(this song got me through writing this chapter. merry xmas)

There's smoke. Fire, even. Kristoffer wakes up, the uncomfortable taste metallic in the back of his throat. It's fine, just sleep for a bit longer, Kristoffer tells himself. He gets cosy in his bedcovers again; Ashton still isn't back. He hears the door open. His mind doesn't buzz, he just assumes it's Ashton. He feels a tap on his shoulder. He looks up at who he thought was Ashton. It sure isn't him. Half moon glasses, crazed murder in their eyes, shaggy blonde waves.

'Rise and shine, Piercebridge.'

*

Kristoffer wakes up in a dark room, cold and musky. He's greeted by Niall's face.

'You...'

'Hey, Piercebridge. Lovely to see you, but I'm afraid you'll be here for the rest of your life. Good luck getting out.'

Niall begins to exit the room. Just before he leaves, as he's just in the doorway, he listens to Kristoffer shout, 'No, I won't. Ashton will come, and he'll help me. You'll see.'

Niall laughs slightly before he slams the door. The room is decently lit, and empty apart from Kristoffer. Kristoffer notices he's roped tightly to his chair.

'Wow, Piercebridge. You have high opinions of me,' Ashton's voice comes from behind him. He sounds hollow, emotionless, monotone. Like he was years ago.

'Oh, thank god you're here-'

'I'm tied up too, dumbass.'

Kristoffer doesn't know what to say. He only sighs, surging his body forward in his chair. He falters for words before he blurts out, 'Are we going to get out here together? Or are you going to have to depend on me like you always do?'

Ashton feels tears brim in his eyes, but he laughs. Hollow, 'What do you mean by that? You depend on me a lot more than I depend on you. Did you not just hear what you said to Niall?'

Kristoffer thinks for a second. He feels anger bubbling in his chest, 'God, why are you so pissed off with me?'

Ashton doesn't respond. The sound of faint rustling is the only thing that fills the room. Kristoffer feels like shouting, but he keeps him anger inside for as long as possible.

'I'm pissed off with you because you told Niall, of all people, where we live,' Ashton walks around from his chair, jabbing a bony finger into Kristoffer's chest. Kristoffer frowns, scoffing irritably.

'We're friends...'

'Friends?! Friends. With someone who's given me the worst fear of my life? Who's brought me to within an inch of my life multiple times? Who just the mere mention of his name makes me want to die? Friends, of course. What more could I expect-'

'Yeah? Well, he's never hurt me!' Kristoffer shouts over Ashton. He takes a horrified step back. Kristoffer sighs, leaning further forward in his chair, 'Are you going to let me out or what?'

'Fine.'

Ashton approaches Kristoffer with tentative, shaking hands. He gets on one knee on the floor, setting to work on the lazy knots Niall bound Kristoffer's body with. Kristoffer doesn't look at him as he works, just looks to the side with a defeated expression. He tries to ignore the heat creeping up his cheeks, painfully aware of Ashton's presence. Ashton looks up at him for a split second, but quickly returns to freeing him. The ropes are thick, twisted three times over in straw-like torture. As he unties the final rope, the one binding his chest to the chair, his hand runs down Kristoffer's shoulder to indicate that he's finished.

'...Thank y-'

'Don't,' Ashton stands from the floor, offering a hand to help Kristoffer up. He seems dizzy and discombobulated, legs not properly working and barely propping him up. Kristoffer inspects Ashton's arms, which have the ghost of rope burns on them. Ashton opens the door, raising an eyebrow, 'Ladies first.'

'Charming.'

'Hm.'

*

Cheri is finally asleep. It's probably about three am, but Jamie wasn't checking the time. It feels like a sleepover. A sleepover with mattresses on the floor someone sleeping with headphones on, a pair of people insisting to another that "We need to be quiet, she's sleeping!", playing Noah Kahan songs through their phone to shush the others. Alexis looks quite dishevelled. She's wearing Yen's son's clothes, a big grey shirt and plaid pyjama shorts without any socks. She comes out of her room as Jamie leaves Cheri's. Jamie can hear Hana snoring. Alexis tilts her head to the side, furrowing her eyebrows, 'Are you leaving now, Jamie?'

'Yeah, she's asleep,' Jamie replies. He fiddles with the sleeve of his jumper, 'I'll be fine, my aunt's up. It's just a bus ride, you know.'

'Okay. Stay safe love,' Alexis gives him a hug. Jamie reciprocates stiffly, 'Thank you for helping out. Just call me, Hana, Kristoffer, or Ashton if you need anything. Any help, if you're lost, sad, anything. Call us.'

