You Will Be Okay - Muke

11

As teen Luke began singing, adult Luke felt hands on his waist and he leaned back into his fiancé.

"Your coffee's warm but your milk is sour", He sung in his prepubescent voice, "Life is short but your here to flower"

As teen Luke sang his final notes, Liz and Andrew crashed into the room with the camera in hand.

"Mom! Dad!", Luke hissed I surprised, noticing the camera, "You're recording me?!"

Teen Luke flushed red in embarrassment.

"You were so good sweetheart, we couldn't help it." Liz chuckled.

Andrew held the camera and he and Liz pressed a kiss to each side of Luke's cheek.

The video stopped there, maintaining the image of an embarrassed, grossed out Luke in-between his parents.

"I loved that song..." Luke whispered, shocking himself in being able to form a sentence.

"It's a great song." Michael assured, speaking gently beside Luke's ear.

Luke looked at the younger version of himself and wished there had been a warning.

If only he'd known then what he did now.

Luke eyes stung and his vision blurred as he spun around to face Michael.

"Michael..." Luke started, his bottom lip quivering.

He knew there was no holding it together.

Michael pulled Luke into his chest and the blonde sobbed into his shirt.

It wasn't a pretty cry or a quiet one, no it was ugly and loud.

Luke cried with everything in him.

His cries were so painful, even Michael's heart began to hurt.

Luke cried for his parents, who would never watch any of these home videos again.

Who would never seen the sunset.

Never hear another song.

But mostly he cried for himself.

For all the Thanksgivings he'd never have with them.

For all the Christmases he'd never again spend singing carols with them.

His father would never send him another tacky card- that Luke loved so much.

His mother would never bake him another birthday cake.

His father would never walk him down the isle.

His mother would never dance with him after the reception.

His parents would never see him marry the love of his life.

They'd never see him have a family of his own.

"Shhhh", Michael cooed into Luke's hair, pressing a kiss to his head, "It's alright."

By this point, Luke was so upset he began to hiccup.

"It's not fair! It's- it's not!" Luke cried.

"I know, I know." Michael whispered.

"It hurts, it hurts so bad." Luke choked out a sob.

"I'm so sorry, baby", Michael muttered, tears pricking his eyes, "If I could take away your pain, I would."

For awhile Luke just cried.

He cried and cried until he couldn't anymore.

His eyes were red and dry. His nose was runny. And his sadness was replaced with the numbness he'd gotten so used to.

Michael held him a little longer, even after his cries had stopped.

He pulled away, placing his hands on Luke's cheeks.

"Stay here." Michael muttered.

"I'm not going anywhere." Luke muttered, confused, but too out of it to care.

"Don't disappear into your head", Michael pleaded, frowning, "I'll miss you too much."

Luke snapped himself out of it as much as possible at Michael's request.

He didn't want to upset Michael, but staying out of his headspace meant pain.

Michael looked so pretty though.

"I won't go." Luke promised.

Everything hurt, but Michael's happiness was worth it.

"We're going to take a break, okay?" Michael muttered, caressing Luke's cheek, "I don't want you to get overwhelmed."

Luke didn't argue and they headed to his childhood bedroom.

Luke plopped onto his bed and Michael joined beside him.

It wasn't a big enough bed for both of them, but it was better than their dorm beds- before they pushed them together.

"You should sleep." Michael muttered.

"Not tired." Luke retorted.

"That's okay." Michael assured as he pulled Luke into his chest.

The older boy brushed a loose curl behind Luke's ear.

"Will you tell me about them?", Michael whispered gently, before specifying, "Your parents."

Michael knew it was a sore subject.

A part of him ached in knowledge that he'd never get to meet Luke's parents.

He'd never get to thank them for raising such a wonderful boy.

"My mum loved to bake. She loved interior design, every few months she'd rearrange the living room." Luke explained.

He traced shapes into Michael's chest with the pads of his fingers.

"My dad loved cars and collecting old vinyls. He'd spin one on his player and him and my mum would take turns spinning me around and dancing with me on their feet", Luke sniffled, before pausing, "It was nice."

Michael rolled over to grab the tissue box on the nightstand before holding it out for his snotty boyfriend.

Luke didn't move.

"I'm not gonna blow your nose for you." Michael huffed.

"My arms are broken, I can't." Luke quipped.

Michael sighed plucking a tissue from the box before bringing it to Luke's nose.

"Blow." He instructed.

Luke blew his nose into the tissue and Michael made sure to get it all before he rolled out of bed to throw it away.

"You love me." Luke teased as Michael slipped back into bed.

Luke flipped over so his back was facing Michael and the older boy pulled him close.

"I do." Michael admitted pressing a kiss to Luke's temple before settling his head into the crook of the boy's neck.

After a bought of silence, Luke spoke.

"They would've loved you." He whispered softly.

Michael could tell he was half-asleep and probably dozing off as the words fell from his lips.

"You think?" Michael quizzed.

He knew they were talking about Luke's parents.

"Yes", Luke mumbled, "Because you make me so... happy..."

Luke's sentence trailed off.

Michael was sure he was asleep when soft snores began.

"You will be okay." Michael whispered.

A promise to the sleeping boy and himself.