LOG 15 July
WHO: Future!Luke bane-archetype, Mickey mickeynotricky, Lorne happybeinggreen
WHAT: Off for some Getting to Know You time.
WHEN: July 15 after this
WHERE: Mickey's flat, then Caritas
WHY: Needed to Happy, and to Unemo Future!Luke a bit.
WITH: Karaoke, Luke finding out something he believed to be true was a lie, Mickey getting the surprise of his life (and liking it!)
Luke hadn't been joking, the email telling Mickey he'd gotten a new reply from Live Journal came barely seconds before there was a knock on the door.
Mickey sighed, pushing away from his computer before walking over to the door. Hearing all this stuff about his future self had put an obvious strain on him...he hated competing with himself. It was part of why he'd left Jake behind. Not to mention that he barely knew Luke now...he was just a genius kid in his mind. But he wasn't about to deny him anything, especially not after seeing his mother again. "Hey," he greeted him, opening the door. "I guess asking if you're alright is a dumb question."
"Considering the preemptive answer was inviting you out to get utterly pissed, I'd say yes," He nodded.
Mickey pulled the younger man into a comforting hug, even though it wasn't the most manly thing in the world, and he barely knew him. "It'll be alright mate," he said awkwardly.
It was a Mickey!Hug, and Mickey!Hugs were the best kind. Luke hugged him back tightly, needing the somewhat familiar contact - even though he could tell it made the other man awkward. "Thanks for the attempt at comfort using the standard lie," Luke replied muffled into his shoulder.
"It's not a lie though," Mickey frowned, rubbing his back. "You'll be alright, and we'll get you home again. I promise."
"Wouldn't mind staying here," Luke said quietly. He sighed, pulling away. "C'mon, I know a place that has some of the best drinks on this planet."
"Alright then," Mickey replied, though he was still frowning. "Where is it?"
"London."
"'Course it is," Mickey beamed. "Haven't been back since the Doctor dropped us all off, I'd love to go again."
"Let's lock up your flat, then."
"Alright," Mickey replied, before doing so and pocketing the key. "Drinks are on me, mate."
"You have no idea how much I intend on drinking," Luke said. "Grab my arm."
Mickey grabbed his arm, shrugging. "Lucky for you I just got my first paycheck recently," he chuckled. "I don't mind."
"If we're lucky, we'll get half off anyhow," Luke said, reaching for his wrist-strap and tapping in a location from the quick-dial.
Mickey blinked. "Oi, that looks like Captain Cheesecake's vortex manipulator."
"Doesn't do time though, it's based off the Indigo project," he told him. "I've also got a remote hook up to Mr. Smith. Ready to go?" He waited until Mickey grabbed on, and off they went.
---
Luke and Mickey appeared inside Caritas. None of the demons really paid any attention, considering weird things happened here all the time.
Mickey was used to teleporting after traveling with Jack and the Doctor, not to mention working for Torchwood, but what he was not used to, was demons. He squeaked. "You took me to an alien bar?"
"Demons, and it's perfectly safe - there's some kind of force field in here that doesn't allow violence."
"Hey Honeypie!", Lorne chirrped happily from behind the bar, "I see you got to the wrong side of Kanas too, huh?"
"I did, it's good to see a friendly face - I couldn't remember if this was here back then... back now? Ugh, need alcohol, Lorne, Lots of alcohol. Oh! And this is Mickey. Mickey, meet Lorne. He owns the place."
Mickey clung to Luke. "...He's green!" For all the badassery points he'd gained working for Torchwood, he knew he was still pathetic sometimes, but he couldn't help it. It was WEIRD.
"And nicer than most Humans," Luke didn't mind the cling.
Lorne arched one brow at Mickey. "And it's the colour of spring", he said, before grinning, "Sure thing, Honey, usual?"
"Yep, same for Mickey, we'll sit at the bar for now, if that's okay?" He looked at Mickey.
Mickey looked a little green himself, but just shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, sure." He hated being thrown into unfamiliar situations when he was essentially by himself. With the Doctor it had been different, because Rose was there. But now he was stuck in a bar full of demons with a man he didn't know. Yay.
