EGL // lashton

thirty two

It's was early in the morning, the clock hadn't even hit 5 am yet, and Ashton was awake.

His room was starting to light up due to the early morning sun shining through the blinds, but it was still dark enough for Ashton to feel relieved that yet another day hadn't started.

One arm was placed under his head as he looked up at his ceiling, as the other one was safely wrapped around Luke's sleeping body that was pressed against his side.

Since Ashton had woken up he had counted each breath Luke had taken. Luke's breaths were different each minute that passed by. Usually they were heavy and relaxed, but sometimes they grew quick and stiff, always making Ashton tighten his hold on the blonde.

"Two thousand eight hundred and eighty" Ashton mumbled as Luke took another deep breath, making Ashton feel the soft puffs of air against his skin.

Ashton had been awake for hours. He didn't know if he's slept anything during the night. He didn't know if when he closed his eyes, they were closed for hours, or only seconds. It didn't bother him through, because he didn't want to sleep. If he slept, he couldn't keep Luke safe.

He had been sleeping for a week and left Luke on his own, and look how that turned out.

Ashton gritted his teeth when thinking about it, clenching his fists in anger before going back to counting Luke's breaths. The whole thing made Ashton calm down, but only because it made him 100% sure Luke was alive and breathing.

Ashton would always make sure that Luke was breathing. Ashton would take his own last breath right now if that meant Luke would be kept safe and sound forever.

Everyone knew Ashton would take his own life for the pretty blonde, but some people just didn't want to believe it. Ashton didn't judge them for it, maybe he didn't look like someone you could trust, but he'd never make anything come between him and Luke.

Not even Jack.

Even though Jack's previous words were printed into Ashton's brain, it still won't get to him.

"If you ever hurt Luke, in any fucking type of way, I am going to kill you, and you will let me"

Ashton understood that, so that's why he had simply nodded his head and agreed to those terms. Ashton understood why both Jack and Ben were protective over Luke, because he was as well.

Ashton was more than protective tough; he was possessive.

It doesn't matter what people might say or do, it doesn't matter what will happen; nothing can ever take Luke away from Ashton. Nothing.

Luke suddenly stirred in Ashton's arms, making the older boy turn his head to look at the pretty boy. Luke stilled his movements again and breathed heavily, making Ashton know he was still sound asleep.

Ashton slowly and carefully started to run his hand up and down Luke's back, slipping his hand underneath the t-shirt the blonde was wearing. The t-shirt was originally Ashton's, but Luke always had it to sleep in when he was at Ashton's.

Ashton moved closer to Luke and placed his forehead on his before breathing in and out, making sure to catch every scent Luke's body gave out.

Ashton kept running his hand up and down Luke's back before sliding it to the blonde's pale stomach and chest. Ashton bit the insides of his cheeks and closed his eyes when feeling Luke's smooth skin under the palm of his hand.