Tribulation»Muke AU

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A/N: Do you guys like 3rd POV or one of the boy's POV better? I'm very indecisive.

~
Michael hopes that Ashton still lives in the same place he used to, because somehow he finds himself standing at his door. He's not sure what compelled him to talk to Ashton, but somehow he dragged his extremely hung over self out of bed and into public. Luckily, he doesn't have to work until 6:00.
Michael takes a deep breath and knocks on the door, wincing at the loud noise. Ashton opens the door a few seconds later, wearing a surprised face.
"Michael?"
"Ash, I need your help." Michael says, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"Uh, yeah come on in." Ashton says, opening the door wider and putting on a brilliant smile. Michael gives him a smile in return but drops it when his face is out of view. Michael sprawls onto the couch and Ashton sits on the armrest.
"So what's up?" Ashton asks curiously. Michael slides his sunglasses down his nose, without taking them off, and looks at Ashton.
"I am having boy problems." He says, sliding his sunglasses back up the bridge of his nose. Ashton's face was priceless.
"Boy problems? Since when we're you gay?" He exclaims.
"Well, I'm not. I'm bi." Michael shrugs.
"Oh. Well what's going on then?" Ashton asks, sliding off the armrest to sit on the couch.
"So there's this guy, my neighbour actually. His name is Luke."

~

After telling Ashton everything that happened with Luke, minus whatever happened last night because he cannot remember for the life of him, he sits and thinks for a moment. Michael is aware that some of the things he knows aren't his secrets to tell, but he tells Ashton anyways. He told him about Thomas and about when he found Luke after Thomas was finished with him, about how they kissed and how Michael remembers being at Luke's door last night but he doesn't remember if he went in. Michael worries about how much he trusts Ashton already, even after what he did years ago. Old habits, he guesses.
"Well, it sounds to me that Luke likes you back. But what's the problem here? I mean, just ask him out and if he says no, try again later." Ashton suggests. Michael sighs.
"I wish it was that simple. I mean, I guess I could do that but I'm terrified. I've never had so many feelings toward someone before. I'm not used to feeling anything. And what if he says no? I'd be too scared to ever ask him again. Not to mention he has social anxiety, I don't want him to feel nervous around me. I don't want to force him into anything. And he was raped, he probably has a lot of self-worth issues and trust issues and I don't think I'm the right person to try and help him-" Ashton cuts off Michael's rant and puts his hands on Michael's shoulders.
"I can see that you really like this boy. Listen, what you need to do is calm the fuck down, man the fuck up, and ask him the fuck out." Ashton says with a big smile on his face. Michael can't help but smile back, a real smile, one that he couldn't hold back.
"Okay. I will." So Michael leaves. When he gets back to his apartment he texts Luke.

<To: Lucifer
Yo, want to come over and watch a movie or something?>

Michael reads it over a few times before hitting send. Luke replies a few minutes later.

<To: Michael🌚
Yeah, sure>

Luke knocks on the door a few times before opening it, so Michael knows he's there.
"Hey." Michael says, hoping Luke can't hear the nervousness in his voice.
"Hi." Luke says, sitting on the couch next to Michael. Michael admires Luke for a moment, taking in his outfit. Ripped skinny jeans and a band shirt. The usual.
"So, what should we watch?" Michael asks. Luke shrugs.
"I don't know, what do you want to watch?"
"I don't know."
Luke chuckles, and Michael cracks a smile.
"Okay, we are great decision makers. How about..." Michael trails off as he stands up and browses his stack of movies. "Oh! How about Batman Returns?"
Luke's face brightens.
"Yes! The old Batman movies are way better, Michael Keaton makes the best Batman." Luke says excitedly.
"I know right? The Penguin totally freaks me out though." Michael says, smiling. "Hey, wanna go get some beers from the fridge while I set this up?"
Luke nods and get's up. After he gets two beers from the fridge, he notices a piece of paper on the counter with his name on the top. Curious, he steps closer to it to take a look. It says: