Souvenir [Complete]

Fifteen. Friend

Luke only thought the damage was done after dinner. He thought that since everyone had had a nice meal and since they had talked and laughed—and actually finished their meal this time—that things were gonna work out. Ashton had even spoken more than one sentence answers to Luke's parents. He asked questions in return. He was jovial. Luke was calm. So he found it hard to believe that someone in the world had a problem with him making a friend.

Or maybe he could believe it.

Michael was over as soon as Ashton's taillights disappeared. He was already changed out of his work clothes and dressed up in pajamas. "So he stayed for dinner, huh?"

"Michael," Luke whimpered right off the gate, "don't do this."

"Do what? I'm just trying to look out for you."

"No, it's not looking out for me, you're judging him when you don't really know him," Luke sighed sitting on the porch.

"Well maybe sometimes, people deserve the harsh judgement without knowing all the details. This guy is bad news, I can smell it from a mile away," Michael persisted. "Plus I know that crushes don't just fade like that."

"I promise it's not like that." Luke whimpered, and stared at the tree line just past the road. "He's a friend, and we talk about friendly things."

Michael closed his eyes. "Fine. I have no reason to doubt you, but I swear to you Luke, if he hurts you I will kill him."

"I know, okay," Luke promised. "I know..."

"He's not any competition for me right? I'm still your best friend?"

"Of course, Mikey."

"And you swear you're not leading Brian on right?"

"I swear. Ashton is my friend and That's all. Brian is my boyfriend, I love Brian."

"Good, then invite me inside and we'll binge watch some horror movies after your parents go to sleep," Michael sighed, already helping himself inside. "Got any cookie dough ice cream?"

"Yeah, I think there might be some in the freezer."

"Excellent."

Hours later, they sat there at the end of Tomie: Forbidden Fruit with English dubs, cause Michael had connections—and sort of an illegal habit. Even if it was the fourth movie in a franchise, they had somewhat of an idea of what was going on. Plus, who could pass up the opportunity to download a non-English film with English subtitles?

"Where else are we gonna find a homoerotic Japanese horror film?" Michael had asked before he burned the DVD the week before. And now Luke was glad.

They sat with their discarded ice cream tub and their spoons on the table. The blanket strewn over their legs. And Michael half asleep on his chest. The movie wasn't boring, but it was easy to fall asleep to. Somehow regardless of the film, one of them always fell asleep.

Luke pet Michael's hair. "Let's go to sleep, Mikey." He whispered. And cut off the tv, and led them to Luke's room where he tucked Michael in. "Cuddle," Michael whimpered right as Luke got to the door. He was going to clean up their mess in the living room, but Michael looked so pitiful.

So Luke closed his door and climbed into bed, and played big spoon for Michael. "Can I tell you a secret?" Michael whispered into the darkness.

"Yeah," Luke cooed back.

"Shane and I are going out tomorrow."

"So you lied this morning?" Luke didn't sound hurt about any sort of lie, he was genuinely interested.