Chapter Fifty-One: I Do (Part 2)
Following the ceremony, Ibe took their photos. So many photos. Photos of Eiji and Ash alone, photos of them with Aki and Shun and Miyuki, photos with Obachan and Ojichan. Photos with Shun's father who Ash met that day for the first time. It took everything in him to hold his tongue and be polite. And of course, there were group photos with the extended family.
Finally, Ibe called over the guys. They ran to Eiji and Ash cheering and screaming.
"Congrats, man!" "The Lynx is nailed down!" "CONGRATS, BOSS!" "EIJI!" "BOSS!"
They were bombarded with voices, making it difficult to even decipher who was saying what. Aki and Miyuki watched from a distance. [They're like a litter of puppies,] Miyuki commented. [Look at them, they're crazy.]
Ash screamed, "HEY!" as Max tousled his perfectly styled hair and Bones flung his arms around Ash's neck, nearly choking him. Eiji squealed as Kong caught him in a bone-shattering embrace. Alex swung an arm around Ash once Max released him and Sing tugged Kong off Eiji so he too could hug his friend. When Cain hugged Eiji, he physically lifted him off the ground, causing more squeals and laughter. Ibe captured it all on camera.
"Alright!" Ibe called, "Let's get a group shot!"
They hardly heard him, they were all too busy catching up. Ash was asking Alex, Cain, and Sing about New York and the other guys he couldn't invite. They gave him brief updates despite Ibe's pleas to line up for the photo. Bones and Kong asked Eiji questions so quickly he couldn't respond with more than a word to each one.
"Come on, guys! Let's get this photo, we need to get going to the reception soon!" Ibe shouted. He made eye contact with Eiji in a 'help me out, here,' sort of way. At first, Eiji simply laughed and shrugged. Then he brushed off Kong and Bones and pushed his way near Ash.
"Hey, control your men, Lynx," he told Ash with a smirk.
"It's Okumura, now, idiot," he replied with a smirk of his own. He cleared his throat and summoned up his boss's voice. "HEY! Ibe-san's right, we have to leave for the reception hall soon. If you want a picture you better line up like he tells you to!" Red colored Eiji's cheeks as he stared at Ash fondly. God, he'd missed that voice.
"Okay, so...Ash and Eiji you stand there...Eiji, fix his hair...alright and…Alex you stand beside Ash and Sing you stand beside Eiji...Bones, let's have you upfront...Max, Cain, and Kong, you three go in back….good. Ash, move slightly this- perfect. Okay." Ibe readied his camera. "Smile, guys! One, two, three...alright one more...one, two, three...perfect." He looked at the display screen to check the photos. "Let's do one more, Sing, your eyes were closed."
Ibe-san took another photo and then posed the guys a few more times before he was through. "Perfect, guys, I think we got it!"
As the boys began to fall back into the conversation and out of position, something caught Ash's eye. "HEY, ASSHOLE!" He called affectionately. "Don't think you can get away without a picture!"
Several yards away Blanca stopped walking and began making his way to Ash. "A retired assassin and a supposedly dead man; a dangerous photo to exist in the world."
"Must you ruin everything?" But Ash was smiling.
Ash threw an arm around Blanca. Ibe-san took the photo. Blanca actually smiled.
Ash changed into a tux before the reception began. Unlike the kimono he wore to the ceremony, his tux was all black. Black shoes, black pants, black blazer, black dress shirt, black tie. The only thing that wasn't black was the square of white silk that adorned his pocket. He fixed his hair, redoing the style that the boys had mussed.
Eiji also thought to purchase a tux for the reception, but his featured a white blazer with black lapels, black pants, and a black bowtie.
"We balance each other nicely," Ash had said upon seeing him.
