32: Stargazing

Hellbent

Chapter 32

Stargazing

Lazaros and Ashley arrived home after their strange ordeal.

Lazaros: “Okay, I’m going to draw a bath for you and use this relaxation bubble bath!”

He rubbed his hands together. Ashley beamed up at him.

Ashley: “Aww, that’s so sweet, Lazaros! Thank you so much!”

They wrapped their arms around him. Lazaros hugged them back.

Lazaros: “Just wear your robe and let me work my magic.”

He said gently. He went to the bathroom to draw a bath for them.

Ashley: “Oooh, magic?!”

They beamed and ran into their bedroom, getting dressed in their cat onesie. They grabbed some leftover blueberry muffins from the kitchen that they had baked earlier.

He turned on the warm water and poured in lavender and honey bubblebath. Lazaros stood outside the bathroom and nodded.

Lazaros: “Enjoy!”

He sang and went into the kitchen.

Ashley: “Thank you, Lazaros.”

They smiled at him. They entered the bathroom, stripping off their cat onsie and climbing into the bathtub, soaking in and taking in the sweet scent of lavender and warm water. It felt like a warm hug from him. They sat in the bath, taking a bite of the blueberry muffin. The blueberry juices danced along their taste buds with lemon zest.

~

Ashley stepped out of the bathroom feeling clean, cosy, and refreshed. They were dressed in clean clothes, wearing their bellbottom jeans and purple poncho over their ivory button shirt. Their face lit up when they smelled and saw the delicious feast laid out in the kitchen. He had prepared chicken chow mein, along with deep-fried mushrooms, and lemon chicken on rice.

Ashley: “O-Oh my! Wow!”

Lazaros: “Surprise! It’s a feast just for you!”

He rubbed his hands together. Ashley clasped their hands together with a big smile.

Ashley: “Wow, all this for me?!

They gasped.

Lazaros: “Yes, it’s for you! You’re special to me!”

Ashley’s cheeks reddened.

Ashley: “Aww, Lazaros, you’re special to me, too!”

They beamed, pulling him into a hug. He hugged them back.

Blake and Andreas burst through the door, coming home from MetallogazmFest.

Blake: “What a shit show!”

He huffed.

Andreas: “I think they will need stricter rules after that.”

He shook his head. Blake’s eye darted over to the feast on the table.

Blake: “Oh, you prepared dinner for us all, Ashley?”

He asked. Ashley glanced up at them and shook their head.

Ashley: “No, no! Lazaros cooked this for me!”

They beamed. Blake gaped at them.

Blake: “All of that?!”

Lazaros smiled tightly at Ashley and nodded.

Lazaros: “Yes, Ashley deserves a special treat!”

He placed his hands on their shoulders. Ashley smiled up at him, digging into their chow mein.

Lazaros: “We just sit and watch them eat it.”

He bit his bottom lip and rubbed his hands together.

Blake: “Why would we do that?!”

He gaped at him and looked over at Ashley.

Lazaros: “It’s fun! You never saw Ashley eat?”

He smiled. Ashley smiled up at Lazaros.

Blake: “Okay, weirdo.”

He rolled his eyes. Andreas shifted his eyes.

Andreas: “Is this some kind of kink?”

He asked. Ashley reddened and tilted their head.

Lazaros: “Oh, heavens no! It’s not a kink! Anyone who says otherwise is a naysayer!”

He laughed. Andreas blinked mutely.

Andreas: “Right. It’s a kink.”

Blake’s head spun with confusion and awkwardness. Lazaros glared at Andreas with fury.

Lazaros: “It’s NOT a kink! Stop saying that!”

He snapped at him. Ashley took Lazaros’s hand.

Ashley: “It’s our love language!”

They declared, smiling up at Lazaros as they took a bite of lemon chicken with glee. Lazaros smiled at them. Blake rolled his eyes.

Blake: “Oh god, don’t tell me it’s like Makayla and Borealis.”

He groused. Ashley twisted their mouth.

Ashley: “NO!”

They snapped, insulted by his assumption.

Lazaros: “That IS a kink, and a disgusting one at that! This is love.”

He smiled at Ashley and petted their head. Ashley purred to his touch and nodded.

