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Michael was hot and sweaty, the screams of the fans were deafening - and he loved every second of it. Being on tour with the boys again was everything he could ever ask for. It was only their second night and his adrenaline was absolutely through the roof.
So naturally, he didn't quite question Luke wrapping his arm around his shoulder during Evolve. He didn't quite comprehend the way Luke stared at him as he pulled him closer so they could sing the first line of the song to each other. He didn't even realize that out of all the songs in their setlist, it was that song.
What he did realize, though, was his mistake during English Love Affair. The moment the first words had left his mouth, Michael could see Luke walking over to him from the corner of his eye. How come that out of all the lyrics, Luke knew his the best and felt the need to correct him? Michael restarted the song and gave Luke a knowing look, eyes glued to Luke's wide, teasing grin as he helped him with the text. The red head could feel his insides tingling at that - definitely just the adrenaline from performing and maybe a twinge embarrassment from messing up the lyrics.
The rest of the show went by in a blur of emotions and and it was only when the last chord of Youngblood rang in his ears that he realized they had already finished their night in Dublin. Standing there in the rain of confetti, he waved goodbye to the screaming fans. It felt like they got louder with every passing second. He took a step, then another, then...
"Mike!" It was Luke's voice that pulled him out of his trance. Right, there was an elevator inside the stage.
"Oh shit!" Michael turned around to see Luke's outstretched hand, then he met a pair of worried yet amused blue eyes already watching him. He hastily jumped down, grabbing Luke's arm for support. He could feel the black haired man's hand wrap around his arm, too - it felt strangely comforting. Probably because he knew his best friend had his back and cared for him. Or it was the adrenaline from being on stage? He could hear Luke's laugh ringing in his ears as their hands slipped from each other's arms so they held hands instead.
"Day two and you already almost fell off the stage, are you serious?" Ashton giggled the moment they had escaped the roar of the crowd. Calum and Luke joined him, laughing at the guitarist's clumsiness.
"Shut up, I was admiring our fans!" Michael defended himself with a loud laugh. But when he tried to turn around to look at Calum and Ashton walking behind him, a grip around his hand stopped him. A glance down and the red head realized he and Luke were still holding hands.
"Stop spinning around and look where you're going, we don't want you to trip," Luke just smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. Yeah, the tingle in his hand had to be from all the adrenaline.
...
"You guys just love stealing the attention, don't you?"
Michael let himself fall into one of the couches in the green room, giving first Luke, then Calum a pointed look. It was only the sixth show and he had already been sandwiched between Calum and Luke during his solo in She's Kinda Hot.
"We're not stealing it, we're just making sure you get all the attention you deserve," Calum laughed as he walked to the fridge, handing Ashton a beer before grabbing one himself. "We'll be outside for a smoke, see ya in a few," he added before heading out the door with Ashton.
Luke sat down next to Michael so their knees were brushing. Of course, two giant couches and he sat as close as possible. "Calum's right though, the fans will go crazy over that clip," Luke giggled, nudging Michael's leg.
"Whatever," the redhead smiled and shook his head, leaning further into the pillows of the couch. The truth was, Michael really didn't mind the proximity on stage at all. Hell, it was probably very visible that he had enjoyed himself quite a lot. But that was the problem. He shouldn't love it that much. He closed his eyes, trying to calm his racing thoughts and heart, but all he could see was Luke's gorgeous smile that had been way too close to his face just about an hour ago.
"Want something from the fridge?," Luke asked, placing his big, warm hand on Michael's thigh to get his attention. It was absolutely unnecessary, really, they were the only people in the green room after all. The muscles in Michael's thigh jumped tellingly at the touch, but if Luke had noticed, he at least didn't comment on it.
"Sure, I'll take a beer," the older hummed, exhaling quietly when Luke finally got off the couch and let go of his leg. But the lingering heat under his skin stayed and reminded him of a time where those touches had been normal.
...
Okay, so playing each other's guitars during Voodoo Doll every single fucking night maybe hadn't been Michael's best idea. Of course, he loved messing around with Luke on stage, but every time he did there was a slight tingle in his stomach that was hard to ignore.
And the biggest problem: It just kept getting worse.
The way Luke would lean down to get a better access to his guitar, the way he would randomly look up at Michael with an expression that screamed 'fuck, we are so cool' - it made Michael drown in memories he had tried to lock away in the back of his brain for years now. Memories from when playing each other's guitars wasn't the only reason they were leaning into each other.
In Cologne, Michael decided that it was time to focus. And he tried, he really did - but the green shirt Luke had decided to wear just looked too good on him and he couldn't help but stare every once in a while. It was only during Amnesia that Michael was finally convinced he'd get through the rest of the concert without any problems. His confidence was crushed once he read the secret song.
Right, they had put Talk Fast in the mix for tonight.
