Work Text
"Absolutely not, no way in hell. He's coming to me," Ashton's voice pitches up several octaves as he stares across the table at the bands management team and a social worker.They want to find Luke a foster home. That's a joke, plain and simple. They can't be serious. The boys are climbing the music charts, the band is doing great, and Luke belongs with them. Losing his parents was already traumatic, they can't take him away from his bandmates too. He needs them."Luke is a young little, and he's only sixteen. He requires a lot of care, I know you're a classified dominant but you're also young at only twenty one. Luke needs stability and a strong parental presence. I'm not sure you can provide what he needs," the social worker, Kathryn, speaks carefully."And you think a stranger can provide better for him? I know him. He's comfortable with me, and with the other guys. He has worked so hard for this band and helped us get to where we are. There's no reason I can't be deemed his guardian, you act as though I don't already fall into a natural role of caring for him when he's with me," Ashton scoffs."Who do you think helps keep him on schedule when he gets distracted? Who do you think reminds him to use the bathroom before we leave places? Who do you think he runs to when he's upset or crying? Who do you think gets onto him for cussing or rough housing? Who reminds him to take a nap and go to bed on time? The answer to all of those is me. I do it. When he's with us, when we're on tour, hanging out, at shows, it's ME."Kathryn sighs. Her expression is hard to read, she looks sympathetic but not fully convinced."Does he not get a say? He's sixteen, can't we ask what he wants to do?" Ashton's desperate. His voice cracks slightly, heart pounding at the prospect Luke may be taken from him and given to god knows who.The older woman pauses, seeming to consider that for a minute. "Yes, we can ask him. If Luke wants to go with you, we will TRY it. I will follow up every two weeks with you to check on him and if I think he's stable and healthy, he may stay with you permanently. BUT, if I have any suspicion he is suffering then I will be removing him and placing him with a foster family.""Thank you," Ashton's body sags in relief. Even management looks relieved, they need their front man too. -Luke is quiet as he sits curled up in the corner of Ashton's living room sectional. The front door is wide open and the movers are bringing in his things. Boxes of belongings from his mom and dad's house.The thought of them triggers something in the small blonde and he sniffles softly to himself. Tears threatening to spill.Ashton frowns when he enters the living room and sees the boy looking so sad. He sits down a few feet away and sighs quietly."I'm sorry Lukey, I really am bud."Luke buries his head in his knees and cries. His shoulders tremble as the sobs wrack his body, grief crashing over him in inescapable waves.Ashton wastes no time in dragging the younger into his lap, cradling him close to his chest and shushing him. "Alright, alright, I know, just breathe for me.""M-mummyyyy," Luke wails openly.Ashton's heart clenches as the little boy cries for his Mum."I know baby, I'm so, so sorry. I'm so sorry baby." Ashton blinks his own tears away as his heart strings tug. He sits on the couch and holds him for close to an hour before the sixteen year olds breathing evens out.Glancing down, he sees the small boy has finally dozed off. Succumbing to exhaustion.The drummer climbs to his feet slowly, trying to not jostle Luke too much. He manages to make it upstairs and into the bedroom that belongs to Luke without waking him, and gently lays him down in his bed before sliding the bars on the side up and clicking them into place.He backs out of the room slowly, keeping his eyes on the blonde until he's got the bedroom door eased shut, leaving a slight crack just incase.It's several hours later when Luke wakes up. The sun is setting, casting orange and red hues into the spacious bedroom that's become his. He shifts in bed, frowning at the bars Ashton has raised around him. Realistically, he knows it's a good idea. He tends to toss and turn in his sleep and sometimes he goes to bed while big but wakes up little. The doctor said it was something to do with him just coming into his classification, it made it unpredictable and difficult to tell when he was dropping until it happened.He sits up fully to take in the room. The walls are white, with a few framed pieces of art proudly on display. His bed is white wood as well, but the bars are black. There's a plush looking cream colored rocking recliner in the corner. His heart pangs at the sight, a surge of desperate longing for comfort filling his senses. He can imagine Ashton sitting there and holding him, rocking.His dresser is also white, with black knobs for the