Training or practice
After completing his long and exhausting demon history class, Luke came back into his shared dorm room. From the open window gentle bands of sun flowed through the drafty air, a cause of another lit cigarette.
“Valentine? Are you busy right now?” Luke wondered, coming to peer over his parabatis papers spread over the desk. he didn’t look too busy, with his hands behind his head and his chest without a shirt.
“No, what’s up?” Valentine asked, he had the habit of answering questions with questions. It had driven him and Luke to fight many times, physically, verbally or just plain absurdly.
“I need your help, with the new wrestling requirement.” Luke stated, letting Valentine pull him between his legs, the pass his the cigarette with both hands, opening his fist, spreading his first two fingers.
“we have bigger things to worry about, there’s a whole crowd of those fucking talking tree trunks who DARED to step out of their dirt filled mushrooms and into beautifully clean Idris. .” Valentine stated, not paying all that much attention to Luke as he glared at the open window, so curiously like he was about to jump out it.
“A crowd? I didn’t see them, could you please help me Val? You know you’re better at this stuff than I am, please.” Luke begged, taking a few hits before dumping some of the ash into a nearby sparkly glass tray.
“That’s not the worst of our problems either..” Valentine mummered, pushing himself onto Luke and looking past him to see the lonely field, the empty high trees.
“yeah I might not pass this year! Could you at least explain it to me well I get dressed, your clearly not going to be any help.” Luke sighed, before digging into his wardrobe, which was a trunk under the contrasting bed. The homely quilt, but the slim and desperate trunk, taped together, beaten till dents.
“I’ll help you, but you know you’ve got to help me in return.” Valentine cleared, squeezing Lucian’s backside.
“Fine, I’m not going to do anything crazy though.” Luke declared, putting both of his palms out from his pockets. They had tiny intends, splinters from a wooden stake from earlier training in weapons class.
“I’m not asking you too, just get Marsye and Robert together.” Valentine shrugged, putting out the rest of his cigarette, before turning to face Luke, who only eyed him suspiciously but did not face Valentine.
“what…?” Luke asked, shaking his head of hair before setting down his backpack beside his bed.
“I’d be fun for you no? you getting to cause that kind of chaos.” He subdued, kicking Luke lightly on the thigh.
“What exactly are you asking me to do Valentine? You know I’d do anything if it made you feel better.” Luke reasoned, well not being all that reasonable. After Oskar had died, Valentine was an angry person, not every hour of the day, but his fits often lasted years it seemed.
“Feel better? I feel fine, fuck. I’ll go with you for know, just get dressed.” Valentine swore, slamming the door to his wardrobe open, then pulling out a black wrestling leotard.
Well he was turned around, Luke began to put on his new school issued leotard, starting by taking off his uniform. Sometime well he was doing this, a pair of distasteful eyes caught his figure in the fog of plots. His clotted hips, his slightly hunched spine, seen barely through his thick skin. The horrid of the two often declared that his skin was thick, not just as an expression but in a literal meaning. If you got close enough to Luke, sleep in the same bed with him, seen him most vindictively, same as Valentine, you’d reach out to touch him and wouldn’t feel any hard bone. That if he skinned him whole, he would only need one layer of clothing in the harshest and wisest winter.
“Hey earth to Valentine, I’m ready.” Luke sighed, waving an arm in front of Valentine who still hadn’t begun to change and know gazed Luke from up to down, then sucked air through his prestigious teeth.
“Go, I’ll meet you there.” Valentine validated,lightly smacking Luke’s bottom with a wink.
Well walking down the empty and vague hallway, Luke whistled one of the many songs of Idris, two blind men.
When Luke got to the training room, the last thing he expected to see was Micheal, talking to himself and pacing wildly. He lacked a shirt, but had on a pair of sweatpants with a black tiger covering one of the legs. Which, for Micheal, was impressive considering he could and sometimes did stroll around naked. He ran his hands through his naturally flat hair, lacking its usual toque.
“Hey Micheal, what’s up?” Luke asked, raising a thin eyebrow at him.
“Oh nothing.. nothing, I was just.. thinking out loud.” Micheal tried, Luke shook his nappy head
“Whatever you say.” Luke said, setting up one of the blue practice mats onto the floor.
“what are you doing?” Micheal asked, well fidgeting from foot to foot, clawing at his left arm with his right.
