twisted - muke - the distortion trilogy 1

2.0

MICHAEL'S P.O.V.

I think I'm unconscious. I think I'm undergoing surgery. Gordon thinks so, too.

He told me I have to lie, I can't tell the doctors about him. He said that telling the doctors about him will result in trouble for both of us. He also said that when I wake up, I'll be put under a 72 hour suicide watch or something along those lines.

I don't think I should have to do that. After all, I didn't want to kill me, Gordon did. But I can't tell the doctors that, and it doesn't matter anyways. I've tried before, but they never believe me.

At this point, I'll do whatever the doctors say. That way I can see Luke sooner.

-

LUKE'S P.O.V.

I don't know how long I've been at the hospital. I don't remember what happened when I got here clearly, either.

I remember calling my mother in the car, telling her what was happening. I think she said she would meet me there. I remember stumbling out of the elevator, blind by tears. Mrs. Clifford had to direct me to a chair in the waiting room.

Now I am pacing, trying desperately to get rid of all the energy bottled up inside of me.

My baby boy is in some foreign room somewhere close enough but too far away from me being poked and prodded and torn apart and stitched up and I can't do anything but pace here in this fucking waiting room.

I sit back down, grabbing at my hair, trying to do anything to forget the aching of my heart.

-

A few hours later--I don't know how many--a nurse comes out and says that Michael will take visitors now, one at a time. I don't even look up, as I know that his mother will want to go first. I am shocked--to say the least--when I feel a warm hand on my shoulder and hear her comforting voice.

"Luke, are you going to go, sweetie?"

I want to cringe at the nickname--it's the same one she calls Michael--but I am too moved by the gesture to do so. I look up timidly, scared she will tell me she is only kidding, that I can't see Michael yet. I find that her features are etched into a sincere smile, and though she looks broken, she wants me to go first.

Without thinking, I pull her into a hug. She squeezes me tightly--like my mom would do if she had ever shown up at the hospital like promised--and when she releases me, I turn to Michael's dad. I hold my hand out to shake his in gratitude, but he pulls me into a hug, too. I am shocked for a moment, but I quickly melt into it, missing the hugs my dad would give me when he wasn't traveling.

Eventually, itching with anticipation, I am free of the Cliffords' embraces, and following the nurse towards Michael's room. She's talking to me, telling me something about how I'll only have a few minutes. I think she says that he'll have to talk to psychologists soon. I do not see the point of that--he already talks to psychologists regularly and this still happened.

The nurse turns the door handle, holding the door open for me. Usually I would be a gentleman and hold it for her, but these are not normal circumstances. I forget to thank her as I see my boyfriend--too pale and too thin, but--clad in a hospital gown, smiling in my presence.

With a bigger grin than I've ever worn gracing my face, I approach Michael's bed slowly. I notice an IV coming out of his hand, and bandages wrapped tightly around his wrists. The door slams shut behind us, causing him to flinch, screwing his eyes shut and recoiling. My heart aches.

"Hey, Michael," I say softly, pulling a chair up next to his bedside.

"Hi." His reply is weak, but he's grinning ear to ear.

I reach for his hand--the one without the IV--and lace our fingers together, carefully avoiding the bandages. "How're you feeling?"

"Not so great," he admits. "But better now that you're here." I crack a smile, adoring his cliche. He's so cheesy, I love him.

My breath hitches in my throat--I love him? I cough, quickly recovering and smiling again, so Michael thinks everything is okay. "So, um...can I ask you--" I begin to ask a question I know Michael doesn't want to hear, but he interrupts me with the answer.

"It wasn't me this time," he insists, and the look in the eye is convincing. But what does he mean by 'this time'? "I d-didn't want to."

"I believe you," I say, pressing his knuckles to my lips. "But have you ever considered getting more...help?"

"Help?" Michael frowns.

"We can't keep letting Gordon do this to you," I say. Michael nods in agreement. "What if there was a way to get rid of him?"

Michael recoils his hand from me immediately, frowning even further than before. "But Gordon is my best friend."

I reach for his hand again, but he is cradling it to his chest, like my touch burns him. I try not to let my face show my disappointment. "Baby, best friends don't do stuff like that."

"Don't call me that," Michael says quietly, and I can feel my heart snap in two. "Gordon is my best friend."

"Then why did he do this to you?" I inquire. I struggle to keep the 'I told you so' out of my voice, and to sound purely concerned for his mental health. Which I am, of course.

Michael shrugs, looking down at his lap, picking absentmindedly at a bandage on his wrist.

"You can't let him continue to treat you like this," I tell him gently.

"I know," he mumbles. He then scoots over, making room for me on the bed. He pats the space next to him. Without hesitating, I join him, wrapping him in my arms. I hear him sniffle quietly, and I run my fingers through his hair.

"We're gonna get you help, okay?" He nods in response. I sigh. "Hey, look at me please." When he doesn't comply I place my fingertip under his chin and gently tilt his head up. He stares up at me expectantly with his beautiful, green eyes. I take a deep breath, praying that his reaction will not be negative.

"Did you know that I love you?"

~

A/N: hi friends!!!! twisted is blowing up like omg i get so many notifs now it's kinda freaky but i'm really happy about it!!! also big shout out to hemmford bc she recommended my story on one of hers and i really look up to her so that's really cool of her!!! but back to the point, thank you sm to everyone reading and voting and commenting on this story i love you all sm