description: some quick drumset sex w a sweaty ashton 👀
word count: 1.3k
warnings: teasing, light bit of thigh riding, daddy kink, quick ride at a drumset
w/n: sorry this is so short! i wrote this one like a month ago and it isn’t my best, but i wanted to post something for y’all and figured this might be a good thing to get off my list!
Ashton’s drumming echoed through your home, the sound muffled by the walls and AirPods you had in your ears as you organized your bookshelf again. He was filming another drum cover, something you had encouraged him to do while you waited for a package to arrive, your eyes keep track of the time and any Amazon notifications that came through your phone. Finally your phone buzzed, a smile lighting up your face as the delivery notification popped up on your screen, your body quickly jumping up from your spot as you ran to the door.
Once you gathered the soft package in your hands you carried it to the kitchen, grabbing a pair of scissors and cutting it open until you could reach in and pull out the fabric inside. It was a lovely little skirt that you had bought a week ago, having seen it being worn on Tik Tok and deciding you wanted one for yourself. Immediately you grinned and ran upstairs, changing your outfit to match with your skirt before looking at yourself in the mirror.
It was definitely shorter than you had expected, the fabric barely reaching mid-thigh as you stood up perfectly straight in the mirror, fingers smoothing over it as you turned from side to side. You pulled your hands back and repeated the action a bit quicker, grinning when the fabric lifted as you did a full spin. The breeze on your legs made an idea pop into your head, your fingers slipping under the skirt as you discarded your underwear and tossed it aside, your legs already carrying you out of the room and down to Ashton’s music room, the sound of his drums fading a bit as he finished whatever cover he had wanted to do that day.
Before walking in you knocked lightly, knowing he may not have heard you but stepping in anyway. You grinned when he looked up at you, a smile instantly appearing on his face as he wiped some sweat from his forehead. He finished up his recording before he looked back at you, now noticing the new outfit as his eyes took you in.
“Hi, baby,” you greeted happily, still beaming as his eyes paused on the skirt. The drumsticks were still in his hands as you walked over, pressing a kiss to his cheek as you took them. “Like my new skirt?”
His eyes were still on your legs as he nodded, your boyfriend taking a second before he looked back up at your face. “It’s lovely, doll,” he complimented, putting a hand on your waist as he kissed your cheek. “Bit short.”
You giggled, shaking your head a bit. “Yeah, but I like being able to show off my legs sometimes.” You paused for a second, twirling the drumsticks around between your hands. “What cover did you just do? Can you teach me?”
Ashton looked at you as you asked the question, a grin appearing on his face. “Really? You want to learn the drums?”
You nodded, a smile on your lips. “Mhm, I wanna bang on them while you’re gone but have it make more than just noise.”
Ashton laughed lightly, nodding as he settled on the drum stool. He patted his lap as you moved with him, carefully tucking the back of the skirt over your bare ass so he wouldn’t catch on too quickly. His hand rested on top of your thigh, the fabric of your skirt now covering most of the skin.
“Alright, before you start drumming, you need to learn what each thing is,” he instructed, his other hand moving to the left as he tapped each thing. The tops of each drum was covered in marks, the cymbals scratched up from his years of use. “This is the high hat, just a couple of cymbals. This is the snare, it’s got some metal on the underside of it that makes it make a different sound.”
You nodded, listening carefully as he continued to explain everything. You paid close attention but shifted, your movements rubbing against his hips while he spoke. You moved slowly and carefully, eventually shifting until you were straddling his thigh, his hand on you moving to your waist as you moved.
Ashton cleared his throat as you moved, pushing through it as you innocently listened to him speak. As you shifted the skirt did too, exposing your core as it pressed against his thigh. He grunted a bit as he felt it, the sound becoming another attempt to clear his throat as he gripped your waist tightly.
“Kitten,” he sighed, running his free hand through his hair as you looked back at him.
“Hm? You alright, daddy?”
Ashton groaned, bits of sweat appearing on his forehead as you moved your hips against him. His grip only got tighter, free hand moving to your hip as you kept up the movement. You moved slowly, grinding yourself against his thigh and leaving a bit of a wet trail against his pants as he dug his nails into your skin, the friction tugging a small whimper out of you.
“Fuck, kitten,” he breathed, taking the sticks out of your hands and tossing them aside as his lips connected with your neck, biting and sucking at your sweet spot as you moaned. When he pulled back you felt the satisfying sting against your skin of his mark, lips moving to your collarbone as he made another there.
Your hips kept up the movement against his thigh, picking up your pace a bit until his hands left you, the jingle of his belt and zip of his pants making you grin as you shifted, turning to face him as his hands slid up your skirt. His erection was already out, a bit of precum already dripping out of the tip as his hands pulled you down, your own quickly holding him as you slid down.
You sank down until he filled you, both of you breathlessly moaning as you did so. His hand gripped your hips again, the tight grip loosening only when you began to move, your hips doing the work as your hands gripped his hair. It didn’t take long for him to squeeze your hips, his own bucking up to meet yours as he fucked you deeper and harder than you anticipated. His lips reconnected with your neck as you tugged on his hair, the sensation almost overwhelming you as you felt the warmth bundling up in your belly.
Ashton pulled his face from your neck and met your eyes, the man seeing and feeling how close you were as he admired the view. “Be a good girl for daddy,” he mumbled, moving his lips by your ear now, scruff scratching at your skin. “Come for me, kitten.”
His encouragement pushed you over your edge and you clenched around him, unraveling over him as your grip tightened on his hair. He continued to fuck you through your high, hips snapping against yours until he reached his own end, filling you even more as he buried his face in your neck.
The two of you sat and caught your breath, your thighs twitching slightly from the activity as you both lean into each other. Once you had collected yourself you slid off of him, Ash’s grip on you releasing as you stood. He stood and tucked himself away before his eyes met yours, his body even sweatier than it was when you walked in. Without warning he bent down, putting his shoulder against your waist as he stood up straight again, you now draped over his shoulder as you squealed. His arm clamped around your calves as you tried to wiggle free.
“Ashton!” You yelled, one hand slapping his ass while he chuckled. “You’re all sweaty, let me go!”
“Nope!” He laughed, slapping your ass as he carried you out of the room. “I’m bringing you to the shower with me.”
“But-”
“Are you being naughty, kitten?”
You blushed, biting your lip to keep yourself from acting out.
description: dad!sos angst mixed with a happy ending.
word count: 1.1k
warnings: details of miscarriages
w/n: hii angels it’s been a while! but here’s a little piece i wrote at the beginning of quarantine, and probably one of the first pieces of fanfic i’ve ever written! i hope y’all enjoy, and i apologize for any medical inconsistencies; i am not a medical student or doctor, so please feel free to correct me on anything!
Turbulent was a scary accurate word for the last 4 years of your life.
Ever since you started dating Ashton in 2016, the two of you dreamed of a family together. While the numbers always eluded you, you both knew you just wanted to start with one baby and just go from there. Within a year of being together you got pregnant the first time, an accident that had you and Ashton over the moon; however, joy quickly turned to sorrow at the 12 week ultrasound, the heartbeat no longer detectable. You have shoved that memory far back into your brain but the image of you and Ashton crying on the table together will forever be burned into your skull.
When 2017 came around you had recovered, a shiny new rock on your finger to match your new last name. It didn’t take long to find out you were pregnant again, a radiant smile on your face as the two of you went to see your OB together a couple of weeks later. Your OB was hopeful and so were you, until he couldn’t find the baby in the womb. You saw him visibly pale and compose himself, quietly turning off the machine as he looked at the two of you and explained an ectopic pregnancy. Quickly that became the second saddest day of your life as you learned the pregnancy had to be terminated for your health and safety, you and Ashton quickly agreeing as you once again cried together.
Over the next year or so you stopped trying, still enjoying each other sexually but using protection; neither of you had given up hope for the family of your dreams, but the pain of losing two babies was too great to actively try. 2018 came and went, the two of you just enjoying married life and finding a new home together, designating a spare room as a baby room to keep your hope burning; the room sat empty up until November of 2019, another happy accident showing up in your belly. This time, however, excitement was replaced with worry, the two of you walking on eggshells every day of the pregnancy. In fact, no one knew you were pregnant until January of 2020, the bump appearing on your figure exposing the secret the two of you had kept so well.
Now, at the 6 month mark, you were laying on the couch in the living room, your bump bigger than you ever could have imagined it being as you watched Tiger King on Netflix. Your worry was still there; your risk was far from over as your OB would say, your appointments much closer together than that of a normal pregnancy as he carefully watched your baby grow. The hope that once burned in you was now clouded with a mix of emotions that had you on the edge of your seat every single day.
You had partially zoned out while watching your documentary, your fingers trailing over your bare belly as you tried to pay attention to all the chaos on your screen. However, that focus was quickly broken when you felt something...unusual in your belly. Frozen in place you waited, feeling the sensation again when you gently poked the soft skin. Your free hand flew to your face, a sob being stifled by your hand as you covered your mouth.
You tried so hard to stay quiet but the shift in the air alerted your husband even from across the house, the dark haired man pausing what he was doing when he felt it.
