Chapter 17: Today's About Winning.

It was a gorgeous spring day, much warmer than the day prior. An occasional breeze rustled through the blooming cherry blossoms. Miyuki sat beside her brother in a pastel pink and white striped sundress and a wide-brimmed white sun hat to shield her face from the sun. Unlike Eiji, her skin burned more easily from prolonged exposure. She could tan as well, just not in such a carefree manner as her brother. Eiji sat next to her on the park bench as they waited for Ash to return from the bathroom. He wore jeans and a pale pink t-shirt. Strung around his neck was his coveted camera. Both siblings wore white sneakers. Today they were walking around the city with the eventual plan to arrive at the top of the Tokyo Skytree.

"He sure is taking his sweet time," Miyuki remarked, checking the time.

Eiji made a sound of nonchalant agreement. They weren't in any rush, so he didn't actually care how long it took Ash to return. His mind was elsewhere and Miyuki noticed.

"What are you plotting?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"I'm not plotting anything." He said, dismissively.

"Okay, maybe not, but your face says you're thinking about something important."

"Mmm. I was just thinking-" his voice trailed off.

"About what?"

" I was thinking-what do you think Mom would say if Ash and I moved in together?"

"What? You're moving out?" Miyuki asked in surprise.

"I don't know, maybe. We haven't discussed it or anything. But it might be nice-to have a place to ourselves."

Miyuki didn't say anything for a moment. Now her eyes were glazed over in thought as she stared into the crowded pedestrian-lined city streets.

"Well, I don't know about Mom, but I'd miss you both if you moved out." She told him sincerely.

"I have to go at some point."

"Maybe...but the fact that you brought it up now worries me." She paused. Her eyes darted over Eiji's face in a tracing manner. "You're thinking of moving here, aren't you?" She was hoping he'd say no, say he'd never leave Izumo, but she knew better.

"I stole him away from New York...I can tell he misses the city so much." Eiji said, apologetically.

"But then I'll never see you guys," Miyuki whined sadly.

"It might not even happen, Mi-chan," Eiji added upon seeing her reddening eyes.

"You don't get it, Eiji-You were already whisked away to New York-now to Tokyo? It's like he's stealing you away too." She said bitterly. It wasn't fair, she knew that, but she couldn't stop the words from flowing.

"That's so unfair, Miyuki!" Eiji said, raising his voice slightly.

"Yeah, I know it is!" She retorted, obviously referring to the fact that her brother may be leaving her.

Eiji glared at her. "You're acting like a child." He said angrily. "Besides, I know you like Ash," he added.

"That's why I'm upset!" She responded with heat in her voice.

Eiji's breath caught. She reminded him of himself all those months ago on the apartment roof. He'd been so angry when Ash told him he'd be leaving the next day for Japan.

"Nothing's set in stone," Eiji added softly.

Miyuki looked taken aback. She had expected Eiji to yell back. Just then Ash appeared around the corner, heading their way with three bowls of something in his hands.

"Don't say anything about it," Eiji whispered to her as Ash approached.

As if nothing had happened, Eiji stood to see what Ash was carrying. "Mochi!" He said excitedly upon seeing the bowls' contents.

"Not just any mochi, ice cream-filled mochi!" Ash announced with a grin.

Eiji smiled, "So that's what took so long! I thought maybe you were constipated or something." Eiji jeered, giving Ash's ribs a nudge with his elbow.

"You're disgusting," Ash said looking thoroughly unamused, though they both knew he secretly found the comment funny.

Ash handed Eiji his bowl and then paused before handing Miyuki hers. She was fuming. If she were a cartoon character, smoke would be trailing from her ears.

"What's wrong?" He asked her with genuine concern. Food was one of Miyuki's favorite things. He expected her to be jumping for joy right about now, eyes closed in bliss.

"Nothing." She said sharply as she snatched the bowl from him. Eiji glared at her.

"Liar." He said, staring at her. His eyes dared her to speak her mind, but she did not oblige.

