When their lips finally touch, Ashton basically meeting Skylar in the middle, Skylar feels like the wind just got knocked out of him. He can't keep his hand from tightening in the guy's hair, and wow, he forgot what this felt like.

Okay, no, he didn't. He remembered quite well exactly how this felt, through all these months, he just missed it. Skylar's been craving it, whether he was willing to admit it to himself or not. Ashton stops keeping his distance once Skylar breaks the boundary.

Skylar knows they shouldn't be doing this. He's fully aware it's a very bad idea, and is positive he will regret it just as much as he did last time. For one, he has a reputation to uphold. He can't keep proving himself wrong like this. Also, he knows nothing about Ash. This guy is so fucking secretive, and that's not exactly a green flag.

Not to mention, he's always in Skylar's business about everything. Even today, why on earth is Skylar being interrogated as soon as he wakes up? It's so fucking annoying, half because Skylar doesn't know how to cope with someone caring about him or any aspect of his life, and half because it's none of his goddamn business. If Skylar isn't allowed to know anything about him, the guy has no right acting like he has any right to information about Skylar. At all.

However, all of Skylar's frustration and hatred—because he definitely hates Ashton. Seriously.—gets forgotten when this happens. It's like all of his thoughts, any sense of reason or logic are completely wiped from his brain. All that's left is an insatiable desire that he only feels for one specific person, no matter how much he wishes he didn't.

Ash reaches down to grab Skylar by the hips, stepping forward once again so he's actually got Skylar pressed against the wall. It makes it ten times worse, being cornered like this. Ashton is now completely invading his senses from every direction, and it's only made worse when he tangles his hand in Skylar's hair. He then uses this hold to take control of the kiss, which Skylar wishes he could be mad about.

He can't, though. He actually can't be mad about anything, not like this.

Skylar has no idea when his mouth opens, but it does, and then Ash isn't holding back. It's not like he ever has before, but Skylar is acutely aware of that now as Ashton's tongue invades his mouth. Skylar can't help the sound he makes, letting go of Ashton's waistband and grasping onto his shirt.

He clenches the material in his fist so that he can at least attempt to ground himself, but it doesn't really work. All he can do is stand there, hands starting to shake and trying to keep himself from having any physical reaction to this. He's failing.

When they part, Ash doesn't actually pull away entirely. He rests his forehead against Skylar's, who is just trying to catch his breath and remember who he is.

"You make no sense," Ashton says, lips brushing against Skylar's own. Skylar can't even find it within himself to be irritated, or to point out the slight hypocrisy there. Instead, the only thing he can think about is the fact that he wants Ash's mouth on his again.

Skylar is completely flushed head to toe, unable to look anywhere that isn't Ashton's mouth. He sounds breathless when he replies. "I know."

Ashton grabs him by the hips again, and then the world is spinning as Ash relocates him. Before Skylar knows it he's being thrown on the bed, and Ashton is looking down at him. His gaze is heated, and Skylar is leaning back on his elbows, one leg bent and the other straight.

Even with the distance, his rationality isn't coming back. There is only one thing on his mind, and thankfully, Ashton delivers on it. Pretty soon he's leaning over Skylar, a hand on each side of him, his knee between Skylar's legs.

Skylar's legs twitch in anticipation upon the contact, wondering exactly how far this will go. It's not like they haven't already crossed all the boundaries.

Ashton doesn't wait much longer before grabbing Skylar's jaw and leaning down again, not even a slight hesitation in his movements. Against his permission, Skylar's legs begin to wrap around the guy, and he wants to go so far right now. He wants to hit every base, he wants to sate his annoying craving for this guy more than anything. It's been driving him crazy for months.

This kiss is less innocent than the last, though that's not saying much. Ashton just doesn't fuck around, moving his knee up slightly so it presses on... an area, which results in Skylar gasping. This is when he deepens the kiss, and Skylar's entire body is now trembling with desire. His hands are just holding onto Ashton for dear life, and pretty soon, his wrists are grabbed.

Ashton uses that hold to pin Skylar down, one hand on each wrist, though Skylar knows he can fit both in one hand if he really wants to. He doesn't move his knee, keeping it right there, and Skylar starts to squirm. He can't tell if it's from arousal, nerves, or discomfort from his injuries. Likely all three.

Either way, there is a firm and unmoving pressure over his lower half, and it's not helping his situation. He's trying not to make noise, but there's only so much he can do when his arms are pinned. At least Ash is muffling him with his mouth—

Except, Ash chooses right that second to pull away and look down at Skylar for a moment. He takes in Skylar's flushed, breathless and shaking appearance, before getting a satisfied gleam to his eye. Before Skylar can even think to be irritated by that, Ashton is switching focus to his neck.

Skylar's mind blanks out when the guy starts with one of his most sensitive spots. Whether that's from memory or luck, Skylar's not sure. All he knows is that it makes it much more difficult to not give the guy any verbal reactions. Luckily, he doesn't have to worry about that for long, only a minute at most. Unluckily, it's because they're interrupted.

Skylar's entire body tenses when a loud sound suddenly echoes through the air, a ringtone that signals one of them is getting a call. It's definitely not Skylar's phone, ad Ash freezes upon hearing it.

They stay frozen like that for a moment, before Skylar both hears and feels Ashton sigh. He watches the guy push himself up so there's a bit more distance between them, but their faces are still kind of close. He looks Skylar's face up and down for a moment before pushing himself off entirely.

