#don't tell me calling ash fletch doesn't turn you on in a weird way

[calpalirwin]

Heartbreak Girl

A/N: So originally this was inspired by the lyrics of Love Ain’t by the Eli Young Band. And it spiraled to include 3 more songs- Leave Her Wild by Tyler Rich, Singles You Up by Jordan Davis, and of course Heartbreak Girl by the lovely @5sos​

Content: Cussing, some angsty fluff to get your weekend started right.

And away, and away we go!

~~~

"Fletch," her sad voice said over the line. "Can you come get me?"

Ashton was already halfway out the door. "Text me the address," he said. "I'm leaving now."

"Thanks, Fletch," 

"Of course, Y/N. Sit tight. I’ll be there soon.''

He was angry as he peeled out of his driveway, the address to the bar plugged into his GPS. He knew that piece of shit boyfriend of hers hadn't bothered to show up. Meaning Y/N was alone at some bar again, and he had to pick up the pieces. Again.

He was always picking up the pieces when it came to Y/N. They had been friends for as long as he could remember, and he had never not been in love with her. Which only made watching her with her boyfriend that much harder.

He had warned him, that asshole. He had warned Wyatt when Y/N introduced them that Y/N was a carefree and wild spirit and to not break that spirit. “She's my best friend," his exact words had been, "so if you break her heart or spirit, or do anything besides love her with everything you got, I will break your face."

Y/N had laughed it off, assuring both men that nothing like that would happen.

And yet...

Ashton's hands clenched tightly around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.

And yet here he was on his way to rescue his best friend. Again.

It seemed like every week Y/N was calling him up, on the verge of tears because Wyatt had canceled on her last minute, or they had gotten into another fight, or he had failed to show up and she needed a ride home.

And every week, Ashton consoled her, dropping everything to either keep her company or take her home.

It was nothing new, but tonight he was especially pissed. Why? Well, it had seemed Wyatt was finally pulling it together. For the last month at least Ashton's phone had remained quiet. He thought he was finally done having to fix the other man's screw ups while Wyatt reaped all the benefits.

That wasn't to say Ashton was angry about rescuing Y/N week after week. It was quite the opposite in fact. Any time, no matter the reason, if Y/N called, Ashton would be there, no matter the cost to his own well-being. No, rescuing Y/N wasn't the problem. The problem was that he needed to; that Wyatt kept breaking his best friend's heart, and that she kept letting it happen.

~~~

"Fletch!" her voice called out happily when she saw Ashton walking towards her.

Her words were happy, but Ashton knew her well enough to know she'd been crying not even two seconds ago. "Hey, pretty girl," he smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "So, what's the game plan?" he asked as he took a seat next to her and drummed his hands against the bar.

Her shoulders started to shrug but then he saw her eyes light up. "Wyatt, you're here!" she called out, bounding out of her seat and towards the man making his own way towards them.

Motherfucker, Ashton thought to himself as Y/N greeted Wyatt and they sat down next to him.

"Oh, sup Ash," Wyatt said, taking notice of the other man’s presence.

"Hey, man," Ashton responded, jerking his chin upwards in a nod.

Y/N briefly frowned at Ashton calling Wyatt "man" instead of "mate" because she knew the Aussie's preferred term of endearment for the male gender was "mate." She didn't expect Ashton to become best friends with her boyfriend, but he could at least be friendly. "Well, I'm gonna get a drink," she said brightly, all evidence of her meltdown long gone.

Ashton himself decided to order a drink too. His night was already in the shitter, so he might as well try to salvage it best he could. He held back a sigh as he ordered himself a whiskey and Y/N didn't, opting for a white wine. Of course she would get a wine in front of Wyatt instead of her usual choice of whiskey. God, when would she realize Wyatt wasn't worth impressing?

When Y/N eyed Ashton's drink, he pushed the glass towards her. She took a sip, her eyes closing as she smiled. "Mmm, that's good," she said, enjoying the burn and pushing the glass back to Ashton.

"How ladylike," Wyatt smirked into his own beer.

Ashton clenched his fists at how Wyatt's words made Y/N's face flush in embarrassment and draw her wine glass closer to her.

"Oh, this song's my favorite!" Y/N's eyes lit up as the song from the bar's speakers reached her ears. "Come dance," she urged both men, already out of her seat dancing and singing along.

Both men chuckled- a soft one from Ashton, a smug one from Wyatt- as Ashton got up to dance with his friend. Wyatt remained in his seat and Ashton wondered why he wouldn't dance with his girlfriend until he realized Wyatt probably didn't know a single damn lyric to the girl's current favorite song.

So Ashton gladly danced with her, both their moves carefree and ridiculous while they sang loudly along. Because unlike Wyatt, Ashton knew every word to all of Y/N's favorite songs.

~ ~ ~

"So, I gotta ask. Why are you with Wyatt? Like what do you see in him?" Ashton asked when Wyatt excused himself later on in the evening after ensuring Ashton would make sure Y/N got home safe.

Y/N sighed. "We've been over this, Fletch..."

"I know. And I'm sorry if I'm overstepping, but really? That guy?"

"I love him, Fletch. And he loves me."

Ashton snorted. "That's not love, Y/N."

"You wouldn't know love if it smacked you in the face," she shot back. In all their years, Ashton had never dated a girl for Ionger than it took to sleep with her. What did this womanizer know about love?

"I may not know a lot about love," Ashton admitted, even though that was a lie. Of course he knew what love was. He had felt it every day of his life towards the girl sitting next to him, a scowl on her face. All those other girls were just distractions. And while that made him feel guilty, he had always been upfront with those women, never sleeping with them unless they fully understood that. "But, I sure as hell know what it's not. And I hate to break it to ya, but whatever you and Wyatt have... that's not love."

"How would you know?" she continued to challenge.

"Because you call me every time he fucks up! Every time he bails on you or fights with you, you call me. You could easily call anyone of your girlfriends, but you call me. Every fuckin time."

"Well, if it's such a problem, if I'm that much of an annoyance, why do you come, Fletch? Huh?!"

"For the same reason you only call me! Because we love each other! Not you and Wyatt? You and me! We love each other. And damn it, I'm so fuckin sick and tired of us acting like we don't!"

"I don't love you, Fletch..." Y/N lied. “I... I love Wyatt..."

"That's bullshit and you know it," Ashton said, his voice low now that his confession lay before them.

“No..." Y/N said, her voice shaking. "I love Wyatt. No... Stop it!" Her voice grew higher and more hysterical as she came to terms with the truth. "I'm with Wyatt... why can't he love me the way you do?" she asked, full on crying now.

"Because he doesn't know how to love a wild girl."

"And how do you love a wild girl?"

"You leave her wild and pray she loves you for not holding her back."

"So, all those love songs you helped write?"

"About girls the other boys have loved mixing with my feelings toward you, yeah," he confessed. “Although Heartbreak Girl is all you, start to finish."

"I love that one..."

"Good, cuz it's your song." 

"God, Fletch, what am I gonna do?"

"I dunno. End things with Wyatt and let me finally love my heartbreak girl the way she deserves to be loved?"

She let out a tearful laugh. “God, Fletch, could you ever really love a girl like me?"

"Haven't you been listening? I already do."