together [lashton] ✔

fifteen - 'dancing on my own'

song for the chapter - dancing on my own by calum scott

ashton couldn't get luke off his mind. the broken look on the blond's face when he saw the couple. speaking of the couple, ashton thought they were very nice. he had to get rid of some stuff though, his room wasn't that large. in fact, he was almost positive his room wasn't even a room, more like a large hall closet. but he didn't want to complain on his first day at a new home. that would be rude. they are also vegan, which ashton doesn't mind but he kinda likes meat and they refuse to let him eat any.

part of him thought that adoptees were to be checked before allowed to adopt a child but considering his room barely even fit the bed that was in it, he bet highly against this fact. he wouldn't even be surprised if they weren't even background checked. they seemed a little sketchy and ashton felt a little weird. but overall they were very nice.

ashton noticed the way their house was set up was weird. they had pictures of random cats everywhere, but none of the family they said they had and loved. maybe it was just ashton. he thinks he liked it here, it was quiet, no little kids running around. he slowly left his room and walked left, reaching out to touch luke's door, which he remembered wasn't there. he almost cried but he saw mrs. anderson walking down the hallway and he held them back.

'you alright, ashton? you look lost' he shook his head and mustered the best smile he possibly could before making his way downstairs, where he saw mr. anderson watching television. when kids were adopted, weren't they usually showered with attention. not that ashton minded, he liked being alone, but this seemed odd. mr. anderson looked up at ashton and smiled before patting the seat next to him. ashton scuffled over and sat down, pulling his large black sweater over his knees while he did so. he got kinda nervous around the man.

'so kid, who was the blond who nearly died when you left' ashton's breath got caught in his throat as he tried to formulate an answer that wouldn't sound weird. he couldn't just try to explain that luke was the love of his life and he failed to inform him that he was leaving. he simply said 'he's like a brother to me, i've known him since i was little. we grew up together'

he didn't say anything more as mrs. anderson came down the stairs, watching the two talk. he gave ashton a small smile before grabbing her tea and going to sit down with them. she rested her tea on the small table to her right and stared at ashton, then to her husband, and then back to ashton.

'there are a few rules in the house' ashton didn't like that. he always thought that when he left he would be free from rules and stuff like that. he stared at the older couple a few seconds before hesitantly nodding at her. she let out a long breath, ashton thought it was like she had held it for a long time. she looked back at her husband before looking at ashton once again.

'we don't like when people talk out of turn' ashton made a disconcerted face before stating, 'but there are only three of us' mr. anderson gave him a glance. he looked at his wife, who sighed.

'that is what we mean. it was my time to talk and you talked. we punish with groundings and you aren't meant to leave your room until we say so' ashton internally sighed as he had a thought. what if he needed to pee? he went to ask but stopped upon remembering the rule about not talking out of turn. he was unsure of how to figure out how to talk so he stayed quiet, figuring he wouldn't have to find out what would happen if he never ended up being grounding. they kept talking about rules, which were things like curfew and going to bed and getting up for school. there was quite a lot but ashton was used to having tons of rules. mrs. anderson asked if he had any questions and ashton had tons. so many that he decided to just stay quiet. it would benefit him later, he supposed.