introvert | ethan dolan a.u.

XX.

Ethan's POV:

"I know, it's okay." I heard Ashlynn say from behind the closed door.

"So fucking bad." Axel cursed loudly.

"C'mon, you can come to Ethan's." She offered.

"I want to go to your's." He interjected.

"We can't." She sighed, opening the door and bringing him out.

"Why'd you bring him?" Axel hissed as soon as he saw me.

He didn't look good at all. His jaw was busted, blood stained under his nose, with swelling around his right eye.

"It's okay, Axel." She calmed, rubbing his back as she lead him downstairs.

"Where you going Axel?" Hunter asked, walking towards us.

"Out." He answered shortly.

"Ash, are you going to tell us who this kid is?" Hunter asked, cocking his head towards me.

"None of your business." She shook her head.

"Yes it is, you brought him into my house." He argued.

"Leave her alone." Axel growled, holding onto his jaw. He pulled her closer, his grip tightening on her hip.

"Watch your mouth, or I'll fuck you up worse than dad did." Hunter warned, causing the other two brothers, Chad and Luke, to walk over.

"You say anything like that again, I'll gut you, bow to stern." Chad threatened, Hunter gulped. Out of the 4 of them, Chad has the most violent tendencies.

"Where are you taking him, Crosby?" Luke asked, in a much more gentle tone.

"The Dolans'." She answered and he nodded.

"I'll text you when dad leaves for work in the morning." Luke told Ashlynn and she nodded.

"You guys really need to get this under control." Ashlynn said lowly, but, they heard her, nodding in response.

"I'm sorry that we put you through this." Chad said, as we walked out of the front door, him closing it behind us.

I helped Axel into the passenger seat of the car then, took the backseat.

"Why can't we go to your's?" Axel asked, a slight annoyance in his voice.

"Now's just not a good time." Ashlynn whispered, not taking her eyes off the road.

It was silent, but, only for a minute then, Axel spoke up again.

"It's not his fault...he was drinking." He said, groaning as he placed his hand along his jaw.

"That's not an excuse." She sighed, shaking her head.

"He's just having a hard time. We all are, you just don't get it. He's not a bad guy, he just misses my mom." He defended his father.

"I don't get it? I think you're forgetting that I'm the one whose mom died. At least you can see yours still." Ashlynn responded, her voice still quiet.

"I'm sorry." He quickly apologized as we pulled into my driveway.

I walked in, the two of them trailing close behind me. I could hear Gray and Bryce upstairs, playing a video game. I could hear my mom talking on the phone from the kitchen.

I rushed them upstairs so that Ashlynn could get Axel cleaned up, without receiving a million questions from my mother.

"This never leaves this group." Axel stated, as Ashlynn went to get some supplies.

"What the fuck is going on, Bianchi?" Bryce asked, his eyes wide as he looked at Axel's face.

"None of your damn business, Crosby." Axel growled, giving Bryce a sideways look.

"Does Ashlynn know about whatever this is?" Bryce asked.

"Yeah." Axel nodded.

"Could she get hurt because of this?" Bryce asked, already assuming the worst.

"You know I'd never let anything happen to her." Axel said, making direct eye contact with him.

"Yeah, well, you're doing a real good job with that one." Bryce scoffed sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"That wasn't even my fault." Axel defended.

Ashlynn came back to the bedroom and began to clean up the small wounds that littered Axel's face.

"This has been going on too long." Ashlynn commented quietly.

"I know." Axel sighed.

"One of you better explain to me what's going on." Bryce said sternly.

"And why should we?" Axel asked, glaring at Bryce.

"Because, I really don't appreciate you putting my sister in a situation that could get her hurt." Bryce said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"It's still not your problem to worry about." Axel shook his head.

•••

fall is my favorite season in the whole freaking world

love you guys

-s.k.