Sorry for not updating. I created a really good story for "Road Trip" and "Enchanted Forest" together, but it will be a longer story, so I'll postpone it until later
"It's nothing much compared to our apartment in New York.", Eiji said quietly, opening the door to their new apartment.
While he had been treated at a hospital in New York, Eiji had looked for an apartment in Izumo for them. Which hadn't been easy from New York but with Ibe and his family's help, Eiji had finally found one. According to Eiji, it was small, but it was close to his family's home and college.
After Eiji had unlocked the door, Ash peeked inside, then entered the apartment and looked around. He instantly liked it. It was small but modern and bright. It didn't have any furniture except for the kitchen that had come fully equipped. They had been lucky to buy it from the previous owner. In total, their apartment had a big living room, two smaller rooms for each of them, the kitchen as mentioned earlier, and one of those Japanese bathrooms he had read about. The living room also had a little balcony directed to the south so that they could enjoy the sun for hours there. He assumed that he wouldn't get shot here. Probably.
"Eiji, it's perfect. I love it. It will look really nice once we've settled in." Ash smiled at Eiji, and he returned his smile, obviously relieved that Ash liked it.
"I hope so.", Eiji said while looking around the rooms himself. He had only seen photos of it himself, after all. Ash stood behind him, then put an arm around him.
"Thank you for all your hard work. Renting an apartment in Izumo while still in New York probably wasn't easy. Sorry that I wasn't able to help you with that." Ash had a guilty conscience because he had done absolutely nothing to help Eiji.
"It's fine, Ash.", Eiji assured him. "You needed to rest after such a serious injury. And I haven't done much. My mom and Ibe helped me a lot.", Eiji replied, playing it down instantly.
Ash smiled knowingly at him. Sure, his mom and Ibe had probably helped with the paperwork, but Eiji had probably done most of the work, looking for apartments and contacting the landlords and making appointments his mom could go to.
Knowing Eiji, he had probably chosen their apartment with great care, knowing perfectly well that Ash had never had a real home, a place where he could relax and be himself.
First and foremost, Eiji wanted to create a home, especially for him. A safe haven and a cozy place where he felt protected and comfortable. But playing it down was so like Eiji that Ash couldn't help but smile.
"Eiji, you know I don't need a luxury apartment like the one we had in New York. The one in New York had always felt weird to me. I never felt comfortable there; it looked more like a museum than anything else. I felt like a stranger in my own apartment. I like this one much better. It looks bright, comfortable and cozy. And it will even look better when you have decorated it with some of your photos. And turned your room into a little photo studio."
"And when you've created a library in your room for all the books, you'll most likely buy.", Eiji added, grinning.
"So, which one of the rooms is mine?"
~ ~ ~
Ash woke up when the sun rays hit his face. He sat up and looked around in confusion but relaxed again when he saw Eiji next to him. He lay on the makeshift bed on his stomach and was busy making a list while Ash had still been sleeping next to him.
"Hey, Ash. You're awake. Welcome to your new life in Izumo." He smiled happily at him before removing some strands from his face.
"I'm making a list of things to buy for our apartment.", Eiji explained patiently while he slowly woke up. "Today, we can buy the most important things. I asked my mom for her car. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I look forward to furnishing and decorating the apartment with you, Ash!" Eiji beamed at him with shining eyes.
Ash lived for that innocent look in his eyes and his wide and honest smile. Eiji could find joy in the simplest things. It was the one thing that Ash admired about him. Maybe one day, he could enjoy life as easily as he did as well. He really hoped so.
In the morning, Eiji made a list of things they needed for the kitchen and all the other rooms: smaller furniture like lamps or chairs, cleaning products and a broom as well as a vacuum cleaner. And a ladder and a toolbox. Their top priority was a coffee machine, though.
Meanwhile, Ash had measured all of the rooms and had written down all the details on a sheet of paper. Then they discussed which furniture they needed and how to arrange it best in their small apartment.
That's a lot to buy." Eiji sighed dramatically but couldn't hide his excitement. "We probably need a whole week for that. It's a good thing we have enough free time at the moment. But that won't be cheap." A deep frown appeared on his forehead while he contemplated how they could afford all of that.
"Don't worry about it, Eiji. I'll pay for it. I still have enough money left from my gang leader days. It always hid some money on the side in case of emergencies. That should be enough for all the furniture."
"You can't pay for all of it. That's unfair!", Eiji exclaimed stubbornly while his burning brown eyes bored into his.
"Eiji, please accept it, ok? It's my way to thank you for saving my life and convincing me to go to Japan with you.", Ash pleaded with him. Then he grinned at him, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You can pay me back when you're a famous photographer."
