Off Ones Rockers II • Lashton

Chapter Forty-four

Chapter Forty-four

-

"I'm not supposed to be giving you therapy sessions, you are a therapist!" Sid laughed from behind the desk, watching the older man leaned back in his chair, clearly unhappy.

"This isn't therapy, this is work advice. You were technically my mentor anyway!" Alex retorted. The older man had assisted him the whole way through the blondes recovery.

"What's he done now?" Sid asked, knowing that the only patient he needed help was with Luke.

"He told me he hated himself."

Sid looked at the man confused. "I think we knew that already. It's never nice to hear but it's nothing unusual in a patient like Luke. There was always the potential of depression."

Alex nodded in agreement. He knew all this. "I know, the problem wasn't Luke but myself. He said that and I completely blanked him. I just asked him if he had any homework."

Sid too sat back in his chair and reflected on the situation. Trying to figure out why a fully trained therapist would act in such a way. "I don't think it's working, you being his therapist," Sid finally concluded.

"I'm not that bad!" Alex responded a little shocked.

"No of course not. But, you're a little close to Luke, you love his mother for one!"

"So do you think I should hand it over to Victoria or you?" he asked a little hurt. He didn't want to let Luke go out of his care. He wanted to see him through this.

Sid shook his head. "I just think he's trying to start a new life, maybe a new therapist might help him come to terms with everything. He's basically had two different types of eating disorder since he's been in here and I think he's getting them confused. If we give him a new therapist I think that might give him some more clarity on what he wants."

-

Luke pulled open the door and leapt to hug his boyfriend - it is a week since they last each saw each other. Ashton settling into a new job at a local supermarket and Luke at school.

"I missed you," Luke muttered into the older boys neck.

The younger boys breath on his neck made Ashton realise how tall Luke had actually gotten, the fifteen-year-old nearly taller than him. "You're getting tall."

Luke pulled away and smiled. "I know, my mum keeps saying that. And my dietitian said that I need to stop as we have to keep changing stuff because if I don't increase what I eat then I'll be underweight again."

Ashton laughed at how quick the boy was talking, and kissed him gently on the lips.

"My mum is dying to meet you. She's going to embarrass me though, and ignore my brother, he can be rude. And please ignore any photos of me-"

Ashton hushed the boy. "Don't be so nervous Luke. Beside families are supposed to embarrass you in front of your partner."

Luke closed the door behind Ashton and pulled him into the kitchen where his mother was preparing dinner. She didn't know if Luke was going to watch her. He did so less often now, knowing exactly how each meal was made as he had it each week. She and Jack ate the same just to keep Luke calm, they didn't mind - it was food to them.

When she heard shuffling about, she spun around and realised soon that her son was too awkward to introduce his boyfriend. "It's so nice to finally meet you. Sorry about Luke, he's never had a boyfriend before," she said, rushing over and shaking Ashton's hand.

Ashton smiled sweetly, looking back over at Luke who was a red as a tomato. "I know. He really wants me to hear all those embarrassing stories!" Ashton joked, causing Luke to tug on his hand and shake his head.

"I've got all the photos ready!" she joined in.

"We're going to my room," Luke quickly rushed in, pulling Ashton away. "Call us when dinner is ready."

Ashton followed Luke up the stairs, scanning the area, his eyes resting on the photos. Luke was almost unrecognisable in all of them. Even the ones where he looked about fourteen. Ashton stopped to look at them, his head tilted.

Luke could feel himself panicking, wondering if Ashton was suddenly repulsed by his past.

The curly-haired boy was looking at the one where the blonde was at the beach, with his brothers, burying one of them in the sand.

Luke finally let himself look at it too. He hadn't looked at any of them since he'd been home. "I've always been overweight," Luke admitted. "But that was when I was basically obese." Luke then laughed to himself, that was just months before he began to starve himself. "It's funny, I actually thought I was bigger than that."

Ashton wrapped his arm around the blonde's waist. Luke tensing a little, ensuring he sucked in his stomach, still caught up about the incident on their last date.

"I thought you were exaggerating when you told me you were overweight. That you just had a little belly or something," Ashton admitted.

"I probably thought the same then too," Luke laughed to himself. "I was oblivious then. So carefree. Too carefree. But at least I was happy."

Ashton kissed the boys forehead. "You radiate beauty when you're happy Luke. I've never seen anyone as attractive as you when you are filled with joy - it's like you're a different person. And honestly, if I knew that Luke - I wouldn't care that you were overweight, you look beautiful."

Luke looked down at his boyfriend and breathed out contently. Ashton placed his hand gently on his boyfriend's stomach. "You grow more and more beautiful every day Luke. And not because you weigh more, but because you are just that little bit closer to recovery and finally being happy."

-

A little short but I quite like it!

Please comment what you think.

Thank you so much for reading.