Thanks for reading! While there will be fluff and typical high school fun in this fic, the plot, despite the lack of Banana Fish (the drug) is not actually that different than the plot of the story from which it's drawn. In other words, it will heavily deal with abuse recovery, specifically sexual abuse. I'll put trigger warnings before specific chapters (and as always, nothing will be graphic), but I wanted to forewarn in case it's triggering for anyone.

"Be careful, or they'll eat you alive!"

"Huh?" Eiji jumped. He peered at his sister, one hand clutched around the suitcase he'd just dragged down the stairs.

"Don't say such things!" reprimanded his mother. She stepped into the room, purse on her arm.

"It's true. If he dresses like that, with his pants cuffed up, he's got no chance. I've watched so many American high school movies; I'm basically an expert." His sister winked at him.

You're not helping. He swallowed.

"Be nice to your brother," scolded their mother.

"I'm always nice." She beamed. It was almost easy to forget Eiji heard her crying herself to sleep last night. He spent the entire night debating whether or not to knock on her door, ask if she was okay, but in the end, he just huddled in his own room, clothes and books he should have packed days ago strewn across his bed.

"Take this." His sister thrust a charm at him. "For good luck. See, Mom?"

"Thanks." Eiji stuffed it in his pocket. "I guess I should be going."

The three of them all stepped outside the house together, the sweet end-of-summer breeze caressing their hair. But neither his mother nor his sister were coming to the airport with him. They were going to visit his father, still hospitalized as he'd been for the better part of the past two years. The man had frowned when he heard Eiji was accepted into the exchange student program, and only agreed to sign the necessary papers for his high school-aged son to travel to New York when Ibe Shunichi agreed to let Eiji stay with him, instead of a random host family. His parents knew and trusted Ibe-san.

"Be safe!" called his mother.

Safe. Eiji watched metal birds flying overhead, trailing white behind them, the closer the cab got to the airport. It seemed an odd request to make of a boy who spent years launching himself meters and meters into the air, falling as sport.

He glanced down at his pants, his sister's joke still echoing in his head. Were they really so bad?

The metal detector screeched when he attempted to walk through it. Hands up and face boiling red, Eiji walked towards the security agent.

The man sighed. "Empty your pockets."

Eiji pulled out the charm his sister had given him. Of course it was metal. He cringed. "I apologize; I—"

The man patted him down and gestured for him to move ahead. Eiji heaved a sigh. He glanced down at the stupid charm.

It wasn't for safety. It was for finding a wife.

And he was only a high school student, sixteen. What were you thinking? Most likely, she hadn't been. He tried to be invisible whenever he could, tried to pretend he had no problems so that no one would worry. And yet his sister still cried and his father was still sick and he was so silent.

Twenty-seven hours of traveling later and Eiji was starting to think that this might have been a huge mistake. Except, no. He couldn't let himself think that. He needed to do this. His grades had stagnated, his ankle ached when it rained, and after school all he could do was lie on his bed and stare at the blank ceiling, or visit his father and comfort him with words they both knew were empty.

"Shouldn't be your role," his father mumbled once, and Eiji felt the uselessness dripping through his veins even though he knew his father didn't mean it like that. "You should be living, and I'm the one who should be dying."

I'm such a burden, even when I try to help.

"Eiji!"

He blinked as he exited customs, a US stamp on his passport. Ibe waved at him, a big smile on his face, ever-present camera hung around his neck. Behind Ibe, the city glittered like crystals.

Eiji's lips parted in a smile as he hurried outside. The New York air was colder than Izumu's, but not that bad. He craned his neck, looking up.

"How was your flight?" Ibe asked, taking his suitcase for him.

"Fine, fine!" Eiji said. Around him, everyone chattered in English. It smelled like car exhaust and coffee. A woman bickered with her two children, who were saying words to her that would have earned Eiji a slap if he'd ever talked to his mother that way.

