Verboten [lashton]

Chapter 4

After a bit of an unwarned hiatus, I'm back. Sorry that I haven't really given any explanation for my sudden leave, and I don't really have any excuses anyway, but here I am. This chapter is longer than what I would usually write so I'm pretty happy with that. I'm iffy about the quality because I'm tired and really just wanted to get this chapter done (I wrote half of it about a month ago and got stuck) so sorry if it sucks. Has not been edited by anyone but me so sorry for mistakes.

Anyway, carry on. Love you lots if this is still in your library and you're still choosing to read it. I'm going on a two week holiday without Internet in two days so won't be able to update for a while, but I hope to have at least two chapters written upon my return.

Thank you! Hope you enjoy this chapter, at least somewhat.

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Luke fiddled with the string on his shorts, leaning against the wall in his hallway as he waited outside his bedroom for Calum to come out. He hated how nervous he felt about going to training today and he told himself that it was because he was anticipating his performance on the field, not worried about seeing Ashton.

"Luke, could you fill up my water bottle? Thanks!" Calum called out, causing Luke to roll his eyes and wander into the kitchen. The boys spent a lot of time at each other's houses, so they always felt very at home when they were at the other's place. A lot of the time they slept over on week nights because they simply forgot to go home, then they both got driven to school the next morning by a parent who was no stranger to events such as that happening.

"Mum? Where's Calum's water bottle?" Luke yelled, standing in the kitchen and looking around, not seeing the green bottle where Calum left it when he arrived after school.

"In the cupboard! Sorry, thought it was yours!" His mother's voice distantly yelled back, probably coming from her bedroom or the living room. Luke sighed and found it in the cupboard underneath the sink, promptly beginning to fill it up with water. Calum showed up in the kitchen seconds later, dressed in his usual sport attire and fancy soccer boots.

"Done? Ready to go?" he said in a bubbly sort of way, bouncing on the balls of his feet, hyped up and full of energy. Luke felt very much the opposite; sleepy and tired and dead in the figurative sense, wanting to collapse to the floor and never get up.

This didn't happen. Instead, Luke mumbled affirmatively in response, grabbing both of their water bottles and slipping on his shoes, calling out a goodbye to his mum as they left.

"When do you think they'll announce the teams?" Calum asked as they began to walk down the street. Luke shrugged offhandedly.

"Dunno. Soon, I guess," he muttered, feeling his insides churn and swirl around casually like it wasn't putting Luke into a jittery, tired frenzy, awake and asleep all at once with a droopy body but nervous eyes.

"You seem really off today, bud. Something the matter?"

Yes, Luke thought. "No," Luke said. "I'm fine. Just a little tired, s'all."

Calum nodded, not believing him but not pushing him further. He narrowed it down to nerves about the sport. The idea that it could be nerves about the coach never even crossed his mind.

They chattered about unrelated things for a while, such as school, and teachers, and that one time Calum bought roses for a girl and she burned them because he supposedly cheated on her with a different girl he spoke to at a party just once (it always made Luke laugh).

They arrived with two minutes to spare and Luke bent over to fiddle with his shoelaces, trying to avoid the time when Ashton would catch his eye. It was weird, he thought, as he tied a triple knot and undid it again, that this Ashton fella was interesting to him in a more-than-usual way, with closed off eyes and a small smile that spoke mysteries Luke was dying to figure out. This was only the third time that he had seen him, but he'd had two weeks to think about the way that he moved and his hair and his teeth and that small line of skin between his shirt and his shorts and Jesus fucking Christ I need to stop before this goes too far.