The group was still staring at Ash when one of the guys finally broke the silence.
"Relax," he said "You're looking like you wanna fight someone."
Another chimed in, tone a little softer, "We were just checking if you're okay, man...."
But as the guy kept talking, Ash's vision tilted slightly. His head spinning. He pressed a hand to his forehead, fingers digging in,as if he could physically push the pain away.
"Hey—are you even listening?" the same guy asked, waving his hand slightly in front of Ash's face.
Ash didn't respond. He was still holding his head, annoyed, tired.
Off to the side, Léo sighed.
This was already too much noise for him.He stepped forward, swiped his card casually, and opened the door.
Without saying a single word, he walked inside…
And closed the door behind him.
Just like that.
The rest of the group stood there.Silent.
One of them finally stretched and turned away, waving lazily over his shoulder.
"I'll be taking my leave too," his voice already fading as he walked off down the hallway.
Ash, still quiet, stood up from the floor. He dusted off his pants, walked up to the door, and pushed it open without hesitation.
The remaining three guys just stood there in awkward silence.
One of them glanced at the others.
"…They really left us here," he muttered with a dramatic sigh.
The other two just shook their heads, and all three slowly made their way to their own rooms — doors opening and shutting one after the other.
*************
Ash let out a tired breath before stepping into the room.
The air was cooler, dimly lit by a bedside lamp.
What greeted him was the low spark of a lighter and the soft click of metal.
Léo sat on the bed, legs stretched out, a cigarette between his fingers. He took a long drag, the ember at the tip glowing faintly in the quiet room.
He exhaled slowly, smoke curling upward like a ghost.
Then he glanced at Ash with that same unreadable look and a lazy half-smile.
"I thought you'd keep listening to those guys," he said casually. "They're… quite a headache."
Ash didn't respond to Léo's words. He just quietly walked further into the room, ignoring him completely.
The space was simple.Two single beds sat on opposite walls, each with a thin mattress, a folded blanket, and a flat pillow.
A dented metal locker stood between them — just big enough for basic clothing.
In one corner, a sink and mirror combo had been crammed in beside a curtained shower stall.
The walls were raw concrete, cold to the touch, and a narrow window let in a dull, tired light.
As Ash silently examined the space, Léo raised an eyebrow from his bed and spoke again, his voice low and lazy.
"So... what brings you here?" He asked.
No response.
Léo sighed, clearly bored of trying. He laid back, one arm behind his head, and took a slow drag from the cigarette resting between his lips. Smoke drifted upward as his eyes slipped shut.
Then —
Footsteps.
He opened his eyes and was met by a sudden, close presence.
Ash was standing over him.
Without a word, Ash leaned down, took a cigarette from Léo's pocket, and slipped it between his own lips.
Then — he went even lower.
Bending in, he brought the unlit end of his cigarette directly to the one still burning in Léo's mouth.
For a second, their faces were dangerously close — eyes locked — the tension thick in the air.
The tip of Ash's cigarette caught the flame. He took a drag, standing up straight again as he exhaled slowly.
Finally, his voice broke the silence, calm and cold:
"Why I'm here..."
A beat.
"...is none of your business."
Léo smirked, clearly amused.
He leaned back again, cigarette still between his lips.
"I'm Léo," he said with a lazy grin.
Ash, already walking away, replied flatly, "I know."
Léo blinked, eyebrows raised. "You know?"
Ash dropped down onto the other bed with a tired thud, letting the mattress take him.
He stared up at the ceiling and exhaled a slow drag of smoke.
"Those guys in the hallway wouldn't shut up about you," he muttered. "Kept throwing your name around"
Léo laughed — a real, amused laugh — and shook his head.
"So you were awake, huh?" he said, walking across the room with that same amused smirk.
Ash didn't respond. He just took another slow drag.
"…Ashley," he said after a moment.
Then added simply, "But Ash is fine."
Léo stopped, turned to look at him — those sharp blue eyes, that low voice.
He chuckled again.
"You know what?" he said, pointing the cigarette at him playfully.
"I like you already."
After the short talk with Léo, Ash didn't say much else. He went straight to the shower.
By the time he stepped out, a delivery bag sat on his bed. Inside were his training outfits.
Léo was lying on his bed, flipping through a book.
They didn't exchange another word that night. Ash pulled the blanket over himself
and just like that, the night passed.
**************
Shouting.
Heavy footsteps.
Whistles.
Ash blinked into the daylight as if someone had thrown the sun directly into his face.
Before he even had time to gather himself, He was already being pushed into a massive training yard.
One! Two! Three! Four—Keep going!
Down! Up! Down! Up!
Ash's arms were trembling, chest burning.
His body screamed. His mind cursed.
"I do exercise every day… but four hundred push-ups?!"
He'd blown past two hundred and fifty– uniform drenched, face so hot he could feel his pulse in his eyelids.
"Hey! You there — brown hair!" the trainer's voice cut like a whip.
"Keep your back straight."
The trainer was built like a weapon.Tall, broad shoulders, thick arms lined with old scars. His chest was solid. Veins ran down his forearms like ropes. Every movement he made was controlled.Exact.
Ash was still grinding through the push-ups — his arms screaming, his back damp with sweat, and every breath coming out like fire.
The trainer's voice roared across the field.
"COUNT LOUDER! I DIDN'T HEAR THREE HUNDRED!"
Ash's head snapped up slightly, face contorting in exhausted disbelief.
"Asshole," he muttered low enough for only him to hear.
"That's the seventh damn time he's said that..."
Each time, they were forced to start back from three hundred.
Ash was running on fumes.
The trainer was now walking through the lines — boots heavy against the dirt — checking each man with sharp eyes.
Closer.
Closer.
And then — he stopped.
Right in front of Ash.
Ash slowly lifted his head, strands of sweat-damp hair falling into his face.
Their eyes met.
Ash just stared– flat and sharp. But from that look alone, you could tell he was annoyed.
The trainer's eyes narrowed.
"Anything to say?" he asked, voice low, dangerous.
Ash just sighed. Then dropped his head back down.
***********
Author's Note 📝
Hey everyone! 👋☺️
We've already reached Chapter 12 of ThePromise Between Us! 😌
I hope you're enjoying every single chapter of the story so far 🥺.
Don't forget to leave a comment and drop a vote if you're loving it 😄
Xoxo,
Quillqueens🫂💞