Work Text:
You’re checking your outfit one last time in the mirror when you hear your phone buzz on your bed. You guess by the headlights shining through your bedroom window that it’s Calum and Nia telling you they’re finally here.
You yell a quick goodbye as you dash downstairs before you slip out the front door and into the back of the car.
“Hey guys!” You say, as you lean over to give Nia a kiss on the cheek and Calum a hug – which involves hugging more of the driver’s seat than him.
Calum gives you one of his winning smiles and Nia turns around in her seat to chat excitedly.
“I’m so glad you’re actually here! I feel like we haven’t seen you at all since we got back.”
Calum and the rest of the boys had just finished one of their world tours, with Nia and the rest of Hey Violet supporting them. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t great – they arrived home just as your end of semester exams had started, so you were pretty much cooped up in your room studying day and night until your last exam (which, thankfully, was this morning). You’d managed to see Calum and Nia once for coffee, and also met with Michael and Crystal for a late night macca’s run last week when you had no motivation left to study for economics.
“I know! I’m so sorry, I feel like I haven’t done anything in the last 3 weeks except stare at pages,” you reply, “But I’m all done now, and I’m so keen to actually have a life again!” You lift your hands up in the air and Nia gives a hoot.
Calum chuckles and pulls out of your driveway to head towards Luke’s house. After not seeing you at all since his return, Luke had messaged you the previous Saturday and declared that he’d be hosting a “Welcome home to us/End of exams for Y/N” party, and you’d been looking forward to it all week. You needed to celebrate after living in your own self-guarded prison for a few weeks, plus you missed the silly boy. He’s been your best friend since you were little, after all.
“You look gorgeous by the way, the dress looks great.” Nia comments, properly sitting back in her seat. You were wearing one of Nia’s little black dresses. She’d come over the day before to drop it off to you. You’d paired it with your favourite ankle boots and decided to leave you hair natural for once, mainly so you didn’t have to worry about it falling out if you got a little too messy later on.
“Thanks so much again for the dress.” You blush, pulling the hem down to cover a little more of your thigh. “I can’t wait to see everyone, how’ve they all been?”
“Well!” Nia turns her body towards you again and starts telling a story about how Miranda managed to spill a soy latte all over a fan, and about how they’d spent the whole of Tuesday looking for one of Casey’s cats that managed to run out his front door.
You laugh along and look out the window and Nia gets lost in her own story, Calum shaking his head and she faces him and continues. You watch the houses grow larger as the car drives into the estate where Luke lives. He moved there when he realised the houses were at least a block away from each other toward the north end of the area – “Think of how loud we can play music without anyone complaining!” He’d exclaimed, and, of course, you’d all agreed.
You’re giggling as you think about how soon you’ll see your favourite people again, but you snap back to attention when Nia mentions your most favourite person.
“...Oh, and Ash hasn’t shut up in the past couple weeks about how he hasn’t seen you yet. Like he’s the only person in the world who wants to see you! Gosh, he’s such a nugget brain sometimes. Thank the lord your exams are over, if I heard one more time about how much he hated you having to study them I would’ve taken all your textbooks from you and dropped them on his head.”
Calum laughs and he pulls into Luke’s street, but you’re trying too hard to stop your face from going red to laugh along. The mention of Ashton’s name alone has made you feel like your heart was going to blow out of your chest from beating so fast. You’d done that since the day you met him. You grew up with the rest of the boys, they were like brothers to you. But Ash was different, he met you when he came into the band and you were a teenager – aka; peak hormonal stage. He was absolutely gorgeous, so of course you had a thing for him. But instead of fading like all the other crushes you’d had, it only grew stronger. And even now, when you’d easily consider each other best friends, you sometimes found it hard to contain yourself around him.
Calum’s giving Nia a bemused look as he turns the engine off, car parked at least halfway down the street as you realise the majority of the party must’ve already arrived. At a party at Luke’s, it’s not uncommon to stay the night. People sleeping in his spare rooms, the couches and floors, and even once in the bath tub (although you rarely tell people that the person under the piles of towels New Year’s morning was you).
The music is already thumping from where the car’s parked, and you smile as you recognise the Blink 182 bass line. It only grows louder as you make it to the front yard, where young adults are drinking and laughing, you even notice two people in the bushes.
The atmosphere hits you the moment Nia opens the door, the music swirling around you, the heat from the crowd laughing and dancing, the mixed aroma of sweet fizzy drinks and strong booze. This is what you’ve been waiting for.
You make it about two steps through the front door when you’re practically tackled to the ground from your right side.
“You’re here!” a familiar voice screams in your ear. You manage to find your feet as turn to the left to see who your attacker was.
“Lukey!” you cheer.
You chuckle and turn his attack into a quick cuddle. He laughs back when you let go of him and you can tell from his breath and his inability to look at you without crossing his eyes that he’s already had a few drinks. You quickly catch up, and when someone calls his name from the other side of the room and you shoo him away to his guests. He gives you a quick kiss on the cheek and a promise to catch up with you later on.
