Souvenir [Complete]

Thirty. Moving Day

"I don't know if I want you to move to New York City." Andy said firmly that afternoon.

"Well, dad, it's not you moving." Luke hummed as he decided which books to shove in his suitcase.

"What are you going to do? Where are you going to live?" Liz asked. "You've only been with Ashton for three weeks."

Luke hummed. "I know. But I'll be safe. I'm staying with him and his family." Luke was excited about that. Ashton's family was a big deal—at least to Ashton and Luke it was. "And I'm only a bus away."

"I really don't like this," Andy shook his head.

"Well you don't have to, I need to do this on my own."

"What about school, Lukey?" Liz whimpered.

"Well school can wait. New York won't, and...I think Ashton is really good for me. He cares about me, and wants me to do whatever it is that I want to do with my life."

"That includes college, son," Andy huffed.

Not the "son." Luke was never "son," at least not before he came out. "Maybe for some people, dad. But for me, I don't need to worry about it yet."

"I just don't want you to throw away your life for a boy."

"It's my life to throw away on whatever I want. And I was hoping maybe my parents would be more supportive of me, but thanks for the vote of confidence..." Luke zipped his bag. "I thought you trusted Ashton."

"Not with you five hours away, what if something happens?" Liz explained.

"Then I guess that sucks." Luke said firmly. "I'm going because this is what I want."

"We'll be here when you come home." Andy shrugged, and Luke vowed to himself then that he wouldn't ever come back to this house if anything went wrong.

Luke stormed outside with his suitcase in hand toward Ashton's car. He took one last look at the rose bush outside his house and how it was in full bloom—even in July—and rolled his bag up to the car. "Let's leave," Luke huffed.

"Are you okay? What happened in there?" Ashton said worriedly.

"They don't want me to go with you. They think it's too soon," Luke pouted. "I'm not an idiot. But they think I'm a baby."

Ashton kissed his forehead. "Baby if you want to come, I told you the front seat is yours."

"I'm coming. I packed. I'm staying with you and there's nothing anyone can tell me otherwise."

"We always go to New York on a whim." Ashton smirked.

"Maybe we won't leave it so far apart this time. I wanna leave together."

"I know baby," Ashton kissed his forehead. The older boy still had sex hair and puffy lips. Luke thought he looked perfect in the afternoon light.

"Tonight we're staying with your family?" Luke gushed.

"Yeah, baby. And you'll get to meet Calum."

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Really? The infamous Calum?" Luke cooed coyly, wrapped Ashton in a hug.

Ashton smiled a half smile and bumped their noses together. "Mhmm. The infamous Calum," he echoed. He is eyes flit away for a second and then went back to Luke. "I'll let you say goodbye to Michael."

Luke turned around at the mention of his best friend's name.

"You were just gonna run off to the city and not say goodbye?" Michael teased wrapping Luke in a big hug.

"I was on my way to you." Luke squeezed back with a vengeance. "I love you, Mikey." Luke whined.

"I love you. You better call me all the time."

"I'm calling you as soon as I get there."

Michael squeezed him tight. "And fucking invite me over. It's gonna be so boring here without you."

"I'm having you over every time you can get the bus!" Luke promised.

"And make sure he doesn't mistreat you," Michael glared at the car. Even though Luke had softened to Ashton once Luke started dating him, a part of Michael's personality was skepticism it seemed.

"I'll come home the second something changes in a bad way."

Michael kissed Luke very softly on the lips. "Have a good trip."

The trip was good. It was full of traffic, but with the windows down and Celebrity Skin on it made that aspect a lot more manageable. When they made it to Brooklyn, Luke was more than excited to be there. This was it. This was his home now. He'd probably go that corner store. Ride that train...at some point. This was so new and exciting and he loved how it lit up at night.

Ashton pulled up outside of an apartment. It looked like something out of the movies. "You can afford to live here?" Luke gushed.

"Running is very lucrative," Ashton purred. "Cmon let's meet the family."

Up the stairs to the front door, Luke had his suitcase, and Ashton had the keys. The door had a slight creak in it when it opened, but Luke just thought that was homey. And immediately inside it was warm.

It was much homier than Luke had even imagined. When picturing a Brooklyn apartment, Luke had pictured cold, tiled floors, a few scarce lights, a feeling of emptiness. But Luke felt full.

This was nothing like the hotel Ashton and he had been in this afternoon, nothing like anything Luke had imagined. This was a home. This was Ashton's home.

Ashton lead Luke into the living room. "Anyone home?" He called. The television was on playing some cartoon Luke didn't recognize. The living room was spacious thought. Two couches and it looked well designed. Ashton was definitely gay, he could tell now more than ever—and they'd had sex earlier. "Anyone awake?"

From a corner into a kitchen Luke hadn't seen before a tall man with dark curly hair and bloodshot eyes rounded the corner. "You made it!" The man grinned at Ashton.

"Yeah man," Ashton smiled and embraced him. "This is my boyfriend, Luke," Ashton announced when the man's gaze lingered on him.

"This is Luke?" The stranger raised his brows. And if it was a bad thing or a good thing Luke couldn't tell. "Holy shit, bro." He muttered under his breath before smiling directly at Luke. "Hi, I'm Calum Hood. Want a sandwich?"

"You're Calum?" Luke giggled after accepting the sandwich. "You're not what I expected at all."

"Oh definitely the same, I think Ashton has a problem talking people up," Calum cooed. "Welcome to the city, Luke."

"Do you live here?" Luke asked sweetly.

"Sometimes," Calum cooed. "Mostly when Ashton's gone. This kids aren't gonna take care of themselves, and it's not like I've got anything to do all day."

Luke nodded. "Are they asleep?"

"With any luck, yeah," Calum sighed. "It was so fuckin difficult to get them to go to sleep. I shouldn't have told them you're coming back."

Ashton smiled. "They were excited, huh? I don't wanna undo your work, Cal, but I wanna see them."

"Hey bro, it's your choice. If you wanna go through that much work in the morning before school, then sure."

"Oh, so you're not gonna help me out?" Ashton purred.

"Not at all. My help expires after this," Calum pulled a blunt out from behind his ear. Luke hadn't noticed it because of his curls. "Happy birthday, Ash."

Ashton smiled and took it. "Thanks man. I'll see you tomorrow night."

Calum hummed and winked at Luke. "Good to meet you, blondie."

"Yeah, you too!" Luke cooed. And just like that, Calum was gone into the night.

"So," Ashton hummed after the door had closed and it was just the two of them on the only slightly untidy dining table. "Wanna smoke?"