The Great Album Escapade [Lashton]

Hello there, the angel from my nightmare

Four weeks. Four weeks Luke has been away and it's affecting both Luke and Ashton in a very similar way. Neither boy can sleep without being riddled with nightmares, they have no pleasant dreams anymore. They haven't talked in a week, both are waiting for the other to call. Both just want Luke to be back home.

Luke lies on his bed limbs spread out like a starfish. He wants so bad to call Ashton but he just can't force himself to do it. He can't force himself to put Ashton through the pain of missing him even more by giving the older boy false home he'll come home soon.

Luke isn't going to lie, he missis Ashton just as much as Ash misses him but he's fine with putting himself through this. He's already trapped in the darkness why not make it worse?

----

Ashton holds the phone in his hand, one button away from calling Luke.

"No, I can't." He says. "If he wanted to talk to me he'd call me."

He puts the phone back on the bedside table and flops down on his bed wishing Luke was here to cuddle him.

"I miss you." He whispers as a tear runs down his cheek.

-----

"Luke," Michael says into the phone, obviously not happy.

"What do you want Mikey?"

"You need to get your ass back here now."

"I can't do that Mikey"

"Ashton is breaking Luke. He can't do this much longer."

"I know Mikey. Please tell him I'm sorry."

"Tell him yourself." The line goes dead.

Luke goes into his contacts and clicks on Ashton's listening to the phone ring. Ashton a showers right away.

"Lukey." He says, you can hear the smile in his voice.

"Hello there, the angel from my nightmare." Luke says smiling as well. "I miss you so much Ashy."

"I miss you too Lukey. Where are you? Please just come home. I'm sorry for not playing along with your song thing. I didn't know it meant this much to you Lukey. Just please come home."

"I can't yet Ashy. Just a bit longer."

"Oh, okay." Ashton says disappointment filling his voice.

"I'm sorry Ashton."

"It's fine Luke."

"No it's not. I should be back home with you."

"Then why aren't you!" Ashton yells angered at Luke's remark.

"Because I can't! I can't come home yet A-Ashton." Luke's voice cracks on Ashton's name. "Just n-not yet."

Tears stream down both boys faces.

"I need you Lukey. I need you here with me."

"I wish I could be there with you."

Ashton hangs up his phone sick of Luke's lies. "If he wanted to be with me he'd come home." He grumbles tossing his phone onto his bed.

"I-I just need him." He says to no one in particular sitting on the floor and wrapping his arms around his knees. Crying to himself alone in his room.

-----

"A-Ashton?" Luke asks hearing the dial tone. He moves the phone away from his ear to look at the screen. Ashton's contact is there, not the in call screen. Ashton hung up on him.

"Shit." He says. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. I fucked up. I fucked up so bad. Why am I been doing this!? I can go home whenever I want! What aren't it?" Luke falls to the ground and crawls over to the corner of the room. Curling in on himself he finds a semi-comfortable position to sit in and mentally yell at himself.

He grips his hair and pulls on it as hard as he can trying to stop the voice inside his head that sounds strangely like Ashton. Just come home. It says. You stop all this pain tonight if you just come home.

"N-no. I can't go home yet. I'm not finished." Luke replies.

You idiot. You're ruining your band and shattering your boyfriend. The love of your life, is home, alone, wishing you were there. You deserve to go to hell for what you're putting him through. You're nothing but a coward.

"I know. I know. I know!" He yells. "Just leave me alone!"

-----

Ashton doesn't know how he got into the bathroom or why his arms are dripping blood just that it's not good. He tries to stand up but just falls back to the ground. He gives up in that and crawls over to his bed searching for his phone and not even caring that he's getting blood everywhere.

When he finally finds his phone he doesn't know who to call. He really wants to call Luke but he can't do anything. Michael would just yell at him. I guess it's Calum then. He quickly dials the number and listens to the phone ring.

"Ashton? Is something wrong?" Calum answers.

"Y-yeah Cal. Something- something is very wrong."

"What happened Ash? Why do you sound like you've been crying for hours?"

"Cal I don't exactly remember what happened but I need you to come to my room and help me please. And please hurry." Ashton hangs up the phone not wanting any further interrogation at this time.

A couple minutes latter Calum bursts through Ashton's bedroom door and finds the older boy curled in on himself crying.

"Oh Ash." He says seeing the blood. He picks Ashton up and carries him to the bathroom,setting him on the counter. "Please hold your arms out for me Ashy." Ashton complies and Calum inspects the damage. "I don't think you have to go to the hospital, do I need to check anywhere else?" Ashton just shakes his head. Calum fest to work cleaning out Ashton's cuts and wrapping bandages around his arms. When he's finished both boys stare at Ashton's arms for what feels like forever.

"I thought you stopped this," Calum finally says.

"So did I." Ashton replies breaking down in tears. Calum scoops the sobbing boy into his arms and carries him back to his bed, Ashton's being too gross for anyone to lie in. When Calum gets to his room he gently lays Ashton down on the bed and goes to leave but is stopped by a hand in his wrist.

"Please stay," Ashton whispers.

"Okay," Calum complies getting into the bed and pulling the smaller boy into his arms.

"Can you please sing to me?" Ashton asks, looking for some sort of comfort.

"Sure." Calum says before gently singing Ashton to sleep. With the presence of the fragile boy in his arms, Calum slowly drifts off into a dreamless sleep as well with one thought lingering in his mind, this band is so fucked if Luke doesn't come back soon.