Live in the Moment - Lashton

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

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It wasn't unusual for Ashton to wake up early in the morning, he liked to ensure he was properly awake so that he could teach the children well. So it was not a burden for him to have to turn up at Luke's front door at seven in the morning.

Luke smiled shyly as he opened it, biting his lip and staring at his son's teacher. Ashton was dressed in a tight-fitting suit shirt and a typical pair of black work trousers, ready for his day of work.

It was the first time, however, Ashton had seen Luke sloppily dressed. He was generally well put together. He wore a black pair of joggers and an oversized black hoodie, the hood up and his curls sprawled out in every direction. The teacher wasn't complaining about the state he was in either, he would quite happily see it every morning.

Luke let the man in and locked the door behind him, not from paranoia, but because it was out of sight and didn't want anyone to open it. "Theo is still asleep. I usually let him awaken with the sunrise, it's more natural. I suppose it gives you time to make him breakfast."

Ashton nodded scanning the kitchen to take in where everything was, he had seen it the previous day but the surrounding was still so new. Luke hoisted himself up onto the counter and watcher the older man carefully, clearly anxious.

Ashton slowly walked over to the blonde and gently pulled his hood down, their faces in line with one another. "Your eyes are ten times brighter in the morning," he observed, smiling fondly at them. "I could really get used to seeing them."

Luke let a smile tug at his lips as he shied away from Ashton, pulling his hood back up. He was not used to receiving compliments like that. The scene was foreign to him.

The older man chuckled slightly, leaning in and pulling the hood down again, letting his hand rest at the side of the blondes face, cupping his cheek gracefully. Luke looked at Ashton bashfully and began to move in slowly until their lips were pressed against each other. Warmth radiates from the spot where his lips had met, slowly spreading through the rest of their bodies.

"I could also get used to that!" Ashton joked, mumbling into his neck.

"Me too!" Luke breathed out happily. The kiss was quick but it was all the energy that he needed to get him through the day. That tiny little bit of fuel. "I could do it all day, but Theo will be up soon and I don't think he should know about this — not yet anyway."

"Of course. No. Yeah," Ashton agreed, fumbling for words slightly. Forgetting that this was a parent of one of his students and it was wrong.

Luke looked at him and smiled sadly. "I won't let anyone find out. I know how much your job means to you." Ashton nodded and peered up at the clocked and began to pull stuff out of the cupboard he put in yesterday.

"Usually," Luke began wanting to explain his sons usual routine in hopes Ashton may consider it. "Theo generally wakes up at half past, or if not I'll go and wake him. And then—"

Ashton spun around and placed his finger to Luke's lips. "I don't want to hear it, Luke. I'm here to break that routine. I'm here to make sure Theo gets nourished and is able to flourish sufficiently into adulthood."

Luke sighed and nodded, heading out of the kitchen to turn off the television that was humming in the background from where he had been previously watching the news. Continuing to put some bread under the grill, Ashton let his mind wander sadly at how awful the situation the pair were in. He considered sneaking a slice under for the blonde but knew it would only end in arguments. He decided to ask for permission instead

"Luke, are you having anything? I can make you something if you like?" The blonde appeared again, hugging his torso and watching Ashton intently. "No thank you," he stated simply. "I could never eat white bread, there is everything wrong with it. And bread in general—"

"Okay," the elder cut him off, not wanting to feel even more upset about the situation. "Are you going to have anything for breakfast?" Luke shrugged simply, grabbing a water bottle and taking a sip of the stone-cold water. "Are you going to have anything today?" he asked worriedly. Luke responded with the same shrug. Turning the bread under the grill Ashton pointed out. "You're going to have to start eating again eventually, why not just start now?"

"I know what I am doing Ashton. I am fine. Like you said you are here to help Theo. I can fend for myself, the doctor said so."

Not wanting to provoke another argument over the topic, he left it there, praying internally that it would click inside the blonde soon that he needed to begin eating again.

Luke heard a creak of a floorboard upstairs and knew too well it was his son getting up. He took a deep breath to clear the negative energy from around him and found himself waiting at the bottom of the stairs to see the young boy. He grinned widely when seeing his son, picking him up instantly when he was on the third step from the bottom, placing a firm kiss on his forehead. "We need to take you to get a haircut sometime this week," he remarked.

"Is Mr Irwin here?" Theo asked, turning his neck to peer into the kitchen.

"You can call be Ashton when we are here, Theo. Just Mr Irwin at school, deal?" Holding out his hand for the young boy to shake. Theo giggled and nodded in agreement. Scrambling down the six-year-old landed on the cold floor and climbed up onto one of the chairs at the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"I've made you toast, with butter, is that okay?" Ashton asked, placing it down in front of Theo who stared at the foreign item, then looked up at his frowning father.

"I have not had this is forever," Theo stated. "I'm so excited!"

Luke's foot was tapping quickly and couldn't help himself from blurting out, "There are about two-hundred calories there, little one. Make sure you take your time. And don't worry about the crust, your hair is curly enough!"

Theo looked up at him confused and Ashton couldn't help but look at him afraid at the fact he had said that to his six-year-old son. He knew he meant no harm, it was just what was programmed into him. But, he feared if he could ever get out of this mindset, or if Theo would be tortured with it for the continuation of his childhood and worse his teen years.

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