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It's weird. Luke knows it's weird. He's very much aware of the degree of weirdness that he is being right now. Very, painfully aware.
Which is why he's wearing a black beanie and sunglasses inside in the middle of spring.
Inside the school theatre to be exact, sure to anyone else it wasn't exactly a place which requires a friggin disguise to be in. But Luke was a football player, by the ancient and all knowing laws of high school he shouldn't even know where the theatre is, never mind sneaking in through the lighting booth to stand in the back of it.
He would say he had a perfectly good reason for this mad routine he went through every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, just for the half hour before his football practice, but honestly the reason for the creepy ass lurking only made it that much more weird. It was about a month into the new school year when it started. When Luke first saw him.
In keeping with the traditions of high school stereotypes, back then Luke honestly had no idea where the theatre was, and he stumbled upon the place by complete accident. He had been looking for Calum – his best friend and team mate – who was late for the first practice of the year and was nowhere to be found. Luke was expecting to find him snogging some girl in a closet and had run out of patience long ago with Calum's shit to not care if he interrupted or not.
Which is how he ended up searching every door in the school, and that included the one to the lighting booth. Taken back only a for a second by the unfamiliar room, he had done a quick scan and, not seeing Calum, went to leave. Then he heard it. That laugh, well giggle was the more accurate description and it was the cutest thing Luke had ever heard. Screw baby's laughs and kittens purring, they didn't have a thing on the sound which floated up from the stage below.
He hadn't even been aware of the existence of the stage or of the group of people on it before he had moved forward, towards the edge of the box. There was about twelve of them, sat in a circle on the middle if the stage, in the centre of the circle was a mass of different coloured bits of paper, diagrams, mood boards that made no sense to Luke. Not that he had time to think about it much because the laugh came again and his eyes scanned the group, landing on what was quiet possible the happiest face in the history of the world.
Okay, so maybe Luke was a little biased, but if this boy with the wide smile and childish giggle didn't have the happiest face, then he would certainly be in the top ten. He got as close as he dared to the edge of the box, the theatre wasn't too large so he had a good enough view. Good enough to see the dimples in the boys cheeks when he smiled, his blondish-brownish hair with a fringe which kept falling in front of his face when he pushed it back (Luke laughed to himself, remembering having the almost exact same hairstyle a few years ago.).
The boy was just so happy and Luke was so gone.
But of course he didn't do anything about it, this was high school for gods sake, a football player couldn't just waltz up to a theatre guy and talk to him. This wasn't Disney and High School Musical could go fuck itself in Luke's humble opinion.
Not that he had any problems with the 'theatre geeks' as his team mates called them, he'd never actively tormented any of them like the majority of his team, but he'd never tried to stop it either which didn't really make him any better.
He just wanted to talk to the boy, damnit. But then, three and a half months later and Luke was still creeping into the back of theatre's like a weirdo. He couldn't help it, just seeing the boy with the fringe and smile made him feel...well better. Even if, at the end of each day he lay in bed just thinking 'how did this become my life?'
 
~oOo~
 
It all changed. That one Tuesday afternoon in the middle of a random hall way, Luke made a choice and that choice was 'Fuck it'.
Seeing people getting shoved against lockers wasn't exactly a unusual thing to happen in school, so when the sound of it swept down the hall, Luke had only spared a glance at his arse hole of a team mate, not even registering at first the fringe covered face of the boy slumped against the locker.
Happy-Theatre-Fringe-Boy. Only he didn't look so happy as he bent down to pick his bag up off the floor as his green-haired friend slung an impressive array of curses at the backs of the laughing players. Luke frowned, not liking the sad look on the boy at all, he'd had enough of caring about social rules and high school bullshit, it had only been a minute but he already had enough of seeing that expression on the boys face.
He waited until the green-haired boy disappeared into a class room before making his move, the less attention on him the better. Luke reached out, taking a deep breath and tapping fringe-boy on the shoulder. He turned and 'Wow, eyes' was all that came to Luke's mind, until he saw the small patch of red in the boy's hairline and what ever he had been going to say just vanished.
“You're bleeding.” he said, mentally face-palming as he pointed to the other boy's head because smooth, hemming's smooth
Fringe-boy moved a hand up to the spot, bringing it back red. “Oh, yeah...knew I'd caught something when they - anyway, thanks. Guess I'll just go and clean up.” he said, pointing at the door to the men's toilet across the hall.
“I'll come with you.” Luke blurted out. Hell he was on fire today. “You know, in case you have like, a concussion or something.”
Fringe-boy smiled and Luke's heart lit up. “Sure, thanks.”
The toilets were empty with everyone going to class, which meant they could talk – if Luke could do that without sounding like he'd been hit on the head multiple times. So he started easy, “What's your name?”
“Ashton.” he said, looking at him passed the wad of wet tissue he had pressed against his temple. He was still smiling.
“I'm Luke -”
“Luke Hemmings, yeah I know. Don't think there's anyone in this school who doesn't know who you are.” Ashton laughs, and Luke thinks his heart might burst out of his chest.
He chuckles, running a hand over the back of his head. “Yeah, well I'd just like to apologise on behalf of my dickish team mates and um...I wondered if maybe...if you would like to...um-”
“Are you sure you don't have a concussion?” Ashton says, and Luke feels the blush rise up in his face.
“Wouldyouliketodosomethingafterschoolwithme?”
“What?”
Luke sighs. “I was wondering if you would like to go and get like, a milkshake or something after school. With me. As a way to say sorry. It doesn't have to be milkshake but I know a really nice place and -”
“Are you making fun of me?” it's the quietest Luke has ever heard him speak but Ashton's words still make him stop in his tracks.

What?

“What? No I -”
“ - Because I know how this works okay, this high school thing, and this isn't it -”
“ - No I didn't mean it like that -”
“- did you're friends dare you to do this or something, ask out the theatre geek and give you all a right good laugh?”
“Ashton, please, it's not like that!”
Ashton snorts, “Yeah, right. Goodbye, Luke.” he says, putting the tissue in the bin and heading for the door, “You know, for a second there I actually hoped you might be different.” he mutters, the sound of the door closing behind him echoing around the empty room.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It's not that Luke goes into a depression for the next 24 hours. It's not. Except it kind of is and apparently it's pissing Calum off.“Alright, out with it, I wanna know what the hell crawled up your ass and died.” he demanded after practice the next day. The two of them where on clean up duty since Luke had been off his game for the whole of the session.“Nothing's wrong, Cal, leave me alone.” Luke said, wheeling the ball cart towards the storage unit when he felt something hard and pointy hit his shoulder, just before a football landed at his feet.“Bullshit.” Calum said, “You've been moody as fuck since yesterday, so tell me or I'll throw another at you.”Luke sighed, rolling his eyes and Calum picks up another football and mimes throwing it. “Okay, okay!” he says, hands flung in the air as the Kiwi boy grins smugly. “I talked to this guy that I like yesterday.”“Isn't that a good thing?” Calum asks, doing this face where he looks like a confused puppy. “Wait, I didn't know you like anyone, since when?”“Few months ago.” Luke mumbles, kicking the wheel of the cart with his foot, “And, yeah it would be, if it didn't turn out that he totally hates me.”“How do you know that?”Luke laughed dryly, “He made it pretty clear by storming out of the room.”Calum whistles lowly. “Shit, man that sucks.”“Just a little, yeah.”“Are you sure it wasn't, like, a huge misunderstanding cos, like, your the nicest guy I know.” Luke shrugs, closing the doors of the storage cupboard and locking it. “I think you should see him again.”“Ha, yeah, nice one Cal. Hey while I'm at it how about I just set myself on fire too.”Calum pouts, “You're sarky when you're moping.”“I'm not moping.” Luke growls, stalking off to the locker room.“So go talk to him then.”“Will it get you off my back about it?” Calum nods rapidly. “Fine, I'll think about it.” Luke agrees, ignoring his friends victory fist pump since they both know that means 'yes'. ~ He finds Ashton after school in the theatre. After hanging around and making sure there was no one else left to walk in, Luke didn't feel especially keen for there to be witnesses to this convosation. Ashton was packing away what looked like partly done set decorations, seeing Luke approaching down the side aisle the younger boy rolled his eyes and groaned.“Ugh, what do you want?”Luke would be lying if he said that wasn't what he was expecting, but it still stung. “Just wanna talk.” he said, hoisting himself up to sit on the stage.“Well, I don't want to talk to you.” Ashton huffs, grabbing a box and taking it backstage, Luke follows. He's here now, might as well make an effort.“Tough, you're gonna hear me out on this.”The younger boy drops the box down and turns to face him, hands up in the air. woah would you look at those fingers. this is not the time, luke. “I don't want to go out on a date with you.” Ashton says bluntly.“Wow, way to charm a guy.” Luke jokes, he can feel the smile slipping off his face at the unimpressed look on the other boys face. “Well, good. I don't want to date you either.”
lies, lies and slander
Ashton scoffs, brushing past him back to the stage. “I know. You just want to make me look like an idiot when you stand me up for the whole school to see, that's what you football guys do, what you have always done. I know you hate us theatre kids, trust me we ain't too fond of you either.”“That's not what I want.” Luke insists, “I wasn't – I just want us to be friends?”
friends who hold each others hands, sleep in the same bed, maybe kiss a little perhaps or you know, whatever?
Ashton stares at him. “Friends. You want to be friends with me?”
boyfriends. d a t e  m e
“Yes, friends. I want to go get a milkshake with you, as friends. You can even pay for your own and I wont walk you home at all, least date like thing ever.” he promises, breaking out his best puppy pout, something he learned from Calum. “Please. What do you say?”Ashton looks at him, eyes narrowed behind his fringe. “Fine, just let me finish up here.”Luke nods quickly, smiling so hard he's actually hurting his face as he goes to sit on the edge of the stage again, taking his phone from his pocket and texting Calum.

Luke:

success!!!! XD

Calum:

wrap it b4 you tap it ;)

Luke:

ur disgusting

~ They took Luke's car to the diner, it was a beat up, old thing and honestly people always thought it was weird. He was on the football team, he should have one of the nicest cars in the school not some shitty fifteen year old ford. But he didn't mind all that much, it had belonged to both his brothers before him, each of them changing and updating it as time stretched on. Honestly Luke was rather attached to the thing, despite all the comments he got for it.Most importantly, Ashton seemed to like it, well he didn't view it with disgust like the other 90% of the student body. “I bet the hipsters love you.” he laughed, climbing into the front seat.“That or they want to kill me and steal my car.” Luke joked, starting the car and driving out of the school lot. “Music?” he asked once they hit some red lights. Ashton nodded, Luke flipped on the mixed CD and the sound of Good Charlotte filled the space. It wasn't that Luke was anxious exactly, but music was a huge deal to him and his tastes weren't exactly radio played artists. Sure he didn't mind the chart stuff, he heard it enough in the locker room and on nights out, but he wouldn't choose to listen to that sort of thing in his own time. Sometimes he would come across someone the same, he just hoped Ashton was one of them.Ashton who was tapping his fingers on his thighs to the beat but had a confused look on his face. “I could change it if you prefer the radio or someth-”“No! No, it's fine. I actually love them.” the younger boy said, whipping his head around so fast, Luke heard it click. “I'm just surprised is all. Would have pegged you as more of a charts guy, with the football and all.”Luke shrugs, “I'm full of surprises. So you like Good Charlotte, then?”Ashton smiles, the biggest Luke's seen him when he's been around, “Love them. Couldn't get enough when I was younger, broke my heart when they split.”“Same, I was gutted. You ever see them live?” ~ They were still discussing childhood bands and first music loves when they arrived at the diner, Ashton getting more and more animated the longer the conversation went on and Luke couldn't get enough of the boy.The diner was fairly full when the pair walked in, the queue stretching right the way to the end of the counter with only a few tables left. Luke leaned down slightly to talk to Ashton over the noise of the room, something else which he found stupidly adorable, “What do you want, I'll order and you grab a table, yeah?”Ashton scanned the menu on the back wall for a second, “I'll have vanilla, there's a table at the back by the window, I'll meet you there.” he said, handing Luke some money and flashing him a quick smile, before walking off as Luke's phone beeped. 
Calum:

hows the date going??

Luke:

great! except how it's not a date, he only agreed if it was as friends

Calum:

seriously?!!

Calum:

oh god, im crying! this is 2 good!

Luke:

why am i even friends with you??

After placing the order and paying the lady with the bright smile despite her tired eyes, Luke heads over to the table at the back where Ashton is sitting. Ashton and another guy with his back to the diner, specifically a guy with bright green hair who's making wide hand gestures, seemingly oblivious to the anxious looks Ashton's giving Luke over his shoulders.“Hey,” the blonde says, sliding the shake over to the younger boy who wasn't meeting either of their eyes.
His friend looked between the two of them for a second before leaning forward, dropping his elbow on the table, pointing at Luke and saying, “

Him?!”

“Mikey, don't -” Ashton pleaded.“He's a jock, Ash! What the hell are you doing, after everything we've always said. Everything you've always said-”“Michael, stop!” Ashton hissed, “Just, stop before you look like even more of an arse. It's not like that okay.” he finishes, shuffling over in the booth to give Luke room to sit as Michael eyed him like he was dirt on his shoe.This. This right here was exactly the reason he had chosen this diner, the people. It was right on the other side of town which meant that barely anyone from their school came here, which meant less chance of people seeing Luke and Ashton together and ruining everything. He needed to prove that he wasn't like the other members of his team, that he genuinely liked Ashton.“Hey, I'm Luke.” he tried, offering a wave to the green haired boy.“Yeah, I know who you are.” Michael says, “Which I why I wanna know what you're trying to pull with, Ashton?”“Mikey!”“No, it's alright.” Luke insists, taking a deep breath. He's not going to let this guy get under his skin, he's already messed this up once and he'd be damned if he was going to again. “I'm not trying to pull anything. I saw Ashton the other day, thought he was a nice guy and I want to get to know him better.”Michael was still eyeing them, warily so Ashton added, “Just friends, that's all. He's not like the rest of them, I promise.”“Fine.” Michael says, lacing his fingers together and leaning forward, “But I have a few questions for you first.”
oh god
 ~ “You know, just for future reference,” Luke says to Ashton as they leave the diner two hours later, “if any possible romantic interests need intimidating at any point, skip out on the meeting the parents thing and just take them straight to Michael.”
Ashton laughs, lip caught between his teeth and well

that

needs to stop. “I'm so sorry, I had no idea he would be here or I would have warned you about, well what ever just happened.”
What just happened was possibly the most intense interrogation Luke had ever been put through in his eighteen years on this planet.Everything from music tastes to preferred pizza toppings to which Avenger he thought was best, his entire (and surprisingly sort) relationship history and a blow by blow description of his friendship with Calum (even just Calum himself for a good ten minutes, which was rather odd in Luke's opinion). “I think the two of you now know me better than my own parents after today.”“Well, if it helps, you came across as a pretty good guy.” Ashton tells him, “I mean, you like Blink more than Greenday but we can work past that.” Luke bumps the grinning boy with his shoulder and he stumbles a little but he's still smiling as he bumps him right back. “Meanie.”
They walk in silence the rest of the way to the car and Luke can still feel where Ashton touched him, white hot like a brand mark saying

'Ashton's been here'.

They get to the car and Luke's playing with the keys in his hand like a nervous tick. “You know, I only offer lifts home to friends and dates. And since this obviously was not a date, in any way at all, that just leaves the friend thing really. So...what's the verdict?”