"I don't want to talk about it, Ash!" She said bitterly as she bounded off the bench and began walking down the street.

"Whatever." He said with a head shake. "What'd I do to piss her off? She's not a mochi purist, is she? Is mochi ice cream taboo?" Ash asked somewhat jokingly, although his mind entertained it as a very real possibility. Maybe it was culturally offensive, served only for tourists.

"What? No. She's just being an ass. I pissed her off and she's taking it out on us both." Eiji explained. He took a bite of his sweet treat. "This is delicious." He added through squinted eyes and lips coated in ice cream. He licked them clean, which was a real shame because Ash was seriously debating doing so himself. Ah, well, another time. The mood was off anyway, thanks to Miyuki.

"What happened while I was gone?" Ash asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Don't worry about it. I'll tell you later. I just want to enjoy today." Eiji waved his hand dismissively.

"I'll hold you to that," Ash replied.

They continued their trek to the Tokyo Skytree. Miyuki walked far ahead of them, still pouting. Eiji and Ash, however, were having a grand time. Eiji was taking pictures of the scenery as they went. The city was so beautiful this time of year. He wished desperately he could take a picture of Ash, but he knew better than to do so without asking. Eiji thought Ash looked stunning today, in his white knit sweater and black jeans. He'd stolen the sweater from Eiji. It was a bit tighter on him than it was on Eiji, but it suited him very well. He'd rolled up the sleeves as much as he could in the slight heat, leaving plenty of skin for the sun to burn. They should have brought sunscreen. And even though Eiji thought he looked great, Ash really should have worn something cooler.

Ash motioned for Eiji to follow him as he ducked into a souvenir shop. "I'll be fast, I just want to buy a t-shirt real quick. I'm boiling." He explained as he made his way to the back of the shop to rummage through the t-shirts.

He paged through the shirts quickly before settling on one. It was a white shirt. In English, it said "Tokyo." The word was written again in kanji beneath the English text. Below that was a mountain eclipsing the classic red sun that appeared on the nation's flag. The sleeves were sewn to be permanently cuffed. Ash held it up to himself. It would fit. He paid and then went into the bathroom to change. He returned to Eiji in his new shirt and Eiji's sweater tied around his hips. The cuffed sleeves looked great on his toned arms. For a moment, Eiji couldn't help but stare.

"Like it?" Ash asked with a smirk as they exited the shop.

"I do. Very cool." Eiji responded as his hands unconsciously fiddled with the camera strap around his neck. They continued walking as Eiji worked up the nerve to ask the question he so desperately wanted to ask.

"Hey, Ash, I know they're not really your thing-pictures, I mean. But, if you'll let me, I would love a picture of you in that outfit with the city behind you." Eiji said meekly, his ears red with embarrassment.

'Another fight to be won,' Ash thought to himself. "Yeah, alright," he responded, shocking Eiji.

With Eiji's instructions, Ash posed near the street. Eiji angled the camera to fit the skyline in the background. With the first flash, Ash flinched. But as Eiji took a few more, he calmed. 'I will win this one,' he thought, stubbornly pushing down the anxious feelings rising in his blood.

A fellow pedestrian stopped and placed a hand on Eiji's shoulder, causing him to turn towards her. "Want me to take a picture of you both?" She asked him in Japanese.

Eiji graciously accepted her offer. He gave her his camera and walked to Ash's side. They both linked an arm around the other and smiled like tourists.

"Ichi, ni, san" she counted before taking the picture. She repeated it twice more as she took two additional photos. In the third picture, Ash bravely placed a kiss on Eiji's cheek. With a gasp, Eiji smiled widely in absolute shock. His eyes disappeared into small slits. The young woman taking the photo laughed sweetly as she handed the camera back to Eiji.

Adrenaline coursed through Ash, leaving him shaky, as if he'd just darted across a busy street barely missing the cars. 'Victory.' He thought to himself in triumph.

