Secrets ~ Lashton + Malum AU

One

Chapter one

I apologise in advance for a boring chapter. It'll get better as I get more into it...hopefully.

14 years earlier

Ashton was terrified as he held onto his brother's hand tightly, not wanting to let go. They were having fun, swimming around with Lukey when his dad, the king was grabbing them and pulling them inside the palace. Ashton squealed as he was pulled away from Michael and Luke, he just wanted his brother. Mermaids and Mermen were floating around everywhere but Ashton was too young to realize they were actually dead or to understand that there was a war going on.

He was pulled away from and out of the palace before the person holding him didn't have a strong hold on him anymore. Ashton cried as he swam away from all the bad guys, he was scared, he had no idea where he was going. He had passed out before he felt someone's arms wrap around him and swim him to safety.

He wanted Mikey and his friend Lukey.

The Queen watched from afar as her baby son laid there on the rocks, his little tail slowly forming into legs. A ring was left on his tummy and she could hear footsteps approaching. "Oh my gosh, is that a little boy?" That was when she left to go back to her husband and save Michael too but she was too late. Everyone was gone and she soon was too.

"Mummy, who that?" Little Calum asked, pointing to the small boy who laid on the rocks. "I don't know honey, stay right there." Joy slowly approached the small curly haired boy who was sleeping on the rocks and kneeled down, looking at what was on his stomach.

It was a small note with a ring holding it in place. She pulled the ring off of the note and unrolled it, reading it.

Please take care of my baby boy, his name is Ashton Fletcher and he's a very special boy.

Joy scoffed, "If he's so special to you why'd you leave him alone on the rocks?" She sighed and picked up the small, naked boy as she asked her oldest child, Mali-Koa to bring over a towel. The eight year old ran over to her mum with a towel and Joy wrapped the blue towel around the small child and Calum watched curiously. "You'll be okay Ashton." She took the ring and they head home with a three-year-old Calum whining that he didn't get to play in the water.

Present Day.

"Do we really have to go to the beach so early Ash? We've been here a day and I'm tired and hungry." Calum whined from his bed in his empty, dull bedroom. They'd just moved across Sydney because Calum's dad got a new job at the Aquarium.

Ashton groaned, "Cal, I'm dying for a swim. Please please please." He whined, playing with his golden-bronze ring. Calum groaned dramatically as he pulled himself out of bed and to the bathroom with a grumble of 'whatever'. Ashton smiled in triumph.

Calum's family knew about Ashton being 'special' and by special, he's a merman. Calum and his family didn't know why Ashton was left on the rocks one day, only Ash would know but he was too young to remember. It wasn't hard for them to find out he was a merman, the day they brought him home joy went to bath him and to her surprise, as soon as Ashton's body came in contact with the water his tail grew, they kept it a secret to everyone else though.

"Cal hurry up I'm desperate." Ashton whined from the bedroom. "I'm pissing, fuck off." "S'a long piss mate." "Ashton I just woke up from a twelve hour sleep, leave me alone." Ashton rolled his eyes. "So crabby...ooh crab sounds good right now...you mustn't be too tired then." "Shut up." Calum groaned as he came into the room, dropping back on the bed.

Ashton laughed and slapped his bum, making the brunette squeak. "Don't touch my ass." "Sorry, kinda hard not to when its so..." "Bootyful?" Calum asked with a grin. Ashton groaned at the horrible pun and got up, leaving the room and going downstairs as Calum laughed loudly and got ready to go to the beach.

"Morning Ash, how'd you sleep?" Joy asked from where she was cooking eggs and bacon in the kitchen. "Morning mum, I slept alright but it was kind of hard with the sound of the waves crashing. I had urges...and not the sexual kind." He chuckled awkwardly. Ashton knew that Joy wasn't his real mum and he knew he was adopted by her, but she brought him up so he thinks of her as one and she doesn't mind.

Joy just laughed and shook her head, "You always did have a way with words." She said sarcastically. "I'm quite the Shakespeare I know." Ashton joked back with a small grin as she handed him a plate of eggs and bacon with toast. "Thanks." He said and dug in.

Calum came down a few minutes later and ate his breakfast happily before they were leaving with a shout of 'see ya mum.' "Bye boys, be safe and don't get into any-" The door slammed shut. "-trouble." She chuckled.

"It's gonna be so cool, living right near the beach. It's always been a dream of mine." Calum said happily as they walked away from their house and down to the beach. "Really?" "No." They both laughed and they continued their small journey to the beach.

"It's nice, no one here to bother us. It's like our own little area." Ashton said with a big smile, showing off his deep dimples. Calum nodded in agreement but they soon realized they spoke too soon.

As they got closer to the water they could see two boys sitting on some rocks not too far away from where they were. Ashton groaned because now he can't swim, not with them there. "Ash it's alright we can just go somewh-" "Hi boys." Came a voice from where the boys where. It was the weird hair-colour one. It was red and black and oh he's hot Calum thought.

Ashton's breath hitched as the boy walkd over to them, the crazy hair boy was looking right into his eyes and Ashton was staring back and he had butterflies in his stomach because he could feel something, like there was something hiding in those light green eyes. "I'm Michael, this is my mate Luke." The boy spoke and Ashton's breath hitched again as he saw the blonde boy approaching them but this time it was different.

"I'm Calum, this is Ashton. We're new here." Calum spoke for Ashton, as he couldn't seem to get his words out. "Crab got your tongue?" And Ashton almost melted at the sound of the blonde boy with the pretty blue eyes voice. "U-uh...No, sorry. Just...sorry." Calum gave Ashton a curious look but he gave him a 'don't worry 'bout it' look and Calum looked back at the two boys.

"So you're the guys who just moved into the house over there then?" And Ashton nodded while Calum gave a 'yep' as their reply. "Well damn, now Lukey and I need a new place to swim." Michael pouted. Ashton furrowed his eyebrows, Lukey...Michael. They sound familiar. He shrugged it off and looked at his best friend.

Calum didn't want Michael to leave; he was too pretty. "Y-you can swim with us." He said quickly in which Ashton slapped his arm because what the fuck calum they're gonna know something's up when they see a tail. But Calum was too focused on Michael's mesmerizing eyes.

"That'd be nice." Michael spoke and Ashton almost frowned but didn't want them to think he didn't like them. He just wanted to swim; he was desperate. "But no thanks, Luke and I have somewhere to be but we might see you another time." And Ashton almost did a happy dance but once again, didn't want anyone to think something was up, or that he was weird.

"Oh, okay...well, see ya." Calum spoke and the two boys walked off with a wave and ran off to go where they had to.

"You're an idiot, you offered for those random people who we don't know to swim with us when you know damn well, I'm a fucking merman." Ashton said as he slapped Calum's arm again. Calum frowned and rubbed the area. "Ow, sorry I forgot. Michael was pretty." He said sheepishly and Ashton rolled his eyes, making sure the two boys were gone before he ran into the water and dived under, his beautiful bronze tail with specks of golden and shiny green was taking over his legs.

Ashton smiled happily and sighed in relief before Calum was getting into the water too.