Ashley: “That’s right! This is about love!”

They sighed happily at Lazaros, pressing a deep-fried mushroom against their lips and slowly ate it. Lazaros gazed intently at them and bit his bottom lip.

Blake: “Whatever. That’s too much food for them. You shouldn’t be eating that much, Ashley.”

He scolded them. Ashley’s eye twitched in irritation. Andreas sighed and tugged on Blake’s sleeve.

Lazaros: “If they can’t eat it all, you can have the rest.”

He shrugged and laughed.

Ashley: “Donut worry, I’ll eat it all.”

They said defiantly to Blake, smiling up at Lazaros and taking a mouthful of chow mein. Lazaros bit his lip and swallowed hard.

Lazaros: “You heard them, Blake. I’m sorry this is affecting you so much. You mustn’t be too happy with your life, or it wouldn’t.”

He smirked. Blake glared at him and was about to retort when Andreas took his hand.

Andreas: “Leave it. Let’s just order a pizza.”

He said to him.

Lazaros: “Take his advice, Blake. You need it.”

He chuckled. Blake glared at him, wanting nothing more than to punch that smile off his face. Ashley sighed and observed their expressions.

Ashley: “I’m happy, Blake. You should focus on being happy with Andreas.”

They flicked their gaze to Andreas, who looked frustrated.

Lazaros: “That is capital advice, Ashley!”

He tousled their hair. Ashley beamed at him. Andreas nodded.

Ashley: “You said Yvette was good for me, but she KIDNAPPED me today and held me hostage in her weird Viking torture chamber with Jaxon!”

They frowned. Blake and Andreas both gaped at them.

Blake: “She WHAT?!”

Ashley turned to Lazaros.

Ashley: “But, Lazaros saved me… and he is giving me tender love and care…”

They said softly, leaning on his chest as he stood over Ashley behind their chair.

Lazaros: “They’re right, I knew something was amiss when they weren’t around to eat my delicious food. I overheard some guests remark about an abandoned Voyage Burger that had laughing from it. I went to it and met with a friend of my brother’s. She was there to rescue her boyfriend and I was there to rescue my smitten kitten!”

He exclaimed. Ashley smiled up at him, rubbing up against him like a cat. They brightened and beamed when he referred to them as a ‘Smitten Kitten.’ Blake frowned and folded his arms across his chest.

Ashley: “Wow, Lazaros! You’re so smart! That’s so sweet that you went on a rescue mission for me!”

Lazaros: “I know that!”

He laughed. Blake groaned at his response.

Lazaros: “Yvette was trying to transfer Ashley’s personality into Jaxon. And did this by tickling.”

He shrugged. Ashley laughed and shook their head. Andreas quirked an eyebrow. Blake rolled his eyes.

Blake: “Are you shitting me?!”

Ashley: “Haha, that’s not how magic works! I only wanna be tickled by you, Lazaros!”

They stroked his hand. Lazaros looked at Ashley and laughed awkwardly.

Suddenly, they were alerted to a loud banging on the door. Blake marched over to the door to answer it. Maxx barged between his legs like an aggressive little poodle, yapping at them.

Blake: “HEY! GET OUT OF HERE!”

He barked at Maxx, chasing after him as he ran into the kitchen through the archway. Andreas grabbed Blake’s arm, pulling him away and into him.

Andreas: “Stay out of it. Let them handle this.”

He said firmly to Blake, shaking his head. Blake glared at Maxx and watched in his grip.

Maxx: “FATLEYYYYYY! YOU FAT ASSHOLE!”

He screamed and seethed at Ashley. Ashley’s jaw dropped.

Ashley: “What are YOU doing here?!”

They glared at him.

Maxx: “YOU MISSED MY GIG TO BE A PIG!”

He snapped at them, gesturing to them eating from the feast at the table.

Ashley: “I’m NOT a pig. I’m a cat. I don’t care about your fake band.”

They glared at him.

Lazaros: “Uh, who the hell is this thing?”

He asked Ashley.

Ashley: “Oh, that’s Maxx.”

They explained, taking another mouthful of food.

Maxx: “Dats right! I’m Maxxy Malone of Sex Beest, duh!”

He pouted. Ashley drew a breath.