drawers. A hatch sound machine rests on top, soft sounds of trickling rain wafting from the speaker along with a soft red glow.The room is beautiful and bright, clean and modern with soft neutrals. It's clearly been thoughtfully designed just for him.Luke blinks at the thought. Ashton designed this room for him. He purchased the furniture, painted the walls, hung the photos, for HIM.Ashton has always taken care of him, ever since they met, really. But this is caring for him in such a hugely different way.It's easy to become embarrassed when he's with his bandmates, painfully aware of how they're all dominants and so much older. So much more adult than he is. A difference in the way they treat him versus each other. Not badly, but much more gently. More coddling, mindful.There's a flicker of that shame now. A flicker of self-loathing that he needs so much, and now Ashton is burdened with him. Because his parents are gone. His mum can't care for him anymore.His grief is thick, and heavy. Coupled with the shame, he feels his body prickle with heat. Some anger, a lot of sadness. He knows he's a younger little on the spectrum, around two. But he can act older. Be little less often. He just has to really try.He climbs over the crib railing pretty easily, dropping onto the carpet with a soft thud. His hair is mussed and his clothes rumpled with sleep.He's deliberately quiet as he pads out of the room and down the hallway before reaching the staircase. He pauses, listening for sound but the house is quiet.He doesn't see Ashton until he's made it all the way downstairs and the man calls out, "Hey sleepyhead."Heart in his throat from being startled, the blonde whips around. Ashton's settled on the couch, a pair of headphones draped around his neck and a book propped up against his legs."You slept a good few hours, you feeling any better?"Luke blinks, still mildly stunned, and his brain offers nothing helpful to say."I don't need naps."Ashton arches one eyebrow, lips pursed slightly."Okay," he replies slowly. "You know that I know you, right Lu? I know that you take naps. I know that it's normal, and I know that you very much need them."Luke scowls.He's lashing out due to the trauma he's been through. Behavioral problems are normal in children who have suffered something traumatic like a huge loss, Ashton's brain supplies something he learned from a parenting book."How about dinner?" The drummer switches tactics quickly, knowing it's better to not indulge the younger in an argument. He's not going to win, and it's not going to be productive. So, dinner it is.Luke seems momentarily shocked that he isn't going to feed into his combativeness. He just shrugs, confused."I was thinking we could have homemade pizza," Ashton prattles on as he stands up and starts walking towards the kitchen.Luke follows after him numbly.The older man calls out to his Alexa and music begins playing at a low volume while he sets all of the ingredients out on the large white marble island. He slides a pre-made personal sized pizza dough in front of the blonde and hands him a spoon along with a jar of Alfredo sauce.He knows I don't like red sauce. Luke smiles slightly.Ashton keeps up an easy flow of quiet small talk as they prep their pizzas, Luke going with just cheese and black olives while Ashton piles on every topping known to man."Thats gonna be yucky," Luke says, scrunching his nose at the monstrosity Ashton has deemed as pizza.He laughs, winking at Luke and shaking his head. "Nope! It's gonna be delicious, Lukey."Ashton slides both of their pizzas in the oven, ignoring Luke's pout and insistence that he can do it himself."Do you want a drink while we wait?" Ashton asks as he pulls a bottle of water out of the fridge for himself.Luke mumbles a soft "no" and looks away.The pizzas don't take long before they're done. Luke is relieved when his is served on a plate that isn't a toddler plate. It's still plastic, but it looks normal and isn't patterned with characters so he takes it as a win.They eat mostly in silence, Luke mostly nibbling his food.Ashton clears their plates away when they're done before leaning back against the counter and facing the blonde boy."Alright, I think you should go ahead and get ready for bed. We can sit on the couch and watch a show after you're done if you want though.""I don't want to," Luke whines, dropping his head onto the table. He knows he's being difficult but he can't force himself to cooperate."Luke, this isn't up for discussion. I can give you two options. Option number one, you go shower and get dressed in your pajamas by yourself. Option number two, I can give you a bath and get you dressed myself. Which would you like to do?""No!" He shouts, eyes filling with frustrated tears."If you don't pick, I will pick for you." Ashton is calm. His face doesn't even change when Luke screams