#ash and eiji hold a special place in my heart

[botanautical]

repose

[iceywrites]

-waves hello- Top 5 favorite Banana Fish scenes?

Hmm. I had no idea that this question could be so difficult 😂. In no particular order, they are:

1. First meeting scene: this scene was not supposed to be a meet cute but when Eiji walked his cute ass to Ash and asked if he could please 👉🏻👈🏻 hold his gun 👉🏻👈🏻 it started looking like one /hj. Also this scene just shows how much Ash trusts Eiji even when they met a few minutes ago (giving your gun to an absolute stranger because you're so whipped?? Get a grip Ash!)

2. The "flying" scene: I loooooooove this scene so much! Especially how Ash describes Eiji's pole vaulting as "flying". And, I love how we only get see Eiji taking off through Ash's eyes. Like, you really understand the impact that that "flying" had left on Ash.

3. Shorter's death scene: look, I don't like to think that he's dead either, but that scene as a whole with all those metaphors and everything is beautiful nice. Oh look, I'm crying again-.

Hmm. I had no idea that this question could be so difficult 😂. In no particular order, they are: 1. First meeting scene: this scene was not supposed to be a meet cute but when Eiji walked his cute ass to Ash and asked if he could please 👉🏻👈🏻 hold his gun 👉🏻👈🏻 it started looking like one /hj. Also this scene just shows how much Ash trusts Eiji even when they met a few minutes ago (giving your gun to an absolute stranger because you're so whipped?? Get a grip Ash!) 2. The "flying" scene: I loooooooove this scene so much! Especially how Ash describes Eiji's pole vaulting as "flying". And, I love how we only get see Eiji taking off through Ash's eyes. Like, you really understand the impact that that "flying" had left on Ash. 3. Shorter's death scene: look, I don't like to think that he's dead either, but that scene as a whole with all those metaphors and everything is beautiful nice. Oh look, I'm crying again-. 4. "Stay with me": this scene holds a special place in my heart. It's one of the rare moments we get to see Ash openly show his vulnerability. That scene always pinches me because they are both so very young and the kind of talk they are having? Protect them 🤲🏻 5. The mental hospital escape episode: this the only episode where I was laughing throughout. Ibe and Max: we came to save you! Ash: 🤯🤬🔪 Never fails to crack me up. 5. Post save-Ash-from-Foxx scene: that scene makes me cry. Ash is shivering so much. Cain probably understands what might have happened when Ash slapped his hand away. Sing looks a little confused because he's literally a baby ffs!!! Jessica understands because she's been through that pain herself. Eiji understands because he's seen Ash wake up in the middle of the night, with sweat dampening his fringe and gasping for air. And the way Eiji holds Ash and Ash's shivering stills in Eiji's warm hands 😭😭😭 5. "Sa-yo-na-ra": Eiji has felt pain. He's sparred with a gang leader (aka Shorter) and he's had a bullet graze through his arm. What I mean to say is he knows how painful it is. Yet when it comes to saving Ash, he doesn't give two fucks about the pain. He'll take a bullet for Ash with a smile on his face as long as Ash is face.

5. The last scene: when Ash reads Eiji's letter and rushes to the airport to go to bae's homeland with him and Lao has a decent conversation with Sing. This is all I could ask for.

[polish-nugget]

i know everyone loves the sk8 and banana fish crossover headcannons where ash & eiji go to japan and ash and reki decide to hate on adam together and stuff like that, but the ones actually considering linguistic differences hold a special place in my heart

[ellediane]

A Letter to Eiji

Hey,

It’s been a while since I’ve seen you... knowing you, you’re probably worried about me again, but don’t be, I’m doing fine. All the sorrow and pain  I’ve been through finally washed away and I can finally be at peace.

Eiji, when I first met you I thought you were a nerdy Japanese boy who hardly spoke English and didn’t even know what he was doing in America… But as time flew by I got to know what an amazing person you are, always putting others before yourself even though you were always the most vulnerable.

You were the first person that did something good for me without wanting anything in  return, that is what drew me towards you. Always wanting to protect me despite your lack of knowledge in fighting, it was admirable how selfless you were, and still are.

Whenever I was alone with you I finally felt my age, I felt like a normal teenage boy… No gangs, no guns, no death, none of it… But I knew that feeling wouldn’t last long…Because we’re from two different worlds.

The world of gang wars, guns, and drugs was where I belonged, but thanks to you  I finally felt like I had a future ahead of me, I felt like I could make it out of that world alive, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be… And it was too late…

Eiji, from the moment we met I knew in my gut that you would be special to me, and I will never forget you… EVER.

But… I am sorry, Eiji… This is where we part… Although we may never meet in this lifetime for sure we shall meet in the next, and the lifetime after that… And so on. I know it is selfish to ask, but please, Eiji… Please never forget the moment we met, the times we spent, the emotions we felt… Our souls shall forever be intertwined even if we are physically apart.

