instagram • ashton irwin

fourteen

Recap:
"Hey, I'm picking someone up, and they were on Flight 514. It's landed, yeah?" I asked a big man who looked security-like. He glanced at his watch, and then nodded.

"Yeah, it landed over an hour ago." I huffed, looking around. The door behind him opened again. I paid it no heed, until I heard one word.

"Thalia?"
--
Still Thalia's POV

I spun around, and saw him, in a long tank top and black pants, beanie balanced on his head perfectly. I ran over to him, immediately wrapping my arms around his middle. I squeezed until I thought he was going to suffocate. He dropped his bag and put on hand behind my head and another around my middle. My head rested on his shoulder. I could hear myself breathing loudly, and I could feel his chest rise and fall.

"Holy...holy shit..." I heard him mumble. I laughed, moving my face up so I could see him. There was a moment of silence.

"You're really warm." I blurted out, my face reddening wildly.

"You blush a lot when you're nervous." He pointed out, his eyebrows raising. I averted my eyes from him, scoffing. He moved his head closer to my ear. "You don't need to be nervous, baby." He mumbled. I laughed, pushing him away.

"I hate you," I said, giggling. He laughed along with me.

"Love you too."

"Aren't you cold? It's freezing out." I said, and he shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess but the plane was warm. I have a coat in my stuff." He said. I smiled.

"Okay, let's get back to my apartment, because I'm cold." He grabbed my hand in his, mine smaller than his but they still fit. Damnit, I was thinking so badly now.  I squeezed his hand. He looked back at me, his hazel eyes burning into me. I felt my face grow warmer and warmer.

We put his bag in the back of my car and got in the front.

"Hey, what took so long?" I asked, glancing over at him as I put my seatbelt on. He shrugged.

"Uh, it took a while to find my stuff. There's a special sector of the airport for celebrities but apparently my stuff got dropped off in the regular part of the airport so I had to go and there were fans and press and it was a big hassle. Sorry, it took a while." He chuckled, fixing his beanie.

"Damn, you look fuckable right now." I said, smirking slightly while turning to the road. I heard him sputter-laugh, looking at me with wide eyes.

"Ever heard of a filter?" He was still giggling.

"What's the point? I wouldn't say anything over text, especially after Michael got your phone, but I mean come on. Look at yourself." He checked himself out in the window. Now I was laughing.

"I'll save you the energy and take a picture, if you want, babe?" He looked over at me teasingly.

"If you call me babe again I will drive us both off a cliff."

"Okay, baby." I swerved sharply into the next lane, and he gasped. I laughed loudly.

"Jesus, Thalia!" He was laughing too, though." Polarize by tøp was playing quietly in the background as we leisurely talked and laughed at each. I pulled into my apartment complex and he grabbed his stuff, swinging an arm around me and looking at me through his messy hair.

"I have to say, Hersch, I'm really quite excited to hang out this weekend." I grinned back at him, and for a moment it was just us in the world. Not Ashton Irwin, famous drummer from Sydney and Thalia Hersch, undeniable personification of a hot mess- just Ash and Thalia. He was looking at me and I felt his chest rise and fall next to mine, our heartbeats syncing. The song changed, or maybe it had a while ago, and I heard the lyrics distinctly and smiled.

Time is like a leaf in the wind

It's either time well spent or time I've wasted

Don't waste it...

Ashton, I thought. I could never waste this time. He seemed to lean a bit closer, and time slowed down even more, and I leaned closer too.

And then I dropped my keys.
---
A/N
So sorry I haven't updated as I usually do. I owe you guys like three updates- which I might come through on because it's Sunday and yeah.

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL CLIFFORD!! I wanted to throw him in this chapter but I couldn't work around everything. He's finally 21 holy wow. Did anyone see the band snapchat he said "I don't have to lie anymore" and I was like someone control this boy.

I'm having serious concert withdrawal even though I've only been to one (SEPTEMBER 7TH AT THE FORUM HELL YEAH) it was the best and it got me back in the fandom yay. Thanks so much for sticking with me you guys :)) please vote and comment, etc. ily xx
-claire

Ps the song with "time is like a leaf in the wind" etc is called Telescope and it's by Cage The Elephant just for the record