Just the Friend

-DYLANS POV-
The next morning, I awoke slightly with the feeling of extreme comfort. I smiled happily at the feeling of my bed. I felt as if I were on a cloud. Then I smelt it.
His cologne.
My eyes shot open, only to be met Hazel ones.
“Why are you in my bed?” I grumble not bothering to remove myself from his arms.
“Well since I found you in the middle of an alley yesterday evening, then carried you home while you were completely unconscious, your mom felt it would be best if I kept an eye on you for the night. I was sitting in your chair over in the corner but I felt as if I was in time out.” Ashton pouted a little, obviously trying to remove some of the tension from the conversation. It sucks to say that it worked a little.
“How did you find me anyway?”
“We used the Find My IPhone app.”
“Does Louis know you are here?” I sigh, sitting up and removing the warm duvet from my body. “Mother fucker!” I hiss as I step onto my left leg.
“Be careful!” Ashton jumps from the bed and is immediately at my side. “And yes, Tommo knows I am here. He gave me permission to come and fix our friendship as long as I didn’t try anything. He threatened to rip off my testicles and shove them down my throat and I kind of want to have children when I get married so I agreed to his requests.”
I roll my eyes at my boyfriend’s vulgar threat. He would say something like that.
“So how do you plan on doing that?” I ask Ashton as he helps me hobble down the stairs.
“What do you mean?”
“How do you plan on fixing our friendship? And I swear to Jesus, Ashton Fletcher, if you say you got me something with your rock star money, you will be deeper into the dog house.” I send him a sideways glare. He chuckles and shakes his head.
“Hey! The idiot who falls asleep in alley ways is conscious!” My brother announces loudly.
“Ryan! Be nice!” Emmy smacks Ryan on the side of the head and he pouts. (A/N: EMMY IS RYAN’S LONG TIME GIRLFRIEND. LOOK BACK AT CHAPTER 12 IF YOU DON’T REMEMBER)
“Emmy!” I open my arms for her and she gives me a big hug.
“Hey lovey. How are you my darling?” She squeezes my small frame and I dig my forehead into her neck.
“Not so good.”
“Well how about after breakfast, and after drummer boy takes you on a walk to talk, I reserve the couch for you and I to have a Disney Day? Just like old times! How does that sound?” She shows me a sympathetic smile.
“Perfect.” I give her a small smile in return and sit down across from my dad at the table.
“Here baby, some waffles, apple juice, and a couple of Aspirin to help that ankle.” My mom sets a plate, a glass and two pills in front of me on the table. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until the syrupy smell wafted through my nose.
I am not ashamed to say that I ate those waffles faster than what seems like humanly possible.
“Oink-,” My brother mimics a pig behind me then coughs multiple times to cover it up. Not in the mood to deal with his shit, I take a piece of waffle that was drenched in liquid sugar and throw it at him as he giggles to himself.
Conveniently, it hits him on the forehead and sticks there. The caramel colored substance, now dripping over his eyebrow and past his eyelashes, was currently permanently staining his blue American Eagle shirt. The whole room erupted into laughter.
Look at me, releasing some tension.
Mental fist pump!
….Still super lame.

