Chapter Four: Golden Boy

Around 10:30 the next morning, Ash stumbled out of his bedroom into the main room, his limbs still as heavy as lead from his meds. He had slipped back into the flannel he was wearing the previous day, but had not bothered with another pair of pants. Kong and Bones sat on the floor playing cards on the coffee table. Ash looked around the room, no sign of Eiji.

"Where's Eiji?" Ash demanded. Kong and Bones were specifically here to protect his friend. This role was increasingly important now that Ash was injured.

"He left a little bit ago. Said something about going to find you more Oxy" Bones said while looking down at his hand of cards.

"WHAT!?" Ash shouted loudly.

"Chill! I'm only kidding! Sheesh, what kind of bodyguard do you think I am?" Bones shouted back. "He's just in the kitchen getting coffee." Bones added hastily upon seeing Ash's death glare boring into his soul.

"You bastard, you're gonna regre-" Ash started but stopped as Eiji appeared from the kitchen holding coffee. He was wearing another beautiful sweater, Ash noticed instantly. This one was a pale yellow knit. It fit him tightly in the arms, but the body remained a bit lose. Ash thought that in this sweater, Eiji was the definition of the word 'soft.'

"You're up?" Eiji's surprised voice was laced with worry.

"...Barely." Ash said gruffly, leaning against the hallway wall now for support.

Eiji placed his coffee on the floor, running to Ash's side. He put his arm around him for support.

"You need to sit! Let me help you to the couch!" Eiji insisted.

"Actually, I was making my way to the bathroom."

Eiji gave him a questioning glance. He found this strange considering the bathroom was a few paces behind him, down the hall.

"Well, I was taking the scenic route." Ash joked.

Eiji's brow furrowed in confusion. This American phrase was new to him.

"You see, I wanted to find you first," he explained. "Here, grab your coffee and meet me in the bathroom when I'm finished. I have something I need to ask you. I think I can take the ten steps to the bathroom on my own." Ash said with a grin.

Eiji picked up his coffee from the floor and sat on the couch beside Kong and Bones.

As Ash shut the bathroom door, they all heard him gasp loudly.

"Are you alright?!" Eiji said, putting his coffee down, ready to spring to his aid.

"Gah, I look insane!" Ash said, obviously catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. "I doubt I've ever looked worse!"

Eiji chuckled and picked up his coffee once again. 'So dramatic.' Eiji thought. His thoughts then returned to what Ash had said to him a few moments earlier.

"Why on Earth does he want to talk to me in the bathroom?" Eiji asked more to himself than to the two other guys.

Kong shrugged. "I mean, he has been acting strange lately. Like Bones said he saw him crying yesterday...Like what's up with that? Ash doesn't cry."

"Like I said, it was the pain meds, they'll do weird things like that, ya know?" Bones said, shaking his head.

Of course, Eiji knew the pain meds weren't actually what made Ash cry...so this little conversation explained absolutely nothing. As he drank his coffee, Eiji felt anxiety fizzing up inside him. 'What on Earth is he going to ask me?' he wondered again.

"Eiji!" Ash called from the bathroom.

Eiji downed the rest of his coffee and put the cup on the floor, making his way to the bathroom. As he entered the bathroom, he found Ash sitting on the side of the tub, hunched over in exhaustion and pain. It seemed ridiculous how much energy everyday tasks took when he was injured like this.

"What...what was it you wanted to ask me?" Eiji asked apprehensively. He trusted Ash, but the fact he specifically wanted to ask him this mystery question in the bathroom left him feeling uneasy, to say the least.

"Look, I'm disgusting," Ash began gesturing to his current disheveled state. He sat there with sweat-dried hair in nothing but a flannel and boxer briefs to cover him. And if Eiji got close enough, he'd surely smell the dried sweat upon his skin leftover from his feverish night. "And look, you can say no…" he said trying to find the least awkward way to say it "but I was thinking maybe you could help me take a bath before changing my bandages." he finished hastily. "But you can say no, really, I can figure something out." Ash added nervously.

Eiji smiled at him sweetly. 'That question wasn't so bad after all he thought to himself. He closed and locked the bathroom door behind him. "Of course I can help you, Ash." he told him softly.

