Lost boy ♡ muke

november issue ✧ 11

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"Was?" Luke asked. He knew what Michael was hinting at but didn't want to make any conclusions out loud, just in case he was wrong.

"Yeah." Michael placed the frame back on the shelf. "He died three years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that." The younger boy reluctantly placed his hand on Michael's shoulder to see if he'd move away. He didn't.

Michael leaned against Luke just slightly but Luke wrapped an arm around him and made them move. "C'mon, let's sit down."

When he didn't have to worry about Michael collapsing Luke took birthday boy's hand in his. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to snoop around or make you uncomfortable." Luke swallowed. "I didn't want to make you upset."

"It's okay. I just wish he'd be here. He loved birthday parties." Michael was staring at the framed pictures. "I don't have any pictures of him because it hurts too much. But I do think about him every day."

"I believe you." He still had his arm around the older boy. Luke hoped it help. "Do you want to talk about him?"

Michael didn't say anything at first but did pull the sleeve of his nice shirt up. "He was the light of my life. When I was a little boy, I begged my parents to get a sibling. I even wrote to Santa. I said I'd change his diapers and everything just to have someone I could play with.

My uncle is just ten years older than me so at first, he played with me but then he went to college and I was bored. I didn't really have friends because my parents were working all the time and the business wasn't great so I was always in the office with my mum. She did finances for the car dealership."

"Is that why you're so good at math."

Michael shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not that good. But I do help with books for my uncle's business as well. The legal part of it."

What Luke wanted was to ask about what Michael meant with illegal. His mum told him that was a done deal, that the car shop wasn't involved with that anymore.

What Luke needed was to support Michael so he did. "You're so good at it, Mikey. The calculations you did for the paper are amazing."

He looked at Luke and smiled. "Thank you."

"How old were you when he was born?"

"Eight." His face lit up in a way Luke has never seen it. If he didn't know who they were talking about he'd maybe even get jealous. "I was so excited when he was born. I looked after him like I've promised. Of course, mum and dad did too but from the moment I got home from school I was playing with him."

"I even got to name him after my favorite cartoon. I'd read the story to him over and over again and when he got big enough, we'd dress up as the characters from the cartoon all the time. He was always Peter Pan but my role changed." Michael laughed and Luke looked at him with a smile on his face. "I was even Tinkerbell once."

That made both boys giggle.

"I got this tattoo in the memory of him. Looking at pictures would hurt too much."

Luke wanted to ask so many questions. He always did when he was around Michael.

The more he knew him the bigger mystery his life was. Maybe that's why Luke was so attracted to him because Michael Clifford was one big question mark to him.

But it wasn't the time or place to interview him and possibly make him even more upset.

"You should show me that Tinkerbell outfit one day."

"You wish." Michael snorted.

Luke observed Michael. He looked less upset and as it was his birthday party, he wanted to make him happy.

"I don't know about you but I'd love to get some cake. The dinner was amazing but there's no birthday without a cake."

"Oh, yes. I forgot." Michael laughed and stood up. "Rachel did bake one but my uncle is on a diet so it's hidden in my fridge. I hope you don't have to leave already."

Luke was off the sofa immediately. "Definitely not. Also, my mum wouldn't mind me miss my curfew because I was eating cake."

The mood in Michael's trailer was much different than the one in the house. That made another con for why Michael didn't live in the nice building.

Luke got comfortable on the bed when Michael was cutting an amazing looking chocolate dessert.

"If you'll fall into a food coma or will get sugar rush after this don't blame me." Michael passed Luke the plate.

He got a piece for himself as well before joining Luke on his bed.

"Just call my brother if I'll fall asleep." Luke joked.

"If you want to sleep over you definitely can. I'll sleep on the couch."

"Michael," Luke said with a mouthful of cake. "That thing is so uncomfortable I can't even sit on it for more than a minute."

"You're a mess." The older boy laughed when he saw his friend taking bites so big. "You know. You can always sleep on this bed with me. It's a big bed."

"That's not a good idea," Luke mumbled this time more aware of his manners.

That made Michael frown. "Why not? You don't seem like someone who'd be embarrassed about that."

"I'm a cuddler," Luke explained quickly. "I'll cuddle everything and anyone in my sleep. It's embarrassing and I had to find it out the hard way."

"Did you cuddle your brother?"

"No, my fuck friend back where I used to live. He didn't, believe me, I had no feelings for him after that and he broke it off."

Michael did find Luke's confession amusing but he didn't back off.

"We'll make a pillow wall in between us. I'm sure you won't suffocate me."

Luke didn't need much more convincing after that. It's not like he didn't want to sleep in the same bed as the most beautiful man alive. He just really hoped he won't say something stupid in his dreams.

"Okay."

The look on Michael's face was comparable to the expression that he had when he talked about his brother.

"Okay." He said back and Luke stuffed another forkful of the cake into his mouth to distract himself from staring at the excited boy for too long.

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WHAT ARE WE THINKING WHAT ARE WE FEELING?

What do you think happened to Michael's brother?

Luke trying to make him feel better?

Them eating cake and LUKE SLEEPING OVER?

Love, Lucija ♡