rumor has it. ➵ lashton ✔

9.

i made the longest groan of annoyance when i thought about the idea for this chapter. i really don't want to write right now, but this is just because i love you guys a lot and you've really brought a lot of happiness in to my life.

and my mom isn't at home.

i wrote this entire chapter listening to give me love by ed sheeran.

lovely song, really wonderful tune.

-

Luke scrambled across the room, staring blankly at the laptop and fixing the camera until it focused on the three boys.

"Shit, this is never going to work, Luke. Why'd you suggest this again?"

"Because we wrote an awesome fucking song and I think we should share it with the world."

"We don't even have Hannah here?" Michael said, eyebrows raised.

Hannah, unwillingly, had gone with her parents on a trip to Cancun that weekend, and the band was left without their drummer.

"Doesn't matter. Keep the beat with your foot, or something," Luke rolled his eyes

"I'm playing rhythm guitar, Luke, it'll be fine," Michael sighed, getting comfortable on the couch with Luke sitting between him.

"Alright, introduce yourselves, lads," Calum said softly, nudging Luke.

"Um, I'm Luke. Luke Hemmings," Luke said shyly, adjusting his flowercrown.

"Michael Clifford," Michael smiled, and Calum went last, saying only his first name.

"We've got a missing band-member, however, whose name is Hannah McMurray," Michael said quickly, smiling at Luke.

"We're singing a song that we wrote ourselves, called, um, Gotta Get Out."

-

Luke got up and turned off the camera, beginning to upload the video to YouTube, sighing softly.

"That was good, guys," Michael smiled.

"No, no, my voice cracked, like, halfway through the song, and I couldn't sing right," Luke shook his head, closing his eyes, "I basically ruined it. You guys sounded amazing, though."

"Don't say that, Luke, you sounded great! Especially that high little thing after the bridge."

"That part," Luke sighed, "sounded exceptionally bad."

Luke had a bad habit of not being able to take compliments from others, and because of this, he generally ended up telling people that he'd done bad, just so he wouldn't have to accept compliments.

Like how Ashton generally acted like a dick, so that he wouldn't have to let anyone in.

-

When Ashton had visited Luke in the hospital, it was just after Luke had woken up the first time. Luke had no recollection of this, seeing as he was so doped up by the pain medication they'd given him. 

Ashton had next to Luke and smiled at him, taking the boy's hand.

"Hey, Lukey, how're you doing?" Ashton asked softly, brushing back the boy's fluffy blonde hair.

"F-Fine," Luke replied. He may've been under the influence of the medication, but nothing could repel Luke's awkward behavior.

"Good, good..." Ashton ran his fingers over Luke's cuts and Luke pulled his hand away.

"Don't touch them," Luke mumbled, "they're ugly."

"They're beautiful, Luke... Just... Just like you," Ashton whispered, his voice barely audible.