You will always hold a special place in my heart and I will always love you…

Sayonara, Eiji, until we meet again.

Forever yours,

Ash.

(finally done with school and was able to find time to write... I hope you guys like this letter, xoxo)

[maryniss]

My Heart Still Burns For You

Eiji lit up the candle keeping the small flame with care as he put it on the cake he had baked. A thunder could be heard from outside and the fire flickered in fear; maybe, involuntarily, Eiji trembled too. But, there was no place for such feelings right now. It was a special day, after all, a day that held only light and happiness. Eiji took a deep breath and smiled as he interlocked his fingers, brushing harshly against his skin, trying to stop his hands from showing any sign of weakness. It was a special day…

It was Ash’s birthday. He stared at the candle as he started singing; wax was dripping on the cake, but it didn’t really matter, Eiji could easily cut it off afterwards. It was awkward to sing “Happy birthday”, it really was, but he continued on. He wondered, just how many times did Ash get to hold such a party for his birthday? He wondered, just how many times did Ash had to sit still while waiting for this horrible song to finish? He wondered, what has Ash been doing for his birthday before he met Eiji?

He wondered, but he knew there was no point in doing so. Who could he ask now and answer him? Who? When there was no one to hear him sing, to hear him cry, to look at him blowing on the candles meant for Ash. He was alone on a rainy day, wishing, wishing oh so hard that he could feel his heart being burned and then stitched back, calmed with a storm coming from his brain down, he wished Ash was there.

Today, his wish was especially strong. As if birthday wishes really could hold such magnificent power to bring somebody back into his life. He ate the cake alone, imagining how Ash would deny to eat the pumpkin dessert. Eiji thought so hard about how he would take Ash wherever the boy wanted for his birthday, Eiji dreamed so many times about giving Ash the perfect birthday. Everything was planned. There was a cake, there was food, and there was a car with their clothes already packed and ready for road, for a new adventure.

Eiji let out a chocked sob as he munched on the cake.

How did he never think that the most important part of his plan would be missing? The center, the heart of it all, the key who could fix it all together. Eiji unlocked his heart only for the key to be lost forever.

But, today was no place for sadness. It was Ash’s birthday.

“Happy birthday, Ash,” murmured the boy, barely making himself heard over the rumble of the rain outside. “Here, have a taste of this cake.” He took a bit for himself and one for the man that should have been there. “I made it myself. Do you like it?”

Silence. And maybe something heavier than it floating in the air, right above Eiji’s head, threatening to break  loose at any moment and pour down onto him , drowning him, burying him in indescribable emotions that would burn him from the inside out. “I knew you would like it. But, let me tell you a secret.” He laughed and bent over the table, actually lowering his voice. “It is a pumpkin cake.”

The rain begged Eiji to stop; it was all useless, he was only hurting himself, but he could not, he could not, his desire had grown so much that it could be no longer ignored. He wondered again and again, did Ash ever had cake for his birthday? Did Ash ever blow on candles for his birthday?

Eiji knew the answer to all of his questions, but he refused to believe himself. Only Ash could tell him what happened and what did not happen. Only a ghost that whispered things Eiji could not understand…

Eiji forced himself to smile. He didn’t want to ruin Ash’s birthday, not after he planned everything so meticulously…

But, he remembered. He remembered how Ash used to hold him on rainy days like this, whispering things he was too sleepy to understand in his hair. Or maybe, then, he was already slipping in the world of rain, already starting to speak that weird language. Maybe Eiji could have done nothing to stop it.

He remembered how

But why such dark thoughts when the clouds outside were already throwing unsteady shadows over Ash’s special day? Eiji had to be happy. It was the day Ash turned eighteen…

Eiji couldn’t do it. Why? Why couldn’t he stand right to Ash’s side on such a beautiful day? It was not the first time he cried about this, it was not the first time he wanted he would have never gone to America.

Eiji knew, it was selfish of him to think so. But he wanted to stop hurting. Memories of Ash were slipping through his fingers, yet he was never able to get rid of them completely, to finally start to heal. He could see him everywhere he looked, everywhere he went. Going back to Japan, to places he never visited with Ash didn’t help him. He could vividly see Ash right there with him, smiling, as Eiji showed him his world, as their worlds started to clatter together, to become one.

The candle had already faded out. The room was once again sunk into darkness and Eiji tried to stop crying.

It was a happy day after all.

“Happy birthday, Ash. Don’t forget, I love you, Ash, I will forever be here, waiting for you, waiting for you to need my help again. Here is where you can always come back to. Please…” Eiji let out a sob and he covered his face with his hands, trying to stop his tears.

“And you should never worry about me. I am good here, Ash. So tell me, what is your wish for today?” The rain slamming against his window was the only answer Eiji got.

“Oh, I forgot you can’t tell me or else it wouldn’t become true. Guess I’ll have to wait and see right?” Eiji left the room, and he did not hear the answer in the language he couldn’t understand.

