Archive of Our Own

All Ashton wants to be doing right now is reading. But that’s impossible with Lauren screaming every five seconds from the living room.

Since he (unfortunately) knows his younger sister, he can guess it’s Lucas Hemmings.

Lucas Hemmings is the New Big Thing right now. Platinum records, two sold-out tours, VMA awards. The kid doesn’t seem to fuck around.

Since Lauren is 14, she’s right in his key demographic (which is girls aged 8 to 104. Seriously, there are pictures of him meeting a 104-year-old fan on her birthday. It’s actually kind of cute.)

And, not to stereotype, but the only guys like him are usually gay. Even though it would be very stereotypical to enjoy Lucas Hemmings, Ashton prefers more punk music. Where people actually write their own songs.

Rolling his eyes, because it’s futile to try to pay attention to Vonnegut with all these distractions, he heads downstairs to get a drink.

His prediction is right when he cuts through the living room and, with a passing glance, sees the blonde singer perform onstage. He’s probably lip-syncing.

“Move!” Lauren waves him to go faster as he walks in front of the screen. She’s watching an entertainment “news” show of one of his performances again. “I need to see Lucas!”

“You can just rewind,” He says, but he didn’t really need to walk right in front of her view.

“Shh!” She snaps. She’s normally really nice, but when her fangirl-tendencies take over, she’s like a ravenous coyote.

Sighing, he goes to the kitchen as his mom walk in, carrying in some bags. “For the trip!” She explains cheerfully, even though they’ve known about this trip for ages. “Get to packing, we leave right after school.” They’re going to Los Angeles for Ashton to finally visit his college (couldn’t afford it before) and visit his grandma.

“Got it, mom,” He says, pouring some orange juice.

“No!” Lauren flops back in the sofa, whining as the show wraps up.

With a martyred sigh, Ashton turns to his mom, “Is it too late now for me to be an only child?”

“Yeah, just a bit too late,” She flashes him a quick grin that he can’t help but return.

“Everyone shush!”

With what can only be described as morbid curiosity, Ashton goes around to look at the TV.

A pretty, glossy “journalist” named Libby Lam reports on the screen, “Fabulous Lucas Hemmings picked up three MTV VMA awards last night, including ‘Best Music Video Award.’ Just in time for his new album, Sounds Good Feels Good, to drop- wow - double platinum.” Lauren claps. “We caught up with our favorite pop star on the red carpet.”

It cuts to Lucas, looking painfully charming and adorable holding all the statues in his arms. Since he’s 6’4 and really broad, he has a good grip but he genuinely seems honored, “Well, first I’d love to say a huge thank you to the fans. Thank you so much for buying the records and coming to my concerts. I- I do this for you guys, you’re the reason why I love what I do. You are the best fans in the world. Thank you.” He beams perfectly white teeth.

When it cuts from that, Ashton looks down to see Lauren with her hand on her heart, “He is such an amazing person.”

“Oh really?” Ashton asks, “What makes him so?”

Lauren whips around, and her eyes flash murderously. “Not only does he put 110% into every performance and song for us, he does so much for the fans. If you only knew about his charity work-”

“I don’t need an essay on it, I’ll take your word,” Ashton says just to shut her up, hitting her with a pillow. She grabs the other one and hits him back. Soon, Lucas Hemmings is (mostly) forgotten as a pillow fight that even involves their mom ensues.

They can get to packing later.

+

Luke thinks that his best friend enjoys driving his cars a little too much.

“Don’t cum in my car, I just got it detailed,” Luke jokes as Michael practically purrs as he pulls the car into park in front of the club.

“I can keep it in my pants, unlike Miss Picture Princess,” Michael says as he hops out. Luke ignores the dig against his girlfriend who's notorious for rubbing up against him for paparazzi photos as he too gets out.

“Be careful with Angelina,” Michael says to the valet that Luke doesn’t recognize, handing over the keys. He says, “Does that new valet look a little shifty to you, Luke?” The valet drives off.

Luke shrugs, “If he steals it, I got plenty.” His dad loves cars, and Luke inherited the same trait. He has five cars (his dad has six), amazingly tuned. While he’d be sad, he’d understand if the valet needed it more than him.

“It?” Michael mocks. “You mean ‘her.’”

“Sure, buddy. Let’s find you a real girl,” Luke wraps an arm around his shoulder as he goes to lead him inside.

“She is a real girl- Oh no,” Michael forces the two of them to a stop as his eyes narrow ahead of them. “Look who it is!” His tone mockingly shocked, “The Fantabulous, Fabulous Alexis Bender, Lucas Hemmings’s girlfriend. Trademark symbol.”

“Hi Lucas!” Alexis does her two-kiss-on-each-cheek European greeting to Luke that always seemed fake and then with an even faker smile turns to Michael. “Marcus.” She greets him.

“Michael,” Michael corrects, annoyed because Alexis has met him a dozen times. Luke keeps his mouth shut, wisely.

Alexis then turns her charms on Luke. They might work, because he is bisexual. He’s attracted to (some) women, but not to her. But mostly guys. She knows that (or at least suspects it) but she doesn’t seem to mind the publicity for her little Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram. His managers (aka parents) and his publicists thought it was a good idea. It is not. But they’ve been so great to him that he tries not to buck them on much. Or anything at all.

“You look beautiful tonight,” Luke says, because he tries hard to be a good boyfriend.

She dramatically flicks her hair, “I know. Wait ‘til you see what I’m wearing tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes...  Tomorrow? ” She tries to give him a hint that’s not much of a hint.

Luke draws an utter blank, “Umm-”

“My birthday party?” She reminds him and he winces. “Baby! You promised you were gonna sing!”

“I know, right. I’ll be there.” He goes to reassuringly touch her face but she hits his hand away. “Uh, no, my makeup is fleek.” Nodding, he and Michael go to go in but then she stops them both. “Wait, something’s wrong.”

“Yeah, you’re here,” Michael says, under his breath. Well, it would be if Michael’s version of quiet wasn’t just a normal human being's normal decibel. Alexis gasps audibly at him, then turns to Luke to defend her honor or something.

“Dude,” Luke makes a face at him that basically says Be nice, alright?

He just sends back a look that says, She’s ruining guys’ night!

“Where are the paparazzi?” She whines.

Luke freezes. Dammit. Michael groans and turns to her, “Ugh, you did not blog again, did you?”

She shrugs, Perfect Pap smile in place as two huge vans pull up and guys with cameras pile out.

Ugh, not again.

+

“Everyone’s invited,” Ashton reiterates, about ready to file a civil lawsuit against Sarah Olsen and her minion and co-Bitch in Charge AJ Cobb. “It’s a school dance, it's Prom.”

“Your kind is not,” AJ waves her manicured hand at his general direction.

Ashton rolls his eyes, and resists the urge to bitchslap her so hard she gets a new personality. “Don’t worry, I won’t bring my gay,” He adjusts his thick-rimmed glasses on his face as he levels her with a look. He’s been out for a while, and while McKinley isn’t intolerant, they’re not known for their overwhelming tolerance either. Especially any of the popular girls. To think, pop culture lied to him when it said all they wanted was a gay best friend. “I’m just there to take pictures for the school paper-”

“Wait, you have a camera, right?” Sarah asks, her airhead voice nails on the chalkboard of his mind.

“Obviously.” The school certainly doesn’t have the funding to let him borrow one. Well, they certainly don’t have the funding for the school newspaper .

She ignores his tone, “And you’re going to LA, right?”

Ashton leans back a bit, “How do you know about that?”

AJ gasps and claps and jumps up and down all at once, “That means yes!”

“This is so creepy.” He says, more to himself.

They ignore him once more and pull out a blue scrapbook and on the front of it is a picture of Lucas Hemmings. Oh right, these are the same girls who started a school-sanctioned fan club for him back sophomore year. Why is he surprised?

“Since that’s where Lucas works, you should totes take pictures of him for us. We need more for the scrapbook!” AJ says.

“I sincerely doubt that,” Ashton says, not able to stop the sneer on his face as he looks down at this horrible memento of teenage idiocy. He understands fangirling and blogging and stuff (his sister does that stuff and she’s not that insane) but a fucking scrapbook?

They ignore him, “We’ve mapped his every move for the past eighteen months. When he’s not at the recording studio, he’s at this club!”

“Isn’t he like seventeen? How could he get into a club?” He’s not sure why he’s asking them questions and inspiring more crazy.

“He’s nineteen,” They both snap at the exact same time. “And he’s a celebrity, duh,” Sarah adds.

“Amazing. Well, I still need a ticket to the dance so if you could just-” He goes to just reach for them but they slap the box shut.

“Only if you promise to take pictures of Lucas for us.”

Ashton grimaces in thought, but then decides that they’d have no idea if he didn’t give it any effort. “This whole blackmail thing is illegal but deal.”

They both grin at him as they hand him the ticket. “See you later, Asher!”

He almost corrects them, but decides it doesn’t matter. In just a couple of hours, he’ll be in sunny Los Angeles, where there will be no drama.

All his life, Ashton has revered Los Angeles. He worked hard and managed to get into USC early action (amazing and he’s still stunned) and he wants to study journalism. But like the stuff of wars and politics, not entertainment garbage.

He has his whole life planned out, and he’s excited to look at USC for the first time not online and meet some other accepted students, especially his hopefully-future roommate.

This should be a great vacation.

+

Luke jogs into the living room, ready for his meeting with his managers. Since the meetings are casual because his managers are his parents and the setting is his own home, he wears a t-shirt and board shorts because he’s a diehard Californian.

“Hey what’s up?” He greets as he enters, and his parents both spin around to greet him. Today, they’re wearing suits. Huh.

“You’re late,” Liz Hemmings, businesswoman extraordinaire, says.

“Hello to you too, Mom,” He smiles at her and kisses her cheek. She does an annoying “mwah” thing which means she’s in business mode so he turns to Andrew Hemmings, marketing extraordinaire, and they just say “hey” and hug.

“Oh, honey, honey, honey,” His mom tuts, in a way that’s both professional and maternal. “You could have cleaned up a little bit.” She gestures to his casual clothing.

Just to annoy her, he sniffs himself, “What? I’m totally clean.”

She huffs at him and says to his father, “He looks like a street kid, not a movie star.”

“I’m right here-”

“He looks fine,” His dad brushes off her concerns, “Just be yourself, Lucas.” In all business modes, Luke is known as Lucas Hemmings, the pop empire of a person. It’s not even actually his real first name but it helps with the distinction so he didn’t mind when the record company suggested it.

“Okay,” Luke takes a deep breath and smiles. The doorbell rings and his mom goes off to answer it quickly.

Andrew clasps a hand on his shoulder, “This is it, bud, your chance for everything we’ve always wanted.” He pep-talks. Luke just smiles.

Like his parents, Luke enters a business mode when he greets people in the entertainment business and it’s like autopilot. Part of his “image” (which is still weird to him even though he’s been doing this for going on three years) is that he’s an approachable, boy-next-door with a hint of bad teen you want your daughters to like. And buy millions of albums for. He’s kind of like that in real life, so it doesn’t feel like lying.

Some of the time.

He pays a bit more attention when Alan Smith, the producer of a movie his parents want him to be in, says, “I’ve been watching you, and I like what I see. You’re a talented, talented kid. You can sing, dance, I hope you can act-”

Luke goes to list off his acting experience while nodding, but the nod seems to be enough because Alan just continues.

“Because I like you for this movie.” His mom makes a happy noise and grabs his hand excitedly.

But then Alan holds up a finger, “But my people don’t necessarily agree with me.” And the room gets a bit colder as the seriousness sets in, because before this was fun. All about how much Alan’s daughters loved Luke’s music and how Alan loved the house. “See, all they see is a spoiled punk who likes to tangle with the paparazzi.” He holds up the cover of a teen mag that says some stupid headline about how violent he is.

Luke bites his lip ring. He didn’t go into it that night to punch a pap in the face, but Michael is severely claustrophobic, and he was getting a panic attack and they continued to swarm even though he told them all to give them some space. They love going after Michael most violently because he came out as gay awhile ago. He had no other choice.

He can’t get the story out though because his dad interrupts. “Alan, you know how the tabloids are,” He entreats, standing, “They manipulate those-”

“Andrew, I get it,” He smiles condescendingly at Luke’s dad then turns back to Luke.

“Lucas, I want to give you this shot, but you have to prove that you’re a serious and committed actor.”

“How do I do that?” Luke asks, figuring he should get the guidelines clear.

Alan nods brusquely, right answer, “On Monday, I’ll meet with my people and try and sell them on you. Meantime, keep yourself out of the press, good or bad. In fact, just stay home.”

