5sos boyxboy oneshots

the space between a rock and a hard place (catch 22) - muke

"i mean, it's kind of your own fault," calum said, "you're letting him lead you on and you know it,"

"he's not leading me on," michael interjected, "it's just bad timing,"

calum scoffed, glacing out the window of the small coffee shop with some tea in his hand.

"it is!" michael defended.

"hey, i never said anything," calum chuckled, raising his hands.

michael shook his head as he tapped his fingers rhythmically on the hard wood table and glanced aimlessly around the near-empty shop, listening to the quiet tune on the speaker.

the situation with him and luke was rather difficult. it wasn't an unordinary situation - it's actually rather common, but neither boys knew what to do about it.

it was simple: they both liked each other, yet michael wanted a relationship and luke didn't. luke didn't want to lead michael on, but michael didn't mind being led on, as long as he gets a night with luke. it was a lose-lose situation; somebody was always unhappy.

"what even is his problem, anyway?" calum asked, snapping michael back into reality.

"he's just not ready for a relationship," michael shrugged.

"and you're fine with that?"

michael nodded.

calum sighed, looking away again. michael narrowed his eyes at him accusingly, "what?"

"nothing," he put down his mug of tea, "i just don't get how you're fine with him using you,"

"he's not using me," michael snapped.

"he calls you when he's lonely, when he can't sleep. you're just his temporary fix,"

"and i'm fine with it,"

calum decided to drop the conversation, because it was clear that he wouldn't be getting through to michael anytime soon.

~~~~~

later that same day, michael arrived at luke's house in the latter evening, hoping for either a night with just the two of them or just to hang out, platonically or not so platonically.

luke opened the door, peering out into the hallway, "michael?

"hey luke," michael gleamed.

"what are you doing here?" luke asked.

"just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out," he shrugged, "or something,"

"mikey, you know how i feel about this," luke sighed.

"i never said i was here to have sex with you,"

luke sighed again, and stepped to the side so that michael could pass by. michael smiled victoriously as he wondered into the familiar apartment and stopped in the middle of the room, turning back around to face luke.

luke was wearing his casual attire: just a relaxed light grey t-shirt and baggy, dark grey joggers with his hair flat on his head like a mop of blond waves.

michael on the other hand, was wearing skinny jeans and a graphic t-shirt with a leather jacket over it, and his hair straightened right onto his forehead in a white fringe.

"anything in mind?" luke asked, evidently tired, but too polite to turn michael away.

michael however noticed that luke didn't seem up for the company, and frowned.

"y'know, i can go if you want," michael said.

"no, it's okay-"

"you could have turned me away. i wouldn't have minded,"

"no mikey, i don't mind you being here. i'm a bit tired, sure, but it's fine,"

michael's previously giddy mood slowly faded away as his mind was being preoccupied with other thoughts.

"do you ever really want me here, luke?"

luke furrowed his eyebrows, "what? of course-"

"then how come, whenever i bring up the two of us romantically, you push it aside?"

luke sighed as he looked down at the floor, then back at michael, "we've talked about this,"

"have we?" michael asked, stepping forward, "because i don't think you constantly turning me down without a reason is us talking about it,"

"i told you my reason. i'm not ready for a relationship,"

"i like you. do you like me?" michael asked.

"really, mikey?" luke questioned.

"do you?"

"you know i do, but it's beside the point,"

"do you trust me?"

"of course,"

"then if you like me, and if you trust me, then you should know that this could-be relationship would never turn out like it did with him,"

"it's not just that, mikey, i'm too emotionally drained to get started with anybody else,"

"it can go slow, luke. please, just give us a shot. i'm tired of waiting,"

"i can't. not yet,"

"luke hemmings, you are one big catch-22,"

"i'm a what?"

"there is no winning with us. someone's always unhappy,"

luke didn't respond, and instead he slowly opened the front door again.

"maybe... maybe tonight's not the night. you should go,"

"yesterday wasn't the night. tonight isn't the night. tomorrow won't be the night. when will it be the night, luke?"

"i don't know,"

"i don't want to live my life with all this uncertainty,"

"what are you saying?"

"maybe i should go, and maybe i shouldn't come back,"

"michael-"

"we've known each other for weeks, luke. how much longer will this take?"

"i don't know,"

"then i don't know why i'm still here,"

michael took luke's advice, and headed straight out of the open door. he slammed it behind him, and never went back in, despite luke's obsessive watching and waiting.

damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. maybe it was best to just let him go. maybe they're better off alone.