Goddamnit. Was he really this pathetic? Well, yeah, yeah he was. But he was sort of hoping he would be able to hide that from others for a little bit. He should have known better. He should have known that his very presence declared to the world in bright neon letters "loser". Ashbrooke seriously considered patting the sand around him with his hands in search of some pointy driftwood with which to stab himself with. How else could he possibly deal with what was happening? He had unwittingly complimented a guy.
And the guy liked it. Ash had thought the greyish boy was just joking, but then he actually seemed upset once the compliment was taken away. The stranger's frown caused Ash's own ears to flatten with worry and concern. Although he was now at the height of discomfort, he still did not want to punish the guy for it. It wasn't his fault, after all. Everything bad that happened to Ashbrooke was his own fault. He knew that.
At least his babbling had done some good. The male seemed to understand now that Ash had not been intending to insult him. He hoped the stranger also understood that he had not been trying to compliment him either. He had said a compliment, but he didn't know where it had come from. Perhaps he had been possessed momentarily. Whatever it was, it was completely unintentional. But then, he didn't want to make the guy feel so disappointed as he had a moment ago. Maybe it was better if he thought the compliment was real. The boy came closer, causing Ash to tense up. His next move was so unexpected, Ash wasn't sure how to react. How the fuck was someone supposed to react when a stranger sat in one's lap?
He figured he was probably a pioneer in this field. He could not imagine this scenario having happened at any other point in history. He was the first, and therefore, had no rulebook for how to act. His body was frozen in place, coincidentally making for a rather sturdy seat for the boy. His lips were parted, eyes wide and glued to the greyish form on his legs. His throat grew dry, and his heart threatened to lunge out of his chest and chase the kid off. Still pretty? If it weren't so socially inappropriate, Ash would be screaming by now. Was it this guy's mission to humiliate him to death? It was certainly possible.
He smiled and laughed nervously. "H-how would I know? I'm just another dude." Dude. The word slipped clumsily off of his tongue. He was a guy after all, but "dude" just didn't seem to work when describing himself. But what else could he say? Yes? No? His eyes sought after the boy's, looking for help. His gaze finally did land on the other's, but he found no solace there. The color reminded him of an old painting of a shipwreck he had seen in an abandoned mansion in Quebec. The sky had been a blur of dark colors, creating a twisting and twirling storm. He could practically see the torn sails in the boy's eyes. The energy in his eyes did not match the death and desolation of that old mansion. There was too much life here. Realizing he had been staring at them with as much curiosity as he had the painting itself, Ash looked down shamefully. Even if the other guy was sitting on his lap, he still felt uncomfortable being so familiar as to stare at him.
