Chapter Text
“Ewron, you cannot be serious about this,” Ash muttered in a low voice as he followed close behind.
A few steps ahead, Ewron moved in sharp, agitated strides, with his arms locked tightly across his chest.
Ash exhaled slowly through his nose, trying to keep his composure intact, but the frustration that had been simmering beneath his skin all day long was beginning to slip and unraveling.
His fingers flexed at his sides before curling into fists - as if that might somehow anchor him. It did not help - if anything, the tension only settled deeper into his shoulders.
“It was mine and Katie's business!” Ewron snapped, his voice cut through the quiet of the forest. He didn’t turn around to face Ash, continuing forward, speaking to the empty air ahead. “You have- You had no right to interfere with it! I trusted you!” His hands flew up for a moment, before dropping again just as quickly. His tail lashed sharply behind him in quick, irritated flicks that matched the rhythm of his steps.
Ash’s jaw tightened and his gaze narrowed. He picked up his pace, boots crunching against scattered twigs and dry leaves as he closed the distance, unwilling to let Ewron keep the space he was creating between them.
“Listen to me. The Regime wants to help the KFC grow, and then take it over - when it actually matters,” Ash said. “That’s the point, Ewron. We-” he inhaled sharply, steading himself as best as he could, forcing the words out more evenly, “-we talked about this. You agreed to this. You need to start listening instead of reacting to everything before you even think it through.”
“Spierdalaj,” Ewron spat out under his breath, shooting a glance to the side, as if something beyond the argument had suddenly become far more interesting.
Ash followed that gaze without thinking.
The sun was sinking low against the horizon now, coloring the sky in warm oranges and deep reds. The fading light filtered unevenly through the trees around them, stretching the shadows into long, distorted shapes that shifted with the wind.
They had wandered farther than Ash had realized. The familiar landmarks of the spawn had long since disappeared behind them, replaced by dense clusters of trees and tall grass that brushed against their legs with every step.
And Ash’s patience snapped a fraction further.
“Listen, I’m tired,” he said as he reached forward and grabbed Ewron’s arm, his fingers closing firmly around the sleeve.
The contact threw Ewron off balance, stumbling under the sudden pull, before he yanked himself free with more force than was necessary. As if he refused to be held in place for even a moment longer than he had to be.
Ash let his hand fall back to his side, but he continued;
“I’m really fucking tired of this,” he continued, the restraint he had been forcing all day finally beginning to crack. “Of you running off, doing whatever the hell you want, and then acting surprised when it collides with something bigger. This isn’t just about you anymore, Ewron. It stopped being just about you the moment you decided to be a part of a bigger picture.”
“But this is not something bigger!” Ewron turned on his heel so abruptly that loose dirt scattered under his boots. His tail whipped behind him in a wide arc that mirrored the intensity of his voice. “This is just me and Katie. This is me trying to outgrow her, to- to prove something for once that’s mine! This is my big picture and you had no right to put your hands on it like it’s just another piece on your board!”
Ash inhaled slowly, though the breath caught halfway in his chest. His hand drifted unconsciously towards the hilt of his sword, resting there in a way to ground himself.
“You’re thinking too small,” he said quieter now, but kept his gaze firm. “You’re so focused on proving something to her - or maybe to yourself - that you’re missing what this could become.” He took a step closer, meeting Ewron’s gaze directly this time, holding it as if he could force him to see and understand everything. “We take over the commercial area,” he continued. “We control supply, demand, pricing - we bend the entire system until it works for us. That’s not taking something from you, Ewron. That’s turning it into something that actually lasts, something that benefits all of us.”
Ewron turned his head, staring into the distance, where the last streaks of red were fading, slowly swallowed by the deep purples and creeping blue of night. The light was thinning with each passing second.
“You’re taking something important from me,” Ewron said at last, his blue eyes returned to meet Ash’s. “Something I actually care about.”
Ash’s fingers tightened against the hilt of his sword before he forced them to relax, trying to remind himself that not every tension needed to be met with steel.
He tilted his head and looked at Ewron, trying to understand. To not see him as being difficult for the sake of it, but as someone standing there, refusing to tell the entire story for some reason.
However, before he could respond, Ewron let out a sharp breath.
