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takemealivelh · 2 months

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heart is gonna flatline || l.h.

tour puts luke and lucy's feelings to the test. addiction to sex, alcohol and weed for when things get hard. SMUT.

this was so fun to write ! loved to participate in the @5sos-fic-fest this year. hope you enjoy this. here's the ao3 link.

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FEEDBACK IS ENCOURAGED AND APPRECIATED

Prompt Au where the characters are both famous musicians with their own projects who have a well-documented public friendship. When they announce a tour together fans go crazy, as do the shippers. As the tour progresses, maybe the shippers are on to something…

Pop-rockers 5SOS and Latina indie-rocker Lucía Huerta announce tour together Last year, there were rumors about the frontman of the Australian band -Luke Hemmings, 27- and relatively new sensation Lucía "Lucy" Huerta, 28. They'd been caught leaving West Hollywood bars together, late at night, on numerous occasions. They put the speculation to a stop when in June 2023 Lucy uploaded an Instagram story of her and the blond having a drink. She tagged Hemmings and wrote "that's the homie", to which Luke replied in his own stories "that's me :)". They've been seen hanging out repeatedly since then, but it doesn't seem any more platonic than work friends. And speaking of work friends, 5 Seconds of Summer and Huerta just announced a 2024 tour that definitely excited fans, not just because of the vibrant shows they expect to see later in the year, but also because they want to see how the relationship of the two stars will develop during the four-month North American dates. Here at Music Getaway, we'll definitely keep a close eye on them.

"i'm not ready to tell them yet," lucy says to his boyfriend as she leaves the coffee cup on the kitchen counter next to them. they've been dating for eight months. it's been hard to hide their relationship from the press, and luke isn't too keen on the idea. he actually hates it. but he loves lucy. he loves that she's a talented musician, her laugh, her jokes and her business smarts. and he just can't enjoy this in peace, not with being so secretive.

"you've been saying that for months now. when are you gonna be okay with this? with us?" luke doesn't get it. why hide when they go out on dates and he can finally press a hand on her ass in public to stop the thirst traps people seem to tag her on. hoping to get a chance with her? fuck no. the blond wants her all to himself, he can't deny that.

lucy twists her lips, stalling. the smell of freshly brewed breakfast coffee dancing around them. "you don't understand." she finally says, reaching a hand to touch his arm for a few seconds. the thought of being out in the open with luke would change everything. "people will treat me differently. they might not respect me anymore."

"what are you talking about?"

"luke, come on. i got my own interview with kelly clarkson and then i played the iheartradio festival." they'd been incredible opportunities. "all of my hard work goes away the minute they know we're together. they'll say oh she was fucking the rockstar and he got her those big breaks. i don't want that. i don't want people to minimize my efforts."

luke sighs and shakes his head. "is that what's more important?" lucy shrugs. "okay," he finally says.

"okay?"

"yeah. it's fine. i get it. i won't bring it up again."

lucy throws her arms around his neck. "thank you," she whispers before kissing his lips softly. "i love you."

luke sits with ashton outside the rehearsal room. they've been playing for nearly two hours and they need a breather, especially because luke's mind is spinning. "i don't know, man. it sucks." they hear chattering on the other side of the door, a few guitar riffs and then laughter.

"of course it sucks, mate," ashton tells his friend. "she doesn't want to be in your shadow. it really fucking sucks and you better not fuck this up for her. you know how hard she's been working." he had grown fond of lucy. she was as much of a fan of drums as he was. he taught her a few fills and she invited him to do yoga and get high, ending up talking about how the unconscious force of creativity is beyond any of us. ashton doesn't want to see her heartbroken because of her boyfriend's, his best friend's inability to trust someone who really loves him.

luke's insecure, there's no question about that. after his marriage fell apart, he fell into a depression. and when he got better, he found this woman in the venue of the iheartradio festival, she was wearing cool sunglasses and stevie nicks-looking clothes. hippie goth he would've dared to say. they were watching the soundcheck of another band and started talking after she took out a cigarette from her backpack and asked him for a lighter.

"sorry, no. i don't smoke."

"that's okay," she smiled.

that was all she said before looking for -and eventually finding- a lighter in the outside pocket of her small backpack.

the man looked up at the sky, the sun shining bright and the warm air of the field. he squinted one eye and turned to her. "they sound pretty good," he said of the band that was talking onstage, between songs. she nodded her head. "do you know them?"

"not personally, no," she replied and blew smoke out in a thin line. "but i've been a fan of them for a while now. they're one of my favorite indie bands."

that got them talking, eventually introducing themselves and catching up later after each other’s set. there was chemistry and flirting. luke's band immediately caught up to what was happening, when he said he was gonna congratulate lucy and be right back. but he didn't and it took them a full while to find him, thirty minutes before they went up and played.

"you got a lighter?"

calum nods and lights the cigarette for her. the smoking area of the building being a small parking lot.

"thanks," she breathes out. "you out here on your own?"

the bassist nods. "it's a good place to think."

lucy smiles and rolls her eyes. “cheesy,” she says with a grin.

"where's loverboy?" he asks, a cheeky smile on his face. calum was the first one to see them kissing. it was an afterparty at his band photographer's place. he'd gone to the kitchen when everyone started leaving, eight in the morning. when he went back to the living room with a cup of coffee, he saw lucy snuggled up to luke, smiling at him. luke smiled back and leaned in to kiss her. "aren't you guys glued to the hip anymore?"

lucy chuckles, "i don't know. there's... a lot happening."

"i'm listening."

"uh... okay. so... we decided to not tell everyone yet that we're dating. Not even with the tour. and i think he's mad at me."

"why do you say that?"

"he's been more... distant. and i don't know if that's what i wanted but it feels like... payback. like, you banned us and now i'm gonna make sure you feel it type of thing."

"i'm sure it's not that."

a bitter chuckle leaves her lips. "helpful as usual, cal."

cincinatti, first stop of the you don't go to parties tour. lucy had laughed when they first told her the name of the tour, but she eventually grew to like it and even embrace it. it's 6 pm and her soundcheck just ended. security lets fans in for a q&a with 5sos. she walks over to her boyfriend and smiles at him, wanting to kiss him good luck, or maybe just because she loves him. but luke stops her before she can even tilt her head up to reach his lips.

"we can't now. remember?"

it leaves her heart sore. she stands still as luke enters the stage and is greeted with the cheering of the fans. the rest of the guys are already seated on the small stairs of the set. she watches him ignore her and the questions about her. michael replies to one of them by saying she's our friend and we care for her and we're pretty inspired by her work as well, so it seemed like a good idea to, like, join forces and do this tour together.

lucy hopes luke will acknowledge her at some point, but he doesn't. when they start playing talk fast for the few lucky seventy fans in the audience, she twists her lips and leaves, heading backstage.

he doesn't see her until she's onstage again, playing her set of amazing songs for the 16,000 people attending the show. they dance and scream the lyrics back to her. she plays her guitar and sings with her raspy grunge-style voice over the indie-pop-rock arrangements her backing band provides. his heart beats faster as she approaches the microphone and starts talking.

"and thank you to my friends in 5sos who have been kind enough to invite me to co-headline this tour. the you don't go to parties tour seemed a little odd to me at first because this is definitely a party, isn't it?" she smiles as the crowd cheers. "so thank you guys," lucy turns to the left of the stage and sees luke standing next to her guitar tech. "i really fucking love you."

because of technical issues, the band can't perform the whole setlist. sometimes it happens. ashton is always pissed. "they're missing the whole experience!"

"yeah, well. nothing we can do. venue told us we could do the whole hour and a half but because of the issue with the speakers, they can't last that long. you have to cut two songs."

the tour manager tries to hold this thing together as ashton and michael complain. calum offers suggestions.

"i guess we could lose um... we could lose babylon, right? just this once and... flatline maybe?" the bassist looks over at luke.

flatline is the one song they had never played live before and it’d be a surprise for the audience. especially because lucy would come onstage to sing it with them. play the rhythmic guitar while luke walks around, hyping up the crowd. they'd rehearsed it several times and she was excited about it. they both were. allegedly.

"sure," luke replies as he drinks a glass of tequila, setting it down on a table and making sure his guitar is properly tuned. "let's cut them."

michael and ashton look at each other and then at luke. the frontman shrugs and his friends tell the tour manager that they will cut babylon and flatline.

all of the musicians have separate rooms in the hotels. even luke and lucy. she'd insisted it'd be easier. luke hated it. and he didn't expect her to show up at his room, unannounced, with a frown on her forehead and breathing hard.

"you cut our song," she steps inside the white room with the white walls, white bed and white comforter. looking at luke, the woman crosses her arms.

"we had to," he simply states. as if he wasn't the one greenlighting the whole thing.

"you could've told me, though. i was looking stupid next to the stage, waiting for you to introduce me. and it never happened."

"is that all that matters to you? how you look in front of other people? we had to cut two songs, lucy. the surprise's gonna be even bigger in the next show. fans will appreciate that."

lucy twists her lips and walks straight past him towards the door. "you're an asshole," she says before closing it behind her.

the beginning of the flight to boston is awkward. the whole twelve -the bands and the crew- can sense the tension inside the plane. it stems from luke and lucy, obviously. when did everything get so uneasy?

twenty minutes into the duration of the flight, though, luke slides into the seat next to his girlfriend. she doesn't look at him.

"i should've told you."

"yeah, you should've."

her heart beats faster as he places a hand on her cheek, guiding her eyes towards his own. he looks inside the brown hues and decides he can't keep hurting her. but she hurt him first. he wants to grow up and let it go. it's proving to be harder than he thought. maturity hasn't caught up to him easily yet. "i'm sorry." she closes her eyes and luke leans in to kiss her. "i'm sorry," he repeats.

a hand on his wrist, lucy is sad. looking into his eyes makes her sad. "it's okay," she finally says.

"and now we've got a pretty special surprise for you," michael grins into the microphone as the whole venue screams. "it's time to invite lucy huerta back on stage!" he shouts with a smile.

luke thinks lucy looks so fucking edible in those tight pants and that see-through top. her smile is big as she waves to the audience and settles on the center of the stage, where luke usually is. he gets another microphone from one of the roadies before ashton counts to four with his hi-hat.

should've seen me like a year ago, year ago/i was someone you don't even know, even know/dark times kept me all alone, all alone/you were shining like a heart of gold, heart of gold

he steals glances at her as she smiles into the crowd that’s going wild, her acoustic guitar hanging from her shoulders.

luke was depressed after the divorce, staying home and drinking himself to sleep. then he got his shit together (half of it at least), went to the studio and worked through his issues by writing songs. when he met lucy, luke thought she was the most wonderful person on the planet. she had the kindest heart and was an overall joy to have around. he sings the pre-chorus and is taken aback by her strong voice as she takes over the song with her playing and her singing.

ooh, i'm falling for the first time/heart is gonna flatline/now i can't even look at you/you're like staring at the sunshine, burning into my mind/now i can't even look at you

and she doesn't. she doesn't look at him as she sings, unlike rehearsals when they couldn't stop singing to each other. it breaks his heart, considering it's their song. he wrote this for her.

"thank you!" lucy shouts and then leaves the stage waving everybody goodbye.

after the show, luke showed up to her hotel room. the bands were out clubbing and when he heard lucy wasn’t gonna join them, he immediately took an uber back to where they were staying.

“let me in, please,” he says after knocking on her door three times. when she finally appears, she’s wearing a towel around her body and another one around her hair. she looks tired. “can i come in?”

without saying a word, lucy steps aside and luke walks into her room. she closes the door behind her and approaches him.

“talk to me,” he basically begs. reading her mind is like an unsolvable sudoku, the man can’t get his head around it. “I love you.”

“i love you, too,” she whispers, looking down at his messy converse sneakers.

luke quickly grabs her face and kisses her. it’s passionate and arousing and she can feel herself melting under his touch. she knows they should actually talk about it, instead of making out and falling on the bed, her towels discarded somewhere on the floor. she can’t help it. they’re both sex addicts. lucy rips his thin black shirt open and kisses down his chest, leaving his skin wet with the droplets that run down her hair. his breathing grows heavier and his pants grow tighter in the crotch area. he closes his eyes as she trails the kisses back up to his face. “take it off,” she pleads and sits next to him. luke quickly reincorporates himself to toss his shirt, his slacks and his underwear out of the way. he’s big and pulsating and lucy swallows hard, he turns her on so much.

when the last item of clothing hits the floor, one of his shoes, the man licks his upper lip and straddles her body, hovering over her. “you really want me, huh?” his smirk is cocky, as if he’s forgotten everything about these past few days. it’s like nothing ever happened and they’re still in their love bubble. she so desperately wants to go back to it, so she nods and wraps her arms around his neck, bringing him to her lips as she parts her legs. luke hooks an elbow on her knee and spreads her wider, watching her folds throb for him. so slick and ready. he kisses her once more before carefully dropping her leg onto the bed. “condom,” he says. “i need to fuck you now.”

lucy reaches out to the bag she keeps on the nightstand. eyeliner, pills and condoms. she hands him one and it doesn’t take long before his cock is ready. luke smirks and kisses her, lining himself against her entrance with one hand, he takes a deep breath and penetrates her.

her gasp shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that it’s the same sound every time, not at all used to having him being so big and thick yet, even after all these months. she closes her eyes and bites her lower lip as luke runs a hand through his damp curls, letting her adjust to his size. he groans as he feels her walls engulfing him. “i want you so much,” he offers a low moan and starts picking up the pace of his thrusts. bringing one of her legs over his shoulder, the man reaches a deeper spot that makes her moan out.

