Stay (Punk Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 22

The thought is terrifying. Telling Luke I loved him was what opened the chasm that swallowed us last year. Loving somebody is what gets you hurt. I didn't want to get hurt, not this time. The echoes of last time Luke left hurt all over again at the thought.

My mind is made up. I press the button to my floor, and lean back against the wall of the elevator. In the gleaming wall across from me, I can see my reflection. I looked ragged. My hair is messy, and the bags under my eyes are visible even in the warped surface.

The ride up is uninterrupted and for that, I'm glad. I don't need somebody walking in on my moping right now. I feel like Niall was acting last night. I'm in love, and I'm upset about it, god damn it. Maybe I'll find him later and ask what he was drinking, because I could use some of that right now. Alcohol sounds good, but sleep sounds better. Luke actually sounds the best, but I don't really need to feed my addiction.

When the elevator opens to my floor, it takes all my energy to make it to my door and find my keycard. So much interaction with people really wipes me out. Maybe I'm in the wrong job, considering my jobs requires people at almost all times. Charlie's offer doesn't sound so good when I think about it that way.

Swinging open, my door lets me into my dark room. Flipping the light on only reveals the clothes strewn everywhere from my earlier search. I halfheartedly pick a few up, throwing them back into my suitcase. Sleeping in a messy room messes with my brain too much for me to let them stay on the floor. It doesn't really make a difference once I kick off my shoes. Once I'm happy enough with the state of my room, I collapse down on the bed I didn't make up. As soon as my butt hits the comforter, a knock rings out at the door.

My groan is uncomfortably loud at the thought of having to get up when I've just sat down. The knock rings out again, and I can't justify ignoring it any longer.

Dragging my feet, I open the door without looking out first.

Luke's standing there, hair messy, bleary eyed, clad in sweatpants and a State Champs muscle tank, and my head pounds to the beat that I'm so fucking in love with him.

He doesn't linger in the doorway, moving in and sweeping me up in his arms. Just loose enough that I can still breathe, Luke holds me, wiping out the night I've had. His head is in my hair, my face is smashed against his chest, my arms instinctively wrapping around him too. With every breath he takes, he ruffles my hair, and I can feel his chest move under my ear.

"What are you doing here?" I mumble, almost incoherently. But he understands.

"Just wanted to see you." Luke replies, nearly as incomprehensible as mine, sleepiness filling his voice, even as he continues. "Let's go to bed, yeah?"

"Okay." I reach over and tug his tank over his head, sliding my hands down the skin I've exposed. Luke is as pale as ever, black tattoos stark against his skin, mapping out a story I still need to get in full. I lean in, kissing that batman symbol I half expected him to cover up with a different tattoo after he left. But there it is, still as sharp and dark as it was the day he got it. He's been taking care of it.

An eyebrow is raised at my actions, before he returns the action, reaching around to unzip my dress. One long finger slides the straps off my shoulders, and the dress falls down, pooling at my feet.

I push his sweatpants down, trailing my hands over his hipbones. He steps out of them, half naked in front of me. But its not enough, not yet. Reaching around, I unhook my bra, letting it go to the ground.

There's an intensity in Luke's eyes, clashing against the lingering bleariness. It's familiar, a dark and powerful look that says more than he ever would. His eyes cut straight through me, and I feel like he knows what I realized on the way up here. He doesn't break eye contact as he loses his boxers too. I follow suit, pushing my panties down and stepping out of them.