Chapter Fifty-Four: Love Drunk
"Here," Eiji was handed a buzzer, "it'll buzz when your food is ready." The man glanced around the cafe. "I'd say give us about ten minutes, maybe less."
"Thank you," he said politely. He headed back to the table Ash had selected, only to find a young brunette sitting in, what should have been, Eiji's seat, talking Ash's ear off.
Instead of being jealous, as some might have been, Eiji was humored. He walked as slowly as he could to his table, taking in the situation. Ash was smiling, but Eiji could tell it was his 'try not to be rude' fake smile. It wasn't that the smile wasn't convincing, it most certainly was, but Eiji was keen on the subtle differences. His eyes looked blank, devoid of their usual sparkle, and his jaw was tensed ever so slightly. As he got closer, he could make out what the girl was saying to Ash.
"You know Claire from Lost? I think your eyes are prettier than hers...and that's saying something."
"I've never seen Lost," Ash replied, dully.
"No? Well—"
"And," Ash cut her off, "I appreciate the compliment, but I'm married...so..."
"Oh!" She chirped. "Let me guess who it is, I have a good eye for these things!" Her head swiveled, instinctively looking for his partner.
Upon hearing her words, Eiji slowed his pace and made a detour to grab some napkins from the condiment bar, still in close enough range to hear the woman's guess.
After a few more seconds of examining other patrons, she nodded towards a fair-skinned, wavy-haired redhead adding half-and-half to her coffee. "Her," she said with absolute confidence. "Has to be her. She looked at Ash. "Mrs. Rare Hair and Mr. Rare Eyes? Sounds like a match to me."
Ash shook his head. "Nope. Thought you said you were good at these things?"
She pouted, "Let me try again."
"Want a clue?"
She stared at him, considering his offer. "Fine."
Eiji stalled by digging through the different jellies at the condiment bar, even though nothing they ordered was in need of jelly.
"Most beautiful person in the room," he said with a smirk.
Eiji blushed and lowered his head closer to the counter, still searching through the jellies.
The girl frowned. "That's hardly fair. Of course, she's the most beautiful to you."
"That's my hint."
Her eyes scanned the room again. Her eyes slid right past Eiji and landed on a woman coming out of the restroom. She had platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. She was naturally tan, with a slim figure, and expensive-looking clothes. "Her."
Ash shook his head again. "Uh-uh."
"You wouldn't lie to me would you?"
Ash extended a pale finger and pointed towards Eiji. Her eyes followed his finger and landed on the blushing boy. She looked back at Ash with a questioning gaze.
"Him," he said simply with a soft smile playing at the edges of his mouth. Ash tilted his head playfully. "Look at him, isn't he just breathtaking— pretending to look through the jelly so he can eavesdrop on our conversation."
Eiji's head shot up from the jelly container and towards Ash's table. His face turned red all the way to his ears.
"Aww, I embarrassed him."
Eiji stormed towards the table, hands gripping the buzzer with white knuckles. He stopped exactly one step away from the woman's chair. "Out," he commanded in his most threatening voice.
She blushed and scurried out of the chair. "So—"
"Goodbye," they both said in unison, although Eiji's voice was venomous, whereas Ash's was filled with teasing.
She tucked her pin-straight brown hair behind her ear, " I— Sorry," and scampered away.
Ash burst out laughing as she fled the scene. Eiji sank low in his seat. In Japan, heads would have turned towards Ash's outburst. In America, no one cared.
"You're a liar, Mr. Okumura," Eiji muttered.
"How's that?"
"I am not the most beautiful person in the room."
"Okay, well, I wasn't counting myself," Ash teased, egotistically.
Eiji's eyes rolled, "Yeah, I know, smart ass." He gently kicked Ash's foot from underneath the table.
Ash cocked his head, "Then what are you talking about?"
"Hmmm, well, I don't know…" Eiji began sarcastically, "maybe her," he nodded towards the platinum blonde that was now sitting just a few tables away. "Or her," he nodded towards a woman with chestnut brown hair, "or even her," he nodded to the redhead the other woman had guessed earlier.
