temporary bliss ➟ muke ✓

nine; murderous lullaby

"i had no idea you played guitar," luke's usually rough voice pierced the silence, but his tone of voice was soft and easygoing, soothing to michael's ears. the faux blond shot his guitar a brief glance before he laid down on his bed, crawling underneath his sheets and pulling them up to his chin.

"sometimes i do," michael muttered, drowsiness overcoming his small body. luke walked over to grab the guitar then sat down at michael's desk, letting his fingers brush against the strings before he automatically went to adjust each string.

"it's a bit out of tune," luke informed as his navy blue eyes focused on the strings. michael let out a scoff, trying to act like he wasn't an amateur when it came to guitars even though he kind of was.

"i fucking know. i like it like that," michael insisted, and luke let out a small chuckle before he glanced over at michael. his sleepy pale green eyes were indignantly focused on luke, his small, soft hands playing with the corners of his bedsheets.

"this sounds better, babe," luke spoke in a smooth rumble as he began to play a tune michael didn't recognise. the faux blond's cheeks flushed at the pet name luke referred to him as, his head pounding a little less as he repeated luke's words in his mind over and over. he adored the way luke called him babe.

"could you teach me?" michael asked quietly, admiring luke from his bed as he nervously fiddled with his bedsheets, "y'know, maybe we could hang out one day and you can show me how to play the guitar. just two friends hanging out without having sex, do you think we can manage that?"

luke shrugged, "we're hanging out without having sex right now, aren't we?"

"mhm," michael hummed slowly, "but... but i'm having thoughts about having sex right now."

"you're too hungover to know what you're talking about," luke heaved out a small sigh as he slowly put down the guitar, making sure it was properly placed up against the bedroom wall. a faded smile appeared on his dark pink lips as luke walked up to michael's bed, easing down onto his knees and placing both of his hands flat beside michael's body underneath the sheets.

michael stared over at luke, his eyelids twitching as he fought back sleep. "do you ever wonder how we would be if you didn't suggest sleeping together?"

"we'd be friends," luke said simply, glancing down to his hands. a tiny pout formed on michael's lips, the lips that luke found himself stealing multiple gazes at. luke briefly ran his fingers through his dark blond hair, trying to distract himself from staring too long at michael.

"aren't we friends now, though...?" michael trailed off, blinking as he gazed at luke, his perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowing in slight confusion. the older of the two smiled a bit at michael's words before he gently placed a hand over michael's forehead, his fingertips brushing back michael's wispy blond hair that had been laying on his forehead.

"of course we are, sweets," luke murmured, watching the way michael's eyes closed at the blissful feeling of luke's hand on his pale skin. the corners of michael's lips lifted upwards in a faint smile and luke couldn't help but shuffle on his knees closer, craning his neck down to press his dark pink lips delicately to michael's smooth cheekbone, feeling the younger boy jump in confusion at the foreign feeling of luke's lips on his skin.

"does– does that mean you love me?" michael asked, his voice angelic and almost too soft as he stared with wide eyes at luke, who had slowly shifted away. he resisted the urge to frown down at michael, his thumb still soothingly rubbing against michael's forehead.

"why would you think that?"

"you told me that you only kiss the people you love," michael replied, his body tensing up as luke's hand pulled away from his forehead. he squeezed his meadowy green eyes shut, partially due to how tired he was but also because he didn't want to see luke's facial reaction to his words.

"i don't know, but you should get some sleep," luke hesitated before reaching out to softly cup one side of michael's face, his thumb running underneath michael's eye. he watched fondly as michael's cute nose wrinkled up at the contact, but gradually eased up. the faux blond let out a small, content sigh before leaning his face into the warmth of the palm of luke's hand.

luke kept his dark blue eyes trained on the younger boy, watching as he fought back sleep until he was too weary to fight it anymore. luke could tell when michael was asleep because his lips parted slightly and he began to breathe through his mouth rather than his nose, even though his teeth were gritted in his sleep.

when the blond was sure that michael wouldn't wake up that night, he slowly let go of michael's cheek and watched as the faux blond's head lolled to the side where luke's hand had been.

"good night, princess," luke whispered as quietly as he could manage, leaning his head down to press another soft kiss to michael's cheekbone. michael sharply inhaled as luke's lips came in contact with his cheek again, causing the blond to freeze as michael began grinding his teeth. luke quickly pulled away and stared down at the sleeping boy, a light smile appearing on his lips before he stood up quietly and left michael's bedroom without making much noise.

after shutting michael's bedroom door as softly as humanly possible, luke walked through michael's house that was slightly similar to his own until he reached the kitchen. michael's kitchen was an absolute mess, with food wrappers and empty water bottles everywhere.

"fucking hell, mikey," luke mumbled to himself, casting his gaze all around the kitchen before he began to pile some food wrappers together. he tossed them in the trash and then collected the water bottles in his arms to dump them off in the empty recycling bin next to the trash can. within ten minutes, luke had the trash all cleaned up but the countertops were still a mess with stains and crumbs.

once luke tracked down the disinfectant cleaning spray, he grasped some paper towels and sprayed the counters. with a light sigh, luke began wiping down the kitchen counters with a paper towel until the marble was shining back at him so much he could see his reflection in it.

luke let out a sigh as he glanced out around michael's now-clean kitchen. he felt slightly satisfied with the way he had cleaned up michael's kitchen, but he wished that he also could have cleaned up michael's bedroom since that was messier than the kitchen.

he decided that he had finished up at michael's house, so luke adjusted his black snapback before walking towards the front door. after making sure to lock it, luke walked to the driveway where his car was parked beside michael's. as he settled down in the driver's seat, an automatic sigh left his lips and he placed one hand on the steering wheel, ready to get home.

luke turned around to watch the back as he backed out of michael's driveway, and then faced the front when he was at the end of the driveway. he lightly smiled at michael's house before lightly easing his foot off the brake so that his car went onto the road, and he turned the steering wheel to begin driving down the darkened road.