SO BAD [MXM] [MAFIA] ✓

11: REGRET THIS

When Skylar comes to, he is definitely not anywhere he is used to waking up. He expected to either be on the concrete by the pool or in the hospital. Possibly his own bed. The last option is kind of right, he does in fact wake up in a bed. However, it is not a bed that belongs to himself, his family, or any of his friends.

Skylar frowns, rubbing at his head as he inclines himself on an elbow. His vision is kind of blurry, so he has to blink a few times to get it to adjust. He finds himself in a dark bedroom, and it is vaguely familiar, but he can't figure out how. He's definitely never slept in here before, but he has been here.

It takes a solid minute before it finally hits him. This is the guest room. The first room Ashton escorted him to on the night of The Event.

He's at Ashton's.

Skylar's eyes widen at the realization, and he probably shouldn't be surprised. Wes did call Jessie, and Ashton is the person Jessie is closest to in the area. He should've known Jessie would enlist his help again, but still. This is absolutely not ideal. He needs to get the hell out of here, ASAP.

Skylar scrambles out of the bed, but he seriously underestimates how weak he is, so he ends up falling out of the bed and hitting the floor with a thud. He winces, rolling over onto his back and looking down at himself. He's still wearing his normal clothes, though they have blood on them. His arms and legs, on the other hand, are covered in bandages. Who the hell put bandages on him? Ashton? No fucking way.

Skylar begins to pull himself up so he's sitting, but it's a struggle. He has to grab onto the side of the bed for leverage, and is eventually able to pull himself up so he's holding himself up by his elbow. He leans against the side of the bed, trying to ignore how much his head hurts. It doesn't hurt as much as it probably should, however, and that's because he has a thick skull. It takes a lot.

Skylar is about to try and pull himself up so he's standing, but before he can, the door to his room is opening.

Skylar jolts, looking up to find none other than Ashton walking through the door. He has a phone up to his ear, but upon seeing Skylar's situation, pauses.

"Never mind." Ashton says, before swiftly hanging up on whoever he was talking to and pocketing the device. Skylar frowns at him, rubbing at his head when his headache gets slightly worse from the noise.

"Who's that?" Skylar asks Ashton as he begins making his way towards him. The guy scoops Skylar up in his arms, who lets out a soft, surprised noise. He probably should've seen that coming since he's lying on the floor, but he still didn't. Ashton lifts him onto the bed, but Skylar refuses to lay down again. He stays seated, and Ashton stands a few feet off to the side with his arms crossed. It feels strangely parental, like Skylar's in trouble. He feels like he's going to get lectured.

Honestly, going off the disappointed look on Ashton's face, he probably is.

"When is it going to be enough?" Ashton asks him, and Skylar is finally waking up enough that his vision isn't blurry and unfocused anymore. Nope, he can see the disproving and fed up look on Ashton's face plain as day. Definitely a lecture.

Skylar rolls his eyes, running a hand through his hair and down the side of his face. He does not want to fucking deal with this.

"What are you talking about? I am really not in the fucking mood—"

"I mean," Ashton interrupts, tone lower. It's because he's mad, but it's way too similar to his sex voice for Skylar to focus. Maybe he should try to make Ashton not mad anymore, so he doesn't have to worry about his mind going to the gutter now of all times.

"How bad does it need to get for you to finally fucking stop? One day your luck is going to run out, and you won't be able to come back. Is that what it'll take?"