"Ow, ow, ow..." Ashley muttered under her breath as she carried the mug of hot chocolate. She all but ran into the room Zach was staying in and set the mug down, before jumping around, muttering curses under her breath. Jack snickered at her, and she glared. "Why are you even here? I'm better now, you don't to hang around to make sure I'm okay..."
The winter spirit shrugged one shoulder from his spot on the floor, leaning against the bed. "I know... I just kinda like hanging around you. Is that a crime...?"
She faltered as she sat on the bed. "No..." A grin crossed her face before she added, "It is a sign of mental illness, though." Jack rolled his eyes and reached past her legs, grabbing the mug of hot chocolate. She raised an eyebrow at the teen, who was seemingly unaffected by the high temperature of the cup.
"Doesn't that hurt...? It's fuc-freaking," She corrected, remembering the snoozing boy besides her that could awaken and listen in at any time, "Hot. Doesn't it hurt...? Or at the very least feel uncomfortable..?" Soulless, empty black eyes stared back at her for a split second, and her stomach twisted with fear, but she but she beat it down right quick..
"Not really," He answered, before adding exasperatedly, "And would you quit looking at me like I'm gonna bust out and attack you at any minute?!"
She raised her arms in defense. "I'm sorry, I was just in a freaking traumatizing experience! What do you want me to do-frolic in a field of flowers and sing a song about a happy duck that's best friends with a banana turtle?!"
"Yes! That's exactly what I want you to do! I want you to do that, and stop giving me that one look every time you think I'm not looking!" He paused as he went over what she had said in his head before asking bewilderedly, "A banana turtle...?"
"Shut up!" She grumbled, "My head hurts, I can't see out of my right eye, I almost made you kill me, and all sorts of stuff. I can't think of very good retorts right now, okay? Sheesh..."
The teen froze mid-sip, and slowly turned his head to look at her. "What?!"
Ashley flinched, and awkwardly rubbed her neck. "Whoops... Did I say that...? No, I didn't say that, you must've heard me wrong." She cleared her throat as she tried to change the subject. "Did I ever get the chance to ask why you always carry that tree branch around? I don't think I did, so... why do you always carry it around?
Jack gave a short, humorless laugh and shook his head. "No, we aren't changing the subject. You aren't getting out of it this easy."
"Shit."
"You need to spill. I didn't ask about what happened to you while Pitch had you before, because I didn't know how bad it was. Apparently it was pretty bad, so you either need to talk about it with me, or someone else."
"I'd rather not..."
"Ash."
She winced. "But..."
"Ashley."
"Jack," She mimicked, making various hand motions as she talked. "I don't like to talk about things like this, all they do is make me feel worse!"
The teen rolled his eyes at the girl. Since when did he become the mature one? "It gets worse before it gets better... You need to talk about it with someone."
She gave a long sigh and really dragged it out. "I'll tell you what, when Pitch is just a stain on the sole of my boot, I'll tell you everything you wanna know, and then some. If I'm still alive."
"You aren't dying." Jack told her sternly before adding, "And we're both going to forget about it by then." Ashley frowned and rubbed her neck.
"You don't know that." She countered.
He frowned and narrowed his eyes. "You aren't dying. Period. We aren't discussing this, Ash."
She raised her hands in defeat. "Alright, alright, calm down... Then I promise, that I will." She told him. "I may not be the smartest, fastest, strongest, or politest... ohoho, no, definitely not the politest-but you can bet your ass that I will never break a promise. You can ask Zach when he wakes up, my word is as good as gold. When it's over, I'll sit you down, and I'll tell ya what you want to know."
He sighed, but let it go. "Alright, fine... But I'm holding you to your word."
"You won't need to," She replied, glancing back at Zach, "I do a good enough job on my own..." The boy was still sound asleep, so she turned to Jack and held her hand out, pointing to the mug. "Give me a sip of that, will you?"
The winter spirit raised an eyebrow. "I've already drank some... with my lips. On the mug."