'Thanks, Alexis.'

*

Ashton and Kristoffer arrive home just as the sun begins to rise. Ashton doesn't seem to be in the mood to talk. Kristoffer opens his mouth to talk, but Ashton just shoots a horrified, hollow, disgusted expression over his shoulder. He disappears into the living room. Kristoffer has no choice but to choke down his guilty tears and get changed for work. He has enough time to sleep, but he fights to keep his eyelids up, even though it's two hours until he can even think about leaving. As he looks at himself in the mirror, he doesn't see the handsome teenage boy he was, entering his house after a hangout with his friends, seeing his sick mother's diagnosis. No, he sees acne scars, chipped teeth, forming wrinkles, battle wounds. The scar across his forehead.

The signs of

someone growing

resentful.

Resentful? Resentful of what?

*

Jamie stares. Stares at himself. Stares at himself in the mirror. Where is it? It's in his head, driving him mad. "Come on Jamie, you know me". "Jamie, it's me". "Jamie, go to bed". She's whispering.

'No. Shut up,' He whispers. He crosses his arms over the bottom of his ribcage, clawing at the opposite side of his body.

"Jamie."

"Do you love her, Jamie?"

"Jamie, she deserves someone better than you."

"Jamie, she deserves a real man."

"Jamie, talk to me."

"Jamie, don't let me down."

"Coward."

"Jamie."

'What?' He asks, squinting at his face. He can see it all; droopy hooded chocolate brown eyes, roman nose, bronzed skin, overgrown black curly hair that droops over his ears. All 5'10 of him. All in his huge hoodie and striped pyjama trousers. As he focuses excellently hard on his reflection, he sees a pair of round greenish-brown eyes. They seem slightly transparent, with a glow around them. A tear drips from the left. He looks down at the floor; a water droplet has landed in his carpet.

"You look just like your father, Jamie. Couldn't you have been a bit like me?"

He freezes.

'Mum?'

*

'Niall. Lovely to see you. I apologise for calling you in so early in the morning,' Eddie grins from their chair, feet up on the desk next to their laptop. Niall has incredibly deep-rooted purple bags under his eyes. How did they get out so fast? He flashes them a quick smile nonetheless.

'No issue, Mx. Ashbourne,' Niall assures through his teeth, 'What did you want to see me about?'

'Horrible thing, honestly, my man,' Eddie hisses through their teeth, a nervous intake of breath, before continuing, 'It's your dear friend Kristoffer. We fear his moral stray away from the company. He's on...' They lower their voice, looking around as if he'd be in the corner, 'The other side, if you know what I mean.'

'Oh.'

'We'd be wondering if you'd be able to help him lead a few of his associates over here on Friday, December 13th,' They begin to chew on the end of a pencil, spinning circles on their chair. Niall notices the record playing in the corner; Let's Dance by David Bowie, 'We'll obviously send out a message to him, inconspicuously of course, but we'll need your help with... er... herding them up, if you know what I mean.'

'Of course, Eddie. That'd be great. That's in...'

'Two days, yes.'

'Okay. Done and done.'

'Awesome.'

*

Dear Kristoffer,

We would be delighted to invite you and as many people that you know to come to visit the Starshine committee on Friday the 13th of December. You could give younger ones reasons to begin working here, and older ones perks. Anyone you can invite can invite a few people too. I hope this isn't too problematic for your schedule, you must be busy!

Best wishes,

Edwina Ashbourne

CEO of the Starshine Committee

*

'Niall, do we have a list?' Eddie asks.

'Yes.'

Niall hands over the piece of paper, which is huge.

· Kristoffer Piercebridge

· Ashton Piercebridge

· Alexis Florakis

· Hana Delacy

· Cheri Eelwhile

· Jamie Kelli-Kathlyhan

· Charlie Di Angelo

· Quinn Lancaster-Jones

· Yosef Hassan

· Orion Valentine

· Myloe Banks

· Yen Yamaguchi

· Francisco Yamaguchi

· Jason Yamaguchi

· Alexandro Yamaguchi

· Maya Yamaguchi

· Astrid Piercebridge-Thomas

· Karin Piercebridge

· Lena Piercebridge-Lee

· Kerstin Piercebridge

· Medea Florakis

'There's probably a few more coming along,' Niall comments. Eddie's grinning at the list.

'Go on Niall.'

'Operation Kristoffer-' Niall begins with a sly smirk.

Eddie finishes for him, standing up from their desk and slotting a dagger into their belt, 'Is in action.'