Live in the Moment - Lashton

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-four

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Luke glanced up at the clock anxiously, it was now five past seven and Ashton wasn't here at the counter waiting for the toast to pop out of the toaster, his top buttons undone and a cup of coffee in his hands.

Luke hadn't received any messages from him either. The older man never replied to Luke's apology for being so silly yesterday about eating.

"Where's Ashton?" Theo asked as he walked into the kitchen, his pyjama bottoms hanging low around his waist exposing the little belly he was starting to form.

Luke simply shrugged, as the small boy climbed upon his lap and hung his arms around the blonde's neck. "He must have slept in. Waking up early all the time can catch up on you sometimes!" Luke wished it were the truth, but he knew Ashton was ignoring him after the previous night.

"Are you going to make me breakfast?" Theo asked, curiosity in his eyes. Luke stared into them for a while before pulling the boy in closer for a hug.

"I guess I will have to," he concluded, his voice shaking at the thought of making something unhealthy for his son.

"Toast?" Theo asked excitedly. It is what Ashton always gave him, but he had never known his father to give it to him.

"You can have toast," Luke agreed, knowing it was what Ashton gave him every day. Luke knew there was only white bread in the house, that was what Ashton chose when he would go shopping for the blonde. He would rather it be brown bread, knowing there was no proved reason it was healthier but it provided better for the body.

Theo grinned in excitement, it had been a common meal for nearly two months now but for his father to feed him it was something completely new. "But," Luke continued, placing the small boy down on the cold floor, pulling up his pyjama bottoms to hide the skin he was revealing. "You're not having butter," he argued. "You're getting fat enough!"

"But, Ashton always gives me butter!" Theo argued, taking no notice of his father's comment.

"Theo," Luke warned, much like he used to when the curly-haired teacher was not around. The small boy groaned and hopped up onto the chair, waiting patiently for the bland toasted piece of bread.

-

"Theo can you stay behind for a moment please," Ashton asked as all the children began to trail out of the classroom for their break time.

Theo halted in his tracks and looked over at the teacher. The older man pulled out a chair for the small boy to sit on whilst he leant against the edge of his desk.

"Have you eaten anything today?" his teacher asked anxiously. He knew it was risky leaving the young boy in his father's hands. That he'd quite happily starve the boy.

Theo nodded. "Daddy cooked me toast like you do. But he wouldn't let me have butter on it because Daddy said I'm fat!"

Ashton couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief at what the blonde had said to his son but he was thankful that Luke wasn't so deluded that he didn't feed the boy. "Don't listen to him Theo, you are just getting strong and healthy and you still need to grow some more."

The young boy just shrugged, not taking the comment to heart. Ashton knew he was too young to care. "Did daddy eat anything?" he asked hopefully. He knew it was unlikely. He should have been there to feed the pair but his body was still full of frustration and annoyance towards the blonde.

The small boy nodded. "He had a yoghurt, the boring ones without chocolate in! It was the most I have ever seen Daddy eat!"

"Anything else?" Ashton pressed hoping the delicate father ate something else. Theo only shook his head. Ashton groaned in frustration and stood up, he knew if Luke didn't start eating, he would only collapse again.

Nodding to himself, Ashton sat in the chair behind his desk, logging into his computer. "And did he give you lunch?"

Theo nodded, swinging his legs impatiently, wanting to go and play with the other children in the playground. "He said to me that I must tell you that your lunch choices are really really bad! But, I think they are good."

Ashton just laughed to himself, before turning his head towards the door to see one of the other teachers standing there. "Go on Theo!" he quickly blurted on in panic. "You're free to go! Theo grinned and hurried out into the playground.

"I never thought I see the day that Theo Hemmings gets in trouble!" she stated shocked by the young boy staying behind.

"Just talking over me, that's all. They all do it once don't they?" he quickly rambled, dismissing the subject.

The teacher hummed in agreement and proceeded to discuss what she had come to talk about.

-

"Theo, please just focus, we don't want to be late!" Luke complained as he was trying to tie up his son's shoe, but he was moving about as he played with his cars. The small boy stopped and held his feet out for the blonde to quickly, but tightly do them up.

Today was his first day of therapy, and he didn't want to go, didn't want to listen to what they had to say, but he knew he had to and that eventually, it would benefit him.

"Why can't I stay here. Nanny has no good toys!" Theo complained as Luke slipped on the small boy's coat and then rushed to get his own.

"You're way too young to stay here by yourself," Luke responded from the hallway. "Besides you would trash the place." There was a small knock at the door and the blonde frowned in confusion. He figured it was probably some advertiser, but proceeded to open it.

"Hey," Ashton mumbled as he held out a bouquet of flowers. Luke stood there in shock and took them in his hands. "I came to apologise for yelling at you yesterday. You deserved it, but I could be more considerate about this. I just don't understand."

Luke nodded, as he let Theo squeeze in next to him, grinning at his teacher. "I'm sorry too. I get I must be frustrating, but I'm heading off to therapy now and maybe I might be able to change a little," he suggested, stroking one of the flowers with his index fingers.

"That's why I'm here. Let me take you. It's cold and neither of you needs to be burning any calories anytime soon." Luke looked down at Theo and bit his lip, and Ashton didn't fail to notice. "And don't you dare go calling poor Theo fat! He's only just reached a healthy weight."

Luke nodded knowing that his son was still frail, he was just in a bad mindset that morning.

"Come on, let's drop you both off and after I'm taking you both out for a treat. I'm so proud of you both!"

-

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