Ashley: “Don’t you mean Sex Bees? That’s what the print says.”

They added, taking another mouthful of food.

Maxx: “IT’S SEX BEEST! T! T! T!”

He stamped his boot with each syllable in a rage.

Ashley: “Dude… get out of here! We’re through like a drive-thru, remember?”

They sighed, pointing to the door.

Maxx: “GIMME BACK MY ROCKIN’ PORTRAIT NOW! I’M NOT LEAVIN’ WITHOUT IT!”

He demanded.

Ashley: “Oh, I burned that.”

They said flatly, continuing to eat. Maxx’s orange face flared red with rage.

Maxx: “YOU WHAT?! OH, NAH-AH! YOU WILL PAY FOR DAT!”

He screamed at Ashley. Lazaros glared at Maxx.

Lazaros: “It was a hideous eyesore. You’re welcome.”

He said dryly.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! IT’S SEXY!”

Lazaros: “Whatever. Will you please go away? No one wants to look at your ugly face.”

He waved his hand at Maxx.

Ashley: “I won’t pay for it. I don’t owe you anything.”

They laughed bitterly, sipping their wine.

Lazaros: “Seriously, kid, get lost and go whine to your mommy and daddy, and take this. It’s your bill to pay.”

He took the hospital invoice from the fridge and tossed it to them.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! DAT FAT ASSHOLE TRIED TO MURDER ME! HE PUT ME IN HOSPITAL WITH HIS LAME BAKING! FATLEY HAS TO PAY IT OR I’LL TELL DA WORLD!”

He shrieked at Ashley. Ashley put their fork down to embrace themself.

Maxx: “DATS RIGHT! HE’S A MURDERER!”

He pointed at Ashley and smirked at Lazaros. Ashley froze. Something in Lazaros snapped. He angrily rose, took Maxx’s neck, and slammed him against the fridge, smearing his fake tan on it.

Lazaros: “If you EVER blackmail them again, I will mess you up, you orange turd!”

He snapped and slammed his head against the wall. Ashley cupped their mouth. Blake’s jaw dropped as he watched the commotion.

Lazaros: “It’s too bad Ashley didn’t kill you! One less pest to deal with!”

He slammed him against the floor and rubbed his face on the carpet.

Maxx: “OWWW, NOOOOOOO!”

He wailed and screamed.

Lazaros: “NO, Ashley will NOT be paying for this! Tell the world, you creep! I dare you! No one will care! But you know what people WILL care about?!”

He yanked Maxx’s wig off him. Blake and Andreas’ jaws hung open. Ashley cupped their mouth, stifling their laughter. Maxx screamed.

Maxx: “NOOOOOOAW! MY SEXY MANE!”

He wailed. He then glared at Ashley.

Maxx: “YOU TOLD?!”

He screamed at Ashley.

Ashley: “He’s my partner. Of course I did!”

They replied, dreamily locking their gaze on Lazaros, feeling flustered as he stood in to protect them.

Blake: “Holy shit!”

He gaped at the damage to the fridge, wall, and carpet.

Maxx: “YOU’RE GONNA GET IT, FATLEY!”

He snapped.

Blake: “What? A receipt for the damages you pay?! You’re paying for THIS, too, along with the water damages!”

He snapped at Maxx, shoving the bills into his pants.

Ashley: “Nothing can repay the damages for Mom’s necklace! I don’t have anything of hers left anymore because of YOU!”

They snapped through hot tears, looking up at her portrait. Blake bowed his head and looked away. Andreas locked his gaze on him.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! I didn’t lose your chick necklace, asshole!”

He pouted. Lazaros delivered a hard punch to Maxx’s jaw. He grabbed the scruff of his neck, dragging him out and throwing him into the cacti garden. Maxx landed in the spikes with a yelp and wail.

Maxx: “FATLEEEEEY!”

He screamed and flailed his arms and legs like a helpless turtle on its back.

Ashley: “You got the wrong address. ‘Fatley’ doesn’t live here.”

They huffed and closed the door on Maxx.

Ashley flicked their gaze to Lazaros, wrapping their arms around him and kissing his cheek.

Ashley: “My hero…”

They happily sighed and rubbed up against him like a cat. Lazaros wrapped his arms around Ashley and kissed their forehead.