“Im setting up so I can practice for the wrestling requirements. Micheal what are YOU doing?” Luke groaned, going back to get another mat. Just as Valentine came in with a water bottle and a towel.
“I’m- I don’t know.” Micheal sputtered, going over to a near by wall, then kicking the dusty old bricks.
“Ignore him, focus. What are you having trouble with?” Valentine asked, holding Luke’s square chin is his thin hands, so his catching eyes aligned with Valentines.
From the slightly dirty window, the sunlight caught onto Luke’s eyes, making them look less like the sea where it meets the beach. More like the wonderous secret of lake Lyn. If Valentine hadn’t been so focused on his massive plots, he would have realized Luke’s eyes were the ones you fall in love with. the ones you could stare at for decades and still find new things about them. The ones you’d hope to see if you were to close yours for a final time.
“Pinning, and getting the other person to the ground, getting the upper hand I think it’s called.” Luke mumbled.
“yes it is, alright. This might take some time.” Valentine teased, before starting to pace around Luke on his feet.
“Go easy on me, I’m not very good.” Luke pleaded, moving in to latch onto Valentine, trying to throw him downwards and to the left, which didn’t work out as Valentine pushed him off balance.
“Your not standing right when your going in, you need to spread your legs and go down lower, the lower you go, I’ll go.” Valentine rumbled, using his bare foot to push Luke’s legs apart.
“That’s what she said.” Micheal commented, as he know laid down and rocked on a pink yoga ball.
“You wish that’s what she said.” Luke replied, once again trying to knock Valentine downwards. Which at first, worked before Valentine turned him down the opposite way, causing him to fall over onto his ass.
“Easy enough for you?” Valentine asked, purposefully keeping Luke mostly down flat on the mat.
“I would so pierce my junk, but dying my pubes is so off the table.” Micheal decided to inform them both.
“Micheal, are you high on something right now?Or drunk, possibly?” Valentine asked, sighing onto Luke.
“Yes, but maybe I’m just telling you cause you’re my friends?” Micheal soured, bouncing off the ball.
“who said we were friends?” Luke joked, then used his legs to push Valentine back enough to pin him down. He had waited until Micheal got up, had no white left in his eyes, as Valentine stared him down.
“You’re not my friend,really?” Micheal muttered, looking down at his bare feet.
“No, Micheal. Calm down.” Luke soothed, as Valentine pushed off of the mat, just as the door opened.
“No your not my friend?” Micheal asked, as Robert came in and paused, holding his deep breath.
“I am your friend.” Luke declared, well looking at himself in the lengthy wall mirror, before bouncing up. He shuffled over to grab Valentines water bottle, squirting some of the water bottle into his panting mouth, well placing a hand on Valentines sweaty back to steady himself.
“Thanks.” Luke grinned, before turning towards Robert, guiding him out of the room and into the hallway.
“What’s up.. is this about yesterday?” Robert prompted, Luke gently put an hand on his back.
“No, I just had a question for you and I wasn’t all too sure how Valentine would have reacted.” Luke warned, walking until he got out of earshot, then going outside to light up a cigarette he had taken from Valentine during his trance over Luke’s body.
“Sure, ask away.” Robert shrugged, watching Luke with a sort of fascination, as he presented even ego as Valentine in the present moment. Barely clothed in a wrestling uniform, smoking a cigarette and asking Robert a supposed personal question as if he owned the entire planet.
“You and Marsye got anything going on? You know?” Luke asked, winking with one extreme blue eye.
“No no.. we haven’t even.. I mean I haven’t asked her out yet.” Robert whispered, looking down at his shoes.
“You should, she’s into you.” Luke pointed out, passing the lit cigarette to him.
“Yeah, I just don’t know how.” Robert muttered between smoke, before handing the cigarette back. Just as Joclyean and Marsye walked by, Joclyean with a pile of books and Marsye with a long runed sword.
“Hey, Joclyean, Marsye.” Luke greeted as they giggled and stopped in front of the pair, Marsye boarding her sword on a holder strung acrossed her chest. She was taller than most their age, even Valentine. So the belt no doubt, must have been custom made for her.
“Hey Luke, you should put that out you know smoking against the rules you have to be at least 50 inches away from any door.” Joclyean declared, as Luke pushed Robert towards Marsye just a tad, the came up from the wall.
“oh yeah let’s walk then.” Luke genuinely not knowing and staring to walk, but not before winking at Robert.