“Sounds perfect,” His mom rushes to say, and looks like that’s that.

+

After spending the rest of the day looking around USC and LA with his family, Ashton is ready to settle in at his grandmother’s kitchen and help her make dinner. Even though she seems to have a new boyfriend to help her out. Which is... weird. But nice. Mostly nice. He knew how sad she was when his grandpa died, and she deserves to be happy.

But, most importantly, USC is the best thing ever. Even though he knew they have a great journalism program, reputation, and connections, it was all solidified when he stepped onto the massive campus. He was meant to be in LA.

Don’t get him wrong, Kalamazoo is... okay. But LA is just... wow. Can you be in love with a place?

His phone dings with a text from Calum Hood. Calum lives in LA, but he and Ash have been messaging every day for the past couple of months. They were both accepted early and when people were posting bios of themselves in the Facebook pages, they had the same music in common, and it turns out a lot more. So now they’re best friends and they’re going to room together for freshman year. The internet is awesome. They didn’t get a chance to meet today, but Ashton can’t wait.

Calum: I’m so borrreeeeedddddddd. High school homework is so easy and trivial now.

Ashton: Dude you’re about to go to college for biochem AND physics. You should be enjoying these days.

Calum: distract meeeee

Ashton: noooooo gotta make dinner. I’ll meet up with you tomorrow though!

Calum: You better.

Ashton smiles a bit and is about to head down when Lauren bursts into his room. “Ashton! Ashton! Guess what?”

And his good mood immediately disappears as he guesses, “Is it Lucas Hemmings related?”

“Yes! You have a fake, right-”

“Shh!” Ashton snaps at her. He doesn’t drink but he got a fake ID that makes him 21 because a lot of his favorite, indie bands perform at bars and they don’t let you in without one. So he got one. Not for alcohol. But his mom might not believe him.

She grins wickedly, “I knew it. Now, do me a favor or I’ll tell Mom.”

Ashton groans, “Fine, what is it?” It might be easy.

“I want you to go to Airplanes, the club that Lucas loves, and take a picture of him for me. According to the gossip blogs, he’ll be singing at Alexis Bender’s party there.” She squeals.

“Lauren, that’s so creepy-”

“Please! I’ll love you forever,” She gives him her puppy-dog eyes and he crumbles.

“Fine.”

“Great!” The puppy eyes disappear. “I’ll let Grandma know you’re meeting up with Calvin.”

“His name is Calum,” Ashton says as she runs off, but that gives him an idea.

Ashton: I have just the thing to cure your boredom.

He gets a text back immediately.

Calum: I’m all ears.

+

Luke might have made a bad decision.

He knew this movie deal was important to his parents, but he also promised Alexis he’d sing for her birthday. Well, it’s her birthday.

Michael isn’t making it any better.

“I don’t know about this, bro,” Michael taps his fingers on the wheel of Luke’s lower-status car, Charlotte.

Luke feigns bravado. He’s going to be an actor afterall. Hopefully. “Nah, it’ll be fine.”

“We should be at your house. I’d even watch How I Met Your Mother for you if it meant you got your ass back there.”

“First of all, that show is amazing, not a chore.” Michael rolls his eyes but he’s smiling a bit. “Second, it’s not like you want to be at my parents’ party.” They were so distracted it was easy to sneak out.

“Are you fucking with me? The caterer’s from Argentina! There’s gonna be steak for dessert.”

“Tempting,” Luke says sarcastically, more of a fan of actual dessert. “But I promised Alexis I’d do this for her-”

Michael hisses, somewhat playfully. “You and your fucking friendship rules.”

“Might I remind you that you benefit from those ‘fucking friendship rules’ nearly 24/7. Drive my car, eat my food, stay at my house all for free-”

They start fake-punching at each other as they talk pure nonsense over the other.

“Fine, fine, let’s go. But I’m doing this for you, not for Alexis.”

“I’d never expect you to do anything for Alexis, I’m not an idiot.” Michael just stares at him. “Okay, much of an idiot.”

“At least you’re not as bad as Alexis.” Michael flutters his eyelashes, “‘Milton! Martin! Ugh, stop it I’m trying to get every paparazzi in the world to take a picture of my ass so I can go viral-’”

“Shut up,” Luke rolls his eyes, even though he knows it’s true. “Let’s go.”

They have a club to sneak into and a song to sing
+

You can do this, Ashton tells himself parked in a potential parking spot. Nothing is clear in LA. You can do this. You can’t do this. He chokes on a breath.

“Don’t panic,” Calum says, sitting passenger in his grandma’s car that’s a bit underdeveloped in the looks department. Luckily, his roommate didn’t mind. Plus, it’s dark so no one can see how butt-ugly it is.

They drove around for a while beforehand and got some food at In-n-Out Burger which was amazing (he might just gain the freshman fifteen there), and their conversational abilities are just the same as on text (even though they were a bit stilted for the first few minutes). Ashton knew he made the right decision about this guy.

“I can go in and take the photo for you. I have plenty of experience sneaking into clubs.” Calum pops his collar. He dressed up for the occasion, in a nice button-up and slacks, and glasses that don’t make him look like an awful hipster. He was thrilled with the idea. Ash is just wearing grey sweats and a USC shirt he bought.

“I know,” Ashton calms down a bit as he smiles at the memory of Calum telling him some batshit stories. “Do you mind?”

“Dude, I have such a crush on his best friend Michael,” He admits, no shame. Plus, they came out to each other ages ago. “In fact, shit, I see him right now. Don’t leave the car, it’s illegally parked.”

“I knew it,” Ashton mumbles to himself as Calum books it across the street. He watches as Calum charms Michael, a tall boy with bright blue hair and a leather jacket next to a short blonde girl in crazy heels and a weirder dress.

And he gets himself inside right with them.

Hot damn, Calum will be a great roommate.

Ashton ends up dozing in the car, and when he wakes up it’s midnight. And Calum’s still not back. No text messages. No calls.

He panics and thinks the worst. Calum could be kidnapped, drugged, or murdered.

Fuck.

“Screw this,” He says to himself and gets out the car. Fuck the fines, he needs to find his roommate.

He walks across the street and looks around the club, but everything is crazy crowded. Concerned, he decides to go around the back. It’s surprisingly cold in the night air, and he rubs his arms. There’s a sign up ahead on a door, and he can only make out “Stage Door.” He goes to adjust his glasses as he approaches, but as the door suddenly swings open and bashes him in the head.

And he suddenly sees stars.

+

Luke didn’t expect such resistance when he opened the door, and now he sees why.

He just hit someone with the fucking door.

He just assaulted someone.

Fuck.

Half-panicking about the fact paparazzi could spot him any moment, he kneels next to the guy who he’s now on the ground, clutching his face. “Shit, did I just hit you?”

“No, I’m on the ground for fun,” The guy says, and Luke bites back a laugh as he helps him up. A bit more focused, Luke finds that this guy is really attractive. Like wow. Wavy, golden brown hair, light brown-hazel eyes, and he’s tall. Not as tall as Luke, but tall. It’s a nice height.

“I am so, so sorry,” He says, trying to see if he could find signs of concussion, even though he doesn’t know what they’d be.

“Let go of me,” He mumbles but when Luke does, he stumbles backwards. So Luke holds him upright again.

“This is so not good- Wait, hey what’s your name?”

“Ashton.” Ashton answers, still not looking up at him.

“I’m Luke.”

At that, Ashton looks up. And he sees recognition flash across his face, and he braces himself for screaming but that’s not what happens.

“Oh fuck, it’s you,” Ashton says, and that’s kind of the exact opposite the reaction he was expecting.

But it actually makes him smile a bit, “Sorry to disappoint, but we need to get you out of here.”

“I don’t feel so good,” Ashton murmurs.

Fuck. Shit. He goes to throw his jacket around Ashton when a car pulls around, but relaxes when he sees it’s Michael.

To Ashton, he says, “C’mon, we got to get you to a hospital.”

“No,” He pulls away but stumbles again so Luke catches him. “Calum’s in there.”

“Who’s Calum?” Luke leads Ashton to his car as Michael gets out.

“My roommate, he was doing me a favor,” Ashton explains but also not really. “He’s up in the club.” And then he starts humming “Thrift Shop” fairly poorly.

Luke might have found his favorite stranger.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Michael sees what’s going on and jogs up the rest of the short distance in the alleyway. “What’s going on here? Who’s he?”

Luke grimaces, “Help now, questions later? Just get him in the car.”

Michael rolls his eyes but he nods and leads Ashton to the passenger seat as Luke slides into the driver’s seat.

Michael asks again, ignoring the questions later part of the deal, “Who is this?”

“Put your seatbelt on,” Luke tells Ashton then turns to Michael, “This is Ashton.”

“Don’t pretend you know me.” Ashton grumbles, rubbing at his head. “My name is Ashton,” He answers for himself.

Michael snickers a bit and so Luke says, “Well, it’s nice to meet you then, Ashton.”

The blonde gives Luke a look, “Oh, I can think of nicer ways. Like ones that don’t involve brain damage.”

Michael full on laughs, and that makes Luke bite back on his own, “That’s fair. Listen, Michael, look out for his friend Calum.”

“Calum Hood, he met you at the outside of the club-” Ashton describes emphatically, getting out keys, but then cuts himself off. “Ohhhh I don’t feel so good.” Instinctively, Luke grabs the keys out of his hand.

Pure, comical panic flashes across Michael’s face, “Whoa, whoa, not in Charlotte, I just got her detailed.”

“‘Kay then” and then with that Ashton leans out of the car and throws up. Luckily, Michael flies himself back and he hopefully doesn’t get any chunks on his shoes.

Luke makes a face at the smell and feels bad for Ashton and Michael, “Just make sure his roommate Calum gets home safe and no one follows.” He hands him the keys to Ashton’s car.

Because he’s a good friend, Michael nods and heads back into the club.

+

Ashton feels a little better after throwing up, but not so much with the bright light in his eye that Dr. Sanjay Lad is flashing. Thank God he’s 18 or else he would have had to call his parents.

“Just follow the light with your eyes,” He says, and his voice is oddly reassuring given the night Ashton has had.

He does so, following it as best he could. His head is throbbing and he hopefully doesn’t actually have brain damage, because he needs to go to and graduate from USC and revitalize the print newspaper industry.

“Well,” Dr. Lad puts the light away and stands up straighter. “I’ve done a thorough exam and the CT scan came back normal. Everything looks good.” He says with a reassuring smile.

Ashton exhales, and goes to thank him when Lucas Hemmings pulls back the curtains (which is still weird to think) and asks, “So he’s okay?”

“Out.” Dr. Lad says authoritatively, and surprisingly the Big Popstar listens. The curtain is closed again, giving him and the doctor a semblance of privacy. With a smile, Dr. Lad continues talking, “You have no sign of head trauma and I’m absolutely certain you don’t have a concussion.”

“Then why did I throw up?” Ashton’s confused. He’s a journalist, not a doctor. If only Calum was here, then he could help.

“Well it could have been food poisoning, travel sickness...” He muses, “Or it could just be the typical reaction from meeting that dickweed.”

Ashton, taken aback, grins. That is until the person that caused his head pain to appear, dramatically flinging back the curtain.

“This is a curtain, Sanjay, I can hear you,” Lucas Hemmings glares at him a bit, but it’s playful.

“Um, no you cannot,” Dr. Lad says in the same tone. “Respect the curtain, kid-”

Ashton doesn’t mean to interrupt but he’s speaking before he realizes he’s saying, “Wait, so you two know each other?”

They both nod. Lucas explains, “He was in my brother’s fraternity.”

Dr. Lad grins. “Good times.”

“Can I go now?” Ashton asks. He doesn’t even want to think about curfew. Or the subsequent punishment for breaking it. God, today (or yesterday, considering it’s close to 1 in the morning) was such a good day.

“Yes, but I want you to put an ice pack on that bump until you get home. I’ll have one of my nurses bring one out. I have more rounds to do. Ashton, it was nice to meet you” Ashton smiles a bit at him and thanks him.

Dr. Lad turns to Luke next, “And, Luke, keep out of trouble And stop hitting poor boys in the head with doors.”

Lucas Hemmings nods, smirking a bit. “Got it, Jay.”

“Well, kids, I have rounds. Don’t leave until you get the ice pack.” And then he’s out of the curtains.

Now it’s just him and Popstar Lucas Hemmings. Ashton doesn’t feel like making conversation and Lucas Hemmings looks like he’s about to say something but then his phone starts ringing.

But he doesn’t answer it.

“Aren’t you gonna get that?” Ashton cocks his head naturally then winces.

“Oh right,” The tall pop sensation says then turns away to answer it.

