Show me!

"What the hell," Ashton muttered under his breath, still reeling from the unexpected greeting.

"That was one hell of a way to say hello, Aunt."

Ashley beamed, her voice laced with the same playful energy she had carried years ago. "How are you, Ash? Do you remember me?"

Ashton's gaze lingered on her striking features, his brain still catching up to the transformation in front of him. "Uh, yeah... I'm good. And, of course, I remember you, Aunt Ashley."

She reached out, cupping his face gently with her hands, her fingers warm against his skin. "You used to cuddle up next to me, playing with my hair as you cried for your mom. You wouldn't fall asleep unless I stroked your back." Her voice softened as she smiled, her eyes gleaming with nostalgia. "And now, look at you... so grown up, so handsome."

Ashton felt his face heat up instantly. 'Oh, God… this is embarrassing.' His cheeks burned a deep shade of red.

"Ashton, help me with the suitcases. They're heavy!" His mom's voice called from the down stairs, snapping him back to reality.

He quickly stepped away from Ashley's touch, clearing his throat. "Coming, Mom!" He didn't dare look back as he hurried out of the room.

Lifting both suitcases in one go, he carried them into his mom's room while she followed behind. Just as he was about to leave, Ashley strolled in, her eyes scanning the space.

"Wow, sis, your house is gorgeous! Everything is so neat and perfectly arranged. Not a thing out of place." Her voice brimmed with admiration as she took in the pristine surroundings.

His mom chuckled, shooting him a teasing glance. "That's because I don't do most of the cleaning. Your nephew has a little thing called OCD."

Ashley turned to Ashton, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "Nice work, Ash."

"Mom!" Ashton groaned, his voice laced with frustration.

His mother giggled. "Dinner will be ready soon. In the meantime, Ashley, you should freshen up."

Ashton walked out, running a hand through his hair. 'She's still the same after all… I'm cooked.'

Back in his room, he slumped into his chair, letting out a deep breath. He grabbed his headset from the floor, glancing at his screen. He had been kicked back to the game lobby, and Darwin was still online.

"Hello? Darwin, you there?"

A moment of silence. Then—

"Yo! Ash… stop playing with her hair, bro."

Ashton's eyes widened in pure horror. His heart skipped a beat, and his entire body stiffened as a wave of panic crashed over him.

'No way… he didn't just say that.'

His face turned crimson, and in an instant, he lost it. "D-Darwin, what the fuck?!"

On the other end, Darwin erupted into uncontrollable laughter, his voice crackling through the headset.

"Fuck, fuck… fuck," Ashton muttered under his breath, burying his face in his hands. His pulse raced, his mind replaying Darwin's words.

Darwin, still wheezing from laughter, barely managed to get a sentence out. "C-Calm down, Ash—" but another fit of laughter overtook him.

"You piece of shit," Ashton hissed, gripping his mouse. "I swear to God, I'm gonna block you."

Darwin finally caught his breath, still snickering. "Relax, man. I was just messing with you. But, damn… you should've seen your reaction. Gold. Absolute gold."

Ashton let out an exasperated sigh, knowing there was no point in arguing. Darwin wasn't going to let this go anytime soon.

A few minutes later, the three of them sat around the dinner table. As expected, Aunt Ashley was engaged in an endless conversation with his mom, talking with the enthusiasm of someone who hadn't spoken in years.

'How much do these women even have to talk?' Ashton thought, shoving a bite of food into his mouth while zoning out of their chatter.

Then, Ashley suddenly turned her attention to him. "So, Ash, are you planning on doing your master's after graduation?"

Ashton snapped out of his thoughts, swallowing his food. "I don't know. Maybe I'll look for a job right after I graduate."

His aunt raised an eyebrow. "Why so? Wouldn't it be better to pursue a master's? A better degree means better job opportunities."

Ashton hesitated for a second before answering, his voice steady. "Yeah, I know. But I don't want Mom to be burdened with more expenses."

