"wait! wait! are you sure?"
"yes!..." karen laughed, pushing luke's hair to the side. "...michael will think you're pretty no matter what, luke."
luke blushed a little, and smiled.
"but what if- i don't know. what if he likes my hair better a different way? or maybe i should put the blue shirt on-" luke said, and karen shook her head.
"you think too much."
"i know. i just- i want him to want me again, you know?" luke said softly.
"i know, sweetheart, but the color of your shirt isn't gonna make him trust you anymore." she said, and luke shrugged.
"hey. you never know." luke said, and she shook her head in amusement, pulling over her makeup bag.
"make me look pretty!" luke squealed, and karen laughed.
"you know i don't think you need any of this-"
"but i also know that you would do anything i asked, right?" luke giggled.
"anything for my luke." she said, and luke smiled as she used powder on his face to make him more matte.
he sat contently as she did his eyebrows, cleaning them up around the edges, and putting clear mascara on his eyelashes.
"michael is gonna think you look beautiful." karen said, and luke stood up, looking at the full length mirror.
he had on a pair of black jeans and a plain, black t-shirt. there was nothing special about his outfit, but he made it look so beautiful.
"thanks, mama c." luke said quietly, and she hugged his side.
luke laid his head on top of hers, and sighed.
"if i could see into the future while i was in perth, i would've never done any of the bad stuff. if i had known carson was involved at all, i wouldn't have done any of it. i just wanted to get home to see michael." luke said quietly.
karen nodded, and rubbed luke's arm.
"i know. you made some bad choices, but your intentions weren't harmful. it's all gonna be okay."
-
"luke!" carson squealed from the living room as luke threw the little boy over his shoulder, spinning him around. karen and michael stood in the kitchen, occasionally glancing in at the two.
karen walked over to michael, and they both looked into the living room. she leaned on his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around hers.
"have you ever seen luke so in love with somebody?" karen whispered, and michael shrugged.
"have you?"
"yeah. i've seen luke be so completely in love with two people. you and carson." she said softly.
"dad!" carson squealed, and ran over to the older boy, grabbing his hand.
"what?" michael laughed, and carson bounced up and down gently.
"can i please have a sleepover with luke tonight?! he said i had to ask you!" he said, and michael smiled a little.
"buddy, listen-"
"you have work tomorrow! please? i would have to come over anyway!" carson begged, and michael glanced back into the living room to see luke cleaning up some of carson's toys.
"we will see. let me talk to luke, alright?" michael said, and carson nodded.
michael walked into the living room, and luke looked up. michael nodded for luke to follow him, and the younger boy did just that, following him upstairs to the room luke basically claimed as his own even though it was michael's first.
michael shut the door and luke stood nervous, waiting for michael to speak.
"tell me how you're doing." michael whispered, walking over to him, picking his arm up. he unintentionally ran his thumb over luke's scar, and somehow luke was very comfortable with it.
"what?" luke whispered, looking up at michael.
"i still want to check on you. how is your heart?" michael whispered, and luke furrowed his eyebrows.
"why do you ask?" luke whispered.
"because i care about you."
luke shrugged, and picked up michael's hand, playing with it as he looked down.
"it hurts a lot, but then i remember it's just temporary, right?" luke whispered, looking up gently.
"yeah..." michael whispered, and brought his hand up, his thumb running over the skin by the corner of luke's eye. "...you've been crying a lot though."
luke looked down, but michael brought his face back up, looking at the blisters luke had beside his eyes from crying and wiping his eyes so much.
"it's nothing- i just-"
"it is something." michael whispered, feeling guilty, but also knowing he had to trust luke again.
"it'll be okay. i won't cry tonight..." luke whispered, and michael furrowed his eyebrows. "...carson will be here. it'll almost feel okay again even if it's just for a little bit."