Ashton steps closer, eyes fixed on the keys in Luke's hands. “I think that...I like you.” he says, and Luke

knows

that he doesn't mean it

that

way but the words still cause his heart to jump up into his throat. “And that, maybe it's because of Mikey's interrogation, but it feels like I've known you for ages, which is super weird I know, but it can't be a bad thing, right? Luke shakes his head so fast he thinks it might actually fly off. “So, yes. I would very much like to be friends with you Luke Hemmings.”
He didn't even try fighting the smile on his face as he gestured to the car, “Yeah, yeah you're only saying that so you get a lift. Well then, hop in.”As it turned out, Ashton's house was only a few blocks away from Luke's own which quickly put a stop to the other boys worries that he was putting Luke out of his way.“Erm, do you have your phone on you?” he asks when they arrive outside his house.“Sure, here.” Luke says handing it over and Ashton proceeds to type his number in before calling his own phone.He hands it back with a smile “There, thanks for the ride, text me some time, yeah?”Luke nods, trying hard not to show how this phone has immediately become his most prized possession. “Course, no problem. Goodnight, Ashton.”“Night, Luke.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ash: mikey wont get off the xbox and talk to me :’(  Luke smiles as he looks down at his phone. It’s the weekend and he and Ashton have been texting what feels like constantly since that day in the diner. Luke: poke him with something  Ash: *pokes*  Ash: ok note to self: never poke a michael clifford repeatedly on the cheek when its playing gto!!  Luke: what did he do?  Ash: he may have pushed me off the bed :((  Luke: ouch! you ok? come over to my place if you like, if your guard dog lets you that is?  Ash: im fine. mikey thinks that youre an alright guy btw  Ash: this is michael and my exact words were ‘not a total dickweed’ theres a difference  Ash: ashton again, that was basically mikey saying he loves you ;)  Luke: i feel honoured  Ash: mikey says: you should be  Ash: wait, when did I become the middle man in my own damn conversation???  Luke: haha, at least hes talking to you now so i guess ill see you at school 2morow? Ash: idk im a busy guy, not sure ive got time for bigheaded football jocks ;)  Luke: * gasps* you wound me!  Ash: haha night, luke  Luke: sweet dreams, ashton  ~oOo~ The following Wednesday after practice, Luke made sure to take extra time in the showers and took so much time packing up is stuff, Calum started to question if he had developed spontaneous OCD. He flipped his friend off, he had a plan, a plan to see Ashton during school and apparently it involved twenty minute long showers.Once the rest of the team cleared out (most throwing weird looks at Luke who was acting busy by carefully folding socks at this point.), he took his phone and text Ashton. Luke: just finished practice, you still in school??  Ash: yeah, just doing some set stuff :)  Luke smiled at the screen and he made his way to the lighting booth in the theatre. Sure enough, looking over the edge of the booth, there was Ashton. Even better, there was just Ashton. Well, there was a huge half painted cardboard tree too, which the boy was stretching from a stool to paint the top of, but no people and that was the main thing.There was a soft sound echoing around the empty theatre and as Luke got closer he realised that it was Ashton singing. His heart may have melted just a little bit. “don’t you see what you do to me? I wanna be your lost boy, your last chance, a better reality.” the younger boy sang softly just as Luke approached the stage and took the chance, slamming his hands down on the stage and causing Ashton to jump, dropping the paintbrush in his hand.“Wendy we can get away, I promise if you’re with me say the word and we’ll find a way.” Luke sang, though the effect was ruined slightly by him laughing at the death glare Ashton was sending him from the stool, a streak of bright green paint down the side of his face.“I hate you.” he pouted, hopping down to pick up the brush.Luke laughed, hoisting himself up. “Well I was gonna say how amazing your voice was, but if you’re gonna be like that…”“You got paint on my face!”"Yeah, it looks cute. Green is really your colour.”Ashton sighed, rolling his eyes and grinning as he collapsed on to the stool and looked at Luke with a puzzled expression. “Is it raining outside?”The blonde boy frowned, “What? Oh, no I just came from practice, so…showers and stuff.” he shrugged casually, noting the ever so slight blush on Ashton’s cheeks and resists the urge to do a victory fist pump. “How come your still around?”Ashton mimicked Luke’s shrug, “Just finishing up some of the set stuff, Mikey was here but he got hungry and left about ten minutes ago.”"Wait, they have the actors make the sets as well?” Luke asked. Which, for some reason, Ashton found incredibly funny, throwing his head back and letting out a bark of a laugh before shaking his head, shoulders still moving in silent giggles.“You think that I’m- I’m not a actor, Luke. I just do the stage work and a bit of music stuff here and there, I have done a few part but always like background bits.”“But, the singing before?” Luke says, “You were so good, how could they not cast you?”“I think the fact that I haven’t auditioned is a easy answer to that, I don’t think I’d be right for the part anyway.”“Why not!” Luke cries, throwing his hands in the air. “You’d be amazing.”Ashton’s shooting him a disbelieving look at this point. “How can you say that, you don’t even know what the play is?”“Well, which play is it?”"Peter Pan.”“You’d be amazing!” Luke insists immediately, causing Ashton to smile brightly despite himself. He wasn’t even just saying it, actually the more he thought about it, the more Luke could really, really see the younger boy in the whole Peter Pan get up. Of course it wasn’t two second before all that was going through his head was tights… thighs… tights… thighs… tights… thighs…He was a teenage boy, sue him.“Seriously,” Luke insisted, “Why don’t you go for it, you’d be perfect? Isn’t there like a sign up sheet for auditions or something?” he asked, eyes bright as he started looking around as if said sheet would materialise out of thin air.“They – er – they’ve already done the, um, auditions.” Ashton mutters, picking intently at his fingernails. Luke’s giddyness vanished as quickly as it came.“Oh…well next year then, promise me.”Ashton nodded, jumping to his feet. “I’m hungry, you hungry? Wanna go to that place again, saw a burger last time which looked so good?”And really, when he was looking down at Luke with those huge hazel eyes which were practically dancing, who was he to say no to that? ~ Ash: why didnt you tell me i still had GREEN PAINT ON MY FACE!?  Luke: oops ;)  ~oOo~ A few days later and Luke was late. Sure it was only for biology class but it wasn’t as if he was aceing the subject to begin with, the last thing he needed was to be late right now. The halls were pretty much empty, only the occasional straggler like himself darting past.He was taking a short cut through the drama department when he saw it, completely be chance, pinned up on the department’s notice board.
Summer Theatre Production ‘Peter Pan’ Auditions Sign Ups
Luke stopped in his tracks, walking over to the board and frowning when he saw that the closing date was for that coming weekend. “The little shit.” he muttered, doing a quick check of the hall before raising his phone to take a picture of the sheet and sending it to Ashton. 
Luke
: so, auditions finished did they??
 Ash: oh shit  Luke: uh huh ‘oh shit’ is right  Ash: im sorry ok…i’ll buy you a milkshake or something *angel emoji*  Luke: dont *angel emoji* me. im signing you up.  Ash: luuuuuuke nooooo!!  Luke smirks, grabbing the pen on the side of the board and taking a picture of the other boys name on the sheet and sending it. Luke: too late ;)  Ash: i’ll cross it out then  Luke: i’ll write it again  Ash: shouldn’t you be in class right about now??  
shit
 ~oOo~ “I can’t do this. They’ve never heard me sing before, what if they hate me?”“They wont, they’ll love you.”“But what if-”“Ashton, stop.” Luke grabbed the younger boy by the shoulders, fixing him with a straight look. Ashton’s eyes were wide beneath the frames of the glasses he was wearing, mouth hanging slightly open in an expression so utterly cute, for a second Luke forgot what he was going to say. Something that he noticed was happening increasingly frequently lately. “Listen, you’re going to be fine, brilliant even. So get in there and knock their socks off.”Ashton raised a brow, smiling slightly, “Socks, really?”“Yes, socks, it’s a proper phrase leave me alone.” Luke says, rolling his eyes, “Now get in there, you melon.” he gives Ashton a small shove towards the door, the other boy stumbling but pausing to smile back at Luke, who gives a thumbs up, before going in. ~ Ten minutes later and Ashton emerges from the theatre a huge smile on his face as he searches the corridor for Luke who is sat on the floor, playing on his phone. He looks up at the sound of the door opening and can’t help but match the expression on Ashton’s face.“So, how was it?” Ashton shoves his hands in his pockets and makes his way over, unable to keep the bounce in his step away.“Good, I think they liked me.” he says, shrugging like it’s no big deal but the smile on his face saying different. Luke is just about to open his mouth when the door of the theatre opens and a lady, who he recognises as the schools drama teacher, comes through.“Oh, Ashton I was hoping I might catch you!” she says, tottering over to them, Luke doesn’t miss the odd look she flashes him – and seriously does the entire drama department just instinctively hate him on sight? “I just wanted to say, you did a marvellous job in there and, I’m not saying anything yet, but you can tell your parents not to book any holidays on performance weekend.”
well thats kinda saying a bloody lot dont you think
She winks at Ashton before heading off, heels echoing down the corridors.Once she’s gone, he turns back to Luke, arms flailing and a smile so big it looks like he’s going to break his face. Luke really, really wants to hug him…and kiss him senseless but he’ll start with a hug. Instead he settles for a manly-as-manly-can-be shoulder slap and, “That’s brilliant, she practically said you got it!”“Did she? She did didn’t she! Oh man, thank you.” And suddenly Luke has an armful of Ashton, head buried into his neck, arms fixed tightly around his waist and Luke can’t move for a second. When he does it’s only to pull the other boy closer, trying not to think how small Ashton feels, how easy it is to wrap his arms around him completely. Breathing in sharply when he feels a hot breath against his neck as Ashton mutters “Thank you, Luke. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”And yeah, Luke needs to pull away, put some distance between them like, right now, before he does something stupid. Something very, very stupid. Like kiss him.“Is it too early for celebratory milkshakes?” he asks, stepping back a couple of strides just so Ashton is out of arms reach.Ashton scoffs, “It’s never too early for milkshakes.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“What the hell is wrong with you, Hemmings!”Luke groans, climbing back to his feet as the coach's voice rings in his ears. This was the third (fourth?) time he had either missed the ball completely or have it collide with his head, as this one had done, that practice. He could hear his team mates around him whispering amongst themselves, “The fuck is he doing?” “Is he ill or something?”There's a hand on his arm and Calum is pulling him to his feet. “Dude, what the hell are you okay?”“Yeah, fine.” Luke says, feeling the spot where the football hit, “no major damage.”Calum rolls his eyes, “I meant with you, not your possible head wounds. You've been off all practice and have barely said a word all day, what is going on? Is it that boy of yours again?”
great am i that obvious
It had been a week since the auditions and so today was the day the role would be announce. Not that Luke was slightly nervous about it or anything, it was just that the thought of seeing Ashton's face with even a hint of disappointment or sadness, made his stomach do this odd twisty thing and he felt like he was going to throw up. So he was a little distracted, yeah.“No, of course not.” he lies, getting back into position.Calum gives him a unimpressed look, which always made Luke think of the other boy's mother, they both had that look down to a fine art. “Bull shit, I know I'm right. When do I get to meet this boy anyway, you talk about him all the time and I don't even know who he is?”Luke looks down at the field, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He knows that his worries are complete shit and that Calum is one of the least judgemental people he has ever met, but he just can't help but feel some what protective over this thing he and Ashton have got.He keeps thinking back to how Michael had reacted, sometimes he found that it was easy to forget the social 'weirdness' of the fact that he and Ashton are friends, but then even Michael isn't as hostile towards Luke as he first was. (Luke even suspects the other boy likes him more then he lets on.) So why should Calum be any different?“Alright, I might be seeing him after school, you can come along if you like?” he says and Calum beams just as the coach blows his whistle. ~ Luke runs straight to his bag after practice, fishing out his phone and texting Ashton. 
Luke:

so??

Ash:

i'm at the diner with mikey, i'll meet you here

Luke:

did you get it just tell meeeee!!

Ash:

i will...at the diner

Luke:

fiiiine

man i'm so whipped
 
~
 “Another one! Are we fucking collecting them now or something?” Michael yells, causing the lady in the booth opposite to 'sush' him.“Please tell me it's not him.” Calum mutters in Luke's ear and the blonde giggles.“No, it's the other one.”
with the hands and the thighs and the eyes and the smile and the dimples and basically the most perfect face to ever exist

that one
“Hi, I'm Ashton.” he smiles, waving at Calum from over the table. “And my dickish friend is Michael.” The green-haired boy goes to protest only to shrug and take a gulp of his drink instead.“And if you don't tell me if you got the part or not in the next thirty seconds, I will throw this milkshake at you.” Luke says, raising the glass threateningly.“Well that's just a waste of perfectly good milkshake.”“It is but I'll still do it.”“Luke didn't tell me you were a drama guy.” Calum pipes up, “I've always kinda fancied doing that sort of thing.” he adds, casually sipping his drink through the straw.The three lads are all staring at him now, each with various states of shock on their faces. None so much as Michael, who looks very much like a person who has recently been hit on the head with a shovel.“You never told me that.” Luke says, feeling somewhat betrayed at this sudden revelation.Calum shrugs, looking slightly bashful “You never asked, so I never said. Anyway, what's this part you may or may not have got?” he asked, bringing everyone's attention back to Ashton. (apart from Michael who Luke notices keeps shooting lingering glances in Calum's direction.)“Peter Pan, for the school production.” Ashton explains, “The auditions were last week and Luke forced me into it -”“- I didn't force you...okay maybe I did a little.”“Anyway, the roles were announce today and they basically pin them up on the board so everyone can-”“Milkshake. Your face. I'll do it.”Ashton rolled his eyes, “I'm getting there, jeez. So the parts were up and...” he pauses dramatically and Luke is this close to kicking him in the shins under the table, “I got it.”“Hey that's great!” Calum says, but Luke's not listening, too busy smiling at the boy opposite him, with what, he's almost positive, is a look of pure adoration etched all over his face.“Thanks.” Ashton says, staring right back at Luke and it feels for a moment like the two of them are the only people in the world. Of course, that's when Michael has to speak up, muttering:“Oh god, again with the eye fucking?”Luke's brows shoot up when Calum actually swats him with his foot under the table, “Hey, stop it they're cute.” and Michael just stares with his mouth slightly open as Ashton starts giggling nervously. ~ “I think Mikey might like Calum.” Ashton whispers as they walk behind the other two boys on the way home that evening.“I know, who saw that coming.” Luke says, watching Michael gesture wildly at his best friend, he thinks they're talking about ninja turtles or something like that.“I like Calum though.” Ashton says thoughtfully, “How come you've never introduced us before?” he adds, nudging Luke with his elbow. That's another painful thing about this friendship with Ashton, the boy is rather touchy. Not that Luke's complaining, but it's rather hard not to have a stroke when it happens randomly like just then.Luke kicks a stone with his foot, “Just never got round to it I guess.”“Afraid that I'd like him better than you?” Ashton winks.“Yeah, that's why.”“I can see why you would be worried though, he's smart, funny...amazing arse.”“Okay, now that's what I'm worried about.”Ashton giggles and thankfully doesn't try and touch him again. “Don't panic, you're still my favourite big-headed, jock.”“Gee, thanks.” Luke says, trying to smile.
i guess being your favourite something is good enough for now

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After that day, the four boys began hanging out together more and more often and the diner became their unofficial meeting spot. Of course Luke still came to meet Ashton out of the theatre after practice, taking a small (read: really fucking huge) bit of joy at how the other boy would blush when he saw Luke, with his still slightly damp shirt which clung to his shoulders as water drops fell from his hair.What could he say, he had no shame. Even if it was a particularly sweet form of torture when Ashton started biting on his lip, yeah he could do without that.All in all, Luke was feeling pretty good about his life to be honest. One of the only downsides was the near constant urge to reach out, grab Ashton and kiss the life out of him, but he was learning to live with that particular urge.The other downside was stalking towards him after practice a few weeks later in the form of his coach. “Hemmings, a word in my office.”Luke turned to Calum, brows pulled together in a 'what the hell did I do' sort of way, his best friend only shrugged and said he'd meet Luke in the locker room, leaving the blonde boy to meet his fate.“We have a problem, Hemmings.” Coach says, once the door had shut behind Luke and he had taken a seat. “Mid term test results are out and it looks like you're failing in biology.”Luke sits up, “Sir?”“As you know the school operates on a strict pass-participate system, students have to be passing in the three key subjects to take part in any extra curricular activities. Which for you means your place on this team.” Coach explains, grimly as Luke sits there in the swivel chair with his mouth slightly open.“Wait, does this mean I'm off the team?” Luke asks, desperately, scooting forward in the chair to hold on to the edge of the desk.Coach actually smiles and he doesn't know if that is a reassuring thing or not at this point. “No, Hemmings, you're still technically on the team. You can still come to practices and your name will be in the squad but you can't actually play in a game until you pass biology. Not even the last of the season.”
well fuck
 ~ “Lukey, cheer up.” Calum cooed, poking his best friend in the cheek with a fry as he sat with his head buried in his arms on the table. They were in the diner with Michael, Ashton having to stay later for rehearsals and was meeting them there.A fact which only added to Luke's bad mood. After all, that afternoon he had found out that:a) he was failing a class.b) he couldn't play in the last game of the season, which was basically the only one that actually matters c) the diner had no chocolate ice cream so he couldn't even have his favourite milkshake.Oh and Ashton wasn't even there, so Luke pretty much felt like the whole world was ending about now. Which is what he told Calum, “No, the world is ending.”“Stop being such a drama queen, everyone knows that's Michael's job.” Calum tells him and Luke is struck by how fond his voice sounds and it's when the other boy responds with a muttered “It's a good thing you're cute.” that he makes a mental note to ask Calum about this 'thing' between him and Michael later.You know, after the world ends and all.“Hey guys, hows it shakin?” and with that ridiculous phrase, Luke's world is back on it's axis again.“Calum is grossing everyone out by dipping fries in his milkshake and Luke's having a quarter-life crisis.” Michael informs Ashton dryly.Luke lifts his head to glare at the green-haired boy as Ashton slides into the seat opposite him, leaning forward to put his own head on his arms blinking at the blonde with wide eyes and a pout. “What's up?”“M'not allowed to play in matches any more.” Luke mutters into his arms and Ashton hand twitches as if he was going to reach out but thought better of it. “Apparently I'm failing in biology so I can't play.”“Biology?” Ashton asks, brows furrowed in thought. Luke nods, nose brushing against his sleeve. “I'll tutor you!” Ashton says, shooting back in his seat, arms flung out and smile wide. The other three boys glanced at each other, not quite feeling the same joy as their excitable friend.“Um, Ash, no offence but do you really think that's the best idea?” Calum says.Ashton turns to him, confused. “Why, I know biology?”“Last week you said a tadpole was a baby mosquito, dude.” Michael points out.Ashton rolls his eyes, “You’re never going to let that die are you?”“Nope.” Michael grins, popping the ‘P’ and waggling his eyebrows at his friend.The other boy slumps down on the table, head in his arms and looking across at Luke, “Please, Lukey,” he mutters blinking those hazel eyes at the blonde like he knew those were his weakness. “I just wanna help.”
damnit why are you so cute?
“What about your rehearsals and everything?” Luke asks, grasping at straws here because all he can think of is hours of him and Ashton in a close confined space. Alone. While part of him has broken out into a spontaneous dance, his self control is screaming at the prospect.“It'll be fine, just come round to mine after I've finished and we'll do it there.” and all Luke can think, as his dick twitches in his pants, is that Ashton needs to stop saying shit like that with such an innocent face or Luke is pretty sure all these suppressed sexual urges are going to genuinely kill him.“I don't want to push you to do too much, is all.” Luke says, promptly biting down so hard of his lip he can actually taste blood when Ashton reaches forward, hands grabbing Luke's arm.“It wont and if it does I'll tell you, I promise.” he says and screw it, Luke's already feeling masochistic today.“Okay, after school tomorrow, your place?” Ashton nods, fringe flopping into his eyes and Luke wants to reach out and brush it back. Maybe run his hands through it, stroke his hair as he sleeps, wrap his fingers in it as he runs his tongue over the other boy's bottom lip.
fuck