“Aren’t those Valentines?” Joclyean asked, as Luke flicked the end of the cigarette on the crisp grass.
“Yeah, he knows. Would you mind putting that butt out? I don’t have shoes on.” Luke lied and smiled. He really didn’t have shoes on, his bare feet stuck to each small pebble around.
“Ugh, fine.” Joclyean scoffed, gazing at Luke well she snuffed out the flame of the tobacco.
“thank you.” Luke grinned, before a Joclyean’s grass eyed laid on his neck.
“Who were you kissing?” She asked, pushing his arm gently.
“Uh, no one you’d know.” Luke lied through his teeth once more, then turned and faced her.
“Alright, seems you had some fun. Speaking of, I have to go write a report with Marsye, so if you wouldn’t mind getting to the point of that.” Joclyean sassed, pointing,circling in hers and Robert’s position.
“Valentine asked me to.” Luke shrugged, Joclyean groaned, then rolled her eyes.
“Well, trust me it’s not going to take that long on Marsyes front, she’s just waiting for him to ask.” Joclyean declared, Luke stretched his arms and looked back at her, his sky eyes hitting the sunlight.
“He doesn’t know how to ask.” Luke murmured, watching as he Robert seemed to just speak to her casually, well Luke glared at him and tapped the spot where a watch would go on a wrist.
Not before long, Marsye nodded her head and laughed, her long hair flowing around on her back.
“See it wasn’t that hard, come on.” Luke rushed, putting an arm over Robert’s shoulder.
“It was actually.” Robert declared, breathing out all of his air, as Luke walked him as far as his boarding room.
“Well whatever, when is it? Your date?” Luke asked, following him inside. Compared to the room Luke and Valentine shared, it was much dirtier, but ultimately more homely. Both Robert and Micheal had quilted blankets made by their mothers as they had their initials on the left of them and their sons on the right. It was traditional for people to get a blanket made by their mothers before they left to the academy.
Or for Luke’s case, the closest thing he had to a mother, Atamis had made him a blanket but to avoid potential embarrassment, she had forged their own mother’s signature.
“Tonight.” Robert told, well searching through his wardrobe for a suit and nice shoes.
“what?! what time? And where?” Luke asked, confused at his sudden pacing, knowing it was Luke who chased this rushed behaviour.As he threw out a beaten up ivory suit jacket and a cut black tie.
“Uh, 7:00 and at that nice restaurant just off Angel square.” Robert told him, shaking his lean head.
“I hope you’re not going to wear that, didn’t you get into a fight at your cousin Gladstone’s funeral? I heard about that.” Luke commented, as Robert just kept rooting through the wooden closest.
“Yeah, I did. Anyways, I don’t have anything to wear, we have to go out.” Robert decided, as Luke held the door for him to go out towards the front grand door of the shadow hunter academy.
“As long as you have money” Luke sighed, as Robert began to dig through his nightstand.
“Yeah, maybe.. I should get her some flowers huh?” Robert wondered, well Luke went towards his own bedroom, where Valentine who had already changed and Hodge sat, Valentine on the desk chair and Hodge folded up on the desk with a scroll in is hand.
“I don’t know, just do what you think is right and I’m sure she’ll like it.” Luke commented, going over to grab a knitted sweater and sweater pants. He then went over to the bathroom but not before eyeing Hodge.
“You ask Marsye out?” Valentine asked, watching as Luke disappeared, then Robert sit down on his bed.
“Yes I did, we have a date.” Robert declared proudly, looking at the detail in Luke’s blanket.
“For when?” Valentine wondered, as Luke came back out from the bathroom and accepted the lit ebony cigarette from Valentine had he held it out, paying more mind to Robert.
“Tonight.” Robert stated, clearing his throat nervously as he got back up.
“Well, that’s soon.” Valentine commented, looking at Luke with a certain curiosity.
“would you mind helping me out, Luke?” Robert asked, looking into his light bright eyes.
“Of course, I wouldn’t mind at all.” Luke grinned, as he and Robert left the room, going towards the front door.
“See you later.” Valentine grinned towards Luke, then winked with one dark eye.
“Bye, see ya.” Luke smiled as Valentine handed him a cigarette and a pile of euros.
“thanks.” Luke remarked than skipped out to the dusty road to the shops along with Robert who huffed.