Skylar is just frozen, internally freaking the hell out the entire time. He watches the guy reach in his back pocket and pull out the device, catching sight of the caller ID and clenching his jaw. A look of irritation crosses his face before he accepts the call with reluctance. He puts the phone up to his ear, and his tone is harsh when he answers.

"What?"

Skylar lets his head fall back entirely on the bed, so he's just looking up at the ceiling. Holy shit, no way he just let that happen. Actually, no, he did not just let that happen, he fucking initiated the whole thing. He quite literally can't blame anyone but himself. Again.

Seriously, how on earth could he let this happen again? Maybe Ash was right. Skylar can keep it together pretty much at all times, until they're alone. Until Ashton gets close to him, until their conversations take a turn. Skylar should probably go back to avoiding this guy.

"So fallback to the other arrangement," Ash sounds really irritated. Skylar wonders if he just doesn't like this person, or if he's as upset about the interruption as Skylar is.

Ugh. Ew. Skylar's not even upset, actually. He's so glad it ended, in fact. Definitely. The last thing he needs to do is give this guy even more ammunition against him.

"Is there anything you didn't fuck up?" Skylar's never really heard Ashton talk to anyone like this before. Then again, the only people he's really seen Ash interact with are his friends. All people he likes, and it's clear from his demeanor and tone of voice that he does not like whoever he's speaking with in the slightest.

His jaw is flexing, a venom leaking into his voice that is so new to Skylar's ears. Again, however, Skylar can't tell if it's directed at the person or the situation.

"If you're not gone when I get there," Ashton starts, before he seems to remember that there is someone else in the room with him. He stops speaking for a moment, staring at Skylar in conflict, before he continues. "I'm... reassigning you."

He ends the call after that, and Skylar is now fully seated. He feels confused, because what the hell kind of phone call was that? Skylar doesn't even understand what half that shit meant. Was it accorder business? Whatever the hell that means.

"Who was that?" Skylar asks him, still in the process of fixing his clothes so he doesn't look as ruffled.

"A classmate," Ashton's says, but Skylar is pretty sure that people generally don't treat their classmates that way. Also, that conversation sounded more business-esque. There was nothing that signified anything even remotely close to a school situation.

Skylar can't help himself. "What class?"

"Economics."

Hm. Interesting. Maybe the conversation could be twisted that way, but it still doesn't really add up. Also, Skylar now has some idea of his double life, so that makes it all the more difficult to trust he's telling the truth.

Still, it's not like Skylar can make that known. Not like he has any grounds to call him out on anything, especially since... well, for all he knows, maybe it was a school thing. It's not like Skylar knows much about either topic to begin with.

"I need to go. There's food in the fridge."

Skylar is having a difficult time keeping the disappointment from showing in his face. Still, he manages... kind of.

"Uh, I don't want your food. I'm going back to bed." He says, feeling angry, and Ashton just watches Skylar start to situate himself under the covers so he can do just that. It's mostly to hide from Ashton until the guy leaves, but it's not like anyone needs to know that.

Unfortunately, before he can get completely under the covers, he feels a presence next to the bed. Ashton gently turns his head by grasping his jaw, so Skylar is making eye contact again. The guy is leaning over him, a hand on the other side of Skylar's hip. Skylar is not expecting the proximity, so he freezes.

Ashton leans forward and presses their mouths together, and it's not like their other kisses. The heat and passion and lust isn't there, it's entirely innocent. Like a wife saying bye to her husband before he goes to work. Skylar barely remembers to kiss back from the shock.

"I'll be home in a few hours," he says, mouth brushing against Skylar's, who is learning that may be another weakness of his. Then, Ash pulls away entirely, "call me if you need me."

He leaves the room after that, and Skylar barely remembers that he hates this guy and needs to be mean, in time. In fact, he hears the door open and close right after the words leave his mouth.

"No thanks! I'll be gone!" He snaps, ignoring the fact that he still sounds kind of breathless. He chooses to believe Ashton definitely heard him, even though he probably didn't.

Sleep doesn't come easy after that, but Skylar is still able to lull himself back into unconscious once again. Eventually.

-

When Skylar wakes up, he wants to shove his head in a wood chipper.

He really needs to learn how to resist that guy, because he already has enough shit to worry about. Ashton does not need even more things to hold against him, especially since Skylar has nothing. Ash already wins like every fucking argument, if Skylar wants any hope of matching up he can't keep letting this guy do this to him.

Skylar hates showing weakness like that, but for some reason, Ashton is just so hard for him to resist. Again, Skylar sucks at self control. You don't get addicted to drugs while also having your shit together, and that's—

Okay. Skylar needs to stop thinking about this.

Skylar gets off the bed and puts his shoes on, taking a minute to locate all his belongings and pocket them. After he's ready to leave, he exits the building.

Skylar runs a hand through his hair as he makes his way to his car. He gets inside upon reaching it, and in the back of his mind takes note that it's unlocked. Did Ash really forget to lock his car? They're not in a bad part of town, but it's by no means great.

This question is answered when Skylar catches movement out of the corner of his eye. He jumps, turning his head in alarm when he spots someone sitting in his passenger seat.

It doesn't take long for him to recognize this person as Crimson, giving him a sadistic grin, and that's when true panic begins to set in.

"Took you a while."