this was a bad idea
Michael snorts, “You're so not going to play again, mate.” ~ “Hey, guys, my brother got Guardians of the Galaxy yesterday, fancy a movie night?” Luke asks as they leave the diner.“Yes!” Ashton says, immediately, face lighting up. “Man, I love that movie.” he sighs, staring off to the side with a wistful look on his face.Luke shakes his head, smiling fondly before turning to the other two, “Cal, Mikey you in?”Both boys are looking at the ground, Calum rolling a stone with his foot as Michael shifting on his own. “I-er, said I'd help mum with some... stuff.” Calum says.“I've got homework.” Michael answers smoothly.Ashton narrows his eyes at him, arms folding against his chest. “Oh yeah, what subject?”“Maths, if you must know.” the green-haired boy replies without missing a beat, hands firmly in his pockets and brow raised, daring them to ask again. “See you losers tomorrow, I got work to do.” he adds when they don't, turning to Calum before he leaves. “You walk my way don't you?”Calum's eyes widen slightly before he nods, “Yeah, yeah – I'll go with you, yeah. See you guys.” he says, waving back half heartedly before rushing after Michael, leaving Luke and Ashton staring at their retreating backs completely confused.“Well, that was odd.” Luke states once the pair were out of sight.Ashton hums in agreement, “Has Calum always been a shit liar?”“Oh always. Since when does Michael do work not the night before?”“Never. Think they're up to something?”“Definitely.”“We're going to follow them, aren't we?”“You bet your pretty, little ass we are.” Luke smirks, catching a glance of the blush on Ashton's cheeks, visible despite the fading light of the evening. “C'mon, you can shotgun.” ~ “Is this stalking? I think this could definitely be considered stalking.” Ashton says, two hours later after they followed Michael and Calum back to Michael's house, where the two had gone in and hadn't been seen since.“It doesn't count if it's your friends.” Luke tells him.Ashton doesn't look all that convinced, shifting in his seat so that he's leaning with his elbow is pressed against Luke's chair and his head is practically leaning on the blonde's shoulder. “Yeah, but it still feels like stalking.”“It's not stalking.”“It's definitely weird though.”“Hey you decided to come along.”“Only because it was you that asked.”Luke pauses, taking his eyes away from Michael's house, where he had been determinedly focusing on rather than the the ridiculously close proximity Ashton's head was to his own, to look down at the boy in the seat next to him. His heart seemed to be beating ever so slightly faster than usual. “What does that mean?”Ashton's eyes widen slightly and he pauses before raising his head off the seat, facing Luke, who can feel the other boys breath on his face, lips parted. “N-nothing, just that...I know that I said that I didn't want to...um... what I'm trying to say is-” he mutters, as a sudden stream of light across the street catches his attention, “Look, there they are!” he whispers, excitedly, pulling back and pointing at the house.And Luke was too busy watching Ashton's lips that he doesn't realise, until the very last second that Ashton was doing the same to Luke and now he was mentally smacking himself with a sledgehammer.
did he want to kiss me?

was he going to kiss me?

but he agreed to the whole friends thing, why would he do that?

no he wasn't going to kiss me

stop being stupid luke
“Luke, Luke look!” Ashton says, pulling on his hoodie to get his attention back to the house and their two friends stood outside it.They seemed to be just talking, nothing at all scandalous about that. Their clothes looked normal and hair distinctly un-sexed-up, Luke was actually disappointed until Michael pulled Calum into a hug, fingers grasped in the back of his shirt and face tucked into his neck. All Luke could think about was the very similar hug Ashton had given him a few weeks ago after the audition.“Well, that's not exactly a friend-hug is it.” Ashton giggles, avidly watching the pair like they were a movie, oblivious to the heavy weight that just appeared in Luke's stomach.The two boys separate, lingering for a second before Calum waves quickly, practically running up the path as Michael watches, Luke can just see the sad smile on his face before he turns away heading back into his house.Not a minute later does Calum come back, walking with huge strides towards the Clifford house.Ashton is bouncing giddily in his seat, “He's going to kiss him. Isn't he? His totally going to kiss him. What do you think, Lukey?” Luke just shrugs, watching as Calum makes it to the door, arm raised to knock, but he stops. “No, no, no, no.” Ashton mutters, “Go on, knock on the door, Cal.”He doesn't. Slipping his hands in his pockets Calum walks away, shoulders hunched as Ashton cries out at him, “No, you were supposed to kiss him dammit! That would have been cute as hell! Luke tell him.”“Yeah, yeah I will.” Luke mutters, watching his best friend walk down the dark street. Ashton was right, he needs to talk to Calum about this Michael thing.And this thing with Ashton.Yeah, Luke needs to talk to Calum.Luke really needed to talk to Calum.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Luke got his chance a few days later after practice. Calum had been down all day, headphones in, not speaking unless asked a question and he barely ate at lunch – Luke knew this was serious when he even left his chocolate milk. It was the worse slump Luke had ever seen him in and by the end of the day he was getting more and more worried.Which was why it was just a bit of a shock when he walked into the locker room to find Calum smiling softly down at his phone, fingers flying over the screen. Luke took a moment to make the most of the sight of his best friend's first sign of happiness that day, before dropping his bag heavily onto the bench beside him.“Who's that you talking too?” he asks innocently, while shoving his kit into the bag.Calum blushes slightly, fumbling with the phone in his hand. “N-no one, just Mikey.” he says, the small smile on his face turning into a frown as he continues more hesitant than before, “He's asking if I want to go round to his place later, cos you and Ash are going to be studying and stuff.”Luke nods, ignoring the flip of his stomach at the reminder of his evening with Ashton. Alone. With Ashton. Just him and Ashton. For a whole evening. Yup, there goes his stomach again. “What's the matter with that?” he says, pulling his thoughts away to the matter at hand. “You like Michael, right?”“Yeah, course I do!” Calum answers immediately, eyes wide and staring at Luke as if panicked the other boy wont believe him. “It's not that, its just...” he looks back at his phone, twirling it though his fingers as he slowly sits down on the bench. “I think I like him.” he mutters.Luke moves the bags over to take a seat beside his friend. “Yeah I know, you just said that.”Calum shakes his head, fingers stilling around the phone. “No,... I like like him. Like you like Ashton like.”
thanks for that cal
“Oh” Luke says, like this is totally brand new information. “But you never like anyone. I can't even remember the last time...wait, was it Macie Jenkins from freshman year?”Calum snorts, “Yeah, look how that turned out. Ended up making a right arse of myself in front of the whole class. I haven't liked someone in so long, I don't have a fucking clue what to do!”“Well, you certainly picked the right guy to talk to about it.” Luke sighs, clapping an arm around Calum's shoulders.“Fuck, you're right.” he chuckles lowly, “Man, how pathetic are we right now?”“Speak for yourself, Mr Emotionally Challenged.” Luke says, knocking Calum's knee with his own. “But, you're right...we're totally pathetic.”They sit in silence for a minute or so, Calum's phone buzzing in his hand, bringing their attention back to the situation. “What did you tell him?” Luke asks as Calum opens the text.His friend sighs, lips turned up at the edges, “I said yes...of course.” he says, rolling his eyes like he finds the fact completely ridiculous. “I just...want to see him, like all the time. Even though it's killing me, but I'd rather be with him and feel all these things than not see him at all. Does that make any sense or I am just being really fucking stupid?”Luke pats Calum on the arm softly, “That sounds pretty much right actually.” he says quietly. “But you should know, I think Michael feels the same way.”Calum turns his head so fast his neck clicks, “Really? Are you sure? How do you know?”
cos we kinda stalked you last night and i saw that hug and the look on michael's face and ashton is right, it

was not

a friend-hug
“Are you kidding, that boy looks at you like you invented pizza, dude! I'm pretty sure he also wants to snog you silly.”Calum looks stunned for a moment, cheeks reddening, before he fixes Luke a cocky assed grin, “You mean the same way Ash looks at you?”Images of last night flash through Luke's head. That brief second of Ashton staring at his lips with that look in his hazel eyes and Luke realises that Calum is right.
he really did want to kiss me
“He wanted to kiss me.”“What? Who? Ashton? When?!” Calum asked, his wide eyed expression back in place.“Last night, we – we were in the car and he was looking at me like...”“Like he was going to kiss you?” Luke nods, “Well, why didn't you?”
because you decided to show up, you ass hat
Luke shrugs instead, “Can't remember, think his phone beeped or something and the moment passed.”Calum nudges him, waggling his eye brows, “But there was a moment, though. At least you know he wants it too.”“Trust me Cal, I really doubt Michael would complain if you just laid one on him.”“Well I don't know for sure.” Calum says, “And I really don't want a repeat of the Macie Jenkins fuck up until I do.” he smiles sadly and Luke strokes his hair like they used to when they were younger and one of them was upset. “Don't you have a study session to go to about now?”“Yeah, but I don't have -”Calum chuckles, “Go and get your boy, Luke.”Luke stands up, grabbing his bag and flinging it over his shoulder. “He's not my boy.”“Yeah, not yet.” Calum grins and Luke can't help but smile to himself.
not yet
 
~
 
There was this thing Luke had when it came to Ashton, a thing which wasn't exactly helping with the whole 'asking-Ashton-if-he-was-really-actually-going-to-kiss-him' situation. Luke called it: 'i'm-waiting-for-the-right-moment. Michael called it: being-a-weak-ass-chicken-bitch.

Luke thought Michael was a bloody hypocrite and could go fuck himself to be honest. That or grow some balls of his own and do something about him and Calum.

It had been two weeks since the conversation with Calum in the locker room, two weeks since Luke started the tutoring sessions with Ashton and absolutely nothing had changed. Despite the lack of... well anything remotely progressive, Luke still walked up the Irwin's garden path with a spring in his step. Ashton's mum answered the door, at first Anne-Marie hadn't exactly been as warm towards Luke, sure she hadn't been mean but there had been a sense of wariness when Luke first started coming around. Now, she greeted him with a smile as bright as her son's and usually ended the evening with an offer to stay for dinner.

Today was no different. “Hi, Luke.” she says, stepping back and letting him enter the house.
“Hello, Mrs Irwin.” “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Anne, dear?” Ashton's mum tells him with a pointed look, “You're just in time, he got back about ten minutes ago, he'll be in his room.”
Luke thanks her before heading up the stairs, even though it's been two weeks, he still gets a weird rush when he thinks about Ashton's room. The first time he saw the room one one word ran through his mind,
ashton, ashton, ashton, ashton.
The whole place screamed of the other boy, from the posters on the walls to the honest to god vanilla scented candles on the desk.

This time, Luke's heart jumped up into his throat at the sight which met him as he opened the door. Yes, puppies are adorable. Old couples walking down the street, hand in hand are adorable. But right then Luke was positive that there was nothing on this planet more adorable than the sight of Ashton Irwin, curled up into a ball, pillow clutched in his hand, fast asleep.

At first Luke just stood there, hand still clasped around the handle of the door and looking at the boy on the bed who had started shifting in his sleep. Luke closes the door as silently as he can and walks over as Ashton buries his face in the pillow, mumbling into it.
“Luuuuuke.” he groans and the blonde kneels down beside him. “Hi, I'm here, but if you're too tired I can go?” he says, thinking that Ashton was awake, it's only when there's no reply does Luke realise he is still asleep.
and saying my name

