Uneasy ➢ smash au

vi. Song Debates & Ice Cream 'Dates'

The familiar sound of guitar strumming wakes Ashton from his long slumber. He lets out a long groan before dragging himself out of bed and stumbles towards Luke's room.

"Luke, would you do me a favor and shut up?" Ashton groan, banging on his door.

"Don't waste your time on me, you're already the voice inside my head." Luke sings at the top of his lungs. "I miss you, I miss you."

"Luke!" Ashton continues before the sound of the guitar stops. "Thank God." Ashton walks back to his room before collapsing back on his bed. Seconds later his door opens, a pillow being thrown at his face.

"Ash, c'mon man, get up. Michael and Calum are coming over in a little bit so we could finish working on a song for the showcase." Luke says. Ashton mutters something right before Luke throws another pillow at him.

"Do you have to do it at the house? Mum is stressed and I'm pretty sure she doesn't she doesn't want all that screaming and shouting in the house." Ashton suggested. "Why don't you go out to a pizza parlor and discuss it instead?"

"We've already had pizza, well at least Calum and I have." Luke says in response. "I'm pretty sure we'll get sick of pizza at some point, and I think it's now."

"Ice cream?"

"I guess,"

"Why don't you invite Aspen along, it's always good to have a third party response." Ashton adds on. Luke mutters a small 'okay' before leaving Ashton in peace.

 ♡

The three boys bicker as they pile into the same booth, Aspen and Ashton sat directly across from them.

"I can't believe you dragged me along." Ashton grumbled, Aspen lightly pushing him.

"I thought it would be best if you were included." Aspen says prior to turning her attention towards the bickering boys. "Okay, so why can't you guys agree on one song?"

"We all have different ideas," Michael informs her. "like I wanted to do a song by Busted, but I was outvoted."

"And what song did you have in mind Calum?"

"I wanted to do a Chris Brown song,"

"Luke?" she turns to him, a spoon filled with Cookies and Cream just inches away from his face. He sets the spoon down in his cup before responding.

"I thought it would be a good idea if we sang a Blink-182 song."

"Okay, so out of all three songs what do you think would be the most beneficial?" Aspen then asks, narrowing this down.

"I don't want to sound like I'm being to forward, but I think mine would be. Because everyone knows Chris Brown, and I'm sure they would know that song. And even though Busted is a classic artist with amazing music, but I feel like the song Michael suggested from them is over used. A lot of boy bands cover that song and I'm sure we don't want to be categorized as a boy band." Luke says, defending himself. "But people don't really know who Blink are, so I think we'd have a good shot with that song, also we'd be introducing them to something new."

"I have to agree with Luke," Aspen joins in. "I think it would be cool if you sang a Blink song, not many people know who they are and it's like one of those 'undiscovered gems'. So is it settled?"

"Yeah," Michael shrugs. Calum agrees as well before stuffing his face with a spoon piled with Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream on it. "Calum, you eat the weirdest of things."

"Right?" Luke adds, shortly high-fiving Michael. Calum lets out a small grunt, a pout present on his face. "Pineapple and ham on a pizza? Really, now mint in chocolate? You're just plain weird."

"Not as weird as you," Calum retaliates. Michael high fives Calum, chuckles leaving both of their lips. "plus, mint on chocolate is totally normal. A lot of people enjoy this flavor of ice cream."

"Yeah, here it's there best seller." Ashton pipes up. The three boys look at him in confusion, their eyebrows knitted.

"How do you know that?" Calum starts. Ashton mentally curses to himself before coming up with an explanation.

"I don't know, I just assume." Ashton lies, adding a shrug hoping it'll convince them.

"You're lying," Luke spat. "you have that look on your face."

"What look?" Ashton asks, as if he doesn't know.

"That look," Luke points out, stating the obvious. "you look like a deer in the headlights. You have that look only when you're lying. So spill,"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ashton scoffs.

"You've been here before haven't you?" Luke questions, everyone else quiet, watching the two brothers talk. "Was it when we were at the party? Is that why you weren't there? Do you ditch me?"

"Of course I didn't," Ashton says, calming his brother down. "yes, I've been here before. And yes, I was here the day of that party, but I didn't ditch you, I was brought here by someone."

"Who was it?" Luke questions, his eyes narrow. He pauses for a moment, a cause in thought occurring before he continues to speak. "Did you come here with Emery?"

"No," he denies.

"You did, didn't you!" Calum buts in.

"You were because Valerie and Diana came up to Calum and I and they asked if we saw her." Luke adds.

"So technically," Michael starts. "I guess you could say you went on a 'date' with her."

"It wasn't a 'date' Michael," Ashton corrects him. "first of all, no one asked anyone out and it didn't feel like a date because all we did was talk and hang out."

"That' the thing with first dates," Michael continues. "you never know if you on one until the very end. It's just how it works."

"Like, you've been on dates." Luke scoffs.

"I've been on dates." Michael announces. "You haven't, I'm pretty sure you haven't even had a girlfriend."

"I have." Luke pipes up.

"Feel sorry for her," Michael mutters. Aspen leans over the table and smacks Michael upside his head, before allowing Luke to continue.

"Well, it wasn't a proper one." Luke admits, sheepishly. "I haven't had a proper girlfriend yet."

"Okay, okay, this whole time I've watched you guys talk about some girl called Emery. Who is she?" Aspen asks, unaware of all that' happened between the boys.

"She's Ashton's crush." Luke tells her. She smiles and looks at Ashton who's all flustered.

"Wait, is she the redhead in food tech?" Aspen adds on. Ashton gives a small nod right before his face turns a bright shade of pink. "That's so cute, I have to help you get together with her!" Ashton sinks lower in the booth while the three boys as well as Aspen talk about his love interest, the thought of being with her causing the pink tint on his face to stay.