anonymous|| lashton & malum||

||7||

Ashton was getting ready for work when he received a message on tumblr.
anon; ready for the hint?
you; i guess?
No reply.
Ashton didn't get a reply all morning.
He headed to the music store to start his shift at 9am.
He didn't work at the cafe today but he had work at InTune from 9-2pm and then classes and lectures from 3-6pm.
Once Ashton had clocked in to work and greeted his coworker, Luke, he took a seat behind the counter and waited for a customer to walk in.

"Hey Ashton"
"Yeah?"
"How do you like working here?"
"Yeah it's alright. Pays for stuff"
"Mmm so tell me a bit about yourself"
"Well I told you already that I came from Australia with my best friend Calum and we share an apartment"
"What hobbies and stuff do you have?"
"Well, it's kinda embarrassing for a 19 year old guy, but I'm addicted to tumblr"
Luke chuckled but nodded his head in agreement, "I love tumblr, I'm on it most nights. Except I like to keep my account as, I don't know, anonymous, as possible"
"Mysterious type I see"
"That's me, all mysterious and stuff"

There was an awkward silence for a short time, which felt like forever, until a customer walked in.

"Hi, welcome to InTune, how can I help you today?", Luke greeted the customer while Ashton stayed in his spot behind the counter.
"Oh, also, Ashton can you please log in to the work computer and check our emails and place the new orders. The list is just sitting there next to the computer"
"Yeah oka-" Ashton was cut off when Luke continued talking to the customer.
She was very pretty; long, straight, dark brown hair with a fringe, natural looking makeup, bright green eyes, tattoos on her arms and dressed in jeans and a band shirt.
She looked like Luke's type of girl.

For the rest of Ashton's shift Luke was very snappy with him and seemed almost angry or at least annoyed.
"Sooo when do you finish your shift Luke?"
"Five"
"Oh okay, I'm finishing in two hours so do you want me to go out and get us both something to eat now?"
"Nope" Luke said, popping the 'p'.
"Well I'm going to the bakery across the road. I'll be back in about 10-15, you can take your break at about two when the other worker comes in I guess"
"Yeah okay whatever"

Ashton grabbed his wallet and phone from the back room and made his way across to the bakery. He got himself something sweet to eat and two coffees, yes, he bought one for Luke.
Ashton felt like he'd done something to get on Luke's bad side. Maybe this will make stuff a little but less awkward.

When Ashton came back ten minutes later, Luke was perfectly fine and back to his normal self. Until he saw Ashton had returned.
"I bought you a coffee"
"Why?"
"I just thought you might like one" Ashton mumbled.
"Yeah whatever. Do you even know if I like coffee? What if I don't drink it? I do post an awful lot about how much I hate coffee"
"Luke I really don't know what's going on, you're confusing me and making me feel uncomfortable around you because you're so angry with me for no reason at all!"
Just as Ashton turned around to go to the other room, Luke shouted, "You know what Ashton, screw you!" Which made Ashton turn to face Luke again and then Luke threw the cup of boiling hot water and then freaked out when he'd realised what he'd done.
"Oh my god Ashton I'm so so sorry, do you want ice? I'll get you some ice and water in a bucket hold on"
Luke rushed out the door to the medical kit but and the mini fridge but there was only a small ice pack and some towels. So Luke got the ice and wet down the towels to try and soothe the burns.
He wrapped it in some paper towel and placed it on Ashton's stomach after he removed his thin work shirt.
"Hold on I'll call an ambulance"
"No that's not necessary"
"Ashton please listen to me, it was boiling water, that could be like third-degree burns which is extremely serious. I'll call an ambulance now"
Before Ashton could protest, Luke was already on the phone asking for an ambulance immediately. While they waited, Luke called the boss and got the all clear to close the shop for the rest of today.
Ashton was going to text Calum, but Calum would freak out and Ashton didn't want him stressing out while he was trying to study so he just left it.
"Hey, it's alright Luke. I had a shirt on, surely they won't be too bad"
"Move the towels if you can", Ashton did as Luke said- "holy shit! Where is the fucking ambulance!? Here, put the towels back on"
Luke held the towels on Ashton's back, "I'm so sorry Ashton" Luke was in tears.
"No don't cry Luke, I'm going to be okay. There will be scarring and stuff but it's okay, I'm not going to die from it"
"W-what will you tell them?"
"I'll just say I tripped and they spilt on me. You won't get in trouble"
"I'm sorry. I've just been under a lot of stress lately"
"You shouldn't be, you're only 17"
"Mmm, well I have half the bills and groceries. Legal fees"
"Wait, legal fees?"
"O-oh yeah, the ambulance is here now thank god"
Ashton noticed how quickly Luke wanted to get off the legal fees subject, but he didn't question it.