“I still don’t know what kind of flowers to get her, or what type of suit to wear, should I make a reservation at the restaurant? Wait we should run back and-“
“There’s probably a phone at one of the shops, bet they’ll have the number too.” Luke reminded, before lighting up the cigarette he had been handed with, then used his own yellow smiley face lighter.
“Okay, will you call them?” Robert wondered, watching Luke take a few puffs, then pass it to him carefully.
“Of course.” Luke replied, leading him into their first stop and the longest, the elegance store. It was owned by a featherstone who had moved from the Australian country side to share her talents with Alicante.
“Hello, how are you today?” An Alicanteed accented voice rang through, so it couldn’t have been the owner.
“Good, this guy here needs a suit for his first date.” Luke teased, pointing at Robert and his attire.
“not my first date, ever. Just my first date with this one girl.” Robert fixed, looking around the store for a suit.
“Ah, the one.” The worker nodded, her name tag read ‘Misha’. From the clear window, her forest eyes glowed.
“No! Well, I don’t know yet, I don’t know could you it’s measure me?!” Robert shouted, clearing his throat.
“Okay, relax Robert.” Luke soothed, holding out an arm for him to steady himself with as he walked up into the platform. He was paying more mind to the woman reaching for her yellow measuring tape.
“It’s alright to be nervous, love. Most of are on a first date with anyone.” Misha declared, smiling and taking her tape from one end of his out stretched arms to the other. Then writing it down on a piece of paper behind the counter, bringing it with her as she ran it up both his legs.
“I’m nervous, but I’m excited. Do you have a phone he could borrow to make a call to make a reservation?” Robert asked, pouting towards Luke who grinned and then pushed him off the platform.
“Stop stressing yourself out, isn’t the owner your cousin?” Luke asked as he followed Misha.
“No, Marsyes.” Robert stated, looking around in shops colour guide for suits and ties.
“well, then that’s good.” Luke replied, looking through Alicantes phone book, a staple at every home and shop.
“Blue or black?” Robert called towards Luke, who held up his hand as the phone rang on the other line.
“Hm, a dark blue.” Misha commented, getting out a suit from behind the swirl pattern curtain.
“Hi, I’d like to make a reservation for a table of two at 7:00?” Luke asked into the phone, putting one of his double jointed thumbs up towards Robert who took off the worn out jacket he was wearing to put the suit on.
“uh, sure table or booth?” An Alicante accent rang out towards Luke, it was deep and thick like his parabatis.
“Do you want a table or a booth?!” Luke shouted, as a few of the nearby residents kids bounded through the cobblestone streets.
“Booth? No! Table? Fuck no! I don’t know you pick!” Robert reported, shaking his leg half angerly, more anxiously.
“A booth please, sir.” Luke repeated, rolling his baby eyes for two reasons, the children now bounded into the shop, knocking over more than two racks and two, Robert being ridiculous.
“Sir? Luke I’m Micheal’s cousin and you’re older than me.” The voice replied, sighing slightly well he scribbled down the name and apporiate booth.
“John? Aren’t you 11?” Luke asked, having recalled the boy from a wedding he and Atamis had attended for Micheal’s aunt a few months ago, when the weather was more windy, explicit, almost scalding.
“Yeah, you going on the date?” He wondered.
“No Maryse et Robert.” Luke commented, clearing his view of the pole to glance at Misha, who was neatly and expressionlessly measuring Robert’s long wrist to shoulder.
“Luke! Stop telling other people my business!” Robert arose, as Misha tuned back to the stock room.
“It’s Micheal’s cousin John be a good boy and stay still!” Luke shouted, hurling a nearby pen at Robert’s neck.
“FUCK OFF!” Robert screamed, as he ran over and snatched the cord phone out of Luke’s hand.
“Fine, relax.” Luke soothed, lightly running his hand down Robert’s back, accidentally touching his bum for short seconds. Neither of them minded, but a look was in fact, exchanged.
Out of kindness, perhaps lust, Luke stored over to remove the racks and suits from the floor, dusting each speck of fabric he could. As the children came through the back deck, Luke grabbed one of them as he slid past.
“Both of you get out now! If you want to run around, go to the felid! You know better than this! Hey, I KNOW YOUR MOTHER!” Luke scolded, as the one in his arm finally broke loose, but not before landing himself a harsh spank on the bottom.
