My Holy Trinity [OT4 5sos] ✔️

2.7

Michael sat slouched at the kitchen table, one hand wrapped around a half drunk cup of coffee and head rested on the palm of his other hand. Luke was busy shuffling through the pantry, looking for ingredients that could tell him what he should make for dinner whilst the guys were all home for the day; since Ashton had come home just under half an hour ago.

Ashton wandered in, loosening the tie he had wrapped around his neck—a light addition to the salesperson suit he wore for his job at the car shop.

It had been over a week since Calum left, but Ashton knew that—no matter how things played out—he would need income for the home. So he went and snagged a quick job, not the best or most reliable place to work but as long as he got paid he didn't care how shitty and broken down the cars were.

It made sense for him to be the one to get a job. Luke physically and mentally couldn't because of his anxiety. His old therapist had told him to quit his last job because his brain couldn't handle the workforce.
And Michael wasn't in the right frame of mind to get a job, at least not currently. So Ashton had to ball his confidence up and ditch it at his new boss to get himself hired. And it worked.

"Does sex count as exercise?" Ashton questioned, catching Michael's attention as he pulled his tie off.

Michael swallowed the rising lump in his throat, shuffling in his seat and dropping his gaze back down. He hated how Ashton could look good at both ends of the spectrum, either as a complete submissive or someone who could pull off a dominant look.

There had been a time when he was sure Ashton would definitely not be a dominant male, but lately he wasn't so sure. Whether the other two knew it or not, they stood to be the most dominant in the household, because Michael was too depressed to try and act like he was in charge.
He knew he wasn't, he was just lying to himself—no one who did the things he used to with Calum could be considered dominant. At least, in his mind anyway.

"Why?" Luke asked in return, yet to look at Ashton. "Are you looking to exercise more?"

"If the answer to my question was yes, then the answer to yours is yes too."

Luke laughed, blushing slightly as he pulled out a packet of coiled pasta noodles. He glanced over at the man. "Is that your subtle way of saying you want to fuck before dinner?"

Ashton shrugged, grinning. "Yeah, basically." He wandered over, watching Luke grab the pots and pans from their places around the kitchen. "So what're you cooking tonight?" He asked, stepping back as Luke filled a saucepan with water from the sink tap.

"I'll probably just make a stir-fry with noodles mixed in. Sound good?" Luke replied, placing down the scissors he had used to cut open the noodle packet. He poured them into the pot, throwing away the packet before giggling softly as Ashton came up closer behind him.

"Mm, sounds great." Ashton hummed, wrapping his arms around Luke's waist.
The blond blushed, tilting his head to the side slightly as Ashton pressed soft loving kisses up along his neck. Luke gave out a low breath, sighing as he let his head lull back; exposed to Ashton's touch.

Michael got up from the table, dumping his coffee on the sink bench and storming off in a sulk. He hated it, he hated everything. All he wanted was for things to go back to the way they were, back to the normal he was used to with Calum kissing him and holding him in his arms while they were alone. He missed having all of his lovers together, spending nights on the couch laughing at the shitty kid movies Ashton would always pick, or spending days out shopping all because Luke couldn't decide on an outfit.

He didn't want Ashton acting like the man of the house, and he didn't want Luke acting like some loved up housewife who'd do anything for her husband. He loathed it more than he believed was responsible.

Ashton sighed, his lips lingering just under Luke's ear as he spoke quietly. "He's not okay..."

Luke shook his head, moving to place the pot atop the stove as Ashton stepped back to let him do so. "He doesn't like this. Us. He just..." Luke set the level of flames to low, swiftly taking vegetables from the fridge and setting them down on the bench ready for him to clean, peel, cut. "I don't know, I guess he's not used to not having Calum around. He's not used to having us like this. I mean, I'm not either but I guess it's just hit him harder?"

"I think he's scared." Ashton admitted, beginning to stir the noodles for the blond cook.

"Scared?" Luke quizzed, cutting up a carrot.

"Scared of how we act. I just can't see myself submitting to anyone, not for a while at least. It's a vulnerable state to be in—you should know too—and we had that trust destroyed. I'm not ready to trust like that again."

Luke nodded, understanding. "I suppose Michael's feeling that vulnerability now. I can see the way he acts around us, as though we're going to start demanding he fall to his knees for us."

"I wouldn't, couldn't, do that to him." Ashton admitted. "Not when he's so broken still."

"Yeah..." Luke sighed. "It's sad... He clings to Calum so badly, I never realised how close they really were. I know we were all close but it's like there was something between them that... that we didn't have, you know?"

"Yeah... I know." Ashton sighed, distant. "Hopefully Mikey will tell us one day."