Youth and Whiskey
Youth and Whiskey
"I'm in the business of breaking hearts. I don't have friends. I don't love. I have one night stands, and that's it." Ashley Purdy spoke coldly, clearly not happy with the younger man by his side.
"Ash...I just thoug-"
"I already told you no, Andy! Just...Drop it!" Andy Biersack cringed, immediately regretting saying anything. Still, he had to get what was going through his mind off his chest. "I like you, Ashley. And I know you like me. I will wait for you to realise this. Even if I wait for the rest of my life. I will always wait for you."
Ashley just snorted and shook his head. "I leave tomorrow. I'm not coming back either. My horse is tired of waitin' around here in this god forsaken town, and I just wanna get the hell outta here." He set his beer glass down and looked around the saloon. "Ya got a bright future ahead of you, kid. Don't waste it chasin' someone like me." Ashley put his cowboy hat on top of his head and stood up.
"Outlaw..." Andy spoke, using the older man's nickname. "You'll always have a place with me. If ya ever get tired of runnin' you can always stay with me." His blue eyes met with Ashley's brown, the corners crinkled as though he was smiling. "I mean it, Purdy. My door will always be open to you. Always."
"Yeah, I got it Andy." Ashley ruffled the younger man's hair and then left the saloon without even one word of goodbye. Andy sighed softly, and returned to his drink. He doubted that he would ever see the man of his dreams again. Still, his heart kept on hoping that maybe one day, one day, he would return. Then maybe they could live Happily Ever After. If such a thing existed. Andy wasn't sure that it did, but he hoped it did. Right now, Happily Ever After sounded pretty damn good. Especially if it involved Ashley Purdy. His hand travelled to the necklace resting on his chest. It had been something Ashley had given him on the first day they met.
- - -
"Shit....!" Andy cried out softly. He was barely holding onto the branch above him, and he knew if he let go, it wouldn't turn out well. He was hanging from a cliff, and although there was a smaller ledge below him, it was quite a ways down. He would end up with a broken ankle, or worse if he missed the ledge.
Andy heard footsteps above him, and a spark of hope fluttered in his heart. "Need some help?" A man looked down at him, a smirk on his face. Andy nodded, suddenly a bit wary of this stranger. "Well come on then. Gimme your hand." The man extended his, and Andy let out a sigh. He reached for the stranger's hand, keeping one hand on the branch. The man grabbed his wrist, and Andy finally let go of the branch and grabbed the man's arm with his other hand. The man slowly pulled him up, making sure that he was sitting firmly on the ground above. "T-thank you." Andy stuttered a bit, blushing.
"Eh. Don't thank me, saving damsels in distress is what I do." The man winked, and looked at Andy who was now a bright shade of red. "Name's Ashley Purdy. What's yours?"
"...Andy. Andy Biersack."
"Alright, kid. Wouldja mind showing me into town. Y'see...I got a bit lost, and I have no idea where I'm going."
"Um...Yeah. Sure. This way." Andy motioned for Ashley to follow him. The newcomer led his horse, following Andy until they got into town. "Hey. Kid. C'mere." Andy obeyed, almost as if Ashley was his master. "Yes?"
"Here. You can have this for showing me into town." He carefully put a necklace over Andy's head. It was nothing more than a simple heart shaped locket. "I was saving it for something, but I decided that I wanted you to have it. "See ya around...Andy." And just like that, Ashley was gone, leaving behind a stunned Andy.
- - -
Andy sighed softly, making his way back home. It had only been an hour since Ashley had left, and he couldn't help but wonder if he was coming back. "I miss him already..." The man sighed sadly, a bit irritated that he had fallen for the stranger that had saved his life that fateful day. One thing was certain. He would never forget the man known as Ashley Purdy.
Five Years Later
"I wonder if he still remembers me..." Ashley Purdy let out a sigh as he rode into the town of his old friend. It had been years since the two had seen each other, and he could only wonder how much things had changed. "Well...Nothing in this town has changed. Maybe that's a good sign."
