Strings Attached (lashton, editing)

Nine.

Pushing his curls out of his face as he waited to see Ashton walk out of the college dorm in front of him, Luke silently questioned to himself what the fuck he is doing here. He couldn't help but question to himself if it's weird that he's trying to go out with someone still in college while he, himself has a kid and is well past his college days. 

Shaking his head and looking up from his twiddling thumbs, Luke saw Ashton walking towards his car.  As Ashton slowly got closer and a closer, warm feeling burst through Luke's chest at the smile already settled on the younger mans face.

"Hey there stranger," Ashton smiled as he opened the passenger car door. "Thanks for picking me up, you didn't have to."

"Hey," Luke smiled back; staring at the golden haired boy dressed in red and black head to toe. "I don't mind, I wanted to."

"Can't get enough of me, huh?"

"Shut up, or I will make you walk," Luke rolled his eyes as the boy next to him let out an almost silent giggle. Luke smiled fondly at such a sweet sound coming from Ashton. 

They drove in silence as they took in the comfort of the car and presence of the other; both boys felt that warmth spread throughout their chests and all the way down to their toes. Neither said a word in fear of ruining that comfortable silence or somehow making things awkward.

"What do you do, Luke?" Ashton asked, Luke knew everything he did at college and after all the conversations they'd had Luke had never once told him what his job was.

"I do development work, I work at this firm I did some placement stuff with in my last couple years of college. I got pretty lucky there," Luke responded. He knew for someone who was almost straight out of college and had a four year old, he had it pretty good.

"Damn, how'd you pull that off with Tim?" Ashton asked, knowing he was pushing some possible boundaries but he wanted to know more about the blonde next to him.

"I have no clue," Luke breathed out a laugh. "Guess I gotta thank my parents for it, they didn't let me give up. I think the firm might've taken pity on me too"

Luke stopped the car as they pulled up to a restaurant that was definitely too expensive for a college student, and Luke could see the doubt swimming in Ashtons eyes.

"Don't worry Ashton, I'm paying." Luke smiled, swiftly getting out of the car before Ashton could protest. "I asked you for dinner, it's only right."

Feeling somewhat guilty, Ashton nodded his head as he walked next to Luke into the restaurant. The two were shoulder to shoulder, bodies barely pressed together as they waited for their table. The presence of the other gave them both a sense of peace and rid them of all their nerves, which had riddled their bodies prior to the evening.

-

Despite trying to at least pay some of the bill, Luke refused and pushed his card further into their waitresses hands as they readied themselves to leave.

"Ashton, stop. I told you I'm paying." Luke smiled, grabbing the younger boys hands and pushing them down onto the table.

"But it's expen-" Ashton was cut off once again by an insistent Luke and soon enough found himself smiling and letting out a sheepish 'thank you' to the older man.

"I remember dorm life Ashton, I was there for two years before I had to move out. I remember the food and the noise, I'm treating you." Luke beamed to the other boy, not wanting him to feel the guilt he could see running through Ashton's body. "That sounded a bit sugar daddy-ish." Luke laughed at what he'd said, Ashton joining in too as his guilt eased down. 

The two boys once again walked close to one another, pressed to each others sides but were both still too scared to make a move. As they climbed into Luke's car, Luke felt the need to spend more time with Ashton that night and desperately searched for a reason for the boy to hang out with him a little longer.

"Can I be honest?" Ashton asked, turning to face Luke who was yet to even put his keys into the ignition of the car.

"Of course."

"I don't really want to go back to my dorm," Ashton spoke, biting his lip in fear of crossing a line. He was hoping to hint to Luke that he wanted to spend more time with him, but didn't know if the older man felt the same. "My room mate is loud and messy, I don't want to deal with that just now."

"Can I be honest too?" Luke turned to face Ashton, who gave a slight tight lipped nod. "I don't really want you to go back to your dorm. Not right now at least."

Seeing a smile burst across Ashton's face, Luke felt one spread across his too. Turning back around in his seat, Luke finally put the keys in the car and drove back to his apartment. There was something about Ashton that made Luke feel good, like he didn't have to say anything at all for the other to know how he was feeling. Luke was still scared at the thought of bringing someone new into his life. He was always thinking about Tim and the impact a boyfriend would have on his son, but at the same time he was looking for a reason to find comfort in someone else.

Luke and Tim had been let down by Michael, Tim already had parents who could barely speak to one another so the thought of bringing somebody new into his son's life wasn't easy. He knew he needed to be careful with this one, Luke didn't want Tim to constantly watch people come and go from his life. He knew that by this point Ashton wasn't just a fling or one night stand. Ashton was going to be much more than that and Luke didn't know how to go nor really feel about it.

Calum and all his college friends had tried desperately throughout the past two years to set Luke up with someone. No matter how hard they tried or how many dates he went on, Luke had wanted nothing to do with it, his only focus for so long had been Tim and school, or Tim and work. But now, as Luke led the college boy up to his apartment and led him inside, he knew that Ashton was going to be around for a lot longer than the rest. He also knew that he still had to protect his son.

--

1) This didn't exactly go as or where I planned, but what do you guys think?

Their dinner date? Luke treating Ashton? 

Luke's fears? 

Ashton wanting to spend for time with Luke?

2) wow two updates in a day? go me.

Leave me your comments and thoughts below! Also pls don't forget to vote and follow me if you enjoyed this!!

- Grace