+

Luke felt a bit bad about abandoning Ashton to take a phone call, but at least the curtains are thin and if he needs help he can be right there.

“Hello?” He answers, not bothering to check I.D.

“You, apparently, have a special guest here,” His mom hisses into the phone.

“Who? Where?” Luke panics, looking around the hospital before realizing that’s stupid.

“At the house, where else?! Alan Smith decided to show up-”

“I thought you said he said he wasn’t coming.”

“Well, he’s here! With your two biggest fans.” Oh right, his daughters. “Where are you right now?”

He winces, “At the hospital.”

“Jesus, Luke, are you okay?”

“Yeah I’m fine, don’t worry-”

“Well, you’d be more than fine if you stayed in the house like Alan ordered.” Luke bites back on an annoyed groan. “You need to get here.”

“I know, okay. Just stall them. I’ll be right there.” Not really thinking about it, he hangs up on her.

When he turns around to check on Ashton, he sees Sanjay there.

“I thought you had rounds-”

“You might have a problem,” He says, looking grim. “My waiting room is filled with big guys with big cameras.”

“Shit, the paps found me?” Luke rubs at his temple. This is what he gets for driving flashy, recognizable cars-

His car.

He has an idea, “Sanjay, what kind of car do you drive?”

He snorts, since he knows his family, “Nothing you’d be interested in. Since I’m still paying off med school loans, it barely runs. I haven’t even gotten the oil changed in like half a year-”

“Stop, you’re breaking my mechanic heart,” Luke says and pulls out his car keys. “Let me drive your car, and I’ll even get it tuned up for you.”

Sanjay raises an eyebrow, “You’re serious.”

“My ass and career are on the line.”

“Well, shame to mess with those things, they’re your best qualities,” He teases as he takes the keys and hands his own over. “Let me get that ice pack and have someone sneak you out the back.”

In the car, Ashton seems really irritated.

“Are you okay?” Luke asks after a long awkward silence.

Instead of answering, Ashton yelps as the car backfires again. “Not really,” He says through gritted teeth, “My head hurts, I’ve lost my roommate, I’ve broken curfew, I’ve thrown up in the past four hours and this car is a literal death trap.” He winces instead of yelping when the car backfires as a punctuation to that.

“I know, and I’m sorry for hurting you. But Michael is a great guy, he’ll get Calum home safe.”

“Yes, but what about me?” Ashton says, “I may not be native yet- but that sign said we’re going to Beverly Hills, not Hollywood.”

Luke takes a deep breath, knowing this won’t go over well, “We just have to make a teeny, tiny detour first.”

“Why?”

“We have to go to a party.”

Ashton rolls his eyes then winces, “Great, just a typical night for a popstar like you.”

“What does that mean?” Luke asks, a bit affronted by the tone.

“It means that-” Ashton cuts himself off, and Luke waits for him to continue. Eventually, he says, “That you’re acting exactly how I’d expect Lucas Hemmings to act.”

Not sure what to say to that, Luke says with a cheeky grin, “My friends call me Luke.”

He looks over just as Ashton raises an eyebrow, “Just please get the detour over with, Lucas.”

+

“This is where you live?” Ashton asks as he steps into the huge, modern house that is apparently where Lucas lives. It could fit both his house and his grandma’s.

“Yeah, why?” The popstar asks, and Ashton goes to say something about that when a ton of people start mingling their way over. “Shit.”

And with that, three-time VMA winner Lucas Hemmings is throwing his jacket on top of Ashton’s already sore head and forcefully guiding him to the stairs.

“Go, go, go, upstairs now.” He says.

“Lucas-” Ashton whines but he’s surprisingly convincing as he practically pushes Ashton up the rest of the way. But Ash does notice that all the people at the party seem to be professional adults, not a bunch of wasted college kids like he had figured.

“I’m sorry! I just-”

“Don’t know where to hide me?” Ashton gripes, annoyed with how this whole goddamn night turned out.

Lucas exhales sharply, “No, I’m not hiding you, per se, it’s just that I don’t want these particular people to see you right now.”

Ashton pulls back a bit, “Because I’m not a major celebrity like you?”

He looks genuinely offended that Ashton thought that, and it takes him aback, “No! because I don’t want anyone asking questions, and neither do you,” He says then puts a fake microphone in front of his face and says in a deep, mocking tone, “‘Who is he? Where’d you meet him? You two fucking? Are you fags?’”

Ashton hates that word and he’s immediately furious, “You did not just-”

“I didn’t!” Lucas maintains, his voice loud but hushed. “They, paparazzi, say that. They have in the past to me and they will to you. They make stuff up, but if they find out you’re here and get photos? Then it’ll fuck with your life, I swear to you.”

And with that, Ashton goes quiet and stops fighting Lucas and lets him drag him to a room.

Grandly as they move to the center of the room, “The guestroom, be my guest.”

Ashton gives him a slight look as he looks around a bit. There are lights that spell out HEMMINGS on the wall. That’s at least minorly ridiculous. “I guess I don’t have a choice.” Because he’s cold, he pulls on Lucas Hemmings’s jacket that he threw over him and does not notice how nice he smells.

“Not really.” But he says this with a blinding smile, that falls as he says. “I’ll be right back. Just... stay here, okay? Just stay.”

And as he leaves, Ashton can’t help but make little puppy paws with his hands, “Woof.”

+

After this exhausting night, Luke knows singing will help. He’s a bit worried about performing this new song, but he can say he was locked in his practice room fine-tuning it and that’s why he couldn’t come down until then.

Because he’s certainly not harboring a teenager with an injury he caused. A male one, no less. He certainly doesn’t need anymore gay rumors in the press (he hasn’t come out yet because his management team thinks it’s a bad idea but he wouldn’t mind if he was supposed to stay out of it).

After schmoozing the audience, he pulls out his guitar and just plays. Even though this song is new, it’s like coming home and his whole body just falls into it.

I believe in destiny

I may be an ordinary guy with heart and soul

But if you're the one for me

Then I'll be your hero

Luke likes this song a lot. Luckily, he’s been able to write more and more of his own music, and this song means a lot to him because he wrote it by himself.

With a quick glance, he sees Ashton standing on the balcony, watching him perform. And it makes him smile a little as he goes back into the chorus.

The crowd seems into it, which makes him relax, and seem disappointed when he wraps up. After hamming it up a bit with the crowd and Alan’s daughters, he looks at the balcony again and sees that Ashton isn’t there and the lights are now off.

Not good.

He makes an excuse that he needs to do a bit more work on it and books it back inside, making sure his guitar goes into its special case.

Luke sees Ashton just as he’s walking into the garage. Dammit, what part of stay did he not understand?

Making sure no one’s following him, he follows Ashton, pulling on his jacket since Ashton put one of Luke’s on. It’s kind of big on him, and makes him look cuddly. Which is in great contrast to the annoyed look on his face.

“Hey, where you going?” He asks, catching the blonde off-guard.

“Home, hopefully,” He says pointedly.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll take you, pick a car.”

Something about that makes Ashton shake his head, “Nope.” From the pocket of his jacket, he pulls out the icepack and Luke plays with his lip ring at the memory of hitting him, feeling guilty.

“Then we’ll walk,” Luke says, somewhat obviously because he’s not leaving Ashton alone. He said he wasn’t native, and LA is hard enough to navigate during the day, much less at 2 in the morning. “But you said Hollywood, right? So we’ll get there next week.” He explains, raising an eyebrow to make a point.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Luke clarifies.

“Yes, but I have a couple rules.”

“Of course you do.” Ashton just stares at him, until he says, “What are they?”

“You drive me straight there- no detours- and...” He grimaces. “I need you to take a selfie with me. For my sister.

“Completely fair,” Luke says, and gestures to the cars, “Pick one.”

To his complete lack of surprise, Ashton picks the cheapest car.

+

In the car that looked the least expensive, Ashton’s headache is back in full force, and icepack isn’t working as well now that it's warm. He probably should have just used the fancy little mini-fridge in the guest bedroom but he was kind of entranced by Lucas’s singing voice.

Normally he doesn’t pay attention to him when Lauren has him playing, because normally she’s either blaring him too loud and he can’t hear it decently through the walls, or it’s during a live show and he can’t hear it over the screams.

His headache certainly isn’t helped when Lucas, who can’t seem to handle silence, turns on the radio.

And it’s playing one of his songs, “Don’t Stop.” Ashton only knows it because Lauren made him watch the video.

It’s got a heavy beat and it makes Ashton’s sore head throb a bit more, and before he can ask him to turn it down, Lucas starts singing along to the lyrics.

“Really?” Ashton laughs a bit, finding it both cute and irksome that he’d sing along to his own songs.

“What? Thought you’d like it,” Lucas shrugs.

“Because everyone would sell their soul to have Lucas Hemmings drive them around as he sings along to one of his top ten hits?”

“You know it’s one of my top ten hits?” The popstar asks, playfully cockily.

Ashton ignores that, blushing slightly, “A fan’s dream come true right? There’s just a slight problem.”

“And what is that?”

“I’m not a fan.”

“Wound me why don’t you.” Ashton almost expected Lucas to be offended when he said that, but instead he just looks playful and not-bothered. They slow to a stop sign.

“Like you did to me?” Ashton raises an eyebrow.

“Touche,” Lucas flashes him a quick grin, then turns back to the road. “So, you don’t like me?”

“From what I’ve heard, you do great charity work and seem to love giving back to the fans, so I have no problem with you, or your brand. But I like singers who write their own music.” Ashton says, matter-of-factly.

“I do write my own music.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah,” Lucas says, “Yeah, not really on my first album, but everything on my second album was at least partially written by me. And for my third, I’m writing all of it.”

Now he’s surprised. “Really? I’ll have to give it a listen then.” Ashton’s always kinda wanted to sing or write songs, but didn’t have any talent for it, so he admires it in others. So he always tries to listen to people who write their own things. Plus, maybe it’ll make him and his sister get along better.

“I guess you’ll have to,” They shared the briefest eye contact and Ashton clears his throat, looking back to the directions on his phone.

Since he was so distracted, he almost misses the turn onto Burlington. “Wait, shit, turn left here!”

“Got it!” Lucas legally swerves, and they just make the light.

Once the car is in park, Ashton goes to quickly get out, tossing a “Thanks for the ride!” when Lucas says, “Wait, Ashton.”

He remembered his name?

“Didn’t you want to get a selfie?”

“Oh right,” Ashton takes a deep breath to stop his skin from blushing and they turn on the lights in the car to get a better lighting, and bam, photo taken.

“Thanks for selfie. And the ride.”

“No problem. Have a good night.”

“Morning.” Ashton automatically corrects.

Lucas just laughs a bit, “Have a good morning.”

“You too.”

He gets out and goes to the walkway, and that’s when Lucas watching him in the car, probably waiting to for him to get in safe.

And that, Ashton figures, is the last time he’ll ever see Lucas Hemmings, Pop Star.

+

Just as Luke is about to pull out, he sees one of the very familiar all-black vans that hordes of paparazzi are famous for using drive down the street, waving a flashlight around.

Swearing to himself, he ducks lower in the seat and sighs. He hopes Ashton won’t mind having a visitor, because he still cannot drive this loud-ass car around without drawing attention.

Waiting until he’s sure they’re down the street, Luke gets out of the car and locks it manually, and tries to be as quiet as possible as he goes to the back.

Praying that Ashton didn’t immediately go upstairs, he goes to the back door and starts tapping on it since the lights are on.

Ashton answers, hesitant and slow until he sees it’s Luke. He’s in the same clothes and is now drinking orange juice, “What?”

Rushed and worried, Luke says, “I’ll give you $5,000 if you do me this favor.”

Ashton sleepily raises an eyebrow, “It’s not a favor if you pay me.”

“Is that a yes?” Luke asks hopefully.

And the next thing he knows they’re pushing his car into the garage, because he knows it’ll be too suspicious for a car to start at 2:30 in the morning, much less his specific car.

“Push harder,” Ashton gripes, pushing into the spot.

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Oh really, kettle?” Ashton huffs, the car finally in.

“Do you have any blankets?” He asks, “I’d like to get a little bit of sleep.”

Wordlessly and lethargically, Ashton goes off to the wall of the massive garage and sets up a step stool and climbs up to reach some blankets. Just in case he falls, Luke stands at the bottom.

“You’ll be out of here by morning, right?” Ashton asks, trying to dislodge them.

“Yes, hopefully no one will ever know I was here,” He says, peeking around to see if the van is back.

“I’ll know” and with that the rolled-up blanket is dropped on his head. Only with his quick reflexes does he stop it from falling to the ground.

“Hey, what was that for?”

