|
"I-I'm fine. Do you need any help, Alex? I.. You shouldn't be the one taking care of me." Ashley blushed a little as he looked at the other man, sitting up carefully on the couch. He didn't mind sitting out there alone, he didn't exactly feel like heading out to work, he didn't want to run into Andrew, and he really didnt' want to leave Alex here along after the previous night.
|
"I'm fine.." Alex replied with the memrest of smiles. "You're the one with the broken leg... My body is merely.. well used."
He patted Ashley's shoulder awkwardly and headed towards the bathroom. Once there he closed and locked the door and leaned against it taking shaky breaths. If even Jacob could look at it as rape just what should he look at it as? Shivering slightly he started the bath and shed his clothes. He stared at his battered body having a hard time believing it took only an hour to do. Bite marks turned to ugly bruises, and bruises took the form of hands... Alex looked away from the mirror feeling sick and he stepped into the bath trying to soak off all the marks left behind. |
"I know--But.." he sighed and leaned back after his shoulder was pat, his gaze following Alex to the bathroom before he settled back to the couch again. He listened as the water ran in teh bathroom and he waited patiently, his body eventually laid back down on the couch.
His hair fluffed up against the back of it as he shifted onto his side, sighing out a little as he relaxed, trying to will his headache away without having to get up and get what he knew he needed, closing his eyes. Ashley's breathing began to shallow out after a good ten or so minutes and he was soon in a light sleep again, on hand draped off of the edge, fingers brushing the floor faintly. |
Not at all successful at washing away the marks yet feeling the better for the long bath Alex pulled the stopper from the drain and felt the water slowly slide away from his body and down before the drain. He sighed slightly and stood up slowly and dried off his body and short hair his eyes roaming the bathroom he cursed. He hadn't taken the time to grab clean clothes from his room. With the towel around his waist Alex peeked out of the bathroom and smiled slightly to himself when he realized Ashley was asleep once more.
Not that the man hadn't seen his body before even while he was Alex when he'd awoke in the nude next to the man. He still was uncomfortable at being seen by the man though, and he guessed Jacob hadn't even want Ashley to see his body with the way he had been dressed. Alex slid across the hallway to his room the towel held tightly around his waist and he began dressing in his room glancing at the changed linens on the bed and sighed. In loose pants and a sweater he slid out of his room again and decided to begin breakfast without waking the other man trying to be as silent as possible as he made eggs once more. |
Sleeping through most of the cooking, it was more or less the smell that really woke himback up. His stomach gave a noise and he realized it'd been a while since he'd really eaten anything--since he'd had breakfast with Alex last time in fact. "mmm.. ? Alex..?" He muttered, sitting up slowly and rubbing his face as he looked around. He was starting to feel better after his little cat nap.
|
Alex was just pouring the eggs out on two plates and had begun to make toast as he heard Ashley begin to stir and call his name. He looked over into the living room briefly as he set the plates down on the table and buttered the toast that leapt out of the toaster.
"In the kitchen," Alex called out to him. He'd seen the man's crutches nearby the other man. "Hungry?" |
"Yeah..." He got up carefully with his crutches, making his way into the kitchen and smiling a bit at Alex in greeting and even thanks for the breakfast as he slowly sat himself down. He waited patiently to have Alex sit down too before he really started to eat any of it.
"Are you doing okay?" He asked off handedly, glancing at his friend witha gentle smile. |
Alex set down glasses of juice and sat down gently slowly getting used to the aches that should begin to disappear later in the day hopefully. At least the one that made him cringe when sitting on the wood chair. He looked across at Ash with a brief twitch of his lips.
"Yeah.. I'm fine," Alex said again with a slow shrug as he scooped egg onto his fork. "Nothing I'm not used to.." |
"..I know." He sighed, rubbing his cheek a little as he ate slowly. taking a few sips of his drink as he sat there quietly now with Alex. "Thanks for breakfast... Maybe sometime I'll make something for you." He chuckled slightly.
|
Alex nodded slightly as he looked down at his plate almost sadly, yet there was a feeling of contentment. He could get used to this routine if not the feeling of being well used when he woke. It was rather nice to have company now that he got used to Ashley and knew he could trust him.
"Perhaps when your leg is healed then," Alex replied with a slow smile looking back up at the brunette with the two toned eyes. He stuck fork fulls of egg into his mouth and ate the rest of his meal in silence. |
"Yeah. Maybe when I'm healed." He smiled at Alex still, nodding in agreement. He'd have to make sure to make something good for Alex, though he was sure it'd just wind up being eggs and toast like usual. It made him chuckle to himself briefly.
He knew he was going to need to return to work the following day, he couldn't keep skipping out--if he lost this job, he dind't know where he'd go. It'd taken him a few years to get where he was now, if he lost this, he'd have to start in thedirt again. When he finished,he got up himself to take his plate and glass to the sink, and had he more hands, he mgiht have offered to take Alex's too, but he couldn't. |
His eyes followed the other man's movements slowly and stood to bring his own dish to the sink after Ash had passed. His shoulder lightly brushed against Ashley's arm as he did so, biting his lip he set his dishes in the sink quickly and stepped away. He'd wash them later, he now stood rather awkwardly uncertain what to do now that the necessities were done.
