"michael, i'm scared." luke whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed.
michael glanced over to him after he slipped his shirt on, and poured a little.
"don't be scared, luke." michael whispered, and kissed luke's forehead.
"she's going to be here in ten minutes and i don't even know why i'm gonna wear! she's gonna hate me, and then you're gonna break up with me, and-"
"hey, shh.." michael whispered, and kneeled down in front of luke.
"i'm not leaving you. i'm not going anywhere because i know my daughter is going to love you just as much as i do." michael said, and luke smiled a little, nodding softly.
"i'm just nervous. this is kind of a big deal to me." luke whispered, playing with michael's hand.
"i know. it's a huge deal to me. i've always been very hesitant to show ariel anybody i'm dating because i don't want her to get attached, and then they just leave, you know?"
"but your showing me." luke whispered.
"because i'm in love with you." michael said, making luke smile. "and i really hope you're not going anywhere either.."
"i'm not." luke giggled.
michael stood up, and hugged luke, holding the back of his neck.
"thank you, luke. i know it's not easy to be dating a single parent sometimes, and thank you for always helping me and understanding. i don't know what i would do without you." michael whispered.
"i love you, mikey." luke whispered.
-
luke rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans as he saw the front door open.
toys fell into the doorway before luke could even see the mop of red curls.
he stood nervously a few feet away as michael hugged the little girl tightly.
"i have somebody i want you to see, okay?"
luke smiled when the little girl turned to him. she looked just as beautiful as she did in the hundreds of pictures michael showed him.
"who is he?" she asked, and michael walked over to him, holding his hand.
"this is luke. dad loves him very much, and since luke is gonna be around for quite a while i thought-"
"just like mom was? cause remember she left?" the six year old asked, and michael's face fell a little.
"baby, luke is gonna stay, okay?"
"for how long though?" she asked.
"well, i'm hoping-"
"you're hoping. he's not gonna stay forever," she whispered.
"ariel, where is this coming from?"
"i liked it when it was just us! we don't need three people. i don't want him here."
luke watched, completely heartbroken as the little girl stomped to her room. he didn't even get to say one word to her before she already hated him.
"michael.." luke whimpered.
michael glanced over and saw little tears in luke's eye.
michael was completely surprised by her reaction.
"baby- i- i don't know what to say." michael whispered.
"go talk to her. she's hurting too and i know it. go.." luke whispered, and michael nodded, squeezing luke's hand before walking towards his daughters room.
michael slowly opened the door and saw her playing with her stuffed animals on the floor.
"babygirl, what's wrong?"
"i don't like him."
"why not?" michael asked, concerned.
"because he's not mom!" she yelled, and looked over at michael.
michael sighed, and looked down at her. he knows it was hard for her to see michael's boyfriend when her mom had left just three years back. he thought she was ready though. she never asked about her mom anymore.
"he's not mom, but he's luke. he's my best friend, and i love him almost as much as i love you, okay?" michael said, making her smile a little bit.
"is he gonna have to be my step-dad one day?" she asked.
"i want to marry him one day, but you do not have to call him anything if you don't want. that is up to you, baby." michael told her, and laid down on the floor.
she laid her head on his stomach and felt michael's hand play with her hair.
"he's not gonna like me."
"he was so excited to meet you, ariel. he already likes you. i tell him about you all of the time. every single day he asks how you're doing because he cares about you." michael whispered.
he didn't want to force his daughter to like luke, but he wanted her to know that he cares about her so much.
"i'm sorry if you didn't want to see luke today, but i thought you were ready. i'm sorry for making you upset." michael whispered.
"do you think he will play princess with me?" she asked.
"he would build you a castle if you asked for it. of course he would play," michael laughed, and she smiled.
he watched as she stood up, and ran out of the door.
michael slowly followed behind and waited by the door of the kitchen when he saw ariel sitting on a bar stool next to luke.
"my dad said you will play princess with me." she said, making michael laugh a little.
"of course i will! that's my favorite thing to do." luke said, making her smile widely.
"well, i don't have any tiaras, but we can pretend right?" she asked, and luke stood up.
"you know..." he said, and grabbed a box wrapped in pink. "...your dad told me all about how much you love princesses, and i thought that maybe it's time for his princess to get a finishing touch."
he watched as the little girl stood up, and opened the box.
she couldn't see over the counter, so luke had to reach into the box, and pull out the item.
he kneeled down, and she smiled at the silver and pink tiara in his hands.
"i think every princess deserves her tiara." luke said, sliding the headpiece into her hair.
she smiled bigger than michael had ever seen before as she leaped onto luke, hugging him tightly.
luke was still on his knee as he held the little girl, closing his eyes and smiling.
"i like this one, dad." she said, and michael smiled, walking closer.
"i like him too." michael said as they pulled back from the hug.
"why don't you go find a pretty dress to match your crown, and i'll be up there to play in just a few minutes?" luke asked, and she nodded, kissing his cheek quickly before running towards her room.
luke stood up quickly, and hugged michael. "she likes me." he giggled as michael spun him around.
michael sat luke back down on the ground and held him tightly.
"i think i just fell a little bit more in love with you, luke hemmings."