Staying focused had never been as hard as that night. Michael tried not to stare, not to fantasize, not to think about what Luke and him had had so many years ago. He was a fool for holding onto it, really. Still, he couldn't help but think about those secret kisses, about what they had done when nobody was around. He had always taken what Luke had given him, and deep down he knew he still felt the same - except Luke had barely given him anything for a few years now.
During Voodoo Doll Michael couldn't help but shiver at the way Luke looked at him, and playing each other's guitars during the solo felt like it had ten years ago. And when Michael hugged Luke from behind while walking through the crowd in the beginning of Everyone's A Star, it was definitely only because he wanted the microphone, not because he craved the feeling of being close to Luke.
"Dude, you scared me for a second," Luke chuckled when they walked through the backstage area. Ashton and Calum had gone missing about ten minutes ago, probably off to some shenanigans both Michael and Luke didn't really want to know about.
"Yeah, sorry, I don't know why I did that," Michael replied casually, shrugging his shoulders slightly.
"Don't apologize, I liked it. Was fun," the black haired replied with a smirk, bumping his shoulder into Michael's. The comment had a teasing undertone to it and they both knew Michael was horrible at holding back.
"Was it now? You like it when I scream in your ear?," he asked slyly, watching Luke closely for a reaction. He hoped for a blush, maybe a slight stutter in his response, but what he got was even better. The taller man looked around for a second, making sure that nobody was around, before pulling Michael in for a forceful kiss. It ended as suddenly as it had started and all Michael could do was stare at Luke. His brain was running a hundred miles an hour, yet no thought came out.
"Come to my bunk once everyone's asleep," Luke whispered against his lips before quickly stepping back as if nothing had happened. Then, before Michael could reply, Luke walked off and disappeared somewhere in the hallways of the backstage area.
And Michael - well, he just stood there, trying to understand what the fuck just happened. The last time Luke had kissed him was eight years and nine months ago. Since then, there had been flirting, lingering touches and long eye contacts, but they had stopped messing around. Luke had said it was for the better, that they needed to stop before anyone found out. It had been around the same time Michael had planned to ask him out on a real date and maybe make things official.
Michael had been crushed, but of course he immediately agreed to Luke's suggestion. And after a while, it was okay. He found himself sleeping with other people, experimenting, living his life. For the last four years, Michael had been convinced he was over Luke. Until they all sat together for the Everyone's A Star album. They looked back at old footage, reflected a lot inside and outside the studio and all of it made Michael realize that there were still feelings left. They had been locked away, secured in the depth of his heart, but something about the new era had brought those feelings back. And now that they were back to performing, there was no denying it anymore.
The ringing of his phone brought Michael out of his thoughts. Quickly, he pulled it out of his pocket to see Ashton calling him. "Hey, Ash, what's up?"
"Hey mate, I just wanted to let you know that bus call is at 3am and Cal and I will go out until then. You wanna join us?"
Michael bit his lip and thought for a second. "Is Luke going?" He cringed at how desperate he sounded.
"Nope, told us he wasn't feeling well and that we should be quiet when we get back to the bus," Ashton hummed. Michael could hear Calum talking in the background, but he couldn't make out what he was saying.
"Oh, okay. Well, I'll let you two go alone, I am quite tired and could do with some sleep." Michael faked a yawn, hoping it sounded convincing.
"Alright, fair. Check on Luke before you go to bed, yeah? Sleep tight, Mike."
"Thank you, you two enjoy your night!"
After the call ended, Michael hurried to the green room, took a shower and then went to the bus. There were some fans waiting, but he just quickly waved at them before heading inside. He loved their fans, but there was just too much going on in his head at the moment. As soon as the bus door was closed behind him, he took a deep breath. He headed to the bunks, seeing that Luke's was closed.
For a moment, Michael wondered whether Luke had actually gotten sick, but he pushed the thought away and changed into the shirt and sweatpants he wore for sleeping. He put his other clothes into his suitcase before sitting down on his bunk. Luke's was on the opposite side of his, so he took a moment to just stare at the curtain and think. What were they doing? They weren't teenagers anymore. They were responsible adults. Right?
Still, he took a deep breath before whispering "Luke?"
"Mikey? Is it just you?," Luke asked quietly and something in Michael's stomach tingled. He knew that question from ten years ago and he couldn't help but get a little excited.
"Yeah, the others are gone," he assured, fidgeting with his fingers as he waited for Luke to say or do something.
"Come over here," Luke hummed, opening his curtain just a tiny bit to allow Michael in.
The older man did as he was told, closing his own bunk off before walking over to Luke's and opening it further to climb inside. He could feel his heart in his throat as he was immediately greeted by a hand in his hair that tugged him down and into a kiss. Michael made a surprised noise but kissed Luke back, lips immediately falling into a familiar rhythm.