"You don't say?" She asked sarcastically before continuing. "Yeah, I know that... Thank you, Sherlock. If you don't wanna share, you can just say so..."
"No, no, no, that's not it," He quickly assured her, placing the mug in her hand. "Just... most people don't really like to share drinks. Germs and all that..."
"Well, most people are squeamish little bit-female dogs." She told him dryly. "I don't have herpes or anything, and I'm pretty sure you don't; and we haven't been giving any blowjobs or anything of the like recently, I think. I haven't-don't know about you..." Jack gave her a bewildered, shocked look, and she wiggled her eyebrows at him before continuing, "So I don't see any issues here. Unless you'd like to confess about anything...?"
The teen's face turned bright red, and he covered his face with his hands as he muttered lowly, "You have some serious issues..."
She snorted and laughed. "Yeah, maybe I do. All my friends were guys, and there was a lot of dirty jokes. Sorry I made ya blush... except, not really, because it's kind of adorable..."
"Shut up!"
Ashley grinned. She was having way too much fun with this... "You're like a little kitten or something!" She yelped when he bonked her on the head with his staff, and she cried out indignantly. "'Ey! You wanna go, Frost?! I'll take you down! I'll take you so far down, you'll be six feet underground!"
He scoffed and made a 'bring it on' gesture. "You talk awfully big for someone that's as short as you are."
"I'm five foot ten and a half, bitch!" She retorted, taking a gulp of the hot cocoa before setting it on the bedside table and standing up. "Them's fightin' words. You want your trachea stomped on, don't you?!"
The teen scoffed and stood up with her, face going back to it's normal shade. "I'd like to see you try."
She started laughing. This ass... this ass was asking for it. Well, she was going to deliver... She composed herself, if just a bit, and got right up to his face. She was so close she could smell him. He smelt like hot chocolate, and a cold winter day, if that makes any sense...
She smirked as the winter spirit looked off to the side, nervously. "I'll give you one more chance to back down, before I bring out the beat down."
He smirked right back at her. "Bring. It."
Ashley leaned back a bit, chuckling under her breath. She shook her a head a bit and grinned at the teen, who watched her questioningly. She suddenly grabbed him by the collar of his hoodie, and lifted him up like he was a rag doll.
The next thing he knew, he was on the floor, with Ashley's boot on his chest. "What-how did you do that so fast?!"
She scoffed, like she was insulted, and sat on him. "What part of 'four boxing trophies' do you not understand? Plus, I may or may not have been in a fight club, and you're skinny. It's not like you weigh a good two hundred pounds..."
He shrugged from his place on the floor, and paused before asking hesitantly, "So... where's this beat down you were talking about...?"
"Meh..." She lazily shrugged one shoulder, "If you tell anyone I said this, I'll deny it immediately, but I actually kinda don't loathe your entire existence. I don't wanna hurt you too bad. And I still ache all over, and I'm tired."
"So... no beat down?"
"Not today." She answered. "We can schedule a time later, if you'd like..."
Jack hummed thoughtfully, before jerking over and rolling them over so that he was on top. She wasn't taking that without a fight, so the two rolled around for a while, but he still ended up on top.. He grinned cheekily at her, and she narrowed her eyes a bit. "You sir," She told him, waggling her finger at him. "You are playing a dangerous game... A game that you are not big nor strong enough to play. You have three seconds to quit, before I layeth the smacketh down on your candy ass. One... Three."
She threw him off of her, and stood up. She cracked her knuckles before picking him up by his hood. He had this shit-eating grin on his face, and she gave him one right back. She pulled her arm back, like she was actually gonna do something (which she wasn't, by the way), before a drowsy voice called out.
"Ashley...?"
Said girl's eye widened, and she quickly let go of Jack, even brushing off his shoulders before turning to Zach. "Hey, buddy... I uh... I wasn't brawling it out with Jack, if that's what you're thinking..."
Zach smiled at her, before having his face fall into one akin to horror. "What happened to you?!"
