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The gunshot was just a second a go. Or so it felt like it. Ash could slowly feel the winterly cold, creeping up his spine. Snow slowly falling down on him.
Lao laid there, He had stopped breathing. Both his gun and the knife laid there just, on the cold sidewalk.
The blood on the knife and the drops on the ground were an ugly reminder of his stinging wound. But it looked like no vital organs were hurt, something at least.
Ash fingers started to get numb, with a realization he gripped the latter tightly, his thoughts rushing to the person who wrote it, Eiji.
Eiji he was at the airport. Waiting fore his flight to take off. Waiting for... Without thinking he started walking or rather stumbling through the streets of New York his mind was somewhere completely else, but somehow he knew were he was headed. Or did he? He didn’t feel the stab wound on his side, the wind brushing against him. The noise of cars driving, people talking. Non of it react him. His eyes didn’t acknowledge any of his surroundings.
It was luring him. Not in a bad way really, but was it the right thing? Those thoughts came end went as he stumbled further.
Peace. The one place were Ash lynx could have felt normal. Were he looked just like everybody else. Just a normal seventeen year old boy. Not a gang leader or cold-blooded killer. Not a sex-slave or mastermind.
It was a place were even, before he had meet Eiji Okumura, Ash had a moment of peaceful silence…
Eiji. Before he lost himself again he abruptly stopped.
Standing in front of the public library. The place he had thought of. He only associated harmony with it. Not a safe spot. Ash knew that. Nothing would hide him from the danger that followed him around all the time infecting everyone around him, like a curse. He didn’t believe in such things like magic or so, he had no time for it. Right now the most important question on his mind was. What was he doing here. Should he just go in. Without thinking he turned around. Even though something screamed in him to stay. Rest in the warm and welcoming library. The only place he could have felt like himself.
Looking down at the latter, creased and somewhat blurred he realised that this was not the only place he felt like himself. And everything came flooding back. The noises, the pain, the cold wind air and the thoughts of what just happened.
What stood in the letter. What Eiji wanted to say to him if he could. The plane ticket. Had he really the opportunity to leave? Live with the one person that wanted nothing from him, and still cared about him.
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In the next moment he spotted his way to the airport. Bright yellow and black. Faster the he expected from himself in such a situation he ran to the taxi. Without thing of the consequences nor his next move. The pain in his side was gone, even just fore a second. Pushing people away sprinting to the drivers site. It was unlocked.
The middle aged man, assumingly the driver tried to shout something in a mix of confussen and anger ran over his face, before landing on the pavement.
Adrenaline rushed through Ash as he sped away, the car door not even completely closed.
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Concentrating was not that simple while bleeding out slowly. His mind was still racing, faster then the car, faster then anything as he drove on to the highway. His vision started to blur and he felt an oncoming headache built up. Not a good time really. At least it was warm. He would rather die comfortably and warm then somewhere outside in the cold. Both ticked and letter laid on the other front seat. Looking at it, his vision still blurry. Memories came over him. Blocking out everything around him.
There he was again, the bar were they had first meet. Ibe-san, Eiji Okumura and Skipper. Skip, he was so young and still he had sacrifice himself to save Ash. To protect him. He did not deserve this. Skipper didn’t deserve to die, and Ash... Ash couldn’t understand? Why did everyone felt the need to protect him from all people. Did the pity him, for his past or what? What a sob story really?
His thoughts jumped further into the dark. Had he never saved someone? He was always the reason why somebody died. Shorter was dead. He didn’t save him, no he had been the reason fore his death, his suffering. Shorter just wanted to protect Eiji. Even in his stated of pain. He wanted to protect both Eiji and Ash. Did he realise how much he meant to Ash. That even in the worst times Eiji had managed to keep him calm, how he brightened up the room every time he stepped in. How Ash was around him. How he changed.
Eiji was someone Ash didn’t want to forget, didn’t want to lose like everybody else around him.