he's asleep and saying my name

he's dreaming about me holy fucking shit
He placed a hand on the sleeping boys shoulder. “Ashton, Ash c'mon wake up.”Luke watches as hazel eyes flicker open and Ashton smiles when they meet Luke's blue, but his own are glazed over like he was still half dreaming. “Lukeeeey, you're here.” he grinned, voice slow with sleep. “The bad men tried to take you but I stopped them, you're mine. My Lukey.” he says, hand reaching out to touch Luke's stunned face, fingers tracing down the side of his cheek.“Ash.” Luke chokes out, trying desperately not to lean into the touch. “Ash, you're dreaming.” he explains, his heart dropping as he watches the smile slip from the other boys face.“I know.” he sighs, “The real Luke doesn't want me like you do, doesn't hold me like you do-”“Ash-”Ashton's fingers moves to skim over Luke's parted lips. “Doesn't kiss me like you do.” The blonde boy can't breath, he just can't remember how to, with Ashton's fingers on his lips and talking about kissing him, Luke is pretty sure he has gone into shock. “Why doesn't he, Lukey? Why doesn't he want to kiss me the way you do?” the smaller boy mumbles, voice trailing off at the end and his hand falling from Luke's face as he drifts back off to sleep.“Oh, bless him is he asleep already?” comes a voice from behind him and Luke turns to find Ashton's mum stood there, two cups of coffee in her hands.It takes a moment for Luke's brain to kick back in and start using other words than, ashton, kissing, me kissing ashton, he wants to kiss me. “I – um – I can go, if you want. So he can slee-”“Oh no you're fine, love. You've come all this way, just wake him up soon. I'll leave you're coffee's on the side here, he's been going though a bit of a phase by the looks of it.” And Luke does, for the first time that day, takes a look around the room which has take out coffee cups on every surface, the bin practically overflowing with them. On the side table he even spots a packet of sleeping pills and his stomach drops.
oh ashy
“I'll leave you two alone.” Ashton's mum says, placing the coffee's on the desk and leaving the room. Luke stands, pausing to brush the fringe out of the sleeping boys face before taking the coffee and placing himself in the swirly desk chair where he waited for Ashton to wake up. ~ Twenty minutes later and Luke is spinning idly in the chair when there's groan from the bed and Ashton is sitting up, stretching out his arms. He freezes when he sees Luke, sat watching him with a disapproving expression and a raised eyebrow. “What's happened, you look just like my mum when she's pissed off?”“What's happened,” Luke begins, keeping his voice level as he selects one of the many empty coffee cups from the desk behind him, “is that you broke your promise!” he finishes, throwing the cup at Ashton, it bounces of his head with a hollow sound and lands on the floor.“Ow, Luke what the fuck!” he cries, raising his arms in defence of further possible attacks.“That's what I should be asking you.” Luke says, standing up. “Why didn't you tell me you were this bad? You promised me that if you couldn't cope with rehearsals and the tutoring we would stop.”“I am coping.”“Ash, there are sleeping pills on your side table. That's not coping!” he yells, pointing at the offending pills. “Why didn't you say to stop?”“Because then I wouldn't see you everyday!”Both boys freeze, Luke's arm dropping back to his side as Ashton's eyes widen like dinner plates, as they both just stare at one another, Ashton's words hanging between them, bouncing off the walls around them. “What?” Luke breathes.Ashton slumps, picking at his nails. His voice is low and quiet when he speaks. “We never see each other at school, we can't sit with each other at lunch just because you throw a ball around and I occasionally paint cardboard trees. The only time we really see each other is at the diner and even that hasn't been happening as much. You always have practice and I always have rehearsals, this was the only way I could keep seeing you everyday.” he looks up at Luke for the first time and the other boy can see that his hazel eyes are shining with tears. “Do you have any idea what that's like, to care about someone that much?”Luke feels as if he is on auto pilot when he moves towards Ashton, scooping the smaller boy up into his arms so his legs are laying over Luke's and pulling him close as Ashton's arms wrap tightly around his middle. “I do. I know what that's like. I'm an expert in knowing what that's like.” he says into Ashton's hair. “Cos, that's exactly how I feel about you, Ash.”He can feel the muscles in the other boys body seize up at the words, he doesn't look up and Luke only hears a sniffle before he finally says something. “No. You don't.”At this Luke pulls back, lifting Ashton's head from his shoulders and looking into the red rimmed eyes of the boy he is almost certain he is more than half way into falling in love with. “What do you mean 'I don't'? Of course I do!”Ashton only shakes his head, smiling a bitter smile and Luke thinks it's the only kind of smile he never wants to see on his face ever again. “You can't, you're a football player. Football players don't like pathetic ass theatre geeks.”Luke frowns, wiping away the tear marks on Ashton's face, that does not sound like something the other boy would say. Luke knows Ashton and he would never say those words himself. “Who told you that?” he asks.Ashton blinks up at him, “How did you-?”“Who said that to you, Ash?” Luke demands, a hint of a growl in his voice now.The smaller boy takes a breath, head moving back to rest on Luke's shoulder and he can feel the soft brush of his breath when he speaks, “Back in my old school, people were the same, you stuck to your group and that was that. It wasn't like it was uncommon for the jocks to pull pranks on the artsy kids so I really should have seen it coming I guess.”Luke clutches tighter to Ashton, hand rubbing up and down his arm, brows together. “Anyway there was this guy on the team, called Kieren, tall, dark hair, friendly face and one day he just started smiling at me. Nothing more just a quick smile across the cafeteria, when we past in the halls, maybe a little wave here and there. Then one day, he comes up to me after school and asks if I want to go the the game with him that weekend. So I said yes, cos why would this guy who's been nothing but nice and smiley be like the others?” Ashton pauses, taking a few deep breaths.“Ash, are you-?”“I'm fine, I've just never told this to anyone. Mikey knows enough, but you're the first.” he smiles tightly and Luke can't help but press a kiss into his hair.“So, I go to the game and Kieren brings me to the after party, I'd never been to one before and it was incredible. There was drinks and music and everyone from school who turned their noses up at me, suddenly they acted like I was one of them. And I loved it, I was stupid and naive but I wasn't thinking. Kieren kept pressing drinks into my hand, I kept drinking them and the next thing I knew we were kissing.”Luke had his hands balled around the blanket on Ashton's bed, so tightly that his knuckles were aching, screaming out at him. But he didn't care all that was going through his head were images of Ashton and a dark haired stranger and he could feel his blood boiling.Ashton continued on, oblivious, “After that he kept coming over, we didn't actually go anywhere, he never wanted to. We just stayed in my room, never his. Then Homecoming came around and of course I expected Kieren and I would go together, he asked the week before in the middle of the hall, loads of people were watching and again I said yes. The day before the dance I walk into the cafeteria and I see Kieren sat with all his team mates, laughing at some shit with the head cheerleader in his lap.”“Ash, you don't have to.” Luke says, knowing where this story is going and he doesn't even think he wants to here it himself. But Ashton shakes his head again.“No, I need to tell you.” he insists, and Luke reaches out to lace their fingers together without even thinking.“Alright.”“So, I'm staring at them, and they see me looking which only makes the bastards laugh more. Kieren turns around, still holding the girl and actually kisses her right in front of me. ..and that's – that's when he said it. In front of the whole school and everyone just laughed, cos it was just another prank right. Like he said, people like him don't like people like me and I was stupid to think that. So, I changed schools that summer, I couldn't take the looks and the whispering any more. I liked the new school, our school. I met Mikey and I was happy. And that's when I met you-”“And you thought I'd be just like him?” Luke says as clearly as he can through his clenched jaw.Ashton nods, “But then I got to know you and you were beautiful and kind and funny and I just fell so hard, Luke. But I couldn't stop thinking about how I had been at the start and how uninterested I said I was, thinking that you must have lost any want you had at all for me because of it.”“I didn't.” Luke tells him immediately and Ashton smiles. “There hasn't been a time since I met you that I haven't wanted you.” he smirks to himself, “I think I'd even give dream-me a run for his money.”Ashton gasps, free hand flying over his eyes. “No, no, you weren't supposed to be there, that wasn't really you!” he whines and Luke only laughs. “Please tell me you didn't-”“What, hear how much dream-Luke wants you and holds you, kisses you...is it possible to be jealous of yourself cos I think I am.” Ashton's response is to bury his face into Luke's shoulder. “Is it true though, do you really want all those things with me?”He feels the other boy nod against him and there's a tightness in his stomach that vanishes at that, like that was all he needed, some kind of actual (conscious) confirmation. Ashton leans back, both hands coming to play with Luke's fingers as he says, “I don't want to rush into it though. Everything with Kieren just happened so fast and -”“Ash you know that I would never do that. I wouldn't do what he did. Never, alright.”He nods, “I know. It's just, I still want to just take it slow, if that's okay?”Luke takes his hand from Ashton's and places it under his chin, bringing those hazel eyes to his. “As long as we have each other, that's all I need.” he promises and Ashton's smile in response is blinding. “I'm really not in the mood for studying, how about you pick a movie instead?” ~ The next two hours are spent with the couple lying on Ashton's bed, Luke's fingers lazily running through the boys hair as he rests his head on Luke's chest, the movie credits rolling up on the tv screen on the opposite wall. Ashton yawns loudly and Luke stills his hand.“Right, you are sleeping. That's like the fifth time you've done that in the past ten minutes. Sleep.” Luke tells him, rising from his position causing Ashton to grumble in protest.“Fine.” he pouts, dragging the pillow from under him and clutching it tightly as he watches Luke grab his bag and head for the door.“I'll see you tomorrow.” the blonde says, watching Ashton wave from beneath the pillow before disappearing into the hall for a minute. It was probably only a few seconds but to Luke it felt so much longer. When he couldn't wait any longer he grabs the handle, bursting back into the room and Ashton shoots up into a sitting position.“Luke what are you-?”“I forgot something.” he explains, striding across the room and taking Ashton's face between his hands. Luke pauses for a moment, determined to etch the image of the other boys face, the way his eyes dance once he realises Luke's intentions, into his memory for the rest of his life.It's slow, just like Ashton wanted, a careful brush of lips, testing the waters. Luke's fingers tilt Ashton's head up slightly to properly bring their lips together, feeling the other boy smile against him. He doesn't try and push it further, he doesn't particularly want to either perfectly content with just being able to finally do this.Luke pulls away, hands still cupped around Ashton's jaw, “Sweet dream, Ashy.” he says, pecking his lips just once more, because he can do that now. Ashton beams up at him, “Only if you're in them, Lukey.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Could you stop being so fucking happy for one second, it's freaking me out!” Calum hisses at Luke across the lunch table, where the blonde boy is trying (and failing) to subtly smile at Ashton from across the cafeteria.“Nope, don't think so.” Luke says, snorting as he watches Ashton walk into the back of Michael when he tries to smile back. He has his biology make up exam that afternoon but even that lovely prospect couldn't put a dampener on Luke's mood.Calum huffs, stabbing at his food like it's personally offended him. “Stupid couples.” he mutters, shovelling pasta into his mouth and scowling at the two boys on the other side of the room.“Okay, what's up with you? You've been like this all day.” Luke asks, dragging his eyes away from the theatre group's table and back to his moody as fuck friend.“Nuffin.” Calum tries to say, only resulting in a couple of pieces of pasta to fly from his mouth.Luke just frowns, reaching out and grabbing his friends arm to stop the conveyor of food to his mouth. “Cal, please.” he says, trying to look the other boy in the eyes but he keeps avoiding him. “You haven't even told me how it went with Michael the other day, I'm just-”“I don't wanna talk about it, Luke.” Calum mutters, grabbing his unfinished tray of food and stalking away from the table towards the bins, head bowed down and moving quickly... straight into Michael.Awkward, is perhaps the only way to describe the few moments following the sound of the trays clattering to the floor. Both Calum and Michael just stared at each other, wide eyes locked together and unmoving until both boys dive to the ground, blushing furiously as laughter from the nearby tables fills the room.Luke cranes his head over the crowds on the next table to see the pair jerk apart from each other as they retrieve their trays. They practically throw them at the collection point before rushing out of the cafeteria, heading in opposite directions down the hall, without so much as another glance at one another.
well that was just odd
Feeling eyes on him, Luke turns to see Ashton looking at him with an expression as equally as confused as Luke feels. He shrugs, ignoring the questions of his team mates and taking out his phone. 
Luke:

meet me out the back xx

'The back' was the huge fire door exit at the back of the theatre which led out on to the back of the school grounds. Barely anyone came out there and so Luke and Ashton had decided that it was a good place to meet during school hours without been seen. It was Ashton's choice more than Luke's, after what had happened at his old school the other boy wasn't so keen on the idea of walking around the school hand in hand just yet. And Luke was fine with that, he said he would take it slowly and if Ashton didn't think he was ready for that fight yet, then that was okay.

Even if Luke did want to walk around the halls with Ashton's hand held in his own, showing his beautiful boy of to the world, but that could all wait.

He wasn't waiting for long until he saw the other boy walking towards him, a smile on his face but Luke could see the concern in his eyes. “Hi.” he says, coming to stand by Luke against the wall, reaching his hand across to tentatively hook their pinky fingers together.
“Hi, you.” Luke replies, smiling down at their hands and squeezing back gently in acknowledgement.
Ashton grins at him for a moment before the concern that was still in his eyes breaks through and his brows furrow together. “What the hell happened in there?”

For the second time that day, Luke shrugs, “I have no idea, but Calum's been down the past few days, not just today.”
“Mikey has as well.” Ashton says thoughtfully, “Do you know what happened with them, he wont tell me? The last I heard was that Calum was going round to Mikey's place and he was like, really nervous and Mikey doesn't do nervous.”
Luke shakes his head, “No Calum wont tell me anything, refuses to talk about it actually. That's what happened in there, I asked him and he said he didn't want to talk about it before storming off.”

There's a sigh and Ashton leans his head back against the wall, absent mindedly swinging their hands between them and despite the issues between their friends, Luke couldn't help but feel a warm, fuzzy glow in his chest.
“Maybe we should just lock them in a closet until they make up.” Ashton muses, thoughtfully “Or make out.” he giggles.
Luke rolls his eyes fondly, glancing across at the other boy with his lip between his teeth because the thought of 'making out' and 'Ashton' seemed to be a very good idea right about now. But when he noticed the dark circles under Ashton's eyes, all those thoughts flew from Luke's head. “Ashy have you not been sleeping again?” he asks, gently.

Ashton shuffles on his feet, a guilty look on his face as the swing of their hands stop. “Maybe.” he muttered, “but it's because I'm not taking the pills anymore and my sleeping pattern is just everywhere. I promise Lukey, I'm not lying!” he rushes to add, eyes wide as he grabs Luke's hands in his own.
“It's alright, I believe you.” Luke says, calmly, reaching up to cup the side of Ashton's face in his hand. “I just worry about you is all.” he adds, stroking the boys cheek with his thumb and watching the anxiousness fade from his face.
Ashton sighs, leaning in to the touch, corner of his mouth tugging into a slight smile. “I know...I just – I just really really like you, Luke.”

And the blonde can't help but lean down and press his lips against the other boy's. “Ditto.” Luke says, lips brushing against Ashton's as he does so.
“Ditto, really?” he giggles. “Hey, I have a make up exam in twenty minutes, I can't waste brain power on things like speech.” Luke says. “Well, if you forget how to walk I'm not carrying you there.”
Luke grins pecking Ashton on the cheek, “Come on then, best be getting back before that happens.”

He turns to leave but then there is a large hand around his wrist pulling him back and Ashton's face is suddenly right in front of him. Luke takes a second to look at him, pressed with his back against the wall, Luke's hand against his head where it landed from the pull back, lip brought between his teeth and he's looking at Luke from under his lashes.
“Not- not just yet, yeah.” Ashton says, hands finding the other boys hips as his nose nudges against his.
And well, Luke doesn't know what to think apart from

yes yes yes yes yes

because this is a side of Ashton that he hasn't seen yet. A side that makes the first move, takes what he wants and it's something that Luke has been waiting – needing - to see. “Okay, I guess I can spare a few minutes.” he mutters.

Ashton smiles before bringing his lips up to meet Luke's. It's tentative at first, as it has been the few times they have done this over the past few days and Luke doesn't mind, not wanting to push Ashton further than he is comfortable. Then again, judging from the tongue running along his bottom lip, the other boy seems to be more than comfortable with the way this is going.

Luke moans, his hands sliding down Ashton's neck as he moves his tongue to meet his and feels the hands on his hips tighten their grip. The kiss is slow and with just enough heat for Luke to think he could quite happily stay like this forever. Well actually just as long as he's kissing Ashton, in any way at all would be perfectly fine, thanks.

Then Ashton is tugging him forwards, bringing their hips together and it's when both boys moan at the contact does Luke break away. “Taking it slow, yeah.” Luke reminds the boy in front of him who's chest is heaving, lips are puffy from kissing and there's a puzzled look on his face.
“Yeah.” he mutters, like a child being told no sweets before dinner and it's all rather adorable in Luke's opinion. “Come on, you've got rehearsals and I don't wanna get kicked of the team because I didn't even get to the exam.” he says, leaning in to press one last kiss to Ashton's lips, making the other boy smile as he takes his hand.  
~
 
Luke had never tested well.

This was a fact that had haunted him through his whole school life and didn't seem to be changing any time soon. His mind had always wandered to anything apart from the things he was actually being tested on. Now that he thought about it, it was amazing he had never been nearly dropped from the football team before this.

Usually when his mind went for a stroll, it was to things like what was for lunch or the movie he watched the night before. Now when he sees a diagram of the human arm, asking him to identify the different muscles, Luke remembers the way Ashton had taken his arm, fingers tracing over the different areas as he explained where each part was. Then it was Ashton in the diner, Ashton on the stage, Ashton in the cardboard tree with a line of green down his face.

Ashton curled up on his bed, fast asleep with the sunlight over his face.
“Ten minutes to go.” the teacher announced from the front.

shit

~

He finished.

