Sweetheart • muke •

Chapter Seven

•December•

In December I tended to your wounds.

Luke whimpered as he struggled to reach the doorknob. His body was shaking uncontrollably, trembling and aching all over.

Calum wouldn't answer the phone.

Ashton wouldn't answer the phone.

Luke let out a pained sob as he collapsed to the floor. His tee shirt and sweater were soaked with his own blood, his tights felt as if they were suffocating his small legs. His skin was burning and his bones were aching so terribly. The boy wanted to simply close his eyes and let the darkness take him, but instead he managed to get one hand planted on the floor as he reached for the doorknob again.

He wrapped his hand around the metal and with an accomplished noise he got the door open. The boy pushed the door passed his small, beaten body, and crawled out of the apartment. His intentions were to possibly crawl to Ashton's apartment and wait there for the older boy, but at this point the blonde boy could barely keep breathing as he practically rolled out of his apartment. His uncle had left two hours ago and Luke was terrified of what he might do if he saw the blonde trying to crawl away from the apartment. The first beating he got was almost too much for his frail body to handle and he could only imagine what further damage could do.

"Luke?"
The blonde whimpered weakly at the unfamiliar deep voice. He weakly tilted his head up, squinting against the sunlight until his vision became filled with the image of Michael. The blonde fell limp on the ground, a pained sob leaving his lips as Michael ran up to him. The older male cautiously bent down beside the blonde, examining his blood soaked sweatshirt.

"Shit. Sweetheart, what happened?" Michael asked, voice soft. Luke whimpered, weakly moving his hand around in search of Michael's.

"Do-don't-don't wanna
s-s-stay he-h-here any-a-a-anymore"
Luke stuttered, coughing harshly into the concrete. Tears fell from his red rimmed eyes, his chest sputtering in silent sobs.

"Do you want me to take
you to Calum? Or Ashton?"
Michael offered. Luke furiously
shook his head, clawing at the concrete.

"Shit"
Michael muttered to himself. The blonde was still trembling, tears rolling down his cheeks as he laid limp on the ground. Michael took a deep breath as he slipped his hands under the boys body, being as gentle as possible as he lifted the boy from the ground. Luke whimpered but complied, allowing Michael to hold him as he wrapped his arms and legs around the older boy. Luke held onto Michael's body tightly, fisting his tee shirt until his knuckles turned white. Michael sighed sadly, resting his hand on the boys thighs gently.

"We're going to my apartment, okay?" Michael whispered, feeling relieved as the blonde nodded his head. Michael walked away from Luke's apartment and started towards his own apartment.

Without dropping or hurting Luke, Michael managed to get into his apartment, kicking open his bedroom door. He set Luke down on his bed, silently closing the blinds so the blonde didn't have to squint against the sun. Michael kneeled down in front of Luke, giving him a small a warm smile.

"Can you take your sweatshirt off?" Michael asked calmly. Luke nodded weakly, easily removing his arms from the sleeves, but as he went to raise his arms an unbearable aching feeling was felt in his stomach. Luke whimpered, dropping his arms as he looked up at Michael with pleading eyes.

"It's okay. Let me help you"
Michael softly said. The smaller boy allowed Michael to lift the sweatshirt over his head until he was left in a blood stained pink tee shirt. Luke blushed, playing with the hem of his pink shirt. Michael smiled, rubbing over lukes thigh with his hand, gently.

"Do you want to take a shower?"
Michael asked.

"C-can I take a b-bath?"
Luke asked, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

"Of course you can, sweetheart"
Michael said, getting up from the ground and heading to the bathroom. Luke weakly followed him into the bathroom, squinting at the bright light that hung from the ceiling. Seeing the way the light hurt Luke's eyes, Michael turned off the main light and flipped the switch for the dull light that was placed just above the tub. Michael turned the water on, plugging the drain so the warm water began to build up. Michael then turned to luke, who was slumping against the sink.

"I'll go make you
some soup or something"
Michael said, ready to let the
blonde clean himself up.

"N-no. Will- will you h-help me?"
Luke asked shyly. His eyes were so helpless and childish that Michael had to physically refrain himself from cooing.

"I'm right here, sweetheart"