back wordlessly.Several beats of silence pass before he speaks again."Three seconds to make a choice before I make it for you Lu. One...""Fine! I'll do it myself!" He stands up abruptly, chair flying backwards.Ashton observes his trembling stance and tearful eyes, nodding."Okay, good. Thank you for choosing. Go ahead, I'll lay out some pjs for you.""I can do that myself too," Luke snaps before stomping up the stairs and into the bathroom next to his bedroom.Once the door closes, his tears flow freely. He bites his knuckle to muffle his sobbing as he turns the taps on and jumps into the shower.Ashton sighs as the boy disappears into the bathroom. He feels awful that Luke is struggling so much, but he knows he has to be a parent and not a friend.He walks into the boys bedroom, despite his earlier protest, to lay out pajamas. The clothes themselves are simple, soft gray pants and a t-shirt with a graphic of The Lion King on the front. The nighttime pull-up that he places on top is the real issue.Luke manages to stop crying after a few minutes under the shower spray. He washes his body and dries off quickly, wrapping a towel around his shoulders before stepping out and into his bedroom.He freezes when he sees Ashton, and more importantly the neat stack of clothing with a pull-up right on top."Please, I promise I won't have an accident, I can wear underwear," Luke pleads.Ashton sighs sadly, frowning at the boy."Lu, what's wrong honey? You've never had a problem before." His tone is gentle and un-judging which only makes the blonde feel guilty for how much he's argued today."Okay," he relents quietly.Ashton nods, face troubled. "Okay... do you need help?""I do it," Luke whispers back.Ashton catches the childish verbiage but doesn't comment, instead he nods. "Alright babe, come to my room when you're done."Luke hesitates when the door clicks shut. He could choose not to put it on and nobody would know... unless Ashton decides to check him. Yeah, not worth the risk.He dresses quickly, cringing as he slides the childish garment up his legs. It crinkles a little when he walks, and Luke fights back a blush as he exits his room and heads next door to Ashton's.The drummer is sitting in bed, glasses perched on his nose as he flicks through the tv channels.He smiles when he sees Luke lingering in the doorframe."Come here love, sit with me."Luke scrambles up into the bed, tucking himself against Ashton's side as the older one drapes the blankets over him.Ashton smiles, and hits play on Frozen. Luke has seen it a million times and the familiarity is comforting."M sorry I was a brat today," he finally mumbles after the opening scene.Ashton almost doesn't catch it, he's speaking so softly."You weren't a brat Lukey. It's okay, this is hard, huh? But we're gonna be fine baby, I promise you."Luke nods, a lump in his throat as he wiggles himself closer to Ashton. He breathes in the scent of his body wash and cologne deeply.It's gonna be okay. //////////////
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Luke wakes up slowly, stretching lazily until he bumps into something. Confused, he glances over his shoulder and sees Ashton. That's when the night before comes crashing back.The blonde cringes at the memory. Him cuddling with Ashton, practically laying on top of the older boy before he must've fallen asleep.So much for trying to act bigger. Hopefully Ashton isn't already sick of him and irritated that Luke slept in his bed.Luke studies his face for a moment. He's lying slightly turned on his side so he's facing Luke, and his face is relaxed and unlined.The blonde rolls away slowly and carefully starts inching towards the edge of the bed. He's nearly slid all the way down when Ashton's eyes open and zero in on him."Morning Lukey."Luke freezes. "H-hi."Ashton smiles, "Where are you going love?""Um. Bathroom?" It comes out more like a question and Luke silently curses himself for sounding so unsure."Do you need help? Is your pull-up wet?"Luke cringes at the questions. "No, um, I can go by myself."Ashton nods, "There are wipes in your bathroom, they're under the sink with extra pull-ups."Luke doesn't reply, taking his escape and rushing from the room. Once safely locked behind the bathroom door, he lets out a trembling sigh. His pull-up is wet, and it seems Ashton knew that.He makes quick work of stripping the wet protection off and hurling it in the diaper genie in the bathroom. (Seriously, Ashton?) He doesn't have clean underwear with him and he definitely is NOT putting another pull-up on so he opts for going commando instead.He opens the door and nearly leaps out of his skin when he sees the older boy standing there and waiting for him."Go ahead and get dressed, then come down for breakfast. Mikey and Cal will be here soon."He throws on a t-shirt and skinny jeans, pointedly ignoring the drawer of "little