Lazaros: “Anything for you, my darling!”

Ashley happily sighed, resting their head on his chest.

Andreas flicked his gaze up at Blake.

Andreas: “What did I tell you?”

He said to him. Blake frowned at the dent in the fridge, the hole in the wall, and the orange tan stains in the carpet.

Blake: “I would have handled it better and not left a mess behind!”

He huffed bitterly, holding his arms across his chest. Andreas furrowed his eyebrows.

Andreas: “Well, it wasn’t for you to handle!”

He snapped with a trace of an edge to his tone.

Andreas: “This is Ashley’s battle, not yours. I thought now that Ashley has Lazaros to take care of them, you would stop.”

He said firmly. Blake frowned at Lazaros. Andreas placed his hand under Blake’s chin, turning him back to face him.

Andreas: “You should be focused on our battles and me.”

He snapped.

Blake: “What battles? We’re fine, Andreas.”

Andreas heaved a sigh and shook his head.

Andreas: “Really, now?”

He huffed and marched outside to the backyard. Blake was taken aback and wide-jawed.

Lazaros said nothing to Blake. He just smirked and shrugged. Blake glared at Lazaros and went after Andreas. Ashley sighed and resumed their meal.

~

Andreas sat down by the bonfire alone. Blake came and sat down beside him.

Blake: “Is something wrong?”

He pressed him.

Andreas: “I just wanted a peaceful night together. Just us.”

He drew a breath.

Blake: “I’m sorry that clown rocked up–”

Andreas furiously rose and interjected.

Andreas: “It’s not about that clown! It’s YOU! I’m tired of you meddling in Ashley’s business and treating them like a child! I told you to DROP it, but you ignored me! Then, I had to hold you back from intervening in this Maxx shit!”

Andreas: “I suppose if an ant crossed their path, you’d jump in and save them from it? That’s what Maxx is. An ant. If they don’t learn to deal with weaklings like Maxx, how can they survive in the world?! You’re doing more harm than good!”

He huffed. Blake gaped at him.

Blake: “Wow, so it’s a problem that I care about Ash? You don’t have a sibling, so you don’t understand this!”

He fired back.

Andreas: “Sibling? No, you’re their helicopter parent! It is a problem because if you didn’t shelter them from the world, they wouldn’t have picked up that clown in the first place! They also would have gleamed that Makayla was bad news from the start!”

He snapped. Blake recoiled and drew back.

Andreas: “Interestingly, you didn’t realise Yvette was bad news either. I think in some ways you’re sheltered and naive, too.”

Blake gaped at him.

Blake: “Me?! Naive and sheltered?! If you knew Yvette was bad news, why didn’t you say so?!”

He snapped.

Andreas: “Because you have to draw your own conclusions, and so does Ashley! I’m not going to hold your hand and spell things out for you! That sketchbook should have been a red flag! She was watching us and drawing us, and she had all these spiteful doodles of people she didn’t like… yet you were under the impression she was a wholesome girl?!”

He snapped. Blake laughed bitterly.

Blake: “You read tarot for a living where you spell things out for people and draw conclusions for them!”

He countered.

Blake: “Look at the conclusions Ashley drew from your readings! Of course, they misinterpreted your meaning because you’re too damn cryptic. You HAVE to spell shit out with Ashley! They’re not going to understand your analogies and hints! How hard is it to just be direct?!”

He added, throwing his arms up.

Andreas: “Speak for yourself.”

He admitted in a small voice.

Blake: “Excuse me?!”

He gaped at him.

Andreas: “I literally had to spell it out to you why I was upset with you, but Ashley knew damn well why! So did Lazaros!”

He spread his arms out and threw them up.

Blake: “Upset?! Why does this upset you so much?!”

He pressed him. Andreas drew a breath.

Andreas: “Because… I thought now that Ashley has Lazaros, you’d be more focused on me and us…”

He pursed his lips and embraced himself.

Blake: “Lazaros?! He’s a pompous asshole with a weird fat fetish! And I AM focused on us!”

He huffed.

Andreas: “So what?! Ashley is a consenting adult! It’s not like I don’t have my “weird” fetishes, too! He protects Ashley and rescues them from kidnappers and clowns!”

