The laundry room was located at the back of the prison. Half the washers were out of order and the other half sat empty. The laundry facilities were rarely used as most of the inmates opted to wear their prison jumpsuits until there was no choice but to wash them. The prison was rank with the smell of stale sweat and grime.
Eiji felt disgusting if he wore his more than two or three days in a row. Ash similarly liked to have his clothes cleaned regularly and Eiji was more than happy to go along with Ash's order to do his laundry for him. It was more than fair exchange for the use of Ash's library, and his protection.
Eiji carried the clothes to the laundry and found a washer that was still in working order and loaded the clothes into it. The machine was old and it rattled and lurched under its own force so much that it began to vibrate itself across the floor and away from the other machines. Eiji hopped up and sat on top of it, his body dulling the motion so the machine couldn't walk itself away. He settled himself in a position where he could see the clock that hung on the wall and keep an eye on the time. He opened his book, lulled by the movement and irregular hum of the machine.
Ash looked up from his page and glanced at the clock in the library. Jenkins would be arriving soon. He stood up and put the book back on its shelf. He walked past their cell on his way to the visiting room, but Eiji wasn't there. He had probably already left for their meeting. He didn't used to want to go places alone, but Eiji had relaxed a bit lately as the inmates' interest in him as the newbie faded. Now they barely paid attention to him. It didn't hurt that everyone knew he was under Ash's protection.
Ash walked out and nearly ran into Garvey as he passed him. The Snake saw Ash and grinned, looking like he wanted to pick a fight.
"You chose well with the little one," Garvey said. "It's easier when they're small. Feels nicer too." He grinned, "I remember when you used to be the smallest one in here. Too bad you always had your brother here to protect you." Garvey licked his lips and his hand twitched outwards towards Ash's lean frame. "I would have liked a taste…"
Ash growled, "If you want to relive the past, I'm happy to break your other hand. For old time's sake."
Garvey's hand stopped suddenly and he withdrew it, remembering the pain of old fractures. He scowled. "No matter, plenty of fish in the sea."
He turned and slank away towards the back of the prison, the corner of his mouth twitching as he passed. Glaring, Ash watched him go then turned back and headed down the hall.
Jenkins was already seated when Ash entered and waited while the guards patted him down. Jenkins looked up from his papers and waved absently.
Ash sat down at the table. "How are things going?"
Jenkins groaned. "I swear, I would have this thing in the bag if the judge would stop being such a damn pain in the ass. He postponed the trial another week due to "a family situation". It's his damn wife."
"What happened to his wife?"
"She's leaving him." Jenkins leaned forward conspiratorially. "I heard she slept with another man."
Ash looked unimpressed.
Jenkins leaned back. "What I'm trying to say is that he's got his own problems. But I am going to go visit him in person. Wife or no, I bet if he knew about Eiji, an innocent, young kid stuck in jail. Doesn't even speak English, the poor thing."
"You think that'll make him listen?"
Jenkins nodded. "Yeah, the guy's a softy. And he's got a son who looks to be about Eiji's age. I think he'll be willing to not only move up the date, but will probably even speed up the trial process. Especially after I explain to him the dangers of keeping him around so many dangerous influences, such as yourself."
Ash smirked.
The washer coughed and slowly sputtered to a standstill. Eiji glanced up at the clock with a jolt. He was late. Ash hated it when people were late. He set his book down and leapt off the washer. He quickly threw the clothes into the dryer and turned as the shadow of an approaching figure fell on him.
"Ash, I'm sorry. I lost track of-"
Eiji froze. Garvey was standing between him in the exit. He licked his lips.
"Ash isn't here to save you, little fish."
Eiji took a step back. The Snake matched his movement and came towards him. "Nowhere to run and no one to save you."
He stepped away from the door and Eiji made a sudden break for it. The collar of his shirt suddenly wrenched against his neck as Garvey grabbed him and yanked him back. Eiji cried out as the big man slammed him back against the machine, laying him down on top of it. Eiji's eyes were wild with terror. Garvey leaned close, inhaling Eiji's fear.
He forced his body up against him and Eiji could feel the hardness pressing against him. "Feel that?" Garvey grinned, "That's all for you, little fish."
Eiji's eyes flared in anger and his fingers curled into a fist. The Snake grinned, "Go ahead, hit me. I like it when they fight back."
"All right then," Ash said to Jenkins. "See what you can do. The sooner, the better."
"I'm with you. I want to get that kid out of here. He kind of grows on you, doesn't he?" Jenkins chuckled. He looked around. "Speaking of, where is Eiji, anyway?"
"I don't know," Ash said, glancing at the clock. "He's late. I told him to be here. He's probably just finishing-" Ash suddenly stopped, remembering the hidden smirk of the Snake as he slank away. Ash stood, realization dawning.
"Ash? What's wrong?" Jenkins asked, startled.
