Man, I love Australian architecture!
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Man, I love Australian architecture!
so this guy who looks SO outta my league messaged me on tinder and even though it’s just a “hey” a girl is trynna flirt so she has a man after social distancing is over. SO naturally I look for a gif to respond with and one option is:
cal is my man but SHIT CAN LUKE MAKE ME SWERVE
when they open the show with Babylon
“LIE TO ME” BY 5SOS IS A FREAKING BOP AND NO ONE CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE
Sticky Notes, a Luke Hemmings AU
Part 1 / Part 2
Part 3
Noa’s alarm blared incessantly and she rolled to the other side of her bed, feeling around for the snooze button. Turning onto her back, she stared at the ceiling for a few minutes to psych herself up to getting out of bed. Ashton had told her he had a meeting with Luke today, and she wasn’t sure she was ready to face him again.
Ready or not, here he comes. She decided, hauling herself out of bed and putting her glasses on, dragging her feet as she went into the bathroom for a shower. She was not a morning person. The warm water helped to loosen her muscles, still stiff from sleep, and she stepped out much more awake and ready to face the day. With one hand she ran her fingers through her soaked hair and with the other she pulled up a playlist on her phone, attaching it to her bathroom dock (Yes, she had a dock specifically for the bathroom.) and plugging in her hairdryer.
In fifteen minutes her hair was dry and she was teasing volume into it with a comb, deciding against putting it up and shaping it into big, loose curls instead. Before returning to her bedroom, she put in her contacts, grabbing her glasses on the way out of the bathroom.
Humming the last song that had been playing as she got ready, she looked through the options in her closet, eventually deciding on a black pencil skirt and blazer with a red collared shirt underneath and black skinny tie. Not exactly big business attire, but not unprofessional by any standards.
Do I dare? She asked herself, eyeing her precious black Christian Louboutin platforms. They had been her first splurge as Ashton’s head consultant, she’d put everything she had into helping Ashton start his company and worked hard to be able to treat herself to those shoes. Thus, she saved them for special occasions. However, they’d give her the boost of courage she needed to face her boss’ awful business partner, so she pulled them down and set them on the table by her door- god forbid she leave them on the floor where Duke, her leonberger, could reach them and chew them to bits.
She ventured into her kitchen and started a pot of coffee before returning to her bathroom to put on her face, sharp eyeliner and red lipstick to match her shirt and the bottom of her shoes. I look rather impeccable, if I do say so myself, she thought as she wandered back into the kitchen, as if she didn’t say the same thing to herself every other morning. Humming, she poured her coffee into her travel mug and added a shot of caramel syrup and milk into it, grabbing a muffin from the bowl on her counter and stuffing it into a sandwich bag. She made sure to refill Duke’s food and water before going back to her entryway, throwing her phone and breakfast into her purse and putting on her shoes before exiting the house and going to work.
--
“Good morning Noa!” Ashton greeted Noa as she walked past his office. “You look very nice today!” She gave him a smile and a wave before opening the glass door to her office and entering, firing up her computer as she ate her muffin. Luke would be in at 11 AM with his consulting team and his lawyers, as well as a very important contract. This gave her two hours to get some work done before the meeting she was dreading so.
Ashton’s lawyer, Jack, entered the building at 10, giving Noa a wave before beelining to Ashton’s office, probably to give him legal advice on the contract they would be presented within an hour.
As the hour wore on Noa grew more anxious, unable to focus on her work as the meeting approached. Ashton’s company was successful, but this merge was definitely the biggest thing to happen in its short history. She could feel the buzzing energy throughout the building, practically listening to the “Did you hear?”s and “Luke Hemmings merger,”s despite the thick glass door and office walls cutting off the sounds from the rest of the office. It was all anyone had been talking about for two days, but as the hour of reckoning grew near Noa found herself tapping her pen incessantly on the glass surface of her desk rather than tapping her fingertips on her keyboard.
She jumped, distracted from her thoughts when her office phone buzzed. She looked up and into Ashton’s office, him nodding at her and picking up his laptop as well as some files. She gathered her own things and met him and Jack outside his office, the three of them walking to the boardroom, which was on its own floor and only accessible by the board members and consultants of the company. Ashton liked being in the open to all his employees, but there was far too much legal hassle for the boardroom the be walled and doored in glass like the rest of the office.
Ashton took his seat at the circular table and Noa took hers to his left while Jack started up the projector. Apparently the contract had been sent to Ashton hours ago and it was decided everyone in the meeting would be able to watch changes being made to the contract rather than dealing with writing in notes on a hard copy and retyping it.
Noa shot the consultant team group chat a text at 11:45 telling them to meet them and they were there within 30 seconds. Noa wasn’t the most conventional of people, much preferring to text her team rather than e-mail them for the small things.
