safe place • lashton (on hold)

• 3 • river •

it's been roughly a week since the last time luke and his mates got drunk after the concert, they just haven't had time. it's been interview after interview and meet and greet after meet and greet, they're all overwhelmingly exhausted and ready for a break, so lucky for them, they had the next week off to go home and rest after this leg of the tour.

it's been a week since they all hung out properly, and it's been a week since ashton had asked luke what was bothering him. he still hasn't gotten an answer.

luke ignored him at all costs, sat on the other side of the boys in interviews, made sure after concerts he fled before anyone could say anything. come to think of it none of the boys have had a proper conversation with luke for the last week. this wouldn't worry them usually, but they knew something was wrong.

after their last show, ashton was waiting for luke to finish so he could catch him before he wouldn't see him for a week.

he was standing there for five minutes before the blonde came rushing out, eyes set on the door, ignoring everything apart from where he was going. that was until someone grabbed his arm and pulled him back, almost making him tumble to the ground.

luke looked up surprised at his best mate. "hey, ash." he said with tiredness evident in his voice. ashton looked at him with raised eyebrows, he was concerned for his friend.

"where ya going mate?" he asked.

"'m gonna call it an early night, 'tired ash." he mumbled out, looking down and fiddling with the brackets on his wrists whilst he bounced back and forth on his feet nervously.

"i'll come with you-" ashton rushed out. he knew if he kept the conversation too long that luke would talk him out of it. so he acted quickly grabbing his belongings and then latching onto the blondes arm.

he nodded towards the blonde and he sighed in return. they made their way out the door and to the tour bus where he held the door open for his younger friend who was sluggishly making his way up the stairs.

"hey lu, are you okay?" he asked as they were both getting their pyjamas ready. the blonde was distracted and would be more caught off guard meaning he would find it harder for him to lie.

"yeah, ash, why?"

"you're just quiet is all. luke you'd tell me wouldn't you? you're not lying to me are you?" his friend tried to get the truth out of him.

luke dropped his handful of clothes to the floor and sat on the edge on his bunk. with his head in his hands, he sighed out demonstrating he was lying.

his friend caught on and sighed, looking down at the small boy with sympathy evident in his eyes.

"luke..." he trailed off, unsure of how to word a response he sat next to the blonde and took the younger boy in a hug.

no words were said for a while, both just taking in the feeling of being in the others arms. the younger boy made the most out of it. ashton, his safe place, was the only place he wanted to be. he could make him happy, make him smile when he was sad, calm him down when his thoughts wouldn't leave him alone. it was as if the boy was magical, no one else could help him like he could.

"i'm sorry." a broken son escaped the younger boys lips. "i'm so sorry ash." he related as another sob fell out. the older boy moved their position to where he was now laying on his back with th younger boys head hurried in his neck. he could feel every tear escape his eyes, every sob where his shoulders shook, every strangled breathe the boy took in an attempt to calm himself down.

"shh luke, you're okay, i'm right here with you, you're safe with me love." he said as he stroked the younger boys hair and rubbed calming circles on his back, hoping to soothe the boy.

they both knew he couldn't help it but that did nothing to change the hurt in ashton's chest when anything of this sort where to happen. he knew he was helping, but anyone on the outside wouldn't see it. even though he was wrapped in his safe place's arms, he wasn't calm, he was still crying, he was still barely breathing, but this didn't matter to either boy, they were with each other and that's all that mattered.

after a long while, luke, was able to calm his breathing, but only with the help of ashton's reassuring words and his hugs and kisses would he be okay. ashton wiped away the tears under the boys eyes as they made eye contact.

"i'm s-sorry." luke said whilst hiccuping.

"no no, lukey, don't say that. you don't need to apologise okay?" he leant down and placed a small kiss on the boys forehead. "you don't need to be okay all the time, luke. i know it's hard but i'm always here, i will always be here luke." the blonde nodded and thanked the older boy.

"i think it's time for you to sleep, we'll talk about this in the morning, yeah?" by the way the blonde looked, ashton knew he wouldn't want to talk. he was proven right when luke nodded, leaning up to plane a kiss on his best friends cheek and placing his head on his chest.

"goodnight, ash."

"night, lu."