You Will Be Okay - Muke

Epilogue

Summer

"Cally?" Luke piped up.

"Lukey." Calum quipped in return.

Luke bit his lip, hesitating ever so slightly.

"What is it bug?", Calum quizzed, "Cold feet? I've got the get away car ready-"

"No, Cal, I- I want you to walk me down the isle." Luke blurted out.

Calum stood there wide eyed.

"It's just you're the closest thing to a parent I've got right now, which isn't saying much, but it would mean a lot to me-" Luke rambled.

Calum grabbed Luke's face in his hands.

"Of course I'll walk you down the isle, Bug." Calum assured with a smile.

He ruffled Luke's hair- to the blondes dismay.

"You're my kid. We were Lu and Cal before you were ever Lu and Mike and I was Cal and Ash." Calum gleamed.

Luke still look torn and Calum could easily pick up on it.

"Hey, something else is bothering you." Calum pointed out.

"I'm so scared, Cal." Luke finally admitted.

"Of what, Luke?" Calum quizzed.

"What if I lose him?" Luke whispered.

His lip began to quiver and tears pooled in his bright blue eyes.

"Hey, you're only supposed to cry happy tears on your wedding day." Calum jeered, wiping the freshly shed tears away with his thumbs.

"What if I was never meant to have a family- what if I lose him too?", Luke cried, "He's all I have."

Calum sighed, "You can't think like that, Lu."

Luke sniffled as Calum wiped more tears from his pink cheeks.

"I can't promise you a long life with Michael, but I can promise a worthwhile one. Michael loves you so much", Calum muttered, "Sometimes that just has to be enough."

"I want it to be enough." Luke sobbed.

"Maybe you should talk to him, Bug. I can go get him." Calum offered.

Luke sniffled, "Isn't that bad luck?"

"Since when have we ever followed the rules?" Calum joked.

Luke laughed to Calum's delight.

"I'm gonna go get him and you can talk and then I'm gonna come back to pick you up and walk you down the isle." Calum explained, pressing a kiss to Luke's head before scurrying out of the room.

Luke didn't know why he was so afraid.

He loved Michael with everything in him- it wasn't even a choice whether or not to marry Michael.

The fear is that he'll lose Michael.

Luke guessed the fear had always been there, but for some weird reason Luke had created in his mind- it seemed to grow.

He needed Michael like the air he breathed- and that was fucking terrifying.

This day was supposed to be about Luke and Michael and their love, but it was about Luke's parents.

Everything came back to Luke's parents.

This morning, he couldn't swallow the mortality that hung over them- that hung over the ones he loved.

What was the point?

What was the point of making friends?

Of falling in love?

What was the point when death was so near- constantly around like an itch you can't scratch.

It was always there, lurking in the shadows.

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair that Luke had found the best friends in the world.

It wasn't fair that Luke had fallen in love with his soulmate, his best friend.

It wasn't fair that no matter what, eventually, he'd have to say goodbye.

Or maybe, he wouldn't even get to.

Why?

It was so cruel- so unjust.

Luke contemplated all the reasons why he'd even bothered in the first place- why anyone bothered.

Then Michael appeared.

He practically skipped into the room, absolutely glowing.

Michael was in his suit and his cute little bow tie. His hair was actually combed- for once.

His cheeks were such a rosy red and his lips a soft pink.

Michael smiled at him, so full of love and possibility.

And Luke knew.

He knew why people bothered.

It was why people read a story.

They know there is an end, but they also know that the best part is how to get there.

Luke knew he had an abundantly short life, he knew first hand that things could end in an instant.

Yet, he didn't care. Not when he was with Michael.

Not when he got to laugh and hold and love the man of his dreams.

He knew that even if he died tomorrow, he'd do it all again in heartbeat.

Because Luke loved Michael Clifford.

And that, despite all the odds, despite death itself, would always be enough.