Let's be Cliché || Lashton

Twenty One

A/N: Hey! Sorry it took me so long to update, my internet and cable was knocked out by a snow storm (Canadian problems) and I've been studying for exams but the good news is, not only will my exams be done today but someone's coming to fix the Internet some time this week :D

Hopefully I will be updating a lot sooner.

"You went swimming without us?" Michael said in disbelief, leaning over to smack Luke in the back of the head.

The blond rolled his eyes rather easily at the remark, "You know, if we'd invited you, you'd have to consider changing your middle name to cockblock."

Michael smiled as if what Luke said was very well a compliment in his eyes. Michael basically dropped the subject after that though, he'd complained about what he cared most about.

Ashton snorted once Calum and Michael were caught up in conversation once more, "Cockblock? You say that as if something actually happened that night."

Luke looked hurt despite Ashton's teasing tone, "Penguin hugs mean nothing to you?" He said it with a small sort of pout that made his eyes look glassy and made it look like he was much younger.

Ashton pinched the lad's nose with a smirk, unaffected by the puppy dog eyes Luke was staring at him with. His blue eyes looked ginormous suddenly and his eyes were the colour of frost on a window at night, creating beautiful patterns against the glass but making it impossible to look past, Ashton felt like if he looked away Luke would melt away like snow on a warm day.

Today they didn't have anything in particular planned, in fact they all just ended up hanging out under a large oak tree in some park. It wasn't much of a hang out, Michael just texted that he wanted company so the four others ended up under the tree alongside him. Charlie was laying down in the warm green grass with his head in Calum's lap. He had his eyes closed but he kept up conversation easily. Calum was playing with Charlie's hair absentmindedly as they chatted, Luke thought he'd heard them talking about dogs or something.

Michael had his arm wrapped around Calum's waist an his head against the rough tree bark. His face would light up once in a while and a stupid smile would appear on his lips then he would laugh after saying something to Calum. He was in a good mood, throwing random compliments at Calum whenever he pleased to make the slightly smaller boy feel flustered.

Luke and Ashton were maybe two feet away, laying side by side in the grass and looking at the faded blue sky.

Luke turned back to Ashton after a while, a smile that could power the sun on his face. Ashton almost wanted to groan, he knew that smile well. Luke had a joke.

"Hey Ashton, what do you call a street bake sale that mostly consists of pies?" Luke asked, trying to bite back a laugh already. Ashton thought it over quickly and didn't have a witty response to shoot back at the tall lad so he settled for a halfhearted shrug.

"Twenty One Pie-Lots." Luke whispered, the grin returning full tilt.

Ashton wanted to smack a hand against his face at the answer, but at the same time he kind of wanted to smack a hand against Luke's face too, for telling him such a shitty joke.

Ashton sat up, looking at the blond for a few calculated seconds before shaking his head and getting up.

"Oh my god Luke," Ashton sighed, shaking his head as he walked away.

Luke blinked.

Ashton didn't look back when he crossed the street, he just kept going. Luke didn't exactly realize what was going on until Ashton was almost out of sight. He looked over at the rest of the boys and saw they were just looking at him with accusatory expressions.

"What are you doing? Go after him." Charlie called, waving Luke away before he could even open his mouth.

"I just told him a joke," Luke sighed, dusting off his signature black skinny jeans. He stalked a few seconds by pretending to pick some grass off his jacket.

"I would have left too." Calum shouted after him with a roll of his eyes, turning back to find Michael sporting a very wide grin. Luke couldn't hear what they were saying anymore but he felt like Calum was threatening to break up with the pale boy. Poor Charlie, designated third wheel.

Luke took off once the tree was out of his view, not wanting to have them joke about literally chasing after Ashton. The running, although effective, was a mistake. The fact that Luke had passed gym class with a set of lungs like his was dumb luck in his opinion. Ashton wasn't even three blacks away when Luke started running, yet he was a mess when he finally caught up.

"Why did you leave?" Luke wheezed, feeling like he was burning up on the inside. "Was my joke that bad?"

"Oh, sorry. No, it wasn't your joke, something else came up." Ashton apologized, biting his lip as he looked at the boy trying to catch his breath.

"Well," Luke started, taking a moment to think about what he was going to say. He didn't exactly know how to reply to that. "Fuck, I need a smoke."

Ashton scrunched up his nose as Luke pulled a packet of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket, but he didn't protest.

"You're being quiet," Luke observed with a cigarette held between his lips, looking up from the smoke to Ashton with a raised eyebrow.

Ashton played with the hem of his shirt as they continued walking. Anybody could tell that Ashton was nervous, his bottom lip was still snug between his teeth and he wouldn't look at Luke for more than a few seconds.

Luke didn't know how to help calm him down, what words do you use in this situation? He doesn't even know what's going on. With a very small smile playing at the edge of his mouth, Luke ran his fingers down Ashton's forearm until they ended up laced with Ashton's.

Luke looked away when he exhaled the smoke but Ashton already seemed a lot calmer when he turned back. Ashton let out a long breath, "My mum's bringing home a guy she's been seeing, she wants you to come over for dinner."

Luke smiled, squeezing Ashton's hand. "Of course I'll come, why were you so nervous about that?"

"I've met the guy a couple times, his name is Owen, and I'm pretty sure he's homophobic..." Ashton trailed off, swallowing a lump in his throat.

"I don't mind as long as he doesn't say anything to you," Luke replied in a soft voice, pulling Ashton to a stop and taking both his hands.

"But if he does, I swear I will hop the table and kick his fucking ass into the Stone Age." His voice didn't get any less soft as he continued, he kissed Ashton's forehead when he'd finished talking and Ashton couldn't help but blush.

A/N: THE TWENTY ONE PIE-LOTS JOKE IS ONE I MADE UP AND YOU SHOULD APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE IT IS A GEM. USE IT, TELL IT TO YOUR TØP TRASH FRIENDS, APPRECIATE IT.