flipped :: lh [UNDER REVISION]

19.particles of the universe

“Luke what the hell were you thinking?” Aries pulls Luke back towards her car. She parked off at the edge of the parking lot – no one trails behind them. Luke briefly wonders if the scene with Michael and Carver is still going on. If Michael is still there.

Luke doesn’t answer at first, instead he looks over his shoulder traces the lights of the stadium back to where he’s sure there’s still a crowd gathered. He can’t hear much else – the screaming has died down. “I don’t know.” He finally answers.

Aries sighs, her left arm is holding him by the torso, and her right is limply holding his hand. He knows how much holding hands can make her uncomfortable. They’d talked about it one night on the roof – the stars glistening brightly above them. It was one of the more clear nights. He told her she didn’t have to feel like she needed to hold his hand or anything, she told him that she wanted to.

“We’re taking you to get checked, you’ve got blood all over your shirt.” She pauses for a brief moment letting her arm fall back against her side. Luke feels the warmth of her skin leaving almost immediately. He tries not to mind it.

“I’m fine I just want to get home.” He’s irritated at the fact she’s ignored him this entire time, and yet here she is as if nothing even happened.

“Luke—“

“No. Aries. I’m not going to get checked, I want to go home and forget this,” he motions not only to the stadium, but to her and him as well, “never happened.”

She immediately retracts herself from his side, her eyes sharp and jawline defined. He can see the way she’s trying to stay calm despite the situation, despite what he’s implying. “No. Luke.” She mocks in his tone, “I don’t care what you want right now, or what you think you want. All I know is I’m taking you to get checked and that’s that.”

“Why were you here?” He stresses. Stopping from moving completely as she turns around. She looks equally shocked as she does annoyed. There’s something else that passes over her features.

“Do you think I’m just going to watch you get beat up?” She laughs, but it’s pained – she sounds angry and hurt all in one. Luke doesn’t answer. “Well Luke, just because I was angry at you for other things doesn’t mean I’m going to stand by and watch someone I care about throw themselves away like that.”

“Aries—“ Luke doesn’t finish, because Ashton is waiting at the side of her car as if he’s been there the entire time. Like he’s been expecting them to show up any moment now.

Ashton is wearing a bright red plaid button up, his shoes scuffed up and full of dirt. Luke wonders what he’s been up to this whole time. Why he’s just waiting here for them to show up. Ashton looks different this time, different from the other times he’s met him or hung out in a group and seen him. He doesn’t look so menacing as he does protective.

“You two need to stop fighting already you’re giving everyone a headache.” He smirks as he jokes lightly. Luke can tell he’s crossing a thin line that’s put up between Aries and himself. But makes sure not to go over the line in any other way he knows Aries will attack him for. “Come on Ari, let’s get your boy to get checked on. Looks pretty bruised up.”

“M’fine.” Luke mumbles.

“Don’t lie to yourself.” Ashton replies.

“Whatever.”

✦  ✧  ✦  ✧

The car ride is silent. There’s nothing to talk about. Luke fidgets, Ashton sings along to the songs he plays, and Aries doesn’t talk more than she has to as she checks on Luke herself. A few curse words and a bandage later and she tells Luke he’s okay, that he’s ‘going to live.’