i can't deny

Cecilia grinned slightly, her heart swelling with Luke's words, finding herself always enjoying hearing them. "I love you, too," she called back to him as she changed in the bathroom, knowing she'd have to change into her uniform in the employee locker room. After she finished, she made her way back out to him, sliding her arms around his neck once she was close enough. "And I know how you feel. But, once this month is over, we can laze around in bed as much as you want." She grinned teasingly.

Michael grinned when he felt Arianna's arms around him and he shifted to face her, sliding his arms around her waist to hold her closer, kissing the top of her head. "Once this next month is over, I'm never letting you out of my sight again," he told her gently, lifting one hand to run his fingers through her hair, "I can't wait for you to see everything, or to show you everything, to show you my world - because I just know my world is going to be so much better with you in it, it's going to be perfect."

Luke grinned with Cecilia’s promise. “I’m holding you to that.” He told her, half teasing and half honest, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Because I never want you more than two feet away from me. I missed you when you were in the bathroom.” He laughed, ducking his head bashfully at his confession. “I just... can’t wait for you to be with me. I’ve always felt like I’ve had something missing in my life, and now that I know you’re mine, I - I don’t feel it anymore.” He told her honestly.

Arianna smiled with Michael’s words, pressing a sweet kiss to his lips. “I can’t wait, Michael.” She told him honestly. “Just knowing I get to wake up with you beside me everyday is just so incredible to me.” She told him. She’d loved waking up with Michael beside her today, just finding him to be the most ethereal thing. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Arianna kissed Michael once more, unable to stop herself. “It’s going to be perfect.” She murmured into his lips.

Cecilia's expression softened as she listened to him and she shifted a bit, lifting her hands to cup his face, her thumbs running over his cheeks. "I love you, Luke," she told him quietly, "And I never want to know what it feels like to be without you, because you are literally the embodiment of everything I never knew I needed."

Michael grinned as he held her close, rubbing her back gently. "I can't wait, either," he murmured quietly as he examined her, "Every day that I wake up next to you is going to be the perfect day, I just know it." And he couldn't wait for every single perfect day that came their way. Grinning broadly, he returned her kiss as he held her close. "I can't wait," he murmured against her lips.

Luke leaned into Cecilia’s touch, turning his head slightly to press a kiss to the palm of her hand. “I love you too, Cecilia.” He told her honestly. “I just... I’m so excited for our new life together.” And he was sure that living his life with Cecilia by his side was going to make Luke feel complete. “You’re so damn perfect for me, I feel like you’re my soulmate.” And he meant it. He felt like Cecilia had been made especially for him.

Arianna smiled, nipping Michael’s lower lip once more as he spoke, being gentle. “We can get through this next month.” She told him as she rested her forehead to his. Stroking through Michael’s hair, Arianna looked to the clock and pouted slightly. “Okay, I gotta go and get started.” She told him, pressing another kiss to his lips. “I love you.” Reluctantly pulling away, Arianna grabbed her cardigan.

Cecilia smiled slightly as she watched him, taking him in for a few long moments. "I feel the same," she assured him quietly, "About all of it - about our life together, about you being my soulmate." Grinning, she leaned up to kiss him for a moment before she pulled back. "But, now, I really have to go." She leaned to kiss him again before she pulled back to head to the door. "I'll see you later, okay? I really do love you."

Michael grinned with the feeling, leaning to kiss her forehead. "We will," he told her quietly, "I have faith in us." He rubbed her back gently, taking her in for a few moments before he relaxed with feeling her fingers through his hair, though he chewed on his lip, anxious about parting from her again. If it was this bad with her being in the same building as him, he couldn't imagine how bad it would be when they were in different cities, different states. "I love you, too," he told her quietly, reluctantly letting go as he watched her, "Good luck with work."

Luke pouted slightly, finding himself nervous about being separated from Cecilia, just wanting her to be near him constantly, her whole existence letting Luke’s heart rest. “I love you.” He told her gently, pulling her back to kiss her once more. “Have a good day at work.” He told her, kissing her again before reluctantly letting her go, although his heart swelled as he processed her words, hearing her think that he was her soulmate being the best thing Luke had ever heard — better than any song.

Arianna smiled, kissing Michael’s cheek as she pulled on her cardigan. “Have a good day, babe.” She told him, leaving the bedroom and shutting the door behind her softly, knowing Michael would lock up. Heading down to the staff room, Arianna smoothed our her bun and exhaled, already hating the fact Michael wasn’t by her side.

Cecilia gave a noise of surprise when Luke pulled her back, though she laughed happily against his lips, grinning broadly while the kiss lasted. "I love you, too," she murmured quietly as she examined him for a moment. "Have fun today, okay?" She leaned up to kiss him one more time before she pulled back and she watched him for a while before she turned to leave, hating parting from him, but she knew she needed to do this. With that thought, she made her way out and headed down to the employee locker room to change.

Michael grinned as he heard her words, though, the moment she was gone, he felt his chest ache with her absence. It hurt, it sucked, but he knew it would all be worth it when he got to see her again later that day - and even more so when she was in his life forever. Chewing on his lip, he waited for a few moments before he left the room, locking the door behind him, and went to his and Luke's room so that he could get ready for the day, knowing they needed to prepare for the concert tonight, but also just wanting to be back near Arianna already.