clothes" in the dresser which consist of childish characters, footed sleepers, matching sets, and leggings.Downstairs, Ashton is chopping fruit and adding it to a blender for smoothies. "What fruit do you want Lu?""Just banana, strawberry, and peanut butter," the blonde requests."Are we writing today? Is that why Mikey and Cal are coming?" Luke asks when the older boy slides his smoothie over to him."No, not today. We've got some time off. They're just coming to hang out, they want to see you."Luke nods, slightly relieved he won't have to think and write lyrics. He isn't in the right mental space for that yet.He's barely halfway through his smoothie when the front door opens and the voices of his two other bandmates filter into the kitchen."Hey! You didn't make us any smoothies?" Calum jokes as he saunters in, leaning against the counter closest to Luke.Ashton rolls his eyes, "You just let yourselves in my house?""Why did you give us keys if you didn't want us to let ourselves in?" Michael retorts, grinning.Luke smiles a little at the familiar, silly banter. It's something normal."How's it going Lukey?" Michael asks as he tosses a blueberry into his mouth."M fine," he shrugs, feigning nonchalance.Michael frowns, he doesn't believe him but decides not to push. "Glad to hear it.""So, can we just watch movies today? I need a relax day," Calum jumps in."Sounds good, grab some snacks from the pantry. Luke, come help me get the couch comfy," Ashton motions him to follow him to the living room.The two of them add a few more soft throws and plush pillows to the large couch before Ashton slides the ottoman flush to the sectional so it turns into sort of a bed. Luke scrambles up once they're done, tucking himself into his favorite corner and snuggling beneath a chunky knit blanket."Alright let's get this party started!" Calum and Michael enter the room with their arms loaded down with every piece of junk they could locate inside the pantry. - Luke doesn't know when he fell asleep, but when his eyes open he sees the tv credits rolling. Ashton, Calum, and Michael are gone from the room so he's alone. He blinks slowly, his body struggling to wake up and feeling stiff from the position he's in.He can hear their hushed voices in the kitchen but can't quite make out what they're saying. He listens hard for a moment before giving up, they're probably talking about him anyways and he's not so sure he wants to know what they're saying.He picks up his phone, faltering slightly when he sees a new text notification from Jack.(3:28 pm) Jack: Funeral is on Thursday. Everything is arrangedLuke stares silently for several seconds at the text. His chest feels tight, his breaths coming in quick pants. There’s something so final about the funeral happening. Like that’s the end, there’s nothing else left to do or handle.He doesn’t reply, locking the phone and dropping it on the couch. Sniffling, his thumb finds its way into his mouth in a desperate effort to self-soothe and keep quiet. The last thing he wants is for the boys to hear him crying.Unluckily for Luke, Michael chooses that moment to enter the living room in search of his own cellphone. He pauses when he sees Luke, tears streaming down his blotchy cheeks and his right thumb jammed between his lips.“Oh, Lukey… Ash,” Michael calls out to Ashton as he sits down beside Luke, one hand gently stroking the boys back.The brunette enters the room quickly, having heard the note of urgency in Michael’s tone. His eyes instantly soften when he sees Luke.“What’s wrong?” He leans down next to the boy, carefully wrapping his arms around him.Luke chokes on a sob, his body sagging into the comfort of Ashton’s muscular arms. He sinks his teeth into his thumb in an attempt to keep it from breaking free but Ashton notices.“No, no, don’t bite yourself honey. Don’t hurt your poor thumb Lukey,” he grasps the boys wrist and eases his thumb out of his mouth.Luke lets out a frustrated cry at the loss of his thumb, blue eyes staring at Ashton with betrayal.“No! No no no no!”He’s little, Ashton realizes.“Alright Lulu, alright. Should we go find your dummy?”The little boy wipes at his face harshly but doesn’t reply. That’s fine though, Ashton doesn’t really need a reply. He’s going to locate the soother regardless of if Luke agrees because he is definitely NOT letting him suck and chew on his thumb.He finds one easily enough- Luke has a plethora but his favorite is a small stuffed giraffe with a blue soother attached. There are several duplicates of that exact one because it’s often the only one that the blonde will accept.Just as he suspected, Luke snatches the comforter from Ashton the moment it’s offered. The pacifier bobs as he gives it a few harsh sucks before settling into a more relaxed rhythm.He sniffles shakily, eyes still glossy with unshed tears.