(F)lawless [lashton] ✔️

Fifty Nine

Luke had been genuinely surprised to find Ashton had been right when he insisted his princess had nothing to worry about when it came to his parents.

Despite Ashton growing into a criminal, Luke had supposed there must've been something good in his boyfriend's parents if they managed to create a whole new and better man within the few months they took him for during some of the worst times in his life.

The last time Luke had seen Ashton's parents had been briefly during a stand off with Ziam, and he distinctly recalls a tattooed man being significantly snarky while his alleged partner had seemed quite the opposite. So, all in all, when Luke stepped out of the taxi with a singular suitcase--whose small cupcake travel tag wouldn't stop knocking into the side of his hand on the handle grip--he had no idea what he was walking into.

He had assumed he'd go to the front desk of the apartment complex and awkwardly ask to be let through to the Stylinsons' room, however he found that not to be the case when the two men were waiting by one of the elevators for him. Conspicuous within the casual atmosphere with Luke's memory of them blaring to life in his head.

Nervous, he took a deep breath and walked toward them; his eyes briefly meeting with the steely gaze of Louis only to quickly snap to the preferable soft look he received from Harry.

"You must be Luke!" Harry was ecstatic to meet him, engulfing the petite blond in a squished yet quick hug. "It's so good to finally meet you, Ashton talks about you on the phone all the time."

Harry's greeting had certainly been more cliche than Luke anticipated.

"Nice to meet you." Louis shook Luke's hand, surprisingly gentle with his hold in comparison to the violence of tattoos Luke faintly remembered the man having.

Luke silently thanked the Lord for Louis having chosen to wear a long sleeved shirt to meet him, because the last person with a vast plethora of tattoos to be in Luke's life had destroyed it.

"Hi." Luke awkwardly managed to sputter out. "Nice to meet you too. Um, both of you."

"C'mon, let's get you set up in Ashton's room. I'll bet you're exhausted." Harry politely took hold of Luke's suitcase handle, rolling it for him as the trio made their way into the apartment.

Luke was in love the second he stepped inside, instantly welcomed by bright sunflower decor and clean marble surfaces. The home was small yet cosy and minimalistic, and he loved everything about it.

"Ashton said you liked sunflowers." Luke glanced toward Harry who blushed.

"That I do." Harry agreed, content when Luke smiled softly.

"I love them. It's so bright."

"See?" Harry teasingly looked to Louis who rolled his eyes, standing with his arms crossed over his chest. "They're beautiful."

Louis shook his head, amused, before he gestured for Luke to follow him; taking the suitcase handle from Harry and leading the way down the corridor. "I'll show you Ashton's room."

Luke scooted by Harry, offering an awkward but calm smile as he did so, and hurried to follow Louis; meeting him in the middle of what was allegedly Ashton's room.

"The walls still need to be painted." Louis said, setting Luke's suitcase down on the top of the made up double bed pressed up in the top corner. "Ashton spent about two weeks on the couch while we re-did his room when he was down here with us, but Harry didn't wanna change the nursery walls."

Louis watched as Luke curiously peered around the room, glancing at shelfs topped with pictures and memories in the shape of objects he didn't know much about. At the top of the bed, pinned to the wall, was a neon sign Luke knew just had to have been Ashton's idea with the picture of a dagger waiting to be lit up from the switch in the wall.