Always Him - OT4

Chapter 22 - Burning Souls

- Third Person -

Luke's fingers drummed impatiently on the kitchen counter as he glanced at the clock. Ashton had been missing for days, he'd wake up early and come home late. It had been eating away at Luke. He knew he'd been treating the other somewhat unfairly, but he thought Ashton was tougher than that and would fight him for control. Or fight for something. This extended absence was unlike him. Something was wrong.

"Where the hell are you, Ashton?" Luke muttered under his breath.

Luke was fed up with unanswered questions and decided to rifle through drawers and check under the beds, looking for any clue to Ashton's whereabouts. It wasn't until he discovered an unknown laptop under a mix of clothes, it was no surprise that the computer was encrypted but he was determined to get through. Utilising the equipment at home, Luke spent hours until he decrypted the device and started unveiling its contents. 

Luke felt his heart sink as the realisation dawned on him that Ashton had been in contact with someone he shouldn't have been. Harry Styles. 

Each exchange revealed the depths of Ashton's betrayal. What started as information on hits developed into conversations about Luke's plans, his weaknesses and the operations within their gang.

"No... he couldn't have." Luke whispered, his hands shaking. Luke felt a surge of anger and heartbreak. With a toss of the computer against the wall he pulled his gun out and shot it multiple times, destroying any connection Ashton and Harry could have in the future. His body felt ice cold as he thought about how someone he thought would love him no matter what had betrayed him so ruthlessly.

Luke didn't have to wait long to find the answers he was seeking, hearing the front door open and seeing Ashton sneaking in like he was all too aware of his deception and disloyalty. His eyes moved straight onto Luke who had anger radiating off him in waves.

"Luke..." Ashton began, but Luke cut him off.

"Where the hell have you been?" Luke's voice was a mixture of fury and betrayal. "And don't you dare lie to me."

Ashton straightened his posture, his eyes narrowing defiantly. He was sick of Luke's attitude towards him recently, he was not going to put up with it. Especially when he had thought he was doing so well for himself. "I don't have to explain myself to you."

"You've been feeding information to Harry Styles! You've betrayed us, Ashton! You betrayed me!"

Ashton's lips curled into a smirk, challenging Luke's authority seeing the blonde getting riled up from his clear defiance. "So what if I have? You made it very clear you don't need me here."

Luke's face turned red with fury as he staunched closer to the other, putting his finger straight in Ashton's face as he continued to yell at the other. "You put us all in danger! You put me in danger! You are tearing down everything we've been working for! And for him?! That cocky asshole!"

Ashton shrugged, his nonchalance infuriating Luke even more. "Maybe I'm tired of being treated like the weak link. Maybe I wanted to prove I could play the game just as well as you. Besides you can talk shit about him all you want, at least he sees who I can be."

The noise had alerted the others, Calum making his way into the room with Michael trailing behind but keeping his distance. He wasn't about to get into the middle of an argument between those three, they could be unpredictable, especially in this fit of rage. Calum saw the violence between Luke's eyes as the two men held their gazes, Calum was quick to stand in between the two with his hands on their chests.

"What's going on?" 

"Ashton's been feeding information to Harry," Luke replied, his voice tight with controlled anger.

"You betrayed us?" Calum frowned as he felt his heart sink, removing his hand from Ashton's and moving his other onto Luke's shoulder, a small gesture but it certainly demonstrated where his alliance currently lay. He also wanted it to offer Luke something he thought would help control his rage.

Ashton's smirk remained. "Call it what you want. I call it taking control of my destiny."

"You had a place with us..." Calum said, his voice low and dangerous. His hurt mixed with the reality of how treacherous what Ashton did was. "But you threw it away."

Luke took a deep breath, he was furious and so angry but the pain he was feeling was deep, he knew he couldn't hurt Ashton and if he did he would certainly regret it. He still loved the man, even if he wanted nothing more than to break Ashton's skull in, he couldn't. He felt like he was on the verge of a severe breakdown.

"You need to leave, Ashton. You're no longer welcome here."

Ashton's eyes flashed with a mixture of hurt and defiance. But he chose to remain with an amused expression as he looked at the other two men, he had betrayed them and their reaction was something Ashton had been expecting but avidly avoiding. He didn't want to leave but he also didn't think he could stay either. "Fine by me. I'm better off without you anyway."

"You've done enough. Get out." Luke kept his voice firm, not wanting to show weakness in front of the other right now. He didn't want to give Ashton the satisfaction that he was destroyed by this situation he couldn't help but feel like he had a hand in causing it.

Ashton looked at Calum, hoping for some form of reprieve, but found none. Calum's expression remained stone-cold, his silence a clear endorsement of Luke's decision. Neither offered Ashton any sort of emotional vulnerability. 

With a casual shrug, Ashton turned and walked to the door, not bothering to look back. The door closed with a finality that echoed in the silence of the house. Ashton took their indifference as a clear sign that he had made the right decision, they didn't care about him like he thought. Ashton thought it was all too easy for the others to kick him out, like what he did didn't even mean anything.

Luke stood there for a moment, the weight of the betrayal settling heavily on him. He turned to Calum, who pulled him into a tight embrace. Luke felt his eyes well with tears as he met Calum's embrace, clinging to the other like he thought he could be losing him as well.

"We'll get through this." Calum said softly, feeling his shirt start to wet from Luke's tears. Calum rubbed the other's back, trying to offer whatever type of comfort he could. He couldn't recall ever seeing Luke cry, the three always emoted in ways that usually led to bloodshed. This was Luke actually allowing his emotions to shine through. 

Calum was just as deeply hurt from this but he knew Luke needed him more right now so he wanted to remain as strong as he could for the other, whispering soft words of assurance into Luke's ear. 

Luke was more than grateful for Calum right now and was trying to nod along knowing the other was trying but the pain in his chest remained. They had lost one of their own. But for now, they had each other, and that would have to be enough. It would have to be enough.

Michael had watched everything unfold and seeing Luke so vulnerable after that ordeal had saddened the smallest one, he didn't like seeing Luke that way. He wanted the other to feel better. He was just glad Calum could do that for Luke. 

And in this moment, Michael had accepted he didn't mind being here, seeing the other side of these deranged men had given Michael a perspective he didn't know he needed. Despite everything these men were capable of feeling and caring and they could be vulnerable and soft if they wanted to be. It felt real to Michael.

Michael watched their embrace for a while longer before he eventually made his way over to tug on Luke's shirt to get his attention on him now that it seemed his cries had slowly come to a stop. "Lu, do you want to go and cuddle? I could also cook for you or something?"

Luke sniffled into Calum's shirt, the movement alerting him as he looked down at the smaller boy. Michael had now seen him at his most vulnerable state and he still wanted to be around Luke. He didn't care about how flushed Luke's cheeks were or the gloss in his eyes. He wanted to support him just like Calum was.

And despite all the pain he still held, he felt love.

Luke was in love with Michael.