Asher was shocked that Theon let him hang on to him like that for so long. Well it felt like a long time for him at least not able to remember his last hug or embrace of any sort.  The feeling of safety that washed over him while being close to Theon scared him because it sparked a bit of hope and need that has yet to be answered by Shaw. 

After his mind settled from what had happened, Shaw entered his thoughts and struck him hard with guilt. He shouldn't find comfort in another alpha like that. Shaw would be pissed if he ever found out about it. Even more so he should be thankful no one saw them in the hall like that. 

Still he was thankful for Theon and what he had done for him. Zac would have kept on enjoying his time for as long as he wanted too.  

Zac pushed the boundaries in which Shaw had set when it came to him being off limits from him and others as a muse or anything else.  Asher came up with a cover for why the door was broken to tell Shaw if it was asked about later on. However, it wasn't the first one to be broken, they upgraded to a solid wood door and reinforced framing a while back. Pretty sure this would cause more revisions to be done.

Shaw thankfully hadn't asked for Asher to join him tonight, sure he would be asked why both Zac and Theon's scent was on him. He was working the floor much like he did on the club level, taking drink orders.

It was always the busiest between fights, this being the first for the night meant everyone wanted something. Asher fell back into his place on the floor while the fighters were being announced to the ring. 

Theon was to face off against another new fighter. Shaw made the line ups even in level of time here, for the most part. New fighters against new. Top dogs against top. There have been a few special requests made but that was rare. 

Hearing Theon's name called out overhead caused his heart to pick up in pace, he was worried for Theon. Attention quickly getting pulled back to his work by a snapping of a customer's hand waiting to put in their order.

Asher was only able to catch tidbits of the fight while he waited for the orders to be made. The crowd closes to the ring getting in his line of view for most of that time as well. 

Glancing up top where Shaw was sitting to find him staring right back at him. Panic setting in wondering if Zac squealed that quickly to him. If he had he wasn't telling the whole truth about his part in the encounter. 

The bell finally rang to signal the end of the fight, another KO for Theon. The underdog, sending excitement through Asher. Happy that Theon had made it out in one piece. 

Finishing his rounds for orders as quickly as he could before returning to the back, passing Zac on his way getting a look that made him nothing but uncomfortable. 

Replying what he had said to him about a little birdie, that information was something only Theon and Shaw knew about him as far as he was aware of. Shaking his head, wondering why Shaw would tell Zac something like that. 

"Your second win!" Exclaimed Asher as Theon walked out of the bathroom freshly showered.

Theon didn't say anything as he looked in the mirror, his eye cut open still bleeding unable to get it to stop with another busted lip. Bruises as expected. Minor things he wasn't worried about, but this time he felt something crack in his hand and was too scared to flex it out to see just how bad it was. That and the feeling of guilt hanging over him from fighting, it wasn't in his nature to be so brutal, he wasn't brought up like this. 

"Let me look." Commented Asher lightly, motioning Theon to sit for him, first aid kit in hand. 

Pulling out gauze pads to place over his eye pressing but not too hard.

"Couldn't get it to stop." 

"Well that's why you have me." Asher smiled weakly, hearing the tone Theon used. 

"It might need a stitch or two to hold it or I could use some dermabond if you prefer that." 

Dermabond was basically liquid stitches, burnt like hell but did the job. 

"Whichever." Theon spoke, still focused on his hand. 

"Don't think about it." Commented Asher, "Thinking like that only makes it worse. Remember you're doing this for your sister and then you're done. Never have to look back." 

Asher tried to be supportive with his words. He only had maybe one fight left before he was out and free of this place. 

"It's not that." Lied Theon, well it was partly that. 

He felt like shit for being in a place like this. Fighting wasn't him at all, not that he saw himself as better than the men here or anything it just wasn't for him. 

"I'm pretty sure I fucked my hand this time." 

His index and middle finger knuckles swollen well beyond dishing out a few good punches with it.  

Asher placed a bit of tape to hold the gauze in place for now so he could look at his hand, moving closer to Theon running his fingers over the back of his hand gently. 

"We can have it x rayed, then cast if need be."

Shaw had a doctor they called in for more major injuries such as this one.  

"No, I can't fight if it's an official injury. I don't need to be here any longer. . ." His tone was harsh, not directed at Asher but the situation he was in.

 "I can wrap it, have you ice it for the swelling and keep an eye on it." 

Asher suggested, not the best plan but one if he didn't want anyone else to look at it. 

He knew Theon didn't want to be here a minute longer than he had to be so he didn't blame him for wanting to hide the injury. It worried Asher in the matter of how much it would affect him in his next fight. If it was really fractured, using it would only make it worse. Also going in injured would put him at a disadvantage. 

Theon looked up at Asher, his dark eyes heavy with guilt but there was a glimmer of something else that Asher couldn't place. Theon pulled Asher in close to him, embracing him just like Asher had done prior. Theon's head resting against his chest, arms wrapped around his lower waist. 

The low thump of his heart picking up in pace beneath his ear. 

Asher frozen with the sudden embrace not sure how to react to it, his body stiff at first, soon smoothing out and welcoming the touch.

Letting his hands run over Theon's bare shoulders and upper back, feeling his lean muscle. Feeling the power in which he held within him. 

Asher longed for such attention from Shaw never to receive it.  His mind pulling in the opposite direction of what his body wanted. 

Fearing what Shaw might think of him. What he might do to him for such a betrayal, while his body moved in closer wanting more from Theon. To be touched and felt like he was cared for by someone. His finger playing with Theon's long dark hair. 

Earlier when Asher had collapsed into him he felt that embrace didn't last long enough not altering his stance until Asher chose to pull away. A part of him wanted that feeling back in his moment of need and self loathing over the situation he was in.

Asher was the only light he's had the entire time he was here and sure that crossed his mind before that he only felt this attraction to Asher because of the situation he was in. 

However, it felt to be more than that, maybe it was part of it but it wasn't all of it. There was something here between them for him to feel this way, to have been drawn in by his scent like he had.