Ashton, with a bright grin, hops off the stool. “I owed you a head injury.”

Luke goes to say something bickery, but decides he likes Ashton’s smile too much, “That’s fair.” But then he realizes something: He was seen in these clothes. There are probably pictures of him in these clothes.

“Do you have anything up there I can wear for when I sneak out so the paps won’t recognize me?”

“Probably, check the boxes,” Ashton says, going back for his orange juice he propped on more boxes. As Luke digs around, his companion asks, “Hey, is all this really necessary?”

“Umm, yeah,” He answers, distracted “They’re...” He involuntarily shudders, “Everywhere.”

Ashton chuckles, “Doesn’t that seem a bit paranoid?”

“You wouldn’t get it.” Luke says as he finds a big, non-stylish jacket and a big fishermans hat. He plops it on and it smells the like sea.

“How do I look?” He does jazz fingers at Ashton but Ashton is just smiling up at the hat. “What’s up?”

Ashton catches onto the fact he’s staring and blushes a little, “Oh, nothing, sorry it’s just... My grandpa used to wear that hat when he took me fishing.”

Luke feels awful, because it’s kind of obvious his grandfather isn’t around anymore, and immediately goes to take it off, “I’m sorry-”

“No, keep it,” Ashton smiles a bit, “It looks kind of good on you.” Then he winks playfully, “Even though it’s not designer.”

“I dunno, you said it looks good.”

“And you believed me?” Ashton says, smirking. “Cute.”

+

In the morning, Ashton is disappointed to find that Luke is already gone, even though he told him to do so. He even snuck down to the garage to make sure, and it looks like he made good on his promise and was gone before morning. But hey, at least he didn't get grounded.

As his whole family is gathered around the kitchen table and chatting, his grandma interrupts the conversation with, “Oh I forgot to tell you, Lauren. That Lucas boy you like so much is on the TV.”

With a quick shriek, Lauren heads over to the living room, and Ashton finds himself doing the same. He just wants to know if their house is on TV is all.

The same lady from the show before is speaking, “Alexis Bender arrived at her birthday party last night with out her leading man. Although no one saw him arrive at the fabulous Club Airplanes, witnesses confirm that Lucas Hemmings did indeed make a secret appearance to sing for the packed house of well-wishers. Partygoers say the pop star left the club immediately after his performance, only to magically reappear at his Beverly Hills Mansion with a man this time. ”

Ashton’s jaw drops then snaps back shut. Shit. Shit piss fuck.

“My sources tell me this mystery man might be stealing the heart of our favorite pop star, who has had gay rumors in the past-”

And at that he just has to turn it off, so he fights Lauren for the remote and forces the TV off.

“What the hell, Ash, I was watching that!”

“Why?” Ashton blurts, completely just spewing nonsense, “It’s all lies, technically slander. A complete disrespect of the name of journalism, a foul smear-”

“What do you care? You don’t even like him!” Lauren snaps back and tries to turn back on the TV.

“I care about the truth, and this stuff definitely isn’t it.” He keeps it off.

“Kids, knock it off.” Their mom says, flashing them a look.

“I know how to fix this,” Grandma says, clearing her plate. “It’s a beautiful day, so here. Take the keys to my car and go to the beach.”

Lauren squeals, “Yay! Oh wait, that means Ashton has to drive me.” She makes a face.

“Yeah, that’s kind of the point,” Ashton says, “C’mon, I’ll invite Cal to meet us there, you’ll like him.”

“Okay then.”

At the beach, Calum takes off his shirt as they claim a patch of sand that’s shady enough. Luckily, his roommate was smart enough to bring a shit ton of stuff when they picked him up.

“Nice tattoos,” Ash says as he puts sunscreen on himself because he doesn’t want to burn, “I didn’t know you had any.”

“That’s because I don’t send you tit pics,” Cal jokes.

“Dude, my sister is right there.”

“I know what tit pics are,” She says, setting herself up to tan on the beach.

“I know, that’s what scares me.”

Unfortunately the two of them think he’s joking and they laugh.

“Why did you guys say Malibu beach? There’s one at Venice that’s way closer at Hollywood where you guys are.” Calum asks.

“Because Lucas Hemmings surfs in Malibu, and since Ashton didn’t get me the selfie I was promised, I wanted to try to get a real-life view here.” Lauren explains. “Now excuse me, I’m going to jam.” She plugs in her headphones and settles in.

Yeah, Ashton didn’t show her the picture. Oddly enough, he wanted it for himself, to prove that what happened last night was real.

As if the remaining headache wasn’t enough.

“Sorry, kid, that was on me,” Cal says to Lauren, even though she can’t hear, setting up the umbrella over them. “I was too... distracted with his entourage bro, Michael.”

Ashton lowers his sunglasses, “Dude, nice. Get blue hair dye all over your sheets?”

“Well, in the backseat of that ugly-ass car, because you ditched me and had to go home.”

“Sorry,” Ashton says, “I know that’s not right but-”

“Dude, the car didn’t get messed with and I got the best blowjob of my life, so we’re totally square. In fact, I might even owe you.” He picks up a bright orange boogie board.

“Drive me to In-n-Out every day freshman year and we're square.”

“Deal.”

But then, out of the corner of his eye, Ashton sees a familiar fisherman’s cap.

He tosses on his shirt and grabs his phone and keys out of habit and says, “I’ll be right back" even though no one is paying attention.

+

Luke is woken from his nap by someone plopping next to him in the white sun chairs he’s using.

“Excuse me is this seat taken?” The person (a man, by his voice) has a heavy Southern accent and Luke tries to pretend he’s sleeping. “What a bee-yooo-tiful day. Isn’t it just bee-yoooo-ti-ful?”

Too afraid to look over at them, he just lowers himself in his slouch. “Oh, tan my hide! Were you sleepin’? Did I wake ya?”

Not sure which answer would be worse he just shakes his head and hopes his sunglasses and hat obscure his face.

Mr. Southern keeps talking, “Oh great! You’re awake then. Would you put some sunscreen on my back?”

But the Southern accent is gone, and the voice is oddly familiar. Going on a hunch, he looks up and sees Ashton right next to him, shaking a bottle of sunscreen playfully.

“How’d you know it was me?” Luke straightens himself slightly, laughing.

Ashton gives him a look, “The hat. The jacket. The lip ring. The fact you’re the most-clothed person on this sunny-ass beach.”

“If you go here for college, you gotta know this place has like 300 days of sunshine a year.” Luke thought the red of the USC shirt looked good against Ashton’s skin. “Don't you?”

“I don’t go here for college, yet, but I will.” Ashton says. He moves on, “And the fish smell certainly helped with identification.”

“It’s the hat.”

“Pretty sure it’s you.”

They grin at each other.

But then Ashton’s face gets grim, “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you go home?”

Luke can’t help the scowl on his face, “I tried. There were about ten paparazzis parked outside my house.”

“Why is that bad?” He asks, “I thought you celebs loved the attention.”

“Yeah, sometimes,” Luke admits. “I- I can’t say why, but I need to keep out of the press for a few days.”

“Is it because you punched one in the face?”

Shocked, Luke looks over at him.

“Just because I’m not obsessed with you doesn’t mean I live under a rock.” Ashton says, then he might realize he’s crossing some sort of line so he says, “Well, actually, I might. Michigan is basically one rock in the middle of nowhere.”

Luke smiles a bit at the effort. “I just need to get home in a car they won’t recognize. Wait, what do you drive?”

“It’s a car.”

“And? What make? Year?”

“It’s classic and that’s all I know,” Ashton says.

“Perfect, I could pay you-”

“Please, for the love of fuck, stop offering me money.”

Luke’s taken aback. At both the word choice and the intensity of his words. “Sorry, I just need to go home.”

With an evaluating look that makes Luke’s body warmer under the hot, Californian sun, Ashton says, “Give me your keys.”

“Why?”

“If you’re going to take our car, you’ll leave us here without one. So, can we have your keys to get home?”

“Oh right.” But then the thought of all the work he and his dad and even his brothers put into the car appear in his mind, since he already dropped Sanjay's off at the mechanic's for him and left him money for a cab, he took his own back. “Just... please take care of Cher? She’s a ‘69 Tudor with original paint-”

“I don’t speak car, but yeah, I have a license.” Ashton takes the keys from Luke’s tight grip. “And Cher? You name your cars?”

“Michael does.”

Ashton goes to say something, but then just laughs.

+

Ashton wishes he had been filming Luke when he reveals that the “classic” car was actually Petunia, who is a lot to be desired. Hey, at least she runs. Kind of.

Luke’s about to voice his complaints but more of the black vans appear, swerving into parking spots that aren’t actually spots, which Ashton finds rude.

“Shit, get down!” Luke hisses, and there’s something about his voice that makes Ashton immediately crouch with him. “Here, take these,” He hands him his ray bans. Confused but pliant, he puts them on. Damn, these are nice.

Luke looks around for a bit before swearing, “Dammit, get in the car.”

“But Cal and my sister-”

“They’ll be fine, you left them the keys, right?” He did leave them the keys, since Lauren was tanning and Cal was boogie boarding, but he still wants to make sure they’re okay.

“Yes but-”

“It’s too risky for you to head back. C’mon.”

Stifling a groan, Ashton gets into the car.  

“Keep your head down,” Luke starts up the car, and they manage to evade the paparazzis.

Safe and driving down the highway with no one following them, they start to laugh. “That was kind of fun,” Ashton admits.

“Yeah, it’s a real laugh riot. By the way, give me back my sunglasses.”

“Oh I don’t know, I kind of like them,” Ashton says.

Luke is smiling a bit, “You can keep them, but later. I just need them to drive-”

Ashton fake gasps, “No way, for realsies? All the girls at school just won’t believe that I- Ashton Irwin- have a pair of Lucas Hemmings sunglasses worn by Lucas Hemmings himself!” He mocks.

Luke barely spares him a glance as he drives, but it conveys his reluctant amusement.

“Will you autograph them for me?”  

“Very funny,” He fake laughs, looking back in the rearview mirror.

Ashton notices that Luke looks stressed out, so he says to distract, “No but seriously, I really want these sunglasses.”

“Hand ‘em over,” is all Luke says, gesturing with a free hand, but he’s smiling.

Reluctantly, Ashton hands them over. “So, how long do I have to drive with you this time?” He asks, making himself comfortable.

“Until the paparazzi leave the beach.”

“Which is?”

“Could be hours.”

“‘Kay then,” Ashton pulls out his phone and texts Cal that he’s going nature walking. He’s probably still in the water.

“Hey, let’s do something.” Luke offers.

“Like what?”

“Anything,” Luke shrugs, “What have you seen since you’ve been here?”

“Just USC, In-n-Out and like one place that you’re known to hit up.”

“Oh really? I thought you weren’t a fan,” They stop at a stoplight and Luke takes the opportunity to waggle his eyebrows at him above the sunglasses.

“My sister is.” Ashton clarifies. “And also every girl and some guys at my school.”

“Good school,” Luke teases.

Ashton scoffs a bit, “Yeah it’s great. The constant gay-bashing and cliche bullying. Love it.” He feels Luke’s eyes on him, and he expects Luke to say something about him coming out but he doesn’t.

“Well, you’ll love LA.” Luke says, “It’s amazing, and pretty accepting most of the time. C’mon, I’ll be your tour guide.”

“Don’t you need to get home?” Ashton doesn’t want to impose on his popstar life.

“Nah, and I’ll show you all the best spots.”

Ashton pauses. “Does that include In-n-Out burger?”

“Duh.”

“Then I’m in.”
+

First though, Luke decides after they somehow get a parking spot, they need to get disguises. So they stop and buy touristy teachers at Venice Beach and leave their old ones in Petunia (apparently that wreck of a car’s name).

They stop and get Ashton a pair of sunglasses and a disposable camera (old-school style), because Ashton demanded taking photos but forgot his fancy DSLR.

Ashton puts on cat-shaped ones with cat faces on the lenses, and Luke finds equally ridiculous ones and they take a selfie on Ashton’s new camera. And dozens more.

They take forever at In-n-Out but it’s worth it as they sit down at a picnic table on the boardwalk and look at all the street performers while scarfing down burgers and fries. Turns out Ashton wants to be a journalist, and he’s rooming with the guy that Michael (according to his fervent excited texts) went down on the night before at USC in the fall. Then they go walking around the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and put their hands in the handprints in front of Grauman’s Theater.

Luke hasn’t done this tourist stuff in ages, and it’s so cool to show him around. Luke takes a bunch of photos for Ashton on his camera, and is not surprised to find him insanely photogenic.

They’re at one of the carts of cheesy Hollywood stuff and all of a sudden Ashton doubles over laughing. “What is it?”

