we don't care [muke af]

twenty four

twenty four

Michael opened the passenger side door of his truck, looking up at an annoyed Luke. The small boy had his arms crossed over his chest, looking straight forward.

"Do I really have to give you another pep talk?"

Luke nodded, keeping his pouty face on.

"Lukey, come on. You just have to sit there and look pretty."

"Don't degrade me."

Michael sighed, trying not to laugh at his lover. He stepped up, reaching over Luke to unbuckle him. He grabbed his hand, slowly guiding him outside. "It's going to be alright." Mike locked the car doors once Luke had two feet on the ground.

He had to almost drag Luke into the brunch cafe. Their hands stayed entwined as their noses filled with the smell of eggs and pastries.

Luke swallowed a lump in his throat as he tried not to gag. Their baby didn't like eggs.

Michael leaned into him as they waited in line to be seated. "You okay?"

There were two reasons Luke was about to vomit: One, eggs. Two, he could see his parents. His parents could see them.

"No."

Michael rubbed his thumb over the flat of Luke's hand. "It's going to be alright," he repeated. He, too, could see the two Hemmings' parents sitting at a booth across the way, both sets of blue eyes looking over at their son and partner.

Luke kept his head down at their hands as they were lead to their death. Exaggerating. They were simply lead to a clean table, four glasses of water already set. Michael sat down first, letting Luke sit on the edge.

Ms. Hemmings looked up at her son sat directly in front of her, his head still down. Michael gave both parents a smile and casual greet. He kicked Luke under the table, making him sit up straight and smile back.

Michael could not have Luke looking so sad at such an important meal.

"We haven't ordered yet, we weren't sure what you two wanted," Luke's mother said. Everyone could hear the strain in her voice as she pretended to keep everything casual.

"Nothing with eggs, please," Luke begged. "It doesn't like eggs." His voice stayed quiet as he looked back down at his lap.

"It, we're referring to it as It?"

"For now," Michael interrupted. He was sure even after they knew the gender, they would continue to refer to the baby as It. Mike was superstitious and didn't want to refer to the baby as a proper name until it was actually in his hands. "I'm not sure how to start this off. I want you two to know I wasn't trying to steal Luke away or anything," he tried to laugh it off, but no one laughed, "We needed time and space to think and this little town wasn't the best place."

"What's the plan?"

Luke and his father were lots alike. Their matching blue eyes stayed casted at the menu in front of them, even though neither were reading it. They let Ms. Hemmings and Michael talk it through.

"We're obviously keeping It," Michael explained, "Luke wants to live with me, and I'm okay with that." Mike decided right now wasn't the time to mention that they had an appointment sent up to abort It, he decided that maybe never would be the right time.
"Luke, is that true?"

He nodded, still looking down.

Michael leant over, whispering in his ear, "At least look up."

Luke slowly sat up straight, looking up at his mother. "Yes, Mom. I want to live with Michael." He cracked his fingers, the spinner ring he wore on his pinky finger almost falling off the slim limb.

"You're eighteen now, you're about to be a parent, I'm not going to yell at you." She could sense her youngest sons fear, and it made her feel guilty. Just a little bit. Even though Ms. Hemmings was rather livid that her teenage son is pregnant, she didn't want to make him feel worse than he already did.

A waitress came by, taking their orders.

"Have you guys made an actual plan? Or are you just winging it again?"

Michael wasn't sure what again Ms. Hemmings was referring to, but he didn't pry. "We figured you two would want a say in what happens with Luke and It, that's mostly why we came here today."

Luke's mother and Luke made eye contact. "If you want to be treated like an adult, then okay. This isn't my life to control anymore."

Luke looked up at Michael, a sudden fear filling his stomach. It was like the leash his parents kept him on for so long was being cut off, and Luke didn't know what to do.

He looked at his parents and saw his past. He looked at Michael and suddenly saw his future.

"Let's talk. What do you wanna do, Babe?" Michael asked. He leant his arm on the table, his head leaning on the palm of his hand. He looked at Luke, his eyes filled with hope.

"What do you?"

"I will gladly support you in every way—mentally, emotionally, financially. Anything you need, I'll get for you. I'd gladly take that responsibility." Michael's short sentence meant the world to Luke. The older man didn't realize it meant the world to Luke's parents, too.

Their baby was safe.

"So, we'll raise It just here?"

"We can move to a real house—."

"—Not too far away," Ms. Hemmings quickly added.

Michael looked over at her, smiling. "Yes, not too far away. We can stay in this town if that would be best."

Luke bit down on his bottom lip, trying to take in the words falling from his lover's life.

"If you decide to go to college after It is born, then I'll support you through that, too. This really isn't complicated," he said. Michael wasn't sure if he said it to make Luke feel better or to make himself feel better.

After all this time, Michael feels nothing but guilt. Luke is a child.

Mr. Hemmings didn't speak for a while. But, in the midst of silence he spoke, "Welcome to the family, Michael."

(a/n) lmao u all thought i was gonna get michael arrested