The Choice [Mashlum]

chapter seventeen

Michael and Ashton laid in bed the next morning out of breath, sweat glistening their naked bodies, the sheets were tangled between them as they slowed down. It had been a long night, they were able to come to some sort of agreement, Ashton had apologised and promised to start loving Michael properly and Michael was over the moon with it all. He was so happy that he and Ashton were going to start making it work, start working on them and stop accusing one another in situations. They loved each other and they were going to show it to each other. And of course, Michael had woken up to Ashton trailing kisses down his body and well, one thing lead to another. But here they both were after moments of pleasure, they were calming back down, neither one making any effort to clean themselves off or to even move from the bed.

Both had thoughts running through their minds, both were elated that they were finally going in the right direction, no more taking steps back. It was time to trust and respect one another.

It had been ten minutes since making love and neither one had said anything. There was too much to say but it didn't feel like the right time to do so. They still needed Calum but he would still be gone for another two days. The two older boys were missing the younger boy like crazy. But right now they were focused on the two of them.

"Do you remember when we first met?" Michael asked quietly, breaking the silence between them.

Ashton chuckled softly, "of course I do, how could I not? You were stumbling over your words and were tattoo-less. I was impressed that you made the effort to introduce yourself. Most people take one look at me and turn the other way." 

"You're gorgeous, you always have been Ash."

"Sure babe whatever you say, but I'm also incredibly intimidating."

"I remember that night, the college party even though neither one of us went to school. Hell I had just gotten out of high school. I remember thinking, 'fuck this guy is attractive', I didn't even know if you were into guys or not." Michael says.

"I saw you when you walked into the kitchen, you looked so lost. You had dark brown hair then." Ashton smiles fondly at that memory, Ashton loved Michael with dark hair.

"It took me several hours to build up the courage to talk to you." Michael admitted. He usually wasn't shy, but when he first met Ashton he was overwhelmed.

"Really?" Ashton was surprised, he knew Michael was shy when they first met but he thought the boy had more confidence than that.

"No joke."

Both boys were remembering the night now, once Michael started the conversation, Ashton was enchanted by Michael's brilliant green eyes that held a wildness to them but also sincerity and warmth. The night ended with Ashton fucking Michael in the upstairs bathroom. Neither boys knew the owner of the house, and neither one of them cared. Michael didn't care that he had lost his virginity to the older boy, he knew Ashton was special and that he was meant to come into the boy's life. It was the night that started it all. 

"We struggled the first couple months when it was just you and I." Ashton sighed.

Ashton and Michael really struggled as a duo, they fought constantly and it was a lot of aggressive sex because neither one liked talking out their problems. Michael picked up his smoking habit from Ashton, even though he didn't smoke often, Ashton was the first person to put a cigarette in Michael's pale fingers. Michael just wanted to seem cool for the older boy who was covered in tattoos.

Michael remembers the night he got his first tattoo, he and Ashton were drunk in the streets and they thought it was funny. Ashton held Michael's hand through the whole process.