Off Ones Rockers II • Lashton

Chapter Forty-eight

Chapter Forty-eight

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When Liz returned home from work it was not unusual for her to see Ashton's car parked outside the house. The curly-haired boy changing his shifts to accommodate to Luke's school timetable - wanting to pick him up and see him as often as possible.

She didn't mind anyway, as long as it kept her son happy and his mind occupied with anything other than negative thoughts. She trusted them both, and she also trusted Luke to do his schoolwork - she had yet to get a complaint from school about her son failing to hand anything in, or failing any tests.

Often Ashton would just chill on Luke's bed whilst he worked, sometimes going downstairs to talk with Liz, and occasionally (with the limited knowledge he had) help the blonde with his work.

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"Here you go boys," she said, leaving two dishes of pasta on the side for them to collect, as well as a bowl of grated cheese that she had quickly rushed to get done.

"Thank you Liz," Ashton said politely, standing up and watching Luke slowly do so too. Ashton took a handful of cheese and placed it carelessly on his pasta, and when Luke just took the bowl and sat down he looked at his boyfriend's mother worriedly.

"Luke honey you don't want any cheese?" she asked, picking up the bowl.

Luke shook his head and stabbed a little aggressively at a piece of pasta. "It ruins it."

"You usually have cheese though. Is something wrong?" she asked. Ashton sat down beside him and placed a supportive hand on the boy's thigh, whilst he too began to eat his meal.

"I'm fine," he mumbled, after swallowing some pasta. "Just didn't want cheese, is that really a crime?" he asked rudely.

Liz's eyes widened in shock. She didn't know whether to scold him or let him off.

"Luke, she's just looking out for you like mum's do. You don't need to be so harsh on her. You just seem a little off lately that's all," Ashton said gently, not wanting to be in the middle of a son and mother arguing.

"I'm just getting used to things. Everything is all so different, and it would be so much easier if I could just have some room to breathe," Luke explained, throwing his fork back into the bowl and standing up.

Luke looked over at the window, the sun was setting, the room was getting dimmer despite the bright lights being on. He stood up and left the room. As he was walking up the stairs, Alex entered the door, it being a Friday night.

"Hey Luke," he called out, but the blonde was already in his room before he could reply.

The man entered the kitchen and hung his chair on Luke's now empty chair and frowned when he saw a basically full bowl of pasta. "He didn't eat his dinner?" he asked concerned.

They had been following the routine Ashton had proposed for three weeks now, and it seemed that everyone was coping well with it. Luke hadn't raised any complaints, but it was becoming more and more obvious that his behaviour was changing. It was becoming more and more explicit that he was not happy. And whether this was to do with Alex's company was still to be established.

"No," Liz sighed, running her hands through his hair. "I think he would of, but we upset him." Alex hugged her tightly, and Ashton looked away awkwardly, feeling more out of place than normal.

"He knew you were coming," Ashton said when he looked back around and saw the pair had finished being intimate and Alex was not getting a glass of water. "He kept checking the window."

"He eats fine during the week?" Alex asked, not really dealing with the blonde's health anymore. He was no longer his therapist, his mother deciding it would be more fitting for him to get a new one, and one where they actually physically met up.

Liz shrugged. "He eats. He's not eating as much. But, he just seems sad, not like he's struggling to eat." She thought back to the previous night where the three of them sat in silence and ate, her and Jack conversing every now and then. But, Luke seemed to want to just eat his dinner and then leave.

Alex took a sip of water and looked over at the doorway. "What do you think Ashton? He's always been pretty open with you."

"I agree. I think he's just sad. I don't know why, I don't even know if he knows why. I think he's just a bit lost."

"Could he be depressed?" Liz asked, looking over at her boyfriend, hoping for his help.

Alex nodded. "It's probable. Eating disorders and depression often come hand in hand."

"Should I talk to his therapist, maybe get him some medication. He seemed so happy when he first came home. I wonder if I did something wrong?" she rambled worriedly.

The man shook his head and rubbed her shoulder supportingly. "It's all in his head Liz. Even if he thinks you did something wrong, you didn't. You just need to keep talking to him, showing you care and eventually he'll want help. But, maybe raise your concerns."

Ashton bit his lip and looked over at the door and down at the pasta. He knew Luke would get something to eat later if he was hungry, he wasn't trying to starve himself. He wondered what he was doing right now - probably led on his bed and staring at the ceiling regretting everything he just did.

Ashton looked over to Alex and too begged for his help. The older man sighed. "You've got to tell him how you feel Ashton. If he's making you unhappy-"

Ashton shook his head. "Not unhappy, just always worried about him. Worried he'll run away again, or start withering away in my arms again."

Alex nodded understandingly. "You have to tell him that Ashton. You need to keep communicating your feelings to him. He might not like it, but he needs to be in touch with reality because otherwise, you'll just become something abstract to him. Communication is the most important part of any relationship. You want him to tell you how he is feeling, and I guarantee you he does too. As odd as Luke can be, he is still human too."

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