Lorne beamed, moving to fill some glasses with something that looked....purple. "Is your friend feeling alright? We have a bucket if he's goinbg to hurl"
"It's his first time here, give him a break."
"You could've warned me," Mickey grumbled, before downing whatever was in his glass. Fortunately it didn't taste as strange as it looked.
Lorne beamed, then blinked. "Heeeeeeey, he's THAT Mickey, isn't he?", he asked, "The Tin Dog Mickey!"
"I did say 'on this planet', I rather thought the implication of it playing host to non-human life forms was a given." He took his glass, "Thanks Lorne - and don't call him a tin dog!"
"Oi!" Mickey protested. "I'm not just the tin dog anymore," he sulked.
Lorne grinned. "Hey, I'm just going by what Rosey called you", he said, "She spoke very highly of you"
Luke humpfhed and downed his drink faster than he ought.
"Rose?" Mickey asked, blinking. "You knew Rose?" he asked quietly, drinking more of whatever the hell he'd been given.
"Sure I did", Lorne beamed, "She visted here with...well, a long time ago. Heard her sing, too". He winked at Luke. "Don't huff and puff, Honey"
"Don't worry, I won't start any trouble," Luke muttered, reaching over the bar for another bottle.
Mickey blinked, looking at Luke with a concerned glance, before turning back to Lorne. "What d'you mean, heard her sing? Like karaoke?"
"More like a private preformance when she was in a bit of a pickle", said Lorne with a smile, "Gorgeous voice on that girl". He looked at Luke. "I know you won't"
"Mmhmm." Luke peered at the bottle. "This any good?" he asked.
"Lemme try some," Mickey replied, pouring himself another glass of whatever was in it "Mm, yep, it's good," he decided, nodding. "Wot d'you mean, private performance?"
"Just don't drink too much or your eyeballs will fall out", said Lorne, then smiled, "I read people's destinies when they sing, Sweetness. Show them the right path to take. Rose wanted to know, so I helped her out"
"Oh," Mickey replied, blinking. Again with the weird, but he was starting to adjust. "Good thing I can't sing a note then, mine'd prolly bore you to death," he chuckled.
Luke coughed and sputtered his drink over the bar, having tried to swallow at just the wrong moment.
"Deep breaths, Luke", said Lorne, then chuckled at Mickey, "Oh honey, everyone has an interesting destiny to me"
"You alright?" Mickey asked, patting his back. "Doubt it with me, but I guess I could give it a go if you don't mind damaging your ears," he chuckled.
Luke coughed, nodded, coughed again. "Dare you to sing for him," he rasped out.
"Honey, unless you're a tall, brooding vampire in your spare time, you will NOT be the worst singer I have ever heard"
Luke hit a small button on his modified bluetooth, and a thin wire ran around his head like a small circlet. He looked over at the heavy book of songs over by the stage, and it began floating itself over to the bar.
"Oi! Wot's that you're doing?" Mickey asked, completely shocked and distracted from trying to pick a song.
"That would be telekenisis", offered Lorne with a chuckle.
Luke smirked slightly and watched the book set itself in front of Mickey. He touched that button again and the circlet went away. "What Lorne said. Here's a list of songs he's got."
"Alright, thanks," Mickey replied, giving Luke another weirded out look before flipping through the pages. "I can do this one, I think," he said, pointing to "Common People."
"Nice choice", Lorne beamed, "Stage is yours, Honey"
"Wait...you mean I've gotta get up on a stage?" Mickey squeaked. "In front of people?"
"It's a karaoke bar, Mickey - nobody'll laugh, besides, you're great," Luke nudged him on. "Tell you what, I'll do it if you do."
Lorne chuckled. "You don't HAVE to, but it's the general spirit of things", he said, "And see? Luke'll sing, too"
"Alright, fine," Mickey grumbled, taking another few gulps of his drink before hesitantly walking up to the stage and singing the song for everyone.
Lorne cocked his head to one side, listening and reading Mickey's destiny. "Hmmm"
Luke watched, curious.
