Strings Attached (lashton, editing)

Ten.

"So," Calum starts "hows your friend?"

Calum knew that unless he asked and jabbed at Luke with a million and one questions, he would never hear a thing about his best friends suspected lover. 

"My friend is good thanks. And he's nothing more than a friend," Luke insisted, as per usual. Their weekly lunch date was very quickly turning into Calum bugging Luke about a suspected boyfriend or whatever Ashton was to Luke, but Luke was less than willing to give anything away. 

"C'mon Luke, I'm your best friend and you haven't dated anyone in god knows how long. Give me something to go off of." Calum practically pleaded for some sort of gossip from the blonde in front of him. 

"...Fine," Luke reluctantly sighed as he thought of what to tell Calum, he didn't really know if there even was anything to tell Calum. Neither Luke nor Ashton had made much of a move just yet. After their date the past weekend, the two had sat in Luke's apartment yet again for hours just talking. And, when it was time for Ashton to go home Luke had almost allowed himself to just reach out and kiss the boy but again talked himself out of it - instead settling for very long hug. "I like hanging out with him, but I'm scared to take it further because of Tim."

"Does he know about Tim?"

"Yeah, he's actually met him before." Luke awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, realising he was going to have to tell Calum about when and how the two met. "He was the one to get Tim from Mike, that night after we went out a few weeks ago. Apparently I didn't wake up to Mike's hammering at the door."

"No way," Calum laughed to himself in shock. "You mean to tell me, this boy met Tim after being your one night stand and is still around? I'm impressed."

"He's in college too. In fact, he's the same age I was when I had Tim."

"Fucking hell Luke, you've pulled a rager with this one." Calum laughed again, looking at his best friend who seemed less tense than he had been in a long time. Luke even had an easy smile resting on his face, something Calum had barely seen in years. The past four years had been so, so tough on his best friend. "But seriously, Luke don't let Tim hold you back. It'll be good for you to get out there more."

"I really like him Cal, but I don't want Tim to lose more than he already has." The thought of bringing someone into Tim's life still sacred Luke, he had been thinking about how close he and Ashton had become and how close they'd come to doing more than just hugging. Hell, they'd done more than just hugging and gentle hand touches the night they met. 

"You can have Tim and have a love life Luke, don't forget that. You've gotta look after yourself," Calum encouraged his best friend, knowing the boy had been alone for so long and that he needed somebody new in his life. "Tell you what Luke, Tim is with Mike this week and I'm having a party at mine this weekend that I am not allowing you to miss, why don't you bring the boy."

"Cal, I hate p-"

"No, nope. I don't care, you need to get out, you're coming and you're bringing your little friend."

- -

"You don't have to come tonight if you don't want to," Luke turned to Ashton as the two walked up to Calum's apartment building. "I've would've been happy to do something else tonight, or understood if you had plans."

"Luke, stop. I wanted to come," Ashton smiled, looking back at the blonde beauty by his side. "Besides, I had nothing else to do so I thought hanging out with some old guys would be fun."

"Oh shut it," Luke let out a blissful laugh, nudging Ashton softly. "Thanks for coming though, I don't usually go to parties but Calum told me he'd come to my apartment and carry me here if I didn't show up. So, I figured there was no getting out of it, and I thought having you here might make it a bit more fun." 

Opening the front door and walking right inside, Luke made a beeline for the living room where he knew his best friend would be sitting alongside some of their other college friends. Putting his box of beers on the coffee table, Luke was met with an arm being slung around his shoulders as Calum happily saw his best friend at a party. 

"Luke, you made it." Calum smiled at his best friend. "Where's your friend, huh?"

"Hey Cal, this is Ashton. Ashton, Calum." Luke stepped to the side, introducing the boy behind him to the boy currently slung around his shoulders. "He called us old men as we were walking in."

"Ouch, that hurts," Calum smiled at the younger boy looking him up and down trying to judge what he's like. "It's nice to meet you Ashton and to finally know your name, I've been trying to get something about you out of Luke for weeks but he's very secretive."

"Well I've heard plenty about you," Ashton laughed, glancing back at Luke who was smiling at him. "It's nice to meet you too. It's good to meet someone that treats him well."

"I like him Luke, he's a good one." Calum turned back to his best friend and smiled between the two. "Why don't you go sit with the guys on the couch, I'll be back out soon." A small slap to his back pushed Like towards his college and even some high school friends, but not before grabbing Ashton's hands and their drinks to bring along with him. 

--

And another chapter! This will continue in the next.

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Ashton going Luke to the party?

Calum approving of Ashton? 

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- Grace