Behind The Limelight 16: Memory Gaps

“Yes,” Ryker repeated. “That’s what I want.”

“Uh huh,” Ashton blinked quite rapidly as he nodded.

“I know I’ve messed up but I’m willing to make it up to you for everything that I’ve done,” Ryker continued. “I really do want us to make amends. To be friends once again.”

“Um…” Ashton kept a hand on his chest, rubbing it up and down.

“Don’t you remember how much fun it was?” Ryker recalled with a soft smile as he stared ahead at the road. “The best time of my childhood was with you. And it didn’t even matter what we were doing as long as we were together. We could just be laying around watching TV or staring at the goddamn wall but your company was what made it all special.”

“Uh, Ryker-“

“You were the only one at all of my plays and my football matches. You were always fucking there for me, Ash. Even my family missed out at times but not you. Never you. No matter how busy you were, you still showed up. And I never told you how much I-” Ryker glanced at Ashton, only to finally notice how pale the other actor had gotten. “Hey, you okay?”

“Stop the car,” Ashton said.

“Wha-“

“Stop the car right now, Ryker,” Ashton repeated, seeming panicked.

Ryker frowned, but nodded nonetheless as he stopped the car at the side of the road. Ashton opened the door as fast as he could and rushed out. Ryker followed behind him, looking concerned. Before he could ask Ashton what was going on, the brunette bent down and puked his guts out.

Ryker hurried to Ashton’s side, keeping a hand on his back as he rubbed it up and down soothingly. Ashton rested his palms on his knees as he emptied out his stomach. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Ashton stood up straight with a groan.

Ryker jogged to his car, bringing out a bottle of water before handing it to the other man. Ashton accepted it without a complaint as he washed up, cringing at the taste and feeling in his mouth.

“I don’t think the food agreed with me,” Ashton muttered.

“Or the alcohol,” Ryker retorted, making Ashton narrow his eyes at him.

“I can hold my alcohol. It had to be the food,” Ashton defended, Ryker simply sighed in response.

There was no winning with Ashton, ever. He was the most stubborn person that Ryker had ever known, so there was no point in even attempting to argue.

“Sure. Of course,” Ryker said. “I’ll call Tabitha to let her know that we won’t be able to make it.”

“Why not? I can still-

Ashton retched once again before he could even finish his sentence. He coughed, snatching the water from Ryker’s hand as he repeated his earlier actions.

“Yeah? You were saying? You can still party?” Ryker folded his arms in front of his chest as he stared at Ashton with a raised eyebrow. Ashton scowled, giving him a firm glare before looking away.

“Whatever. I’ll catch a cab home. You can go out with them,” Ashton mumbled. “No need to ruin your night because of me.”

“Seriously? You expect me to do what? Leave you at the side of the road when you’re sick to find your own way home?” Ryker asked.

“Why not?” Ashton shrugged.

“What kind of a person do you think I am?”

“A shitty one.”

“Did you not hear anything that I said to you? Like literally just ten minutes ago?” Ryker blinked.

“Oh my apologies, the nausea kind of made me zone out when you were busy monologuing,” Ashton replied.

Ryker stared at the other man in disbelief. He parted his lips to say something, but closed them again as he inhaled sharply.

“Just get in the fucking car. I’m dropping you home,” Ryker muttered. He did not wait to hear what Ashton had to say as he turned around and stormed off to his vehicle.

“Fuck…”

The soft groan made Ryker turn around. Ashton was massaging his temple. His head has started to pound and he could feel a migraine coming. Ryker sighed, walking back to the other actor as he kept an arm around his back.

“Come on,” Ryker whispered, his voice gentle. “Slow, small and steady steps.”

“I know how to walk. I’m not a fucking baby,” Ashton snapped.

“You sure are acting like one,” Ryker retorted.

“I swear to God I fucking hate you,” Ashton grunted. Ryker only rolled his eyes, used to these harsh words by now.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just get in the bloody car.”

Ryker helped Ashton in before shutting the passenger side door. Ashton groaned in pain as he rested his head back. His head, his stomach, his chest… everything felt like it was on fire.

“Seatbelt, Ash,” Ryker reminded.

Ashton’s response was yet another throaty sound and no attempt at putting on the belt. Ryker pressed his lips in a thin line as he leant forward, buckling Ashton in himself. He thought that the other man would protest, yell at home for getting too close, but he was clearly in too much agony to care.