But, suddenly the lighting struck and the candle lit up again, only for a few seconds.

My wish is for you to be happy.

[patkinmon]

Hi....how are you? If you don't mind me asking what are your top 10 favorite anime? And why? Sorry if you've answered this question before.

Hey thanks for asking!

First of all I’m good, thanks :)

Puh, this is really a good question and I had to think about it a lot, because I only have like 3 TOP favorite ones that I’ve rewatched countless times. So I will give you my top 3 and name some other that I like, but in no order. I hope that’s fine too.

1. Naruto/Naruto Shippuuden

I have no clue why this anime pulls me in again and again, but I’ve watched Naruto when it first came out in the early 2000 and I LOVED it, even through all the long filler. I just like that it has such a positive main character that had a really rough childhood, but he never gave up to archieve his dream and it was so satisfying to watch his journey until he reached his dream. I adore all of the main characters, because they have different strengths and weaknesses, personalities and abilitys. Just all in all it’s a really rounded anime (that didn’t need a sequel in my opinion).

2. Banana Fish

Honestly I didn’t think I would enjoy this anime as much as I did in the end. I was very sceptical because of the violent theme and the rape, but the story was SO well written and the characters were instantly one of my favorites. Ash a little bit gary sue like, because he seems to have no weaknesses, but that’s simply untrue! He is scared after what happend to him and he cares deeply about the people he loves (especially Eiji) and would give up EVERYTHING for them. I also really adore Ash x Eiji. They are star-crossed lovers in my opinion and 100 % soulmates. All in all the anime made me cry so many times, but I would never want to miss a second of the pain it put me through, because it gave me equally as much joy.

3. Kuroko no basket

This is the first sport anime, I’ve ever watched and it will always hold a special place in my heart. The characters were great, but a bit overpowered at times. Still it was so enjoyable to watch every episode and to see how Kuroko brought the generation of miracles together again by defeating them and growing stonger with Kagami. The characters might not be explored in death like in Haikyuu, but the main part is still the same. A group of friends that was once connected through the sport they loved and in the end are connected again though basketball.

So these are my Top 3. A few others I really enjoyed would be: Digimon, Yu-gi-Oh (up until season 3), Shugo Chara, Pokémon, Fairy tail, Free!, No. 6, and even through it’s not an anime Avatar the last airbender.

I hope that answers your question

[berrynthewood]

Tag game

Rules: tag nine people you want to get to know better. I was tagged by @averysiriuschromie (the feeling was actually mutual, thank you :3)

Top 3 ships: Edward Elric x Winry Rockbell (Fullmetal Alchemist holds a special place in my heart)

Ash Lynx x Eiji Okumura (god, the feels... I tried to avoid it but somehow, my dash is always filled with them xD)

Akihiko x Haruki (sigh... I’m always so soft for them... and there I was thinking it was just a temporary obsession *facepalm*)

Honourable mentions: Oikawa Tooru x Iwaizumi Hajime / Carole x Tuesday / Kyo Soma x Tohru / Momose Narumi x Nifuji Hirotaka / Runaan x Ethari (I will stop here ‘cause I ship way too much pairings xD)

Last song: Seafret - Oceans

Last movie: Pacific Rim maybe (I’m way too much into shows and animes nowadays, no time for movies xD)

Currently reading: The Farseer Trilogy - Robin Hobb

What food are you craving right now: Everything filled with cheese. And I miss the full set of nachos from the Hard Rock café so much ^^'

Tagging: well, I will tag just a few people but don’t feel pressured by it, I know what shyness is ;)

@soullesstomatoes

@burnthoneymint

@hanacassiopeia

[yukipri]

penpenn reblogged your photoset and added:

Both Banana Fish and YOI hold a special place in my heart, but I especially love how realistic and unromantisized Banana Fish is. The show touches on sensitive topics and the methods of dealing with them, while offering the audience with a complex plot that draws out everything and ties it together. The relationships between the characters are stunning because it shows how they can support one another in dire situations. The interesting and unspoken relationship between Ash and Eiji is something special because it goes beyond the barriers of a simple relationship; they depend on one another, and wouldn’t hesitate to do absolutely anything for the other (as said both in the anime and manga), and the risks they would take to keep each other safe. Their relationship is so special that it doesn’t need to be summed up in words, at at times there may not be a perfect word to describe it because there is none. The dynamic of Shorter and Eiji’s relationship goes to show how strong their bond is despite just meeting one another. Since the beginning Shorter has been around to protect Eiji. All the characters inside the show add something special when their personalities mix, and they stand in situations together and have to place trust in the other. Each character holds their own unique character traits, and the entire show is just so beautifully created and I can’t wait for more canon content. Banana Fish will always hold a special place inside my heart.

Wowie thanks so much for the long comment!!! ^ ^ Agree with all your points. Banana Fish is in part so touching not just because of how it doesn’t avoid difficult topics, but also because as you said, none of the relationships are simple or can be summed up in a few words, as tends to be true of most real and meaningful relationships. The characters and their interactions are all multi-faceted which makes them super fascinating!