Luke doesn't quite know how, but he did and without any huge, glaring mistakes. Meaning that when he left the room, he did so with a little jump in his step. He looked at the clock on the wall which told him it was just past the time when Ashton's rehearsals finished. Smiling widely, Luke dug his phone from his bag and called him.
“Hi, Ash.” he says as soon as the dial tone stopped, “Are you done with rehearsals? I'll come meet -”“Luke.” comes a deeper voice than Luke was expecting to hear, and well, it definitely wasn't Ashton. “Michael?” he asks, stopping half way down the hall, pulling his bag further up his arm. “What are you – where's Ashton?”“Luke, I don't want you to panic okay,” Michael starts, slowly like if he talked any faster Luke might bolt over the phone. Luke who's blood had turned cold and whole body had frozen in place, apart from his heart which was close to beating out his chest at the words. “Why, what is it? What's happened?” he asks, voice chocked and he can barely get the words out. “Luke, I-”“What's happened, Michael? Where's Ashton?”
There's a pause and Luke thinks that he just might break his phone with the grip he has on it.
“He's in the nurses office, he collapsed in rehearsals.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Being a football player meant that you got used to the long walk to the nurses office rather quickly. Nosebleeds, possible concussion and once a pretty sever case of winding, nothing too serious was taken to the nurse but that didn't seem to be getting through Luke's panic stricken skull right now. The nurses office had never seemed so damn far away as he raced down the halls, the sound of heavy footsteps echoing down the empty corridors.His heart was ready to burst out of his chest when the door came into view, Luke grabbed the handle and practically fell into the room, drawing in deep breaths, hands resting on his knees as he took in the room. Michael and Calum sat either sides of the room, angled away from each other but they were in the same room again which was some sort of progress.Then there was Ashton, laying propped up on top of the covers on the small bed by the window, dark circles under his eyes and a bandage around his head but otherwise perfectly alive. He smiled at Luke when the other boy burst into the room but it quickly turned to a frown when he saw the deep breaths he was taking. “Luke, are you alright?” he asks, making to move from the bed towards him, only to be stopped by Michael who rolls his eyes.“He's fine, the idiot wouldn't listen to me long enough for me to tell him you weren't actually dying.” Michael explains, smirking at the keeled over blonde boy in front of him and then there's an amused snort from the other side of the room. Michael's eyes flicker to Calum's who blushes averting his eyes but both boys have a small smile on there face afterwards.“Seriously though, dude are you okay cos you look like you're about to drop?” Calum asks, “Did you run the whole way here?”Luke nods, pushing himself into an upright position, “Course I did, I though Ash was hurt didn't I.” he says, finally making his way closer to Ashton, who's looking at him with a look of complete awe. “You're okay though, right?”Ashton just blinks up at him from the bed, “You really ran here didn't you.” he mutters, everyone ignoring Michael's muttered “Such a drama queen.”Perching on the side of the bed, Luke takes the other boys hand in his, lacing their fingers together. “Yes, I did and I would do it again. How the hell have you not realised how completely and utterly gone for you I am by now, I didn't think I was being particularly subtle.”“I know, I'm just still having trouble believing it to be honest.” Ashton smiles, leaning forward to press his lips to Luke's.“Awww, would you look at that, that's fucking adorable.”“Fuck off Michael.” Luke mutters against Ashton's lips just as there's the sound of a throat clearing behind them, all four boys turn to face the school nurse, stood there with an amuse expression.The couple move apart, red tingeing both their cheeks. “Mr Irwin is free to go once he's ready.” she says kindly, “He should be fine, but I want you boys to keep a close eye on him for the next few days. If it happens again then he should see a doctor.”Michael and Calum nod gratefully before moving to help Ashton down from the bed, the boy still being uneasy on his feet. Luke lets them be, walking over to the nurse instead. “Hi, um I'm sorry, but what actually happened to him?” he asks quietly.The nurse leans in, taking Luke's arm gently, “Nothing too serious, honey so you shouldn't worry. I understand he was taking sleeping pills along with a lot of caffeine the past few weeks and that he came off the pills all at once?” Luke nods and the nurse continues, “It was that which cause him to collapse, his body couldn't fight the effects of the reaction it had to the sudden lack of chemicals from the pills, and with his lack of sleep he just didn't have the strength in him.”Luke tried to swallow, but the lump in his throat made it particularly difficult to do. “Okay, thank you.”“C'mon, Luke this room smells like disinfectant and it's starting to get to me.” Calum calls from the door, where Michael is stood propping up a unsteady looking Ashton.He goes to leave but the nurse places her hand on his arm once again. “I shouldn't worry too much. I'm sure you'll take good care of him, you obviously care about each other a lot.” she smiles.“Yeah, I guess we do.” Luke says, smiling in return before heading over to the others and hooking his arm around Ashton's waist and the boy squeezes his shoulder back in thanks.They're heading across the parking lot on their way to Luke's car, when Calum asks, “What did you do to your head, Ash?”Michael snorts, “Idiot fell into one of the damn trees didn't he. One of my trees I may add, that I am now going to have to redo since you're huge ass crushed it.”“Hey, I like that ass thank you very much.” Luke pipes up from the other side of Ashton, who blushes furiously. “I'm sorry I broke your tree, Mikey.” Ashton says, sheepishly. “So you should be, that was a fucking great tree.” the green haired boy says, but he's winking at Ashton and adding. “But, don't worry about it, I'm just glad you're okay.”
Luke smiles across at the other boy. “Aww, Mikey. That was actually really cute.” he coos, smirking at Ashton who giggles quietly.
“Pfft, I'm not cute, I'm punk rock.”
(Luke's pretty sure he's the only one who hears Calum's muttered “Well, I think you're cute.”)
 
~oOo~
 
It was the day before the opening night of the production a week later, when Luke got the news that he was no longer failing biology and was allowed to play in the last game of the season in two weeks time. He comes bouncing out of the coaches office and is met with a grinning Calum waiting for him by the lockers, kit bag in hand.
“You got it?” the dark haired boy asks, letting out a huge laugh when Luke nods, dropping his kit bag and throwing his arms around Luke, lifting him up so his feet are just skimming the ground. “Thank god, it would have been so weird to be out their without you, dude!” “I would have been weird to be watching.” Luke says once his feet are firmly back on the ground. “I can't wait to tell Ashton.” “You going to tell him now?” Calum asks, picking up his bag and following him out the locker room door.
Luke shakes his head, “No, I'm going to wait till tonight at his place. You're still coming tonight aren't you?”

To celebrate her son's stage début, Ashton's mum had told him to invite his friends around to his house that evening and Luke couldn't wait. He hadn't seen much of Ashton that week, with his last minute rehearsals and his football practices, and it had been so long since the four of them where together outside of school. So, Luke was practically ready to drag Calum there if he needed to.
“Yeah, yeah, sure I am.” his friends says, waving a hand in the air.
Luke fixes him with a look, “Caaaal.”
“What, I said I was coming didn't I!” Calum protests before casting his eyes down at the floor. “Michael's going too?” he asks, quietly like he was half hoping Luke wouldn't hear him to answer.
But he does, “Yes he is and if you two don't sort out your shit soon, then I'm seriously going to consider Ash's suggestion to lock you both in a closet.”
“Then I'll go.” Calum says, easily causing Luke to stop half way down the corridor. “Wait, what?”
The dark haired boy nods, “Like you said, we need to sort our shit out. If Michael's going then I will to.”

Luke just stares at his friend for a moment before launching himself at Calum, “Aww, our little Cal-Pal is growing up.” he cries, ruffling the other boys hair fondly.

Calum shoves him off chuckling, “Piss off you dick.”
 
~
 
Later that evening, all four boys were gathered in Ashton's back yard, the barbecue smell still lingering in the air around the deck chairs they were lounging in. There were a number of empty beer bottles scattered around them, courtesy of Ashton's mum (“If the cops come, you throw them, you hear!”) and they were all enjoying the resulting pleasant buzz as they watched the sky turn from deep orange to night.

Luke was happy.

Luke was very very happy.

Earlier he and Calum had taught Lauren and Harry how to play football, while Ashton and Michael were in charge of the food. Even now when he thinks of the look on Ashton's face when he was watching Luke show Harry how to properly hold the ball to get it to go further, his eyes bright, happy and clear of dark circles as he only broke away to slap Michael's hand away from the burgers. Luke just feels warm inside, a great big wave of warm and fuzzy.

actually that could just be the beer...

He glances to the side, Ashton is staring up at the sky, the stars are just beginning to show and he just whispers, “It's so beautiful.”
“Yeah, it really is.” Luke agrees, not taking his eyes from the boy.
okay, so maybe it's not the beer...
“Hey, I'm just going to get another drink.” Luke says, thinking that more alcohol might help right now.He heads for the kitchen, grabbing a bottle from the fridge before remembering that they lost the bottle opener fifteen minutes ago which results in a further few minutes trying to track it down, by which time Ashton has joined him. Wrapping his arms around Luke's front and pressing kisses into his back between his shoulder blades. “Luuuukeeey.” he whines and Luke laughs.“Hi, babe. What you doing here?”“Missed you.” Ashton huffs into his shirt and Luke's stomach still flips which is ridiculous because shouldn't that have stopped by now? “And Calum and Michael snuck off behind the big oak tree and left me.”Luke laughs, turning around in the boys arms so he can see him. Ashton's eyes are slightly out of focus, his lip is pulled into a slight pout and it's official: drunk Ashton is adorable. “They're probably making out.” Luke laughs, booping the end of the boys nose, just because he can.Ashton steps back slightly, eyes wide. “No, that tree is my childhood! They better not desecrate it's innocence!” he says, tone dead serious but with his bottom lip still out.“Oooh, drunk Ashton uses big words.” Luke giggles, pulling him back in.“I'm not drunk.” the smaller boy argues.“Yes you are, babe.”“I'm not!”“You are.”“Fine, if I was drunk could I do this?” Ashton says and before Luke has a chance to respond Ashton's surging forward, pulling Luke down by the neck and suddenly there's Ashton's tongue moving against his.It's sloppy because despite what he says, Ashton is drunk and so is Luke which is why his first reaction isn't to pull away. Instead he grabs hold of Ashton's waist and pulls him closer, leaning forward away from the counter, taking control of the kiss. It's only when Ashton moans into his mouth does he start to think with something other than his dick, who was rather enjoying where this was going, thanks.“Ash, babe, we gotta stop.” Luke says, trying to push back but Ashton only whines, moving on to his neck when he realises Luke's not going to let him kiss him. This makes the other boys attempted protest significantly lessen as he feels Ashton softly sucking a mark just above his collar bone. “Ashton, seriously....gotta stop.”“I don't wanna.” he mutters, keeping up the work on his neck and slotting his legs between Luke's and...
oh my god is that his...!
“Ash! We are not doing this in your kitchen!” Luke squeaks and yeah he's not proud of that okay.But Ashton only trails his lips up to Luke's ear, hands sliding into the back pockets of his jeans, “But it's hot.” he moans, “And I want you.” he adds and actually thrusts his hips up against Luke's thigh and fine.Fine.“God damn it!” Luke mutters, hands wrapping around the back of Ashton's neck and he's pulling the boy back up, resuming the kiss from where he left it. Immediately wondering why he did in the first place when the other boy makes a pleased humming sound as he opens his mouth allowing Luke's tongue in to move against his own.He turns them around, so it's Ashton with his back against the counter, hands running through the other boy's hair, twisting it in his fingers and at that, Ashton bucks his hips against him once again. “Like that?” Luke asks, lowly breaking the kiss for a second to do so.The smaller boy makes a affirming mewling sound, the hands in Luke's pockets pulling him closer and both boys are hard right now and they both know it.Just as Luke is considering the best way to get Ashton up on to the counter top, there comes the sound of approaching footsteps down the hall. The pair freeze, eyes darting to the kitchen door before they spring apart, turning their bodies towards the counter, to hide their respective 'situations' just as Ashton's mum enters the kitchen. Luke has never been more thankful of wooden flooring in his life.“Hi, boys. Don't mind me, I'm not staying.” she says, grabbing something from the fridge and leaving the kitchen in no time at all.Luke and Ashton just stand there for a moment, catching glances at one another before bursting out laughing. Luke has no idea why, maybe it's because they're both a little drunk, maybe it's because they nearly got caught making out in Ashton's kitchen by Ashton's mum but the whole situation suddenly seems to be the most hilarious thing.“My god, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me.” Ashton says, quite casually as he takes Luke's hand in his own and the other boy is ever so slightly shell shocked.“Yeah,” he chokes out after a few seconds, “I really, really like you, Ash.” he adds, squeezing the hand in his and smiling. But there's a feeling of more that he can't shake, like he wants to add something to the end of that. Like saying 'like' just doesn't cover it any more when it comes to how he feels about Ashton.There's one word that springs to mind but Luke forces that down pretty quickly. They're meant to be going slow and that word certainly isn't that.“C'mon,” he says instead, “Let's go see if Mikey and Cal have desecrated your trees innocence.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

So, they had a problem.

Well...they sort of had a problem in that they had no idea where Calum and Michael had got to. When Luke and Ashton left the kitchen to head back into the yard, looking – not without a little bit of hesitation, unsure of what they would find their friends up to – for the pair, they were nowhere to be seen.
“How long were we in there for?” Ashton asked, falling back on to the lounge chair and frowning up at the stars.
Luke flops down in the chair next to him, “Either two things have happened: One, Calum has killed Michael. Two -”
“Wait, why would Calum have killed Michael?” Ashton asks, turning his head to look at him, “Why not the other way around?”
Luke swings his legs around off the chair, hands clasped together as he locked eyes with the other boy, his voice low and dramatic, “Because, my dear Ash, Calum is actually not the cute little puppy we know and love. Get on his bad side and you wish you hadn't.”

Ashton is staring wide eyed and mouth slightly open, “Seriously, Calum? Sweet as hell, Calum has a temper?”

The blonde boy nods slowly, “Mmmhhhmm, and come on, we both know that Michael isn't tough, he can try to be punk rock all he likes but we've all seen the inner kitten in him. That's why Calum.”
“And the second option, hopefully one that doesn't include the murder of one of our friends?” Ashton grins, lifting the beer they had got from the kitchen, to his lips. “They're fucking.” Luke says plainly, enjoying the way Ashton's eyes bug out as beer sprays from his mouth. He chuckles, watching the other boy gather himself, an adorable blush covering his cheeks as he glares at Luke, wiping the drink from his chin and muttering,“Well at least some of us are.”
And Luke can say that at least he doesn't spray his drink, but that doesn't mean he doesn't choke on his spit a little at those words. “Ash!” he wheezes, seeing the other boy smirking at him. “You've been drinking, babe, this isn't going any further until you're sober.” Luke explains, trying not to let the confident and cocky grin on his boyfriend's face get to him. No really he's trying, but this whole new self assured version of Ashton is not what he was expecting to have to deal with any time soon. He wasn't ready for this shit.

Luke's not ready when Ashton stand up and moves in front of him.

He's not ready when the smaller boy places his hands on his shoulders and pushes him back in the chair.

He's not ready when Ashton throws his leg across him and straddles his lap, leaning forward so his lips brush Luke's ear.
“I'm not that drunk. I want to and I know you want to as well.” And, well he certainly wasn't ready for that. “Ashy...” he groans as the other boy starts to nose down his neck, hands braced either side of Luke's head. “Are you sure?” Luke asks, because lets face it, he's so wrapped around this boy's finger it's not even funny any more. “Just tell me you're sure, babe.” he says, wondering when his hands found Ashton's hips.Ashton only presses his lips to Luke's, fingers grasping at the hair on the base of his neck, “I'm sure, I'm sure, I'm sure.” he mutters, not breaking the contact of the kiss.That's all Luke needs to surge up, using his hold on the other boy's hips to do so, feeling Ashton smile. does he ever stop? There's a urgency in Ashton's movements, like he's trying to get straight back to the point where they left of at in the kitchen. “Slow down, babe.” Luke tells him, running soothing hands down the boys back as he leans away, taking in the sight above him.Ashton all puffy, pink lips and fringe falling into his blown wide eyes and yeah, Luke thinks he could rather get used to this view, thanks. He takes the boys face between his hands, slowly working their lips together, occasionally teasing Ashton's bottom lip with his tongue until he coaxes his mouth open. Ashton hums when their tongues meet and there's a pleasant buzz under Luke's skin, that's definitely not from the beer this time, as he explores the smaller boy's mouth.There are hands on his shoulders, gripping tightly as they pull Luke closer so his chest is pressed flush against Ashton's, who shifts his hips against the blonde's. Both boys let out a soft moan, Ashton at the friction from the movement, Luke when he felt – really very clearly – how hard the boy in his lap was. Not that he was much different at this point.“You are such a horny teenage boy.” Luke chuckles quietly, pressing little kisses into Ashton's neck and slipping his hands under his shirt to rub at the soft skin there.Ashton lets out a breath of laughter, circling his hips down again a little harder this time and feels Luke stutter with his attentions on Ashton's collarbone's, “Only for you.” he says, back arching slightly at the shot of pleasure he gets when Luke's teeth nip at his skin at that. The hands under his shirt grip tighter as the older boy starts to move back against him and the feeling of Luke on his skin is just as intoxicating as the alcohol. And Ashton needs more. “Take it off.”“What?” the other boy mutters absent-mindedly into his neck, working his way back up to Ashton's lips.“My shirt, you can take it off.”Luke looks at him, looking quite fucked out already which might have something to do with the way they are still moving their hips together in a perfect rhythm, breathing heavily. “It's pretty chilly out here, Ash.”Ashton shakes his head, finding Luke's lips again and bunching up his hands in the bottom of the other boy's shirt. “Then you'll have to keep me warm.” he grins, pulling his own shirt over his head and briefly breaking the kiss to do so. He throws the shirt to the side, Luke leaning to meet him reconnect their lips and there is a more frantic edge to the whole thing now, they kiss deeper, their hips rock faster and Luke knows that they should be trying to tone down the moans they are making but it just feels so good.Ashton has managed to move his hands up Luke's chest and the two are lying on the lounge chair, Ashton shirtless and Luke very close to being, he can feel the cool air hit his skin but then there's the burning heat of the smaller boy's body on his and he really doesn't care about the cold. At some point they stopped kissing, foreheads pressed together as they kept moving, Luke's hands splayed over Ashton's back.“M'close...” Ashton whines, lip caught between his teeth and his eyes squeezed shut. They have lost their rhythm at this point, both so desperately close they can't even think of anything else apart from the intense band of pressure in their abdomen. Luke manages to thrust his hips up just right, nails digging into Ashton's lower back and the other boy stills, head falling to Luke's shoulder and moaning into the curve of his neck as his hands bunch in the blonde's shirt.Luke follows shortly after, bright white stars bursting under his eyelids and he is very glad he is lying down right now since his whole body feels like jelly, tingly fucked out, jelly.Neither of them say anything, just lie together on the lounger, breath kind of heavy and coming out in clouds in the night air. Luke runs his fingers up and down Ashton's spine, feeling the boy smile into his neck, where his face is still pressed. “That was amazing.” he says, voice slightly tinged with awe.Luke smiles up at the stars, pressing a kiss into Ashton's hair. “Yeah it was.” he mumbles, “Just imagine how good it'll be when I actually touch you...”Ashton pauses for a second and in that time Luke panics slightly. Did he go too far? Shit, has he messed this up already? “But you did, you're doing it right now.” Ashton points out, confusion evident in his voice.And Luke laughs, he has to because his boyfriend is the most-innocent-not-at-all-innocent boy ever. “A different kind of touching, babe, in a very different place.” he explains and can practically feel Ashton blushing.“Oh, right.” he mutters, shifting slightly on top of Luke and he remembers that they both sort of have come drying in their pants right now, which is not the most comfortable thing in the world.“C'mon Ash, lets get inside.” he says, trying to extract himself from the immobile lump of a boy on top of him, but Ashton just whines, curling his arms around Luke's sides.“I don't wanna. Stay with you instead.”“Ash, I can feel the goosebumps on your skin, we're going inside. You're not getting ill for your show tomorrow.” Luke says, but the other boy doesn't move, pout firmly in place. Luke rolls his eyes, placing an arm around Ashton and another under his knees and pulling the smaller boy into his arms bridal style, causing him to squeak loudly. “We are going inside.” he says firmly, suddenly very thankfully for all the football training when he manages to get to his feet and carry Ashton inside and up to his room.He places the boy on the bed and Ashton immediately makes grabby hand's at him, “Stay.” he tells Luke, who is trying to locate some new underwear.“Post-orgasm speech isn't your strong point is it babe?” Luke chuckles, “I will, but first put these on, I'll be back in a minute.” he says, throwing the spare boxers at Ashton and heading for the door with a pair of his own.He comes back to find Ashton already curled up in bed, eyes almost closed and he smiles when he sees Luke enter the room. “So, post-orgasm Ashton is also sleepy Ashton.” Luke grins, kneeling down beside him.“Shut up.” Ashton huffs, pulling back the covers behind him. “You said you'll stay.” he says.Luke nods, “Alright.” he promises, climbing in next to his boyfriend and throwing an arm around his middle.“Night night, Lukey.” Ashton mumbles.Luke looks down at the boy in his arms, this perfect adorable boy, the boy that he loves. Sure, he was right before, it's too early to say it. But he figures it's alright just to think it for now and it's all he does as he drifts off to sleep.
i love ashton irwin, i love ashton irwin, i love ashton irwin, i love ashton irwin, i love ashton irwin,
Luke has never slept so well in his life.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