“fuck,” she pants as the bed bounces underneath their bodies. luke’s strength and determination to fuck her stupid works. her eyes roll to the back and she digs her short nails into his naked back. “more,” she begs and is immediately met with a hand around her throat. “more,” her plead is inaudible as she feels like she can’t breathe from the pleasure.

luke’s pupils are dilated in a way she’s never seen before. he tightens her grip around her throat and around her leg. gulping down at the sight of his girl falling apart under him, he tries to restrain louder moans but how can he? how can he fuck her quietly when she looks and feels so fucking good? “say you’re mine,” he orders. “say you’re mine.”

the morning sun shines through the window and rests its light on lucy’s face. She scrunches her nose and opens her eyes. she’s lying on luke’s chest, they’re both naked. he doesn’t seem to notice her shifting. the woman looks up at him, wondering when things got so complicated. she loves him. she truly loves him. he’s the first man she’s ever loved, in a real way, not a platonic crush way. the fact that he makes her laugh and his skills when making music and also in bed are extraordinary. he’s a sensitive soul and it’s such a wonder when he lowers down the walls he builds up around people. letting them in but not all the way. not in the way he does with her. or did. “why can’t you trust me with your thoughts anymore?” lucy wonders in a soft whisper before pressing a kiss to his sternum and getting up. she goes to the bathroom and takes a shower. when she opens the door that leads to the bedroom, luke is up and scrolling through his phone. “hi,” she smiles softly. her boyfriend’s hair is a mess and there’s still sleep inside his eyes.

“hey,” the man smiles back, putting his phone away. “flight’s at 6. you wanna do something today?”

lucy leans against the frame of the bathroom door. she crosses her arms in front of her chest and thinks for a moment while twisting her lips. “what do you have in mind?”

they both go down in the elevator, not touching, and it’s killing them. when they reach the hotel’s diner, they find calum and ashton sitting at one of the tables, drinking orange juice and eating bagels.

“you guys had fun last night,” calum smirks as the couple sits down with a plate of waffles and two cups of coffee.

lucy blushes and luke has to stop every inch of his urgent body to wrap an arm around her shoulders. “shut up,” they both say in unison. there’s a soft smile on their faces.

after michael drops by to have a quick breakfast and then leaves to facetime his wife and his baby daughter, the rest of them decide that it would be cool to go out and explore the city. so they do that. they go to a park and sit around, smoking and drinking warm water because of the summer heat upon them. a couple of fans stumble across them and ask for pictures. they stay for around ten minutes before leaving off to continue their day, the musicians keep on enjoying the sun and the fresh air. if you ignore calum and lucy’s cigarettes, that is.

they go to lunch at a nearby restaurant and order pasta salads. lucy looks over at luke across the table, he’s laughing at one of ashton’s jokes and she sighs almost imperceptibly, looking down at her empty plate. there’s a single ravioli and two tomato slices on it. she looks up when she feels a foot against her ankle and sees luke smiling softly at her.

they can’t help but fuck in the restaurant’s bathroom. locked into a single stall, she drops to her knees and sucks him off. luke pins her against the door and buries his head on her neck to muffle the sounds when he slides into her. she’s got a leg wrapped around his waist and she swallows hard to hush the sounds she wants to make.

when they reach back the table, they find that ashton and calum have deserted them, leaving them with the bill. “assholes,” she says and luke laughs.

Seen out: Luke Hemmings and Lucía Huerta have an off day in Boston

The pair walked out of the Intercontinental Hotel with Ashton Irwin (5SOS’ drummer) and Calum Hood (5SOS’ bassist). They were seen by fans at Fenway Park and they took pictures with them. Luke looks tired in the photos, but he seems happy. He wears roughed-up sneakers and a white tank top. Lucy wears short denim shorts and a black top with flowy sleeves. The fans that tagged them in the Instagram posts spoke about how nice they were and how exciting it was to meet them. Hemmings and Huerta were both seen leaving Tenderoni’s Fenway restaurant and getting into an Uber. According to inside sources, the pair haven’t been able to keep their hands off each other during this tour so far. We hope it stays that way.

“fuck,” lucy’s frustration about the latest hollywood gossip blog post seems to go unnoticed on the plane. but luke can tell, and he wraps an arm around her the minute they both sit down. “they know. they seem to know,” she hands him her phone so he can read the writing piece. she hates it. she hates it so much. “inside sources can suck my dick.” this statement makes luke giggle. “what’s so funny?” she asks, annoyed.

“nothing.”

the next cities go by in a time whirlwind. lucy’s been distant since the article and it breaks luke’s heart. she refused to hold his hand and kiss him outside hotel rooms. even concerts’ backstages.

a few months after they met, they attended a house party in santa monica. the sparks between them were something everybody noticed, but they didn’t seem to think much of it. they’re rockstars, they’re the same age, of course they’re gonna flirt. luke fucked her in the spare bedroom, door locked. she gasped when she felt his cock for the first time, knowing he’d just made her addicted to it. he’d ruined every other man for her.

“we should head back downstairs.”

“i wanna stay here with you.”

“luke.” his name was rough against her lips as she hooked her bra back on.

“alright, i’m up.”

looking back, that should’ve been a red flag for him, but he chose to ignore it. because she made him feel good and he didn’t want her to leave him for somebody else. he didn’t want to be left again. he’d loved his ex-wife, and it was hard to get over her after she cheated on him. lucy had never been in a relationship, just random hookups, a friend with benefits and two weeks of winter love. she feared intimacy and luke could tell after the second time they had sex. spend the night, he’d said. lucy shook her head and told him she needed to get up early in the morning for an interview, which was a lie.

by the time the first month rolls around, they’re barely talking. It’s all sex and pretending onstage. pretending to have fun, pretending that they’re not hurt. their hearts break in silence. well, sort of.

“i told you not to fuck it up.”

“she won’t let me in. she won’t talk to me about it.”

“fix it.”

someone just like you, no one else/lights will guide you so, run like hell

the screaming fans can’t get enough of the energy onstage. michael jumping around, calum throwing his head back to expose his neck to the crowd, ashton beasting out on the drums. luke crouches in front of the crowd with a wide smile and lucy plays guitar while she sings her heart out. the lights radiate orange and red colors on the stage, the bass resonates in their bodies and there’s so much adrenaline going on that she has a moment of weakness. she looks over at luke, who has walked over to michael’s side of the stage as he sings the second verse. he wears a silver shirt that makes his shoulders look so spectacularly broad. she looks at him a little too long and when the camera pans over to her, showing her true feelings on the giant screen, fans seem to lose it even more. luke walks back to her and sings directly into her eyes, as if he can feel his way back to his girl. finally. a sad smile appears on her face for a split second before she starts dancing while playing the post-chorus instrumental outro. her long wavy hair hides her face and no one notices a single tear rolling down her cheek. when the song ends, she pretends to be emotional about the crowd, about how much they seem to love the show. which she is very grateful for. but on the other side of the coin, she just fucked up everything for herself. her career. and it’s clear when luke approaches her with a reassuring smile and one fan screams KISS! KISS! and then the whole venue is yelling the same word over and over again. michael and calum look at each other, ashton wipes off the sweat from his forehead and when the chanting doesn’t seem to stop, he grabs his mic.

“alright, alright. calm your asses down,” the drummer laughs and the crowd follows suit. a distraction. he starts talking about how they recorded the song and thanking lucy for putting on a fantastic show with them for the beautiful souls in the audience.

lucy twists her lips, trying not to break down in front of thousands of people. so, she just waves and quickly exits the stage. luke takes a deep breath. he wants to run after her, make sure she’s okay. but she would never forgive him for giving the fans more reasons to speculate about their relationship.

lucy cries backstage, alone. she takes off her makeup and sees dark circles underneath her eyes. why the fuck is she such a mess? why can’t she be in love like a normal person?

the show ends and the first person to knock on her dressing room is, obviously, luke. “are you okay?” he opens the door and sees his girlfriend lying on the sofa, sleeping. her makeup’s off and he can better appreciate the freckles on her nose that she gets in the summer. he stays with her, sitting on the chair in front of the mirror. the man looks at her as she wrinkles her nose in her sleep. he loves her so much. but what if this it? what if this is the end for them?

michael opens the door, “what’s going on? is she okay?”

“she’s okay,” luke smiles weakly. “she’s sleeping.”

lucy holds a pillow to her chest. she’s covered by luke’s jacket. michael decides he should probably leave them alone. “good luck, man,” he says as he pats luke’s shoulder, then he leaves the door closed after stepping back out.

luke could really use a joint right now. all these thoughts and feelings. wondering what she may be dreaming. or what she does with her days when they’re not together. he hates being so possessive, it makes him feel like a child. but how can you blame him?

“good luck with what?” lucy’s yawn startles him. she rubs one eye open.

michael meant well, but he also wanted to protect luke from heartbreak. lucy’s given him that for months now. all the guys -at least in the bands- knew lucy has a bit of… issues. she believes in things to be too black or white, good or bad, yes or no. no space for grey areas in her life. and that’s frustrating to deal with, but luke had fallen in love because she was so intense and so hardheaded when it came to defending her values. He admired that about her. “I honestly have no idea,” he lies behind a chuckle, playing it off as usual band nonsense. “do you wanna go back to the hotel and sleep?”

she’s too tired to get into an argument about taking separate cars, so she just nods. “Yeah.”

when they get to the hotel room, luke tucks her in and pours her a glass of water that he leaves on her nightstand. he looks for ibuprofen in her small bag with pills and condoms and sets two next to the water.

“i’m sorry for being such a bitch to you,” lucy says with her eyes closed, lying on her side.

she looks so out of it. as if she’d just drank an entire bottle of vodka and then smoked weed. he feels bad. he never meant for her to feel like this when they got into a relationship. but touring always makes things hard. especially if you’re playing shows every night with the person you love. the man sighs and sits next to her. “don’t worry about me. get some sleep,” he whispers and kisses her temple.

before he can stand up, lucy grabs his arm. “can you stay with me? please.”

a soft smile sets on his lips. “of course.”

after landing in the next city, lucy calls her mom.

there are three knocks on his hotel room door. “luke?” her voice is soft. as if she’s embarrassed. she doesn’t want her mother’s words to haunt her. the man opens the door without his shirt. just sweatpants. he was probably gonna go to bed. she might as well ruin his night too.

“hey.” there’s a small pause. “what’s up?” he steps aside so she can come in. the tv’s on in the background and there’s a tray with an empty plate and a glass of tequila, just resting on his nightstand.

lucy nods her head and walks inside. “i wanna talk.”

“okay…”

“about us.”

Love Is All Around: It’s Insta-Official

Two months ago, the You Don’t Go To Parties Tour hit the stage. And last night, Lucía Huerta and Luke Hemmings provided some much-needed proof of their romance. “Ten months with you feel like a second. Magic. I love you.”

lucy sighs as she reads the article.

“are you okay?” luke asks her.

“yeah,” she replies. “just… scared, i guess.”

“it’s gonna be okay, love,” he kisses the top of her head and sits next to her on the sofa. “everything’s gonna be alright.” the dressing room is big and no one else is around. it’s noon.

tons of notifications have been hitting their phones for the past fourteen hours. some are mean comments, others are encouraging words from fans. either way, it makes lucy anxious. “do you wanna get high?” she asks her boyfriend. maybe weed isn’t the solution to every problem ever, but it helps.

the man smiles. “sure,” he says.

they go to the private parking lot of the venue. luke rolls a joint while lucy smokes a cigarette. she flicks the ashes onto the concrete, fidgeting her fingers around the cancer stick. luke isn’t the biggest fan of her smoking. and she's been smoking more as the days go by. but he understands she’s going through a lot, so he says nothing. he gets a text from calum, wondering where he and his girlfriend are. we’re gonna have lunch, join us? but the blond dismisses the message and lights the joint. he takes two hits before handing it to lucy. she brings it immediately to her lips, the slightly spicy smoke going down her throat smoothly.

it’s so easy to talk to each other. sometimes. but their words have been stunted lately. they don’t know what the other’s thinking. and yes, last night they had a good conversation. but now what? does everything go back to normal now? how? they both feel anxious around each other, and that’s never ever happened before. they both hate it.

“what do you…”

“do you ever…”

they open their mouths simultaneously, quickly chuckling at the awkwardness of their interaction. lucy nods her head, letting him know that he can finish his thought.

luke smiles. “i was gonna ask you if you ever feel like… like things are going so good between us and suddenly we get so quiet and you worry? is that… is that something you feel?”

lucy smiles back. “yeah,” she says. “i don’t really know how to explain it. i mean, i love you. you know i really fucking love you, luke. but sometimes i worry we get too inside our heads. because i think we’re really similar like that. and i… i wanna be someone you can count on…”

“i want that too,” he replies. she hands him back the joint and he smokes some more.

“and sometimes i worry i’m not that someone you deserve,” she finally confesses.

it makes him sad to hear her say that, because there’s no better person for him than her. no one has made him feel this way before. the ups and downs seem to be heightened and it’s a beautiful way to live, he doesn’t want anyone else. there’s only room in his heart for this woman. this is the hardest he’s ever fallen in love, and he can’t imagine his life without her. a bit dramatic, but hey, that’s just who he is. “i don’t deserve anyone, lucy. i just want to be with you,” he says and takes her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. “all the time. every single fucking day.”

the woman looks down at their hands. matching red nail polish and silver-colored rings. this is scary. it’s scary to love and need someone so much that you feel like you’d die if they ever left you. please, don’t leave me. ever. lucy sighs and squeezes his hand in hers. “right back at ya,” she smiles softly and looks up to find his baby blues staring at her with so much love in them that she can’t help the weakness she feels in her knees.

the silence is barely uncomfortable anymore. unlike the ones they’ve been experiencing for countless weeks now. it’s all out in the open. their love for each other burning brighter than ever. neither want this moment to end. and since there’s only one way to stop time, they lean into each other and kiss. it’s soft at first, like a goodnight kiss. and it escalates quickly to an i-never-wanna-be-without-you one. she grabs fistfuls of his shirt, bringing him closer to her body. luke places both hands on her face as his tongue traces her bottom lip. their eyes are red and their hunger is raw.

they can’t get to his hotel room fast enough. fuck having lunch with friends, they need to satiate this urge so they can go on for the rest of the day. “i want you so bad,” she whines against his throat, leaving wet and sloppy kisses along his jawline. he’s already big and leaking with precum, grinding his hips against hers. unhooking her bra, luke immediately buries his head between her breasts and she whines again. those beautiful sounds he can’t get enough of.

