Paint You Wings // Ashton Irwin [au]

Forty-seven

"Socks," he replies.

"Socks?" I ask incredulously.

"Black socks specifically."

"I can't tell if you're being serious or not."

"I'm dead serious," he says, looking me straight in the eyes. "I keep losing them."

"Then look for them."

"I never find them."

"Look harder because I'm not getting you socks."

"But I need them," he whines.

I shake my head and contemplate actually getting him socks. They're useful and he'll use them, but my conscious is telling me that it's a shit gift. "I'll get you socks but I'm also getting you something else."

"Geez, you're not supposed to tell me what you're getting me," he teases.

I cross my arms over my chest and huff. "Do you want socks or not?"

He grins cheesily. "Yes, please."

"Idiot," I mumble under my breath.

Maybe Luke will be of more help with coming up with a gift idea for Ash since he isn't helping at all. I still need to figure out what everyone else wants. I could just give them gift cards and say "Have at it," but I'd rather give them something that's more personal.

Ashton stands up and looks to the dark sky, observing how the snowfall has finally come to a stop. He checks the watch on his wrist before grabbing my hand and pulling me down the sidewalk again.

"What's going on?" I struggle to keep my speed up with his and trip over my feet.

"We need to hurry or we'll miss the bus," he says, running even faster.

"Why do we need to take the bus?"

"Because the place where I'm taking you isn't in walking distance."

We keep running until we reach a bus stop along the road and wait a few minutes for the bus to arrive. Just in time, the headlights to the bus shine down the road and it comes to a stop in front of us—the doors opening and waiting for us to get on. It's a good thing that it got here so fast because I'm actually starting to get cold. I guess I'm finally starting to sober up. We pay the fee and find an empty seat which isn't too hard seeing that all the seats are available except for one in the front occupied by an elderly man humming to Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing' that's playing on the radio.

We take the bus route that trails around the DU campus and get off at the stop that is across from the observatory. The light shining out the single window on the side of the cylinder building lets us know that it is still open.

"I thought that I was supposed to be the one taking you here for a date," I say, smirking at Ashton who guides me to the front door.

"I beat you to it," he brags, holding the door open for me.

When I walk inside, first in view in the center of the room is an enormous telescope elevated on a round pedestal and it points diagonally out the dome-shaped ceiling. Posters of constellations and facts about astronomy line the walls and there is even a separate room with a projector in it.

"I was starting to worry that you weren't going to show up," a tall middle-aged man says. His graying hair sticks out of a maroon beanie that matches the stripes on his hideous sweater. "Ashton, right? And this is Emilia?"

"That's right," Ashton answers and shakes the man's hand while I give him a nod and smile.

"My name's Ted; former NASA meteorologist and current tour guide which basically consists of me telling you what not to touch." Ashton and I chuckle lightly but Ted keeps his serious demeanor. "The rules are simple: Don't touch the telescope. It's old and I don't need it to break. You can look through the lens but don't move anything. The only other rule is that you don't have sex in the projector room. I've already caught two couples in the act this season and I'd rather not add a third to that. I hope you enjoy your reservation and if you need anything, knock on my office door." Ted leaves the room and shuts his office door, leaving us alone.