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29 - The Subtle Pretty

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29 - The Subtle Pretty

With dry blood present on his knuckles, Ashton offered Luke a small nod when the blonde came into the room.

Luke's blue eyes narrowed in confusion when he saw the blood on Ashton's hands, making him wearily ask, "Why is there blood on your hands?"

"I found one of the men who were apart of the attack in the alleyway."

"Really?" Luke asked interested, stepping more into Ashton's bedroom and sitting down on the edge of the bed while Ashton grabbed his phone to send Calum a text of his newfound information he was able to find.

"He wasn't in charge. Just a hired man willing to spill blood for some easy cash."

"A sloppy hitman then if he was able to be found."

"That plus I'm quite excellent at tracking people down."

"I'll keep that in mind if I ever feel like running away from you and this city."

"Like you'd ever." Ashton put his phone down on the small desk across from the end of the bed, leaning against it and crossing his arms while he looked at the blonde.

"What if I did?"

"If you ran away from me?"

"Yes."

"If you ever ran away from me, Luke, I'd make you regret every single second away from me. I don't appreciate playing games, especially when you should know where you belong."

"You're saying that I belong with you?" Luke asked cheekily, grinning ahead confidently at the gangster due to what the other was saying.

Spending time with the gangster lately had Luke's heart bursting at its seams. Ashton was a genius when it came to his words, especially if it was about their tension and desire.

"I'm saying that you belong to me." The gangster affirmed darkly with no hesitation or lie being present.

Luke's eyes widened slightly. He wasn't used to this. He was used to chasing Michael down, trying to steal the beauty's heart away as his own. But now there Ashton was, chasing him while also chasing Michael and Calum in the process. Luke was the easiest chase due to his position in all of this, but neither minded.

"Don't act so surprised. It's no secret that I'm infatuated with you."

"I'm not surprised...It's just still so new and different."

"Luke, you do realize how pretty you are. Right?"

"I'm not pretty." Luke interjected, "That's Michael."

"Just because Michael is pretty doesn't mean you're not."

"No. I'm not like that." Luke kept trying to argue against what Ashton was saying, shaking his head slightly while keeping his blue eyes on the other.

"Like what?"

"I'm not like him...I don't dress up in tight dresses and flaunt off my body. There's nothing wrong with it; I love every part of him. But that's not who I am."

"You don't have to wear tight dresses or flaunt off your body in order to be pretty. There are different types of pretty."

"If you think I'm so pretty then what type of pretty am I?" Luke asked sarcastically, not expecting the other to actually answer.

But of course Ashton did. Because Luke was pretty and the gangster wasn't ashamed to admit it.

"You're the subtle pretty. You sit back in the background not interested in being in the spotlight. But still, eyes gravitate towards you because of your beauty and your loyalty. You're a passionate and pretty man who never lets those around you get hurt."

"Do you think Calum is pretty?"

"Yes." Ashton easily answered, "You're all pretty in your own ways. He's the one who you wouldn't describe as pretty first. You'd first call him handsome, since he's so dominant and adamant in his masculinity. But once you truly understand who he is, you realize that he's a pretty and determined man who would give anything up for love."

"And Michael?"

"He's a powerful man who could make anyone do what he desires because of how pretty he is. He's the dangerous pretty; if you touch him there's always the possibility of getting burnt."

"And yourself? Would you call yourself pretty?"

Ashton paused from this, staring ahead at the listening Luke. He grinned from the question. Leave it to Luke to always get him thinking about things he's never thought of. The blonde was a special little thing and Ashton didn't have any intention of letting go.

"What what you say? Would you go as far to call me pretty?"

"Yes." Luke answered while he placed his hands to his sides and onto the bed, leaning his weight on his arms while he explained, "You're caring and protective of those around you. You'd never let us get hurt. It's enduring and pretty."

"When you first met me did you ever expect that we'd be here in my bedroom talking about how each of us are pretty?" Ashton joked, realizing that so much had changed in a short amount of time.

Now Luke was staying with him, working alongside him to figure out both their professional and personal lives.

"Never." Luke scoffed in good nature, "I never thought anyone would catch my eye like Michael has."

"I've caught your eye?"

"C'mon, Ashton." Luke rolled his eyes playfully, "I wouldn't have let you kiss me and...if you didn't catch my eye."

"Kiss you and what?" Ashton smirked when he noticed how Luke awkwardly stumbled away from that key piece of information.

"You know what."

"I don't though. My memory is a little blurry. I think I need you to remind me."

"Shut up." Luke rolled his eyes.

"I think I've finally cracked your code."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked confused, noticing when the other man slowly walked across the room with his usual and confident grin.

Ashton stopped once he stood in front of Luke. He placed his fingers underneath Luke's chin, forcing the blonde to look up at him.

"You don't like the attention being on you. You'd much rather chase somebody down than to be chased. And it's because you're afraid for people to know who you truly are."

Luke took in a shaky breathe while Ashton said this and while the dangerous man refused to break the intense eye contact.

"The game of the chase distracts you away from the fact that you're alone and all you want is acceptance. All you want is to be loved for who you are. And who are you, Luke? You're a stubborn, relentless man who is too easily consumed by love. Once you have your eyes set on someone, you'd kill anyone to get what you want."

"Like you wouldn't kill Calum in order to get to Michael."

"At one point I would have." Ashton agreed with a sharp tone, "But things have changed."

"How have things changed?"

"I no longer only love Michael."

—•••—

What do you guys think of the progressing Lashton? Do you ship it?

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