“If you make it that long,” you comment as your foot kicks his bum when he jogs away.
Calum is immediately drawn to the radio in the corner blasting music, probably to check out what the rest of the playlist holds (you assume from the fact that Angel’s and Airwaves beginning to play that it was made by Michael, meaning it’ll be pretty good).
Nia and you take the opportunity to head towards the kitchen to grab drinks and are greeted by Rena and Casey giggling at another boy you’ve never met before trying – and failing – to chug his beer. You give them a quick cuddle each and look around whilst you grab two cups. Nia begins chatting while you’re getting the drinks.
“So where are the rest of the gu-” you begin to ask, but you stop and smile instead when you see Michael standing on a table out the back dancing with Miranda and Iain. The small crowd dancing around the table falls into hysterics when Michael manages to fall off balance and subsequently onto the floor trying to help Crystal onto the table to join.
After a quick chat you take Nia’s bag for her and offer to put it in one of the upstairs bedrooms with yours. You end up taking Rena jacket as well when you notice how hot she looks, receiving grateful looks from the slightly sweaty pink-haired girl.
You wave and greet what seems like half the party before you make it to the staircase, even grabbing a few more bags on the way. Luke calls your name from the couches in the corner and you smile but raise the jackets so he can see you’re busy.
After depositing the garments in one of the many spare rooms (some of them had already been claimed by a few pairs), you made your way back downstairs to join the crowd.
When you’re just starting to pass back through the expansive living room, you’re suddenly pushed forward when you’re tackled again from behind. You let out a small “oof” noise as a pair of strong arms holds you up and you look down to work out who it is, but one glance at the muscly biceps and the smell of his usual cologne is all you need.
“Ash.”
You turn around and see your favourite hazel eyed devil. You’re pulled into a proper hug and wrap your arms tightly around his neck.
“I missed you,” He whispers into your shoulder, voice muffled by your hair, “don’t leave me again.”
You smile as you pull away, hands resting on his shoulders as his rest on your waist.
“Ash, you’re the one that left.”
“I know, I’m sorry. But it’s terrible being home without you around.”
“How do you think I’ve felt! You’ve been away for months.” You pout your mouth slightly and give him your best puppy dog eyes.
He laughs and finally pulls away completely from the embrace, handing you a cup. You notice it’s your drink form earlier.
“At least we’re both here now.” He says, and your heart practically melts at his smile. He notices the confused glance you give your drink and explains. “I found Nia on her way out to the backyard so I came to find you.”
“This is why I need my best bud.” You look back up at him and swing your arm around his torso to move him into the chaos that now is the living room. You don’t notice the small frown he gives when you call him ‘bud’.
“C’mon, let’s go find everyone,” you practically shout over the music, pulling Ashton alongside you towards the backyard.
You had ended up finding everyone sitting around a newly lit fire-pit in the back corner of the yard. The music was still loud enough here for a few people (mainly a way too energetic and slightly limping Michael) to dance barefooted in the grass, but not loud enough that it disturbed your group of friends chilling with each other around the flames. Even Luke had come over and sat down too, just after you had arrived, bringing a keg with him. You’d had a few drinks already and were starting to feel it.
You were now sitting cross-legged on the grass, leaning on a small dividing wall in the garden with Ashton beside you and Casey laying with his head on one of your thighs as he softly sang a song to himself. He was sure to pass out soon. You watch the party inside the house still going off and smile to yourself as Luke tells a story about Calum’s dog pissing on his bed the first night they came home. You laugh and look to your side, only to notice Ashton staring intently at your hands idly playing with Casey’s hair as he nods off in your lap. Ashton senses your movement and immediately looks away sheepishly. You’re confused, but think maybe it’s just the alcohol making it seem like more than it is, dismissively shaking your head.
With Casey finally asleep, you slide his head off your lap and lay it on his jumper that he’d taken off earlier. The timing could not have been more perfect, as Luke hears the infamous guitar riff signalling the start of Mr Brightside. He instantly shouts your name and pulls you up to dance as he runs to a spare patch of grass – this had been you song since you were young and it you had to dance with him.
You laugh and happily let yourself be pulled away by him, beginning to sing along and dance erratically as the other people still dancing in the area gather with you.
“…destiny is calling me, open up my EAGER EYES! CAUSE I’M MR BRIGHTSIDE!” you shout, punching your fists into the air and giggling. You continue laughing as Luke grabs your arms and begins to dance with you, spinning you around and holding your hips.
His singing is incredibly off key, obviously ruined by the alcohol, and you find it hilarious. You’re half leaning against his chest, out of breath from dancing and laughter when you again notice Ashton staring. And this time you were sure it wasn’t in your head- jealousy.
