The next morning, Trey woke up late.

He knew he was late because Ash was no longer in the bottom bunk and his bed was neatly made.
Trey had been very preoccupied about Luke's well-being over the past month and he hadn't been sleeping enough. He realized he hadn't heard the shrill morning bell.

"Shit, shit, shit!" He muttered.

He had never been late once, up to now and didn't exactly know what could happen to him.

But he had an idea and he didn't want to waste anymore time to find out if he was right.

He hurriedly slipped on his pants while attempting to tame his brown curls. He jumped around, desperately trying to button his shirt while trying to find his left shoe. Finally, he buttoned his shirt, raced down the corridor, and reached the flight of stairs, taking the steps two by two.

The hallways were empty, an eerie silence reigned, only disrupted by his short pants now and then. He reached the dining hall only to find the metal doors shut and the corridor void of any latecomers.

They knew better.

Trey was out of breath but he still pounded his fists on the doors. Maybe a guard would hear him and let him in? But to no avail. The steel doors where way too thick, no one could hear him even if he shouted.

Trey sighed and slumped against the wall, tucking his knees and leaning his head back. Maybe Luke could save him some breakfast.
He hoped so, he wouldn't make it through the morning drills without eating.

But why hadn't Ash woken him up? Did he want to teach him a lesson? No that couldn't be it, they got on well now, much better than before at least. Trey brushed his lips and his cheeks reddened.

Ash had even kissed him.

He had liked it, and he had been turned on. So why did he let him miss breakfast? That didn't make any sense.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a rapid footfall echoing in the corridor.
Oh so someone else was late after all! Trey got up feeling a little relieved. Maybe the other student knew how to get in. He smiled waiting for him to get closer.
But when he saw the angry looking boy who had tripped him in the hallway on purpose in the beggining of the year, his smile fell.

What was he doing here?

At first, the other boy didn't notice him. He seemed to be looking for something, or someone.
His face was cold and closed off, a menacing aura surrounded him and Trey shivered despite himself.

Okay breath in

He intstructed himself, don't show him you're afraid, maybe he won't even talk to you.

And then, the boy spotted him.

He came foreward, a sly smile now adorning his face.
"Well, well, well what do we have here? Didn't peg you for the suicidal type. I guess they always say to look out for the defensless ones, they're the craziest." He laughed. Trey gulped.

"What are you doing here?"he asked bravely. Thankfully, he managed not to stutter.
The other boy laughed again and shook his head in disbelief.

"You don't know what happens when the gates are closed?" He asked still laughing, Trey was even more uneasy, he was getting a bad feeling.
"Oh man, then you're in big trouble. Let me guess, you're not out here on purpose are you?"
"Um no, are you?" He asked back, not understanding why someone would choose to miss breakfast.

"Damn right I am. I'm on a... Special hunt."
"What are you hunting?"
"Nah the right question is who am I hunting?"
"You're hunting someone? Wha- your not an animal? Why would you do that?"
"Because that guy is. He gets on my nerves and he beat up most of my friends. So I'm going to find him and give him a piece of my mind.

Seems like I'm not the only one today either." He replied.
Trey looked to his left and sure enough, he caught the slight movement in the shadows.

"Wait what do you mean today? Do you do this every day? Why?"
"Oh right, I forgot that you're clueless. It's a miracle you haven't ran into him up to now. Really."
"Wait who are you talking abou? Who are you after? What is going on?" Trey felt the panic rise.

He truly hoped this was a sick joke that was being pulled on him, but when the hatefull stare came back on the boy's face, he knew it wasn't.

"We're after your lovely roomate you idiot." An other voice replied. He swiftly turned around and saw the boy, who was probably hiding in the shadows, coming closer.
He was twirling a knife between his fingers.

"Oh yeah right!" Continued the first boy, getting dangerously closer to Trey. "Forgot to mention that. Must have slipped my mind." He chuckled humourlessly.
"But since we can't find him, and you're here, might as well help us mmmh? Why don't you call him, I'm sure he'll come, since all he can do is crawl after pretty boys."

Both of them let out throaty laughs
Trey was confused. What were they talking about? And why were they after Ashton, wasn't he in the dining hall?
No! He had to stop worrying over the others and focus on his own problems, because right now, this was getting out of hand.

He tried to bolt out of there but he didn't get very far down the hallway. The other boys were on him and they were too strong. One of them slammed his body into the wall and covering his mouth to prevent him from shouting. The other boy held the knife to his throat.

They dragged him away from the dining hall, in an even darker hallway.
"Where do you think you're going huh? Are you deaf, I just told you we needed you here."

"One wrong move and I'll slice your throat, got it?" Added the second one.
"Hey Waters! I know you can hear me! Come out big boy, I don't want to hurt your girlfriend!" He shouted.

"Or, wait... Do I?" he added
Trey was really afraid now. He was alone in a dark hallway, pushed aginst a wall, a knife pressed to his throat. Okay he was petrified. All his survival instinct had disappeared.
He was helpless.

Tears were starting to fall, he could't hold them back anymore
The two boys were getting ansty, Ashton still hadden't showed up.
"This is pointless, give me the knife." Said the taller one.
"Hey what are you going to do to him? Aren't you scared of what he might do if he finds ou-"
"Shut the hell up, are you pussying out right now?"
"No."
"Good!"

