Lifelong - Andley

Ashley was 10 when he got his first babysitting job a the Biersack's house.

They had just moved in the neighborhood, and Ashley was impatient to wait another 6 years to get an actual paying job. He was too small and scrawny to be trusted with walking dogs, or fixing bikes and cars around the neighborhood either. Luckily, he was good at babysitting. He babysat his cousins all the time, so why not get a few extra dollars watching the neighbor's kid?

He was nervous. Very, very nervous. He wasn't sure how old the little Biersack was, he knew he was short and couldn't speak right normally, but he needed a job. Something to keep him occupied while everything was boring, and a few extra dollars wasn't too bad either. Ashley swung his leg over his bike and took off down the street, his skinny legs pumping and turning the petals quickly.

There was still a moving van outside their house, that's how new to the area they were. He saw Mr. Biersack carrying a stack of boxes out of the large orange U-haul truck and arrying them into the house, the storm door proped open by a little blonde boy who was playing a handheld video game with his head practically between his knees. Ashley stopped his bike in front if the house, smoothing down his hair he carefully walked up the drive, as if the wrong step could cause the whole place to explode.

Mrs. Biersack walked out of the house just as Ashley reached the porch. She gave him a kind, motherly smile even though she looked very tired and sweaty. "can I help you?" she asked cheerfully.

"I'm Ashley, my aunt called you yesterday to set up a babysitting...thing?" Ash's voice squeeked almost every other word.

"Oh? Oh! Ashley! Yes I remember." she wiped her hand across her forehead "Forgive me, you look a bit different from what I thought."

"I get that a lot." Ashley giggled.

She turned back to the little boy sitting against the door. Soft gameboy musi could be heard from the device he had, his eyes focused intensly on the toy. "Andy" she said "Ashley is here."

Andy didn't look up until a few seconds, when he did his face scrunched into a confused look that made Ashley laugh. "That's Ashley?"

"That's my name, little man." Ashley said, coming up to Andy.

"I'm not little!" he said, standing up and causing the door to swing slam shut, his video game clattering to the ground. "I'm 5!"

"I'm 10. I'll be 11 soon, though." Ashley held out his hand. "You got a bike? We could go ride around for a bit."

"Actually, I was thinking that you two could go unpack Andy's room some more." Mrs. Biersack said. "I'll throw in a little more for your reward, Ash." she added and winked. Andy groaned, annoyed, but Ashley held out his hand to lead him inside. "It'll be fun." Ashley said.

"You're only doing it because mommy will give you money." he pouted, crossing his little arms.

"I want to be your friend!" Ashley said. "Come on Andy-man, I'll put the clothes away."

Andy's pout faded. He dropped his arms and heaved the door open, leaving Ashley to catch it so he could follow him inside.

Over the years, they became friends. Despite the age difference, they liked a lot of the same things. Both played bass, dressed all in black, drew tattoos on eachother's arms with sharpie and so much more. Ashley was somewhere between a mentor and a friend to Andy, always there for him, teaching him things. They had a clearing all to their own where they would sit and talk for hours. Andy liked to let the ants crawl on his arms. Ashley watched in amusement as the black bugs crawled up Andy's light ivory skin.

"You can't let them go too far up your arm." Andy said, now 14 years old. Ashley, 19. "I lost sight of a couple worker ants and found them in my hair a few days later."

"Ew." Ashley cringed. "Then again, god only knows what all you have in that mop on your head."

"Speak for yourself, chick head." Andy chuckled, once again pointing out Ashley's feminine looks.

Ashley rolled his eyes then flicked the ant off of Andy's arm. Andy's blue eyes snapped up defensively, hissing "hey!" at him.

"Have any of those fuckers bitten you yet?" Ashley asked, scooping an ant into his hand and setting it on Andy's forearm. Andy nodded, those bright blue eyes following the ant as it crawled slowly up his arm again. "Black ones bite, but not that hard. Only when they think you'll kill them. Red ants...those ones hurt." Andy's mind wandered for a second, he looked up at Ashley. "Hey Ash?"

"Yeah?" Ashley said, it was more like 'yuh', but Andy understood what he said.

"What do you think about gay guys?"

Ashley lowered his eyebrows. "They're cool I guess." he said, scratching his head. "I mean, I'm bi, so I can't exactly favor one over the other."

"I'm gay." Andy blurted. Ashley raised his eyebrows slightly

"Cool." he said plainly. "Anything else?"

"You're okay with that?" Andy asked, blushing crimson.

"Why wouldn't I be? If you like guys that fine. Hell I don't are if you want to stick your dick in a moldy sandwich--I don't suggest doing that, by the way--you're no different." Ashley said. Andy jumped forward and threw his arms around Ashley "and we're hugging..." Ashley added, patting Andy on the back.

"Dad got upset at me. That's why I didn't want to go home after school." he murmured into Ashley's shoulder.

Ashley was more than okay with it.

Andy hurt the whole time he helped Ashley pack for collage, he hurt as he followed Ash and his aunt in the moving truck, when he helped him unpack, and especially when he saw Ashley's room mate, who obviously Ashley had a liking for. Andy glared at the boy behind his back. He was tall like Andy, scrawny with brown hair that was flipped across his face. He was beautiful, and seemed to laugh at Andy with his eyes. Ashley talked to him while he unloaded his clothes and set them in his closet, Andy carried boxes up the stairs dropping them nosily when he saw them talking, making Ashley and emo-head jump. "Sorry." Andy grumbled, going back to the hallway. He heard the guy ask "is that your brother or something?" which sent his blood pressure skyward.

