My best friend's cat // Mashton

1.3

1.3 - The night

Luke was hugging Michael close on his bed. The cat-boy had been confused and sad, when Ashton had ran off. So he ended up sniffling and wanting comfort. Which left only Luke to fill in that spot.

Luke was more worried. Was this the end of their friendship? Would they never talk again? Would Ashton ask him to move out and find his own place?

The last one scared Luke.

He didn't want his own place. He didn't want to have to find a job. He didn't want to grow up.

So far he had been doing fine with Ashton working for his half of the rent and Luke getting supported by his mom. Of course he owned a little himself, but that was the occasional babysitting for a few people, mostly the couple living a few apartments down.

All in all, he had an easy life and he wanted to keep it that way. But more importantly, he didn't want to lose Ashton. He couldn't.

They had been friends for so many years already, he could honestly not remember how long. He could vaguely remember how they met, but not much more. Not that it really mattered to him, because the present mattered much more. But the present wasn't going that well.

Michael had finally calmed down and had even fallen asleep on Luke's lap. The blonde was slowly petting him, sighing quietly as he was consumed by his thoughts. Something that was happening to Ashton too, but he didn't know that.

Ashton was still in his room. It was weekend anyway, so he had planned to stay there the whole weekend and just watch some TV or read a book. He really wanted to not think about what had just happened and what he had just discovered, but he couldn't help it.

A sigh escaped the curly lad as he started tracing patterns on his leg. What to do, he thought.

But then, his phone buzzed.

He raised his eyebrows at the device, not sure who would send him anything. But, he started to promise himself, if it's Luke, I'm turning it off.

And that sounded reasonable, until Ashton saw who the text was from. He couldn't keep the small smile from appearing, almost excited as he opened the text that Calum had sent him.

It wasn't much, just a simple 'hi' with one too many 'i's and a smiley face after it. But, it was typical Calum, really.

Ashton send a simple 'hey' back, smiling as he almost immediately got a text back. And so, the conversation between the two boys was started, it continuing until late in the night hours.

At the time Ashton had long fallen asleep -and Luke had given up as well- Michael awoke.

He was used to it that Luke wasn't awake and this time he hadn't planned on waking him up either. Not because he wanted milk, like last time. He had different plans.

As Michael made sure Luke was asleep (because Luke would never agree, he thought), he rolled out of bed and snuck out of the room. From memory he knew all the rooms, so it wasn't that hard to find the other occupied bedroom in the apartment.

Plus, he always loved to play in Ashton's room when he had been a cat, because it wasn't allowed. And everyone knows that when something is off limits and the door to that place is open, you sneak in anyway. But, now was different. Everything was different.

The white haired boy knocked on the door, having learned that from all the times Ashton had done that. Luke barely ever did it, only when he knew Michael was changing.

There was not much of an answer, only something that sounded as if someone was sleep-talking. Michael doubted, but he carefully opened the door, peeking inside. Ashton was curled up on one side of the bed, much like the cat-boy himself always liked to sleep.

He closed the door as he had entered the room, biting his lip as he approached the bed. Michael hoped the boy wouldn't mind the cuddles, but from all what Michael knew, he knew the best how cuddles could cheer one up. And for him and Luke it had always worked, so for Ashton it had to work too, right?

With that in mind, Michael got in Ashton's bed. He didn't want to go under the covers, afraid that would be too much. So luckily he was still wearing the oversized sweater to keep him warm.

He pulled the sleeves over his hands and then carefully scooted closer to Ashton. He draped his one arm over the curly lad's waist, pulling him a little closer as Michael nuzzled his face in Ashton's neck. Michael was quite comfortable like this, a smile appearing on his lips as he closed his eyes. This felt nice.

A questioning hum sounded sleepily through the room, just as Michael was about to drift back to sleep. It made him frown for a moment, while Ashton was stirring and waking up.

Only then did Michael understand that it had been Ashton and that Ashton was waking up. It scared the cat-boy a little, because what would happen?

Ashton on the other hand, was confused. Mostly because he never woke up when he had fallen asleep (only when it was morning and he was supposed to), but also because there was an unexplainable warmth in his bed. Not that it wasn't nice, but he just couldn't remember it ever being there. And that was obviously weird.

So, as Ashton woke up, he turned around, rubbing at his eyes sleepily. And when Ashton opened his eyes properly, he was more than surprised to see a shy looking Michael in front of him.

Michael's ears where flattened to the side, his eyes big and pleading. And in that moment, even if Ashton was mad and hurt and didn't want anyone around him, he couldn't turn down the cat-boy.

He sighed at the white haired boy, "what are you doing here?"

Michael found that Ashton's voice was much lower, but it was very attractive. Which was a strange feeling for Michael, but one he accepted gladly.

"C-cuddle? M-makes feel b-better," Michael slowly answered, trying to minimalize his stuttering. Ashton's tired eyes moved over Michael's face, a smile just as tired tugging at his lips at the cat-boy's genuineness.

"M'kay." At that answer, Michael's ears perked up. He then immediately went under the covers to pull Ashton closer and cuddle with him, not even bothering to let Ashton get comfortable.

The other boy chuckled at the actions, feeling slightly better already. Who would have thought cuddling really worked?

Ashton wrapped his arms around Michael, burying his face in the cat-boy's chest. However, as something furry stroke past his hands, he pulled his head back. "What was that?"

Michael blushed a little, avoiding eye contact as he caught his tail with one hand to show it, "tail."

Ashton looked at it in amazement, smiling. "It's amazing."

Michael turned even redder, mumbling out a shy 'thank you'.

A hum escaped Ashton, as he went back to hiding his face in Michael's chest and cuddling him close.

And in that moment, when Ashton closed his eyes and was slowly going back to sleep, he didn't mind if this was something that would happen more often. Because Ashton sure liked this, even if he could feel his eyes sting and his nose itch. He didn't care in that moment and even thought about that shot he had read about once. For some people it cured their allergies, or at least made them disappear for some time (while for others it unfortunately didn't work at all), and if Michael was going to stay longer, maybe for once the idea of needles wasn't that scary.