TourWithoutYou

Chapter Thirteen

"Ahhh, home sweet home," Ashton giggles as he flops on his bed in the flat, pulling me down with him, just arrived on a late flight, the clock reading one a.m.

"Mmmmm," I moan tiredly as I snuggle into his chest, breathing in his sunshine scent as I wrap my arms around his chest.

"I hate to be that guy, but now you need to tell the guys about your opportunity, especially since your signing papers tomorrow. Or I guess today."

"I know, I know," I gripe before I lift my head and look at him, his eyes a beautiful olive green in the dim lamplight.

"I'll take you to the store for lasagna ingredients," he teases.

"No," I giggle, pinching his chest, making his giggle back, "But I will tell them. I'll tell them tomorrow night. I want to tell them before she gets here."

"Oh, good idea," Ashton raises his eyebrows, knowing Arzaylea would make it more difficult for me to share openly. "Yeah, tell them tomorrow night. No wait today," he teases me again, "Because today is tomorrow already."

"What?" I laugh, grabbing his cheeks with one hand and squishing his lips.

"Oo Nu Ah I Een," he says before I chuckle and let go.

"Yes I do," I kiss him, "We should get to bed. I have to sign at ten."

"Good idea," he stretches his arms up over his head and then goes limp, pretending to be asleep.

I speckle kisses over his face before I jam my fingers into his armpits, making him squeal and push me off, almost falling off the bed into the drum kit before he catches me.

"A'right, bedtime," he giggles, standing up and pulling me with him.

We brush our teeth before he strips to his boxer briefs and I cuddle up next to him in the bed wearing one of his holey shirts. His large hand roams over my back as his breathing begins to slow and comes deeper, lulling me as I too drift into the darkness. My brain begins to power down as I become consumed by complete bliss and happiness, deeply in love with this man who fills my life with meaning and joy.

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I scroll through social media, laughing at the memes and tweets from the fandom as Ashton practices, Fall Out Boy playing loudly in my ears. He told me to go inside to the house but I refused, wanting to be with him; feeling emotional after signing my contracts. The reality setting in that I will be leaving him in three months; like a kangaroo kick to my chest.

A heavy sigh escapes my lungs as I drop my hand with my phone to the bed and I try desperately not to cry. So I let Patrick Stump remind me that you are what you love not who loves you and in a world full of the world 'yes' I need to scream 'no'. I contemplate how good it would feel to scream into a pillow when something hits my foot. My eyes open just a drumstick soars over my face and lands on the bed next to me.

I look over at Ashton, clearly giggling, the sounds blessing my ears when I remove my ear buds; the sound and his dimples to beautifully contagious I can't help but smile back.

I love him so much.

He drinks a bottle of water as I take him in; his skin damp from almost an hours worth of practice, his shirt wet, and hair dripping sweat as he grabs a bandana and wipes his face before asking, "You okay?"

I feel my eyes smart, wishing sometimes he didn't know me so well, before I feel the frog in my throat as I shake my head, afraid to speak. His face falls before he actively pouts, trying to look cute, which he does, to lighten the mood, but also to let me know he understands.