“Ashton!” He heard, your voice muffled by the walls of his music room but still loud enough to get his attention. Ash scrambled up from the floor and practically ran to you as you now sat up on the couch, tears spilling down your cheeks.
“I’m here,” he said sweetly, a mix of worry and dread clouding his face as he knelt beside you. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”
He took in your face and searched it for answers, his eyes finally landing on the smile that had appeared on your lips.
“The baby-” you started, your voice thick. “I think I can feel it kicking.”
Ashton immediately looked down at the bump, tears springing to his eyes as he looked back up at you. “You can?”
You nodded, taking his hand and gently placing it on your belly. Immediately he could feel the movement, the baby doing a little dance inside the belly. The feeling was like nothing either of you had ever experienced, the moment almost overwhelming as you wiped at your eyes with your hands. “Our littlest love is saying hello.”
Ashton smiled, the tears moving from his eyes to his cheeks as he pressed a kiss to the belly. “Hi, my little dancer,” he said softly, leaning his forehead against the bump. You laughed at the nickname, your hands on either side of your belly as he continued. “Daddy loves you so much, you know that?”
You watched as Ashton kept his face against the bump, laughing a bit as you saw a tiny hand or foot create a bulge for a second. “I think our little one is trying to cheer you up, my love.”
Ashton laughed, kissing the spot where the bulge appeared. “Don’t you worry, little one, I’ll be holding your hand soon, okay? Just be good for mama.”
You couldn’t help but laugh again, the joy of the moment taking over as you watched your husband talk to your child. “I love you, Ashton,” you said softly, the man looking up at you at the sound of your voice.
He smiled. “I love you more.”
For the rest of your pregnancy Ashton stuck by your side more than he already did, pulling more than his fair share of the weight as you got closer to your due date. The two of you were peacefully sleeping when you went into labor and your husband sprung up immediately, taking you through breathing exercises as he waddled you out to the car. With the dawn of a new day came the cries of your precious (and very healthy) baby girl, the perfect mixture of the two of you being cleaned up and placed on your chest. When the chaos calmed down you looked at Ashton and signed the birth certificate, letting a tear spill out as you got to write down your baby’s name for the first time.
Within a few hours Ashton’s phone rang, a FaceTime notification popping up as he grinned wildly. Once accepted, his three best friends popped into the frame as they all crowded around for the first look.
“Boys, there’s someone I’d like you to meet…” he said, turning his camera around to face you and your daughter. “You already know my wife, but I’d like to introduce you to Riley Hope Irwin.”
Ashton’s text to you brought a pink tint to your cheeks, your reflection in the mirror in front of you forcing you to see the effect his words had on you. Before he left for tour he had positioned it at the perfect angle so you could see yourself before he positioned his face between your thighs, making you watch yourself as he pleasured you until you were screaming his name.
Now, you were sat before the same mirror, positioned just right to show off your body in the beautiful new set you had bought just for today. Ash was finally on his way home but you couldn’t wait, changing into the bright red undies and bra before settling on the floor and snapping a quick photo to text your boyfriend. You knew he was on his way back home to you, no doubt ready to follow through on all his threats of punishments for your teasing over the last few months, and you couldn’t resist teasing him one more time.
Another text dinged into your phone and pulled you from your wandering thoughts, a small smirk already present on your lips.
Behave yourself, kitten, or you’ll really get it when I get home.
Immediately you started racking your brain with things you could to disobey Ashton, the idea of him punishing you sending a chill down your spine. Suddenly the idea popped into your mind, your thumbs dancing across your phone screen.
What if I don’t want to?
You smiled to yourself as you stood up, making your way to your stash of toys. After digging around for a second you pulled out a small vibrator and bit your bottom lip as you quickly flicked it on and off, the feeling of it in your hand only growing the excitement between your legs while you went back to the bed.
Once you were settled against the pillows you let out a sigh, your legs spreading as you flicked the toy back on, dragging it across your core over your panties. The feeling and friction it generated made your breath hitch, a small whine escaping you as you teased yourself. Once you were a bit more desperate you tugged down your undergarment, letting it fall to your ankles as you repeated the action, a moan pulling from your lips as you imagined Ashton’s face there instead.
You paused in your actions to briefly grab at your phone again, the device having rested on the covers right by your hip. You opened your texts to Ashton and started a new voice memo as you pushed the toy into your entrance, the feeling overwhelming you as you moaned out your boyfriend’s name. Once you were satisfied with the amount of noise you had made for him you let it send, quickly pushing away your phone as you finally got focus on yourself.
You closed your eyes and moved your hips against the toy, already feeling the edge as you let it stretch you. Your mind wandered and you allowed yourself to imagine it being Ashton’s fingers pushing inside you, his voice echoing through your thoughts while you brought yourself closer to your release.
You were just about to let go when you felt a firm tug on your wrist, your eyes flying open to see Ashton at the end of the bed, the toy falling from your hand while he pulled it away from you. His eyes took you in, hunger radiating from them while he smirked; he knew he had pulled you away from the high you were chasing.
“Did you like my presents?” You asked coyly, attempting to sit up a bit. His grip tightened around your wrist and you bit your bottom lip.
Ashton moved around the bed to pick up your toy, flicking it off and tossing it aside before he crawled on to the bed, now kneeling between your legs as he took your wrists and pinned them above your head.
“You’ve been very bad,” he mumbled, his lips moving to your neck. He brushed them against your skin before pulling away, the sensation pulling a whine from you.
He smirked against your skin. “Already desperate for me, hm?” He hummed, lips now moving to your shoulder. “Bet you were thinking about me while you played with yourself.”
A blush tinted your cheeks, his eyes flicking up to yours as he waited for an answer.
“Y-Yes, I was,” you stuttered out, his teeth now grazing against your skin. “Ashton-”
“Sh,” he said sharply, taking a hand and grabbing your jaw as he licked his lips. “You will not speak unless it’s with permission. Got it?”
Silently you nodded, swallowing harshly as your mouth went dry. This was what you had been missing so badly over the last few months.
Ashton nodded in response, his hand releasing your jaw as it moved along your figure. His fingertips created a trail as he lightly dragged them down your skin, his touch feather light until he reached your hips. His lips moved to your neck as he traced your folds, slowly dragging a finger up the middle while he left his mark. You groaned at his teasing, hips bucking as his thumb pressed against your clit.
Ashton’s lips were replaced with a hand as he lightly rested it around your throat, not squeezing you yet as he made you beg with his fingers.
He pushed one inside of you, the stretch welcoming and familiar as he curled it and pumped, leaving you wanting more as he only let you feel one.
Quickly he started to pick up the pace, your moans coming out as squeaks as he gently squeezed your throat, his eyes watching you closely as he brought close to your end again.
All too soon he was pulling his finger out of you, bringing it up to his lips to taste as he stared at you. Frustrated now, you whined, the sound a bit raspy as his hand released your neck. A hand broke free and moved as you attempted to pull him close, his own swatting it away as he pressed his body against yours. You could absolutely feel his erection through his pants, the feeling of it pressing against your thigh only making your whine more desperate.
“No touching,” he chastised, his hips moving against you until he was rubbing his length against you.
“Please-” you started, Ashton smirking as he paused his movements.
“Are you begging, kitten? Want me to fuck you so badly?”
You nodded, not trusting your voice as he pressed a sweet and gentle kiss to your forehead. He moved off of you, tugging off his clothes while he gestured for you to flip on to your stomach. You obeyed, shifting until you were on your knees, bare ass proudly facing Ash as he rolled on a condom.
His hands held your hips as his head pressed against you, the moans escaping both of you as he pushed himself in. The way he stretched and filled you perfectly made you throb, his hands now gripping your hips tightly as he started his thrusts.
The way he pulled out of you almost completely and slammed back into you made you moan louder than before, your hands now gripping the sheets as he picked up his pace.
It didn’t take long for you to near your end again, a whimper escaping as you clenched around him. You brought the sheets up to your mouth and bit down, trying to make yourself last longer until Ashton’s hand tugged on your hair.
“Let me hear you scream for me, kitten,” he urged, your mouth letting go of the fabric as you moaned. “Come for me, baby, let me hear you.”
One more thrust was all you needed to meet your end, Ashton’s hips snapping into you as he continued to move through your orgasm. He groaned at the sounds you were making, his name and curses falling from your lips as you already got closer to another release.
Suddenly Ash pulled out, flipping you over to your back so he could hover over you, one hand guiding your leg over his shoulder as he tugged off the condom and tossed it aside. He pushed inside you again, keeping the pace he had set before as he chased his own high. His face hovered over yours as he held himself up with one hand, your eyes locking as he fucked you perfectly.
The feeling of his bare length moving inside you had your eyes rolling back, another orgasm washing over you as your toes curled. Ashton met his end at the same time, his load filling you up completely as he groaned your name. The arm holding himself up started to shake a bit as he pulled out of you, rolling on to his back on the bed beside you as you both came back down.
Once back on Earth you winced, the ache and sensitivity between your legs bringing it out of you as Ashton got up. He quickly went to the bathroom and came back a couple seconds later, a cool cloth in his hand and a small smile on his face. He carefully kneeled before you and cleaned you up, gently moving your legs for you until he was sure he got it all and tossed the cloth with your dirty clothes.