She sat down on the bed, pulling the kid into a big hug. Though he was a bit confused at the sudden show of affection, he hugged her back.. "Nothin'... I'm okay, kiddo, don't worry about it." She ruffled his hair a bit before clearing her throat. "But hey, listen, um... I've been waiting for you to wake up, so we could have a chat."
The boy gave her a confused look, but nodded.
"Well, look... The Guardians and I went out and had us a bit of a scuffle, right? And some things partook, you don't really need to worry yourself over them, and... I wanted to tell you something. Something that's... kinda serious." She told him, rather awkwardly. "Well... here it goes. I've come to the realization that this isn't going to be easy... I'm not gonna lie to you; I do believe we're in a full out war. If not right at this moment, then we will be..."
Zach made a choked noise and gave her a look. "What?!I-"
She shushed him and ran her fingers through his hair. "Shh... It's okay, babe. I'm gonna stop it, and that's a promise." His face turned concerned as she took a breath before continuing. "This might be a little dangerous, and there is a possibility that I may or may not end up getting hurt, if not worse..."
He drew his eyebrows together as he protested weakly. "I just got you back, though..." He faltered before telling her firmly, "Promise me you won't die."
She winced, but didn't say anything.
"Ashley." His voice cracked. "Promise..."
She wanted to, really she did, but... "You know how I am, babe," She told him with a half-hearted grin, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm not the most careful person in the world... I won't make a promise I might not be able to keep. And that's part of what I wanted to discuss, actually..."
"You don't need to, because you're not gonna die!" Jack told her, traces of anger in his voice. "Stop talking like that!"
Ashley turned and gave Jack a look. "You aren't in this, man, either stand there quietly, or get out." She looked back at Zach. "So, if something happens to me... I want you try not to be sad, okay? If you can't help it, that's okay-but never ever hurt or kill yourself. I know you know enough about both of those topics, we've talked about everything there is to talk about. I want you to swear, on me, on mom and dad, on everything and everyone that you've ever loved... Don't pull any of that stupid crap."
He tried to pull a brave face, but she could see that he was worried. "Okay... But-but you won't, right...? Die...?"
She shrugged and kissed his head. "I'll try, baby. I will try my best." She nuzzled the top of his head. "I love you, kiddo..."
"Love you, too..." Zach mumbled into her shoulder.
A low, pleased purr rumbled in her throat without her consent as she nuzzled the top of his head. "Everything I do, I do for you." She told him in an Asian voice, pulling an inside joke.
Zach giggled before adding in an equally bad Asian accent, "But not you... You eat all China Buffet's food, you fat cow!"
Jack raised an eyebrow from his spot against the wall. Those two were so weird... but they were kind of cute, the way they balanced each other out, and the way that Ashley would bend over backwards for the younger boy... He would never understand them, though...
Ashley looked over at Tooth, and decided to go over and talk to her, while Jack went over to Sandy. The girl strolled over to the fairy, who was watching Jack with an odd look in her eyes.
She studied the woman, before asking curiously. "You like Frost...?"
Tooth jerked back a bit, and looked at the girl as her face turned a bit darker. "W-what?! Me? Absolutely not!"
Ashley chuckled and leaned forward onto the table she was standing behind. "Don't lie now, Tooth. I know I'm not the brightest, but I'm not a complete idiot," She gave a tired sigh and rubbed her face. "Man, I could go for a good cigarette..."
"Ashley!" Tooth gasped in a disappointed surprise. "You smoke?!"
She raised her arms in defense. "Not a lot!" She defended weakly. "Just when I get really stressed or tired! I have one like once every three or four, sometimes five or six months! And-and half the time-it's a cigar! A real one, with just pure sweet tobacco and spices-no chemicals! And I never smoke in front of Zach."
Tooth shook her head and frowned at the girl. It wasn't until she hunched her shoulders with guilt and mutter a weak apology under her breath did Tooth turn to look back at Jack and Sandy.
Ashley watched her curiously for a while, looking between the fairy and Jack, before asking hesitantly, "So... If you like him, why don't you ask him out..? Err, or whatever it is you guys do."