"Outlaw!" A familiar voice yelled. Ash looked over to see none other than Andy Biersack, who was wearing a smirk on his face. "I always knew that you would come back."
"Did you now?"
"Yep. I just had a gut feeling that you would come back." Andy smiled and walked over to Ashley. "Are you staying this time, Mr. Purdy?"
"Well...It depends. Do you have somewhere I could stay?" The cowboy watched Andy, his eyes trailing to the locket hanging around Andy's neck. "I can't believe you still have that..." He was a bit shocked. It was nothing more than a common locket, something that could be found easily.
Andy put a hand on the locket and smiled. "I kept it because it was the only thing I had to remember you by..." His hand fell down to his side and motioned for Ashley to follow him. "C'mon. I'll show you to my house."
The two walked side by side, walking through the semi deserted streets. They kept walking until they came across a house, a little ways outside of the town. "Well here we are."
"Damn....Your house is pretty big. And you've got a barn and everything." Andy let out a chuckle and opened the door to the house. "My dad worked hard to get us this house, and it became mine when he died..." Andy frowned a bit. "Anyways...You go inside and get settled. I'll put your horse away for you."
The two parted ways, with Ashley heading inside the house and Andy going to the barn. He situated everything so that the horse could stay there comfortably. He patted the horse's neck, a smile on his face. "Welcome to your new home. It may be only temporary, but it's better than not having one." Andy left the barn, and went inside to see his new room mate sitting on the couch. "I see you made yourself comfortable." He let out a chuckle and sat next to Ash. "So...What made you come back here, Outlaw? Last time I saw you, you said you were leaving and never coming back."
"In all honesty, you're the reason I came back." Ashley took off his hat and set it on the table in front of him. "I realised while I was travelling that I missed you. The day I left...I told you that I didn't love. It turns out, I lied. I love you, Andy." His brown eyes met Andy's blue, and the two shared a smile. "I gave you that locket, because I knew I was going to fall in love with you. I could tell by the way your eyes seemed to shine, and just...Everything. Your face lit up every time you looked at me, and it made my heart flutter. It still does, even after all this time. Which amazes the hell out of me, because I've ne-"
He was interrupted by a soft kiss to the lips. "You talk too much." Andy chuckled and smiled. "But I'm glad you told me all of that. It makes me...Happy. I honestly thought I'd have to wait the rest of my life, and you still wouldn't come. I'm so glad you did though..." He hugged Ash tightly, a happy smile on his face. "I have to say...This is probably the best day ever."
The cowboy listened to everything Andy said and chuckled. "I'm glad I could make you happy." He hugged Andy back and kissed his temple. "Hey...Kid."
"Yeah?"
"Be my...Um.." Ash looked down, feeling embarrassed and flustered. "Be mine?"
Andy smiled brightly and kissed Ash softly. "Of course. I'd love to be yours, Outlaw. I love you..."
"I love you too. We should go to bed. It's really late."
Andy nodded in agreement and stood up. "Um...Did you want your own bedroom, or did you want to sleep in mine?" He blushed brightly, more out of embarrassment than anything.
"I wanna sleep with you, babe~" Ash smiled and stood up. "Lead the way~" Andy nodded and grabbed his newfound lover's hand. "This way." He lead Ash to the bedroom and plopped down onto the bed. "This is my room. Nothing magnificent or anything. Just a simple room."
Ash smiled softly and plopped down on the bed next to Andy. "I don't really care, as long as I'm with you." Andy let out a snort and smirked. "That's really cheesy." His smirk turned into a smile and he kissed Ash's cheek. "It's really sweet too." A yawn escaped his lips and he blushed in embarrassment.
"I suppose that means we should sleep." Ash said with a chuckle. Andy nodded and stood up. He changed into his pajamas and handed a pair to Ash. "Don't want you sleeping in my bed naked. Well...Not yet, anyways." His face lit up as he climbed under the blankets. This was all new to him, but he had to admit. He was enjoying it. "Hey Andy?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you too, Outlaw. Now go to bed." Ashley settled behind Andy, draping an arm over him. "Night, kid."
