Loving Luke | muke [c]

Thirty

The sound of waves was always soothing. With my eyes still closed, I could imagine I was back in the house I shared with Luke. It was almost like I would listen around for the scratching of Armani's paws on the hardwood floor in the living room or the sizzling of bacon being cooked in the kitchen. I always felt transported back to that moment in my life. Things had definitely changed a lot since then. It was now a year since the last time I was alone with Luke. The day he took my virginity. It was only when I opened my eyes and caught sight of the mismatching furniture and stashes of paper scattered around the room that I was reminded I was in Greece. Looking to my side and finding a naked Hendrix curled up to my side was also a big reminder of how things had changed.

I never really understood how things turned out between Hendrix and I. One minute we were nothing but work colleagues sharing a small house in Crete, the aromantic and the idiot who simply could not get over his childhood love. The next, clothes were on the floor and the two of us were kissing like nothing else in the world ever mattered. Things were perfect between us: I was still free to be in love with Luke and Hendrix had no pressure to reciprocate any feelings because they were never there. We enjoyed each other's company and were drawn to each other on lonely nights. Things seemed to be a breeze in Greece compared to the emotional rollercoaster I had gone through back home. I was thankful that Hendrix only made things easier.

"Morning." He groaned, unwrapping his arms from around my waist and turning over on the spacious double bed.

I turned my head over, eyes roaming over his naked back as I smiled softly to myself. The sight made me think of Luke. Not of the emotional hell he had put me through, but of the endless mornings I'd spent looking at him sleep, of the times I had absentmindedly traced my fingers up and down his back connecting the dots between his freckles. Mostly, it made me think of the morning after we had sex. It made me think of the warm feeling inside when I recalled every second of that afternoon that turned into night that turned into early hours of the morning. It was amazing to know that there were so many corners of Luke's body I had not yet admired, that there were so many sounds he could emit I had not yet heard. I did not regret it one bit. When Luke woke up and turned over to me with a large grin, I knew he didn't either.

"Morning." I whispered almost absentmindedly, allowing one of my hands to crawl up Hendrix's back as my fingers played with the curls at the nape of his neck. Things were good. "Do you want to go to the beach today?"

Hendrix was quick to turn over, grey blue eyes staring up at me as if I had grown another head. "Michael, we've been here for a year and not once have we set foot on the beach. What's wrong with you?"

"There's nothing wrong." I laughed with a shrug. "You're leaving Greece in a week, I just wanted to make sure you got to see the whole thing. Even the sandy hellhole."

The skinny man rolled his eyes, turning over again and pulling the sheets further up his body so it only left his eyes uncovered. "Stop gloating that you got a permanent job here, you dick." He muttered. "I'm going back to sleep, good night."

I chuckled lightly, knowing Hendrix well enough to know he wasn't actually upset about anything. If only, he was over the moon I had got a job offer. A trip to Santorini for a weekend had been my congratulation gift and I had made some of the most amazing memories with Hendrix there. Of course I missed Calum, Ashton and Luke nearly every day. Skype calls were made at least once a week and it was amazing to see how things were turning out for them. Calum had moved out, found a girl and moved in with her. Ashton was still alone, but it was amazing to see the way he smiled whenever we spoke about Calum, how glad he was to know that Calum had found happiness again. That was the only thing Ashton needed to be happy himself. Luke was still living in the house we lived in together and had set up my room as a recording studio. He was working on an album that, according to him, would be the best thing since sliced bread. I highly doubted it.