The fairy's face turned bright red again, and she suddenly found the table very interesting as she twiddled her thumbs. "I'm just... admiring the view. And we're not aliens, Ashley... we court like regular people would."
She gestured over to Jack. "Then go! Court him! If you do that, you can admire the view even closer. You've got nothing to lose... You're really pretty, you have wings, you're smart, and really nice. If he doesn't like you back, at least you'll have clarity, ya know...?"
Tooth looked over at the girl and gave a small smile. "It just... wouldn't work."
"Why not?!" She asked exasperatedly, waving her arms in the air, "What won't work? You go over, you ask him out; if he says yes, yay-no, nay. Then you eat lots of ice cream, we prank him some, then you get over it and find someone else. I don't get it..."
"You really don't," Tooth told her gently. "I'm always busy, Ashley. I wouldn't have time for him, save for Guardian meetings."
Ashley furrowed her eyebrows together in thought and hopped on the table, sitting cross-legged on it. "So... you're worried he'll stray...?"
"No, no, that's not what I'm worried about," Tooth told her, a touch of defensiveness in her voice. "If we were ever to get together, I'm not worried he'd leave me... I'm worried he wouldn't be happy."
"But-"
"Let me finish. He wouldn't be as happy as he could be. Jack likes a lot of affection..."
Ashley snorted. She couldn't help it... she knew she was in a serious conversation, but, "Frost?!"
She nodded. "Yes. Three hundred years of little to no communication and of no humans being able to see him took it's toll..."
The girl choked. "Three hundred years?! What-where were you guys?! Did-did you not exist back then?!"
"No, we were there..." A guilty look came over her face. "We just... never had the time. And we never knew that he was as lonely as he was."
Ashley frowned and looked over at the winter spirit. The guy had been so nice to her about it, too... Ouch. Now she felt like an ass... "Three hundred years... That's fucked up. It'd be enough to drive anyone mad. I was upset as hell that all of my friends and Zach couldn't see me, and that was only for a few days..."
Tooth nodded in agreement.
"Damn," She muttered sorrowfully to herself, "I... I didn't know that, about him. Poor kid..." A silence came over the two of them; Ashley, trying to imagine 300 years of loneliness, and Tooth in a regretful guilt.
Tooth broke the silence. "Maybe... Maybe you would be good for Jack."
She shot up from her slouched posture and gave the fairy a bewildered look, before cracking up. "Me?!" She chortled, "Ha! As if... Naw, ma'am. I'm not the huggy type."
Tooth scoffed. "Blatant lies! I see how you are with Zachary! And Jack likes you!"
"...Okay, maybe I am the huggy type, but not with Frost. Not like that, I don't think..." She made a face and stuck her tongue out. "And besides... You deserve to be happy, mom..."
"So do you and Jack! And I am happy!" Tooth faltered, and suddenly got this really big smile. "And did you just...?"
Ashley cocked her head to the side. "What...?" She went over what she had said in her head, only to blush and cover her face. "Oh... I called you... Shoot, I'm sorry, you just... You remind me a lot of my mom, and it just slipped!"
Tooth giggled and spun around in the air. "It's fine... you can call me that, if you really want to. It's actually quite sweet... What was your mom like...?"
"My mom? Oh, she was great..." She said with a small smile. "I don't remember as much as I'd like to about her, but I have pictures, and my pop's stories. She kinda looked like you... But uh, I'm sure you don't want to listen to me ramble..."
The fairy scoffed, like she was insulted, and floated down on the table, sitting next to the girl. "I would love to."
"Well... Alright..." Ashley said unsurely, idly scratching her scarred cheek before beginning. "She was kind of like you. Really small and dainty looking, with little hands that were always clean and didn't have any callouses or scars like mine... She used to be an army techie. She worked with computers. Her face was really clean and clear, and her hair was always really neat... That's where I got my hair color. I... I can't remember what her eyes looked like. And she smelt like honey..."
