paper rings (l.h.)

27

TW: smut

The apartment that was once full was now just the bandmates and their significant others. Once the weed had ran out, and whatever booze some third party dragged in was drank and spilled, they scurried out of here in search of some pub. It was nearly twelve when the party ended, the music had since been turned down and reduced to all but a hum, we had all resorted to our private corners of the apartment. Calum back outside at the bench, Michael and Crystal half passed out on the couch, Ashton humming a tune on Calum's sister's keyboard she had locked away in her room, and Luke and I huddled together in the kitchen. I had eventually found my butt glued to the granite counter space, which had since been cleared and cleaned. Luke stood across from me, filling a red solo cup with water directly from the tap.

"I take for granted being able to drink water directly from the tap," he smiles over his shoulder, despite how stoned the two of us still are. I had found myself sharing one with Crystal and Michael earlier, and I felt feeling in my nose shortly come back to me. I ran my fingertips over my hip, feeling the joint I had found and stashed for safe keeping, for when Luke and I are alone tonight. "Once, I had ice in some dessert in Manila, and my stomach had me on a cold tile floor for days. I hadn't been in that much pain before," he continues. "Something about not being used to it."

I feel my smile grow as he brings the cup to his lips, setting it down directly beside me as he approaches my throne on the island in the center of the kitchen. It was quiet, the gentle theme song of The Golden Girl's and Ashton's hums a few rooms away keeps other ears from hearing us. "My Dad was born in Manila," I say, my smile genuine but barely there.

"I didn't know that," he raises his eyebrows as he moves to stand between my knees, his hands gently placing themselves on my waist as he waits for a reaction I've tried to push aside all day. "You never mentioned it."

"I am mixed," I nod. "I don't speak it, or anything. I just... am."

"It's beautiful there," he lowers his voice, trying to distract me from whatever might be going on in my brain. He's getting good at reading me. I sometimes think that's a curse as well as a blessing. "The tallest palm trees, the whitest sand and the clearest water. The kindest people you'll ever meet," he grins, looking deep in my eyes. "I guess it makes sense."

"How does it make sense?" I chuckle sleepily, trying to keep my eyes open as I find myself distracted just as he had hoped. I never thought about the idea of being connected to the island despite by ethnicity. I never really knew what that meant to me. Luke seemed to be the first person to actually be interested in it, more so than I am.

"It makes sense that a beautiful person could come from a beautiful island," he smirks, watching how I turn away, hiding my red cheeks from his goofy smile. "Was that cheesy? I'm stoned, Mary."

"A little," I roll my eyes before reaching up to play with his collar, running my fingers across the skin of his chest. "But that's okay. I like cheesy."

He looks down at me, watching as I lean down to press a gentle kiss to his collarbone. Slowly, I move the fabric of his shirt to the side to expose more of his neck, turning over my shoulder to press my lips to the skin of the corner of his neck.

He grabs me by my hips to pull my body closer to his, and I can feel his head turn to wait for someone to come intrude. I feel a gentle sort of breath escape from his lips, his hands pulling my body closer to his. "Do you think Calum would care if we borrowed a room of his?" I whisper in his ear, kissing his neck up to his ear, speaking slowly so that he could anticipate each word out of my mouth.

"He owes me, anyway," Luke responds, turning around and grabbing my knees to pull me onto his back. I gasp before I realize what was happening, and I wrap my arms around his shoulder before me pulls me off of the island. I couldn't help but hold my breath as we passed the two now sleeping on the couch, and Ashton a hallway and half an apartment away from us. "We'll have to be quiet," Luke whispers, my smile wide as I realize I'm not so sleepy anymore.