Ring Me *Mashton*

Chapter 37

All Michael had been doing since he and Ashton had taken time off from each other to have some time to cool off, had been smoking, getting drunk and self harming. He knew that these actions wouldn't curb the never ending ache in his chest but he was willing to accept the temporary relief so now, he sat on his bed with a beer in one hand and a joint in the other. Winter break started tomorrow and Michael dreaded it. Each time he thought about how he was supposed to spend it with Ashton caused tears to stream down his cheeks and soft sobs to leave his lips.

He takes another puff of the joint and when he offers to pass it to Luke, the blonde shakes his head and pushes it away. "I hate seeing you like this, Mike," He admits and Michael takes a swig of his beer before setting it down on the floor.

"I need all of this to go away. I need to show Ash that I'm not a child," The sophomore whispered, lips wrapped around the joint again.

"You're destroying your body all because of your boyfriend's ignorant words,"

"They hurt," Michael says, stating the obvious and Luke sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"Just because it hurts doesn't mean you have to do this,"

"Do what?" Michael asks stupidly and Luke rolls his eyes, getting up from his seat on Michael's futon.

"Doing this," He snaps, pulling up his left sleeve, revealing the dozens of cuts littering Michael's wrist.

"Fuck you," He hisses but the words are hollow and small. He snatches his wrist back, pulling his sleeve down, unable to meet his friend's gaze. The two don't say much after that, Michael is too high and buzzed to say much and Luke's words often got stuck in his throat.

"I think Ashton is destroying our friendship," The blonde finally whispers and when Michael's eyes meet his own, they're not shocked at his statement.

"I know," He whispers, stubbing out the joint. "And I don't know what to do about it," Luke's lip wobbles slightly and Michael frowns, putting out the joint and pulling the blonde into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Lukey,"

Luke nods against Michael's shirt which stunk of weed and peppermint. "How do we fix it?" He murmurs.

Michael is silent for a moment, thinking before he says, "I-I dunno, but I don't wanna lose you,"

Luke looks up at his best friend with a small smile. "I don't wanna lose you either, Mikey,"

The green eyed boy smiles slightly as well and they sit in silence for a moment before Michael says, "Get a tattoo with me,"

Luke lets off a laugh of surprise and asks, "What?"

"I wanna get a tattoo. Will you get one with me?"

The blonde takes a moment to speak and when he does, his response shocks Michael. "Sure,"

Michael stands up, bouncing on his heels wordlessly and waits for Luke to do the same. As soon as he does, the two head off to the closest tattoo parlor and as soon as they get there, the smaller boy stares in awe at all of the different tattoos on the walls. "Whoa," He whispers and Luke smirks, rolling his eyes before they are confronted with a tattoo artist.

"Aren't you two a little young to be getting tattoos?" He asks.

Michael stays quiet for a moment before replying with, "I just-- I need to prove a point to someone and think this is the best way,"

The artist thinks this over for a moment, arms crossed before eventually nodding. The two follow him back to the first station they see. When asked what he wanted, it takes Michael a bit of thought before he gives him an answer and is smiling the whole time.

***

The artist hadn't commented on Michael's cuts when he had to take off his hoodie to tattoo his bicep. The colorfully haired boy was intensely grateful for this and even tipped him extra for it. He pokes at the tattoo while Luke sits on the same chair Michael had been, the blonde squeezing his hand while the same artist came toward him with a needle gun. "Ready, kid?" They asked and Luke nods, eyes shut tight.

He winces as soon as the needle goes into his lip but it ends quickly and Luke opens his eyes moments later as Michael gives his hand a reassuring squeeze. "You did it," He said with a laugh and Luke nods before the worker asks the blonde to choose a lip ring. He points at a small black one and once it's in, Michael smiles from ear to ear. "You look hot," He states and Luke rolls his eyes.

After paying for his piercing, the two leave and fiddle with their new purchases. "You think this was a bad idea?" The blonde asks as they lounge around on his couch.

"Do you regret it?" Michael replies and Luke shakes his head almost instantly. "Then it wasn't a bad idea, Lukey,"

Luke smiles softly, the action causing him to wince at the soreness of his lip but sits up and runs his finger over his friend's tattoo. "Why 'to the moon'?" He asks and Michael shrugs, smiling softly.

It takes him a moment to respond but when he does, his eyes go dreamy and his smile widens the slightest bit. "When Ashton took me out to watch the stars, I was laying on his chest in the chilled grass. It was keeping me awake but Ashton had thought I was sleeping I suppose because he kept running his fingers through my hair and tracing patterns on my skin. He had kissed my forehead and whispered 'I love you to the moon and back. I always will.' and now I think about it when I'm sad or when we fight because it's like a reminder of how much he cares about me, even when he thinks I'm not listening,"

Before he knows it, he's crying and Luke pulls him in for a hug with saddened eyes. "I'm sorry this is happening to you, Mikey," He whispers and Michael doesn't say much for a while, just stays cradled in his friend's arms.

"It just hurts so much," He whispers. "And I'm sorry I do all those stupid self destructive things but it's my only way I know to cope,"

Luke is quiet for a moment before he asks, "Have you ever thought about going to a therapist, Mikey?"

The other boy shakes his head instantly. "No way. I can't. My mom doesn't care enough or have the money to take the anyway so it's kinda out of the question,"

Luke nods, looking defeated and pulls the other boy back into his arms. "You'll be okay," He promises although the two of them weren't so sure.

---

This chapter was sort of all over the place but it's my favorite so far. I was also rereading some of this story and when I got to the part where Michael gives Ashton a handie in the football field I was laughing bc it was just like "Michael jerked Ashton off and he came," no foreplay or better description, that was all and I thought it was so funny.

-Shianne xx