Mickey continued to sing, his voice not actually nearly as bad as he seemed to think it was.
Luke propped his chin in his hand as he watched, smiling a real smile for a change.
Lorne chuckled. "Well, nothing we don't already know, you and me", he said, "But he'll sure be surprised"
Luke nodded. "I still say he doesn't sing often enough."
Mickey shuffled off the stage when he was done, clearly surprised by the enthusiastic applause from his audience. He went back and sat with Lorne and Luke, embarrassed.
"Aww, you were great, Honey", Lorne grinned
Luke leaned over and gave him a peck-kiss, "You were, indeed."
Mickey blushed at the kiss, his eyes widening. "Um...you...wha?" he stuttered eloquently.
He didn't reply, looking thru for a song.
"I didn't mean surprised that soon", Lorne rolled his eyes.
"Huh?"
"...I think I'm gonna need another drink," Mickey mumbled, downing the rest of his current one.
Lorne chuckled, putting one in front of Mickey. "Sorry, Luke jumped the gun a bit"
"What'd I do?"
"You...kissed me," Mickey pointed out, drinking more. "You're still just a kid in my time, one that barely knows who I am, no less."
"Yeah, that changes", Lorne grinned, "Surprise!"
"Oh I didn't think about that... You're still Mickey," Luke sulked, paging through the songs.
"I am?" Mickey asked, blinking. "But...I'm not your Mickey," he replied, confused.
"Yes you are."
"Timelines are funny", Lorne shrugged, "Don't worry, Luke, we'll be back where we belong soon and you older Mickey will be there"
"Same Mickey," he said stubbornly.
"I don't understand," Mickey sighed. "I've done this before, with Jake...he never got that we were the same guy, I was just...a replacement for myself."
"Maybe you have that effect on people?", asked Lorne examining his finger nails, "Though you technically ARE the same Mickey, just ten years earlier"
"You're not a replacement. You're my Mickey, you just don't know it yet," that smirk didn't belong on lips like Luke had. Or perhaps it did. He looked difficult to deny.
Mickey blushed again, nodding. "I'll take your word for it, mate. Was that all you saw?" he asked Lorne, clumsily attempting to change the subject.
"Yep", Lorne beamed, "Which is technically our present, but there you go"
"What should I sing?" Luke pondered aloud.
"Dunno. What kind of songs d'you like?" MIckey asked, glancing at him.
"Go for whatever Honey", Lorne smiled, "Really doesn't make a difference to me"
"All sorts," Luke replied, before closing the book and flipping it open, putting a finger down randomly. He looked. "Michael, Franz Ferdinand. Okay."
"Dunno that one," Mickey replied, shrugging. "Guess I'll find out, huh? Go sing," he smiled, gesturing to the stage.
"Enjoy yourself, pudding", Lorne gave him a bright smile.
"Gotta get my mind off things somehow," Luke replied, forgetting that thinking hard about not thinking about her, was just going to keep her in the front of his mind. He had another goal though. Mickey. When he sang, he performed... and he switched out names, kept his eyes locked on Mickey, and slipped in the lyric the band only used live. All in all, it was seduction in song. Luke was thankful for his stint undercover as being in a band.
Mickey may have been nicknamed The Idiot by various parties, but it didn't take him long to recognize innuendo like that. It didn't take the rest of him long to figure it out either, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Honey, could you not broadcast so loud?", Lorne asked, pulling a face, "Empath here"
When the song finished, Luke swept a bow and hopped off the stage, making his way back to the bar.
"You're uh...you've got a good voice," Mickey complimented him, trying to hide the mixture of confusion and arousal in his own.
Luke's eyes slid over Mickey in a way that proved the man had spent too much time around Jack growing up. He smirked and gave Mickey a wink. "Thanks." then sat down back to his drink, glancing at Lorne.
Lorne rolled his eyes at Mickey, before beckoning Luke closer. "Got something I never saw before, Honey"
Luke frowned, not sure he liked that conspiratory sound. "What?" he asked.
