06: Revolver

Luke is running. He's not surprised by this anymore. It feels like he's been running for a long time now, and how his lungs haven't given out is beyond him. His chest burns and his legs are sore and god he needs to stop and breathe and-

And he's been shot. Great.

Luke's positive he processes the shot before it happens. Or maybe his brain sees the unavoidable bullet coming, and gives in immediately. He wishes he had the time to think it over, but there's just the split second between a gun firing and a bullet flying straight into his shoulder.

He stumbles, crying out at the sudden pain, and keeps running. He can't stop. Not here, not now.

There's blood dripping down the front of his chest, soaking his shirt to his body, and making him feel sticky and wet. It's absolutely disgusting, and

07: Haze

The summer haze is thick and overwhelming, making him sweat and feel like he's suffocating.

How long has he been out here? It's hot. His head hurts, and he has to be dehydrated by now. The light is blinding his eyes and there's no way he isn't sunburnt.

He must've been out for longer than he's realized. But he can't bring himself to move, so what does he do?

It's their special place. If he leaves it, it'll be gone forever. He doesn't want to leave.

Luke glances up at the sky dazedly. It's the same shade of bright, vivid blue it's always been. Just a lazy, hazy thing that's passing above, just something that'll never leave.

There's a lot of things Luke wish would never leave him. None of them stuck around, though.

They never do. Why is he even surprised anymore?

04: Awake

Luke stares down the barrel of a gun with a pained expression. It's his gun. He's not sure how, but in the process of cleaning it and putting it back together, he must've dropped the spring guide, because now his gun won't even let him pull the trigger.

Of course, it's unloaded. He might be an idiot, but he's not that much of one. Did he ever think himself anything else?

74: innocence

If there was anything Luke disliked, it was being lied to. That wasn't very surprising. Nobody likes that.

And this is why Luke was so upset when he learned of Tyler’s affairs.

Now, you see, Luke wasn't a professional or anything, but he was positive that this wasn't how relationships worked. Luke was practically being held captive at this point. Tyler had put him on lockdown. He couldn't go anywhere without getting permission, he had freaking bodyguards following him 24/7 and yet Tyler was free to go out and screw anybody he wanted!

Really and truly, Luke was getting fed up with this man. And perhaps that's why Luke is here now.

They're in the bedroom. For once, there's nobody else around. It's just the two of them. “Like old times,” Tyler had said, hands on Luke's waist and lips against his neck.

The gun was right there on the nightstand. Luke could reach over and grab it right now. It shouldn't be so damn tempting, and yet here he is, hands wrapping around the gun and pulling it up and fingers pulling ever so slightly and-

Tyler begins to move, pulling away from Luke. “Luke? What are you-”

HE and then the gun goes off with a loud bang.

A single gunshot rings out, followed by a pained cry and a small surprised gasp. Luke feels himself scramble backwards, gun still in hand. His ears are ringing slightly from the loud noise, and whatever Tyler says to him goes unheard. The look in his eyes was unmistakable, however.

Luke instinctively stands up, watching in both horror and fear as Tyler stands up shakily, one hand covering a bleeding wound on his side. Because Luke has nowhere to go, he is forced to pull the gun up again to defend himself as Tyler comes at him.

Luke panics. Tyler is bleeding out by the second. Shouldn't he be dead? Dammit, why did he have to move?!

Without thinking, he shoots once more. It misses. Tyler swings a knife, barely missing Luke. He's thankful for the big bed frame Tyler has. Luke rolls off the bed, kicking Tyler away, but not before he gets a knife slicing at his side.

Luke screams in pure panic. Another shot. It hits Tyler in the chest this time. A third shot, for good luck, and Tyler’s limp body falls on top of him. He shoves the body off of him in disgust and horror, feeling his eyes water slowly and surely.

He just did that. Luke just killed the biggest, most feared man in all of Los Santos (and probably the entire state). Tyler ran half the city, for fuck's sake! How was he ever going to explain this?!