He isn’t looking at you so much as he is Luke, staring at him like he’s Satan. Luke, oblivious to his enraged friend, pulls you into him for a hug. Ashton stands up and moves away from the group, sitting on a bench near the small fish pond a few meters away instead, with his back to you.
No one else in the group notices; most of them are much further away still dancing – the few that were left are either “busy” with another person or asleep in the grass like Casey.
You thank Luke for the dance and start moving towards Ashton, giving the blue-eyed boy a small smile when he gives you his biggest frowny face.
“We can dance more later,” you throw back. He lets go of you and begins dancing with his other friends and you know that he’ll be just fine dancing with everyone else for the rest of the night.
Ashton doesn’t look at you when you sit down next to him, and now that you’re here you’re not quite sure what to say. You stare at the fish pond in front of you, watching the koi swim around and around, and think. What if you’ve got it wrong? He couldn’t really be jealous of Luke dancing with you…could he? No. It must have been your feelings for him messing up your thoughts. But something was still wrong with him, and as one of his best friends you had to make sure he was okay.
You turn on the bench, sitting with one leg underneath you so that you can fully face him.
“Ash,” you say quietly.
He ignores you, staring at the swirling fish.
“Ash,” you say again, this time louder.
He continues to stare ahead, clearly determined to ignore you. You notice he’s slightly shaking, and you wonder if it’s from the late-night chill or whatever’s going on in his head.
“Ash,” you try, one final time. You place your hand on his thigh as you say it, and lean your head towards him, trying to catch his eye. “Talk to me.”
He freezes and the shaking stops when you put your hand on his leg, whatever angry façade he’d somehow managed to put on to try and ignore you quickly falling away. He silently thanks the lord you hadn’t grabbed his wrist, or you might have felt his heart rate go through the roof the moment you touched him. It’d done that since the moment he met you.
“I-I…” he begins, but when he looks into your soft (E/C) eyes he can’t bring himself to tell you. What if you didn’t feel the same way? He couldn’t lose his best friend.
You heart breaks in two when he finally makes eye contact and you see the sad look on his face.
“Oh God, Ash, tell me what’s going on.”
He looks around; at the bench, the sky, again at the pond, and you place a hand on either side of his chin – cupping his face – to move his focus back to you.
“I just…” he swallows and tries again.
“You and Luke… together… dancing. I just… I don’t know – I really don’t.” He heaves out a big breath and sinks into your hands more. He can’t do this, it’ll ruin everything. “Forget it. Don’t worry.”
He tries to stand up but you pull him back down, moving forward as you do so, so that you’re sitting closer with him facing toward you this time. Your heart is racing at this point, unaware that his is too.
“Ash…”
He’s looking towards to pond again but you continue anyway.
“Why don’t you want me dancing with Luke?” you prod.
He stares at the pond a while longer, long enough for you to give up on an answer and sigh in defeat. You’re about to leave when he moves his hand onto your leg.
It’s your turn to freeze. You immediately look down at your thigh and feel like you might pass out from the speed your heart is now beating. Slowly, you look back up at Ashton and he’s staring directly at you. Maybe it’s the alcohol, but any hesitation he may have had about what he’s about to do disappears when he looks at your eyes. They’ve always been his weakness.
He leans in towards you and you feel his lips on yours, gentle but firm. You kiss him back immediately. The kiss is soft and sweet, and when he pulls away and looks at you he’s nervous.
“I… sorry, I should’ve… I mean-” he tries to stutter out, but you cut him off by pulling him in for another kiss. This time it’s different; wanting, loving. You both now know the other one wants this, and nothing holds you back.
Ashton smiles into the kiss and you place your hands on his neck, pulling him deeper. His hands wrap around your waist as he pulls you onto his lap so you’re straddling him. His lips are exactly what you imagined, soft and sweet, and you can taste the alcohol on his breath. He moans slightly into your lips and you run your hands slowly through his soft locks.
After what seems like an eternity – but is still somehow too soon – you both pull away, breathless. Ashton’s eyes are gleaming and his lips are slightly red and swollen. You can still feel fireworks going off in your head.
Your hands rest on his chest as you sit back in his lap and smile, his hands tracing circles on the small of your back.
“So...” you start, but, once again, you’re not sure what to say.
Ashton’s grin falters and he looks a little confused again. You raise an eyebrow.
“I thought… you had a thing for Luke?” he explains.
You breathe out a laugh and shake your head.
“Clearly I don’t. Luke’s like a brother to me, like the other guys. You know that.”
He looks a little relieved, but you can tell he’s not convinced.
You lean forward and kiss his nose softly before cupping his face once again to look into his eyes.
“It’s you, Ash. It’s always been you.” You whisper.
His face immediately lights up when he realises this isn’t just a drunken kiss, this is more. What he’s craved for years.
“I’ve waited so long to hear you say that,” he whispers back, his voice soft and a little horse from tiredness. “It’s always been you, too.”
You both smile wildly at each other, knowing that this is exactly how it’s supposed to be, as you lean in for another kiss.