SO BAD [MXM] [MAFIA] ✓

15: A PROBLEM

Skylar doesn't do so long before he begins to overthink, growing more and more bitter at his situation. Literally everyone has left him, and honestly, who's to say Ashton won't either? Should Skylar actually allow this to happen? Allow himself to rely on Ashton? Why would that even work out—he'll probably just screw that up too, like he did everything else.

Skylar is only able to last a couple minutes before he's deciding that, fuck it, he does not need Ashton to come help him. He doesn't need anyone's help, actually, he can just live in a dumpster or something. He'd prefer that to living with Ashton any day. Definitely.

Skylar throws his bag over his shoulder and stands up, walking away from the bus stop he said he'd be at and down the sidewalk. Jessie said Ash was on his way, and that was probably like five minutes ago. So, he's probably nowhere near this location. Skylar is unsure how far away the guy lives from here, but he's pretty sure he can't be that close. Bayton is a large city.

So, Skylar just walks down the road, sticking to the areas with street lights since he's not in the best part of town. Normally he'd be cutting through alleys to ensure Ashton won't find him, but he doesn't want to take the safety risk. Skylar probably only walks for about five more minutes, however, before he's running into trouble anyway.

"Drop the bag."

Skylar jumps, turning his head to find someone coming out of an alleyway. There are several people out, just not many cars. Most are going in and out of bars and clubs, and honestly, Bayton isn't really a city known for its upstanding citizens. The man who is now advancing on Skylar with a knife in his hand could probably get away with this in broad daylight if he wanted to.

Skylar is about to tell him he's wasting his time, that Skylar doesn't have any money either. However, then he realizes that he has something far more valuable than money to him. He has the rest of his cytozine, a drug that l is worth more than any amount of money to Skylar. He absolutely cannot lose that.

Pretty soon the guy, who is only slightly taller than Skylar, is standing directly in front of him. He has a knife held up somewhat close to Skylar's throat, and is glaring down at him. He's dressed in all black, and Skylar does not want to deal with this. Also, it's not like he has much of a will to live right now.

"No." Skylar says simply, and then the knife is actually being pressed against his neck. Pedestrians are beginning to avoid them, to keep their distance so as to not get involved. Skylar can't really blame them.

"You wanna die tonight?"

Skylar is kinda freaked out, even though death as of right now isn't exactly the worst thing he could think of to happen to him. He does a good job at hiding it, though. He just raises an eyebrow at the guy.

"No thanks," Skylar says, looking down at the knife currently beginning to cut into his throat. It's not super deep, but it hurts enough to have him wincing. Clearly this dude is not bluffing. "I promise you I'm broke."

Skylar can feel blood beginning to trickle out of the wound. Wow, that's going to be annoying to clean out of his shirt. "Yeah, never heard that one. Give me the fucking bag, or—"

"Or what?"

Skylar did not say that.

He feels a presence behind himself, and upon hearing the voice he actually jumps. Skylar can't actually look at who it is, though he can recognize the guy by his voice alone. That's definitely Ashton, but again, Skylar is being held at knifepoint. He's not particularly mobile.

Ashton had to have been close by, which lines up with the rest of Skylar's luck today. He probably should've known.

"Keep walking," the guy says, looking up over Skylar's shoulder. "This doesn't... c-concern..."