“Liege wie,” he muttered quickly, words almost tripping over themselves. “We need to liege wie.”
“... What?” Ash blinked. The shift was abrupt enough to throw him off as he he watched Ewron’s hands move, patting down his pockets with growing urgency.
“Nie, nie, nie-” Ewron's voice came faster now, as he turned it place, checking one pocket, then another. His movements loosing their rhythm as he pulled things out and let them fall carelessly to the ground: a half-eaten apple, loose strings, a few dull gems that caught what little light remained before disappearing into the grass. “I didnt- I don’t have a warpstone.”
Ash’s brow furrowed as his irritation that had been driving him a moment ago slipped into confusion. He stepped closer again, more cautious in his approach.
“What' going on?” He asked, watching as Ewron ran his hands over his chest.
The hood slipped from Ewron’s head in the process, falling back to reveal ears pinned flat against his skull, and his eyes that no longer held that sharp and teasing focus. Instead, they darted between the trees and shadows.
“Ewron, tell me what's wrong.”
“We need to sleep,” Ewron said quickly, glancing over his shoulder into the forest, where the darkness had begun to thicken.
A faint rustle came from somewhere to their left and Ewron flinched. Before Ash could process it, Ewron had stepped even closer, closing the retaining space between them, pressing into his side as if drawn there by something deeper than a conscious choice.
Ash stiffened and his breath caught at the sudden contact.
“Ja pierdole,” Ewron hissed under his breath, “Lets get out of this shitty forest. Do you have a warpstone? And a boat?” His gaze was fixed somewhere ahead, locked into the dark.
Ash shook his head.
“I didn’t bring one. Didn’t think we’d wander this far out,” he replied and scanned their surroundings in search for any advantage in the fight to come. He drew his sword in a smooth motion.
Ewron let out a short, humorless huff.
“Ah, so the supreme leader came unprepared. No warpstone, of course. What a fucking-”
“Are you scared, Ewron?” Ash’s voice cut through his words.
Ewron stilled, before turning sharply toward him.
“Me? Scared? Don’t be stupid,” the words came out fast, but his eyes flicked for a moment to the sword in Ash’s hand before he reached for his own blade, drawing it. “... Let’s just move,” he added as he adjusted the grip. “Before the forest fills with monsters.”
“Aren’t you an assassin?” Ash pressed, his tone light on the surface but edged with quiet provocation. He did not bother to hide it, not when exhaustion had worn down his patience.
Ewron shot him a look so sharp it almost felt physical.
Ash watched as he took a step back, putting a sliver of distance between the two of them. One of his ears twitched sharply to the side, catching some kind of a sound that came from something deeper in the forest
A low, distant groan followed soon after.
And as if reconsidering everything in the span of a single heartbeat, Ewron moved back again, closer to Ash, who snickered with a raised brow.
“Unbelievable,” he murmured, not even attempting to hide the note of amusement threading in his voice now. “Come on. We can’t be that far from spawn.”
They turned together and began moving back in the direction they had come from.
The silence of the forest broke with a sharp and sudden hiss from somewhere to their left, followed by a distant, warped gurgle of an Enderman that seemed to stretch unnaturally. Somewhere ahead a twig snapped with a loud crack.
The uneven shadows stretched between the trees, shifting slightly as they slowly took form. A hunched, staggering figure of a zombie pushed itself forward in uneven strides, with arms hanging limply at its sides and its head lolling slightly with each step. Just behind it, a silhouette of a skeleton emerged from the darkness with its bow already raised and drawn.
Ewron swore under his breath. His fingers curled tighter around the hilt of his blade.
“Great,” he muttered, the word barely above a whisper. “Amazing. Ja pierdole.”
“Let’s get this over with,” Ash replied, already shifting his stance, readying himself for a fight.
Where Ewron’s body seemed to coil tighter with every passing second, looking restless and reactive - Ash instead grew still as his attention sharpened, focusing on ending the encounter quickly and efficiently.
When the skeleton released the arrow, Ash slid to the side, fast enough for the projectile to pass through the space he had occupied a second earlier. The arrow vanished into the darkness behind them with a sharp hiss, but Ash’s attention already shifted to their left, because from the side a spider launched itself forward in a sudden and violent move. Its many legs scraped against bark and dirt before making way straight toward him with unsettling speed.