“ride me, babe. i wanna see these titties bounce,” he whispers against her skin. hands gripping her hips. bulge so hard he feels like he’s gonna explode. they’re naked and he already has a condom wrapping his shaft. lucy bites her lower lip and lines him against her slit. he’s throbbing in her hand and that drives her insane. the moan he drags out as she strokes him is paradise. The filthiest love they’ve ever experienced. Both always wanting to fuck each other. It’s her waist, it’s his broad shoulders. The way they move on stage, wanting to look sexy for the other.

lucy sinks into his cock and lets out a whine, “fuuck.” his thick size feels so good. luke grabs her ass and spreads her cheeks open so he can penetrate her better.

“you like that?”

“yes.” her mouth hangs open and her eyes roll to the back of her head. luke has always thought of her as his pretty little pornstar. even before they started dating, the way she danced with him at the club. her back pressed to his body as his hands rested on her hips and stomach. both sweaty and a bit embarrassed when they went back to the booth with their friends.

the woman, as per requested, starts bouncing on his cock. titties moving up and down. “fuck, girl.”

“is it better to feel this or feel nothing at all?”

ever since the news got out about their relationship, lucy’s been a mess. interviewers can be assholes. they suddenly stopped asking about her music, her achievements. all they wanted to know about was her clothes and her boyfriend. like everything she worked for just disappeared in the blink of an eye.

she lays on her side on the hotel bed after playing a festival in latin america. luke spoons her, holding her close to his body. he doesn’t know what to say. he’s surprised by the outcome. hadn’t expected people to diminish her work, to ignore she just played the 6 pm slot, which is a hard spot to get. you need a lot of people to stay for the whole set. and she’d killed it.

“i don’t understand what happened,” luke sighs against her neck and squeezes her tighter. “i’m really sorry.”

lucy closes her eyes, feeling a bit less anxious with him. “it’s okay. the industry’s fucked up.”

“yeah,” he chuckles weakly. “it is.”

“so it’s true? you and luke are engaged?”

the questions about her relationship don’t seem to cease. even a year later. they go together to events and people seem to be more excited about them together than their work. it’s annoying, but what are you gonna do? “yeah, we are,” lucy smiles. “we’re also dropping a new song together next month.”

“ooh, tell us about it.”

lucy has become good at deflecting. luke taught her that.

“how was the interview?” luke asks after he greets his fianceé with a kiss and hands her a cup of coffee from her favorite shop.

“it was alright,” lucy shrugs. it’s definitely been a learning experience, dodging questions about her personal life. but luke has been so supportive and sweet throughout the whole thing. she’s grateful to marry her man in six months. “how was the recording session?” she asks as she sips the hot beverage.

the blond had written things throughout the tour. enough things to make an ep. “it was good,” he smiles softly.

the song luke and lucy release is a hit. a 90s-inspired track with her raspy vocals and his whiny ones make for an interesting texture that captures hearts everywhere. they play it on several shows, the crowds go insane every time.

a month later, lucy releases her second album. it's a hit. she's invited to play festivals and there are rumors of a grammy nomination.

"here's to my girl," luke smiles as he raises a glass of wine in front of her and their friends. "she showed the world she's a powerhouse, an amazing songwriter and performer. she's the best thing that's ever happened to me and i'm so proud of you." his gaze sets on lucy, who's blushing like crazy and smiling like an idiot. "i really fucking love you."

"right back at ya," the woman grins and stands up from the table to kiss her man. everyone cheers.

the night goes by fast. the celebration turns into a party in luke and lucy's new place in west hollywood. but the couple soon disappears into their shared bedroom. fucking until the sun comes up and their friends leave.

luke pants as his orgasm washes over him. "fuck," he breathes out, collapsing next to her on their bed.

"yeah," lucy chuckles. her body is sweaty and she wraps an arm around his torso as she snuggles up to him. looking up at his face, the man's glistening. he's the most beautiful man. he's got the biggest heart and he's never been jealous or threatened by her successes. she appreciates that. "wanna eat me out?" lucy smirks, her leg now over his, her wet pussy making contact with his thigh and she grinds into him.

"give me a second," luke lets out a soft laugh. "you really wore me out. my pretty slutty angel." he strokes her hair, hand soon trailing down to her ass. a small slap to it that makes her bite down on her lip. "okay, come on. legs spread, i'm diving in," he grins.

she does what she's told. opening her legs so luke can attach his lips to her swollen clit and start licking her folds. so sloppy. so fucking nasty. lucy groans as her breath hitches. "you're so good."

he smirks against her entrance before exploring her walls with his tongue. so fucking skilled.

grammy nominations announcement. luke and lucy's song gets one for song of the year. her album gets one for album of the year. they're ecstatic. it's all happening.

#5sosficfest2024 #luke hemmings #luke hemming fic #luke hemming smut #i absolutely loved writing this and feeling *pain*#lmfaoo

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anniekoh · 1 year

Text

for the wild

For The Wild Podcast is an anthology of the Anthropocene; focused on land-based protection, co-liberation and intersectional storytelling rooted in a paradigm shift away from human supremacy, endless growth and consumerism. https://forthewild.world/listen

Can I Get a Witness

Scored by field recordings and music by cellist/acoustic ecologist Jiordi Rosales and interviews from the For The Wild podcast with Tiffany Lethabo King (interviewed by brontë velez), Wanda Kashudoha Culp and Kasyyahgei (matriarchal Tlingit elders and lifelong forest defenders of the Tongass & Glacier Bay interviewed by Ayana Young), the film and constellated media utilizes "dance as a grammar" (Tiffany King) to hold the complexity of it's narrative: tracing connections between melting ice in Alaska and the disappearing Caribbean, the separation of black and indigenous relations, and the critical suture that: black and indigenous femme survival requires the earth's health and "the land's refusal to be separated from flesh" (L.H. Stallings).

#podcast

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weneedtotalkaboutsexnow · 5 years

Quote

Though Black women's sexual desires can be divine and transformative, they can also be bawdy and funny.

from Mutha Is Half A Word by L.H Stallings

#the landscape of autonomous Black female sexuality #L.H Stallings

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adesireforhealing · 5 years

Quote

She can live up to her own possibilities, be whatever she wants, and all the while defy and elude those who seek to catch and name her.

from Mutha Is Half A Word by L.H Stallings

#Black women trying to heal #L.H Stallings

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wanderingandactingout · 5 years

Quote

For Black women who produce cultural texts invested in depicting sexual encounters and representation of their desire materialized, trickster converges the discourse of desire, gender, and the other as a way to speak about sexual encounter.

from Mutha Is Half A Word: Intersections Of Folklore, Vernacular, Myth and Queerness In Black Female Culture by L.H Stallings

#the idea of Black performance in the everyday #L.H Stallings

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unusualmodesofresistance · 6 years

Quote

When we look at the objectification of Black women, we note that sexual surrogate, wife and mother are the specific roles that they have been made to enact for satisfying the desires of various people, domestically and publicly.

from Funk The Erotic by L.H Stallings

#L.H Stallings #how misogynoir destroys

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ahistoryofanxietyandanxietyand · 6 years

Quote

As they theorize, we know what flesh can do, and we know it cannot be managed.

from Funk The Erotic by L.H Stallings

#witnessing the sublime itself #L.H Stallings

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finalgirlfall · 3 years

Text

In each case, Reverend Barber uses verses from the Bible, in addition to excerpts from the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, to address the organization’s main concern. The problem is that each of the documents utilized by Moral Mondays has also been used for creating the inequalities that exist. The contradictions arising from an inability to separate church from state cannot be ignored when dealing with the intersection of race with gender and sexuality.

— A Dirty South Manifesto: Sexual Resistance and Imagination in the New South, L.H. Stallings

#*#literature #college #l.h. stallings

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heartcal · 3 years

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“who do you believe?”; l.h. (pt. ii)

oh my GOD it’s here, it took longer than expected but she’s finally here! after the eye strain i got a sty so that threw me in for a loop, but the good news is my eyes are better! and i’m fully vaccinated too! please get the vaccine if you are able to :^) enjoy!

a/n: (formatting again lol) there’s a part where there’s supposed to be texts (in italics) so it may be a bit weird to read (hopefully not) (sorry for these parantheses) please let me know if there’s anything off!

pairing: luke hemmings x reader

summary: having known luke for years, it was bound to happen eventually. the crush you developed happened before you could stop it, and you did your best to keep it a secret. you told no one, did your best not to show it, so what do you do when his girlfriend finds out?

warnings: swearing (as usual),

genre: angst, fluff, basically friends (to brief enemies but not really) to lovers?

wc: 5,201 (they’re getting longer, huh)

taglist: @1sosrvd1267 + @wowitsel (side note: i don’t have a current taglist, this is just for this fic!)

part one | my masterlist!

You skipped the after-party that night. You couldn’t bear standing in the same room as Luke and Rachel, so you booked a ride and left as soon as the car pulled up.

Had you stayed for the party, you would have crumbled under the looks of pity thrown at you by those who would have heard about what happened. The knowing looks that something bad had happened between two people everyone on the crew knew were best friends would have been uncomfortable.

The ride home is uncomfortably silent, but you were thankful the driver wasn’t the talkative type. The soft jazz playing on the radio wasn’t calming but it did distract you from the pain and embarrassment you felt from the argument.

Once the car had pulled up to your place, you bid a silent farewell to the driver and slid out.

You just wanted to get inside, take a shower, shut your phone for the night, and sleep until you physically can’t get any more sleep.

You’re not too surprised Luke stood up for his girlfriend. He does love her—he’s shown that with friends and with fans. But the way he glared at you, defended her without trying to find out what exactly went down…he had never looked at you like that.

You’ve seen that look before; it wasn’t something you were used to but it was the look he would give paparazzi when they would harass you, the guys, and his friends. The glare carried such strength that it would make people back off. And so when it was directed towards you, it struck you hard.

Having done what you wanted to do once you entered the house, you lay in bed with wet eyes staring at the ceiling. Your phone was face down on your nightstand, completely out of reach to the point one slight touch could knock it off.

Maybe you were the one at fault. Maybe you should’ve told the truth about your feelings to Rachel or Luke before this all happened. It could have prevented the fallout and you would be with the guys and the crew celebrating a successful show.

But what good would that have done? Had you told someone, anyone, that you liked Luke more than a best friend should, would that have caused the same problem but presented differently? Or would something come from it? Maybe nothing would have happened.

A sigh escapes your lips as you turn your back away from the nightstand, facing the empty half of the bed and before your mind drifts to more pitiful thoughts, you close your eyes.

You didn’t dream that night. It’s as if you blinked, with the night flying by faster than you had wanted and anticipated.

The sunlight beamed down on you from above your headboard. It was late morning and it was time to face the harsh reality of the day.

There is no doubt you have lost Luke as your best friend.

Wiping the sleep and crust from your eyes, you sit up and vacantly glance around the room. The box where you keep gifts from Luke is illuminated by the sunlight, and with the vacant stare you stand to walk towards it.

You hesitate to open it; it’ll bring back memories of good times and with the events of the previous night, you do not think you can handle the rush of emotions.

It’s then when you realize your phone was off, and though you don’t want to do anything social today and would rather stay home with your favorite snacks and shows, you know you have to let your friends know how you’re doing.

You stall by washing your face and brushing your teeth, albeit slower than usual. You know that once you turn your phone on, the onslaught of questions and missed calls are going to take possibly an hour to clear up.

Sure enough, as you turn your phone on, the missed messages come in, barely giving your notification tone a break and the missed calls and voicemails were coming in fast. You can feel the heat from the battery on your palm, and for the sake of the phone you switch the sound off and turn on Do Not Disturb to prevent any new calls from coming through.

The messages you saw were from the crew, asking where you went and if you were okay. Others were from the boys minus Luke, and looking through the missed calls, there was nothing from Luke.

You’re not surprised, but the pain was still simmering within and seeing no messages or missed calls from him was adding to it.

You responded to the crew’s messages first, since many of them sent one or two messages asking simple questions: “Are you okay,” “Where did you go,” and “Did you get home safe?”

Then you responded to the boys’, Michael’s first since he had the least amount of messages.

hey, you didn’t have to leave. we could’ve talked some sense into him when he calmed down (11:37pm)

did u get home okay? we know you didn’t drive here yourself. (11:58pm)

please let us know you made it home. let us know you’re okay (12:10am)

hope you made it home and that you’re safe and okay. thank u for ur work today. please text me when you see these. goodnight (12:49am)

You typed your reply to him, letting him know that you were okay and got home safe.

Calum’s messages were similar, asking the same questions but some were repeated to emphasize his worry. In response, you answered his questions like Michael’s.

But even before you can open Ashton’s messages, seeing double digits next to your conversation with him, rapid knocks on your front door grab your attention.

With a groan you stand and grab your robe from the hook on the door, wrapping it tightly around your body as you open the door and groggily walk to the front door.

It was a stupid idea, as you weren’t ready to face anyone yet Ashton stands in front of you. He’s well-rested, a stark contrast to you as you were sure your eyes were still puffy and bloodshot, along with an occasional sniffle from your nose.

His eyes travel from your face, down to your feet, and back up to your eyes. He can immediately tell you had a terrible night.

“You weren’t answering anyone last night,” he begins, tilting his head as he narrows his eyes, “we were worried about you after you left.”

“Yeah,” you sighed, “I just—I didn’t feel like talking to anyone.”