Luke went with Ashton in the back of the ambulance and tried to comfort him.
"Ashton are you okay? Like other than the burns, you look totally freaked out"
"Yeah um I need m-my needle"
"What needle?"
"There was one in my backpack back at the shop. It's for m-my diabetes"
Ashton's face paled, "oh shit I really need that Luke"
"Surely that can get fixed up at the hospital right?"
"Yeah, how far off are we?" Ashton was freaking now.
"Like two minutes Ash, just hang in there"
Luke awkwardly grabbed Ashton's hand and held it in his own, he didn't make eye contact with Ashton. Just looking down at their entwined hands and praying Ashton will be okay and it won't be too much drama to get his burns fixed up.

It was now 7 o'clock at night and Ashton was undergoing the treatment now.
The burns were from just above where his belly button is to the top of his left thigh.

Why the hell was the coffee so damn hot?

Luke felt absolutely horrible. He just wanted to crawl in a hole and die and he couldn't stop crying. What if the burns don't heal? Or he's stick with scarring for the rest of his life?
All these were possibilities.

While Ashton was in the operating theatre, Luke was in Ashton's hospital room where he'd be staying at least two more nights.
Ashton's phone was on the table and it kept ringing.
Luke eventually decided he should probably check it.

Calum- 11 missed calls & 23 text messages.

Luke called this Calum guy back. Good thing Ashton didn't have a password.
"Oh my god Ashton wha-"
"This isn't Ashton, it's Luke. His coworker at InTune, Ashton got in a fairly horrible accident at work. He's in getting treated now for his burns"
"Is he okay? Can I come down there now? I'm coming. Text me the room number"
Luke texted Calum Ashton's hospital room number and in ten minutes Calum was rushing in the door asking a bunch of questions.
"Calum just calm down yeah?"
"Calm down? You're telling me to calm down when my best friend is getting operated on for something that shouldn't have happened!"
"Calum! For gods sake, he's not in an operation. They don't need to operate, he's just finishing treatment now. Just wait in here until he comes back. Just try to stay calm or they'll kick you out"
"Fine, I'm going to get a coffee while we wait, do you want anything?"
The word 'coffee' made Luke's stomach churn, "n-no I'm all good, thank you".

#

Michael was at home by himself tonight for the first time in ages, Luke told him what happened and he understood.
Michael was just lying around eating some pizza and checking his work roster for the next two weeks when the house phone rang.
Yes, they had a house phone connected now in their new place because they had a bit more money.
"Hello?"
"Yeah is this Luke?"
"No it's Michael. Luke's out, doing something important"
"Right, tell him Nicholas called and he better have a good excuse as to why he didn't show up"
With that, this 'Nicholas' guy hung up.
What's he on about? Michael thought to himself but tried to ignore the weird phone call for now.

#

When Ashton came back into his room from treatment he seemed okay but he was definitely out of it.
He kept clinging onto Luke and it was kind of weird since they barely knew each other.
Then Calum was clingy with Ashton and treating him like he was his own child.
The whole situation was just weird in general.
Luke stayed a bit longer and then decided he should probably leave Ashton to rest.
He was sort've only there because he caused the whole thing, but Calum didn't know that. Luke valued his life so him and Ashton decided it was best Calum didn't know.

a/n; finishing there because i owe all of you beautiful dedicated people something.
i am terribly sorry for zero updates whatsoever but things have been happening, im hoping you understand without me having to go into detail.
all the love xo