Heart of Gold // Lashton

0.7.1.

ღ Ashton ღ

"Be careful, honey."

"I will be mum, don't worry. I love you." Ashton mumbled as he held onto his mum tightly. He was almost afraid to let go, knowing this was the last time he would see her. Unless they would make it home, but if Ashton was honest, he hadn't planned to.

"I love you too honey." She smiled at him, giving him a kiss on his forehead and then pulling away to leave for the kitchen. She gave her son one last wave, before walking out of sight.

"Well, ready to go out for the day?" Michael asked cheerily, hoisting his bag further up his shoulder.

"Yeah." Ashton breathed out with a nod, taking one last look around the house. His siblings were in the backyard and he had already said his goodbye's and love you's to them, afraid that if he saved them for last, he'd never leave the house.

He had woken up this morning, feeling surprisingly good. He had thanked Luke quietly, before Michael had appeared in his room to tell him he had planned out a whole day. He had made sure Ashton was okay, of course, before helping the boy out and bringing him to the kitchen for a brunch with the family.

Which eventually brought them to the moment that Michael was driving them to the lake just out of town. They spent all their summers there when they were younger, up until the year of the accident. Ashton didn't want to go into the water anymore, since he couldn't swim or even float (not without help) and so Michael had refused as well, sticking by his friend. That was the end of their yearly summer vacation at the lake.

They had found a small bungalow on the country side they could spend their summer in, the area good enough to access with a wheelchair. That became their new yearly thing, until Ashton ended up in the hospital again, though for different reasons.

Since the day he had been admitted, they hadn't gone anywhere.

And so, Michael thought it'd be a nice thing to do. Go to the lake and spend the day there, even if they wouldn't go to swim. And he knew it was Ashton's favourite place.

"The lake." Ashton breathed out happily once it came into sight after driving for quite a while.

"Yeah, I thought it'd be nice to go here again, you know."

"Best idea ever."

Michael chuckled, parking the truck in the spot closest to the cliffs that were a little further away, before getting out. He took the wheelchair from the back, unfolding it and then helping Ashton out of the truck. "Thanks."

The galaxy haired boy waved it off, smiling as he locked the truck and started to push Ashton towards the lake. It was an oddly relaxing thing to do, both of the boys enjoying the peace.

There weren't many people around, which Ashton was a bit happy with if he was honest. That way he really had the day for him and Michael.

"Your mum made some dinner, so we can have some sort of picnic later, once we're hungry. And once it's dark enough, we'll go-"

"Stargazing."

Michael smiled widely at the beanie-clad boy, seeing how his smile was wide and his eyes sparkled. "Stargazing."

"Like back in the days."

"Exactly." Michael nodded. "But, you have to promise me that if you feel unwell that you ask me to take you home, yeah? Or at least tell me."

"Don't worry, Mikey. I'm feeling so good I wouldn't be surprised if I could walk!" Ashton grinned. Not that he could, because he had tried to move his toes a few times throughout the day and it didn't work. And he didn't really mind, because after all, he was used to it by now. Plus, it would have been a bit unrealistic.