Ash woke suddenly at a blow to the back of his head. He reached for his gun but it wasn't there. His eyes flashed open.

Eiji was staring at him, unimpressed, holding Ash's gun. Skipper was hiding behind the couch, looking at Eiji like he had just poked a sleeping lion while they were both trapped in its cage.

Ash looked at Eiji, the stolen gun in his hand. His glare was withering.

"You're a really deep sleeper," Eiji said simply.

"There better be a good reason you woke me," Ash growled, venom in his voice. "Something better be on fire, a band of thugs is headed our way, somebody better have died - or I'm going to kill you."

"I'm making pancakes. Do you want any?"

Skip sank lower behind the couch.

Ash's eyes were cold and still. "Sure," he said and rolled back over under the covers.

"Okay," Eiji said, setting the gun back on the table. He turned around and headed out the door. "Come on, Skipper. Show me where the kitchen is."

Skipper glanced at the sleeping figure tucked back under the covers and then scurried to follow Eiji out the door. "You're brave, Ei-chan."

Eiji looked at him, questioning. Skip repeated himself. "I said you're crazy."

Eiji shrugged. Skip led the way into the common area.

"You're lucky you didn't get shot," Skipper said. "No one wakes up Ash."

"You woke up Ash?" Bones yelped. "He woke Ash!"

Kong and Alex looked up, startled, and glanced at the door as if they expected the young gang boss to walk through any minute and shoot them all down where they stood.

"What'd you have to go and do that for?" Bones quaked.

Eiji laughed. All these tough gang members and they were panicking like children who'd accidentally woken their parents in the middle of the night. "Is he really that bad when you wake him up?"

Bones pulled on his mouth, showing off his broken teeth. "How do you think I got these?"

"He could have shot you," Skipper agreed.

Eiji shook his head. "That's why I took his gun first."

The room went silent and they all stared at Eiji.

"You took… his gun… and lived?" Bones gaped.

Skipper nodded solemnly.

Alex smirked. "Boys, I think we need to be on our best behavior around the new kid. This one tames lynxes." He looked at Eiji and smiled.

Eiji looked at Skipper but the young boy didn't translate what Alex had said. Instead he looked up at Eiji with a new look in his eyes. They all had that look. A newfound respect. And something more than that…

"Here you go, Ei-chan," Skip said. He spread his hands showing off the kitchen.

Eiji poked through the cupboards cautiously and opened the fridge only to close it very quickly to trap the smell. "What do you guys eat?" he moaned.

"Hey, we can be healthy," Skipper said, hopping up to sit on the counter. "Look, we have fruit! Fruit is healthy."

Eiji dubiously looked at the bananas that had browned and blackened in the bowl.

"Well it was healthy at one point," Skip said, embarrassed. "I'll throw them out-"

"No," Eiji interrupted. "I know just what to do with them."

"Banana pancakes?" Ash asked. He looked up at Eiji.

"Like Banana Fish!" Eiji smiled.

Ash looked down at the golden cakes as Eiji handed him a plate. "Please tell me there's not fish in these."

"What are you talking about? I made this sardine syrup just for you!" Eiji laughed. He handed Ash the little jar of syrup and plopped down on the couch beside Ash. "It's just maple," Eiji said. "Or that's what it says on the bottle at least. There was a jar marked flour that-"

Ash froze mid-bite. "Oh please tell me you didn't use Kong's special flour to make these."

"No, he took it from me before I could. It's just normal flour."

Ash breathed a sigh of relief and continued eating.

"Your gang seemed really afraid when I told them I woke you up," Eiji said. Ash just grunted around a mouthful of food. Eiji asked quietly, "Did you really break Bones' teeth?"

Ash smiled, "No. But I did offer to break the rest of them for him if he ever woke me up again."

"Why not me?"

Ash looked up.

Eiji's dark eyes searched him softly. "Why is it okay if I wake you up?"

Ash busied himself in more pancakes. "Because you offered me food," he lied casually. He looked up at Eiji and suddenly brandished a fork at him. "No more hitting me, though. Or I will give a set of broken teeth to match Bones."

"No promises. You sleep really deeply. Where do you go?" Eiji grinned up at Ash and then the smile washed from his face. Ash's eyes were sad, looking at something far away in his memory. Eiji had meant it as a joke. He didn't mean to have struck a nerve. "I'm sorry," he whispered, poking his pancakes with a fork.

"I dream a lot." Ash smiled at Eiji. "I dream of home. Griff. My parents sometimes. The dreams are so pleasant, sometimes I never want to wake up."

Eiji was suddenly aware of how close they were, sitting together on the couch. He glanced up at Ash quietly. His skin felt hot. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want you to know that it can be nice," Ash said. "Dreams don't have to be something you're afraid of."

He looked at Eiji. Eiji blushed and looked away. "Eiji-"

Eiji stood quickly and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Ash asked.

Eiji looked back, hiding behind his smile. "Skip and I are going grocery shopping. All your food is either candy or alcohol."

Eiji grabbed his coat and turned to go.

"Not all dreams are nightmares, Eiji."

Eiji looked away. "Mine are."