—CHAPTER 13—
"Aw come on, laddie! Yer pullin' me leg!"
"Nope, it's the truth."
"Get outta here!"
"I'm serious."
"Really!?"
"Really."
Scotsman fell back against the booth, holding his forehead in disbelief. There was a long pause as he took a deep breath, his eyes drifting from down at his food, to out the window on his right, then to the TV sets above the bar area, finally looking directly at Jack.
"WHAT!?" Scotsman shouted out of nowhere, startling Jack and most of the diner. He was back to leaning over the table, "Ye mean to tell me that Ashi, the tough as nails lassie ye been sweet on fer months now, is literally cut from the baw'a yer worst enemy?"
Still rather frazzled, Jack responded, "…Yes?"
After another brief pause, his friend burst into a fit of raucous laughter. People were starting to stare as Scotsman pounded his fist on the table, causing everything on it to vibrate and shuffle around. Jack crossed his arms, and sat back into the booth with a scowl; just going to let him tire himself out, Jack thought.
Scotsman laughed for a little over a minute, losing steam gradually as he went on. He finally fizzled out, coughing a few times from laughing so hard. Still out of breath, he wiped a tear from his eye, "Hoo… that was too good… I just wish I could see the look on that big oaf's face when he finds out about this. You shagged AKu's daughter!"
Jack sat up quickly, hushing his friend, "Be quiet! Must you shout my personal affairs?" Scotsman recoiled into his seat, acknowledging the mistake he had made. Jack sat a few moments after, speaking relaxed but firm, "If you aren't discrete, he will find out about this. Besides, we… haven't actually had… sex… yet. So, it's not true… either." The firmness in his voice had faded, replaced by a meek neutrality.
Scotsman gawked at his friend, "Well, what are ya waitin' for? She's probably cravin' it by now! Women like to get off too, you know. Besides, we both know the two'a ya are crazy about each other by now. Not to mention that screwin' his daughter is a great way to stick it to you-know-who; what's stoppin'a ya, laddie?"
Hunched over, Jack retorted, "Look, we just haven't… it just hav— it just hasn't happened yet. I mean, we've gotten… intimate, of course. But we haven't done anything more than kissing… and fondling… to be quite honest, I've yet to see her completely naked."
More gawking from Scotsman, "Wha— What's wrong with you, why ya have to be such a prude? I could understand it when ye were just startin' out, but come on!" he scolded, as Jack refused to meet his eyes, "Have ya even seen a naked woman? Ever?"
Jack crossed his arms defensively, "Of course I have!" a brief pause, "Three times."
Scotsman stared at Jack, then shook his head, "Fine, whatever, do what feels right t' ya. It's yer life," his relenting tone shifted to a more serious one, "Anyway, as hilarious as this is, ya could be puttin' yerself in some serious danger, Jack. I mean, sure, no Father is thrilled to know some scoundrel is messin' around with his little girl, but this is AKu we're talkin' about; he ain't just gonna let this slide, especially for you."
Jack looked out the window with a sigh, "I know, I worry what he will do when he finds out. Not just for myself, for Ashi. From what she's told me, AKu is not exactly the ideal Father figure."
Scotsman scoffed, "HA! That's probably an understatement! In fact, I'm surprised Ashi turned out the way she did, bein' brought up by that sleaze. Sure is lucky fer ya, eh? Or unlucky, dependin' on how ye look at it," he mused, crossing his arms. "Speakin'a Ashi, where is the lassie? I rarely see the two'a apart anymore."
Jack lightened up a bit, thinking of his time with Ashi, "She had an appointment, but she's going to meet us here. I offered to pick her up, but she said it wasn't a far walk from the doctor's," he rested his chin in his hand as he spoke.
Scotsman raised an eyebrow, "Doctor? Is she sick or somethin'?"
But Jack waved his hands dismissively, "No, just a regular checkup with the…" he paused, "gynecologist," a hint of red graced his face as Scotsman grinned.
"Ohh, I see! She's makin' sure yer clear fer landin'! AHHAHAHAHA!" Jack rolled his eyes at his friend, who was laughing far too hard at his own joke.
Once he calmed down, Scotsman got serious again, "All joking aside, ya really do need to be on yer guard. Not only does dating Ashi put ya back on his shit list, but I get the feelin' that AKu's cookin' up somethin'. Somethin' big. I don't know what, an' I don't know when, but I've been keepin' tabs on the Chief down at the precinct, an' he's always gettin' these discreet memos from a 'classified source'", he said mockingly as he made air quotes with his fingers, then brought his fists down on the table, "It's gotta be AKu, or at least one'a his mouthpieces."
Jack was listening intently. Deep down inside, his righteous passion still burned, even after years of being beaten down by misfortune and suffering. News that AKu had a grand scheme in the works piqued his interest, but he wasn't about to jump into action again. Protecting Ashi was now his priority; if anything, he was going on the defensive.
Just then, Jack noticed a familiar head of hair pass below him from beyond the window. "She's here," he said with pleasant surprise.
Scotsman threw up his hands and started to leave the booth, "Well, it's time fer me to be headin' out then. I'd rather not be caught up in the impendin' sexual tension!" Jack blushed profusely at the remark, scowling at his friend.
"Aw lighten up, laddie! Just keep yer wits about ya and everything will go the way it's supposed to!" Pulling out his wallet as he stood up, "And that's more than just sex advice, that there is a life lesson!" Scotsman placed a twenty on the table, enough to cover his sandwich and coffee, plus tip, "As always, keep the change."
Jack smiled sheepishly, "Thank you, friend. Your wise advice is appreciated as well," he said sarcastically, and Scotsman chuckled.
"Aye, what would ya do without me?"
Ashi then walked over to the table, "Ah, found you," as she stepped around Scotsman to greet her boyfriend, who had gotten up from the booth to kiss her hello.
Scotsman put his hands on his hips, "An' what am I, chopped liver!?" he playfully shouted at Ashi.
She gave him a curt look, "Liver, huh? Don't you mean sheep stomach?" she teased, and he slapped her on the back with a laugh.
"Ye know it, lassie!" he said, putting an arm over her shoulder.
Scotsman then glanced at his wristwatch, "Welp, it's about that time." Jack and Ashi sat in the booth as he started to leave, "Ye two kiddies play nice, be sure to use the 'change' I left ya!" he laughed as he walked out. Curious, Jack picked up the twenty to find a condom lying there underneath. He stared at it with a scowl, blushing intensely as Ashi snickered.
"Well, looks like you two had a colorful conversation while I was gone," Ashi mused, causing Jack to shake his head.
"Something like that, although this was the only color that came up," he remarked, pointing at his rosy cheeks, and she laughed again.
The waitress came over, noticing the new patron sitting where the other one was, "What happened to the loud ginger guy? Well, whatever; would you like a menu, sweetheart?" she offered Ashi, who accepted it graciously.
Opening the laminated booklet up to the lunch menu, she carefully scanned the pages muttering, "God, I'm starving."
Jack watched Ashi nervously as she perused the food selection, then glanced down at the condom sitting there on the table. Ashi was entirely focused on deciding what she wanted, "I'm at that point of hunger where everything looks amazing, but I think I'm in the mood for chicken." She looked up at Jack, "What did you eat?"
Her question abruptly pulled him out of his concentration, prompting an awkward response; "I had a sex— SANDWICH… T-The fish filet sandwich, yes!" he stammered, resting his chin on his hand with an awkward smile. His other hand quickly snatched the condom on the table, stuffing it in his pocket.
Ashi looked at him wide-eyed over the open menu, "You, uh… Somethin' on your mind, Jack?" she asked uncertainly.
Unable to dodge the topic after that Freudian slip, Jack looked at her guiltily as he started, "Ashi, there's something I have to… confess to you," he said, putting his arms down on the table.
Ashi took one last look at the menu, finalizing her decision, before closing and laying it down in front of her. Joining her hands and putting them on top of the menu, Ashi gave Jack her full attention; "Okay, I'm listening," she said, not really sure what to expect.