Lorne sighed, watching him. "I think it's 'cause of where we are", he said, "Luke, Honey, not wanting to open up an old wound but...I saw that thing with your mother"
It was a good thing Luke had taken off his TK focus, or every glass in the room would have shattered. As it was, the look on his face did nearly the same thing. "Saw me kill her, did you? Knew I wouldn't keep it to myself for long," he pushed away from the bar, surly as Owen would later complain him to be.
"Oi...mate, you didn't kill her," Mickey said, frowning and hugging him tightly. "I dunno what happened, but you couldn't have."
"Take it easy, Bucko", said Lorne, holding out his hands calmingly, "It was the opposite, actually. You didn't, all that self-hate thing you got going on is for nothing, it was the other guys"
"The blast came from my direction, Lorne - I studied the angle of the wound, and the way she'd fallen. Don't lie to me," He grit his jaw, half shrugging off Mickey, but not enough to make the other man let him go.
Mickey rubbed his back comfortingly, sighing. "He's a seer, Luke, I doubt he's lying."
"Hey, you know as well as anyone that I don't lie about what I See", Lorne frowned, "Especially not to people I care about. You didn't do it Luke, simple as, your caculations were wrong"
"Impossible. My calculations are never wrong," Luke didn't know what to believe. He closed his eyes a moment, his perfect memory scanning the scene once again, checking all the angles for the nth time.
"Luke," Mickey murmured, concerned. "Sometimes it's not about the calculations, yeah? Sometimes things just happen."
"You were wrong this time", Lorne sighed, "Honey, you have to stop finding ways to blame yourself, it wasn't your fault"
Luke's eyes flew open. "There was a mirror behind me. A little one, I didn't notice it before," he whispered.
"See? Little mirror", said Lorne with a nod, waving his hand between Luke and Mickey, "Discuss", he said, before heading off to serve someone else.
"Like I said, I dunno what happened, but it's obviously not your fault, yeah? You get that now?" Mickey asked, smiling.
Luke seemed a bit amazed. "I was so sure...."
"Yeah, well, I was pretty sure no one would ever like me for me 'til you came along," Mickey chuckled. "Sometimes life surprises you."
"Must do," Luke replied, relief tingeing his voice. He glanced at Mickey, then bumped shoulders with him. "I liked your song."
Mickey chuckled, shaking his head. "I liked your song too. A bit much, actually."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "A bit much?" he asked, a smile growing.
"Er. Yeah," Mickey replied, flushing again. "I'm not that much of an idiot."
"I never thought you were an idiot," Luke said softly, watching him.
"Well you're the only one in the whole universe," Mickey chuckled.
"The universe isn't as smart as I am," he smirked.
Mickey laughed, nodding. "I'm not gonna argue with that one."
Luke smiled, then reached out to him as the DJ announced a break from Karaoke for some dance-time. "Wanna?"
"Dance with you? I think I'd be mad to turn down an offer like that," Mickey replied, smiling as he took his hand. "I'm not exactly a brilliant dancer or anything though, so sorry if I step on your toes."
"I'll manage," Luke said, pulling Mickey to the dance floor.
Mickey followed, a little awkward on his feet after the drinks and Luke's performance, but not for lack of trying.
Luke pulled him close as the music changed to a more throbby grind, grasping Mickey's hips as they danced. "Just move," he told him, smiling. "Just let your body move."
"Uh, right," Mickey replied, moving against Luke and letting himself go with the music, trying not to think about the fact that it was going to be very very awkward when Luke switched back.
"Right," Luke breathed, moving to the music with him, abandoning thought for movement and feeling.
Abandoning thought was a good plan, Mickey had decided, and just went along with the flow, moving against him to the grinding music.
As the music got heavier, and the dance floor more crowded, Luke leaned in to kiss him.
Mickey froze at the unexpected kiss before hesitantly returning it, pulling Luke closer.
One arm slid up around Mickey's shoulders as they danced, and kissed, Luke not giving up.
Mickey slowly began to relax into the kiss, deepening it. He still wasn't certain it would last, this idea that he was the same as his future self, but there was no reason he couldn't enjoy himself while it did.
Luke's thumb rubbed at that spot at Mickey's nape that he knew made the other man feel good, continuing to kiss him lovingly as they danced.
