Always Have, Always Will - (M)

[Yuzuhana]

Title: Always Have, Always Will

Author: Yuzuhana

Fandom/Original: Original

Authors Notes: This is my first story so I'm sorry if it isn't good.

I'm not the best writer, but I hope you enjoy this anyways! Feel free to leave criticism and comments.

―――

It was half past eight on a Friday night and I had just returned home from my part time job at the convenience store across the street. It wasn't exactly an ideal career, but it was the only one I had managed to grab. At seventeen years old, my resume wasn't exactly ideal either.

As soon as I reached my bedroom, I unzipped my black North Face and threw it on the edge of my desk. Then I slipped the shirt I was wearing over my head and aimed it into the laundry hamper, before doing the same with my jeans. The dress I put on afterwards was something I had picked out the night before. It was a sky blue, long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder mini that was casual, but hopefully sexy. I wanted him to want me, but I also wanted him to know that he couldn't have me.

I had time to touch up my eyeliner and spray on a bit of my favorite perfume before the doorbell rang at eight fourty-five.

―――

I didn't think that the reason he invited himself over was because he wanted to talk. Yet, somehow, that was what we ended up doing.

When I answered the door less than ten minutes ago, I expected to see Luke. Blond-haired, hazel-eyed Luke with the irresistible smile; not feverish, dazed, and obviously sick Luke. I was no doctor, but it didn't take one to acknowledge his current state. His cheeks were flushed with fever, his once-animated eyes were now glossy and unaware, and his complexion was much paler than it should have been. Yet, somehow, he was still charming. Definitely Luke.

"Sorry, Elle," he began, after I had invited him in and sat him down on the living room couch, "I caught a pretty bad cold from–"

"Katie," I finished for him. Katie was his current girlfriend and my step-sister's best friend. She had small boobs and wide-set eyes, but other than that, she was pretty decent. Okay, fine, she was gorgeous. Even if she did have small boobs and wide-set eyes.

"Yeah. But don't worry, we–" he stopped mid-sentence again, only this time, it wasn't because of me.

"

Huuh-NXSH Hxnsh N'nxsh!

"

He sneezed wetly against the palm of his hand, stifling them to the best of his ability. Then he sniffed uncomfortably, raising his gorgeous hazel eyes to meet my forest green ones. "We broke up," he finished.

"Bless you," I replied, completely ignoring what he had said. Despite how calm I was trying to appear, I was furious inside.

Luke and I had been sleeping together on and off for the past two years. We had met three years before that though, when I was twelve and he was fourteen. Over the years, we became best friends and we went through everything together – experimenting with marijuana and alcohol, his high school graduation, and most recently, the death of my mom and my step-dad. Yet, despite how close we were, physically and emotionally, we've never dated or even talked about dating.

He coughed harshly into the crook of his arm before raising his voice, "I said, we broke up."

"So that's why you wanted to come over?" I accused, letting my anger get the best of me, "You ignore me for a month after my mom and Steve's funeral and now you expect me to comfort you because your girlfriend broke up with you?!" I could feel my eyes watering up at the mention of my parents. I considered Steve to be my dad more than my biological father, who left when I was ten. Unlike that horrible scumbag, he was a loving and accepting man. And above all, he had always been there – for his children, my mom, and even me.

Luke noticed as soon as the first tear fell. He reached over, scooting closer towards me, and wiped it away with his thumb. "I broke up with her, Elle," he said, "And today, I came over to talk. I missed you. You know I can't stay away from you."

I was about to say something mean, something that would hurt him the way he's been hurting me for the past five years. I was, but then he hugged me. His arms and his chest were unusually warm and the way they wrapped around me made me feel like had been in a sauna for much too long. I wanted to push away. Before I could though, his shoulders began to rise and his breath began to hitch. Quickly, he turned his head to the side.

"

Hehp'Issh Huhh-NXSH H'h-nnxt ii'ch!

"

That's when pity rushed through me like a tidal wave. I wasn't the Queen of Compassion or anything, but he seemed so miserable that I felt obligated to be nicer. I breathed deeply, trying to clear the hateful thoughts in the back of my mind. "Do you want to stay in the guestroom tonight?"

He sighed, letting go of me, obviously not pleased by my generous offer. "You don't understand, Ellerisa. I love you. Always have, always will. Get that through your head. I've said it so many times. I just..." I watched as the frustrated expression on his face went blank. "

Hah'h-hachoo!

" he sneezed into cupped hands before grabbing a tissue from the tissue box on the coffee table. He blew loudly, twice, and I took it as an opportunity to talk.

"I do understand, Luke. I've understood from the moment your dad married my mom. You love me. Like a sister and nothing more.