"Andy" Ashley came out into the hallway where Andy stood, his arms crossed and leaning against the wall. "Whats the deal man? You're scaring me."

"I won't get to see you until fucking holidays, or at least when I can have the car long enough to come down, and that...whatever the hell his name is is just..."

Ashley cocked his eyebrow. "You're jealous of Dustin?" he laughed.

"Yes, I am." Andy growled.

Ashley rolled his eyes under his sunglasses. "Okay, follow me. I'll resolve this issue." he bent to pick up the last of his stuff and thrust it into Andy's hands. "follow my lead." he shunted Andy forward. He carried the box into the dorm room and dropped it next to the other boxes. Dustin looked over at the two, Ashley cleared his throat.

"God, thanks for helping me with this Andy." he grabbed Andy's hand and gave him a kiss on the lips, lasting long enough for him to swipe his tongue over Andy's lip ring. Andy froze for a second, long enough for Ashley to pull away and smile at him. Andy glaned at Dustin, who make a little 'heh' sound and suddenly found the floor very interesting. "Ash, can I talk to you in the hallway?" Andy squeeked.

Ashley followed him in the hallway, out of the way of Dustin and anyone else who ould hear them. "What the hell was that?" Andy asked, not angrily but with more of a scared tone.

"Solving the issue." Ashley smirked.

"A-Ash, you could get in so much trouble! I'm not legal." he silently cursed the 5 year age difference between them. "Seventeen isn't legal! You know this."

"You're making it sound like I was getting on my knees to blow you." Ashley said "it was just a little kiss, its nothing. He doesn't know how old you are." Andy still looked like a deer in headlights. "Look. you're pretty and any guy would want you. I'd like to, but being 20 years old thats not really an available option right now, okay?" he leaned forward, making sure Andy connected eyes with him. "I'm sorry."

"But why did you wait until now to tell me?" Andy asked. "I've liked you for a while, and you know just confess it?"

"I was going to on your birthday." Ashley admitted.

"Well...tell me again then, then." Andy said, leaning down and kissing Ashley again. His lips were like drugs, and Andy didn't want to break away. "I'll visit you, I promise."

~~~~~~

A loud knock at the door stirred Andy from his afternoon doze on the couch. He rolled over, flopping to the floor and getting his hair tangled aross his face. Swearing, he got up and pulled on a pair of pants, trudging to the door and opening it, his eyes barely open.

"Happy birthday."

Andy's eyes snapped open to reveal Ashley, a balloon tied to his wrist like a little kid and some kind of box. Andy grinned broadly and pulled Ashley into a bone crushing hug, lifting him off the ground. Ashley groaned inwardly and stumbled a bit, clinging to his boyfriend so he won't fall over. "You--got--so--strong" he grunted.

Andy set him down and pulled Ashley into his apartment, shutting the door gently and turning on the lights to add brightness to the room. Ashley wasn't very familiar to the place, since Andy had just moved in a few months ago. He sat down next to Andy on the couch, clasping their hands together. "21." he said, pushing the hair out of Andy's face. "three years."

"Technically we've been together for...16 years. Friends I mean." Andy said.

"Fuck your math." Ashley giggled then leaned forward and kissed Andy, letting his eyes close as a sign that it would last for a good few seconds. Ashley slid his tongue over Andy's gently, putting his arms around his shoulders and pushing him down on the couch, straddling Andy's thin frame.

"Afternoon sex?" Andy giggled, kissing along Ashley's neck.

"As much as--nng--as I would like that, I want you to see your present." he moved back and slid off of Andy, giving him the box wrapped in black and yellow batman paper. Andy ripped off the first layer of paper, revealing that it was two boxes. A long one and a square one. Ashley smirked at Andy as he dropped one of the boxes. "Open the long one."

Andy took the paper off the long one, revealing a Jared's box. Ashley stooped and piked up the square box as Andy opened the Jared's box, revealing a silver necklace with a diamond-coated pendant hanging on it in the shape of the batman symbol. He held it up to read the black ink that formed the initials AP.

"These are your initials, though." Andy said, confused.

Ashley took the box from Andy and gently set it on the coffee table, taking Andy's hand in his. "It wasn't a mistake." Ashley said. "I had it printed like that, beause I want them to be your initials, too."

"Ashley?" Andy's eyes widened.

"We may have only been dating for three years, but we've know each other for over half out lives. And I would like to be with your for another half." a tear slid down Andy's face as Ashley slowly unwrapped the box. "I love you Andy. Will you marry me?" he opened the next box, revealing a golden ring that shone like a tiny halo. Andy covered his mouth, nodding yes rapidly then throwing his arms around Ashley. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes" he squeeled into Ashley's shoulder. Tears of joy spilled down both of their faces.

In the pale light of a retirement home, two men sat together. Their wrinkled skin covered in sagged tattoos, a lip ring still shining on one of the man's lip. Their hands clasped together as they stared out the window. A happy squeel came from behind them as a little girl trotted over. "Grandpa! Grandad!"

"Hey baby." Andy said, his lips turning up into a smile.

"Mommy said today is you and Granddad's anniversary." the little girl said. bouncing around their rocking chairs.

"She's right, you know." Ash said, squeezing Andy's hand gently.

Andy nodded his head. "I never forgot."

"Grandpa, when did you and Grandad meet?" She asked, looking at Ashley.

"Well..." he said, taking a long breath. "It all started when I was 10 years old."