Eiji placed a gentle hand around his shaking fingers, "I hope you're proud of yourself," he said sweetly.

Ash nodded, "I am."

A wide grin appeared on Eiji's face. Eiji's comment was one he made often, but this was the first time Ash didn't brush him off. Ash lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on Eiji's forehead, before intertwining their fingers and continuing to walk. Another wordless 'I love you.'

Miyuki was just a speck of pink in the distance. She was sitting on the edge of a planter, waiting for them to catch up with her. The further she walked without them the worse she had felt. She had been unjustly angry with Ash. He didn't even know what Eiji had been thinking, it was certainly not his fault. She now felt so guilty for snapping at him. After a few minutes, they reached the sulking Miyuki.

Just then Eiji got a phone call. He glanced at the screen. "It's mom," he said before stepping away to take the call.

Ash sat down beside Miyuki. "I'm sorry," he said even though he didn't know what he was apologizing for. "I obviously did something to piss you off," he added as he saw the look of surprise on her face.

She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. She buried her face in her palms. "No, I'm the one who should be apologizing." She said, her voice strained with guilt. "I'm an asshole."

"Everyone's allowed to be an asshole from time to time." He meant it. He rubbed a comforting hand up and down her back a few times before returning it to his lap.

"Aghhh!" She let out a sigh of frustration. "Stop being so nice!" She complained. It was only making her feel worse, Ash should be angry.

Ash huffed out a small laugh. "Want to tell me what's wrong?" He asked. The tone of his voice implied it was fine if she didn't want to talk about it.

She ripped her hands away from her face. She looked for Eiji. He was about 50ft away still talking on the phone. She looked at Ash. "Eiji said something about the two of you maybe moving out," she said quickly. When Ash looked confused she added, "Maybe moving here. To Tokyo."

Ash inhaled and ran a hand through his hair. "First I've heard of it," he informed her.

"I know. I probably shouldn't have told you. Eiji said he hadn't talked to you yet." She lowered her face back to her hands. "He knows you miss New York. This place is more tourist-friendly anyway, more people speak English here than in Izumo," she grumbled into her palms.

"I'd be pissed too." He said looking at her, despite her hidden face. "If I were you and some strange American was the reason my brother stayed so long in New York and then that same American pulled him away again to another big city, I'd be pissed too."

She looked up quickly. The hands that had been supporting her head slapped her legs passionately. "That's exactly what I told him!" She said, raising her voice. "Sorry," she said, realizing what she'd just let slip. "You're not some strange American. I'd actually just really miss you both," she added honestly.

"It's fine, I get it." He told her softly. "You have such little faith in me though!" He said, momentarily changing his tone to a teasing one. "I would never dream of separating your family. New York was my home for a long time, so of course, I miss it from time to time. And it's true that Izumo isn't as exciting as a big city...but that's okay. I like it there. It's peaceful. And now it's my new home." He smiled at her. Her eyes were slowly becoming redder and redder. "I couldn't possibly tear Eiji away from you and your mom. And frankly, I don't want to leave either. I'd miss you guys." He gave her arm a friendly punch that bore no heat, "Besides, who else is going to tutor me in Japanese?"

Miyuki sniffed and rubbed the tears from her eyes. "You're such a good person, Ash" She loved reminding Ash of that fact.

He gave her a tight one-armed hug. "Thanks, Mi-chan." He said with a sappy smile and a tight squeeze of his arm. Apparently, he was willing to accept compliments on his character today.

Ash's eyes found Eiji who was staring back at the pair, smiling. He had finished talking to his mom a minute or two ago but was still pretending to hold a conversation as he watched Ash and Miyuki work things out.

"Feel better?" He asked.

"Mmhmm," she nodded, looking relieved.

After a moment more, Eiji returned to them. "I guess she told you?"

"Yeah, I'm not moving to Tokyo, you brat. I love Izumo. We're staying close to the family." He told Eiji, smirking. His green eyes reflected the sun.

The family. The family. Not even Eiji's dad had cared enough to stay close to the family.