“You could’ve let one of us know that you were shutting off.”

You nodded with a frown, “I could have, yeah,” your eyes dart around behind him to avoid his worrisome eyes before asking him if he wanted to come in.

He doesn’t hesitate and steps in once you move aside, opening the door wider to give him enough room. He notes your bag in a heap on the floor a few inches away from the couch, and how your shoes were far apart, with one upside down, as if you flung them off.

“How are you holding up now?”

You shrug, still avoiding his eyes because you know if you make eye contact, you’ll break down and you won’t have control over the onslaught of emotions.

“Be honest,” his voice is soft, wanting to make you feel comfortable enough to open up.

You stare at the ground, biting the skin of your lower lip nervously. This is why you did not want to talk to anyone face-to-face. Talking to them over the phone, preferably through text, allowed you to lie to the other person (and if applicable, to yourself). But talking to someone in person, and to someone who can see through your lies, you were bound to break down and become vulnerable.

You inhale, taking careful steps to the couch and gently sitting down with a sigh. Ashton follows you, sitting next to you but giving you space to not overwhelm you.

“What happened last night—,” you lean back with your arms folded over your chest, “—was something that I feared. When I realized I liked Luke, I was so worried about him finding out and what the outcome would be. I knew from the beginning that things would never be the same if he found out, and I was afraid of the change that would come from it.”

Ashton listens intently, his eyes displaying sincerity as he listens to you list off your worries. What he saw last night bothered him to no end, and had he not exerted most of his energy during the show, he would not have slept at all and would have stayed up all night in a constant state of worry.

“So, now that Rachel knows, and no doubt Luke has caught on, I don’t know what to do. I responded to everyone’s texts before you arrived, and Luke sent nothing—not even a phone call.”

Ashton nods, swallowing before speaking, “Well, after you left, things went down that may be the reason why he hasn’t tried contacting you.”

Your head turns to face him, eyebrows furrowed as confusion embeds itself across the rest of your features.

Ashton readjusts himself, getting comfortable in his seat as he gathers the right words.

“Something happened after I left?” You ask as you shift in your seat to face him.

“Michael wanted to go after you, to at least offer you a ride back, but Calum went back to tell Luke that it was bullshit what happened. So, Michael went back to make sure they wouldn’t fight or anything. I also pointed out that he was a dick; choosing you over her when he’s known you the longest didn’t sit right with us. But he got defensive and kept wanting to leave but Rachel convinced him it was alright, so they stayed for the party. But the party was bad—the crew felt the tension and the vibes were down—,” he chuckles at the word choice, getting a small laugh out of you as well, “—it brought everyone out of the energetic and ecstatic mood we were in before the confrontation. We all kinda did our own thing during the party but we noticed things were tense between Luke and Rachel. And when the party ended, shit hit the fan.”

“What happened?”

Ashton sighs, “To make the long story short, they got into an argument when we were leaving the venue after Michael brought up your name. He said something like, ‘I hope they got home safe,’ and that you weren’t answering your phone at all. Calum and I pointed out, again, how rude Luke was to you and Luke kept defending himself. Rachel dropped an insult and something shifted. Basically, they’re done and the guys and I can finally fucking breathe.”

“Wait—,” you stand with bulging eyes, “—wait, are you saying they broke up?”

Ashton hums as he watches you mindlessly walk around your living room.

The guys have been waiting for their break-up. It’s not something they were open about, as to avoid any conflict with their best friend, but it was almost an unspoken agreement: Rachel was not liked.

As for you, it’s not like you were wishing for their break-up. You wanted Luke to be happy, and if he was happy in that relationship, then so be it. But you were not a fan of it. Yeah, you liked her in the beginning but when she started disregarding you as if you did something to offend her, you lost most of your respect for her. Now, with this news of their break-up, you don’t know what to do.

Are you happy? You don’t exactly feel happy about it, but there is some relief.

“So,” you sit back down on the couch slowly, “what am I supposed to do with this information?”

“Not sure,” Ashton shrugs, “but I recommend talking to Luke.”

You shake your head fervently, “No. I don’t feel like talking to anyone.”

“But you’re talking to me,” Ashton has a smirk, but you know there’s no malice behind his joke.

“You showed up unannounced, Ash,” you smile, “I was responding to everyone who sent messages and voicemails. I don’t feel like talking to anyone else in person.”

He holds his hands up in defense, “Fair enough, but don’t be a stranger.”

He gives you a quick hug, whispering something similar to ‘don’t shut Luke out’ before he pulls away and walks out.

Ashton’s words stuck with you for the next week. You felt comfortable enough a few days after the fact to contact the boys, eventually meeting up with Ashton and Calum for lunch and third-wheeling Michael and his fiancée. The only person out of your friend group and co-workers you have not contacted was Luke. He hasn’t contacted you either, but you do not think much about it as you’re still trying to figure things out. If he were to contact you, how do you talk about what happened?

You want to know why he was able to choose his then-girlfriend over you, but at the same time you don’t want to know the answer. You know that one day, and though it hurts, you will not be his number one. With the way he behaved that night, it felt like that dreadful moment came to earlier than expected, that he found his number one and you immediately became his second go-to person.

So it did surprise you when you were out with an old friend to receive a text from Luke.

Can we talk about what happened? (2:23pm)

You only stare blankly at the text, not even moving to type a response. You were in such a good mood, and not even this text would change it. Instead, you lock your phone and place it back in your pocket, noting to leave it alone until your day out comes to an end.

And when it does, you see that more texts from Luke had arrived, the final being sent an hour before the outing ended.

I know you’re mad, I understand that and I don’t blame you but please talk to me (2:31pm)

You’re reading these, please say something (2:33pm)

There are some things that I need to clear up with you, I want to apologize for what happened that night but I want to do it face to face. Please respond. (3:57pm)

Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be waiting. Sorry if I’m bombarding you with these texts, I just don’t want to lose you over something that I realize now should not have happened. Respond when you want to, I’ll be here. (5:49pm)

You could only let out a small chuckle at the persistent requests to talk, and you don’t deny the small—minuscule, honestly—flutter in your stomach. You don’t waste any time responding.

Sorry, I was busy. We can meet somewhere to talk. (7:08pm)

He responds about five minutes later, agreeing to meet at a small café the two of you love tomorrow afternoon.

The rest of the night for you is spent thinking of ways to carry yourself, being completely confident, and accepting the fact that you love your best friend. Pep talks in the shower and mirror to calm any arising nerves, revising the topics you want to talk about in your head so you keep the confidence.

As for Luke, he was struggling to gather all his thoughts. In the beginning, he thoroughly enjoyed the fact that you and Rachel got along. He liked seeing his best friend and girlfriend become friends like that. He didn’t notice the shift, however, and he wishes he did before things got out of hand.

When he defended Rachel, without finding out the story from all sides, he thought he was doing what was right. To him, friendships and relationships have the same base, but romantic relationships with a partner have a different structure than friendships do, and he was starting to see cracks in his friendship before he saw it in his relationship.

When he confronted Rachel after she insulted you, he started to see someone he never saw. He remembered the times Rachel ignored you, sometimes playing it off as if she never heard you. He remembered how she would make plans with everyone and exclude you, but he always played it off as an accident (even if he knew it wasn’t). He remembered all these times he noticed a change in mood when the two of you were in the same room, and he couldn’t believe he turned a blind eye to all of it.

It hurt him to break-up with Rachel—he won’t deny that because he did love her. It’s not that he saw the rest of his life with her as they weren’t at that mark in the relationship.

But, when he did picture his future, he always saw you. He always thought it was just as a friend, someone who was just joined at the hip. Yet, he was quick to throw that away for someone he rarely saw when he pictured the future.

Which is why, the next day, as he sits at a booth near the window of the café, he carefully goes over what he wants to say. He doesn’t want to ruin the chance to fix things between the two of you. If it goes awry, not only does he lose you, but his friendships with the band and the team will take a hit since they all love you.

The bell above the door rings making his head turn to watch you walk in. Your eyes danced around the café before they fell on him.

He couldn’t help the smile the formed on his lips, a small breath of relief escaping as he watches you walk towards him. The smile doesn’t stay long though, because as you sit down with a stoic expression, the reality hits him.

“I got your usual,” he’s shy and timid, pushing the mug toward you as he eyes the liquid nearly spills the edge.

You mumble a ‘thanks,’ grabbing the mug and taking a small sip. It falls silent as the two of you wonder who should start first.

Luke makes the move first. He sighs, sitting up straight and wiping his palms on his pants.

He’s nervous. When the guys started touring, visiting new cities and countries, he would always be nervous and constantly wiped his hands on his thighs, sitting up straight and even straighter if he wasn’t slouching. It’s an old habit, but something you remember fondly as he had grown out of it. Or so you thought.

“I want to start with I’m sorry,” he begins, making eye contact but fails to hold it. His eyes instead drift to his drink, “I know what I did was wrong, and I put you in a spot that hurt you and disregarded you. At the moment, I thought I was doing the right thing because she was my girlfriend, but then—” he gulps, “when she insulted you, it struck a nerve and, not to sound cliché or anything, it felt like it opened my eyes. I saw someone I didn’t see when I first met them.”

You don’t respond, just nodding your head to let him know you’re listening.

He licks his lips before continuing, “When the guys brought up how you left on your own, I was feeling nervous and they started reminding me how much of a dick I was to you. I didn’t want to admit it myself, but now, I was such an ass. I’m just—I’m so sorry for what happened.”

“Luke,” you sigh, shifting in your seat, “I’m not saying I forgive you but I accept your apology. It hurt me so much that a friend, someone I’ve known for years was just so quick to turn their back and take someone else’s side. I know she was your girlfriend, but I wish you didn’t do what you did.”

“If I could go back and fix it, I would.”

You only nod again, trying to think about other things that need to be talked about. The one topic you hope to avoid is the possibility of him knowing your feelings—something you do not want to discuss, at least not yet.

“Did she say anything to you?”

The question leaves your mouth before you register it, and the widening of your eyes catches Luke off guard.

“What?”

“Nothing,” you mutter, grabbing your mug and taking a long sip.

“She didn’t tell me what started the problems between you two, if that’s what you mean,” Luke smiles a bit, watching you nervously play with the mug’s handle after the sip. It fades when your eyes move up to meet his, “I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but it isn’t important anymore. She’s out of the picture, and I don’t want to lose you.”

The silence returns, but unlike the previous bout, it’s a calming silence. It isn’t uncomfortable, rather the air is easier to breathe and the tension isn’t unsettling.

“Where do we go from here?” Luke asks, nervously wringing his fingers.

“I don’t want to lose you as a friend, Luke,” you offer a smile, “but it’s going to take some time to ‘heal,’ if you will.”

Luke smiles again, this time a bigger grin. He nods, leaning back in his seat, “Let me know what I can do to make things better. I’ll do it if I get to keep you.”

Over the next few months, your friendship with Luke was rekindled. The guys were at ease now that Rachel was gone and you seemingly had taken her place, even though you were friends. The awkward glances they would give when Rachel was in the same room were now playful rolls of the eyes over a dumb joke or pranks. You didn’t miss out on any outings you wanted to go to, now that everyone invited would check in with each other the night before. Things went back to the way they were before Rachel.

There was a change in your friendship, however. It wasn’t something you noticed right away, but it was something you thought about at night just a few weeks ago. Luke paid more attention to you, not that he didn’t pay attention before, but this was a noticeable change where he still looks at you even after you finished talking, and would only look away from you when you caught him. He would always cover his mouth with his index and middle finger, but you saw a small smile behind them. You played it off as friendly teasing, but it tugs on your heartstrings.

Another noticeable change is the hugs. Duration-wise, they were relatively the same. However the touch lingered; if he wrapped his arms around your shoulders, an arm would stay around your shoulder, meanwhile if they were around your waist, his hand would stay on the small of your back. You played it off as a friend being protective, but yet again, it did nothing to stop your growing love.

Tonight was the first night of their tour. The boys were up to their usual pre-show antics, as well as the nervous habits; Michael fixing his hair and deciding whether to go with a beanie or a hat, or neither, Ashton was warming up with his pre-show playlist, Calum testing his bass, and Luke was relatively fine.

Sure, he was nervous because it isn’t a crowd of 500, close to 20,000, but he was calm compared to the last time he performed. He didn’t have any worries to talk about, his vocal warm-ups were smooth, and getting dressed up was a breeze. He shared chuckles with you as you both watched the others move around with tense expressions (all with no malice, of course).

“You sure you’re not on edge?” you nudge Luke with your arm as he leans forward on the couch your sitting on to fix his shoe.

“Nope,” he sits up, leaning back in his seat.

“Really?” you inquire again, doubt laced in your tone with a hint of teasing.

“Yeah,” he chuckles, “if anything I’m excited about tonight.”

You hum, crossing your arms as you watch Ashton walk over.

“Ten minutes left,” he nods at Luke before walking to Michael to tell him the same thing.

You give Luke a look, wanting to get him to admit he is nervous, but all you get is a smirk and a shrug. He stands, patting your shoulder left before walking away to put in his in-ears.

You won’t deny you still don’t have feelings for him. Throughout the past few months, you were able to pinpoint the reasons why you fell for him. The small acts, the obscure things he would remember about you—especially the ones you don’t remember yourself—with the attention he would give you. It was staring you in the face, but you chose to deny all the signals to give yourself the satisfaction of thinking it was just a phase. But now you know why you love him.

Two minutes until showtime, Ashton finishes his speech and the crew is taking their places. The band stands at the opening, waiting for their cue to head out.

As you watched them hype themselves up, you noticed Luke looking around nervously. Of course.

“Nervous?”

His head whips toward you, and you can see it in his eyes.

“A little,” he mumbles, but you don’t hear it over the crowd’s excited screams.

“You got this,” you grab his shoulders to make him look you in the eyes, “like Ash said, you guys worked your asses off for this album. The fans loved it, your shows are all sold out, and you have thousands out there waiting to see you kill it.”

