All These Years (Muke/Cashton)

Ch. 15 - Nobody Knows

*Luke's P.O.V*

"Nobody knows

Nobody knows but me

That I sometimes cry" I hear Michael's voice sing along softly to 'Nobody Knows' by P!nk, which he has playing through the speakers of our iPod dock. His voice is shaky, as if he's upset.

"If I could pretend that I'm asleep

When my tears start to fall

I peek out from behind these walls

I think nobody knows

Nobody knows, no" It hurts me, knowing why he's listening to this, why he sounds upset. He thinks nobody knows. But I know.

I hold my breath momentarily as I open the door quietly. Not quietly enough though, obviously, because when I look up at Michael trough the half open door, he's already looking at me.

It takes me a moment to notice his tear-stained face, because he had plastered on a fake smile that, for a second, fooled me.

"Mike" I say softly, walking inside the room and closing the door. "Are you okay?" I ask, mentally slapping myself for asking such a stupid question question. Michael blinks his eyes a few times, in attempt to rid them of any tears, but it looks like it just helps more to form.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed, so I walk over and sit down beside him. "Mike" I sigh, pulling him into my arms.

"It's just a song" he sniffs. As if, stop lying to me.

"I heard you last night" I say calmly.

"You- wait, you what?" He stutters.

"I heard you crying, after you snuck out of bed" I tell him, he opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off. "I was going to ask if you were okay when you walked back in the room, but you snuggled up to me and went to sleep as if nothing was wrong" I explain.

"I-I thought you were asleep" he admits. I shake my head slowly.

"So, why were you crying?" I ask, even though I feel like I already knew the answer.

"It's just.. I'm worried about Ashton" he tells me.

"What else, baby?" I ask softly. "I know that's not all that was wrong" I tell him.

"I was just tired and emotional" he laughs. His laugh quickly dies. "I guess all my insecurities and all the hate I get sent were just building up.. And then worrying about Ashton just set me off" he sighs.

"Right, well next time" I say, making him look up at me curiously, waiting to see what I was going to say. "Next time, you wake me up and you tell me what is wrong. Got it? I don't want you hurting when I can't help you" I tell him sternly.

"Okay" he mumbles, nodding his head. "I promise" he whispers. I kiss him gently on the top of his head.

"I love you, Mikey" I whisper.

"And I love you, Luke" Michael whispers against my chest.

*Calum's P.O.V*

I tried to avoid it, but Ashton forced me to tell him about my nightmare. He couldn't believe, even if it was just a dream, that I thought he would blame me if that, extremely bizarre, event were to happen in real life.

Anyway, we shook it off and carried on with our day.

We had a crazy morning. The kids wanted to bake, so we did.