"I'll text your mother that you've arrived safely. It's about a forty-minute cab ride to my place," Ibe said. "I imagine you'll want to rest."

Eiji nodded. Exhaustion ground into each of his cells. The idea of a bed he could lie down on...

"And school starts on Monday, so you have the weekend to sleep and try to adjust to the time difference."

Eiji swallowed.

They'll eat you alive!

They wouldn't. Right?

"Do you want me to come in with you?" Ibe asked, pausing in front of the squat brick building. Eiji peered at it, watching students mill about, dressed in torn jeans and t-shirts, bags slung across their shoulders. It was different from the crisply pressed uniforms of his school back in Japan.

"I'll be fine." Eiji gave him a smile. He was supposed to head to the office first and meet with the principal, get his schedule.

"Good luck!" Ibe called.

Eiji waved as he squared his shoulders and marched towards the building. They had talked a bit, Eiji showing Ibe some of his photography, and Ibe said he was talented. Eiji couldn't tell if he was just being nice, though.

The hallways swarmed with students, gathered around their lockers and jabbering with groans and complaints about homework already. A boy with unkempt blond hair jabbed a friend next to him and gestured at Eiji. They laughed.

Eiji's throat clenched. He ducked his head and hurried through the hallways, heading down a stairwell. He found the office with ease. So far, so good.

"New student?" asked the secretary, an older lady. Her name plate read Suk-Leui.

Eiji nodded. "Eiji Okumura."

"Ah, the exchange student!" She beamed at him and gestured for him to take a seat. He dropped onto the backless red bench. "Principal Lee will be with you in a moment."

Eiji clasped his hands together, bouncing his leg as he waited.

The door opened again. A red-headed older man with a cheerful smile pushed a blonde boy into the room. But instead of having the harsh features of the boy who'd laughed at Eiji, this one's nose and chin looked perfectly sculpted, jade gems implanted for eyes. He glanced at Eiji.

Eiji scrambled to his feet.

"No causing trouble, okay?" The redheaded man smiled, clapping the blonde's as he left. It seemed to almost be a wish rather than a jest.

"New student?" asked the secretary.

The boy folded his arms. "Ash Lynx."

That's your real name?

"We don't have anyone registered by that name."

The boy exhaled. "Aslan Callenreese. Junior."

"Aslan… like the lion? From Narnia?" Eiji blurted out.

The boy turned to him. "I guess." He plopped down on the bench, scowling. "I go by Ash."

Geez, he's intense. Eiji rubbed the back of his neck.

"Are you a freshman?" Ash asked him.

"Hm?" Now Eiji scowled. "No. I'm a junior. Same as you."

"Huh. You look like a middle schooler."

Eiji folded his arms, sitting down on the bench too. "Well, I'm not."

"Not a child prodigy?"

His ankle throbbed. "Not hardly. I'm an exchange student. From Japan."

"Oh." Ash's eyes widened.

"Eiji."

"What's that?"

"My name?"

Ash actually laughed, but instead of being the gritty, mocking laugh of the boy earlier, it was not at Eiji but at himself. "Sorry, Eiji. It's too early for my brain to be working. Not all Americans are dumbasses, I promise."

"Fair," Eiji agreed. "I'm still jet lagged. It's eight in the evening back home."

"That sounds like a nightmare."

"Well, I like getting up early, but five is pushing it. The sun wasn't even up yet."

"You like that? I take it back, you're elderly." Ash laughed again.

"You're definitely a teenager."

"That doesn't sound like a compliment."

"I didn't mean it to be rude!" Eiji was just trying to joke. He cringed.

"I was teasing, too." Ash smiled.

"Callenreese, Okumura, in my office," came a new voice. A tall man with a set jaw beckoned them through the door with the gold-plated label: Principal Lee.

"School rules," said Principal Lee, getting right down to business. He passed them a list of infractions, including bullying, physical fighting, drugs, alcohol, the usual. Ash finished reading his list long before Eiji did. "Any questions?"

Eiji shook his head.