He just points, still giggling, and Luke looks over. It’s a giant poster promoting Luke’s new tour that begins later in the year.

“Pose in front of it,” Ashton shoves him over and takes a step back to get in frame. “Smile!”

Instead, Luke makes a doublechin face, and Ashton laughs as he snaps the photo.

They even make it to the Hollywood sign, and they get a couple selfies in front of it.

Back in the car, they sing along to “She Looks So Perfect”. It's a crowd fave and Luke has a soft spot for it. It's kind of sweet to see Ashton sing along.

And the moment is ruined when he sees two black vans zoom up behind them from out of nowhere.

“Fuck! How do they keep finding us?” Luke smacks the steering wheel, completely furious.

“Don’t freak out,” Ashton says gently. “Let me get the map.”

“Hurry.”

“Don’t rush me,” Ash says simply, and he says, “Okay, okay, once you go around this bend take the left.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, sure of it.”

“On it.” Luke floors it a little in this shitty-ass car and swerves to the left. “Keep an eye out to see if they follow.”

Wordlessly, Ashton complies and after a pause he says, “They’re not following us. We’re safe. And if we keep on this road, we should loop back to the highway.”

But then they don’t. “Oh... maybe not,” And his voice is not reassuring.

Now they’re going uphill. “Ashton, where the hell did you take us?”

“Just be patient, we’ll find a way back.”

“No, show me the map-”

“Keep your eyes on the road,” Ashton snaps. “You’re driving, I’m the navigator, so-”

Luke, stressed and nervous, scoffs, “Oh a navigator? Is that what you call it?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you’re a goddamn know-it-all. We wouldn’t be in this mess if you didn’t have to pretend you knew every road in fucking LA.”

“We’re in this mess because you’re a fucking pop star, not anything to do with me, jackass. I was just reading the map-”

“You’re so defensive-”

“Just drive the car!”

And that’s when Luke notices that the car isn’t moving. Well, forward.

They’re certainly moving down.

+

“You drove us into a mud pit?” Ashton shouts at Luke incredulously.

“Technically, with your shitty navigational skills, you drove us into a mud pit.”

“Oh fuck off!” Ashton snaps. “We need to get out of here.”

“No shit.”

And that’s when the back part of the car falls back, and Ashton yelps in surprise because this is terrifying.

Luke then says, “We’ll have to get out and push.”

Quickly, they roll the windows down and Ashton makes sure he has all his stuff. They toss their phones and wallets and the new camera and other important things onto the dirt and go to climb out.

“Let me help you-” Luke reaches for his arm but Ashton just hisses at him.

“Don’t touch me.” Ashton gets being upset at paparazzi barely enough as it is, but taking it out on him? When he’s done nothing but help him out? He’s furious with Luke right now and it’s not helping that he’s suddenly all White Knight Let Me Protect You. What a toolbag.

They get themselves on the roof, and the car sinks lower and lower.

“Why are you so mad?” Luke asks, also fairly mad.

“Oh, I have no idea,” He snaps back sarcastically. “Not like we’re about to star in the remake of Titanic starring us and Petunia.”

“It wasn’t my idea to turn onto this road!”

“Oh, and it was mine?”

“ es! Mr. I’m Sure.” Luke mocks.

Ashton is strongly considering shoving Luke and his fancy-ass clothes into the water when the car jerks again. He really needs to stop screaming.

“Ash, we’re gonna have to jump,” Luke says, hand in his hair and teeth on his lip ring. Why does he find that sexy in a time like this?

There’s at least a ten-foot radius around them of the mud pit. “Don’t be an idiot, we can’t jump. We’ll just-” He tries to find something around them and finds a tree branch that looks somewhat sturdy. “We’ll just climb on the tree branch.”

“That doesn’t look secure.” Luke points out.

“And leaping majestically does?” Ashton says right back. “We’re not gazelle, Luke. The branch will get us closer.”

With a sigh, Luke says, “Fine then, I’ll go first.” And he slowly but surely goes onto the branch and it seems to hold him up. He doesn’t want it to buckle under both their weights so he stays on the car, which is getting deeper and deeper. It jerks again, forward this time, causing Ashton to fall in the same direction. He catches himself, but not before bashing his knee in on the window. Shit.

“Hold onto me!” Luke orders, grabbing onto him and pulling him onto the branch. Wincing, Ashton follows.

Now the branch doesn’t like all the weight and it starts to shake as they move. He loses his footing as it moves and his knee buckles slightly. When he falls, Luke (like an idiot) goes to catch him and they both go in.

Thank god their important things are on dry land.

Luke and Ashton force their way through the gross mud and water and land on the bank of the pool. Everything seems fine, even though the car is now completely submerged with a last bubble of air that gurgles from the water.

“Excuse you,” Of course, Lucas Hemmings Pop Star would make a fucking fart joke in the Middle of Nowhere, California.

He has no idea what to say, except for, “You killed Petunia.”

+

Luke is trying not to panic, because that doesn’t help anything and it’s certainly too late for anything to help.

Ashton does not adopt that mindset.

“I can’t believe this goddamn fucking-Shit! Shit , my glasses fell off in the water!” Ashton falls to his knees and starts waving his hands in the water.

“Let me help,” Luke starts to go through the water as well, because losing your glasses sucks.

“Oh my god, I can’t see. What am I going to do?” At that moment, Luke’s cellphone starts ringing but it’s his mom’s work’s cell tone. So it probably could be put off at this exact moment. But then Ashton keeps talking, “I’m dead, I’m so fucking dead, because if we ever make it out of this godforsaken hell then my parents and sister and grandma are going to be furious. Why did I have to get in that stupid car with you and pull a Velma- answer your phone!”

Rolling his eyes, Luke does so and steps off to the side. “Hello?”

He can barely hear anything but some garbled words. “Lucas- get- Hello?- Honey!”

He looks at his bars and finds that they’re low, of course. Sighing, he hangs up the phone and decides he’ll call them back later and goes back to help Ashton. But that’s when Ashton pulls out wet, muddy glasses.

“Dammit,” Ash says, putting them on anyway.

“Do you have any contact lenses-”

“Yeah I do. In the car.” Ashton says with a slight snarl and then walks away.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“To the beach where my roommate and sister are probably freaking out right now.” He doesn’t bother to turn around to say it.

“Uh, Ash?”

He spins around and asks sharply, “What?”

Luke clears his throat and tries not to laugh as he points, “The beach is that way.”

So that’s how they end up walking to the main road. And it hits Luke that this is the first time that he’s been away from paparazzi. There are no cameras around. There are no reporters. Just him.

And Ashton manages to keep a pretty quick pace away from him, but Luke’s legs are long so he can keep up. But that’s when he notices Ash is limping slightly.

“You okay?”

“What do you care?” He gripes.

Luke grabs his arm, “I’ve always cared.”

Ashton shakes him free, “Maybe you should stop.”

“Why are you so pissy?” Luke snaps.

“I just want to get back to the beach with Calum and Lauren and hope that our vacation isn’t ruined.”

“You know what I want? I want to have fun! This is the first time in years that there’s no reporters or people sticking microphones in my face or crowds. I’ve had a great day! And I want you to stop complaining so I can fucking enjoy it.”

Now he’s storming off.

+

That little fucking popstar, Ashton mentally snarls. Out loud, he slows to a stop and says, “Oh, because it’s all about what you want right? Gotta make sure the pop star is happy! Is that really your life is like? You can just make a demand and stomp away and people will bend over backwards to make everything so it’s exactly how you want it? I bet your friends and-and your people chase after you when you do that.” And now he’s mocking some airhead that may or not be based on Alexis because he’s seen her in interviews and she’s as dumb as a post. “‘Oh Lucas! I’m so sorry I hurt your delicate little feelings! Forgive me for not treating you like the big deal you think you are’.” He drops the tone. “Save it, you inconsiderate ass.” He runs his muddy fingers through his muddy hair because he might as fucking well.

Luke stops and turns back around, and now he’s up in Ashton’s face, “Oh, I’m inconsiderate? These past two days I’ve done nothing but think about you.”

Ashton would probably be blushing if these words were said in another context. But since this is right here right now, he says, “Really? When you hit me with a door, hid me in your house, kept me out for hours, wrecked my grandma’s car and dropped me in mud, you were be thoughtful?” He laughs but it has no joy in it. “I pity your friends.”

Something about that makes Luke’s eyes flash pure anger and he says, “You wish you were one.”

And, okay, maybe that hurts Ashton’s feelings a bit. But he’s not dumb enough to pretend that Lucas Hemmings would deign to be friends with him. So he says, even though it might be a lie, “I’d rather go down with Petunia.”

With that, he continues limping down the road. Fuck, his knee is sore. Hopefully walking it out will make it better not worse.

There’s a great moment of silence before Luke says, “Wait, I’m confused” and jogs to catch up to him. He goes around in front of him.

“What?” Ashton says, annoyed.

Luke walks backwards, so they’re face to face. “When we were on our little photography tour, I thought you liked me.” But he says it almost like a question, but not really.

“What made you think that?” Ashton says, anger and frustration controlling his words, not logic.

“Because everyone likes me-” At that, Luke’s jaw snaps shut, realizing what he just said. 

“Maybe I don’t like you because you think everybody likes you,” Ashton muses, somewhat harsh. “Because you think you’re some amazing, big-deal star that everyone should give a shit about and revolve around.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

Ashton stops abruptly, “It means your life isn’t real. You throw punches at paparazzi, you throw money around like it’s nothing, your house is a fucking monument dedicated to you, you don’t have to wait in line, and you think that if you flash a fan a smile they’ll go down on you!”

“Whoa hey!” Luke snaps, and the fury is back. “That is crossing the fucking line. I have huge respect and love for my fans, not to mention a girlfriend-”

“Oh, let’s not forget about your Celeb Girlfriend Alexis Bender! What does she do, except pose for pictures with you all fucking day and post them on all her little social medias? Real people date people they like and respect. Why do you like Alexis?”

Luke stammers.

“That’s all I’m saying.” Ashton glares and keeps moving. Luke is silent behind him before he runs up to stand in front of him again.

“Are you saying I’m not a real person?” Luke says. “Because, I am.”

“I’ve never seen you real,” Ashton says back, but even as he says it he feels deep inside him somewhere it might not be true.

“You wanna see me real? Fine,” And with that, as they near a bunch of reeds, Luke grabs Ashton’s face and kisses him.

Shocked and slightly angry (kissing shouldn’t be a way to fix arguments in his opinion), he shoves Luke off him. And Luke goes flying off into the reeds with a splash.

+

In hindsight, Luke shouldn’t have kissed Ashton like that. It’s not fair, plus he is dating someone (even though she’s just using him for fame). And Ash was mad at him.

It is nice though to hit the clean, fresh water of this pond. And to hear Ashton panic when he doesn’t immediately come up, shouting, “Luke!” in a fervor.

So, he takes the opportunity to roar playfully, and pull Ashton in. The water is so nice, and hopefully it’ll get the mud off.

He’s about to apologize for kissing him when Ashton starts flailing his arms, “I can’t swim! Luke-” And he goes under.

“Ash! Fuck-” Luke goes after him because why did he think someone from Michigan could swim when as soon as he grabs him, Ashton dunks him in the water, laughing.

“You are evil!” Luke laughs and splashes him.

“You deserved it!” He laughs and splashes right back, and they dick around for awhile until Luke realizes something.

“Shit, where’s your phone?” Luke had dropped his off by a tree when he saw the water off in the slight distance.

Ashton moves his hair from behind his glasses, and with a slight smile said, “I threw everything off to the side to come in and save you.”

“My hero,” Luke says, hoping everything’s okay. “That means I’m free to do this,” And he starts up the splash war again.

After a while swimming and splashing, both he and Ashton take their shirts and pants off so they’re only in their boxers so the other clothes can at least dry. In the sun and warmth near a tree, they dry off from their fun.

“This is nice, isn’t it?” Ashton says, the front of him curled over his knees a couple feet away, more in the shade.

On the other hand, Luke is leaning back, front exposed in the sun. “It is. I wish I could just stay here, where no one could find me.”

Ashton’s eyebrows furrow in confusion, “Why?”

“‘Cause they all want something from me,” Luke says, matter-of-factly. He can’t think of the last genuine reaction he’s had, except for with Ashton. “A performance, an interview, a photo.” When he says the last one, he remembers that Ashton actually wanted a selfie with him. Well, for his sister. But still.

Ashton seems to realize that and turn a bit red. Instead of mentioning it, he says, “Even your parents?”

“That’s complicated... Sometimes, I feel like they only care about the business of ‘Lucas Hemmings,’” He says this casually, but he’s never told anyone this before. Not even Michael. Especially not his parents.