Now, they sat at a long table with Miyuki and Aki, and Shun and enjoyed the delicious feast. Ash stared out into the other tables. He spotted Max, Jessica, and Michael sitting with his guys. They were all staring intently at Michael as he apparently told a story. Ash wondered what he was saying. Probably something about school or a new video game. Then his eyes wandered to a group of Eiji's friends from high school. It was obvious, even under their dress clothes, which boys still jumped competitively and which ones had given up the sport to study new endeavors. Then his eyes flickered to Obachan and Ojichan who were seated with their other daughter and son, Eiji's aunt and uncle, as well as their grandchildren. And they flickered to other relatives and people he'd met only in passing, others not at all. Finally, his eyes found Blanca at a table with Iku-san, Ibe-san, Suni, and a few other people from Eiji's work. He expected her to give him hell, but from the looks of it, they were actually enjoying one another's company. Iku-san was laughing and Ash knew she wasn't one to feign emotions. Maybe the two wouldn't be so bad together after all. Eiji had never said anything about Ibe-san and Suni, but he wouldn't be surprised if Shunichi secretly had a thing for her. The corner of his mouth twitched at the thought.
"I have never understood this tradition," Aki said to Ash and Eiji.
"Hmm?" They said in unison, Eiji with a mouth full of sushi.
"We see you all the time, your friends do not." She looked at Eiji, "You haven't seen some of your old classmates since high school. Daichi goes to school in Tokyo now, it might be a while until you see him again." Her eyes shifted to Ash. "You haven't seen your friends since you left New York. And when will you see them again? You don't have to eat at this table with us, go eat with your friends."
The new husbands looked at one another. "Well?" Ash began. "I've never even met your high school friends."
"Yeah, alright," Eiji answered with a soft smile. "They're fun guys, I think you'll like them."
A few people stared as Eiji and Ash walked across the reception hall with their food and drinks in hand. They both stole an empty chair and squeezed into the table filled with Eiji's friends. They practically cheered upon their arrival. Eiji introduced Ash to Daichi, Haruto, Kaito, Yamato, and Genkei. And Genkei and Kaito introduced them both to their girlfriends. Yamato proudly introduced a tall American woman as his fiance. As it happened, she taught English in Japan and she had been his professor in college.
They were a different breed from Ash's New York friends. For the most part, they were all scholarly, finishing up their education, earning Master's degrees, beginning their careers. Haruto was officially an Olympic athlete, a fact Eiji was hardly surprised to learn. He became the team's best athlete after Eiji's injury. He had won the country two golds and a bronze and was already training for the next Olympics. A younger Eiji may have felt threatened or shameful upon learning about Haruto's successes, but now he was purely happy for his friend.
They brought Eiji up to speed on their lives and he did the same for them. They asked endless questions about Eiji and Ash's relationship, very much intrigued by the man their friend chose to spend the rest of his life with. And Ash behaved, much to Eiji's surprise. He didn't embarrass Eiji, at least not too much, and he answered their questions without too much sarcasm.
After they had been chatting for some time, Miyuki tapped Ash's shoulder, causing him to jump. She too had changed since the wedding. She now wore the same gorgeous pink ball gown that she had worn to Suzume's wedding the night Eiji and Ash got engaged. "Hey, your friends are talking about me, I can tell. Introduce me?"
Ash glanced at their table. She was right, they were talking about her. Sing was bright red as the others obviously teased him. "Sing totally has a crush on you," he said casually.
Miyuki nodded. "Yeah, I can tell. Introduce me."
"Trust me, you don't want to date any of those guys. They can be real animals." He glanced at their table again. Bones nearly knocked over a glass of wine as he reached across the table to steal a wrapped chocolate ball from the centerpiece. Laughing, Kong caught the glass before it could spill. Cain and Alex were evidently still teasing Sing.
"I know, I saw you guys taking pictures. They're also from America so it's not exactly practical and I didn't say I wanted to date any of them. I just want you to introduce me to your friends. I want to meet the people who call you 'Boss.'" She smiled.