“What happened then, huh? What’s got my Lukey so sad?” Ashton speaks quietly to the boy, fingers smoothing his hair back.Luke doesn’t answer, just looks away before dropping his head against the older boys chest.Calum and Michael exchange worried glances with Ashton. They’re not sure how to help or what to say, but it definitely pains all three of them to see their youngest band member so sad.It’s not long before Calum and Michael say they have to get going. Ashton tells his friends goodbye and encourages Luke to wave, but he doesn’t.The door clicks shut and leaves the house in a comfortable silence. The only sound is Luke suckling on his pacifier and breathing softly. Ashton cards his fingers through the soft blonde curls and hums quietly, lost in thought.He feels Luke’s breathing start to even out deeply and chances a look at his face, seeing the little boys eyes are closed. He stands slowly, knees popping, before making his way up the stairs and into Luke’s room. The small boy transfers into bed easily enough, curling up and latching onto his blankets.Ashton stops on his way out to click the sound machine on, then tiptoeing across the carpet once the white noise is playing at a low volume. The door eases shut behind him and he starts down the stairs to clean up the couch.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Luke jolts awake, heart pounding against his ribs as he gasps for a breath. The remnants of his nightmare dance around his consciousness, taunting him as he fights to calm himself down.He throws the blankets off of his legs, sweat making him feel sticky and overwhelmed. He freezes at the realizations there's more than just sweat making him feel wet.His mind reels, why isn't he wearing a pull-up? As much as he hates the damn things, at least his bed wouldn't be soaking wet right now. So, why isn't he?He can't even recall going to bed in the first place, which means Ashton probably carried him up and didn't think to change him. Luke moans, frustrated and humiliated that he has to deal with this in the middle of the night. His bedroom is dark, save for the glowing Hatch machine on his dresser.He climbs out of bed carefully, cringing at the feeling of his wet pants clinging to his skin. He can already feel the beginnings of a rash forming on his sensitive skin.He strips them off quickly, using the dry parts to dry himself off quickly before dragging on a clean pair of pants from one of his drawers. Turning, he bites his lip as he eyes the wet bed. There's a plastic protector keeping his mattress from getting ruined, but he doesn't know where Ashton keeps the clean sheets.Making a quick decision, he slips out of his room as quietly as he can. Ashton's bedroom door is shut, thankfully. He opens the hall closet, searching for sheets, but there's nothing but spare towels and washcloths. A tired, desperate sob slips out before he can stop it.Ashton's focus is torn from the book he's reading when he hears a cry. He wastes no time in standing up, concerned.Luke flinches hard when Ashton's door opens, spilling out the soft light of his bedside lamp into the hall."Luke? What's wrong?"The blonde shakes his head silently, beginning to cry in earnest as he backs away from Ashton's attempt to approach him."Okay, okay. Take a deep breath buddy. It's alright," Ashton soothes, anxiety mounting as he sees how distressed the small boy is.It clicks suddenly when he notices the blonde is wearing a pair of pajama pants patterned with safari animals. More pointedly, not the pants he was wearing earlier."Did you have an accident honey?" He asks softly.Luke starts shaking his head frantically at the question, "N-no! No, no! Didn't. Um. No!"Ashton doesn't believe him. "Deep breaths," he reminds gently, "It's okay Lu, it's okay."He heads down the hall towards the blondes bedroom which makes Luke panic harder."Nooooo," he rushes after the older boy, fingers latching around his arm and tugging harshly. Which, admittedly, isn't all that hard considering the size and strength difference between the little and Ashton."Luke," Ashton carefully pries his fingers off of his wrist. "I promise, it's okay. It's Ashy's fault, I didn't put you in a pull-up when I laid you down baby. I forgot you were wearing big boy underwear. It's okay, you're not in trouble."Luke wails, dropping down to the carpet to sit. Ashton crouches with him, continuing to whisper reassurances."I'm gonna clean up your sheets, and then we're gonna get you in the tub to make sure you're all clean, okay? You'll be as good as new."Luke continues to hiccup and cry as Ashton strips his bed and wipes down the plastic cover before leaving it to dry. He carries the sheets and blankets into the laundry room, making quick work of starting the washer and pouring in detergent."Alright," he smiles kindly at the small boy. "Let's take a quick bath, and then you can come