cherry wine [cashton]

like sleep to the freezing

Warnings: violence (but you probably knew that already)

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At some point Jim fell asleep on the bed. Ashton's tailbone was hurting from the fall he had taken, and his throat was still sore and probably bruising, but his breathing had evened out. Carefully he picked up his bags. He had to meet up with Calum anyway, he could arrive any minute, and he really didn't want to be around Jim ever again.

Ashton glanced at Jim for hopefully the last time. He watched the way his blond hair fell on his forehead and his closed eyelids that hid his piercing blue eyes that he once had adored more than anything. When they first met they had reminded him of the calm ocean, but as the months passed he came to realize that this ocean was far from calm. Ashton had witnessed and survived storms and tsunamis. And he couldn't wait to step out of the water and finally breathe on his own for once, without Jim's constant resuscitations every time he got close to drowning or swallowed the water into his lungs.

Ashton felt a breeze go through his hair as he carefully grabbed the door know. He knew it was probably just from the open window but at the same time, he felt like he could faintly smell the sea.

He continued down the stairs and made his way through the hallway, praying that he would make it.

As Ashton went to grab the door handle, something grabbed his arm and he hissed out in pain.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Jim was awake. Fuck, Ashton cursed to himself.

"Let me leave," he answered defiantly. He was faking confidence, but he was screaming internally.

"All my friends kept saying that I'm way to good to you," Jim chuckled. His previous aggravation seemingly forgotten. "I guess they were right. "

"I'm not happy with you and you know it. Why can't you just accept that?"

Jim pushed him against the wall, pinning him by his shoulders. "If I can't have you, no one can," he breathed.

Ashton felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, but in this position, he couldn't do anything to check it.

"Is that him? The one you cheated on me with?" he almost spat. "Please don't leave me for him. You are all I have. "The switch from anger to vulnerability was sudden. But that's what Ashton had come to expect with Jim.

"I can't be that for you anymore, it's not healthy." Ashton hated how weak his voice sounded. But what he hated more in this moment was how inferior he felt. He was no match for Jim's strength. He always seemed to have the upper hand both in their fights and conversations. Ashton was nothing put a puppet on a string to him.

"At least tell me who it is you're leaving me for."

"I'm not leaving you for anyone. I'm leaving, because I don't want to be with you anymore," he pleaded for him to understand.

But instead of listening Jim snatched the phone from Ashton's pocket and read the text out loud, whilst still keeping Ashton pinned against the wall.

"'Traffic jam, so I might be late. See you soon, Ashy'" Jim was almost frothing at the mouth. "Of course, it's him. I knew it! And you told me not to worry, didn't you, you... you bitch!" he finally screamed.

"We're best friends," Ashton whispered.

"Does he know that?" Jim asked, his voice full of spite. "Or are you playing him, just like you played me? To think I actually believed you. "

"Of course, I didn't play you. "

"Lies! Lies! Lies!" Jim yelled. "All you ever do is tell LIES."

Ashton whimpered as Jim tightened the grip around his shoulders. He was so close to the door, if he could just slip out, he would finally be free.

"Please, just let me go, "he tried again.

Something shifted in Jim, as he slowly loosened his grip around him. Ashton warily made his way to the door, afraid that any sudden movements would make the man change his mind.

As soon as he made his way down the driveway he spotted Calum's pickup truck and he thanked heaven and the gods above or whatever higher power people believed in for the Maori boy.

Calum made his way out of the car with a big grin on his face, but it quickly faded as he spotted the bruises around Ashton's neck and the tears on his cheeks.

He walked towards Ashton and embraced him in a hug. But Ashton's eagerness to get closer to the other boy forced Calum to face away from the house and that's when he spotted the Mercedes.

"Is he still in there?" he asked. Ashton wasn't able to read him with his face muffled against his shirt, so he simply nodded.

Calum gave Ashton a last squeeze before he let go. "Go wait in the car," he said as he looked towards the house.

"Calum," Ashton started, immediately feeling the tension radiating from the taller boy. "Don't do anything stupid."

"I'm only doing what I should've done a long time ago," he said.

"Calum, please, let's just drive, I don't want to be here anymore." He tried to shove himself between Calum and his house, but Calum was both bigger and more determined than Ashton as he continued his path of revenge.

Ashton finally realized that it was hopeless when he heard the door slam shut behind him.