“Nervous?” Amanda asked, taking her seat next to Noa.
“A bit.” Noa replied.
“We all are.” Ashton butted in. “Does the entire office not have anything else to talk about? All I’ve heard for two days is ‘Luke Hemmings-’ then silence once everyone’s realized I’m in the room. Definitely doesn’t help anyone’s nerves.”
“It’s nothing personal, Mr. Irwin.” Another consultant, Harris, replied. “It’s a small company so word travels fast, everyone’s just a bit excited about this recent development.”
“You should probably have a company-wide meeting about it when everything’s said and done. Or, at least send out an e-mail. A lot of employees feel left in the dark.” Amanda added.
“Alright. We’ll talk.” Ashton replied, standing from his seat. “If you’ll excuse me, I am going to wait in my office to greet our… esteemed guest.”
Noa let out a short laugh, as well as the rest of the consultants as they had heard of the bizarre power trip of a meeting between Luke and Noa. “Esteemed guest” didn’t even begin to cover what Luke thought of himself.
Everyone made small talk as they waited, most about weekend plans as it was Thursday and most of the office would be going out tomorrow. Noa watched as Luke stepped into the office with Ashton and four other people.
“Round table?” Luke questioned.
“Ashton hates sitting at the head. Something about everyone’s role in the company being equal.” Noa explained, closing the folder she’d been leafing through.
“Mr. Hemmings, you’ve met Noa Lexington already,” Ashton began and Luke focused on her, his baby blue eyes darkening to a sapphire with an otherwise unreadable expression. She gazed right back, giving him only a polite nod and quick, close-lipped smile. “This is my lawyer, Jack Richmond, and our consultants, Amanda Forest and Harris Lane.”
“Pleasure,” Luke replied. “I’m Luke Hemmings. These are my lawyers, Richard Smith and Charlotte Hugh, and my consultant, Olivia Tucker and her intern Evan Jones.”
Everyone took their seats, Ashton to the left of Richard and Luke to the right so they could watch the document be edited and printed directly from the computer to avoid any sabotaging. began going over the contract, the lawyers doing most of the talking unless one of the consultants caught something they did or didn’t agree with. Harris managed to crack a few jokes, easing the tension and earning a laugh from Ashton’s side of the table and even Luke’s lawyers, however Luke himself and Olivia remained deadpan and serious. However Noa could see a smile fighting its way onto Evan’s face, though he only sat and observed.
“Luke,” Ashton said eventually, well after the two CEOs determined they should be on a first name basis. “Lighten up mate, we want to get along with the people we work with, yeah?”
Luke looked taken aback, staring at Ashton for a short while before shrugging. “Different,” He said. “But alright.”
The work continued and Noa furrowed her brows as employees started to pop up in the text. “Wait,” She cut in. “All employees of Irwin Music Management previously at Hemmings Records are to transfer back to the record label?” She asked, reading the text
“Well, of course, seeing as the only reason you hired them was to get this contract.” Luke replied.
“No, absolutely not.” Noa said. “We value our employees, we did not hire yours because they are a pawn in trying to partner with you.”
“Mr. Irwin explicitly said in our meeting two days ago that he was stealing my employees specifically to grab my attention to partner with him. Now that he’s gotten what he wanted, I want my employees back in return.”
“Find new ones.” Noa replied sternly. “Mr. Irwin simply found employees he admired and wished to hire while trying to get in contact with your company. It also just happens to be the reason we’re on your radar, that’s not our fault. We keep the employees.”
Luke and Noa stared at each other for what seemed like forever, neither of them wanting to back down.
“Noa, this is negotiable-” Ashton started quietly.
“No,” She interrupted. “It’s not. They transfer, they lose their trust in both the companies. They’ll think we’re using them as pawns and Irwin Music Management is better than that. We hired them because we wanted them here.”
“Very well.” Luke said finally, after yet another drawn-out staring match, and Noa watched on the projector as Richard deleted that portion of the document.
Noa’s phone lit up on the table and she peered over at it.
Amanda: Is it just me, Harris, or could you have cut the sexual tension between Luke Hemmings and our lovely Noa with a knife just now?
Harris: With the staring they do? Absolutely.
This is highly unprofessional, Noa thought as she rolled her eyes at her phone.
Noa: Very funny. Shut up and listen to the lawyers.
Before long, the contract had been finished and both Ashton and Luke watched Richard print off two copies. Both were signed and the CEOs shook hands. “I’m glad we could come to an agreement, Mr. Hemmings.” Ashton said.
“Likewise,” Luke replied. “I expect great things from this partnership and your company, don’t let me down. Contract says I get your firstborn if you do.”
“Did you just attempt a joke, Mr. Hemmings?” Harris asked.