And because Michael was a starving man, he couldn't help but lick into Luke's mouth before tracing his bottom lip with his tongue. Luke tasted like the mint gum he always chewed combined with a faint note of... strawberry? Michael pushed his tongue against Luke's lip once more before pulling back in confusion, looking down at the younger man. "Since when do you taste like strawberries? You always wore cherry flavored chapstick," Michael whispered, not even realizing his words until they were out in the open.
Luke only stared at Michael for a long moment before shaking his head. But the red head could see the light blush covering Luke's cheeks. "I switched it after we stopped, you know, doing stuff...," the younger man admitted before tugging at Michael's neck to pull him in for another kiss.
Soon, Michael could feel Luke's lips traveling down his jaw and when he felt Luke's teeth graze over his Adam's apple, his arms almost gave in. He settled for a breathy exhale instead, closing his eyes to regain his focus. But all he could think and feel and smell was Luke, so naturally he was the only thing Michael could focus on.
Luke's hands felt like hot iron against his skin, fingertips leaving burning traces on his back as he pushed Michael's shirt up and over his head. "Wanna be on top," Luke decided once the shirt was off and laying in a corner of his bunk. Michael gladly followed the younger man's request, laying down on his back and letting Luke climb on top. Instantly, there were lips on his neck, collarbones and chest, and all Michael could do was feel up and down Luke's shoulders and hair and face.
Then, those lips climbed back up until their tongues reunited in another dance, fighting for dominance as Michael cupped Luke's cheeks because how was this black haired angel real? He felt Luke's hands on his thighs, pushing them open so he could lay down between them. Their kisses became sloppier, whiny breaths leaving both their mouths as Luke started to roll his hips against Michael's.
Michael shoved his pants and boxers to his thighs soon later, because he was fucking close already and he really didn't want to stain his clothes. Luke chuckled breathlessly at that but copied the action, undressing before laying back down on top of Michael to resume the grinding. They both came way too quick for it to be brushed off as something casual, but they were both too embarrassed to talk about it. Instead, Luke placed another forceful kiss on Michael's lips before giving him a few tissues. They cleaned up in awkward silence and once they were done, Luke shoved Michael's t-shirt back in his hand. "Sleep well, Mikey," he whispered with a kiss to the corner of his mouth before turning his back to the curtain, letting Michael know he should leave.
So he did, leaving a piece of his heart in Luke's bunk.
...
"How about you guys fake a kiss for the Boyband Award tonight? The fans would go crazy and it's not something super wild," Ashton suggested as they walked from the VIP Soundcheck back to their green room. Michael froze and stared at the drummer for a second.
"Jez, why do you look so shocked? You kissed Awsten Knight three times on stage AND in a music video, man," Calum laughed and dragged Michael with him so he wouldn't fall behind. Luke muttered something inaudible in response, but when Calum asked what he had said, the black haired man just shook his head.
When they entered the room, Michael immediately made a beeline for his Nintendo and sat down on the couch, trying to calm down. Ever since Cologne, shit had been weird. On stage, Luke and him were completely fine, falling into their rhythm like second nature - but off stage, they were both seemingly more careful. Well, except for their off days in Stockholm and Budapest. Because while their friends had went out to enjoy the nightlife, Michael and Luke had both faked headaches just to get tangled in the sheets an hour later.
Michael was angry with himself for letting Luke do all that to him. He hated himself for loving his best friend the way he did. But no matter how hard he tried, he knew he would come running back the second Luke called, so what was the point in walking away? Therefore, instead of packing his things, he just sulked in the corner of one of the couches, playing Mario Cart while listening to Ashton, Calum and Luke bickering.
When showtime finally rolled around, Michael decided a beer before the concert would be a good idea. Just to loosen up, be his happy self that everybody adored and maybe have an easier time acting as if everything was okay between him and Luke. And it worked. He had a blast on stage, messing around with the fans, enjoying his time on stage with his friends - until it was time for the boyband award.
Michael thought back about Ashton's proposition as they stood next to the stage. Faking a kiss with Luke couldn't be that bad, right? It would be pure fan service, it didn't mean anything. Right?
Michael looked to his left to see Luke hiding his face behind his crossed fingers, acting as if he was praying that they were winning. Before he could overthink his overly stupid decision, Michael turned towards Luke and nudged his arm with his hand, successfully getting his attention. The younger man seemed to understand immediately, meeting Michael's eyes for a short moment before gesturing his hand between them. Just as they both leaned in, a loud voice boomed through the arena.
"5 Seconds of Summer!"
As if on autopilot, Michael pushed Luke's chest and started shouting, faking his excitement. A moment later, Luke seemed to snap back into focus and get excited as well. For a moment, Michael couldn't help but wonder if Luke would've gone for it if they had had more time, but he quickly pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and walked up the stage to hug the fan and celebrate their award. His emotions and the overthinking could wait, he had a show to play.