Always have, always will

." I mimicked the last part, hoping he would understand that I was serious. At our parent's funeral, when I told him I wasn't going to sleep with him anymore, I had meant it. The reason they had gotten in that car accident in the first place was because they were looking for us. Luke and I had snuck off that night to have sex in the back of his old, black Chevy. By the time we got back home, his sister, Leah, was sobbing hysterically by the phone.

I looked up at his face. It was clear he had nothing else to say.

―――

By the time I had ushered Luke into the guestroom, which used to be his old bedroom before he moved out, Leah had returned home from the hospital. She worked there as an intern and she had hopes of becoming a nurse. From what I can tell, she'd make a pretty good one. Leah was caring – overprotective almost – and she also happened to be my guardian.

At seventeen-years-old, I was only a few months shy of being legal. That's why, after our parent's death, she had to step up and play the role of mommy. Although she'd never admit it, I knew she has hesitant at first. After all, that day when Luke and I ignorantly walked through the front door at two in the morning, she looked at us with such hateful eyes. She also slapped him as hard as she could. The mark was still visible during the funeral.

"Ellie!" she exclaimed as she spotted me on the couch. I had returned to the living room to watch some television, but I couldn't concentrate.

I watched as her pretty face lit up while her mouth curved into a smile. It was the same charismatic smile as Luke's. "Hey, Leah," I replied, muting the volume on the flat screen, "Luke's here, by the way. He's upstairs sleeping."

"Oh, I know. I saw his car in the driveway. I just can't believe he broke up with Katie!"

I felt the urge to roll my eyes, but I didn't.

'It's because she's flat-chested. Luke told me when I was twelve that he didn't like flat-chested girls,'

I thought childishly to myself, all-too-happily looking down at my 34C's. Then I stopped. I shouldn't be caring about him anymore. I had ended what ever type of relationship we had previously and the girls he dated shouldn't concern me. It still hurt though, like all the feelings I had for him were piled up all around me and I was drowning in them. In all the lust and all the

love

.

I loved him.

"Can you bring this up to his room?" Leah said, interrupting my self-pitying thoughts, "Katie told me to give this back to him."

I nodded before grabbing the bag and heading upstairs.

―――

As soon as I creaked the door opened, I reached over to the light switch and flipped the lights on. It was dark and I couldn't see a thing. Besides, I told myself to stop caring about him. The least I could do is not worry over whether I'd wake him up or not.

From the way he tossed and turned, I thought I had. However, after moving in for a closer inspection, I realized it wasn't the case. His breathing was heavy and irregular, but he was definitely asleep. Being Lucas Ward though, he never failed to surprise me. As soon as I reached over to tuck him in, his breath began to hitch. Sneezing while sleeping? That was something I had failed to witness before. I counted seven "Hih'h-"'s before he actually sneezed. In fact, it began to sound almost like a song, a melody that only he could produce. His eyelashes danced up and down and his nose flared before, finally:

"HHT'Etschu hish'Chi Hih'Chuh!"

Following those three sneezes came a groan, then one more. "Hhuh-uh -uh... H'hchoo!"

Unconsciously repositioning himself, Luke rolled to his side until he was facing me. I looked at him and everything that made him as perfect as he was. It felt like he was sucking me into his sick, sick mind games again, as he had done plenty of times in the past. 'I love you, I love you not.' Only this time, I wouldn't fall for it.

I let my eyes linger a moment longer, absorbing his wavy blonde hair that I knew curled slightly at the nape of his neck. Then I looked down at his hand that hung off the edge of the bed. I thought about how they had explored so many parts of my body, yet they had never held mine. His love was different from my love.

The last thing I looked at were his lips. They were parted slightly in the middle, since he couldn't breathe properly out of his nose. I kissed them one last time.

"I love you too. Always have, always will."

[Scion]

What do you mean "not the best writer!?" Bah! You are a great writer! Trust me, I'm a Creative Writing major, and I can tell you've got skills!

[Yuzuhana]

What do you mean "not the best writer!?" Bah! You are a great writer! Trust me, I'm a Creative Writing major, and I can tell you've got skills!

Thanks It means a lot to me!

[MusicaDiabolos]

This is great! Both emotional and..you know...sexy

[sillystarsmoons]

This was great. I loved reading it. Thanks for sharing!

[Aprilcot]

I agree with Scion!

This is truly amazing, and I can't wait to read more!!!!!!!!

[Butch]

Just wonderful. I loved it. I hope you write more.

[LovelyLinda]

"I'm not the best writer, but I hope you enjoy this anyways!"

Bull

You're a fantastic writer!!

I love your story, I really do <3

And I hope you'll be writing some more stories,

you've got talent,

just be a little more confident about it

[Yuzuhana]

Thanks everybody!

I'm working on a new story now and I'll have multiple parts.

The first part should be posted sometime later this week!