He crawled back up to you and helped you under the covers, his arms wrapping around you as he pulled you close. You rested against his chest as he pressed your lips together, his fingers tracing small shapes on your shoulder.
“Welcome home,” you said softly, your voice husky as you spoke. “I missed you.”
Ashton chuckled a bit as he kissed your forehead, hand now moving to rub your back as you buried your face in his neck.
“I missed you too, my love,” he said, voice just as soft as yours as he tilted your chin up. He gave you another kind kiss to your lips before he gave you a squeeze. “Let’s get a nap in before we do anything else, yeah?”
You simply nodded, suddenly realizing how exhausted you were. You were sure Ashton felt the same way, his voice already being coated in sleep as he spoke to you. Soon enough you were both asleep, everything within your little world finally in order as you rested in his arms.
description: it’s a group date night and you decide to wear ashton’s favorite dress, and you very quickly remember why it’s your favorite, too. *inspired by red dress by MAGIC!
word count: 1.5k
warnings: basically pure smut, light choking, unprotected car sex, use of kitten as a pet name, slight praise & daddy kinks.
taglist: @spicycal @castaway-cashton
***
“Sweetheart, are you almost ready to go?”
Ashton’s voice floated over to you, the man standing in front of a mirror as he closed the buttons on his sleeves and straightened his tie, his eyes moving to you as you stepped out of the bathroom.
Ash almost groaned at the sight of you, tight red dress hugging every curve and black heels making your legs look absolutely fantastic. Your hair was flowing over your shoulder, lips painted red as you pulled on a black leather jacket.
“All set!” You said happily, pressing a quick kiss to Ashton’s cheek before wiping away the lipstick mark. You stepped back and took his hand, smiling as your eyes traveled down his body. “You look so handsome, baby.”
Ashton’s eyes were still taking in your figure as you spoke, his hand spinning you around as you giggled.
“Like what you see?”
“Mhm,” he hummed, his hand sliding against your back as he pulled you in for a deep kiss. You hummed against his lips before pulling away, taking his hand off your back as you felt it moving lower.
“Nuhuh,” you said gently, squeezing his hand before dragging him out of the bedroom. He groaned in protest while you giggled. “We’re already late, we gotta get going!”
Ashton sighed and followed you out, both of you grabbing keys and wallets before leaving the house together and making it just a tad bit late for your dinner with your friends. The two of you strolled in hand in hand, the rest of the band and their significant others sitting at a table waiting for you. Everyone at the table got up to greet you both, the last two empty chairs being taken as you all settled back in and started chatting immediately.
The meal was amazing, as usual, and everybody was having the best time possible. About halfway through the meal you excused yourself to use the bathroom, getting a text almost immediately after locking yourself in the single stall bathroom.
Did you wear that to make me crazy? Ashton had asked you, a smile on your lips as you got a follow up. Hope you know I plan on ripping that off when we get home.
Definitely wore this to drive you a little wild. Also, I’m not wearing anything under it. Xo
You locked your phone with a satisfied grin, handling your business before exiting the bathroom and sitting back down next to your boyfriend. He was smiling and laughing, always being better at hiding his arousal from people around you as you mercilessly teased him for the rest of the night. His hand rested on your thigh and slowly inched up throughout the rest of the night, only to be pulled away as he slipped it under your dress. You did the same action with him, your fingers brushing over his length through the pants he wore and then pulling away, your smile never faltering; it was like a game to see who would back down first, and you were totally winning.
At the end of the night Ashton quickly said his goodbyes, pulling you along as you waved to your friends. They all chuckled after you, but you paid it no mind, instead focusing on Ashton and the half tent building through his pants.
Once you were both in the car he leaned over, pressing his lips against yours as his fingers grazed your throat. You sighed at the touch, wishing he could keep his hand there he pulled away.
“Had fun teasing me tonight?” He mumbled, the question pulling a giggle from you.
“Maybe a little bit,” you answered coyly. “It’s fun to see you hide it in front of our friends.”
Ashton smirked, settling back in his seat. “When we get home, you’re in for it,” he play threatened, his voice a bit deeper than normal. A chill ran down your spine at the sound. “Behave yourself on the way there, princess.”
You smirked. “I don’t know what that word means.”
Ashton chuckled and rolled his eyes as he started driving, his hand resting high up on your thigh. His fingers traced circles on your inner thigh, something that always made you a little bit crazy. On occasion his fingers would inch up, eventually brushing your core as you held in a whine. You were wet, regretting your decision to go commando as he felt you. Subtly you adjusted, opening your legs and moving your hips enough to make him feel his impact on you. He cursed, eyes scanning the sides of the street until he found an empty parking lot to pull into.
He quickly parked and moved to the backseat, you following suit as you scrambled over the center console. He pulled you on to his lap, your thighs straddling his hips as his lips crashed into yours. His fingers pushed up your dress harshly before dipping into your core, taking you by surprise as he pushed two fingers into you and started pumping them.
“Fuck,” you breathed, pulling away from his lips. He moved down your neck, your fingers tangling into his hair as his fingers moved. You moaned as he curled them inside you, his thumb circling your clit as you became putty in his hands.
“Always so wet for me, kitten,” he groaned, his hand reaching up to grip your throat again. It was gentle, his calloused hands limiting your air supply ever so slightly as you moaned. “Such a good girl.”
“Ash,” you managed, his eyes meeting yours as his thumb pressed against your lips to silence you.
“Shh, kitten,” he breathed, his fingers continuing to move within you. “Come for me, baby.”
His praise and adoration in his eyes coated his voice, the pet names mixing in with the feeling of his fingers as he watched you reach your peak, your orgasm pouring out of you as he kept moving his fingers. He pressed kisses to your shoulders as you came down, your thighs twitching slightly as you came back to earth.
His fingers that were inside you moved to your lips, your mouth opening and tongue swirling around them as you tasted yourself. His free hand reached between the two of you and unbuttoned his pants, his erection escaping as he pulled his fingers out of your mouth.
“Do you want to feel me, kitten?”
You nodded to his question, pressing your lips against his quickly before you slowly pumped his length. He groaned as you lined yourself up with him, letting his head drag across your core before you slid down slowly. Your voices let out moans, the sounds mingling together as you moved your hips against his, his erection filling and stretching you in all the right ways while you moved.
Ashton’s hands rested on your hips, your dress pushed up your stomach while he gripped your skin, no doubt leaving small half moons and bruises for him to care for later. As you picked up your pace you met his eyes, your fingers tugging his hair as he hit your sweet spots over and over again.
Eventually he squeezed your hips, signaling to you that he was taking over as his hips snapped up into yours. You let out a moan, your free hand grabbing the seat behind him as you moved along to his pace.
“Feels so good,” you whined, your movements swirling all together as you felt the familiar knot in your stomach reach its peak.
Almost on cue, Ashton spoke. “How do you want me, baby? Want me to pull out?”
“No,” you begged, the tone only pushing Ashton closer. “Inside me, please daddy.”
The name you only used for these situations flowed out of your lips, Ashton groaning as he snapped his hips again. The feeling sent you over the edge, your mouth gaping open as you moaned his name. Hearing you say his name like that sent Ashton over his edge, the two of you coming together as you slowed to a stop.
Your legs twitched as you laid against Ashton’s chest, your high and his covering the car in silence for a few minutes as you gathered yourselves together. After a couple of minutes of silence you both came back down, Ashton’s hands gently helping you off of him. You adjusted your dress as Ashton fixed up his pants, his hand tugging you back against him as he kissed you.
“Good girl,” he mumbled against your lips. He moved to your forehead and pressed a sweet kiss there, your breathing finally returning to normal. You looked around and giggled, the windows having fogged up a bit from the two of you having sex in the backseat.
“Guess we should get back home,” you breathed, smiling at your lover as he pressed sweet kisses to your skin. His lips kissed the sides of your neck where his fingers were not too long ago, his usual routine of making any bumps and bruises better.
“We should,” he agreed, hands traveling to grab your ass and give it a squeeze. “Still gonna rip this dress off when we get there.”
You grinned. “Good.”
Ashton chuckled and pressed another kiss to your lips, the two of you moving back to your previous seats and heading home. The rest of the night was spent going a few more rounds before you collapsed into a cuddle pile, giggling and teasing until you both fell asleep.
but like. it’s the first birthday you’ve celebrated together since you’ve been dating, so obviously it’s gonna be a little bit different than when you were just friends. so you spent the night at his place bc he wanted some pre-birthday ~sexy times~ and as the sun rises and peeks through the windows, you wake up to him snuggled up against your neck.
even though he’s asleep he still has a grip on you, so it takes you a second to untangle yourself. when you’re free he shifts but doesn’t wake up, now cuddling a pillow while you chuckle and pull on the shirt he had worn the day before. you quietly sneak downstairs and into the kitchen, where you jump in on making breakfast to surprise your mans.
and when he wakes up and feels you’re not there he gets a little bit sad, until he hears some soft music playing in the distance and smiles. he gets himself out of bed and pulls on some clothes, noticing his shirt is gone and chuckling to himself as he made his way down to you. the music got a bit louder as he approached, your own voice mixed in with the sweet melodies he had heard so much.
when he gets to the kitchen he leans against the doorway and just watches you for a second, quietly crossing his arms across his chest as his heart grew warm. his shirt was perfect on you, his eyes following the way the fabric moved as you stood at the stove. you were the most beautiful person he had ever seen, and with the way the sunlight came in through the kitchen windows, he could have sworn you were an angel sent from heaven.
when he finally came up behind you it made you jump a bit, your boyfriend chuckling as he put his hands on your hips and kissed your shoulder. you pause in your cooking to turn around, letting your arms slide around his neck and your lips meet in the sweet kiss you had waiting to give him all morning.
once you pulled apart you shooed him to sit at the island counter, your man grinning as you finished up his plate and placed it in front of him. the breakfast you had poured love into was sweeter than anything he could have wanted, the perfect mug of coffee being placed in front of him as he met your eyes.
you smiled, warmth filling you as at the love and joy in his hazel eyes.