He threw his arms up and paced around.

Andreas: “Really? If someone kidnapped Ashley and me, you would leave me to save them, even though Lazaros is already there for them! That’s what you confirmed tonight! That’s what hurts me, Blake!”

He snapped through hot tears. Blake paused and recoiled.

Blake: “Of course I would rescue you! I rescued you countless times from that bogan idiot!”

He countered.

Andreas: “I know you have, and I am grateful for that…”

He said softly and drew a breath.

Andreas: “It’s funny. I only became a priority to him when I left him. Before that, everyone and everything else came first. His father’s approval, his band, and his sister…”

He said slowly. Blake’s eyebrows rose.

Blake: “I’m sorry… I don’t want to be like that idiot! I’m just… scared.”

He pursed his lips. Andreas’ eyebrows rose.

Andreas: “What are you scared of?”

He asked. Blake drew a breath.

Blake: “Ash is the only family I got, and I’m scared of something happening to them… I’ve also never been in a relationship before… and maybe that scares me, too…”

He admitted. Andreas nodded and understood that.

Andreas: “I understand. When we’re scared, we run and hide, but you can’t do that forever…”

He added, giving him a look.

Andreas: “It will rear its ugly head, and it seems it is with Borealis showing up…”

His voice trailed off, and he tugged at his amethyst necklace.

Andreas: “And something else I have a hunch about…”

He turned to Blake. Blake’s eyes widened.

Andreas: “So, tell me, what really happened to your mother’s necklace?”

He pressed him. Blake gaped at him, stunned.

Andreas: “Be honest with me, please.”

He sighed.

Andreas: “If that clown lost it, you would have been upset, but you weren’t. What motivation does he have to take it in the first place? He’s not that clever to know what Ashley truly values, nor does he wear jewellery.”

He folded his arms across his chest. Blake drew a breath.

Blake: “I took it…”

He confessed.

Andreas: “Why?”

He pressed him. Blake sighed.

Blake: “Because it was dangerous. It had a psychedelic, mind-altering substance in it…”

Andreas quirked an eyebrow.

Blake: “They would give it to us in Sunshire to alter our mindstate… they called it ‘Mystical Spirit water,’ but I wonder if it’s LSD or something.”

He twisted his mouth. Andreas’s jaw dropped.

Blake: “When I’d get angry, they would give it to me, to make me ‘happy,’ but I had no idea what was going on…”

He explained. Andreas cupped his mouth.

Andreas: “...They administered drugs to children?!”

Blake wordlessly nodded.

Blake: “I had no idea Ashley had it on hand, as I thought we lost everything in the house fire…”

His voice trailed off. Andreas gave him a look.

Blake: “Ashley took it with them to the carnival with that clown.”

He explained. Andreas thought back to that night when he first met Blake and encountered Ashley.

Andreas: “I see… they were very distraught that night.”

He frowned and thought of the reading he gave them that night. All those cards came to fruition now.

Blake: “That’s when I took it off them. They were vulnerable in that state of mind, and I didn’t want Maxx… or anyone else to take advantage of that…”

He concluded, swinging his gaze to the ashes in the fire pit that once were Maxx’s belongings. Andreas took everything in and pondered.

Blake: “Ashley and Maxx were fighting, and so they thought he took it and lost it, but I never corrected them because… that was their final nail to kick him out. They were finally done with that fucker and he always lies anyway.”

He confessed.

Blake: “And I didn’t want them to hate me… so I pinned the blame on the clown…”

He admitted, gazing up at the night sky. Andreas’ eyebrows rose.

Blake: “Maybe I am selfish and dishonest…”

He bowed his head.

Andreas: “Actually, this is the most honest you’ve been.”

He stated.

Andreas: “I don’t know about selfish either. This wasn’t about controlling Ashley from some whiny kid, but something dire.”

He added.

Andreas: “Why did you tell me but not Ashley?”

He challenged. Blake drew a breath.

Blake: “Because… you’re my partner, and I wanted you to know. I know you can handle it, but… I don’t think Ashley would, especially not after what happened in Swanton.”

He admitted. Andreas brightened when he said he told him because he’s his partner.

