Take My Hand - Lashton

Chapter Thirty-seven

Chapter Thirty-seven

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"I can't go out like this Aaron. We have to cancel," Luke muttered as he gently patted under his eye with some wet tissue.

"We can cover it up. It'll be dark in there. No one will notice," Aaron encouraged

Luke stared at his boyfriend in the mirror and their eyes met. He threw the damp tissue into the sink and left the bathroom. Aaron trailing behind him. Luke opened their wardrobe door, stared at his clothes and then closed it again. "I don't want to go."

Ever since Aaron had messaged Ashton Luke couldn't get him out of his mind. He couldn't wait to see him again, for their eyes to secretly meet and convey a thousand unsaid messages. To tell each other they still loved one another.

"We have to. It'll be worse if we don't. You fell, Luke. We'll tell them you fell—" Aaron persisted. He knew the bruise would look suspicious, the other couple would know exactly where it came from — but they knew what this relationship was like. They were probably already expecting it. There was also the question of Luke's hand. The cut wouldn't heal because Luke kept opening it up again. Aaron had brought more boxes of plaster over the past month than he had in his entire life. He couldn't see a way of stopping Luke from doing it so he just had to submissively by more and more plasters. It meant there was only one hand for him to hold now, and it was on the opposite side of his boyfriend's body than where he preferred to be.

"They won't believe it. They're not stupid Aaron! Can't we just stay home together?"

"That's not what you wanted ten minutes ago, you were more than excited to see him!" Aaron had wanted to test Luke. He was sat filling in a mini Sudoku on his phone, the bright screen burning his eyes and Aaron had just finished putting their laundry away. He had asked Luke if he was excited and decided to add on the end 'to see Ashton'. Luke, drawn into the numbers said he was, not realising the consequences of his words. Or maybe he was subconsciously.

By then Aaron made his way closer to the younger man. Luke still hadn't looked up. Aaron didn't like what he was hearing, but he hadn't expected anything else. It was what he wanted to hear. The flat had been quiet lately, the news of the meal had drawn his boyfriend back into a solemn and calculating mood and he missed his testing responses. He told Luke, "Maybe I'll let you two have a moment to yourself, keep Stella distracted."

Luke hummed in agreement. "Stella wouldn't mind if I kissed him. She understands fate wants us to be togeth—". Usually, Luke wasn't shocked by the contact of a fist to his skin, but this time he wasn't expecting it. He was too busy in a world of his own, thinking over all the possible conversations that would occur. He found it strange that he hadn't panicked in a while. Perhaps being secluded from society helped. He was only with Aaron and he knew every move Aaron ever made. But now that he was going back out into the real world his mind was swirling again. He hoped the Sudoku would help but he had put the number two into the same box three times.

Aaron went to the wardrobe this time and threw some clothes on the bed for Luke to wear. Luke knew they were going to have to go, and secretly he still wanted to. He wasn't going to cover Aaron's mess, he'd show it off and show everyone what their relationship was.

As Luke dressed, Aaron watched him. Luke didn't care, it was a daily occurrence. He knew Aaron was watching for a reaction. A reaction for when he saw his bare body. A reaction for when his clothes were a little bit tighter. Luke remained neutral. He was upset but he couldn't show that to Aaron. Luke would lose control again then.

As Luke placed his belt around his waist, Aaron wrapped his arm around his shoulders, a small pot of concealer in his hands. "I'm scared Luke," he whispered into the blonde man's ear. Luke shivered at the voice. "It's scary how good you look."