Coming Up For Air

1.9

"When I was at church they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service those words aren't anointed
That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned."
-Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, 'Same Love'

☂Ashton☂

"I think I better go home." Luke said quietly. They had run out of questions to ask and it was getting kind of dark. Ashton could tell Luke was tired, and he was, too. He also felt similar to a confused tangle of string, and he would maybe like some alone time to unravel himself.

"Okay." Ashton said. They were leaning against the edge of his bed, Luke's knees pulled up to his chin and Ashton's legs stretched out as far as they could go.

Luke glanced over at him and smiled like syrup, all slow and sweet. Ashton could feel his mouth turn up at the edges almost immediately, like he had some sort of inborn automatic reaction he had never known about until he met Luke.

Luke stood and so did Ashton, and for a second they just faced each other, standing so close that their chests brushed when they drew in oxygen, sending lovely silver shivers down Ashton's spine.

Luke had the most wonderful summer sky eyes, Ashton thought through the haze of light pink adoration clouding his mind.

Ashton reached up and slid his hand into Luke's hair, pulling his face down down down

"Ash--I--," Luke stopped and pulled Ashton's hand off his face gently, milliseconds before their lips would have met.

Ashton's entire being flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry. Sorry. I just thought--that you--," Ashton muttered and stuttered and wanted to disappear.

"Wanted to kiss you? I do, Ash. I was the one to kiss you first, remember? But--I just think that maybe we should figure things--this--out before we do any more of that stuff."Luke said. Ashton was relived that Luke was both blushing too and that he was still holding his hand.

"Okay." Ashton looked at the floor. "I see what you mean."

Luke's arms wrapped around him and pulled him in, and Ashton fisted his hands in the back of Luke's shirt, and Luke buried his face in Ashton's neck, and Ashton was holding on for dear life because the entire universe seemed to consist of Luke.

The moment was wrapped in this broken kind of perfection.

It was beautiful.

They stayed in each other's arms for either several lifetimes or no time at all, Ashton couldn't be sure. When they pulled away, Luke was staring down at him with his prettypretty eyes. Ashton was drowning in something warm and lovely.

"I'm going to go now, okay?" Luke said.

Why do I feel like I've know you for my entire life? Ashton didn't say.

"Okay." Ashton answered. "We'll see each other again, right?"

"Yes. Yes." Luke told him. "If I have anything to say about it."

"You promise?" Ashton asked him.

"I can't promise that. What if I get hit by a bus or something?" Luke asked, grinning and tugging on a lock of Ashton's curly brown hair.

"Don't get hit by a bus. That would suck." Ashton said, biting back a grin. "Promise me anyway."

"I promise I hope so." Luke told him. "I promise I'll try to see you again. I promise I'll text you and meet you in random parks at midnight and I promise not to get so mad next time you protect your best friend from the truth."