Jack cleared his throat, "Well, we're at a certain point in our relationship where… things are… things tend to become, 'intimate'. Now, we've discussed this before, albeit briefly. Obviously, I don't, you know… expect anything of you, and I assume you feel the same of me. But I need to make it clear to you that… well… I've never gone 'all the way' with anyone before. What I'm trying to say is that I'm… a virgin."
Right as he was saying the word "virgin", the waitress approached the table, stopping herself from speaking to look oddly at Jack, who shriveled in his seat. "…Are you ready to order, Miss?" she said carefully as she pulled her gaze away from Jack to Ashi, who had been holding in laughter for a while now.
"Yes, I would like the grilled chicken Caesar wrap, fries on the side, please," Ashi ordered.
The waitress jotted it down on her little notepad, "Anything to drink, hon?"
Ashi thought for a moment, "Uh, water's fine, thanks."
"How 'bout you, sweetie? Want me to bring you another glass?" she asked Jack in a gentle, almost patronizing tone. He nodded meekly, barely looking at her, then she closed the notepad and picked up the menu in front of Ashi. "Alright, I'll put the order in for ya, then I'll be back with your drinks." Jack and Ashi thanked the waitress, the latter much more confident.
Ashi then turned to Jack, an impish look on her face; "Now, where were we… You were saying, Jack?" she purred, teasingly.
Jack's blush wasn't going away anytime soon, and he struggled to regain his composure. "I w-was saying that I'm… a virgin." He just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.
"Scotsman was right, you are a prude," Ashi laughed, which didn't make Jack feel any better; "Jack, it doesn't matter to me if you've had sex before or not. To tell you the truth, I haven't lost my virginity yet, either. Everybody acts like losing it is such a big deal, but I'd much rather have a real connection with my partner; that's something we've been working on, don't you think that's more fulfilling?" she asked, offering her hand to him.
Jack's frown became a soft smile, as he met Ashi's hand halfway across the table. "I do," he answered confidently.
"Exactly. Don't listen to Scotsman about that stuff, listen to your gut. If it feels right for you, then go for it. I'm ready when you are," stated Ashi, beaming at him.
The waitress then came back with two glasses of ice water, placing them down and reassuring Ashi, "Food's gonna be ready in a few minutes, hon," with a pleasant smile. She thanked the waitress before taking a sip of the beverage, then casting a naughty glance in Jack's direction.
Suddenly, Jack felt his foot being nudged by Ashi's under the table. She balanced her elbows on the table, and her chin on her hands; "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to encourage you…" she winked.
Taking a sip of water for his dry mouth, Jack's blush was back more than ever, but not out of embarrassment this time.
/
Jack always thought of himself as someone with an indominable spirit. It was somewhat neutered after his arrest, but he had been carefully restoring it with Ashi's help. Only now, it seemed like she was putting his willpower to the test.
As she had promised, Ashi was doing her best to "encourage" him, which translated into numerous attempts to stoke his carnal desire. Every so often, he would be startled by one of her affecting touches.
Ashi started small, doing things like playing with his hair, massaging his shoulders, and caressing his leg.
A week later, she turned it up a notch. Her hand on his leg would work its way up his thigh slowly, causing his whole body to shiver; shoulder massages were now accompanied by the sensation of her blowing in his ear; anytime his back turned was an opportunity for her to cop a feel, which she eagerly took. Jack started keeping tabs on Ashi whenever he had to bend over around her.
Ashi's feisty behavior was slowly witling down Jack's celibate mindset, and his impure urges were becoming difficult to suppress. On the bright side, he became an expert at the old "tuck it under the belt" trick. The two of them were locked in a subtle conflict, and Jack was close to surrender.
It was now late into December, and the couple had been working hard to finance their new home. They still had a long way to go, but both of them were as determined as ever, and the holiday season brought an influx of new jobs for them to undertake. Together, they had enough so far to cover about half the down payment. Moving into that property was the first step of their business venture, and it was starting to become a reality.
But with only three days left until Christmas, Jack and Ashi spent their day off buying gifts for each other at the mall. Instead of picking out their own gifts like their one-month anniversary, they planned to buy each other's gift this time; both of them were much more confident in their ability to buy for the other. After grabbing a bite at the food court, they went their separate ways, planning to meet up again once they were both finished.
Jack knew exactly what he was going to buy. He also knew that he was finally giving in to Ashi's temptations, and his own growing lust. But his first challenge was buying the item, a specific article of clothing being sold at a popular women's clothing store. Going in there by himself was daunting, something he never thought he'd have to do. For Ashi's sake, he gathered up his nerve and went inside. It took him ten minutes to find the right item; four to actually pick one out, and six to finally walk up to the counter and purchase it.
Meanwhile, Ashi wasn't as decisive on what to buy for Jack. She'd spent the last few weeks teasing Jack, trying to coax him into intimacy. Initially, she planned to use this opportunity to press the issue even further; it was fun getting a rise out of him (literally), and she herself was starting to pine for it. But Jack was a sensitive guy, she didn't want to push too hard and make him uncomfortable. Using his gift to drop another hint may be taking it too far, she thought. As she was walking, a mannequin standing in one of the department store windows caught her eye. The long white robe it was dressed in reminded her of Jack, or rather, his Samurai counterpart. If she could find the right shoes, she was all set.
Finally, they completed their respective shopping, reconvening at the west mall entrance where they were parked. Even though Jack had shopped at "Spring's Illusion", he borrowed a plastic bag from the same department store Ashi bought her gift from; she, on the other hand, had turned her bag inside out so the store logo was hidden. Mounting Jack's motorcycle, they made it back home by two in the afternoon.
With all of the time they had left in the day, they decided to take Jack's old acquaintance up on his offer. Xavier Torrence was a rather peculiar resident of Burlington. A brilliant but eccentric engineer, Xavier went by a pseudonym of his own, ExTor. He and Jack first met back when Jack was still a beat cop. He and Scotsman had set out to dissolve the gang known as the "Ultra Boys", who were carving a warpath through the neighborhood with unique weapons. After being overpowered by the thugs, ExTor came to their aid, citing that the gang's weapons were his creations. Apparently, a "wealthy entrepreneur" had offered him a grant in exchange for the creation of "security devices". Once they were completed, AKu himself visited the engineer's workshop, along with eight uniformed security personnel. Once they were armed and ready, AKu ordered them to try out their new "security methods" on the surrounding area. The Ultra Boys totaled everything in the lab, and then moved on to cause chaos elsewhere. Scorned, ExTor supplied the cop duo with vital knowledge of the devices' failsafe mechanisms, imploring them to destroy the weapons. Jack and Scotsman were finally able to overcome the group, disarming and apprehending them.
Scotsman had apparently been keeping in touch with the engineer, as he relayed the information to Jack that ExTor could use a hand around his workshop. He offered to pay by the hour, for as long as they wanted, so Jack and Ashi worked from when they got there at two thirty until ten at night. The labor mostly involved moving boxes of parts around, organizing them, and cleaning some of the machines.
When the shift was over, the couple had already eaten dinner; past halfway through the shift, ExTor gave them a paid dinner break, and they brought him back food upon returning. So, they headed home right from the job, taking the scenic route to enjoy the holiday decorations.
Now it was half past eleven, Jack was sitting on the couch in only a plain white tee and his boxers. He was watching a random episode of the show about a chemistry teacher who makes crystal meth to finance his cancer treatment, but ends up becoming caught up in his new role as a kingpin; Jack wondered how different his old job's operation would have been if this man was running it instead, and if they still would have gotten caught like they did.
But as he was watching, a curvaceous silhouette eclipsed his view, and he looked up to see Ashi looking at him seductively. She wore a loose tee with shoulder straps, and a tight pair of leggings that were molded perfectively to the shape of her hips and legs.
"Mind if I join you?" she asked coyly, slightly pressing her chest together with her arms.
Jack gulped, gesturing to his left, "Not at all…" he managed to say without err.
Ashi, instead of turning to her right, turned around and promptly sat right on Jack's open lap. A shock went through his entire body when he felt her weight on him. She sat back against his chest as he fought the urge to hyperventilate.
The poking at Ashi's behind told her that Jack was enjoying it, but she still wanted to be sure she wasn't pushing any boundaries; "Jack, is this okay with you?" she purred.
