"hey, luke? can i talk to you?"
luke stopped playing with the trucks carson had lined up on the floor, and looked up, carson's eyes widening.
"i know that sentence too well. you're in trouble." he said, and luke laughed.
"i don't think so, buddy. let me go see what he wants. don't wait up on me." luke said, and walked out of carson's room.
he walked into the kitchen, and furrowed his eyebrows when he saw michael sitting at the table, his head resting in his hand.
"hey, everything alright?" he asked, and michael shrugged as luke sat down.
"my mom is on her way to pick carson up, and then i need to talk to you about something." michael said, and luke smirked.
"well with an empty house is there really gonna be a lot of talking?" luke asked quietly.
"luke, i'm serious." michael said, and luke's face fell.
"carson said i was in trouble. i guess he was right." luke whispered as they heard a knock at the door.
luke stayed seated as michael got up to let karen in.
"hi guys." she said, and smiled, walking over to hug luke.
he held her tightly, his nerves calming down a little as he felt her arms around him.
she pulled back, and carson ran out of the room, holding onto her leg.
"hi grandma! i'm ready to go!" he said, and she smiled, taking his hand.
"alright, just come over for dinner tonight, you two, and you can get carson from there." she said, and michael nodded, pressing a kiss to carson's head.
once they had left, michael turned back to luke who was sitting down again, not completely ready for michael to start talking.
michael sat down too, not wanting to intimidate luke by standing over him.
"i need you to be completely honest with me, luke. no secrets, okay?" michael said, and luke nodded.
"this morning your phone kept beeping. the first couple times i didn't pay attention to it, but it kept going off, so i went over to silence it, and i saw this."
unknown: where the hell are you
unknown: if you don't show up i swear i'll kill you
unknown: i have the money
unknown: if you're not here in 10 minutes i'm never buying from you again, and i know i'm more than half of the money you earn
unknown: such a whore too
unknown: when you get here i swear i'm gonna f- you and not pay you for it this time
unknown: i'm gonna find you and when i do, you're dead
"michael, it's not what it looks like-"
"then please explain to me what that is, luke!" michael said louder, and luke's face turned red as he looked down.
"i lied to you, michael, and i'm sorry.." luke whispered, and michael sighed, sitting back.
"explain this, luke." michael whispered.
"i didn't get a real job after i got kicked out of the foster home. i tried so hard but nobody would hire a homeless kid. i just wanted to come home, so i- i started stripping for a little bit, and that turned into me selling my body, and that got me involved in selling drugs. i never used them. i would just deliver them. i just needed to get home, michael." luke whispered, tears threatening to spill.
"i'm not proud of it. i just missed you so bad." luke whispered.
"luke, i'm sorry you had to go through that, but i can't have you around carson-"
"michael, no. please don't-"
"you have someone threatening to find you and kill you, and i want you to be safe more than anything in the world, but i have a child to think of. i can't have him around stuff like this. around people like you-"
"michael, i don't do that anymore. i thought i had blocked all of these numbers, but-" luke cried, but michael cut him off
"but you got yourself involved with it, and it's clearly still following you around. i know that guy on your phone probably isn't serious, but i can't take any chances. carson is the most important thing in the world to me, and i can't let him be exposed to that."
"michael, i understand, but you don't have to cut me from his life. please don't do this." luke whispered.
"i'm not cutting you from his life, i just- i can't have you staying here anymore, luke." michael said softly.
"but-"
"and i don't think it's a good idea we be together right now." michael whispered.
"michael, i don't do that stuff anymore. i don't talk to those people or anything. please-"
"luke, i just need some time." michael said, and luke wiped his eyes.
luke stood up, and wiped his eyes.
he left the room and went to the one he unofficially shared with michael, grabbing his jacket and a few other things.
he walked back towards the door, and looked at michael who was sitting at the table with his head in his hands.
"michael, please don't do this." luke whispered.
"luke, i don't want to, okay? i have to though. i love you, but i have to think of carson first." michael said softly.
"where do i go?" luke whispered.
"you can go back to my moms house." michael said, and stood up.
"carson is there." luke whispered, and michael nodded.
"i know. we can ride over together, okay? i'll pick him up, and you can stay there." michael said, grabbing his keys.
luke nodded, and looked down.
"can i hold your hand? while i still can?" luke asked quietly, and michael lightly smiled.
"come on."
michael held out his hand, and luke took it, his heart breaking as he tangled his fingers with michael's.