The crowd helped him with forgetting his thoughts, but it all came crashing back the moment the four of them walked through the tunnel below their stage. The concert was over, the fans were leaving the venue and Luke had silently walked off towards the showers the moment they entered the backstage area. Michael watched him go, shame rising red into his ears.
"You really did the fake kiss, that's so cool! I swear it looked so fucking real," Ashton smiled proudly, squeezing Michael's shoulder. Michael held back from snapping at the drummer - how come he always knew how to read the room EXCEPT for when Michael really needed him to?
"Glad it looked real," the red head hummed instead, shaking his head to try and get rid of the regret eating him up from the inside. It didn't work in the slightest. Did he do something wrong? Why had Luke basically run away the second they got off stage? Would this be the end of whatever they had? Had he overstepped? But Luke had joined into the joke, so it wasn't just his fault. Right?
Michael sulked as he watched some TikToks, not really knowing what else to do. Some minutes later, Luke headed out of the bathroom, wet curls hidden under the hood of a too big sweater. He grabbed his stuff and went straight out of the door, presumably heading to the tour bus. Michael sighed and decided to let Luke cool off - he could take a shower and then go after him.
With freshly washed and dried hair, Michael packed his stuff to go back to the bus. Ash and Cal were still sitting on the couch talking about anything and everything, so he knew Luke and him would have some time. At least their exit to the bus was pretty hidden, so there weren't too many fans waiting. He waved quickly before rushing inside the bus.
A weird sense of déjà vu hit him when the door closed behind him and he took a deep breath. He headed to the bunks, seeing Luke's curtain closed shut. Michael felt horrible. What had he done?
"Luke?," he tried weakly, standing right in front of the younger man's bunk.
"What?," came the response, sounding exhausted and mad and just so different than Luke had on stage.
"I... Are you okay...?," Michael asked carefully, scared to ruin things between them even more.
"Is it just you?," Luke sniffled. Michael's heart cracked at the sound. Was Luke crying?
"Yeah, just me. Can I open the curtain?," the red haired whispered, not wanting to overstep but craving to take care of Luke. Just like he always had.
Instead of replying, Luke kicked at the curtain to push it away. Michael understood the action and went to open it completely. Luke laid inside, curled into his blanket and staring at Michael with dull blue eyes. The complete opposite of those sparkling ocean's Michael had stared into just mere hours ago when they were performing.
"Did I do something wrong? Luke, I swear I didn't mean to overstep or anything," Michael rambled and sat down on Luke's bunk without thinking twice. Because while Luke was a fully grown man that usually screamed confidence now, Michael could still see the petite blonde boy when he looked at him long enough - and it broke him to see Luke hurt.
Luke just sniffled again, untangling himself before scooting forwards and hugging Michael's stomach. It looked incredibly uncomfortable, so Michael bit his lip and adjusted them until he was leaning against the wall of the bunk and Luke was laying in his lap. He then closed the curtain and put his hand in Luke's hair, damp curls wrapping around his fingers. He felt like crying as he felt the younger seeking comfort in his embrace, but he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.
"Are you okay?," Michael asked once more, worried sick about having hurt his best friend. Luke let out a choked sob in response before hugging Michael's stomach closer and pressing his face in his hoodie.
They sat there for a while, Luke crying and Michael trying to comfort him. Once Luke felt like he could at least breathe again, he sat up and brought some distance between them. Michael stared at the younger man's tear stained face - he thought that Luke was a really pretty crier. Still, his chest ached at the sight.
"Why did you do that?" Luke's question hung in the air like a dark rain cloud. It took Michael a moment to understand what he meant. But the black haired man saw the silence as his cue to continue. "Is it all just a joke to you? Just some shit for publicity? Am I a joke to you?"
The sheer horror on Michael's face seemed to silence Luke. Instead, a quiet tear slipped down his cheek.
"Luke- what... I- What are you talking about? What do you even want from me?" Michael was completely and utterly confused. For years, Luke had told him that they were better off as friends, that their secret rendezvous had to stop. And now Luke almost sounded like he blamed Michael for not kissing him in public? Or did he blame him for leaning in in the first place?
Luke's eyes became teary again, more water spilling from his oceans of blue. He seemed to contemplate his next words before forcing them out of his mouth. His voice was barely a whisper - a broken one at that. "I just want you to love me."
The silence that followed was heavy. Michael felt like he couldn't breathe, like the world was crashing down and his head was running a hundred miles an hour. "What?," he asked shakily.
"I just want you to love me," Luke repeated, a little stronger this time. But his face showed that he had already given up. "That's all I ever wanted. But after years of messing around with no strings attached, I knew I had to move on. And I tried. I tried so fucking hard, just to come crawling back to you."
