Broken Home // mashton

chapter six

Michael struggled to keep up with Ashton's fast pace, and he sucked in a deep breath as he looked up at him. "Where are we going?" He asked.

No reply.

"Hello?" He waved and tried jogging in front of him so he can maybe get his attention. "Hey! I'm talking to you."

He didn't even look at him.

Michael was walking backwards, feet rapidly moving as he stared at Ashton's blackened face. He couldn't really see him through the shadows of the hood and the darkness of the night, but he knew their eyes met. He could feel it, feel the irritation rolling off of him in waves and how he wanted him to just shut up already.

"Where are we go-"

He shrieked as he stumbled backwards, the heel of his show hitting an uplift in the sidewalk and making a cold rush fall over his body like a wave. He felt Ashton's hand grab on to his jacket before he could fall and he yanked his body forward with a rough jerk, immediately causing their chests to bump and faces to be inches away from one another. Michael's feet skidded forward, his breath heavy and panting as he swore his life flashes before his eyes.

"Be careful." He grumbled and Michael felt his face heat up as he felt his breath fan his face.

"Are you gay?" He rushed, the words falling from his mouth before he could even think about what he was asking.

It wasn't his fault his brain short circuited every time he got close to an attractive boy, and it certainly wasn't his fault for not knowing Ashton would pull him this close to him.

The teen was taken by surprise before pressing his fingers flat against his heart and pushing him away. "I don't see how that's any of your concern, Adam."

"My name is Michael, not Adam." Michael rolled his eyes as he felt embarrassment wash over him.

Ashton snorted. "Sorry, I'm not a creep, I wouldn't know."

Michael gasped, and finally there was a hint if emotion on Ashton's face: a teasing smirk that if it weren't for a passing car he would have never seen. "Who are you calling a creep?"

He didn't reply. "We're here."

"Where?" Michael stressed and Ashton looked up at the fence. "You're not... -"

"- yup."

Ashton took his backpack off and then threw it over the fence before taking a few back and then jumping on to it. Michael watched in amazement as he climbed and metal soon separated them, and the movement activated lights went off to reveal Ashton's risen eyebrow. Did he expect him to jumo the fence in skinny jeans this tight? Or at all for that matter? He doesn't even know if he can.

"You... You're insane." He breathed out as he hooked his fingers around the cold metal. "Are you insane!?"

Ashton smiled. "You made it this far, don't chicken out now." He pushed but Michael felt a feeling of nervousness swirl in the pit of his stomach.

Or at least he thinks that what it was. He couldn't actually be excited to trespass and break the law, right?

"Let me guess," Ashton hooked his fingers in the holes in the metal as he pushed his face close. "- you've never jumped a fence before."

"We're not all criminals, Ashton." He snapped and the teen widened his eyes. "

"Basket case? Athlete? Criminal?" He mused. "I just need someone to call me a princess. You already got the nerd part down just fine."

The fence rattled as he let go of it and Michael glared at him as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "You can stop being a pussy and jump the damn fence, or you can go home." Ashton told him and he swallowed thickly as he looked between the fence and the street they followed. "Home sweet home."

Michael looked at the fence and then at the teen on the other side. "I don't know how."

"Of course not." He snickered before coaxing him through how to do it. "Put your foot in the hole, and lift yourself up."

Michael grunted when the metal cut into his fingers and his leg slipped. "Bold of you to assume I have upper body strength."

Ashton sighed before taking his bag off and then hopping the fence. Fingers locked in a cup above his bent knee, he looked pointedly at him. "Hurry up before we get caught." He hissed and Michael stepped into his hand.

He hoisted him over and Michael almost screamed when he felt a piercing pain in his hand as he hung over the fence. He dangled for a moment before dropping on to the blacktop, cradling his hand to his chest as he saw a thick red line forming in his palm. He tried to find the moonlight to see if the cut was dirty, but it was blacked out. Even the lights on the other side didn't reach where he was.

"Come on."

Ashton grabbed him by his jacket and he scrambled on to his feet before following after him. "You wouldn't happen to have bandages or disinfectant in that bag of yours, do you?" He asked bitterly, almost wishing he was at home.

This Ashton guy was fucking crazy, and he'd rather be safe at home than wherever the hell he was taking him right now. At least then he wouldn't be injured or in the position to be arrested.

"What do I look like? A doctor?"

Ashton pulled a bandana out of his pocket before stopping, and his other hand reached into the netting of his bag where he pulled a flashlight out. "Let me see it." He grumbled and Michael hesitated. "Let me see it."

He yanked his hand and then places the light between his lips before he took his folded bandana before wrapping it around his hand. Michael hissed when he knotted it a little too tight, and he looked at the red fabric before looking at Ashton's face. "You're welcome." The teen huffed and Michael widened his eyes.

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have even gotten it!" He hissed at him and Ashton just shook his head before shoving the flashlight against his chest. "Gross."

He held the held carefully and he furrowed his eyebrows as he heard running water. He looked around and then found he was standing on top of dirt instead of concrete. "Where are we?" He asked and Ashton grabbed his hand, causing him to wince.

"There is where I go when my parents are at it." He answered and Ashton stopped. "It's an opening, a small pond that's stemmed off of the river a mile or so away."

"What do you do here?" He asked and Ashton looked at the bandana around his hand.

"I paint."

Michael lifted his head. "Illegally?"

Ashton hesitated. "Come. Let me show you."

Their fingers intertwined and Michael nodded as he followed, the pressure like hell on his cut but the rush in his stomach felt like heaven.