Ash stepped forward, meeting it head-on. His blade cut through the air in a clean motion that struck the creature mid-lunge, slicing off two of its front legs.
The severed limbs hit the ground with a dull thud and the spider’s landing faltered, its balance thrown off. Ash pivoted smoothly, avoiding the snap of its fangs, before lifting his sword again and bringing it down in a final strike.
Behind him, Ewron moved with a sharp, unstable edge to it. As if he was always half a step ahead of himself, rather than grounded in the moment.
“Come on, come on-” he muttered under his breath, backing away as the skeleton adjusted its aim, another arrow already drawn and its empty gaze fixed on his movements.
A low groan pulled his attention aside, and as he glanced over his shoulder he saw a zombie staggering toward him.
Ewron hesitated for the briefest moment, busy making calculations, and then shifted sharply to the side, just as skeleton released its arrow, creating a narrow opening for the shot to pass past him and to struck the zombie directly in the head. The creature jerked violently, its movement stuttering with the impact.
“Yeah,” Ewron breathed, with a proud satisfaction creeping into his voice. “That’s right.”
He surged forward, closing the distance in a few, quick strides and drove his blade into the zombie’s chest. He pulled the blade out and the body hit the ground.
Before the skeleton could draw another arrow, Ash circled behind it and delivered a sharp and well-placed kick to its legs.
The bones gave instantly under the force, rattling apart as the fragile form collapsed in on itself, disassembling into a loose scatter of ivory fragments that clattered against the ground.
From deeper within the forest more sounds began to rise.
“See, this is exactly why I hate nighttime,” Ewron hissed, already moving forward again in the direction they had come from.
“The mobs?” Ash raised a brow as he followed close behind. His gaze continued to sweep across the shadows, tracking every subtle change in the dark.
“The fucking chaos,” Ewron snapped. “The way everything turns into a mess of open fights. I’m a goddamn assassin, not a warrior, this is- o kurwa-”
The sudden hiss came from the side, and Ash’s hand shot out, grabbing Ewron by the shoulder and yanking him backward just as the creeper detonated.
The explosion tore through the ground with a burst of force, sending dirt and debris flying upward in a violet spray that coated their clothes, faces and the air itself in a cloud of dust. The sharp smell of sulfur lingered in the aftermath.
For a second, the world narrowed into a high pitch that pressed against their ears, muting everything into something distant.
“I can’t fucking deal with this shit right now,” Ewron dragged his hands over his face, before letting them linger there. His breathing turned uneven and heavier.
Ash wiped his face from the remaining dirt, and scanned the area with renewed focus.
A few meters ahead, partially obscured by uneven ground and deep dark, the opening of a cave revealed itself. The low and shadowed entrance looked unassuming, framed by rough stone.
It definitely wasn’t ideal, but judging by the way Ewron stood, with his face still hidden in his hands, must be enough to rest.
Another distorted gurgle of something tall shifting behind the trees grabbed their attention. Ewron’s tail flicked, but Ash’s hand closed firmly around his arm.
“Let’s go,” he said, leaving no space for any argument.
He pulled and Ewron stumbled before falling into motion beside him. They pushed through the tall grass, hearing branches snapping and dragging against their clothes before whipping back into place behind them.
“Where-”
Somewhere to their right an Enderman let out that unsettling sound again. Ash adjusted their path without slowing, yanking Ewron slightly to the side just as one of those elongated arms swept through the place they had occupied a moment before.
A sharp thwip cut through the air and an arrow sliced past Ewron’s cheek so close that he felt the rush of it on his skin.
“Kurwa-” he hissed, instinctively pressing closer.
Ash’s hold on Ewron’s arm remained firm, guiding more than dragging now, steering them through the uneven terrain.
The cave entrance came into view more clearly as they approached, partially hidden behind thick strands of ivy that clung to the stone.
Ash pushed through the hanging greenery first, the leaves brushing against his cheeks and shoulders before he pulled Ewron in after him.
Inside, the air was cooler, still, and carried the faint scent of damp stone that clung to the walls and lingered.
Their footsteps echoed softly against the walls as the cave opened to form a short corridor. The rough stone felt uneven under their feet while the darkness inside felt a bit more pressing than the one outside.