Eiji bent close to Ash's ear and whispered something only he could hear, "Marry me, Ash."

Ash's eyes widened in surprise. He moved his own head to Eiji's ear to coyly whisper his response, "Careful what you fucking wish for, Okumura."

Eiji blushed furiously, both at the closeness and the choice of words.

Miyuki narrowed her eyes, trying desperately to make out their words. To her disappointment, she didn't catch a single word.

From the top of the observation deck, they could see the whole city.

"Wow, it's breathtaking," Ash whispered to himself.

Miyuki leaned against the slightly rounded glass. Her hands were cupped to her face like binoculars. Eiji took several pictures of the view, as well as a few goofy ones of Miyuki.

"Excuse me," Ash asked a woman in Japanese, "would you mind taking a photo of the three of us?"

Happy tears threatened Eiji's eyes as Ash gestured for him to give the woman his camera. This was an absolute first. He'd agreed to the picture earlier, but to initiate it himself was completely different.

The three of them stood close with arms wrapped around one another. Ash stood in the middle with Eiji and Miyuki at his sides. They smiled for the picture and thanked the woman. Eiji then offered to take her picture with her own date. She gave him her phone and he took several before returning it to her.

"I thought you had a thing about cameras?" Miyuki said under her breath as Eiji finished speaking with the woman.

"I'm trying to get over it," he responded simply.

The night ended with pizza around the indoor pool. Technically they weren't supposed to have food in there, but they snuck it in anyway. Ash convinced the siblings it'd be okay as long as they cleaned up after themselves. After the pizza was eaten and trash was discarded-back in their room's trash can of course- they chilled in the water. Miyuki was floating on a hotel raft while Ash and Eiji sat in the hot tub. Ash's slightly sunburnt skin burned in the hot water. They'd walked several miles today and they were far too exhausted to play in the pool like when they'd first arrived.

Eiji flicked a few hot drops of water at Ash's face, causing his eyes to spring open. "Don't fall asleep, Ash. That's not safe."

"I won't," he grimaced, "I'm just resting my eyes," he added with a sly grin and closed his eyes again.

A few minutes passed before a loud splash and a shriek were heard from the pool. Eiji and Ash both turned their heads to find the source of the commotion.

"Did YOU fall asleep on that raft?" Ash asked, thoroughly amused.

"NO! It just slipped out from under me as I was trying to get out!" She called back. She was now completely drenched and shivering in the shockingly cold water. She continued to shiver as she made her way to the hot tub.

"Damn it," she cursed as she lowered herself into the hot water, "I was trying to not get my hair wet."

"Ha! That sucks." Ash said with zero sympathy in his voice.

Miyuki splashed him, wetting his hair in the process. "Wouldn't you know all about it," she remarked sassily.

That earned her a small splash of her own. She couldn't let him have the last splash, so she got him right back.

"Guys! Stop!" Eiji yelled. It was a small hot tub and they were getting his hair soaked as well.

An hour later, they arrived shivering in towels at their hotel door. Ash fumbled with the key, it took three tries before he managed to unlock it, thanks to the water dripping down the key card.

"I call a shower!" Miyuki called as the door opened. She ran into her own room, grabbing fresh pajamas, and raced into the bathroom before one of the boys could steal it from her. In classic Miyuki fashion, the door shut and bolted loudly behind her.

"You can go first," Eiji told Ash as he shut and locked the door that adjoined the two rooms.

Ash was so very tempted to ask Eiji to join him. Very tempted. But it had been a good day, a day full of successfully testing his luck. He decided not to push it. He fetched clean clothes and disappeared behind the bathroom door.

'Fuck it!' He thought as the heating shower water drummed on the tub. He opened the door and poked his head back into the cold hotel room.

"Eiji!" He called into the room.

In a few seconds, Eiji appeared by the door looking worried. "What's wrong?"

Ash furrowed his brows in amusement. "The only thing wrong," he said slowly, looking into Eiji's eyes "is that I'm in here alone, and I'd very much like you to join me."

