The Setup » [lashton] √

1.1

Just because Luke was smart enough to see that things weren't going to end well did not mean that he was putting a stop to them. Which was why nearly three weeks later, they hadn't stopped having sex.

Michael and Calum still didn't know, and they hadn't spoken about it between themselves, unless you counted 'I want you to fuck me,' as talking about it, Luke didn't. And sometimes relationships, of whatever calibre, didn't need to be openly defined; this wasn't one of those, though unfortunately, it seemed the above was the most talking they'd ever do. 

This all made the fact that the four of them were hanging out harder; things were mostly back to normal between Luke and Calum, even if he was overcompensating a little bit. Ashton had actually been the one to lead the charge of everything going back to normal, and Luke assumed that was because he was so good at pretending everything was fine, which had actually worked. 

He still felt reserved, separated from the others in a way, especially Calum. He wanted to climb into the other's lap and tell him everything that had happened, explain how he was feeling. Then Calum would give him a wise speech and tell him what to do, tell him how he was feeling was okay. But he didn't have it in him to out Ashton, as... as well whatever he was. Closeted? In denial? A sexual fiend? It didn't really matter either way because he wouldn't tell. 

His eyes were fixed on a point across the room, the voices of the others static in the background, the alcohol facilitating all these thoughts, that was quickly interrupted when he felt a warm hand run down the side of his neck, pushing the collar of his sweatshirt down to expose more skin. He blinked his eyes slowly as he came back to the moment and saw it was Michael examining the skin. 

"Geeze, Luke, you're fucking covered in hickeys, and they're all dark as fuck," he was laughing, but there was something else in his voice Luke couldn't place. 

Maybe it was the fuzziness from the alcohol that had him not able to identify it, or maybe he was overthinking it; when Luke's distraction didn't end, Michael spoke again, "are you seeing someone?" 

His brain kicked back into gear as he shook his head, "seeing is a strong word," he laughed, "I met him on Tinder, it's nothing serious," he assured, realising it wasn't just Michael looking at him now, both Calum and Ashton's eyes trained on him. 

Michael chuckled, the untraceable something else from before gone, "normally you're the one that does the marking, someone's making a submissive out of you," he laughed again, "and dare I say a bottom?"

He rolled his eyes, trying not to let a blush colour his cheeks, "like Crystal's ever let you top,"

"Oooooh," Calum laughed, "Michael does like to get pegged," Ashton started laughing too, and Michael just shrugged. 

"I know what I like," he told them simply. 

Luke rolled his eyes again, "You brought up sex; it's all open season now," Luke told him before adding somewhat defensively, " also, tops get hickeys too; hickeys are for everyone,"

"Yeah, everyone under the age of 15," Michael scoffed.

"And adults that like to mark people, kinky motherfuckers," Calum added, giggling delightedly with his contribution. 

Luke was somehow was even more eager to avoid the topic, "I'm gonna grab a drink; you guys want anything?"

He was met with no's from everyone and headed for the kitchen as quickly as he could without seeming as though he was desperate to leave. He perched himself on the counter and sighed, letting his eyes close and his head loll back. Everything was weird now. Someone else entered the kitchen, and his head snapped up, eyes opening, afraid Michael was going to come over and hit him in the balls. It was Ashton. 

"So you're my little submissive, huh?" he asked, a knowing grin on his face as he slotted himself between Luke's legs. The younger man opened his mouth to say something snarky in return, but Ashton's lips captured his. The experience was dizzying for Luke, or maybe that was just the alcohol again, but he couldn't help but dissolve into Ashton, letting him explore his mouth, not caring if Michael or Calum walked in. 

Then his lips left Luke's, and Luke tried to follow, eyes still closed. Ashton chuckled, starting to kiss down his neck, and Luke could tell from the way the kisses were so (seemingly) randomly placed, he was kissing the hickeys he'd left behind earlier. Luke guided their mouths back together with his hand on the side of Ashton's face, and they started to kiss more feverishly. Letting themselves get caught up, and Luke was pressing down into Ashton's mouth, still trying to tug the older man to him. 

Until finally, Ashton pulled back, breathing heavily, his lips slick with saliva. He stared at Luke for a long moment, "I should get back to the others," he said, clearly trying to steady his breathing, "do I look like I just got the shit snogged out of me?" he laughed. 

Wordlessly Luke reached a hand up, adjusting Ashton's hair back to how it normally sat; he shook his head, "no, you look fine now, tell them I'll be out in a moment," 

Ashton nodded quickly and disappeared back into the lounge room. Luke let his head loll back again, and a deep sigh left him. He never knew what was going on with Ashton; that was the first time he'd kissed him since they'd first fucked. Was he really that turned on by people seeing him covered in his hickeys? He let out a groan of frustration, trying to keep it quiet enough the others wouldn't bother him. 

He was hard in Calum's kitchen and incredibly tempted to try and rub one out. But if Michael caught him, he'd never hear the end of it. The more he thought about Calum and Michael seeing, the faster the need dampened, and instead, he decided he'd just have to get the message to Ashton that he needed to swing by his apartment on the way home tonight.