Ash scooted his chair away from the table. "Yeah, okay, let's go." He looked down at Eiji who was eyeing him curiously from his seat at the table. "I'm introducing Mi-chan to the guys." He looked at Eiji's friends. [It was nice to meet you all. You'll have to come for dinner sometime. Ei-chan's a great cook and I owe it to him to give natto a second chance.] They all laughed.
Yamato poked Eiji in the ribs. [We are so taking you up on that!]
Their teasing faded into the background as Ash and Miyuki made their way to the table of rowdy boys. Sing grew redder and redder as he realized Miyuki was coming to meet them. Ash pulled an empty chair from another table and placed it between Max and Alex. He placed a second one between Sing and Bones and indicated for Miyuki to sit. She smiled knowingly as she did so.
"Hey, guys. This is Eiji's sister, Miyuki," Ash said with a smirk. He made eye contact with Miyuki. "Not that you can't stand on your own, but, ya know, they know Eiji. It gives them a point of reference."
She laughed. "I'm not offended, Ash."
"You met Max on the phone that one time," Ash recalled with a thumb pointing to Max.
"Ahh yes," she smiled brightly, "the sailor."
Max laughed, "Yeah," he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "sorry about that. I've never been one to censor my language."
Miyuki shook her head. "I can handle a little language. I lived with Ash for like a year, after all."
All their heads, save Max, whipped towards Ash.
"What? Eiji and I didn't buy a house right away. Besides, his family is lovely."
Bones's mouth dropped open. Alex stared.
"You've changed, man."
"For the better," Ash replied.
"Healed," Miyuki added and smiled softly at Ash from across the table. They all gaped at her. She pointed to Sing's wine that Bones had nearly spilled earlier. "Can I take a taste? The bartender wouldn't give me one."
He swallowed dryly and nodded yes without saying a word.
"Thanks!" she piped before taking a sip.
'Oh my God, Eiji...your sister's a flirt…' Ash thought.
"So, Ash! Introduce me!" Miyuki said as she set down the glass of wine.
He shook his head slowly and gave her the slightest smile. "Well," he pointed at them as he said their names, "beside you is Bones and then Kong and Cain and Jessica, Micahel, Max, Alex…" he smirked at Sing "and it's Sing you're sharing wine with."
Miyuki took another sip of the wine. "Nice to meet you all!" She turned to Sing, who was trying his best not to look at her, and extended her hand with a grin. She waited for him to shake it but his blood was apparently frozen. She did not retract her hand. "Hmmm...and here I thought Americans shook hands. I promise I don't bite."
Sing's face flamed brighter red but he finally shook her hand.
Max kicked Ash's foot under the table. "She's spent way too much time with you, I see."
"And I'm so telling Eiji, Mi."
She shrugged and drank more of Sing's wine. "Tell him what? That I introduced myself to your friends? What's wrong with that?"
Ash rolled his eyes but said nothing further. Instead, he leaned his elbows on the table. "Okay, so what've I missed? How are things?"
Alex and Cain began talking at the same time and Ash tried his best to listen to them both at once since they didn't seem to be aware they were talking over each other. He felt like a school teacher with a class full of eager kindergarteners, all wanting to tell him about their favorite animals.
Miyuki turned to Bones as Ash listened. "I like your hair," she said, pulling at a strand of it. "I dyed Ash's hair a similar color once."
Bones flashed her a toothy grin. "I know! Eiji sent me a picture of Boss's hair. I nearly pissed my pants, I laughed so hard!"
They sat and talked and laughed for a while until Aki interrupted them with a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Cake time, Ashu," she said simply before departing from the table. Ash scooted out. "Well, I'm needed. I'll be back later."
Miyuki stayed behind. Sing sank lower into his seat.
It was a gorgeous, white three-tiered cake, decorated with gorgeous pink sakura blossoms created with icing. A miniature Ash and Eiji stood atop the cake, both wearing black suits. The cake inside was white. It took them ages to decide on which cake they liked best. Eiji was so indecisive that Ash swore he must be pretending just to have more samples. Eiji said something along the lines of "I would never! How dare you!" But the wink that followed those words confirmed Ash's accusation.
