the boss ➟ muke ✓

twenty seven

a/n ; look at how michael's lips part when luke grabs the mic and places his fingers over michael's and look at the admiration for luke in michael's eyes and i'm sorry i'm muke trash i'm not crying nope

this chapter might have some triggering content. please read with caution !!

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luke was losing track of how many nights he had spent sitting in the same bar and downing himself in alcohol, then having ashton drive him home. the alcohol occasionally made him feel sick to his stomach, but it was better than the pain inflicted upon him whenever he saw michael. admittedly, he couldn't stand the fact that michael was getting married and would be legally bound to brooks.

"would you like another glass?" the bartender questioned, spotting luke's empty glass. the blonde wordlessly nodded and crossed one leg over the other as he watched the bartender begin to make the same drink he had been drinking for the past few nights.

luke's phone vibrated in the pocket of his black skinnies but he ignored it, knowing that it had to be his father asking if he had gone through the documents sent to him last week. truth was, luke had tossed those papers carelessly on his desk and never gave them another glance.

he felt a breeze brush past him and the blonde glanced over to see ashton sprinting inside the bar, panting slightly but frowning when he saw luke. he approached the blonde once he had regained his breath, and luke placed his chin in the palm of his hand.

"luke, c'mon, we need to get you home," ashton sighed, placing his hand on luke's shoulder in an attempt to get luke to turn and face him. luke jutted his lower lip out in a small pout before he accepted his drink from the bartender. he placed the rim to his lips before ashton rudely took the drink out of luke's grip.

"you've had enough to drink," ashton said exasperatedly, "you need to get a good night's rest since the wedding's tomorrow, okay?"

"give me the fucking drink, ashton," luke spoke in a monotone, reaching for the drink in ashton's hand. his wavy haired friend let out another breathy sigh before he set the drink on the counter, far out of luke's reach.

"can i see his tab? i'll pay for it," ashton asked the bartender, his hand going from luke's shoulder to his covered wrist. he knew that he couldn't squeeze his wrist too tightly or else it would hurt, so he made sure his grip was light.

once ashton paid for luke's drinks, the wavy haired boy tugged luke to his feet and practically dragged luke out of the bar before shoving luke in the front seat. ashton had to buckle up his intoxicated friend before getting in the driver's seat and driving away from the bar luke had grown to love.

"this is getting crazy, luke," ashton sighed, stealing a glance in luke's direction as he drove, "i thought you had a plan to get michael back? i didn't realise that the plan included getting drunk every fucking night."

"the plan's retarded; i'm not doing it," luke mumbled, fiddling with his fingers in his lap, "brooks has michael's heart. that's why michael wouldn't dump brooks for me."

"but if you love him, then i say go for it," ashton exclaimed, then added after a short pause, "i mean, if it were me and calum in that situation, i would totally do it."

"but you're not calum's boss," luke sighed, rubbing his temples sharply in an attempt to clear up his messy mind, "that's like, illegal for a boss and employee to have a relationship. and i know, you're probably thinking i'm a hypocrite because i had all those affairs with my employees, but i'm done with all of them, i swear. michael, well, he's the only one i'm still thinking about."