Ashes (bxb)

t w o

Trigger warning; this book includes themes of violence, gun violence, assault, drug use, slurs, murder and many more

<><><><><chapter two><><><><>

Once it had hit 11 pm and he still hadn't seen or heard from his boyfriend, Teiron realised that Luka wouldn't get back for a while.

Steaming hot water ran down his back, shampoo partway rinsing from his hair. It was relaxing until shampoo got into his eye and cold air hit him violently as he grabbed out for a towel. He rubbed at his eye, knowing he was only rubbing the shampoo into his eye. Still, once he was satisfied with the lessening of the burning sensation, he continued his shower.

  A towel was wrapped around his waist, another scrunched around his head in order to contain his wet hair. He'd been in bed for twenty minutes, scrolling through websites he didn't know existed. Finally, he heard the front door opened, and the footsteps of his clearly drunken boyfriend echoed through the halls. He sighed, kicking the towel to the side and pulling a pair of boxers on when he heard Luka stumble and fall to the ground.
   "Ah, fuck." a tired voice groans from the bottom of the stairs. Teiron sighs, rushing down to help Luka onto his feet. "Hi, T."
  "Come on Luka, have you eaten? I think you have pizza sauce on your shirt." he was stumbling as he got to his feet, arms around Teiron's neck. Teiron stepped back and grimaced at the smell of alcohol, holding his boyfriend's face away from his own so that he wouldn't get kissed with that breath. "You're not having any more booze tonight, okay?"
  "Try and stop me." Teiron let go, barely holding back his laughter when Luka tripped over his own two feet.

   Exhausted and barely satisfied with his sleepless night, Teiron rolled out of bed and grabbed for his glasses and an energy drink that he left on his bedside table. His precisely thirty-seven minutes worth of rest had him satisfied enough to wake up at six-thirty to start his day. It was his only opportunity to get any of his remaining essays done.
  "Go back to sleep, T." Luka groaned
  "I'll go back to sleep when you get a job to occupy yourself with whilst I'm in class and at work, you know, working to pay the bills for the place you live in rent-free. Besides, why worry when you can just spend my money in the pubs again later?" the med student could hear the eye roll Luka gave him and scoffed before apologising. "Listen, I'm sorry. I'll come back to bed if I'm done by eight, I just have some work to be done and you kept me up last night."
"Whatever. Leave some cash on the counter for me?"
"Seriously? You've blown through two pay checks worth of money these last two weeks."
"Come on, what do you expect me to do all day? Sit down and stare at a blank wall all day?"
"Maybe get a job so you get up and do something instead of go through the money I earn. I pay the bills, i pay to feed you, I pay for the shows-"
"Quit bitching. I don't care that you pay the bills or anything, I asked for money."
"Luka, don't talk to me like that."
"Then quit bitching. You wake me up at six in the morning, and complain when I ask for a bit of money. You whine and you bitch at me all the damn time."
"Because you-"
"Quit your fucking bitching! I don't care what you have to say, just leave some money in the kitchen for me." Teiron bit his tongue, pulling the blanket from over his boyfriend. "What the fuck?"
"Clean up last nights mess. You got home drunk and made a mess."
"Uh, and? Clean it up yourself."
"Luka-" Teiron found himself pinned against the wall, Luka's hot breath against his face.
"Do you ever shut the fuck up? Why are you so bitchy this morning? I'm not your maid, I'm not going to clean up, so clean it up yourself."
"Get off of me, get dressed, get out. Don't put your hands on me like that again." Luka, stunned at Teirons response, stepped back and apologised.
"Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Where am I meant to go? It's six in the morning and I'm hungover, nobody's even awake."
"Your mum is. She texted me good night last night, and good morning ten minutes ago. Go to hers. I'm not going to be treated like your little bitch because you're mad. If you want money, go get a job, because I've had enough of you spending double what I even earn when I pay for everything in this house from the electricity to your damn underwear."

Teiron yawned and placed his head on the desks he was studying at. It was his shift, but only one person had come and gone. Besides, he was exhausted, falling to sleep on his feet as he put books back where they belonged. The med student sighed to himself, knowing he couldn't fall to sleep on the job. He was simply resting his eyes.

Angel chuckled at the sight of the only staff member in sight sleeping. He had wanted to ask him some questions about some books, but from the sounds of the quiet snores, the boy had clearly needed the rest.
"Hey, uh," he shook the boys shoulders gently, the student sitting up stunned and confused. "You fell to sleep."
"Oh. Uh. Dammit I've been asleep for two hours. How can I help you?"
"Yeah, you were snoring a bit. I didn't want to wake you, though, you sounded like you needed that. I just need a recommendation."
"I'm a med student with a boyfriend who comes home drunk every night. What's the genre?"
"Supernatural themes. Maybe young adult, he's into those themes."
"Ah. Um, there's so many. Young adult to new adult, definitely. Those include some of the best authors. I'll write a list for you. What do you do for work?"
"I run the local strip club." Teiron smiled, nodding as he sipped at his red bull.
Angel smirked at the boys tired face, finding himself lost in the boys beauty.
"Your boyfriend sounds a bit like a jerk, coming home drunk that often."
"It's fine. He's just got nothing better to do, once he finds a job he should calm down."