All The Stars We See // muke

chapter fourteen

"What is this?" Michael asked as he touched the television that was lit up with some cartoon. "It was an accident. I didn't mean to touch it."

"It's a television." He answered and Michael tilted his head as he looked at it. "It plays moving pictures and sounds."

"Fascinating." He gasped with wide eyes as he sat and watched the animations run. "We don't have this back home. We have... radios, but not this. Pictures, but not moving pictures."

Luke shouldn't be as excited as he was. He had three sections and a chapter of aeronautical engineering to catch up on for his online classes, six periods worth of homework to grade, and a status report to send to his commanding officer so they could make the proper classroom switches before the quarter ends. He shouldn't sit and watch a movie with Michael because he had work and school and so many other things to focus on instead of his television. But did he care? No, not really.

"Hey," he spoke up as he walked towards the couch. "- want to watch a movie with me before I disappear off to my office?"

Michael made a face. "Humans... disappear?"

He laughed and then shook his head as he took the remote and then crashed on to the sofa. "Come, sit." He nodded towards the empty spot beside him and Michael stood up from his before sitting on the cushion next to him.

He put on the first movie he saw when he opened Netflix, and Michael's eyes followed every movement on the screen in amazement. "Humans work in movies. They're called actors. They pretend to be someone else for people's enjoyment, and sometimes if they're good enough, they get to be in more movies." He explained.

"Why would they want to pretend to ve someone else?" He asked and Luke clicked his tongue as he waited for the movie to start.

"People like pretending. It helps get them away from reality and fill time." He answered, and Michael looked at the space between them before looking up at him. "What?"

"I feel... weird."

Luke furrowed his eyebrows as he sat up straighter. "Weird how?"

Michael sat up higher on the couch and Luke watched as he wiped at his sweats and pulled on his shirt. "You said humans don't really talk about weird feelings, right?" He asked and the blond rose an eyebrow at him.

"Some, like me." He answered. "A lot do."

Michael shifted, and then looked at him. "Why like you?"

Luke really just wanted to watch a movie, explain to Michael that most were make believe for entertainment and see the starstruck look on his face when something cool happens, but now he had to talk about feelings and emotions? Some Michael probably wouldn't even understand? Feelings he pushes away and promised himself he wouldn't bring up and talk about?

"Well..." he started as he debated a way to explain it. "- I don't trust people easily, and I'm naturally self-reserved because people don't particularly like me. So I guess I just keep my feelings to myself and have a hard time expressing them when I do try."

He took a deep breath and then looked at the television to pause the movie, immediately realizing he didn't need to tell Michael his entire life story. "But you don't have to be like me. Be yourself."

"I trust you." Michael grabbed his hand and Luke smiled softly at him. "Can I tell you?"

"You can tell me anything." Luke assured him and Michael nodded as he pulled his legs to his chest. "What is it?"

"I have the urge to sit closer to you. Is that okay?"

Luke felt his breath leave his lungs, and he stared at him for a moment as he tried wrapping his head around what he asked him. It's not like he expected him to ask to basically cuddle him, though a small part of his head told him that's what he was going to want. God, he felt like a loser high school student again, blushing out of awkwardness and unable to gather his thoughts because a cute boy smiled at him or met his eyes.

He then remembered Michael was waiting for an answer, so he nodded. "I uh, yeah, that's fine, I guess. If you want, you know, I don't really mind if you do or don't." He stuttered and Michael scooted closer to him.

They sat like that for a moment before Luke shifted and then stiffly put an arm on the back of his couch behind Michael's head. He looked at the television and then cleared his throat, his heart hammering as he held the remote. "Ready? If you have questions, just ask."

Michael looked at him. "D-Don't touch my... colors, as you call it."

Luke looked at the pink shade blossoming in him and he nodded quickly. "Your uh colo... shit, uh, cololeiis?" He asked and Michael nodded.

"You remembered the name?" He asked and Luke shrugged. "Yeah, that."

"What ha-"

"- don't."

He listened. He didn't ask anymore questions before starting the movie, and he let out a shaky breath as Michael's leg rested on top of his and Michael's arm was pushed tight against his side. Luke didn't want to stare. He didn't want to watch the way the pink swirled like ash beneath his transparent patches of skin, but it was such a pretty shade of bubblegum and taffy that he couldn't help but gaze for just a moment. It was like staring at a candle, and he was so mesmerized that he almost forgot about the movie that was playing on the television.

He turned to the screen and Michael rested his head on his side, and Luke felt his heart in his throat as he struggled to focus. He felt stiff, awkward, and he wanted to set his arm down on his shoulders but right where his palm would be lied a dusty shade of blush in a large spiral shape and Michael specifically told him not to touch. He wonders if it was sensitive, like thin parts of his skin that could tear with just a little too much pressure. He said it held his soul, his being, so was he just one big ball of color changing gas then? If he got hurt, would he bleed? Did he have organs?

He shook his head, pulling the scientist part of him away so he could focus on Michael as a person not not an experiment. That's exactly why he's here, so he wouldn't be one giant question with millions of possibilities.

He looked at where their bodies touched and he swallowed thickly as he stared down at his purple hair, wondering if Michael could hear his heart racing from his spot right on his chest. His earring was hard against his skin, but he chose to ignore it in favor of letting him be comfortable. Would he want to stay in this position? Would he want to watch another movie with him when this was over?

Luke slowly lowered his arm on to Michael's shoulders, but instead of resting his hand on his arm he let it hang by his collarbone. The being shuddered, and for a moment he worried he made a mistake and accidentally touched him where he didn't want his hands, but he said nothing. He left his hand there and Luke trained his eyes on the screen as Michael's voice rang through the room with a question.

"Are all humans trained in combat?" He asked and Luke forced his tense body relax.

"They practice just for the movie." He answered his question, and every single other one without hesitation.

It was nice, and he even went as far as to believe he enjoyed it. He wouldn't mind another day like this.

1313 words