Thanks so much for your comment on your reblog of my Giveaway, your chances have been doubled! ❀(´▽｀)❀

[hi-im-secretly-satan]

Fever

Fandom: Banana Fish Pairing: Soy sauce (Shorter x Yut-Lung) Word count: 1745 Warnings: Choking, references to character death/(sexual) abuse Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16866739 Summary: During their stay at Abraham Dawson's house, Shorter unexpectedly falls ill. Yut-Lung brings him some rice porridge but it doesn't quite go as he had planned. Notes: This hell took me three months to write but I am damn happy with how it turned out. @shorterxwong requested soy sauce with the prompt “Fever” and who am I to turn down a soy sauce fic request? I really really hope you like it, I poured my soul into this hahaha

When Yut Lung had gotten his orders, he had had expectations.

His subject could have been a loyal dog, refusing to cooperate and yelling about how he’d rather commit suicide than betray his fellow boss. If that were the case, it would be easy to have him killed and make it look like he had taken his own life. That would definitely rile up the infamous Ash Lynx.

His subject could have a grudge against that sly bastard and be rearing to get back at him. That would be even easier to work with, although over-enthusiasm, he knew, was prone to sabotaging operations of this delicacy. Previous missions had taught him that harsh lesson.

He had expected many things.

However he hadn’t expected Shorter Wong to be so damn attractive. His purple mohawk and eyebrow piercing radiated courage and strength, hinting at a rough attitude befitting a gang leader, in stark contrast to his ever-present grin and puppy-like enthusiasm. He hadn’t expected just how easy it was to rile him up with threats whispered when no one was watching, reminders of how all of his actions were monitored and controlled, how he was completely at Yut Lung’s mercy. The heated looks Shorter directed at him, filled with rage and disgust, left him burning for something he couldn’t quite identify. It was mesmerising to watch him shake with helpless anger, clench his fists in rage, itching to close those fingers around his throat, to make it all stop. At times, Yut Lung wanted those fingers around his throat, to have Shorter touch him, to feel something, anything at all.

He hadn’t expected him to fall ill either.

So when his old maid told him that Shorter had collapsed with a fever, he had expected to be pissed at the unexpected turn of events—this really threw his plans into disarray—but instead he found himself distressed. He managed to feign impassiveness as Suk-Leui finished her report and went to make some rice porridge on his orders. He was tired. By now he’d had to feign impassiveness so much the line between feigning and his real feelings had become so blurred he wasn’t sure how much of his actual feelings were left.

Taking a moment to quiet the sound of his blood rushing through his veins, he sank down on the edge of his bed.  Stay calm , he told himself. This was nothing to get so worked up about. It was probably just the flu, nothing life-threatening. It’d be over before he knew it. He traced his lower lip with his thumb.

Maybe this was his chance. To show Shorter that he was just another victim of this cursed endless cycle of using and abusing that resulted from being born in the mafia, just like him. To show Shorter that he cared. He immediately berated himself for even daring to think this could work out positively, but really, was it too much to ask to be wanted in the same way he wanted someone else? Someone to cling to when he felt like he was drowning in hate and hungry stares and unwanted hands claiming his body for their own?

When he entered the room, Shorter was asleep. His breathing was heavy, his face flushed and his usually carefully styled mohawk was mussed up and unkempt. It was a frightening yet strangely attractive sight. His thoughts strayed, unbidden, to a more impure scene in a purer world, one where they would be free of the cruel chains of hatred that held them down. He willed them away. Reality was harsh and there was nothing he could do about it except fight it from the shadows. He knew he could not save Shorter. It was foolish to even think about it.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself for the undoubtedly unpleasant but strangely addicting interaction he slid back into his cold and manipulative façade and made his way over to the bed. He placed the steaming bowl of porridge on the nightstand and, after a short moment of considering the chair, sat down on the edge of the bed.

The sudden dip in the mattress woke Shorter from his slumber. Yut Lung watched as his hostage blinked and tried to get his bearings through the fever induced fog in his mind. He felt a jolt when those dark brown eyes found his, still soft and pleasant, until they realised who they were looking at and they hardened. Shorter’s expression turned feral and—it probably would’ve been in a flash if he hadn’t been crippled by that fever—managed to pull a knife from under his pillow and lunged at him.

Yut Lung couldn’t help but smile, almost wanting to let him just to see how far he’d get, but instead slid his fingers around Shorter’s knife-wielding wrist, twisting it until the weapon fell, his other hand on his shoulder pushing him on his back. His long hair fell down like a curtain, and with his knee digging into the side of Shorter’s hips he had him perfectly caged. “Come now,” he drawled, lazy smirk dancing on his lips and eyes sparkling with mirth. “That’s no way for an ill person to behave.”

