what do we do now? [muke af]

three

three

Luke emptied his pockets and walked though the metal detector, grabbing his wallet and phone on the other side. He gave the armed security guard a quick smile as he headed into the visiting room. Even though Luke had nothing to be nervous about, going through police checks made him afraid.

It was like in airports when one knew there was nothing bad in their bags, but they were still afraid that something would go off.

Michael was sat in the middle, a beam of sunlight from the high up windows shining upon his pale skin. The greens and blues of his tattoos were faded, he hasn't got a new one in a decade and that was odd.

The thirty-three year old went from getting a tattoo every few weeks to not getting any at all.

Luke sat down across from him, causing the dirty blonde boy to look up. A smile rose on Mike's face when he saw his husband. Every week this happened, Luke just made his world light up.

"Hey, Baby." Michael leant across the table, puckering his lips for a peck.

Luke quickly leant in, accepting his kiss. That was as much as they got. Anyone could imagine the sexual frustration from the very sexual couple.

"How've you been?" Luke looked Mike up and down, making sure nothing has changed since their last meeting seven days ago.

Michael's eyes still had a sparkle to the green hue. His cheekbones were still high and prominent, a star tattooed under his right eye. Everything looked normal. Luke heard terrible stories about prisons, he was constantly afraid Mike would be beat up or killed.

Usually, it's Michael starting the fights, though.

"I've been good, nothing happens here." Michael reached across, letting his inked hands lay open.

Luke took his hands, entwining their fingers together.

"I have good news."

"Yeah?"

The smile on Luke's face was indescribable. "I signed the papers, you're gonna be released on my birthday."

Michael looked up at him, a glitter of excitement shining through his eyes. He was almost free. "Really?"

He nodded. "You get to see the snoopy neighbors, and our little baby girl, and everyone."

Mike squeezed Luke's hands. "I'm never gonna be in here again, I promise you that. I'll find some legal job, okay?"

Luke leant in as he lowered his voice, "I swear to the God you don't believe in, if you ever end up in here I will dump your ass in the sea."

The dirty blonde laughed. "Okay, Baby, sure you will."

The blue-eyed boy shot a glare in his direction. "Don't you dare patronize me right now."

"Do you still live in our house?"

He nodded. "Still in that lonely, big house."

"The Stan's are across the street?"

Luke looked down at their hands and laughed. "Yeah, the homophobic republicans are still across the street. Jan is out there getting the newspaper same time as me and she just stares at me for a few minutes."

"I always thought she was a closet-ed gay, just saying."

"Mike!" Luke rolled his eyes.

"Are you seriously trying to tell me you've never gotten a gay-vibe from her?"

"Michael, shut up." Luke's fingers twisted Michael's wedding ring a few times. "I'm just really excited to have you home, I miss you."

"I'm right here."

Luke looked up at him, his orange uniform clashing with his pale skin. His tired eyes and goofy smile. "This isn't home."

He shrugged his shoulders, not in the mood to start another argument with Luke. Michael always backed down to Luke, he didn't want to make his princess angry. "Is my baby girl still doing well?"

He nodded, "We were going through old photos the other night, and she found our high school photos."

"Oh, God."

"She now wants green hair, thanks to you."

"Do it."

"She's eleven!"

Michael chuckled through his words, "Start them early!" He pulled back his hand, cracking each knuckle a few times. "I'm glad you kept those photos."

"I wouldn't throw them away."

"I shared a cell with this guy, and when he got sentenced, his family cut him off. Like, completely."

Luke looked down at his tight jeans. "I couldn't do that to you." When the duo were talking, the younger boy had complete funnel vision. He couldn't hear anything else, he couldn't see anything else. It was just Michael shining through his bright—but tired—blue eyes.

"I'm coming home, though," he said. "Home."

Luke wandered his eyes up, giving Michael a beaming smile. "It's okay to hurt me, Mike, but please don't hurt Tab."

"What are you talking about?"

Luke bit his tongue as he tried not to let the quiver in his voice show. "It's really, really hard with you in here."

"I know, Baby."
"You don't," he kept his voice small, "You really don't."

"I try to understand your side."

Luke shook his head as he watched the clock above their heads count down. "Sometimes, trying isn't enough."