Chapter Text
He held your hand tightly while pulling you through the doors of an old apartment. There were no inhabitants of the building and it was mostly overtaken by an overgrowth of vegetation. The man beside you was breathing heavily just as he was when he woke up and started this journey. As you came to a quick stop, your necklace hit you in the teeth causing a flinch of pain.
You pulled back on his arm and looked into his darting and frightful eyes. "Dear, you need to talk to me. What's the matter?"
He gripped your hand and tried to take off running again, but you held the jolting back. He sighed with a little bit of agitation.
His irritation was smoothed over by his iconic smirk, "Everything's fine, now that we are out of that house."
"What do you *mean*?" Not that you were ashamed, but you were still in your bed clothes standing in an abandoned building.
He laughed at the question, "I mean a lot of things but nobody ever seems to listen. Don't be the same way and just follow me!"
The tone of the response didn't sit with you well. It was a mixture of confidence, mockery, and most likely some sort of projection. He wasn't telling you something and that boiled your blood. You were tired, you had work in the morning, and mostly you just wanted to know what the hell was going on.
"Ash, tell me what's going on *now*."
"Little strawberry shortcake is getting cranky, well if you fo-"
"Cut the shit! What are you even talking about? Why are we running, where are we going, and why aren't you telling me anything!"
Ash let go of your hand slightly while your hand grasped his loose grip. He looked down at some of the wild ivies and tried to smile to deflect any complex feelings; it didn't work.
"I'll explain when we get-"
Suddenly your free hand snatched his jaw the way a troubled mother would to a child throwing a fit.
"If you don't tell me what's going on right this minute I swear on my life that will make you pay Ashle-"
Your voice was silenced as the cold embrace of the chainsaw, attached to Ash's right arm, brushed harshly against your hand. He turned away from you while your hands were still connected.
"Ash, I'm sorry, I just-"
"It's pathetic...I'm pathetic. You think I'm crazy, Dontcha?" He chuckled, obviously holding back tears.
"Why would I think that, dear?" You tried to comfort him by rubbing his side only to feel Ash shudder.
"Nobody believes me just like they didn't believe Cheryl! God, it was all my fault! I thought the Evil was back and that it was coming after you and me and..." the rambling continued.
You had never seen this side of him before, it was like he was a whole new person. Unfortunately, this was just a side underneath repression and a fake carefree ego. Ash never talked about his past and looking back you felt horrible for what you said during this whole ordeal.
As Ash had his mental breakdown, you removed your necklace and tied it around your conjoined hands like it were a parcel.
"Ash, let me help you."
"You don't need to help me, I can't help myself. I've come this far and I-"
"But you do, you want to deny it. We are going to go home, but you're gonna let me help you get home." You raised your tied fist that was clasped with Ash's functioning hand.
"Y/N, this..isn't a good idea. I can do this myself, you know?"
"It's my turn to be Ash now!" You put on a fake but purposefully wide and goofy grin hoping to get a corny giggle from him; you succeeded.
• • • •
Along the way, you had to open the doors and pick up any objects to escape the building. The way home would've been simpler if Ash knew which way they came, but you took this as an opportunity to bond.
"I must admit you do make a fine me," Ash snorted stupidly. "But seriously I can take it from here, babe."
You still kept the act up, "Over my dead body!" It seemed to keep him in a simple framework of mind.