Lethe

New Joy: New Memories

Summary: Luke's up for new memories, if it involves Ashton still
Note: I think this was my favourite chapter to date
***
"Lukey!" Luke smiled, hearing Ashton's voice call him, as he had his break. It was his sixth hour at work, and he was in the middle of a ten-hour shift. It was only dinnertime, when Ashton showed up. He and Ashton were not dating, per se, but they definitely confessed their feelings for each other. Neither of them has been smart enough to ask the other on a date, or out for that matter. "Hey, are you done yet?" Ashton's voice was whiny; as if he was hoping Luke would say 'Soon' and be all giggly again.

Luke wished that was his response, because Ashton looked sad and pouty - and no one wants to look at Ashton being sad and pouty, because he would win you over easily. "I'm sorry Ash," Luke sighed, "I still have four hours to go." Luke looked down, hoping to miss Ashton's puppy eyes, and sad pout.

"Okay, well...do you want to go out with me tomorrow?" Luke froze, he literally froze. He stood in one spot, wondering if what he heard was real, or if he was going to move and Ashton was looking at him confused and says 'Luke, I asked if you knew ... was available?' and be an idiot.

"Lukey, are you okay?" Ashton questioned, pinching Luke, which caused Luke to unfreeze.

"Uh, yeah. Definitely. Yeah. Sure. Uh." Luke mumbled, still trying to figure out what was going on, but whatever it was, it was real - because damn, that pinch hurt. "I mean, yes Ashton. I would love to." Luke said, after coughing, and formally accepting Ashton's...date?

"Great. I'll see you later Lukey." Ashton said, before quickly kissing Luke's cheek and leaving soon after.

After Luke's shift ended, he went to his apartment, where Ashton was sitting on his couch. Luke tried to pretend it was not a normal thing, but it felt like it. It felt like when he and Ashton were living together, and all couple-like, and Luke was almost waiting for Ashton to stand up, kiss Luke passionately, and say 'Good day love?' in his thick, so goddamn thick Australian accent. But Luke remembered it was the present, not the past, and this Ashton was only just figuring out his feelings for Luke.

"Hey Lukey." Ashton said, standing up, embracing Luke, before planting a cute kiss on Luke's neck. It was not abnormal - in the past - but presently, Luke was confused. "How was work?" Ashton asked, still cuddled into Luke, and looking up, in the most adoring way, that Luke was so close to kissing Ashton. "I missed you." Ashton mumbled, his head in Luke's chest, muffling his words, but Luke knew exactly what he said.

"Uh, fine." Luke said, even after three years together, and after the amnesia, Luke was still going to act awkward around Ashton. "I had this really cute person come in today, oh wow, he was so cute." Luke didn't know where the confidence came from to say that, but he hoped Ashton caught on.

"Oh," Ashton's voice and body deflated, and he suddenly pulled away. "Was he really cute?" Ashton mumbled, now fiddling with his shirt - which Luke vaguely remembers being his a few years back, until Ashton stole it.

"Yeah, definitely." Luke hated seeing Ashton sad, but he wanted to see how long it would take Ashton to notice it was him that Luke was talking about. "Hey was seriously cute. Like full-package cute. He had cute dimples, so goddamn deep. With hazel eyes; so green, yet so brown. And a cute butt. I remember seeing him before..." Luke trailed off, looking for some sign that Ashton caught on, but Ashton's face was still sad, and he was still tugging at the shirt.

"He sounds really cute..." Ashton mumbled, and Luke could hear the possibility of tears, and Luke didn't want that. Luke wanted happy, giggly, smiley Ashton.

"Oh he is...and I think I should introduce you to him." Luke wanted to giggle, as he dragged Ashton towards the closest mirror. "See, there he is." Luke giggled, as Ashton looked up, and saw him and Luke staring into a mirror. "Look are those dimples," Luke smiled as he poked Ashton's dimples, which were showing more now. "And those hazel eyes." Luke sighed, of adoration, as Ashton stared intently at himself in the mirror. "And that cute butt." Luke teased, with a half-decent wink, as he slapped Ashton's butt.

"Luke!" Ashton squealed, then giggled, as he slapped Luke's chest. "You're such an idiot. I almost thought you didn't think I was cute..." Ashton trailed off, not knowing what else to say. He could not admit he was jealous of some boy, especially now that he knew Luke was teasing him and that it was just himself the entire time. Also because Luke was not his, well, kind of. Luke was obviously loyal to him since the amnesia began.

"I'm sorry, but I wanted to be cute." Luke said, as he pouted and Ashton shook his head. "Hey, what time is it?" Luke suddenly asked.

"Uh, it's like 11." Ashton looked at his phone, and read 11:38PM on his phone. "Why?" Ashton questioned.

"How long until tomorrow?" Luke asked again.

"Like twenty minutes. Why?" Ashton was getting more confused as Luke was suddenly interested in the time.

"Because it's almost tomorrow." Luke muttered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the entire world.

"Yeah...?" Ashton trailed off, looking up at Luke, confused yet so cute. "What's the big deal?" Ashton was beginning to worry about Luke now.

"It's almost tomorrow..." Luke mumbled, "Do you want to go for a walk?" Luke questioned. Ashton tilted his head; he was confused - more than before. Luke just had a ten-hour shift, then took an hour bus to get home, and now wants to go out for a walk this late?

"Um, sure?" Ashton said, a little more flustered than he thought. "I don't know why you want to go so late though."

"Because it's almost tomorrow!" Luke said, excitedly, and obviously - as if Ashton was supposed to know what 'tomorrow!' meant. "You asked if I wanted to go out tomorrow, and it's almost tomorrow. But you didn't say when. So let's go adventure at midnight and be idiots. As long as my idiot's with me, I'm fine." Luke said, his smile get wider as he spoke. Ashton almost asked how he could talk and smile before he noticed Luke called him an idiot.

"Hey!" Ashton shouted, hitting Luke's chest again. "I am not an idiot." Ashton mumbled.

"Sometimes you are, but you're my idiot." Luke said, hugging Ashton, placing a soft kiss on his hair. "I kind of missed that..." Luke trailed off, smiling against Ashton's head, as Ashton giggled. "I missed you...yet you were so close." Luke mumbled.

"Aw, Lukey. I'm sorry. I wish I could make it up to you." Ashton said, cuddling into Luke, as they just stood there in silence for a moment.

"You don't have to apologize," Luke started, "We'll make new memories, in replacement for your old ones. I don't care if you remember anything in the past, as long as you're my future, I'm fine." Luke said, kissing Ashton's cheek, before softly, and shortly, kissing his lips. "...I love you." Luke whispered, hoping Ashton wouldn't hear.

"I love you too." Ashton whispered, and it felt like a normal thing. It was, once upon a time, but it felt real - and that's all that mattered to him.

"I can't wait to make new memories with you." Luke whispered, before kissing Ashton again.