PREVIOUSLY A SEPARATE ONESHOT, NO SHIPS INVOLVED IN THIS SPECIFIC ONESHOT

Summary: where Ashton comes back, and memories are relived
was a oneshot for #may2k16
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It rained yesterday. And it was typical for it to rain in summer.

The wet pebbles were still damp, surrounding the top half of the beach. Brighton was nice like this, the constant change in weather, the aesthetic scenery that would be perfect for any tumblr post, but the best part of it was the sea.

Wave after wave crashing into the stones surrounding the area, each one's smooth edges feel like they've just been sanded down. Each crash of water would relax tense muscles, calm all forms of anxiety, and bring peace to those who are gentle towards it.

Ashton walked closer to the sea edge, letting the thick, salty scent of the waters penetrate his small nostrils. The wind blowing his hair in all different directions, it wasn't a small breeze like it was before he left.

He hadn't come back to England - let alone Brighton - since he went to Australia to study. He said he'd be back soon, but that was 11 years ago. He knew that he liked Brighton, but the oceans were bluer in Australia, the sand was warmer in Australia, the skies were brighter in Australia.

Even now, Ashton couldn't get a glimpse of the sun. Instead, the aftermath of yesterday's downpour soared above him, pieces of grey fluff bouncing across the skyline. But, for some reason, Ashton liked it. It reminded him that the dream place doesn't need the best beaches and the perfect sun. It's doesn't need to have massive shopping centres filled to the brim with designer stores. It doesn't need fancy houses with swimming pools in each garden. It just needs to have that feeling of being home.

The phrase 'home is where the heart is' is true. Your heart aches when you're homesick, missing the fresh smell of distant, grey waters. You miss those who love you most, not feeling as happy with those who think you think you love. Home in a different house isn't home. Home is that safe feeling, knowing you won't be hurt. Home is having that comfort that nowhere else can give you. Home is having the seagulls as your personal alarm clock.

Home has the places you love the best, the things you hold closest, and those you love the dearest.

Olivia is one of them to Ashton.

A childhood friend he hasn't seen in 11 years, Ashton longed to see those deep maroon eyes of hers. She had those irises you could lose yourself in for eternity, no worries in the world at all as all you cared about was her gorgeous eyes. She had those brown eyes that were to die for.

She was so kind, helping Ashton in every little way she could. She helped him get his first girlfriend, she helped him with his art project, she even played bass guitar for his music project. Yet Ashton never got the chance to pay her back for her kindness.

Once he moved on, so did Olivia. She went to Oxford to study Chemistry when Ashton was studying Music in Sydney. He heard that she got a law-student boyfriend and made new friends from her classes, so he knew that she must have forgotten about him. But no matter how long she's been away from him, Ashton couldn't - and wouldn't - ever forget Olivia.

Who could forget her long black hair, getting horribly tangled in the salty winds?

Who could forget her weird laugh that made Ashton laugh even more?

Who could forget her dedication, helping everyone in anyway?

Who could forget a sweet, beautiful, smart girl like Olivia?

Ashton couldn't. And he wouldn't ever.

He remembered all the times where she had helped him, like the one time Ashton had a bad flu.

"Are you alright?" She said, a basket of goodies on her arm,

"Does it look like I'm alright?" He chuckled, blowing his nose.

"Anyway," she placed the basket on his lap, "chocolate milk or orange juice?"

"Chocolate milk party all the time!" Ashton chuckled, his blocked nose giving him a funny accent. Olivia poured the milk into two separate tumblers, handing one to Ashton as he danced in his bed. They both took a sip and smiled, "thank you so much."

"No problem, I'm always here for you, right?"

"Even when I'm throwing up?

"Yeah, I guess..." she said, giggling at his stupid question.

"And when I'm in a coma?"

"Of course!"

"Even when I'm drowning in the sea?"

"YES!" she shouted, laughing loudly afterwards, "I would do anything if it meant you were alive, Ash."

"I would do the exact same, Olive." Ashton smiled as Olivia pulled him into a hug, coughing a couple of times – which made Olivia giggle.

She stayed at his house for the whole day, missing out on a shopping trip with other girls and a date with her boyfriend – but Ashton carried on telling her that he was no good for her.

"You gotta let him go, Olive."

"B-B-But Conor was so nice!"

"You're losing all your hope, and I can't let you be like that."

"H-He took me out to dinner, h-he kissed me as well! I thought it was perfect until he hit on her."

"Ali is horrible and ugly, you know that more than anyone!"

"B-But she's prettier than me-"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, you are beautiful and any guy would be lucky as cheese to go out with you. Nice guys!"

"But do I deserve a nice guy?" Ashton grabbed Olivia's hands, staring directly into her teary eyes. Her mascara was running – it was lucky he had a pack of Kleenex in his pocket. He smiled at her, almost getting emotional himself. Seeing Olivia cry was something that Ashton never wanted to witness in his life, and the reason for that was because when she cries – it all comes out like Niagara Falls.

"Olive, from what you've done to help me, you deserve all the nice guys out there. That's a fact that is true – and always will be."

That day was one of their worst days.

Ashton needed to get home, he'd remembered enough for them to stay with him forever. If only he could see those gorgeous brown eyes of Olivia's again, his day would be complete.

"Ashton Irwin?" a voice said from a distance. Ashton thought it must have been a fan, but then he turned around.

The black haired, brown eyed, tanned girl from his childhood was standing at the top of the beach, smiling and waving. She ran down to where Ashton was standing, where he pulled her into a passionate hug. Ashton became emotional, letting out all the tears that he'd kept inside of him for all those years. Seeing such a good friend that you haven't been with for over 11 years was something that triggered both of their water-works.

"Not so manly now, are you?" she laughed, looking up at Ashton. His dimples were deeper, his smile was larger, and his eyes were bigger. He felt at home around her.

"Not physically, because I've improved." He joked, making Olivia giggle. They pulled apart, smiling.

"I-I-I should go, my friends are waiting for me-"

"No, I don't want you to."

"I can talk later after my Tinder date!"

"But you won't need a Tinder date after I'm finished!"

She paused, turning around with confusion plastered on her face. Ashton giggled and wondered how he was meant to explain.

"I'm not setting you up again, never again. But I thought maybe...w-w-we c-could t-try d-d-dating." He stuttered, "I like you Olivia, ever since I first laid eyes on you. You were perfect from head-to-toe, but I couldn't gather myself to tell you. I settled with being friend-zoned and acted like it was cool, but I've had this feeling in my stomach that swirls like water whenever I'm around you. And from this little trip to the seaside, I realised something. Your eyes are something I love, the way they make me feel like I'm in heaven; your hair is something I love, the way it flows down to your elbows and gets tangled, and the way it makes you annoyed when it goes wrong and happy when its perfect; your laugh is something I love, the way that sometimes you sound like an angel and sometimes you sound like Goofy – which is when we relate to each other; and you is something I love." he gulped, fiddling with his fingers and laughing to himself, "In other words, I love you, Olivia."

By the time Ashton was finished, Olivia was streaming with joyful tears. He jumped into his arms and sobbed on his shoulder.

"No one has ever said anything like that to me," she cried, still smiling. She looked up at Ashton, "In other words, I love you too." Then she kissed him. Hard. And of course Ashton came true.

"The darkest night never felt so bright with you by my side." He said before kissing her again, the salty winds blowing their hair around. This day couldn't have been any better, Ashton thought to himself, and he was right.

It rained yesterday, but no damp pebbles could ruin their perfect moment together in Brighton.