Chapter Text
”Daddy, what if I don’t make any friends?” Lily Irwin asks her father as she’s being buckled into her car seat, cursing under his breath when he couldn’t get the latch in right. “What if everyone hates me because I don’t have a mommy?”
Ashton sighed, finally getting the latch into place before pressing a kiss on top of his daughter’s head. “No one is going to tease you about that love, I promise. As for making friends, didn’t you say that your friend Aiden was going to be in your class?” He closes the door to the backseat before heading to the driver’s side, sliding into the seat and buckling himself up.
Today wasn’t exactly a good day for him, having to take his little girl to her first day of kindergarten. Granted, she only had to go for the afternoon, but it was still stressful on him. It would be the first day in a long while that it wouldn’t be the two of them spending the day together, and Ashton was going to miss that.
The entire drive to the school is full of nervous chatter from both of them. Lily was still concerned about her lack of friends while Ashton was trying to sound optimistic while covering up his obvious concern. Lily, unlike him, had always been a shy little girl and never good with strangers. Ashton was pretty sure she got her shyness from her mother.
When the finally pull up to the school Lily has started biting on her nails. “Daddy I’m scared.”
Ashton gives her a wide smile before unbuckling her from her car seat and kissing her cheeks. “Don’t be, alright? Like I said, you have Aiden here to help you make friends and it’s only for four hours sweetheart. After that I’ll be coming here to pick you up and we’ll see about going and having some fun at home, alright?”
Lily nods and wraps her arms around her father’s neck, hugging him tightly. “I love you daddy.”
Ashton hugs his daughter back tightly, dreading the moment he’ll have to let go. “I love you too pumpkin, have a great day alright?” He kisses her cheek one last time before she’s slowly making her way towards the playground, hesitating as she approaches one of the swings. She turns back around, as if to see if Ashton is still there. Ashton gives her a small wave before she’s smiling back and getting on the swing.
"How are you not freaking out right now?" a deep voice is asking him and he turns to see Aiden’s father standing beside him, hands tucked away in his pockets as he stares at his son running towards the swings. The minute Lily locks eyes with him she’s leaping off the swings and hugging her best friend, both of them darting off towards the slides.
Ashton’s never really met Aiden’s father before, only catching a slight glimpse of him every now and then when he drops Aiden off after a play date. He’s had plenty of interactions with Aiden’s mother, up until she suddenly disappeared one morning. No one around town had heard from her since, the only word going around about the situation being how terrible of a mother she was to abandon her six year old son and husband. That was six months ago, and while Ashton had wanted to make the move to try and see if Aiden’s father was alright, he never had time.
Ashton worked at a record company in the heart of Sydney, producing bands that never seemed to reach international success. It was beginning to feel like a dead end job, but he couldn’t complain. Sometimes he got to do backing drums on some of their songs and it made him feel better about things.
Ashton shrugs. “I guess I’ve been preparing myself for this since I got her registered, it was only a matter of time before this day would come.” He holds out his hand in greeting. “Ashton Irwin, you must be Aiden’s father.”
The man nods, shaking Ashton’s grip firmly. Ashton feels the cool metal of a pinky ring in their handshake, wondering what made him want to wear that. “Luke Hemmings, shocking that we’ve never met before considering how much our children are always together. Then again you probably talked to my ex wife more than you did me.” He doesn’t seem uncomfortable talking about his ex, which surprises Ashton.
"I’m sorry," Ashton says, though he kind of regrets it as soon as the words leave his mouth. He wasn’t sure what else to say at that moment though. "It’s rough, being a single father. I’ve been raising Lily since she was born by myself." He knows he just sent the conversation towards a place he’s always been hesitant to talk about, but he feels comfortable around Luke for some reason, and he’s not sure why.
"Andrea told me about your wife," Luke says, and it’s not in the pitying way that most people say it in when they talk about her. Luke sounds like he’s just casually bringing it up, and while it wasn’t the most common way to bring up the subject, Ashton appreciates it. "I’m sorry you had to go through that alone."