It took him a second to gather his reply, but he finally retorted, "More than okay…" In one quick motion, he muted the TV with the remote in his hand, tossed it onto the coffee table, and snaked his arms around Ashi's waist.
She let out a tiny gasp when Jack's bearded face was against her shoulders. He kept his face in the crook of her neck, stopping for a moment to appreciate the lingering aroma of her shower, then surprising her further with tiny kisses along her shoulders and the base of her neck. Ashi was now the one shivering, taken completely off guard by Jack's enthusiasm.
Jack was feeling especially bold after buying Ashi's Christmas gift, and decided that he really had no further reason to wait besides wanting their first time to be part of it. But Ashi had been sending strong signals for a while now, and for once he was ready, willing, and able to answer the call.
Ashi bit her lip at the sensation as Jack moved in from her shoulder, up her neck slowly, finally kissing behind her ear. She could hear his shallow breathing, unable to pry his lips away from her skin long enough to catch his breath. Not to be outdone by Jack's lust, Ashi brought her legs around to the left, to look him straight in the eyes, inviting him in for a kiss. He took the bait, pulling his head out of the nape of her neck, and she swiveled all the way around so that she was straddling him. She snaked her arms around his neck, as his hands began to explore her body, moving across her skin sensually. While his attention was focused on the make out, Jack's hands acted of their own volition, sliding underneath Ashi's shirt and discovering her bra strap. At the same time, Ashi herself was starting to tug at Jack's tee, wanting to put her hands on his bare chest; Jack obliged, breaking away from her to quickly pull his shirt over his head.
Right when he got his arms up and the shirt over his face, his cell phone on the coffee table in front of him went off, stopping their passion dead in its tracks. With a sigh, Jack spoke through his shirt, "Who is it?"
Reaching for his phone behind her, Ashi read off the name on the screen; "It's… your Mother," she replied, causing him to quickly pull the shirt off his head and snatch the phone.
"So late?" he mused, accepting the call, "Mother! I'm surprised to hear from you so late… W-What?... He is!?... What happened!?… I-Is he going to be okay?... When?... Then I'll come tomorrow instead, we were coming down there anyway…"
Ashi dismounted Jack and sat to his left, as he listened with a look of concern. She and Jack had planned to take another trip down to Lancaster, to spend Christmas and the Eve with his parents like Jack did every year. But by the sound of their conversation, those plans might have fallen through.
"No, it's no trouble. I can leave first thing in the morning… Yes! I need to make sure he's okay!... Of course, I trust the doctors, but what if… I know, but… okay… okay... Alright, well, let me know if anything happens. I'll check in with you tomorrow… I love you, too… goodnight," he finished quietly, putting his phone down with a blank look.
Ashi turned to Jack, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Jack, is everything okay?" He didn't answer at first, so she asked again, snapping him out of his daze.
"Uhh… Well, not exactly. It seems my Father had a heart attack earlier today, and now he needs some kind of… operation. He'll be in the hospital for the next two days until then," he stated blankly.
Her hands covered her mouth, "Jack, that's awful! I'm so sorry… are you okay?
Jack was frozen still as he sat there with his hands on his legs, head tilted downward slightly, "I'm… fine. Just like my Father is going to be!" he turned to Ashi exuberantly, surprising her. "Yep, in a few days, he'll be out of that hospital and everything will be fine!" Jack clapped his hands and rubbed his hands triumphantly, sitting there with an incredibly forced smile.
With trepidation, Ashi spoke up again, "You're taking this a lot… better than I thought you would. A-Are we still going back to Penn to see them? We could bring him flowers, or…"
But Jack cut her off, "Oh, nononono; Mother says there's no need to make the trip anymore, and we should just have Christmas here, which I think is a marvelous idea!"
Jack got up quickly, moving around the coffee table and past the TV. He was heading towards the hall, but stopped in the middle of the floor and turned back to her; "I mean, sure, I haven't seen them in over a year, since last Christmas I was dealing with the fallout from my arrest, but there's always next year, right?" he added, shrugging with his entire arms.
Bringing her feet back to the floor, Ashi repositioned herself on the couch to respond, "You don't think we should go anyway, make sure he gets through the operation okay?"
Jack waved his hand casually, "No need! Mother says they want me to stay home and relax this Christmas. She says my Father is going to be okay, and doesn't want me to drive all that way."
Ashi leaned forward assertively, "Jack, are you really okay with that? We can still go if that's what you want to do," she said, looking at him straight on. Jack opened his mouth to speak, but only stared at her agape for a moment.
"I'm okay with… doing what my Mother says. She has faith that my Father will recover, and so do I," Jack stood there wearing a festive façade as Ashi stared at him, wide-eyed. "Look," he sighed, "I am worried about my Father, but it's probably best to heed my Mother's advice, and just try to enjoy the holiday."
Ashi squinted, eying him carefully, "Is that what you really think?"
Jack blinked, "…yyyyes."
"You sure?"
"Mhmm."
"Positive?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Really."
"…"
"…"
"Jack…"
"I'm fine, okay!?" he snapped. They both stayed silent for a moment as Jack calmed settled down and Ashi looked disconcertedly.
Eventually, he spoke up again; "I'm… going to get ready for bed," he excused himself, walking down the hall of his apartment towards the bed and bathrooms. Ashi sighed; Jack was obviously bothered by their holiday plans being cancelled, and even more so by the circumstances. Why he wouldn't admit it was beyond her. In the back of her mind, she worried that Jack was ashamed of her, or rather, who she was: A daughter of AKu. It was bad enough when Jack found out, what would his parents—the ones who had endured the brunt of her Father's vengeance, separating them from their own son, and forcing them to live and work in arduous conditions—think of her?
The best she could do right now is be there for him, and try to enjoy the holiday as best they could. With a loud yawn, Ashi picked up the TV remote and unmuted it, looking for something to watch until it was her turn to wash up before bed.
/
The sound of the front door slamming awoke Ashi, and she immediately became aware of two things; it was only eight in the morning, and Jack was nowhere to be seen.
She got up quickly, checking every room in the apartment. Jack's keys were gone, and his drawers looked like they had been rummaged. The knapsack he had by the door was also missing.
It didn't take long for Ashi to piece together what had happened. As she pulled out her phone, she cursed under her breath, "For fuck's sake, Jack…" The phone rang a couple times, and then the other line picked up; "… Hey, it's Ashi. Are you at work yet?... You are? Good, I need a favor, could you give me a lift… Jack is the problem… I'll explain it when you get here; please, we don't have time for this!"
/
The brisk December air stung his face as he sped down the expressway. Although Jack had gotten very little sleep that night—repeated nightmares of his Father saw to that— and gotten up quite early, there was no way he could fall asleep. He wore the green winter coat he got for their one-month, and a large knapsack stuffed with a few sets of clothes.
Jack was still thinking only of his Father. There he was, laid out on the hospital bed, strapped to that machine that beeps with every heartbeat. It would beep in surprisingly long intervals, his Father's strength fading; any minute now, it might give a sustained beep, as the line on the monitor goes flat. And they were waiting another whole day for surgery! What are these doctors thinking!? Mother said to trust them, but what if they are not to be trusted? Maybe he owns that hospital…
A different kind of beeping caught his attention, coming up from behind. Jack glanced in his rearview to see a police cruiser approaching quickly, weaving through vehicles behind him. Was he going that fast?
Wait, no. That cruiser…
Sure enough, it pulled up right next to Jack from the left lane, and the passenger side window rolled down to reveal Ashi glaring at him.
In hindsight, he knew this was coming, but he was too preoccupied with leaving as quickly as possible that morning that he didn't take her into account. At least until the last minute before he left, where he rushed back into their room quick to kiss her on the forehead; she woke up for a bit when he first got up, then fell right back and stayed asleep.
"JACK, WHAT THE HELL!?" Ashi screamed at him over the wind, "THIS IS WHY I ASKED IF YOU WANTED TO GO, TO AVOID SITUATIONS LIKE THIS! WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY YES!?" She just looked confused now, but Jack kept his eyes on the road.
