Chapter Text
Luke was in serious shit. It wasn’t his fault –well yeah it definitely was but he was scared shitless right now and with no clue on what to do.
The 16-year old had accidentally broken Ashton’s drum pedal, how he managed to do it was beyond himself, he was sure that, even when they were almost the same size, there was no way he was bulkier than the 23-year old man.
Luke was capable of hiding it for three whole days until eventually Ashton had a free day from work and decided to ‘get the dust off my baby-I mean baby number two, you know you’re my first baby Lukey’ and Luke couldn’t find it in him to laugh, panic going through his body with his heart beating a mile per hour. Ashton had one rule of gold, one that Luke’s blue puppy eyes and pout could never twist, and it was:
Never -‘I’m totally serious Luke’- touch Ashton’s drum set without his supervision.
And Luke knew this by heart; he knew to wait for the older to play, wait to be sat on his lap and have bigger, more experienced hands showing him an easy-to-follow rhythm. But today was different, he had been whining to the older for the whole week to let him play, but Ashton had things to do, work to get done, a house to clean, and Luke was sick of waiting. So while the older was away, he took matters into his own hands –and destructive feet. Luke still couldn’t believe it, how the fuck do you break a drum petal again?
“Come on Lukey, go for your guitar, it’s been a while since we’ve done some playing together” He sat on the stool and took his personalized drumsticks, and then Luke heard it.
“What the fucking fuck Luke!” Ashton’s voice echoed through the entire apartment, sending shivers down the scared boy’s spine.
Maybe he could get away with saying it wasn’t his fault…”I’m so so sorry but you weren’t here and I really really wanted to play, but like you were working and I’ve been telling you since days Ash please!” Luke spluttered nervously, thinking in a hundred ways of escaping the wrath of his adoptive father as this knelt down to scan the damage.
“You know how fucking much this is going to cost me? Why can’t you just obey a simple rule?!” And Luke was shaking at this point because Ashton was swearing and he never cursed in front of Luke unless he was totally angry. “Daddy I’m really sorry, I swear” tears were already forming on the boy’s eyes, numbing his view of Ashton walking towards him with a dangerous step. He roughly grabbed the boy’s wrist and dragged him to the couch in the center of the living room. “That won’t work at all right now Luke”
“Daddy, daddy please I don’t want! I’ll help you pay, I’ll be a good boy too I swear daddy!” Luke wailed while being thrown on the older’s lap. “With what Luke? Huh? You forget I’m the one who brings the food to the table? You only have to sit and wait for it” He said harshly, yanking down the shorts from squirming boy’s legs. “Stay still or this will only be worse for you!” And Luke was full on crying now, wishing he at least had his dummy to have some comfort. He obeyed anyway, and took his punishment on his bare bottom for what felt like forever, but it was only a couple of minutes.
When it was finally over, Ashton raised him from his lap -in a non gentle way- and raised his shorts. “You’re grounded for a week, no guitar, no phone and no Internet, understood?” The older said lowly, looking up to meet the sobbing boy who only nodded as a response. He got up and went to the bathroom to have a shower, leaving a crying mess standing there with a sore bum.
That’s how Luke ended in the middle of nowhere –according to him-. The blond couldn’t take the awful sadness that came to him when he remembered how disappointed and angry Ashton had been, so he decided to leave to Michael and Calum’s apartment until the older loved him again. Or at least he attempted too, the boy knew he had taken the right bus so why was he so lost right now? Desperation was starting to rise on him, now the only thing he wanted was to get back with Ashton and Ashton only, but he was so angry, he probably didn’t love Luke anymore and was regretting adopting him as he was standing there.
He looked his surroundings, seeing tall and small buildings only, the cars passing before him fastly. This plan was starting to sound very ridiculous, he was certain the building to Ashton’s friends was supposed to be here, somewhere…
“Luke?” A voice interrupted his panicking thoughts, turning his head he couldn’t be more relieved when he saw it was Michael, a frown on his so handsome features. He threw himself to the black-haired man, sobbing on his chest. “I’m scared Mikey! I was going to your house but I don’t think I got in the right bus because I can’t find your building and I don’t have more money with me, Ash is really mad at me and either way I don’t know how to get back and-“
“Wait, wait kiddo! First of all, we’re like 5 minutes away from my apartment, but you’re on the wrong direction though –and what do you mean Ashton is mad at you? You ran away?” He led the boy to the bus stop he had just gotten down of. “Wait no! I wanna go to your house, Ash’s angry and he doesn’t want me, can we go to your house? Please Mikey” the boy cried desperately and Michael hesitated for a moment, before deciding for the safest option.