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Ashton says, comfortingly.

“I dunno,” Luke shrugs, “All they can talk about is-” He signed a nondisclosure agreement about the movie and he honors that. “This big deal coming up. They think it’s my next ‘big career move.’ So.”

“What do you think?”

“I think if I get the offer, I have to take it.”

“What about your tour?”

“What about it?”

Ashton heads over and sits with him, adopting a similar position, “Well...” Then his voice takes on a gimmicky announcer tone, and it makes Luke’s smile. “30 countries! 15 weeks! One million screaming fans!” Then his voice goes back to normal. “I’m not an expert or anything, but it seems like a lot, both those things at the same time. What do you want to do?”

“All I know is that I don’t want to disappoint anyone, especially my fans,” Luke says, “If I did, it’d break my heart. So I just... never say no.”

They share a silence, that’s not awkward but just there. “Maybe I don’t understand,” Ashton says after a while.

“What?”

“Your life. It’s just... so dramatically different than mine.” Ashton looks out onto the water, but he says to Luke, “Everything you do and say is so big and public. That must get exhausting.”

“Not everything,” Luke admits. “Right now, here with you... I feel like I can be myself. Not Lucas Hemmings Trademark,” He says like Michael would. “Not famous, just me.”

“How do you like it?” Ashton asks, with a smile, looking back over at him.

“I like it a lot,” He says, with a slight grin.

“Me too.”
+

“We finally made it,” Ashton smiles as the rocks level out into sand, and he can see all the people down a ways at the beach. They talked about everything on the way down. Not the kiss, but even (quickly) the fact that "She Looks So Perfect" doesn't actual female pronouns in it and it causes Luke to blush and shrug teasingly.

“Yeah, we did,” Luke smiles, and it goes from bright to soft as he says, “Look, I had a really great time today-”

“Me too,” Ashton says, and their hands ‘accidentally’ bump together. And so Ashton, a bit ballsy, grabs Luke’s hand. And Luke has really nice hands.

“You’re so different from anybody else I’ve ever known” is all Luke says to that.

But now Ashton pulls his hand away a bit, “Different weird? Different bad?” He clarifies, not wanting to impose himself.

“Different surprising,” Luke answers after a pause and a thoughtful look. But he does take Ashton’s hand back and that makes him blush. “In the best way. You’ve introduced me to things that everyone is afraid to say, and things about myself and my life that I can’t see.”

“You’re pretty surprising too,” Ashton says, “You’re surprisingly genuine, and you write your own songs, and you’re a shitty driver,” He has to end it on a goofy note.

Luke laughs and runs his hands through his hair, which is flat instead of being in its trademark quiff, “Ugh, Ash-”

“Which is strange for a guy with, like, ten cars.” Ashton nudges him.

“I’m wounded,” Luke gestures to his chest, which Ashton can’t help but notice is also nice, toned and broad.

They walk in silence for a brief moment and then Ashton asks, “Am I really pissy?”

“Sometimes,” Luke says, and Ashton makes a face but then Luke laughs and pulls them to a stop. And they’re right in front of the rolling waves and it might be the most romantic moment of Ashton’s (pathetic) life when Luke says, “Actually, I think you’re amazing.”

“I think you’re amazing too.”

And they’re going to lean in to kiss again when two surfers run their way onto shore after grabbing their bags.

Luke jumps like he was electrocuted, and pulls on the hat and sunglasses again. “Phew, that was close,” He smooths himself out.

Ashton’s slightly confused, but he gets less confused and more sad as the pop star shakes himself a bit, like he’s getting into a zone, “Okay, back to the real world.” And then, with an almost condescending look, he asks, “You know what happens next, right?”

“No?” But he has a feeling he doesn’t want to.

Luke looks a bit shocked that he hasn’t caught on, “This ends here.”

“What does?” Ashton takes a slight step forward.

Luke takes a bigger step back. “This. Us. You can’t tell anybody what happened with us today. Not even your family.”

Ashton snorts a bit, “Why? They’re not gonna go post it on their blog or anything.”

Frustrated, Luke gestures flippantly to the bigger crowd of people down the beach, “Look if we go down there, if we get photographed together, it’ll go batshit. And I won’t get this deal I need to get.”

“It doesn’t have to get crazy-”

“Yes it does. Because I’m Lucas Hemmings and you’re just an ordinary guy.”

Ashton’s heart might have just broken in his chest. He read somewhere (ok saw in Bones because Cal would not shut up about it) that hearts can’t actually be broken, they can only be crushed. But his feels pretty fucking broken.

So he goes on the defensive, and decides to leave without a word.

But for some reason, Lucas doesn’t like that, and he pulls him to a stop again, this time more forcefully. “Wait, Ash! Wait, hold on. What just happened?” He says once he isn’t moving.

“You tell me,” Ashton snaps, “One second, I’m amazing and the next you can’t lower yourself to be seen with me?”

“Ash, that’s not it at all-”

“Then what is it? Because if I was Alexis Fucking Bender, you’d rush down there and demand that those paparazzi take photos of us. But no, I’m just some ordinary guy-”

Luke now looks sad, “That is not what I meant- I meant you’re normal, and I want you to stay that way.”

“Right,” Ashton’s voice breaks and he hates himself, “Just leave me alone.”

He goes to leave and maybe cry in peace but Luke calls for him again, “Ash, stop, please.” And maybe he’s going to apologize. Or hold him. But either way, then everything will be okay.

Instead, Luke says, “The pictures you took. Of us. I should probably keep them.”

Not sure what else to do, Ashton laughs once, shocked, “You want my camera?”

“Just in case,” Lucas bites his lip ring. “I don’t want the pictures to get out.”

Furiously scrambling, Ashton reaches into the pockets of his shorts and throws the camera at the ground in front of the Popstar. “Keep it. There’s nothing I’d want to remember anyway.”

“Ash, I don’t want it to end this way, I just don’t need this publicity for right now-”

That’s when Ashton fucking snaps. He loses it. “Well, I didn’t need this. Or want this. I didn’t need to go follow you around fucking Hollywood and Beverly Hills and the middle of goddamn nowhere. I didn’t need- or want- to care about you. Let’s just forget this whole fucking day ever happened. You won’t talk about me, and I wouldn’t want to talk about you.” He tries to save face by sounding harsh but there are fucking tears in his eyes and fuck why is he crying? He’s known this stupid popstar for two stupid days. That’s nothing. They’re nothing.

“Look, judge me all you want but you don’t know what it would be like. The paparazzi never go away and they won’t quit until what they get what they want. And once they do, they twist it into something awful. And you’re good Ashton, and I don’t want them to ruin it-”

“They don’t have to,” Ashton says, shoulders straightening as he maintains this last bit of dignity to say this in a strong, clear, yet emotionless voice. “You already did.”

And with that, and a few tears down his face, he walks off to go call himself an Uber. While Lucas Hemmings takes pictures with all his adoring fans.

+

In the recording studio, all Luke can think about is Ashton. And how he let him down. And while he’s singing “Hero,” a song that had nothing to do with Ashton when he wrote it a month ago and now has everything.

While he didn’t save their friendship (or relationship, maybe), he saved him from the horrors of paparazzi. Their ability to wait for days for a shot, their inability to care about the celebs’ wellbeing, or the fact they could follow them all the way to fucking Michigan if they think he’s involved with him.

Before he knows it, the song is over (for hopefully the last time), and he hears the producer, Max, say, “That was great, Lucas. Let’s take five.”

To the band, Luke says, “That was awesome guys, you deserve a break.”

“Thanks, dude,” They say and disperse. And he’s never felt this hollow after a song.

In a really stupid move, he went to Costco in a disguise and had the photos developed and saved so he can put them on his phone. Now he has a whole album dedicated to him and Ashton. Or what used to be the two of them, together.

Michael comes up from behind him, since he loves watching the recordings. “You okay?” He slaps him on the shoulder in the ultimate bro-move of support. He looks over his shoulder as he swipes through.

“I just can’t get him out of my mind,” Luke runs his hands through his hair with his free hand.

“I get that,” Michael says, “I’m still thinking about his best friend Calum. And his cock-”

“Don’t brag,” Luke says, but it’s with a smile. He’s glad Michael likes someone. It’s been ages. “He’s... real, y’know?” Talking about Ashton again, because his warm, excited smile is all over his phone now. “Annoyingly honest, oddly sweet, insanely smart and dedicated, funny, beautiful.”

“Hello boys!” Alexis’s voice comes from nowhere, and with a panic, Michael reaches over and shuts off Luke’s phone. True friend. She has a fake, knowing smile on her face. “Talking about me?”

Luke and Michael share a look. I think it’s time Michael’s face says.

Me too Luke faces back, and goes off privately to talk to Alexis. “I don’t want to know who she is.” She starts off with, and that makes Luke uncomfortable. Does he have to say it’s a he?

And that’s when he decides he does.

“It’s a he-”

She’s not phased, surprisingly, “Is he an actor? Is he more famous than me?”

Luke’s taken aback, but pleased in an odd way, “No. Not, he’s not an actor. He’s not famous at all, actually.”

“Then what’s the point? I don’t understand why you’d pick him,” She asks the first question while her cell phone starts beeping with texts, and she goes to answer it while asking the second. He’s always known she’s annoying but Jesus.

“I didn’t ‘pick’ him, it just kind of happened.” He answers anyway.

“Aww, sweetie,” She says, condescendingly. “That kind of stuff only happens in the movies, or fanfiction. This is real life.” She pats him on the shoulder, after reading the text. “I have a date with Niall, so I gotta go.”

Luke is now confused, “Is that you breaking up with me?”

“Uh-huh!” She answers perkily.

“Okay... Are you-” He cuts himself and forces himself to ask, for his team’s sake, “Are you gonna leak that to the press or-”

She scoffs, “No. I’m a bitch but I’m not a homophobic bitch. It’s not the media’s business. Besides, I’ll get way more publicity with Niall. No offense. Friends?”

Because this might be the most surreal conversation he’s been apart of, he says, “Sure.”

“Toodles!” And with that she flounces out of his life.

A bit stunned, he looks to the back wall as if the answers to the weirdness that just happened are there when there’s a loud tapping.

He looks over and finds Michael holding up a sign on the notebook paper. “DUDE, YOU’RE FUCKIN FREE!” in all caps across.

With a grin, it finally hits him.

+

Ashton methodically and routinely packs the bags in the rental. He goes through everything like normal these days. Talking to Lauren and his family, texting Cal (who for some reason knew not to talk about Luke or even Michael), and even studying with the homework he brought on the trip. (Luckily, his sister seems to have no idea that he spent two days with Lucas Hemmings.) He’s just going through the motions without emotions.

He might be depressed. He should look up those symptoms later.

“Ashy!” His grandmother calls him over. “Are you going to be all right?” She reaches up to grab his face gently.

Wordlessly, he nods. But she can see right through it.

“I know it hurts right now, darling, but things are not always what they seem in the moment. Given some time, life has a way of working itself out for the better.” She pats his cheek almost as a punctuation to that sentence.

“Really, Grandma?” He asks, trying to smile a bit.

“Yup. I mean, look at me. I’ve been trying to get rid of that ugly-ass car since your grandpa died.” Ashton laughs. He ended up telling his family that he wanted to meet someone romantically from the Facebook pages and that they bailed on him no word also whoops lost the car in a mud pool. 

He hugs her tight, “I love you, Grandma.”

“I love you too.”

And, because he means it and knows it will mean a lot to his grandma, Ashton walks over to her new boyfriend. “Take care, Howard.”

“You too,” And they man-hug it out, and it’s nice.

With that, Ashton gets in the car, and goes to back to Michigan. He’ll be back in LA. Just not today.

+

“Ashton Irwin.” Luke gulps as Alan Smith pulls out pictures of the blonde dark-eyed journalist getting into a car. They’re taken from a distance. They have to be pap photos. And that fills him with rage. “Such a good name for a good kid.” Luke’s jaw clenches a bit, and he feels his parents get increasingly annoyed behind him.

Even though he already knows the answer, he feels like he has to ask, “Where did you get that?”

Alan drops the photo on his desk in the office where he’s Skyping them from, “Where do you think I got it, Lucas?” With a sigh, he answers, “Libby Lam had a whole fleet of photographers on you for the past two days.”

“But I was so careful-”

“This is exactly the kind of thing I was afraid of with you, kid. You’re obviously not ready enough to do this movie. I don’t know, maybe you’re just too young-”

“No sir,” Luke straightens a bit. “I made a mistake-” And he goes to defend himself but his mom jumps in.