Andreas: “And right now, Ashley is in a good place…”

He added.

Andreas: “When the time is right… You should also have this conversation with Ashley, Blake.”

He said firmly but gently. Blake sighed and nodded in agreement.

Andreas: “Thank you for being honest with me… You are forgiven. I’m sorry, too.”

He took his hand and leaned in and kissed him.

Blake: “Thank you for being there for me… I’m glad we had this conversation.”

He locked his gaze on him and kissed him back.

Andreas: “Me too.”

Ashley and Lazaros emerged from inside together. Ashley smiled when they saw them sharing an embrace.

Ashley: “Hey, guys! Did you order your pizza yet?”

They asked. Blake and Andreas looked at each other.

Andreas: “Oh… I forgot.”

He chuckled. He was too caught up in his emotions, it slipped his mind. Blake rose from his seat and turned to Andreas, taking his hand.

Blake: “Let’s get some meat lovers and watch Nightmare on Oak Street.”

Andreas’ eyebrows rose and he smiled at him.

Andreas: “I’d be delighted.”

He hummed and took his hand, rising with him.

Andreas: “Have a good night and Happy New year.”

He nodded to Ashley and Lazaros.

Ashley: “Happy New Year, guys! See you next year!”

They waved at them and chuckled. Lazaros nodded to them.

Lazaros watched them go and was glad they were giving him and Ashley some privacy. He sat down, folded his hands over his chest, and gazed up at the stars. Ashley sighed happily at him, admiring him under the stars. They sat down beside him and curled up to him like a cat, looking up at the stars with him.

Lazaros: “Have a good New Year so far?”

He asked them. Ashley glanced up at him and nodded eagerly.

Ashley: “Mhmm, thanks to you and your tasty food!”

They sighed happily, stroking their tummy.

Ashley: “Thank you for making my year good and better!”

They kissed his cheek.

Lazaros: “The pleasure is all mine! I hope to make the rest of your years better and better!”

He put his arm around them. Ashley felt loved and protected in his embrace.

Ashley: “Of course you will! I hope I make the rest of your years better and better, too!”

They gazed into his violet eyes. Lazaros smiled tightly.

Lazaros: “You will.”

He whispered and gazed up at the stars.

Lazaros: “Did you make a New Year wish?”

He asked. Ashley gazed up at the stars with him.

Ashley: “What is there to wish for? I already have everything I could have wished for right here and right now!”

They sighed happily and kissed his cheek. They finally felt like things were going well in their life.

Lazaros smiled at Ashley.

Lazaros: “I am glad to hear that…”

He said softly and gazed up at the stars.

Ashley: “Except for my parents… I wish I knew where they were and what happened to them…”

They sighed in a small voice. Lazaros gazed at them. I do wonder what happened to them, he thought. He held Ashley close.

Lazaros: “One day, everything will make sense.”

He said as his voice trailed off. Ashley glanced up at him.

Ashley: “I hope so…”

Their voice trailed off as they looked up at the stars.

They pointed to a constellation above them.

Ashley: “In Sunshire, we used the constellations to guide us. That’s the ‘sauce pan’ which means that’s North.”

They explained. Lazaros listened to them and found it interesting that they referred to ‘The Big Dipper’ as a ‘saucepan.’

Ashley: “I just… hoped they would find their way home, to us…”

They sighed, gazing up at the stars.

Lazaros: “They will.”

He smiled.

Lazaros: “One of these days, they will.”

Ashley smiled at him and cuddled up to him.

Ashley: “I hope so… I’d love for you to meet each other.”

They smiled and took his hands.

Lazaros: “I’d love nothing more!”

He kissed their hands. Ashley shivered and giggled, locking their gaze on him. They saw and heard the fireworks at Heathervale Lake Park across the valley. Lazaros watched them with them and sighed happily.

Ashley: “Happy New Year’s, Laz! So, what did you wish for?”

They smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

Lazaros: “Happy New Year, Ash! Well, I wished for us to be official, of course!”

He nodded. Ashley’s eyes sparkled, and they gasped.

Ashley: “Aww, I’d love that! That’s a wish come true!”

They purred and wrapped their arms around him, cuddling up to him and gazing up at the stars with him.