Eiji and Ash cut the cake together and, even though they agreed against it, Ash shoved cake deviously into Eiji's face. Eiji threw his head back and laughed. "ASHH!" He screeched. With a devilish grin, Ash leaned forward and kissed him, tasting the icing as he did so, gentle enough not to get more than a dab of icing on his nose. The boys cheered and whistled like animals. Eiji pressed his hand to the back of Ash's head and pulled him in closer. He purposefully rubbed their faces together so that they were both covered in icing. "GET IT, BOSS!" Bones cheered rowdily. Ash pulled away and doubled over with laughter.
The newlyweds wiped the cake and icing from their faces and each grabbed a piece of cake. The reception hall staff cut the rest and began serving it to the guests.
Eiji and Ash made their way to the table where the guys were. On their way there, Ash told Eiji, "Miyuki caught Sing staring at her and now she's flirting up a storm...You have been warned."
Eiji rolled his eyes, "Yuck."
"I think she's just trying to mess with him though...at least I hope."
They sat at the table, just as it was called to get cake. Bones nearly knocked over Kong as he raced from the table to snag a piece of cake. The rest of them walked like sane adults but returned with childlike smiles. Max stopped at the bar on his way back, two glasses of wine in hand. He set one down in front of Jessica.
"MAX!" Ash shouted.
The whole table stared at him. A few heads from other tables even swiveled their direction. Eiji looked horrified.
"Yeeeeaaaahh?"
Ash thought about backing out of it, but that would be even more suspicious. "She, uh, can't have that, remember." He hoped Max knew about the pregnancy. Maybe it was a momentary memory lapse.
"Whhhyy?"
He didn't know.
"Um...she said so...the other night. Said she gave up alcohol, remember?" He scrunched his face awkwardly. "Too many calories or some shit."
He hoped Max didn't press the matter.
"And since when do you care about shit like that?"
Jessica glared knowingly at Ash.
"I, um, I dunno…" he sat up straighter and assumed the character of the edgy teenager he once played so well. "I dunno, old man! Japan has taught me to pay attention to shit my elders say."
The way Max stared at him was frightening. Ash imagined Max was fantasizing about jumping across the table and strangling him.
"What. did. you. Say...punk?"
"You heard me, old-"
"Enough!" Jessica interrupted with a shout. "Now's as good a time as any to say this." She glared at Ash. "Although, I was hoping to do it on my terms."
Max looked at her like she had three heads. "Darling, what are you talking about?"
"I don't know how Ash figured it out, but he figured it out." Her face softened as she looked at Max and Michael. "I'm pregnant."
Max stared at her, opened mouthed, and completely speechless. Michael followed suit. Ash realized then just how much Michael looked like his father.
"Well?! Say something."
"Ho-Honey, that's fantastic. I- I'm speechless." A smile broke out over his face. "Jess, that's great!" He quickly hugged her and pulled away to hold her at an arm's length. "How far along are you?"
"Ten weeks." She turned to Ash. "Which is why I haven't said anything yet. As much as I hate it, you're right to call me an old woman. I'm not as young as I used to be and pregnancies are riskier the older you are...I was waiting until I was in the second trimester to say anything."
"Real smooth, Ash," Alex joked.
"To be fair it was Eiji who figured it out!" Ash added hastily. "He's the one who told me."
Eiji punched his arm, "Wow! I can't believe you just ratted on me like that! And on our wedding day!"
"Sorry, Eiji, but I couldn't have her thinking-"
"TO JESSICA!" Miyuki shouted above the other voices, with a raised wine glass. Everyone instantly quieted and raised their own glasses.
"TO JESS!" They cheered back.
The table broke out into a fit of chaos as the boys shouted congratulations in varying degrees of appropriateness.
Eiji slapped his hands on the table to get their attention. "Guys! Shh!" He turned to Ash. "Look. Dad's gonna give a speech."