He’s silent, blue eyes staring into yours as they bounce from one eye to the other.

“I love you,” he blurts, loud enough just for you to hear.

You freeze, the grip on his shoulder loosens but remain.

He notices, “She did tell me something that night, and whether or not it’s true, I-I love you.”

“Sixty seconds!” a stage recites in the earpieces.

The boys turn to look at both of you, curious eyes turn into surprise as they watch your expression.

“I don’t know how long, I don’t know when, and I don’t know what it was, but I know for sure.”

Your eyes glance at Ashton briefly, not missing the knowing smile he gives you before you look back into Luke’s eyes.

“I…love you, too,” you respond, gripping his shoulders while your eyes drop down to his shiny shoes.

He doesn’t hear you over the cheers and screams, but reading your lips he knows the answer.

Luke smiles, grabbing the back of your head and kissing your forehead.

He leans down to your ear, “I expect to hear you say it when I come back.”

With flashing lights scattering across the stage, the boys run out to the stage, big smiles gracing their faces for multiple reasons with adrenaline pumping through their veins. From backstage, you watch the show you a smile, feeling high from the brief but fulfilling confession.

It’s two hours later when the show ends. Your heart is pounding as you watch the crew celebrate the successful first show.

Luke pulls you away from the crowd, into the hallway and away from the noise.

“So it was true, what Rachel said?” Luke begins, his hand still holding yours as a shy smile forms.

“What did she say?”

He exhales air through his nose in a laugh, “She said you were in love with me, and that you were trying to break us up.”

You scoff, shaking your head as you look at your intertwined fingers. He squeezes your hand to get your attention.

“I doubt that last part, but the first part I’m hoping is true in a sense.”

Your eyes meet his, adoration swimming in them bringing a smile to your face, “There may be a strong crush I have on you,” you tease, “and it may or may not have turned into love.”

He laughs, letting go of your hand to wrap you in a hug. His head dips down, his forehead on your shoulder as he breathes in your scent. He moves slightly, whispering in your ear, “Say it.”

Your head rested against his chest, hearing his heart beat rapidly and rhythmically.

“I love you,” you whisper.

You feel him smile against your shoulder before he pulls away, his arms resting on your hips as he smiles down at you.

“If you’d like,” he begins, his tone timid now, “that place you like in Seattle has a new dish. It’s our next stop…” he drifts off, hoping you’d catch on to him asking you out.

You do, laughing at how he remembered yet another thing you seem to have forgotten. It was a themed restaurant that had some of the best food you’ve ever eaten, and for days you wouldn’t stop talking about it. But you never went back to it, even during breaks, but somehow he seemed to remember.

“Yes, Luke.”

You know the shock will hit you later that night, that finally the person you’ve fallen for, who happens to be your best friend, admitted his feelings to you. But you’re happy, Luke’s happy, and with the boys’ and crew’s reaction to the two of you walking back to the area where they’re celebrating, the happiness is infectious.

On the road in the tour bus, Ashton passes you as you respond to emails.

“Thanks for not shutting him out,” he says, drinking a small bottle of water from the fridge.

“Did you know?”

He shrugs, avoiding your eyes as he finishes the bottle and tosses it in the recycling bag. “Maybe,” he walks towards the back where the beds are, “maybe not.”

You shake your head, “You did.”

“Didn’t want to spoil it,” he gives you a quick hug before retreating to bed.

Luke walks out of the bathroom shortly after, taking his spot next to you.

“Go to bed,” you slightly shift your shoulder as he lays his head on it, “you need the rest.”

“No,” he mumbles, sleep lacing his tone, “feels like a dream. Don’t wanna wake up.”

You chuckle at his nonsense, finishing off the last email before shutting the laptop and placing it on the counter next to you. You adjust yourself on the couch to have Luke lay down with you. He readjusts himself so he doesn’t crush you, wrapping his arm around your waist and placing his head on your chest.

“I wish I had known before all the drama,” he mumbles again, eyes closed, “I want you in my life, always.”

He drifts off to sleep with that, a faint smile on his lips.

You know what made you fall in love with your best friend. You accept it now, and you’re at peace knowing the feeling is mutual.

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notchainedtotrauma · 1 year

Quote

Did your ancestors steal people or hang Black bodies from trees ? Or just watch the ones who did ?

from the Geophukit Manifesto by L.H Stallings

#L.H Stallings #A Dirty South Manifesto #the afterlife of slavery #antiblackness as the foundation of the world #the roots of the hold #whiteness as a damaging fiction #white womanhood and its disguised violence

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irwinkitten · 5 years

Text

mulled wine and markets | l.h

notes: hello week two of our winter themed fics and this time we got our lovely lu. enjoy!! warnings: none word count: 1.8K!

“If I knew that you’d be this excited, I’d have flown us out weeks ago.”

The grumble had come from Luke-who was standing in your bathroom-getting ready for the afternoon to evening festivities. You tried to keep the smugness from your tone as you answered back.

“It wasn’t running a few weeks ago. Not to mention, it’s not often we get the full Christmas Market to visit. Usually we only get to sneak to one or two stalls before you’re inevitably found by fans.”

Luke stuck his head around the door, a soft smile on his lips at your words.

“Well let’s hope that this time they actually give us space.” You didn’t have it in you to scoff at his optimism, the way his smile practically lit up his face giving you even more reason to hold back the derision of his optimistic outlook.

“Well we might have the chance if you actually get ready.” You shot back with a grin and he laughed in return before disappearing back into the bathroom.

By the time the pair of you left the hotel that you were staying in, the winter chill in England had really set in as the sun began to set, despite it only being three in the afternoon. Both of you were wrapped up in warm coats, scarves and gloves, Luke going for a hat whilst you’d decided on ear muffs, unwilling to let the hat ruin your hair.

“I spent enough time getting it to look nice.” You protested at Luke’s tease whilst you waited for the train. You’d both decided that instead of driving there, you’d go by train and walk into the city, making it less stressful for the both of you.

“And I’m saying that it does look nice, but a hat might be better.” HE tried to be soothing with his words, but the smile on his lips still caused you to respond in a childlike manner, sticking your tongue out at him.

He laughed as the two of you climbed onto the train, finding two seats together and huddling down. You didn’t want to draw attention to yourselves, hence why Luke had opted for the hat, but you knew that there would be fans who would just be there by chance that day.

“Please baby? The ear muffs look cute, but I’d rather you be able to actually hear what I’m saying and not have to repeat it.” His plea caught you off guard and so you tried not to grin at his words.

“What was that?”

“I said-” Luke cut himself off, glaring at the almost innocent like grin you were wearing. “I said you’re a menace.” He muttered before leaning down to kiss you, plucking the ear muffs off despite your feeble protests.

Once the woolen hat was on your head, despite your glare, the two of you managed to get a few photos together before the train started to become unbearably packed and Luke’s leg began to bounce on the spot.

Immediately your fingers came to rest on his thigh, giving a gentle squeeze as he shifted himself to let his head rest on your shoulder, your own head tilting to rest on him once he was comfortable. The journey itself wasn’t bad, but feeling like tinned sardines was not what you’d wanted for this trip.

When the two of you escaped from the train with the rest of the crowd-Luke stumbling which caused your own feet to trip-the two of you cling together, giggling like teenagers as you made it through the barriers, the lights that decorated the city took your attention briefly.

You missed Luke pulling his phone out of his pocket to snap a photo of your distracted gaze.

Finally, looking back at him, Luke’s eyes met yours and you felt the breath being stolen from your chest at the loving look he was giving you. Lips curved into the smallest of smiles and features soft as he pressed a kiss to your lips.

“Come on then, beautiful. Let’s get our Christmas shop on.” His words set you off into a fit of laughter as he held his arm out for you to loop yours around-which you did so once you’d stopped laughing-and pull you with the direction of the crowd.

For once, the pair of you seemed to blend in with the crowd, normally a difficult feat for Luke, but he managed it and no one seemed to clock there was a famous rockstar in their midsts.

The first few stalls were food, neither of you really wanting anything just yet.

“Is there something with like a map so we can plan a route?” Luke asked you quietly.

Your response was a mere shrug before you eyed two people with neon jackets on. Keeping your arm locked around Luke’s, you pulled him to the pair, a warm smile on your lips as they seemed to register that you were deliberately coming to them for help.

“You both okay there?” One of them asked and you smiled in return.

“We’re just fine, but we were wondering is there anything with a map on so we know where we are? We’re not local to this area and We want to be able to see as much as possible.” They both laughed at your response before the first one who greeted you pulled out a small booklet.

“Always carry one of these just in case. We’re here,” he pointed at the dot labelled with ‘The Lodge’ “and the markets are all clustered around these four areas. Take this as it’s got the various stalls marked down so you can see if you want to visit them or not.”

You both thanked the pair before you moved to the bar called the lodge, both of you seemingly flicking through the booklet with a cursory glance.

“How about we start up by the abbey and then work our way down through the town?” Luke queried, his index finger tracing a rough route for the two of you to work with.

“That’s not a bad idea. If we get hungry it looks like there are plenty of food stalls scattered in the areas. Right. Lead the way.” You looked up at him almost expectantly and he laughed before pinching the booklet from your hands, his eyes tracking the map before pulling you up the high street.

You stopped at a couple of the stalls, eyes looking over the handmade goodies that were offered. A few had little testers or samples for the two of you to try. Your favourite had been the coconut tea where as Luke had promptly choked on a bit of chilli sauce samples that were being offered, making you laugh.

As you reached the top and began to really browse the stalls, occasionally asking for prices, you came across a beautiful necklace with a guitar charm attached. At this point, Luke had wondered to the next stall and you smiled at the owner before motioning her quietly.

“Can I have that wrapped up please?” Your voice was gentle and she immediately understood the silent request to not draw attention to your purchase. She had it wrapped up in moments, offering the card machine as you tapped your phone to it, the small ding going off.

“I have a business card if ever you see something on the website that you might want to add to the gift later on.” She slipped the card into the bag and you nodded in thanks before taking it and making your way to Luke.

He’d already gone past two stalls and hesitated as you browsed what he’d already seen. Slipping through the bodies, he made his way back to you, despite only being meters away, there was a lot of people fighting to either get through the crowds or see every stall like the two of you were doing.

“Sorry babe, I wouldn’t have gone so far ahead if I didn’t know you were still looking.” You beamed at him.

“It’s fine. C’mon, lets see if we can find the most obnoxious gift for Ash. I’m getting my revenge for last Christmas.” You muttered, earning a snort of laughter from him as the two of you continued to make your way through.

Both of you often wondered from each other, arms building up with bags as you made purchases. You’d decided on the coconut tea when you reached the stall once more and Luke grimaced, making you stick out your tongue in response to the look he gave you.

“I’m not gonna make you drink it, so don’t worry.” You snarked at him, a grin on your lips as he rolled his eyes.

“Like I’d touch that stuff. You’re gonna be as bad as Ash with his coffee addiction.” He fired back and you gave a mock gasp of offence and the lady behind the small wooden counter stifled a laugh.

“How dare you compare me to that coffee addict. That’s gonna take at least a mulled wine and some food to soothe my hurt feelings.” This time the woman outright laughed as she handed you your purchases.

“There’s a stand just inside the abbey, neon yellow sign so you can’t miss it. They do good hot food and mulled wine.” Luke mouthed a thanks as he took your arm and the two of you made your way through.

“You enjoying your day, love?” He asked once you’d both gotten some food and a spot on a bench to sit down. At first, Luke was insisting he was fine to stand before you forced him to sit down, perching on his lap and shifting yourself sideways so he could at least eat his food without it potentially getting knocked from his hands.

You’d both decided to share a mulled wine between you, the sweet taste and hot drink making your insides feel much warmer than the cold air now that the sun had set.

Luke had snapped a photo of you with the drink in both of your hands, a laugh escaping at your wine of protest.

“How can I not when you look so cute all wrapped up with a slight red nose from the cold?” At your pout, he pressed a gentle kiss to your lips before gently tapping your thighs.

“C’mon, we have more stalls to see and I can hear some buskers. Fancy a dance with me?” You laughed as you got up off him, mockingly bowing to him which in turn made him laugh at your dramatics.

“Alright smartass. Let's get going so we can get the last of this done before we head back to the hotel.”

You could only grin in return as you kept yourself tucked into his side, your arms squeezing gently as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head.

“Love you Lu.”

“Love you too, c’mon I can see a stall for pets accessories.” And without another word, he was pulling you further into the crowd, both of you with silly grins stretched across your faces which lasted well until you were settled back into bed, slightly drunk from the various mulled drinks you’d consumed throughout the trip.

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roselukes · 6 years

Text

2800 Miles - Chapter 3 - l.h.

Previously

Summary: Luke knows what he wants, but he also knows he can’t have it

Tag List: @sassy-asht0n @happycrimiscalum @rosesarered516 @hoe4hemmo @heartbreakashton94 @climatehood @calumspeachy @dukehoods @holidayhood @wrappedaroundcal @mistletoemichael @plainwhiteluke @irwinkitten @irrevocablylukes @astroashtonio @catchinqcalum @irwinvalentines @hollyjollyhood @biggestslutforcalum @calumhampton @angelmikeyy @hotmessmichael @curlyhairedpopstars @meloncal @lukeschestnuts @thecashtonexpress @calsjackets @boytoynamedcalum @alyssarester @ssophisticated-simplicityy @calistajs

Disclaimer: plot was inspired by the app Choices’ story The Royal Romance

The night went on and Gwen was getting antsy. She had been sitting at the table for nearly two hours before Luke finally arrived at the ball. “Well, the prince sure is fashionably late.” Michael laughed.

“The prince is never late, everyone else is simply early.” Gwen said, smiling a little.

“Are you trying to quote Princess Diaries?” Michael laughed harder.

