A.I. Imagine || If you see her...

2.5

  "How did she react?", Michael nudged Ashton the next day. 

  "She cried a river, what do you think?", Luke laughed. 

  "She... she what? Why didn't you tell me?!", Ashton cried out,r rapidly taking off the dark glasses. 

   "Chill bro, it wasn't a bad thing, she loved it", Luke pat him on the knee and gave it a little squeeze.

    "Ugh", Ashton frowned, "You better be right." The laughter drowned out slowly, turning into silence as they all stared at the sightless boy in love. 

    "Ash?", Calum broke the ice and got a "mhm" in return. "What do you think of her?", Cal asked calmly.

    The corners of Ashton's lips drew back, "Guys, I really think she's something special. I mean, I can't see it but I feel it in my bones", he paused sadly, "It's killing me though, because I'd give everything just to see her smile for a moment." Michael playfully hopped onto his lap to stop him from feeling sad, "Cuddle?" 

     Ashton nodded giggly, "If you need one." Michael rested his arms around his neck and shook his head at the two friends with a serious face. Basically, he tried to tell them that he feels something's off without saying it in front of Ashton.

     "Am I a better cuddle buddy than y/n?", Michael teased him, brushing his tattooed finger against his neck in a joking manner. The guys laughed, and Ashton finally said, "Okay, this is getting a little weird, get off now." 

    Michael shrugged, "Magic word."

    Ashton turned to the sound of his voice, and it seemed like he was looking straight into his eyes, sending shivers up his spine for a split second. He asked, "Really Michael?"

   Michael tried his hardest to ignore the blank stare as he cheerfully exclaimed, "Yep buddy!"

   Ashton squeezed the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes, then sighed as he lifted up his face again, "Fine."

   Michael furrowed his eyebrows, rather surprised, "Wait, really?" 

   Whenever someone needed Michael do to something, he insisted on the magic word. Ashton really disliked his poor and immature choice, but now he had no choice. It's the only way to make him do something and he truly wanted him off his lap. Ashton whispered, "Balls."

   Michael laughed, pretending he didn't hear and kept freaking him out by running a finger down his arm, "What was that Ash?"

   "BALLS", Ashton shouted.

   Michael jumped up and clapped his hands together, "See, that wasn't so hard." 

   Calum passed him by, digging his fist into his bicep as he muttered, "Stop being a dick."

   "Language, people", Ashton chimed in. For some reason, he was not fond of the vulgarly expanded  vocabulary anyone had.

    Michael signaled Luke to chat Ashton up while he dragged Calum aside in the hallway. Ashton wasn't that oblivious anymore, and when Luke started talking he interrupted, "Where are you going?"

   Michael flinched and stuttered, "I, uh, we're going to get some snacks."

   Ashton nodded and said, smiling, "Don't eat the kitchen."

   Calum and Michael forced a chuckle as they hurried outside, leaving Luke alone with Ashton. "What was that all about?"; Calum whisper-shouted.

   Michael motioned with his hand to still keep it down. He scratched his head, not bringing himself to speak. Calum spread his eyes open in a way that said 'well?'.  He exhaled deeply as he mumbled, "I don't know man. I mean, yeah, I guess she's okay, but..." He paused, shrugging at Calum.

   "But what?", he insisted.

   "I do think, NOW, that she likes him for real, but I think it's too much for him", Michael finally admitted.

   "What do you mean too much?", he kept asking.

   "Like... Okay, yeah, he likes her, and Luke helped him organise all the lovey dovey gross stuff, and he knows she's into it"; he was now just blabbing, and confusing Calum, "But the poor dude wants to see her, like, we can give him a guitar or a lift, but who the hell is gonna give him eyes, Cal?"

    Calum's head peeked into the living room to check on the pair, then quickly returned to Michael. "I see where you're going with this", he started off, and before Michael could do his typical 'I know right', he continued, "But I think you're overanalysing his words. Of course, he's gonna wish to see her smile, but you're reading too much into it."

   "I don't know man", Michael added, "I hope he doesn't go back to his old ways. Took us a long time to drag him out of that pit." 

    Calum nodded and started walking, and Michael went up after him, "Where are you going?!"

    "To get some snacks, dumbass", he said, reminding Michael of the excuse they used. Well, technically, Michael used it. Still. 

   "Riiiight", Michael spoke under his breath then followed Calum into the kitchen, "Good thinking." 

    In the meantime, Luke was wiping his sweaty palms against the dark jeans he had on. He was a terrible actor, and even when his friend couldn't see how terrible, he still struggled to beat around the bush. Ashton could ignore the suspicious colour of his voice, but if he saw him, oh boy, he'd be onto him. Luke started biting his nails, as he was nodding while he watched Ashton's mouth move. He couldn't hear shit he was saying over his own thoughts. 'This is going on for too long', he thought to himself. 

    Just in time, the other two returned with handfuls of snacks and had petrified looks on their faces as they saw their friend being just plain awful at the one job he had - to stall. They quickly interrupted, jumping onto the couch and scattering the snacks all over the coffee table, each taking one and loudly opening the bags of chips. 

   "Sorry man, almost ate your kitchen", Michael joked, convincing Ashton there's nothing fishy going on. 

   Luke's eyes rolled in the back of his head as it fell back in relief. He then looked at them, putting his palms together as he mouthed a 'thank you'.