Ash clutched his t-shirt in his hand, the soft fabric scrunching up in between the hard clench of his fingers. He closely watched as Miles' face twisted up in thought, trying to recall some small shred of that terrible night and the horrific events that had befallen the Richardson siblings. Ash's heart felt heavy in his chest. He hadn't known Shane or Lainey well, but the tragedy which erupted around them was something so arbitrary, so cruel. It had taken one sibling's life and most likely ruined the other's. All because of what? A night of raucous drinking? Ash was never one to turn down a good beer--a trait he had most likely inherited from his pot bellied father--but imbibing drink after mind-inhibiting drink until chaos and blackouts ensued was not his idea of a good time. Knowing Miles had allowed himself to get mixed up in the insanity was still weighing heavily on his mind.<i>You're out of my sight for one night and look what's happened. You fucking idiot. Please just tell me you didn't do anything. Assure me that you're innocent, like I want you to be.<br/>
</i><br/>At first, Miles denied having any memory of a single unlucky female companion during his time at Macey's, but the spark in his eye suggested that perhaps there was something else at the edges of mind. Ash leaned forward, listening closely. "Yeah? Well, what is it, man? Out with it," he said, encouraging. Miles' lips parted and the words began to come out, slow and careful as he attempted to delve deep into his foggy memory, grasping, reaching for<i>something...<br/>
</i><br/>Both boys' attention was broken once Casper strode into the bedroom, and it seemed as though the small puzzle piece Miles had begun to impart upon Ash dissipated like smoke up and into the sky at his father's interruption. "Wait, wait," Ash tried, his hand on Miles' arm, "he was just about to tell me--" but Casper seemed focused, intent on gathering Ash up and taking Joe into the police station immediately. Ash couldn't necessarily blame him; having Joe in his own house, tainting his floors, would have left Ash's flesh crawling. Despite Casper's gung ho attitude, the teen wouldn't have been surprised if deep down Mr. Hawkins really just wanted to get everything done and over with due to the sheer revulsion he must have harbored for Joe.<br/><br/>Ash sighed lightly, gently squeezing Miles' bicep affectionately. Ash typically didn't treat Miles so tenderly, but something about this entire afternoon had left Ash feeling both drained and sympathetic toward his friend. Seeing Miles so grievously injured would've been enough, but this... all this bullshit Joe had brought into the Hawkins' home. It was more than enough to elicit a soft, quiet easiness from Ash.<br/><br/>"Hey, I'll be back later, okay? I dunno about tonight. Maybe tomorrow. But soon." Although Ash was eager to hear whatever it was Miles had been rearing up to tell him, he honestly wasn't sure if he'd even have the energy to want to return, or if Casper would even let him. Ash stood from his kneeling position next to the bed and slipped his shirt over his head, finally covering up the taut muscles that had been plaguing Casper and (unknown to Ash) Miles. He ran a hand quickly through his soft dark blonde locks, pushing away the hair that had stuck to his forehead thanks to the thin layer of sweat that had sprouted over his skin.<br/><br/>"Yeah, I don't mind driving," Ash offered, fully know just where the closest police station was. "I don't mind dropping you back off as well, Mr. Hawkins. A dignified man such as yourself shouldn't have to worry about scrounging up bus fare." The young man gave a final smile to Miles before snatching up his backpack and walking out of the bedroom, a dark scowl passing over his typically neutral face when he came across Joe, still sprawled out onto the floor.<br/><br/>"Get up," Ash commanded, leaning down to tug on Joe's elbow until the teen shakily stood, still blubbering. "You keep on like that and you're not gonna have anything for the cops when you talk to them, are you?" he murmured, easing the young man down and out the house, slowly and carefully. His old car sat waiting for him out front, past the wild jungle that was Casper's front yard.<br/><br/>"Sit down, and please do try to be quiet. Your crying is very distracting." Ash opened up the backseat door and gently pushed Joe into the seat, closing the door and leaning against the hard metallic frame of the car while he waited for Casper to approach. Surely the man had something else he wanted to tell him, away from Miles and the boy's ignorant ears.<br/><br/>"This is quite the bullshit day, innit?" he groaned, crossing his arms over his well-formed chest, the edges of his pectorals just visible beneath the thin fabric of his t-shirt. "So what? We're going straight to the station? What about the girl, Lainey? Can we even do this without her? Doesn't she need to press charges for the police to even be able to do anything? And what if asshat over here recants and refuses to talk? What then?"