“I’m not trying, I’m succeeding.” Gwen pouted, kicking his shin lightly.

“Okay, you two, cut it out.” Ashton rolled his eyes playfully. “Gwen, you need to get ready to meet the prince. First impressions are incredibly important.”

“But, he already knows me?” Gwen furrowed her eyebrows.

“Yes, but no one else here knows that. And, they can’t know that.” Michael added. “People need to think you’re freshmeat like everyone else.”

“Okay, okay.” Gwen sighed and stood up. “He probably won’t even remember me.”

“It’s been a day, Gwen. He’s gonna remember you.” Calum laughed. “Go get in line.” Gwen stuck her tongue out at him and walked over to the forming line of suitors. She stood behind Alyssa with Hattie behind her.

“I hope you don’t think you’ll actually win this. You have no chance with the prince.” Alyssa smirked. “I’ve known him since we were kids. I have the strongest relationship with him out of everyone here.”

“Sure you do, Cruella.” Gwen rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms and watched as the suitors talked with Luke. Alyssa walked up to Luke and kissed both of his cheeks.

“Lovely to see you again, Lukey. Hope we find a time to dance tonight, I know how much you love dancing with me.” Alyssa giggled and squeezed his hands.

“Yes, I’m sure we’ll get the chance to dance tonight.” Luke assured her. “Always a pleasure, Lady Alyssa.” The guards ushered her away, just as they had done with those before her.

“Hey there.” Gwen smiled as she walked up to Luke.

“Oh, my God. Gwen, what are you doing here?” Luke asked, his eyes lighting up.

“Michael’s family is sponsoring me, so you’ll be seeing more of me here.” Gwen giggled. Luke grinned widely and pressed a soft kiss to Gwen’s knuckles.

“We don’t have much time here, so promise you’ll save the last dance for me?” Luke asked, holding her hand close to his chest.

“Absolutely.” Gwen smiled and squeezed his hand as the guards ushered her away. Gwen couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she walked back to her table.

“Gwen, you didn’t tell me you knew the prince.” Hattie gasped.

“I met him in New York, but keep that on the DL. I don’t need speculation about my motives here.” Gwen whispered.

“You can tell me about it later, but I should go find Holden. I’ll see you later.” Gwen nodded and watched Hattie walk away.

“This is so crazy.” Gwen shook her head. “All of these girls are here in hopes of marrying the prince?”

“He has hella money and the highest authority in Australia. Of course, they want to marry him.” Ashton laughed.

“Well, I’d marry him even if he was the one working in a rundown bar in New York.” Gwen huffed and took a bite of another scone.

“That doesn’t matter here. He’s going to choose someone who can run a kingdom with him, regardless if he loves her or not. Love has nothing to do with managing a kingdom.” Michael sighed.

“It’s not fair.” Gwen mumbled with her mouth full.

“Hey, will you act like you’re supposed to be here? Stop eating so much, and stop talking with your mouth full.” Michael groaned, pulling the scone away from her.

“I’m sorry, I’m hungry.” Gwen crossed her arms.

“If you’re gonna eat, eat some vegetables or something. Something that won’t make people think you’re fat. Nobility always keep their image in mind. Image is everything.” Michael explained.

“Look, I’m not gonna stop eating. These people can say whatever the hell they want about me, but I’m not gonna change who I am.”

“You’re gonna have to change, if you want to become queen.” Calum added.

“Maybe I don’t want to be queen. I just want to make Luke happy, and me being here, is making him happy.” Gwen stood up quickly and walked away from the table.

“She has a point. Luke doesn’t look as miserable as he did when he came in.” Ashton mentioned.

“Yeah, but still. She needs to try and fit in.” Michael crossed his arms. Gwen walked to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror.

“Checking to make sure you look good enough for the prince? Let me help: you don’t.” Alyssa laughed as she came out of one of the stalls. She looked at Gwen as she began washing her hands. “I don’t like you, but I’ll still give you some advice. If you want to impress the prince, wear red. Also, ditch all the earrings. He’s not into body art or excessive piercings.”

“And, why should I believe you?” Gwen rolled her eyes.

“Because, I know the prince better than anyone else here. If I don’t get to marry him, it should be someone like me, and that person is you.” Alyssa dried her hands and fixed her hair in the mirror. “You also might want to try exercising. You’re looking a little pudgy.” Gwen frowned and looked down at her stomach as Alyssa walked out of the bathroom. Tears filled her eyes as she rubbed her hand over her stomach. She took a deep breath to try an compose herself before walking out of the bathroom.

“There you are, I’ve been looking for you. It’s almost time for the last dance, and you haven’t danced with Luke yet.” Michael said as he walked over to her. Michael furrowed his eyebrows as he saw the tears in Gwen’s eyes. “Gwen, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fat, that’s what’s wrong. I don’t belong here with these women.” Gwen sniffled.

“Hey, is this about what I said? I’m so sorry, Gwen. I didn’t mean to make you think you were fat, that’s not at all what I was trying to say. I just said it so you’d think more about how people saw you, not that you need to watch your weight.”

“It’s Alyssa. She said she was giving me advice, and she told me to exercise because I’m pudgy.”

“No, you’re not pudgy. Gwen, you are beautiful. You belong here just as much as anyone else.” Michael sighed. “Don’t listen to anything Alyssa says. Ever. About anything.” Gwen nodded and wiped her eyes. “Now, go dance with your prince.” Michael pushed her in the direction of the ballroom. Gwen shook her head and walked back into the ballroom.

“Gwen, there you are. It’s time for our dance.” Luke grinned, grabbing her hands.

“You should know, I don’t know how to dance.” Gwen smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Just let me lead you through it.” Luke smiled and pulled her body close to his. He kept his hand on her lower back as he swayed along to the music.

“I wish we could be alone.” Gwen sighed, running her fingers through his hair.

“I do too. There’s so much here that I wish I could show you.” Luke leaned his forehead against hers. She smiled softly and continued to sway with Luke. He squeezed her hip gently before leading her out to the balcony.

“What are we doing out here?” Gwen asked, looking up at Luke.

“Getting some alone time.” Luke chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Gwen smiled and leaned back against him as she looked out at the view of the garden.

“This view is beautiful.” She hummed, and looked up at Luke.

“The boys and I used to spend all summer out in the garden. We used to always go swimming in the fountain.” Luke laughed at the memory.

“You mean, you used to have fun?” Gwen joked, nudging his side.

“I always have fun.” Luke pouted. “Especially when I don’t have to be royalty.” The two of them stood out on the balcony for what felt like hours, but was only minutes. “We should get back in there. My father’s gonna do the closing remarks.” Gwen nodded and followed him back into the ballroom.

“Meet me in the garden in 20 minutes.” Gwen whispered to him before walking back to the boys.

“What were you and the prince doing on the balcony?” Hattie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Just talking, looking at the view, enjoying each other’s company.” Gwen shrugged.

“He keeps looking at you. I think he really likes you.” Hattie giggled, making Gwen blushed.

“We have chemistry.” Gwen smiled softly. She took a seat next to Hattie as the king gave the ending remarks.

“Alright, I’ll see you in the morning for the derby. Have a good night, Gwen.” Hana smiled as she exited the ballroom with the other suitors and guests.

“There’s a derby tomorrow?” Gwen looked at Michael.

“Yeah, that’s one of the events. There’s a derby and then a picnic.” Michael explained.

“Great, I get to watch horses run.” Gwen rolled her eyes.

“Hey, you’ll be meeting the queen tomorrow. So, be on your best behavior and make sure you’re prepared to try and impress her.” Michael crossed his arms. “It’s important that she likes you, so promise me you’ll behave.”

“Fine, I promise.”

“Alright, now go get some sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day.” Gwen nodded and stood up, leaving the room. Instead of heading to her room, she walked outside to the garden. She took a seat on one of the benches and waited. She waited for nearly 10 minutes before Luke finally showed up.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.” Gwen smiled and stood up.

“I’m a prince, it’s hard to sneak away.” Luke smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?”

“No, tell me more.” Gwen giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I couldn’t keep my eyes off you all night.” Luke chuckled, pulling her closer. “I’d never seen anyone so beautiful before in my life.”

“You’re full of shit.” Gwen laughed and kissed his cheek. She let go of him and walked over to the fountain. “So, you really swam in here?”

“Yeah, it’s 5 feet deep.” Luke smiled and sat on the edge of the fountain.

“Who makes a fountain 5 feet deep?” Gwen laughed and sat next to him.

“My mother.” Luke smiled. “My mother loved this garden. She spent all of her time here, and when I’m out here, it’s like she’s still with me.”

“How did she die? If you don’t mind me asking..”

“I-it’s a difficult story..” Luke sighed and looked down at his hands. “What about your parents?”

“Both of my parents were addicts. That was really the only thing they had in common. They met at narcotics anonymous and made me. They were picking up their next fix when the dealer shot them both. He apparently thought they were narcs.” Gwen sighed. “When I turned 18, the orphanage gave me the case file on them. I didn’t know anything about them until I was 18.”

“I’m sorry, that must have been incredibly difficult.” Luke sighed, holding her hand.

“I wish I could say it made me upset, but I was only 4 months old when they died. So, I don’t remember them at all. I couldn’t say anything about them.”

“Let’s talk about something happier.” Luke sighed and squeezed her hand. “Did you enjoy the night?”

“I enjoyed everything up until Alyssa called me fat, but then dancing with you made everything better.” Gwen smiled softly.

“Alyssa is a stone cold bitch, but she was once my best friend. She used to live here with us, you know.”

“Yeah, she doesn’t let anyone forget.” Gwen rolled her eyes.

“You’ll get used to her.” Luke sighed. “So, why did you want to meet here?”

“For some real alone time. I flew all the way from New York to be here, so I’m gonna get as much alone time as I can get with you, even if it means I lose sleep.”

“You know, people usually want to hang out with Prince Luke, but you just want to hang out with Luke. You’ll never know how happy that makes me.”

“To me, you’ll always be just Luke. That’s why I can do this.” Gwen smirked and pushed Luke into the water.

“Gwen!” Luke yelled, laughing as he wiped the water from his face. “I’m in a suit.”

“And, I’m in a dress.” Gwen giggled and jumped in. Luke laughed and pulled her close.

“You are crazy, Guinevere.”

“Crazy for you.” She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Luke grinned and pressed his lips to hers. Her lips molded against his in a deep kiss.

“I’ve wanted to do this all night.”

“That makes two of us.” Gwen smiled and kissed him again.

#5sos #5 seconds of summer #luke hemmings #5sos smut #5sos writing #5sos imagine #5sos fanfic #5sos fic #fanfic #imagines #imagine #my writing #calum hood #michael clifford #ashton irwin

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musicalmukebox · 6 years

Text

Let’s Get (Back) Together | l.h. (11)

Ctto of the gif!

AU: Parent Trap Dad!Luke

Summary: A strong love which led to a strong marriage and twin daughters. Yet in the end, it didn’t turn out so well. You strongly refuse to encounter him ever again. But what happens when both of you coincidentally send your twin daughters to the same summer camp in Florida after 10 years?

Word Count: 6.1k

Warnings: swearing, fighting, mentions of anxiety, anxiety attacks, bad overthinking, angst

(LONG) A/N: YES LOVES, I AM BACK FROM THE DEAD AKA COLLEGE LIFE!! First, Youngblood has dropped, alongside my panties and well-being. Second, I missed writing, yet I don’t know how consistent nor the scheduling of posting will go, so stay alert and maybe turn on those notifs!! I kinda had mental block for this one, so I do hope you still enjoy this! By the way, I’ll be using the gif above for the past and remaining chapters for easier distinguishing when I come up in any of the tags you search in. I love you all, especially those who’ve stayed!!

I don’t own Parent Trap and its ideas. It’s only used as inspiration.

1 / 2A / 2B / 2C / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14

Feedback/Questions/Others? Here.

2021, Los Angeles

“Shit, I’m nervous.”

“Don’t be, she’s kind!”

Here you are again, nervous of meeting another set of Luke’s loved ones, or maybe just one person in particular. “But Sierra Deaton is up there, being in the music industry for so long and I’m still starting out ya know.” You say, intimidated by her career so far.

Where were you both exactly? At the balcony of this club in LA, where a Miss Sierra Deaton would be performing her last show of her mini USA tour. Surprisingly, you haven’t met her considering that she is a very close friend of the band, but she is a busy artist after all and you didn’t really mind because you begin to relate. Luke did say she was a kind woman, yet you mind lets your drift into a different direction, letting you get access the worst thoughts possible.

“Babe,” Luke, seated right beside you, puts his hand on top of yours, feeling the nerves shaking in your body. “She’s been there and gets it. Trust me on that, alright?” Giving him a reassuring nod, the lights begin to dimmer and fans from the mosh pit below begin to scream in excitement.

“Woo, let’s go!” Ashton from behind your seat cheers, followed a giddy Michael. “Fucking start already!” He joked, in which Crystal reacted by hiding her face with her hand and looking down as everyone around you were laughing, even you too. Some fans from the pit noticed that voice, and were going nuts to find you guys up there. But it was short-lived when the first notes of Don’t Hurt played, shifting their attention to the stage, wherein low and behold, there she was. A mic on one hand and smiling wide.

“LA, make some noise!”

Swaying her hips along to music before opening up, she harmonized well with the backup singers. You were singing along, enjoying the lively vibe in the room. When she lit the room more with a smile.

“Luke’s right, self. No need to worry.”

“Ah, boys!!” You entered Sierra’s dressing room along with the others to see her unwinding in the couch with some wine. Getting up, she patiently gives her hellos and hugs to everyone, leaving you last. Upon your turn, she gasps lightly in awe.

“Finally, we’ve met, Miss (Y/N)!” She wraps her arms around you for a hug, which was a reassuring surprise. She was a lot shorter than you, you noticed. “Luke has told me so many great things about you.”

