EGL // lashton

seventeen

"Did you say something to Calum?" Luke asked as he sat entered Ashton's bedroom. Ashton had picked up Luke from his house since Luke didn't want to be home alone with Jack. He just didn't feel like hearing Jack's constant complaining about Luke's relationship with Ashton.

"Did he say that I did?" Ashton asked carelessly as he closed his bedroom door before making his way over to his bed and threw himself down on it.

"No, but he was being cautious all day, like, looking around all the time" Luke spoke and Ashton felt satisfied that Calum hadn't crossed him.

"Well he should be, he tried to kiss you" Ashton mumbled and crossed his ankles as he relaxed on his bed.

"It was a misunderstanding" Luke said and Ashton scoffed.

"Yeah, sure it was" Ashton mumbled and Luke sighed before he made his way over to the bed as well. He stood beside Ashton and looked down at the older boy.

"Did you hurt him?" Luke whispered as he let his fingertips run back and forth against the exposed skin on Ashton's muscular arms.

"No," Ashton answered and looked up at Luke with furrowed eyebrows, "Did he fucking tell you I did? I swear to god I'll fucking k-"

"Stop," Luke said and locked his icy-blue eyes with Ashton's angry hazel-green, "He didn't say anything, nor did he do anything to me. You need to stop thinking that he'll do something wrong. He's my best friend and I want him to be as he is, not some scared boy who acts like he walks on eggshells around me"

"I'm keeping you safe" Ashton said and looked at Luke sincerely.

"No you don't," Luke said and shook his head, "You keep me isolated from the world. I can't do anything anymore and just because some people are bad doesn't mean everyone are"

"People can surprise you Luke" Ashton said and sat up in the bed and moved to the edge of it to look at Luke easier.

"I know, I just- I want to be able to live my life while living" Luke whispered.

"You chose this Luke. I tried to stop you from going into my life but you were persistent on wanting to be a part of it. With me comes a lot of changes to life. I tried to teach you how to use a gun and I've tried to show you my work, but you want nothing to do with it. So the only thing I can do is to keep you safe all the time, and with that comes you not living a normal teenage life"

Luke bit his lip before nodding his head and stepped in between Ashton's legs and draped his arms around his neck. As Ashton was seated on the bed and Luke was standing on the floor, Luke was just a few inches taller

Ashton placed his hands on Luke's lower hips and tugged the smaller boy closer to himself.

"I'm sorry" Luke said quietly and twirled his fingers in Ashton's hair at the back of his neck.

"For?" Ashton asked.

"For being so persistent on being a part of your life and complicating it all. I feel like I've made your life worse since I got into it"

"That's a lie, you made it better," Ashton said and pulled Luke closer to his chest, "You make me want to live every day that goes by. I can't just give up because you're here now, and I want to live each tomorrow to see what you'll do or say to me. I just want to live to see and feel you, angel"