The girl got a grin on her face, and she laughed a bit to herself. "I remember that she used to tell me stories... She'd tell me that she'd fight in the army, with her computers. She'd go on and on about how she'd use the mouse like a whip, and bash people over the head with the keyboard. " She heaved a sigh and rubbed her neck. "She... she got me a rat, too. His name was Ares. He died the day after she did... It was a double whammy. One day, I walk in the kitchen to find her on the floor, dead, and the next, my best friend died..."
Tooth gave the glum girl a sympathetic look. Ashley caught it, and quickly straightened up, clearing her throat. "Yeah... That's about it. I would say more, but I was pretty little when she died, so I don't really remember a lot..."
"I'm sorry..." Tooth told her before pulling the girl into a one-armed hug. Ashley stiffened a bit, before relaxing against the fairy.
"It isn't that big of a deal... I was little, and I can't remember much from back then, anyways..."
"You're allowed to show a little weakness, you know... That's what makes us human."
Ashley snorted and rested her head against the smaller woman's shoulder. "Yeah, I know, but I shouldn't. I learned some stuff in boxing... If you show your weak spot, your opponent'll hit it again and again, and they'll hit it hard, 'till you go down and out.."
Tooth rolled her eyes and ruffled the girl's hair. "Boxing isn't everyday life..." She cocked her head to the side. "And you should really try to keep your hair brushed and out of your face a bit more... It would be really pretty."
"Ha! I've tried it, mama... My hair just won't listen to me." Ashley paused as she ran what she said through her head, and slapped her palm to her forehead. "And I called you mom again. God, I'm just having all sorts of problems today..." She stifled a yawn and hopped off the table before slapping her cheeks in an attempt to be more alert. "Well'p... I'm gonna go off and do some stuff. I think the boss fight is coming up, and I wanna be a little more ready than I was last time. I'll catch ya later. And Tooth... thanks, for listening to me ramble and stuff."
Tooth gave the girl a gentle smile and flew back into the air. "Anytime, sweetie. And... think about what I said."
"About calling you mom?"
She giggled. "No. About showing your emotions..."
Ashley scoffed and waved a hand dismissively. "Emotions are for squares... They just hold ya back, Tooth."
Tooth gave her a look, and shook her head a little before placing her small hand on Ashley's arm. "Not even a little bit... I wish you could see that..." Then, she flew off somewhere. Where, exactly? Well... Ashley didn't know. But man, she did it fast.
It kind of made her wish she had some wings, too... Maybe she could ask Slendy to give her some, later. That, and a coffee. And a mother fucking medal, because she felt like she bloody well deserved one, after all this...
Ashley scratched her neck and pursed her lips in thought. She showed emotion... didn't she...? Just not the wimpy ones, if she could help it. People didn't need to know when she was sad or scared, not really... What good would that do, letting people know when she was scared? Nothing... it would probably just add to the panic, and that wouldn't help at all. And letting people see that she was sad would just be fishing for sympathy, right?
Right.
She glanced back at Jack and Sandy, only to snort and laugh when the winter spirit tripped. He righted himself before falling on the ground, but it was still funny!
Jack looked over and scowled. His face looked a few shades pinker than it usually was, and she grinned as he pointed his stick at her threateningly. "Shut up!"
"You're face is looking a bit red, there, Frost," She teased, "Are we having some problems, babe?"
"Yeah, we have a problem!" The teen shot back, "You were born!"
Ashley lurched forward playfully and pretended to be in pain. "You wound me, Jack! I thought you loved me!" She ducked, and narrowly dodged a snowball. She raised her arms in challenge. "Oh, you wanna go? Let's go then! Bring it on, mosuckra!"
He faltered. "I... what...?"
She laughed and waved him off before continuing on her way. "Nothing, Frost, it's nothing." She walked a bit, before a familiar, though upside-down, golden head popped into her vision. "Hey Sandy." The small man gave a little wave and landed on her shoulders. She didn't really mind it, so she just let him hang there. Hell, she even grabbed one of his little legs so he wouldn't slip off. "Might I say that I'm glad to see ya?"