“Says he’s not a baby yet can’t put on his own seatbelt,” Ryker mumbled.

“Fuck you,” Ashton grumbled.

Ryker didn’t reply as he started driving once again. He kept glancing at Ashton, who was laying back with his eyes closed, a pained expression on his face and his breathing heavy. Ryker couldn’t even tell if Ashton was awake or not, at least not until he finally spoke up.

“Slow down goddamnit, you’re going to make me throw up again,” Ashton said.

“I’m driving way below the speed limit,” Ryker answered.

“Then drive faster! I need my bed,” Ashton exclaimed.

“Can you make up your mind? Do you want me to drive slow or should I speed up?” Ryker asked, irritated.

“I want-” Ashton paused, keeping his hand in front of his mouth to stop himself from barfing again.

“If you throw up in my car…” Ryker trailed off.

“Shut up. I’ll buy you a new one,” Ashton retorted. “You might need to stop again.”

“Ash, listen-” Ryker didn’t really care about his car. “Your place is around forty minutes away without traffic. Mine is on the way. I think we should just stop and stay at my house for the night.”

“Fuck no!” Ashton protested. “I want to be in my home!”

“Can you make it there without throwing up or passing out?” Ryker asked.

Ashton frowned as he gave it a thought. As much as he hated it, Ryker was right. Ashton was still overly nauseous and he desperately needed a painkiller, a shower and a warm bed. As his headache kept getting worse, he started caring less and less about whose bed it was.

“Fine. Just drive fast but not fast enough to trigger my stomach,” Ashton muttered, before closing his eyes shut once again. “I won’t be the one to blame if I throw up in your precious car then.”

“Your wish is my command, Your Highness,” Ryker said.

Ashton would have told Ryker to can it, but he no longer had the strength or motivation to argue with him. He stayed quiet, unaware that despite Ryker’s sharp tone and sarcastic comments, he kept glancing at Ashton with visible worry on his face to make sure that he was doing fine. And it wasn’t just because he didn’t want Ashton to puke in his car.

Ryker rolled down the windows. The silence and breeze was finally helping Ashton a little as he started feeling a tad bit better. He could feel the drowsiness taking over him even though he tried to fight it, not wanting to fall asleep in the car. Ryker’s car, to be more specific.

“Ash?” Ryker called out softly, only to not be met by any response. “Ash?”

“Mm,” Ashton hummed, barely awake.

Ryker sighed, taking off his seatbelt first before doing the same to Ashton’s. He tapped Ashton’s cheek lightly, trying to wake him up enough so that he could walk inside Ryker’s house.

“Come on, Ash. Get up. Just for a few minutes, yeah?” Ryker said gently. “We’ll get you washed up and changed into some clean clothes. You can sleep for however long you want after that, okay? Work with me now, Ash.”

“Fuck you,” Ashton muttered, almost incoherently. Ryker could not help but let out a laugh as he shook his head at the other man. Of course, even in his drowsy and dazed state, this was all he had to say.

Everything after that was a blur for Ashton. The last thing he remembered properly was leaving the restaurant and getting into Ryker’s car. He woke up with the sun’s rays hitting him on his face. He frowned with his eyes closed. This was weird, considering he had blackout curtains. His room was like a vampire lair with no natural light whatsoever.

He opened one eye, and then the other. He was hit by a sudden wave of panic as he realized that he was definitely not in his room. He looked to the side of the bed, breathing in relief when he didn’t find any random woman next to him. The last thing he wanted to do was have sex with a stranger and pass out at her place.

Imagine the headlines if the tabloids got a hold of that.

As he tried to recall the events of last night, all he could remember were glimpses of a single person.

Ryker.

He had to be in Ryker’s house. Nothing else made sense. Ashton got out of bed with a dull ache still present in his head. He looked down at himself, his eyes widening in shock as he saw that he wasn’t wearing the same clothes as last night.

He walked over to the floor length mirror at the corner of the room, taking in the loose t-shirt that he was wearing along with just a pair of boxers. Well, at least he was in his own underwear. The shirt, however, had to definitely be Ryker’s.

Ashton took a step closer to the mirror, frowning in confusion as he pulled the collar of the t-shirt to the side as he noticed something red on his skin.

What the hell happened last night? And how the fuck did Ashton get a goddamn hickey on his neck?

***

someone needs to teach me how to make tiktok videos for my books ;-;