Revolution || Lashton AU - boyxboy

making amends [part two]

plot amends:

 

Luke and Ashton:

At the beginning of this story, Ashton was a mess. He was damaged from an awful childhood in which he was abused relentlessly by his father, lost his mother, lost his siblings, lost a girl he was in love with. He had recently been diagnosed with severe bipolar disorder. He was hopped up on meds to keep his feet on the ground, and anyone who has ever been on any kind of antidepressant understands that feeling as though you can't be normal unless you're popping pills left and right, is quite a terrible feeling. So he wasn't taking his meds as directed, and he was lashing out because he was damaged. It could be said that he was something of an aspiring alcoholic because he wasn't good at dealing with his problems, and he definitely was not good at talking about them.

Luke was quite the mess as well. Although he didn't initially come off as having any severe problems, it was eventually revealed that he was in a domestically abusive relationship with Vincent, who beat Luke when he was angry, and eventually lead Luke into believing that he deserved it. It had transpired a bad anxiety disorder in Luke, one which faultered any form of a filter he had and resulted in him having trust issues almost as bad as Ashton. Because of the situation Luke was in, he had picked up a heroin addiction, and had slept around for any heroin he could get.

When they initially met, it was quite evident how they felt about each other. In their eyes, they were two entirely different people. Luke believed Ashton was just a prick who hurt people for fun, and Ashton believed Luke was some uppity toddler of a guy who didn't understand boundaries. After a whole lot of bickering, you can see their guards beginning to fall. Ashton saves Luke from that guy in the club, and though it could be argued it was some miniscule form of PTSD from what happened to Summer, Ashton's character simply isn't the hero type. Ashton tells Luke about Summer, whom he doesn't talk about often. Ashton finds out about what Vincent does to Luke, and attacks Vinny for a similar reason, but also to rescue Luke from that situation.

Gradually, you can see Ashton slowly becomming that hero character he was never supposed to be. It turns into a cycle of Ashton constantly trying to save Luke, but cutting Luke out in every aspect that he can. Eventually, Luke manages to begin cracking him open, and Ashton finally lets him in. They form something of a bond, and once Ashton loses Harry and Lauren, the bond solidifies when Luke seems to be the only one still standing by Ashton's side. Ashton leaves and fucks Luke up a lot, and though Luke is convinced he never wants to see Ashton again, the minute he shows back up, he knows.

So it's a story of falling in love under more realistic circumstances. The happy ending doesn't just happen. In this story, nothing just happens. Ashton and Luke create the happy ending. Because that's how real life works. You have to create your own destiny. You have to decide your own fate. And just because you come from a shitty place, doesn't mean you have to remain headed in that direction.

That's what Revolution is about.

tying loose ends:

 

Owen's reaction to Ashton's return:

I knocked on the door wearily, seeing as I left the dorm the day before without my key. I tapped my foot very anxiously and impatiently, because although we'd been here for only a few seconds, it felt like years until Owen opened the door.

"Luke--" he froze, upon meeting eyes with Ashton.

Ashton coughed uncomfortably, holding my hand tighter than he already was. "Uh, hi."