“happy birthday,” you said sweetly, kissing his cheek as you walked by. “eat up, there’s gonna be dessert after.”
he raised an eyebrow at you as you giggled wildly, your boyfriend grinning as he watched you walk out. after the loneliness he had dealt with through his sobriety, the start of 26 felt like the best year he could ever ask for.
description: after a sad and slightly messy rejection in September 2011, you and ashton meet again, the universe apparently deciding your story wasn’t over yet.
word count: 5.4k
warnings: angst, but with a happy ending
w/n: this is.....so much longer than i thought it would be lmao, but pls enjoy! also a big thank you for getting lil ol’ me to 300 followers, i’m still in shock but so so grateful 🥺
The evening was cooler than you had anticipated, the sweat that connected your work shirt to your skin bringing a chill to your body as you walked home from work, your school bag against your shoulders and back. Your legs and feet ached from running around the retail store you worked at, tourists asking you loads of questions about sizing, pricing, and sometimes making a fuss about something out of your control entirely before storming out of the store. After the fifth customer you helped made you cry, your boss sent you to the registers, sentenced to ringing everybody out and arguing about coupons for the rest of your shift.
The few blocks between you and your bed went by quickly, your feet bringing you to the doorstep of your home just in time for curfew. You pushed your way inside and closed the door behind you, locking it like you always did before carrying yourself up the stairs.
“Hey there, petal,” your dad greeted from the couch. “Mum’s made dinner, should be a plate set for you in the fridge.”
“Thanks dad,” you said, forcing yourself to sound cheerful as you walked into the kitchen. “Mum in her office?” You spoke while moving about the kitchen, your backpack moving against your back as you heated up your food for yourself. You didn’t dare put it down on the ground in case your mother came in, not wanting to hear her berate you again after the day you’ve had.
Your dad stayed in his seat on the couch, whatever news channel he was engrossed in playing on the T.V. screen in front of him. “Yep. Best not to disturb her.”
Silently you nodded, internally cheering with joy while you grabbed cutlery and left the kitchen. “Mind if I take this to my room so I can study?”
Dad grunted an approval and off you go, quietly moving up the stairs to your bedroom, a plate of hot food in hand as you closed and locked your bedroom door. Once you had set down the food on your desk you let out a sigh, letting the bag fall off your back and land on the floor with a dull thud. You took a second to crawl into bed and bury yourself against your pillows, taking a deep breath and exhaling it as you closed your eyes.
Silence filled your room as you relaxed from your day, the constant emotions flowing out of you as you finally had a chance to process them all. Even at the age of 16 you were good at doing that, naming emotions and processing through them before you let them go, exhaling them through your nose when you had the chance to do so by yourself. It was days like these where you silently cursed your family for moving from Hornsby to Sydney, your cell phone silent as it sat in your back pocket; your childhood friends have long since stopped talking to you, especially with how strict your parents were, and while you were making friends in Sydney, it was slow going when you had such an early curfew and so many rules to follow.
As you were finally forcing yourself to get up, a tap against your window startled you, your head snapping over your shoulder to search for the source of the offending sound. A gasp escaped you as you watched a small pebble knock against your window, rushing over to open it and lean out the window.
Standing below you was your boyfriend Ashton, his brown hair falling over his face as he grinned widely up at you. Quickly you waved him up, the 17 year old quickly finding hand and foot holds as he climbed his way up the side of your house. You kept an eye out for your parents until he made it to your window, his limbs fumbling through the window as he climbed inside, his foot knocking a photo off your nightstand on his way in, thankfully not breaking the frame as it landed on the carpet with him.
You grinned, smothering a giggle as Ashton scrambled to his feet in front of you, his arms automatically sliding around your waist and pulling you close as he pressed his lips to yours. Your fingers tangled in his hair as you smiled against his lips, pulling him as close as physically possible before you broke apart.
With a finger to your lips you moved away from him, pressing your ear against the door while Ashton carefully moved to your bed. When you didn’t hear anybody on the other side you grabbed your old iPod and speaker off your desk and set them by your door, putting on some music at a soft volume so your parents would think you were studying before moving to join Ashton on your bed, grabbing the plate of lukewarm food from your desk to share.
Ashton took the food and set it aside, hands moving to your waist again as he pulled you into his lap, a quiet laugh coming from your lips as he kissed your cheek.
“Hey,” you said softly, keeping your voice quiet to listen for your parents. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here? Does Anne know you’re here?”
The boy chuckled, his lips moving to press kisses wherever he could reach. “Anne knows I’m here,” he mumbled, his lips finding yours again as his arms moved around your waist and gave you a squeeze. “I got tired of your parents cockblocking us, and it’s a Tuesday and I have nothing to do.”
“What about your school work?”
Ashton pulled back and gave you a look that made you giggle. “Nevermind then.”
He chuckled, kissing your nose as you settled against his chest. You took a deep breath, the smell of him filling your lungs as you cuddled in. Ashton was your rock, probably the only person from Hornsby that still talked to you, and was probably the love of your life. Your parents think he’s a menace and refuse to let you see him, even though they know nothing about your relationship; to them you were best friends who were polar opposites, and Ashton was the reason you didn’t fit in their ideas of perfection. A lot of the rules they imposed on you came from various times you have snuck out to see him and been caught, but the two of you always found a way to be together, even if it was as dangerous as, say, climbing into a window.
A gentle hand cupped your cheek, tilting your head up to his as his beautiful hazel eyes smiled at you. It was like he was reading your thoughts when he looked at you like this, downloading everything about your day just by looking at you for a few seconds.
“Bad day?”
You nodded silently, the music pausing briefly as the song changed. Ashton paused with it, only speaking when the chorus picked up.
“C’mon, let’s just cuddle.”
Another nod and the two of you shifted, Ashton pulling back your blankets while you got up, putting the plate of food in your garbage and quickly disappearing into the bathroom to change before you turned the music off and climbed into bed with your boyfriend.
Once you were settled on your side Ash crawled in after you, wrapping an arm around you as you reached over, turning off the light in your room and settling in. You turned over to face him, his arm still around you as you moved yours to rest against his chest, his lips connecting with your forehead as you buried your face against him.
You don’t remember falling asleep but wasn’t surprised when you woke up hours later, the sounds of someone moving around your room pulling you from your sleep. You cracked your eyes open and shifted, looking at the clock on your bedside: 2:16 a.m.
Groaning quietly you sat up, rubbing at your eyes as you felt the end of your bed dip, someone sitting down and a hand resting on your leg. You looked up and met Ashton’s eyes, a small half smile on his lips as he looked at you, the moonlight pouring in from your window lighting up the room enough for you to see him.
“Run away with me.”
His words rang in the air as you looked at him, still confused from your sleep.
“What?”
“Run away with me,” he repeated, moving to be closer to you. You looked around and noticed he had packed up your duffle for you, the bag sitting under the window he had climbed in earlier, a bit of a mess around the room from him putting things in there for you. Confusion came to your face again as you met his eyes.
“Right now?” He nodded. “Ash-”
“Hear me out,” he said sweetly, voice soft as he caught your attention. “You’re always talking about how your parents are strict and overbearing. You hate Sydney and your job.” He paused, taking your hand in his and bringing it to his lips. “We always talk about starting a life together. So, why should we wait? Why not start it right now?”
The gesture wasn’t lost on you; as a hopeless romantic and dreamer at heart, you couldn’t help but feel appreciated and loved, this boy of your dreams sitting with you and pleading for you to be his forever absolutely tugging at your heart strings. You wanted to get up and throw your shoes and jacket on and leave forever with him, it didn’t matter where the destination was, it just mattered that you would have him with you forever.
But your logical part kept you rooted in the bed, all the repercussions of your actions and anxiety immediately springing to the front of your mind. You were deeply and wildly in love with Ashton, but running away together? Dropping out of school and ending up somewhere with no connections? How would you live and pay for things, how would you find a good paying job to get a home? Not to mention the fact that you’re both minors, and no doubt both of your families would be looking for you the second they found out you were gone.
You chewed on your bottom lip, Ashton’s bright smile faltering as you looked at him. Your hand squeezed his.
“Baby,” you whispered, tears filling your eyes. You felt them start to spill down your cheeks as you licked your lips. “I can’t.”
Ash’s brow furrowed, confusion reigning over his face as he sat back. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t run away with you.”
He stopped, a wave of different emotions pouring over his face as he stared at you. His eyes scanned your face as you sobbed, your gaze held by his as he tried so hard to read your mind but failed.