Shorter growled and struggled weakly to break free. “You...” he snarled, voice hoarse from coughing. Yut Lung felt another jolt go through his body at the sound of it. The sight of him flushed and panting underneath him did little to calm him down either. He let his eyes take it all in and wished he could have what he wanted for once. His gaze wandered from his eyes—deep and dark and surprisingly brown—to his piercing—seeming to sparkle in the dim lighting—to his nose—big for an Asian but beautiful—to his parted lips. He wanted to lean down and claim those for himself, wanted it to be reciprocated.

He wanted.

“Hush,” Yut Lung muttered, pressing a long finger to Shorter’s lips; those tempting lips. “Wouldn’t want your dear Ash to hear. Or  Eiji, for that matter.” Shorter flinched at the mention of his Asian friend and averted his eyes.

The irrational feeling of betrayal suddenly made it hard to breathe, like someone had bound his chest in too-tight bandages. His earlier thoughts of wanting to claim Shorter for himself, both physically and emotionally, turned to anger. He wanted to break him. Have him crumble beneath him, fall apart into tiny pieces and rearrange them all into someone new, someone who would really see him. Who would want him back and hold him and tell him he was good enough. Was that really too much to ask? Suppressing his feelings once more, he let his hand wander to brush Shorter’s cheek with the back of his fingers. “What’s this?” He cooed, hoping his inner turmoil wouldn’t make his voice tremble. “Is that air-headed boy that special to you?”

Shorter looked back up at him with resentment burning in his eyes. “You’d never understand,” he sneered and coughed.

Yut Lung narrowed his eyes and leaned back a bit so he wouldn’t catch whatever it was his hostage was hacking up. “And why is that?” He asked icily.

“Because you don’t know love.”

Yut Lung felt his blood run cold. He didn’t know love? Shorter had no right to make false accusations like that. He knew love, but the only love he had ever known was taken from him by his brothers. He could still hear his mother’s anguished screams when he closed his eyes at night.

But there was a tiny spark of hope deep inside his chest. Would Shorter be willing to show him what love was? Would he be willing to take his cold and neglected heart and warm it in his hands? Hold him in his strong embrace and treat him like he was his most precious treasure?

Shorter continued and his hopes were crushed. “I pity you. You hide behind a mask of indifference and you’re scared to let people in. You only know how to manipulate and wreak havoc. It must be such a lonely life.” He actually dared looking remorseful. His eyes were still hard, he hadn’t let his guard down, but they were sad and sincere. Compassionate.

Something in Yut-Lung snapped. He surged forward and his fingers closed around Shorter’s neck. “I don’t need your pity!” He cried. “Don’t look at me like you understand my life! What it’s like to be used and abused, molded into the perfect image of the woman they loathed.” His voice shook and he choked back a sob. Underneath him Shorter froze and his eyes widened in shock. “I don’t want this life either, Shorter Wong. I’m just waiting for the day they hit me too hard, kick me in the wrong place or strangle me too tight…” His eyes burned. He blinked and tears rolled down his face, landing on Shorter’s cheeks. A cruel mirror to just a week ago, when their positions had been reversed.

But then he felt a warm hand on his cheek. He froze and his vision came back into focus. Shorter was looking up at him with those damned brown eyes, soft and full of sorrow. He tried to say something but nothing came out except for a few rasping gasps. As if burned, Yut-Lung let go, wanting to create some space between them. But the hand on his cheek was so tender, he did not want to lose that warmth. Shorter coughed violently as air rushed back into his lungs.

Suddenly scared of what Shorter would say he scrambled off the bed. With his back towards his hostage, he wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. “Eat the porridge while it's still hot.” His voice trembled with suppressed tears. “Don't worry, it's not poisoned.” He shot Shorter one last look before heading towards the door. But when he put his hand on the handle he heard his raspy voice.

“I can't fathom what you're going through. It must be hell.”

His knuckles turned white from how tightly he was holding the door handle.

Shorter coughed again. “Do you really think this is the right way to deal with it?”

He gritted his teeth. Shorter had no right to talk to him like that. Ignoring the question still hanging in the air he opened the door and left the room.

His throat was sore. He must have caught whatever Shorter had after all.

[weakeninghope]

Kiss me (whispering words of love) chapter 2

Pairing: Ash Lynx/Eiji Okumura

Rating: Teen

AO3 link here

Summary: Eiji and Ash meet to talk about Eiji's pictures and end up talking about everything but Eiji's pictures.Or: their first "date-not-a-date"

Notes: "It'll be up this week" I said, replying a comment todayhahahello I'm back! your local authour is way too anxious and is in love with this project and wants to write as much as possible about it! I'm really excited about sharing it with you guys and I really want to thank you for your support in last chapter, I'm really glad you like this idea <3 and stay tuned, there next open mic night is next chapter! We'll have another round of Sing vs The Stool, make your bets.See you next chapter <3Song referenced is Light your heart up by Aimee Blackschleger! (or Mako's theme from Kill la Kill) I think it really suits Eiji

new chapter under the cut!

