Hold On (I Still Need You) // muke

chapter ten

six months later

"Michael?"

"Luke? What's going on?" The older man asked as Luke reached into his pocket, fiddling with the box in the balm of his hands. "You've been acting strange since I came home from work."

"I..."

He cleared his throat and then used his free hand to hit his fork against the glass of his drink. The room quieted to a hush, then to a silence. Michael looked confused.

"Luke..." He trailed off as he looked around the room, shifting underneath all the attention.

"In freshman year, I saw you for the first time inside of one of our classes. We had the same wristband for the same music artist and we gushed over how bad we were in love with Alex Gaskarth. Back then, I only dreamt you would talk about me the way you did him." He started, his heart in his throat as the eyes if almost everyone in the room were on them.

"In sophomore year, I came to the conclusion that I loved you. You were just my best friend and my parents considered you another son to them, however. Nobody knew just why we were glued to the hip, and everyone made fun of us and called us names though it never kept us apart." He stood up from his seat as gracefully as he could with his shaking legs and jelly bones.

"In junior year, you finally loved me back. You talked about me with the stars in your eyes and I never felt luckier in my life. Our houses were each other's. Our friends made one giant group. We even tried making a band, remember?" He smiled nervously.

Michael nodded, and he laughed.

"In senior year, I tutored you. You weren't gonna graduate and I wanted a future with you. I fell behind so many times yet we still came out with out diplomas on time. My tie matched your eyes and your black tie was wrinkled and crooked." He recalled as he bent down on one knee.

Michael had tears in his eyes as he raised his hands to his mouth. People aww'ed. Flashes filled the room as staff surrounded them as Luke wracked his brain for the words he rehearsed a million and one times.

"We're adults now, Michael. Far from those silly kids we used to be yet still so similar. I've held you up all your life, and you've done the same for me. Through heaven and through Hell we've been through together. We went from being at our parents' houses to owning our own condo. Michael, we have our own place, a dog, and a car together, something I know we never truly imagined we'd ever have in the past." He smiled as he realized just how surreal their life was.

"And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, growing and learning the things we can do. I want to turn our little condo into an actual house, a home. I want to turn just the two of us into a family. I want to hold you up for the rest of my life, if you'll have me. You are the love of my life, and you always will be." He neared his finish as he pulled the maroon box from the pocket of his coat.

"Michael Gordon Clifford, my forever, my always, my future," he flipped it open as he met his boyfriend's eyes. "- will you truly make me the luckiest man in the world? Will you marry me?"

He nodded once. Twice. He set his hands down and smiled before coving his grinning lips again. Red faced, slicked with tears of happiness, he had nothing but light and love in his eyes. His neck was going to break if he kept nodding his head as fast as he was.

"Yes. Yes. Yes." He repeated and Luke held his hand out. Michael placed his in his grasp and the younger man slid the ring on to his fourth finger. "Oh my god, Luke."

He stood up and the two shared a hug and a chorus of cheers and claps came from the people inside the restaurant. Many congratulated them, and as much as they appreciated it, all that mattered was them.

Luke just proposed. They were going to get married.

They pressed their lips together and Luke grinned against his fiancé's mouth before pulling away. "I'm so proud of you, Michael. You've come so far. You did it. You've been clean for so long." He whispered as he looked at him.

"Thank you," he held his face in his hands as tears fell down his face. "- for everything, Luke. Especially for waiting for me to get better. I know you've had that for awhile."

"I would wait eternity for you." He promised. "I love you."

"I love you too." Michael returned and Luke held his pinky up. "Forever."

"Always." The younger blond finished as their pinky fingers hooked together, reminding them if when they were just stupid little teenagers.