WHAT: Off for some Getting to Know You time.
WHEN: July 15 after this
WHERE: Mickey's flat, then Caritas
WHY: Needed to Happy, and to Unemo Future!Luke a bit.
WITH: Karaoke, Luke finding out something he believed to be true was a lie, Mickey getting the surprise of his life (and liking it!)
Luke hadn't been joking, the email telling Mickey he'd gotten a new reply from Live Journal came barely seconds before there was a knock on the door.
Mickey sighed, pushing away from his computer before walking over to the door. Hearing all this stuff about his future self had put an obvious strain on him...he hated competing with himself. It was part of why he'd left Jake behind. Not to mention that he barely knew Luke now...he was just a genius kid in his mind. But he wasn't about to deny him anything, especially not after seeing his mother again. "Hey," he greeted him, opening the door. "I guess asking if you're alright is a dumb question."
"Considering the preemptive answer was inviting you out to get utterly pissed, I'd say yes," He nodded.
Mickey pulled the younger man into a comforting hug, even though it wasn't the most manly thing in the world, and he barely knew him. "It'll be alright mate," he said awkwardly.
It was a Mickey!Hug, and Mickey!Hugs were the best kind. Luke hugged him back tightly, needing the somewhat familiar contact - even though he could tell it made the other man awkward. "Thanks for the attempt at comfort using the standard lie," Luke replied muffled into his shoulder.
"It's not a lie though," Mickey frowned, rubbing his back. "You'll be alright, and we'll get you home again. I promise."
"Wouldn't mind staying here," Luke said quietly. He sighed, pulling away. "C'mon, I know a place that has some of the best drinks on this planet."
"Alright then," Mickey replied, though he was still frowning. "Where is it?"
"London."
"'Course it is," Mickey beamed. "Haven't been back since the Doctor dropped us all off, I'd love to go again."
"Let's lock up your flat, then."
"Alright," Mickey replied, before doing so and pocketing the key. "Drinks are on me, mate."
"You have no idea how much I intend on drinking," Luke said. "Grab my arm."
Mickey grabbed his arm, shrugging. "Lucky for you I just got my first paycheck recently," he chuckled. "I don't mind."
"If we're lucky, we'll get half off anyhow," Luke said, reaching for his wrist-strap and tapping in a location from the quick-dial.
Mickey blinked. "Oi, that looks like Captain Cheesecake's vortex manipulator."
"Doesn't do time though, it's based off the Indigo project," he told him. "I've also got a remote hook up to Mr. Smith. Ready to go?" He waited until Mickey grabbed on, and off they went.
---
Luke and Mickey appeared inside Caritas. None of the demons really paid any attention, considering weird things happened here all the time.
Mickey was used to teleporting after traveling with Jack and the Doctor, not to mention working for Torchwood, but what he was not used to, was demons. He squeaked. "You took me to an alien bar?"
"Demons, and it's perfectly safe - there's some kind of force field in here that doesn't allow violence."
"Hey Honeypie!", Lorne chirrped happily from behind the bar, "I see you got to the wrong side of Kanas too, huh?"
"I did, it's good to see a friendly face - I couldn't remember if this was here back then... back now? Ugh, need alcohol, Lorne, Lots of alcohol. Oh! And this is Mickey. Mickey, meet Lorne. He owns the place."
Mickey clung to Luke. "...He's green!" For all the badassery points he'd gained working for Torchwood, he knew he was still pathetic sometimes, but he couldn't help it. It was WEIRD.
"And nicer than most Humans," Luke didn't mind the cling.
Lorne arched one brow at Mickey. "And it's the colour of spring", he said, before grinning, "Sure thing, Honey, usual?"
"Yep, same for Mickey, we'll sit at the bar for now, if that's okay?" He looked at Mickey.
Mickey looked a little green himself, but just shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, sure." He hated being thrown into unfamiliar situations when he was essentially by himself. With the Doctor it had been different, because Rose was there. But now he was stuck in a bar full of demons with a man he didn't know. Yay.
