9. Showing Off Our Teeth

                                    

                                          
•・The Beach・•
                          
Shit.
                          
Michael thought as he backed away quickly from the doorway. He stumbled into Luke's room and closed the door. Luke was siting on his bed typing away on his laptop.
                          
"Luke," Michael whisper yelled. Luke looked up. Michael's face was pale and he was breathing hard. Luke placed his laptop on the nightstand.
                          
"What's wrong, babe?" Luke asked in concern while patting the spot next to him. Michael's train of though was interrupted.
                          
Babe?
                          
BABE? 
                          
BABE?
                          
Michael was about to address what Luke said when he heard what sounded like Calum saying, "Shit."
Michael's breath hitched in his throat.
                          
"Luke, Calum and Ashton are making out," Michael breathed out his nostrils flaring. Michael had closed the door and leaned back on it. His arms spread out and palms open against the door.
                          
Luke looked a little more than stunned. His mouth was hanging open, cobalt blue eyes wide like saucers, and his body was stiff.

                          
"Wha...NO, really? But like... Them like we do sometimes? No, well I mean I could see it but, nah," Luke babbled. Michael just shook his head. 
                          
"I know what I saw," Michael stated going over to sit next to Luke. 
                          
The bed was unmade and messy. Luke's midnight black covers wrinkled. Luke laid down his head was resting on one of the two pillows on the bed. Michael laid down next to Luke.
                          
There they where side by side, not touching, just breathing and listening. The silence seemed to scream at them. Maybe something was wrong? Maybe something was right? Maybe something was so wrong it was right?
                          
Michael could feel the heat radiating off of Luke's soft skin. Every cell in his body tingled. It wasn't an excited kind of tingle that makes you giddy and nervous. No, it was a tingle that simmers down into your bones and leaves you felling safe.
                          
And boy, did Michael feel safe. Luke was just so special. There wasn't really more to say. Not that understanding is difficult. 
                          
Imagine that one person you love. A parent, a sibling, a friend, etc. Now imagine how you feel when they tell you they love you. 
                          
You know that fuzzy feeling you get all over? Kinda like being cozy under a blanket during a cold rainy day? Yeah, that's how Michael feels. He feels content and warm and just so at peace.
                          
Luke felt the same simmering in his bones. He felt the same calmness sweep over him. But Luke didn't know what it was. Luke just thought that this is how Michael had made him feel for a while and that it felt nice. 
                          
Luke didn't think that the feeling was anything more than platonic love for Michael. Luke didn't think much of the feeling. But it was all Michael could think about.
                          
"Do you think they're okay?" Luke pondered loud enough from Michael to hear.
                          
"Maybe," Michael said whispering, " but, they'll figure it out." Michael knew that Calum and Ashton would get through it. They'd been friends for such a long time. They're friendship was open and stable. 
                          
In the other room Calum was laying on Michael's bed faced down. He couldn't believe he kissed Ashton. It was a dream come true and a nightmare. Of course he wanted to kiss Ashton, but he also didn't want to loose him. 
                          
Ashton meant the world to Calum. He had been there when Calum's life had disintegrated. When Calum lost his scholarship in America due to tearing his ACL during a football game. He was there when Calum didn't know what to do with his life. Ashton helped Calum come to the realization that he wanted to teach. 
                          
Ashton was such a big part of Calum's life, that if he left, Calum would be missing a piece of him. Calum wasn't dependent on Ashton, he just had shared some of the most important moments of his life with him.
                          
Ashton was a lot more that just a friend. Ashton was a lot more than a crush, a phase. Ashton was very important to Calum.
                          
"Cal," Ashton tentatively said reaching his hand out to touch Calum's shoulder. Calum flinched away making Ashton's heart hurt. 
                          
Just how Ashton meant so much to Calum, Calum meant so much to Ashton. Ashton really really liked Calum in more ways than one. 
                          
Calum was so strong and brave and he was everything Ashton aspired to be. Ashton wanted to be able to overcome adversity and come out stronger. Ashton wanted to not be afraid anymore.
                          
It was hard for Ashton, really. He just couldn't see himself going anywhere or doing anything. If it hadn't been for Calum, Ashton wouldn't have been living his dream. 
                          
Calum always pushed Ashton to be his best, to do his best. Ashton knew that Calum believed in him. And Ashton believed in Calum.
                          
Their relationship was one of trust, kindness, and support. They where there for eachother, and most importantly they where honest with eachother. 
                          
A lump grew in Ashton's throat and his hazel eyes watered. His nose and cheeks flushed as he tried to gulp away his sadness. A fake wobbly smile stretched across his face. He was faking it until he made it.
                          
Calum could feel how truly upset Ashton was. It was hanging over them like a storm. Ashton sat down on the bed as his legs grew weaker. Calum felt the dip. He struggled to not bring Ashton close to him.
                          
Unable to resist Calum rolled around and opened his arms wide. Ashton immediately cuddled into the embrace as sluggish tears fell from his eyes and onto the shirt Calum was wearing. 
                          
Calum carded his fingers through Ashton's long blonde locks. He felt bad, very bad and he knew they needed to talk about it.
                          
"Ash, I do like you, a lot actually. But I don't want to loose you. You mean so much to me," Calum choked out, tears starting to brim his eyes. Ashton sniffled and wiggled his nose.
                          
"I don't want to loose you either," Ashton mumbled into Calum's shirt, " But I don't want to be just friends anymore. I like you so much more than I probably should." They were silent letting the words sink in. Where they willing to move on to the next step?
                          
"Ash," Calum broke through the silence, "I-I think we should give us a try, if that's alright with you." Ashton felt like he couldn't breathe. He was overjoyed.
                          
"Of course it's okay with me," Ashton responded genuinely smiling trough his tears. 
                          
"Then, will you go on a date with me?" Calum asked grinning. 
                          
"Duh, dumbass," Ashton chortled rolling away from Calum. Calum swatted at Ashton laughing.
                          
Michael and Luke collectively sighed in relief. They could hear Calum and Ashton laughing from the other room. Michael was just glad that they were working through whatever it was.
                          
"Thank God," Luke sighed rolling onto his side and cuddling into to Michael.
                          
"Yeah," Michael breathed out as his eyes fluttered closed. His mind was racing. He wanted to ask Luke about before. He wanted to ask Luke about what he had said. Had that one word meant as much to Luke as it had meant to him?
                          
Michael was distraught. He couldn't bring himself to say anything. He couldn't say anything. He was perfectly content with Luke next to him. But soon this type of closeness wouldn't be enough.
                          
Michael knew that all to well, but he was willing to let it go a little longer. He was willing to ignore how good Luke made him feel. He was willing to get hurt for a few more days with Luke.
                          
(A/N)
                          
I know this is a day late pls don't hate me. Schools rough and I'm always tired to begin with so I have even less energy now. Let's not mention that I actually have a decent amount of homework. Schools only been in session for three days.
                          
Also some stuff went down with my friends so I couldn't write more. I'm sorry it's short.
                          
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-Michelle