"Stuck In The Friend-Zone Again and Again"

"I Would Laugh"

A/N: okay not my best edit but my first manip so give me some credit that's three different pictures I made into transparents, and I had to puzzle piece style the tutu to go around his arms so it turned out better than expected.

It was my last day at the Hemmings residence, and now that the time had come, I was sad to leave it behind.
I had only one more night in the bed that was almost my own, only one more groggy morning to pad into Luke's room in my oversized t shirt and socks like his room was my own.
One more day of Liz chiding me to help myself to more food after I had taken my fair share.
One more day of Andrew's wisecracks about my Canadian-ness.
He'd often say things like: "are you sure you don't want us to order in a polar bear to make you feel more at home?", to which I'd respond with something like: "as nice as that sounds, I think a polar bear would die in this climate".
One more night of Molly's pleasant weight at the foot of the bed that I'd grown used to after she started sleeping with me on and off a third of the way through my stay.

And if I was feeling nostalgic, I couldn't imagine how the boys felt.
They were leaving their lives and their families behind.
I had done the same, sure, but the strongest ties to my family I held were with the family I didn't live with, didn't see everyday.
And my friends were used to Internet friendships with people around the world, this wasn't strange to them.
Their families and friends weren't used to having the boys torn out of their lives, though you'd think they'd be even the slightest bit resilient of it after two times before.

But looking at the boys you couldn't really tell if they were upset about leaving or not, they seemed buzzed about the tour.
Well, I guess I should say that I could tell, but I'm intuitive and know their open tendencies towards the people their emotions don't concern.
And Luke was another ball park altogether.
I could easily see he was dissolving fast, having always been a mama's boy and a home lover.
I tried to be there for him, tried to be the hand on his shoulder, the reassuring voice saying "it's gonna be okay".
It was a miracle my words soothed him at all, since he'd held me seemingly a million times as I felt the earth crumbling around me, and he knew I wasn't an entirely stable companion myself.
But nonetheless, he calmed at my touch and relaxed at my soft voice, quietly reassuring him.
And as long as it worked, I didn't really care why.

----

"Hey Luke," I said, peeping my head his door.
"What's up?" He asked from his bed.
"Have you seen my curling iron?"
"Oh that," he looked embarrassed. "It's on my dresser."
"Why is it on your dresser?" I inquired innocently, coming into his room to grab it.
"I wanted to try it on my hair," he blushed.
I laughed. "I could've done it for you."
"I didn't want you to find out," he said, avoiding eye contact. "I thought I could do it myself."
"And did you burn yourself?" I guessed.
"Yes," he muttered.
I laughed, coming to sit beside him and patting his hand.
"It's okay," I've done it a million times.
I pulled the strap of my tank top away to reveal a little scar from a burn. "See?"
Luke flinched. "Mine didn't leave a mark."
"Probably wasn't as hot. This burn was from when I was in the middle of high heat curling my hair. It was probably heated to 300 Fahrenheit when it touched me."
"Ow," Luke said, brushing his fingers over the blemish.
I shrugged lightly. "It was like a year ago. It doesn't hurt anymore."
"But it hurt at the time?"
"Oh it hurt like hell," I said. "It's just proof that wounds leave scars that last forever."
Luke smile sadly and rested his head on my shoulder. "But at least they don't hurt anymore."
"That's true," I smiled softly, nuzzling my nose in his hair briefly.
He sat up, turning to look at me. "Want to help me finish packing?"
"Sure," I shrugged, standing up. "What's left?"
"Just my clothes... And my shoes..."
"So pretty much everything," I laughed.
"I packed my shower bag and my instruments!" Luke protested.
"Actually Liz packed your shower bag, I saw her," I reminded him.
"Okay well I packed my instruments."
"Three guitars that were already packed in their cases and ready to go."
"Okay I've done nothing please just help we're leaving tomorrow morning," Luke gave in.
I laughed, but dragged his suitcases to the middle of the roo and dumped his drawers.
"You can do the underwear."
"It's all clean!"
"I don't care. It's your underwear, you can deal with it."