Possessive (Completed)

Are You Okay?

     "Hey Asher, What's up?" Simon greeted Asher with a small smile.

     "I'm alright.." Asher chuckled. His hair was a mess, and his eyes were red with deep bags underneath.

     "Are you sure? You look ill." Simon brushed his hand on Asher's forehead. "You're burning up."

     "I'm really fine." Asher insisted. His eyes trailed slightly.

     "What'd you want to talk about?"

    "Oh uh.." Asher ran a hand over the backside of his neck, "I sorta did a bad thing, and you always make me feel better..." Asher's eyes were strained, but hopeful. "You're not mad at me?"

     "That depends on what you did." Simon tried to maintain eye contact, but Asher refused. His hands were all sweaty, and he tried to wipe them on his pants. 

     "I uh..." Asher was cut off by the ringing of his phone. "I have to take this." He pulled out his phone and grimaced when he saw the name, "It's coach." His phone was cracked beyond belief, and looked to be barely functioning, but the recipient seemed to be hearing Asher just fine, as Asher walked from the table.

     "That was weird." Kit stated as he sat back down at the table. Shea followed not far behind, and left a reassuring hand on Simon's shoulder.

    "Super weird." Simon agreed. Asher had a tendency to be irrational, and act without thinking, though he knew Asher would always beat himself up after the fact, which was terrible for the boy's mental and emotional well being. Simon was sure Asher already regretted whatever it was he'd done from the look on his face, though he knew his friend would only make things worse for himself.

     "Hey. Are you alright?" Shea asked after Simon stared into space for a few moments.

     "Just worried." Simon smiled weakly. "Asher said he did something really bad. I just worry he'll beat himself up over it." 

     "pft." Shea rolled his eyes, "Asher Ericsson doesn't beat himself up over anything. He doesn't care what he does or who he hurts." 

     "Stop that." Simon scolded, "You don't know him like I do." 

     "I know him a hell of a lot better than you do, that's for sure." 

     "It's all an act Shea. He ties to seem tough but he isn't. He gets angriest when he's hurting." Simon looked to Kit for support, but Kit's eyes were trained away, dead set on staying out of whatever argument was happening. 

     "You're damn right it's all an act. Everything that boy does is an act. He's just trying to win your pity." Shea argued.

     "Why would he care about my pity?"

     "Because he likes you Simon! Are you really that oblivious?" Shea's eyes were furious, but he was trying to keep his face calm.

     "He doesn't like me. You're crazy."

     "He does, and if you can't see how he's manipulating you... Now that we're together you can't talk to him anymore. He's trying to undermine me, you have to ignore him until he leaves you alone." Shea pleaded.

      "We are not together. It was one kiss!" Simon's eyes filled with confusion.

     "We're not?" Shea's eyes bugged open. "Do you just go around kissing everyone like that?"

     "No-"

    "Did you kiss Asher, like that?" Shea demanded.

     "No!" Simon practically shouted, but lowered his voice when he realized other people were looking at him. "I absolutely did not, nor will I ever, kiss Asher." Simon ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair. "But Asher is my friend-"

     "I know, but-" Shea interrupted.

     "No. He is my friend, and I will treat him as such until he gives me a reason not to." Simon stated. 

     "You want a reason not to? Here you go. At the beginning of the year he-" Shea began.

     "Shea O'Connor, please report to the main office with your bag." A women over the loudspeaker's voice boomed, and the entire cafeteria turned to face Shea. His eyes were full of confusion, as he grabbed his tray wordlessly and exited the classroom.

    "What do you think he was going to say my brother did?" Kit asked, after Shea was out of sight.

    "I don't know. He was acting so weird today, he wasn't even acting like himself." Simon mused, "I wonder what's going on with him."

     "Did Asher look upset?" Kit asked.

     "Yeah, why?"

     "No reason. I just heard a lot of banging around in his room last night." Kit stated.

     "Why didn't you check on him?" Simon asked.

    "I was worried he might get upset, or throw me out, or something, and it's easier to just let him blow off all his steam, and then ask you what's bothering him." Kit rolled his eyes, and was met with a look of disapproval from Simon, who resolved to say nothing on the matter. He knew better than most how strange and complex the relationship between brothers could be, and wouldn't have wanted anyone to lecture him on his treatment of Liam. They did what worked for them, and though Asher and Kit seemed dysfunctional, he was sure eventually they would find a way to coexist. 

     "Can I come over today?" Kit asked.

    "I don't see why not. I'll text Liam, he's picking me up today anyway." Simon smiled. A chilled out night with Kit sounded like the best thing to take Simon's mind off of all the drama with Asher and Shea.

     "Good. We can talk all about what just went down with you and Shea." Kit stated, ruining Simon's hopes of a calm evening.