✔︎Baby | OT4

026

"Hey, baby."

Ashton, Casey, and Rena froze. They stood with handfuls of flour in mid-throw, for what seemed like hours. This was especially unfortunate, as Casey's hand had frozen over Ashton's head, white powder slowly filtering into the younger lad's curls. Rena broke the seemingly endless pause everyone had been set in by smacking Casey's wrist, rolling her eyes fondly.

That seemed to hit "play" on Ashton, and he reached up with a giggle, linking their fingers to bring the older boy's hand down. But, even once there was no longer flour pouring over his dark tresses, the two brunette's hands stayed clasped platonically in one another's.

"Sorry," Casey chuckled, glancing as every movement had flour cascading from Ashton's hair and across his skin. The younger boy smiled sweetly, putting every ounce of focus on Casey and Rena, instead of Luke, who still stood in the doorway.

"You look like a sugar-dusted, pastel fairy," Rena decided.

"Poetic," Casey commented with a giggle, using his and Ashton's linked hands to smear flour from his mouth, pausing with the younger brunette's slender fingers on his lips. Ashton knew it was a ploy to get Luke jealous, and though he knew he should return Casey's heated gaze, he was distracted.

Michael, Calum and Luke never would've done that. They'd have sent one of them to take care of the person at the door, while the other two cuddled Ashton. The brunette felt strong, in a way. He wasn't being babied, and it was a new feeling.

"Baby doll?" Luke's voice brought Ashton from his thoughts, a thick layer of jealousy just barely controlled in his tone.

"Yeah?" Ashton responded quietly, voice shaky and just barely above a whisper. His eyes were a conflicting pool of hazel and emerald, and his skirt was billowing around his knees. That factor also had Luke looking even more awkward, as he seemed to be resisting the urge to embrace the seventeen-year-old in a kiss.

   "Can I talk to you?" the blonde asked softly. Ashton nodded carefully, releasing another plume of flour, before following the taller lad. Luke was surprised; Michael'd told him about Ashton's meltdown, and this impossibly calm reaction he was receiving was odd. He couldn't decide whether to be excited or worried—on the one hand, Ash could be slowly inching towards reuniting with his best friends, but the adorable boy could also be starting to lose all emotion for them. He could've lost a reaction because he no longer cared, because his mates were now a thing of the past. The prospect was terrifying.

"Hi," Ashton whispered once they'd reached the living room, his voice soft and sweet.

"You look really good," Luke breathed in a quick puff; he'd been holding the compliment in, and he'd always voiced his thoughts in Ashton's presence. He loved the sweet smiles and innocent blushes the boy would respond with; just another thing he missed, another shard of his heart that had run away.

The lighter shade of pink and less loving smile were the X-ray, just showing Luke what he'd lost. "Thank you," Ashton murmured.

"I- I miss you, baby," Luke finally admitted, glancing up from the younger boy's smooth legs to his delicate features, just in time to see his eyes fill with water.

"I miss you, too," Ashton whimpered, before he was stumbling backwards, up the stairs and towards his bedroom. Rena entered from the kitchen a few moments later.

"Luke, the three of you have to give up this stupid competition. I know you're still using the points; that's why you and Michael came to talk to Ash, you're winning," she said quietly and harshly. "But Ashton loves you morons, so get your fucking acts together, or leave him alone!" Rena barked, putting emphasis on the last three words.

   Luke seemed to stumble at the force behind the brutally honest words, sapphire eyes wide at the sight of the dark haired girl's raw anger, showing just how fond—and protective—she'd become of Ashton.

   "We've been best friends for years, you can't just think you're suddenly his favorite," Luke responded, but it was lacking the heat that should've come with the words.

   Rena rolled her eyes. "And for those years you three spent the entire time objectifying Ash. Newsflash, he's not a cute little bag of slop you three pigs can fight over," the porcelain-skinned girl said bitingly, Luke's response cut off by Casey arriving in the room.

   He hissed at the lanky blonde in passing, before disappearing up the stairs. Rena rolled her eyes fondly at the brunette's immaturity, scoffing softly in amusement before following his path. She paused the bottom of the stairs, speaking to Luke without turning. "I'd suggest you leave before I rip your brain out and feed it to an ant. That's all it's be good for apparently, and even then, the ant would still be hungry."

   She could practically hear the dramatic explosions and someone yelling "roasted!" in her head.

—

   Michael groaned in frustration. Calum was sprawled on top of him, both completely bare of clothes. They'd both been complaining about hormones, and when Luke had left to hopefully make up with Ash, they'd taken to the bed almost instantaneously.

Now, over half an hour later, both were incredibly frustrated and didn't have any relief. "Roses are red, my balls are blue..." Michael mumbled.

A/N
i know this book is terrible and there's more hey violet than there should be, but im planning a new ot4 book that's less shitty so. would u read that?