Blue eyes shown his uncertainty as he looked back at Ashley. His daily routine was still thrown off now that the breakfast was finished he didn't know what to do at all from now until sleep overtook him so Ashley could be with Jacob once more. He moved towards the living room anyhow setting back down on the couch. |
After a few minutes, Ashley moved to sit with Alex, keeping distance but it was still friendly. Ashley rubbed at his face a little bit as he leaned back, glancing towards the other man curiously. He wanted to say something, but instead just kept quiet and found the remote, hoping Alex wouldn't mind if he turned to televisionon to play quietly. At least it would give them something to do for a while.
|
If he hadn't been watching Ashley Alex wouldn't have noticed that curious look and his brows furrowed slightly as the man looked at him. His attention turned to the television not caring if the other man wanted to watch, it was a quick way to pass the time.
He shrugged off the look Ash had given him and settled down curling his legs beneath him as he watched the screen at whatever Ash put on. |
Ash found just a simple light hearted comedy. He dind't know what to really watch, as he usually was working with music on rather than the television, unless it was required that he watched it for a project.
"I don't know.. what you usually watch. I haven't watched tv just to watch in a long time." He said after a moment, smiling lightly. "So.. If there's something you want to switch it to, I don't mind." Setting the remote between them so Alex could reach it too. |
"This is fine," Alex said with a small smile and didn't bother reaching out for the remote to change the channel.
He glanced over at the other man briefly before sliding up a sleeve idly scratching at the crook of his elbow. If one were to look at his arm now there was a bruise all around the wrist, and if looked at closely you'd manage to see small gaps finger lengths apart. |
Ashley's gaze flickered to his arm when he saw darker marks and he frowned, a gentle hand reaching to take Alex's hand and he shifted closer to look at the mark, giving his arm a light kiss, barely even touching the skin.
He didn't say anything, but it did occur to him that Alex might freak out a bit with this, his grasp gentle enough for the man to pull free with almost no effort at all. Silently he swore to himself that he'd kill Andrew. He wasn't sure if he was losing his mind or not, but he'd never felt so infuriated before. Maybe it would pass when he calmed down. |
Alex was startled as Ashley grabbed his hand, wide blue eyes left the television set and turned to the angered face of his friend. He flinched and pulled his arm back pulling the sleeve back down and over his hand shifting away from the other man slightly. He pulled at the hem of his sweater remembering not to give the other man reason to see beneath his clothes at the damage done to his normally perfect skin.
|
"Alex--" Ashley was surprised when Alex pulled away like that, watching him hold the edges of his shirt and he frowned. "I'm sorry--I wasn't thinking.." He replied, but he didn't slide across the seat further again.
Rubbing at the back of his neck he sighed, chewing on the inside of his cheek absently. |
He was shaken however he nodded slightly, however he didn't move back to where he had been sitting originally. His attention returned to the television fidgeting slightly with his clothing slightly, the sweater was bothering him itches were started over his body and he cursed silently to himself before getting up without excusing himself and slid into his room to change his shirt throwing the damn thing into the corner and knelt down at the dresser to pull through his clothing not noticing he'd left the door open.
|
When Alex got up like that, Ashley couldn't help but be worried--had he hurt him? He hadn't wanted him to get upset with him, he had just seemed to get the other man comfortable around him. He got up after him, blinking as he realized that door was open and he carefully got closer. "Alex...?" He called, looking in and swallowing thickly.
"Jesus." He inhaled sharply as he saw Alex's upper half--god that brought back memories, horrible ones. It sparked that anger and fear all over again and he had to lean against the wall as he lost hold of the crutch he'd used to walk over there. "...shit." |
Blue eyes widened again as he looked up at the other only now realizing he'd left the door wide open for the other to manage to see him had he followed. Alex swallowed trying not to tremble and quickly grabbed a shirt not caring anymore what it looked liked and slid it on, as long as it had sleeves and would not be itchy he would be happy.
He stood shifting slightly as he realized the other man was dealing with his own demons now and frowned more. He stepped forward hesitantly and picked up the crutch that had startled him more than the other's voice. He held it out to him without a word and watched him worriedly his eyes shifting briefly over the bed at least thankful Jacob had thought of that before bringing Ashley back up if he was this battered as the aftermath of an hour with Andrew. |
Those two toned eyes stared at the crutch before he gently took it from Alex, managing out a choked 'thank you' to him as he used it to brace himself again after a moment. He stayed there a moment, unable to see the marks on Alex anymore but the sight was still fresh in his mind.
"I... Think I should take a walk. You'll be okay, right?" He asked gently, knowing it would take a while just to get down the stairs on his own, though he was getting better at it each time he made the venture on his own, and down was ealsier than up. |
"I think.. I should be asking if you'll be okay.." Alex said slowly shivering slightly at those haunted eyes. He looked to his feet, it wasn't something he wasn't used to on his own body. The fact that the marks would heal and fade was the only comfort Alex had for himself, bruises left no scars or traces and it was simple to ignore the marks as long as he didn't look within any mirrors. He could do that simply.
|
"I'm fine... I just need air." He gave a gentle touch to Alex's shoulder, his lips following to give his forehead a loving, brief kiss. He wasn't sure where he'd walk to, but he pulled away as to not linger too long in something he was sure the other man would not feel so comfortable with even that innocent affection.
Making his way to the livingroom again, he got his other crutch up and made his way to the door, planning on heading out for a while, he wasn't sure where he'd go, just.. walking. |
| All times are GMT. The time now is 09:59 AM. |