I went back and watched the scene where Fearne and Ashton discuss what to do with the shard and there’s some things I want us all to remind ourselves of:
Fearne explicitly says “if I do have any say in it, I think it should go to you. I don’t know if I want it.” And goes on to say that she feels Ashton is meant to hold both pieces.
Ashton says they know that Fearne would miss them if something happened to them (this is NOT in the context of the shard, but the mission overall) and thanks her for it
Then they say “it’s nice to feel love for people. I love having you…here”
When Ashton does float the idea of them taking the shard they say “I need you to promise me that we’re going to find a way to make it happen if we’re going to do it”
When discussing the plan, Ashton continually uses ‘we’, showing that he has always considered this their plan. Together. With equal say. And she can easily say no, Ashton would have accepted that answer. It’s specifically an “IF” question.
Ashton asks Fearne explicitly that if it goes wrong to “Please try and save my life. I’m not lookin’ to die”
This is explicitly not a martyr attempt
Ashton says he trusts Fearne more than they trust the others.
In regards to the plan, they word for word ask “Are you okay with that?”
Fearne responds “Yes I’m okay with that.”
There is no pressuring that goes along with this question whatsoever. Ashton outlines their idea for the plan, and then asks point blank.
He then apologizes for putting this on her.
Ashton also tells her “if it’s not okay it’s not your fault”
Ashton expresses that it’s nice having something to lose again, “So hopefully I won’t fucking lose it…again”
Other moments worth noting:
in the scene in Percy’s laboratory, Ashton says that “[they]’d like to feel safe…for once” when discussing how they’d like it to just be them and Fearne.
After getting kicked in the face and yelled at, Ashton immediately tells Fearne “that’s probably fair” holding no anger or resentment and validating her feelings as much as they could in their current state.
It was not manipulation. Fearne was not coerced. There were no double meanings. Ashton was straightforward as always. It wasn’t a recklessly planned or naive decision, they both felt this was the right call. It was not a martyr attempt either, Ashton did not want to die. But they felt this was the right call for the mission, so they stepped up and put their own neck on the line.
Ashton was being himself in a very stressful and gut-wrenching way, but it was not malicious or twisted. It was just terrifying.
Edit: I have removed a note about a comment made when Ashton kissed Fearne, I had misremembered the timing and delivery and hadn’t seen a clip of that scene circulating to rewatch yet, only the clocktower. Other than that, everything is accurate.
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