Lorne beamed, moving to fill some glasses with something that looked....purple. "Is your friend feeling alright? We have a bucket if he's goinbg to hurl"
"It's his first time here, give him a break."
"You could've warned me," Mickey grumbled, before downing whatever was in his glass. Fortunately it didn't taste as strange as it looked.
Lorne beamed, then blinked. "Heeeeeeey, he's THAT Mickey, isn't he?", he asked, "The Tin Dog Mickey!"
"I did say 'on this planet', I rather thought the implication of it playing host to non-human life forms was a given." He took his glass, "Thanks Lorne - and don't call him a tin dog!"
"Oi!" Mickey protested. "I'm not just the tin dog anymore," he sulked.
Lorne grinned. "Hey, I'm just going by what Rosey called you", he said, "She spoke very highly of you"
Luke humpfhed and downed his drink faster than he ought.
"Rose?" Mickey asked, blinking. "You knew Rose?" he asked quietly, drinking more of whatever the hell he'd been given.
"Sure I did", Lorne beamed, "She visted here with...well, a long time ago. Heard her sing, too". He winked at Luke. "Don't huff and puff, Honey"
"Don't worry, I won't start any trouble," Luke muttered, reaching over the bar for another bottle.
Mickey blinked, looking at Luke with a concerned glance, before turning back to Lorne. "What d'you mean, heard her sing? Like karaoke?"
"More like a private preformance when she was in a bit of a pickle", said Lorne with a smile, "Gorgeous voice on that girl". He looked at Luke. "I know you won't"
"Mmhmm." Luke peered at the bottle. "This any good?" he asked.
"Lemme try some," Mickey replied, pouring himself another glass of whatever was in it "Mm, yep, it's good," he decided, nodding. "Wot d'you mean, private performance?"
"Just don't drink too much or your eyeballs will fall out", said Lorne, then smiled, "I read people's destinies when they sing, Sweetness. Show them the right path to take. Rose wanted to know, so I helped her out"
"Oh," Mickey replied, blinking. Again with the weird, but he was starting to adjust. "Good thing I can't sing a note then, mine'd prolly bore you to death," he chuckled.
Luke coughed and sputtered his drink over the bar, having tried to swallow at just the wrong moment.
"Deep breaths, Luke", said Lorne, then chuckled at Mickey, "Oh honey, everyone has an interesting destiny to me"
"You alright?" Mickey asked, patting his back. "Doubt it with me, but I guess I could give it a go if you don't mind damaging your ears," he chuckled.
Luke coughed, nodded, coughed again. "Dare you to sing for him," he rasped out.
"Honey, unless you're a tall, brooding vampire in your spare time, you will NOT be the worst singer I have ever heard"
Luke hit a small button on his modified bluetooth, and a thin wire ran around his head like a small circlet. He looked over at the heavy book of songs over by the stage, and it began floating itself over to the bar.
"Oi! Wot's that you're doing?" Mickey asked, completely shocked and distracted from trying to pick a song.
"That would be telekenisis", offered Lorne with a chuckle.
Luke smirked slightly and watched the book set itself in front of Mickey. He touched that button again and the circlet went away. "What Lorne said. Here's a list of songs he's got."
"Alright, thanks," Mickey replied, giving Luke another weirded out look before flipping through the pages. "I can do this one, I think," he said, pointing to "Common People."
"Nice choice", Lorne beamed, "Stage is yours, Honey"
"Wait...you mean I've gotta get up on a stage?" Mickey squeaked. "In front of people?"
"It's a karaoke bar, Mickey - nobody'll laugh, besides, you're great," Luke nudged him on. "Tell you what, I'll do it if you do."
Lorne chuckled. "You don't HAVE to, but it's the general spirit of things", he said, "And see? Luke'll sing, too"
"Alright, fine," Mickey grumbled, taking another few gulps of his drink before hesitantly walking up to the stage and singing the song for everyone.
Lorne cocked his head to one side, listening and reading Mickey's destiny. "Hmmm"
Luke watched, curious.
Mickey continued to sing, his voice not actually nearly as bad as he seemed to think it was.
