We Live To See The End

Pretend There's a Cool Chapter Name Here, I Forgot How to Write! -The Cause

Kristoffer, with the utmost "luck" this man has, is the only person taking the night shift tonight. As soon as the clock hits 9:00 pm, he hears the doors trundle shut for the final time. He grabs Ashton's hand with a grip firm enough to stabilise him, but gentle enough not to hurt him. His balance is uneasy – Kristoffer remembers that side effect from the time this happened before. This has happened twice. He feels stupid, letting Ashton slip from his grasp so easily every time. He's not letting that happen ever again. The now darkened halls of the large ugly building are easy to traverse, parallel lines of dread along corrugated metal walls. As he skulks through the hallways, Ashton safely in his arms, he feels a sense of relief rush over him.

'Do you think you'll be able to walk back to your house with me?' Kristoffer asks as soon as they make it outside, the unusually old spring air lashing and biting their faces.

*

'Ashton!' Alexis screams as soon as she sees the two people walking up the path. She scoops up Ashton into her arms into a tight bear hug, leaving Kristoffer to feel very awkward. He has suddenly forgotten the correct way to stand. She helps him inside, beckoning Kristoffer in with them. Alexis leads him to the living room, placing him down in a comforting embrace. Kristoffer presses himself awkwardly onto the sofa next to them, unsure of what to do when he feels responsible for the pain the household feels.

'It was Niall,' Ashton mumbles into Alexis's shoulder, 'Don't be mad at Kristof-'

'I'm not blaming him at all.'

Kristoffer's ears prick up at the sound of the words, a meagre smile teasing the corners of his mouth despite the sombre situation. Alexis quickly flashes him a friendly smile over Ashton's shuddering shoulders.

*

'Stop moving for a second.'

'I'm literally perfectly still.'

'Whatever.'

Kristoffer bandages up Ashton's burnt wings with great precision, protecting the burnt skeletal figure remaining. The pearly white feathers are just a crumble of ash on the AMI floor, most likely being hoovered up by the underpaid cleaners.

'Are you nearly finished?'

'I'm, like, three-quarters through the first one.'

'How?'

'I'm being careful. And we've literally been sat here for like five minutes.'

Kristoffer's fingers unravel new pieces of bandage piece by piece, slightly pressing down the white fabric onto the fragile remnants of his wings. He would be further through is Ashton stops his perpetual fussing.

'There, I've finished one.'

'...Thanks.'

'See, I'm not all that bad.'

He earns a soft laugh from Ashton. He begins to wrap the bandages with equal care around the other, making sure he'll heal correctly.

'I'm going to go back home after this,' Kristoffer comments, squinting his eyes to somehow focus better on the work he's doing. With a final bit more focus, he wraps the final piece around the end of his wing around itself, tying it in a gentle bow. Kristoffer steps in front of where Ashton is sat, crouching down to look him in the eye, 'Feel any better?'

'A bit. Thank you,' Ashton murmurs, a gentle smile playing on his lips, 'Now we've both got some scars, hm?'

He traces his fingers across the long, deep scar on his forehead with a feather-like touch, ending with his hand trailing down the side of his face.