“Come on, Alan!” She says, friendly. “Give us a chance to fix this.”

“You know we can,” His dad adds.

With a groan of exasperation, Alan says, “Alright, alright. Make the story go away. You call Libby Lam, you offer an exclusive, you say you don’t know this guy, just say he’s just some fan that stalked you around all day.”

Even though he knows the answer, again, Luke says, “You want me to lie?”

“Lucas!” Alan laughs, but there’s anger and annoyance in it. “This is the tabloid fuckin’ press, dude! Not the Supreme Court. Say whatever you have to. Just make the story go bye-bye. Because either this boy goes away, or the movie does. Okay?”

Wordlessly, he nods. And the Skype call is over.

As soon as they could, his parents get him an interview with Libby Lam. “So we’re talking about this boy, Ashton Irwin.”

In front of the ugliest TV set and screened pictures of Ashton, Luke sits with Libby Lam, who might be the cattiest in the business.

Breaking out his acting chops, Luke says as he looks back studying the photos, “He looks kind of familiar.” He shrugs.

“C’mon, Lucas! We know you were at the beach with him.”

“Look, lots of fans come to Malibu to watch me surf. I try to say hi to everybody that comes up to me but... maybe I signed an autograph for him?”

Libby gets a sharklike grin on her face, “According to our sources, he came all the way from Kalamazoo, Michigan just to see you.”

Luke forces the urge to freak out about the fact they found out where he lives down. He can’t get angry. Must remain apathetic. He makes an apologetic face, “Really? I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to meet him.”

But really? Luke’s just sorry he couldn’t save him from this.

+

Ashton’s doing homework on the sofa, trying to distract himself from the paparazzi that are camped outside his house or going on his phone and checking the gossip sites. Everything is surrounded by Lucas Hemmings and that’s exactly who he wants to forget exists.

His mom walks in with groceries, an annoyed look on her face. “Ash, you have to talk to us. What happened in California?”

Ashton grimaces, “Nothing bad, I promise. I just... can’t talk about it. Please trust me?”

After a pause, his mom nods. And that’s why she’s amazing.

But then Lauren rushes into the room and dives for the remote, “Apparently, Lucas Hemmings is talking about you on Libby Lam!”

Ashton swallows down any emotions and hopes his face doesn’t reveal them as Lauren changes the channel to one of the entertainment ones. “So you’re saying that you don’t know this boy?” Libby Lam is asking.

“Yep,” Lucas says, “I don’t know what he’s saying about me, but I don’t know anybody named Ashton Irwin.” He offers a beautiful, slightly sorry smile to her. And Ashton’s heart gets crushed again. “Sorry, Libby, there’s nothing more to tell. ”

With that, Ashton leaves the room.

It’s been about two weeks of the paparazzis still camped outside the house. Ashton is texting Calum about dorm plans when Lauren stomps in.

“Okay, they need to leave!”

“I thought you thought this was cool,” Ashton says, not looking up from his phone because Cal wants to live on the shittiest dorm on campus, he doesn’t think so.

“At first!” She admits, whining a bit, “But this is getting annoying.”

Ashton realizes she’s right. And that Luke was right too. He told him this would happen. Even the "fag" stuff, but not that much. It just seems more to get a reaction rather than hatred. Ashton just wishes that he could at least talk to Luke about it. But since that’s not in the realm of possibility, Ashton forces himself to stand, “Celebrities might have to put with this, but we don’t. Stay up here.”

“What are you gonna-” He barely registers her talking as he goes outside. His family had just been shyly forcing their way through or ignoring them. But this has gone too far.

He stands on the porch, and they all swarm. “This is getting pathetic, don’t you think?” He snaps at them, crossing his arms.

They ignore him, surprise-surprise, and instead swarm after him like hungry bees, “Ashton! Ashton! Tell us about your weekend with Lucas Hemmings! We only want the truth-” One of them says, shoving a camera in his face.

And Ashton snaps. He’s so far gone he giggles maniacally a bit, “You don’t want the truth. You want a goddamn story. You take a good, normal, healthy person and you turn them into your own little freak show. You build them up to be a huge celebrity but then spend the rest your time publicly tearing them down. Just so you can sell magazines and get ratings on your dumbass TV shows? That’s pathetic. And it’s harsh and unnecessary. Lucas Hemmings is just one example. He’s talented and successful but he’s also just 19. You all have forced him to give up what’s normal and safe and supposed to be guaranteed. Freedom. Privacy. Honesty.” His voice almost cracks but thank god his mom made him take debate back when he was an underclassman, “So congrats, you created a celebrity, but you tore down the human being inside. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”

“Just one more question!” One of them says, and Ashton purses his lips to restrain from punching her in her smug little face. “In your opinion, who is Lucas Hemmings, really?”

Ashton almost answers the truth. But then he remembers the deal he wouldn’t shut up about. “I wouldn’t know.” He answers instead, voice dead. “I never met him. I’m just some ordinary fan.” And then with a snarl, he says, “Now get the fuck off my property.”

To his surprise, they actually do.

When he goes inside, his mom and sister are waiting for him. “You’re so brave,” His mom chokes on a slight sob and she hugs him tight. When she pulls away, she moves his hair from his face, “But I could do without the swearing.”

“I liked it,” Lauren says, moving in for a hug next.

Things may not be okay now, but life might actually be working itself out.

+

Luke watches as Ashton tears down the paparazzi on television. And he’s so proud but so sad when he almost believes him when he says that they’ve never met and he’s just an ordinary fan. Except, he’s the one with the pictures to prove it.

Michael’s on the sofa with him, wearing an early merch shirt with his 16-year-old face on it (they’re actually really soft) and baggy shorts. He pauses the TV, “Didn’t you say that you liked him because he’s so honest?”

Luke tries to casually shrug, “Yeah.”

“Wow, Luke. Way to get him to lie for you.” Michael says sarcastically.  

Luke feels his body get cold, “I didn’t have a choice.”

“Oh.” Michael says, and dramatically gets up. “All right then.” He goes to leave the room.

“Where the hell are you going?” Luke asks, exasperated.

He spins around, “To find my best friend. Because he sure as fuck isn’t here right now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“‘I didn’t have a choice’ fucking save it.” Michael snaps, “Lately, that’s been your answer for everything!”

Luke pauses, and realizes that that’s probably true, “Really?”

“Yes,” Michael emphasizes. “You’re Lucas Fucking Hemmings. Your life, your choice. What do you want?”

And with that, he actually leaves.

Luke sits there for a moment, then realizes he has shit to do.

First, he finds Alan. Who is, to his non-shock, on a movie set. He walks on, and hears Alan’s voice shout they’re taking ten so he goes up to him. “Hey, Alan, can we talk for a sec?”

“Great news, buddy!” He says instead, shaking his hand. “You’re in! Rehearsals start on Monday.”

“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Luke says, “I’m not available.”

Alan isn’t deterred. “No problem, we’ll change the date.”

Since that immediate preference makes Luke uncomfortable, he knows he’s doing the right thing. “No I mean... thanks for the offer, but if I have to lie to be involved in the movie, I think I’ll pass. But sincerely, thank you for the opportunity. Have a good day.” And then he just leaves. That wasn’t so bad.

Second, he finds his parents lounging by his pool, working on their iPads. As he walks over, he overhears them discussing incorporating the movie schedule into his tour schedule.

“What’s going on?” He asks anyway, and they confirm that with a grin.

“I don’t want to do the movie,” He says, standing in front of them.

“Oh, honey, don’t be nervous. You’ll do great!” His mom reassures.

“We’re about to make the deal, bud,” His dad adds, grinning.

Luke shrugs, hands in the pockets of his jacket that might actually be Michael’s jacket, “It’s too late, actually. I was just with Alan and I passed.”

“Lucas, that’s not your decision,” His dad says, words chosen carefully. His mom looks taken aback.

“Yes it is,” He almost laughs. “I’m 19-years-old, I just want to have fun and make music.”

They both stand up, iPads away. “Okay, okay! No worries, we’ll handle it.” His dad says, back in professional-smiley business mode.

“And that’s the other thing. I’m an adult, it’s time I start managing my own life. You guys being my managers worked when I was 16 but I need to figure this out myself. So, you two are fired. But I’d love to have you back as my parents.”

When they don’t say anything, he goes back inside. Even though a lot of things just came crashing down a bit, he smiles.

+
Ashton’s waiting in his room to Skype Calum, and also (more poetically) to go back to a world where Lucas Hemmings never crossed his mind, that they’d never met. That this past month didn’t happen. Even though he's wearing the jacket Luke accidentally gave him. Just to prove it did happen.

To pass the time, since Cal’s not back from some science convention (not a sci-fi convention. A science convention) he’s applying for journalism internships and stuff in LA, because Cal said he could stay with his family in the summer if he ever needs (even though they’ll live on campus for the first year).

Hungry and thirsty, he decides that it’s a good time for a snack break after applying for like three. So he heads downstairs, when he hears voices.

Oh right, Lauren had a new friend over, a girl her age named Abigail who creepily reminds him of Sarah and AJ. But that might just be because she’s also a huge Lucas Hemmings fan.

It’s weird to overhear them talk about Luke like he’s a brand of a person, after seeing him for real. Or maybe not, everything’s so fucked up. But he finds himself sitting on the steps and listening. He’s spent so long ignoring everything to do with Luke, but now the need to know how he’s doing is flooding through him like a dam bursting.

Fuck, he hates this feeling.

“According to GossRag99, Lucas and Alexis could be back together,” Lauren says. If Ashton peeks, he can see them on opposite sides of the sofa, each on their phones.

He’d heard they’d broken up, so this is a bit of a kick to the balls. Thank god he’s already sitting down.

“Umm, please! She’s gorgeous. Way better than your dinky-ass brother. Can you believe he probs thought Lucas would go gay for him? Like, um please-”

“Get out of my house,” Lauren says, her voice deathly serious and Ashton jumps a bit.

“Laurie, what-”

“Get the fuck. Out of my house. And don't call me Laurie.” Lauren throws a jacket Ashton assumes is Abigail’s after her as she leaves. The girl makes a fuss, but Lauren just locks the door behind her. Ashton watches as she leans her back against the door, and she looks sad.

He’s about to offer brotherly support when she looks up and sees him. “Did you hear that?” She asks.

Ashton almost lies, but then he doesn’t, “Yep.”

Lauren winces, and Ashton walks the rest of the way down the stairs and wraps her in a hug. “I’m sorry,” He says, holding onto the back of her head. She’s getting taller, and that makes him feel old.

She laughs into his collarbone, “What are you apologizing for, dumbass?”

Ashton smirks a bit, “You kicked out your friend for my sake. Defending my honor and all.”

She shrugs, “I think she was just using me to get close to you and therefore get close to Lucas.”

“What an asshole,” Ashton says cheerfully. “C’mon, let’s order pizza.”

“Aren’t you skyping with Calum tonight?”

“I am. Wanna join us?”

“Yeah sure.”

So later, he and his sister are eating pizza on the floor of his room while video-messaging Calum, who’s geeking out over the convention.

“So yeah, basically, it was amazing. What’s going on with you guys?”

Ashton goes to say “nothing”, but Lauren says, “Ash refuses to go to Prom.”

“Boo!” Calum shouts playfully, “Why the hell won’t you go?”

Ashton rolls his eyes, “It’s stupid. Besides, I have no one to go with. May I remind you that I’m the only gay person at my school.”

“I doubt that’s true,” Cal rolls his eyes at his almost-roommate’s dramatics.

“Fine, I’m definitely the only out one. Especially after all the bullshit with Lucas.” He hasn’t really told anybody, but after the story broke lots of people spread vicious rumors about him. Not fun.

Both Calum and Lauren ignore the mention of the popstar. “I still think you should go,” Lauren says. “It’s your last dance. They don’t have dances in college, right, Calum?”

“I don’t believe so,” Calum says, teasingly thoughtful.

“Don’t you have to go for the paper anyway?” Lauren reminds.

Ashton makes a face. Calum says, “I think that’s a yes. Wear a tie to match my eyes.” He makes jazz hands near his face.

“So demanding, I don’t want to be your roommate anymore,” Ashton lies.

“Too late, bitch, the forms are already submitted.”

“Looks like I’m stuck with you,” Ashton sighs, but he’s smiling.

“Yep-” Then Calum’s phone dings. He looks at it and sighs. “Ugh, my sister needs a favor. Mind if I go?”

“Yeah, tell Mali hi!”

Cal clears his throat, “Will do! Text you later. Have a good one, Lauren.”

“Will do.” Lauren smiles, and they hang up.

“Wanna go watch a shitty movie?” Ashton offers.

“Let’s do it.”

