Boy, is he stubborn.
Everything she said to make him back off only made him step closer. Braxton was obviously not backing down, and Ashlin couldn't understand why. She had warned him, and if he thought Eli was done, he had clearly misjudged the halfling. Ash wasn't sure when, or if, Elijah would give up on controlling her. This wasn't the first man she'd been with since him, but in all the other cases things had gone sour. And what had she done. Run back to him. The uncaring, self-absorbed, man-whore...and she had run back time and time again. He was her biggest weakness: when times got tough she always turned to him.
She knew he didn't love her; some part of her knew it from the start that he only saw a fuck toy, and her problems were just his ticket back into her life. It was just under a decade since she'd met the dark, handsome creature. Why she hadn't smartened up sooner was beyond her.
And now there was Braxton. Someone she'd only met a day before, who she knew so little of when he already knew more about her than most. In her eyes, Elijah paled in comparison to Brax's handsome features and soft personality. While Ashlin couldn't deny she wasn't completely over Eli yet, she had an inkling that Braxton would be her saving grace from him.
If he sticks around.
And there was her ultimate problem: they never stuck around. Either Eli or her own self tended to scare them off after a few days, leaving her alone and depressed. She'd started locking her emotions away years ago, refusing to care about any guy she met, knowing within days they'd be gone and she'd be at the bottom of a keg of whiskey, drunk and pissed at the world. So how had Braxton snuck in? Ashlin already knew she cared; seeing him knocked unconscious on the ground had caught her breath, and the relief she felt when he woke up surprised her. That relief turned to guilt, and here she was outside, keeping her distance. Either he was going to be severely hurt from Elijah, and she'd never forgive herself, or he'd grow bored of her antics and soon enough disappear, and she'd be left feeling empty, broken, and unwanted.
So for once it was her pulling away, because she couldn't handle the feelings growing in her when she looked into his eyes. The idea of rejection was enough to make her sick to her stomach.
She turned slightly away from him, looking towards where Xael disappeared with the woman. Braxton's cloak was heavy and warm, and while she wasn't actually cold under the hot sun, she couldn't refuse him. She couldn't argued with his logic either. All Ash could do was shake her head at his stubbornness, and try to keep her distance, knowing it was probably best for both of them.
"Well I guess I should round up Xael and get to Dr. Tash's," Ash murmured, turning her head slightly to look at him, "Tagging along?"
They walked slowly towards where she'd seen Xael disappear and as they rounded the corner she caught sight of him on the bench, consoling the woman he was with.
"She looks like a wreck," Ash chewed on her lip, "I wasn't paying attention, but I think she knew Elijah."
As they approached Xael's head bobbed up, smiling at her. They hadn't seen each other in weeks, and from the wearing events of the past few days Ash missed that happy grin more than anything.
"Wish I could be her right now," she commented, smiling back at Xael, "Why don't I get hugs like that when I'm upset?"
"Because you have arm candy like him," Xael teased back, "who can keep you all warm and happy. Luna's having a particularly bad day. Did you know Eli was engaged?"
Ash slapped a hand over her mouth, trying hard not to burst out laughing, "Engaged? How in the hell did he get convinced into that?"
Her laugh turned into horror as she thought about it longer, "Oh my god, the poor girl. Did she know he was like...this?"
Xael nodded, "I suspect it was arranged, especially if it's Eli on one end of the engagement. The ass mocked her for it too. Just give us a few minutes, let her relax."
Ash nodded, then explained the meeting and added in the change in contract. The news they were going into a city upset Xael, but when she explained the added hunters he seemed less hesitant. She also grudgingly explained how Eli wormed his way into the contract.
"We need four to five hunters," she mused, "Eli took it upon himself to be one. And Dr. Tash thinks he's some strapping young hunter with good manners. Unless I can find someone else to replace Eli, we might be stuck with the halfling."
"I'll look into it," Xael offered, "How long do I have?"
She didn't want to stay in the city any more than they had to, but travelling in the forest at night was always a risk. Thinking it over, she voiced that early morning would probably be best.
"So we all have one more day of rest," she added, nodding to Braxton that they were leaving, "We'll talk more later. I got a contract to seal."
~~
They arrived just on time to meet Dr. Tash. It was short, only going over again which city they were heading to, and giving her a small paper with a list of medicine he could use. He added that anything they brought from the hospital would help, but those on the list would be most beneficial. She explained their plan to leave the next morning, and that they had no idea when they'd be back. With everything settled, Dr. Tash ushered them out so he could get back to work.
Standing in the street, Ashlin took Braxton's cloak off, now sweating under the hot sun. Handing it back, she peered around the semi-busy streets, wondering what to do that would waste the day away.
"I'm starving," she exclaimed, her stomach reminding her she had yet to eat, "There is a little restaurant around here that has the best food around. Their pricey...but I can spare a couple coins for lunch. Hungry?"
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