❥Twenty❥
The Eiffel Tower was breathtaking. Ashton stared in awe at the large metal structure, aglow under the afternoon sunshine. The ballerina had halted in his tracks as soon as he'd laid eyes on it, stopping his three best friends in the process. Though to most people that reaction would be deemed overdramatic, none of Ashton's friends or classmates saw it that way. The ballerina had never been outside of Australia; it was part of why he'd started training to be a ballerina, dreaming of touring the world and experiencing anything and everything.
"Come on," Michael said softly after a moment spent admiring the large tower. "It's even better up close." Walking hand in hand, Ashton, Michael, Luke, and Calum headed towards the grassy lawn under the structure, carrying their picnic materials. They spread out a large checkered blanket, and Michael dropped his clichéd picnic basket onto it. The four boys sat around the basket, and Ashton started to reach for it.
Calum let out a loud, inhuman noise that sounded something like, huuuaaaghhaah. Ashton jumped backwards, looking like a mix between a deer caught in the headlights and a puppy who didn't understand why they were being scolded. His eyes were wide and his lips were parted in a tiny O, the boy's blondish-brown eyebrows were simultaneously raised and scrunched up, and he'd pressed his hands against his chest like a meerkat. Michael calmly pulled the basket towards him, his expression placid. He emptied it, covering the blanket with expensive sandwiches from a nearby bakery.
"Healthy stuff for my favourite athletes," the pale boy said, tossing three sandwiches at Calum and two at Ashton," and good-tasting stuff for my favourite artist." Luke was goggling intensely at a small ladybug that had landed on the blanket, stood perfectly in between two squares with the shadow of Luke's knee covering a quarter of her tiny body. Because of it, the croissant sandwich bounced off his forehead, smearing mustard across the interior of the ziplock bag. Luke glanced up, his oceanic eyes filled with bewilderment. It only took him a few long moments to register what had hit him, before he was moving on to something else. He pointed at the ladybug silently, mouthing a single word: shadows. It was Luke's favourite topic, one of his favourite things to paint, and something that his boyfriends and hopeful boyfriend had become very well versed in.
"Don't do it, babe," Michael said, whilst Ashton giggled.
"But—" Luke said, speaking like a whiny kindergartener.
Ashton quieted him by ever-so-gently pulling the artist's lower lip down, giggling when, for a split second, a look of pure surprise graced Luke's features. After his eyebrows dropped and the boy blinked the shock out of his eyes, Luke teasingly stuck his tongue out, slowly and sensually dragging it across Ashton's finger. The ballerina hid his blush behind a small sound of playful disgust and a giggle.
"Anyways," Calum said with a chuckle, cramming the last of his sandwich into his mouth before continuing. "So, Ashy, these two and I were talking," he started, his words slurred around the food, "and we were wondering..." Calum paused to chew, and Michael picked up where he'd left off.
"We have free roam for dinner tonight, so do you want to go to this fancy restaurant? Like, on a..." Michael paused with the natural trepidation of an awkward teenager, "date?" Ashton nodded, smiling brilliantly. He leaned forward, pecking Michael's nose. Calum and Luke instantly groaned in simultaneous complaint, each leaning towards Ashton expectantly. The ballerina giggled quietly, dropping soft kisses on their cheeks.
"You sounded so nervous," he commented, and it took Michael a moment to realise that the boy was talking about his dinner proposition.
"Didn't want you to say no," the tech-smart boy mumbled embarrassedly.
"I wouldn't have," Ashton replied truthfully. "I really like you guys."
"Well, speaking of that..." Luke said, grabbing the picnic basket and reaching inside for something. He pulled out a small velvet box, the perfect size to hold a ring.
"What're you—" Ashton's hazel eyes were wide, and his hand froze where it'd been reaching for his sandwich.
"It's not an engagement ring," Michael promised quickly, reassuringly taking the boy's hand. Ashton's shoulders relaxed and the fright melted from his eyes, though he still looked unsure.
"It's a promise ring," Calum said softly, taking Ashton's other hand. Luke, who still held the ring box, carefully opened the lid to reveal a simple band of silver. It had small black lettering etched into the inside and a four interlocking hearts on the exterior. Ashton gasped quietly, unable to tear his eyes from the beautiful ring.
"I love it," he murmured, allowing Calum to lift his right hand and slide the ring onto his pointer finger. It fit beautifully, and just before the footballer put it on, Ashton could see what was carved onto the inside: CALM, in a loopy script that was easy to read.
"It's our initials," Luke explained, before pulling three more rings out of the picnic basket. "We all have one, but, um... do you want to wear it?" The three younger boys looked at Ashton hopefully, their eyes twinkling and fingers twitching subconsciously as if they were missing the rings they'd never worn before.
Ashton lightly let out a puff of air. "Yeah," he said breathlessly. "Yes, definitely yes."
a/n HI okay so i uploaded the synopsis for butterflies so please please with sugar on top go check it out!! it's a lashton fic!!! and it's v cute!
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✔︎Ballerina Boy ❥ ot4
Fanfiction"Do you guys want to date him?" Calum asked, his brown eyes hopeful. "Yes," Michael and Luke chorused, their mind filled with images of Ashton, and his giggle, his sweet smile, and those thighs. "Now we just have to make su...
