fate → muke

- ii -

lowkey a sucky chapter flying your way !

michael didn't know how jack had done it, but the tan boy had managed to get him back to how he was before shit went down. before luke. before america. before everything. he and jack had played super smash bros probably for a sold three and a half hours before jack suggested michael get cleaned up, and that the two of them go out and get johnny rockets. michael had felt so much better, mentally, that he complied, telling jack he'd be taking a quick shower before joining him for milkshakes and burgers.

michael forgot how nice it was to stand underneath the shower head, allowing for the hot water to race down his back briskly. he forgot how nice it was to rub the eucalyptus spearmint shampoo through his hair, and just generally feel clean. he didn't comb his hair when he got out, only towel drying it as he pulled on a pair of black jeans with a few rips around his knees and a harley davidson muscle tank. when he got out of the bathroom, jack smiled.

"dude, you smell so much better than you did fifteen minutes ago."

"hey now," michael warned, but jack just took it as an opportunity to start singing.

"hey now, hey now, this is what dreammmmssss are made offff," he sang purposefully off key, making michael crack an involuntary smile.

"it feels so good to see you smile knowing you've been frowning for a week." jack patted michael shoulder fondly.

"it's only cause you're here," michael smiled, no fault in his words. michael had been a wreck until jack. "now let's go get some burgers, i'm dying of starvation."

the two boys walked down the cracked sidewalk, michael mainly just listening to jack as he cracked jokes left and right. most of the comments were crude, and about innocent people walking by, but they were all enough to cause michael to choke on his own spit.

the two boys finally reached the johnny rockets inside of a strip mall, and they entered the old time style diner casually. they ended up sitting at the hightop tables set up near the bar, and their waitress seemed unusually shy, and michael assumed that she probably thought jack was hot.

'too bad he's gay,' michael thought to himself.

the two boys both decided to order shakes, michael getting the butterfinger one while jack decided on triple chocolate. their shakes were out fast, their burgers supposedly going to be out soon.

jack told michael about how he was doing with college, and jack mentioned to michael that calum had asked about him frequently. michael had completely forgotten about his lovestruck friend back home. home. a word he hadn't thought about for a while.

"two burgers and two large fries," the waitress walked up to their table, a tray balanced on her shoulder as she placed the baskets of food down on the tables.

"thanks," michael smiled at her, and she just scurried off into the kitchen. michael just shrugged, loading his burger up with ketchup before taking a big bite out of it. he felt like he hadn't eaten real food in a week. maybe because he really hadn't.

"dude," jack spoke slightly softly, causing michael to open his eyes and give jack an inquisitive glance. "hot dude at two o'clock staring at your ass, when are you getting married?"

michael looked intently to where his two o'clock when jack nodded his head the opposite direction.

"my two o'clock, not yours, sorry." jack smiled like a little devil, and michael rolled his eyes before causally looking back before turning around as discreetly as possible, not wanting to look too desperate or whatever.

"i'm having a mini freak out please ignore me. let me marinate in my embarrassment for a moment," michael held out a finger, laying his head down on the table, shrinking out of sight. "this is why i don't leave the house. of course he's here right now with her."

"they look like they're just friends, whoever that is with him."

"she's basically his fuckbuddy, jack, she literally offered it to me but i turned it down because i actually have sense." michael rolled his eyes. "he's trying to fuck around with my emotions, because he knows that i love him, but he doesn't love me."

"michael, he probably thinks you're hot." jack tried to reassure michael, but michael just shook his head steadily.

"jack, that's not just any hot guy. that's luke hemmings. the guy." michael tried to clarify, and jack's eyes widened in understanding.

"oh, shit," jack whispered.

"yeah, shit." michael chuckled, running a hand through his hair.

they remained quiet for a moment as they munched on their burgers.

"in case you care," jack broke the silence. "he's not just staring at your ass. now he's looking at your hair, i think. understandable, though, i envy it."

"my hair's thinning out man, shut up," michael flushed.

"and luke's coming over here, don't freak out. act fucking casual," jack warned him, jack's face not coming close to disclosing their conversation.

"shit let's go before—"

"michael, can we talk?"

and that's the story of how four words made michael change his mind instantaneously.

•

thoughts & feedback?

i dunno how this story's gonna end yall should it be happy or sad?

i was gonna update last night, bc i had this all written out, but then i was too tired so here ya go!