"Goodnight, Ash." The two closed their eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep.
The Next Morning
Ashley woke up and smiled. The smile quickly turned into a frown when he realised Andy wasn't there. "Andy?" He asked, hoping for an answer. Much to his dismay, there was no answer. He sat up and noticed a note sitting where Andy should be.
If you want your precious boyfriend back, you'll meet me at the old saloon.
-Syn Gates
"Shit." Ashley said. He thought that he had gotten away from that person, but it turns out that he didn't. Syn, short for Synyster, Gates was back, and had Andy. This worried him, and he quickly got out of bed. He changed into the clothes he wore yesterday and walked out of the house. "Now where's the barn..." Ash muttered under his breath, looking around for the barn. Eventually he found it and got onto his horse. He had no time to waste, and began his journey to the old saloon.
- - - - -
The old mural was in the more deserted part of the town, which didn't surprise Ashley at all. Synsyter hadn't been one for drawing unwanted attention to himself. Ashley tied his horse to railing outside of the building and then went inside. Andy was tied to a chair with a piece of cloth over his mouth to silence him, and Synyster had a gun pointed to his head. "Long time no see, Purdy. I haven't seen you since you left me for dead in Nevada."
"I didn't leave you for dead, Synyster."
"Bullshit! You left me for dead and you know it!" Synyster growled, feeling his anger build up.
"I didn't leave you, Syn...You just don't remember what happened."
"Then tell me what happened."
Ash sighed and looked at Andy. His normally bright blue eyes were clouded with fear. If Ash didn't act quick, Synyster might do something stupid and hurt him. "I'll tell you once you let Andy go."
"Not going to happen unless you tell me."
"Fine..." The man said with a sigh. Now, he could only hope that Syn didn't do anything stupid. Ash put his hand on his gun, just in case he would have to shoot at Syn. It wasn't something he wanted to do, but he would if he had to. "Like I said, I didn't leave you. After Cobra shot you..." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with the hand that wasn't on his gun. "You were cold after that because you lost so much blood. I had stopped the bleeding, so you weren't going to die. I dropped you off at a friend's house. He happens to be a doctor. I told him to say he found you, because I didn't want you to wonder where the hell I was..." Ashley looked down. He was a bit ashamed that he made his partner think that he was left for dead, but there wasn't much he could do. Cobra was after him, not Synyster.
Synyster lowered his gun only to point it at Ash. "That's a load of bullshit! You only care about yourself! That's always how you've been!" He growled, his finger squeezing the trigger. A muffled scream could be heard from Andy as the bullet connected with Ashley's skin. It wasn't until Synyster saw the blood pouring from Ash's wound that he realised what he did. The gun fell from his hands as he felt guilt flood into him.
Andy managed to slip out of the rope that was binding him and pulled off the cloth. "Ash!" He ran over to his boyfriend, tears in his eyes. "Baby..." He pulled Ash into his arms, kissing him tenderly.
"I'll be fine, Andy...Just, get me to the do-...." Ash passed out in the middle of his sentence, which scared him. He wasted no time and managed to carry him out of the building. He ran as quickly as he could to the doctor's. "Please...! Help him..."
A Few Days Later
"Mmm..." Ashley rolled onto his side, only to feel a shot of pain. "Morning, Outlaw." Andy smiled softly at him and kissed Ash's cheek. "Andy...What happened? One minute, I was looking at you and Syn, and the next thing I know, I wake up here."
"Well, Syn shot you...Then you passed out. You've been sleeping for about three days."
"Oh...." Ashley was a bit stunned to hear that. "Where's Synyster?"
"He felt really guilty, so he left. I don't really know where he was going. I told him that he could stop by, despite everything." Andy sighed softly and sat on the bed. 'I really missed you. I was worried..."
Ash frowned a bit and grabbed Andy's hand. He kissed it tenderly, smiling softly at his lover. "I wouldn't leave you, Andy. Not again. I'll never leave you, I promise. I'll stay with you until the day I die."
