Troy and Ashley, "You're safe."
“You’re safe, Ashie.”
Ashley jerks away from the door she’s been eavesdropping at, and almost knocks Troy right over.
“What?” She gasps.
He grabs onto her hand. Her fingers automatically close around his. (The first few times he held her hand were kind of weird, but now? Now it feels so...Normal.)
“They’re talking about the guys that killed Hannibal.” Troy says, looking at the door. “They’re getting their story straight for Uncle Julius and Aunt Robyn.”
“Uh. Yeah.” She says. She knew, kinda, why they were fleeing to the other side of the country. But hearing the details talked over like that, hearing Cleo’s soft sobs...
Ashley shudders and tries not to think about her own mom’s death. How close she herself came to. That.
“I won’t let anyone get you, Ashie.” Troy says, stepping closer and pressing against her side.
This kid...She lets go of his hand and pulls him into a rough side hug. He wraps both his arms around her, tightly, like he can anchor her and not let her drift into sadness fear.
“Thanks, nugget.” She whispers.
(If it comes down to it, though, she’d rip out a throat or three if it meant keeping Troy safe. And she knows her dad feels the same way.)