Despite having come home late that night -for a good reason though- Eiji woke up at 8AM. He had been taking a lot of naps frequently, going to sleep at 4AM and waking up at noon; but that time he woke up instantly, Ash being the first thing in his mind. That night, he dreamed about his song. He dreamed about the two of them, together, holding each other in a secret place only they knew about.

Get a grip on yourself, Eiji.

Has he texted me yet? Eiji thought as he grabbed his phone from the nightstand, since he was still in the bed.

He hadn't. The last message was from Eiji himself, a reply to Ash's “see you tomorrow at 5PM, Mr.Photographer, don't forget the camera ;)”. It took Eiji a few minutes to prepare himself to write an answer. He had imagined Ash winking and his mind had crashed like his old computer would do every time he wanted to use it. In the end, he settled for a “I sure won't, Mr Fancy Singer.”.

Seconds after hitting the “send” button Eiji had already felt embarrassed. Was that too bold? Ash hadn't answered what if he was angry or if that was a joke and he wasn't interested in meeting Eiji at all? What if-

Ibe's coughs broke the turmoil in Eiji's mind. He was still pretty sick and even though he slept well through the night, he woke up a few times, feeling congested and with a runny nose. Eiji didn't mind taking care of him but the other way around; he liked being useful to his boss and most importantly, his friend.

Ibe had helped him to cope with his feelings. Ibe brought him there.

It was thanks to Ibe that he was going to have a d- to meet with Ash that afternoon.

“Ei-chan, I see you're up.” Ibe-san said in between a few dry coughs. “How was yesterday night?”

“It was nice” Eiji said as he got out of bed, stretched his arms and then yawned a little. “But we can talk about it later, I'll change your towel for now and make breakfast, you just rest, okay?” Eiji gently told his boss as he approached him and replaced the old towel with a new, fresh one. The cool feeling of the towel would make Ibe-san's burning forehead feel better.

“I'd like to see the pictures you've taken.” Ibe-san said, gently smiling at Eiji. A snort escaped the Japanese's lips when he remembered Cain the pop-star, the shorty rivaling a stool, the glaring snake and...

Ash.

He blushed when he came to his mind. He looked at the time. 8:30 in the morning. Still no response.

“What's so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing. It was just a particularly special night. I'll tell you when you're better, now rest.”

After that, Ibe-san complied and didn't say anything else as Eiji went to the kitchen to start preparing some Japanase food they both loved for breakfast. He decided to stick with some natto, but he also cooked a porridge for Ibe-san to eat. He made extra natto for himself, he loved it way too much, and it was healthier than all the greasy American food they sold there.

The morning went by slowly for Eiji, since he was checking the phone every 5 minutes to see if Ash had replied, even if he had the sound on and would notice if someone talked to him anyway.

Until a few hours later, when Eiji was getting ready to cook lunch, he heard the phone.

It was a text from Ash.

Eiji's heart was beating fast in his chest, and it did even more when he read the text.

“Sorry, I crashed into the bed and I've just woken up. See you in a few hours.” it said. Eiji exhaled a sigh of relief. He wasn't angry after all, his anxiety disappeared with one simple text.

Eiji carefully typed his reply “At least you're up now, don't be late!! :D” Eiji wondered if the emoji was too stupid but he would come off as rude or too demanding without it, he just hoped for Ash not to think something weird-

“I certainly won't” was Ash's replying text.

Why was he so smooth even by text? How was Eiji supposed to compete with that?

Never mind. He had to make lunch, to eat, to dress up and to mentally prepare himself about meeting Ash. He felt like a middle-schooler thinking about their first crush.

Okay maybe when he met Ash and when he heard him the world stopped and his heart was beating fast and for a few seconds he couldn't even take a picture because he wanted this memory to be his and his alone and wanted to capture it with his eyes instead of using the camera and-

Okay, he totally had a crush on Ash, but that was okay, people have crushes, it doesn't have to be mutual.

But what if it was mutual?

Eiji combusted again, and time flied until he had to dress himself up for the meeting. He told Ibe-san he was off to show some pictures to one of the singers (which was half true, but he hoped that Ash said that as an excuse to meet him).then grabbed the camera and left the apartment, the cafe was around the corner so he was sure he wouldn't be late.

The Japanese dressed himself up as he usually did, nothing fancy, he didn't want a lit sign in his forehead saying “I'm trying to impress my crush”, but he dressed up pretty okay so he figured out nothing would happen if he didn't choose any special clothing.

He regretted his choices later when he saw Ash. When Eiji arrived, the blond was already there. Ash was sitting at the background of the establishment, and there were only 4 people, so they were pretty much alone. He was wearing a plaid, green shirt which was a little bit oversized, but you could see his lean, noticeable collarbones, a pair of slightly ripped jeans and red Converse-like shoes.

There he was, dressed up like a street kid and looking handsome as hell.

