vegas ➳ muke

seven

First thing in the morning, Michael eased himself out of bed, being careful not to wake Luke. He padded across the floor to his suitcase and removed a small orange bottle. Looking down at his bare torso, he frowned. Thoroughly unpleased with what he saw.

He was too fat. His hips were too wide, his stomach too round.

He hated himself.

"I can see you, Michael," Luke muttered, sitting upright on the bed.

Michael swallowed two of the pills, turning to face Luke, tears welled in his eyes.

"Come here," Luke cooed, opening his arms for the crying boy.

Michael sulked back across the room, collapsing into Luke's waiting arms.

"We accept the love we think we deserve, Luke. And I am as undeserving of your love as one could get."

Luke kissed the crying boy's forehead, whispering sweet nothings into his hair, which was still rumpled from sleep.

Luke hated that Michael took the pills. He could blantly remember the day Michael discovered them in the pharmacy.

"These help with weight loss, Luke! I have to have them!"

And so it started.

Things were okay at first. Michael followed the directions and obeyed the warning labels. Being sure to eat balanced meals and never take the pills on an empty stomach. But Michael didn't see progress. So, he ignored the labels. He stopped eating almost entirely and when he did eat, he would gag himself until he vomited. Michael felt that if he kept taking the pills, he would see progress. But he never did.

And he became addicted.

Every morning he would swallow a pill first thing. Eventually, he started taking two. No matter how sick he felt, he could never come to terms that it was the pills making him feel that way.

"Michael, there are a lot of things I love in life," Luke started, "I love the smell of the air after a good rain and watching the rainbow appear out of the clouds. I love getting wasted and sleeping until three. And spending my waking hours snuggled up with you. I love seeing you smile because there is nothing more perfect..."

Luke pressed a gentle kiss to Michael's forehead, using the pads of his thumbs to wipe away his tears.

"And most importantly, I love you."

Michael offered a sad smile, leaning in to Luke, hugging his own body close.

"You are so beautiful, Michael. I love everything about you."

Michael curled against Luke as the taller boy lay back, draping the duvet over their naked bodies.

"So beautiful. So perfect."

The pair lay there together in perfect silence. Michael crying and Luke kissing away his tears.

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I had expected the last chapter to be a filler, but it turned out to be more important than I planned.

THIS is the filler chapter. But its fluff and gives away Michael's addiction.

BIG things are coming.

Any guesses?