Ripped Tights and Late Nights → Muke

twenty;

sorry this took so long to put up ! i didnt want to get rid of this story, it's my baby and i can't believe it's finished ):

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Luke quit his job at the strip club.

Michael won his case against Rogerson and the man was sent to jail for rape crimes and the murder of his wife. The club was now run by the assistant manager, but Rogerson had never trusted the man enough to guide him through how to run a business. The club was still open but with marginally less patrons.

It had been a month since the courtcase, since everything for Michael went right but so, so wrong. He won the case. He won the money. He won the role of Partner.

He finalised his divorce with Leah. She had been sad about it (fuck, he had been sad about it) but they knew it was for the best. It had been twenty of the best years of his life, but it was time to move on to bigger and better things.

He lost Luke.

He had been to the club multiple times looking for the blond boy before Tiffany had felt sorry for him and told him the news: Luke had quit. (Luke had told him he was resigning months ago, but the thought of him actually leaving left a gaping hole in Michael's chest.)

Michael had no idea where the man lived; he'd never been to Luke's apartment. He didn't know any of Luke's friends or family members. The only lead he had was New York, and even that was nothing. How was he supposed to find one blond boy in a city of 8 million people?

He didn't care, he'd find a way.

::

"You know I love you, dad, but I am not sitting in a hotel suite for three days while you're in business meetings."

Michael sighs. He finishes zipping up his suitcase and looks at his daughter. She's taller than him now, her straight dyed-blonde hair falling over one shoulder. When did she grow up?

"I'm not going to be in business meetings."

She looks confused. "Then why are we..."

"Going to New York?" Brittany nods. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Is it deep? Should I sit down?"

He tells her everything- except for the whole cheating on your mother with a prostitute part. "You remember him right? Blonde hair, tall, at your dance recital?"

"I think so? Wait, hold up. We're travelling four hours to look for a guy who you only knew because you were trying to prosecute the guy this guy works for? And he's a prostitute? And you've been seeing him for however many months-"

"Nine months."

"Which means you cheated on mum," she finishes, folding her arms and sending him a classic Clifford glare.

"I knew you'd understand."

They're silent for a moment, both of them looking anywhere but at each other. He can't remember why he wanted Brittany with him in the first place. Comfort maybe, familiarity, finally being able to tell someone the truth. He would've brought Jake with him too, made a family trip out of it, but he's at ComicCon. Michael doesn't know if he would appreciate the root of the trip anyway.

He knows Brittany, though. She'll be upset that he cheated on Leah. She'll act up with him for a day or so, trying to make his life hell. Then everything in her mind will click and she'll understand that he's just a fool in love.

He knows he can count on Brittany.

"You ready?"

"Ready to look in a city 8 million people strong for your boyfriend who might not even be there? I guess."

::

It sounded harder than it was. They booked into the same hotel Michael was in the last time he was here with Luke, though not the same suite. Everything was making him think of the blond boy he held so close to his heart. God, he felt like a lovesick teenager. He couldn't eat or sleep or breathe without thinking if Luke was okay; he wondered if Luke was thinking about him at all. He felt the same we he had twenty years ago with Leah.

It would be a shame to come all this way to find out Luke had left him on purpose and didn't want anything to do with him. Michael doesn't even know if what Luke said he felt was real. Maybe he was just saying so to please a customer. Michael doesn't know if he'd be able to handle his broken heart if that happened.

"Well, this place is fancier than I expected."

Michael looked up. The building was huge and far fancier than Michael had ever expected. He should've known, really. Ballet Deviare is one of the world's leading ballet companies. Only the best for his princess. "Yeah. Wait here?"

He opens the double glass doors and a reception desk is waiting for him. The man at the desk smiles. "Hi, how may I help you?"

"Hi, my name is Michael Clifford. I'm looking for a Mr. Luke Hemmings? Does he dance here?"

He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I can't disclose that information."

Michael's guts twisted. He didn't want to have to resort to this. He pulls out his wallet from inside of his suit blazer and opens it, finding his i.d. for the firm. "I'm here on official business."

He's lying, for one. It's not official at all. Secondly, this only ever works in the movies; there is no way it should be working now. And lastly, if Ballet Deviare thinks lawyers are investigating their newest dancer, Luke's career could be over before it even starts.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I can't."

Michael should have thought about this. "No worries," he says.

Brittany looks up from his phone when he exits. "No luck?"

"Nope. We'll wait here, see if he comes out."

"Dad," Brittany says hesitantly, "what if he doesn't even work here?"

"He has to, Britt." Michael runs his hand through his hair. He's thirty five. Is he too old to be chasing down the love of his life? He looks to his left, where Britt sits on the pavement, back against the wall of the building. Anything could happen here in a city with eight million people. While he was inside, she could've been hurt or abducted or-

He can't do this. He's put his child in (potential) harm's way trying to track down Luke. If he felt the same way as Michael, he could've found him. Luke knows where he lives, where he works, what kind of car he drives. If he'd wanted to, it wouldn't have been hard to find him.

He owes it to Brittany to look after her. She's seventeen now, she's nearly an adult. Her final exams are right around the corner and if he hadn't flown them to New York, she would be studying. She should be studying. This week-long trip could damage her entire future. He's going to make it worthwhile.

"C'mon, Britt, lets go find us some drag queens."

He heaves himself up off the ground and dusts off his butt, Brittany following suit. Crowds of people surge around them as cars fly down the street. You don't appreciate how many people live in New York until you're in New York.

Michael keeps close to his daughter, scared of losing her in a bustling city like he was of losing her in the supermarket when she was younger. They're about to start making their way down the street back to their hotel when they hear it.

"Michael?"

He stops moving immediately. He doesn't need to turn around. He doesn't even need to think. The deepest part of his soul knows that voice and could recognise it anywhere.

"Luke," he breathes.

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im gonna post an epilogue but i think this is a good ending so if you wanna end the story here then go ahead