Dealbreaker

Chapter 8: Flashback to the Deal I'd Made with Adrien a Few Years Back...

(Ashley's POV)

Flashback to a few years ago,
the afternoon when I'd just turned my sweet 16...

"Ugh, I dunno if I can take it anymore!! I can't stand it when he screams at me like that for no fucking reason at all!! Ugh, I think I might actually either lose what's left of my sanity or run away from this shitty place!!!"  I exclaimed as I anxiously paced my bedroom floor, but I hadn't noticed that one of my favorite people was just within earshot of my anxious ADHD rant.

"Whoa, first of all, language. And second, please don't run away from the mansion. I don't know what I'd do with myself if you went missing!" Adrien worriedly replied just outside my door, and I briefly screamed, jumped, and reflexively got into an attack position in pure terror and surprise.

But I soon realized that it was just Adrien, making me feel a little like a fool & quickly glance around for something to throw at him that wouldn't hurt too much, and I settled on one of my small stuffed kittens. "Uh!" I grunted as I threw the stuffed animal at his face, to which he easily just knocked it back to the ground. "Really, Ash?" He playfully asked me, and I seriously wanted to smack him upside the head (but I thought better of it and chose not to in case Father walked in).

I groaned a little in slight frustration at his response and replied, " YES, REALLY, YA DORK!! You really coulda died if I had something heavier than my stuffed kitten! You know not to sneak up on me like that!! What if I had one of my pink Crocs near me? I'd feel so guilty and would never be able to look you in the eyes the same again, Adrien!" I ranted, and he laughed nervously a little at my 'adorable ADHD rant' (no, he has like, legit said that a couple of times about my ADHD rants. His exact words, not mine).

"Yeah, I know, Ashley. I'm sorry! It's just so cute when you react like that on these jumpscares, but I'll try to do better about resisting those urges since you hate it so much, okay, Ashley?" Adrien sweetly replied with a kind & warm smile on his face, and my face soon softened at his kind face & words. "It's impossible to stay angry at you for long, ya know that, Adrien, right?" I replied as I walked over to him to lightly punch his nearest arm in playfulness (and thankfully he let me, but I had to let him ruffle my hair playfully in return). "Nyah, nyah, nyaah! I just brushed this, ya idiot!" I sarcastically and playfully remarked after he ruffled my hair, and he just smiled a little sweetly at my cute response. "You're adorable," he remarked, and with a huff, I muttered, "Yeah, yeah. I know. I know, Adrien." Adrien cleared his throat to go back to the prior main subject that rapidly derailed into a rabbit hole of sibling banter and roughhousing.

"Ahem. So anyway, what I was saying was that if you went missing or even died, I'd probably lose a good chunk of myself too, Ashley. Always remember that, okay?" He explained, making me blush and smile a little at his encouraging words. "I know, I know," I replied semi-sarcastically, and he just smiled a little and continued.

"Anyways, let's make a kind of deal for the next time you want to run away, okay, Ash?" he continued, and I just nodded, silently letting him know to continue with his proposal. "If you actually do run away before you turn 21, then you owe me a small bowl of your crunchy Cheetos. However, if you don't actually run away before you turn 21, and instead move out on your own, then you can borrow Plagg for a few days. Sound good, Ash?" He inquired me, and I considered his proposal. Maybe I could use a little extra odds. After all, I practically have nothing to lose except for a measly small bowl of Cheetos out of a whole party-sized bag! I thought confidently, and I finally nodded and shook his hand. "Alright, but throw in your Animal Crossing and we have a deal, okay, Adrien?" I replied confidently, and he gratefully accepted my counter-offer. "Okay, Ashley. Deal!" He replied, shaking my hand confidently as he said it.