ASYLUM [5SOS]

SELF

[A/N: Asylum fanart by hxmmingspls on twitter]

SELF

Ashton

"Ashton?"

Ashton slowly opened his eyes. Niall was standing in front of him, leaning over him. "Niall?"

"Sorry to bother you. I've just been... thinking." He sounded troubled.

Ashton sat up, swinging his legs off of the bed. "Didn't you sleep?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"

"I dunno. The middle of the night, I guess. But I have to talk to you," Niall said.

"Is everything okay?" Ashton asked, starting to get worried. He chewed his lip. "Are you alright?"

Niall nodded. "Yes." He paused, and he started shaking his head. "No, actually. I don't think so."

Ashton frowned. "Why?"

"Well, just, we're in here, Ashton. I don't like it. They're always watching us," he said quietly.

"I don't like it either, but we'll be okay. They'll realize that we don't belong here and let us go."

Niall was somber. "I don't think they'll let me leave with you."

Ashton raised his eyebrows. "Why not? You didn't even do anything."

"I told you to kill them."

"They deserved it."

Niall was skeptical. "You didn't believe it a few days ago."

"I've accepted that you're right. You're my best friend, Niall. You wouldn't lie to me." Ashton's eyes were wide and trusting.

Niall took a deep breath. "If I asked you to kill someone else, would you do it for me?"

Ashton frowned. "Who?" he asked, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. He looked down at his feet, trying to think. He couldn't think of anyone-

"Just one more person."

Ash chewed his lip. "Who?"

Niall looked him straight in the eye.

"Me."

Ashton's eyes widened. "You? No!" he yelled. "No, Niall, you know I need you. I can't-"

"You have to."

Ashton was at loss. "You don't mean it."

Niall nodded. "I do mean it. I do. I want to die."

Ashton shook his head violently. "No!" he screamed. "No, I won't let you, I don't even know how to-"

Niall got in Ashton's face. "KILL-"

"Ashton?"

Ashton snapped awake, panting heavily, sweating. He looked around the room frantically.

"Niall?"

"Ashton, what were you dreaming of?"

Ashton couldn't focus. He supposed the medicine they'd given him before he went to sleep disoriented him. He sat up, confused. "Where am I? Where's Niall?" He finally focused on the doctor in front of him. "Who are you?"

"Dr. Wright. Ashton, you were yelling and thrashing in your sleep. Is everything alright?"

Ashton shook his head violently, getting up from his bed. "No, no, nothing's alright," he muttered, searching for Niall.

"Ashton, you're fine. Everything is how it should be."

Ashton shook his head again. "I'm not fine at all," he whispered, still searching the room. "I'm really not fine at all."

"Ashton, look at me."

Ashton glared at him. "What do you want? Where's Niall?"

Dr. Wright answered, "Gone."

Ashton froze. "G-gone?" he whispered, his eyes widening. His heart thumped faster, and his hands began to tremble. "Gone?"

"Gone," Dr. Wright confirmed.

"No, no, no! I'm going to go insane without him!" Ashton shouted, furious, frightened tears beginning to streak down his face. "No!" He looked up at the doctor brokenly. "Why did you take him?"

"He wasn't good for yo-"

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Ashton screamed. He clutched his head with his hands, and he paced furiously around the room. "YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT. I NEED HIM. YOU DON'T GET IT!" He pounded his fists against the wall and broke down, slumping against the floor, sobbing.

Dr. Wright said, "It's better this way."

Ashton looked up, sniffling.

"Definitely not."