There's a stream of sunlight on Luke's face when he wakes up the next morning and an Ashton curled into his chest. It takes him a moment to realise that he has in fact woken up and this is not actually a dream, that this perfect boy is actually here and Luke loves him so much that he wants to sing it from the top of his lungs and dance around the room until his smile breaks his face. Then Ashton is shuffling and that's when Luke realises that their legs are intertwined and his wishes that he could smile harder because he needs an appropriate outlet for the amount of pure 'happy' rushing through him right now.
“Hey.” Ashton mumbles, voice slow and sleepy as he looks up at Luke with puffy, adorable eyes. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't think, he just does it because it's all he wants to do, leaning down and pressing his lips to Ashton's. It's probably a bit intense considering they have both just literally woken up but Luke doesn't care. Neither does Ashton judging by the smile on his face when they break apart. “Well...I could get used to that every morning.”“Yeah, me too.” Luke grins as the smaller boy tucks himself back under his chin and Luke sees how his hair is starting to curl up at the ends, which is just adds another dose of ridiculous adorableness that is Ashton Irwin. “Aww, look you're hair is starting to go curly.” he says, laughing as Ashton instantly flattens his hands on his head. “Oh yeah, it does that...I'll sort it in a bit just forget about it.”
The blonde moves his hands away and starts twirling the curling strands around his fingers, “I don't know...” he muses, “I think it'll look really cute if you left it. But we gotta move, Ash there's this thing called school which is like, important or something.”

Ashton just makes a disgruntled huffing sound. “No, don't mention that, you'll ruin the perfect morning.”
“But, we have to go to -”“No.” Ashton cuts him off pressing his lips against Luke's muffling the boys words. “Don't say it, just...five more minutes, yeah?”
They ended up being fifteen minutes late for class, but it was still the perfect morning.
 
~
 
Luke spent the morning feeling as if he was floating around the school on a cloud and he thought that it was a good thing that the term was nearly over because he was not paying attention to anything the teachers were drawling from the front of the classes. There were a whole bunch of weird glances being thrown his way, granted it was pretty unusual for someone on the football team to be constantly smiling a week before the last game of the season, usually they were a bag of nerves and pent up energy.

Which is why when Luke sat down beside Calum in math class that morning, the other boy groaned, “Well, someone got laid last night.”
“Someone's jealous.” Luke chimes, until he notices the darkened mark on his friends neck. “Or, not....where did you and Michael go last night by the way?”
Calum shifts in his seat, focusing intently at the doodle on the corner of his paper, “None of your business.” he mutters, cheeks blushing red just as the teacher walks into the room and Luke can't interrogate him further.
“You going to the show after practice?” Luke asks, once they leave the classroom, hiking the bag on to his shoulder. “Of course.” Calum snorts, “Mikey said he could get us backstage if we meet him by the back exit.”
Luke grins, “Oh really, did he tell you this before or after you had your tongue down each others throats?” Okay, so maybe he should have expected the shove into the lockers, but it still hurt much more than he though he deserved.
“Shut up.” Calum mutters but Luke sees the grin on his face, identical to the one he saw on his own a few weeks ago. “Hey, I'm happy for you, dude.” he says, nudging his friend in the sides with his elbow.
Calum blushes, looking to the floor, “Thanks, man. C'mon I'm starving.” he says, pulling Luke faster towards the cafeteria.

He doesn't see Ashton and Michael all day, with the theatre group been given the afternoon off to go through some last minute rehearsals, which Calum had to remind him of when he wouldn't stop searching the crowd across the cafeteria at lunch. Luke suggests skipping off on training that afternoon to go and watch the other two boys rehearse instead.

At this point the dark haired boy was looking at him like he had just sprouted a new head from his shoulders. “Wow, you are so whipped.” he breaths, dragging the blonde to the locker rooms before he actually tries to head off to the theatre, “Coach would kill you, you know. Like, actually swear to god kill you, if you missed any practices this week. Hell, I'd kill you.” he finishes, throwing Luke's kit bag at him.
“Fine, but we go straight after practice. Don't act like you don't want to see Michael as well.” Luke says, shooting his friend a look and a smirk. “So, whipped.” Calum mutters, pulling his shirt over his head.
Luke does the same, laughing, “Just as much as you are, Cal.”
 
~

Ash:

lukey when are you going to be here?? xx

Ash:

i may be freakin out a little xx

Ash:

ok freakin out a lot WHEN ARE YOU COMING!!

Ash:

xx

Luke walks into the backstage dressing rooms to find Ashton alone and pacing the length of the room, dressed in the brightest green outfit he had ever seen. It was probably bad how the first thing to cross Luke's mind was that he had seriously underestimated just how

good

the other boy's thighs would look in tights. Like really seriously underestimated this whole situation of the outfit as a whole to be honest. If it wasn't for the absolutely shell shocked look on Ashton's face, Luke would be calling on a whole lot of self control not to be pushing him up against that back wall and wrapping those legs around his waist.

But you know, panicky, pacing Ashton, there were priorities here.
“Hey, babe you okay?” Luke says, coming into the room not expecting Ashton to fling himself at him, arms being swung tightly around Luke's neck, knocking him back a few paces. “Ash?” he asks, stroking the smaller boys hair as he buries his face into Luke's shoulder. “I'm so glad you're here.” Ashton says, voice muffled against Luke's shirt before he pulls back, eyes wide and hands clutching his shoulders. “Let's go, let's run for it! We can go to your place, please.”
Luke frowns holding the boy at arms length, thumbs making what he hopes are soothing circles against his arms. “Ash, what's wrong?”
“I can't do it!” Ashton cries, and the blonde thinks he can actually see the beginnings of tears in his eyes and can definitely feel a part of his heart breaking at that. “I can't go out there, what if I mess up? I'll ruin the whole thing and everyone has worked so hard and I'll just go and fuck it up and-”“Babe!” Luke says, voice raised making Ashton freeze mid rant and stare at him, mouth still open and chest heaving. “It's going to be okay.” he says slowly, “More than okay even, it's going to be amazing and do you know why?” Ashton shakes his head, lip caught between his teeth but the tears have thankfully vanished from his eyes. “Because you're amazing, you're the most amazing person I have ever met and I could not be more proud of you right now.”“Lukey-” Ashton whispers but the other boy stops him again. “No, just...let me say this okay. Even since before I met you, when I just saw you that first time on the middle of that stage out there, surrounded by all of those people, I only saw you, Ashton.” Luke says, taking the other boys face in his hands. “You were literally shining, I couldn't take my eyes away from you and I still haven't. You draw people in, babe, you're like the fucking sun!”
And Ashton is smiling now, that smile he loves, looking up at Luke with those big hazel eyes that he loves so much and Luke just wants to tell him all these things, right now. Why not? Well he could probably think of a thousand reasons why saying those things would be a bad idea but right now Luke can't think of any of them. “That's what you did to me, Ash. You drew me in, with your smile, your laugh, your stupidly gorgeous face, your gorgeous everything really if I'm being honest. You drew me in and I realised that all these wonderful things about you, were just the small things on the surface. I saw how beautiful a person you are and thought how stupid I must have been to think that I could have not felt the way I do about you-”

Ashton's finger comes and presses down on Luke's lips and there are tears in his eyes again but they are happy this time, and Luke is vaguely aware of his own vision clouding over. “I feel the same about you, Luke.” he says quietly, “You have no idea how much.”

Luke shakes his head, “No, you don't get it, babe. It's so much more than that for me now.” he takes in a breath, “Ashton I l-”
“Five minutes!” a voice shouts through the door, “Guy five minutes until-” there's a guy Luke has never seen before standing in the doorway, looking at the couple with a slightly stunned expression. And Luke doesn't think he's ever wanted to kill someone so soon after seeing them for the first time. “Oh, sorry...five minutes till we start, Ash.” he says before turning to leave.
Neither of them say anything for a moment, neither of them move, they just stay staring at each other until Ashton says, “Go on, what were you going to say?”

But Luke shakes his head and tries to quell the murderous urge that has just sprung up inside him. “It's nothing, I was trying to take you're mind of things, did it work?”

He catches a disappointed look wash over Ashton's face but it is gone in an instant, leaving Luke wondering if he saw it at all, then he's smiling again and Luke's heart flips. “Yeah, it did, thanks Lukey.”

Luke just pulls him into his arms, nose burying in his hair. “Good cos my back up plan was to just kiss the hell out of you, but I was afraid I'd damage your costume.”

Ashton pulls away, a glint in his eye and a brow curved, “Well...we have got five minutes.”
“Well four now really...maybe three and a half.”“Are you going to kiss me or what, Hemmings?”
So Luke does, wasting no time in sneaking his tongue into Ashton's mouth because hey, three and a half minutes here. The other boys hands have just slid down to Luke's ass when the same guy is back, “Um, Ashton...they need you on side stage now.” he says and yeah, Luke's planning his murder during the performance.
“Knock em dead, babe.” Luke mutters, kissing the tip of Ashton's nose.
The smaller boy smiles, “You mean knock there socks off?”

Luke shrugs, “Yeah sure, or something about breaking a arm or a leg or what ever it is? But you'd better go.”

Ashton nods, kissing him once more before running from the room, leaving Luke stood in the middle alone.
 
~
 
He absolutely kills it of course.

Luke watches from the side lanes and nearly bursts with all the emotions that run through him as he watches his boy on the stage, watches all the faces of the people watching him, watching as they all stand on their feet at the end and applaud so loudly Luke thinks the roof may actually collapse from the noise.

Ashton skips right into Luke's arms when he leaves the stage, flinging his arms around him and giggling when the blonde lifts him from the ground. “You were amazing, Ash. Totally and completely amazing.” he tells him when he puts him down.
“Thanks.” Ashton beams, looking around the backstage area, “Where are Cal and Mikey, I want to go to the diner, it's been ages since we did”“Isn't there some kind of theatre party after?”
Ashton waves him off, “I don't care about that, I just want to be with you guys.”

Luke smiles at the boy in front of him, “Alright, I'll give Cal a call.” he says, fishing out his phone and pressing the call button by Calum's name.

Almost as soon as he does there is the sound of a phone ringing from the storage cupboard to their left. Ashton shoots Luke a curious look and they both edge towards the small door, pulling open the handle and revealing a very occupied, very dishevelled Calum and Michael, snogging each others faces off and Luke makes special effort not to look too closely at where hands are placed. He doesn't need to know that, thank you.

The pair spring apart the moment the doors open and the four boys just stare blankly at each other for a good minute before Michael pipes up with, “Well, you could have knocked you dip shits.”
“We're going to the diner, you coming?” Ashton asks, face bright red, a colour which is almost identical to the one on Calum's cheeks.
Michael shrugs, “Sure, we'll meet you there. You kind of interrupted something if you didn't notice.”
“Oh, we noticed.” Luke says, trying not to laugh at the mortified look on Calum's face. “We'll leave you to it then...just lock the door this time maybe?”
Michael flips him off as he shuts the storage cupboard door on them, chuckling.
“I got to go get changed but I'll meet you out the back?” Ashton says and Luke wants to lean in and kiss him but then he's heading off down the side isle and he doesn't get the chance.
He heads to the back double doors where Michael let him and Calum in earlier and breathes in the fresh air once he's outside. It's a warm night so Luke doesn't really mind the few minutes wait, especially since its Ashton he's waiting for.

He's just got his phone out to check the time, since he had been waiting for longer than he thought, when there's a very familiar call of “Oy, Hemmings!” and Luke's blood runs cold. There, walking right towards him were five members of the football team. Five of the thickest, most ignorant and most important members of the football team.

fuck

shit shit fuck

fucking shitty shit fuck

“Hemmings, that you?” the one called Kenny, shouts and Luke can't ignore them any more. “Hey guys.” he waves, throwing his hands in his pockets and trying to look as casual as possible. “What you doing here?” because really, of all the nights for them to stumble upon the theatre and it had to be this one. “It's show night, isn't it.” another one, Vince, says. “We're here to mess with the theatre geeks, you heard where the after party is?”
Luke shakes is head quickly, wanting them to leave before Ashton turns up. “No sorry, I don't but I guess I'll see you in practice tomorrow.”

Kenny pulls a face, “Come on, Hemmings, you not coming with us?”
“Yeah, what you doing here anyway, I thought you said that all this acting shit was lame as fuck?” Vince asks and they're all closer now, all much bigger than Luke, sure he's tall but these guys are huge and it's all very intimidating to face up to.
It just happens.

There were just too many eyes on him, expecting one answer.

One answer Luke didn't want to give.

One answer he knew they wanted to hear.

He barely recognises his voice when he finds himself saying, “Yeah, course I do, what did you actually think I like this stuff, c'mon guys you know me better than that.”

The guys start laughing and Luke can feel the tightness in his chest vanish as his brain starts to figure out a way to escape them when he hears it. Quiet and broken over the loud booming laughs of his team mates and Luke's body turns cold as from behind him he hears Ashton's cracked voice says “Luke?”

The blonde turns and instantly wishes he didn't. Wishes the past two minutes never happened. Wishes he had just gone with Ashton back into the changing rooms. But most of all he wishes he hadn't been stupid, so fucking stupid enough to say those last words that left his mouth. Ashton was stood there, bag dangling from his finger tips as he stares at Luke with huge, watery eyes and trembling bottom lip, looking like the world had just dropped out from under his feet and Luke would have guessed he looked something the same.

He steps forward, not even paying attention to the calls and questions of his team mates any more. “Ash, I-”
“No! Don't come any closer.” Ashton sobs, and Luke can tell how hard he is trying to keep it together and he can only say that he is not doing the same, the lump that has risen in his throat making it difficult to swallow. “Ash let me just-” he tries again. “No, no, I don't care what you have to say!” the boy cries and Luke can hear the tears hit the floor, his own or Ashton's it could be either. “You just...after all you said and you...youknew how I felt and you still...”“Babe, please I didn't mean it!”“Don't call me that!” Ashton yells, and Luke freezes at the tone in his voice, the broken angry tone that he never thought he would ever hear from the other boy, but then he never though he would do something this fucking stupid either. “You don't get to call me that. Not any more. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to think about it. I don't want to even look at you!”“Ashy, please.” Luke whines, voice no more than a broken whisper at this point, he fucked up. Oh god had he fucked up and it might have just cost him the best thing in his life.
Ashton shuts his eyes tightly, fists clenched at his sides. “Goodbye,

Hemmings.

