Long Live. // Luke Hemmings 5SOS (Vampire)

Chapter 6 - Familiar Faces

Michael smoothed out the creases that Luke's impulsive act had created in his shirt. He stepped away from the wall, rolling his shoulders and huffing an exasperated breath as he did.

"Nice to see you too, buddy." He quipped, crossing his arms over his chest as Luke rolled his eyes.

"I fucking thought you were Victor. Don't sneak up on me next time, how about that?" He sneered, watching Michael's face twist in disgust as he pulled a small, rectangular box out of his pocket.

"You thought I was Victor? God, Luke, are you trying to hurt my feelings tonight?" Michael scoffed, opening the small box and pulling out a white, cylindrical stick. He lifted it to his mouth and placed it between his teeth whilst setting off in a stride.

"I'm not. But maybe now you understand my reaction." Luke huffed as he began to walk, Michael already ahead of him. "Where do you even find those things, Mike?"

"On the internet, would you believe it?" Michael beamed in genuine pride, knowing that those little joys were becoming hard to find in person and still in awe by the range of options that the internet could provide to him - after all, he'd lived for so long without it. "Why, you want one?" Michael held the box out to the other blonde who'd caught up and was now walking beside him.

Luke smacked his hand away, earning a simple shrug and an eye roll from Michael who pulled out another candy stick for himself after crunching the one in his mouth. He shut the box and shoved it back into the pocket of his baggy black jacket. "Fuck you then. These came with a temporary batman tattoo and you're not having that either." To Michael's delight, the words earned a chuckle out of his pessimistic friend. He smiled at his own mini success.

"How'd you even find me out here?" Luke questioned, once again glancing around as if paranoid that he was still being followed.

"Michael Clifford knows all, haven't you heard?" Michael smirked, tapping his index finger against his temple smugly. Luke gave his friend a blank stare, waiting for a serious answer... Michael let out a groan. "You never play along anymore. Have some fun for once, good lord." He rolled his eyes, coaxing a subtle smile out of Luke who was only slightly amused by Michael's dramatic reaction. "Whatever. I saw you leave from the apartment window with that girl so I followed you because you never go anywhere but The Vault and I was curious. Happy now?"

"Absolutely not, but sure." Luke scoffed, slightly offended by Michael's rude - but accurate - comment about how he never went anywhere else. Michael only chuckled, knowing that Luke couldn't even argue. Then, as they ventured down the streets into the glow of a street lamp, Michael noticed the specks of blood on the blouse underneath Luke's black leather jacket.

"What's with the blood?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I thought Michael Clifford knew all?" Luke mocked, tilting his head to look at Michael whose eyes had narrowed noticeably.

"...Well Michael Clifford knows all because Michael Clifford asks questions, dickbag." He glared, his lip curling up in an irritated scowl before he let his face rest with a sigh. "Let me guess, then. Was it Victor?" The silence and suddenly unamused look on Luke's face told him all her needed to know. Michael couldn't help but grin. "Knew it. That guy is dogshit. What happened this time?"

"At the bar... He was being his usual douchebag self, trying to come onto that girl-"

"Oh so hero Luke beat his ass and saved the day, I see-"

"Michael, I need you to be serious for just one second." Luke interrupted, stopping in his tracks under the flickering street light and watching Michael pause, staring at him uncertainly after feeling the tone shift... The sound of building wind entered their ears as the cool breeze nipped at their impervious skin. "I know you're curious about what's happened tonight, and why I'm out here, and I want to tell you. So I'm gonna need you to really listen, okay?"