Ash's Darling | ✔

Chapter 19

~Esther~

I could tell Ash hadn't been expecting that answer by the look in his eyes. I could see shock mixed with anger in his dark amber eyes but they also had a soft look that I couldn't quite pin to an emotion.

He kissed my forehead and pulled me closer to him, if that was even possible. "I should've fucking shot him when he ran from me and called it an accident." He mumbled under his breath so quietly I almost didn't hear him.

I wrapped my arms tighter around him and snuggled into his chest. I really hope he doesn't think differently of me now. I didn't want anything about us to change right now and I really hoped I didn't just mess it all up. "Do you think I'm weak now?" A part of me didn't want to know the answer but the other part of me knew that it's better to get the answer now and deal with it than it was to wait until he said he didn't want me anymore.

"Absolutely not, Mae. I think you're so much stronger for being able to survive all that. Just because it left a few scars emotionally doesn't mean you're any less strong."

"But I wasn't able to stop myself from being taken. I should've fought back harder." I quietly pointed out.

"You're not weak, darling. You were out-numbered and you were unprepared. They had planned everything and had time to prepare, you didn't know what was going to happen nor did you know when." He paused just long enough to make me look at him and when I did, he continued. "You are not weak. I don't want you to ever believe that you are, got it? You are way stronger than you could ever know, darling."

I softly smiled at him, relieved I hadn't messed anything up between us. "Thank you, Ash."

He kissed the top of my head before talking again. "Do you want to go watch a movie downstairs?"

I quickly nodded. Some people have comfort food but I have comfort movies and Ash seemed to know that. "Yes, please."

"Princess and the Frog again?"

I love that movie but I also wanted to watch a different movie this time. "Do you have Tangled? I kind of want to watch that this time."

Ash stood up from the bed and grabbed his keys from the small table next to his bed. "Give me ten minutes, I'll be right back." He kissed the top of my head again before he walked towards the door. "Call me if you need anything."

He didn't say anything else as he walked downstairs and out of the house. Where in the world is he going? I should've asked to go with him. I don't want to be alone and stuck with my thoughts right now.

Deciding to distract myself, I turned on some music and started braiding my hair into two dutch braids with a couple pieces of hair left out in the front to frame my face. I had to redo the first braid a few times because my hair wasn't cooperating but after a few minutes of struggling I finally got the braid how I wanted it.

I gave my arms a break from braiding before moving on to the other side. I didn't like how that braid looked on my first try either so I took it out and fully redid it.

My arms were killing me by the time I was finally satisfied with my braids. Turning down my music and checking the time, I saw that twelve minutes had passed from the time that Ash left. He should be back any minute now.

"Your braids look good, darling." I jumped, not realizing Ash was in the doorway.

"I almost had a heart attack because of you." I joked, dramatically.

Ash chuckled as he walked into the room. "I did call for you when I came in but you couldn't hear me over your music."

I can't even argue, my music was pretty loud. "Where did you go?" I asked, changing the subject.

"To the store. I went to buy Tangled for you." 

I stared at him, shocked he went to the store just to buy Tangled for me. "Ash, you didn't need to. We could've just watched Princess and the Frog instead. It would've been perfectly fine with me." 

"No, you want to watch Tangled so I got you Tangled." He insisted.

"Ash-" I couldn't say anything else before he gently kissed me to make me shut up.

"Shush, darling. Accept it, I got you Tangled, now let's go watch it."

I finally gave up and let Ash take my hand and walk downstairs with me trailing right behind him. As we walked into the living room I realized he had already set it all up. The curtains on all the windows were closed and the lights were turned off to make it like our own little theater. There was popcorn with m&ms mixed in sitting on the small coffee table in front of the couch and Ash had laid blankets on the back of the couch for us to use.

He pulled me towards the couch after he sat down. Sitting next to him, I laid my head on his shoulder as he started the movie and skipped through the previews. As the Disney intro started, he readjusted himself so he was leaning against the armrest of the couch with the soft emerald green blanket on top of him.

I didn't even have time to move before Ash moved the blanket to the side and leaned towards me to grab my waist and pull me on top of him. I laid on my stomach in between his legs and laid my head on his chest with my arms around his stomach. Moving the warm blanket back over him and I, he kissed the top of my head and continued watching the movie.

I suddenly had the urge to kiss him so I looked up at him and found his eyes still locked on the movie, watching as Mother Gothel steals Rapunzel from the tower. I unwrapped my arms from around his torso and lifted myself up to reach his lips. Giving him a short and soft kiss, I laid back down in my previous position. "What was that for, darling?"

I slightly shrugged as I looked back up at him. "As a thank you."

He smiled as he leaned his head down to reach me and kissed me. It was exactly like when I kissed him except it was much longer. He kissed me gently but also dominantly, like he was in control of every movement either one of us made. I breathily moaned into the kiss from how good it felt. We've been together almost three weeks, although it feels like more, and he's never kissed me like this. I liked it.

He grabbed my hair and gently pulled it, making my head tilt back and my lips slightly part. Ash took that as his opportunity and slipped his tongue into my mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he kept kissing me.

Right as I started to lean in, wanting more, he pulled back and gave me one more small peck before turning back to the movie like nothing happened. That's so not fair. He knew I was enjoying that.

"Ash." I whined.

"Yes, darling?" He acted clueless.

"That's not fair. You can't do that to me."

He chuckled and shook his head, slightly smiling. "You'll get more, but I want you to be able to watch your movie right now."

~~~~

I woke up what felt like hours later, still wrapped in the soft blanket as well as Ash's arms. I opened my eyes and saw I had woken up just in time to see the floating lantern scene at the end of the movie. I must've only slept for an hour or so. The last scene I remember was Rapunzle knocking out Flynn Rider with her pan.

"Did you sleep well, darling?" Ash softly asked, somehow knowing I was awake.

"Yeah." I quietly replied, not wanting to be distracted from the movie. This was my favorite scene of the whole movie. I adore how Eugene looks at Rapunzel as they lift their lantern into the sky. He's so in love with her, it's obvious to everyone around them.

Someday I want to have a love like theirs. That's my only goal in life, as long as I have a love like that I can die happy. Maybe I'll get that with Ash, I really hope so.

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Author notes:

Thank y'all for your suggestions on where to find pictures, I found some perfect ones. I'm currently making a collage of them and hopefully they will be added to the chapters by tomorrow.

[Edited 3/19/22]

xoxo ~ Alex