"There! Follow It!" Someone shouted and Luke watched as the bike sped off in the opposite direction of the school. "Call Mr. Hemmings, tell him we got eyes on the target."

"He'll be here shortly. Don't let it get away!" Another called and soon cars were speeding after the man dressed in silk and gems.

"You alright?" Luke whispered behind him and he saw Michael playing with the leather on his fingers. "You ready?"

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble." He apologized and Luke grabbed his smaller fist before holding his hand. "I didn't mean to stay so long, or so unnecessarily."

"You were on a mission."

"I didn't know how hard it was to acquire what I needed. If I had knew, I wouldn't have came. It was a waste of time to be here." Michael's voice broke. "And-And haven't told you the truth."

"What?" Luke asked as he turned around. "What truth?"

"My King's men found an abandoned sanctuary full of sapphire stones. I could have left before you... before we got so attached to each other." He told him and Luke looked down at their interlaced hands.

"Hey," Luke tilted his gaze to meet his. "- it's okay."

"I know it's not. You're lying to me." Michael shook his head and Luke sighed. "Don't lie to me. Be honest

He's right.

It's not okay that he's in love with him, and it's not alright that Michael has to leave right when everything was just about to begin. But if he's being honest, it ended before it even started. They were doomed from the start, and it's their own fault.

"I'm not lying to you, I'm lying to myself." Luke forced a smile as he handed him a helmet. "But I promised that I was going to get you back home, so that's what I'm going to do."

"You risked so much for me -"

"- Without you I never would have known the truth, or remembered what it's like to feel like myself. I'd risk it all again for you." Luke held his face before kissing his forehead.

Michael shook his head. "I could never repay you."

"That's the thing, you don't have to." Luke told him. "You've done more than enough."

"It's not enough." He stressed and the blond hung his head low before looking at the street that had lost all officers on it.

"Ashton's gone far enough." He changed the subject. "Come on. It has to be today, or else they'll keep your shuttle locked up too tight for anyone else to get in. He knows too much to leave it unattended and open like it is."

"How can you be so sure?" Michael asked him and Luke took a deep breathz

"I know my father. He wouldn't pass up a chance to see an, excuse my language, alien in the flesh. He'll want to be the first at the school, so he's already started chasing after him using the freeway — the fastest way. All we have to get through, Ashton, is the engineers. Your pod is still intact, and if I open the skylight then you should be able to blast out of there before he gets back." He explained and Michael nodded as he let go of Luke's hand.

"But surely there are people protecting it?" He said and Luke shrugged.

"I guess I'll have to make a distraction or learn how to throw a punch in the next twenty minutes." Luke brushed it off as he held his own helmet.

"And I keep my helmet on?"

"Please. The cameras can't catch your face." Luke told him and he nodded as he pulled it over his head. "And for the love of God, please don't turn around when we get in there."

"What?" Michael shouted and Luke shook his head.

He put on his own helmet before taking a deep breath, immediately turning the key and then squeezing the clutch and brakes in his hands as he felt Michael's arms tight around his waist. He'll miss the weight of his body against his, but he shook the thought from his head as he pressed the start button on his handle while twisting the throttle, hands letting go of the brakes as it cruised forward slowly to not arise suspicion.

But then he was leaving the city, and he gave it all he could before speeding through the highways in the direction of the school. He weaved through traffic, and he looked around briefly to see helicopters swarming part of the city in a chase.

Way to keep it under wraps.

His heart race was picking up, and the bike was roaring to life again as the speedometer beside him his shooting and pressing well the limit. It didn't matter. He was on his own mission and he was going to succeed or he was going to die trying.

Not literally, he thought as he got worried, anxiety filling his chest. He's not ready to die just yet.

He widened his eyes as he saw a traffic jam and he looked off the road around the desert, mind running as he considered for a moment riding through the dirt like others were. It was dangerous. One dip too big at any point at this speed and they could find themselves in an emergency room. He could also weave through traffic, but that was anything but a smart move considering how small the road was and how close together the cars were.

He took a deep breath and then slowed his pace before pushing off the road, and his eyes were everywhere to try and avoid the holes and plants that could potentially cause them to wreck or flip. There wasn't a lot, he was following a man made path from other cars swerving off to do what he's doing, but he was still cautious.

When they got to the school, he stared at the cars in the parking lot, recognizing most before parking his bike behind a heavy cement fence meant for dust. He tossed his helmet to the floor before helping Michael off, and he looked at him.

"This is it." He said as he dropped his helmet on to the seat of the bike. "We go in there, and we never see each other again."

"I wish more than anyone that wouldn't be the case." Luke admitted as he felt himself begin to get choked up.

"I'll be light years away, galaxies away." Michael murmured and Luke looked down at his boots.

"But it's okay, you'll be home to help your people, and you'll be prince." He forced a smile as he grabbed Michael's chin. "Cheer up."

"I can't." He sulked and Luke shouldn't feel happy. "With you I'm not just a soldier. I'm normal, different, but still normal. I don't want to let that go."

"Me either," Luke agreed. "- but we have to."

"Yeah..." He trailed off and Luke pulled him into a hug as he felt the sting in his eyes from tears.

Michael's fingers dug into his clothes, nose burying in his chest. Luke clutched on to him just as tight, and he clenched his jaw as he felt the tears begin to slip from his eyes. He felt hollow, like his heart had dropped so far that he couldn't feel it in his chest, and it felt so wrong after being so full. His stomach was twisting, turning, and he can't tell if it's from the ache of having to let him go or the butterflies from Michael suddenly pushing his lips against his.

He held his face in his hands, one palm on either cheek as he felt Michael's own tears on the tip of his nose. They've kissed a lot since that night of their date, but this felt so much more different. There were emotions put into it that Luke couldn't describe. Even if he tried, there was just not enough words in the english language to string together just how he felt, and there wasn't a dictionary in the world that could help him find the words he needed.

He felt warm, safe, and like every kink in his spine from falling asleep on sofas and floors, every crook in his neck from craning his neck to kiss Michael, and every ache in his body was suddenly fixed. It kind of felt like having a hot cup of tea on a way too early cold morning, or eating a homemade meal after having nothing but take out and microwave dinners for so long. It was refreshing, and almost felt like a promise. He can't explain why, but it really felt like he was promising something.

When they pulled away, Luke was scared to open his eyes. Frightened, he didn't want to let go of that honey feeling just to see that he had to let it go forever. Reality wasn't fair, and if he kept his eyes closed then maybe he could convince himself it was just a dream.

"I'm sorry."

Luke had to open his eyes for that.

He swallowed thickly as he saw Michael immediately shake his head and look down. "I-I shouldn't have done that. I... I made a mistake kissing you like that. I'm sorry."

"What do you mean? It was just a kiss." He said and he saw Michael tugging in his gloves before grabbing his helmet to slip back on.

"We have to go." Michael ignored and he watched as he slipped his helmet back on before clipping the straps underneath like Luke had taught him to.

Luke didn't argue. He just followed, and sighed as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

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