He walked into the house and tossed his bag on the floor, beside the door.
His day was long and exhausting and he just wanted to lay in his bed and go to sleep. He only worked half a day, thanks to Liam, and if he was a normal someone, he wouldn't be so tired after working just half days.
But Ashton was different and his body tried telling him that.
It was still noon outside and too early to go to sleep, but his body wouldn't let him do anything else beside that.
He stripped down from his clothes and got into the shower, not bothering to enjoy it. He was soon laying on his single bed and closing his eyes.
It wasn't long befor his soft snors filled the room.
It was like that almost everyday, he would come back from work, take a quick shower and go to sleep until its dark and Liam is waking him to eat some dinner. If it weren't for Liam, he would have to work a whole day like every other person that lived in the Shell, even though he was only seventeen.
Liam knew Ashton can't work a whole day, not in his body shape. He was constantly tired and tended to barely eat if it would bother his sleep.
By the time Liam walked into their small place, it was already dark outside. He, unlike Ashton, was able to work a whole day and he didn't spare it from himself.
He got into the bedroom, where his single bed stood infront of Ashton's and sat on it with a sigh. He took off his shirt and then stood up again and turned on the light.
"Ashton?" He shoke him and the smell of the shower Ashton took hit his nose.
"Ashton wake up," He tapped his shoulder and this time Ashton opened one eye, unable to open both of them completely under the lighting above Liam's head.
"Time for dinner." He removed his blanket.
Ashton stared at him sleeply for a few more moments befor pulling himself out of bed and strolling after him to the kitchen.
Ashton sat infront of the small table that stood in the middle of the kitchen while Liam pulled out bread and cheese and placed it on the table. The place wasn't big, one bedroom and a small kitchen. The biggest room was the living room but they barely ever used it.
"How was work?" Ashton asked.
"It was okay. Eat something." Liam shoved the bread to Ashton's side.
"Did you talked to my parents?" Ashton's eyes lighted with hope as he asked the same question he did every night.
"Maybe tomorrow." Liam sighed.
"You always say that." Ashton leaned back in his seat.
"Ashton." Liam glared at him.
"What? I'm sick of hearing that. I know there's something you're not telling me."
"That's enough."
"You're not my father, I don't have to listen to you-"
"I'm still older then you."
"By two years." Ashton muttered.
"If anything new will come up, I'll let you know."
"You won't."
"I'm doing what I can." Liam repeated and tried holding down his anger.
He knew there's no reason to be mad, that all Ashton wanted was to see his parents were alright.
He haven't seen them for two years now and the only connection he had with them was through Liam, who kept promising to him that they were alright.
When Ashton was fifteen, the people in charge in the Shell decided to separate parents and kids in order to efficient the work. There were no longer kids under the age of thirteen because the same people also prohibited having kids anymore and to make sure no one will disobey them, they put something in the food and water to make sure womans won't be able to get pregnant. Ashton knew Liam befor they actually put them to live in the same house together but he never talked to him.
"I'm tired." Ashton shoved his chair back to stand up.
"Seriously?"
"I can't help it."
"I know, just.."
"What?" Ashton looked at him.
"Nothing. Go to sleep." Liam flashed him a small smile and Ashton left the kitchen.
Liam wanted to tell him about the plan he had, and about how everything is going to be vanish soon and he wanted both of them to be far away when it will.
He knew Ashton wouldn't agree without his parents, but he made a promise to keep him alive.
Ashton didn't know it, but Liam hasn't spoken to his parents for almost a year now. He pretended to himself that he couldn't find a connection but deep inside, he knew what happened to them, he just didn't want to confirm it and have to face Ashton with it.
He couldn't tell Ashton, he knew it will destroy him. So over the time, he made small lies and told Ashton things that his parents said, but he always kept it short because he didn't want Ashton to catch his lies.
He made sure the door was locked and then got into the shower, unable to enjoy it, same as Ashton. The small shower was old and the tiles had little stains of black from the wetness.
Once he was done, he crawled to his own bed and turned off the light, that Ashton left on for him.
"The door is locked?" Ashton mumbled and Liam mumbled a 'yes' back.
Unlike Ashton, Liam's head was full of disturbs and his sleep wasn't easy. He stayed up for another hour befor finally closing his eyes and falling asleep as well.
