Reality || L.H.

Chapter 27

Michael is sitting on the floor, back against the door, when we walk up to our apartment. He gets to his feet when he sees us, a smile lighting up his face.

Calum grins as he goes over to his friend and messes up his hair. "Look at you, Mikey, you're here early for something. It's a miracle."

"Oh shut up, dickweed," Michael says with a slight scowl as he ducks away from Calum's hand, desperately fixing his hair. "I'm too nervous to sit still so I walked here. Tonight's the night where I'm gonna ask Liv to be my girlfriend."

"You haven't done that already?" Luke says, still shivering. I run a hand up and down his arm, trying to warm him up, frowning in concern. He leans into me, resting his head on the top of mine.

Michael blushes as I step forward to unlock the apartment. "I chickened out every time. Maybe with you all here, I won't."

I smile at him as I open the door, letting everyone come in. Tossing my keys onto the counter, I start to lead Luke down the hallway. He clings tightly to me as he shudders. His hands are really cold.

"You two can make yourself comfortable," I call over my shoulder to Calum and Michael. "Just don't eat all the food. I'm gonna help Luke for a second, I'll be right back."

I carefully help Luke take a seat on the closed lid of the toilet, turning on the shower to its hottest setting. His fingers are too numb to unzip his coat so I reach over and do it for him. Blue eyes lock with mine and I almost forget to breathe.

"Do you need any help or do you want me to go back to Calum and Michael?" I murmur as I set his coat on the counter.

A sly smile crosses his face as he slips a hand under my chin, bringing my face down to his so our noses brush. "Showering can be dangerous - maybe you should do it with me just to be safe."

My breath hitches in my throat. "Well, when you put it like that, I probably should. Calum and Michael can handle themselves, they're big boys."

Luke grins up at me as he stretches up the last inch and presses his lips to mine. As gently as I can, I kick the bathroom door shut, falling into him as I slide my fingers through his hair. His lips are like ice, his lip ring even colder, but I don't mind. I pull his shirt up over his head, setting it on the counter behind me as I run a hand over his stomach. He shudders as he clutches me closer and leaves the sweater Mali gave me on the floor.

His arms are cold around me as we stumble into the shower, the hot water falling down on us. I lock my arms behind his head as I stretch up onto my tiptoes to kiss him, his back pressed against the wall. Luke's hand cups my cheek as he slides his tongue into my mouth.

"Hey, Kat?" Calum's voice calls through the door as he knocks on it. "I'm hungry. What can I eat?"

I break away from Luke, trying not to feel annoyed. Luke bites his lip, making a pouty face at me. "There's mac and cheese in the pantry you can make!" I tell Calum, just wishing that he would go away. I love Cal, but I just want to get back to Luke.

"You know I can't cook!" Calum whines. "Can you make it for me?" he pleads.

"Calum, I think they're fucking in the shower!" Michael says a bit too loudly. Talking to me now, he shouts, "Kat, could you please stop fucking Luke in the shower and come make us mac and cheese? We're really hungry. I might eat Calum if I have to wait much longer."

I hear the sound of Calum smacking Michael. "Bitch, what you talking about, I'm gonna eat you first!"

I sigh heavily as I step out of Luke's arms. He gives me puppy dog eyes, catching at my hand. "Please stay," he murmurs as he pulls me back to him, his breath warm in my ear.

Shivering, I kiss him slowly, drawing it out. But I can't stay for long. "I have to go make them food before they eat each other," I say apologetically as I step out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around myself, I pull back on my clothes, squeezing the water out of my hair.

Luke pokes his head out from around the shower curtain, pouting. "Kaaaatttt," he whines.

"Luuukkkee," I say with a smile, mimicking him. "I have to go. I'll bring back warm clothes for you," I add as I lean in to kiss him one last time.

He frowns as I pull away but reluctantly turns back to the shower to wash his hair. I shake the last bits of water from my hair as I walk across the hallway to our room, going through the closet. I pick out gray sweatpants and his favorite sweatshirt, grinning as I grab the fuzzy socks Ben bought him as a joke a year ago. He's probably too cold to care about how pink and fuzzy they are.

I let myself back into the bathroom, setting the clothes down gently on the counter. Over the sound of the water, I can just barely hear Luke singing to himself under his breath. I pause for a second to listen, smiling softly.

Calum and Michael are in the living room, sitting close together on the couch as they each let the other nibble on their fingers.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I exclaim, laughing.

"We told you we were hungry!" Calum says as he jumps onto his knees on the sofa, bouncing up and down like a three year old.

Shaking my head, I say with a smile, "Well, stop eating each other. I'll make you mac and cheese if you're really starving."

"Yay!!" Michael jumps onto Calum, causing the other boy to scowl at him as he tries to move away. "Did you have fun with Luke in the bathroom?" Mikey asks with a smirk, winking at me.

I blush furiously as I head towards the pantry. I stretch up onto my toes to get down two boxes of mac and cheese, setting water on the stove to boil. "Why don't you guys pick a movie while we wait for everyone else?" I say, avoiding the question completely.

Calum eagerly reaches for the remote, leaning against Michael as he scrolls through the movie options.

"We are not watching Mean Girls, I don't care how much Luke begs," Michael says firmly. "I am not sitting through another Pink Wednesday today."

I laugh under my breath as I pour the noodles in the pot.