"Too expensive, basic, takes her coffee with waaay too much cream."
Eiji scoffed, "And the amount of cream in one's coffee makes someone more or less beautiful?"
"Absolutely," Ash teased with a completely straight face. "And she's typing way too loud," Ash added.
They both stared at the redhead typing vigorously between sips of coffee.
"Do you think she even realizes?"Eiji asked humorously.
Ash eyed the crappy Bluetooth headphones in her ears and the subtle way she timed her typing to the beat of whatever she was listening to. "Probably not."
"What do you think she's writing?"
Eiji could see the wheels in his brain churning, brewing some type of witty response. Then, in an instant, it was gone. His green eyes snapped back to Eiji. "Don't try to change the subject. You're the most beautiful person here. Period. End of story. Not even open for discussion."
Just as Eiji opened his mouth to respond, the buzzer on their table began to vibrate. Ash stood instantly.
"Like I said, no room for discussion. Food time!" He walked off to retrieve their food.
On his way back, he 'dropped' a straw right next to the girl typing obnoxiously loud. Ash discreetly looked at her computer screen as he bent down to retrieve the fallen straw.
"She's writing a book of some sort," Ash said victoriously as he returned with the food.
"How could you possibly know that?" Eiji asked with a doubtful smile.
"I saw a chapter heading," he answered casually as he handed Eiji his plate of sugary American breakfast food.
"You're such a snoop."
Ash shrugged without a care and bit into his own breakfast; avocado toast topped with sauteed mushrooms and feta cheese.
Eiji eyed his breakfast with a critical eye. "You called that girl basic and yet look what you ordered."
"I didn't mean it as a bad thing, she just...wasn't very interesting to look at."
"And I am?"
"Yeah," he replied simply as if it were the most obvious thing in all the world. He raised his toast to take another bite but stopped before he did so and set it back on the plate. "But I love you for so much more than your looks."
Eiji had told him the exact thing many times before, yet he always loved the reminder.
Eiji smiled softly, "I know that, Ash."
"Now that's a view," Ash declared as they reached the top of their hiking trail. "Definitely worth the two-hour hike."
The ocean below was serene. A few sailboats could be seen in the distance, moving slowly on the calm day, while seagulls, in contrast, squawked loudly on the beach below them.
"Buddy would love it here," Eiji said as he took in the beauty of the landscape, imagining Buddy on the beach chasing birds.
"But he would hate the plane ride."
Ash reached into his backpack and spread out a blanket he'd carried up the trail with him. They ate packed lunches of sandwiches and fruit, and made leisurely conversation as they enjoyed the food and the scenery.
After finishing his lunch, Ash laid down, arms folded behind his head, and face pointing towards the sky. He closed his eyes against the sun and let out a sigh of contentment.
Eiji poked his ribs with a joking finger. "You really have become an old man."
"Have not," he argued with closed eyes.
"Have too."
Ash peeked at him with one eye, "We just hiked for two hours and ate. I'm sleepy. And jet lag doesn't disappear after one day, ya know?" He closed his eye again.
Eiji turned his nose up, "I'm getting an annulment, I didn't know I married an old man trapped in a young man's body."
A ghost of a smile spread across Ash's lips, "Ah, ok, you do that." He rolled over as if he were about to take a long nap in the sun.
Eiji stared at his turned form, trying to decide how to proceed. After several minutes of silence passed, Eiji was beginning to question whether or not Ash was still awake. Ash, who could feel Eiji staring at the back of his head, turned back around and opened his eyes.
"What?"
"You know I didn't mean that, right?" Eiji asked, as he worried his lip with teeth.
Ash huffed a laugh, "I can take a joke, Eiji."
Eiji's face scrunched, "Well, come on then, gramps! We have a two-hour hike back down too, in case you forgot!"
Ash smiled and rolled back over, closing his eyes once more. "I haven't forgotten, that's the reason I'm getting some shut-eye."
