"Have a good rehearsal!" Michael called through the window, focused intently on his phone instead of watching his boyfriend leave.

"Uhm, sir," Adam got Michael's attention through the divider of the limo when Luke leaned in to kiss Michael goodbye through the window. Michael smiled tightly at the driver before setting his phone down and shifting over in his seat so he could press his lips to Luke's.

"I'll see you when you're done, baby," Michael informed Luke who nodded.

It was so nice that Michael wanted to bring him to his rehearsal and pick him up again. It was a great way for them to spend time together since most of the week Luke was busy at the theater in the mornings and Michael's nights were spent at the bar.

Sure, the two of them had had some fights, but every couple fought. It was clear to Luke that Michael was trying to take steps to bring them closer, which was why he insisted he take Luke to his practices, sometimes even changing his schedule to do so.

"Okay, I'll text you during my break," Luke said, but Michael was already back to his phone.

Luke turned away to walk inside the theater when his friends turned the corner and called his name.

"Hey, Lukey!" Niall called, hopping down the street to rush up the stairs and hug his friend.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" Luke smiled brightly.

Luke and his friends walked into the theater happily, ready to begin their day. They set their stuff down backstage before joining Evan and Jeremy on the stage.

"Glad you guys are here!" Evan said, greeting the newest arrivals. He was wearing a blue striped polo that brought out his eyes and accentuated his grin. "We're going to get started with some choreo for the first song today, so why don't you all stretch while we wait for everyone else to arrive."

The three men nodded before walking over to the wall and sitting down to stretch.

"You seem to be in a much better mood, Lukey," Calum commented as he reached down to touch his toes.

"Yeah, I guess so," He smiled at his friends. Things just seemed to be looking up. He hadn't seen Ashton since he walked in on him in the shower the other week, but Michael had been spending so much time with him, it didn't seem to matter. Michael took Luke everywhere with him. Luke accompanied his boyfriend to the bar when he wasn't in rehearsal, to the grocery store, and Michael always wanted to be touching him. They cuddled together pretty much the entire weekend, and Luke loved it. It reminded him how much he loved him, and why they started dating in the first place; when Michael's attention was on him, he forgot everything else. It just felt right.

"Well, I'm glad. And you know if anything's going on with you, you can tell us right?" Calum looked over at him, biting his lip.

"Yeah, buddy. We're your ride or die, you can tell us anything," Niall said seriously. Luke was pretty sure this was the first time he'd seen something other than happiness in Niall's features.

"Th-thanks, guys. I appreciate it. Really." Luke blinked back the tears that made their way to his eyes against his will. He'd never really had anyone he was close to like this, and though he didn't know that much about these guys, he knew they were sincere in their allegiance to him. He felt the same way about them too, and they all shared a smile.

"All right, we're just missing one person. Evan, while I start the warm-up, will you go call Awsten?" Jeremy called across the stage, attracting the attention of the actors who all quieted down.

Evan nodded, making his way backstage to make the call to their last cast member. Hopefully he was just running a bit late.

"Okay, y'all! Let's line up in 3 rows, about 6 feet in between you all, so you have space to do the moves."

All 20 of them listened to Jeremy, lining up in rows and looking for their first combination.

"First, we'll do a kick-ball-change, grapevine for four counts left, jazz square with the hands," Jeremy pretend-pouted as he looked at everyone. "If I don't see the jazz hands, I will make you sit out for the day," he ruined his sternness with a smirk that made everyone laugh. "Oh, Awsten, you're here. Great, we're just starting. Evan?"

Evan walked onto the stage holding a phone in his hand.

"Someone's phone has been ringing the entire time I was in the back with Awsten. Whose is this?" Evan held up an iPhone with a case covered in white and black polka dots.

"Th-that's mine," Luke squeaked, making his way over to Evan. "I'm so sorry,"

"It's okay, I only noticed it because the sound was on. Make sure you silence it on your way in next time."

"Yes sir," Luke said, taking the phone and switching it to silent. He was about to bring it to the locker room when it began ringing again, illuminating that Michael had already called him 6 times.

"Is everything okay?" Evan asked.

"I don't know, that's my boyfriend." Luke felt his heart stop as dread filled his stomach. 

"It seems important, go in the back and answer it. You'll catch up."

Luke shot the director a grateful look before pressing answer and rushing backstage.

"Mikey, what is it? I'm in the middle of--"

"Luke, Adam is outside. I need you."

"What? Michael, slow down, I can hardly understand you!"

"I need you home now, you've gotta come." Michael was breathless.