Along the edges of the passage, there were subtle signs that someone had once been here - once upon a time and not recently enough to matter anymore.
Ash slowed as a torch mounted on the wall caught his attention. He hid his sword and with a brief motion of flint and steel, the spark came to life, lighting up the space. He lit up the torch, watching as the flame caught it.
With the light on, the shadows retreated to prevail more details. There were scratches carved into stone, broken torches scattered across the ground, empty barrels in the corner.
Ash turned slightly and took a look at Ewron, who's shoulders were still tight - as if the tension from tge outside refused to leave him even here.
Ewron's gaze was fixed forward, down the corridor of the cave, where the darkness still stretched. His eyes flicked from side to side in sharp movements, not fully settling anywhere.
Only when they reached a slightly wider opening did Ash slow his steps.
The corridor gave way to a small chamber that might’ve once served as a resting point for someone else.
There, he let go of Ewron’s arm. Or at least, tried to. Because before his hand could fall away, Ewron’s fingers curled around his instead, closing around in a grip that was tight and almost unsettlingly desperate. As if letting go had simply never been an option his body had considered.
Ewron’s attention remained locked ahead, scanning around, shifting to the side, then looking over his shoulder. His ears were stiffly up, moving at every little sound, and his tail twitched from time to time.
Ash noticed that Ewron’s hand was cold, properly chilled. His fingers were tight around Ash’s, holding on without looking at what he was really holding onto.
Ash’s gaze dropped, drawn to the point where their hands were joined.
It was not unfamiliar in the sense of physical proximity - he had grabbed, restrained, forced contact in countless situations without a second thought.
But this did not sit in any of those categories properly, because there was no strategic necessity, no clear reason that made it fit into anything he could neatly classify.
What surprised him was the complete lack of awareness behind the touch. Ewron did not look at him, did not acknowledge what he had done. His attention remained fixed entirely somewhere else.
Ash exhaled slowly through his nose.
Clingy.
The thought surfaced and settled with a faint edge of irritation that did little to mask the underlying confusion inside his mind.
Ewron, who argued at every turn, who pushed back without hesitation. Ewron who had stood in front of him earlier with that same stubborn defiance burning in his expression, refusing to yield - even when yielding would have been simpler.
That person was now holding onto him.
And Ash didn't know what to think about any of it.
Because he was not someone people reached for. Not like this.
People kept their distance from him - whether out of respect, fear, or simple understanding of what he represented. He had built that distance intentionally - he shaped it into structure, into order, into something that made sense within the framework of control he lived inside.
In that structure he was the one who decided, who acted, who took and redirected and ended things on his own terms.
He was not the one others latched onto in search for comfort.
And yet, Ewron had done exactly that, as if none of those rules applied here at all.
Ash’s fingers twitched faintly within the grip holding them. He could pull away - it would be so, so easy.
...
Ash shifted his grip on Ewron’s hand to adjust it and hold properly.
What kind of a leader am I? To let someone cling to me like this?
Worse- what kind of a leader noticed it, analyzed it, lingered on it instead of dismissing it outright?
His gaze settled briefly on Ewron’s profile, taking in the faint upturn of his nose, the way his eyes caught in the flame of the lit torchlight.
Ash exhaled slowly, and made his expression settle back into something more composed and aligned with the version of himself he understood - even as his hand remained exactly where it was.
They moved further along the uneven stone corridor, when a narrow opening to the right revealed itself. Initially it looked unimpressive and almost easy to overlook, until the passage curved inward, forming a hidden chamber.
Ash stepped inside first, still guiding Ewron beside him.
It was dark inside it, but they could see that this place, some time ago, had clearly been used by someone, even if only briefly.
A crude fireplace had been carved into the stone wall with edges darkened with old soot, and beside it was an empty torch holder. Over the ground were scattered remnants of what might have once been supplies: broken pieces of wood, some coal, a few stones arranged in patterns that did not look entirely accidental.
The sounds of the night were muffed and distant.
“It should be safe now.” Ash said, and only then did he let go of Ewron’s hand. His fingers opened slowly, and Ewron’s grip slipped away from his.