"Seriously though, it's okay if you don-"

"Don't be ridiculous. You hardly have the energy to move and you can hardly move that painful arm of yours. I'm helping you." He said definitively. "And I really don't mind." he added with a smile.

Eiji moved to turn on the water, letting the tub fill as Ash still sat on the side, his feet on the cool tile floor. With Ash's permission, Eiji helped him out of the flannel and freed him of his bandages and gauze.

"I'm keeping these on." Ash said hastily, referring to his boxer briefs, as Eiji tossed the wound dressings into the trash.

"Okay, I kinda figured as much." Eiji said with a smile.

Eiji then turned off the water and Ash slowly turned and lowered himself into the tub. Once he was sitting in the water he felt insanely naked under Eiji's gaze, even though he was still wearing his boxer briefs. He brought his knees to his chest and stared down into the water, displaying obvious discomfort at his sudden vulnerability. He knew this was his idea, but now that it was actually happening, he suddenly wished he had the strength to do this on his own.

Eiji grabbed a loofah and body wash from the shower rack before kneeling beside the tub. He attempted to roll up the sleeves of his pale yellow sweater, but the arms were well fitted and he could not roll them up further than the middle of his forearm. He could have done nothing more, simply accepting the fate of getting the sweater wet. But as he looked at Ash, who was obviously feeling anxious and uneasy, he decided to do something that surprised even him.

Ash looked up in shock as the still-kneeling Eiji began to take off his sweater. He was wearing nothing underneath, revealing his bare skin. Eiji folded the sweater neatly and placed it on the closed toilet lid behind him. He looked back to Ash and explained "I decided it isn't fair for you to be the only one feeling so naked and vulnerable."

"Eiji…Eiji I swear you're made of pure gold" Ash stammered in awe. 'Not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. I take back what I said about your shoulders being boney' he added to himself, taking in the sight of a shirtless Eiji. It had slipped Ash's mind that Eiji was an athlete not too long ago. Without a shirt, his athleticism was clear. He had strong arms and a strong chest. 'The perfect build' Ash thought.

Eiji made his I'm not familiar with that American phrase face. "Sorry, I'm not sure I understand…" he told Ash

"You're made of pure gold" Ash repeated "Like, like you're the best of quality a person can be. You're genuine, authentic. Just an all-around good person. The best of the best." he explained slowly turning bright red as he heard his own words leaving his mouth.

"You really think all that? About me?" Eiji pressed.

"I wouldn't 've said it if I didn't mean it. Now get to scrubbin.' What am I paying ya for?" Ash said clearly embarrassed, his walls going back up.

Eiji blushed and ignored the last part of Ash's comment. "Well thank you. That's truly the nicest compliment I've ever received." He met and held Ash's gaze for a moment before turning back to the task at hand. Ash continued to blush furiously as Eiji squirted a dollop of body wash into the loofah.

"Here, scoot a bit closer and have your back face me" Eiji instructed. Ash did just that. Eiji lathered the soap and then began to gently wash him, starting with his good arm and working his way across his back. As he reached his right shoulder, he stopped.

"Okay now face me again" he instructed once more. Again, Ash did as he was told. Ash's face was still rosy. He kept his eyes glued to the water as if it were the most interesting thing in the world, trying desperately to hide his embarrassment.

Ash was nowhere near ready for the way he felt as Eiji began washing his chest. It blew the 'electric shock' sensation he had had when Eiji first helped him with his bandages out of the water. It was as if someone set fire to his nervous system-in the best way possible. His breath caught in a silent gasp. Unlike last time, Eiji knew this was not a response to pain. Because Eiji felt it too. He felt the overwhelming urge to jump in the tub beside him, and hold him in his arms until all his problems melted away.

Eiji locked his eyes with Ash. "You alright?" he asked even though he knew the answer. Ash simply nodded, allowing a little "Mmmhmm" to escape his suddenly dry throat, his eyes moving quickly back to the water.

Eiji continued to wash his chest from his left side to the right. Ash closed his eyes both to savor the moment and to shield himself from the heavenly view of a shirtless Eiji washing his bare chest. Ash was now increasingly glad about his decision to bathe in his underwear with each passing moment.

