Chapter Text
— friday january 3 2020
sierra picked michael and luke up from the airport and despite the fact that all she wanted to do was talk about their trip, the boys were both too tired and jet lagged to fill her in on the details. michael and luke fell asleep in the back of sierras suv, their heads resting atop each others and hands intertwined.
sierra couldn’t help glancing back at the boys every time she hit a bump in the road, causing them to jolt; they would settle right back into the comfort of each other, though. sierra had gotten word from luke that his song did in fact work, and he and michael were dating again. (which sierra was overjoyed about).
once sierra made it to michael and lukes apartment building, she offered to help get the bags upstairs and help the boys unpack. despite their protests, sierra slung bags over her shoulders and climbed flights of stairs. sierra had missed her friends and just wanted to be around them.
luke unlocked the door with his key and stumbled over to his bed while michael and sierra settled bags on the floor, out of the doorway. luke plopped onto his bed and breathed in the familiar scent of his body wash and the musk that lingered deep into his campus mattress.
michael followed suit and plopped into his own bed with a sigh. michael had his arms spread out, taking up the whole mattress with his large frame. the boys didn’t want to be rude to sierra but a twenty hour flight took a lot out of you, despite you just sitting the whole time.
sierra worked on unpacking the boys bags, tucking clean, folded up clothes into their dressers. karen had obviously done their laundry before they left australia— a faint smell of fabric softener lingering in the materials. sierra stuck shower gels and tooth brushes back into the boys respective shower caddys.
after both luke and michael’s bags were empty, sierra crossed over to sit on the edge of lukes bed, since somehow, even though he was taller than michael, he was taking up less room. sierra ruffled the curls on the back of luke’s neck. “did you like australia?” sierra asked softly.
luke hummed, his cheek pressed into his mattress. luke nodded softly as he glanced up at sierra. “twas nice.” luke murmured, too tired to speak properly. sierras long, manicured fingers worked into the curls that were growing longer on luke’s head.
“don’t do that or i will pass out.” luke warned after a few passes of sierras fingers on his scalp. sierra sighed softly and removed her fingers from luke’s hair. sierra resisted the urge to run her nails softly over luke’s back to lull him to sleep.
sierra turned to face michael, instead, who was laying sprawled out on his back. “did you enjoy your christmas present, mike?” sierra asked curiously as he stared at michael’s stomach softly rising and falling.
michael was almost asleep when he heard sierra speaking to him. “hmm?” michael hummed as he adjusted himself in bed to look over at luke and sierra. “what?” michael asked after he got settled.
“your christmas present?” sierra laughed softly before raising her groomed eyebrow. “did you like it?” sierra leaned forward slightly, waiting for michael’s answer.
”of course. i got luke out of it.” michael answered as his eyes darted down to look at his boyfriend who was definitely sleeping despite a conversation taking place. luke’s mouth was parted slightly, his eyelids fluttering.
“it was also a really good song.” michael answered, looking back up at sierra. “you suck for not letting me know he was learning guitar, though.” michael cracked a soft smile at sierra.
”sorry, it was a surprise. were you surprised?” sierra asked hopeful as she looked at michael. sierras hand found its way to luke’s back to rub softly to keep him asleep.
“i was.” michael smiled, adjusting his head on his hand, a makeshift, uncomfortable pillow so he wouldn’t fall asleep, too. “he gave me fits afterwards, though.” michael recalled the heartbreak that followed shortly after lukes proposed question.
“explain?” sierra tilted her head as he nails worked on over luke’s teeshirt.
michael sighed softly in defeat. “he tried to fucking break up with me again, sort of…” michael blinked, his eyes trailing down to luke. “he told me i couldn’t move with him and that i was gonna move back home after graduation.” michael shook his head softly, remembering the betrayal.
“what the hell?” sierra whispered softly as her hands stopped on luke’s back. luke stirred softly under sierras hand, prompting her to start up her actions again.
michael rolled his eyes before he sighed. “he’s too anxious for his own good.” michael commented as he watched sierras hand move along his back. “we’re both worried about the same things but instead of trying to work together to keep things moving forward, luke thinks it’s better to run.”
sierra nodded softly in understanding. “he’s good at being avoidant… distant.” sierras lips pursed as she looked down at her best friend. “he got really good at that when arzayela came around.”
michael shook his head in annoyance at the mention of her name. “yeah.” michael scoffed. “she ruined a lot of shit, it seems.” michael’s tone was bitter, angry.
sierra nodded softly once more. “yeah… she did.” sierra whispered, her eyes still on a sleeping luke. “she really fucked him up… i wish i knew how bad it really was… i would’ve tried harder to get them to break up.” sierra voice was soft, somber.
michael’s eyes darted over sierras face. “si, it’s not your fault.” michael reassured. “i wish i would’ve known, too. but, we were barely even friends then.” michael recalled how rocky their friendship started.
sierra sighed in distress. “i know.” sierra answered. “i just wish we could go back and help him.” sierras hand paused on lukes back again, testing to see if he was in a deep sleep or not.
“we can only work to keep him on the right path, now, but i know what you mean… if i could go back, i would take away all the things that have ever hurt him. he never deserved it.” michael shook his head softly.