“Oh, he has?” You glanced at the blondie by your side, blushing. “I might’ve gotten carried away too.”

“You got him so whipped, hun.” She teased, making Luke fake a pout before he laughs along.

“I guess so? Also, it’s nice to finally meet you as well, Sierra.” You say, sounding as if you were questionable as you replied. “You performed so well awhile ago!” You praised, making her chuckle.

“Thank you very much! And to celebrate,” She takes hold of the wine bottle alongside some spare glasses by the table beside her. “Want some sangria?”

It took a simple nod then a loud “Cheers!” with everyone else there to release your nerves out. At some point, you lost count of how much glasses of Sangria you’ve drank and got a bit buzzed. Eleanor was telling a story about how she and Calum had a mini vibrator war during the recent MTV awards.

“Wait, what the fuck?!” Crystal belt out, laughing. “Was that why you squirmed a lot when you were seated with me?” Eleanor only blushing, nodding.

“I’m not surprised honestly.” Ashton added on.

“So that’s why Calum had a hard-on during our acceptance speech!” Luke says in realization, shaking his head at a red Calum, suffering from embarrassment. “I’m sorry I can’t really help what happens down there!”

“Kinky shits!” You ratted out, chugging those remaining contents of your glass. This led to a flushing feeling down there, urging you to let it out.

“Excuse me, guys,” You stood from the couch, grabbing your phone with a little wobble. “I must urinate.”

“Wow, so formal.” Brianna joked.

“She acts that way when she’s drunk.” Luke exposed, making you slap his shoulder slightly. “Hey!” He fake winced, giving a little pout.

“Don’t shade me like that!” Brushing your hair to the back flamboyantly, you quickly leave the room, pacing in search of a restroom. “Ah here!” You breathe with relief as you turned to the right and pulled the door open.

Let’s not go into detail on your session in the stall. But it was relieving and you were ready to drink a few more. After all, Luke is the designated driver tonight. Sliding your stall door open, your eyes gleamed at surprise at the sight of Sierra, arms crossed as she leaned behind the marbled cement where the faucets were located. Her facial expression was hard to decipher, yet you maintained respectful.

“Oh hey, Sierra.” You greeted instantly, trying to hide your sudden redness of cheeks.

“Oh cut off the crap, yeah?” She hissed, walking towards yourself as you begin to walk back. When you stopped at your tracks by the wall, she pointed her finger at you. “How much is he paying you?”

You were dumbfounded at this girl’s harshness. “Excuse me, but nothing!” You pushed her back, controlling your anger and non-sobriety. “What’s your problem? Luke told me you’re a kind girl.”

She laughed at the comment, stepping closer to you once more, like what the fuck? “Oh love, I am. It’s just that,” She was eyeing you up and down in utter disgust. “The past girls Luke’s been with were always PR stunts. Luke never fell in love with any of them, except his ex Arzaylea and she hurt him. Badly.“

“How the hell would you compare me to her? You just met me!”

“If there’s something I’m good at, it’s reading people, and you, Miss (Y/N), are an attention-seeking slut who wants to rank up high in the acting industry!” She shouted in anger.

“Keep that fucking anger in you quiet unless you want someone to catch us!” You motioned your hands downward, signaling her to keep her voice down. Rolling her eyes, she spoke up again, but quietly.

“You don’t deserve him.” At her tone and shaking of her head, her mood is easily interpreted.

“And you do? Hun, jealousy is not a good look on you.” Your confidence rose up, being down to get closer to her. “If he wanted you, you both would have been together and I’m still hustling at a successful career, which is something I’m aiming for.” Inhaling deeply, “He chose me, not you. Why bother, yeah?” Fluttering your lashes in innocence, you swerved against her, pulling the door open. “This isn’t over, (Y/N). The tables will turn, and I didn’t want you to watch my show! I was trying to avoid you!” She threatened.

“Well sorry Sierra, but Luke brought me along. That’s already a sign of failure, but thanks for trying!” You sassed, banging the door closed. This buzzed state of yours always brings the confidence you lack, and you were hella aware of your worth, not taking shit from anyone.

Yes, you were right earlier with your initial thoughts on this girl. Your mind tells you to tell Luke, but your heart says to keep that feud between you and Sierra since they’ve been friends for so long and you don’t want to be a friend-wrecker.

“The latter it is.”

2034, Los Angeles

“Ahh, it’s today!” Stella beamed as she tied the shoelaces of her converse. “I get to watch perform live with uncle Mikey, Cal and Ash!”

It was finally Saturday, the day of the band’s show in the Forum. As much as you didn’t want to confess, you were pretty excited to watch them because it’s a reunion too. But one thing is standing your way into enjoyment: Sierra. But whatever, what matters here are your daughters and enjoying the night with them with good music, having more family time.

“Becks texted, they’re outside!” She says, running to the front door and opening it excitedly to reveal a black van. The vehicle slid open, seeing her fellow identical seated in beside Luke. Following right behind her as you grew nearer to the entrance, you gave a wave at the Aussies.

“Hi poppet and Luke.” You say upon entering the car, taking the row of seats behind the Rebecca and Luke alongside Stella. Upon settling down, the driver continued its job to head to the Forum.

“Hi (Y/N), hey bub!” He reaches behind his seat to give a short, side hug to Stella, who did the same. He also ruffled her hair much to her annoyance. “Ah dad, stop! Oh and hey loser!” As she wiggled away from Luke’s grasp, she gave a high five to Rebecca, who initiated their handshake. The same handshake of Becks and Luke with air guitar playing in the end. “Hiya brat, hey mom!” Rebecca says, giving a kiss on your check.

At the moment, you didn’t really like the way they addressed each although you did that with your friends, even with the band. But they are sisters after all, they got to be nice. “Girls, be nice.” Luke addressed, having thought of the same things as you.

“Oh come on, dad! Those were our nicknames back in camp.” Stella addresses. “Well, when we hated each other.” Becks added.

“Wait, you hated each other?” Luke gasped, making the girls look at each other dumfounded, initiating them to tell the full story of their camp shenanigans. “Shit Becks, was Stella the girl whom you dared to jump the lake commando?”

Knowing now the full story made you proud of their character developments, putting aside their personality differences and joined together in order to make this reunion possible. As for Luke, he’s very glad to see the other half of his family despite everything. If only it wasn’t this way. Much to your surprise, the story telling lasted until you arrived the venue, seeing all these different fans of different ages lined up at the entrance. Proud was an understatement. Even after more than 20 years, they’re still very popular to the younger generations.

When the car halted near the backstage doors and got out, you began to feel nervous, shaking out goosebumps. Luke caught that moment from you just as he told the twins to behave properly as they entered backstage. “Are you okay, (Y/N)? I just saw you shake out some nerves or something.”

“Y-Yeah, it’s just pretty cold.” Luke knew you were lying straight away by the way you were breathing heavily and your eyes kept looking around.

“You can be honest with me, you know?”

Darn, he’s good. “I just don’t know how the others will react, like suddenly I cut off ties with them for so long. I think they’re still mad at me.” You overthink, getting goosebumps again.

“Hey, don’t say that.” Luke comforts, putting his hand on your shoulder, squeezing it a bit. “They miss you, and would never do that. But if something happens, I’ll handle it.” Nodding him instead of speaking another word, he leads you to the backstage. Surprisingly, a lot of backstage crew remembered you from way before, giving their hellos and small talk. You were afraid that they could say something already before even seeing your old group of friends, but Luke has your back by discreetly telling the crew to keep it a secret for now.

A good 20 minutes later, you somehow encountered and hear Rebecca giving a similar kind of Luke’s pep talk to Stella in a private part of the backstage. “But what if they don’t like me, Becks? I practically lied to them by acting like you, which isn’t a good impression.”

“Stella, they will like you! I have a feeling they missed you after so long, and besides, I’ll be here when you get nervous.” Rebecca reassures, giving her twin a tight hug before they see you and Luke during their special moment.

“You guys ready?” Luke asks, specifically to you and Stella whether you’re prepared to head further to the backstage area of the boys. You still were speechless, so you just nodded and trying to regain your calmness. “Yup, dad!” Stella expressed quietly with excitement.

Walking a few more steps and getting closer got your heart racing and thoughts running all over your head, you just kept thinking of all these different bad scenarios of what could happen and just wanted to get it over with. Stella, who was beside you, noticed the way you crinkled your eyes repeatedly and gives a squeeze on your hand. “You’ll be okay, mom. No need to panic.”

You just returned a squeeze, mouthing “thank you”. Luke was also getting pretty tense upon heading to the band backstage room, unsure of everyone’s reaction, especially Sierra. Oh shit, her. Not bad or anything he thinks, though he’s always sensed some tension between you two but he couldn’t be too sure. As he sees the sign “Band” on a door, everything felt more intense. Thank the heavens that the door was closed because it gives more time for everyone to relax.

“Well, we’re here.” He begins. “Rebecca and I can go inside first, then I’ll spill everything on your behalf so you can calm down. Is that okay?”

“Sure, dad. Go on ahead so we can get this show started!” Stella answered for you, still holding your hand. Luke gives a nod before he shifts the knob of the door to the right, letting the door open frontwards. Everyone, from the boys and their wives with the kids, was just talking and goofing around, but at the sight of Luke and Rebecca, they cheered in relief.

“Finally, you two are here!”

“God Luke, where have you been? We need our frontman!”

“It’s about time you both arrived!”

Rebecca paid respect by giving hugs and cheek kisses to her aunts and uncles, then waves at the different kids while Luke shares a laugh at their banter before he gets serious. “Sorry, guys. But, I have an excuse.”

“You got occupied with a Miss Sierra Deaton?” Michael joked, which was a struggle for Rebecca to not act disgusted.

“Nice try, Mikey, but we didn’t arrive together. I was late because instead of riding with you guys, I took a detour and brought a few other guests for tonight’s show.” Everyone’s interest peaked, dense as to what this blondie was up to.

“Who did you bring then?” Calum asked, crossing his arms. Rebecca looked back at Stella who was relatively a bit near to the door but not near enough to be seen by them, gesturing to come here. “Come here, brat!” Her relatives were confused, wondering how special this person was to her. Stella was hesitant, but she didn’t want to keep them waiting. “Wait here, mom. I’ll start.”

Stella gives a nod, but before making a move, Rebecca speaks up first before she enters. “This person is someone who I grew to love in a short span of time, almost like we’re the same.” With this pun, Stella comes inside the room with a hoodie to cover her face at first from everyone and also facing down.

“There’s no need to be shy, bub.” Luke remarks, which has the adults begin to create assumptions of who this could be, especially since they are aware that Luke only gives that nickname to one person. The kids were pretty excited to know who this was because this felt so new. Stella eventually gave in, unveiling the hood and tilts her head up to show herself. Just to add, she was right beside Rebecca. Everyone was just astonished, hands in their mouths and gasps.

“Am I tripping or is that-“

“Stella?” Bryana cuts off Ashton, still frozen at the sight of her goddaughter. Stella nodded, urging Bryana to approach her vicinity. She kneeled to her height. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Stella didn’t speak but instead gave her a heartfelt hug. “I’m Bryana, by the way. I’m your godmother.” Bryana introduces herself mid-hug. Letting go, “Oh, I know who you are, actually everyone. Well, except the godmother part, aunt Bryana.”

“What do you mean?” She asks, then by instinct, the twins looked at each other with mischievous smirks.

“Well,” Rebecca starts. “It all began when we met at camp.”

“Then we figured ‘hey why not swap so we get meet the loved ones of our mom and dad?’, which brings us to today.” Stella finishes.

As everyone tried to comprehend the situation, “So wait, if Stella was whom we had these past weeks,” Ashton pondered.

“That meant Becks was wi-“

“Me.” Eleanor was cut off by your entrance to the room, which made everyone hitch their breaths. Upon hearing your daughters talk, you knew they couldn’t do this alone, so you straightened out your nerves and just went for it. This also went Luke, whom you could easily spot the hesitation he felt with the whole explanation thing going on because it was too much to handle.

“Oh my god, (Y/N).” Crystal says, covering her mouth in surprise. Eleanor is speechless then ran to your vicinty and gave a tight hug, which you returned with a flinch. She was your best friend, and it gutted you both to have cut those ties. Well actually, you had the scissors. “I fucking missed you, (Y/N).” She blurted out, sniffling a bit as she felt all these various emotions running her veins at a fast pace.

“I missed you so much too, Eleanor.” You couldn’t contain yourself either as you respond, your voice cracking as you say those words. Eleanor’s strong movement undoubtedly created a domino effect, which led the other boys and girls to give their hellos. Surely yes, Luke was pretty nervous on bringing you along, seeing this happen first-handedly marveled him, in fact much better than he thought. The vibe felt casual, no grudges withheld and fulfillment to be reunited with a loved one.

“You haven’t changed a bit!” Crystal compliments.

“You ey, found out that you have a new film out soon!” Ashton addressed, handing you a red cup with some sort of alcohol in it.

“Yeah! Take Me or Leave Me, it’s out next week.” You plugged. Catching up slowly with life updates, laughing along to Michael and Calum’s random jokes, you unexpectedly recalled a weird sensation from when Eleanor hugged you earlier.

“You got a hard core over there, Eleanor. Been working out?”

She laughed, shaking her head. “I wish! I’m actually pregnant, babe!” You dropped your jaw, gasping “Oh my God!” and giving your congratulations. As different conversations between you and your old set of friends flowed coherently, not running out of ideas, and even getting to reintroduce yourself to some of the young children,

“Hey guys!” A tanned woman calls out as she enters inside the room, making everyone freeze. Especially you, because the voice was all too familiar. Luckily, you were facing backwards.

“Oh hi babe.” Luke greets, giving her a peck on the cheek. Everyone could just feel the awkward tension in the room, emitting twisted grins and widened eyes.