"Are you all right?" Luke was more confused than concerned, considering Michael wouldn't tell him what the issue was, but something like this had never happened. "Is something wrong with the bar? Is everyone okay?"

Michael whimpered a pathetic little sound that caused Luke's heart to clench.

"Lukey, please,"

"O-okay, I'll be right there, Mikey, I just need to talk to Evan."

Luke pressed his phone against his shirt as he ran to the stage to talk to the director.

"Oh, Luke,"

"Hey, I'm so sorry to do this, but th-there's an emergency at the bar and-and Michael's really shaken up, I think he n-needs—"

"Of course, Luke, go take care of whatever you need. Text me if you need anything."

Luke sighed in relief.

"Thanks!" he called, already running out of the room to grab his stuff. He picked the phone back up and said to Michael, "Don't worry, baby, I'm on my way."

"Hurry Lukey,"

"I'm outside, I just got into the limo."

The phone clicked off and Luke looked at Adam.

"Do you know what's wrong?" he asked the driver since he had just dropped Michael off maybe half an hour ago.

"No, sir. He seemed fine last I saw him, I dropped him off, but then he called me not even three minutes later and told me to go back to get you."

"Hm," was all Luke said. His heart was racing as they made their way to the bar.

Luke looked up in shock when he realized they weren't going to the bar, but instead were on their way to his apartment.

"Wait, I thought there was an issue at the bar, that was where Michael was headed when you dropped me off,"

Adam shrugged.

"As soon as we took off, he directed me to take him back home. That's where I'm to bring you."

"Oh uhm, okay."

Now Luke's palms were sweating and there was a roaring in his ears. What could have possibly happened that would make Michael change his plans? What was wrong?

After saying a quick goodbye to Adam, Luke raced up the steps of the apartment, throwing the door open and calling for Michael.

"In here, Luke." Michael's deep voice rang out from the living room. Without even taking off his shoes or jacket, he rushed over to his boyfriend.

"Mikey, what's wrong? What happened, are you okay?"

Michael was sitting on the couch, arms crossed, ignoring Luke's fussing.

He got up as Luke made his way over to him and shoved him onto the couch, sitting down on the wooden coffee table across from it.

"I don't appreciate being lied to."

Luke startled at that, not sure what he was walking into.

"What? I'm sorry, I don't get it. Are you feeling okay?"

Michael rolled his eyes, sighing heavily at his boyfriend for not getting it.

"There's no emergency, Luke. I made that up to get you out of practice."

Luke recoiled in shock. What does he mean there's no emergency? Luke had been so focused on figuring out what was wrong, why Michael was almost crying before, and he was just so confused.

"But, why? I don't--"

"You really thought you could hide something like this from me?"

"Hide what, Michael? I'm not hiding anything from you. What are you--"

"Your "friends"." He did the air quotes as he glared at Luke. "They're in the play with you."

Luke opened his mouth to reply but was unable.

Shit.

He was supposed to tell Michael about that, he remembered from those weeks ago when he got the part, but then he recalled he and Michael were in a fight, and it just didn't seem like the time to bring it up. And then no time really felt right and he forgot about the whole thing.

"Okay, so I never told you, but I--"

"Luke, I'm this close to losing it," Michael growled. "You knew I didn't like those guys, did I not tell you how I thought they were bad people?"

"Well, yes, but--"

"And didn't I tell you that you weren't supposed to see them?"

"Yeah, but they're my coworkers. I can't help that they were cast in the show--"

"I didn't want you to even do the show!" Michael shouted, standing up and pacing. Luke knew that pacing usually meant he was furious. Things weren't going to end up well.

"I thought you were proud of me," Luke said in a small voice, afraid to look at his boyfriend.

"Of course I am, but I don't like that you felt like you needed to lie to me."

"It wasn't on purpose, and I meant to tell you--"

"All I'm hearing is excuses, Luke." Michael stopped in his tracks and shook his head. "You're not supposed to keep things from me, period. You know this, right?"

He nodded slowly, looking at the tv behind Michael instead of at him. He knew he messed up, but it's not like anything happened.

"I need you to answer in words, Luke. Because you've been disappointing me a real lot lately, you need to be clear from now on."

"Yes, I-I'm sorry. I didn't intend to keep anything from you," Luke sighed. "I just got so caught up in the show, it slipped my mind. I'm sorry, Michael."

"Of course you are." Michael rolled his eyes. "You're sorry because you got caught. If I hadn't seen them hug you when I dropped you off, you'd probably still be whoring around with them."