"I love you, Outlaw."
"I love you too, Kid."
"Ash...I just thoug-"
"I already told you no, Andy! Just...Drop it!" Andy Biersack cringed, immediately regretting saying anything. Still, he had to get what was going through his mind off his chest. "I like you, Ashley. And I know you like me. I will wait for you to realise this. Even if I wait for the rest of my life. I will always wait for you."
Ashley just snorted and shook his head. "I leave tomorrow. I'm not coming back either. My horse is tired of waitin' around here in this god forsaken town, and I just wanna get the hell outta here." He set his beer glass down and looked around the saloon. "Ya got a bright future ahead of you, kid. Don't waste it chasin' someone like me." Ashley put his cowboy hat on top of his head and stood up.
"Outlaw..." Andy spoke, using the older man's nickname. "You'll always have a place with me. If ya ever get tired of runnin' you can always stay with me." His blue eyes met with Ashley's brown, the corners crinkled as though he was smiling. "I mean it, Purdy. My door will always be open to you. Always."
"Yeah, I got it Andy." Ashley ruffled the younger man's hair and then left the saloon without even one word of goodbye. Andy sighed softly, and returned to his drink. He doubted that he would ever see the man of his dreams again. Still, his heart kept on hoping that maybe one day, one day, he would return. Then maybe they could live Happily Ever After. If such a thing existed. Andy wasn't sure that it did, but he hoped it did. Right now, Happily Ever After sounded pretty damn good. Especially if it involved Ashley Purdy. His hand travelled to the necklace resting on his chest. It had been something Ashley had given him on the first day they met.
- - -
"Shit....!" Andy cried out softly. He was barely holding onto the branch above him, and he knew if he let go, it wouldn't turn out well. He was hanging from a cliff, and although there was a smaller ledge below him, it was quite a ways down. He would end up with a broken ankle, or worse if he missed the ledge.
Andy heard footsteps above him, and a spark of hope fluttered in his heart. "Need some help?" A man looked down at him, a smirk on his face. Andy nodded, suddenly a bit wary of this stranger. "Well come on then. Gimme your hand." The man extended his, and Andy let out a sigh. He reached for the stranger's hand, keeping one hand on the branch. The man grabbed his wrist, and Andy finally let go of the branch and grabbed the man's arm with his other hand. The man slowly pulled him up, making sure that he was sitting firmly on the ground above. "T-thank you." Andy stuttered a bit, blushing.
"Eh. Don't thank me, saving damsels in distress is what I do." The man winked, and looked at Andy who was now a bright shade of red. "Name's Ashley Purdy. What's yours?"
"...Andy. Andy Biersack."
"Alright, kid. Wouldja mind showing me into town. Y'see...I got a bit lost, and I have no idea where I'm going."
"Um...Yeah. Sure. This way." Andy motioned for Ashley to follow him. The newcomer led his horse, following Andy until they got into town. "Hey. Kid. C'mere." Andy obeyed, almost as if Ashley was his master. "Yes?"
"Here. You can have this for showing me into town." He carefully put a necklace over Andy's head. It was nothing more than a simple heart shaped locket. "I was saving it for something, but I decided that I wanted you to have it. "See ya around...Andy." And just like that, Ashley was gone, leaving behind a stunned Andy.
- - -
Andy sighed softly, making his way back home. It had only been an hour since Ashley had left, and he couldn't help but wonder if he was coming back. "I miss him already..." The man sighed sadly, a bit irritated that he had fallen for the stranger that had saved his life that fateful day. One thing was certain. He would never forget the man known as Ashley Purdy.
Five Years Later
"I wonder if he still remembers me..." Ashley Purdy let out a sigh as he rode into the town of his old friend. It had been years since the two had seen each other, and he could only wonder how much things had changed. "Well...Nothing in this town has changed. Maybe that's a good sign."
"Outlaw!" A familiar voice yelled. Ash looked over to see none other than Andy Biersack, who was wearing a smirk on his face. "I always knew that you would come back."
