Two Boys Learning

28. No

One year ago

"Eek!"

Bubbly laughter filled the air, and Will grinned hugely, his fingers dancing over the planes of Riley's stomach as he tickled him. Riley gasped for breath, trying to swat Will's hands away. "Stop! Stop!"

Will laughed, too, and pressed a quick kiss to Riley's jaw before stopping, his hands sliding up Riley's stomach and resting on either side of the smaller boy's head until Will was hovering over him, grinning. 

Riley's eyes widened a fraction and his breath caught, his hand flying up to Will's chest, a few inches from his own. "W-Will?"

"Yes, baby?" Will purred, ducking his head and trailing kisses along Riley's jaw. He could feel the smaller boy's wild pulse against his lips as his mouth traveled down to his neck. 

Riley squeaked. "I--I c-can't think--"

Will laughed a little and pulled back, dropping onto his back next to Riley and throwing an arm around him. "Isn't that the point?"

Riley shot him an exasperated look.

Will only grinned and nuzzled his face into Riley's neck. "Mm. I missed you. You should never do that again."

"Do what?"

"Go to school. It's too long without seeing you."

Riley giggled. "It's required by law."

"Mm." Will closed his eyes, content to just sit and relax with Riley at his side. "Inconsequential." 

Riley laughed a little and slid his fingers into Will's hair, humming softly. "You wanna go to the movies this weekend?"

"Of course."

~ ~ ~

Three years ago

"Mooooom!"

"Right here, Ash," his mother's warm voice said. Ash spun around, grinning.

"Hiya. Um, Kyle and I were wondering if we could go out and get ice cream later?"

His mom smiled, but there was a tense quality to it as she reached over and ruffled his hair, then drew back quickly, rubbing her wrist as she turned to the dishes piling up in the sink. "I'm sure that won't be a problem."

Ash grinned, already turning away, and then on second thought turned back and gave her a quick hug. "Love you, Mommy."

"Love you too, Asher."

~ ~ ~

No. No. This can't be happening--NO.

Ash stared, slack-jawed, as the people in white uniforms carted the body bag away. One of her hands was still sticking out, and tears bubbled up in Ash's eyes as he covered his mouth with his hands, resisting the urge to retch or sob or both.

NO. NO. NO.

The word became a constant chant in his head, the only thing he would let through.

His father stood a ways away, a half-empty bottle in his hand, looking for all the world like he'd expected this. 

NO. NO. NO. No. No...

Ash swallowed the cry that threatened to break from his throat and turned away from the people in white uniforms who didn't seem to care that Ash's world had just started to crumble at the edges. He ran, ran from the blood in the house, from his mother's cold body, from his father's resigned expression. He ran until his feet were numb, until the only thing he could hear was his thundering heartbeat and the one word he couldn't seem to escape.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

She was dead.

She was dead.

And Ash couldn't help but think it was all his fault.

- - - - - - - - - -

Sorry, again, for such a short chapter--and the delayed update. I really need to get better at that.

Ugh. This was such a hard chapter to write...Anyone have any ideas for what should be next?

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Q: Favorite type of day?

A: I don't know why, but for me, it's cloudy. Not rainy, but like, where you can't see the sky because of the clouds.