Long Way Home ; muke [completed]

2

Italic is thoughts

"Lukey, you know I love you but I think it's about time you go home. You've been at my house for almost a week now." Ashton chuckled softly.

Luke didn't make eye contact, afraid he would break down in tears. If only he knew what my home life was really like, he thought. "Uhm, yeah. I'll walk home. See you later, Ash."

Saying a quick goodbye to Ashton, Luke grabbed his few clothing items and started walking, not really home though. He tried to think about people he could call to hang out rather than going home to his judgmental father.

The problem was, Luke doesn't have any friends, not besides Ashton.. and maybe even Michael - but he just left Ashton's and had no real desire to call the other boy.

However, Michael is a million bajillion times better than his critical, lazy father could ever be, so Luke pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Michael's number (they exchanged at the party). It rang and rang until he finally answered.

"Hello?"

"Yeah, hey. It's Luke, from the party." He wasn't exactly sure if Michael would remember him.

There was a pause until Michael finally responded. "Oh yeah! What's up, Luke?"

Luke could practically hear Michael smiling through the phone. "Uh, not much. So I was wondering if you wanna hang out by any chance?"

"Yeah! Sure, why don't you come over and we can play some video games?"

"Okay.." Luke nodded, up for anything. "Just text me your address and I'll be there in a little bit."

"Alright pookey."

"Bye," Luke snorted and hung up. What an odd, sort of adorable boy he is.

--

Luke knocked on the door of Michael's house, waiting for someone to come to the door. Shortly, Michael opened up and beamed.

"Hey there Lukey-"

"Call me whatever you want, just not Lukey."

Michael frowned, staring down at his feet in embarrassment, slightly blushing. "Sorry. So uh my parents aren't home, but it's okay, they don't mind me having friends over." Luke just nodded, following him up the stairs and to his bedroom.

"So what video game, Halo or Call of Duty?" Michael questioned, grabbing the games from his shelf.

"Woah," Luke marveled at the boy's acoustic guitar. "You play?" He asked, completely ignoring the question about the video games.

"Oh, uh yeah a little bit. I write some songs too," Michael shuffled his feet.

"Can you... can you sing for me?"

"Absolutely not. Sorry bud."

A few hours later, after they had played some video games (and Luke kicked Michael's butt), they agreed on just sitting and talking.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" Michael said, raising his eyebrow at Luke.

Luke hesitated, glancing at Michael's alarm clock and realizing his mom was already home. "I was actually wondering.. if I could stay here? My parents are, uhm, away for the night. I'm not too comfortable going home to an empty house, you know?"

"Yeah!" Michael grinned from ear to ear, bouncing up and down on the bed. "We're going to have so much fun!"

The 'so much fun' they had was falling asleep within an hour- well, Michael at least, who generously took the floor. Luke couldn't sleep for some reason, but he was used to it.

"Michael?" Luke whispered, hoping he was maybe just a little awake. "Michael..?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't sleep.." Luke muttered, rolling over on his side to face Michael. Although it was dark, he could faintly make out the boy's different colored hair and his facial features.

"Well, why not?" Michael whispered back.

Luke knew exactly why, but didn't want to tell him why. Ashton didn't even know about his parents both verbally and physically abusing him. "I don't know."

It was silent for a few minutes before Luke finally spoke up. "Will you come.. lay with me?"

"Okay," Michael said nonchalantly, climbing up from the floor and into the bed. He was slightly smaller than Luke, so he curled up against him so they could face each other. Luke could feel Michael breathing against his neck. 

"Your heart is beating so fast, Luke." Michael giggled quietly.

"It is?" Luke smiled to himself, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks.

"Yeah, but that's okay. Mine is too." Michael yawned and scooted closer to Luke's warm body.

Luke didn't know what exactly he was feeling, but he knew whatever it was, it sure as hell had to do with the odd, perky Michael Clifford.

A/N

Hi, I'm actually kind of okay with this chapter yay! Some cute fluff, but it's not staying forever..

This is dedicated to probably the only person reading this, Paynette_ ! Ily

Jordan x

Edited July 2019