"Did you now?"
"Yep. I just had a gut feeling that you would come back." Andy smiled and walked over to Ashley. "Are you staying this time, Mr. Purdy?"
"Well...It depends. Do you have somewhere I could stay?" The cowboy watched Andy, his eyes trailing to the locket hanging around Andy's neck. "I can't believe you still have that..." He was a bit shocked. It was nothing more than a common locket, something that could be found easily.
Andy put a hand on the locket and smiled. "I kept it because it was the only thing I had to remember you by..." His hand fell down to his side and motioned for Ashley to follow him. "C'mon. I'll show you to my house."
The two walked side by side, walking through the semi deserted streets. They kept walking until they came across a house, a little ways outside of the town. "Well here we are."
"Damn....Your house is pretty big. And you've got a barn and everything." Andy let out a chuckle and opened the door to the house. "My dad worked hard to get us this house, and it became mine when he died..." Andy frowned a bit. "Anyways...You go inside and get settled. I'll put your horse away for you."
The two parted ways, with Ashley heading inside the house and Andy going to the barn. He situated everything so that the horse could stay there comfortably. He patted the horse's neck, a smile on his face. "Welcome to your new home. It may be only temporary, but it's better than not having one." Andy left the barn, and went inside to see his new room mate sitting on the couch. "I see you made yourself comfortable." He let out a chuckle and sat next to Ash. "So...What made you come back here, Outlaw? Last time I saw you, you said you were leaving and never coming back."
"In all honesty, you're the reason I came back." Ashley took off his hat and set it on the table in front of him. "I realised while I was travelling that I missed you. The day I left...I told you that I didn't love. It turns out, I lied. I love you, Andy." His brown eyes met Andy's blue, and the two shared a smile. "I gave you that locket, because I knew I was going to fall in love with you. I could tell by the way your eyes seemed to shine, and just...Everything. Your face lit up every time you looked at me, and it made my heart flutter. It still does, even after all this time. Which amazes the hell out of me, because I've ne-"
He was interrupted by a soft kiss to the lips. "You talk too much." Andy chuckled and smiled. "But I'm glad you told me all of that. It makes me...Happy. I honestly thought I'd have to wait the rest of my life, and you still wouldn't come. I'm so glad you did though..." He hugged Ash tightly, a happy smile on his face. "I have to say...This is probably the best day ever."
The cowboy listened to everything Andy said and chuckled. "I'm glad I could make you happy." He hugged Andy back and kissed his temple. "Hey...Kid."
"Yeah?"
"Be my...Um.." Ash looked down, feeling embarrassed and flustered. "Be mine?"
Andy smiled brightly and kissed Ash softly. "Of course. I'd love to be yours, Outlaw. I love you..."
"I love you too. We should go to bed. It's really late."
Andy nodded in agreement and stood up. "Um...Did you want your own bedroom, or did you want to sleep in mine?" He blushed brightly, more out of embarrassment than anything.
"I wanna sleep with you, babe~" Ash smiled and stood up. "Lead the way~" Andy nodded and grabbed his newfound lover's hand. "This way." He lead Ash to the bedroom and plopped down onto the bed. "This is my room. Nothing magnificent or anything. Just a simple room."
Ash smiled softly and plopped down on the bed next to Andy. "I don't really care, as long as I'm with you." Andy let out a snort and smirked. "That's really cheesy." His smirk turned into a smile and he kissed Ash's cheek. "It's really sweet too." A yawn escaped his lips and he blushed in embarrassment.
"I suppose that means we should sleep." Ash said with a chuckle. Andy nodded and stood up. He changed into his pajamas and handed a pair to Ash. "Don't want you sleeping in my bed naked. Well...Not yet, anyways." His face lit up as he climbed under the blankets. This was all new to him, but he had to admit. He was enjoying it. "Hey Andy?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you too, Outlaw. Now go to bed." Ashley settled behind Andy, draping an arm over him. "Night, kid."
"Goodnight, Ash." The two closed their eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep.
