Sex Metal Barbie // lashton

chapter nineteen

Ashton's fans were lightning speed on picking up and dropping rumor after rumor of him and anyone even spotted with him once. It's something he almost never doubted from them, their ability to find and locate his friends' or partner's private information before he even knows their last name. And if his fans were talking about him and Luke under a trending hashtag, that means his ex boyfriend knew and just had to put his own two cents in.

He scrolled through the thread he found on his timeline and then read the tweets his ex made, each and every one stating he was over him and if someone else wanted to go through what he did, then poor them. 'Let people make their own mistakes,' he had posted with a broken heart emoji.

Ashton would have taken him to court if the man would take the case, but he publicly declined the offer. He knew he was lying, but he didn't want anyone who didn't know them to know.

He rolled his eyes and then looked up from his phone to the blond walking down the stairs. "Hungry?" He asked as he kept his eyes away from the bruises and scratches along his body.

"Starving." Luke replied as he slid next to him and sat on the counter. "What's for breakfast?"

"It's half past noon."

"Lunch?"

The drummer chuckled and offered him the bagel he had made for himself but found unappealing. Luke took it and then bit into it, his eyes shut as he leaned his head against the cabinet doors.

Ashton looked back down at his phone and then scrolled through his timeline some more, finding Luke had posted a couple tweets about minding your own business and being petty. Clearly shade, and clearly he had gotten backlash from it.

"Luke, you know the cost of dating me, right?" Ashton asked as he looked up at him.

"Yeah, I'm so sore." He groaned as he stretched his arms and arched his back. "I should start yoga since you wanna bend me in half a-"

"- I mean the public aspect of it." Ashton cut him off as Luke smiled cheekily at him. "I mean... the hate, the spotlight, the having to watch what you say about me and my band. You can't just go off."

"Why not?"

"Because it reflects, you get that right?" Ashton rose an eyebrow and Luke nodded.

"Look, I get it. This isn't my first rodeo. I get that there's certain things I can't broadcast and there's going to be like a billion-gallion eyes on me." He laughed half heartedly. "I get it."

Ashton smiled sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Luke threw his arms around him and Ashton walked closer to him so he didn't fall. "I asked for this, literally."

"You really did." He agreed and the two shared a kiss. "Are you really so sore though?"

Luke hummed. "Mhm."

"Does that mean you can't come with me to a party tonight?" Ashton pouted, and Luke thought about it. "I'll let you wear whatever color your want."

"But I like when you tell me what to do." Luke winked and Ashton rolled his eyes as he looked away from him. "Can I take a trip down your closet?"

"Haven't you been?"

Luke giggled as he buried his face into Ashton's neck. "Fair enough."

"You're coming then." He concluded and Luke nodded as he set his half eaten bagel down on a plate. "Great."

"Carry me." Luke mumbled and Ashton hooked one arm around his back and the other beneath his knees. He picked him up and Luke wrapped his arms around his neck as he cuddled into him. "I'm tired."

"You just woke up."

"Need I remind you -"

Ashton snorted. "Oh, stop being a baby. You've been through worse." He replied and then frowned as Luke pressed a kiss to his neck. "I'm not in the mood."

"Neither am I." Luke replied sleepily. "Just wanna' reminder that you're mine now. You know, in case they live under a rock."

Ashton likes his possessiveness. He likes that Luke wants to warn other's that he's off the market, and he likes that he had the same exact idea floating around in his head.

-

Ashton knows how he gets when he drinks a little too much.

He knows how carefree and how loose his body and morals becomes after he gets liquor in his system, so he clings to Luke's side for the most of the night. He sits on the couch with the blond cuddled to his side as they sip cheap beers. Sometimes even with arms wrapped around the other while drinking spiced cocktails. They didn't separate the whole night, not when Michael and Crystal chose teams for beer pong and not even when people began jumping into an infinity pool dressed in nothing but their boxers.

A bad idea on their behalf, but with alcohol clouding their brains and the mantra, 'life's too short,' swirling around in their heads, they didn't care. They stripped their jackets and boots, jeans and shirts, and then looked at each other before jumping in one after the other while their friends cheered them on.

As soon as Luke's shirt came off, everyone was asking where he got the cuts on his body or the bruises along his hips, almost like they were waiting to see what he looked like beneath the silk fabric of Ashton's shirt. The younger blond blushed and Ashton whipped his soaking wet hair back as he turned to look at their friends and not-so-much-friends.

Luke's half embarrassed and half drunk expression caught his attention, especially when he looked to him for an answer. Ashton shrugged and then grabbed the back of his head before pressing a kiss against his quivering lips.

When in doubt, just make out, right? That's how it does, isn't it?

He doesn't care. He just wants that stupid little look of panic and anxiety to leave Luke's cute face.

"Anyone else jumping in?" He heard his best mate and Ashton turned to see Calum canon balling in with his skinny jeans still on.

"I'm sorry." He heard Luke whisper in his ear and Ashton turned to look at him.

"You're not the bad guy here." Ashton replied before kissing his nose. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he hummed as he saw Michael's green eyes.

"Dude, you're with Calum's bro?"

Ashton smiled sheepishly. "Sorry?" He asked and the Maori boy laughed as he splashed him.

"Don't hurt him. My mom loves him." He pointed a finger at him and Ashton winked.

"I won't hurt him in any way he doesn't like." He told him and he felt someone slap his arm. "Hey!"

"No one wants to hear that!" Michael pushed him as Luke gave him a pointed look. Ashton set a hand on his chest to calm him down and Calum scrunched his nose up.

"Gross, bro." He told him and Ashton just grinned. "You're both gross."

"Maybe." The drummer agreed and he felt Luke's head lean against his shoulder as everyone seemed to forget about Luke's body and Ashton's faux reputation.

Everyone was doing themselves now - drinking, dancing, talking, swimming, whatever it was,  they were minding their own business and Ashton loved it. Why couldn't it be like that all the time?