” he mutters and Luke feels like he's just been shot through the chest, he kind of wishes he had been as he watches the most important person in his life walk away from him.

He is aware of all the voices going on around him, but the only one Luke hears again and again and again is the cracked, biting voice of Ashton's last words to him.

goodbye, hemmings

no

goodbye, hemmings

no please no

goodbye, hemmings

oh please please no

i love you...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next few days were perhaps some of the worse of Luke's short life.The first couple were spent obsessively texting Ashton begging him for some kind of response, just anything that would make it seem like the other boy had ever existed. Some kind of physical proof, other than the aching hole that had been punched through his chest. 
Luke:

ashton please im so sorry xx

Luke:

i didnt mean it you have to know i didnt mean it xx

Luke:

please just talk to me i know you dont want to but please xx

Luke: just one message just so i know youve seen this xx 
Luke:

ash please i need you xx

For three days the

sent/seen

notification stayed on

sent

but every day Luke still text, a small part of him hoping that Ashton was somehow seeing the messages as they popped up on his screen. He had his phone constantly in his hand, kept it on the sidelines of the field when practice was on, had it out on the desk during classes, he even lay in bed just staring at the device in his hand as if he could make Ashton reply through sheer force of will.

Even Calum doesn't call him now, after the third night when Luke answer the phone so quickly, not checking the caller ID and he actually burst into tears when he realised it wasn't Ashton on the other end. On the fifth night, Luke was staring at the bright screen of his phone, face cast in a deathly white light in the dark room and eyes locked on the '

sent'

notification at the bottom of the line of messages...when it changed to '

seen'.

Luke blinked in the dark, the tiredness making his eyes feel heavy and brain slow. It was only when the dots in the bubble popped up to indicate typing, that Luke shot up in his bed, hands gripping his phone for dear life and heart thumping. The dots seemed to linger for a ridiculously long amount of time before a single, short message appears.
 
Ash:

please stop txting me

Luke reads it over and over and over again, fingers coming up to trace over the few letters on the screen before he locks his phone, dropping it onto the bed. He doesn't even cry, he would have to feel sad for that and right then Luke felt empty. Just empty, like if someone were to tap him he was sure that there would just be a hollow clang echoing around the room.

That was it then. He was done, if Ashton didn't want to see him, speak to him, then Luke would stay away.

He would.

Somehow.
 
~
 “You're a fucking idiot.”“Mikey!”“No, you know I'm right, babe and if he can't see it then someone needs to tell him.”
It's lunchtime the next day and Luke is sat with Calum and Michael in the cafeteria. Over the past few days the couple have been flitting between both of their friends, trying to get them to work something out. Well, trying to get Ashton to talk to Luke and getting Luke to just go and actually find the other boy. It wasn't going exactly to plan.

Luke sighs, pushing his uneaten food around on his plate. “Guys, he said he doesn't want me talking to him any more. He doesn't want me. It's over.” he says, tone flat and emotionless.

The two boys opposite just stare at him slightly bug-eyed, Calum with a look on his face like he has never seen Luke before in his life and Michael sat, fist clenching and unclenching on the table in front of him. “Seriously, have you been hit too many times on the head with that mother friggin football, or are you just naturally this bone headed?”

Luke flashes a look at Calum, but his friend just shrugs, “Actually, he's right mate, I think you're really fucking this whole thing up.”

The blonde rolls his eyes, in that one motion showing the most emotion he had all day, as he goes to leave the table. “There's nothing to do, he made his choice.” he mutters, grabbing his tray and leaving.
“And you're okay with that, are you?” Calum calls after him, several people turning to watch as Luke stops mid way down the tables. “You're okay with him being out of your life? Okay with not seeing him again? C'mon dude, do you love this kid at all?”
At that, Luke storms back to the table, all the anger he felt at himself the past few days coming straight to the surface. “Of course I do, more than anything!” he hisses, chest heaving as he slams his tray down in front of them, rogue peas spilling off the plate and rolling off the table.

The two boys seem completely unaffected, continuing to stare him down, Michael quirking an unimpressed brow, flicking a pea away from him. “I don't believe you.” he says quite calmly and simply as if commenting on the weather.

Luke scoffs, “What do you mean you don't

believe

me?”
“Well,” Michael starts, lacing his fingers around Calum's and Luke watches as his best friend smiles down at there entwined hands, “If something like this happened between me and Cal, there is no way in hell that I would just sit by and let him walk away. Fuck that shit and fuck anyone who thinks that I wouldn't fight everything hell has got to throw at me to keep him by my side.” Michael says, a hint of a growl in his voice, and Luke is taken back by the almost animalistic look in the boys eyes, Calum's widening in awe as he takes in the boy next to him.
But Michael hasn't quite finished yet, “Even if he says he doesn't want me, do you really think I would let him go without giving everything I've got to get him back, to get him to stay? Because

that

is what you do when you love someone, Luke. Like hell do you just let them go!” he finishes, leaning back in his chair to a stunned Luke and Calum.

Luke slowly sinks back down into his seat, trying to ignore the small amount of attention the little display drew. “Wow, Mikey I'm sorry I had no idea that you -”
“This isn't about me, dude. This is us asking if you really, really truly love Ashton.” Michael says. “Yes, I love him but obviously he doesn't -”“It doesn't matter, Luke.” Calum chips in. “All that matters is if you love him or not.”“And honestly, if you can see just how deep in fucking love Ashton is with you then you need to get your eyes checked, mate.” Michael adds, smirking as Luke just sits back with a stunned look on his face. “Seriously?” Luke mutters, “You really think so?”
And it's really really fucking creepy how in sync Michael and Calum are as they roll their eyes at him, “God, it's like you haven't even been around the past few weeks.” Calum sighs.
“I think he was too busy staring lovingly into Ash's pretty eyes to actually notice.” Michael says, still smirking like he's won something everyone else doesn't know about. “He's so in love with you, man. Why do you think he acted the way he did when he heard those completely dickish things you said? It's like a self preservation thing or some shit like that.” “He thinks I don't love him?” Luke asks, frowning as both boys nod. “Well...we'll see about that, wont we.” he says, pushing back his chair so suddenly it falls to the floor.
He runs out of the cafeteria with the sound of Calum and Michael yelling at him from across the room.
“Yeah, go get your boy!”“Don't fuck it up again, Hemmings!”
~

It's like he's on auto pilot when Luke finds himself outside the double doors to the theatre a few minutes later. He's thankful that it's later in the lunch hour, meaning that there are less people in the huge ass room when he opens the main doors for the first time. Striding down the centre aisle he spots Ashton immediately on the middle of the stage, stood frozen in place as he watches the football player walk towards him, whispers from his fellow actors filling the air.

When Luke reaches the end of the rows of chairs, Ashton moves suddenly, heading for the side stage. “Ashton, wait!” Luke calls, skipping out the stairs completely and hauling himself up onto the stage, running after the other boy. “Ashton!” he tries again, seeing the door to the dressing room slam shut.
“Go away!” Ashton yells from inside the room as Luke tries the door, finding it locked and even though he's yelling, his heart still picks up at hearing the other boys voice for the first time in days. From the sounds of it, he is sat on the floor with his back against the wood, which is exactly what Luke goes and does.
He waits a minute, determined to get his words out right this time. “I'm not going to come in if you don't want me to, but I just need you to listen to me. Will you do that?” Luke asks, taking the continued silence from behind the door as a positive. “Do you know what this reminds me of? That first time I asked you to get a milkshake with me, you said you would go just as friends and I agreed.” Luke chuckles, smiling slightly at the memory. “Do you have any idea how much I didn't want to just be your friend, Ash? But I've told you this already, when I promised you I wasn't like the other guys, that night when we became more than friends.”

Luke waits for anything, any kind of sign that Ashton has heard him and that he's not just talking to a door. There's nothing but the slight brushing sound of something rustling against the wood and well, that'll do. “I promised you I wasn't like them and I was telling the truth. I'm sorry that you had to hear that the other day. I really really am. But I didn't mean it Ash you have to believe me when I say this, I don't know why I said what I did. I guess I was just scared what the other guys would say, what they would do. I knew you didn't want to make what we have - … what we

had

public just yet, but if you did I would have told them. I would have told them in a heartbeat if it meant I could keep you by my side.”
“Because they could do what they like and I wouldn't care. They could say what they like, they could kick me off the team, they could kick me out of the whole school and I wouldn't care about any of that as long as I had you.” Luke goes on, feeling tears in his eyes for the first time in days and he swears he can hear a sharp intake of breath from behind the door. “I was going to tell you this the other night but now seems as good as a time as any, although I'd never thought I'd be saying it to a solid door for the first time. And I don't expect you to say it back, or to say anything if you don't want to, but...after all this, if you do, by some miracle, feel the same. Come and find me at the game tomorrow, I'll be in the tunnel at half time so just...yeah, if not then I'll never come find you again, you'll never see me again after this."
"I'm leaving this completely up to you, I just want you to be happy and if you think you can be with me....well, then I'd be the happiest guy in the world...”

Luke presses his hand against the door, taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes, ears open for any reaction when he says, “Because I love you, Ashton.” and there is definitely a sniffle from behind the door at that. “I love you and if Mikey and Cal are right and you love me too, then I'll see you in the tunnel tomorrow at half time...if not, then the past few months have been the best of my life and it's all because of you, Ashton so, thank you and I love you...whether you feel the same or not, I'm still going to say it.”

He stands up, wiping the tears from his cheeks with his sleeve, voice surprisingly calm when he says, “The tunnel, half time, that's where I'll be, okay?” the words leave his mouth more as a reassurance to himself with his plan, what follows he didn't expect and actually thinks he made it up for a moment but it lights a small flame of hope in his heart as he walks out of the theatre.

A small, cracked voice, but still unmistakably Ashton's as it says,
“Okay.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Luke didn't sleep that night. Every possible scenario for the next day swimming around in his head, one minute he had convinced himself that Michael and Calum were right and that Ashton loved him, there was no other way to look at it and he was definitely going to be there in that tunnel at half time. But then what if he read it all wrong, what if he looked at all of this so so wrong and all those off hand comments and small subconscious touches hadn't meant a thing after all?
what if he doesn't turn up?

what if he does?

what if he does but says he doesn't feel the same?

what if i never see him again?

could i do that?
So, yeah Luke was stressed, the most stressed he had ever been before a game in his life and it wasn't even because of the damn game. He had barely touched his dinner, hadn't really said a word to anyone since he got back from school, sat in front of the tv, phone in hand flipping it between his fingers as his knee bounced like he couldn't keep still, like his body was trying to keep up with his brain.His brother came home late that evening, clamping a hand down on Luke's shoulder fondly as he collapsed into the seat next to him. “Game nerves?” he smiled, ruffling his hair which Luke didn't even bother to snap at him for like he usually would. “Don't worry, bud, it's all going to work out.”And god, Luke hoped he was right.The clock on his desk lights up brightly from across the room, the glowing red 5:17am seeming like it's taunting him at this point, so he flips over facing the wall and tries to think about anything else but his fringe-boy.How gross would it be to dip his pizza in a milkshake...Calum with chopsticks in his mouth...the avengers trailer Michael showed him that afternoon...what he's going to get his mum for her birthday....going to the beach for summer...maybe he'll bring Calum and Michael...they would be coupley as shit and Luke and Ashton would tease the hell out of them...Ashton in swimming trunks...Ashton giggling as he splashes water at everyone like a five year old...Ashton...Ashton...Ashton...
fuck
Luke closes his eyes, the image of the tunnel to the pitch forming in his head. This time Ashton does turn up. This time Luke lets himself think of a scenario he hadn't before: Ashton smiling as he walks towards him, he doesn't say anything just takes Luke's hands in his, lacing their fingers together before leaning in. Their noses brush and Luke can feel his heart pick up at just the thought of Ashton being this close to him again.Dream!Ashton takes a breath and for the first time Luke imagines him saying it, indulging himself just this one time. He can see the words forming on dream!Ashton lips right before they press against Luke's but he can't bring himself to imagine what those words sound like.He drifts off to sleep with that image in his mind and a small smile on his face, feeling just that little bit more hopeful than before.