Michael tried to make sense of all the stuff Luke was saying. Did that mean... "You loved me?!"
Luke shivered and looked down, wiping away the tears just for them to be replaced with new ones. "Still do. And I fucking hate myself for it, trust me. And then you fucking dickhead have the decency to lean in and almost kiss me for everyone to see just to push me away at the very last second and I know I have no right to be mad at you but I wanna be mad at you because why would you-"
Michael couldn't listen to Luke's desperate rant any longer, so he did the only thing he could think of. He pressed his lips against Luke's to shut him up. It wasn't nice, it wasn't comfortable - but he knew it was the right thing to do, because after a shocked squeak, the younger man was finally quiet. The red head pulled back slightly to meet Luke's eyes. "I love you too, you dumbass," he whispered with a teary laugh.
Now, it was Luke's turn to stare. "What?"
"Remember the day you told me we should end things? I wanted to ask you out on a date that day. But like... I was too embarrassed after you suggested to stop it, so I kept quiet. And, uh... I really wanted to kiss you tonight but I didn't dare because I was scared you wouldn't want that," Michael explained with a hoarse voice. He was still shaking slightly, but he put his hand on Luke's cheek nonetheless. Luke might be a pretty crier but he was even prettier when he smiled.
"Are you for real?," the black haired asked carefully, searching Michael's eyes for any hint that he might be lying.
"Yes, now stop staring and come here," Michael hummed, wanting nothing more than to make up for lost time. He leaned back in to brush his lips against Luke's. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears as he caressed Luke's cheeks until all the tears had dried.
When they parted to breathe, Luke sat back and took a moment to stare at Michael. His eyes were still watery and there was a cute blush covering his cheeks. But something in his gaze made the older man pause.
"Are you okay, Luke? Are we... okay?," he asked, feeling slightly uneasy.
"What does this mean to you? Where do we stand? I can't go back to the thing we had in the past," Luke breathed out and Michael could see panic flash in the black haired man's eyes.
"I don't want to go back to the thing we had. I plan on taking you out on dates, I plan on treating you like the prince you are. That is, if you want it too...," Michael answered truthfully, his hand subconsciously finding Luke's knee.
Luke could only nod at that, too stunned to speak. He always knew that Michael was a sweetheart, but sometimes he forgot just how good he treated the ones he loved and held dearly.
"Is that a yes? Do you want to be my boyfriend? Please say you wanna be my boyfriend," Michael asked, a little desperate.
"Yes, please."
...
The next few days went by in a blur. Ever since Luke had agreed to be Michael's boyfriend, the red head felt like he was on cloud number nine. They were still searching for the right moment to tell Ashton and Calum, but for now, it was okay.
"I have an idea how to tell the boys," Michael started, watching Luke as he did his make up. They were in the backstage area in Lisbon, getting ready for their last show of the Europe leg of the tour. Ashton and Calum had disappeared around 2 minutes ago, going out for a smoke.
Luke paused and turned to Michael with a questioning look. It was obvious that the younger man was excited to tell the others - he hated hiding. It reminded him of their past, when they were just messing around.
"How about we post a TikTok with the music of Evolve in the background and I'm like, you know, saying the lyrics like a prayer. And you sit on the couch and tell me to grow up? And then when we show them they will be happy about us feeding the fans some muke content and then we tell them there will be more coming now that we are a couple?"
Michael was nervous about his idea, it was a little stupid after all. He felt like a little school girl suggesting that idea, but he knew that Luke really wanted to tell at least Ash and Cal about the relationship as soon as possible, and it would make it less awkward to do it like that.
Luke nodded with a soft smile. "I like that, let me just finish my make up and then we can film it."
They did the video in one take, giggling as they rewatched it. Michael sat on the couch next to Luke, head leaning on the younger man's shoulder as Calum and Ashton came back inside. Michael could feel Luke squirming next to him and placed his hand on his arm in a calming manner.
"Cuddling session without us, boys? What are you watching?" Calum asked with a smirk as he walked up to them, Ashton following right behind.
"We filmed a video for social media, wanna see?" Michael asked, taking Luke's phone from him to show their friends. His own nerves were kicking in now, too.
"Oh, giving them some muke to ship, I love it!" Ashton grinned, patting both Luke and Michael on the back. It was quiet for a long moment before Michael finally found his voice.
"I mean, gotta ease them into the news, right?," he asked shakily, biting his lip immediately after the words left his mouth. His palms were sweaty and he could feel Luke stiffen beside him.
"What news?," Calum asked, a confused frown edged onto his face.
"We... We're dating," Luke breathed out shyly, looking at his friends for a reaction. Michael was less brave, staring at the phone in front of him still playing the video on repeat. But he didn't need to look up, because after some painfully long seconds, there were two people hugging both Luke and him tightly. And fuck, it felt good to know their friends were happy for them.
