Born To Die Part One - The Case Chase

Remember

'Shit, where is it?' Ashton hisses, rifling through the cupboard of the dining room. He groans in anger and flutters his wings softly. The splitting headache gets worse, feeling like someone was shoving an ice pick through his head. The cut on his face still oozes red blood, and he feels his legs buckle underneath him. He holds himself up on the table, breathing heavily to steady himself.

'Hey, what's up?' Kristoffer asks, looking around the doorframe with worry in his eyes. Ashton looks up, his eyes full of fireworks. He sees Kristoffer holding a first aid kid through the dark colours flashing in his eyes.

'I...' The words he tries to get out get stuck in his throat. Kristoffer nods going over to Ashton, holding him close enough to keep him stable, and sitting him down in a chair.

'Hey, you'll be fine,' Kristoffer says. He quickly grabs a glass of water and gives it to him, giving him a small hug. He begins to clean the wound with a antibacterial wipe, 'Going to tell me what's happening?'

'It's a magic thing. Headaches happen very often,' Ashton mutters, his cheek squished, 'We don't know why we get them, it's something to do with the magic is all we know.'

His eyes prickle with hot tears as the pain gets worse. Kristoffer finds the correct size of Band-Aid.

'I can't see it properly...' Kristoffer mumbles, lifting Ashton's chin. He attempts not to look into his eyes, but he can't help but notice the almost adorable amount of focus on his face. He feels warmth tease in his pale, freckled cheeks. He places the Band-Aid on, smooths it down, and grins. He seems proud of his work. He puts a big, dumb smile on his face, 'I did it! Have a look in the mirror.'

'You haven't given me a haircut or anything,' He sighs, yet residing to the thought and looking at himself in the mirror. It isn't exceptional work, but it is sure something. The pain of the headache ebbs away. He feels a large, warm arm wrap around his frail shoulders.

'Not bad, huh?' Kristoffer asks, the smile still on his face. Their eyes meet but quickly flash away from each other. Ashton suddenly feels rather short and small compared to Kristoffer.

'Thanks,' He says. He also wraps his arm around Kristoffer. He feels a smile attempt to crawl from the corners of his mouth, yet manages to swallow.

'I'm sorry,' Kristoffer sighs, placing his head on Ashton's shoulder. It takes him by surprise, 'I shouldn't have left. I remember the day I left.'

*

'Kris?' Ashton asked, poking his head around the doorframe of the music classroom. Kristoffer looks up from his bass guitar.

'Hey Ash,' He smiled, standing up from the chair. He walked towards the doorframe, taking Ashton by his waist and giving him a firm kiss, 'You're still coming over later, right?'

'I need to tell you something. Or show you something anyways,' He said, looking nervous at the prospect of what was going to happen. He takes a deep breath out, 'Okay, promise you won't hate me.'

Kristoffer was worried by then, 'Baby, what's wrong?'

Ashton separated himself from Kristoffer's arms. He stood back, his eyes closed and his arms outstretched. He sucked in a deep breath, making wings unfurl from his back. White feathered, gleaming, soft, pearlescent and angelic. Kristoffer's eyes widened.

'It's fine, we shouldn't let this get in the way of anything,' Ashton began, but Kristoffer stepped back, shaking his head and clenching his fists.

'How long have you known about this?' He asked. Ashton raises his thin eyebrows in shock.

'About since the start of this year,' Ashton stammered, his hands shaking.

'You lied,' Kristoffer whispered. His head shook back and forth frantically, 'You lied about being magic. I have to go.'

'Yeah, but-' Ashton began again, but Kristoffer was sprinting down the corridor before either could even realize it. His breath shook. His head ached. Everything in his head buzzed with thoughts of self-hatred.
His knees buckled, the ice pick hammering at his brain. Tears began to run down his face, his sobs barely audible against the sound of the wind and rain outside. His brain felt like a block of ice. The bell signalling the end of lunch rang in his ears like he was in a quiet room. He falls to the floor.

No one came to the music rooms last period. He could stay on the floor.

And cry. He used his wings to shelter himself. It was a stupid, foolish assumption to think that Kristoffer Piercebridge, the cool bass guitar and football player would go out with Ashton Rockwell, who only boasted 4 members of LGBTQ society. It was a game. Who would ever love him for who he was?

Stupid.

Useless.

Turn yourself into the AMI.

*

'I didn't know how to react,' Kristoffer sighs, his arm now loosened from Ashton's shoulders. He looks up at him, seeing the genuine guilt and despair on his face.

'Hey, let's forget about it. I'm magic, you're not. In the end, we're all just a bag of meat and bones, huh?' Ashton humours. Kristoffer smiles. He holds out his long, bony-fingered hand.

'Ashton Rockwell. You?'

Kristoffer reciprocates this gesture.

'Kristoffer Piercebridge.'

Ashton gives the first real, genuine smile in years, feeling Kristoffer's hand on his again.

'Pleasure to meet you.'

They look into one another's eyes once more, softening their gazes. He lets his arms flop around Kristoffer's torso, in a surprise hug. He lets himself stay like that for a minute, a fuzzy feeling in his stomach.

'You must be tired. Come on, go to bed. First night here,' Ashton finally says.

'You read my mind.'