Luke relished in each kiss Cecilia gave him, biting his lip happily as she pulled away, watching her, his heart sinking in his chest when she left. Luke knew, when she joined him, it would all be worth it, but it didn’t hurt any less. Looking up as Michael came in, Luke offered his best friend a smile. “Hey.”

Arianna’s chest ached with the realisation she was already missing Michael so much. Still, Arianna looked up as she saw Cecilia, wanting to tell her best friend everything. “Oh my god.” She breathed. “I have so much to tell you.” She toyed with her lower lip.

Michael blinked when he saw his friend and he offered a small smile. "Hey," he greeted with a nod, closing the door behind himself as he made his way over to look through his clothes. He felt his heart swelling, wanting to talk about Arianna, wanting to tell Luke everything. "So, I invited Arianna on tour with us."

Cecilia blinked when she heard her friend's words and she found herself shifting anxiously, trying not to think about being away from Luke, and she smiled, deciding to focus on the conversation, since it would hopefully distract her. "Mind telling me while I change into my uniform?" she asked as she walked towards the locker room, "I, um... I have a lot to tell you, too - and to talk through, and everything. You first, though."

Luke blinked in surprise, grinning suddenly. “That’s hilarious, because I invited Cecilia, too.” He told his best friend, just wanting to tell him how happy Cecilia made him. “I... I can’t live without her, Mikey. No chance in hell. I love her so much and I just want her to be with me for the rest of our lives.” He admitted. “I mean, she told me she’s gotta stay behind for a bit, sort things out, but she... she said yes.” Luke beamed with happiness, talking about Cecilia making Luke miss her more.

Arianna toyed with her lip happily. “Michael invited me to go with him.” She told her. “And I - I said yes.” She shrugged her shoulders, grabbing their cleaning supplies. “The only thing keeping me here was you and this job, and...” she shrugged her shoulders once more. “Your turn.” She shifted the conversation away from Michael as he heart ached, missing it’s other half.

Michael listened to his friend, though he laughed. "Okay, that actually is hilarious," he agreed, shaking his head, "And a coincidence. Who would have thought?" He chewed on his lip as he listened to his friend and nodded slightly. "I know exactly how you feel. Now that I have Arianna in my life, I really don't want to lose her. I love her more than I honestly thought was possible. I mean, I have to wait a month for her to come to us, but... God, that month is going to be awful, but when it's over and she's in my arms, everything will be perfect, I just know it."

Cecilia blinked with surprise as she got her uniform out of her locker but she grinned over at her friend. "Really?" she asked with surprise, chewing on her lip, her heart swelling happily with the news. "I'm so glad to hear that, Arianna, because, um... Well, Luke invited me along, too, and I said yes, but I won't be going for a month so that I can save some money. But, hearing that you're going, too, it's amazing, because then neither of us will be alone for any of this."

Luke nodded in agreement. “Who would of thought.” He repeated Michael’s words with a grin. “We come to a city and we meet the loves of our lives.” He roughed up his hair, chewing on his lip happily at the thought of Cecilia. “I mean, this next month is gonna suck so bad, but knowing that I get Cecilia at the end of it, I just... know the wait will be worth it.” He smiled.

Arianna beamed with Cecilia’s words. “Really!?” She asked Cecilia, amazed by the coincidence, feeling so incredibly happy for her best friend. “This is amazing, Cecilia, holy shit. I was so worried about leaving you.” She admitted. “But oh my god, I said a month to Michael too.” She laughed, shaking her head. “This is so amazing.” She looked to her best friend. “How do you feel?”

Michael smiled to himself as he thought about Arianna, his thoughts running over her smile, her eyes, her scent, her laugh, her voice, everything about her that made her so perfectly her. "Yeah... And everything fell into place so easily, so quickly, and so perfectly," he murmured quietly before his smile broadened to a grin, his gaze going to his best friend, and he nodded. "I can't wait for it to be over and to have Arianna in my life forever. I just love her so damn much already, so much that I didn't even think it was possible. I feel like she was just made for me, to be in my arms, at my side, in my life, in my world. She's just so damn perfect." He chuckled at his own words, not even embarrassed to admit all of this or to even seem as soft as he did. The thought that Arianna would get to be in his life, stay in his life, that she'd get to be his, he felt so genuinely blessed.

Cecilia grinned slightly. "Well, now you don't have to worry, you're stuck with me," she teased her lightly, though she chewed on her lip. "I'm excited and nervous, honestly. I love him, Arianna, I really do. I never thought I'd actually fall in love with somebody or that I'd ever get the chance to say those words, but I just... It's crazy, but it's true, I love him." She changed into her uniform, buttoning it up before she fixed the apron portion, tying it, and watched her friend. "I'm a little nervous about the fact that I'm leaving my whole life behind for a guy I just met, but... At the same time, I trust him, you know? I trust that everything will work out, that we'll get to be together, that everything will be okay." Smiling, she ducked her head as she waited for a moment before she looked back to Arianna. "What about you? How are you feeling about all of this?"

