Chapter Text
Luke Hemmings’ mother always told him to stay away from trouble and he tried his best to listen. But trouble found him one day in the form of Ashton Irwin and since that first day that they met, trouble insisted on following him and refused to leave him alone.
Ashton followed Luke around like an ominous rain cloud hanging overhead. Ashton was bad news and Luke didn't want anything to do with the older boy who had tattoos and played in an obnoxiously loud band. But it seemed that the more Luke tried to ignore Ashton, the more Ashton tried to get under Luke’s skin. And if Luke was being honest, he didn't mind the attention.
***
“Morning, princess,” Ashton smirked at Luke right before he slammed Luke’s locker shut. Luke sighed and began punching in his combination again, not even bothering to look at Ashton. Luke thought that maybe if he ignored him, Ashton would leave him alone.
He was wrong.
As soon as Luke got his locker open again, Ashton slammed it shut a second time. This action finally caused Luke to face the older boy. When Luke turned, he was met with a muscular body that was straining against tight, black clothes, as well as a mess of brown curls. Luke was temporarily distracted by the small smirk on Ashton’s face and the way it made his eyes twinkle with a mischievous light. But seeing Ashton’s hand still resting on his locker reminded Luke that he was supposed to be mad at him, not admiring his features.
“What do you want, Irwin?” Luke mumbled. He hated confrontation.
“I just want to see how my favorite girl is today,” Ashton smiled, clearly amused with himself.
The people within hearing range around Luke’s locker laughed at Ashton’s statement and Luke could feel the heat spread across his cheeks.
“Aww! Lukey’s blushing!” Ashton exclaimed louder now that he had a captive audience. Luke didn't say anything, he just turned back to his locker and fumbled with the lock.
Ashton leaned in closer to Luke and he could feel Ashton’s hot breath on his skin.
“Do I make you nervous, babe?”
Luke blushed again at the pet name. It seemed that Ashton took it upon himself to tease Luke by calling him every pet name under the sun. Luke knew he did it on purpose too, just to make him uncomfortable.
The first time Ashton called Luke “babe” was actually a mistake. He had no intention of making Luke aware of his feelings for him. Ashton panicked, thinking that his cover was blown. That was until he saw Luke’s eyes grow wide and his face flush a deep crimson colour. Since that day two years ago, Ashton made it his mission to see how many times he could make Luke blush in his presence.
Luke seemed to be particularly bashful today and Ashton was loving every second of it.
“Do I make you nervous?” Ashton had to repeat his question because of Luke’s awkward silence.
“N-no,” Luke stuttered.
“Well, then I have to try harder,” Ashton said in a low voice while discreetly pressing his crotch into Luke’s backside. When Luke realized what Ashton was doing, he gasped and quickly spun around again. No longer worrying about retrieving his books from his locker, Luke rushed off down the hall in the opposite direction of a smirking Ashton.
***
(Several days later)
Each day was much of the same for Luke. He had a strict, unchanging routine that consisted primarily of schoolwork. He didn't mind spending every day exactly like the last. He was a creature of habit and change made him nervous, which is probably the reason why he felt off today. There was only one thing that managed to mess up his routine and frustrate him: Ashton Irwin. Ashton didn't always come to school. Being the resident bad boy, he felt it was his duty to skip every once in a while.
Initially, Luke was happy that Ashton wouldn’t be there to pick on him at his locker, but as the day went on, Luke found himself actually missing Ashton. While Luke considered Ashton to be a pain in the ass, he was like Luke’s bodyguard. Luke was Ashton’s personal plaything and since Ashton was one of the most popular (and dangerous) guys in school, everyone else left Luke alone.
Except Ashton wasn't here today, which meant Luke was fair game.
“Hey, faggot!” Luke heard before he was roughly shoved into the lockers. People laughed as his books scattered across the floor of the hall. He scrambled to collect his books and notes before they were all trampled on and ruined. He didn't expect anyone to help him so he was surprised when he saw two very large hands handing him his books. Luke looked up into the familiar hazel eyes and suddenly felt safe.
Ashton finally decided to come to school.
Before Luke could thank him, Ashton grabbed the guy that shoved him and pinned him against a locker.
“What the fuck is your problem, Irwin? I was just doing your job while you were out!” The bully shouted, his face turning red in anger. Ashton couldn't help but think that Luke looked much cuter when his face was flushed.
“Well I'm here now,” Ashton growled. “So leave the kid alone.”
The guy put his hands up in surrender and Ashton let him go. Turning around, Ashton faced a sea of awestruck faces.
“The fuck you guys staring at?” Ashton mumbled before turning on his heel and walking off. Luke watched Ashton walk down the hallway until he was lost in the crowd of people.
***
The day was finally coming to an end and Luke made one last trip to his locker before heading home. He was shuffling around in his locker absentmindedly. All he could think about was Ashton. Why did Ashton defend him earlier? Ashton is certainly no saint and Luke couldn't believe that he did it out of the kindness of his own heart. There had to be another reason. Luke was suddenly pulled from his reverie by the sound of someone’s voice next to him.
“You need to learn to protect yourself, Hemmings.”
Luke sighed when he recognized Ashton’s cologne. “Thank you for earlier,” Luke mumbled.
“Don’t fucking thank me. If you weren't so useless I wouldn't have to get involved.”
“I didn't ask you to get involved,” Luke snapped, hurt by being called useless.
“Face it; you need me, tinker bell.”
There it is again, the name-calling and the teasing.
“I don't need anybody,” Luke was almost shouting. He was getting fed up with Ashton’s constant games.
“Quit playing hard to get,” Ashton said as he moved closer to Luke, wrapping an arm around his waist and resting a hand on the small of Luke’s back.
“W-what are you talking about? What d-do you want from me?” Luke was nervous, more nervous than he had ever been around Ashton before. Ashton leaned closer, only inches away from Luke’s face.
“You know what I want,” Ashton’s breath fanned over Luke’s face and Luke couldn't help but lean in towards him. Their noses bumped together slightly as they continued to stare into each other’s eyes. Luke suddenly became very aware of the fact that his lips were mere inches away from Ashton’s. It felt as if every nerve in his body was set on fire. All he could think of was the way Ashton would feel against him and the way he would taste. Ashton seemed to be just as affected as Luke was. His bright eyes that were normally so full of mischief were now a dark shade of brown, filled with lust and longing. Ashton moved towards Luke, tilting his head up slightly so he could have better access to the boy who was a little taller than he was.
“Where the fuck is Ash? He was supposed to meet us 10 minutes ago.” Ashton’s band members and best friends, Michael and Calum, said as they rounded the corner.
Luke and Ashton quickly took a step away from each other, leaving enough space between them so Ashton’s friends wouldn't get suspicious.
“Ash stood us up for this nerd!” Michael started laughing.
Upon seeing the frustrated look on Ashton’s face, Calum began cracking his knuckles, thinking that Ashton was just about to give Luke a beating.
“No!” Ashton said a little too quickly when he realized what Calum was doing.
Ashton cleared his throat before starting again. “Hemmings and I were just talking, but we're done now. Let’s go to band practice.” Ashton said as he joined his two friends and walked away from Luke. Just before he turned the corner, Ashton looked back at Luke and winked. Luke blushed at the gesture as he watched Ashton disappear down the hall for the second time that day.