Luke started opening his eyes and coughing, gasping for breath and groaning at the pain as he got up. Ashton stared at him with his eyebrows raised, a blank look on his face. Luke looked beside him to the boy and got up quickly, walking a few steps away from the stranger. He furrowed his eyebrows, making eye contact with the stranger but none of them said a thing.

"Were am I?" Luke asked the boy, he seemed to not be much older than Luke.

"Safe and sound, in your lands." Ashton said with a smile.

"What do you mean in my lands?" Luke asked, realising where they were and walking to Ashton with an angry face "Wait, my lands- why did you bring me here? Who do you think you are?!"

Ashton chuckled in disblief, letting out a breath "I think I'm the one who just saved your life."

"You just intervened, I had everything under control and would have gotten away if you stayed wherever you were!"

"Not on my point of view." Ashton said, with a smirk when Luke sighed heavily, pursing his lips.

"Who's uncomfortable, moves."

"You're not even thanking! Haven't people taught you manners?"

"What do you want me to do? Kiss your feet? Because I'm not going to do it!"

"Kiss my ass." Ashton said and Luke huffed.

"Listen, I'm not really in the mood to be bothered."

Luke tried to walk past Ashton but the curly-haired male stepped in front of him. Remembering the scene from when they were younger Ashton stepped in front of him when he tried to walk past him again. The blond looked Ashton in the eyes with anger and a pout. Was it weird that ashton thought Luke was insanely adorable? Sure he got a different attitude from when they were younger but he was loving seeing him angry.

"What are you doing?" Ashton asked in the same tone of voice he did before.

Luke smiled brightly, recognizing him "Ashton?"

"Hello there, princess." Ashton said, smiling.

Heavy steps were heard, pairs of them actually. Ashton looked behind him and saw Luke's father and brother were coming along with many guards. He smirked, seeing that Luke already had a soft spot for him and it means it would be easier to get to Andrew. Andrew got out of the horse and ran to his son with the older one behind him.

Jack grabbed Luke and pulled him away from their father who was facing Ashton. The older man glared at him and gave Ben a knowing look (the 'see if this asshole has done anything to him' kind of look). Ashton's heart hurt a little that they were thinking so poorly of him but he soon tried to take the hurting feeling away.

He was not nice, he went there with an evil purpose.

"Dad how could you break your promise?" Luke asked, not caring about his broken camera.

"What are you doing in my lands?" Andrew asked, ignoring his son's question "The Outsiders know the rules about coming to my lands."

"Dad, Ashton just-"

"Ashton?!" Andrew yelled, looking back at his son "What have I told you about the Outsiders?! If he was here then you would have ran away, not hang around him!"

"Hey boy!" an old man said, making them turn their attention to him "Yes you, young man. Heard you saved the king's son."

Andrew looked back at Ashton, furrowing his eyebrows "You saved him? Why?"

"I'm here to join your people." Ashton said and Andrew shook his head immedeatly.

"No, no way! You were banished with the others."

"I left them." Ashton said, looking at Luke who was staring at him with a pout "That's not who I am anymore, I was never like them. Judge me if you want, but don't blame me for a crime I didn't commit."

Andrew pursed his lips, looking back a Luke who stared at him.

"You owe him Luke's life." Ben said.

"He's right sir." Christopher said, looking at Ashton with a disapproving look "We're in debt and royal protocol says all debts must be payed no matter what. Unless, of course, you want to make an exception."

Andrew was silent and Ashton gave him a pleading look. The king stared at the Outsider and sighed, running his fingers through his grey hair.

"My father's law will prevail. I'll let you stay with us but it's not like you're going to have any privileges. We'll see who you really are."

Ashton nodded and Luke smiled at him. Everyone went to their horses, Luke even had one for himself. Ashton sighed when he noticed he had to walk and would probably be behind everyone. All the guards were sending him disapproving looks but Luke was different, he looked at Ashton like he was an equal.

"Rascal." Christopher whispered but Ashton still heard it, it made him frown.

Halfway to the castle Ashton was a little bit behind and Luke felt bad for the boy. His horse slowed down and he walked beside Ashton (who was so distracted that he didn't see Luke riding the horse beside him).

"Hey." Luke said and Ashton looked up with a smile.

"What's up?"

"You seem tired, hop on. We can go both." Luke said with a blush.

Ashton chuckled "Won't you get in trouble?"

"Oh please!" Luke giggled "I think I'm already in deep trouble. Just hop on, I don't want you to be tired."

Luke stopped the horse when Ashton nodded and climbed on it. Luke grabbed Ashton's right hand and put it on his waist, the other one too. Luke blushed at how close they were and the horse started walking, trying to catch up with the others. He smiled shyly when Ashton chuckled on his hear and shivered when the boy's breath hit his neck.

Andrew looked back and saw his son with the Outsider on the horse. The king pursed his lips. He was usually a good person who didn't judge anyone but the Outsiders where a whole other thing - he despised them, all of them were bad people that only lived for bad purposes. He didn't have the courage to kill them so ban them was the best he could do.

Ashton looked at his hands that were resting on Luke's waist and smiled a little. He always thought of the blond, that was one of the main goals of his training but he just thought how Luke was doing. If he was okay and if he thought about Ashton sometimes too. Even if they were sitting in silence he could see Luke hadn't changed much, he was still the small nice boy (who now has a bit of defensive attitude but that's a good thing).

And maybe he was enjoying the way they were being with each other, it's like nothing had changed from the short time they were friends.

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ana's philosophies: life can hurt but lashton hurts even more

how are my favourite people in the world today tell me how you are

i'm planning on posting a lashton texting fanfic, should i? bc bad blood is starting soon but the updates will be random adVISE ME

opinions on the chapter?

-ana rita (moony)