//////////

“This is going to be a really inconsiderate question, but what did everyone do once they found out I was gone?” I ask Ashton as we are now walking, well me limping, down the sidewalk aimlessly.
“Everyone pretty much had a different reaction. Mikey was pretty pissed, so don’t expect him to be super welcoming when you come back.”
If I come back.
“I was expecting that from him. He made me promise I wouldn’t leave the night before so.” I wince a little.
“Calum and Luke were pretty sad. I think the boys just felt kindabetrayed because from what I heard you promised Luke, Cal, and Mikey that you wouldn’t leave then they wake up the next morning and all of your shit was gone. Louis was the most upset. He wasn’t mad at you, but shoved the blame onto me, which I deserved, also he got a good punch to me, which I also deserved-,”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! He punched you?! Where?!” Ashton looked both ways to make sure no papz were around then lifted his shirt quickly. There was a slight purple-ish bruise on abdomen.
“I am so going to kick his ass! Violence is never the answer!”
“Don’t worry about it Dylan, I deserved it.” And that’s when I stop in my tracks.
He just called me Dylan. He has not called me by my real name casually in years. The only times he has ever not called me Angel was when he is mad at me.
“Wow we are completely screwed aren’t we?” I let out a big mouthful of air as my breathing started to shake and I swallowed the lump forming in throat. I plopped down on the metal bench a few feet from where we were standing as the first tear overflowed from my eye socket.
“What are you talking about?” Ashton rushes over and sits next to me, quite a few inches away might I add.
“You just called me Dylan, Ashton. You haven’t called me Dylan without being mad at me in YEARS! And have you noticed that where you used to comfort me when you saw me cry, now you can’t even sit next to me. Why can’t we just go back to the way things used to be?” I mumble the last part quietly, half way hoping he didn’t hear that part. My head was now resting in my hands.
“Well here is the big question Angel.”
I look up from my hand and look at Ashton.
“Do you love me, like the way I love you?”
I guess that really was the big question wasn’t it?
“N-……Ye-…..I don’t know Ashton! Maybe I do! I mean I think I might.” His eyes light up. Oh no. “But I love Louis too.” I whisper. The light floods a little.
“Then I will fight for you.”
“Ashton I am not some Hot Wheels Matchbox Car that you and Louis get to play tug of war with! I am a person!” I yell at him, now a little enraged.
“That’s not what I meant Angel, calm down.”
“Ashton what I really need right now is a best friend. I need someone to keep my secrets and someone that I can count on and vice versa. I need a protective brother while mine is gone. I love you Ashton, and I am telling you now that I am not friend zoning you in any way. I just, I need my pirate back. Please.” I was sobbing now. Finally he groans, clearly having an internal battle in his brain, and wraps his large muscular arms around my quivering frame, pulling me close to him.
“I don’t care about him. The minute he fucks up, is the minute that you realize that we were destined to be together Angel. I can feel it in my bones. I have loved you since the day I laid mypervy 11-year-old eyes on you. But until that day comes, I will be your best friend. I will protect you and take care of your every need and take stupid pictures with you and make you your morning coffee. I will hold your hand when you have period cramps and put band aids on your knees for when you fall off that damn skate board and I will be your super hero, but I have one condition.” My arms were wrapped around his neck and we were standing now in a full on bear hug.
“Yes my super hero?”
“You have to promise that you will ALWAYSand forever be my little angel.” He ends the sentence in a quiet whisper as he twirls the ends of my hair around his long fingers.
“I will always be your little Angel Ash.” He gives me a friendly peck on the forehead, like he used to do, and lets go of me.
I giggle as he turns around and squats.
“Get on you dork.” He giggles his famous giggle as I jump onto his back. He starts to walk down the street and bounces me slightly.
“So….you coming back on tour with me?” He looks at me sideways as I rest my chin on the top of his head.
“I mean,” I pretend to let out a big sigh. “I guess.” I was now smiling.
“Woooooo!!!!!” He yells loudly. “SHE’S COMING BACK EVERYONE! DID YOU HEAR THAT LADY?!” He yells at an older lady from across the street. She lifts her old wrinkly hand and I gasp as her middle finger flips towards the sky. “Did she just-,” Ashton was clearly flabbergasted. “Yup…” That’s when I let out a very loud laugh. He shakes his head.
“Old ladies these days.”
“So our flight leaves….?”
“Tonight.”
“Tonight?! I have no time to spend with Emmy! Hurry up my trusty steed! Get me home!” I kick my leg into his ribs lightly and playfully pointed in the direction of my house. He shakes his head and walks a little faster.
“Oh I forgot to ask! Have you been working out lately? You seem EXTRA muscley! (Pronounced mus-kul-ee)” I giggle and poke one of his large biceps.
“Maybe.” He chuckles as he walks up my front porch steps.
“Hey wait. Whose car is that? I thought you took a taxi from the airport.” I ask pointing at the black Mercedes in the driveway.
“I did.” He said as he opened the door and walked into my house. I pointed towards the living room so he could put me onto the couch.
But I was not expecting to see the person sitting with my family.
I slide off of Ashton’s back as I make eye contact with him.
“Louis?!”
“Dyl!” He marches straight up to me and pulls me into his embrace. I don’t care who was watching. I hugged him as if my life depended on it.
He makes me feel whole and safe and I know it for sure now.
I was absolutely, positively, falling head over heels in love with this man.
This crazy, stupid, hilarious man that makes me whole world bright.

Notes

I HOPE YOU GUYS WERE NOT EXPECTING THAT! BAM!
Surprise attack!
Go me
(and just so you know, I actually do that mental fist pump thing myself)
I love you guys so much and I'm sorry This update was late.
DASHTON OR LYLAN!?
WERE YOU EXPECTING LOUIS?
HOW AWKWARD IS THAT PLANE RIDE GOING TO BE!?

Give me three comments and I will update tomorrow :)
xoxoxoxoxoxo
-Gabi <3


PS BOYS ARE STUPID FUCKERS AND BOYFRIENDS ARE USELESS

(obvi boyfriend troubles^)

PPS IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO TALK OR ARE LOOKING FOR A FRIEND JUST MESSAGE ME BECAUSE I LOVE YOU GUYS AND NOTHING WOULD MAKE ME HAPPIER THAN TO HEAR FROM YOU :)