Ash turned wildly in his chair so that he was facing the front of the reception hall. Sure enough, there stood Shun, a microphone in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. He gave the microphone several taps before clearing his throat. The room quieted and guests maneuvered their chairs and bodies to face him.
[Excuse me,] he muttered politely. [I will not take too much of your time, but there is a little something I would like to say before,] he gestured to the dance floor, [the dancing begins.] He cleared his throat again.
Ash nudged Eiji. "He's so nervous. Adorable."
Eiji shushed him.
[Miyuki,] he began [helped me write this. The words are all mine...but…] he cleared his throat once more, "She gets all the credit for the...translation."
His English was slow and very heavily accented. But the grammar was perfect, thanks to Miyuki.
Ash's eyes widened in shock. His head whipped towards Miyuki. She smiled back at him and then pointed back to her father. "Listen," she mouthed silently. Ash looked to Eiji who looked just as surprised as he did.
"I don't know anything about this," Eiji whispered. They both faced Shun again.
"I...wanted to say a few words to you all today...I thought the English would make things more...special." His eyes found Ash and Eiji. "I know my accent is...very thick...but hopefully...you can still understand me. Ash," he gave Ash a distant nod, "You learned Japanese. I am not good with languages like you are, I wish I were...but I have been trying. Still, these words are mostly memorized. I understand the Japanese, but the English? I'm just mimicking sounds." He shrugged goofily and those who understood English chuckled.
"I wanted to take this...opportunity...to speak to my son…" he gestured at Eiji, "And my new son."
Eiji reached out to grab Ash's hand, fingers mindlessly intertwining.
"Eiji...I know you and I...have had some rough patches in our...relationship. We've had arguments and misunderstandings. I haven't always been the father you deserved. Sometimes I am not very good at...showing how I feel and I know that added to the distance between us. But I always wanted the best for you and I worried about you more than you could ever know. After your injury...I worried about you constantly...And when you went to America...I worried so much I started to grey…" He tugged at a strand of grey hair that had begun to frame his ears. A soft chuckle rippled through the audience.
"Your mother called me when you returned. She told me she knew...from the way you moped around...constantly checking your phone...smiling at the screen...that you had met someone in America. She said you refused to tell her who...but you had a friend joining you in Japan in a few months...she said that must be the person." He glanced at Aki who was beaming. "I think she knew long before you realized she did...she let you think what you wanted to think...that Ash was just a friend...but we all know that wasn't the case." He sipped the water setting on the table beside him. "Still, she didn't tell me who this person was. She said that was for you to reveal. So I had to wait in suspense until you visited me in Tokyo over Mi-chan's spring break."
"And I remember being very surprised when I answered the door to you, Miyuki, and some tall blond American boy. I thought then...that he must be Miyuki's boyfriend...it never occurred to me that he was yours. I had my doubts...I made that clear. I was worried he didn't love you, that he simply wanted to visit a foreign country...or try out something new. But I was already aware of the distance that had grown between us, Eiji...and I decided to give him a chance." He paused dramatically. "And besides asking your mother to marry me, I think that was the best decision I ever made. We went out to eat that night and I realized...whoever this man was...Eiji and Miyuki clung to him like pirates to gold. And I knew then...he must be good."
Shun smiled. A tear tumbled from Eiji's glassy eyes.
"And as I stand here today, the love between you two could not be more clear. Eiji, I am sorry for ever doubting your Ash...when he is clearly the best thing that has ever happened to you. I am so happy you went to America and found the person your soul was meant to be with."
"And Ash...where do I even start? You are so clearly the best thing that's ever happened to Eiji...but also to this family. You always say this family is what true love looks like...and while I appreciate the compliment...that wasn't always the case. We were divided for many years, and that's something I take full responsibility for. But the truth is...I think we still would be if you had not cared enough to...investigate the situation. You helped me and Aki realize we still cared for...loved...each other...And you helped glue our family back together again." Shun tried not to notice the way his father, who didn't approve of his and Aki's reunion, stared angrily. "I know there's a lot about each other we still do not know...but I hope to continue to get to know you...even the things you sometimes try to hide from me."
