tattoos // lashton

ten.

- Luke -

I attached my lips to his as soon as I learned that he was the one who I would be with for the rest of my life. I had heard stories of when people first met their soul mate. Some people did kiss them as soon as they met them, while others just hugged and got to know each other better. I went with the kissing, since I had waited so long for this. I expected to meet them before I turned eighteen, and I was now twenty-three.

I pulled away, keep my hands placed on his hips, while arms stayed wrapped around my shoulders. We were both looking at each other, knowing exactly how the other felt. This moment, the moment that you've played out in your head for so long, imagining every scenario possible, was finally happening. It all felt so surreal. For years I had been staring at the words etched across my wrist along with all the other tattoos that could never reach up to the importance of the one I had been born with. All my tattoos had something behind them, too. Like some sort of meaning. And now this one did, too.

I pulled him closer to me, hugging him tighter than I had ever hugged anyone before. Only now did I remember what he was previously going to do.

"Why?" I asked, not letting go of him. I heard him exhale air, burying his head in the crook of my neck. I felt my shirt start to get damp, and I held onto him tighter.

"Please don't cry. I've got you now, okay? It'll all be alright." I said, still holding him, not sure if I'd ever let go. By the time we pulled away, he was done crying, though his eyes were bloodshot. I laughed, which resulted in a confused look making it's way across his face.

"What's so funny?" He asked. I looked down, a smile on my face, then back up at him.

"I've already kissed you and I don't even know your name yet, love." I said. He laughed, pulling his thin black jacket tighter around himself. I took off my coat and held it out to him. He shook his head, but I insisted, and he grabbed and put it on. I wasn't cold, though, since I had on a sweater and a jacket still. It was a freezing cold night and, though he is my soul mate, he was stupid for just wearing a small jacket.

"I'm Ashton." He said. I had heard the name before, though I doubted it was the same person. Ashton put his hand out for me to shake.

"Hi, Ashton. I'm Luke." I said, grabbing his hand and shaking it. He smiled, then we released hands and looked at each other.

"I'm sorry for almost depriving you of a soul mate." He said, laughing and looking down at the road. Cars had been passing, though none of them honking, since they most likely understood the moment.

"I'm sorry for not getting here sooner." I said. He sighed, then took my hand in his and we walked back to my car. I opened the passenger side door for him then walked back around the car to get to the driver's side.

"So, you wanna go to my flat? We can go to yours, too, if you even want to go somewhere with me." He said, his cheeks turning a shade of red as he looked away from me and at the car floor. I smiled, poking his cheek and putting my keys in the ignition.

"I'd love to go to yours. I'd need to get some clothes first. You can meet my flatmate while we're there." I said, starting the car and pulling back onto the road. I had sort of parked off near the side of the bridge to stay out of traffic's way. 

"Sounds lovely." He said. I kept driving. The whole ride there we got to know each other better, as I was going to spend the rest of my life with him. I wasn't complaining, though. The guy seemed pretty cool, and he was one for looks, too.

"Here we are, casa de Luke." I said as we arrived to my apartment. I knew Calum would be home since earlier he texted me about Fifa. I put my key in the lock, turning it and opening the door.

"Luke! Did you get the Chinese?" Calum asked. I had completely forgot that I got in my car to go pick up the Chinese food we ordered. Oh, well. Calum can go get it himself and eat my order if he's that hungry. I turned to Ashton.

"Any chance you're Chinese?" I asked. He laughed, shaking his head no.

"No, I didn't, Calum." I said. Ashton froze when Calum's name escaped my lips.

"Who the hell are you talking to?" Calum asked, turning around. When his eyes fell on Ashton, he gasped.

"Ashton!" Calum yelled, running over to Ashton, wrapping his arms around him and not letting go. I laughed at the annoyed look plastered on Ashton's face, but soon stopped, not knowing what exactly was going on.

"Get off me." Ashton said, lightly shoving Calum off of him.

"I'm confused." I said. Ashton looked over at me.

"Me, too." He said, rolling his eyes at Calum.

"Me, three." Calum said. I walked over to the couch, motioning for the other two to follow me. They did as I wanted and sat down on the couch, both sitting on opposite sides of me.

"How do you two know each other?" I asked. Ashton didn't say anything, so Calum took that as a hint to explain himself.

"We work together. He's the bookstore guy." Calum said. Realization kicked in with the sentence Calum spoke.

"That's where I know you from!" I yelled, pointing at Ashton.

"You've seen me before?" He asked. I nodded.

"Well this could have been a lot simpler if you just talked to me then." Ashton said, laughing. I laughed, too. He went to flick my cheek, but I dodged it, elbowing Calum in the process.

"You know, I'm glad you guys aren't confused anymore, but Calum still is." Calum said. I looked over at him, pointing to the tattoo on my wrist of the first words Ashton said to me, then to Ashton. It took Calum a second to get it, as always, but then he understood the gesture.

"Y'all are adorable." He said, smiling. I nodded in agreement.

"So, Ashton, you like Fifa?" Calum asked, grabbing the third remote we owned but rarely used, as we don't normally have company.

"Not really." Ashton said. I've never seen Calum look so offended.

"Give me a minute." Cal said, putting his head in his hands, acting as if he was crying. Ashton rolled his eyes, but I noticed the smile on his face.

"You're roommate is dramatic, Lucas. I pity you." Ashton said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I put my hand on his and whispered a 'thank you.'

"We'll fight, guys. I'm serious. We'll fucking start a full on war." He said, standing up to fight. I reached up and tickled him, automatically winning the fight for Team Ashton and Luke.

"We'll fight some other time." Cal said, sitting back down. I laughed, along with Ashton and Calum. Ashton yawned, and I told Calum that we we're going to go to Ashton's flat.

"Have fun, you two. Use protection." Calum said. I hit him on the side of his head before walking Ashton to the car.

The drive to his place wasn't long, him telling me directions the whole time. As soon as we got there, he showed me around his flat a bit, then threw a pair of sweats that were too big on him at me. I put them on, and we went to sleep on his bed, my arm slung around his waist, his back placed against my chest. He fell asleep before me, the only sound in his room being the sound of his steady breathing. I held him closer to me.

This was all I wanted after years of waiting.

~

A/N:

sorry it took me so long to update. wasn't at my best.

ily.

-jc