Plunk. Click. Squirt. Snap. Ash's eyes sprang open as he felt Eiji's bare hands upon his injured shoulder. The sounds he heard had been Eiji dropping the loofah in the water and lathering his own hands with soap. Eiji made the switch so that he could be extra careful not to hurt Ash while washing the wounded area.

Eiji very gently washed the wound and then continued down Ash's arm. He felt the muscles of Ash's strong arms against his own delicate fingers. His skin was smooth, yet scarred. Just like the previous night, Eiji hated whoever was responsible for these scars.

As Eiji's soapy hands made their way to Ash's wrist, Ash reached out and grabbed Eiji's hands with his own. He brought both their hands underwater, freeing them of soap. He then brought Eiji's hands to his lips, closed his eyes, and placed a long, gentle kiss upon Eiji's knuckles. This was the first time Ash had ever treated anyone with so much love.

"Like I said," he said with his jade eyes sparkling as they met Eiji's deep brown ones "made of gold." His eyes were glazed over with what could only be described as love. He set Eiji's hands back in the water, still making eye contact. He wanted so so badly to reach over and kiss that shocked expression off Eiji's face. But he forced himself to show some restraint.

"Ash...would it be alright...if I kissed you?" Eiji asked timidly.

"God, yes."

And with that, the shirtless Eiji leaned forward, cupped Ash's cheek, and graced his lips with a slow, chaste kiss. Ash felt himself melting under Eiji's impossibly soft lips. He intertwined his fingers in Eiji's dark hair, kissing him back deeply and, for the first time in his life, lovingly. After a few moments he pulled them apart, looking fondly into Eiji's eyes, his left hand had traveled down to rest upon Eiji's neck.

"No one's ever asked before. In all my life, no one's ever cared to ask. Thank you."

"Then I will always ask. And I will listen if you say no."

'Like hell I'd say no' Ash thought before leaning in for another sweet kiss.

'Thank you, God, for sending me the world's most perfect man' Ash thought to himself as he savored every moment of their kiss.

A minute or so later, Eiji pulled away. Good thing too, because Ash would have sat there kissing him forever if he hadn't. Eiji stroked his face before resting it on the side of the tub.

"I should probably do your hair before someone realizes we've been in here together this whole time." Eiji stated with what almost sounded like regret in his voice.

"Ha, yeah I guess you're right" Ash chuckled shyly.

Eiji reached up and grabbed the detachable showerhead, bringing it down to wash the soap off Ash's body. He then ran his fingers through the blond's tangled hair as he wetted it. Eiji began to wash Ash's hair, his fingers massaging his scalp as he did so. This time it wasn't fire that roared through Ash's body, but something much sweeter. He felt as if he might melt away into oblivion, becoming one with the bathwater. He closed his eyes and let out a small, happy sound of contentment. Eiji cupped his hand to the base of Ash's hairline, so that the pinkie side of his hand was pressed against his skin and the rest of his hand was cupped. Like this, he shielded the soap from Ash's eyes as he rinsed out his hair. He then did the same as he rinsed out the conditioner. Eiji continued to spray his hair a bit longer than necessary, wishing this moment would never end. Finally, he turned off the water and returned the showerhead to its holster. He returned all the bottles and the loofah to the shower rack and then reached down to unplug the drain. Ash opened his eyes upon hearing the tell-tale sound of the water swirling down the drain.

Eiji stood, put on his sweater once more and said "I'll go grab you a fresh pair of clothes." As he exited the bathroom, Ash called after him saying "No jeans!"

"WHAT?!" Bones shouted in Ash's face, causing Ash's face to bunch up in annoyance.

"Just do it!" Ash shouted back even louder. Bones's hands flew to shield his ears. "Close your eyes and just pull!"

"Why does it have to be me?! I didn't sign up for this!"

"Cuz I said so!" Ash yelled back as if he were Bones's mother yelling at him to pick up his toys.

"Grrrr! Fine!" Bones gave in but didn't move.

"Well then? Just get it over with!"

Bones made a face of someone in true pain as he tightly closed his eyes and pulled down Ash's boxer briefs which were still wet from the bathwater. Ash quickly wrapped a towel around himself.

"GAHHHH!" Bones grunted disgustedly waving his hands in the air trying to free himself of the awkward moment.

"Stop acting like a baby. It's not like you even saw anything!"