cuddle in my bed."Luke goes easily, worn out from crying. Ashton is gentle but efficient as he undresses him and runs the bath. Luke has no energy left to fight so he stands still and lets him.Ashton helps him step into the warm, bubbly water and Luke sinks down to sitting. His face is emotionless, blank and lost as he stares down at the water. The brunette hums softly as he soaps up a washcloth and gently begins to clean the younger boy.It's a quick bath, serving no purpose other than ensuring Luke doesn't get a rash from improper cleaning. The soap swirls down the drain as Ashton towels him off quickly, draping it across his shoulders and then scooping him onto his hip.Luke startles slightly at that, fingers gripping tightly to his shoulders so he doesn't fall."Sorry, honey," Ashton kisses his cheek lightly.The simple show of affection snaps Luke out of his own head, the blonde whimpering before tucking his face against Ashton's neck. His belly feels warm, and his head is starting to go fuzzy.He helps Ashton thread his feet through the leg holes of a pull-up, followed by a pair of soft pajamas."Do you want to bring your dummy to cuddle in my bed?" Ashton asks when he's finished.Luke nods, reaching for the comforter once Ashton picks it up.It doesn't take long for the two of them to be comfortably tucked into bed. Luke nestled right against the older boy, sheets soft and cool around them.Ashton combs his fingers through Luke's hair, humming quietly as the blonde shoves his dummy between his lips. He's asleep within minutes. - "Luke, that's enough," Ashton's voice rings out warningly.Luke scowls back in reply. He woke up on the wrong side of the bed evidently. Ashton can tell the boy is in some sort of in-between headspace, not quite fully little, but not big either. He's clearly on edge and has been acting out all morning.Ashton holds his breath, waiting to see if he'll listen this time. He doesn't.Ashton clenches his jaw as he watches Luke swing his leg back before letting it kick into the island where he's sitting."Okay, you've made it clear that you need a little break. Let's go, 10 minutes in the corner.""What? No! You can't make me!"The blonde is fuming, clawing at Ashton's biceps as the older manhandles him into the nearest corner of the kitchen. He screams, head tipped back and body thrashing wildly. Ashton plants him in the corner firmly, keeping a tight hold onto his arms as he forces the younger boy to look him in the eyes."That is enough," he enunciates slowly.Luke pauses his fight, a flicker of fear shooting up his spine at the seriousness on his guardians face."We are all done with throwing tantrums today Lucas, do you understand me? All done. I want you to sit here and calm your body down, and then we're gonna have a good rest of the day. Capiche?"The smaller boy nods slowly, averting his gaze."Good."Ashton releases his hold and steps away to the microwave where he sets a timer. Luke can't quite see what the time is but knows better than to ask, so he simply focuses on the white wall in front of him.The minutes tick by painfully slow and Luke finds himself growing more and more remorseful. He woke up embarrassed and agitated, slightly little but not fully. It was a recipe for disaster from the beginning. Tears drip one by one off his chin as he draws in little shaky breaths. He jumps when the timer beeps, startled by the noise.“Alright Lu, are we ready to have a good day?” Ashton speaks gently, one hand on his shoulder to turn him around.Luke sniffles, nodding. “S-sorry, Ashy.” He drops his gaze to the floor.Ashton smiles and gathers the boy into a hug. Luke goes easily, melting into his chest and whimpering as a sob bubbles up. “S-sorry, ‘m s-sorry.”“Shhh, baby. You’re alright, all is forgiven, hm?” Ashton soothes the increasingly more hysterical little. He’s concerned at how upset Luke is, his entire body is trembling.“Was b-bad. Sorry! Don’t want you to be tired of me, m-make me leave,” Luke rambles on, voice pitching up higher as he cries. Ashton’s eyes go wide.“What? Luke, no, you’re stuck with ME bubba. You’re not leaving, ever, unless you want to,” he pulls the boy back a little to look into his watery blue eyes. “Do you understand?”“But I’m too much! I’m, I’m a baby! I’m too little, and you’ll get sick of me! So, so, so… So I have to be bigger. Um, and I don’t want you to be m-mad.”His voice is higher and his speech slurring together a little. He’s dropping fast, Ashton thinks.“No Lulu, no. Not at all baby. I want to take care of you, okay? I love you, we all do.”Luke wails a little louder at that, his heart squeezing. A little bit of the fear he’s been clinging to releases. The funeral is just two days away, and the promise that Ashton isn’t going to leave is enormous. He won’t be alone.“I’ll always have your back honey, always,” Ashton whispers against his hair.