"What happens if we break them?" asked Ash.

"You'll see me." Principal Lee folded his hands. "We've heard of you, Ash. I wouldn't push things too much, unless you want to wind up back in juvie."

Juvie—like juvenile prison? Eiji's eyes bulged. Ash's jaw tightened. He's been in prison?

"Charlie Dickenson is our campus police officer," said Principal Lee. "I believe you're already acquainted, Ash."

Why are you being so rude to him? Eiji didn't understand.

Ash studied his red converse sneakers.

"Okay then. Here are your schedules."

A knock on the door. Principal Lee leaned back in his chair. Eiji noticed that the room was devoid of anything personal. All the books were textbooks, and the shades were drawn over the windows, blocking the sunlight. Oh wait, no—there was one photo hung on the walls. An old man and six boys. Your father and your brothers?

A boy who definitely looked younger than Eiji entered, clad in a baggy blue and white jacket. His jeans were stained.

"Soo-Ling Sing," said Principal Lee. "Please show these two around on their first day."

"Sure thing." Sing shrugged. Eiji and Ash followed Sing out of the office and into the hallway.

"I can find my own way," said Ash. "But thanks. See you in literature, Eiji." He waved, sauntering down the hallway teeming with students.

"Damn," mumbled Sing, watching Ash go. Eiji watched Ash tap a tall Asian boy with a purple mohawk on the shoulder. "Ash's best friend," commented Sing.

"Do you know each other?" asked Eiji.

Sing gestured for Eiji's schedule. "It's more like everyone knows of Ash. He's kind of hard not to know of. He got kicked out of two separate schools since he started high school, and a few middle schools besides, even though he has an IQ of at least 200. And he spent time in juvie for trying to kill someone once, or so I heard."

"What?" Eiji's jaw dropped. That boy, the one who he'd just been laughing with?

"His brother was disabled in an accident years ago. Ash took care of him until a robber killed him last summer, and then the cops figured out he was living on his own which kinda isn't allowed," said Sing, his voice ringing with a kind of respect. "I was so excited to hear he was gonna be coming here. Anyways, that's his best friend, Shorter Wong, who is also awesome and my neighbor, and you have calculus first with Jenkins, which is going to suck, but I have it too, so we can bitch about it together."

Eiji trotted along behind Sing.

"You nervous about starting school in a new country?" asked Sing.

"No," Eiji lied.

A tall boy high-fived Sing right before they ducked into the calculus classroom. "Cain Blood," said Sing. "He's pretty cool. Everyone's afraid of him, but they don't really need to be."

A girl with long, waist-length onyx hair sauntered into the classroom. A amethyst brooch clipped her hair back from her face, and bangs dangled around her chin. Her clothes gleamed, clearly designer. "Most popular girl in school?" Eiji tried to joke.

"That's a guy."

Eiji winced. "I'm sorry!" 0 for 2 with jokes today.

"Yut-Lung Lee," said Sing. "You're not the first to make that mistake, and you don't be the last. He's that principal's littlest brother. He used to live with another brother of theirs—they've got seven kids total—but he's been living with a new guardian since summer and no one knows why." Sing rested his chin on his gloved fist. The glove was missing the fingers. "I haven't even been able to find out." He kicked back in his chair. "You're welcome to eat lunch with me and my friends, by the way. Unless you'd rather eat with Ash."

"I don't even know him."

"Eh, he seemed to like you."

Eiji blinked. "We just met."

"He said he'd see you later," said Sing. "I don't think he even knows my name, and I'm friends with Shorter. Granted I've never talked to him before, so he's got no reason to."

Do you have some kind of crush or something? Eiji wondered.

"Well, sort-of friends," said Sing. He drummed his pencil on his desk. "He knows my name, that is."

Literature came in third period, when Eiji was already struggling to keep up. His English was fluent, but understanding academics taught in another language was definitely a new experience. He paused when he saw Ash sitting in the back corner of the classroom, Shorter at the desk in front of him.

