damaged || muke

{7}

"you brought me to a park?"

"i sure did."

"so, you woke me up at two in the morning just to drag me to a park that we could go to during normal hours like normal people?"

"that's exactly it," michael says, "besides, what's the fun in being normal anyway?"

luke let's out an exaggerated sigh. michael rolls his eyes at the blue eyes boy and took him by the forearm, guiding him over to the swings. luke was still a little on edge by the way michael was acting which was much more bright and shiny than normal. he wished the older boy was like this more often.

"i haven't been on a swing since i was like, ten," luke informs as he sits down on the seat that is directly to michael's left. he drags his feet around in the mulch that was coated around the playground.

"me either," mike replies, "it brings back lots of memories."

"how's your hand?" luke completely changes the subject. michael gives him an odd look, "from a few weeks ago. when you punched a wall, or whatever the hell you did for no good reason."

"oh, right. it's better," mike sticks out his hand to look at it. it slipped his mind that his hand was just injured not to long ago. it looks as if nothing has happened now, "how's your -" michael cuts himself short, not exactly knowing how to ask.

"my cheek?" luke puts his fingers on the spot where there was previously a black and blue mark from his mum, "it's fine."

michael nods, a small smile on his lips. sometimes, luke imagined what it would be like to kiss michael. he imagined it would be perfect, the way their lips would move together. it would be slow and passionate, full of love.

but it was only in his head.

"have you ever thought about moving somewhere else? somewhere far away from here?" michael asks, out of the ordinary.

luke shrugs, "i guess so. i don't think i could ever actually do it."

"why not?"

"i'm so familiar and use to being around here. i like familiar, i don't necessarily like change."

"i'm going to move away one day, when i'm ready," michael informs. he has been thinking about getting out of this town for as long as he could remember. he had too many bad memories here rather than good ones. every time he stepped inside his own house all he could think about were his parents. it was hard being reminded of them everyday.

"i can sincerely say that i would be miserable if you were to move away and i couldn't see you," luke forced out a breathy laugh, but it was completely true. the thought of michael leaving anytime soon made him feel queazy.

the twenty year old leaned his head against the chain that held the swing up, "one day in the future you're going to have a family. you won't even think about me then."

luke's eyebrows knitted together and a crease formed right above his nose. does michael really think that luke would forget about him? he was the one luke wanted to have a family with. no matter who the blonde would end up with, he could never not think about michael. he wanted to have michael so badly, but he knew the boy would never feel the same way. he didn't think about luke like that.

even worse than michael thinking that luke would forget about him, was the thought of michael forgetting about luke.

"i won't forget about you. i've known you for most of my life, and besides, you don't make it easy to forget you. i mean, who else can i say took me to a park at two in the morning?" luke can't tell if michael is smiling or not. his mood seemed to have altered in the blink of an eye.

"it's probably a good idea to head back home now," michael suggest.

luke didn't want the conversation to end. he wanted michael to know how much he cared for him. he opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself just as fast. instead, he decided to keep his mouth shut and just nod as the two begin their walk home.