twisted - muke - the distortion trilogy 1

2.3

LUKE'S P.O.V.

The day after my breakdown on Calum's shoulder, I decide that I have to face Michael again. Especially after telling him I love him—which I do. I don't want him to think that I was lying, or that I took it back.

It's around eleven in the morning when I approach the hospital, and it's Sunday. Visiting hours have just begun, but I don't think I'll be competing against anyone for first visit.

After what seems like an eternity, the elevator stops on Michael's floor. I exit and make my way down the hall towards his room, not bothering to ask a nurse for directions. By now, I could find his room with my eyes closed.

I take the final turn and his room is directly in front of me, but so are his parents, talking in hushed voices.

I stop in my tracks, and they notice me immediately. Their whispers cease and his mother puts on a smile for my sake. "Hello, Luke," she says in that tone—the 'we were just discussing something you won't be happy about but I'm going to be super gentle with you to try to dull the sting' tone that all mothers are infamous for.

"Hi," I say quietly, unsure. I'm not sure what else to say, and they apparently don't either, because for a handful of painfully awkward seconds, no one says anything. Finally, Mr. Clifford pipes up.

"You're here to see Michael?"

Well, obviously. I fight the urge to roll my eyes, and nod instead, squeaking out a, "Yes, sir."

"Go on now, son," Mr. Clifford says, gesturing towards the door. "In a few minutes Karen and I will come in to talk to you and Michael."

I bite my lip, suddenly nervous. I don't think I want to know what they have to talk to us about, but I reach for the doorknob and slip into Michael's room.

The lights are turned off, the blinds shut, but I make out the picture of Michael's hands thrown over his eyes. He appears to be asleep.

"Mum, is that you?"

Apparently not.

I smile in spite of myself. Michael doesn't even lift his head to see whether or not I'm his mother. He's adorable.

"It's me," I say, and upon hearing my voice, Michael's head darts off the pillow, smiling wider than I think I've ever seen him smile.

"Lukey!" he cheers, and I quickly make my way over to his bed.

"Hi." I smile down at him as he lays his head back on the pillow. "How're you feeling?" I don't want our conversations to be repetitive, but I need to know that he's okay.

Michael doesn't respond with words, but instead he reaches his arms out to wrap around my waist, tugging slightly. I lose my footing and nearly fall on top of him. I catch myself with my palms flat on the mattress, one on either side of Michael's head. I find myself smirking. I quite like this position.

"Cheeky," I comment, because Michael definitely had this scene in mind when he tripped me.

"I try," is his reply.

Shifting my weight to the right side of my body, I stroke Michael's cheek with my left hand. "You're so beautiful," I mumble, pressing my lips against his. He reaches his arms up to wrap around my neck, holding me to him and deepening the kiss. I feel the IV tube brush my shoulder, but I ignore it, because Michael is tugging on my hair and I have to focus all of my energy on not moaning into his mouth.

Michael giggles, because he knows exactly what he's doing to me, even and especially when he bucks his hips up to mine.

"F uck," I gasp. "I love you."

"I love you, too—"

Michael's declaration of his affection is cut off by the clearing of a throat.

I scramble off Michael, my face red as a tomato as I turn to face both of his parents. Michael on the other hand, is smirking. I shoot him a playful glare as his mother coughs awkwardly.

"Um, we need to talk to you two."

Karen and Daryl sit in the two chairs next to the bed, so the only logical option is for me to sit on the bed with Michael, but after the scene his parents just walked in on, that doesn't sound like a good idea.

Michael doesn't seem to care, though, because he wraps his fingers around my wrist, pulling me into a sitting position beside him. I intertwine our fingers, but hide them under the sheets. Just in case.

"So, we've been doing a lot of thinking," Karen starts.

"About?" Michael inquires.

"About treatment," she clarifies. "To help you, sweetie."

Michael's grip on my hand tenses, and I rub my thumb over his knuckles to soothe him.

"Like, more medicine?" Michael suggests, and his parents exchange a troubled glance.

Oh, God. This won't be good.

"We're considering something more along the lines of verbal therapy," Michael's dad says, and Michael frowns.

"I see Dr. Lewis once a week."

His mother takes a deep breath, and I want to leave the room. I don't want to hear the words that will come from that inhalation. But I have to be here for Michael. I have to.

"Sweetie, we want you to spend some time in a hospital."

Michael rolls his eyes. "I'm in a hospital right now."

"No, sweetie," Karen shakes her head. "We want you to, um—"

"Like, inpatient," Michael supplies dryly, and my heart stops.

Michael, living in a hospital? My shy, fragile Michael, under constant supervision and surveillance? Away from me? No, God, please, no.

"Yes, sweetie," his mother sighs. "Like inpatient."

~

A/N: hi friends!!! so this is a short update because i'm also gonna try to write a chapter of twin skeletons tonight (it's muke af so pls check it out!!!!) and i have standardized testing this week so i really need to sleep omg.

also i've dedicated that twisted IS going to have a sequel, which unfortunately means it will be ending soon :((( so if anyone has any title suggestions or wants to make me a cover i would LOVE YOU

also this chapter is dedicated to my friend cat @manicpanicmuke because i love her to death and she's been so supportive of this story constantly and she was the first person to reach out to me on wattpad so if you could check out some of her stories i would be so great(((:

im so awkward idk how to end this bye