Coco Puff High {5SOS;CASHTON&MUKE}

Two

"Michael, I asked you a question. Would you like me to repeat it?"

The soft brown haired man looked away from the rain, feeling the car rumbling underneath him as he looked back before him to pull off from the green light.

"Yes. I'm fine. I don't need you to send anyone. I just got caught up last night and I wasn't feeling too well. I'll be there tomorrow, okay? I promise."

The man hesitated but digressed, knowing he couldn't really argue with Michael despite wanting to. He hung up before he could say anything else, sighing to himself. He leaned back in his seat, pulling to a stop and putting his car into park as he waited. His phone was ignored as it went off, knowing it was the same person as he sat in his quiet car, trying to keep his tears from spilling out when he pushed his palms into his face.

He fixed his face the second he heard Luke yelling, looking up quickly and smiling at the blond running from the small building, waving a paper around. He got out of the car, Luke nearly knocking him right back in as he threw his body at him and wrapped his arms around him tightly. He kissed his cold cheek, licking his own lips to soothe them gently from the cold air as he pulled away and shivered despite the way Luke held him.

The blond didn't make a move to get into the car despite not having any covering on, though Michael had given him one before he left. He stared up at his boyfriend, asking what had him so happy and looking at the paper he passed to him.

"They picked my picture for the cover!"

His face lit up, though he had already been happy just with seeing Luke smile with a focus he hadn't seen in sometime, taking the paper to see exactly what he said written onto it.

"This is amazing, Lu. I'm so, so proud of you. You deserved it. You did amazing on your work. Everyone should see it."

The blond dared to blush, adding to a pink face from the cold as he kissed his lips a few times in thanks and between his words, "I couldn't have done it without you. You're the perfect muse."

Michael nodded, not pushing Luke to get in the car, trying to settle with warming up in his arms as he trembled, blinking away tears from welling up. He stared up at his boyfriend, leaned against his chest, genuinely happy for the man before him. Among the worst of his boyfriend, Michael knew art wasn't in that category. He had his things he'd love to change about Luke, that he'd do anything to switch but he loved his art, always had.

It was how Luke expressed himself, when he allowed himself to feel when he wasn't drowning in drugs. Michael picked his art over anything, even when it was only violence and hate, especially when it was love and purity and he always found himself the center of it all. He didn't know why Luke always depicted him in such a way, the blond would just smile and shrug whenever he asked.

He didn't care how Luke saw him on paper;in pastels or charcoal, or pen or markers or whatever he used then-just loved that Luke had picked something over drugs, even if it was only for that time. Luke moved to get in after five minutes, Michael more than happy as he trembled in his seat and locked the car, looking over at his phone when it went off.

He ignored it, not letting his mood drop as Luke grabbed it instead. He didn't care, shrugging when the blond asked if he was okay when he saw the name.

"Yeah, of course I am. I'm so happy for you. That's...he's nothing. Do you wanna do something to celebrate?"

Luke was easily distracted, still blushed despite the warmth of the car having taken the flushness of the cold from his face as he shrugged and had the audacity to giggle shyly.

"It's just a drawing, Mikey. We can just go home. You seem like you've got a lot on-"

"No, this means more to me than him. It's nothing. I want to celebrate. You took so long and put so much effort and care into that picture and it won. I can handle this later."

Michael's tone left no room for turning it down, Luke nodding and agreeing as he rubbed under his nose. Michael looked away quickly, not wanting to make Luke feel bad if he did take his vial out, waiting to ask what he wanted to do. Luke beat him to it, asking first as Michael nervously glanced over to see he hadn't. He shrugged, telling the blond to choose. The blond was momentarily distracted by Michael's phone going off again, making him grab it and turn it off and put it into the door beside him. He assured the blond he was okay, Luke hesitating but ultimately nodding as he smiled.

"We should go to that ice cream place we used to."

The blond sat back when he agreed, a few moments passing before Michael stopped at a red light. The sound of his blinker filled the silence, Michael grabbing Luke's trembling hand and smiling as comfortingly as he could when the blond looked at him.

"I'm serious, Luke. It's okay. It's nothing. I can handle it. That's what I do. What I always do for us, right?"

The blond's gaze softened as he spoke, "yeah, I'm sorry. I know you will. Just...be careful?"

"I always am, my precious. Always."

-

AN: hello! Chapter two complete and I'm proud of it, although it's small, it's packed with information for later ;)

How're you feeling about Luke and Michael? I swear, Luke is not the bad guy this time. Just complicated but good ultimately, I swear lol

But lemme know what you're thinking so far and I'll see you next chapter!!

<3 ...