“Alright c’mon, let’s go to my place, it’s getting dark. But as soon as we get there, I’ll call your father okay?” He didn’t wait for a response and instead started walking to the house he shared with Calum, Luke silently crying and clung to his jacket-clad arm.
“Why did you run away hm? You know Ash must be dying of worry right now” He softly spoke to the boy, who had a strong grip on his arm. “I broke Ashton’s drum pedal and he got like, really angry. He punished me and I-I mean-you should’ve seen him, he was so furious, I think it was the first time I’ve seen him like that” Michael hummed “I see, well I can understand him a bit. That drum set was a gift from his grandpa so- he heard Luke let out a whimper at that- but I’m sure it’s not such a big deal Lukey, everything will be okay I promise” he hurried to reassure the boy.
“Look, we're in my building, I’ll make you some super special hot chocolate and wait for Ash there okay?” Luke only sniffed, clinging more to the older as they made their way inside.
“Calum I’m home!” Michael dropped his keys on the table next to their door. “He probably didn’t hear, he was listening music when I went out” He told the boy. “I’m gonna call Ashton; I left my phone here charging”
Luke walked into the slightly bigger place, choosing to sit on the couch, knees brought to his chest. If Ashton was mad when he left, he was going to be livid now, and it was his entire fault, he didn’t deserve him at all.
“Fuck” He lifted his head when he heard Michael’s voice, he looked back at him “Thirteen missed calls by guess who” Luke whined, goodbye guitar for 2 months. Michael was about to hit the ‘call button’ when the phone rang for the 14th time, he was here to answer now though. The 22-year old hadn’t put the phone on his ear when the other was already yelling through it.
“Michael what the fuck I’ve been calling you and Calum for at least two fucking hours don’t you check your fucking phone?! Goddamn, have you seen Luke? He left the house or I don’t know, but he’s not here and I’m fucking dying right now Michael, he left his phone and he’s not around our building –Michael please tell me you’ve seen him” He talked desperately and the black-haired felt his heart clench.
“Don’t worry Ash, he’s here, I found him around the corner and brought him here. He’s pretty upset though” Michael said calmly, he could hear the giant breath Ashton took at the other side of the line. “Thank God Jesus Christ. Is he okay?-I’m on my way to pick him up, tell him I’m not angry anymore, just really worried- he’s still grounded by the way, but don’t tell him that” Michael heard fumbling on the other line and imagined Ashton entering his car at the moment, ready to start the engine.
“Alright, see ya” He hung up then, turning to see the boy curled up on the couch. “He’s on his way, he was really worried but he told me to tell you that he’s not angry okay?” The older made his way to sit beside the boy.
“You sure?” He whispered, eyes peering up to Michael. “Yes, now let me get you that super special hot chocolate kiddo”
Some fifteen minutes later, Luke had been playing on the Xbox that lay carefully on the cabinet under the TV, pointlessly trying to take his mind off the possibility of Ashton being angry at him. He had said he wasn’t but…Luke still was concerned.
When he heard the knock on the door his heart almost stopped, he looked at the black-haired lazily sprawled beside him, who got up without sparing him a glance. “Coming!”
As soon as the door was being open, Ashton was barging into the room, eyes immediately falling on the blond who started crying his eyes out and jumped off the couch to run to him. “Lukey” Ashton sighed, holding the distressed boy on his arms.
“I’m so sorry daddy, I really am!” the boy sobbed on his chest. “Shh its okay baby, daddy’s here, daddy’s not mad anymore” He lifted the boy on his arms, wrapping his thin legs on his waist.
“I was really scared daddy because I-I got lost, I didn’t remember Mikey’s building. I won’t do it again, promise daddy, I’m gonna be good” he continued to wail, clinging onto Ashton’s shirt, soaking it with his tears. Ashton continued to try and reassure him, bouncing Luke on his hip, saying sweet things on his ear “its okay Lukey, daddy loves you so much. You made a mistake and now you learn from it like the smart boy I know you are, okay?" He kissed the side of his temple, tightening the hold on his boy.
Eventually Luke fell asleep on Ashton’s arms, who continued to gently swing him side to side. And it was then that Calum made an appearance.
“Seriously? Pick up your damn phone next time” The older in the room said lowly, earning a snort from Michael, who was making dinner for them all.
“What did I miss? Why are you-Is Luke okay? I’m confused, I felt asleep”
“Fuck you”