Eiji still had that stubborn look on his face, but then his features softened, and he quietly nodded. "Fine, I'll accept your offer, but I'll pay you back later."
After spending several days in DIY stores and furniture stores, their new apartment looked pretty good.
Ash had put up most of the furniture himself or with Eiji's help. Eiji's most outstanding talent didn't lie in reading construction manuals and following them; that was for sure. So, while Ash had put up the big furniture like their beds, the wardrobe and the shelves for their living room, Eiji had done the same with their desks and chairs. Eiji had also installed all the lamps, had cleaned their apartment, and put away all their equipment for their kitchen. He also established the coffee machine and the rice cooker.
When he was finished, he had helped Ash finish putting up the shelf for their living room. The only thing that their apartment lacked was a couch that would only arrive in the next few days. Then, their apartment would be perfect.
Eiji had also framed a few of his pictures and had hung it on several of the walls. Ash loved looking at them. They were bright and cheerful, and reflected the innocent and pure way he saw the world. Eiji had a good eye for detail, and his photos reminded him daily that photos could also be beautiful and create or freeze perfect, unforgettable memories forever.
By the time they finished, their clothes were dirty; their faces were smeared with dirt, and droplets of sweat were running down their faces. Still, despite all the effort and the hard work he had done these last few days, Ash had never enjoyed himself more. He loved furnishing their apartment because it felt normal. This was the ordinary life he had always dreamed of. It felt great.
And he loved watching Eiji walking around their apartment in deep concentration. He always got that cute frown on his face when he did that. He also loved how Eiji was humming to himself, smiling all the time.
Somehow his smile had become even warmer since he was in Japan. Maybe because he was back in his hometown or perhaps because he knew they were safe now. Eiji was enjoying himself, too. It was visible in the happy glow in his eyes that made them shine a golden brown and in his posture, his good mood.
And, Ash had to admit, Eiji looked really cute when all sweaty and dirty. That was a part of him he hadn't seen yet. And he loved that side of him as well.
Ash was surprised how easily they had agreed on the furniture and all the things they would buy. Everything was just so easy with Eiji. If they argued, they quickly found a compromise and resolved everything within minutes.
The only thing that irritated Ash was Eiji's love for decoration. He had stopped at every cute detail that only served as decoration, like pillows, clocks, candles, outside lamps, or lanterns for their balcony. It drove Ash mad. Ash tried to rationally explain to Eiji that decorating didn't have a priority right now.
Eiji had quietly nodded, but he had looked so sad that Ash's heart had been broken just by looking at him. He tried to hide it, but Ash knew him too well. Ash sighed dramatically. Eiji had explained to him that he wanted to create a beautiful, colorful and warm home for him. For them together.
He finally grabbed Eiji's hand, stopping him, and they talked about it. In the end, they agreed that they would choose three things to decorate their apartment if they weren't too expensive.
Eiji's sparkling eyes had been totally worth it. He hummed the rest of the way, and his mood had brightened instantly. He always told Eiji he thought in too simple terms. Still, it was this character trait he loved about Eiji. It was so easy to make him happy.
Ash felt how he slowly relaxed and cheered up as well while being around him. He began to enjoy himself while he browsed the shelves, and for the first time, he felt how he relaxed and wondered if life in Japan would always be so easy. Maybe it was as long as Eiji was with him...
Eiji chose the items since Ash had no idea how you decorate a room. His hiding places had only been furnished with essential things since he never knew when he had to escape from there. And he didn't want to leave any personal information behind, so he never owned any personal items.
So, he was astonished when Eiji had given him a present at the end of the week.
He had told him it was something personal to decorate his room with. Ash's eyes had widened when he had unwrapped the present.
Eiji had given him two photos he had enlarged and put in a beautiful frame. One picture was the one he had been staring at for a long time in Cape Cod, the one where Griff and his five-year-old self were wearing a baseball uniform, and Griff had knelt, so they were at the same height while putting an arm around him, and both of them were smiling into the camera.
The other one was a photo of Eiji, himself and Shorter, where Shorter was standing in the middle, putting an arm around each of them and grinning mischievously into the camera. While Eiji was winking and smiling into the camera, Ash was smirking into the camera, a dangerous glint in his eyes while Shorter's sunglasses were resting on top of his head. A single tear had run down Ash's face before he had hugged Eiji and had thanked him.
He hadn't taken any personal belongings with him, and the few photos he had owned of Griff he had been forced to leave in Cape Cod since he had intended to keep his relation to Griffin a secret from Dino.
Eiji had given those photos to him because some personal items would help him feel at home here.
Eiji hadn't understood it yet. That he was always home as long as Eiji was by his side.
Sometimes home isn't a place but a person.