Ash wiped tears from his eyes as Eiji wrapped a comforting arm around him, his eyes equally teary.
"I- I know you'll probably brush off these words but...I truly believe you're the best person I've ever met, and I am beyond proud to now call you my son."
Ash gently peeled Eiji's arm off his waist and stood. The whole room stared at him as he walked to the front and extended his arms to Shun.
"Thanks, Dad," the whole room heard Ash whisper into the microphone as he hugged Shun.
After a moment, they parted and Shun gave Ash's shoulder an enthusiastic pat. "Now. First-o dance-u?" He gestured to the dance floor.
Ash laughed. "Yeah, okay." Ash turned to Eiji who had joined them. "Time to dance, lovely."
Eiji and Ash had poured over classical music for months, searching for the perfect piece for their first dance. At first, they thought of choosing something traditional, such as Pachelbel's Canon in D or something peaceful and romantic, such as Debussy's Clair de Lune, but Eiji insisted none of those pieces were quite right. So they continued searching. They spent many evenings soaking up classical pieces, with closed eyes, trying to imagine themselves dancing to the piece at their wedding. They had a long-running list of possible contenders, but they couldn't find the piece that screamed perfection. That is, until one night when neither of them was even looking.
Ash and Eiji had visited a record store that day and Ash purchased a record that contained a collection of Chopin's sonatas. He put it on that night while he read and Eiji lazily worked on Ash's puzzle of the New York City skyline. Neither of them had even been thinking of their wedding piece, until Chopin's 12 Etudes, Op. 25: No. 11 in A Minor "Winter Wind" began to play. The first few seconds of the piece are quiet, almost difficult to hear, and then there is a beautiful, dramatic cascade of notes on the piano keys. Eiji, who had been lounging on the ground sifting through puzzle pieces, bolted upright. "This is the one, Ash," he announced before even hearing the full piece. "This is our wedding dance." Ash laughed at the suggestion, telling Eiji it wasn't exactly a 'first dance' piece. Eiji shushed him and listened to the rest of the piece with closed eyes dancing behind his eyelids. When it finished, he stood, moved the needle on the record player, and listened to it once more. "No," he decided, "that's the one."
The piece was striking, as Eiji described it. It sounded unbelievably challenging to play and to dance to, for that matter. It was passionate; soft and peaceful at times and almost violent and overwhelming at others. But above all else, it was unforgettably beautiful. It was impossible for one to listen to it and not be moved by its emotion and beauty. Eiji said it was Ash summed up in a classical piece. And that's why he knew it was perfect.
Because Ash, just like the piece, could be rough around the edges. He'd lived a hard life filled with turmoil and rage. And yet there was still softness and love in him, seeping through more now than ever before. He was strikingly beautiful. He touched the lives of those around him, especially the Okumuras, in more ways than he was even aware. For those who truly knew him, it was impossible not to love him. Ash teared up when Eiji told him this and resisted the urge to call him a sap. He accepted the compliment, even though that was no easy task. Eiji kissed him joyfully when he agreed to the piece.
And so Ash got to work, attempting to choreograph a classical dance to the passionate piece. He worked on it for months. When they got Buddy, he became Ash's dancing partner. When he was finally satisfied with his work, he showed it to Eiji. Eiji clapped when Ash finished dancing with the puppy in his arms. He told Ash it was perfect, even more beautiful than he imagined it would be.
Ash taught the dance to Eiji then and, despite Eiji's subpar skills and lack of classical training, he learned to dance beautifully. When they were happy with it, they recorded it on Ash's phone and watched it back. The purpose was to critique it and improve but it made them both so emotional that tears blurred their view. They had to watch it twice more before being able to look at it objectively.
