Skinny Love: Lashton

Chapter 1

Ashton eyed Luke sleeping on the couch backstage. He took note of the way Luke's collarbones stuck out beneath his t-shirt, or how loose Luke's clothes looked on him, or the way he was always tired. What was going on with Luke? Ashton knew he wasn't eating. He noticed the way Luke would disappear anytime the boys would order food. He noticed how Luke was always exhausted. He noticed how Luke was always cold.

However, Ashton knew better than to confront Luke about it. He knew Luke was slowly killing himself.

Ashton needed evidence if he was going to confront Luke.

He walked over to the younger boy, shaking his shoulders in an attempt at waking him up.

"What?" Luke asked, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.

"Food's here, we ordered pizza." Ashton cautiously spoke.

"I'm not really hungry." Luke quickly spoke, pausing before continuing, "I think I'm just gonna sleep some more. Thanks though."

"You sure? The concert's in an hour, you should probably eat something." Ashton pushed.

"I'm not feeling super well Ash, I'll be fine." Luke replied, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh, well it's backstage if you change your mind. Hope you feel better." Ashton replied, deciding not to pry anymore. He could obviously see through Luke's (butterfly) lies, but it was still too soon to confront him.

*time skip* 

The concert was rough, to say the least. Ashton was constantly watching the blonde the entire show, just waiting for something to happen.

Michael broke a whole ass guitar, but no one wanted to talk about that. Its neck snapped off mid-song.

Ashton hit a fan in the face with a drumstick. He was only trying to be nice by tossing her a drum stick.... Turns out she couldn't catch it.

Calum almost fell off the stage.

"Y'all wanna go out for drinks?" Calum suggested, just as Michael tackled him.

"Hell yeah! I'm down!" Michael eagerly replied.

"Calm down there dude, ever since you broke that guitar you've been acting like you're on crack." Ashton spoke up, laughing slightly.

"That was fucking sick!" Michael defended, crossing his arms over his chest and slightly pouting.

"He's not wrong, it was kinda dope." Calum agreed.

"What'd you think of it, Luke?" Michael asked, eager to get the blonde's opinion on the matter.

"Huh? Oh uh, yeah that was pretty cool, I guess..." Luke mumbled. "I think I'm just gonna head back to the bus..."

"C'mon Luke, go out with us! You're no fun!" Calum complained.

"Just one drink?" Ashton bargained. "Please?"

Luke couldn't say no to Ashton, sighing, he agreed.

Luke was quiet the rest of the drive to the bar, mainly zoning out as he stared out the window. Surprisingly, no one bothered him.

"And all the things that we dream about.... They don't mean what they did before....I just want to get back to us.... Cuz we used to have more." Calum and Michael scream-sang.

The two were currently on stage at the bar doing their version of "karaoke". Luke cringed at the shrill echo of the mics due to their drunken states.

He gingerly sipped his Tequila, mentally taking note of the calories in the drink he was consuming. He'd have to burn those off later when they get home.

Ashton watched as Luke pulled out his phone, googling the average calories in his drink.

"What are you doing?" He asked suddenly, scaring the shit out of Luke.

"Nothing, just uh looking at the sugar in this. Trying to cut back on the sugar, ya know?" Luke briskly replied, as he shut his phone off and slipped it back into his pocket.

"Do you wanna head back?" Ashton asked as he looked over at Michael and Calum who were now singing "Need to Know" by Doja Cat.

"Spank me, slap me, choke me, bite me!" Michael yelled.

"Oh wait I can take it, don't give a fuck about what your wife is saying!" Calum took over, moaning in the beginning.

"Yeah, I think that might be a good idea." Luke agreed. "I'll take Michael, he's the emotional one."

"Fine, but you're taking Calum next time." Ashton decided.

It took twenty minutes to get Calum and Michael back in the car, Michael stopping to sob to Luke how much he loves Moose and South and Calum feeling like he was going puke.

The drive home was actually fairly quiet considering Michael and Calum had both fallen asleep. This gave Ashton a good opportunity to talk to Luke.

"Hey, you know you can talk to me if you need to right?" Ashton spoke, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, why?" Luke hesitantly asked.

"I know what you're doing Luke." Ashton bluntly spoke.

"W-what do you mean?" Luke questioned, stuttering slightly.

"You starve yourself, Luke. I've noticed. You're practically skin and bones at this point. I want to help you. You were literally counting the calories in your drink back at the bar."

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" Luke snapped. "I'm fine."

"Luke..." Ashton pressed.

"No, Ash, you don't understand. I'm fine." Luke defended, gritting his teeth.

"Prove it." Ashton simply replied.

"What?"

"After I put the two drunks to bed, I wanna watch you eat something. If you eat, I'll leave you alone, deal?"

"This is fucking ridiculous!" Luke argued.

"I'm serious, Luke. If you're fine just like you say you are, then prove it."

"Fine." Luke grumbled, wrapping his arms across his stomach.

How the hell was he going to do this?