That was the moment Ewron’s gaze dropped down abruptly to his own hand, as if only now realizing where it had been and what it had been holding onto without conscious thought.
His expression shifted from confusion that flashed first, followed by something closer to irritation.
He took a step to the side, creating the distance between them. He flexed his fingers in a try to shake off the lingering sensation.
“...Right,” Ewron muttered under his breath, “Cool, cool.”
Ash watched him for a brief moment before turning his attention to the space around them instead.
“We should wait for the morning. And for the outside to thin out,” Ash said, guiding his hand over the stone wall - the hand that was being held a moment ago.
Ewron moved carefully and crouched near the old fireplace, reaching for what little usable material remained in quick motions that betrayed his ever present lingering energy.
“These fucking monster are going to be the death of me,” he muttered as he worked. “Have you ever seen how many creepers are near the spawn? It’s actually insane. One wrong move and they’ll blow up half the place. And guess whose shop is going to be right in the middle of that mess.”
He shoved a piece of wood into place forcefully.
“My Żabka is going to get obliterated, kurwa, completely gone. And then what? Katie’s business would thrive like I never existed, like she didn’t have to try.” His voice sharpened slightly at the end. “And you’d-” Ewron blew air into the fireplace, and the sparkles flew, catching on the wood. “And you’d enjoy that, nie?”
Ewron pushed himself up from his crouch, turning fully now to face Ash, while the room lit up slowly.
“Because that’s what you do,” he continued. “You walk in, decide to get involved, like it’s yours to touch, like it’s just another thing you can take apart and rebuild however you want.”
Ash put a hand on his hip and frowned.
“That’s not-”
“This bigger picture you keep throwing around - what is that supposed to mean for me, huh?” Ewron cut in. His brows drew together as he gestured sharply with his hands. “Because from where I'm standing, it just sounds like you’re taking something that actually matters to me and turning it into another one of your plans.”
“Why do you-”
“No, don’t- don’t even try to spin it.” Ewron interrupted again, lifting a hand and pointing directly at Ash’s chest. “You think I don’t see it? You think I don’t get what you’re doing?” His tail flicked behind him in quick, agitated moves. “You don’t care about my Żabka, you don’t care about me creating something. You care about control and that’s it. You saw an opportunity and now you’re trying to wrap it up in this whole Regime bullshit.”
“Ewron, that’s the point-”
“And me?” Ewron pressed, stepping even closer, closing the space between them until there was barely any room left. “Where do I fit into that, huh? Because it surely doesn’t look like I’m part of anything - it looks like I’m just something you want to use. You don’t see me as an equal and you never did, did you? I’m just another piece to you, something you’ll be able to move around your silly little board whenever you want, and I’m supposed to just - what? Stand there and take it?”
By the end, Ewron was in front of him, his foot tapping lightly against the ground in restless agitation with sparks in his eyes.
Ash raised a brow, his own irritation coming back. Anger washed over him.
And this time, there was nowhere for Ewron to escape.
“You hate this, don’t you?” Ewron still pushed. “You hate that I have something that isn’t tied to you, something that isn’t yours to control, so you just-”
Ash’s hand came up fast, closing over Ewron’s mouth, cutting him off mid-sentence.
He stepped forward, using the momentum to push Ewron back until the back of his head met the cold stone wall behind him.
“Ewron, shut the fuck up.” His voice was low, simmering with something sharper and superior.
Ewron froze and his eyes widened slightly at the sudden contact. His brows lifted in surprise, but Ash caught a spark of… playfulness inside his eyes.
Before Ash could analyze whatever it was he saw, teeth sank into the flesh of Ash’s palm, hard enough to make his jaw tighten.
Ash clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth and pressed his hand forward harder, forcing Ewron’s jaw to hold the position.
“Really?” Ash muttered under his breath, planting his free hand against the stone beside Ewron’s head, caging him in. “That’s what you’re doing? Like an animal?”
Ewron’s ears flicked at the words.
“We talked about everything,” Ash said. His hand remained firmly pressed against Ewron’s mouth, despite the ache of teeth against his skin. “At the very beginning and you wanted it.” His eyes did not leave Ewron’s for a second. “To take control, to dismantle everything that stands in the way. To kill whoever we need to, if that’s what it takes.” He said sharply, his breath ghosting over Ewron’s cheek. “This is part of that, Ewron. This isn't me interfering for the sake of it. This is me doing exactly what we said we would do. And I’m not using you - I’m using Katie.”