The Next Morning
Ashley woke up and smiled. The smile quickly turned into a frown when he realised Andy wasn't there. "Andy?" He asked, hoping for an answer. Much to his dismay, there was no answer. He sat up and noticed a note sitting where Andy should be.
If you want your precious boyfriend back, you'll meet me at the old saloon.
-Syn Gates
"Shit." Ashley said. He thought that he had gotten away from that person, but it turns out that he didn't. Syn, short for Synyster, Gates was back, and had Andy. This worried him, and he quickly got out of bed. He changed into the clothes he wore yesterday and walked out of the house. "Now where's the barn..." Ash muttered under his breath, looking around for the barn. Eventually he found it and got onto his horse. He had no time to waste, and began his journey to the old saloon.
- - - - -
The old mural was in the more deserted part of the town, which didn't surprise Ashley at all. Synsyter hadn't been one for drawing unwanted attention to himself. Ashley tied his horse to railing outside of the building and then went inside. Andy was tied to a chair with a piece of cloth over his mouth to silence him, and Synyster had a gun pointed to his head. "Long time no see, Purdy. I haven't seen you since you left me for dead in Nevada."
"I didn't leave you for dead, Synyster."
"Bullshit! You left me for dead and you know it!" Synyster growled, feeling his anger build up.
"I didn't leave you, Syn...You just don't remember what happened."
"Then tell me what happened."
Ash sighed and looked at Andy. His normally bright blue eyes were clouded with fear. If Ash didn't act quick, Synyster might do something stupid and hurt him. "I'll tell you once you let Andy go."
"Not going to happen unless you tell me."
"Fine..." The man said with a sigh. Now, he could only hope that Syn didn't do anything stupid. Ash put his hand on his gun, just in case he would have to shoot at Syn. It wasn't something he wanted to do, but he would if he had to. "Like I said, I didn't leave you. After Cobra shot you..." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with the hand that wasn't on his gun. "You were cold after that because you lost so much blood. I had stopped the bleeding, so you weren't going to die. I dropped you off at a friend's house. He happens to be a doctor. I told him to say he found you, because I didn't want you to wonder where the hell I was..." Ashley looked down. He was a bit ashamed that he made his partner think that he was left for dead, but there wasn't much he could do. Cobra was after him, not Synyster.
Synyster lowered his gun only to point it at Ash. "That's a load of bullshit! You only care about yourself! That's always how you've been!" He growled, his finger squeezing the trigger. A muffled scream could be heard from Andy as the bullet connected with Ashley's skin. It wasn't until Synyster saw the blood pouring from Ash's wound that he realised what he did. The gun fell from his hands as he felt guilt flood into him.
Andy managed to slip out of the rope that was binding him and pulled off the cloth. "Ash!" He ran over to his boyfriend, tears in his eyes. "Baby..." He pulled Ash into his arms, kissing him tenderly.
"I'll be fine, Andy...Just, get me to the do-...." Ash passed out in the middle of his sentence, which scared him. He wasted no time and managed to carry him out of the building. He ran as quickly as he could to the doctor's. "Please...! Help him..."
A Few Days Later
"Mmm..." Ashley rolled onto his side, only to feel a shot of pain. "Morning, Outlaw." Andy smiled softly at him and kissed Ash's cheek. "Andy...What happened? One minute, I was looking at you and Syn, and the next thing I know, I wake up here."
"Well, Syn shot you...Then you passed out. You've been sleeping for about three days."
"Oh...." Ashley was a bit stunned to hear that. "Where's Synyster?"
"He felt really guilty, so he left. I don't really know where he was going. I told him that he could stop by, despite everything." Andy sighed softly and sat on the bed. 'I really missed you. I was worried..."
Ash frowned a bit and grabbed Andy's hand. He kissed it tenderly, smiling softly at his lover. "I wouldn't leave you, Andy. Not again. I'll never leave you, I promise. I'll stay with you until the day I die."
"I love you, Outlaw."
"I love you too, Kid."