He leaned on her head and peeked down at her, and she caught a grin on the little man's face. A few pictures popped up over his head and in her face. A Pitch made of golden sand, a nightmare, a frowny face, then a question mark.
"Uh..." She said slowly, "Are you asking me if I feel better...?" A thumbs up popped up in her face, and she chuckled. "Yeah, I feel better... Thanks, little man." She felt him pat the side of her head in response. "I should really get you a notepad and a pen... I'm afraid I suck rather royally at charades." She felt his shoulders shake with silent laughter, and a faint chiming filled the air.
The two walked through the workshop, which was emptier than it usually was... Ashley wasn't sure where all the yetis were, but their absence was definitely noticed. She caught sight of Phil, and jogged a bit to reach the roaming yeti.
"Hey, Phil!" She called, and the gray yeti turned and smiled at the girl. When she got close enough, he ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance.
"Hey there, lass." He greeted warmly, "How're we doin'?"
She lightly shrugged one shoulder. "I could be worse... But, hey, uh... Is there a backpack or something around here?"
He raised a furry brow. "Wha'... Why do ye need one for?"
"I just have a feeling I'm gonna need some more stuff than what I've got." She answered. "Also, do you have like, a nurses office, or infirmary around here?"
The yeti scratched his neck in thought. "Ye'h, we do... and I'm sure I could scrounge one up for ye. Come along, lass."
He led her through the dome, until they came to a huge wooden door. "Right in 'ere. I'll go find a backpack, ya can go in and get what'cha need." He walked off before she could say anything, and she looked up at the door.
She pushed against it lightly, just to test it out. It didn't even budge...
She looked back at Sandy in question, and he just shrugged unhelpfully. Giving a long, tired sigh and blowing some hair out of her face, she pushed against the door, a little harder. Still nothing.
"Come on!" She groaned, pounding against the wood with her fist in frustration, "I know you're a push door! Just open! Please?"
She tried to force it open with her shoulder, and put all her weight against it, but still no dice...
Ashley huffed and put her hands on her hips. "Sandy, you might want to get off for a moment. I'm gonna try something..." When the little man hopped off her shoulders and stood to the side, she backed up a good few yards and cracked her neck. Sandy gave her a supportive smile and thumbs up, and she sprinted to the door...
Only to have it swing open just before she got to it... She was going too fast to stop, and ran right into the wall with a yelp.
It went dark for a few moments... When she opened her eyes, she was on the floor, with Sandy looking down at her with a worried look. She groaned and rolled onto her side before sitting up.
"I'm okay... It's all good." She muttered, rubbing her throbbing forehead. "I might have a minor concussion, but I can deal... I get those quite enough, and they barely do anything anymore..."
She heard a scoff from one of the nearby cots, and looked over. Nate...
Life just liked to laugh at her, it seemed...
"Hey, Nate." She grunted as she dragged herself up.
Nate raised a brow and blew smoke in her face, completely unfazed by her little... run-in. "Sup."
The smoke slapped her in the face, and she suddenly remembered something. "Hey... Can I have a smoke and a light?" Sandman hopped on her shoulder, and narrowed his eyes, waggling his finger in disappointment. It made her a little upset that she disappointed the little guy, but her head was still ringing faintly and she was seriously about to flip her lid, so she didn't mind it as much as she would have, under normal circumstances.
The scraggly man raised a brow, but gave a curt nod. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pack and a lighter and tossed them into her stomach. She just barely caught them before they fell to the floor. She breathed a sigh of relief and pulled one out, placing it in her mouth before lighting it.
"Ya don't seem much like a smoker to me." Nate said dryly. She offered him the pack and lighter back, but he shook his head. "Nah, you can keep it, yo... I got plenty more."
