FicWad

After going back to bed and making sure Stefan got to sleep in the spare room Ash had dozed off at 1am but didn’t stay asleep for long as he was woken by the sound of a throaty scream, as if someone was being hurt badly. Ash scrambled out of bed in panic, rushing into the room Stef was in to find him thrashing on his bed, screaming the word ‘No.’ Ash went over and shook Stefan lightly, waking him up, Stef squeezed his eyes shut and shoved forward his fist, slamming it into Ash’s jaw. He ignored the pain. “Stef, it’s me. Calm down. It’s only me, I won’t hurt you.” Ash repeated until Stef opened his eyes and instantly wrapping his arms around Ash and bawling. “Stef, what’s wrong?!” Ash said panicking. Stef was sobbing into Ash’s chest. He had mumbled something but Ash couldn’t hear. “What?” he asked, lifting up Stef’s face with his hand under his chin, making him look at him.
“I’m sorry Ashley.” Stef said, looking up at Ash’s scared face.
“What for?” he asked. Stef brought his hand up to Ash’s face and rubbed his thumb over his lip, sensing a sharp pain through his face. Stef brought his hand away, revealing blood on his thumb.
“I hit you. I’m sorry.” Stef said, not knowing what to do with his bloody thumb.
Ash was frozen. He had had a sense of deja-vu when Ash had mayonnaise on his lip and Stef wiped it off with his thumb about a year ago, Ash had wanted to kiss him. And Ash wanted to kiss him right now but he knew it would scare Stef.
“It’s okay.” Ash stammered, looking into his eyes.
“Can I go and wash my hand?” Stef asked.
“Uh...Yes. Of course.” Ash said, managing a smile, Stef smiled back, going into the bathroom and soon returning with a wad of tissue. “What’s that for?” Ash asked, pointing at the wad of tissue. Stef said nothing and took a chair and placed it opposite Ash, seating himself. Ash’s lip was throbbing and stating to sting badly. Stef took hold of Ash’s chin gently and pulled it closer, their faces inches apart. Stef brought the tissue up to Ash’s lip and dabbed lightly. Ash’s heart skipped a beat. This was killing him as much as it did all those years when he knew he couldn’t have Stef. He knew Stef needed some space, but he’s been gone too long. Ash ignored the pain and closed his eyes, just enjoying Stefan’s presence. He felt something warm hit his lips then it was gone just as fast as it came. He opened his eyes to find Stef still inches away. But he wasn’t holding the tissue. “What was that?” Ash asked.
“Nothing.” Stef replied timidly. Stef had a small patch of red on his lips. Blood. Had Stef kissed him? Ash raised his eyebrows and suddenly Stef’s head hurt. A lot. He gasped and held his head in his hands.
“Stef? What’s wrong?!” Ash put his hand on his shoulder. He was hyperventilating.
“Ashley…” Stef gasped.
“What is it Stef? What’s hurting you.” Ash moved Stef’s hands off his face, replacing them with his own, pulling Stef’s face close to his and seeing the pain in his eyes.
“Tick…” Stef whispered between breaths. ‘Tick?’ Ash questioned to himself. “Tock…” Stefan continued. “Don’t tell…” He gasped. “Mum and dad.”
Ash’s mind clicked. “Yes! The song. Tik Tok! Are you remembering?!” Then Stef’s body went weak and he fainted in Ash’s arms. He sighed and laid him on the bed. ‘He’s remembering. The note said it couldn’t happen. Thank god.’ Ash thought happily. He looked at the time 3am. He stood up and went to his room. He fell asleep instantly.
Stefan’s mind took a while to remember he was in Ash’s house and that Ash wasn’t going to hurt him. He sighed and sat up. Something crusty was on his lip, he scratched it off and looked at it. Blood? He remembered that he had kissed Ashley. ‘Why? Something in my mind pushed me to do it. But why?’ He asked himself. He stood up and stretched, cracking bones in his spine. He opened his door and went into the living room and saw someone sat on the couch with a flock of deep black hair, he was watching the TV. Stef panicked. He didn’t know this man. Was he here to torture him? Something like this has happened before. Someone had made him part of their life then brought someone else over to rape him. He rushed into Ash’s room and shook him awake. “Ashley. Someone’s in the living room.” He whispered. Ash shot up.
“Who?” Ash asked. Stef and shrugged. Ash got out of bed and crept into the living room, seeing the man and then laughing, this scared Ash. Dru turned his attention from the TV to Ash.
“I thought I’d just walk in since you were sleeping.” He said. Ash turned back to Stef explaining Dru was their friend. Stef nodded. Dru tried to look at the person Ash was talking to. “Who’s that?” he asked. Ash turned back to Dru.
“You’d never guess.” Ash said as Stef looked over his shoulder. Dru’s jaw dropped.
“STEF?!” He stood up and ran to Stef. Stef stepped back in fear and Ash stopped Dru.
“Whoa. Dru, you can’t do that. I know you have questions but you need to know this.” Ash started. “Stef, go to your room please.” He asked. Stef did as he was told and scurried into his room, shutting the door behind him.
“Dru….” Ash couldn’t think of anything to tell him so he ran over to the bin and searched for the note that Stef had given him about his memory. He found it and un-crumpled it then showed it to Dru. Dru scanned through it then slowly looked up at Ash, shaking his head.
“I’m helping him remember.” Ash said taking the note from him.
“But it says you can’t…”
“Last night he remembered the song, Tik Tok. The Midnight Beast version. But then he passed out.”
“Ah…Does that means it hurts him to remember?” Dru asked.
“I think so. I don’t know for sure yet though. Speak to him like you know him and you won’t hurt him, yeah?”
Dru nodded in response as Ash went to Stef’s bedroom door and knocked. “Stef-…02100?” Ash corrected himself. The door opened a little and Stef’s eyes were wide and staring up at Ash.
“I think I prefer 'Stefan'.” He gave a little smile.