Eiji groaned. More silence passed and when it became clear that Ash was not simply teasing him, and he actually intended to rest, Eiji laid down beside him. "You win."
"Excuse me," a tall woman, with dark brown skin and long, black curly hair pulled back into a ponytail on her head, towered over the spot where Ash and Eiji had dozed off. Neither of them moved a muscle, obviously in deep sleep. She adjusted the hiking backpack on her shoulders and cleared her throat, trying to make some noise. Still, neither man stirred. "Excuse me," she repeated, louder this time. They continued sleeping. "Hey!" This time she raised her voice, waking them both. Ash sat first, followed by a very disoriented Eiji.
"What do you think you're doing sleeping up here?" She swung her metal water bottle, covered in all sorts of stickers, up, almost violently, so that it landed on her shoulder like a baseball bat. It was almost threatening. "Well?!" She asked when neither of them responded.
"Sleeping," Ash answered, comically.
"Hmph!" She swung the bottle from her shoulder and pointed it at Ash. He imagined she was trying to be intimidating, but he didn't even flinch. "It's 5:40! It's at least a two-hour hike down to the road, you'd better get going if you want to make it before the sun goes down!"
"Shit!" Eiji scrambled up from the picnic blanket, checking the time on his phone. "Ash! How did we sleep that lo—"
Ash's eyes narrowed, "What?"
"You're so burnt."
Ash looked at his red arms, "Fuck," he cursed under his breath.
"Come on!" The woman clapped her hands together. "Let's get a move on! You can talk on the way down."
Ash and Eiji stood and began packing their things. "Let's?" Ash asked with a raised brow.
"Yes, let's, I'm not letting some clueless tourists die on my watch. Let's go." She bent down and snatched the blanket from Ash's hands. She folded it with masterful speed and stuffed it in his backpack. "Let's go," she repeated.
They followed her silently like children following their teacher out to recess.
"So where are you from?" She asked after several minutes of fast-paced walking in silence.
"Japan," they responded together.
Her ponytail swung as she glanced over her shoulder at them. "Huh."
"What do you mean, 'huh?'" Ash asked testily.
"You speak Japanese, blondie?" Her eyebrows raised above the shades she was wearing.
[Yes, I do.]
She faced forward and walked faster. "So, you're smart enough to know two languages, but not smart enough to know better than to fall asleep on a mountain?"
"I also know French," he grinned as her eyes glanced back at him again, "And conversational Russian."
"Wha— ? I didn't know that, Ash!" Eiji muttered in disbelief.
"Yeah, Dino made me learn French and Blanca taught me some Russian."
The woman suddenly stopped walking and both Eiji and Ash nearly ran into her. She turned and extended her hand "Alana," she said, waiting for them to shake her hand.
"Aaaand now I'm deserving of your name because I'm not a dumb blond, just a smart idiot who fell asleep in the sun?"
She thrust her hand into his and shook it. "Yes." She turned her head to Eiji. "And you are?"
"Eiji."
"Ash and Eiji," she said, matter-of-factly. She turned again and started walking at the same fast pace she had been maintaining before. "And what's your deal, then?" She asked as she walked. "Friends? Non-biological siblings? Lovers?"
"Husbands," they answered in sync.
"On our honeymoon," Eiji added with a smile he couldn't contain.
Her pace slowed for just a second before she regained it. "Then you should be more careful. I've lived here all my life, you'd be surprised how many couples die in some type of tragic accident on their honeymoon. People tend to think they're invincible when they're in love."
"We'll keep it in mind," Ash answered, sarcastically.
"Good."
They walked on in silence after that. As the light began to fade with the setting sun, they were glad to have Alana as their guide. She was well prepared with flashlights and extra water and a map that seemed to be engraved in her mind. They made it to the bottom of the trail faster than it took them to ascend it that morning.
"How'd you get here?" She asked.
"Car." "Uber." They said at the same time.
She pointed at an orange jeep a few yards away. "I can give you a ride. Four seasons?" She asked knowingly.