“I want you to do that to me.” Robert continued, grinning evilly.
“What..” Luke asked, turning his head slowly to stall him having the face whatever came out of Robert next.
“So I have a reason to fight you.” Robert replied, coming dangerously close to Luke.
“I just threw a pen at you?!” Luke laughed, pushing Robert off of him gently as he tried to grab his arms.
They managed to bump into the dark wood wall wedged between two glowing hat displays, Robert holding up both of Luke’s forearms to wall as he tried to kick out Robert’s knees. Failing as Robert dug his longer leg in between both of Luke’s thicker ones. Their breathing collided for mere minutes, as they panted and Luke laughing lightly, causing Robert to lost his temper, going back to grabbing him, tossing him towards to the floor. Hard enough for Luke to remember when his own mother had dropped him hard enough to cause concussion, or when Valentine started beating him up well he was showering and of course slipped. Unlike Valentine, Robert stopped. Just to glare at Luke with a semblance of anger still within him. Enough that Luke began to trail his hands up Robert’s tight thighs, towards his waist. Being able to see the beauty in small things, Robert glared furiously into Luke’s light eyes, so much so he thought about kissing every inch of their domain, their plump corneas, their long cillias, their dirty medial canthus. Then, blamed it on having read a book about eyes the day before, most certainly having nothing to do with the fact that he had a beautifully breathtaking man, pinned between his own legs. This train of thought didn’t deter Robert from leaning in closely, enough that Luke wondered why he even bothered going a date with Marsye at all, just to wipe the sleep from the tender flesh of his eyes.
“Here, try this on.” Misha called, not seeing either boy. Being on top, Robert got up first and rather quickly.
“Nothing!” Robert shouted, as Luke just sighed in disappointment, and held Robert’s hand as he helped him up, it was a rule of respect they called it. If you don’t pick your opponent back up, you’ll never win again. Not that either of them had been winners in that situation.
“Can you just try the suit on?!” Misha asked, her lip curling on one side, her eyebrow raising.
Having never seen someone make this exact face, Robert assumed it was out of disgust. As if she knew he just thought about making out with Luke’s eyeballs on the floor of HER shop. This caused him to freeze where he was, still holding onto Luke’s thick hand, even had he tried to take it back. ‘Im perverted’ Robert thought and she looked at him like she knew it. She knew he thought about what he would be like to kiss every inch of a man’s body, she knew he thought about what it would be like to have sex with a man, she knew he thought about kissing every inch of Luke’s skin moments before.
“Yeah, sorry. Go, Robert.” Luke ordered, as he shoved Robert back towards the stool to stand on.
“Now, this is a little expensive, but I think your family has a tab here, lightwood right?” Misha asked, even though she knew the answer.
“Yes, do I have to pay it?!” Robert wondered, loudly.
“No no, it’s all paid up! Don’t worry.” Misha soothed, as Robert strode towards the changing room, he turned back at the door, staring at Luke, who stared outside at the sky.
“Luke!” Robert shouted from the door, Luke thinking about whatever it was, stopped and came into the dressing room, sitting down on a provided short bench.
He watched as Robert removed his golf shirt, handing it to Luke, who hung it up on the silver hook behind him without looking. Then his loose shorts, leaving him in only a pair of black boxers, he didn’t get re dressed right away, but held the dress up shirt in front of his chest.
“Yo, Robert let me in.” A very familiar voice rang out, as it knocked on the door, waiting only seconds before just climbing under the gap, swinging himself into the dressing room.
“Do you like this?” Robert asked, as Micheal took Luke’s hand as he held it out to him, than sat beside him. Causally putting his denim jacket covered arm over Luke’s shoulders, ruffling his hair with the other.
“It looks nice, you have to ACTUALLY put in it on though.” Micheal laughed, letting Luke go.
“What would you have done if it wasn’t Robert in here?” Luke asked, as Robert wrapped the shirt around himself, doing up each ivory button but the top two.
“Put three down and I would have said ‘excuse me I’m a filthily pervet who just wanted to see you naked.’” Micheal suggested, shrugging, Robert undid another button and turned in the view of the mirror.
“Put four down.” Luke teased, Robert sighed.
“Just show up naked.” Micheal joked, always having to get the end of these situations.
“Show up naked but with flip flops on.” Luke added, as Robert slipped on the matching pants.
