Fall for You | OT4

☾❙twenty five

the library was quiet, only a few whispers heard.

there were people sitting at tables reading, and some on laptops doing whatever.

there was an elderly couple sitting at a table, both of them having a book in one hand, and the other hand intertwined across the table. luke smiled at that. elders always have beautiful love stories that give you hope.

they followed ashton towards the back of the library and luke could feel people staring. he didn't like it, but attempted to ignore it and just look down at the floor.

ashton suddenly stopped, and luke crashed into his back. he quickly apologized and he could feel his cheeks heating up.

"i have this book. i've read it so many times already." ashton says, pulling a bright orange covered book from the shelf.

luke automatically noticed it was a children's book and he was unsure if he should get it or not. he thought ashton was joking when he said children's stories help him sleep at night.

he felt stupid for not being able to sleep. now he's have to consider reading a kid's book to even become sleepy.

ashton noticed the conflicted look on luke's face and placed his hand on his shoulder. "i promise you, if it doesn't work, you can always bring it back. only we know about this, okay?"

luke slowly nodded and looked back down at the book. it was a dr. seuss book, green eggs and ham. he smiles lightly at memory of his mother reading the story to him when he was younger. she would use a different tone of voice for the characters, and he could never hear the entire story because he fell asleep in the middle of it.

he misses her, and the rest of his family. he regrets moving so far away from them. he misses the comfort and love that surrounded that family. he misses waking up to his mom making breakfast. he misses family game night. he needs to visit them sometime, it's been a while since he's seen them.

"i'll get it." luke says and looked up at ashton.

ashton nods, and a small smile spreads on his lips. "we'll just get one for now. if it doesn't work, we can try to find something else to help you sleep."

luke nods, and they go to check the book out.

the old woman scans the barcode and hands the book back to luke with a smile on her face. "my son reads this story to his daughter all the time."

"it's a good book." luke says, wrapping his arms around the book so no one else saw it.

they left the library and luke took a deep breath. "thank you for today, i had a lot of fun."

"of course... you don't mind if we go out again another time do you?" ashton asks, a hopeful look on his face.

and luke doesn't know why they're so desperate to see him again. but the pleading look all three of the boys gave him made him say yes.