“Why?”
You let out a sob as he spoke, his broken heart escaping with the word as he said it. He wasn’t angry with you, his face unreadable as he just looked at you, waiting for an answer.
“I-” you choked, unable to continue as you squeezed his hand. You took a moment to collect yourself as best you could, reaching up to wipe at your face. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
The love of your life looked at you, his face crumbling before he forced himself to hide it. The new face he had on was worse than you could have anticipated, watching him shut down in front of you as his hand slipped out of yours.
“Ashton-”
He held up a hand silently, shifting to stare into the empty room. His elbows rested on his knees, his face burying into his hands as you started wringing your hands in your lap, sobs heaving in your chest as you pleaded with him.
“Ashton, please-”
He stood abruptly, moving towards the window and starting to climb out again. You caught a glimpse of his face in the moonlight, tears streaking down his face as he left the way he came.
You quickly jumped up and chased after him, grabbing his sleeve just before he got out of reach. “Ashton,” you begged, tugging him back to you. He didn’t look at you but your eyes moved to his shoulders, noticing how they shook as he silently sobbed.
“I love you. Please, don’t leave.”
He stopped for just a moment, and in your mind you thought you were okay; you imagined him coming back into the window and the two of you crying together until you fell asleep again together, waking up at the crack of dawn to say goodbye for now and seeing each other again over the weekend. The image of you peacefully sleeping against him, cuddling up right under his chin in the way he loved gave you hope, your fingers loosening around his sleeve as he seemed to lean back towards you.
Instead he gently pulled away from you, carefully finding the foot and hand holds again as he climbed down the side of your house, jumping the last couple of feet and shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked away from the house. You stood at your window, tears burning hot against your skin until you slammed the window shut and locked it, throwing yourself back into bed and burying your face in your pillow just in time to muffle a heaving sob, the sound echoing off the walls around you despite your best efforts to cover it.
The rest of the night passed with you crying, drool and salty tears mixing on your pillow case until it was soaked. As the sun rose again you started to feel numb, the dawn of a new day bringing you to your bathroom to get ready for school.
That was the last time you saw Ashton. Until now.
**
Present Day - July 15th, 2020
“No, that’s not how that works-“ you argued, immediately being interrupted by someone on the end of the phone call, annoyance making your eye twitch. This simple phone call had meant to last a few minutes and was now reaching the half hour mark, your feet slowly pacing back and forth as the phone pinched against your ear.
“Alright, this is what we’re going to do,” you interrupted finally, passerby giving you a strange look as they moved by you. You ignored them, focusing instead on the person on the phone. “You’re going to hold off on doing anything until I get there in a few days, and if I find out you didn’t do that, I’m going to find someone else who will. Understood?
The person on the other side was silent. “Good. Glad we had this talk.” Your thumb angrily ended the call, your feet bringing you to the corner of the closest building so you could lean up against it, head falling back against the brick as you closed your eyes and sighed.
Ever since that night in September, your life has consistently been a smooth trek up-hill, everything coming up just fine as you kept your head down. You finished school and you were accepted to Harvard Business School, but the summer before you were set to leave brought all sorts of problems; financially, you couldn’t afford to go to Harvard, even with the considerate amount of financial aid and scholarships you won, so you had to give your spot away, heart broken about turning down your top choice.
You somehow ended up at UCLA instead, one of the safety schools you had been accepted to with a full ride, and studied your heart out with a Linguistics and Education major instead. Moving to a whole different country was the biggest culture shock you have ever had, getting in more than your fair share of arguments over proper terms for certain things, but your studies and friends kept you occupied for most of the time, every single one of your friends cheering you on while you worked your tail off for your undergrad.
May came and went and June crept up on you, finals and deadlines passing as you worked harder than you ever had in your life, but nothing beat the feeling of finally walking across the stage at your graduation, shaking the hands of various administrators while your family proudly beamed from the plastic chairs set up on the lawn. Photos were taken, your friends gave you tearful hugs, and you were off, moving into your own apartment the very same day, your new landlord handing you the keys with a stern ‘congratulations’ before you opened the door and carried all your things in.
Your family stayed an extra couple days to make sure you had everything you need, another tearful goodbye at the airport following them to their gate before you finally had a chance to relax in your new home. You had a good job, you were making rent, and everything was going smoothly - until just now, the anger of the phone call still melting off of you in the hot sun as you stood up straight again, your fingers smoothing out your work shirt as you moved back into the building.
The air conditioning hit you like a ton of bricks as you moved to your desk, thanking the person manning the phones for you during that brief period as you sat down with a sigh. You still had half a day left in your shift before you were free, and deep down all you wanted to go home and lay in bed, the silence of your apartment suddenly so inviting after the events of the day.
An hour passed without incident, then another, until the door in front of you dinged open, your head lifting with your warm customer service smile on as a gaggle of men walked in the door. They were all laughing at something, one of them particularly tickled by whatever was said on the way in as he breathlessly laughed, short bleached hair covered slightly by a hoodie as he looked at another blonde, this one having earrings dangling down from both earlobes and a hat on his head. One with broad shoulders walked up to the desk, a smile on his lips as he ran a hand through his hair, him blocking your view of the other three as they waited.
“Hi, how can I help you?” You asked kindly as he got within earshot, your accent still quite thick when you spoke. The man seemed surprised but smiled nonetheless.
“Uh,” he stuttered a bit as he walked up. “5 Seconds of Summer, here for an interview today?”
You nodded, turning to the computer and confirming before looking back at the man. Something about the band name made your ears ring, a faint familiarity to it that tickled the back of your mind, something trying to nudge itself loose.
“Yup, got you right here,” you confirmed, reaching under your desk for the cold waters you kept there in a small fridge. The man turned to his friends and lifted his hand, probably gesturing them over as you set the waters on the counter in front of you.
“These are complimentary, hopefully helpful is battling the heat outside,” you said, not entirely looking at the men as they walked up to you. You turned and gestured where they were to go, giving them floor numbers before looking back with your winning smile. “Any questions?”
The first man smiled and shook his head, thanking you kindly as three of them started moving. You fully turned back, shuffling your papers around on your desk as you assumed they all left, hearing their chatter fade behind you as you returned to work.
“Y/n?”
Your heart jumped into your throat. That voice-
“Is that you?”
Without thinking your eyes traveled upwards, meeting with a pair of hazel ones that you hadn’t seen in so, so long. It took everything within you to resist the need to touch him, to pull him close and run your fingers through his hair again as your heart absolutely ached. Ashton was standing across the desk from you, shirt open slightly and sunglasses pushed to the top of his head as you just stared.
“Hi,” you said breathlessly, something desperate within you as you looked at him. He looked good, healthy, his hair a bit darker than you remember it being but loving it nonetheless. Looking at him filled a void in your heart you didn’t know existed, just the sight of him bringing you joy again, something that you hadn’t genuinely felt in years. The man in front of you was your one that got away, the only person you had dated in your life that truly left an impression.
“Ashton! Let’s go!”
The call jolted you from your thoughts, Ashton glancing towards the voice and back to you as his eyes searched your face for understanding, for anything that would give him an idea as to how and why the universe had brought you back together. He didn’t seem satisfied, his brow furrowing in confusion again as he turned to walk away.
“Wait.”
He paused, a blush on your cheeks as he met your eyes again. Embarrassed by your boldness you quickly took a piece of paper and jotted down your phone number and apartment address, folding it twice before handing it to him. You weren’t sure if he took the paper because he genuinely wanted to, or if it was a reflex from him being handed something, but you took it as a good sign anyway.
“Let’s talk. Tonight. Please.”
Silently, Ashton nodded, tucking the paper into his pocket before jogging to catch up to the other boys. You watched him go and then sat back in your chair, fighting back all the overwhelming emotions that were trying to take their place in the front of your mind. Flashes of that night came flooding back with them, your mind becoming a storm cloud of confusing thoughts and twisting tornadoes as you desperately tried to gather yourself together.
After seeing Ashton you barely made it to the end of your shift, one single text from a new number appearing on your phone within an hour after he arrived. He said he would meet you at your place after the interview, you confirming in response with radio silence after that, your anxiety skyrocketing as you drove back home, probably breaking a few traffic laws on the way.
When you got inside you set your things down and immediately started cleaning, tucking away anything that you didn’t want him to see and changing into more casual clothing. No new texts appeared on your phone screen, you desperately keeping an eye on the time as you tugged on an old UCLA shirt. Just as you were smoothing it out against yourself there was a knock, the sound startling you considerably as you hurried over to it.
A quick glance out of the peephole showed Ashton standing there, looking as lovely as ever in your limited view as you unlocked and pulled open your door.
“Hey,” you greeted softly, stepping aside so he could come in. He paused, taking you in before he slowly stepped inside, stopping just inside the doorway to take in your apartment as you closed the door.
Silence enveloped the two of you as you once again resisted the urge to touch him, wanting nothing more than to slide your arms around him and pull him close so you could rest against him again.
You cleared your throat as you moved in front of him, hugging yourself. “Um, would you like something to drink?” You asked, already moving towards the kitchen as he lifted a hand, scratching the back of his neck.
