AFFLICTION- LRH

Shakes.

Lukes POV:

"Did you find her?"

"We are over by the water towers right now, Luke." Calum sighs over the phone, "she doesn't seem to be anywhere."

"Fuck!"  The shockwaves from slamming my fist down begin to fill my arm, "if he already got to her I swear to god I'll fucking-"

My trembling voice stops the second I see the door swing open, Maeve wearing that fucking perfect smile on her face as she trots in, Ashton following behind as he holds his chest.

"Luke?" Calum's voice plays into ear.

"Got her." I say, hanging up the phone and throwing it against the counter.

"Hi honey." She smiles, taking a seat on the edge of the couch as she throws off her jacket.

"Where the fuck have you been, Maeve!"

She smirks, "calm down. I am fine. I'm alive."

"I didn't fucking know that, god dammit!" I shout, my body maneuvering around the couch to now stand in front of her, "you can't do shit like that here, Maeve, it's not safe!"

"Do you not remember who I am, Luke?"

I have to grit my teeth to contain my composure, but the fuel igniting inside was beginning to spark, "Maeve, you know that's not the point. I do not give a fuck if you are the strongest person in the world, you are my person. Do you understand me?"

"Luke I-"

"I'm not finished," I snap, taking a seat on the edge of the couch as I grab her face, making sure her eyes stay on me, "you are the most important person in my world, and I will be damned to ever lose you again. You will not be going on a suicide mission to show your grandfather you are strong. I may be selfish but I cannot lose you."

Her eyes widen, but her facial features soften, her cheek pressing into the palm of my hand as she stares at me for a moment. Then slowly, her head begins to nod, "you're right. I am sorry for scaring you, but don't you realize I am capable of doing things on my own?"

I can see the thoughts circling her eyes, a mirror of the storm raging in mine. "You think I don't know that?" I growl, my voice a low rumble of frustration and fear. "Every second you were gone, a part of me was convinced I'd never see you again. And that... that terrifies me, Maeve."

Is it better to feel this?

Or feel nothing at all?

She tries to interrupt, but I raise a hand, begging for just a few more seconds of silence. "I'm furious because I care, dammit. Because the thought of you in danger, of you not coming back, it rips me apart. And I can't— I won't let that happen."

I let out a shaky breath, my anger ebbing away as quickly as it came, replaced by an overwhelming sense of urgency. "I need you to promise me, Maeve. Promise me you'll never take such a risk again. Because I can't do this without you. You're my strength, my sanity in this madness. Please, just... stay safe. For me." My grip on her face softens, my thumbs caressing her cheeks as I search her eyes for understanding.

"I understand." She swallows, her eyes narrowing down as her teeth tug lightly on her bottom lip.

"This isn't just about surviving anymore," I say, "it's about living. And every moment without you, every breath I thought might be my last, it was empty because you weren't there. You're the missing piece that makes all this chaos bearable."

Maeve's gaze softens as she looks up to me, her eyes welling with tears as I whisper, "You've got to understand, when I forgot you, it was like losing the very essence of my being. You're the light in the darkness I didn't even know was engulfing me. So, yes, we'll play their game, we'll don the masks of deception, but not for them—for us, for our future."

My hands drop, a quiet plea lingering in the air between the two of us. "Just promise me, Maeve. Promise that when this is all over, we'll find a way back to each other, no matter what. Because a life without you isn't a life at all. It's just... existence. And I've existed long enough."

Authors note:

Aww stop wait this was adorable.

Chapter inspired by the song by our wonderful boy Luke!

Is it better to feel this or feel nothing at all?