Ashley nodded and inhaled the sweet, sweet nicotine before putting the carton and lighter in her pocket. She usually found nicotine to be gross, but... she wasn't picky. It helped, and she didn't exactly have any of her lovely cigars on her, so it would just have to do... "I'm usually not... I'll smoke like, five times a year. But... I've been itching for one lately, and even if the nicotine is nasty, I'll take it."
The man hummed and nodded. He studied her for a bit, before talking again. "How come you act scared with some people, and not others, now?"
"I don't act scared..." She told him, furrowing her eyebrows together.
He shrugged a tattooed shoulder. "Well, not scared. I've been noticing, around the bunny and the white-haired kid, when they's not lookin', you get this look on your face..."
She faltered. "I... Do I?"
"Yup." He nodded calmly. "You got a little fucked up in the head, yeah?" Ashley gave Nate a look, but nodded uncertainly. He took another breath of nicotine before continuing. "Yeah. I know... I always know. And it's alright, to get fucked up a lil' bit... Just remember that whatever happened, whatever you saw when you disappeared, that nightmare shit-won't... If ya don't let it."
She suddenly found her boots to be very interesting. "I... Yeah." Sandy lightly pat the side of her head in assurance. "Thanks, Nate. You're... you're pretty cool..."
He scoffed. "Bitch, please. I'm the mother fuckin' coolest. All the bitches love me!"
"Sure," She snorted, "Believe that, if that's what helps you sleep at night..." When he didn't reply, she looked up. He was gone... "Aaand, he's gone... Just to make sure I'm not crazy-you saw that, too, right Sandy?" He nodded, and she harrumphed. "These people just do not know how to say 'bye', I guess..."
The door slammed open, and Phil walked in. She turned and raised her arms in exasperation. "How come it opened for you so easy?! I ended up getting a mo-foing concussion opening that crap!" Sandy made a chiming noise in agreement.
"Wait, what? Are ye alright?" The yetis eyes widened. "And are ye smoking?!"
Jack popped out from behind the yeti, and Ashley groaned... Couldn't she just get a break from the damned delinquent?! Was that so much to ask for?!
The teen scowled and got closer, only to snatch the cigarette out of her mouth and freeze it solid. Ashley gave a devastated and disbelieving noise.
"You froze my ciggy."
The teen huffed and smacked her upside the head with his staff. "Smoking is bad for you, stupid!"
"You froze my cigarette."
"That crap will kill you!"
She suddenly had the urge to hurt him, but pinched the bridge of her nose instead, screaming internally for patience. "You froze my goddamn cigarette."
He leaned closer in challenge. "Yeah, I did. What are you gonna do about it?" She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him close despite Sandy's silent protests, and raised her arm to smack him around a bit, but...
"Nothing..." She sighed frustratedly, "I'm not gonna do jack... I freaking hate you, Frost, you know that?" She let him go with a scowl and crossed her arms.
Jack laughed, and smirked at her tauntingly. "You mad, bro?"
She rolled her eyes and lightly pushed him. "You probably don't even know where that's from, man..." She caught sight of Eros peeking in the room from behind Jack, and called out to him. "And you, stop being a creeper!" Tangling her fingers in her hair, she groaned, "And can someone get me some coffee and a krimpet? Please...? I would love you forever if you did..."
Author's Note~
Well... It's been a while, eh? Yup... Sorry about that... Been hanging out with my family and stuff. But, I got the last chapter done for Christmas in a day and a half, so it's all good, yeah? Yeah... And apologies if this one seems a bit rushed... because it kind of was. People are breathing down my neck right now, trying to get me off.
Any who... let me say thanks, to all you lovely people who've read, reviewed, followed, and faved! Another big thanks to the people that pointed out my mistakes! Like I said, I read through what I write, but I think I read it more the way it was meant to be, and not the way it actually is. So thank you guys!
Also, do we know what's coming soon? I'll tell ya what: the big boss fight. I'm still working it out in my head, but it's close to being ready. The next chapter, or maybe the one after, if I can stretch it out that long.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you got a few laughs out of my goofy little story!
Happy New years, guys! I wish everyone a flipping fantastic year!
, BlueAsh666