"I can do this", Ashton was determined to return the phone to its loving owner. He was also doing this for himself, convinced he doesn't need anyone or any help. You'd only left 7 minutes ago, maybe he'd catch up. You always took your time to get ready.
He grabbed the phone and put it in the back pocket of his jeans. He stretched his legs as he got up and took the white cane with him. The noises of tapping around were drowned out by the radio music. Ashton was in the search for his coat and a beanie, actually about to leave the house without calling his usual assistant - Luke.
'Can't Help Falling in Love' just came on the station, and Ashton softly smiled. He was humming to the tune as he started buttoning up his coat. He slowly started moving towards the door, taking out the key from his coat. He touched around the door, trying to find the lock.
"Take my hand. Take my whole life, too", he sang along, leaving the radio on as he left the house. He made sure to lock behind him, even if it took some time. He was trying to be as careful as he could be outside. After all, the weather wasn't in his favour.
Although it was fairly bitter outside, Ashton was all warm and fuzzy around his heart. He was proud of himself, and he was almost sure you would be, too. Besides, it is going to be a nice surprise seeing him come to you on his own. It weren't the eyes, but love that was leading him to you.
That Elvis tune wouldn't get out of his head as he found it relatable. He was walking slowly, tapping the cane into the snow. He knew - more or less - where he was supposed to be going.
"Need help there?", he heard an unfamiliar voice ask him. The lady was in about her 40s, on her way back from work.
"I'm good, thank you", he politely declined her offer with a smile as he was on a so-called mission. His sense of direction consisted of counting lefts and rights, and zebra crossings in his mental map. The lady shrugged and hurried home.
He heard children's laughter get closer, and in no time one bumped into him. He kept his balance.
"Sorry", a tiny voice exclaimed and the laughter disappeared with the group. For a second Ashton wished he could be that careless again. The memories were interrupted by a beeping that was filling the silent neighbourhood. It was coming from the APS letting him know the green light is on. He sighed and got going not to miss the mark.
He was tapping around the salt sprinkled, unfrozen crossing. The even knocking stopped as the cane flew across the street. Ashton felt a force of a thousand storms hit his body. It took a millisecond and a DUI driver to ruin this night. The driver went straight through the windshield, and Ashton ended up several feet away, laying in the snow. He felt every cracked bone and every scratch on his skin. He couldn't move an inch and it was dark as it is for him. He squeezed his eyes shut, not making a sound, as a hot tear rolled down his cheek. He tried breathing deeply just to keep himself alive, but it hurt like a bitch. A cough was choking him and he felt warm liquid climbing up his sore throat. Painstakingly slow, the blood was leaving his mouth. The last thing he heard were the painful moans coming from the guilty driver as he was gaining back consciousness. Another tear rolled down Ashton's cheek, burning a tiny hole through the snow beneath. Life had left him.
In the meantime, Luke was unlocking the door at Ashton's place. They had a deal that he would entertain him while you were attending the birthday party.
"Ashton?", he mumbled as he turned on the light.
Luke was greeted by a motionless apartment with music coming somewhere in the background. He followed the sound only to see the radio was on, but his friend was nowhere to be seen. He went around, turning on the light in every room of this place.
"Ash?", Luke called out, running his hand through his hair. He was clearly frustrated now as this has never happened before. Besides,they had a deal. Luke took over his armchair, deciding to wait up for him.
* * *
He was waiting for quite a while until a knock on the door had him on his feet. He rushed over, speaking as he unlocked the door, "Ash, why are you knocking on your own d-"
Luke swallowed hard as he saw a policeman before him. "May I, uh, help you?", he uttered.
"Does Ashton Irwin live here?", the man asked.
"Yeah, I've been waiting for him", Luke muttered, furrowing his eyebrows, "Why?"
"I'm so sorry", the man said as he placed a hand on Luke's shoulder.
He immediately started panicking, "Why? What are you sorry for?"
"There has been an accident and-", Luke dropped to the floor, not hearing what the officer had been saying to him. After the crucial "accident", everything else was a blur to him, as if he were drowning. He tugged at his hair, shaking his head.
"I'm really sorry, sir", the officer kept going, but Luke just closed the door not wanting to hear any of it.
His hands were shaking like a leaf in the wind, as he struggled to pull out his phone. He heard another knock and opened the door with a death glare. The officer was still standing there.
"What do you want?", Luke muttered.
The man stretched out his arm holding a plastic bag with a phone inside. Luke grabbed it and frowned, "This isn't Ashton's."
As Luke tried to return it, the officer said, "It was found in his pocket." It was the last thing he said as he left. Luke slammed the door and second checked the bag.
"No fucking password", he was exploring the phone as his shaky hands dialled Michael's number.
"Mikey, are you with Calum?", no hello, straight up questions.
"Um, yeah, why", a digitalized voice was breaking through.
"I need you to come to Ashton's, right now", he ordered. He clicked the gallery, giving it a shot even though the screen was cracked, seeing loads of selfies with Ashton. It was your phone. He ignored all the ''whys'' coming through and just hung up.
"Fuck!", his voice shattered and he broke down in tears for his friend.
The radio kept playing as Ashton left it. "House of Gold" was filling up the eerie, empty place and Luke had no strength to get up off the floor. He just sat there staring into nothing and listening.
YOU ARE READING
A.I. Imagine || If you see her...
Fanfiction"I can't see you, love." AU where Ashton is indeed blind.