Now, on the day of their wedding, the piece was perfect. A live pianist sat at a grand piano in the corner of the reception hall and positioned his hands above the keys as Eiji and Ash stood in the center of the dance floor. They danced slowly, barely moving, just like the music, as the piece began slowly. Then, almost without warning, they were off, twirling and spinning with moves as passionate as the movements of the keys. The audience watched silently, star-struck. Even Bones was too surprised to make a peep. Not even Miyuki knew they were preparing such a dance. She watched them with glistening eyes and a hand pressed to her mouth.
When the piece ended, they held each other in a tight embrace, eye-to-eye. The crowd cheered and Eiji raised himself to his tiptoes to press a gentle, loving kiss to Ash's lips.
"Told ya it was perfect, Ash," he whispered lovingly.
Ash smiled and pressed a kiss to Eiji's glistening forehead. "Yes, it was."
Their music was lost to the sounds of clapping and cheering. The DJ's voice seemed muffled and distant as he talked to the crowd. A contemporary song began to play and finally, Ash and Eiji realized they should probably move from their perch in the center of the dance floor.
The gang and Miyuki swarmed them within seconds. Miyuki made a comment about not knowing Eiji could dance so well. The boys teased Ash relentlessly about his ability to dance, to which he promptly told them to screw off. After the obligatory teasing ended, they all danced. Not formally like Eiji and Ash had, but loosely and jovially. Bones, as it was, was quite the dancer. Despite the song, he was able to dance effortlessly. Kong was great at moves such as the robot, Sing could do a killer moonwalk, Alex stuck to fist-pumping, and Cain, admittedly, did not dance.
When a slow song began, Miyuki asked Sing to dance. With a flaming face, he agreed. Eiji scolded his sister lightly. "You know he's going back to America in a few days, right?"
"I caught him staring me down all through dinner. I've decided embarrassment is his punishment." She winked at Sing. "Although, I'd be lying if I said I didn't think you were cute."
Eiji laughed and let them dance. He turned to dance with Ash, only to find him staring off into the distance with wide eyes. Eiji followed his gaze and found Blanca dancing with Iku-san.
"I think I accidentally played matchmaker, Eiji."
Eiji stepped forward and positioned his hands over Ash's waist and shoulder as they began to slow dance with the rest of the crowd.
"She was supposed to give him hell…"
"Maybe she is...we can't exactly hear what they're saying."
"He looks...happy."
Eiji smiled at Ash. "Well then, maybe you did a good thing by seating them together."
"Oh my God, he's laughing!" Ash said as he stared down Blanca.
Eiji rubbed his arm, "Maybe it's his turn to heal...his turn to be happy."
They danced late into the night. Many of the boys were drunk by the end of the night. Ash and Eiji both made sure Miyuki didn't follow their bad example. They also made sure she went home safely with Aki and Shun.
Ash had exactly one beer and one glass of wine with dinner. Eiji didn't drink a single drop. It was nearly 3 AM by the time they arrived home. Ash paused with his door in the keyhole. He turned to Eiji with a raised eyebrow. "Should we do like they do in movies?"
"What do they do in movies?" Eiji asked warily.
He turned his key and let the door swing open. "Carry the bride over the threshold, of course," he said with a smirk.
Eiji laughed. "Yeah, alright."
Without warning, Ash scooped Eiji off his feet and into a bridal carry. He stepped dramatically through the doorway with one large step. Eiji laughed and stopped laughing when Ash kissed him, still holding Eiji in his arms.
Once their lips parted, Eiji shifted his weight, expecting for Ash to set him down. But Ash held him tighter and proceeded to carry him up the stairs, after giving the door a swift kick closed. He tossed Eiji gently onto the bed when they reached their room. Still, in his suit coat, he crawled languidly onto the bed, resting his hands on either side of Eiji's head as he positioned himself above him.
"Well," he began softly, "looks like you made it to the end of the week, lovely."
Eiji smiled at the blond staring down at him. "Ooooo, do I win a prize?" He teased, sweetly.
Ash made a show of loosening his tie. "Yes." He kissed Eiji slowly. "Yes, you most certainly do."