There was no doubt in either Luke or Micheal’s mind that he regarded somewhat stunning. To Luke, the pants were a bit tight, and was thinking of how they might not fit by the end of the year if Robert kept training like he was, and they’d be a waste of money. To Micheal, on the other hand, thought about how the dark navy colour suited his black hair, making his finer features stand out. Micheal thought about how the shirt would in fact, look better with four buttons down. Luke thought about how it would look under a t shirt, for dual usage. They both thought about him without any clothes on at all.
“Don’t even have flip flops on.” Micheal stated, as Robert looked at his watch.
“FUCK, ITS 6:30!” Robert screamed, coming out of the dressing room with the attire still on.
“So how is it? Do you like it?” Misha asked, counting change out for someone at the counter.
“Yes, I love it. Thank you, Misha.” Robert stated, as Luke went behind the counter, getting a pair of fabric scissors, then pulled Robert closely to cut the tags off carefully. He started with the one on the button up, cutting it on the outside, then as cautiously as he could without wrinkling the shirt, brought the other half it out.
As he did this, Micheal who never made much sense to anyone, grabbed the male mannequin on display on the window and casually brought it over, as it he did this all the time. 
“I’m not getting that I don’t like silk?” Robert asked first, as Micheal pointed to the shirt on him.
“Not you, selfish bastard. LUKE.” Micheal sighed, as Luke finished cutting the tag from the pants, reaching his hands inside the waist band to bring out the other half.
For once, Micheal was right. A silk button up, designed to be loose. Patterned with white flowers, almost transparent to the sky background. It was the exact colour of Luke’s eyes, somehow.
“Put it on the Wayland tab, oh fuck I’m sorry, here I’ll just, um, oh don’t take your pants off now..” Micheal stuttered, as he dropped the half dress mannequin, now in two pieces. Tried to pick it up by its pants, as it slipped out, and finally just pinned it to the ground as he removed its shirt.
“Just get out, I’ll fix it.” Misha sighed, as she gave Luke a bag, adorned with the stores name, to put the shirt in.
“Sorry, Misha.” All three boys said at the same time, as they exited the shop.
“Love you, Misha.” Micheal winked, as he blew her a kiss, then shut the door behind them.
“Stay out of my shop!”
“Does anyone know her favourite flower?” Robert asked, as Micheal reached into his pocket and pulled out a neatly rolled joint, holding his hand out for Luke’s smiley face lighter.
“No, I’m sure they’ll tell you what to get if you ask.” Micheal stated, whistling lightly as he took the first toke of the joint.
“Get away from me, with that stinky stuff.” Robert stated, running to the other side of the street.
“Your stinky stuff!” Micheal called back, Luke stayed on the same side of the street as him, and took the joint gladly when it was passed to him.
“Your mom’s stinky stuff.” Robert replied, pointing his slim finger out menacingly towards his parabati.
“My mother’s a saint.” Micheal lied.
“Your mother’s a whore.” Luke commented, which everyone knew was true.
After her and Micheal’s dad split, he went off to pursue a career in matcha farming, in Japan. Something Micheal still couldn’t understand, despite everyone, even Headmaster Ashdown explaining to him the dedication it took, due to the delicate process. His mother, on the other hand stayed in Idris, being on the Wayland side, stayed in the manor and spend most days just living her life as if she didn’t have a kid to worry about. Day drinking, snorting supposedly according to many non reliable sources, and having sex so wild that Luke swore he could hear it from his own house sometimes. Not that he told Micheal this.
Somehow, out of all the shadowhunter families, the Waylands always seemed to have something interesting going on within themselves. Being connected to four other main families, didn’t help.
“Okay, whatever.” Micheal shrugged, staying out in the alleyway of the flower shop owned by his an Overbeck.
“I’m sorry, that was low.” Luke replied after three minutes of silently smoking.
“Kinda yeah. I’ll make it even, your mom’s a selfish bitch.” Micheal stated, which everyone knew as well.
“My mom’s not a bitch.” Luke stated, putting out the what was left of the joint under his black sneakers.
“Yeah, she is. The day you realize it will be great for everyone.” Micheal spat, turning back to Luke with a look, a look he did often. The look that gave pity, without saying a word. His eyes lowered, his eyebrows slightly together, his lips puffed out on the top.
“Shut the fuck up Micheal, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Luke swore, something he hardly ever did.