“do you think he can stay clean?” sierra asked, unconfidently. sierra glanced down at luke who seemed to be content in his slumber.
“god,” michael sighed and turned to lay on his back again. michael rubbed his hands over his face in peril. “i really fucking hope so sierra because, god damn, do i love him, but i cant go through his addiction issues again.” michael’s voice cracked and broke as he spoke.
“and im so worried about moving to california and not having the resources there. not having a support system for myself if he falls off the wagon again. i’m just hoping, praying even, that being close to his family will keep him on track.” michael had tears clinging to his waterline as he stared at the ceiling.
sierra felt pity for michael, his voice wavering as he spoke. sierra stood up slowly and softly from luke’s bed and took the couple of paces to cross to michael’s mattress. sierra sat down next to michael, looking down at him with a sigh.
“ashton will take care of the addiction resources, we just need to talk to him.” sierra reached out to pat michael’s chest softly. “and he will be okay. a change of scenery… not knowing where to get drugs out there… that’ll help.” sierra sighed softly.
michael turned to lay on his side again, adjusting to give sierra more space on his mattress. sierra scooted closer before she spoke again. “liz is amazing and will do wonders to keep him grounded. just don’t keep her in the dark about him… even if he tells you to.”
sierra reached up to rub gently up and down michael’s arm as tears ran out from his tear ducts. “and as for you, you will always have support from me. and i know from calum, as well. you can literally call me anytime you need me.” sierra reassured as her hand worked michael’s arm.
michael nodded as the tears slid down his nose and onto the mattress. “okay.” michael’s breath shuttered. sierra hummed down at michael as she watched him cry. “okay.” michael repeated, sniffling softly.
sierra and michael sat in silence for a moment, sierra attempting to soothe michael. michael’s breathing evened out and his tears started drying on his cheeks. “don’t stress about it, mike, we have time to sort this stuff out, still.” sierra whispered down to michael.
michael nodded softly, feeling himself relax into his mattress. michael felt his eyelids getting heavy from sierras soft hand rubbing his bicep. it didn’t take long for michael to succumb to his own let lag and start snoring.
sierra sighed softly when she realized michael had finally fallen asleep. sierra glanced over to lukes bed to see him still sleeping peacefully. sierras lips twitched at the sight of luke— curls ruffled, healthy weight, soft snores. sierra begged luke in her mind to stay that way.
as much as sierra supported both her friends, and would be there for either of them in a heartbeat, she did not want to receive a call from either of them in a few months about their demise. sierra prayed silently that the universe would keep them together and blissfully happy for years to come.
sierra glanced back over to michael, who’s cheek was smooshed into his pillow. sierra sucked her teeth lightly as she looked down at michael. sierra decided it was time for her to leave her sleeping friends as there was nothing more they needed from her.
sierra stood as slowly as she could, trying not to disturb michael. sierra walked throughout the dorm room, the floor creaking slightly under her light feet. sierra made it to the door and looked back to her friends. sierra hoped they both knew how much they meant to each other.
sierra slipped out the door locking it behind her. sierra looked down the hall once the door was closed, wondering if ashton was back in his own dorm. sierra sighed softly to herself before walking down the hall.
sierras fist knocked softly at ashton’s dorm door. sierra waited for a moment to see if she could hear anyone shuffling inside. sierra sighed in defeat after a pause and turned to walk back down the hall to leave. sierra stopped in her tracks when she heard the door to ashton’s room open.
sierra turned on her heel to see ashton, pajama pants, wife beater and his grown out curls dyed dark. ashton ruffled his fingers through his hair as he squinted down the hall at sierra. “what’s up?” ashton’s voice was hoarse like he just woke up.
sierra shook her head softly as she paced her way back towards ashton. “sorry, i didn’t mean to wake you.” sierra apologized.
ashton waved off her apology. “needed to get up anyway. something the matter?” ashton asked with his eyebrows furrowed at sierra.
sierra sighed softly. “no, not really. i just– i picked michael and luke up from the airport… they’re crashed. but i wanted to see if you could help pull together some resources in california, for luke, incase he needs them.”
ashton leaned against his door frame, crossing his arms over his chest. “we think he needs them?” ashton asked, his tone somber.
sierra shook her head in protest. “no.” sierra swallowed. “no. michael is just worried about the move and i just want to take something off his plate.” sierra commented as she looked up at ashton.
ashton nodded softly as his eyes fixed on sierra. “okay. yeah, i can help.” ashton sighed outwardly as he pushed off his doorframe. “you wanna keep me company? otherwise, i might fall back asleep.” ashton laughed softly.
sierra tilted her head slightly weighing the chance of being alone with ashton. sierra and ashton had been alone together plenty of times before but never in his dorm and always with the promise of michael and luke following close behind to join them.
sierra cracked a small smile when she realized that ashton had never tried to make a move on her and she didn’t believe today would be the day for that to change. “okay. i’ll stay and help you… since im putting you to work.”
ashton moved out of the door way with a smile, gesturing for sierra to come in. “we’ve got a lot of work to do.” ashton commented as sierra walked through the threshold of his dorm. ashton ducked into his room as well and closed the door behind them.