Maybe this whole thing wasn’t so bad if it brought them closer together.

+

Things are getting about as close to normal as they can in Luke’s life. His parents have stopped wearing suits and they’re relaxing more. He still asks them for advice, but overall they’re letting him take the reins and everything’s going smoother in the house.

He’s spending more time in the recording studio, lots of song ideas to write and perform and he loves it. Not all of them have to do with Ash, but the best ones do. (Like his all-time favorite, “Disconnected” based on their time in the pond.)

He also delays the sale date of the tickets for his tour. He needs a little time for himself and he wants to feature the new songs on the tour. When he does a little livestream for the fans to explain, they're receptive. So now he leaves for his tour in Early October, and the tickets go on sale in May.

Michael accepts his apology for being a shitty friend, and offers a similar one. And then they play FIFA for two hours straight then eat ice cream. It’s awesome having his best friend back. He now just helps with the songwriting, and doesn’t do any work for the Lucas Hemmings image. It’s the way it should be.

The paparazzi stopped being at Ashton’s house, thank god. He wishes he could help, but he has a strong feeling that being there would make it worse.

Some of his more recent publicity decisions maybe helped. He and Alexis broke up amicably, that circulated for a bit, but since there was no drama it didn’t help. He did drop on Twitter that he’s bisexual, and he still isn’t doing interviews about it. But hopefully that took off the focus on Ashton. And it did, he hasn’t heard of any paparazzi going to Kalamazoo.

But he might.

He has a plan. And it might be shitty, so he’s getting some people to help him out.

Thank god, the doorbell rings.

Luke is relieved as all gets out when he answers the door and sees it’s Calum, Michael’s maybe-boyfriend and Ashton’s friend and future-roommate.

Calum does not look pleased with him, “I don’t like dicking around with my friends, Lucas Hemmings. Why did Michael tell me to make Ash go to the dance?”

“Because I have a plan.” He says, “Please come in.”

Calum looks around, “Nice place.”

“Thanks. You’re welcome around anytime-”

“I don’t like being bribed,” Calum flicks his eyes over to Luke harshly.

Luke gulps. “It wasn’t a bribe. I just know you and Michael are close and if you ever wanted to come over- I mean, I’d love to get to know you-”

“Cal, you already scaring him?” Michael laughs from nowhere. But then they both look up and see him at the top of the stairs. His best friend rushes down and hugs Calum first.

Calum doesn’t answer the question, but he does smile wickedly. “Nice seeing you. Now why am I here?”

Well, he’s not the only one who could evade questions. “Want something to drink?”

“I’ll take a water,” The black-haired high school senior says slowly, like he doesn’t trust Luke. He probably doesn’t.

“Let’s sit down on the sofa.”

After Luke gets the waters and they get situated, Luke tells him the plan.

And watches as that suspicious look turns into a grin.

Thank god.

+

Ashton ends up going to the dance alone. Calum and Lauren and his mom and his grandma pushed it, so here he is. Alone in a poorly-done-up gymnasium. Yay cliches.

He invited Lauren to go with him, but she said, “I’m single, not pathetic. I’m not going to my first high school dance with my brother.”

Since she had a point, he just laughed and agreed.

He is not wearing a tie the color of Calum’s eyes, but the one that ended up working best was one that’s cerulean blue. They don’t match Luke’s eyes. They don’t. It was his mom’s idea, and Cal admitted it was a better choice. So he was stuck.

Before he enters, Ashton takes a deep breath and straightens his shoulders. He can do this.

Ashton walks in. He’s not conceited enough to think that the music would stop and everyone would gasp and immediately start whispering about him. Also, his life is not some dumb teen movie.

But when he goes to get some water, AJ does take the opportunity to point and laugh at him. He downs the water and wishes it was vodka, even though he’s not a big drinker.

He promised everyone he’d spend half an hour there. Then he’s going straight home to take a shower to wash this night off of him.

But since he didn’t promise he had to have a good time, he just hovers against the edge of the crowd taking half-hearted photos, wishing this shitty music would get better.

And that’s when the music stops.

Ashton pauses, did he say that out loud?

Suddenly, a figure emerges from offstage, and his head lowered and he’s wearing a suit like the other guys, but it’s noticeably fancier.

Ashton already knows who it is before all the spotlights go on him, but his heart still hits his chest when Lucas lifts his head up and reveals his stupid, perfect face to the crowd.

The crowd is already freaking out, and they go to their phones to Snapchat or Twitter or Instagram this, but Ashton’s frozen to the spot where he stands.

The blonde popstar steps up to the microphone, smiling at the crowd, “Ashton Irwin?”

Ashton’s knees might just collapse. Or maybe the rest of him. Just fall to the floor.

Everyone looks for him and finds him. Shaking a bit, he continues standing tall and moves a bit forward as the crowd parts, so he’s standing right in Lucas’s line of sight.

Lucas clears his throat, “There are some things I forgot to say to you back in California.”

At that, the crowd oohs but Ashton remains still, not able to say a word.

The song starts with some gentle strumming the band that’s appeared.

Wait, don't tell me, heaven is a place on earth

I wish I could rewind all the times that I didn't

Show you what you're really worth

Ashton’s cheeks burn with the strongest blush he’s ever felt, and he’s torn between staring down Lucas and being strong, or looking at the ground and wishing that his legs worked so he could run away.

He alternates between the two as the song goes on.

Objectively, it’s a really pretty song, and it crescendoes really well. The lyrics are hitting a bit too close to home.

Taking every breath away

With all of the mistakes I made

From all the letters that I saved

This is everything I didn't say

I wish I could've made you stay

And I'm the only one to blame

I know that it's a little too late

This is everything I didn't say

As he sings, Luke gets closer and closer to Ashton, until he’s holding his hand and singing right to him. Ashton feels the music in his bones, and it’s not just because of the proximity to the sound.

When it wraps up and Luke lowers the microphone, he looks at him entreatingly as the crowd applauds. And, at first, Ashton doesn’t know what to say. But then he does.

“What did you think?” He asks, voice soft so only Luke can hear. “That you could come here a-and sing to me and everything would be fine?”

+

“Umm, yes?” Luke says like a question, and Ashton raises an eyebrow, a bit disappointed. “Shit, no. No. I’m just so bad at this communication thing and I thought the song would help. I just wanted to tell you I was wrong, and I’m sorry.”

“Don’t you think you’re a little late?” Ashton says, and it’s slightly clipped and it makes Luke’s insides go berzerk. “Everyone here and in LA and anyone who watches fuckin’ Libby Lam thinks I’m a liar.”

“I’m the one who lied-” As he says that, a microphone is in his face. Of course, it’s Libby Lam. Did she really find out he flew to Michigan and followed him? Fucking hell.

Luke takes her microphone and turns to the camera that’s behind Ashton, “This is the last time our business will be publicized, so pay attention: I lied about knowing Ashton Irwin. The truth is I know Ashton Irwin. Ashton’s a terrible navigator, a great sibling, and an amazing journalist. Also, he’s honest. When he makes a promise, he keeps it. He understands me in a way no one has before and-” Instead of looking at the camera, he looks at Ashton. Who’s looking right back at him. Good, because he needs to believe him when he says, “And I’m crazy about him.”

The crowd “aws” but he barely registers it.

He lowers the microphone and vaguely feels Libby go for it, but his focus is on Ashton. “Ash, I’m so sorry. I know I hurt you, and I will never do anything like that again just... Please. Forgive me.”

Laughing a bit in a really jubilant way, Ashton nods, and the crowd applauds. He’s about to kiss him but remembers the cameras.

“Get the hell out of here,” He tells Libby, his charm smile on his face. She listens and leaves.

“Nice camera,” He tells Ashton, referencing the camera that’s dangling on straps around his neck.

Ashton’s blushing again, “Oh right.” With that, he spins around so it’s dangling on his back instead. “Wow, look at that, there’s nothing blocking you from kissing me.”

Luke grins, actually feeling himself blush a bit, “You’re right. Nothing at all.”

And with that, they kiss on the dance floor.

+

(Epilogue, 5 Months Later)

“Have you heard anything from Cal yet?” Luke says, interrupting How I Met Your Mother for the millionth time.

Michael sighs, “For the last time, no. They’re doing the normal college thing, we agreed to give them space.” It’s been five days since Ashton moved to California, and Luke hasn’t seen him. They agreed to meet up at the weekend. It's Friday night, but Ashton's probably meeting cool college people that don't come with celebrity baggage.

“You see Calum all the time, my boyfriend’s been in Michigan for the past half a year.”

“It’s been five months, and he visited for a month in the summer,” Michael rolls his eyes.

Luke smiles at the memories. “Yeah and that was awesome. But I miss him.”

“Ugh, you’re such a wimp.”

“You’re no better,” Luke mocks Michael, “Luke, does this text look cool? I need to make sure this text- ”

Unsurprisingly, they start wrestling on the sofa, because they’ve been friends since fourth grade and this is how they solve things sometimes.

Their fight is interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

The two of them are confused. Did Luke’s parents, who left earlier that day for a fun vacation they deserve, order them a pizza?

They stand and go to the front door.

And are floored when they find it’s their boyfriends.

“Surprise!” Ashton and Calum call out at the same time. 

Shocked, Luke grabs Ashton and pulls him in close for a hug and an impassioned kiss because he finally can.

Calum and Michael separate first. “We’re making out in my room, see you guys later!” Holding hands, they race up the stairs.

Ashton laughs and Luke puts his forehead on his boyfriend’s. “You know, I could get behind that idea...” Ashton says, moving his lips to kiss Luke’s jaw then neck. Whenever they can finally meet in person, Ashton loves marking him up with hickies. And Luke has learned that he doesn’t mind getting hickies if Ash is the one giving them to them.

“I have a better idea,” Luke says, “But I need you to trust me.”

“I do,” Ashton says immediately, then pauses, “But should I?”

With a wicked grin, Luke, who’s had this planned for a while, pulls a bandana out of his back pocket. “Close your eyes.”

+
After driving for a while, then walking for even longer, all without sight mind you, Ashton’s patience is wearing a bit thin. “Look, I’m fine with most kinky shit but exercise is where I draw the line-”

“Stop whining, you baby,” Luke says, his voice disembodied from himself. It’s kind of like when he listens to Luke sing on his album after hearing him sing live. It’s a weird disconnect, but it’s oddly fun. “We’re almost there.”

“Good,” Ashton mutters but he’s smiling a bit, still letting Luke lead him around. “Oh, I should probably say, if you’re going to kill me, will you at least reimburse my mom for the USC tuition costs?”

“Keep talking and I will,” Luke jokes, and they keep walking.

More walking.

Ashton’s about to complain one more time but then Luke says, “We’re here!” And he sounds so smiley and sunshiney that he holds it back.

“Okay, just stay right there.”

“Where would I go? I can’t see anything.”

“Shush.”

Ashton stands still as he hears Luke flutter around him. There’s whooshes and the sound of things on the ground. He can hear birds and water. Are they at the beach? Thinking of their first major fight, Ashton’s not sure if he finds that romantic.

Then he feels Luke’s fingers near where the bandana is tied, “Okay, you ready?”

“Yes,” He says, a bit breathy because this is oddly intimate with Luke’s voice right near his ear and it’s so deep and husky.

“Okay, open.”

The bandana goes off and Ashton’s eyes open. He adjusts to the light for a second and he sees where they are.

Ashton and Luke are standing right by the pond they swam in the day they got lost.

“You found it?” Ashton’s shocked but so, so happy. This is better than a million beaches. “Oh, Luke-”

“And look!” Like an energetic puppy, his boyfriend gestures to a picnic he has set up. “So I don’t have In-n-Out, sorry I figured they wouldn't travel well for this epic journey, but I do have these amazing sandwiches and some cupcakes from Sprinkles that are fucking boss-” When Ashton doesn’t say anything, Luke runs his hand through his hair, “Was this stupid? I mean, I found it back in the summer but I figured it would be fun for your first day of college-”

Ashton tackles him into a hug (his boyfriend is so strong he catches him and remains upright) and then holds his face still so he can kiss him hard.

“You are amazing,” Ashton says, right after their lips pull apart. “I love you.”

Whoops. He didn’t mean to say that yet.

But the smile that blooms across his face immediately assures him that the words wouldn’t be received poorly. “I love you too.”

And with that they’re kissing again, fingers tangled in hair or tight on faces and waists.

But then Ashton, who’s been unpacking and meeting people for the past week, stops them again, “Mind if we eat? Because that food looks amazing.”

Luke clears his throat, lips puffy and red and it’s honestly his best look. “Definitely. Tell me all about USC.”

And Ashton does.

Right in their spot as the sun sets majestically around them.