"I… I DON'T KNOW, I JUST… I SAID NO BECAUSE I WAS LISTENING TO MY MOTHER TELLING ME I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO, AND I THOUGHT I'D BE OKAY WITH IT, BUT I WASN'T! I WAS UP ALL NIGHT THINKING ABOUT HIM, AND I WOKE UP THIS MORNING ONLY THINKING OF GETTING TO HIM! I'M SORRY I DID THIS TO YOU, I NEVER MEANT TO MAKE YOU WORRY!" he apologized loudly.
"WELL, YOU DID! YOU COULD'VE JUST WOKEN ME UP, I WOULD'VE GOTTEN READY AND GONE WITH YOU!" Ashi yelled back.
Jack wore a guilty expression as he explained, "TO BE HONEST, THAT WAS AN OVERSIGHT! YOU FELL BACK TO SLEEP WHILE I WAS GETTING READY, I DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT ANY LONGER, SO I DIDN'T BOTHER TO WAKE YOU! IT WAS STUPID OF ME, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT, TOO!"
Leaning on the window frame, Ashi pouted, "GEEZ, I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS SUCH A BURDEN TO YOU! ALSO, YOU OWE SCOTSMAN AN APOLOGY FOR HAVING TO CATCH UP TO YOU!"
"DAMN RIGHT, HE DOES!" Scotsman bellowed from in the car, but Jack could easily hear him.
"SORRY, FRIEND! THANKS FOR LOOKING OUT!" Jack called to his friend past Ashi the loudest he could, and Scotsman's nod affirmed that he got the message.
Ashi called to Jack, poking her head out the window "NOW PULL OVER ALREADY, I'M COMING ABOARD!"
He turned to look at her, "Y-YOU ARE!? YOU WANT TO!?"
She turned to show him the luggage on her back as well, "YOU DIDN'T THINK I FOLLOWED YOU JUST TO SEE YOU OFF, DID YOU?" she smirked at him, and he smiled back.
Ashi then retreated back inside the vehicle, and the lights and sirens went off, "Please stop the vehicle, sir!" she spoke in a very official voice over the PA, and Jack could see Scotsman yank the receiver away from her as she laughed. "YA OWE ME BIG TIME FER THIS!" Scotsman looked Jack dead in the eye as he growled into the PA, then slowed down to get behind him.
Jack laughed, and pulled over on the shoulder to his right as the cruiser pulled up behind him. Ashi climbed out of the car window, unable to open the door against the guard rail, and Jack dismounted his bike.
They were now standing perfectly still looking at each other face to face instead of across vehicle lanes. Ashi stepped close so that she had to look up at him slightly, "You stuck by me with my family, I do the same for you. Together, right?"
Jack smiled, "Together."
The couple stood there for a few more moments before Scotsman honked at them, "Can we move this along, please!?"
Ashi turned to speak to Scotsman, "Thanks again! We probably won't see you until after Christmas, so have a good one!"
Jack waved, "Yes, Merry Christmas!"
"Yeah, yeah, happy holidays and all that. Good luck with the folks!" he yelled, as the couple got on Jack's bike. The flashing police lights kept the lane clear, so the pair sped off for another trek back to their hometown.
/
Although they were both dressed warmly, the weather took a frigid turn as they crossed state lines. By the end of their eight-and-a-half-hour journey, snowflakes were starting to fall from the patchy gray sky.
Jack and Ashi rented a room in a nice little hotel, right across from the hospital Jack's Father was staying in, which they walked to once they were settled in. The receptionist directed them to his Father's room, down the hall, up the stairs, and off to the right on the left side of the corridor.
Across from the room, a woman with dark grey hair sat quietly, holding her purse in her lap. Jack approached the woman, who smiled brightly when she noticed him walking over. Jack's Mother got up surprisingly quick, and met her son in an embrace.
His Mother pulled away, "My sweet boy! Didn't I tell you not to come all this way?" she scolded. Jack rubbed the back of his head, "I-I couldn't just take your word for it, Father's health is too important for me to ignore. I was up all night worrying about him," he asserted.
"Well, you certainly were; look at you! How long have you had those bags under your eyes? And you've obviously been neglecting grooming yourself…" she remarked, grabbing a lock of Jack's long hair. Then she unzipped his coat, putting a hand on his stomach, "And look how thin you've gotten! Are you even taking care of yourself? You're not sleeping, you're not shaving, you're not eating; if you keep this up, you'll end up in the hospital just like your Father!"
Jack's face fell, reminded of his Father's condition, and his own guilt, "How is he?" the urgency in his voice reminiscent of a child who couldn't find their parent in the mall.
His Mother's face was solemn, but her gaze was soft, "Your Father is in stable condition right now, but the doctors are prepping him for surgery tomorrow morning. What a great way to spend Christmas…" she trailed off, noticing the young woman who had come in with her son.
Ashi was startled by Jack's Mother's greeting; she was lost in thought, and failed to notice the older woman cross Jack to stand at neck height before her. "I'm sorry, dear, I didn't mean to ignore you. Jack mentioned he would be bringing a guest, but I wasn't expecting you to be so pretty," she remarked, causing Ashi to blush slightly.
"I-It's so nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Senshi," holding out her hand, "I'm Ashi, Jack's girlfriend."
The woman's eyes lit up, and instead of accepting the handshake, pulled Ashi into an embrace, "That's wonderful, dear! Welcome to the family!" she gushed.
Jack, who was still frozen where he stood, finally snapped out of it, and moved to address the women. "Mother, I'm so sorry I didn't introduce you two; this is…"
"Your girlfriend, who I'm only just hearing about now!" his Mother interrupted, "This is why you need to call more, I want to hear the details of things like this!" His Mother's scolding quickly turned into more gushing, "Ohh, my little man has a woman of his own, you don't know how happy this makes me!" she held the sides of Jack's face affectionately, as he bent down into it so she wouldn't have to reach up too high.
Mother let go of Jack's face, "And I'm sure your Father will be just as pleased with this news when he's all better!" she asserted. But her confidence didn't bolster Jack's at all.
He looked back at his Father's room, "Yes, when he's all better…"
/
Jack lay in the hotel bed, staring up at the ceiling. His mind abuzz with so many conflicting feelings, no way was he falling asleep any time soon.
Not long after they met up with Jack's Mother, the doctor came over to talk to Jack about his Father's condition. As he was told, his Father had suffered a heart attack, and now needed coronary bypass surgery. The operation would begin tomorrow at ten in the morning, and was projected to last well into the afternoon. The doctor assured him that the procedure had a fairly high success-rate, but made it abundantly clear that unforeseen complications could arise, and to be prepared just in case.
Once his explanation was finished, he told Jack and his Mother that they were free to go, and to be back tomorrow before the surgery starts. Jack and Ashi were then invited back to his Mother's house for a home-cooked meal, complete with a showcase of Jack's childhood photos for Ashi, much to Jack's dismay. On the bright side, seeing his Mother and girlfriend getting along so well distracted him from his worries, at least until something else in the house reminded him again. Jack's mood swung back and forth until they left the house, saying goodbye to his Mother until tomorrow.
They were now back in their hotel room, Jack trying to wind down while Ashi made a trip to the ice machine down the hall.
The door opened, she came in carrying a bucket full of ice, and started speaking; "You know, it was nice of your Mother to offer to put us up tonight, but I'm glad we already had a room here. Those guest beds did not look comfortable. I can't believe the complex used to make those mattresses mandatory; how could they even enforce that?" she wondered.
"Although, she did say that the resident committee was really starting to make difference, so that's good," she added, as Jack continued to disregard what she had said. Refusing to be ignored, she placed down the ice bucket gently on the table against the wall on her side, stepped in front of the bed with her back to it, and leapt backwards onto the bed, into the crook of Jack's arm.
He was finally at attention, and said with complete sincerity, "Oh, hello, did you just get back?"
Ashi smirked, "Yup, just now. Hey, do you remember earlier at your parents' house when your Mom was talking about how you're like your Dad in some ways? She said that you both get so focused on something that's troubling you that you neglect other important things. Any of that ring a bell?" she craned her neck to look at him.