Ewron’s teeth pressed just a fraction harder against his hand, and Ash’s eye twitched in response.
“You don’t get to act like you don’t understand this now,” Ash continued as he stepped even closer - close enough that Ewron had no choice but to tilt his head up to meet his gaze. “Stop pretending.”
Ewron huffed quietly, the breath felt warm against Ash's hand. Ash saw those two unblinking eyes were filled with a sly spark. The pressure of his teeth did not disappear, but it did soften.
Before Ash could continue, Ewron’s tongue moved against the skin of his palm slowly, dragging over the spot where his teeth had pressed just a second ago, trying to slip in between his fingers, and making Ash’s brain malfunction.
He swallowed as he forced himself to push past the distraction.
“You- You know the financial district is the first step,” he continued, though the rhythm of his words faltered a bit. “We control supply, demand - we make the entire server depend on us, whether they realize it or not. That’s the bigger picture you stubbornly refuse to acknowledge.” He finished, the last part coming out a touch rougher.
The wet tongue lolled around his finger.
“Ewron-” his name came out lower than Ash intended and Ewron’s eyes did not leave his. If anything, they looked as if he was searching for something.
Like he was testing the line that he had just crossed.
And Ash did not like that. Because this felt like Ewron trying to change the direction of the topic.
“You think this is a game?” Ash said slowly. “That you can escape this by-”
Ewron turned his head just enough for Ash’s finger to slip between his lips. Ash felt heat rise instantly, creeping up the back of his neck and settling at the tips of his ears.
He exhaled slowly through his nose, pulling his hand free. Ewron let go without resistance, his teeth parting easily as if had never intended to hold him there.
“You look angry,” Ewron said, tilting his head playfully to the side. “Master.”
Ash’s gaze sharpened and something colder settled behind it.
“What kind of a game are you playing, Ewron?”
“Me? I‘m not playing any games, I-”
“Quit the bullshit.”
Ash leaned forward, cutting him off before he could finish, blocking any easy escape. He refused to give Ewron any space to slip away like he always seemed to do.
“You keep lying, twisting things around, manipulating every situation you’re in,” he continued with his tone tightening as he spoke. “If you think I can’t see it, you’re wrong. So tell me, what is your goal right now?”
Ash managed to notice as the corner of his lips twitching upward in a fleeting snicker. Ewron’s hand caught Ash by the collar, fingers curling into the fabric, pulling him down enough to close the remaining distance between them-
“-What are-”
Ewron's lips crashed against his, his tongue brushing over Ash’s lower lip in a bold motion that felt way too deliberate to be mistakes for impulse.
Ash stilled in place - not because of the act itself - but because of how easily Ewron had done it.
How he had crossed that line again, as if it had never existed to begin with. There was no doubt, only that sharp, provoking intent as his lips pressed harder and his tongue pushed more instantly against Ash’s smooth lips - testing, coaxing and demanding a reaction.
For a moment, Ash allowed it. His thoughts were caught somewhere between irritation and something far more distracting.
Something that slipped under his skin before he could fully grasp it.
He couldn't give Ewron the satisfaction of it, though.
His hand moved with sudden force, fingers catching Ewron by the jaw, gripping tight. He forced Ewron's head back against the stone wall.
The impact broke the kiss for a second, before Ash closed that distance again himself, reclaiming Ewron’s mouth entirely on his own terms.
He tilted his head, deepening the kiss and Ewron let out something that resembled a breathy chuckle. His lips parted, yielding just enough to let Ash take over.
Ash’s grip tightened on Ewron’s jaw and his teeth found his lower lip, biting down with enough pressure to return the sting that lingered on the palm of his own hand. Ewron's breath caught with a quiet hiss, but his hands tightened in Ash’s collar instead of retreating, pulling him even closer.
That lit something sharper under Ash's skin and he pulled back, breaking the contact and leaving only a narrow stretch of space between them.
He exhaled, the breath that left him ghosted over Ewron’s lips that were now flushed and slightly parted with the faint sheen catching in the flickering light from the fireplace.