Ash couldn’t let him end like everyone else. So why did he still feel bad fore staying with him. For doing what he was doing now? Was it like Blanca said. That both of them lived in different worlds. That it just wouldn't work. Eiji the young japans boy he meet not even half a year ago. They were so different, but. He had lighted up his life, his thoughts. His entire self. Still Ash, he didn’t want him to get hurt, to see what he had. Life like he had to. For once he waned to protect someone important to him.
If he just stopped. Didn’t go to Japan with him, turned around. Ignored the so bright looking path. His opportunity to be with Eiji. Would that change anything. Had he saved him then? Maybe but…
He would not be happy, Ash knew. Eiji was not stupid, a bit naive but definitely not stupid. He knew the risks, Ash didn’t like to admit but Eiji hat experienced some of the danger of Ash’s life. So why? He knew it and still waned him to go with him, to Japan were his family lived. Possibly in dangering them to? Was it really worth the risk?
He snapped back. Seeing an exit sign. He would do it. He had to see Eiji again. Even if it was the last time. He could still leave. Not go to Japan, fore the safety of Eiji and everyone else. But.
Turning in seeing different plains come and go from the near by airport. He knew he was doing the right thing. He had to trust himself on that.
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Eiji was sitting there, flowers still in hand. Max and Jessica had already left. The said there goodbyes and wished them luck, and Eiji a good recovery. He couldn’t look away but see the worry in Max eyes. Ash had not shown up. Ibe had tried to calm him down, unsuccessfully. God he didn’t even knew if Ash got his letter. What if he hadn't opened it.
Sing had assured him, that he gave the letter to Ash and tried to tell him that it was important. But he knew Ash. Maybe better than anyone else. Maybe if he could have been there. Talked to him. And even if he had opened his letter, read the text he had written in his poor english. Would he care, care to meet him.
So often Ash had told him, that he didn’t belong here. How both he and Eiji lived in completely different worlds. Deep down he knew that no matter what happened Ash would never stop. Everything he had done was to protect him. He didn’t want him to suffer.
Eiji knew that. But he also couldn’t let Ash go like this.
Right now he waned to protect him. Show him that the world was not just dark, and full of danger death and evil. The only thing that Ash seemingly new. That things could change, people could change. Ash could. If he just...
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“You know it thing we should come back to this.”
“Jessica you know-” before he could finish is sentence, Max attention was attracted by a bunch of people getting pushed to the side and some in his way. It wasn't unusual for an airport. That some folks were just late, and though the world would end it they missed there plain. But right now Max had enough action.
The thing he really needed was some holidays, peace and quiet and probably so therapy. But that counted for all of them. Probably.
Maybe this was the last time he would see Ibe and Eiji. If the would ever come back here. It was one of the worst impressions to have, fore somebody who visited America for the first time. He really doubt it with Sing or the others.
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It seemed like just a second had passed as is thought quickly came to an end.
A young man pushed him aside. A young man with blonde hair, and a bit to stylish coat, fore his opinion.
Before he could say anything, like “that these young people were way to stressed these days” and that “you're life isn't going to end just because you're a bit late” the realisation hit him like a punch in his face.
The confoussion on his face came as quick as Ash left his sight. Running and turning in the way Max and Jessica had just come from.
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He ignored everything around him. The pain on his side seemed to disappear with every step he took.
Ash could feel him, so close just a few more seconds and then…
He was in the hall. All around people over people. Noises from everywher. Looking around, searching. There was no way he was to late, there could be no way. The thoughts in his head seemed to build up. A tower of fear and doubt ready to fall over every second. Even if he wasn't to late, he had no idea where Eiji was. What he was wearing. And then…
Time seemed to stop, just fore this very moment as his eyes landed on a young man with black hair sitting in a wheelchair. And like he could feel Ash so familiar eyes, Eiji turned his head in just that split second.
His eyes wident and the started to glow, light seemingly filled him, filing his eyes, his face, the entire room.
The moment faded, time seemed to move normal again. Noises started to fill Ash´s ears. But he could still understand what Eiji meant to tell him.
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“Ash, I’m glad”
“I’m glad that I didn’t say sayonara to you, Ash.”