twenty six
The only problem in Luke's life was Michael. Michael was still a kid, a childish kid who didn't take anything seriously. Luke was an adult, he pays his own bills, has a place of his own, has a job getting him six digits a year.
Luke thought that he and Michael were making progress, he thought that they were closer to being in a real relationship than they ever were before.
Being in a real relationship is what Luke wanted. He wanted to call home to his mother and finally have good news for her. He's ready to get married again, he's ready to start a new chapter of his life.
Luke was always the one to dream too big, though.
Part of his heart shattered onto the ugly carpet floors of their office as Michael walked in with Matty's hand on the low of his back. Matt stopped at Michael's office, their hands still connected as Matty began to walk the other away.
Their fingers slipped out of each other's grip as Matt headed to the back to clock in.
Michael was about to head to his office and get started with his day when he looked up, seeing Luke's hurt eyes staring at him.
He opened his mouth, but then closed it again.
Luke turned around, looking down at the secretary desk and trying to find something to do. He swallowed a lump in his suddenly dry throat as he picked up a manilla folder and skimming the file.
"Are they together again?" The main secretary asked as they heard Michael's office door close swiftly.
"I don't know, Em," Luke responded with a sigh, "I thought he didn't do relationships."
"Personally, I think you're the closest thing he's ever had to a relationship." She leant back in her chair, giving Luke her complete attention.
"He's almost 30, I thought the whole 'not-into-relationship' thing was over by college—unless you're, like, aromantic or something." Luke leant his elbow on the secretary desk, ready to go into full spill-his-mind rant.
"Me too," the faded pink haired nurse said.
"I thought I meant something to him," Luke's head was spinning and his heart was sinking further into his gut. "Look at me, wrong again."
"Hey," she cooed, reaching up to place her hand over his, "you did nothing wrong. This is just who he is. He chickens out when something gets too much for him."
Luke perked up, liking the way that came out. "You think so?"
She nodded, "I think he cares about you too much. I think Michael hates that he cares about you so much. He doesn't like caring." In truth, though, Emmi has had the same conversation with Michael only a few nights ago. The head secretary was the queen of gossip, queen of news. She knew half the nonsense in the office before anyone else.
Luke smiled, hoping she was right. "I hate kids."
"He's not a kid, Luke."
He rolled his eyes and stood up, "He's acting like one." Luke gave her a smile of thanks before heading into his office. The day would continue to move on regardless if he was ready for it or not.
Luke went through the first two appointments, trying to give his patience his full attention. It was hard with a crowded mind like his own.
It was good when Michael came into his office after his lunch break. Luke was eating his tuna sandwich in his office as he watched Netflix on his laptop. He paused Friends and looked up, not saying anything.
Michael closed the office door behind him, sitting down on the soft chairs meant for patients. He crossed his legs and looked down at his hands. "I didn't mean to hurt you or anything."
"Hm?" Luke asked, not wanting to admit that he let a child break his heart a bit.
It's been a while since Luke has felt something romantic, that's all, really. Michael was the first person in a bit to make Luke feel so happy, so in love. Luke doesn't have many friends, he doesn't have casual hookups, he doesn't have partners.
Michael was something new and Luke wanted him to stay.
"I told you that we aren't anything, we're in a pretty open whatever we are. I thought you knew that that meant I'd sleep around." Michael thought Luke would appreciate that he was talking like an adult, getting his feelings out instead of passive aggressively avoiding each other.
Luke shrugs, "I know, you didn't need to come here to talk about it."
Michael looked up at his friend, raising an eyebrow, "Luke, you're being a brat."
"I'm not!" He squeaked, still looking down at his sandwich.
"Look at me."
Luke shook his head, knowing he was too emotional around Michael.
"Lucas."
Luke looked up, blinking a few times. "What?"
"You mean something to me, but I'm not ready to make that something into anything more."
"That doesn't make sense."
"I don't want to be in a relationship—."
"Dammit, Michael, I know." Luke was sick of hearing Michael's voice say the same sentence over and over again, it was like the younger man enjoyed crushing Luke.
"—I want to be your only, though."
"It doesn't work like that. I can't commit to you if you're not gonna commit to me, that's shit." Luke rubbed his eyes, "You're not even gonna commit to me, ever."
Michael was beyond scared of commitment, "I can be monogamous without being monogamous."
Luke sighed, knowing he was getting nowhere. "Whatever."
"I care about you," Michael said as he stood up, "I mean it."
"You can leave my door open."
"Are you gonna come over tonight?"
Luke shrugged, knowing he'd give in.
Mike sighed as he began to open the door, "See you then."
What do you think Michael means?
What do you think Michael wants?
