The Assistant || Ashton Irwin

1.6

I stood on the pier in Howth in Dublin, breathing in the salty sea air, a scarf wrapped tightly around my neck to keep in the heat in, a beanie on top of my head, gloves on my hands to stop my fingers turning blue and my arms hugging my body as the cold winter breeze ripped through the air.

I thought back over the past three weeks, the travelling in Australia, Ashton showing me all the places he had played gigs and his family home and spending christmas with them. Ashton was so happy to be home and I was delighted to see him so happy. And now we were in Ireland, where my grandparents were from and where my parents grew up before they moved to England for better opportunities. I had many found memories of spending summers in Ireland yet I had never returned since my parents had passed away. My eyes began to tear up as I thought of them.

"Hey, I got you some hot chocolate" Ashton said from behind me, slipping a hand around my waist. I rubbed my eyes but it was too late he saw my tears.

"What's the matter?" He asked panicked.

"It's nothing, I'm being silly" I said, trying to wave it away.

"It's not nothing if you're crying Ali" he said pulling me into his arms, "Come on let's get back to the hotel. We can talk properly there"

He drove us back, he held my hand the whole way. His thumb rubbed circles in the back of my hand.

When we got back to the hotel room I sat on the bed and curled my knees into my chest and Ashton sat beside me, his legs crossed at his ankles and his arms crossed his chest in a relaxed way.

"So what were those tears about? I can't be that bad can I?" He asked looking at me from over his glasses.

"No, not anymore, you're quite pleasant now" I said with a smile before it quickly faded again. He took my hand again and kissed my knuckles.

"You can tell me anything you know" he whispered.

I nodded and took a breath, "I was thinking about my parents and how much I miss them I guess" I whispered with a shrug.

"Oh Ali come here" he said pulling me into his arms. He hugged me tight as we lay on the bed, my legs tangled with his and my head rested on his chest.

"What happened to them?" Ashton asked in a whisper. This is where the tears started again. I did not sob, the tears were silent.

"Take your time" he whispered, wiping away my tears. I nodded and sat up, Ashton sitting up and running my back.

"They died in a car accident when I was 16. A drunk driver swerved into them, they were killed instantly. That's when my grandmother moved to England, she didn't want to disrupt my life anymore by changing schools and country" I said, my voice was quiet, I wasn't sure if Ashton could hear me.

He did not say a word, all Ashton did was scoot closer and wrapped his arms around me holding me to his chest, I wrapped my arms around his neck and for the first time in a very long time I sobbed my heart out on someone's shoulder.

A few hours later, I had cried myself out and I lay with my Ashton's chest, my arm draped over his waist. He held me in his arms, tracing lazy shapes on my back with his fingertips. Everything was so still and silent, so peaceful. My eyes were closed but I was no where near sleep.

I was comfortable, I was content just to stay there forever with him. To just have him near me was enough, to have him hold me was enough. I was completely head over heels, follow him till the end of the earth in love with him and I didn't care.

Megan still warned me to be careful but she didn't live this, she didn't know what it was like to actually open up to someone when you kept your heart closed for so long and hadn't ever dreamed of doing such a thing. She didn't know what it was like to be loved or be in love with someone like Ashton.

I sighed deeply and cuddled up against his chest more.

"I love you" Ashton whispered oh so quietly. He soothed my hair and kissed my forehead.

"I know you're asleep right now but I need to tell you this. I was a right jerk when we first met and I can never say sorry enough to make up for all the horrible things I said to you. But I only pushed you away in fear I'd get hurt but I'm so glad I got to know you and I'm just so happy I have you now, and I'm not letting you go"

I stayed still through his little speech and I couldn't stop the smile forming on my face. I squeezed his waist in a hug. I opened my eyes and he was staring down at me with a shocked expression.

"You-you heard all of that?" He asked.

"Every last syllable Ash. And I love you too" I whispered. I wriggled up and kissed his lips lightly, a smile on my face.

He smiled back at me and leaned in again, he cupped my face in his hand and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His tongue slipped into my mouth and he deepened the kiss while his hands slipped to my hips.

"What time do we've to be at the airport?" I asked, pulling away for a second.

"Not till 5 so we'd want to be leaving here at 4. We've got an hour" Ashton said.

"Well in that case" I smiled and pulled him closer again.

He kissed me again, it was slow and passionate and his hands still stayed at my waist. He rolled us over so he hovered above me, one hand slipping from my waist to under my t-shirt. His touch sent goosebumps across my skin. I wanted him now.

My hands fumbled for the buttons on his shirt, I undid them as quickly as I could as he threw it to the floor along with mine. I opened his belt and unzipped his jeans, while he did the same with mine. We both wriggled out of them and they were added to the pile on the floor.

Ashton started to leave a trail of kisses from my lips, down my jaw and to my neck making me moan. I tangled my fingers in his hair, as he tugged off my panties and his underwear.

"I love you Ali" he said, pausing for a moment.

"I love you too" I said looking into his eyes before kissing him again.