Chapter Text
"Tour's over," Cal mumbled as the four of them trooped out of the lift and started down the corridor towards their hotel rooms. "Can't quite believe it."
Mikey's smile was soft as he slipped his arm gently around Cal's waist, for once not complaining that the bassist was sweaty from having ran around onstage.
"We can talk more in the morning," he promised, fishing around in his pocket for the key card and coming up short. Cal handed it to him with a soft smile. "Night, Ash. Night, Lukey. Love you guys."
"Night," Luke and Ash echoed, both of them squeezing the other's hand gently as they waited for Mikey and Cal to depart. The two boys didn't take long and, when Luke opened their own door, ushered Ash in and closed the door quietly behind him, the soft click seemed deafening in the sudden silence that followed.
"I can't believe it's over," Ash admitted after several long moments of quiet. He sat down heavily at the end of their double bed and tugged his bandana off halfheartedly, letting it flutter down onto the floor beside them.
"It's been one hell of a ride," Luke allowed and Ash was so sad that he didn't even make a sex joke. Mikey would have been disappointed in him.
Ash sniffed mournfully then and Luke sat down fluidly beside him, taking the hot, sweaty boy in his arms and pressing a firm kiss on his tanned cheek as he thought about how far they'd come.
"This is insane," Luke breathed and Ash looked up curiously, a slight frown creasing his brow even as he smiled at Luke's stunned expression, his dimples evident despite the semi-darkness.
"What is?" Ash asked gently and Luke's smile only seemed to grow.
"We were both kids when we started out," Luke said carefully. "Frightened kids on the road to ruin... And... and we saved each other... And we've done so many amazing things, Ash."
Luke opened his mouth like he was going to continue speaking but promptly closed it again, and Ash simply sat and waited, holding Luke's hands gently in both of his own as the blond gathered his thoughts.
"I told you a long time ago that I'd realise I was brilliant on the day you did..." Luke chewed his lip, and Ash's eyes flickered down to his lip ring and away again. Luke's smirk was firmly in place, even if his eyes held something softer.
"I don't think I'm brilliant by any stretch of the imagination but... Ash, it's thanks to you that I'm even here at all. You showed me that life was worth fighting for and... and I can honestly never express my gratitude for that. For you."
"I love you," Ash said softly and Luke closed the gap between them as his long-fingered hands gently knotted into Ash's sweaty curls, anchoring them together.
"I know," Luke whispered and the brush of his lips against Ash's was so light he almost couldn't feel it, like the flutter of a butterfly's wings. "I love you too."
Fin.