Luke nodded in agreement. "I know the feeling," he admitted quietly. "Cecilia just brings out the best in me. For so long man, I felt like something was missing from my life, but she came along and filled that void so quickly." Luke sat on the edge of his bed. "I just love how much I love her already. Every time I think about her, I just feel myself falling deeper." Luke grinned at that, not embarrassed to admit it to Michael, not embarrassed to admit it at all. "She was made for me, I just know it. She was meant to be a part of my world and I'm so damn happy that fate brought us here, of all places." His thoughts drifted to Cecilia at that, her smile, her laugh, her voice. Everything that brought Luke comfort. "I just... hate the thought of leaving her. I hate not having her in the same room, let alone the same state."

Arianna tied her apron, listening intently to Cecilia's words, nodding along. "You took the words right out of my mouth, really." She smiled. "I trust Michael, and the love I feel for him is already so strong." She told Cecilia, knowing she could. "I always told myself that I'd be alone and he came and changed everything in a day, and it's so crazy, but he just gives me this... meaning." She told Cecilia. "I know it sounds strange, but running away to be with him just gives me so much hope. As a couple, I know we'll be fine - more than fine, even, perfect." She smiled. "I'm going to make sure that he knows just how much I love him every single day."

Michael smiled as he listened to his friend and he nodded slightly. "I feel like Arianna is definitely my soulmate," he said quietly, grinning slightly with the thought. "And she's already made my life so much better already, I can't wait to see how my life will be once she's fully in it." For a moment, he chewed on his lip, but he nodded in agreement to his friend, sighing. "I know what you mean. I'm already dreading parting from Arianna. I know it's just a month and, technically, that's not a very long time, but I know it's going to feel like forever."

Cecilia grinned with the mention of it and she chewed on her lip for a moment, nodding slightly. "I can't wait for all of this," she murmured quietly, looking over at her friend as she worked on putting her hair up in a tight bun. "I can't wait for this next chapter in our lives to begin, with guys that we love and who love us in return." She closed her locker, then, and looked to her friend. "Ready to get started on work?"

Luke grinned. "We got it bad." He smiled at the thought. "I just can't wait to show Cecilia everything." He told Michael. "I never thought I'd meet my soulmate, and yet, Cecilia's here and I love her so much." Luke grinned, slipping on his shoes, ready to meet Calum and Ashton next door. Hearing Michael's words about the next month, Luke nodded. "It's gonna suck, but at least we'll be preoccupied."

Arianna smiled at Cecilia. "It's crazy, but I can't wait either." She grinned, nudging Cecilia gently. "C'mon, I want to finish work already so I can get back to Michael." She laughed, pushing along the trolley of cleaning supplies, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, calling down the elevator to start on the first floor. "I hate not being around him."

"We do," Michael said with a laugh as he grabbed his clothes and disappeared to the bathroom to get dressed, nodding as he listened to Luke. "I can't wait for my life with Arianna to begin." Grinning with the thought, he finished getting ready for the day and made his way out of the bathroom.

Cecilia grinned as she followed Arianna, nodding slightly with the mention of it. "I'm right there with you," she hummed out happily, eager to see Luke again, though she chewed on her lip. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm just so ready to be near Luke again." She thought for a moment. "Divide and conquer?"

"Come on, let's go get the dorks from next door." Luke grinned, just knowing that Cecilia was his keeping him on a natural high, everything just seeming so brighter to Luke. Opening the door and allowing Michael out first, Luke shut the door and locked it, slipping the key into his pocket, knocking on Calum and Ashton's door. "Oi!"

Arianna nodded. "Divide and conquer. Where do you want me to go?" She asked, grabbing some fresh sheets and cleaning supplies, eager to get every chore done, knowing if they got everything done, and no one needed anything, their boss would allow them to finish early. "We gotta put in our leaving notices."

"Right," Michael said with amusement, shaking his head, though he followed his friend out of the room and to the other room. "How do you think these two would react to all of this?" He arched a brow, curious, but looking forward to the idea of how their friends would react to everything.

Ashton groaned from his bed, rubbing at his face as he stirred before he climbed off the bed to go answer, pouting. "It's too early," he complained.

"Maybe take the South end and I'll take the North and we work towards the center?" Cecilia suggested, figuring it would make things easier for them, though she nodded. "I plan to write mine up tonight, after the concert, and I'll turn it in tomorrow, probably."

Luke grinned. "I think they'll enjoy having someone new on tour." Luke admitted. "We should tell them when we introduce them to the girls, though." His grin broadened at the thought of keeping it a secret, knowing that Ashton and Calum were both supportive of everything he and Michael did. Moving past Ashton quickly, Luke grinned, sitting on Calum's bed. "It's not that early."

Calum groaned as Luke sat on his bed, trying to kick Luke off. "It's definitely too early." He yawned, forcing himself to sit up. "What the hell has got you two so happy?"

Arianna nodded. "I'll probably be doing the same." She admitted. "Alright, divide and conquer, go go go." She grinned.