beauty and the beast // lashton ✔️

eighteen: the parting glass

The following events were blue and low spirited.

They carried Ashton's lifeless body to a bedroom, it used to be his bedroom before he spent his whole time in the East Wing. All the objects - and some humans who were good-hearted - helped each other carrying the body, they layed it down on the middle of the bed and adjusted it. Luke was trying to find some candles with Ben, who had just arrived a few minutes earlier with Phil and Carl.

Luke didn't want to go in there. It was disrespectful to Ashton's memory feel that way, he should want to go there and see him. He looked down at the normal candles and felt weak all of sudden. He couldn't cry anymore, it's like all the happiness in the world vanished and he would never feel cheerful again. Ben hugged him when he realised his brother wasn't alright and Luke immediatly hugged back with all of his strenght.

''I'm sorry it happened.'' Ben said while his fingers ran through Luke's hair.

''It's all my fault, he's dead and it's my fault.'' Luke said, his voice was muffled and when he realised it he was crying in Ben's shoulder ''I love him Benny, why do I have to be so dumb?''

"Hey, don't think like that." Ben said, letting go of his brother "You did everything you could to save him and now it's time to... let him go. It's not your fault and it will never be, it's Madison's fault."

Luke nodded and sniffed "What happened to her?"

"She's spending the rest of her life the asylum. They knew she was basically a psycopath but her dad payed them to let her go, I guess he just doesn't want to deal with her bullshit anymore." Ben said and Luke let out a sad chuckle.

They stood there for a while. Ben wanted to make sure Luke was relaxed in this situation, he even told some jokes to make him less sad but it didn't work that well. After all,the love of his life just died, it's going to take more than that to make him happy - as some people say, time helps healing.

Luke walked to the garden, it was filled with various roses and since there was barely snow they were more visible. He walked to where the roses were, in hopes that he could take some for Ashton. He looked at the white roses and frowned - those brought so much hatred to Ashton, it bothered Luke knowing that two simple roses can cause a huge impact. Luke walked to the pink ones and picked up the most beautiful of them all after taking of the spikes.

The blonde walked inside the castle and saw Michael and Calum waiting for him at the end of the stair. Both had frowns on their faces, teary eyes and it broke Luke's heart. Luke kneeled down in front of them and whispered 'hey'.

"Hey, are you alright?" Michael asked, sniffing and looking at Luke right in the eyes.

"I'm in the best mood I could be right now." Luke said, sitting down "You... you went there?"

Calum nodded "We did, everyone is paying their respects but we... we couldn't do it anymore."

Luke nodded "I understand. Don't forget that it's always okay to cry, specially in times like this."

"He was our best friend, you know?" Michael said, hugging himself "Even if he was rude and unkind sometimes he was our best friend, we forgave him and he forgave us. That's how our friendship worked. He gave us shelter when we were fourteen year olds, living on the streets and with no parents. As the time passed by he gave us jobs and we were grateful."

"Ashton loved you, you know?" Calum said, hugging Michael who was crying "He didn't show it well but he did."

Luke nodded and hugged the objects who grabbed his shirt in a way of hugging him. They begged Luke not to leave them and the blonde promised he wouldn't. He could never do that - he is going to convice Ben and move to the castle so he can help them.

Luke stayed there for a few minutes with the rose on a hand and a candle on the other. He walked upstairs with Calum and Michael to the room where the beast's body was and knocked on the door softly. Everyone was there - Mrs.Wilson, Shelby, McKenzie, Ben and some humans. Luke walked to the bed and sat down, looking at Ashton's face.

He grabbed Ashton's hands and put the rose in it, putting it in the old position right after. He lit up the candle and put it on the drawer, sitting down at a chair that was next to the bed. Luke grabbed one of Ashton's fingers and held it in his hand, like they were making contact, like Ashton still had his heart beating. The objects left a few seconds later, thinking it was time for Luke to be with Ashton's body all alone.

When they left it's like his whole world was crumbling down at his feet. Luke started crying and sobbing, pulling at his hair with his free hand. It was too much - he felt sad, lonely, depressed, anxious, angry at himself... every negative emotion there was existing. He got up and started running his hand gently through Ashton's left cheek. The beast didn't move, he was a bit cold, his eyes were closed and they were never opening again.

Luke remembered one time Ashton saying he loved his voice. It was quite random actually, the human boy had a shower and was singing. The beast kept asking him to repeat 'The Parting Glass' countless times, even when he went to sleep once.

" Of all the money that e'er i had, i spent it in good company" Luke started.

"And of all the harm that e'er i've done, alas it was to none but me
And all i've done for want of wit, to memory now i can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass. goodnight and joy be with you all" Luke put his hand on Ashton's chest, hoping it was an illusion and he was still alive

"Of all the comrades that e'er i had, they're sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e'er i had
They would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot that i should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and i'll softly call, "goodnight and joy be with you all!" "

Luke put his ear against Ashton's chest, sobbing as he tightens his grip on Ashton's fingers. He wets the beast's coat and when he can finally talk he says "I love you."

The scary part is that on that moment Ashton's heart started beating again.

_______
i'm just *coughs* gonna leave it there, hope you sang the song with Ed Sheeran's voice. there is a reason i added it *looks at horizon* you'll understand when you grow up

this is the part where you slap me and call me a bitch

-ana rita