Take My Hand - Lashton

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

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Trailing behind Aaron, Luke struggled to keep his eyes open. He wanted to ask the older man if they could do this tomorrow, but he saw how eager and excited he was. So Luke pretend he was eager and excited too.

He watched as his boyfriend shifted through the pairs of neatly folded black jeans, carelessly making a mess of them. Usually Luke would help him put them back better. He always felt pity for messing up someone's tedious work that probably barely paid their bills. But, he could tell Aaron was on some type of internal mission, so he just stood back and watched. He felt as if he were watching something on television. He felt disconnected.

Pulling out a pair, Aaron grinned. "These should do!" He let them fall open to reveal their full shape, and pressed them up against the blonde's body. "They're long enough for your legs. They'll be fine."

"Shouldn't I try them on?" Luke mumbled. He didn't have the energy to take off his current jeans, fiddling with the belt, and then squeezing into these new ones that were going to be stiff. But, at the same time, he wanted to make sure they fit, otherwise, there would be no point buying them.

"Why? They're going to have to fit you, they're the smallest size," Aaron protested, looking at the tag and then back at his boyfriend.

"But—"

"They will fit you, Luke!" Aaron concluded. He wasn't going to argue any further.

"Aaron I—"

"For fuck sake Luke, they will fit you! Stop thinking you're fat. Have you seen yourself lately?" When Luke's eyes glistened with tears for the second time that day, Aaron sighed. He took Luke's hand in his free one and said softly. "I'm sorry. I just need you to be okay. You're sc—"

Aaron paused as a man stopped beside them, staring at the couple. Turning his head, he asked. "Can I help?"

A tie hanging from one hand the man smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, was just gonna say hi to Luke."

Luke was now staring at Ashton, wiping tears from his eyes. Quickly Ashton reached forward and gave Aaron his hand. "Sorry, I'm Ashton. You must be Aaron?"

Dropping Luke's hand, Aaron shook Ashton's hesitantly. "Ashton! Luke's only friend!" he joked, looking at Luke who was staring at the floor awkwardly.

"Are you okay Luke?" Ashton asked concerned by the withdrawn expression on his face and the red eyes. He had heard yelling. He didn't hear what the words were, but he knew it wasn't Luke's voice.

Aaron pulled Luke closer and answered. "He's tired. He's a very busy boy at the moment."

Ashton cringed at the use of boy. Luke was a man, despite how young and frail he appeared. The phrase boy was just as derogatory as calling a woman a girl. But Luke seemed unphased. He respected that may have just been their relationship.

"He's good at overworking himself! What was it you said once: To write against a weekly deadline deforms the brain. What book was that from?"

"Alice Walker—" Luke whispered but was cut off. He failed to smile, but he remembered the moment he sent it to Ashton. The quote made him rethink his approach to university. How he should relax more. It was something he dived in and out of over the past decade.

"Sorry?" Aaron asked suddenly annoyed. He didn't like how bubbly and carefree this man was. He seemed like competition. He knew he was right to have been cautious when he first head the man's name mentioned in his flat.