Strike (Cake) [Completed] (#Wattys2017)

18: Two Talks

On Tuesday evening, Luke picked up a call from Ashton.

"Yeah?"

"Let's get drinks."

"Where?"

"My place?"

"Sure. Why?"

"I've got something to tell you."

"All right. Be there in ten."

He got in his car and drove over.

"What news?" he said, stepping through the door to Ashton's apartment.

"Come in and let me mix you a drink and then I'll tell you."

Ashton had a huge grin on his face, and maybe that was just his personality, but it meant that the news was good news—celebratory drinks, not washing-away drinks.

"Make me a Captain on the rocks," Luke said, following Ashton to his bar counter.

"How fancy."

Luke shrugged. "I'm a simple man. Tell me the news."

Ashton poured Luke's drink and had the same thing himself because he was too excited to waste any more time mixing.

"I submitted my thesis last week."

"You did?" It hit Luke what Ashton was about to tell him. "Ash...did it—are you—?"

"The board accepted it this morning. I'm getting my Master's degree."

"Ashton!" He put his drink down and hugged Ashton hard. "That's awesome! I'm so jealous. And so proud of you. I knew you'd finish way before me. You're brilliant. Of course they accepted it."

Ashton blushed. "Thanks. I'm so glad I'm done. I'm so tired."

Luke laughed. "I would be, too."

"And you still have to finish yours."

Luke shook his head and put up his drink. Ashton held his up too, and they just looked at each other for a second and then drank. "So what's the next step?"

"Professor. PhD. Chair."

"Of course you're getting your PhD. You think you're tired now."

Ashton nodded. "I know. Are you not getting one?"

Luke shrugged. "I don't know yet. If they let me be a professor after my Master's—if they take it—then probably not. I'll have everything I wanted."

"They'll take it. And you'll be a professor."

Luke smiled. "I hope so. God, I'm so proud of you." He hugged Ashton again.

"Thank you, Luke." He rubbed Luke's back. "Now you just have to catch up."

Luke pulled back. "You'll always be miles ahead of me. As hard as I try to be you, I'll never get there."

"Please don't be me. We don't need another me. We need one of you. Your awkward and your complacency. I'll always be searching but you'll be happy."

Luke shrugged. "Never thought of complacency as a good thing, but."

"It is. Let's get drunk."