Luke propped his chin in his hand as he watched, smiling a real smile for a change.
Lorne chuckled. "Well, nothing we don't already know, you and me", he said, "But he'll sure be surprised"
Luke nodded. "I still say he doesn't sing often enough."
Mickey shuffled off the stage when he was done, clearly surprised by the enthusiastic applause from his audience. He went back and sat with Lorne and Luke, embarrassed.
"Aww, you were great, Honey", Lorne grinned
Luke leaned over and gave him a peck-kiss, "You were, indeed."
Mickey blushed at the kiss, his eyes widening. "Um...you...wha?" he stuttered eloquently.
He didn't reply, looking thru for a song.
"I didn't mean surprised that soon", Lorne rolled his eyes.
"Huh?"
"...I think I'm gonna need another drink," Mickey mumbled, downing the rest of his current one.
Lorne chuckled, putting one in front of Mickey. "Sorry, Luke jumped the gun a bit"
"What'd I do?"
"You...kissed me," Mickey pointed out, drinking more. "You're still just a kid in my time, one that barely knows who I am, no less."
"Yeah, that changes", Lorne grinned, "Surprise!"
"Oh I didn't think about that... You're still Mickey," Luke sulked, paging through the songs.
"I am?" Mickey asked, blinking. "But...I'm not your Mickey," he replied, confused.
"Yes you are."
"Timelines are funny", Lorne shrugged, "Don't worry, Luke, we'll be back where we belong soon and you older Mickey will be there"
"Same Mickey," he said stubbornly.
"I don't understand," Mickey sighed. "I've done this before, with Jake...he never got that we were the same guy, I was just...a replacement for myself."
"Maybe you have that effect on people?", asked Lorne examining his finger nails, "Though you technically ARE the same Mickey, just ten years earlier"
"You're not a replacement. You're my Mickey, you just don't know it yet," that smirk didn't belong on lips like Luke had. Or perhaps it did. He looked difficult to deny.
Mickey blushed again, nodding. "I'll take your word for it, mate. Was that all you saw?" he asked Lorne, clumsily attempting to change the subject.
"Yep", Lorne beamed, "Which is technically our present, but there you go"
"What should I sing?" Luke pondered aloud.
"Dunno. What kind of songs d'you like?" MIckey asked, glancing at him.
"Go for whatever Honey", Lorne smiled, "Really doesn't make a difference to me"
"All sorts," Luke replied, before closing the book and flipping it open, putting a finger down randomly. He looked. "Michael, Franz Ferdinand. Okay."
"Dunno that one," Mickey replied, shrugging. "Guess I'll find out, huh? Go sing," he smiled, gesturing to the stage.
"Enjoy yourself, pudding", Lorne gave him a bright smile.
"Gotta get my mind off things somehow," Luke replied, forgetting that thinking hard about not thinking about her, was just going to keep her in the front of his mind. He had another goal though. Mickey. When he sang, he performed... and he switched out names, kept his eyes locked on Mickey, and slipped in the lyric the band only used live. All in all, it was seduction in song. Luke was thankful for his stint undercover as being in a band.
Mickey may have been nicknamed The Idiot by various parties, but it didn't take him long to recognize innuendo like that. It didn't take the rest of him long to figure it out either, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Honey, could you not broadcast so loud?", Lorne asked, pulling a face, "Empath here"
When the song finished, Luke swept a bow and hopped off the stage, making his way back to the bar.
"You're uh...you've got a good voice," Mickey complimented him, trying to hide the mixture of confusion and arousal in his own.
Luke's eyes slid over Mickey in a way that proved the man had spent too much time around Jack growing up. He smirked and gave Mickey a wink. "Thanks." then sat down back to his drink, glancing at Lorne.
Lorne rolled his eyes at Mickey, before beckoning Luke closer. "Got something I never saw before, Honey"
Luke frowned, not sure he liked that conspiratory sound. "What?" he asked.