"Next time, ask someone else!" Bones shouted as he ran from the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. The only person who wouldn't throw a fit is Eiji. Like hell he'd ask Eiji for such a mortifying favor.

Ash stepped out of the wet underwear that had been pulled to his ankles. He looked over at the clean clothes Eiji had brought him. A pale grey jacket, white boxer briefs, and black shorts.

'If this bath situation repeats itself, those underwear are going to cause problems.' He thought, narrowing his eyes as he looked at them. Eiji had already changed his bandages and Ash convinced him he could dress on his own, although he wasn't certain he could. After a few challenging minutes, he was finally clothed once again.

Ash emerged from the bathroom with a cloud of steam at his heels. He looked down the hallway to see Bones glaring at him from the living room. Bones stuck his tongue out at Ash. Ash rolled his eyes, raised his middle finger and walked into his bedroom. He flopped onto his bed and closed his eyes in exhaustion. Within minutes he was out.

It was a particularly pleasant summer evening. Someone had opened windows in the apartment letting in a sweet breeze. The shift in the air had pulled Ash's bedroom door open ajar. The distant sound of people chatting around a TV, that's on but hardly being watched, floated into the room and through Ash's unconscious brain. Laughter broke out, causing Ash's eyes to slowly flutter open. He glanced around the room, eyes catching the open window. The sky was painted purple with the last remnant of the setting sun. The bustle of the city below hung in the air like white noise. Ash checked the time on his phone. 8:38 PM. He had slept away another day. Although, he wasn't in any pain. Eiji must have kept up with his meds, although he could not remember being woken up to take it. His head flopped back into his pillow. Another bout of laughter from the living room piqued his curiosity.

Ash made his way into the living room to find Alex, Kong, Bones, and Eiji sitting around the TV on the various couches and chairs. Kong seemed to be telling some ridiculous story to Bones and Alex who were the source of the laughter. The TV was on, though only Eiji was watching it. Ash couldn't help but laugh to himself when he realized it was Titanic that was playing. When he thought of good 'background' movies, Titanic wasn't one of them. Even more amusing was the fact that Eiji was so focused on the film. He made his way to the couch Eiji and Alex were sitting on.

"Scoot over" Ash said motioning with his hand to Alex.

Alex barely had time to move before Ash was sitting between him and Eiji. Alex spilled a few drops of his beer on himself as he hastily made room for Ash on the couch.

"Ash!" Alex and Eiji scolded in unison.

Ignoring them both he stated "Titanic, huh? Why such a sad one?"

Alex answered him saying, "It was on TV as we were flipping through the channels. It was only a few minutes in and Eiji said he'd never seen it."

"Never seen it? Well, it is a classic." he said sleepily.

The movie was still in the "happy half" as Ash thought of it. Currently, Rose was having dinner with her horrible family. The scene faintly reminded Ash of the insufferable fancy dinners Dino would host. He pushed the thought away with a slight shake of his head, as one might do with a cringy memory. Kong continued telling his story to Alex and Bones. Ash laid his head on Eiji's shoulder after a few minutes. He watched the movie with him, making stupid jokes as it played. Eiji tried his best not to laugh. He continued to shush Ash, trying hard to catch all the quick English, but that made telling the jokes even more fun for Ash. When the 'paint me like one of your French girls' scene began, Ash became uncharacteristically quiet. Perhaps he was hoping Eiji would forget he was there as the award sex scene came and went.

When Ash woke, the credit music filled the small living room. Empty beer cans and paper plates were scattered around the room. Alex had moved from the couch and was now sleeping on the floor. Kong lay sprawled on the other couch and Bones was fast asleep on the armchair, somehow looking quite comfortable with his legs draped over the armrest. Ash hoisted his head off Eiji's shoulder to find Eiji with tears in his eyes, still staring at the TV screen. By the look of the credits, the movie had ended several minutes ago.

"Told ya it was sad." Ash said snapping Eiji out of his tear-filled daze.

"He totally could have fit on the board!" Eiji nearly shouted, wiping tears from his eyes.

Ash let out a sleepy laugh that morphed into a yawn.

"Yeah, I know." he said with another yawn.

Eiji looked at Ash who's head had returned to his shoulder, eyes closed.

"Bed?" he asked.

"Bed."