...
They poured their souls into the show, just like every night, but to Michael everything felt ten times more intense than usual. Maybe it was because they would take a little break after this concert, maybe he was just high on emotion from knowing that the most beautiful man on earth was actually his boyfriend and his two best friends approved.
Michael tried hard not to stare too much, but it was a hard task. Luke was glowing under the stage lights and when they played their transition from Easier to More, Michael felt on top of the world. Also, listening to Luke sing "I wanna do drugs, I wanna make love, I wanna get fucked" made Michael's skin itch in a really good way - they could absolutely arrange that. He bit his lip and focused back on his guitar, only dancing with the younger man for a short moment during Calum's verse of Evolve. The song was hot and he was feeling it, okay?
And even though he tried to focus, he couldn't help but drown in Luke's beautiful voice ringing through his in-ears. To say that the note change in Jet Black Heart sent a shiver down his spine would be an understatement.
With the final chords of She Looks So Perfect, all for of them escaped into the backstage area, rushing to the other side of the arena to get through the crowd for the encore. Michael was trailing behind, drinking a cup of god-knows-what to rehydrate before the final songs. Then, an idea popped into his mind.
They were in a closed-off area, Luke was walking right behind the security and nobody could stop him.
Michael quickly caught up to his boyfriend and pulled him back by the wrist, forcing him to spin around. Before Luke could even open his mouth, there was a pair of dark red, soft lips on his, effectively shutting him up. Of course, kissing Luke in the middle of the backstage was risky, but Michael couldn't help himself. His heart was pounding in his ears when they separated and from Luke's dazed smile Michael knew the black haired man felt the same.
"You rock, I love you," Michael told Luke with a short kiss to his cheek, then he grabbed him by the arm and dragged him along so they could catch up to the others. Calum gave them a knowing smile and Ollie from South Arcade just stared at them with an open mouth. Right, the guys from South Arcade and Master Peace would join them for the encore and didn't know about their relationship yet. Luke just grinned, obviously too high on adrenaline to get shy. Michael couldn't help but poke at the younger man's dimple.
It was only after Youngblood that Michael realized that it was in fact over. They had finished the Europe leg of the tour. Fuck, he missed it already. Playing in Europe was always special somehow.
When they waved goodbye, Michael saw Calum running towards the lift at the center of the stage. Right, they had to leave. But he really couldn't bring himself to move. Instead, he watched his friends go downwards without him.
"C'mon," Luke shouted with a big smile, making a motion for Michael to jump down into his arms. Cute, but no. Michael grinned and waved for Luke to come back up, watching the younger turn around to search for a way to get back up onto the stage. He forced himself to put his attention on Calum and Ashton instead, they were already back on stage and communicating with him how to bow with the gap in between them. When Luke was finally beside him, Michael could feel him put his arm around his back and they bowed to the fans, saying their final goodbyes.
Michael decided to take one more walk around the stage and when he turned back towards the lift, all he could see was his boyfriend's smile that lit up the arena more than all the flashlights from their fans ever could. He was somehow joking around with the lift, but Michael paid it no mind. All he could think about was how well the concert went and how adorable and pretty and hot Luke was. The red head accepted a cute hat a fan offered before finally following his friends and boyfriend into the lift and down below the stage.
The backstage was buzzing with people working to collect all the equipment. The boys decided to down some drinks with the guys and girls from South Arcade and Master Peace. Everything felt incredible. But the longer it took, the harder it was for Michael to keep his hands off of Luke. It wasn't just the alcohol in his system, but the feeling of knowing that the black haired man was his now. And the fact that he could show it off to Ashton and Calum now.
Luke didn't seem to mind, though - he cuddled up to Michael's side every chance that he got, enjoying the attention and the curious looks of the others. They could stare all they wanted, Luke was beyond happy and nobody could take that feeling away from him right now.
"Let's get out of here," Michael whispered into Luke's ear as they watched Harmony and Hattie laugh about some joke Cody had made. Luke just nodded, a dopey smile growing on his face.
They disappeared as quietly as possible, not ready for any dirty remarks. And they would go out the next day to celebrate anyways, so it wasn't like they ditched their friends without a chance to say goodbye.
One of the securities drove Michael and Luke to the hotel they would be staying at, wishing them a good night as they got out of the car. Oh, they would have a good night indeed, Michael was sure of that. He grinned like a maniac as the receptionist gave them the keys to their rooms. They wouldn't really need the second room, but the red head kept quiet.
