SO BAD [MXM] [MAFIA] ✓

34: THE CHOICE

Skylar sprints directly to his door, slamming it closed behind himself and locking it. He takes a few steps back, clutching the box to his chest and just staring at the opening underneath, lights casting shadows. He can hear his heartbeat in his ears, beating out of his chest, as he waits for the inevitable.

Sure enough, a minute later and there's the sound of heavy boots on hardwood. They stop right outside the room, before a steady voice resonates from the other side.

"Skylar, open up." Ash is so fucking mad, but he still sounds kind of winded from what just occurred. Skylar takes a moment to feel proud of himself for being the cause, before moving on to more important things.

"I'm only asking once." Ashton finishes, voice lower.

Skylar frowns. The fuck? Why does he think he has any say right now? The door's locked, and unless he has a key—which Skylar's pretty sure he doesn't, since he hasn't seen any keyholes in most of the doors—then there's no shot of him getting in here. Also, he doesn't have much time to do anything else, since Skylar is already looking for a place to hide his replenished stash of drugs.

"I'll open it if you tell me about your job," Skylar tells him, standing his ground and refusing to listen. For a moment he thinks he won, when he hears Ash's retreating footsteps. It gets Skylar's hopes up that the guy gave up, but then the door is bursting open anyway.

Skylar jumps, stumbling back into the wall beside the entrance to his bathroom, and wonders how the hell Ash did that. Then, he sees the doorknob—as well as parts of said door—in fucking pieces.

Okay, Skylar knew Ash was freakishly strong, but it appears as though he still underestimated him. The force required to break a doorknob like that... it's got to be a lot, right? Even if he kicked it? It only took one try! Skylar's shocked, completely frozen as Ash's narrowed eyes wander around the room until finally landing on him.

Yeah, Skylar may be fucked.

Skylar is immediately running into his bathroom, and grabs the door in hopes of closing it and locking it in time, despite the fact that Ash will likely just do that same thing. Unfortunately, Ash blocks it before he can, opening it wide, Skylar's strength not a match for his and therefore meeting no resistance.

Skylar stumbles back, but then his arm is grabbed and Ash slams him against the door. He's confiscated the box within seconds, before placing it on the counter.

"I know you want me to," Ash growls, trapping Skylar between his arms. Skylar gulps, Ashton's hands on either side of his head. Skylar might have some problems, because Ash is never rough with him, but holy shit it is hot when he is. The anger only adds to it, and Skylar tries not to have a physical reaction. Unfortunately, he can already feel his face heating up.

"But I'm never going to give up."

"I mean, you should," Skylar notifies him, averting his eyes to stare at the box on his sink counter, feeling a distinct longing he usually only experiences towards the person in front of him. "I can move out right now, actually, as long as I can take the—"

"Yeah, you're moving out," Ash tells him, and Skylar takes pause. He feels his heart drop, and he has no idea why, since he quite literally offered to. Still, he wasn't expecting Ashton to actually let him, but the guy clarifies immediately upon noticing how much that throws Skylar off. "Out of your room, and into mine, because I don't trust you alone anymore."

Okay, Skylar was not expecting that. Before he can respond, Ash walks back over to the sink, and grabs Skylar's empty pill bottle. He then opens the box, and Skylar watches as he begins moving the pills over to the bottle. They clatter when they land inside, but the noise dulls the more they pile up.