Eiji unconsciously licked his lips as his eyes scanned Ash up and down, noticing he was wearing only a hotel towel around his waist. He exhaled shakily. "Really?"

"Really."

"You'll tell me if-"

"Yes. You don't have to ask every time," Ash said, interrupting him. "Come on," Ash said as he opened the door wider for Eiji to walk through.

In mere seconds Eiji had stripped down to just his boxers. The bathroom door bolted. Ash laughed at his eagerness before dropping his towel to the floor and stepping into the shower. Eiji removed his remaining clothes. A mental 'even' ran through his head as he did so. He joined Ash in the warm water.

At first, they just showered. They passed each other shampoo and conditioner as they both washed their hair. Both boys had flaming red cheeks, partially due to the hot water and partially due to the uncharted situation. After the last of the conditioner swirled down the drain Ash asked, "You really wanna move in-or I guess move out-together?"

"If you do," Eiji said softly, his voice a mere notch above a whisper. "Do you?" Eiji prompted.

"Duh," Ash replied softly before leaning in close to kiss Eiji. The hot water drummed on Eiji's back as Ash kissed him softly, yet with the same hidden urgency that had been there just a few nights prior. Ash wrapped his hands around Eiji's waist as he pulled him tightly against himself. The action caused Eiji to break the kiss in a gasp that resembled Ash's name.

Between kisses to his ear, jawline, and neck, Ash murmured "how-would-you like it-if this time-I use-my mouth?"

Eiji pulled back in shock. His eyes were wider than Ash had ever seen them. "You want to?"

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't," Ash said firmly, water racing down his face in streams. "Well?"

Eiji tried twice to say yes but his voice wouldn't cooperate. Ash let out a chuckle when all Eiji could do was nod yes.

Ash lowered his lips to Eiji's mouth and murmured against his lips "Pure fucking gold."

A nervous laugh escaped Eiji's lips.

Today must have been Ash's lucky day because he felt not a single ounce of panic as he worked his mouth worked its way down Eiji's slippery body. Eiji's head fell back to face the ceiling as quiet gasps and several, not so quiet, moans escaped him as Ash made love to him with his mouth. His knees threatened to give out as he stood in the slippery shower. He placed his hands in Ash's hair to stabilized himself, although just barely.

"Ash-Ash, I'm gonna come," Eiji warned as he was on the brink of ecstasy.

Ash chose to ignore his warning, swallowing his load with unwanted experience. But this time, this time it felt right. After the shaking left him, Ash pulled off with a plop that made his own stomach flip and more blood rush south. Eiji sank to his knees, completely spent.

After a minute or two, he regained his composure. His eyes found Ash's. He raised his eyebrows high above his half-lidded eyes. "Wow." The word turned into a laugh like he could not believe what had just happened. "Wow," he repeated.

Ash chuckled softly and kissed Eiji's dripping hair.

"You?" Eiji asked finally.

"Yeah," Ash whispered with dilated pupils. He guided Eiji's hand to him, implying he didn't want Eiji to mimic his previous actions.

Eiji honored his wishes as he granted Ash the same shattering release with his hand.

With wet hair and droopy eyes, the pair made it back to bed, wearing only underwear.

"Eiji?" Ash asked as he parted the hair on Eiji's forehead with a loving hand.

"Hmmm?" Eiji could barely keep his eyes open as he looked at Ash.

"I fucking love you," Ash said, his lips tugging at the corners to form a goofy, love-drunk smile.

"Marry me?" Eiji asked for the second time that day. Only this time, even he wasn't sure if he was joking.

"Obviously." Ash laughed as he pulled Eiji into his bare chest.

Eiji tangled their legs in a way that, at this point, felt natural. "I love you too," Eiji added into his skin, realizing he hadn't returned the words. Eiji felt a kiss on his hair. He thought he heard Ash whisper the words a second time, but he couldn't be sure.