You & I~Muke

-Luke-

"C-Carrie? Come here b-beautiful." Michael coos, making grabby hands at his cat that sat in corner, curled up into a ball; Carrie lifts her head, quirking an ear up and an eye open. The black haired boy pouts out a lip as his cat ignores him, and he nuzzles himself into my side, his head in the crook of my neck. "why d-doesn't she l-love me, Luke? And w-why d-does she s-seem so l-lonley?"

I wrap my arms further around Michael's torso, my hands pulling him further into my body, his warmth becoming mine. I plant a kiss on his forehead.

"Of course she loves you, Mikey, she loves you lots and lots; almost as much as me," I tease, smiling. "Didn't you say she lost her brother a few months ago?"

Michael's face falls even further.

"Yeah... C-Crunchie; she's been s-sad s-since he died,"

I nod, chewing on my lip ring, running my long fingers through his hair.

His body shudders against mine.

The offer slips of my tongue before I can catch the words.

"Why don't we get her a friend?"

Michael begins to shake his head.

"I c-can't afford i-it, L-Lukey-"

"That's why I'm paying, Baby." I say, and there's this smile on his lips that makes everything we're going through worth it. "You deserve it."

His eyes begin to brim with tears and he brings his sweater paws to his face.

"A-are you b-being f-f-for r-r-real?"

I pull him into me, and I don't think he's ever hugged me so tightly.

"Sure am, baby boy." I check the clock on the bedside table and see it's just turned four in the afternoon, and from what I remember, on Saturdays's the shelter is open until 8pm.

"I need to check if it's okay with your dad first, Mikey, but while I do that you go get changed." I peck him on the lips and stand up, straightening out my shirt and walking into the living room.

"Hey Luke." Daryl says, smiling at me and sipping his cup of tea; pausing his episode of Eastenders (I think eastender's is just a british thing but I don't know old people shows in America or wherever lmoa) the aging man stares at me, awaiting my words.

"Hey Daryl," I sit down, fiddling with my sweatpants strings. "I was thinking of buying Michael a kitten, for Carrie as he's sad about her being lonely im all up for paying for the bed and food, I just want to make him as happy as possible."
it takes a long time for Daryl to nod as he thinks over the situation, but eventually he smiles softly, rubbing his tired eyes.

"That would be lovely, Luke." Daryl touches my shoulder, and I don't know the last time I saw this man so sad. I don't know why he's sad, and I don't want to ask, but he's sad and I hate that. "Thank you."

I shake my head, standing up.

"It's no problem." I hesitate a moment but then I turn around just as I reach the door frame and stop. "Are you okay?"

Daryl smiles, it's a really sad smile that makes me sad, too.

He just shrugs.

"I'm okay," a pause. A yawn. A silence. "Michael's not the only one that misses his mum,"

He lets out a harsh laugh and my whole face falls.

Bless him.

"Oh, Daryl; I'm always here to talk, I know I'm nothing special but I am something."