Ash glanced over at him. He waved.

Eiji waved back. Shorter studied him. Eiji froze, clutching his backpack.

Ash gestured towards one of the seats around him. Eiji hurried over and dropped into the desk next to him. "Hi."

"How boring has your morning been?" Ash asked.

"Hey, not all of us can sleep in every class and still ace a test," complained Shorter. "Shorter Wong."

"I know," Eiji said, and Shorter tilted his head. "I mean, Sing told me. Eiji Okumura."

"Alex," said another friend.

"Kong."

"Bones."

Does everyone have a cool nickname except Alex?

"Eiji's from Japan," said Ash. "Shorter likes manga."

"I wish we could read that in lit," complained Shorter.

Eiji snorted. Literature seemed interesting. They had a whole list of Hemingway to read.

"You sitting anywhere for lunch?" asked Ash when it ended.

"Sing asked me to—"

"Invite him too," said Shorter. "Sing's cool, Ash. He and Lao live next to me and Nadia. I know I've mentioned him before."

"Oh my god," said Sing when Eiji told him he was invited and that Shorter told Ash he was cool. "I love you."

Lunch went well, with Sing hanging on to Ash's every word, but Eiji noticed that the boy he assumed would be so popular—Yut-Lung—ate lunch alone, at a table in the corner. Eiji didn't share too many classes with Ash after lunch, since he was in all advanced-placement. But his friends were welcoming. Last period was gym, with Ash. Eiji changed in the locker room and heard a familiar laugh.

Oh no.

The boy who'd laughed at him when he first arrived that morning.

"Hey," called that voice.

Eiji turned. Ash emerged from a stall, having changed in private.

The other boy smirked at him. "I heard of you. You some big-shot pole-vaulter in Japan?"

Eiji shifted. "No."

"Huh?" asked the boy. "Our stupid homeroom teacher made us look you up. To be welcoming." He smiled, revealing crooked teeth.

"Leave him alone, Arthur," said Ash.

"We didn't have to look you up," said Arthur. "Guess they didn't want us seeing juvenile records or reading about your brother's accident. Or stabbing. Honestly that was probably a mercy; wasn't he basically a vegetable?"

Ash's eyes narrowed. "Watch yourself."

"I'm talking to Eiji," said Arthur. "So, like, don't you have to be good at something to get into an exchange program? Aren't you in like, the regular people classes?"

Eiji ignored him, stuffing his clothes in his locker.

"Didn't you win a bunch of medals or—"

"I got injured last year," Eiji said, turning to face him. "I can't jump anymore."

"You really were a pole-vaulter?" Now Ash looked impressed.

"Yeah."

"Is it that your ankle won't handle it, or are you too scared?" Arthur asked. "I mean, you've looked like you're a second away from peeing yourself all day."

Eiji wanted to die. His cheeks flushed.

"You can do it, Eiji!"

The pole in his hand, heavy, cold, then hot and damp and slipping with his sweat, the bar so high.

I can't do it.

And when he turned, he saw the disappointment riddling his coach's face, searing his memory.

"Hey Arthur," said Ash.

"For the last time, Narcissist, I'm not talking to—"

A crack. Eiji's jaw dropped. Ash's fist collided with Arthur's nose. Blood spurted. Arthur stumbled backwards into the lockers with a clang.

"Should have known," Arthur croaked out. "You've got a stupid heart. I'll get my guys down at the middle school to go after that other boy—what's his name? Skip?"

"Let's get out of here," Ash said to Eiji. Eiji nodded, taking a step. Something blurred behind him.

Arthur's fist shot back out from behind them. Eiji yelped. Ash grabbed Arthur's wrist. He slammed Arthur's hand into the bench. Four snaps.

Oh my God. Eiji's stomach lurched. Broken?

Shouts erupted, and that was how Eiji found himself in the principal's office for the second time on his first day.

"What the hell happened?" demanded Sing to his brother, that stupid senior.