"What?" Luke looked up in shock at the accusation. "Michael, I've never cheated on you," Luke felt a tear slip from his eye, but he knew more would come so he didn't bother to wipe it away. "You've got to trust me, Mikey, I'm so devoted to you,"

Michael sighed, shaking his head as he loomed over Luke.

"But yet this is not the first time we've had this conversation." Michael tsked. "We keep coming back to this, Lukey, to your unfaithfulness. And I've made it clear," Michael leaned over, putting his hands on the armrest of the couch Luke was sitting in and boxing him in. "I've made it clear that I'm not getting rid of you yet."

"I-I don't want to break up," Luke said in a small voice. He wasn't sure why Michael was being so scary right now. Luke didn't know why he always assumed the worst in him. He was trying so hard to be the best boyfriend ever. Why wasn't he good enough?

"That's good, baby," he gently caressed the side of Luke's face. It was silent for a moment before Luke felt like he had to speak. 

"I-I am sorry that I didn't tell you about Niall and Calum."

"Ah, so the side chicks have a name," Michael mused, sitting next to Luke on the couch, still close enough that Luke didn't have room to move.

"I didn't cheat," he whined pitifully.

"Well, you've been lying about so many things, how am I supposed to know?"

Luke bit his lip and looked up at the ceiling as he tried to come up with something.

"You could just tr--"

"Shut up, Luke. The answer is I can't. I can't believe a thing you say anymore. You're just a stupid, cheating, liar. You should be lucky I'm still bothering with you."

Luke couldn't help the tears that fell and held his head in his hands. Is that really what Michael thought of him?

"But lucky for you, I am forgiving. I'm willing to stay with you."

Michael looked at him, moving Luke's hand from his eyes.

"Say thank you, bitch," he slapped Luke's thigh, a small whimper emitting from Luke's mouth as the sting spread through his leg.

"Th-thank you, Michael." he sobbed.

Michael grabbed his wrist, pulling him up from the couch and bringing him to their bedroom. Luke knew it was useless to protest, they'd been in this situation too many times recently. He knew it would go better if he just listened to Michael. Maybe they could get past it this time if he just did what Michael wanted.

Michael pushed him to the floor in the middle of the carpeted room, forcing Luke to his knees in front of him.

"Now, we're going to need some new rules it seems. I tried keeping you around me 24-7 to remind you who your boyfriend is, but you still seem to forget,"

Luke whimpered, knowing he wasn't allowed to protest.

"So here's how it's going to go. You belong to me, and you need to start acting like it. You still owe me from your parent's debt, and until you're no longer useful, you're going to be by my side and continue to be my loving, faithful boyfriend."

"I do love you, Mikey," he whispered, looking at Michael from underneath his tear soaked eyelashes.

"I know you do, baby," Michael ran his fingers through Luke's hair, and the blonde boy shut his eyes at the feeling. He'd do anything for just a bit of comfort or familiarity in this situation. "I know you think you do, but you're not doing a good job." The grip on his hair tightened, growing painful and Luke gasped.

"M-Michael--"

"Shut up, slut. After the hurt you've caused me, this should be nothing to you," Michael let him go and stepped back before sending his foot flying and into Luke's chest. He struggled to take a small breath as he lay on his back on the floor. "You're worthless, Luke. I'm going to have to start being stricter with you. Surprise pop-in's at rehearsal, I'm downloading that Life360 app on your phone so I can track where you are at all times. From now on, there'll be no passcode on your phone. I'm not messing around Luke, you won't be messing around with anyone besides me ever again."

Luke shook from the sobs that wracked his body as Michael punctuated each word with a punishing kick to his ribs.

"Do you understand?"

"Y-y-yes Mich-ael," he hiccuped, trying desperately to bring more air to his burning lungs.

"Good boy, Lukey. If you just follow my orders, we'll have no more problems, okay baby?"

Luke nodded, whimpering as he tried to sit up.

"Answer me, Luke." Michael dug his heel into the soft part of Luke's stomach, a small scream bursting from his lips.

"Yes, Michael."

"Good boy, baby. You know I only do this because I love you, yeah?" Michael helped him up and sat him on the bed. "I just want us to be happy forever."

Luke nodded hesitantly, already feeling the bruise forming on his stomach.

"Good. Because I think once we can get past this, we will be happy. Right?"

"Y-yeah,"

"Great," Michael kissed his cheek before getting up and leaving him alone.

***

 Why did I have to do this to Lukey 😢 things get worse before they get better. 

I feel like I can't leave this on such a sad note, quick, someone tell me a happy memory from your childhood or something good that's happening to you right now! Go~

~ashtonfortherwin