“Just some water would be nice,” he said softly, a nod being his answer as you grabbed a bottle of water from your fridge. You set it on the small table made for just you and sat down, gesturing for him to join you as your knees anxiously knocked together.
More silence fell as you looked at each other, Ashton taking the water as he just looked at you. There was tension in the air, but you couldn’t tell what kind, your fingers locking together in your lap as your thumbs pressed together.
At the same moment you both opened your mouths to speak, chuckles falling from both of your lips as his fingers tapped against the water on the table. You could see the calluses on his fingers and palm as it moved, the man shifting slightly as he faced you.
“You look good,” he said softly, smiling a bit. Your heart melted at the sight. “I, um, I didn’t know you worked and lived here. In LA, I mean.”
You smiled, running a hand through your hair. “Yeah, um,” you said just as softly, your hands moving to rest on the table. “I went to UCLA. I actually just graduated from my undergraduate program last month.”
Ashton couldn’t help but beam as you spoke, the light in his eyes igniting something with you. “Wow, that’s amazing, love,” he said sweetly, eyes focused on you. “Congratulations, that’s a huge accomplishment.”
You smiled in thanks, your eyes falling to your hands as you nervously picked at your thumb. “Listen,” you said, clearing your throat a bit. “I wanted to apologize. I, um...I kind of broke your heart a few years ago, and that was really shitty of me.”
Ashton looked at you with sadness in his eyes, one hand reaching to take yours and give it a squeeze. “Sweetheart-”
“Wait,” you pleaded, eyes begging him to let you finish. He looked at you and nodded, keeping your hand in his as he ran a thumb across your knuckles. You took a deep breath before you continued, measuring your words carefully. “I know you’re going to say I have nothing to apologize for, because that’s just who you are. But I’m still wildly in love with you, Ashton.” You licked your lips, your mouth going dry as you pressed on. “I forced myself to finish school and go to uni so I could prove to myself that not running away with you at 16 was the best choice. I constantly tried to run from it, but every empty moment always had me thinking about you, and what our lives would have been like if I had agreed and had that life together like we had wanted.”
You stopped for a second, taking a breath as you felt tears prick your eyes. You swallowed them down, refusing to get emotional.
“I’m not expecting this to magically fix everything,” you said softly, your free hand resting on top of his. “I know I broke your heart and your trust, and I know I may never win either of those back, but I want a fresh start. I at least want to be friends, cause I can’t seem to escape you.”
Your final words made Ashton chuckle, the man tugging on your hand as he stood up. Confused, you met his eyes, his head tilting slightly as he indicated for you to stand with him. You did so, his arms guiding yours around his neck as his own slid around your waist, the man pulling you in for a tight hug.
The gesture brought more tears to your eyes, you fighting to hold them back until you lost, the scent of him filling your lungs just like it used to as teenagers and sending you over the edge. Your shoulders shook as you silently cried against his shoulder, his arms tightening around you as his lips moved to your ear.
“Let it out, love, it’s okay.”
His encouragement over your emotions brought you to gripping his shirt, arms locked around his neck as he carefully squatted and picked you up, wrapping your legs around him as he moved to sit on the couch, you crying in his lap as he settled back against the cushions.
It felt like hours had gone by before you calmed down, your tears staining his shirt as you finally pulled back. Ashton smiled at you sweetly, lips pulled back in his classic look as his thumbs gently brushed away your tears.
“Everything you said,” he said softly, eyes meeting yours. Now that your walls were down he finally could read you again, soaking in every ounce of you as he spoke. “I’ve felt the same. I’ve tried to find you in other people, other relationships, and it never worked out, each person just taking something from me that didn’t belong to them. I tried drowning my emotions and it only made things that much worse.” His own eyes filled with tears as he fought them back, still smiling as he pressed a kiss over your tear stained cheek. “But being here, just seeing you behind that desk...I never lost my love for you, y/n. Never.”
Sniffling, you took in his words, awestruck that the man holding your face in his hands still loved you after years of no communication. Your mind tried to make sense of it as his lips kissed your other cheek, your hands burying themselves in his shirt as his hands moved to your waist.
“Can we start over then?” You asked, your voice thick still from the tears. “I know we can’t pretend that life hasn’t happened, and we can’t go back in time and erase the past, but I want to start over with you. I want to start over with us.”
He silently nodded, squeezing your sides gently. “Of course we can. I would love that.”
Sighing in relief you sank against his chest, his hands moving to rub circles in your back as you buried yourself against him.
“This isn’t as good as running away together,” he said softly, the words pulling a laugh from you. “But this is the next best thing.”
“Oh shut up,” you teased, lightly swatting at his chest as you sat up again. He grinned, the expression making you laugh a bit again as you wiped at your face, sniffling as you set your hands in the space between the two of you.
The two of you sat in silence for a while, the world outside of your small apartment waiting for you both to move on, move forward, while you both sat in place, breathing each other in and enjoying it. You only moved when Ashton’s phone dinged, a text from one of his friends pulling his attention away.
He sighed, typing a response before he gently lifted your hand, pressing a kiss to your palm as he gingerly held your wrist between two fingers. “I have to go,” he said quietly, kissing your fingers. “Can I take you on a date this week? Maybe on Saturday night?”
You nodded silently, a smile tugging on your lips as he closed the gap between you, his hands moving to your hips as his lips connected with yours.
The familiar feeling was sweet and gentle, lined with desperation and need as you kissed him. Your fingers tangled in his hair again, the curls resting between your fingers as you pulled yourself closer to him, his lips parting slightly as he pulled away. Both of you were breathless and smiling, Ashton gently patting your hip as you climbed off of him reluctantly.
You walked him to the door, his hands sliding around you as he kissed you over and over again, peppering them all over your face before landing on your lips one more time. You said your goodbyes between kisses, Ashton promising over and over to take you on the best date ever until you had to force him out the door, not wanting him to be late to whatever it was he had to do as he smiled at you.
As you were closing the door he said your name again, your head poking out as he smiled at you.
“I love you,” he said simply, putting his hands in his pockets as he spoke.
You blushed, the pink tint bright against your skin as you leaned out the door, a small smile tugging at your lips as you internally melted over him.
description: covid-19, also known as “the zombie virus,” claimed hundreds of thousands of victims in 2018, and while it all seemed to be going great, something much darker was hiding within research facilities across the nation.
word count: exactly 4,001
warnings: descriptions of graphic imagery, blood, injuries, feelings of hopelessness.
w/n: this is my first fic for the 5sos writers collab! i’m so excited to participate in this, i always love reading the fics that come out from this and im so happy i get to be part of it! my prompt for this was zombie apocalypse au so i hope i did it justice!
Two years since the haunting screams have driven you to nightmares and panic attacks, something you had never had to deal with in the Before.
That’s all it was now. The Before. The time before the virus contaminated the body, before the monsters smashed into your home and tore your family apart.
Before all of that. Before, you were a nice person. In the Before, you were having the time of your life. But now?
Now you’re miserable.
With a gasp you awoke again, chest heaving as your mind raced. Your palms were pressed against the cold wooden floor of the house you had cleared, eyes quickly darting between all means of entry as you assessed your surroundings. Only when you saw the makeshift barricades you had created did you begin to calm down, your eyes squeezing shut as you pulled your knees against your chest.
I fucking hate it here.
Moments passed until you were able to open your eyes again, your vision blurry as you scrambled up to your feet. The old and ragged coat you had been using as a blanket was bunched up in your hand, the old and rotting pillow you had used being kicked to the side as you quickly found the mass that is your backpack. You stumbled through the house, making all kinds of noise as you made it to the closest counter, a shaking hand already reaching up to open the two cabinets above.
Empty.
Just like the other ones.
The dust on the shelves made your stomach hurt, determination already slumping your body as you pushed off the counter and headed towards the door. You knew it was no use to search the rest of the house for food; you had been hiding in this shithole for 14 hours, and if your searches yielded no results by now, you might as well move on.
Carefully you pried pieces of dusty and damp furniture away from the back door of the home, your foot landing on a shattered picture frame on the floor just as you cleared the doorway. You yelped, leaping away from the frame as your eyes landed on it. Captured within the frame was a beautiful blonde woman, curly hair down to her waist and a jungle green dress hugging her body as her hands rested on her rather large belly. In front of her knelt a man with shaggy brown hair, his lips pressed against her belly as she beamed with joy, the two of them so obviously in love with their bundle of joy that it could have made you sick.
Feeling empty you tore your eyes away, the lack of blood on your foot propelling you forward and out the old, creaky door. You started off slow, like always, watching your footsteps and listening intently as you ignored everything your body was telling you; the aches in your knees and tightness in your jaw could wait; your life depended on it, after all.
After a few miles you picked up the pace, your vision blurring slightly as you moved faster. Despite the pain that was now in your stomach you pushed on, determined to find some sort of shelter before you passed out, your weak muscles and body screaming at you with every step and breath.
You’re not entirely certain how far you made it before you heard the near-silent steps nearby, just out of sight on your left. You sluggishly turned around, quickly trying to wipe the fog from your eyes as you tried to find the creature that stalked behind you.
