fatherhood // lashton

18

Luke yawned as he was standing by the grill in the kitchen. It was a stressed day at work today but Luke just couldn't pick up his pace.

He hadn't slept much last night since he and Ashton had been up late on the phone to discuss all these apartment possibilities. Also, Leon had been cranky because Peach and Ashton weren't there. Leon had woken up extremely early and whined about how he couldn't sleep alone. Luke had desperately tried to get him to fall back to sleep with him in his bed, but that hadn't worked either.

It had all ended with two cranky and annoyed boys who had started to argue, and Luke hated arguing with Leon.

He also hated the fact that he had to drop off Leon by the preschool while the small one was still angry with him. But Luke had no choice since he had to work, and Leon wasn't cooperating, so there wasn't much else he could have done.

"Luke, I know you have a kid and that makes you tired and so on, but if you keep going at this pace Leon will have gotten you grandkids before you get home" Tim spoke up, obviously frustrated by Luke's slacking.

Luke only raised a hand up in the air and waved it around in dismissal before taking one of the many orders that were hung up over the counter.

"I'm just taking a break to rest my eyes" Luke mumbled and yawned once again before balling his fists up and rubbed his knuckles over the bags under his eyes.

He knew he must look like shit today.

"Wow, you look like shit" Lexi said as she stepped into the kitchen, and Luke sighed as his own theory was confirmed.

Luke raised his head to eye Lexi up and down, furrowing his eyebrows slightly when seeing her smile happily. Luke was confused because he had probably never seen Lexi smile during work.

"Why do you look like that?" he asked and raised an eyebrow up in suspicion.

"Like what?" Lexi asked and looked herself up and down before glancing up at Luke again.

"Like that," Luke said and pointed at her face, "Smiling and happy. You're scaring me"

Lexi rolled her eyes but grinned when shrugging her shoulders, "When something good happens to you, you're usually happy and smiling"

"Okay," Luke snorted, "So what's the good thing that has made you so happy then?"

Lexi glanced between both Luke and Tim who were watching her intently, and then shrugged again. "I'll tell you when I'm ready to share my happiness," she spoke and smiled quite bashfully when walking closer to the counter, "So, do you have anything that needs to be sent out?"

"Um, yeah," Tim said and handed her a bowl of seafood, "It's going to table 17"

"Okay, thanks" Lexi said smiling and took the bowl but kept eye contact with Tim a just a bit longer before turning around to walk out to the restaurant.

"You're welcome" Tim mumbled and smiled small as he watched her leave, licking his lips discretely.

But Luke saw though. He saw everything and he was standing still on his spot with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape in realization.

"Oh no," Luke spoke and shook his head, making Tim turn and look at him with furrowed eyebrows, "No way is she going out with you!"

"What are you talking about?" Tim asked but quickly averted his eyes from Luke down to the stove to hide his face from the older boy.

"You know what I'm talking about! I'm not stupid, I could read the looks you two gave each other," Luke said and shook his head again before laughing, "I would've never guessed"