luke stumbled into the house, his pink backpack slung over his shoulders.
"mama!" luke sobbed, crying into his hands.
"dad!" luke screamed.
"luke?!" they both asked as they came to the door to find luke a crying mess. his pink tshirt had tear pools on it, and his short black skirt was crooked.
"i was wa-"
"why are you home so late?"
"i- i was r-aped.." luke sobbed, his knees shaking.
"i told you that you shouldn't have worn that!" his mom said, and luke looked up at her.
"luke, this has to stop. you need to stop wearing this stuff." his dad sighed.
"it wasn't my fault-"
"you asked for it!"
luke wiped his eyes furiously, and left the house. he didn't come back even as they shouted for him.
he ran to michael's house. it was only about a block away. he needs his boyfriend.
he needs someone to hold him.
luke quickly knocked on the front door, and impatiently waited. as the door slowly opened.
"hey bunny- luke, what's wrong?"
luke smiled a little through his tears when michael called him bunny. it reminded him of when michael used to help luke zip his little stuffed bunny in his backpack before school.
"can we go upstairs?" luke asked.
"yeah, of course. come on in."
luke walked up the stairs before michael, and quickly made his way to the older boys room.
michael shut the door behind him, and looked over at luke who was changing into one of his big sweatshirts.
"you look beautiful." michael whispered as he sat on the bed.
luke shook his head, and turned around, walking over, and sitting on michael's lap.
"what's going on?" michael asked gently.
"do you like it when i wear skirts?" luke's asked.
"of course i do." michael whispered, and luke nodded.
"why did you ask?" michael said softly.
luke's face turned down again, and another tear fell from his eye.
"i was walking home from school, and two guys put me in a car and- it hurt really bad, michael.." he cried.
"baby, come on. i don't want to assume the worst. please tell me you weren't gonna say what i'm thinking."
"they r-r-aped me." luke sobbed, and he could feel michael's grip on his waist get tighter.
"baby, i know you wouldn't joke about that, but please tell me this isn't real." michael begged with tears in his eyes.
luke shook his head, and hid his face in his hands.
"it's my fault. you should've seen what i was wearing. i-"
"luke, i don't care what you were wearing! this will never be your fault." michael said, and sniffled.
"but they didn't even have to take my skirt off. it was like- it was like i just invited them to-"
"stop it." michael cried, and luke looked up at him. "this is not your fault. you could walk down the street naked, and it still wouldn't be your fault!"
"but-"
"but nothing. those men touched you like that because they allowed them self to. you did not ask for it, and your clothes did not give them permission to harass you!"
"you're crying." luke whispered, seeing tears fall from michael's eyes. he reached out and touched michael's cheek.
"why wouldn't i? you don't deserve this, luke. you're so beautiful, and nobody should touch you like that." michael whispered. "if i had just 10 seconds with those 2 guys, i would kill them both."
luke's face fell, and he started crying harder than he was before.
"luke?" michael asked.
"my parents said it was all my fault."
michael held onto luke's waist and laid his head on a pillow. he laid his body on top of luke's, enveloping the younger boy in his warmth.
luke turned his head to the side, and saw michael's face that was only a few inches away.
"you didn't do anything wrong, and i want you to keep wearing those pretty skirts confidently. you are not an object for them, luke. victims are not provokers. your clothes are not an invitation. if some sick person has the chance, they're going to take advantage of someone no matter what they wear. you are so beautiful, and this will never be your fault."
"thank you.." luke whispered, his hand on michael's face.
"i'm here for you, luke. i can't imagine how you must feel, but i know it's not easy for you. i'm here."
"i love you.." luke whimpered, and michael wiped underneath luke's eye.
"i love you."
