Punks Meet Flower Crowns >> Lashton AU ✔️

50. ~ Anger

Note: Sorry it's late but double update cuz finals were sucky but I got all A's this semester and I've officially finished my first year of college! Whoop!

Warning: Pretty heavy stuff in this chapter. If you find yourself overwhelmed or uncomfortable, it's fine to leave. Some stuff might be triggering.

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Time: 4:35 am.
Setting: Luke's Room. Room 343.

Luke: (wakes up, bed empty) Ashton? (gets up, walks towards the door) Ashton? You better not be trying to scare me again, you little shit. (no response, heads to kitchen, doesn't find him, heads to bathroom, door is open) Ash?

Ashton: (sitting in bathtub, completely dry, clothes on) Hi. (hugs himself, knees to chest) Is this the part where you get mad? (buries face in arms) This is the mad part where people usually get mad. (stares at Luke, blinks) You're not mad.

Luke: (shakes head) Not mad. Make space? (walks towards tub, squeezes in behind Ashton, holds him in his arms) Good?

Ashton: (shifts, nuzzles into Luke's neck) Yes. Good. (pauses) I'm sorry.

Luke: (kisses the top of his head) We don't have to talk about it, if you don't wanna.

Ashton: (sighs) I've been avoiding Gemma since the divorce. I can't stand being around her.

Luke: That does tend to happen with exes.

Ashton: (shakes head) Not with Gemma. We were best friends. (tight laugh) Honestly, I thought she was the one. Married her at eighteen. Thought it would be forever. (choked) Obviously, it doesn't always work that way.

Luke: (nods, brushes Ashton's hair lightly) Do you wanna talk about what happened?

Ashton: (pauses) You're going to need to hold me for this one. (looks up at Luke) I don't think I'll be able to hold it together, otherwise. I need you to hold me together, okey?

Luke: (hugs him) Okay.

Ashton: (quiet, grips Luke's shirt tightly) We lost our baby. (sobs) We lost our little girl. (fierce) Why did it have to be her?! She was so tiny, so perfect. (tears running down his face, wetting Luke slightly) We never knew what happened. She died in her sleep.

Luke: (shocked, quietly) SIDS.

Ashton: (nods, crying softly) We tried to save our marriage after that but it wasn't working. We were too heartbroken. (sighs) Then, Niall happened.

QOTD: What does Niall have to do with any of this? Can broken marriages be saved?

Note: SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Sydrome. It is when the infant dies of unknown causes within the first few months of birth. There is no known cause or cure for SIDS.