Ashton sighs, staring down at his shoes. “It was pretty rough for the first few months, trying to navigate being a widow and a single father, but I managed to get through without any scars.” It’s weird to talk about it, considering he’s always had a hard time discussing it with other people. Yet here he was, spilling it out to a complete stranger he’d met only a few minutes ago. Something about Luke made him feel content about doing so.
"After Andrea left I thought everything would fall apart for me," Luke confesses, leaning against the oak tree behind him, crossing his arms across his chest. "Aiden had always been closest to her, me being gone on tour, but I’m really glad that we’ve managed to bond over her leaving. Most people think about how much pain Aiden is in over her being gone, but they don’t know the half of it." He’s nibbling on his lip ring, Ashton wondering if it’s a nervous tick of his. "I had to listen to that boy cry himself to sleep every single night because he didn’t think he was good enough for his own mother to stick around. He wouldn’t talk to anyone for a good two weeks after she left, only mumbling to me every now and then when he was hungry."
Ashton understood that, though he wasn’t sure if he should say it. His wife had died giving birth to Lily, so Lily never had to go through a phase where she never spoke to anyone or cried hours upon hours. It was Ashton that took care of that. It was a miserable time for him, trying to raise a daughter while trying to repair his broken heart. He never expected to be widowed at twenty years of age, but he made a promise to keep himself together for his daughter, a promise that stuck with him to this day.
"Do you have any idea why she could have left?" Ashton asks, before adding, "I’m sorry, that was probably overstepping my boundaries."
"That’s alright," Luke responds, scratching his nose. "I’m not ashamed of the reason she left, it was her own homophobic reasons that she ditched."
Oh.
Ashton found himself at a loss of words, not wanting his silence to sound like he was agreeing with Andrea but not sure what to say in response. Luke just scoffs before Ashton can think of anything.
"That’s the usual response I get," Luke rolls his eyes, lifting himself up off the tree and fiddling in his pocket for his car keys. "That and ‘are you sure that you’re gay? Maybe it’s just a delirious thought?’ which no, it’s not.” He fiddles with his keys for a moment longer before heading to his car.
"I think it’d be pretty hypocritical of me to agree with her," Ashton says instead, making Luke turn around with an eyebrow raised. "Yeah, I myself am gay so I’m not at all offended or disgusted by you. I’d be a pretty shitty person to be." He bites his lip from sudden nerves, not knowing where the situation was going to go from there.
Luke moves away from his car, heading back towards where Ashton was standing by the oak tree. He’s got a smirk on his face that makes Ashton wonder what is going through his head. “Glad to know not everyone in this town is against what I am.” He says, his smile widening a bit more until a dimple pokes out of one of his cheeks. “Nice to meet another single gay parent around here.”
"Same here," Ashton chuckles. The school bell rings then, all of the children running inside for class. Ashton catches Lily and Aiden racing each other into the school and it makes him smile. As soon as they are out of sight he takes his own car keys out. "It was really nice meeting you Luke, we should get together sometime with the kids, get to know each other better."
"Actually," Luke says, stepping closer to Ashton and standing in between him and his car. "How would you feel about getting to know each other better right now over lunch? Unless you are busy."
"I have work," Ashton confesses, and he doesn’t miss the way Luke’s smile falters at his words. "But luckily I’m my own boss, so I can show up whenever I desire. How about we head over to Hood’s diner down the road? Haven’t had their burgers in far too long."
Luke grins, letting himself into Ashton’s car at the passenger side. “I’m paying.” he says and Ashton gives him a wide smile as he all but runs to the driver’s side and slides in. “Am I allowed to call this a date?”
Ashton nods, suddenly feeling brave and taking Luke’s hand in his, the pinky ring still slightly cold against his hand. He doesn’t seem to mind this time. “Considering that’s what I want it to be, yes.”