Ash made a sign with his hand as Eiji got closer to the table and then he said “Here, Eiji.” soothingly.

Wait. How did he even know his name?

“Hello, singer who apparently knows my name even though I didn't tell you.” Eiji replied.

“Shorter told me. We're friends, in fact, I sang yesterday because he was pretty insistent about my good singing voice.”

“Well, he is right” More than right

“So you liked my performance?” Ash asked in a sing-song tone. “You asked me that yesterday.” Eiji said, but he didn't mind answering Ash's question again because even if asked a million times, he would always say the same “I loved it.”

“That's good to know.” Ash said “But you didn't throw money in the hat” Ash finished in a fake retort.

Shoot! The hat! In those kind of events, there's always this “pass the hat” thing where you throw donations for the singers if you liked their performance, but Eiji was way too distracted and ended up forgetting about it...

“You're right, I'm so sorry! I was so distracted with taking the pictures that the idea didn't even cross my mind... I can make it up to you by treating you to what you want to drink or eat here, though.” Eiji apologized.

“Well, if you insist, Eiji.” Eiji gulped at how his name sounded in Ash's voice “I won't refuse your offer” He said.

“So what brought you here?” He continued.

“Well... I don't know if Shorter told you, but my boss is sick and I came here in his stead to take the job. Even though I didn't manage it as I thought I would. The kid battling a stool was... beyond my expectations” A muffled laughter accompanied Eiji's response.

“Oh, you mean Sing. It's the first time this place holds this kind of event but every time he comes here with his friends someone has to hold him from kicking the stools near the counter, I figured out this would happen.” Ash explained. God, his voice was amazing, it drew Eiji in, he couldn't stop listening, he couldn't stop staring at his deep, green eyes. He was thoroughly delighted.

“Like what you see?” Ash mockingly asked “Since you staring so much”

“Ah! Sorry, I spaced out hearing you talk... I really like your voice.” Oops. That slipped.

“You like it but you don't give a poor singer like me some money to pay for his expenses, so mean, Eiji...” Ash pouted.  Even though Eiji knew it was a joke, Ash's pout was something he wanted to take a picture of. And he had the camera in his bag. God, that was so tempting.

“I told you I forgot!” Eiji half shouted, jockingly.

“Right, right. I know. So why photography?”

Ash looked genuinely interested about Eiji's job and the reasons behind it and Eiji couldn't believe himself. The conversation paused when Shorter came to take note of their orders; Ash ordered a cappuccino and Eiji ordered a green tea. Before leaving, Shorter gave Ash a pat on the back and whispered something to Ash's ear, so Eiji couldn't hear it, and Ash clicked his tongue.

“What was it?” Eiji asked “Do you have to talk to him about something important?” He asked, in spite of Shorter being in the counter already.

“Nah, he was just being a dick. Now tell me.” Ash insisted, a glint of excitement in his beautiful green eyes.

“I used to be a pole-vaulter in Japan but I got injured and everything was over in a second, so my boss took me here with him months ago because he saw I was feeling down. In fact, I got diagnosed with clinical depression after my injury. Pole-vaulting was the only thing I liked, I devoted my life to it, it was the only thing I was useful at and when I was pole-vaulting I felt... like I was flying.” Eiji rambled. Crap! What if Ash got bored?

“I see. I envy you if you know how to fly.”

“I don't anymore. I envy you because you made me fly with your voice. You got rid of my broken wings and I think... I'm stronger now” Eiji gently said. He trusted what he was saying. He meant it. He really meant it and would say it a million times if Ash needed to hear it.

“This wings thing sounds like a song line”

“How did you know it? It isn't even popular. Yes, it's from a song called Light your heart up, it cheered me up a lot when I felt down.”

“You know what?” They paused for a second, Shorter came with their orders and since they were too hot to drink, they continued their little talk “I completely understand what you feel. But I never had wings in the first place. I was born in a cage. My mother left when I was born, my father neglected both myself and my older brother, so when he turned 18, I began living with him. He's a novelist, but he's not having much luck right now with finding an editor so he pretty much does odd jobs, we live in a crappy apartment and I thought I could earn so money if I followed Shorter's idea. I rarely do what Shorter's advises me to, since inside his bald head -I know it surprised you, but yes, he's bald, he shaved his head- there's a lot of ridiculous ideas. But this one was good” Ash explained as one of his hands slipped across the table to clasp Eiji's. “Since I met you.”

Since I met you. Since I met you.

Eiji was left agape, but he intertwined his fingers with Ash's, and at that moment, he decided he wanted to desperately know more about him, he decided that he wanted to listen to his voice without this sad shift in it when he was talking about his past. He had suffered enough already.

“It must have been tough.”

“It was. It is. But I can't do much about it.”

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, go ahead”

“Is your real name Ash Lynx?”

