Chapter 27
Ash wakes first, as he always does, although it’s way later than usual. Even on his days off his internal clock wakes him up shortly after sunrise, but this morning the actual clock reads half past seven.
He knows why he slept in. Kieran is next to him, softly snoring away. After weeks of having to fall asleep and wake up by himself, cold and missing Kieran’s grumpy face like a kidney, having him in his arms feels like a dream. Well, not quite in his arms.
Kieran’s flat on his stomach with his limbs flung in every direction.
One arm is stretched above his head, the other bent at such an unnatural angle it gives The Exorcist vibes.
His legs mimic the chaos, the sheets kicked off and twisted between them, leaving his boxers-covered ass exposed.
He’s a far cry from the man who used to keep one eye on Ash at all times in case he tried to pull some pervy shit.
He trusts him now, and fuck, it’s like putting a starved dog in front of a steak and telling him to be good and stay put.
But that’s okay. Ash can be good. He can.
Kieran stirs, his return to the land of the awake accompanied by a guttural noise of complaint. He flops onto his back, an arm thrown over his no doubt frowning face.
Smiling like the idiot in love that he is, Ash wiggles close, dropping a quick peck on Kieran’s downturned mouth.
“Morning, sunshine.”
“Fuck off,” comes an immediate—and expected—response. Kieran’s arm shifts, and he peeks at him with one eye. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
“Afternoon shift.”
“Hmm.”
Ash rests his head on Kieran's chest, smiling at the way Kieran’s heartbeat quickens. “How about joining me for a run?” He never asks, simply because he values his life and Kieran has threatened to unalive him if he ever wakes him up for something like that. But now that he’s awake already…
“Kombucha.”
Ash chuckles. “That wasn’t an order.”
“Consider it an enthusiastic no. Plus, if I went, I’d just be slowing you down.”
“You’ve run with me before. You’re not as out of shape as you believe, you might surprise yourself.”
Kieran purses his lips, letting his arm fall to the side. “I’ll consider it.” Wow. That was easier than he anticipated. “But I want coffee first. And a Danish roll.”
Ash rolls his eyes, trying not to think about the amount of sugar Kieran has consumed since the time-vortex spat him out. “Alright.”
Kieran grunts and turns onto his side, making himself comfy. “One more hour, though.”
“Seriously?”
“I need my beauty sleep.”
“You’re already beautiful, though.” He grins at the flush slowly spreading across Kieran’s shoulders. He snuggles in close, snaking a hand around his hip. “How about I help you wake up?”
Kieran shoots up like a spring, getting tangled in the sheets and almost face-planting. “Fine, fine! I’m up. Keep your grabby hands to yourself.”
He stomps to the bathroom, but not so fast that Ash misses his boxers tented at the front.
Ash slides his gaze down, finding himself in a similar predicament. Not that he’s ever not in this predicament. As always, Kieran’s defiance is just making it harder on everyone involved.
He smiles, then sighs. The run is very much needed.
A peaceful morning and breakfast at the café doesn’t quite pan out. Once they arrive at Lost and Ground, Ash is met with a familiar female voice that brings with it a promise of chaos.
“Ash? Why is that lady trying to asphyxiate Gabe? And why is no one helping?” Kieran asks, watching Gabe being strangled—hugged—by his mother, while Zeke and Ellis stand by. Zeke has his phone out and it’s aimed suspiciously at the two, likely recording the scene to aggravate Gabe with it later.
“I wouldn’t wanna get in Carrie’s way either,” Ash says, knowing he’ll be next.
“Who?”
Before Ash can reply, Carrie, who must’ve recognized his voice too, whirls around. “My boys!” she cheers. Behind her, Gabe is slowly getting some blood flow back into his blue face. “How did you get here so fast? Ellis, did you text them?”
“I didn’t.”
She marches forward, throwing her arms around Ash’s shoulders and pulling him down with way more force than a woman of her stature and age should be able to. “It’s so good to see you, Ash. It’s been ages.”
“It’s been two months,” Gabe quips, voice still a little strained.
“Ages.” Once Ash is released, Carrie turns to Kieran. “Kieran, darling, come here.” After a quick but strong hug, she pulls back. She squishes his face between her palms, gaze traveling over him appraisingly. “Oh honey, you’re due for a haircut.”
“Jesus, Mum, leave him alone.”
“I disagree,” Ash jumps in, grinning slyly. “I need something to hold onto.”
Kieran gasps, turning bright red. “Dude!”
Carrie slaps Ash’s arm gently and tuts.
“Did you just get here?” Ash wonders. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Yes, she did,” Gabe answers grumpily. He’s doing an impression of Kieran, and it’s quite impressive. “And no one knew, except Mr. Reeves over here. Not that he bothered to warn anyone that another cyclone was headed our way.”
“I’m the cyclone,” Carrie announces proudly, winking at Kieran.
“I kinda got that,” Kieran says with a nervous laugh. He looks at Ash, his expression screaming what the fuck?
“It was supposed to be a surprise. I promised,” Ellis defends himself.
“You did, and you kept it secret.” Carrie pats his cheek. “Such a good boy.”
“Muuum.”
“I’m only here for the weekend—”
“Thank god.”
“—so we definitely need to do dinner. Tonight or tomorrow. With Dee and Cal too!”
“They probably won’t be free. That’s what happens if you make an impromptu visit,” Gabe informs her.
“They’re free. I let them know you’d be coming,” Ellis says.
Carrie clasps her hands together. “Wonderful!”
Meanwhile, Gabe’s usual love-struck gaze has turned murderous. “No cinnamon roll for you today, mister.”
