Rescue // Ashton Irwin

nine.

Adley.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Ashton's words repeated over and over in my head, keeping me frozen in my tracks as he stared at me brokenly.

Only when I looked down at his wrists again did I snap out of my trance.

"I'll be right back, okay? Just stay there," I rushed, practically sprinting into the attached bathroom.

I tried my best to compose myself, not wanting to make Ashton feel guilty, but I couldn't control the few tears that slipped from my eyes as I entered the bathroom.

My eyes moved faster than my brain, looking in every cupboard and drawer until I found a towel and some first aid supplies.

"Okay, it's okay," I said as I re-entered the room.

Ashton was frozen in the same spot he had previously been in, a blank stare on his face.

"Ash," I said, waving my hand in front of him.

He turned to look at me for a split second before he burst into tears again, holding his head in his hands.

"No, no, Ash," I pleaded as I gently pulled his hands as well as his dripping wrists away from his face.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated, causing me to almost break.

He sounded so broken, so lost, I swore I could have felt my heart actually breaking.

"No baby, don't apologize. Let me get you cleaned up, okay?"

He nodded.

I took his wrist in my hand, examining the angry red lines that covered his delicate skin.

"This is going to sting a little bit, but we have to do it," I warned, pressing a comforting kiss to his forehead before grabbing the peroxide from the first aid kit beside me.

I poured a little on the towel before running it over the skin, causing him to hiss in pain.

"Almost done, almost done."

I finish bandaging up his right arm as quickly as possible before moving onto the left.

"There we go, all bandaged up."

He didn't even look at me.

"But, we have to get you out of those clothes," I pointed out.

Blood coated the black jeans and band t-shirt that he'd been wearing.

When he still didn't move, I got up and picked a pair of sweats and another t-shirt out of his drawer before returning to his side.

"Arms up."

He gave me a questioning look, but complied nonetheless.

After helping him into his new clothes, I followed him into bed, not bothering to change my own clothes before laying down with him in my arms.

We laid in silence, his sobs only mere hiccups.

"Thank you," he whispered after a long while.

"You have nothing to thank me for. I want to take care of you, always," I assured him, running my fingers through his curls.

He hummed in response as I pulled him closer to me, rubbing his back until he finally fell asleep.

It couldn't have been more than two hours before he woke again, screaming and crying and clawing at the bandages covering his wrists.