Ashley blinked, then let out a dramatic sigh, pressing a hand to her chest. "Aww, what a sweet child you have, sis." She gave his mother a look of admiration. "You raised him so well."

Ashton, still slightly pissed from earlier, didn't react much—he just forced a small smile and continued eating.His mother chuckled, glancing at him fondly. "You know, he's already working for a company. He earns enough to pay for his own college fee."

Ashley's eyes widened in shock. "What? Really?"

His mother nodded, a hint of pride in her voice. "Yes. He started freelancing a while back some programming work. Enough to manage the expenses of our house."

Ashley's surprise turned into admiration. "That's incredible, Ash!"

Ashton shrugged. "Didn't think it was a big deal."

Ashley scoffed playfully. "Not a big deal? Kid, do you know how many guys your age still rely on their parents for everything? And here you are, funding your own education. That's huge!"

His mom smiled warmly. "You know, Ashley, I don't make a lot of money. Without his help, I wouldn't have been able to afford moving into this house. He helped with most of the expenses."

Ashley's expression softened. She glanced at Ashton, her eyes filled with something unreadable. "Wow… you really are something, kid."

Ashton shrugged again, trying to brush off the attention. "I just did what I had to do."

Ashley watched him for a moment longer, her lips curling into a small, approving smile. "Well, I'm really proud of you."

Ashton nodded, mumbling a quiet "Thanks" before quickly finishing his food.

The conversation drifted back to the usual family chatter, but for some reason, Ashley kept stealing glances at him throughout dinner. He pretended not to notice, though a small part of him couldn't help but wonder—what exactly was going through her mind?

Meanwhile, Ashley's thoughts ran wild. 'Smart, handsome, and already making money? He's grown up so well...'

Ashton's mom suddenly stood up mid-meal. "Oh, I forgot to get the ice cream from the fridge."

He glanced up. "You should've told me, I'd have gotten it for you."

"It's fine, I'll get it myself." She waved him off before heading toward the kitchen.

And just like that, Ashton and Aunt Ashley were alone at the table. The moment stretched, thick with something unspoken. Ashton swallowed, his mind betraying him as the memory of their earlier greeting resurfaced—his face pressed against her huge boobs. A deep red flush crept up his neck. That wasn't an accident. She did it on purpose...

"You've been working out?" Ashley's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Yeah, I go to the gym regularly," he answered, trying to keep his tone casual.

Ashley leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand. Her face was now mere inches from his. "So... when will you show me those muscles, kiddo?" Her voice was low, teasing—almost seductive.

Ashton froze. He had met plenty of beautiful girls before, but Ashley was different. She had an aura about her—mature, confident, effortlessly alluring. His heart pounded as he realized just how close she was. The scent of her perfume wrapped around him, intoxicating.

What is going on? His thoughts raced. I've never felt this way before...

Ashley smirked, tilting her head. "What's wrong? Never had a woman this close to you, Ash?" Her breath was warm against his skin.

Before he could even attempt to respond, his mom's voice interrupted the moment.

"Sorry, I took so long." She walked back in, carrying three cups of ice cream with spoons tucked inside.

Ashley immediately switched gears, reaching over and gently wiping the corner of Ashton's mouth with her fingers. "Ashton, you should eat properly. Look, you're making a mess." Her voice was playful, but something in her eyes sparkled with mischief.

Ashton's mom chuckled, covering her mouth with a hand. "Ashley, you're still babying him like you did back then."

Ashley grinned. "Well, he is still a baby, sis."

Ashton clenched his jaw, trying to ignore the heat creeping up his face. His mom took her seat, and the conversation between the sisters resumed. He took the opportunity to finish his food in silence, excusing himself as soon as he was done.

In his room, he headed straight for the bathroom, brushing his teeth and splashing cold water on his face. After applying some cream, he collapsed onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake her from his mind. Her face, her voice, the way she had leaned in so close—it was all burned into his memory.

She's still the same after all... He sighed, pulling the covers over himself. What is happening?