Ellis, who is clearly another sugar addict, deflates.
“Don’t worry, I’ll sneak you one later,” Zeke promises.
“Hey!”
“Thanks, Zeke. Much appreciated.”
“Tomorrow would be better,” Ash interrupts the very important pastry argument. “I work til six today.”
“Beautiful. It’s a date!”
“You don’t have a date,” Gabe tells her.
Zeke’s arm shoots up. “I’ll be your date, Carrie.”
Carrie cheers, hugging Zeke, who seems to be the only one without the need for lungs, or bones, meanwhile Gabe mutters something that sounds like, “Traitors.”
Watching the scene with half-horror, half-fascination, Kieran leans into Ash. “Is this the dreaded triple date?”
“Quadruple, it seems.”
“Great.”
By some miracle, they survive through the chaos. They even manage to get their coffee and the Danish roll for Kieran, before swiftly retreating to safety.
“Did you know Carrie was Gabe’s mum?” Ash asks on the way to the car. Kieran seemed more shocked by the attention he got than by meeting a virtual stranger.
Munching on the Danish roll, Kieran nods. “The resemblance is uncanny. And I remember seeing her picture on your home screen.”
“That’s not my—Ah. Two years ago, you mean?”
“Yeah, when you gave me a ride home in your sissy car.” He licks the crumbs off his lips. “What is it now?”
Ash opens his phone and hands it to him. He’s not sure what Kieran expected to see, but it clearly wasn’t himself. Well, himself and Ash, in their bed, wrapped in Ash’s arms and drooling on his shoulder, fast asleep, while Ash grins at the camera.
“Lame,” he grumbles, cheeks aflame, and thrusts the phone at Ash.
“Why?”
“Everyone uses a pic of their SO. It’s predictable. I expected better from you.”
“What’s wrong about wanting to see the person you love as often as you can?”
Kieran’s mood just seems to sour more.
“Doesn’t mean you should forget about your friends, just because you’re getting some action.”
Ash locks his phone, then presses the button to make it light up so Kieran can see his lockscreen.
“Oh.”
It’s not the exact same picture from two years ago. It’s a birthday party, but not Gabe’s. This time it’s Kieran’s, and everyone is there, including Carrie, Cal, and Dawson. They’re all a little drunk (or a lot, in Carrie’s case), and happy as hell.
“I didn’t forget. My heart is big enough to fit all of you,” Ash tells him.
He never wants to make Kieran feel like he’s choosing between him and his family and friends.
“But you’re right. Finding a partner, or even starting a family, isn’t an excuse to forget about the people who have been with you through thick and thin. That’s a dick move.”
Kieran swallows, eyes getting glassy as he clearly remembers something he doesn’t want to. “Yeah. A huge one.”
Ash steps into his space until Kieran has no choice but to look at him. He keeps blinking rapidly, trying to push the tears back. Ash reaches for his face, wiping away one single drop that has gathered in the corner of his eye.
“Dawson didn’t want to leave you behind, he just had no other choice. Not a safe one, anyway.”
Kieran sniffles. “Yeah, I know. Still sucked.”
“I bet it did.” Ash strokes his ear, then his neck. “Everything is okay now.”
Kieran’s smile is slow and shaky, but real and full of relief. “Yeah, it is.”
Ash drops a kiss on his forehead. “I’ll give you one hour to digest, then we go running.”
“Everything is not okay.”
In spite of all the grumbling and whining, Kieran starts singing a different tune once they reach the beach.
“I’m on fire! Woohoo! This body is a machine!”
Instead of a relaxed jog, he had broken into a near sprint from the get-go. It’s a good thing his legs are so short, otherwise Ash would lose him. So far, he’s only had to speed up a little.
“You might wanna pace yourself!” he calls after him.
“Shut up, old man. I’m beating your ass.”
Ash snorts. He slows down to his usual speed, letting Kieran get it out of his system. If his calculations are correct, Kieran’s going to lose steam in about two minutes.
Ash finds him a few minutes later, flat on his back and wheezing. He comes to stand over his head, grinning down at him smugly.
“Done already?”
“Just…need…a moment.”
“Sure. Catch up when you can.”
Kieran’s legs flail as he heaves himself up. “You’re gonna leave me here?!”
“You left me behind too.”
“Because you were slow!”
“I was pacing myself. There was no rush.”
“Says the old man. Okay, wait!” Kieran yells when Ash starts running again. “I’m sorry! Just gimme a sec.” He scrambles onto his knees first, looking way too sexy in that position for his own good. And for Ash’s too. “How far are we going, by the way?”
“Mermaid Beach and back.”
“You nuts?! That’s 10k!”
“Eight. That’s why I told you to pace yourself.”
Stumbling to his feet like Bambi, Kieran brushes sand off his body and turns in the direction they came from. “Fuck it, I’m done.”
Ash hooks a finger into the collar of Kieran’s shirt. “Don’t give up yet.”
“Why not?” He crosses his arms. “What could possibly make me want to annihilate my lungs first thing in the morning?”
“It’s ten o’clock.”
“Bye.”
“How about a reward?”
Kieran halts and turns towards Ash. “Can I choose?”
“I’ll choose.” No way is Ash letting this opportunity pass by. “But it will be something you like. A lot.”
Kieran snaps his fingers, then points one at him. “That is how you make me exercise, isn’t it?”
“I told you, you respond well to the reward system.”
Kieran’s eyes narrow, like he’s suspecting a trap, but curiosity gets the better of him. “It better be worth it. Come on, old man. Let’s do this.”
He takes off, very much not pacing himself.
Ash follows after him at a leisurely pace, smiling the whole time. This is gonna be fun.