"Yeah...how'd you know?"
"Rich people often think they're untouchable."
"I'm not—"
She started towards the car. "I didn't mean it as a judgment, just an observation," she called over her shoulder.
Eiji stifled a laugh.
"And what did you observe to make you think that I'm rich?" Annoyance shined through Ash's voice.
"Only rich kids have private tutors. You said some guy taught you Russian? I'm assuming that was a tutor."
Ash huffed, "Well aren't you—"
She turned around and glared at him, keys in hand. "The person who saved your ass from being bit by a Giant Centipede or attacked in the night by a feral boar." She gestured to herself with her keys. "The person who helped you down the mountain and is now driving you and your lover boy back to your ritzy resort. So maybe think before you insult me."
Ash smirked, "That's fair. Sorry, I'm an ass when I get woken up, you haven't seen me at my best." He could see the shock in her eyes when he apologized rather than arguing back.
"W— Well. Fine. Good," she stuttered. She opened the jeep door. "Shall we?"
They stumbled into their suite laughing their heads off.
"We're lucky we weren't eaten by bears tonight!" Eiji declared.
"There aren't bears in Hawaii!"
"Yes, there are!"
"Nuh-uh!"
"How do you know?"
"Cuz! She said boars and bugs and shit. If there were bears, she'd've mentioned it."
Eiji dug his phone from his pocket. "Hey, Google!" He shouted at his phone. "Are there bears in Hawaii?"
The monotonous, robo voice began to speak. "Here's what I found on the web: Hawaii has no snakes, crocodiles, large cats, or bears, but there are still some dangerous animals to look out for..."
"HA!" Ash laughed inches from Eiji's face, his breath smelled of alcohol. Alana took them to a local restaurant on the way back to the resort. Eiji had a beer, Ash had several, yet they were about the same level of drunk.
"Damn it!" Eiji shouted. Eiji ran from the entryway, disappearing into the bedroom. "Oooo!" His voice echoed off the walls.
"What?" Ash shouted after him.
"C'mere!"
Ash stumbled into the bedroom, following Eiji. He found him sitting on the middle of the bed with a bottle of champagne.
"Look what the maid left us!" Eiji said excitedly, waving the bottle at Ash. His fingers instantly began feverishly opening the bottle.
"Eiji! Wait!"
But it was too late, Eiji popped the bottle open, leaking champagne all over the bed. He caught the steam of fizzy liquid by placing his lips over the bottle. His cheeks filled with champagne, making it difficult to swallow. He then burst into laughter. Ash followed, collapsing on the bed as silent, breathless laughs escaped him. His face turned bright red as he laughed. Eiji hovered inches from his face with concern.
"Can you breathe?!"
Ash nodded yes, even though he wasn't actually breathing.
"Oh, good," Eiji replied. He placed the bottle to his lips and took a long swig of the alcohol.
Ash finally stopped laughing, wiping gleeful tears from his eyes. With his back on the mattress, he looked up at Eiji who was practically chugging the champagne.
"Hey!" Ash said, getting Eiji's attention.
His mouth made a loud pop as it pulled away from the bottle. "Oh— So— Sorry. Want some?"
He pressed the bottle to Ash's lips. Since Ash was laying on the bed, champagne spilled all over him, making him cough as it ran down his mouth and neck. He sat, taking the bottle from Eiji as he did so.
They both died laughing again.
"Di— Did ya forget how gravity worked?" Ash asked
Bright red, Eiji simply nodded, laughing far too hard to respond properly.
Ash wiped his face with the already wet bedspread and then proceeded to gulp the remainder of the champagne, which would have been more if Eiji hadn't spilled it all over him. He leaned over the edge of the bed to set the bottle on the floor, and when he leaned back up, Eiji was only inches from him.
"I think I'm drunk, Ashu," he said, his accent slipping.
Ash laughed, "You get drunk so easily."
"I wasn't even trying."
"Me neither."
"You're drunk too?"