Jack raised an eyebrow, "… I remember, what about it? You think I'm neglecting things?" he asked incredulously.
Ashi put a finger to her chin dramatically, "Well, so far, yeah. You wouldn't admit you were upset when you heard about your Father, and lied about not wanting to come see him, you basically ditched me, and now every time I try to talk to you, you're like a brick wall…" she trailed off, turning her head towards Jack's armpit with a grimace, "… Also, you haven't showered since yesterday morning."
Suddenly, a mischievous smile crossed Ashi's face as she sat up from the bed and looked back at him, "In fact, why don't we both take a shower?" she said innocently.
Jack, oblivious to what she was getting at, was mostly just relieved, as he was afraid Ashi was implying that he had been neglecting her. He sighed, "You're right, I guess I'll go first," getting up and off of the bed from the right side.
Ashi watched him for a second, then called to him as he was walking to the bathroom, "Can you leave the door unlocked? I may need to grab something from the bathroom while you're showering."
Jack waved a hand without looking, "Will do," as he closed the bathroom door. He had no idea, now all she had to do was wait for the moment to move forward.
Jack stood face to face with his reflection, a visage that looked tired and worn. He hadn't looked this way in a while; not since he and Ashi started dating, at least. He felt like such an idiot for leaving her behind initially, but having her with him now made this whole situation a lot easier. Not that he didn't like seeing his parents—this was the first time in over a year—but given the circumstances…
One by one, Jack had completely disrobed, and turned the shower handle to start the nozzle. It took a few tries, but he finally found the happy median between boiling and freezing, and stepped into the bath tub, closing the shower curtain behind him.
Admittedly, the hot water felt amazing on his skin. Since he last showered, Jack worked in a humid workshop for several hours, woke up sweating multiple times that night, and became hot and flustered when his Mother was showing Ashi old photo albums of him. Now, it felt as though he was washing away everything he had felt in the last couple days, the rollercoaster of emotions that came out of nowhere.
After rinsing his hair for a bit, he grabbed the bar of soap that the hotel provided, having neglected to bring anything else. Getting it out of the plastic was easy, but once he had the actual soap in his hands, the task became much more of a chore.
Then suddenly, the bathroom door creeped open. "Jack? I'm coming in…" Ashi forewarned as she stepped quietly into the bathroom.
Jack was still fighting with the bar of soap, "Bar soap is so annoying…" he muttered, cursing when he dropped it again.
"Having trouble?" Ashi teased, silently slipping out of her clothing, "I brought a bath sponge. Here, let me get it for you…" she coyly suggested. Once she was nude, she grabbed the bath sponge and bottle of soap from her cosmetic case, squirting some of the soap onto the sponge.
Jack heard the click of the bottle cap snapping back on, cuing him in that Ashi was fulfilling his request, "Thank you, I guess that's one more thing I neglected to bring alooOONG!" his gratitude was interrupted when he turned to see a naked Ashi standing behind him in the tub, "W-W-What are you doing, Ashi!?"
She looked at him innocently, "I'm giving you the bath sponge, like you asked. Here, I'll even get a nice lather going for you," as she started to casually knead the soap into the white spongey ball.
Jack stammered, "N-Not that, why are you in here right now!?"
Ashi moved closer to him, causing him to back up, "What, you don't want to share? It would certainly save time if we showered together, don't you think?"
He was backed into the wall now, and Ashi slid her index finger slowly down his torso as he tried to respond, "I-I-I don't see w-why we would n-need to share, we have a-aAAaall night to shower," he shivered when her finger crossed below his waistline.
"You're right, we can take our time with this. So, I thought, why not have a little fun? Just relax, get our minds off things for a bit. Of course, if you don't want to shower with me, I can just go…" Ashi pouted, stepping back into the running water, giving Jack a good look at the moisture glistening off her body.
Jack swallowed, moving off the wall; "N-No, this is-this is fine! We'll just… wash each other," he replied with an attempted sly look of his own.
Ashi's expression turned to a wide grin, "Well then, why don't we get started?" as she gave the bath sponge a light squeeze. She took ahold of Jack's left wrist, and brought his whole arm into the running water for a moment. She then took the bath sponge and gently massaged it into his arm, starting at his wrist and working her way up his forearm, past his elbow, then across his shoulders. She switched hands with the bath sponge, then brought it down his right arm. Once Ashi had gotten to his right hand, Jack used it to gently grab hers with the bath sponge. The gesture caused Ashi to look at Jack, who was looking at her as well. They stared at each other for a moment, before Jack moved in eagerly to kiss her; she reciprocated, and the two of them struggled back and forth for a bit. Jack's left hand started moving down along the right side of her body. His hand reached her hips, and moved around to cup her butt; he wasn't gripping, only resting his hand against the soft skin, caressing it.
But Ashi's right hand reached around, covering Jack's hand he was using to fondle her rear, and pulled away from the lip lock. "Not yet, I've only just begun~" she cooed, bringing her once trapped bath sponge hand to bop his nose, causing him to smirk.
Ashi then brought the bath sponge down to his chest, and started to make small circles all along his torso. She slowed the movement as the bath sponge washed over Jack's ab muscles, and started to bite her lip; his entire torso was hard as steel. Then she realized how low she was getting, about to reach Jack's waistline again. Once she went past it, Ashi looked up at Jack seductively. He met her gaze for a moment, then she suddenly moved past him to lather his back instead, eliciting another chuckle from him.
Jack closed his eyes, in pure bliss at the combined sensation of the water raining down his chest, and Ashi gently scrubbing his back. She was careful to cover every inch of his skin as she kneaded her way down his back, taking extra care when she reached Jack's butt; he noticed Ashi's particular attention to his glutes, and flexed while she was touching it, making her squeak in flustered surprise.
Not long after, she continued her descent to Jack's left leg, circling down his thigh up until the knee. "Lift your leg," she ordered, bending down and poking his ankle. He obeyed, bending his left leg so his foot was reared up behind him, as Ashi cradled it in one hand and lathered it with the other. She then repeated the same process with his right leg, and Jack had picked up his foot right as she got to his knee.
Ashi giggled, crossing back to his front. She looked up at him flirtatiously, "Very good," she purred, spontaneously touching the bath sponge to his groin, "I didn't need to tell you to lift this leg, either." Jack was dumbstruck by the sudden contact, and as she knelt down and began to thoroughly massage the area with the bath sponge, the tingling sensation he felt keeping him tongue-tied. He held his breath while Ashi lingered there for a while, using both hands as she slowly lathered his "private things." Each passing second was painstakingly slow, he could feel her hot breath as she stroked the bath sponge back and forth, the tingling sensation had built up to the point that it was driving him mad.
But before he reached the breaking point, Ashi pulled away and stood up, "Okay, your turn~" she cooed, holding the bath sponge in front of him. Jack looked up at the ceiling in frustration, and then back down to meet Ashi's smug grin; she knew exactly what she had done, the culmination of her weeks of flirtation and teasing. Only now, Jack wasn't simply her victim.
He was her opponent, and it was time to give her a taste of her own medicine.
Taking the bath sponge carefully from her hand, he looked her in the eye to say, "Thank you…" before deftly turning her around and pulling her against him, with his left arm across her waist. Ashi became extremely flustered at the feeling of prodding against her lower backside. He put the bath sponge on her right shoulder, and slowly brought it down the length of her arm. Almost as if on cue, Ashi lifted the arm straight out in front of her as he made his way along it. Just as he did last night, Jack stuck his head in the crook of her neck, nuzzling her with his thick beard; Ashi giggled, being tickled by the facial hair. He then reached across her chest to wash her left arm, which she lifted to meet him halfway, one of the only movements his firm hold on her body allowed; admittedly, the assertiveness he was displaying made her quiver.
Once her arm was covered in suds, he let go and let it fall back to her side, moving to the base of her torso above her waistline. Massaging back and forth with the bath sponge, Jack climbed her impressive abdominals—not as prominent as his, but solid—carefully making his way up to her breasts. He finally grazed the underside of her bust, which startled both of them. Jack stopped dead in his tracks, his confidence was starting to waver under the weight of Ashi's left tit.