"Okay Waters, I'm done playing games, if you're not here in the next ten seconds, I'll start carving his pretty face. What a waste really..." He shook his head
"One." He roared. Only the silence answered him.

"Two" He continued.
And he went on until he got painfully close to ten.
"Nine and a half, oh you're teasing me Waters!"
The knife came closer
"Nine and three quarters..."
Even closer.
"And ten!"

Just as the knife grazed his skin and he felt the sting of the blade against his cheek, a silhouette appeared from the shadows.
It was so fast, the three boys didn't see it coming.
"Ashton!" Cried Trey in relief. Finally, he had come to get him away.

But Ash was furious.

At first, he had decided he would ignore the two imbeciles, they weren't a real threat and they would eventually give up. So he kept on reading his book in his favorite spot: the top of an abandoned flight of stairs, where he had a view of everything and where things were generaly peaceful.

But now that they had threatened and hurt Trey, he wasn't letting them off easily.

Trey was stunned as he saw Ash barrel his fists in the first boys stomach, sending him straight to his knees.The other one gritted his teeth and slashed the knife towards him. But Ashton managed to avoid it just in time and used his opponent's momentum, bending forward and throwing him over his shoulder, right into the wall.

Trey was speechless.

He suddenly understood why the other boy had referred to him as an animal. Nothing in the way he moved or fought was normal. He slapped his palm into one of the boy's nose, a sickening crack rang and blood immediately gushed out as he wailed in pain, rolling to the ground again.

But Ashton wasn't stopping, the voices in his head were urging him on.

Blood, blood, blood.

They had to pay. No one was allowed to touch Trey. He wasn't going to let anything happen to him. He was so focused that he forgot he was actually touching someone other than Trey.

Punch, punch, duck, slam an arm all the way back to snap the bone, punch again, throw someone against the wall. The two bodies were now blurred, he couldn't make out which boy was which, he was blinded by the rage and oppressed by the battle in his head.

"Ashton! Stop you're going to kill them!"

Finally he stopped, breathing heavily, fists throbbing, face marred with blood which wasn't his, his guard still up just in case. But the two other boys were out cold. They layed unmoving on the floor. One had his arm bent all the way back while the other had his face so bashed in it was difficult to make out his face. The knife was nowhere to be seen.

And then he layed his eyes on Trey.

The small boy was slumped against the wall, hands covering his ears his eyes closed, trying to process what he had just seen. He knew that Ash had a violent reputation, and he had seen him fight already, but this was different.

He had taken down two boys of his height and weight as if it was nothing. The rage and violence was to much for Trey to bear, and it brought back horrible memories, a cramped room, unmoving bodies on the ground, blood on the walls.

Trey heard Ash shuffle closer but he kept his eyes shut. He hoped Ash would just get the message and leave him alone.
Bu the tall boy was completely calm now, void of any anger, the voices had shut up, all of his attention was occupied by the small boy.
His heart filled with dread.

And when Trey opened his eyes,
Ash saw it.

Fear

Real fear growing in his eyes. It was quickly masked by a cold look, one Ash had never seen in Trey's eyes.
He didn't cry, didn't shout, just got up and started walking away, face pale as if he had seen a ghost.
Ash caught his arm.

"Where are you going? There could be others."
Trey shook his hand off, not noticing the hurt face he made.
"Leave me alone Ash. You're no better than them, you just use violence to solve your problems." He said bitterly.

"They were threatening you with a knife what was I supposed to do?"
"You're a monster Ash! You almost killed them. I don't feel safe around you anymore, please let me go."

He turned around and ran until he reached the dining hall. Thankfully it was now open and he spotted Luke. He rushed to him and without any warning he threw himself in his arms and finally let the tears fall out.

Luke was taken aback at first but, he somehow guessed what could have possibly happened for Trey to be like this.

It had to do with Ash for sure.

He looked over at Aaron who's eyebrow was raised in question. "What's the matter with him?" He mouthed.

"I don't know, I'll take him to the infirmary. Cover up for us?" He asked.
"Sure, whatever don't be too long."
"Thanks.
Hey Trey? Why don't we go to the infirmary so you can calm down? I don't want you to have a panic attack okay?" He said, slowly brushing Trey's hair.
The small boy sniffed and nodded.

Meanwhile Ash was alone in the empty hallway with two bodies and bloodied fists. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened and it most certainly wouldn't be the last. So why did he feel so sick to his stomach? He felt like he had done an unforgiving mistake. He crouched down and stared at his hands.
The hands of a monster.

And then he realized the cause of his despair and sudden loneliness. Trey had fled, he was scared of him. Ash let out a bitter laugh.

The irony of the situation was pathetic.

He wanted Trey to be afraid of him since the first day they had met. He let himself believe that he did it in order to protect him. But who was he kidding? He had never done anything to really scare him away because deep down, he wanted to keep him close. And he had somehow succeeded.

Up until now.

Ash slowly got up and it hit him.
Trey hadn't called him by his full name for the first time.
Guilt gnawed at him.

Shit.

{There you have it an order of Ashton and Trey! Their relationship is getting even more complicated and secrets are going to spill *laughs maniacally* See you in the next chapter!
Moonlightshow}