"Mmmm, think so." He thought of the champagne he just chugged. "Prolly be drunker 'n a minute after," he pointed vaguely at the floor, "that," he slurred. He fell backward into the bedspread. Eiji joined him, head on Ash's chest.
Eiji inhaled deeply, smelling the alcohol that had spilled all over Ash. "Mmmmm, you smell so good."
Eiji's head rose and fell as Ash chuckled. " 'Ts cuz a the ch'mpagne."
Eiji lifted his head and, like a curious puppy, he licked his neck where the champagne had spilled. "Mmm tastes good too."
Ash's pulse jumped with laughter under Eiji's tongue.
Confused by his laughter, Eiji raised his head and squinted at Ash with his head cocked to one side. "Wha's so funny?"
"You spilled mos' a that bottle," he laughed as he remembered Eiji spilling it on the bed and then all over him. "I barely got any!"
Eiji laughed along with him and then stood. He stumbled across the room and picked up the phone receiver.
Ash flipped onto his stomach, head resting in his hands, and watched Eiji. "What're you doing?"
"Room service," Eiji said simply.
Eiji stared at the phone for several long minutes. There were instructions on the phone that read, 'Dial 0 for room service,' but in his drunken state, he didn't even notice it.
"Is it busy?" Ash asked.
Eiji shook his head, "I don't know the number."
Ash stood, enthusiastically. "Oh! I do! I ordered sushi yesterday." He wobbled as he walked to the phone. He grabbed the receiver from Eiji and stared at the number pad.
"Well?"
He looked at Eiji, a smile already forming, "I forgot wha' it is."
Ash burst into laughter but Eiji looked as if the world were ending.
"Hey," Ash shoved his shoulder, "Le's jus' go ask!"
Eiji's face brightened up and they both staggered to the front door. Eiji fumbled with his shoes but Ash walked from the room barefoot.
They raced across the resort in the dark, laughing and tripping over each other's feet as they went. Luckily, they found the front office. They stumbled inside, still giggling at seemingly nothing at all. They were loud to begin with, but in the quiet, posh office, they seemed like bulls in a china shop.
"Can I help you?" The woman at the front desk asked.
"Yes!" Ash said at once.
"How can I help you," she rephrased her question with an amused smile forming on her lips as she observed their drunken state.
Ash pointed at Eiji, "He spilled the champagne."
Eiji looked at Ash, mortified. "Ash!"
The woman raised her eyebrows. "Would you like me to send someone to clean it up?"
"Huh? No. We wan' more 's all."
She chuckled and shook her head. "You do realize there's a mini bar in the room, right?"
They both shook their heads.
"Well, where'd you get the one that spilled?"
Eiji answered excitedly, "The maid left it for us!"
"Okay, so it was a complimentary bottle. What room is yours, sir?"
Eiji looked at Ash with a vacant stare. "Do you know?"
Ash shrugged. He looked at the woman, "Big one?"
"Expensive," Eiji added with a dignified nod.
She tried not to roll her eyes. "What's your name, sir?"
"Okumura!" Ash nearly shouted, causing the woman to jump. He pointed to himself. "Ash Okumura! It's my new name! I've jus' been married!" He wiggled his ring finger at her.
"Ahhh," she nodded with understanding. "Okay, one second." Her computer keyboard clicked loudly under her fingers as she searched for their room.
Ash continued talking. "We're on our honeymoon!" He leaned on the counter. "Eiji's my fav'rite persn in the whooooole wrld bu' don' tell him or he'll laugh."
Eiji's face lit up. "I'm right here, Ashu!"
Ash spun around to see him and started laughing again. "I forgot!"
The woman at the desk chuckled and picked up the phone. "Hi, it's Jen. Can you come escort a few guests back to their room? …. The Okumuras ….The Kahuwai Suite….Yes….Very much so, yes….Okay, thanks….Bye."
She interrupted Ash and Eiji's drunken rambling. "One of my coworkers is on his way here. He'll take you back to your room."
"But we wanted more— more—" Ash gestured vaguely, unable to remember the word.