“What are you playing?” he asked again. His hand slid from Ewron’s jaw to the back of his neck, finger settling there firmly, holding him in place. Preventing from slipping away before giving a proper answer.
Ewron’s gaze remained locked on Ash’s, his lips parted, as if he might give another annoying remark.
Instead, his tongue dragged slowly over his lips with a smirk. A low, satisfied hum slipped from him.
“Well, what do you think?”
Ash’s grip tightened, fingers pressing harder into the back of Ewron’s neck, reminding him where he stood. Ewron’s shoulder drew up under the pressure.
A faint tap, tap of footsteps echoed somewhere deeper within the cave.
Ewron’s body tensed immediately in an instinctive reaction. His focus broke and his head turned towards the entrance.
Ash’s gaze lingered for a moment longer on Ewron, before he exhaled though his nose and let his hand fall down to his side.
That sharper part of him - the one that demanded answers - flared with an urge to force something out of him, to crack that carefully maintained facade of his open, and see what was actually underneath.
But he took a step back, giving Ewron some space.
“I can’t deal with you,” he muttered, all emotions dulled and worn by the weight of everything that had already happened.
His attention shifted toward the sounds outside, listening as they echoed faintly, seeming to drift further away rather than closer.
“We’re not finishing this,” he added after a moment. “Not until you decide to talk to me without spinning a yard of lies and manipulations.” Ash shifted his stance and lowered himself to the ground, sitting with his back against the wall. “I don’t want to hear you talking shit, because I know you understand what I'm trying to tell you. And I can see that you’re playing some kind of twisted game, trying to pull strings behind my back. And that wasn’t the deal.” His hand dragged through his dark curls, pushing his hair back as he exhaled. The tension in his shoulders finally began to loosen as exhaustion caught up with him. “You want to be treated like an equal? Then start acting like one.”
The fire crackled as the glow of the flame spread unevenly through the small chamber.
Ash’s gaze drifted to the side just in time to see Ewron lowering himself to the ground, settling with less energy than usual. His eyes were fixed somewhere on the stone floor, looking distant.
Ash found himself watching him for a moment longer with curiosity, because it was a strange sight. Whatever mask Ewron wore so easily, whatever facade he hid behind it, slipped here slightly, enough to reveal that there was something else hidden beneath it.
Something that was harder to read, and something Ash could not grasp, no matter how closely he looked.
A low groan echoed through the cave, distorted by the distance. Ewron’s ear flicked toward it, snapping him back from wherever his thoughts had taken him.
He drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms loosely around them. His tail shifted with the movement, brushing against Ash’s hand where it rested beside him.
The soft fur tickled his knuckles in an almost absent touch.
Ash stilled at the contact, but didn’t pull his hand away.
“... What’s going on with you and the mobs?” he asked after a moment. “You’re good in a fight. You say you don’t like the groups and chaos that comes with it - but that’s not the whole story, is it?”
Ewron let out a soft breath, the sound of it almost lost under the quiet crackle of the fire.
“Well, of course it's not the entire story,” he said, stretching his words almost lazily.
“So it’s just another lie.” Ash huffed under his breath.
“Could be,” Ewron’s tail flicked, settling a fraction closer. “Or not.”
“Will you ever tell me the truth?”
Ewron tilted his head, with a weak smirk that didn’t meet his eyes.
“I guess you’ll have to wait and find out.”
Ash only shook his head, trying to ignore the amount of questions inside his head.
Then, Ewron yawned, and rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand, fatigue finally creeping into his posture.
“Let’s get some rest,” Ash said after a moment.
“Yeah,” Ewron muttered. “Let's.”
They stayed like that for a while, neither moving much.
Ash’s head dipped once, then again. The pull of sleep finally catching up with him, dragging the edges of his awareness until his body began to fully give in.
A sudden rustle pulled him back, eyes opening to see Ewron pulling his hood up and shifting slightly away - only to lower himself fully to the groud, his head coming to rest not far from Ash’s thigh.
“Liege wie, Ash.”
Ash wet his lips absentmindedly, the faint memory of the kiss still lingering there. He leaned his head against the cool stone behind him and his gaze drifted upward, following the uneven lines of the cave ceiling.
“... Good night, Ewron.”