“Perhaps.”
“A for effort, it could use some work though.” Noa commented. “And stay away from Ella, you can have my firstborn if Ashton lets you down.”
Ashton cleared his throat to shut everyone up and turned his attention back to Luke. “Apologies, but is it alright if Jack shows you out? I need to meet briefly with my consultants.”
“Of course. Good luck, Mr. Irwin.” Luke said, grabbing his things, which included his copy of the contract.
“And to you, Mr. Hemmings.”
“Goodbye, Miss Lexington. It was great to see you again.” Luke added, his attention now turned to Noa.
“See you soon, Mr. Hemmings.” She replied.
The group exited and Ashton turned back to the consultants. “Alright, now that we’ve finished this,” He said, holding up his copy. “How do I tell the rest of the office?”
“I’ve got a sheetcake waiting in my mini fridge already, you just have to break the news.” Amanda said. “I had an intern pick it up this morning.”
“You are amazing.” Ashton said.
“Seriously.” Noa added, “I wish I’d thought of that.”
--
With the help of Noa and the rest of her team, Ashton had everyone in the small company occupating the large employee lounge area in no time.
“I’m sure you’ve all heard the rumors,” Ashton started when everyone had settled down. “And some of you must’ve noticed Luke Hemmings popping in and out of here over the last few days. This is not a company merger, as some have been speculating. We simply partnered with Hemmings Enterprises to better the opportunities for both companies. I can promise it’s an excellent move for Irwin Music Management and we will be seeing the benefits of it in almost no time at all. A partnership with a large and esteemed company such as Mr. Hemmings’ has been a long time coming, as Noa and I have been shooting for one like it since we started the company…”
--
“Good companies have good partners.” Noa said simply, rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes as she and Ashton went through yet another sleepless night of work at her shitty apartment as they didn’t have an office space yet.
“Partnerships like what?” Ashton asked, only half hearing the question.
“Like these.” Noa said, flipping her laptop around so Ashton could see.
“Companies like Hemmings Records?” Ashton asked.
“Probably not that one, but ones like it.” Noa said “Hemmings wouldn’t be my first choice, he’s living off of blood money and an inherited company. But if we were to partner with someone as big as that, it would do wonders.”
“One day we’re going to make a big partnership like that.” Ashton said. “We’re going to be so successful. You can pay off your student loans and get a better place, maybe even a big dog like you’ve always wanted. My wife won’t ever have to be the sole provider for me again, I can give her everything she wants. Even kids.” He continued. He’d been having an especially rough time at home lately, as he wanted nothing more than to give his wife kids like she wanted, but they just weren’t in a stable financial place to provide as parents.
“Yeah,” Noa said doubtfully. “One day.”
--
Clapping pulled Noa out of her thoughts and she realized Ashton had just finished speaking. He beamed at her and she gave a smile with equal enthusiasm back. Amanda cut into her sheetcake and passed it around while the office celebrated.
After about an hour, Ashton sent everybody back to work. Noa stepped in her own office and rolled her eyes when she saw a pink sticky note on her keyboard.
You look lovely today. Congratulations on the partnership.
-Jack
“What?” Noa asked, pulling off the sticky note in confusion. She thought it would’ve been from Luke again. Her computer lit and a message from Ashton appeared on the screen telling her there was something for her in his office.
“Your lawyer is flirting with me, Irwin.” Noa said when she entered Ashton’s office, dropping the note on his desk.
“Are you sure that isn’t meant for me?” He joked.
“Funny. What do you have for me in here?”
“I think one of Hemmings’ consultants or lawyers left this for you. It was left on the boardroom table. I don’t know, I didn’t look to see what it is.” He replied, handing her another sticky note. “Trade.”
“Ha, yeah, you can have Jack’s. I don’t want it.”
“He’s a pretty good looking guy, Noa.” Ashton said, wiggling his eyebrows.
“He’s so boring, Ash.” Noa said “Have you ever had an actual conversation with him? Outside of business? He’s like a robot.”
“Okay,” Ashton replied in a singsong voice, “If that’s what you really think.”
“Robot, Ashton.” Noa repeated as she exited his office.
The sticky note Ashton had given her were actually two sticky notes, she discovered when she sat at her desk once more.
Noa,
She peeled the two sticky notes apart, discarding the one that only said her name.
If looks could kill
(I am referring to both your ensemble and those glares you love to give me when I’m not giving you your way)
-Luke
She shook her head, amused, and shot Ashton a message on his computer.
Noa: Your business partner is flirting with me, too.
Ashton: Are you also sure that one is not meant for me?
Noa barked out a laugh, closing her messenger and getting back to work, the sticky note from Luke forgotten on her desk.
someone please explain how he is real