Souvenir [Complete]

Twenty-five. Aftermath

Luke threw acorns at Brian's bedroom window, but wherever Brian had gone in the house, Luke wasn't allowed to know.

Was this the end of them? Had he just fucked things up forever? He didn't know if that was what he wanted. But he guessed that's what he had now regardless.

He didn't want to make a scene, but he was so upset. He sat on Brian's porch, hugging his knees to his chest in the porch light. He sobbed softly and wiped the mascara tears off of his cheeks.

This was his worst idea yet. Worse than befriending Ashton, worse than getting a crush, worse than New York City. This night was the worst night of his whole adult life.

Three years just folded up like an accordion. Available for Luke's introspective analysis. Like their relationship was a fucking story.

He sobbed harder and didn't care if the water would damage the sleeves of his silky shirt. He didn't care about anything anymore. Nothing made him truly happy. He was that bottomless pit that swallowed positive thoughts now. And that's all he ever would be.

And as if things couldn't get worse, who did he see walking by with a bag full of food from the fucking Everything Cuisine?

Funny, Luke didn't see any sign of Ashton's blonde beard.

But apparently Ashton saw him. Luke ignored him, but Ashton stood at the entrance to the driveway, not saying anything at first.

So Luke took the first step. "Go away." He grumbled.

"What happened?" Ashton's voice was soft. Like he really cared...It just made Luke hate the sound of it more.

"I said go away!" Luke huffed. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Well I don't want you crying on a porch by yourself, so I'm thinking you're gonna have to compromise."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Fuck off...I'm not in the mood for you."

"I'm not going anywhere," Ashton hummed smugly, leaning against the picket fence around Brian's yard. "Not until you get up at least. I mean I get that you're a Cancer and all, but this town doesn't seem to take well to our kind showing our emotions recently."

"You think we're the same?" Luke huffed. "We are not. I'm nothing like you. And I'd hardly call what you're doing 'showing emotion.' You're just shoving your tongue down someone's throat. That's not emotion, that's sickening."

"It is pretty sickening isn't it?" Ashton hummed his expression unflinching from Luke's ridicule. "It must suck to see."

"I hate you," Luke hissed, and again Ashton just stood there. Luke was spitting angry now. He stood up and went to the edge of the yard right in front of Ashton. Funny how he towered over Ashton in a moment like this, and Ashton didn't seem to care. "I hate you for leaving me all alone."

The silence pressed Luke to yell at him some more. "I hate you for not calling. You know my house number and you never called it. I waited, all this time for you, and you came back and didn't even speak to me."

Ashton nodded.

"And then when I see you, you're constantly lip-locked with one of my friends. And I was waiting all this time for you to come home and...and..."

Luke was crying now.

"Are you done? Let it all out?"

"No." Luke grumbled, and brushed away his tears in frustration. "Fuck you."

"Lu..." Ashton cooed.

"Don't 'Lu' me. You left and all I had was your stupid jacket."

"Well if you're gonna keep yelling at me, at least start walking, I'd like to eat before my food gets cold."