nine
Luke sat in Ashton's office, his laptop in his lap as they went over their business plan. Luke's head was spinning with numbers and he suddenly wished he did that minor is business like his mother told him to do.
"Isn't Michael supposed to be here?" Ash asked, suddenly realizing their meeting was a lot quieter.
The blonde shrugged his shoulders. "I think he called in sick today."
"He's probably still hungover from Friday."
"It's Monday, Ashton."
Ash shook his head, "You didn't see how much that boy drank, then." Ashton sent a document to the printer, leaning back in his chair as he waited for a nurse to bring it to him. "My son is only a few years younger than him and he could never drink like Michael."
"I don't think that's something to be proud of."
Ashton laughed, shaking his head once more. "You were the life of the party in college, weren't you?" The older man asked sarcastically.
"I was lots of fun!" Luke defended.
Their conversation halted as Nurse Matty walked in, giving Ashton the printed packet. Two sets of eyes watched the Brit walk back out, his tied back curly hair bouncy with each step.
Luke looked down at his laptop, trying to find something else to focus on.
"Did you have a thing with Matty or Michael?" Ashton asked, leaning forward to place his elbows on his desk.
"What?" He squeaked, "Neither, you're ridiculous."
"You get really weird when one of them is near you. Come on, you can tell me."
Luke shook his head. "It's nothing."
"I'm gonna make Matty come back in here and tell me himself if you don't."
"I think Michael had, like, a crush on me for the last five years. And now he doesn't and it's weird. I liked his attention and now I don't have it," he rushed, not looking up at his boss.
"Oh, I thought you were banging them both or something," Ashton itched the back of his neck, "This is more complicated."
"Yeah, I know that. Thanks." Luke closed his computer, reaching over to place it on Ashton's desk.
The blinds were open wide, making Ash's office bright. It looked down on the city right below them, Luke could see people hurrying around in their light winter coats. It was getting colder, soon the snow would fall heavier.
"I'm sure Michael is into weird things like biting, you're not missing much."
Luke tried to hold his laugh, but he simply couldn't. "I learn more about you every single day."
"We've worked together for ten years now, right?"
"Coming up on eleven, Sir."
Ashton trailed his fingers on the hardwood of his desk. "Do you wanna come over tonight? We could have dinner or something."
"Yeah," Luke responded, hoping 'dinner' was code word for 'fucking'. "I'll be over around six?" He stood up, taking his jacket from the back of the chair and his computer from the desk.
"Make it seven."
Luke went through the day, sorting files, going through meetings, planning surgeries. He left work promptly at 5 p.m., getting home to get ready.
Michael sat on the end up Matty's messy bed, buttoning up his Oxford shirt once more and sliding his slacks up his legs. He stood up to tighten his belt and grabbed his tie from the desk a few feet away. "Do you wanna go to that new Chinese restaurant down the street for lunch tomorrow or something?"
Matty stretched out his hands, rolling onto his back and pulling his sheets closer to his bare body. "What are we, Mike?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Platonic lovers."
The curly-haired man looked up at his friend, his eyes scanning over the pale features. "I don't want to do this anymore, Michael. You mean a lot to me and I don't want to just mess around the rest of my life."
"Oh."
"Don't you want to settle down at some point? You're not that young, Love." Matt reached over his nightstand, grabbing a tee shirt and smelling it to make sure it wasn't too nasty. "I don't mean to break your heart or anything, but I'm looking for a significant other, not a fuck buddy."
Michael nodded his head, trying not to show any emotion. "I understand."
"I'm sorry, Mikey. You're a good guy, really. I care for you deeply, but I can't do this."
Michael nods slowly once more before grabbing his backpack filled with files. "I'll see you tomorrow." He rushed out, needing time to sob about his life alone.
Luke sat at Ashton's dining room table, his eyes looking around at all the photos of his two teenage daughters on the walls. Ash was telling a story in between bites of juicy steak. Luke would laugh along with him, trying got add to the conversation.
As the clock struck nine, Luke decided that Ashton really didn't want to mess around, he just wanted to have a nice dinner.
Which was fine, but not was Luke wanted.
My #Dream is to wake up to, like, seven cats and a few dogs. And Jack Barakat.
Thoughts on Michael and Matty?
Thoughts on Luke? What do you think he's feeling?