“Oh, no. It's a nickname, I actually want to become a singer. I like music, I listen to almost every genre, I like the feeling it conveys and how it makes people feel.” Ash stated with a soft smile. His love for music could be perceived in what Eiji decided was a melody by itself.

“Before you ask me about it” Ash said “It's Aslan. Aslan Jade Callenreese.”

“It sounds like a meaningful name. I like it.”

“Aslan is for “day-break”, it means so in Hebrew, since I was born at dawn. Jade is for the color of my eyes. Nothing special” Ash deadpaned.

“It is more special than Eiji Okumura.” Eiji said, and he added something, feeling bold and rubbing his thumb over Ash- Aslan's hand “And it does you justice, since you're so bright.” However, Eiji couldn't contain the soft blush that appeared in his cheeks, so he turned his head to aside for the other boy not to notice.

“Oh” Aslan raised an eyebrow “Do I light your heart up?” He teasingly asked

“The important question here is if you want me to do so- of if I light yours up” Eiji let go. He didn't know if he wanted an answer. The possibility of a yes set his cheeks ablaze and his heart could be able to beat a mile a minute but the possibility of a no made him feel like something wasn't working; that his wings were, indeed, broken.

“Hey, I'm an amateur singer, not a lightning technician” Ash claimed with a laugh. Another soft sound Eiji would treasure forever.

“Now that you say so, I really worried about your sound technician yesterday, I thought the stool could have hit him”

“Yeah, we all thought so. Shorter too. He started calling him Bones since that moment; Shorter gives nicknames to everyone, you're probably the next in line.” Ash chided while throwing a menacing-not-menacing glare to Shorter, who didn't seem to notice.

“I see.”

“Eiji-”

Ash was interrupted by the loud ring of Eiji's phone. Carefully, he took it out of his bag and answered Ibe-san's phone call. Apparently they had ran out of meds and his fever had gotten a little bit worse and the cafe was already closing and-

Good lord for how many hours had they been talking? It seemed like 5 minutes! They had spent the whole afternoon talking and he discovered a lot of interesting facts about the boy; he was two years younger and was afraid of pumpkins -as ridiculous as it sounded- but that time 5 minutes-likeish was the best time of his last years even though he felt he didn't deserve such a talented angel because Eiji was mediocre and his photos weren't even cool-

“Ei-chan?” He heard Ibe-san weakly ask from the other line of the phone. He had spaced out again. It happened with a lot of frequency, he tended to get lost in his thoughts, intrusive thoughts mostly when something good was happening to him.

Snap out of it, Eiji. Blanca told you that the fact that you even make it out of bed every day is something to be proud of. There's always a path to keep walking on, and you're not alone this time.

“Yes, sorry. I'll be back in a second with what you asked me. Hang in there!” Eiji replied as he hung his phone in a rush.

When he was about to got up from the chair he noticed that he was still holding Aslan's hand and if he wanted to get up he had to let go.

Oh, he didn't want to lot go.

“Got to leave?” Aslan casually asked.

“Yeah. My boss's fever's gotten worse and I've got to go take care for him and Shorter's glaring at us like he wants to kick us out.”

“He's a jerk, don't mind it” Ash said as -unfortunately for Eiji- he let his hand go and got up.

“I'll walk you to the door”.

When they made it out of the cafe they were silent for a minute, neither nothing what to say or what to do. Everything had been so intense; Aslan really felt like Eiji had lit his heart up even if Eiji didn't know it, and Eiji felt so happy he could die.

Or maybe not, because he wanted to meet with Aslan again, so he talked to make up another excuse.

“In the end we spent all the time talking nonsense and I didn't show you the pictures I took of you. Want me to show them to you tomorrow?” Eiji shyly asked. Please say yes. Please say yes.

“Tomorrow is their day off” Aslan pointed at the cafe “But we can meet on Tuesday” He then told Eiji with a soft, gentle, warm smile, as warm as the sun in early autumn's day afternoon, even though they had spent the whole afternoon holed inside a cafe and it was pretty late at that moment.

“And we can keep texting” Eiji said. Ash eyed him curiously “That is, if you don't mind” Eiji said, lowering his head.

Suddenly, he felt Aslan's hand on his head, lifting it. Then his beautiful, soft hand, the ones which holded the mic with grace the night before, traveled around his face and ended up on his hand again.

“Your hand is warm, Eiji.” Aslan whispered. And okay, text me when you get home, so I know you got home safely” He said with a smirk even though he knew Eiji was, in fact, two years older than him and that he lived literally five minutes away from where they were standing.

“Fine, I will.”

And then he let Aslan's hand- he kept calling him Ash in his mind, but he hoped that he can start getting to know the person behind his singing, which was already amazing. He wondered if Aslan composed songs of his own, too.

After a quick walk, Eiji got home, and after a long hour of nursing Ibe-san and watching TV without any text message from Aslan, he received a message from him:

“We left a question unanswered. You light my heart up. Do I light yours?”

Eiji screamed.

Of fucking course the answer was the biggest yes in his entire life.