Something cuter," he prompted.
Luke looked at some point beyond Michael's shoulder, looking like he was genuinely thinking of something. "Have you ever considered it's slightly weird to make up nicknames for myself?"
"A little."
"Oh. Okay then."
"Lu?"
Luke chuckled. "You call me that a lot."
Michael blinked up at him. "Since when?"
"A lot."
"Would you still wanna be called that?" Michael asked hopefully.
"Sure," Luke hummed, leaning on the wall and looking amused. "It's sweet."
"Alright, Lu," Michael grinned.