To Ashton, it was the principle of the thing. It was okay for Dias to look in on Ashton - in fact, it felt kind of appealing - but for Ashton to look in on Dias? No way. It was totally different. Double standards? Yeah, but that was to be expected when two very different people got caught up in a confusing, complex, lovely situation like this.

And then Dias was poking his head back out. Ashton couldn't help but grin at him. Yeah, the blush was covering half his face, but he didn't really care. It was dark, and while Ashton was still severely self-conscious around Dias, it was more exciting than ..fearful of being judged.

"We've, uh, had this discussion before, haven't we?" Ashton whispered with a nervous little smile, quiet so no one else in the hallway could hear. Secrecy was key. "But speaking of safe, I .. wanted to make sure." That you hadn't been taken were the unsaid words. To have Dias be taken.. the very idea turned his stomach.

"I'm going to the greenhouse for compounding materials tonight. You better come home in the same shape, okay?" Ashton was rather adamant about this. Because now it was no secret that Ashton cared. Never mind that he'd just referred to Landel's, or at least a sparsely decorated, nearly barrel-free room as 'home.' (One couldn't forget the barrel candies: Ashton had enjoyed a candy tonight as he did nearly every night, and the root beer smell remained on his breath.)