Hey Bartender, Love me (book 2)

Chapter 3

"Hey, Luke!"

    "Oh, hey Louis, how's it going?"

    Luke was downstairs at his bar going through their stock and seeing what they needed to order again. Louis had walked in and saw Luke and went to talk to him.

    "It's going, I have the night off from Club Masque, so I decided to keep Hazza company while he works," Club Masque was the name of Ashton's bar, where Louis was a bartender. "I-I mean, if that's okay, h-he's your employee, I j-just, he asked me to stop b-by,"

    Luke chuckled with an easy smile, easing Louis' anxiety.

    "Of course it's fine, Lou, you know you're practically like family, you don't have to worry about how often you're here."

    Louis exhaled in relief, Luke could see his entire body relax.

    "Thanks, mate."

    "No problem. I trust Harry, if you're with him, he won't let you be too much of a distraction,"

    "No, I swear I won't distract him, no worries. I promise,"

    Luke shook his head.

    "I trust you too, man. Now go, go see him and stop worrying! I'm not going to be mad at you," Louis had general anxiety about things like that, Luke was always careful to reassure him, the same way he'd want to be reassured in that moment. It gave the two of them a sort of closeness that Luke appreciated. Louis had been a big help to him in recovery.

    Louis nodded, his long brown hair flopping in his eyes as he made his way to the staircase.

"Thanks Luke. See ya,"

Luke waved at him without looking as he finished looking at the product list he needed to finish counting.

He was left alone for a while and was able to complete his task, which was refreshing. Usually, someone always came up to him to ask for something, check something, or talk to him. He guessed that just came with the territory of actually owning a bar now.

 It was nice, owning the bar. Luke had a freedom that he'd never had before. There was no one threatening him to do something or he'd get hurt. He could do what he wanted, when he wanted, and he had support from all the people in his life. 

Things were finally going well.

    Luke was heading upstairs when Ashton walked in.

    "Hey, Breadstick!"

    Luke whirled around, sending a glare to his boyfriend.

    "I hate that name. I haven't been called that since high school." He had hoped it would never come back.

    "Well, guess what your new nickname is, my darling Breadstick?" Ashton fluttered his eyelashes and grinned at his angry boyfriend.

    He groaned and continued up the stairs, stomping in protest.

    "Aw, come on, Lukey, it's cute." Luke rolled his eyes and went behind the bar and grabbed a clipboard. He sat down at one of the vacant bar stools and began looking through the papers, hoping Ashton would drop it.

    It didn't upset him, he just thought it was dumb. There were so many other things he liked when Ashton called him.

    "Hey, Harry, Louis, come here." Ashton nodded toward where he and Luke were standing.

    "What's up, boss?" Louis asked. He was funny, even though he was technically Ashton's employee, he'd made his way into the friend group, but was still super respectful and sometimes hesitant towards Ashton. He'd talked to him about it, but when he didn't really stop, they sort of figured he was that kind of person.

    "Look at Lukey, and tell—"

    "Don't do it, Ash," Luke warned.

    He grinned. "—Tell me if he looks like a breadstick,"

    Harry burst into laughter and Louis had a horrified expression on his face.

    "Oh my god, he totally does," Harry said through his tears.

    "Hah-hah," Luke fake laughed. "You all suck."

    "We're sorry Breadstick," Harry half-heartedly apologized. He glanced at Luke, chuckling as he made his way over to a customer to take their order.

    "Louis, come on, man. You have to agree, he looks like a breadstick, especially with the blonde hair."

    Louis' face flushed red as he tried not to look, but couldn't help but give his boss's boyfriend the side-eye.

    He bit his lip, causing Ashton to cheer.

    "He does! He's tall and thin, super lanky, he's pale, just like a breadstick!"

    "Ash, shut up. You're starting to attract attention,"

    Ashton shook his head, nodding to Louis as he went back to where he'd been sitting so he could talk to Harry again.

    "I'm sorry Doll, I'll stop if you really want me to," Ashton told him, his cheerful grin slipping a bit as he turned serious. "I should have made sure you would be okay with it,"

    "I don't really mind Breadstick," Luke assured him, signing the bottom of the page he'd been reading while being tormented by his friends. "It doesn't upset me, I mean, I hate it, but nothing is attached to it,"

    Ashton sighed in relief.

    "Oh good, I would have felt like a dick if it would have really upset you,"

    Luke leaned over and pressed a kiss to his nose.

     "You are a dick, but it—"

    "But I'm your dick, so it's okay," Ashton interrupted, grinning to himself.

    Luke just shook his head.

    "I don't know why I put up with you,"

    "But I'm glad you do," Ashton pretend pouting, but neither man could keep the smile off their face as they looked at each other.

    "Yeah, me too."

     Luke still couldn't get over how lucky he was.

Sure, Ashton teased him, but that was part of a normal relationship or friendship. The difference between Ashton and Michael was that Ashton had boundaries. He made sure he didn't mock something Luke truly cared about or something that actually upset him. He made sure that Luke was okay with everything, and made sure he knew Ashton loved him no matter what. Michael abused him, physically and mentally, but Ashton did everything he did in a loving way. 

    That was so new to Luke, but he loved every moment of it. This was truly what love was like, and he was so glad he found it.

***

A short chapter, but it's important. Our Lukey is slowly getting there (: 

~ashtonfortherwin