Like Love

Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is a story heavily inspired by the Larry fanfiction, "got the Sunshine on my shoulders" by hattalove on AO3, the movie "Sweet Home Alabama" and the BL novel "Like Love, but not" by Orange Rain.

It was raining.

It was raining in sunny Los Angeles with no sunshine in sight and all Lucas wanted to do is to turn back, hail a cab, and forget that seven years ago did not exist and that everything is fine and dandy. It felt like even the weather is mocking him by bringing rain on the day of his flight.

"Fcking weather." He murmured in annoyance to himself, as he continued to walk towards the line of people waiting to get inside the plane flying to London.

Shuddering despite the thickness of his coat, he took a hold of his ringing phone and without a glance to who's calling, grumbled his answer. "Yes?"

"Lucas! I've already booked a car rental for you. All you need to do is flashed your charming smile and your ID and you're good to go. And then you can finally have a nice, boring tea with your husband." His PA's cheery voice greeted him on the other side, his annoyance spiking at the sunshine spilling in his voice. He want's to scream at Michael, to tell him to stop being so fcking happy when all he wanted to do is to turn back and to forget that he has a life seven years ago. A life that he despised with all his being.

"Stop being so happy Michael." he grumbled, flashing a smile to the security officer asking for his passport. "I'm not going there to have a nice, long chat with that bastard, but I'll only be there to shove the divorce papers in front of his face."

Lucas can hear the deep breath Michael took, perfectly imagining the frown plastered in his face. "Stop being such a jerk and maybe, maybe your husband-"

"Ex-husband." Lucas interrupts, his eyes squinting at the word husband. He was never his husband. That bastard who locked his future and made him think that all he needed in his life was a boring town and a boring future was never his husband. "He was never my husband."

"You say that, but the marriage contract say's otherwise."

"Only in the papers, but never in my heart." He answered while trying to adjust his satchel and the small carry on he was carrying on his other hand. He did not pack much clothes, knowing fully well that he'll only need a short time to have that signature he has wanted for the past seven years. He'll be getting it or so help him God, he'll punch that bastard on his face. "Besides, I was young and naive, and stupid back then. You can even say I was brainwashed."

Michael scoffed. "You? The great attorney Vergara, brainwashed? I'll first believe that pigs can finally fly than to have you make me believe that you were brainwashed to marry him."

Entering the plane, Lucas can't help but roll his eyes at the disbelief he can hear on his PA's voice. "You do know that I'm paying you to believe that whatever I say is the truth, correct?"

"That was not on my job description. My job description is making sure you have enough coffee and that you stay sane for the whole week."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, the plane's about to take off." Lucas answered while trying to arrange his small luggage on the overhead bin. "I'll call you when I finally arrive on London."

"Got it. Stay safe and make sure to have some sleep. You don't want your future "ex-husband" to see you looking like a double dead zombie, right?"

Scoffing to what Michael said, Lucas finally said goodbye and made himself comfortable to his seat as much as he can. There was already a painful throbbing in his temple, a tell-tale sign of an incoming headache. Closing his eyes, he can't help but sigh in dread and annoyance as flashbacks and more unwanted memories started to worm its way on his head. He hates this. He hates the fact that he needed to travel 9 hours just to get his husband's signature for a divorce. He hates the fact that he'll see that little town which has hindered his growth. He hates the weather he knew he'll be facing soon.

And most importantly, he hates the fact that after seven years, he'll be seeing again the face of the person who made him think that living in that small town while being married to him is all he need.

Closing his eyes, he tried to dispel every memory of that little town and that person's face, while ignoring the tightening on his chest. 9 hours from now, he'll finally be free and that's all he need.

xx

9 hours later and all Lucas wanted is to collapsed on his bed and pretend that he does not exist. The painful throbbing that he has felt before the plane took off has blown into a full headache. He was hungry but he's pretty sure that whatever food he'll be placing inside his stomach will end up in a bin, being vomited out. He felt pathetic. He felt nervous, and he still needed to drive a few kilometers towards Holmes Chapel in Cheshire.

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Lucas almost wanted to throw up. The reality that he'll finally be meeting the man that he has avoided for seven years has finally crashed down on him. This was no longer the past where all he did was sent divorce papers waiting for it being returned with a missing signature. He'll finally be facing him, face to face, and all he felt was dread.

And anger.

Dragging his feet towards outside the airport, he took a hold of his phone, reading the details that Michael has sent to him about his rental car. It was a black Toyota Prius, inconspicuous enough for a lawyer like him whose name constantly made into headlines. No one would actually think that the one driving behind the wheels of a Prius is the brilliant attorney Vergara engaged to famous actor and darling of Hollywood, Marcus Lusk.

Upon remembering his fiancee, Lucas can't stop himself from smiling like a sap. He missed his fiancee's small body perfect for hugging and that gorgeous green eyes that he finds himself drowning every time he sees it. If there was one thing that he knows will be fruitful upon returning to the past he hated with all his being was the idea that he'll finally be free; free to marry the man that he love and finally be free from the shackles of the past no one knows but him. And Michael.

"God, all the things I do for love. " Lucas mumbles dryly, his left hand trying to massage his aching temple. He badly wanted to eat, the grumbling of his stomach a sign that it has been 12 hours since he last ate, but the desire to throw up was still there.

Upon arriving outside of the busy airport, Lucas felt raindrops on his head. Moving his head upwards facing the darkened sky, the heavy feeling in his chest continues to turn heavier as minutes ticked by.