But she wasn't about to let him wimp out now; she leaned back so that her head was lined with his, and tilted hers up to his ear to whisper, "What are you waiting for?" Ashi then put her left hand over his carrying the bath sponge, and slowly guided it over the obstacle. Once she let go, Jack had regained his courage, and continued the ascent on his own. He made a figure-eight pattern, going around each breast a couple times, inward to the nipple and then doubling back down, and up the valley between the twin peaks; Ashi made sure to press them together with her arms whenever he passed through. He also fondled her left breast whenever he was lathering the right, eliciting tiny moans from Ashi each time.
After making Ashi's chest absolutely spotless, Jack moved on to her shoulders, finally putting space between them so he could get her back next. he knew where he needed to go, but he would take his time getting there; this was about the journey, after all.
Jack ran the bath sponge over every inch of her back, but not in any particular pattern. He was too focused on simply admiring the shape of her body, taking note of the landscape's subtle curves and bends. Ashi closed her eyes, relishing the sensation of Jack exploring her. As eager as she was, this was all new to her as well; but Ashi refused to show any hesitation, knowing that she and Jack were sharing the experience. Although, he was quite eager to take charge, he must've been more willing than he let on, she thought, smiling to herself.
Just then, she felt the bath sponge pass the small of her back, swerve down the right hip, then loop around under her cheek. Jack was taking a similar approach with her butt as he did with her breasts, going around and on top, in between, and repeat. After he had lathered both cheeks a couple times, he went down between again, only instead of turning to loop around again, he slowly continued descending. Ashi shivered as Jack's hand, separated from her bare womanhood by the bath sponge, slid between her legs; she could see the white sponge stick out from her crotch when she looked down. He repeated the motion a few times, before moving the bath sponge down to her right leg. Jack had now moved next to her, so Ashi lifted her leg out in front of her like she was frozen in a kick line, as he held her by the waist to keep her from falling over. He slowly brought the bath sponge along her thigh, her shin, calf, ankle, and finally the sole of her foot, then back up her leg in the same fashion. Once he past the thigh, he made another stop to her privates, causing her to bite her lip, before crossing to her left leg. She had already dropped the right leg, and kicked up her left without Jack having to switch sides, and he lathered it with the same technique as the other.
With that, he had scrubbed the entirety of her body, and they were both covered head to toe in suds. Jack let go of Ashi's hip and moved back behind her as she dropped her left leg, and turned to look at him. They locked eyes for another eternal moment, before Ashi took Jack's hands. "So, do you feel clean?" she asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.
Jack closed his eyes in satisfaction as he replied, "Actually, I feel filthier than ever," causing her to snicker.
Without another word, she pulled him into the running water, and he met her for a kiss as the soap and suds covering their bodies was washed away.
/
Any other morning, the couple would stay in bed for at least another two hours, but today was an exception. Having showered the night before, they left the hotel at a quarter past nine. The hospital was right across from them, but Jack had agreed to give his Mother a ride, so they dropped his bike at her house, and he drove them in his Mother's sedan back to the hospital.
They got there five minutes after ten, the time the doctor said the operation was to begin. But when they arrived, the doctor told them that preparations were almost finished, and the operation would proceed momentarily; Jack's Mother had brought homemade egg sandwiches for the three of them, so they ate their breakfast in the waiting area until then.
Finally, one of the nurses came to get them around ten twenty, and they made their way to the operating room. Jack was starting to feel uneasy again, and it must have been showing on his face, because Ashi took hold of his left hand as they walked, giving him a reassuring look. They sat in the row of chairs lined up across from the operating room door; Jack sat between Ashi on his left and his Mother on his right. Instinctively, he grabbed his Mother's hand with his right, and smiled at her as she beamed back.
"We'll keep you posted if anything changes, but as of now, see you in three to six hours," the doctor clarified, stepping into the room across from them. All they could do now was wait, sitting there, hand in hand, awaiting the fate of their loved one.
Midway into the operation, Jack had dozed off; his entire body was slumped in the chair, his head balanced on the back of it. Meanwhile, Jack's Mother was now sitting to Ashi's left; she had mentioned over dinner last night that she had no clue how to use the smartphone she upgraded to recently, and Ashi offered to help her with it. She herself wasn't very tech savvy, but she knew enough about the device's basic functions to get her started. Ashi was finally starting to understand the stigma of older people not getting technology. But unlike most youths who got frustrated when their elders didn't comprehend things, she saw it as endearing.
Then again, this wasn't her Mother, so maybe that was why; hers would never ask for her help with something like this in the first place, and even if she did, the experience would be nowhere near as tolerable.
"… And then once that's finished downloading, you just sign into your account, and you're all set!" Ashi confirmed, handing Jack's Mother back her phone.
The woman adjusted her reading glasses so she could see the home screen, "So, I just have to tap the NameTag icon now, yes?" she asked.
Ashi nodded, tapping the app to demonstrate, and the blue logo came up over a white background. "NameTag" was the most popular social media site for at least a decade now, where people created personal accounts through which they could post status updates, connect with friends, and follow accounts that suited their interests.
"Oooh, finally!" Jack's Mother nudged Ashi with her elbow, "Now I don't have to turn on the computer all the time to keep up with the latest gossip," she laughed. Ashi laughed along with the woman, amazed by her uncompromising cheerfulness. Her husband was undergoing a delicate operation, yet she retained her positive demeanor; she never lost hope that he would pull through. And frankly, the woman was just plain adorable.
That cuteness left Ashi vulnerable, when Jack's Mother abruptly turned to her and asked, "Ashi, is you Father AKu?"
Ashi's mouth was agape for a few seconds, then she regained her composure, "Yes, he is," she confessed, looking away shamefully.
"Ah, okay. I was on NameTag last night after you and Jack left, and someone posted something about the 'Daughters of AKu'. I read the article—it namedropped you, by the way—and after everything you told me about your Father and your sister's, it all clicked," Jack's Mother explained.
"I see…" Ashi sighed. Guess it was about time she started feeling the repercussions of her Father's campaign, she thought; he had warned her about it months ago, and she was long overdue.
The two women were now sitting in silence. Jack's Mother didn't seem bothered at all, scrolling through her NameTag feed; but Ashi still felt guilty about her Father's misdeeds. Maybe she wasn't showing it, but Jack's Mother must have held some ill will towards her because of who she was. And what would his Father think? Jack's parents had taken the brunt of her Father's vengeance; separating them from their child, forcing them to live and work in arduous conditions. And now, AKu's daughter was here to take their son away once more.
Jack's Mother noticed Ashi's troubled mind, placing a hand on her arm, "Ashi, dear, is everything alright?" she asked quietly. Ashi froze, then slowly turned to meet the woman's gaze. But she didn't feel even a hint of anger, or scrutiny, or hate in her gaze; it was just a look of genuine, motherly concern.
Ashi was thrown off by the gesture, prompting her to ask earnestly, "Does who my Father is change your opinion of me?"
Jack's Mother stopped to take off her reading glasses, sliding them back into their plastic case, then into her purse. She clasped her hands, and started to speak: "Ashi, my opinion of you changed the moment I met you. When Jack told me that he was bringing a 'friend' with him, I wasn't sure what to expect. Of course, once he mentioned that you were a girl, I assumed right away that you two were an item. As a Mother, it can be bittersweet to find out your son has a girlfriend; you want him to be happy, to be an adult who makes his own decisions. But no matter how old he gets, he's still your little boy, and you want to protect him from the evils of the world. Greedy men who seek control over others, loose women who use men—'man-eaters', I believe is the term. I admit, the possibility of you being like that came to mind. But like I said, Jack is an adult, with every right to choose who he dates. Even if I did dislike you, Ashi, I wouldn't have said anything. He speaks quite highly of you, despite knowing about… he does know, doesn't he?"
She cast an inquisitive glance at Ashi, who perked up, "Y-Yes, of course! I didn't tell him… right away, though. He made it abundantly clear from the start that AKu was a sore subject, so I kept it a secret for a while. I was scared that he would reject me because of it; wouldn't be the first time. My whole life just feels like an extension of my parents' sometimes, I can't escape their shadow. I worry that all I'll ever amount to is being a 'daughter of AKu'." she confessed.
