haze / afi

part 49. get a room

"is it too heavy?" violet asks, worry in her tone.

currently at ashton's house, the fifth day in a row. having stayed longer than originally planned, she'd gone home for a few hours yesterday to pack her bags for ohio. bringing her large case to his place, he agreed to ensure it was within the maximum weight that the airline allows.

"we're only going for a few days, vi," he glances down at the weight he's using in his hands. "are you sure you can't leave some things here?"

"no, i need everything i packed." she sighs, watching as ashton places the bag down again.

"what did you pack?"

"travel shoes, wedding shoes, clothes for when we get to ohio, my pyjamas, clothes for the morning of the wedding, clothes for after the wedding and clothes for when we come home," she pauses. "oh! i packed my toiletries too, so face wash, soaps for the shower, face masks, hair products, and my straightener."

"clothes for when we get to ohio?" he questions.

"yea, for when we land in ohio."

"you don't need extra clothes," he chuckles. "just keep on what you're gonna wear on the flight."

"but we would've been on a plane for six hours," she grumbles. "i always feel gross after flights, i can't keep the same outfit on."

"okay," he thinks. "what about shoes? you only need the wedding pair right? just wear the other pair on the flight."

"but—"

"it's over by five kilograms, violet."

"oh."

noticing her change in mood, he quickly makes a decision, "i'll move some things into mine," he tells her. "mine isn't at maximum weight yet so it's fine."

she nods, ashton laying the case down next to his which he'd packed this morning. unzipping both, he opens them up, figuring out what to move.

he takes violet's pair of converse, fitting them in with some of his clothes. taking out her whole toiletry bag, he gets violet to help by lifting up his shirts so he can tuck it underneath. that should take a lot of the weight out of her bag.

"that should do it." he zips both up again.

weighing violet's first, it thankfully displaying a lighter weight. under the maximum amount. he weighs his own, seeing it's under too.

"perfect." he smiles.

violet sighs, sitting down on the sofa. staring at the bags in front of her. ashton sits down beside her, placing his hand gently on her thigh, just above her knee, caressing his thumb back and fourth.

"how are you feeling about next week?" he asks the dreaded question.

"fine," she lies. tries to at least. "it's just one wedding, it's fine."

"it's not fine." ashton says, causing her to look at him. "you've told me for the past two days that it's fine, but i know you don't mean that, baby."

she shakes her head, looking down into her lap, tucking her hair behind her ears. without saying a word, she leans towards him, both shuffling so she can lay with her head resting on his lap.

he looks down at violet, one hand softly running through her hair, the other resting on her stomach.

"it's not too late to cancel," ashton quietly tells her.

"i can't cancel." she shakes her head.

"it's not too late to let me talk to her to have you walking down the aisle with me instead of someone you don't know." he changes what he said before. causing her to laugh lightly. "i'm serious, baby, i can tell you aren't comfortable with anything that's happening next week, there must be something i can do."