~

“You nervous, dude?” Calum asks in the locker rooms as they are getting ready for the game, sitting down on the bench next to Luke to tie up his laces.“Yeah, a little I guess.” the blonde says, pulling the burgundy jersey over his head. “But we've beat these guys before haven't we...it's just last game of the season pressure right?”He can feel Calum's eyes on him but makes a point of putting his own boots on and not meeting his gaze before the other boy says, “That's not what I was talking about.”“I know.” Luke says simply, tugging on his laces tighter than he usually would.The darker haired boy sighs and Luke just knows he is rolling his eyes right now. “So, are you?”“Am I what? And have you seen my spare jersey, it's not here?”“Oh for fucks sake Luke, I'm not going to judge you or some shit if you say you're worried.” Calum snaps and Luke is actual taken aback by his friend's tone. “Even though you have no reason to be, we've told you: Ashton feels the same as you do, it's going to take a bigger fuck up than this one for that to change...and no I haven't seen your damn jersey.”Luke is quiet for a minute, the dream like thought from the night before, creeping back into his head and he can feel himself start to smile again. “What like, killing a puppy fucking up or murdering someone fucking up?”Calum gasps, hand clutched against his heart as he stares down open mouthed at him, “What depths of hell did you crawl out from...talking about killing puppies, honestly!” he mutters just as the coach emerges from his office and loudly calls for a team huddle.Luke isn't really paying attention during the pep talk, it's the same old shit coach says every year and he has heard it a hundred times before. But then he notices the look that one of the guys is giving him from across the huddle and he is definitely not listening to coach any more. It's Vince, admittedly a guy that Luke has never quiet got along with as well as most of the rest of the team, but since the 'incident' he had been making slightly more of an effort to avoid those team mates since that night.Thankfully the others had been to busy laughing at themselves at the time (the fact that they had also been more than a little drunk also helped) to really notice what had been going on with Luke and Ashton to make the connection. But the way Vince was staring with a cold glint to his eyes made Luke think that he knew a bit more than his team mates.Thankfully, the huddle broke and Calum was dragging him out of the locker rooms and through the tunnel, muttering “C'mon, Hemmings get your head in the game.” as they come onto the pitch, the whole school screaming down at them, seeing that the other boy is still staring whistfully back at the tunnel Calum adds, “Forget about it, you have a whole half of a football game before you're going to know anything. Don't think about it, just focus on playing yeah?”“Yeah, alright, thanks, Cal.” Luke says, smiling at his friend as they search the crowd in front of them.Over the cheering, the screams and the sound of the marching band there is the crackling of a megaphone and they boys look to find Michael on the edge of the stands right above the tunnel. His luminous green hair is gone, replaced with a stunning shade of bright red which blends effortlessly with the jersey he is wearing with Calum's name and number on it.“Kick they're asses, babe, you got this!” He yells through the megaphone, some students laughing around him others just looking confused or annoyed. Calum on the other hand is beaming up at Michael and Luke can't help but smile too.“I thought Mikey hated football?” he asks Calum as they go over to take their positions .“Oh he does, he still has no clue what's about to happen even though I've tried explaining it god knows how many times, but...” he trails off, a hint of pink dusting his cheeks, “He likes the uniforms...” he mumbles.And Luke can't help it, he doesn't know where it comes from of why it does but suddenly he's laughing. Like properly laughing, laughing like he hasn't all week, hands clutching at his sides and its hard to get air but he can't stop. Calum is watching him with a raised eye brow and a smirk despite the lasting pinkness to his cheeks, “Are you quite finished, you dick?”“Mmmhhmm.” Luke manages, straightening back up still grinning as he hears coach yelling at them to get into place and then the whistle is ringing around the pitch to start the game.It's always a bit of a blur to Luke, he knows he's playing and he knows what he is doing during the match but afterwards it's always like a dream, the more he tries to remember the faster he seems to forget everything. When the whistle goes for half time they are winning but not by a lot, Luke collapses on the grass his head filled with images of the passes he did, the tackles he made, Michael's voice crackly through the megaphone, shouting abuse at the other team and promises of sexual favours to Calum if he wins.It takes Calum coming over to him and looking down at Luke on the ground saying, “Dude...isn't there somewhere you have to be right now?” for him to reel his senses back in and jump to his feet. “Good luck, man!” Calum yells after him as he sprints passed his team mates and off the pitch, into the empty tunnel.
now what?
Did he just wait here, hoping and wishing for Ashton to turn up in the ten minutes break they had? Well that sounded sufficiently stressful, well done Lucas for coming up with such a easy plan. It wasn't like this ten minutes would be the longest of Luke's life or anything, he sighs resting back against the wall in the middle of the tunnel, the sound of the crowed outside coming through the roof as a dull, constant noise.He checks the clock on the wall.
8 minutes left
Luke's heart is racing, from the adrenaline or the waiting he doesn't know. But there's still nothing, no sign of Ashton.
6 minutes left
Someone tries to take Michael's megaphone away from him and Luke can catch the broken off insults and rather creative threats he manages to yell through it before they take it. There's still no Ashton.
3 minutes 40 seconds left
There are some footsteps echoing down the corridor and Luke's head snaps up, eyes fixed on the end of the tunnel, heart in his throat as he waits. The footsteps grow closer and closer before a figure emerges around the corner. It's not Ashton. It's a janitor with a bag full of cans, plastic cups and candy wrappers, grumbling about 'kids these days and their mess'. There's still no Ashton.
2 minutes 11 seconds left
One of his team mates calls down for him to come back to the pitch. Luke nods, trying to ignore the sick feeling in his stomach, because there's still no Ashton.
1 minute 24 seconds left
“Hemmings! Get your ass up here, I want your pretty face on that field before that whistle goes!” Coach yells at him, Calum stood beside him with a apologetic look on his face as he starts to walk down to Luke.“I'm sorry, man.” he says softly, throwing a arm around Luke's shoulders and then, right then he almost starts to cry. The tears are there ready in his eyes but they're not falling, despite the lump in his throat and the hollowness of his chest.Calum starts to guide him back up the tunnel when he manages a choked, “You know...I really did think he would come.”The hand on his arm tightens and he feels himself being pulled closer to Calum who says, “I know, so did I.” and Luke hates himself, hates how he let himself hope, even just a little bit that this wouldn't happen, that Ashton just might be here, that everything would turn out how he hoped, that -“Wait!” There's a yell from behind them, a voice that makes Luke's heart stop for a second or two, the voice he has been wanting to hear for the past week. The only voice he has wanted to hear in the last ten minutes.And now he can't even look.“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...I'm here now, I'm so sorry.”Luke feels Calum turn around and laugh a short biting laugh, “I was this close to killing you, you little fuck.” he jokes, and Luke hears the tiniest saddest, chuckle in the world in reply, Calum turns back to him, “I'll tell Coach to give you a few minutes.” he says quietly, hand on Luke's shoulder before he's walking away, leaving him still stood there, still afraid to turn around.There's a beat of silence before Ashton speaks again. “Luke? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be late but I had a whole speech planned and I lost track of time...” he hears the shuffle of feet and can feel the other boy getting closer. “I was so scared that I would miss you, but you're here.”Luke takes a breath, like he would before jumping into the deep end at the pool, before turning around, that breath catching in his throat as soon as he does. Because, yeah, that's Ashton, Ashton stood there biting his lip with wide puppy eyes that look slightly watery. Ashton stood there with fucking curly hair and looking completely adorable and hot as shit at the same time. Ashton stood there with his lip biting, big eyes, curly hair and wearing Luke's spare jersey.And fuck he's not ever teasing Michael and Calum for the uniform thing again because that would make him the biggest hypocrite of the century.“You're hair is curly.” is the first thing that comes out of Luke's mouth and Ashton blushes slightly, hand coming up to play with the bigger curl at the front of his fringe.“Yeah, I-um I remembered you saying that you thought it would be cute...so...yeah...” Ashton mutters.Luke steps forward, smiling unable to help himself, hands reaching out for the hem of the jersey and he hears the smaller boy take in a sharp breath. “And you're wearing my jersey.”“I got Michael to get it from your locker for me, you don't mind do you?”Luke laughs because Ashton looks so concerned, like the fact he's got Luke's jersey might make him change his mind. “You could turn up in a sack and I wouldn't care. I'm just glad that you're here at all.” he tells him and Ashton beams but it quickly turns into a frown and he's whacking Luke on the arm, “Ow, what the hell, Ash?”“I'm mad at you.” the smaller boy declares, quite firmly. “Of all the times, all the chances that you had and nooo...Luke Hemmings decides to tell me he loves me for the first time, through a fucking door.”Luke just gaps at him for a seconds, of all the things Ashton could be mad at him for and this is what he goes with? “You ran into the room, what was I meant to do, it could have been my last chance to say it. And really, that's what your mad about?”“Well, wouldn't you be kind of annoyed if they boy you're in love with decides to tell you he feels the same through two inches of wood?” Ashton blurts out before realising what he just said, eyes widening and hand flying to his mouth. “Shit.”Luke can feel his smile grow and grow until he's pretty sure it fills his whole face, his stomach flipping a mile a minute but in the best possible way and nothing matters anymore, not the match, not the ten minutes of hell, not the worst week of Luke's life. Nothing matters, because Ashton loves him. And Luke loves Ashton.Ashton who is still stood with his head in his hands, muttering 'shit shit shit shit shit' to himself. “Well as far as romantic declarations go, I think we both need to work on our game to be honest.” Luke says, taking the other boy's hands away from his face and linking them together with his own, stepping right into his space and it feels like coming home. “Tell me properly.” he whispers.Ashton rest his forehead against Luke's, eyes closed contently. “You first, you did do technically after all, but I want to see you say it this time.”fair enough, Luke leans back slightly so he can properly look Ashton in the eyes, his damn beautiful hazel eyes when he says, “I love you, Ashton Irwin. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my whole life. I love you with straight hair or curly hair, I love you happy or grumpy, especially when you do that little pouty thing – yeah just like that – I just love you, in any and every version of you there is or ever will be I will still love you.”And Ashton is crying now, actually Luke thinks they both are, silent tears running down both their faces as Ashton surges forward taking Luke's bottom lip between his own and the blonde moans because for a minute he never thought he would get this again. Never thought he'd be holding these hands again, never thought he would get to say the words he just did again. But he does and he can do it again, over and over and over...“Hemmings! Your arse, the field, right now. Make it happen!” Coach bellows down at the pair and they spring apart.“You have to go.” Ashton mumbles.Luke shakes his head, “You haven't told me yet.”“It can wait.”“No it really can't.”“You want me to rush it then, just tell you and have you run off?”“Yes! At least I would have heard it. Please, please, please, please.”“Fine, I love you, Luke Hemmings!” Ashton says, throwing his arms out. “I love you.”Luke leans forward kissing him as he takes his hands and starts pulling him back towards the pitch. “Is that it, I thought you had a speech planned?” he teases between kisses.“You're ridiculous.” Ashton mutters, “I love you. I love you more than...more than...“This better be good.” Luke mutters, winking and Ashton glares at him, but he's grinning and then his eyes light up.“I-...I love you more than milkshakes!”Luke brings them to a stop at the edge of the tunnel, the crowd starting to get louder and louder as the players take their positions. “Wow, really?” he asks and Ashton smiles, nodding his head and his curls bounce which is just too much right now. “Woah, you really do love me.” he grins, pressing their lips together and feeling them both smile into it.“Hemmings, I'm really happy for you and all but put the boy down and get on the field!” Coach yells and Ashton pushes him away giggling.“Go you idiot!”Luke just beams, feeling like he's walking on air as he jogs back to the pitch. “Yeah but you love this idiot.” he calls back, seeing Ashton shake his head fondly as he takes up his position just as the whistle blows. ~

They win.But it doesn't matter to Luke. He won before the match even ended.

~

Ashton finds him after the match in the locker rooms, Michael and Calum had disappeared off to what Luke was almost certain was a cleaners closet (what ever it was that those two had with doing it in cupboards, Luke didn't even want to know.) and the rest of the team had cleared out to head of to the first of no doubt many parties that would be on that evening. Not that Luke was going planning on going to any, not now when there was a much, much nicer option of spending the night.“You not going to the party?” Ashton asks, coming up behind Luke at the lockers and wrapping his arms around his middle, hooking his chin over his shoulder.Luke rests his head back against him, enjoying the feeling of having the other boy around him, before turning around in his arms to face him. “No, I would rather spend it with you. I figured I had some making up to do after all.”Ashton hums, fingers tangling in the bottom of Luke's shirt. “I think we both do, actually.” he mutters. “But you go first.”“Why is it always me, first?”“Because you started it. I can go first if you like?”“No it's fine I'll do it.”“Then why did you – you know what, it doesn't matter, carry on.” Ashton says, rolling his eyes at the floor.Luke reaches down to tilt his head back up to face him, “Okay...I love you and I am sorry, so fucking sorry for what I said. I shouldn't have said it, I don't know why I did I guess I was just worried that you didn't want people knowing still. So I just, well I panicked...I'm sorry.” he says, stroking Ashton's cheek with his thumb. “I was a fucking idiot.” he finishes, kissing him once quickly, just because he can again.“It's okay, so was I.” Ashton mutters, lips twitching in a bittersweet smile, “I shouldn't have ignored you like I did, I was just so angry. At you, at myself...I kept thinking 'how could I have let this happened again.' I was so convinced that you actually meant it, that you didn't love me at all, then Michael went and yelled at me -”“Wait, Michael yelled at you?” Luke cuts in, eye brows nearly hitting his hair line.“Yeah, I know, right.” Ashton laughs, “So, he told me that I was being pathetic and that if I couldn't see how much you care about me then I don't deserve you.”“Wait, Michael, Michael-shut-up-Luke-Clifford, said this?” The smaller boy nods, grinning at the gob-smacked look on Luke's face. “Well, now I've heard everything.”Ashton just smiles at him, eyes trailing all over his face like he's trying to catalogue every detail. “I love you.” he says, simply, arms linking around Luke's neck as he moves closer to run his tongue across his bottom lip, tangling with the blondes when he opens his mouth.He feels his back hit the lockers as Ashton's hands slip forward to wrap themselves in Luke's shirt, fingers flicking the blonde's nipples through the fabric and Luke moans at that. “You know...I've always found...the locker rooms...to be kinda hot...” Ashton mumbles between kisses, breaking away and trailing his lips down Luke's neck, hands moving to lift up his shirt. “Haven't you?”“N-not really, no.” Luke says, as the other boy moves his hands to the revealed button on his jeans and pops it open. “Ash, w-what are you doing?” he asks as he hears the zipper being pulled down as well.Ashton rolls his eyes, sinking to his knees. “Making it up to you, don't worry you can make it up to me later. I'm going first this time.” he smirks, trailing his lips down the curve of Luke's hips and taking the elastic of his boxers in his teeth, pulling back then releasing them with a snap and the blonde gasps as he feel blood rushing to his dick. Ashton taking the opportunity to pull down his jeans to his ankles and Luke groans at the relief on his quickly hardening cock.The smaller boy takes a moment, just staring in an almost fascinated way at the bulge in Luke's boxers, moving a hand over it gently and looking up the blonde boy from his knees to see his reaction. “I've wanted to do this for ages.” Ashton tells him, slipping his fingers into the waistband of his underwear and soon they follow his jeans around his ankles and Ashton has Luke's dick right in front of his face.He licks his lips and Luke moans at that, taking the base in his hand and slowly pumping it straight to the tip and back a few times before starting to press kitten licks to the tip. Luke throws his head back against the locker, a sharp pain shooting through his head but he doesn't care because Ashton is about to blow him. And he doesn't waste much time, taking the head of Luke's dick in his mouth and swirling his tongue around the head, making small bobbing motions and gradually taking more and more of Luke into his mouth.He can see it, his own dick pressed against the inside of Ashton's cheek as the other boy looks up at him with those big hazel eyes and hollows his cheeks suddenly. And Luke's not ready for that, his hips buck forward slightly, forcing himself more into Ashton's mouth. He goes to apologise but he doesn't seem to mind, only swallowing around him and bobbing his head further and further down and Luke is in heaven. A much less religious heaven, he hardly thinks this is what the religious orders of the world had in mind.It's only when he's pretty sure the head of his dick touches the back of Ashton's throat and he moans so loudly that it echoes around the room, that he realises he hasn't exactly been quiet during this whole thing. Little whimpers and moans escaping through his lips even when he bites down on it. But then Ashton's nose is brushing against his stomach and he's looking up at him with these innocent as fuck eyes and it's just too much, it's too hot. Luke's too hot, all over, his stomach is tightening and he knows that feeling all too well.“Ash, I-I'm close...so close...you're doing so good, amazing...” he breathes, hands finding their way into Ashton's hair, properly feeling the curls as the boy hollows his cheeks once more and Luke barely has time to give warning before he's seeing stars. But Ashton doesn't pull back, he keeps sucking on Luke's cock, tongue swirling and swallowing around him as he continues to come into his mouth, taking it all like it's nothing.And it's possible the hottest thing Luke has ever seen.“Was that okay?” Ashton asks a few minutes later, sliding down to sit next to Luke who has collapsed against the lockers, chest heaving and feeling utterly fucked out.“I love you.” he says, with a tone of someone who is in shock. “I really really love you.”Ashton just nods, smirking. “I'll take that as a 'yes' then.” he mutters, resting his head on Luke's shoulder. “Maybe I did too good a job...you still need to make it up to me as well, remember.” he teases.Luke just leans over and kisses him as deeply as he can from this angle. “Oh don't worry after that, I'll make it up to you so good and so many times you wont even remember your name.” he promises.Ashton looks back at him, eyes darkened and lip between his teeth. “Then what are we still doing here?”And that Luke thought, was a very good question.

~

Luke was wrong when he said that the other morning was perfect.The morning after the game was a perfect morning.The morning two mornings after that was a perfect morning.After all how could they not be when he wakes up to the perfect face, of the perfect boy, who wakes him up with his perfect kisses and says 'I love you' in his perfect voice. Yeah, Luke think those mornings are pretty perfect.The first day back at school and Ashton reaches forward to link their hands together, a determined look on his face and Luke just leans over to kiss him cheek before opening the double doors and waling into the school.People look of course, but no one is saying anything bad or hurtful and Luke can feel Ashton filling with confidence as they walk down the halls. A few people whispering out things like 'aww they're are so cute together.' and 'look how happy they are, I want that.' and Luke is pretty sure he's glowing, he must be, no one can feel this happy and not have some kind of indicator for it, its not possible.Ashton squeezes his hand, eyes darting around quickly before pressing a lingering kiss to Luke's lips as he heads off to his first class, grinning as they hear a few wolf whistles before they break apart. “I'll see you at lunch.” he whispers, heading off down the hall.Definitely a perfect morning.He and Michael meet Ashton and Calum out of class before lunch and they all make their way to the cafeteria. They had already planned not to sit with their usual groups, not wanting to create too much of a fuss on the first day they were openly being a couple. But the fuss seemed to find them anyway.Naturally, the guys on the football team wanted to know what was going on, so a few came over to see. That wasn't the problem, sure Luke had been worried that they would react badly, make jibes and shit but that didn't happen. What did was a few comments about Luke 'finally getting tied down, we were getting worried' and how Ashton was 'too good for him, mate are you sure about him?'. Over all it was one hundred percent better than what Luke was expecting.But then there was always one.“Guys, come on he's dating a fucking theatre geek!” Vince scoffed loudly, people turning to look from other tables. “It practically goes against nature, is no one else going to say it but me?”There was a heavy silence that fell over the table and Luke could see Michael tense up beside him and was just about to speak up when some one else did for him. “Oh fuck of Vince, no one gives a shit about that stuff any more, really.” says Jimmy, one of his team mates.“Yeah, never really understood it myself, I just went with what you guys did.” Leon pipes up, having the guts to look slightly sheepishly in Ashton's direction, “Sorry, mate hope you didn't take anything too personally.” he adds and there follows other muttered apologies from around the table towards Ashton and the boy only smiles nodding, a slightly overwhelmed look to his face. Luke gives his hand a squeeze from under the table.Vince meanwhile just looks around at them all like they have gone insane. “I am the only one concerned with tradition around here? There's a hierarchy for a reason, we are better then them. This is how high school works!”“Jimmy's right, Vince if you don't like it why don't you just fuck off.” says one of the lads who was with Vince that night at the performance, much to Luke's surprise and his words are followed by mutterings in agreement and the mountain of a boy turns slowly redder with anger.“Fine, I'll leave you guys with the theatre trash, let me know when you get your balls back.” Vince huffs, stalking off to actual cheering from other tables, which he flips off as he storms from the hall.“Still a perfect day?” Ashton asks quietly into Luke's ear over the cheering.Luke turns to him smiling from ear to ear, “If I'm with you, always.” he tells him, kissing Ashton softly and causing his team mates to erupt in a series of cat calls and wolf whistles, he just slips his hand from his boyfriend's and flips them off.“You're so cheesy, it's actually amazing.” Ashton laughs.“Yeah but you love it.” Luke winks.“I do.”“More than milkshakes?”“Yes, more than milkshakes.”“Do you want to get one after school?” he asks, lips brushing against Ashton's.The curly haired boy quirks an eye brow, “Hmm, is it just as friends?”Luke pretends to think for a second, “Actually I was thinking more like boyfriends...”Ashton smiles, kissing him again, “Yeah, I think I can do that.”