Much to your surprise a figure appeared, a gentleman peeking around a tree with dark hair. Fear struck you quickly as you backed away, almost immediately tripping over a large branch and landing on your ass as the figure stepped closer, now coming out from his hiding spot as you tried so hard to scramble away.
“Hey, hey, wait,” he said gently, the voice jarring to you.
Another human? You thought, shock freezing you in place. But how-
A grunt followed by a bone chilling moan came from the right, your head snapping in that direction. To your surprise, the man quickly got closer and extended his hand, carefully taking you by the arm and hoisting you up easily just as another man appeared from the direction of the sound.
Another normal, human man, brown hair pulled back into a bun.
“There’s a horde on the way,” he stated, jerking a thumb behind him as his eyes took you in. “We’ve gotta go, Ash.”
“Alright, Logan, but we’re taking in a stray.”
The man stared at you and nodded, a silent agreement you had no idea of happening as the first man - Ash - carefully spun you around and guided you forward, footsteps falling in sync between the three of you as the strangers guided you onwards.
The trees were closing in on you as you gripped Ash’s arm, knees trying to buckle underneath you from pure exhaustion and pain. The man chuckled and soon another hand was on you, the two men hoisting you up and quickly carrying you away.
***
“Whoa-!” A woman said, strong hands immediately trying to push you down as you struggled against them.
“Who the fuck-” you started, panic filling you now as you bit down on the side of a hand. A yelp came from the stranger and the hands were gone, your mind racing as a woman knelt beside you.
“-shh, little love, it’s okay. You’re safe now,” she soothed, hand running in circles along your back as you focused on her voice. It was soft and gentle, the voice a stark difference to the harsh grinding in your mind.
Safe?
Your eyes landing on her, finally taking her in as she gave you a soft smile. “Hey there,” she said kindly, tone gentle and soothing. “Sorry to have given you a fright, Devyn’s just so used to dealing with...rougher patients.”
Her eyes guided you to the other side of the room where a young man stood at the sink, glaring at you while he seemed to nurse his bitten hand.
The woman chuckled, gaining your attention once again. “My name’s Tabitha, but most people ‘round here call me Tabby,” she said, gently taking your hand and turning it over. Her fingers carefully pressed against the inside of your wrist, your pulse pounding against her skin. “And you, little stray, are very much alive.”
You blinked, Tabby’s eyes taking in your face.
“Where am I?”
Your voice was hoarse and broken, vocal chords seeming to ache as they were used again.
Tabby smiled. “You’re in our Community,” she said sweetly, gesturing vaguely to the room around you. “It’s a bit shabby, but not the worst place to be. It’s a safe place for people to be, little stray, I promise.”
“M’not a stray,” you mumbled, your voice slightly stronger but not by much.
Your exam went by fairly quickly, Tabby settling you back into your bed as soon as possible before she excused herself. Once you were laying back against the pillow Devyn popped back over, quietly and carefully adjusting some things as you watched. He glanced at you and nodded, seeming to have gotten over your first impression, before he turned around and left the room.
Once you were alone you finally, truly relaxed, sighing as you carefully sat yourself up. You were able to take in the room, looking around at the chipping paint on the walls and the bits of dust floating in the air around the only window to your left, the light reflecting gracefully as the particles moved within it. Desperate for some light you started to stand, legs shaking as you tried to make your way to the window.
“Hey hey, what are you doing?”
The new voice startled you, adrenaline flooding your veins as you spun around. You grabbed the nearest object that could be used as a weapon and held it in front of you, ready to fight for your life if need be.
The man who found you in the woods stood in the doorway with his hands up, a single dark curl falling over his forehead as he stood perfectly still.
“Hey,” he said calmly, voice soft and warm. “It’s alright, I’m not here to hurt you. We’ve already sort of met, remember? In the woods?”
As he spoke the memory came flooding back to you and you dropped the weapon, a blush settling on your cheeks as you tried to find the right words to apologize.
He chuckled, dropping his hands and stepping in. “Someone’s a bit jumpy, hm?” He teased, obviously trying to calm you down. He glanced at your empty bed before looking back at you. “And a bit eager to explore.”
You cleared your thoughts and nodded a bit, still hesitant to trust him too much. “Just wanted to see outside, sir,” you admitted. “Maybe feel some sun if I’m lucky.”
The man watched you and nodded, his hands going into the pockets of his jeans. He had on a simple black t-shirt that seemed clean, something that was a foreign concept to you these days. “Well I’d definitely say you’re lucky. You barely made it to the gates of the community before you passed out, I had to have Logan carry you in.”
The blush returned, causing him to laugh. “It’s okay, you’re in good hands here. Tabby was a doctor before all this happened, and she’s taught Devyn everything she knows.”
You nodded. “Tabby seems nice,” you said, feeling a bit safer again. “I, uh, kinda bit Devyn on accident, so I don’t know if he likes me.”
When you met his eyes he was containing a laugh, ultimately failing as you moved back towards your bed. “You bit him!” He chuckled, calming down a bit. “Well, once you’ve got your strength back, I’m sure we’ll have a hell of a fighter on our hands.”
You smiled, chuckling a bit. “Not sure how much help I’ll be until then,” you said, sighing again.
The man moved closer, sitting on the edge of your bed. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” he said softly, flashing a reassuring smile. “Start out with the easy tasks, and work your way up when you’re feeling better.” He ducked his head down, catching your eyes and smiling again. “Sound like a plan?”
You met his eyes and nodded, the hazel color full of so much warmth that you couldn’t help but believe him. Somehow, despite being on your own for two years, it was easy to trust him; it was easy to let the fear melt away.
He grinned, reaching to squeeze your shoulder until you jerked away. Maybe you weren’t ready to trust him too much. “We’ll work on that,” he said kindly, nodding and standing up. “I’ll check in this evening around dinner, okay? Maybe bring by a surprise, for our Lucky Stray.”
You both nodded to each other before he headed towards the door. You quickly remembered something and stood again.
“Wait,” you said, the man turning around in the doorway. “What’s your name?”
He smiled. “Ashton,” he said simply. “M’name’s Ashton.”
You nodded, the man repeating the action before he grabbed the doorknob and stepped out.The door closed softly behind him, the silence making your ears ring as you stared at the window again.
This is a hell of a place, you thought, settling back against the bed once again. A blanket was draped at the end of the mattress but you curled up without it, the previous rush of adrenaline in your system keeping you warm as you closed your eyes.
Maybe I’ll stick around for a while, you accepted, your exhausted mind already starting to settle into sleep. Where it’s safe.
For now.
****
Over time you were able to recover, your days filled with visits from Ashton and other members of the community. The visits you were always most excited for were Ashton’s, the length of them going from a couple minutes every couple of days to a few hours every single day. Sometimes he’d bring in whatever work had to do and set up a table next to you, teaching you the different jobs within the community from cleaning weapons to childcare to anything else that may need to be done. While you absolutely adored being able to learn about the community more and more, you enjoyed your time with Ash a bit more, the two of you building a strong bond that made recovery easier. It certainly helped that your heart would skip a few beats every time you saw him, his winning smile and wonderful laughter having their calming effect on you.
Before you knew it you were moved to your own room, a window looking east over the woods bringing you peace on the mornings you awoke in a panic. Though the things that lurk in the darkness between the trees terrified you, the peace that the air carried would blanket around you enough to calm your racing heart.
The community had slowly become your home, the sights and sounds of the people and the work to be done settling you into a new, welcoming routine that felt like fresh air after the suffocating two years you had been through. All was well and perfect in the months that passed, and as you and Ashton continued to steal glances and flirty smiles, you finally felt normal again.
Until the day that it changed.
Day 1,095. Three years since history was changed forever.
Your normal nightmare was terrorizing your mind again, your body tossing and turning in the restless sleep you had to endure before the dawn of a new day could wake you. This time, however, it felt urgent, more panicked than it had before; the screaming was closer, somehow, the footsteps of your loved ones echoing desperately around you as your mind spun it’s twisted tale. You did everything you could to escape it all but felt the cold hand wrap around your mouth, covering your screams as you tried to launch yourself away.
“Wake up!”
You jumped at the sudden voice, the sound shattering the terrifying images that flashed within your mind. You tried to lurch out of bed but a heavy weight stopped you, the hand from your nightmare becoming real as you fought to get up.
“Stop-” the voice said, the word turning into a grunt as a blow landed against a solid chest. Your eyes began to focus as the voice came again, messy dark hair and hazel eyes finally coming into view.
“Stop fighting,” Ashton asked, voice barely above a whisper as he kept you quiet. You met his eyes and he held a finger to his lips, his other hand still covering your mouth as he paused.
After a moment he nodded and moved, taking your hand to help you up from the bed. “We have to go,” he said softly, with urgency in his voice. “Do you need to grab anything?”
You stopped, your brain stuck on his first request. “Go?” You asked, voice louder than you anticipated as Ashton quickly covered your mouth again.
After another moment he pulled away, hands resting on your shoulders. “We don’t have a lot of time,” he started, “but I’ll make it quick. We’re being raided, and we have to go. Right now.”
Your mind started spinning again, the new information feeling impossible to process as Ashton took your hand again, obviously taking your silence as his cue to start leaving. He led you to the closed door of your room, pressing against the wall as he slowly opened it enough to peek outside.