Ash leapt out of his seat and flew to the door. The guards stopped him as he charged towards them.
"Let me through!" Ash yelled.
The guard glared and put a hand warningly on his baton. Ash ground his teeth and allowed them to pat him down. As soon as they buzzed him through, he took off down the hall, leaving Jenkins in confusion behind him.
"Ash! Wait a minute!"
Ash raced through the prison, shoving passed inmates. He flew down steps to the laundry facilities. Idiot. He was such an idiot.
Ash rounded the corner, burst through the doors, and stopped dead in his tracks.
Eiji was slumped against the washing machine. His clothes were torn and bruises marked his face and arms. His eyes were fixed in front of him in shock and horror.
Garvey lay on the floor between them, twitching weakly, as he bled out from the multiple stab wounds in his neck. The shiv in Eiji's hand was red with blood.
Ash slowly stepped around the body. Eiji shied away as Ash knelt beside him. He was shaking.
"It's okay," Ash said softly. He held his hands up reassuringly. "Eiji, it's okay."
Eiji flinched as Ash's hand suddenly flashed out and grabbed his wrist. Ash pulled the shiv out of his hand. Eiji blinked and shook his head but couldn't look away from the dying Snake. Ash gently pulled Eiji's face towards him and away from the body on the floor, gurgling and sputtering weakly as he choked on his own blood. When Eiji finally tore his gaze away and found Ash's face, his eyes were full of tears.
Ash spoke softly, "Eiji, I understand. I do. But we have to get out of here. Now."
Alarms sounded and guards burst through the doors, their batons brandished, ready for trouble. Garvey's wide eyes looked up at the boots of the warden as he approached. The warden looked down in disgust as the man's eyes glazed over. He was dead.
Ash pulled Eiji forward as they flew along the dark passage. They burst out into the exposing light of the mess hall and Ash forced himself to walk normally, putting Eiji close to the wall with Ash in front of him. As they walked past the Snake gang's cell, Ash tossed the bloody shiv inside where it bounced and skidded under one of the beds. He hurried Eiji into their own cell as quickly as he could without drawing attention.
The alarms blared and Ash shoved Eiji inside their cell. The guards ran along the walkways as they spread out through the prison. Eiji desperately stripped off the bloody jumpsuit and Ash grabbed it from him. The guards' heavy footsteps grew nearer.
Cell doors opened and cries of surprise and outrage from the inmates rang out throughout the prison. Footsteps fell right outside their cell. Eiji looked up at him desperately. They were out of time. Ash grabbed Eiji and threw him back against the desk with a forceful shove.
The cell door opened. The guard met Eiji's startled eyes. Ash's jumpsuit was loose around his waist and he was pressing forward, apparently mid thrust, the younger's legs splayed to either side of him. Ash turned his head, pissed at having been disturbed.
"Do you mind?" he growled.
The guard turned red and backed out of the cell, closing the door without a word. Ash watched him leave. An unexpected sound caught his attention and he looked back and saw Eiji was trying to suppress a laugh. Ash stared at him.
Eiji had to bite his hand to keep from laughing. "Do you mind?" he giggled. He suddenly lurched forward and barely made it to the toilet before he threw up, his body shaking with delayed shock.
Hurried footsteps approached and Jenkins huffed up to the cell, having finally managed to get through the guards. Jenkins saw Eiji, his clothes missing or bloodied, bruises covering his pale skin. Jenkins went white then red and his hands clenched hard into fists. "What did those fuckers do to him?"
Ash stepped forward. "Jenkins-"
"When I get my hands on them, after what they did, I-I'll-I'll kill them!"
Eiji looked up, startled. Ash put a firm hand on Jenkin's arm. "The best thing you can do now is to get him out of here."
"But-" Jenkins glanced at Eiji helplessly and then to Ash. He nodded and turned, his footsteps receding quickly down the walkway. Ash turned back to Eiji.
"You should clean up. The guards might be back."
Eiji looked down at his bloody hands and nodded, the laughter gone. He looked up at Ash numbly. "What about the clothes?"
"Wear your spare. I'll handle them."
The prison settled down quickly after it was discovered that Garvey's murder was carried out by one of his own gang members in a bloody mutiny against their leader. Rumor started circulating that Garvey had finally had enough of prison and was going to talk, so his gang had shivved him to keep him quiet. Although, no one was sure where exactly this rumor came from and, of course, every member of the gang denied it vehemently. The guards decided to lock all of them in solitary confinement indefinitely until one of them confessed.
That night, Ash waited in the dark until everything was quiet. He sat up and listened before pulling the bloody jumpsuit from its hiding place. He took it to the sink and started scrubbing it clean.
"Thank you."
Ash stopped and looked up. Eiji was watching him in the darkness. He looked haunted and tired. His eyes said more than his words. Ash nodded silently. The water bled as it ran through the fabric and seemed as if it would never stop.