Punks Meet Flower Crowns >> Lashton AU ✔️

82. ~ Apraise

"You were only a friend,

It was hard to pretend"

Time: 7:30 pm.

Setting: Tomlinson Residence.

Louis: (opens door, carrying a sleeping Darcy in one arm, surprised) Fletch?

Ashton: (standing in the doorway, Luke's plaid shirt in his arms, sniffling) Hi. Um. Is it a bad time? (peeks inside) Are they around? Gem and Niall?

Louis: (shakes head) They're out with Haz, seeing a movie. Won't be back until later. (worried) What happened? You wouldn't be here unless something happened.

Ashton: (shaking, holding the plaid shirt to his chest) I hurt Luke.

Louis: Hurt?

Ashton: (nods, sniffling) He told me that he liked me, like that, and I...God, Lou. You should've seen the look on his face. (voice breaking) He'll never wanna talk to me anymore. (small) I mess up. I always mess up.

Louis: (moves out of the doorway, nods towards dining room) Why don't you take a seat and I'll go put Darce in bed, yeah? (leaves to bedroom, Ashton goes to dining room and takes a seat, comes back, softly) So, he finally fessed up?

Ashton: (croaks) What do you mean?

Louis: I mean, the boy's been in love with you since God knows when. (comforting hand on Ashton's shoulder) It was bound to happen, Fletcher.

Ashton: (voice high, cracking) But why now? Why couldn't he have waited til I was- I- (breathes harshly) It was so sudden. I wasn't ready. I freaked. I couldn't accept it. (smaller) I still can't.

Louis: (sits down next to Ashton, no judgement) That's okay, Fletch. Things like this take time.

Ashton: (blinks) Did you do the same thing when Harry told you he liked you.

Louis: (snorts) Worse, I punched him in the face and didn't talk to him for a month. (pauses, looking Ashton up and down) But I came to terms with what I felt, after that.

Ashton: How did you? C-come to terms with it?

Louis: (frowns) I saw another guy trying to shove his tongue down Harry's throat and gave that bastard what was coming. (gentle) But, I'm not saying that's what you should do. You should do what's best for you, Fletcher. If you truly do not feel a thing for Luke, you should tell him.

Ashton: (weak) But what if I do?

Louis: What?

Ashton: (twists Luke's shirt in his hands, louder) What if I do but...but I'm a-afraid?

Louis: (brushes his hair back) Then you need to take time to figure out your feelings. Don't think that just because Haz and I got it right that the same thing will happen to you. You know more than anyone that relationships take time and work, regardless of what orientation the couples are. You can't rush them. Otherwise, they crumble.

Ashton: (crying) I don't want to feel this way. I don't want to want him like that.

Louis: Then if you truly feel that way, if you can't come to terms with it. Do the right thing for Luke.

Ashton: (scared) What's that?

Louis: Let him move on, be happy. (soft) And do the same for you.

Ashton: I-I'm scared, Lou. I don't want to lose him.

Louis: (frowns) I'm afraid that's out of your control, darling.

"And we're chasing a topic that's over your head,

Cause you think about me every night as you lie your bed,

That's...real...damn"

Note: This chapter was quite unexpected but I felt we needed to hear Ashton's side of the story, the reasons why he did what he did.