Radiant (Lashton)

Chapter 2

A/n: Chapter 2, Welcome back! Shoutout to TeebaAlbayati for being a sweetheart and bxby-ishdxrk (I missed you lol). Vote, comment, recommend! Feel free to prompt any ideas for this story or another. Enjoy yourselves!

Disclaimer: lots of cursing in this particular chapter so....also, no hate to Sierra or Crystal! They're strong, beautiful women, and even though I don't necessarily ship them with Luke or Michael, I don't hate on them.

The World War Joy tour was to begin in a week, and Ashton hadn't seen much of Luke. He felt like he was being avoided, and like a broken stitch, everything became undone, and all his feelings bubbled to the surface. He'd contained himself so long, but the sick thoughts fought their way back.
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Luke Hemmings is an idiot. The world biggest, he decides. Just because he couldn't understand his feelings he decided to ignore Ashton, and now, Ashton was gone.

That may sound a little dramatic, but that's what he felt. Ashton had distanced himself, as Luke began to ignore him, and today? Today he hadn't seen Ashton at all. It was 40 minutes till show time and they were all in a mad panic searching for Ashton. He'd been off the first few shows, but only Luke, Calum and Michael knew him well enough to see that. But now, they didn't know where he was or what was wrong.

Luke was worried, and he chipped at his red nails, his lower lips lightly swollen and chapped from his nibbles. He tried to distract himself by texting Sierra, but in the end he felt worse cause she told him they could meet soon, and he knew that he was going to be awkward.

Around 30 minutes before the show officially started, Luke heard heavy thudding and the skid of Michaels boots as he slid into the room.

"Luke get your ass up, Ashton's here"

Luke snaps up at this and immediately follows Michael. The two weave through the crew and around the venue, till they stop at the far back, where the private exit was. Luke was expecting to see Ashton holding the door open, maybe taking a picture or meeting a fan.

Oh boy, was he wrong.

Instead of what he'd imagined, he saw Ashton curled up in the corner, sobbing and breathing erratically. Calum was there trying to calm him down but It wasn't working. Panic floods through Luke and he sits down in front of Ashton, who's eyes widen in fear as he presses further back into the wall.

"Hey, Ash, no just look at me"

Luke whispers softly as he places a hand on Ashton's knee. Ashton has his legs pulled up against his chest and he can't seem to calm down, which Luke understands. He didn't think he'd ever see Ashton have another panic attack as the last one had been years back.

Ashton looks up, through watery eyes, and Luke stares into the hazel orbs, letting his own tears falls. He trails his hand down Ashton's leg and laces their fingers together. He brings two of Ashton's fingers up to his own neck, right where his pulse is, all while gently rubbing his knee.

Luke stares into Ashton's eyes, and he doesn't know, doesn't know that his ocean blue orbs were Ashton's lifeline, yet the reason he was suffocating and drowning.

"Ashton, I need you to breathe for me. Feel my pulse, and breath with me. Come on darling"

Luke tries to keep his breathing even, and he notices Ashton try and match it. After a minute Ashton pull away and cries harder.

"Lu-L- it's n-not wor-rking"

Ashton voice breaks, so Luke pulls him into his lap and holds him, letting his hand gently stroke Ashton's curls. He feels Ashton relax, but only a little, which is good but he's still panicking. Luke notices Ashton's symbol on his jumpsuit, and seeing the drumstick sparks an idea.