The moment the elevator doors closed behind them, Luke pushed himself against Michael, chest to chest and nose to nose. Their lips met in a greedy kiss, tongues licking at lips and breaths mingling. "You taste like cherry again, I missed it," Michael hummed against Luke's lips when they took a short break to catch their breath. He was already half hard in his jeans and he could sense that Luke felt the same. The taller pushed his hips into Michael's forcing a moan out of both of them.
The walk from the elevator to the room felt like an eternity and Michael was about to just drop the keycard and take Luke right then and there in the hallway, but decided against it. He had waited for this moment for years - he could live with waiting a few more minutes. Plus he wanted to do it right, once and for all. After so many one night stands, rushed touches and hushed whispers, they would finally do it right.
It took Michael three tries to open the door, but once they were both inside there were lips on his neck and a body pushing him into the wall. Luke was eager, biting and licking at Michael's sensitive skin to get a reaction. The older groaned breathily, melting into his boyfriend for a moment before collecting his thoughts. He put some distance between them, smirking at the whine that left Luke's lips.
"Easy there, we've got all night," Michael whispered before kissing Luke with so much hunger it erased every word just said. Scratch 'easy there', Michael couldn't wait either. They stumbled to the bed and undressed between kisses until they were both only wearing boxers. It really was a blessing they weren't in their skinny jeans phase anymore.
"Easy there," Luke mocked Michael when the red head pushed him into the mattress, one hand on his hip while the other rested at the base of Luke's neck. He only got a breathless chuckle in response.
"You're unreal," Michael whispered after a moment of loaded silence, eyes raking up and down the singer's face and body. "I really cannot believe you are actually mine now," he continued with a soft smile. He squeezed around Luke's neck as if to prove to himself that the man below him was real, earing himself a moan in the process.
"Please, do something," Luke whispered hoarsely, pulling the shorter man in by the neck. Tongues met in an all too familiar dance as hands rediscovered long forgotten places. Yes, they had been messing around a few times during this tour, but all of it had been shy and clumsy so it was the first time in a long while that they really took their time to explore and feel.
Michael felt comfort in the way Luke moved against him - it was new yet he was already used to it. It was weird, really, it felt like two puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly. The red head wrapped his hand around Luke's neck again, caressing it with his thumb. He could feel the younger man's pulse quicken underneath his fingertips.
Then, he pushed his hips down into Luke's, blessing them both with the friction they so desperately needed. Soft moans ripped through the silence as they moved against each other for a while, drowning in a flood of a thousand feelings. Luke's hand traveled along Michael's back, lower until his fingertips finally slipped under the fabric of those too tight boxers. He squeezed the soft flesh of Michael's ass, pulling him in to intensify their grinding.
"Can I... fuck, is it okay if I get the lube real quick?," Michael asked, arousal evident in his voice.
"Please," Luke whispered, watching Michael move through the room towards his suitcase. He used the time to get rid of his boxers, giving himself a few tugs as he watched his lover.
Michael turned around with lube and a condom in hand and couldn't help but curse at the sight. Seeing this beautiful man in his bed was almost too much for him. "Shit, Luke, c'mere," he breathed out and climbed back on top of his boyfriend in record time. He slapped Luke's hand away and replaced it with his own, working on him with slow movements. Luke leaned his head back against the pillows and let out a lewd moan.
"Is it okay if I finger you?," the red head asked after a short moment, regaining Luke's attention.
"Go on, open me up already, wanna feel you inside me," Luke replied instantly, shifting on the bed to give Michael better access. The older man nodded, opening the lube to get started. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears.
Michael kissed Luke's stomach as he inserted the first finger, watching for any signs of discomfort. When there was none, he moved around and carefully added a second digit. The younger hissed at that, not quite used to the stretch anymore. It's been quite a long time after all, and he really hadn't felt like doing it without Michael. The memories had just felt too hard to handle.
"You okay?," Michael hummed, kissing along Luke's thighs as he waited for any kind of reaction.
"Yeah, just a lot," Luke admitted with a shy smile. Their eyes met for a long moment until Michael decided to move his fingers. The pleasure forced Luke to close his eyes. And because the older man knew it was a good sign, he kept up with the movements until Luke was ready for a third finger.
Michael had always enjoyed opening Luke up. He loved watching the younger squirm from just his fingers, listen to him beg for more - but tonight was the first time Michael finally understood why. He was proud for making Luke feel that way. So he moved his fingers again and again, smiling as he observed Luke's face. He really was absolutely gorgeous.
"Mikey, you good?" It took the older man a moment to snap out of his trance.
"Huh? Yeah, sorry," he chuckled softly and pulled his fingers out, cleaning them with a tissue before grabbing the condom.
"Don't apologize, you're okay. I just want you to be fine with doing this, don't want you to rush if you don't feel ready or something. You seemed really zoned out back there," Luke hummed, leaning up on his elbows. He wrapped a hand around Michael's that was holding the condom to stop his fumbling.
