When The Sun Goes Down (Lashton)

Put Your Hand In Mine

Ashton wished Luke made sense.

It was the morning after their little adventure, and Luke refused to look in Ashton's direction.

There was a bandage wound around Luke's fist, which along with the sounds of splintering wood Ashton had heard attributed to the fact that Luke punched the door.

But...why?

What was it that was making Luke act that way?

Perhaps it was the fear of confrontation, or just something he'd caught, nonetheless, Ashton was feeling poorly, and trying to figure Luke out didn't help his headache.

So he instead he resorted to staying quiet.

It was when finally him and Luke were alone in the living room that Ashton spoke up, coughing awkwardly before.

"What's going on?"

It took 20 minutes of Luke being sarcastic for him to finally give Ashton a straight answer.

"I don't understand feelings and shit, ok? Me being affectionate is not murdering you. You being affectionate is getting all up in my space- I don't know how- I don't- fuck you?"

"I...you want to be affectionate towards me?"

Ashton had tilted his head the way a puppy might, and Luke was trying not to rip his hair out because he was supposed to insinuate his feelings.

In the end, Luke finally looked up and sighed.

"Just a little"

Ashton only smiled softly, and held his hand out, Luke hesitantly touching a fingertip to his palm.

"Yesterday I never wanted to leave...it's ok if you do things your way, and it's ok if we take it slow. No one says you need to show love the way everyone else does"

Ashton smiled softly standing up and moving closer to Luke, his fingertips still resting in Ashton's palm.

Luke opened his mouth, most likely to say something unnecessary and rude, but shut it quickly again, properly lacing their fingers.

Ashton smiled softly, before shutting his eyes and opening then again a moment later.

"I'm gonna sit d-"

"This is the part where you bitches have sex"

Calum politely informed them by tossing a bottle of lube down the staircase banister, before disappearing back into his room.

Michael came out a moment later and tossed down a condom, accidentally knocking down the pair of sweatpants draped over the railing.

Ashton picked them up, deciding they were Luke's given their sheer size, and promptly requested the blonde if he could wear them.

His jeans were pressing into his stomach uncomfortably at that moment, and Luke nodded slowly, quirking a brow as Ashton began squirming out of his jeans.

"Keep moving like that pet, and you're gonna get me all hot and bothered"

Luke watched with complete adoration as a rosy blush painted itself across Ashton's cheeks.

"I can't get my jeans off any other way Luke, now, look away pervert"

"Aw, I was enjoying the show doll"

Ashton didn't respond to that, nodding his head slowly a few minutes later.

Finally able to remove his jeans, Ashton pulled the sweatpants up his legs, the material promptly pooling back at his ankles when he'd let it go.

He grumbled in mild irritation, bending down to pick them up before he stood up, staggering slightly with how fast he had.

Luke only arched a brow, as Ashton mumbled about sitting, so they did, both of them across from each other again.

Luke did sort of prefer this to holding hands, cause Ashton's had been oddly sweaty, but he'd hold hands any day if it made Ashton happy.

Yuck, when did Ashton start mattering so much to him?

"Luke...please"

Ashton whimpered softly, eyes unfocused as he tried fixing them on Luke's face.

But Luke was distracted.

Something was off, and it was bothering him.

He took a mental note of who should've currently been in the house- Michael, Calum, possibly Cokie since she came and went as she pleased, and if Cokie was there, her friend Jourdin might've been as well.

Including him and Ashton, that was 6 people.

Michael and Calum hadn't come downstairs, and Cokie would've been with them.

That meant all unaccounted noises would be coming from any other level. Since the basement was above ground, there were ways to get in easily from outside.

The main floor had ways too, although Luke knew they'd be too obvious.

Luke tried listening to any scraping against the walls outside, of any intrusion downstairs, knowing that he hadn't asked anyone over during this particular hour.

It occurred to Luke that he was overthinking things a lot, and just as he put the fear to bed, the sound of a floorboard creaking invaded his ears.

There was one elevated floorboard that was squeakier than the rest, one that Michael, Calum and Luke made an effort to avoid.

Someone who didn't know there way around misstepped.

Luke missed the way Ashton's chest was moving irregularly as he strained his ears, eyes running along the walls.

Luke heard faint footfall, and as he slowly shifted closer to the edge of his seat, he finally heard it.

The slight creak of something being wedged into a doorframe.

"Ashton get the fuck up and find Michael"

The words had barely left Luke's mouth when gunshots began tearing through the air.

Ashton screamed.

Luke had roughly taken hold of his arm, pulling towards the staircase before he dug a gun out of the drawer, cocking it as he held it tightly, whispering for Ashton to find Michael.

"Get somewhere safe doll"

Ashton muttered softly, Luke's words muddled- he could see Luke's mouth moving, but couldn't process anything.

Luke had started taking firm steps, and like a wounded puppy, Ashton trailed behind.

The air was silent for a moment, and Luke listened soundly for anything out of place, and surely enough, he heard it a few minutes later.

There was the distinct sound of paper crinkling to a crisp in the fireplace and as he tried figuring out where the sound had come from, he heard another gunshot.

Luke could hear how close they were, and without a moments hesitation, he took Ashton's wrist, and ran.

Ashton was stumbling dizzily behind, and when he finally halted, Luke did too, turning around with mild haste.

"What are you doing? We have to run!"

But Ashton didn't answer.

His eyes rolled back and he crumpled to the ground.