“I do, and you know I do. I’m sorry life dealt you an unfair hand.” Micheal muttered.
“I got her these.” Robert yelled as she came out, still staying far away from the real smell.
In his hand was an assortment,fit for any queen. Dark red roses lined the outside, well tall black lilies dropped down from the circle they formed around the inside. On the very middle, was gold and white roses, in the shape of a heart.
“See, I told you so.” Luke grinned, as he reached out and touched Michael’s wrist to see his watch. To Michael, his hand was so soft they reminded him of warm slightly melted butter spread out over homemade white bread on a chilly Sunday morning.
“Do you use lotion?” Michael felt he had to ask, they as all made their way to the restaurant, Robert on the same side of the street as them this time.
“Lotion? Uh, if I remember and feel like it yeah. It’s made from like tea leaves or something.” Luke shrugged, as a cold arm suddenly wrapped its way around his shoulders.
“Hemp.” Valentine cleared, jogging forward a bit to walk backward and see what Robert was wearing.
“And you say I’m a stoner.” Michael sighed loudly, shaking his head dramatically.
“What do you mean?” Luke asked, as Valentine came back to step beside him, their hips touching briefly.
“Hemp is a type of cannabis, Luke. It doesn’t get you high, so they use it for a bunch of things, lotion, clothes, my grandma grew some once and somehow made yarn.” Michael clarified, as they stopped in the alleyway, letting Robert go into the restaurant first.
“That’s cool.” Luke grinned, his face lighting up in a genuine way, like it always did when he learned something new.
In the dying light of the day, gentle rays of orange, canary and blush played over Luke’s face, similar to when a trumpet gets a solo in a song. His hazelnut hair becoming transparent in parts due to thinness with the shine of the sun, his eyebrows uneven in thought. He was one of the people, much like Valentine who thought too much but it suited him much more. He thought about what he could do for the world, for his country, for his community, for his family, for his friends and most of all, for Valentine. So, he often looked ‘in thought’. His eyes swirled as they reflected his internal deepness, their different hues of blue all standing out. His lips moving like two people during their most intimate moments as he said something simple. That Valentine never caught. Many years from now, Valentine replays the memory of how he looked right in that moment for hours, sometimes even days.
“Micheal, if you don’t-“ a thick man, covered in runes, more than one normally had, came out. He halted directly in front of Micheal.
“IM SORRY! IM LEAVING!” Michael pleaded, putting his hand up in surrender has his uncle by blood pointed a cleaver in his direction.
After being forced to take a few shots by his grandfather on his dads side, Michael had drunkenly broken an entire table at this very restaurant, and even if they lived in the same manor, was banned by his uncle to be even fifteen feet in front of it.
This information only slightly played in Valentines head, as he look more at Luke. A dangerous thing for anyone to do, especially to the one that’s tied to his soul. More years from the years already mentioned, he realizes why he thinks so much about this moment. It was the only time he ever thought about a life together with Luke, without even knowing it. All he knew was, he wanted to grab his hand and run. At the time, he thought he just needed some exercise. Now, he knows this fact well, he was blind to the beauty he was tied to.
“I hope Robert’s date goes well.” Luke wished, coming close to Valentine, wrapping his arms around his waist.
Doing what he did next, had caused Valentine to slam his head into a brick wall, ten years later.
Well Luke lightly came up to smooch Valentines neck, he pushed him off urgently. A singular fae. Strolled down the street with a box in hand, their eyes wide as Valentine rushed out, but the fae was faster.
Why didn’t he stay right there, wrapped into Luke’s arms? Why didn’t he grab him right there and have them run off? What was it about Luke, that he was so intoxicating, yet so easy to get sober from? What was inside Valentines head at the time, that caused him to ignore the one thing he ever truly needed?
By the time Valentine gave up, Luke was gone.
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Thank you so much @seolihexagon for helping me with a way to call fae, fae. More offensively. And, for reading some of the parts of this fic! As well as @jonathanspenguinboxers who read the part with Luke and Robert in the shop! I also am aware I’ve been spelling most of their names wrong BESIDES Luke, Valentine, Robert and Hodge. 😭☹️ (thanks Seoli for pointing out I’ve been spelling ‘Michael’ as ‘Micheal’) (Genuinely, because I didn’t even catch it) (no clue how to spell Joclyean or Marsye either..) (no I didnt fix it, I finished this fic and WENT TO BED.)