"I'm just really happy I can finally show you how much I love you." Michael blushed the second the words had left his mouth. Did he really just say that? Fuck, he was such a sap. But Luke didn't seem to mind too much. A pretty pink dusted his cheeks and his dimple appeared when he smiled.
"If that's the only reason you zoned out, then you may continue," Luke giggled and helped Michael get the condom open. Then, he leaned back into the pillows and watched as the older man got rid of his boxers and put the condom on.
The giggle made Michael feel all giddy inside, a warm tingle spreading in his stomach. He really felt like a lovesick teenager and maybe some part of him still was when it came to Luke. "You wanna get on top? It might be nicer for you to control the stretch yourself," Michael offered, kissing Luke's cheek before connecting their lips in a short but sweet kiss.
"Actually, that's a pretty good idea," Luke agreed, making space on the bed so Michael could lay down and he could climb on top of him. They were a bit clumsy, but it only came natural with how tall they were.
Michael's hand immediately found their place on Luke's hips, tracing soothing patterns into his hipbones as he watched the black haired man straddle him. Luke seemed a little nervous, but it was the good kind and they both knew that. Therefore, Michael didn't ask or worry, he simply gave him all the time he needed to calm down.
Soon enough, Michael could feel Luke going down on him in a slow motion. The younger man's eyes were squeezed shut, his thighs were trembling and his breath came in shaky puffs. Michael watched him carefully while simultaneously trying not to go crazy from the tight squeeze around his dick. A low growl left his throat when Luke forced himself further down to bottom out. Michael couldn't help but dig his nails into Luke's hips, grounding them both with the tight grip.
"Did you get bigger?," Luke joked breathlessly, letting his head slump down as he tried to catch his breath. He sounded completely wrecked already and it made Michael chuckle. Luke really was something else.
"You're just not used to me anymore," the older stated matter-of-factly, raising one hand to put it in Luke's hair. "Kiss?," he then asked, carefully tugging his boyfriend towards him.
The shift of hips made both of them gasp softly, but then there were Luke's lips on Michael's and everything else went blurry for a moment. The kiss was so soft and careful and loving that Michael struggled to breathe once they separated.
But right when he finally caught his breath, Luke decided it was time to move. The slow drag of hips forced another gasp out of Michael and he couldn't help but tug at Luke's hips to get him to move again.
Luke set a slow rhythm, obviously still getting used to the feeling again, but it felt so much better than ever before. Probably because they both allowed themselves to finally feel all of it. They built a bubble of softness around them, getting cozy in the feeling of being loved like that.
But when Michael couldn't hold himself back and met Luke's deep grind, something in the dynamic changed. A loud keen escaped Luke's lips and his thighs began to tremble again. Michael immediately knew that he had hit the younger man's prostate and being the good boyfriend he was, he helped Luke reach it with every move of their hips.
"Fuck, yeah, Michael, right there, please, oh shit," Luke rambled, arms fighting to not give in as he tried to meet Michael's thrusts. The pleasure was tiring him out, though, so he had a hard time concentrating on anything. Luckily, Michael knew him all too well and stopped before Luke could collapse.
"Lay on your back for me, baby," he whispered, helping the younger man into a laying position before climbing on top. He reconnected their hips and pushed back inside with a smooth thrust, punching a moan out of both of them. Luke gasped for air with every thrust, feeling so drunk on pleasure and love he could barely think straight. Everything in him was screaming for more but all he could do was hold onto Michael's shoulders.
"Mikey, I am so fucking close, please don't stop." Upon hearing that, Michael doubled his efforts to get Luke over the edge. Loud moans were ripped from the depths of his soul as he pushed into the tight heat again and again, trying to hit Luke's prostate with every thrust.
"Come for me, Luke, darling, come for me," he whispered urgently, feeling his own orgasm building up dangerously quickly. He pressed his lips against Luke's messily and in the next moment he could feel him jerk heavily below him, his whiny moan only barely muffled by Michael's lips as he came.
The tightness around Michael's dick was all it took for him to follow his boyfriend over the edge, a heavy orgasm washing over him. Probably the strongest he ever had. After a beat of silence, Luke began shaking under Michael, soft aftershocks pulsing through his body. Michael carefully pulled out of Luke and rid himself of the condom, tying it and wrapping it in a tissue before laying back down to hug his boyfriend.
Luke was still trembling slightly and shivered when a warm body covered the majority of his own. "You good?," Michael asked carefully, knowing Luke could be incredibly sensitive after sex. Emotionally and physically speaking.
"Yeah, I think so," the taller man whispered, cuddling into Michael's proximity after a moment.
"Want me to clean you up? Run you a bath and cuddle with you?"
And Michael swore right then and there that he would do anything and everything for the bright smile and the shimmering eyes he got as an answer to that question.