: Tainted Holiness : [Muke] ON HOLD

[32.]

A/N: Unedited. Duh.

I rolled over, taking in the image of my sleeping boyfriend. A smile tugged on my lip as I brushed a strand of fading red across his forehead to take in his resting features. It'd be two days since I had returned to the lake house.

Yesterday had been filled with lazy kisses and lingering touches, Michael was beginning to relax more, at least he appeared to be. I could tell that his mind was elsewhere and I didn't blame him. Michael had lost his best friend and was being blamed for talking his life, that couldn't be easy.

It was special to see him like this, basically with his guard down. Soft, pliant and peaceful. The complete opposite of his life right now, but everyone deserved some some quiet every once in a while.

I waited for Michael to wake up, knowing that I wouldn't be getting out of his vice grip like cuddle, not without him waking up worried at least. Eventually Michael's eyes blinked open and he realised I had been staring at him for a while.

"How long were you up?" He asked, his scratchy morning voice sending shivers down my spine.

"A few minutes." I hummed leaning forward to accept the small kiss before giggling, "You're cute when you're sleeping."

Michael rolled his eyes playfully before burying his face into my chest to hide his embarrassed expression. I simply ran my fingers through his hair laughing at his reaction.

"M' not..." He muffled out glaring up at me, "Stop laughing."

I tried my best but I only managed to hold a straight face for two seconds before bursting out into another set of giggles. It didn't take long for Michael to pin both of my hands above my head, one hand enough to hold both of mine in place. His other hand moved threateningly to my side as he cocked a brow at me.

"Say sorry." He smirked tightening his hold on my wrists slightly, making me squirm. "Or else." His fingers flexed against my side.

"I called you cute." I tried to hold in another giggle, "That's not mean."

Michael rolled his eyes playfully before rolling away from me. He got up from the bed, stretching before walking around in the small space.

"Laughing at me is..." He trailed off walking away to start breakfast.

I sank back into the worn mattress that I shared with the red head the three nights I had been away from home. The bruises that had once littered my skin were finally healed or at least very faded. Similarly I could see Michael's disappearing to, there was a gentler side to him which now showed versus the boy I'd meet I the church weeks ago.

Still I could see the pain that glazed over his eyes every time he would turn on the old tv and news of Ashton's murder would flicker across the screen. He had loss one of his best friends and no cared other than to blame him or chastise Ashton for his past mistakes.

A bit of me hated myself— rather what I was taught to be, once I that persons like Ashton deserved love. My parents would of shunned him, shown no pity to him now that his life was taken. But, wasn't everyone a soul? And doesn't ever soul deserve a chance.

Lost in thought I didn't notice when Michael returned to the room, holding what he had prepared for us proudly. The older man rested the tray on the side table before climbing on top of me.

"Princess..." Michael breathed out the pet name, voice husky due to all the cigarettes he smoked, sending a shiver through me as he did the first-time he said it. "Why are you thinking so hard, hmm..."

His touch felt warm against my skin as he ran his hands under the fabric of my —his— t-shirt.

"What if all of this happened and I'd never spent that time with you?" My fingertips grazed over his prickly stubble and he leaner into the touch allowing me to caress him more.

"What would I even think about you or Ashton?"

Michael's eyes softened at his friends name. He gathered my hands in his kissing my knuckles  gently, letting his lips linger.

His pale green eyes studied me for a minute before he spoke.

"You're a lot different than you think you are." Voice not venturing above a whisper as he added sincerely, "Your mind is stronger than I'll ever be, Luke. "

It felt so strange to hear my actual name from Michael. I blinked a couple times before wrapping my arms around neck pulling his body flush against mine.

For some time we laid there in our little world, breakfast forgotten about we stayed,time only moving to the rhythm of our heartbeats. Unfortunately, we don't all live in our perfect world and things come crashing in to break it, reality.

My hand stilled in Michael's hair as the steady beat of a car engine came from outside off the cabin. Michael stiffened against me, his head turning in the direction of the disturbance. Suddenly it stopped. The car had been turned off.

Footsteps trailed up the porch, this person taking no care to avoid creaking floor boards. Their steps sounded heavy, telling me the person was probably male, and angry.

They stopped before the door, Michael's eyes not leaving the silhouette they casted against the small pane. Then came the knock, thunderous though they were rapping against old wood.

I watched Michael sat up slowly, his eyes clouding over with the coldness I had seen in them when I'd first met him.

"Whatever happens... Don't move unless I say Luke."

I crept back under the covers peeking out from beneath them like a child in a horror film not taking my eyes from Michael's tensed shoulders.

Michael took at glance through the glass pane and my heart sped up, seeming to knock against my ribs.

The door opened slowly and I could only hear the blood rising through my ears.

Michael's frame blocked me from seeing who was in front of him. However his shoulders dropped a bit (not fully) telling me whoever was out there wasn't more than what he could handle.

"Where is he?!?" A voice from outside boomed.

It was unmistakable. Familiar and clear in my mind though recent memories made bile raise in my throat.

This time Michael was shoved, it was less than gentle but the redhead stood still blocking the way.

"WHERE THE HELL IS HE YOU HEATHEN!?!"

This time a punch landed against Michael's jaw, shaking him up at bit. Reflexively, I moved to Michael's side forgetting my previous instruction. Taking his face between my palms, examining his features for anything that could of marred them before turning to the man standing on the porch.

"Dad." I spat out bitterly, not releasing Michael as the other man tried to read the situation.

"Luke." He hissed. "Look at you."

His eyes ran over me, from my bed hair to the burgundy boy shorts I know he could see through the flimsy fabric of the t-shirt.

"How disgraceful and vile—"

Needless to say, for the first time in my life I threw the first punch.

"Fuck. You."

A/N: FAQs with MOTR:  Where the fuck are you?
A: Umm... Here?

Q: Do you fucking hate us or something why won't you update?

A: I love you guys. I'm sorry.

Q: Its been a year...

A: Depression doesn't go away in a day.

Anyway, Hi I'm CJ and I'm sorry for not updating, thank you for still liking my shit tho its years old. I'm getting back into the swing of things so be patient with me, alright? Love you.