"But he stayed with you regardless, did he not?" Jack's Mother pointed out, and Ashi nodded with a soft smile, "Exactly. Jack knows to not judge people based on where they come from, but on the merit of their character, as we have taught him to. And that's why I don't think any less of you. Maybe, at first, I was worried you would be some floozy, but I kept that to myself, and I certainly didn't let it affect how I treat you. And as it turns out, you are a lovely person, and I enjoy being in your company. Your Father being AKu doesn't make a difference to me, no more than it did for Jack," she explained.
"In fact, my husband has a saying that I'm sure Jack remembers quite well: 'The decisions you make, and the actions that follow, are a reflection of who you are'." The wise words resonated with Ashi, calling to the deep desire she held to be her own person, not just an accessory of her family.
"Speaking of decisions…" Jack's Mother trailed off, picking up her phone again to show Ashi her NameTag page on the screen, "Would you mind accepting my friend request? I don't have that many yet."
Ashi smiled, "I'd be happy to," she replied, pulling out her own phone. The two women spent the rest of the time engaged in casual conversation, Ashi showing Jack's Mother a few more things she could do with her smart phone.
Finally, four and a half hours later, the doctor stepped out of the operating room and approached them. He wore a blank expression as they all looked up at him anxiously, and finally spoke, "He's going to be just fine." The three of them felt tremendous relief. Without warning, Ashi found herself in the middle of Jack and his Mother's embrace, which they happily included her in.
She didn't mind it one bit.
/
Jack lay on the hotel bed, staring up at the ceiling. But unlike last night, he was now feeling comfortable and relieved.
The operation was a success, and although Jack's Father was still in recovery, the doctor said that they would finally be able to see him by tomorrow. Even though they would be spending Christmas day at the hospital, Jack didn't mind that, as long as his Father was healthy.
This was his and Ashi's second trip back to Lancaster as a couple, and it had proven to be the opposite to the first, at least for Jack. He went into Thanksgiving dinner with confidence, but came out feeling more uncertain than ever. Alternatively, he approached Christmas with worry about his Father's fate; but on this Christmas Eve, Jack felt more hopeful than ever about the future.
A huge contributor to that was the girl sitting Indian-style near the foot of the bed. Ashi was invested in the Christmas Movie that was playing on the TV in front of them. Apparently, this channel played this particular movie for twenty-four hours straight, from Christmas Eve through Christmas, every year. Jack had never seen this one before, but couldn't imagine it being so good as to warrant twelve consecutive viewings.
The classic Christmas story was the first festive thing he had done today, considering how they had spent the Eve; they did, however, go out for dinner with Jack's Mother, but that was more about Jack's Father than the holiday. This was turning out to be a silent night for the couple.
But then Jack remembered: He had Ashi's gift on hand, and they had never exchanged gifts. They were alone and in private, the perfect setting for Jack to present Ashi with what he had for her. Of course, Ashi probably didn't have his gift with her; but Jack, in his frantic packing yesterday, decided to take Ashi's gift with him, afraid of her stumbling upon it accidentally. Funny that a strange decision like that ended up paying off, Jack thought.
Leaning up on his elbows, Jack nudged Ashi with his leg; "Darling, could you do me a favor?" he asked sweetly.
She turned to look at him, slightly confused, "Um, sure… honey?"
Jack chuckled, "Could you get something from my luggage for me?" he pointed across the room to the black duffel bag, sitting on the table to the left of the TV.
"'Something'? Could you be a little more specific?" Ashi asked, unfolding her legs and getting up from the bed.
"… Ahh, no. You'll find it though, just take a look," Jack assured, waving her along playfully.
This was another situation where with anyone else, Ashi would have become suspicious. But Jack wasn't one to play pranks on people, she trusted that he genuinely needed "something" from his luggage.
Ashi stood over the duffel bag, gazing inside; "It should be under the clothes," Jack suggested. She lifted the pile of Jack's clothes, and saw a flat, glossy box lying down. Intrigued, Ashi slid the box out from under the clothing with her other hand, then cradling the box in wonder.
"Merry Christmas, Ashi," Jack said, now sitting up on the bed completely.
Ashi quickly snapped out of her surprise, "Hold that thought…" she responded, moving now to her own luggage. Reaching into the right side, she pulled out a box not unlike the one Jack brought for her, only thicker, and white.
Ashi picked up both gifts and hopped onto the bed, holding Jack's out to him with a bright smile, "Merry Christmas, Jack!" He took the present without looking away from her, a gleam in his eyes.
What snapped him out of it was Ashi sitting across from him in the bad, legs crossed, holding her gift excitedly, "Let's open them at the same time, okay?" she looked at him expectantly. Obliging, Jack mirrored her position and held his own gift in his lap.
The two of them sat there for a moment, looking at each other; Ashi noticed a hint of red coloring Jack's face as he glanced at the box she was holding, only making her more curious. "Ready?" he asked, grabbing a corner of the wrapping on the box he held.
Ashi nodded, "Ready," and they tore at the wrappings on their respective gifts, then pulling off the box lids and tossing them aside.
Jack pulled out a white robe that was a soft and smooth material, and it instantly reminded him of his Samurai persona. "I-I love it, thank you!" Jack gushed, holding the robe up in front of him. Ashi didn't respond, however, and he lowered the robe to see her face beat red, looking like she was holding back laughter.
"Do you… not like it?" Jack's face fell slightly, afraid he had made a mistake.
But Ashi was quick to answer this time, "No, no! I think it's lovely, I just… wasn't, you know, expecting you to buy… lingerie," she choked out, lifting the one-piece nightgown out of the box. It was made of a thin green lace, with a flowing silk skirt coming down from under that bra, covering the wearer's midsection and hips.
Ashi smiled at Jack after pulling herself together, "I like it, I really do. Thank you." She reiterated her gratitude by leaning forward and pulling him in for a kiss; a kiss that was supposed to be short, but Jack's infectious enthusiasm made her want to keep going. Moments later, she was pushing harder, causing Jack to fall back on the bed, Ashi on top of him.
But just as things were getting heated, she pulled away and sat up over him, "Before we go any further, why don't we try on our new outfits~?" she cooed as she waved the green undergarment. Jack looked at her with a naughty grin as Ashi dismounted him, sauntering towards the bathroom; she glanced at him once more before she disappeared around the corner, closing the door behind her.
Immediately after, Jack leapt off the bed and began to undress. Once he was down to only his boxers, he picked up the white robe, holding it up while standing and admiring the garment. It really was spot on, belt and everything; Jack was amazed that he hadn't noticed it himself when they were at the mall.
Nevertheless, it was now his, and all he had to do was put it on; tying the sash-like belt around his abdominals, he stepped into the mirror to admire it. Because of his excessive hair, the reflection wasn't quite perfect, but Jack could feel that this was right. This was who he was.
But Jack was unable to dwell on the feeling, too busy mentally preparing for going… further with Ashi. Suddenly, he remembered the memento his friend left for him, that was instinctively tucked into his wallet (that's what he's seen people do, at least). Jack quickly retrieved it from the nightstand, and put it down there so it was in reach from the bed.
Just as he moved away from the nightstand, the bathroom door opened, and Ashi stepped out while shutting the light. The silky green nightgown hugged her body perfectly, and Jack could only stare at her as she slowly approached him, swaying her hips.
Ashi looked him up and down, then straight in the eyes to ask, "Jack, are you wearing your boxers under that?" with a small smile. Jack blinked, surprised at the question, "Um… yes," he answered.
Her gaze intensified, "Take them off," she requested firmly.
Obediently, Jack reached underneath the fold of the robe and opened it to grasp both sides of his boxers. Slowly, he slid them down his thighs until they were past his… Jack stopped, smirked at Ashi, and finished the motion quick enough that the robe was closed again before she could see anything.
Ashi flashed a weak pout, closing the distance fully as he tossed his boxers at his luggage. She grabbed the underside of the sash on his back, pulling him close to whisper, "You know, you're just delaying the inevitable."
