Strings Attached (lashton, editing)

Twenty-Three.

"I don't know, Luke. It isn't fair, but we aren't going to let him take Tim from you, Tim needs you," Ashton spoke as he turned to face Luke and cupped his face with his free hand. Luke looked like he was about to burst into tears, it was the most emotion Ashton had seen from the man for days. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you or Tim, you have me, Calum and your family. We're going to make sure you and Tim get only the best."

"I love you," Luke leaned into Ashtons touch, letting himself feel vulnerable and put down his walls for the first time in days. "Thank you, so much."

"I've already told you, I'd do anything for you Luke. If you wanna get rid of me, you're gonna have to try a lot harder," Luke breathed out a light laugh at Ashtons words.

"I don't want to."

"Good," Ashton smiled back. "Why don't we head home? I think it might be a bit weird that we've been standing next to the cereal having a heart to heart for 10 minutes now."

Ashton led Luke back through the small store, quickly paying before they rushed through the cold and back to Luke's apartment.

"I feel like I should tell you what happened," Luke spoke up from the small table in his kitchen as he watched Ashton cook them lunch.

"You don't have to, Luke."

"No, I do. It isn't fair on you if I don't," Luke looked up to see Ashton already looking at him like he always was. Luke felt comfort wash over him, knowing that Ashton would only help him to be and do his best, that the younger man would love him endlessly.

"Okay."

Luke dove into his early years of college, when he was still with Michael and got pregnant with Tim. He told him about their break up, how Michael became more interested in everything but Tim and Luke, how they managed to stay civil for some time after they broke up but things started going better for Michael than they did for Luke.

Michael had always been the more social one, always dragging Luke along to gatherings and forcing him to make friends with new people. Not long after the two broke up, most of those people stopped talking to Luke. He had felt himself become isolated and abandoned as people he had though were good friends proved they had little care for him at all.

As a child Luke had always been quiet and anxious, more keen on having a few close friends rather than a lot of them. He had never been the happiest of people, but most of his time with Michael had allowed him to find a happiness he hadn't previously known and having Tim showed him a happiness he never knew he needed. But when it all went to shit, to say the least, he fell down an endless hole and lost all control on his life.

For three months he felt useless and unworthy as a father, believing people were right when they said he wasn't cut out for the job. For three months he left Michael to do most of the parenting of their one year old son, unable to bring himself to properly care for Tom let alone himself.

At the time he and Michael were on good terms, Michael helped him through it. He had the support of Michael, his few friends and his family who let him fall and brought him back up to where he needed to be. They made sure he got back on his feet, that he didn't ever stop his studying nor did he lose his son.

Those three months were the worst of Luke's life and it wasn't something he ever thought Michael would hold against him.

"I was alone for a long time, my life became all about Tim and just studying. All I cared about was making sure he was happy and healthy, and that I got my degree," Luke sighed out, looking at his fingers to avoid Ashton's eyes. He hadn't spoken about this for years, he hadn't needed to. "I went to therapy, I even took some meds for my anxiety and depression. But I got over it, I got good. I can't believe Michael would do this."

"Luke.." Ashton breathed out as his boyfriend finished speaking, he quickly abandoned the food he was making and squared down in front of Luke to see tears falling down his pristine cheeks. "He has no right to hold it against you, that isn't fair in the slightest. When you go back to court next week I'm coming, I'm going to make sure you don't lose Tim. Michael doesn't deserve to have him, not if he's going to treat people like that."

"I love you, so much Ash," Luke spoke through the tears continuing to poor down his face. "How did I deserve to find you?"

"You deserve the best, Luke. I'm going to make sure you get it," Ashton smiled up at his boyfriend as he wiped away his tears and pulled him into a hug. "I love you, and Tim, I won't let a thing hurt either of you."

-

This was sort of a mess but !!!

I just wanna say a massive thanks for 1k+ reads and 100+ votes!! It truly means a lot.

Thoughts on Luke not wanting any help from anyone?

Luke hiding from the world?

Ashton caring for Luke?

Forcing him to leave the apartment?

Luke opening up to Ashton and telling him about what happened?

Luke feeling like a bad father?

Ashton saying he will protect let?

Let me know what you think and please vote/follow me if you liked it!! Really means a lot!

-  Grace