Your mind snapped to attention at the sound of a distant shout. “Tabby-”
“-is already gone with Logan,” he assured you, looking back at you. “They’re getting everybody else out. I wanted to come for you.”
The gesture was sweet, and while it wasn’t lost on you, your mind now focused solely on getting the hell out of there as more yelling started on the other side of the community, followed by harsh crashing.
“Okay, let’s go,” Ashton said suddenly, hand tightening around yours as he dashed out of your space and dragged you along. Your steps eventually synchronized, the two of you quietly avoiding detection as you tried to loop around to where everybody else was supposed to be.
As soon as you got close enough a loud bang echoed through you, chilling you to the bone as a warm liquid started to trickle down your neck. Within seconds you were being dragged along again, adrenaline giving you strength as Ashton started running. Your mind became cloudy as your body fell into autopilot, the distant sounds of your own footsteps not even feeling real as you carefully made your way through the forest.
Ashton kept the pace, only slowing down as the trees got more and more dense, the path he was taking you down becoming harder to safely navigate as you escaped the home you thought was safe. The questions started racing through your head, each one leaving you more and more confused and frustrated than the last.
While lost in your thoughts your feet collided with a fallen branch, seemingly taking you by surprise as you tripped over it. You tried to catch yourself but failed miserably, your legs giving out from pure exhaustion as your ribs and jaw met the dirt and debris you had previously been running through.
Ashton stopped the second your hand left his, spinning around just in time to watch you land on the ground. He quickly came to your side, kneeling beside you and helping you slowly sit up.
“Alright?” He asked softly, eyes meeting yours as you nodded. He looked around, pausing as he heard the unmistakable shuffling of a zombie. He quickly quieted you and helped you stand, leading you in the opposite direction of the sound as the smell invaded your nostrils, turning your stomach over in protest as you forced yourself to move.
The new path was a large loop, the sound and smell making your heart race. At one point you caught a glimpse of it, the flesh blackened and decaying, exposed bits of muscle staring at you as you held in the contents of your stomach.
Ashton tugged you further, slowly and carefully until you finally broke through into a clearing. He helped you sit and started to walk the edges of the small space you now inhabited, checking the trees until circling back to kneel in front of you.
“Alright, we’re about a half mile away from the meeting point,” he said, meeting your eyes. “The others will be taking a longer route in case the raiders followed them, so it’ll just be us for a day or two.”
You nodded to his words, wincing at the sudden pain in your right ear. His brow furrowed as you reached up, fingertips barely touching it before you hissed.
He was suddenly very close to you, turning your head and carefully inspecting the injury. He chuckled. “They nicked you real good back there,” he stated, your head jerking away as his fingers got too close. “Sorry. We need to get you to the point, get you bandaged up.”
All you could do was nod, your mind still racing from everything that had happened. It was all too fast, too overwhelming and hard to process; you had just been sleeping in the safest place you knew of, finally finding somewhere that feels like home, just to have it all ripped away from you just as suddenly. It gave you whiplash, and quite frankly, it was enough to drive you to the edge of your sanity.
You just wanted one good thing to stay good. Was that really too much to ask?
The two of you were quiet during the rest of your break, the silence only breaking when Ash said it was time to move. Despite the two of you being out of immediate danger he still took your hand, the two of you making your way to this meeting point he had mentioned.
When you arrived you didn’t even see anything at first; the entrance was in the ground and heavily guarded by plants and fallen logs, Ashton brushing it all away before tugging open the heavy metal door. Inside was a ladder, Ash gesturing for you to go down first. Despite everything aching and screaming for you to stop, you obeyed, climbing down the ladder first as Ashton followed you and sealed the two of you in.
According to Ashton a member of the community had found this old bunker while hunting one day, the man literally stumbling upon it and finding his way inside. When Ash and the others caught up to him they decided to keep it hidden, only telling a few others about its existence for situations just like this.
“So what happens with it when we don’t need to hide in it?” You asked, venturing to what seemed like a bedroom with a single bed in the middle of it.
Ashton chuckled. “Nothing,” he answered, following you and leaning against the doorway. “It just sits here, really, until we have a use for it.”
You sat on the edge of the bed, eyes taking in the concrete around you as Ashton moved towards you, his eyes locked on you.
“You should get some sleep,” he stated, holding up a hand before you could protest. “It’s obvious you’re exhausted, love, and I know you’ve got to be in pain.”
You dropped your eyes. “I’m fine, Ashton.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
The tone in his voice made you look up, meeting his eyes again. “M’not lying. I’m fine.”
He sighed, moving back towards the door. “Fine. But I’m cleaning up your ear.”
Before you could protest he was gone, only coming back once he had found a first aid kit. You huffed but let him take care of you, hissing as he cleaned your wound and wrapped it with a bandage and gauze.
“There,” he said, sitting back and cleaning up the mess. “Once Tabby gets here she’ll really get that fixed up for ya.”
You nodded, his voice sounding far away as the bandage muffled him. He tossed the kit on the ground beside the bed, the two of you sitting in silence.
“What are we going to do now?” You asked softly, your mind still thinking of the home you had lost.
He shrugged. “We’ll start over,” he answered, his voice just as soft. “Find a new place for everybody. Build new defenses. Maybe start planting our own crops, even.”
You looked over at him, chuckling a bit. “Alright, Farmer Ash,” you teased, the man laughing lightly. You both fell silent until you found the courage to speak again. “Maybe I am tired.”
He chuckled and looked at you, gesturing for you to lay down against the pillows. “Get some rest, then,” he said, standing and moving towards the door.
“Wait,” you said, the man pausing and turning towards you. “Stay with me? Just until I fall asleep.”
He smiled and nodded, coming back and sitting on the opposite side of the bed as you got settled. You gave him a look and he rolled his eyes, laying back himself and settling in.
You faced each other, eyes locking as he smiled. “You can’t sleep with your eyes open,” he teased, earning a light laugh from you.
“Fine, fine,” you said, letting your eyes fall shut as you slightly adjusted your sleeping position. After a second you opened your eyes again, seeing Ashton with his closed.
“Ash?”
He cracked one eye open. “Yeah?”
“You promise this new place will be safe?”
“Darling, you’ll always be safe with me. I promise.”
“I’ll just have to cum inside you then” with ashton please and thank you ilysm
“Kitten.”
Ashton’s whine was pleading, his hands landing on your hips as you set your brush down. He tugged you out of the bathroom, a blush on your cheeks.
“Ashton-”
“Yes?”
You groaned, his lips connecting with your neck. He left sloppy, open mouthed ones along your skin, seemingly behaving himself - for now.
“Babe,” you said, eyes on the clock that hung on your wall. He was bunching up your skirt already, tugging the tight fabric up your thighs. “I’ll be late.”
Ash shook his head. “Daylight savings,” he mumbled, biting your skin in the valley between your neck and shoulder. “Got an hour.”
You raised an eyebrow as you remembered the time change, thoughts quickly diverted as his fingers brushed over your panties.
His lips traveled up to your ear. “Please?”
You chuckled, Ashton moving some hair from your shoulder.
“Fine, but quickly, Irwin.”
The grin that broke out on Ashton’s lips gave you butterflies, his hands lifting you up and carefully tossing you onto the bed.
He quickly crawled after you, wasting no time to tug your panties off. Through his boxers you could already see he was hard, the outline of his length bringing a whine from your lips as he kissed his way up your thigh.
The feeling of his lips against your heat made you gasp, the sound quickly turning into a moan as his tongue traced your slick folds.
“So pretty for me,” he mumbled, lips connecting with your clit next. His tongue drew circles around the sensitive bud until he took it in his mouth, sucking on it harshly as you moaned loudly. Your fingers flew to his hair, tangling in it as he smirked.
“Louder, kitten, can’t hear you.”
A finger slipped inside you and you obliged, his movements immediately tugging louder noises from your lips. All too soon he pulled away, the loss making you whine as he moved back to your face. Your hands tugged down his boxers quickly, his tip dragging across your center until he finally pushed in.
Ashton watched as he pushed himself in, groaning at the sight. “You’re so tight, kitten, so small,” he said, adoration and praise in his tone. “Taking my cock in you like a good girl. D’ya think you can take all of it?”
You moaned as he kept going, his girth stretching you perfectly as he moved further inside you. Before you knew it he was fully in and thrusting, not giving you any time to adjust to his size.
“Fuck,” you breathed. Ash readjusted your legs over his shoulders, hitting you deeper and further while you both moaned.
Within a few minutes, you were both nearing your end, you especially after Ashton’s teasing. “Can’t cum all over you like I want to,” he mumbled, shifting to hover over you and press your thighs against your chest. He smirked. “I’ll just have to cum inside you then.”
Your hands attached to his shoulders, nails dragging down his skin as he moaned. It wasn’t too much longer until you were spilling over his cock, Ashton following you not too long after. You whimpered as he pulled out, the familiar ache already beginning.
“God, kitten,” he praised, tugging you against his chest as he fell on the bed beside you. “Sure you can’t just stay home today?”
You laughed lightly, savoring the feeling of being wrapped against him for a second longer than you should. “I’m sure,” you said sweetly, reaching up to kiss his lips before you untangled yourself.
On your way out the door Ash got your attention again.
