if i believe you ✓

→ FORTY-TWO

THEY'RE PLUGGING IN MICHAEL'S and Luke's guitars for the pre-show soundcheck when Cole walks back through the door.

Ashton is the first one to notice, and he wastes no time in throwing the boy up against the wall. Michael is trying his hardest to restrain him from doing any serious damage, but the sheer fury in Ashton's eyes shows Cole he'd be dead if Michael wasn't here.

"How dare you show up here." Michael says in a low tone, still gripping Ashton's shirt tightly. "Trust me, if I was so terrified of being arrested for assault, you'd be dead right now."

Luke re-enters the room from the opposite door and stops dead in his tracks - Cole can see the fight leave his eyes straight away.

"No, no, please, Cole, I don't want to see you right now. After the concert. For the love of God, please just go." He's already close to crying again, and Calum tenses immediately.

"Why?" Cole laughs humorlessly. "Why are you acting like you're the most important person in the world, Luke? For fuck's sake, we're married, so get your shit together!"

Luke starts to shake visibly, and collapses back against the wall. After all, he was pretending like he didn't know this would have a chance of happening - hell, he was so sure it was going to happen - but here he is, watching the only relationship that ever had a chance of lasting fall to shreds in front of his eyes.

"I-I-I..." Luke coughs and inhales, before he just forces it out. "I saw you kissing someone else in the bar last night and I can't deal with people cheating on me again, I can't, I can't, I can't do it."

Cole laughs again and Luke slides down the wall to the floor, sobbing imperceptibly. Michael is straight there, his arms around the smaller boy, and Calum just stands still and stares.

"Goddamn it, Luke, you really did put two and two together and get five, didn't you?" His voice is softer now, and he seems to be crying as well as Luke. It seems genuine - the four of them can tell that much.

Luke goes quiet, and looks up from the floor to the face of his husband. "W-What?"

"That guy made a move on me and I told him not to. There was almost a fight." Cole half-smiles, moving closer to the doorframe. "I-I wasn't cheating on you, I swear to God, why would I do that when all I want is you?"