"Some kind of fight," replied Lao. "I guess?"

"For real?" demanded Shorter, appearing through the crowd of students watching. Blood droplets were splattered on the linoleum floor. Charlie looked as if he was asking God what he'd done to deserve this.

"Ash punched Arthur for making fun of the Japanese boy and threatening Skip," Yut-Lung drawled, leaning against the wall.

Everyone's head swiveled around to stare at him. Yut-Lung sighed as if he was bored. In truth, he was fascinated, but he'd be damned before he let on.

"Did you see what happened?" demanded Shorter.

"Yeah," said Yut-Lung, tilting his head up. "They'll be fine, don't worry. It's not a 'call the cops' kind of case. Besides, of course, Charlie, but as we all know, he doesn't really count."

"Watch it," warned the voice of Jenkins, their calculus teacher.

"My apologies," Yut-Lung said, adopting the flat, glass tone he always took with adults.

Jenkins mumbled something about "not off to a good start" and pushed his way through the students and into the principal's office.

"My brother won't expel them," Yut-Lung said to Sing and Shorter. Not Lao; he was useless and didn't need to be addressed. "Arthur was the instigator."

"Are you going to tell him that?" demanded Shorter.

"Why would I need to?" Yut-Lung held up his hands. "The Japanese kid's word should be more than enough." And he was not going to talk to Wang-Lung, not if he didn't have to. He'd been deliberately avoiding his brother's calls for three weeks now, and it felt exhilarating to see all the missed call notifications. He wasn't even opening that phone app, because he needed that little red reminder that he was finally, finally, winning something against his eldest brother. "Trust me; he'll believe him." Not out of the good of Wang-Lung's heart, but because having an exchange student provided the kind of revenue he needed for the school. The superintendent, Dino Golzine, looked favorably on schools that could perform, and this school was climbing its way up the rankings for best public high school in New York City. Which said something considering the neighborhood.

"Okay," Sing said, taking Yut-Lung at his word.

He didn't know Sing or Shorter that well, but he knew they'd be happy when he heard Ash Lynx was going to be transferred in after he blew the latest scholarship to a prep school. Yut-Lung used to watch Ash meet up with Shorter after school, both of them laughing, both of them running off together, while he waited for Hua-Lung to drive him home. On lucky days, Hua-Lung was cold. On unlucky days, he wasn't. Or on the unluckiest days, he'd be driven to the home of a client and picked up in the morning, dropped back off at school, rinse, repeat. Once it went on for over a week.

And Sing, he was always chasing after Shorter. The boy needed some kind of idol and God knew Lao wasn't it. Yut-Lung had tried to slip into that role, offered to help Sing with his geometry homework last year, but Sing hadn't been terribly interested. He was nice, and he thanked Yut-Lung, but he didn't ask him to hang out.

With Ash here, Yut-Lung had no chance now. If only Wang-Lung would actually expel him. No, then Sing and Shorter would probably blame him. They shared blood. They were Lees. He had nothing else.

Yut-Lung tugged his ponytail over his stupid dragon tattoo. He hunched his shoulders. He just hoped the bell would ring so he could run away from this place. Blanca was trusting him to get back to Hua-Lung's house on his own, instead of picking him up. So he could do something after school. If he wanted. If anyone wanted to do something with him.

But he was willing to bet everyone would wait for Ash, even if he offered them a ride home. Not that he had a car.

And having both Ash and that Eiji Okumura would help Wang-Lung's case. Help him grow in power. Soon he'd be superintendent too, and then go into politics, and through it all Yut-Lung would still be a bargaining chip used to soften opponents.

I'm going to be stuck forever. He almost felt hands closing around his throat. He coughed.

"You all right?" asked Sing, frowning.

Yut-Lung nodded. He wasn't stuck. Hua-Lung was out of the picture. For now, anyways. And that Blanca had agreed to be his guardian for the time being. He could figure out a plan.

And Ash Lynx might be the key to making it work.