When they reached the castle it was night already. Ashton helped Luke get down from the horse and the boy thanked Ashton for his kindness. Luke had gone inside to eat while Ashton went to eat with the employees of the castle. He got the smaller portion of food, receiving disapproving looks from the employees. In the Outlands he used to get the bigger portion of food which made him feel bad but his mother taught him how to get distracted from those feelings. As for the lookes the emplyees of the castle were giving him - some were disgusted, other looks scared of what Ashton could do. It made the boy realise that he didn't want to hurt anyone in that room, the only thing he wanted was to have a nice meal and then go to sleep (if he was allowed to).

Ashton frowned but ate, being ignored by everyone.

Later he was scolted by a guard to a small house close to the stables. He got inside and sighed when he saw the room, it was awful. It had nothing but a bed and some blankets, there was also a bathroom but it looked kind of shitty. The guard let him inside and closed the door, leaving Ashton alone in the room. He sat on the bed and smiled slightly, knowing it was quite comfortable. Maybe it wasn't that bad.

Someone knocked on the door and Ashton furrowed his eyebrows, saying 'come in' and smelling something good. Luke appeared with a smile and a pie, making Ashton's heart start to beat faster. He tried to avoid of course, but seeing Luke on a tiger onesie made him feel something that he couldn't describe - he just looked too cute.

"Hey, am I bothering you?" Luke asked, closing the door so the cold air wouldn't come in.

"Oh, no you're not. Why are you here though?" Ashton asked, chuckling "Thought it was past your bed time."

"Well," Luke started and sat down next to Ashton, putting the pie on his lap "maybe I need to start making my own bed time. Besides, I just wanted to say thank you and baked a pie."

Ashton smiled, eating a bit of the slice "It's so good, thank me for what by the way?"

Luke blushed and looked down "You know... for saving me today! It was really brave of you."

Ashton smiled "What kind of photography hunter are you anyway? You almost got yourself killed princess, I was there at the right time."

"And I suppose you could teach me?"

Ashton smirked, noticing the blond was firting with him a little bit. He got closer to the boy and smirked, looking down at Luke's rosy cheeks.

"Maybe I could, you don't know if you don't try."

A man coughed and looked at them, making Luke sit away from Ashton. It was a guard, he had an awkward look on his face like he preferred to not witness the two boys flirting. Ashton leaned back and smirked noticing Luke's blush getting darker.

"My prince I was asked to scort you to your room since I will be guarding your door tonight."

"Why am I being protected?" Luke asked and scoffed when the guard sent him a look motioning to Ashton.

"Well, goodbye princess."

"Our training starts tomorrow." Luke said as he got out of the door "I'll see you in the afternoon."

Luke left and closed the door. Ashton chuckled, looking down and smiling.

"I look forward to it."

He grabbed the blankets and took off his shirt, grabbing the one Luke brought for him. It was the perfect size and Ashton suspects the boy probably uses it to sleep. The image of Luke sleeping in an oversized sweater makes him want to laugh fondly and hug him — he admits that maybe he created a soft spot for the small boy because after all, he thought about him all those three years.

He wonders if Luke thought about him too.

***

"He didn't do anything!" Harry said, laughing out loud "If it was me I would have done something!"

"Shut up!" Caroline yelled "Everything is going according to the plan. He got closer to Luke and then is Andrew."

"He could have killed everyone right away! They were alone and that guard was an actual pussy, I once snuck in the lands and scared him with a stick. If Ashton is so brave and strong and powerful then he would have killed them! That's what you have been teaching him to do all these years!"

"And when he gets closer to Andrew he will! Stop complaining about your brother when you don't even do anything to survive. I'm the one who has to do everything." Caroline said harshly, shutting her son up "Now let's go back before someone sees us, I'm not in the mood to give that asshole the portions of food we don't even have."

Caroline stared at the prince getting inside, feeling excited for the day she was the one living in that castle. It was arriving, she could feel it.

______________________________________

this was shitty and i hated but meh

opinions?

—ana rita (moony)