Lorne sighed, watching him. "I think it's 'cause of where we are", he said, "Luke, Honey, not wanting to open up an old wound but...I saw that thing with your mother"
It was a good thing Luke had taken off his TK focus, or every glass in the room would have shattered. As it was, the look on his face did nearly the same thing. "Saw me kill her, did you? Knew I wouldn't keep it to myself for long," he pushed away from the bar, surly as Owen would later complain him to be.
"Oi...mate, you didn't kill her," Mickey said, frowning and hugging him tightly. "I dunno what happened, but you couldn't have."
"Take it easy, Bucko", said Lorne, holding out his hands calmingly, "It was the opposite, actually. You didn't, all that self-hate thing you got going on is for nothing, it was the other guys"
"The blast came from my direction, Lorne - I studied the angle of the wound, and the way she'd fallen. Don't lie to me," He grit his jaw, half shrugging off Mickey, but not enough to make the other man let him go.
Mickey rubbed his back comfortingly, sighing. "He's a seer, Luke, I doubt he's lying."
"Hey, you know as well as anyone that I don't lie about what I See", Lorne frowned, "Especially not to people I care about. You didn't do it Luke, simple as, your caculations were wrong"
"Impossible. My calculations are never wrong," Luke didn't know what to believe. He closed his eyes a moment, his perfect memory scanning the scene once again, checking all the angles for the nth time.
"Luke," Mickey murmured, concerned. "Sometimes it's not about the calculations, yeah? Sometimes things just happen."
"You were wrong this time", Lorne sighed, "Honey, you have to stop finding ways to blame yourself, it wasn't your fault"
Luke's eyes flew open. "There was a mirror behind me. A little one, I didn't notice it before," he whispered.
"See? Little mirror", said Lorne with a nod, waving his hand between Luke and Mickey, "Discuss", he said, before heading off to serve someone else.
"Like I said, I dunno what happened, but it's obviously not your fault, yeah? You get that now?" Mickey asked, smiling.
Luke seemed a bit amazed. "I was so sure...."
"Yeah, well, I was pretty sure no one would ever like me for me 'til you came along," Mickey chuckled. "Sometimes life surprises you."
"Must do," Luke replied, relief tingeing his voice. He glanced at Mickey, then bumped shoulders with him. "I liked your song."
Mickey chuckled, shaking his head. "I liked your song too. A bit much, actually."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "A bit much?" he asked, a smile growing.
"Er. Yeah," Mickey replied, flushing again. "I'm not that much of an idiot."
"I never thought you were an idiot," Luke said softly, watching him.
"Well you're the only one in the whole universe," Mickey chuckled.
"The universe isn't as smart as I am," he smirked.
Mickey laughed, nodding. "I'm not gonna argue with that one."
Luke smiled, then reached out to him as the DJ announced a break from Karaoke for some dance-time. "Wanna?"
"Dance with you? I think I'd be mad to turn down an offer like that," Mickey replied, smiling as he took his hand. "I'm not exactly a brilliant dancer or anything though, so sorry if I step on your toes."
"I'll manage," Luke said, pulling Mickey to the dance floor.
Mickey followed, a little awkward on his feet after the drinks and Luke's performance, but not for lack of trying.
Luke pulled him close as the music changed to a more throbby grind, grasping Mickey's hips as they danced. "Just move," he told him, smiling. "Just let your body move."
"Uh, right," Mickey replied, moving against Luke and letting himself go with the music, trying not to think about the fact that it was going to be very very awkward when Luke switched back.
"Right," Luke breathed, moving to the music with him, abandoning thought for movement and feeling.
Abandoning thought was a good plan, Mickey had decided, and just went along with the flow, moving against him to the grinding music.
As the music got heavier, and the dance floor more crowded, Luke leaned in to kiss him.
Mickey froze at the unexpected kiss before hesitantly returning it, pulling Luke closer.
One arm slid up around Mickey's shoulders as they danced, and kissed, Luke not giving up.
Mickey slowly began to relax into the kiss, deepening it. He still wasn't certain it would last, this idea that he was the same as his future self, but there was no reason he couldn't enjoy himself while it did.
Luke's thumb rubbed at that spot at Mickey's nape that he knew made the other man feel good, continuing to kiss him lovingly as they danced.