Jack responded by grabbing her waist, whispering back, "Then let's not keep our destiny waiting any longer…"
Jack quickly descended upon a familiar spot in the crook of her neck, and Ashi was as taken aback as she was the previous times, biting her lip at the sensation of his nuzzling kisses. His third time around, Jack had started to pick up on what Ashi liked, feeling her body shiver. Her grip on his robe loosen as he prodded, and she softly moaned as he started to nibble at her neck. But he was mindful not to leave any marks, conscientious that his parents would notice them tomorrow.
The two of them had drifted from the middle of the room to the foot of the hotel bed, and Ashi found the back of her knees pressed against it; Jack lifted his head when he felt her grip tighten all of a sudden, pulling him down as she fell back onto the bed.
Ashi was now lying on the bed and looking up at Jack, who was lying on top of her. He propped himself up by his arms, and they stared blankly at each other for a moment, trying to gauge each other's reaction. Ashi finally broke the silence, "Jack," she spoke up, "This is what you want?"
Jack's blank stare quickly became a soft gaze, accompanied by a small smile; "I'm realizing now, I've wanted this for a long time," he confessed, resting his forehead on hers.
After another moment of silence in this position, Ashi brought her lips up to meet Jack's, and they began to make out again as Ashi wrapped her arms around his neck. Jack used his arms to move further up on the bed, dragging her along with him as they continued kissing. Once Ashi's head had hit the pillow, she finally let go of his neck, only to immediately claw at his robe, trying and failing to untie the sash without looking. Jack giggled at her fumbling, and broke the kiss to start untying it himself. Meanwhile, Ashi slid off the lingerie, wiggling out of the one piece from the top.
They had finished disrobing almost simultaneously, and now they were sitting there, gawking at each other; Jack, kneeling on the bed looking down at Ashi, propped up on her elbows.
Jack was blushing profusely, but managed to reach over and pick up the condom sitting on the nightstand. "Ready?" he asked, holding it out to her. Taking a deep breath, she reached over to the nightstand herself and shut off the light.
"Ready."
/
Jack lay on the hotel bed, staring up at the ceiling.
It was snowing again. The streetlight outside was illuminating the snowflakes as they fell, and shining into their window. Jack watched the shadows they cast, cascading down the hotel wall and ceiling; it reminded him of a TV with bad reception, as fuzzy as his mind at the moment.
Ashi was snuggled up against him, his right arm holding her firmly against him. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing slowly. Both of them had finally stopped panting, but they were still sweaty after their experience.
"Hey," Jack snapped out of it to look down, surprised to hear Ashi speak. He thought she was already asleep, but she had opened her eyes for the moment to glance at him, and saw him in his usual introspective trance. "What's on your mind?" she asked quietly.
Jack looked up at the ceiling again before answering, "I just find it funny… Everyone treats their first time like this huge turning point in life; this big, scary, new experience. People act like your life doesn't start until it happens, and yet… here we are."
"Yeah," Ashi murmured, slowly slipping out of consciousness, "It seemed like such a big deal, but now, it's just like, 'Hey, we did it, it's over'," she flourished her hand lazily, causing Jack to laugh.
"Well, you certainly sound enthused about it. Were you bored?" he joked.
Ashi groggily groaned in protest, "No, shush, it was good. You were good," she assured, kissing his chest.
It tickled him, and he chuckled in response, "You too." They laid in silence for another minute, before Jack finally mustered the courage to say it.
"Ashi, I love you."
…
…
…
No response. Ashi had already fallen asleep.
Jack sighed, but not in disappointment; he just had to wait a little longer to tell her. Finally, at ease, Jack closed his eyes as well and joined Ashi in a peaceful slumber.
/
Today was Christmas, and even though Jack's Father was still in recovery, wheelchair-bound, they were all content in at least being together.
Jack and Ashi had met his Mother at her house for breakfast, then spent all afternoon cooking dinner with her. Once it was done, they packed the food in plastic containers, and brought it with them to the hospital.
Jack's father was lying in his hospital bed, gazing out the window. When they entered his room, he turned to them with a weary, yet bright smile.
Jack and his Mother greeted him with affection, introducing him to Ashi; he was thrilled to find out his son had a girlfriend. But he was confined to a wheelchair for the time being, so Jack wheeled him as they moved to the hospital cafeteria. With special permission from the staff, they were allowed to use the space to reheat the food they had brought from home.
The relatively fresh food was delicious regardless—Ashi was especially proud of her handiwork, the roasted potatoes—and Jack's Father thanked the trio for the meal they made, as well as their love and support. Jack took that moment to apologize to his Father for his failings in the past; for failing to financially support them, and for his criminal record.
But Jack's Father did not accept the apology, because to him, it was unnecessary. He reminded his son that he and his Mother raised him to be a righteous, independent person, one that would learn from failure, seek to correct his flaws, and better himself. Jack's Father assured him that Jack was that person. Though he may have made mistakes, it was his intention behind those mistakes that matter in the end, his Father explained.
It was then that he uttered one of his favorite quotes, that Jack could remember hearing when he was young: "The decisions you make, and the actions that follow, are a reflection of who you are". As he said it, Jack's Mother winked at Ashi, who smiled back as she clutched Jack's hand under the table.
His Father also had an apology of his own, revealing that he had requested Jack's Mother tell him not to come see them. He admitted that in the event something went wrong, he did not want Jack's last memory of him to be of the frail man, hooked up to life support, unable to even open his eyes.
Jack's Father also clarified that he was in the hospital from overworking; not in AKu's factory, which he was close to retiring from, but as a prominent figure of the United Neighborhood Committee. It was a group that had been formed over the last year, comprised of multiple neighborhoods that had been turned into AKu's complexes, and was fighting for legislation to regulate the oppressive behavior of the people who ran the facilities. The group had been working hard to have their voices heard, slowly making a difference for thousands of home owners. Jack's Father reminded him of what he promised four years ago, that they would persist.
As makeshift as it was, this Christmas was better than Jack could've imagined. Despite the concern early on, his Father had made it through a delicate operation, and was steadily recovering. But even at his weary age, it turned out the man was still doing what he could to uphold the righteous ideals he had instilled in his son, who respected his Father more than ever; and of Jack himself, he discovered, both his parents were as proud as ever.
What's more, he was enjoying the holiday with the woman he loved. His first time had reinforced the affection he felt for Ashi, deepening their emotional connection. Jack couldn't imagine where he would be if she hadn't come into his life, and hoped he would be able to spend the rest of it by her side. He was the happiest he had been in years, and that feeling sparked in him a new ambition:
He would not let AKu take this away from him. Not again. He wasn't that scared little boy who answered the door all those years ago, he was the one who would slam it in that man's face. His purpose was the destruction of a great evil, the protection of peace and happiness in the world.
He was a Samurai.
And one day, he would end AKu's reign of terror, once and for all.
Of course, there was the complication of AKu being Ashi's father… but surely, he thought, she would see the truth of her Father's evil; she would understand that his corruption must be eradicated. Father or not, Ashi would fight by his side to defend the greater good… wouldn't she?
Ashi, meanwhile, was just as happy as Jack, if not more. Jack was finally over his depressive slump now that his Father was okay, just as she had hoped he would be, while his Mother had taken quite the shine to her son's girlfriend, and was completely understanding of Ashi's unfortunate lineage. So far, it seemed like Jack's Father was fond of her as well.
Additionally, her persistent sexual advances had finally paid off, and she and Jack had consummated their relationship at last. Ashi was secretly relieved to have lost her virginity as well, and was entirely satisfied with whom she had given it.
But all this time spent with Jack's parents—actual loving, caring parents—it made her think more and more about her own. Maybe they weren't perfect—neither were Jack's parents, which they themselves admitted—but her Father was right about one thing: Family is about loyalty, and we must stick by our loved ones, even when they make mistakes.
If they truly loved her, Ashi knew that she and her parents would eventually come to terms with each other, and they would put aside their differences and disagreements for each other's sake. If she met them halfway, then her family would surely accept her for who she is, and who she loves, even if they held personal vendettas. After all, that is what it means to be a parent.
And who knows, she thought. Maybe someday, Jack's parents would be hers, too.
—END CHAPTER 13—
/