“Are you guys okay? It’s like you saw a ghost or something?” No one could respond, but you did by turning your back. A bold move indeed, but it could save everyone’s misery.

Sierra gasped before she crossed her arms before giving an all too fake smile on you, in which everyone else interprets it as just a surprised smile.

“Oh my, (Y/N)!” She exclaimed, still stood on the same position.

“Hello, Sierra.” You waved and smiled back, trying your best to be as genuine as you could be. You were more genuinely fake though. Things could get worse from here, but thankfully, one of the show managers came through.

“Show starts in 5, boys!” Sighing in relief, Luke scrambles to get his guitar, while was then followed by the other boys. As for the girls, they begin to head out and bring their kids to the designated family area of the Forum where they will watch the show. Eleanor tapped your shoulder, “Ready to go?”, hand in hand with Nick.

“Yeah, sure! Rebecca and Stella!” You called the two girls, who were in deep conversation with Alex. “Later, mom! We’re still talking!” Stella replied.

“Alex is pretty surprised that Stella and I switched. So we’re pretty much explaining everything in full.” Rebecca giggles. Letting it slide, you vacated the room with Eleanor and continued to talk about anything that you could think of, yet the topic of Sierra is the dominant one. “Well, that was awkward, huh?”

“Kinda? I mean, I really don’t care about whatever they have going on.” You casually shrugged off.

“Oh really? Might’ve felt some jealousy in the air.”

“Whatever, Eleanor. As long as they’re happy, I’m fine. Besides, what matters now to me now is our daughters.” You flatly say.

“If there is something I know about you, (Y/N), your drive for success is strong. You would never let anything you love just pass. And you are mischievous as well.” She trailed off with those words before getting to the area and hearing the excited squeals of different fans.

Meanwhile for Luke, he was unlucky to get in an argument begun by Sierra, who was furious and confused with what she saw, but one thing is for sure: Luke was heavily and soberly involved.

“How did you and her meet again? Why did you even bring her tonight? Just why is she back in our lives?” She believes that she deserves to feel the way she’s feeling because she was there to comfort Luke after the divorce, serving as his rock.

“It’s a long story babe, which I will explain later. Now please,” He put his hand on her shoulder, moving her to the side. “I have a show to play.” He says, sounding rushed as ever before running to the entrance of the stage. Sierra was beyond pissed, throwing a mini tantrum at his sudden change of mood. A change which occurred when you entered back at his life.

“That fucking bitch.” Bringing out her phone and dialing a familiar mobile number, she puts the device her ear, smirking like the devil as she thinks through what she intends on doing next after this sudden confrontation.

“Hello, Miss Deaton. It’s been a long time.”

“Lovely to talk to you again, Perez. Now, I have a story for you.”

“All my life I've been waiting for moments to come, when I catch fire and watch over you like the sun..”

You and the other girls were singing along and bopping your heads to the current song being played, enjoying the good vibes being spread. As much as you can, you stayed away from the public eye which was pretty successful so far, but mostly from Sierra. Dancing along with the twins and even cheering some lyrics out like before, it honestly felt like it was the early 2020’s again. You just haven’t felt this euphoria from a concert in so long.

Ending Catch Fire, the boys took sips of water and beer before they interacted with their audience, loud and proud. “Alright, Los Angeles!” Ashton rekindled an old meme, jumping out also from his chair and holding out his drum sticks momentarily before resting his bosom down again.

“How we feeling tonight, LA?” Luke hyped, combing his locks with his hands to get a better view of the crowd. They roared in excitement, the kind of reaction the band was used to. For sure with a catchy song like Catch Fire, another catchy song will follow up. But this setlist was different compared to the past.

“Thank you for the love, everyone! Now how about we tone the mood down a bit? Release some hidden angst in us.” Calum smoothly caressed his words, making sure his usage of different words was correct. The venue lights dimmed down, a single spotlight focused on Luke as he plucked on some guitar strings.

“We have never played the song live ever, and it’s an oldie too.”

“It makes everything more exciting, Luke. People wanted us to hear those underrated songs, so it’s a start! Besides, we need to give the people what they want!” Michael exclaimed, frenzying the fans to just reveal this song. Luke chuckled, mustering up his emotions before talking. Most especially as he saw you watching, distracting his focal point which was the audience.

As for you, you were unaware of it all. It was just like a regular concert with the band cracking jokes and playing their greatest hits. Another thing you were unaware of was that Sierra saw everything happen between Luke and you, well mostly him. She really tried to shrug it off, but every time they lock eyes, it was for a split second before he looks away and continues strumming his guitar. Jealousy was spicing up her veins.

“It’s an oldie from the Sound Good, Feels Good era, and surprisingly, it took a few runs before we fully remembered how to play it. One of my favorite songs of angst.” He paused for a moment, looking down and avoiding a gaze at anyone. He knew he was used to gigs like this, but now, it felt different because you were in the audience after all this time.

Recalling every lyric of it, he knew the meaning wholeheartedly. It was a risk he was willing to take to entertain the fans.

“This is Story of Another Us.”

The audience were astounded, finally getting a piece of a big request that has been running for so long: to play the so-called songs that “they left to die”. Screaming was an understatement, more especially when Calum sang the first few lines.

“Replay the scene over again, before the credits rolling inside my head...”

Even the other wives around you didn’t expect this, the strong yet out-of-tune vocals of Eleanor singing along because you were aware that this was one of her favorite songs of theirs.

“I don't recall a single word, you hit me faster than I heard inside my head..” She was in sync with Calum, who was crinkling his eyes as he saw her sway her hips, controlling his chuckling since the song was heartbreaking. Some fans noticed, videoing that little moment of theirs which was bound to be posted everywhere. Crystal raised her arms in the air, moving along with the rhythm of the song. Bryana films the moment, quietly humming along. The other kids were watching in awe, most especially Stella because this is the first show she seen of this band. Well, one that she will remember for a long time.

So far, this concert and this song performance embodied how mature they’ve become as they are now in their late 30’s going 40’s, emotionally mostly. Bopping along to the last few lyrics, Michael having just sung his part of the bridge, Luke had his full gaze on you, lips quivering as he opened it to sing his part before one last hurrah of the chorus.

“One last ditch, a new beginning, so take this heart, put yourself in it, this surprise ending I'm depending on…..”

Confusion raced through your mind at his action, whether if he also has a hidden agenda. He thinks he could hide his emotions with those eyes of his, but after all those years of love you had for him, you knew so well of how bad of a liar he was.

“I got a long-term plan with short-term fixes, and a wasted heart that just eclipses, and I push my luck from trust to dust enough, that's the story of another us…”

He is the first to look away, avoiding any unnecessary attention and returning his focus to the main audience. You could see the heartbreak in his eyes and vibe it too from his raspy voice. For Luke, he knows that you are just as pained, even if you tried to conceal it. That was already tough, but what more when your twins have noticed that session of yours?

With every second withering and the song fading too, you could feel your chest getting pressed too tightly from all these different emotions overwhelming you, your mind playing a role too by reminding you those painful moments of the deterioration of your past romance. Your breath span shortened as your head felt woozy, making you choke. Without warning, you made a run for it, leaving the area in a flash. This led to your daughters’ enjoyment to be interrupted by the vulnerable sight of you, their instincts kicking and telling them to help you out because it seemed serious.

Longingly searching for a private area without any staff interference and running further the corridors, you eventually found a dimly-lit spot and settled there. Leaning against the white wall and bent your knees in fetal position, many bad thoughts got you overthinking the decision of the divorce.

“You’re selfish! You made your daughters stay away from each other!”

“You should’ve gain full custody of the twins, not just one of them!”

“You failure! No wonder Luke figured that you held him back!”

“You didn’t put up a fight and gave up like a wimp!”

Your urge to shed tears grew uncontrollable, along with moderate whimpering and melting some of your makeup too. But you could care less at this point because you’ve just lost it. All those held back emotions have met you once more.

Meanwhile, the show continued on and the girls have excused themselves to their aunts, saying that they have a “monthly dilemma”.

“Oh no, do you need any help or anything?” Eleanor suggested, getting shakes from the twins’ head as a response. “Alright then, hurry back! Your dad is halfway done.” Nodding, they ran as fast they could, turning right and left on the hallway and ponders deep. “Where could’ve mom went?” Rebecca worried, her breath hiked and the feeling of worry bound to reach its peak.

“I may have seen her turn left from the corner of my eye.” Stella points out as she scratched the nape of her neck, nervous of your state. “Let’s head on then.” Rebecca rushed, going steps further than Stella, making her chase after her Australian counterpart. This went on for a few more minutes, turning another left and right.

“Stella, chill! I’m dying.” Rebecca complains. “Oh come on! Quit your comp-” Stella’s nagging was interrupted when she overheard a familiar voice in one corner, stopping dead at her tracks. Rebecca took notice, following the domino effect and shifted her direction behind to where Stella stood, her head leaning to one open corridor.

“What are you do-” Now it was Stella that was interrupted as she heard your echoing whimpers at the very end of the hallway which was wasn’t too far from where the twins were. “Rebecca, go ahead! I’ll follow!” Weirded out, Stella was about to interject, but it took a loud “Go!” from her twin to do otherwise, chasing after the now fainting noise. Rebecca discreetly followed the voice, trying to decipher who it was, why that person was inside and the main topic of discussion.

Who else could it be? Stella sneaked a glance to find Sierra drinking some sort of concoction on a wine glass and talking to a mystery person. Petty, Stella brought her phone, recording whatever she was saying. For future reference, she thought.

“Ugh Perez, I thought we got rid of her forever! ….. Oh yes, what a witty caption! Got Lily to take photos from the private area? …… Nice! But wait she left? Doubt it, her bratty twins are there. But whatever, I’ll talk to you later, can’t miss out on my fiancé’s show too much.”

whom she picked up to be a writer of some sort with the words “caption” and “photos”. Got rid? Kids? She knew straight away it was you.

With those actions occurring, Rebecca has finally found you, releasing the stress. But she pitied at the sight of you with messed up hair, makeup and flowing tears. You were too vulnerable, in every aspect and it broke her heart. Kneeling down right in front of you,

“Mom, what happened? Did something or someone hurt you?” She held her hands on top of yours. With those blue saddened eyes of hers, you couldn’t stop your tears even more because she is half of him and also the half you gave up.

“I-” You choked, your breath stiffened and halted for a moment. Taking a deeper inhale, you properly articulate words, well tried too. “I’m a selfish disappointment! I gave you up so fast when I could’ve just settled for half custody instead of a closed custody that our divorce lawyer suggested. Your dad said yes to it because he was hurt and angry just like me, but I’m your mother! I should’ve never done it!” One hand of yours was released from her grasp, tracing her soft face then brushing some hair behind.

“You’re so beautiful, and I want to know more about you.” Those words made Rebecca just as emotional, reaching over you for a hug and begins to sniffle. “

“Did you even want me just a little bit before you and dad divorced?” This was a question that has haunted Rebecca ever since she got older and knew the real story between you both, instead of the excuse of “mommy’s too busy on her business trip, baby”. Honestly, Luke sucks on hiding secrets.

“I wanted you 100 percent. I love you so much, baby. You and your sister are everything to me.”

“And dad?” That took you in for a surprise and you had no words to respond. She was anticipating for an answer, and before you say what you made up, you were abruptly saved when you heard fast shuffling in the hallway, getting you startled.

“Oh there you guys are!” It was Stella, thank God. “Mom, are you okay?” She was ready to kneel down like Rebecca, but with this mini heartfelt session reaching an end, you felt much better and you could breathe easily now.

“Oh yes, bub.” You gathered your strength to stretch your legs up and stand up, shaking off any dust in your outfit. “Thank you for coming after me. I didn’t realize how much an impact I made.”

“Well, only to the both of us. We were concerned, and our familial instincts kicked in.”

“Nonetheless, thank you, loves. Now, let’s go continue that great show of your dad’s, huh?” They nodded, but first, Stella got a mini-pack of facial tissue from her slingbag and grabbed a few. She rubbed it on your face gently. “You’ve got some smudges of mascara and eyeliner by the bottom of your eyes.” As she stopped, “All better. Let’s head back now.”

Giving her a grateful smile, you followed her lead whilst you wrapped one arm around Rebecca’s shoulder.

“I forgive you, mom. I love you so much, please never leave my life again.” Rebecca whispered, just appreciating every intimate and personal moment she can get with you. Your heart fluttered at the closure, and quickly you were back to the curtained pathway of the private family area.

“Shit, there you girls are!” Your trance was ended at the sight of a sweaty Luke, who looked nervous like you were previously. “Where have you gone? You missed 2 songs!”

“Aren’t you supposed to be performing right now, dad?” Stella questioned.

“Uncle Calum is singing Invisible with uncle Michael while I’m here to get some cool air with uncle Ash. Now, please answer my question, girls.” Rebecca and Stella had nothing to reply, dumbfounded at his nervous and stressful persona.

“Hmm, I don’t know how to say this, but Rebecca thought that she was getting her “monthly” gift for the first time, so we went searching for resources to help her out.” You covered for them.

“Oh.” He chuckled, scratching the nape of his neck like Stella earlier. “Never thought it was that. I was just worried.”

“It’s okay, dad. I feel better now.” Rebecca reassured, giving a discreet wink at you.

“Well, I’m happy, poppet. I need you to be healthy always!” He hugged her up in the air.

“Ahhh, dad let go! I might make an incident if you get what I mean.”

“Oh, shit sorry!”

“Dad, swearing!” Rebecca and Stella squealed, covering their innocent ears.

“Ashton, Luke, Cal and Mikey are almost done!” A manager called out for them.

“Well, that’s my cue, girls. See you in a bit!” He waves his hand goodbye before running off alongside Ashton.

“Aren’t you girls cunning and successful at it?” You smirked at your twins, impressed.

“Well, we got that from you, mom.”

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