"Champagne!" Eiji finished for him.
Ash snapped his fingers loudly. "Yes. That."
The woman nodded, "I know, there's some in the room already. Vince will show you where it is when he takes you back."
"Who's Vince?"
"My coworker. He'll be here momentarily to escort you back."
Fear flashed in Ash's eyes. "I don't want an escort!"
Her eyebrows knit with confusion. "Sir, I—"
"I'm married!" He reminded her. "Eiji," he nudged him, "Tell her we're married!"
"We're married," he echoed.
"Ohhh," she realized what the confusion was about. "No, sir, not that kind of escort. He's just going to take you to your room."
Ash didn't look very convinced.
"Oh, here he is."
A tall, heavily muscled man in a security uniform walked in the office door. Ash's eyes instantly found the holster on his belt. He stepped protectively in front of Eiji.
"We'll find our own way back," he said in the clearest voice he had managed since they arrived in the office.
The security guard looked at Jen with confusion.
"I said the word," she mouthed escort, "but he's thinking of the wrong type."
"I'm just here to show you where your room is," he clarified.
Ash took a step back, taking Eiji with him. "We can find it."
"I'll take them," Jen offered. "I'm not expecting any late check-ins, I'm sure it'll be fine for you to trade with me for a few minutes," she told Vince.
Vince nodded and walked behind the counter.
"Come on, Mr. and Mr. Okumura, let's go find that champagne!"
Eiji cheered, while Ash followed her reluctantly, holding Eiji's hand tightly.
When they arrived at the room, Jen was surprised to find it so clean. She expected a giant mess with champagne all over the carpet, but from where she stood in the doorway, there wasn't a thread out of place.
"The minibar," she began as she stepped inside, "is right here." She gestured to a fancy rattan cabinet that disguised the bar into something far classier. She pulled the doors open to reveal snacks and several selections of alcohol, ranging from beer to brandy.
Eiji clapped and Ash simply shook his head humorously at their stupidity.
"Do you want me to help you clean the champagne that spilled?" She offered, even though it was below her pay grade. But something in her felt sorry for scaring the blond. She'd never seen someone react so viscerally to an ordinary word. And he had been so happy before she said it. He seemed skittish ever since.
"You— you can," Ash said at last. He pointed to the bedroom doorway, "It spilled on the bed."
She walked into the room and Eiji began to follow her with the bottle of whiskey he had selected from the minibar. Ash grabbed his hand, stopping him, and stood in the doorway, watching the woman like a hawk. She stuffed the alcohol-soaked bedspread into a laundry bag and swung it over her shoulder. "I'll have someone bring you a fresh comforter."
"Bring it tomorrow," Ash said, deciding there were plenty of other sheets and blankets they could use.
She could see the tension still abundant in him as he pulled Eiji closer.
She nodded, "Alright."
He eyed her suspiciously as she passed him on her way out.
She paused as she opened the front door, looking back at Ash still standing with Eiji protectively across the room. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to upset you."
She closed the door quietly behind her.
Ash's ears perked up at the sound of Eiji opening the bottle of whiskey.
"Woah, whoa, whoa!" Ash caught the bottle before it reached his lips. "That's strong stuff."
Eiji pulled the bottle free from Ash's hands and sipped it. The liquid burned his throat on the way down causing him to cough. He handed the bottle to Ash. "That's disgusting!" He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Why would anyone drink that?"
Ash sipped it straight from the bottle just as Eiji had. "It's an— 'quired taste," his words slurred again as he relaxed in only Eiji's company. "An' 'ts a good way ta get drunk if nothing else. Cuz, ya know, lots a people drink jus' ta get drunk."
Eiji watched Ash's lips closely, as he took another swig of the golden liquid, with the same curiosity a baby would watch light sparkle off a diamond ring.
Ash noticed him staring with a flushed face, partially from the alcohol, partially from the attraction. "What?" He asked with a knowing smile.
Eiji returned his smile. "You're so pretty."
"Think so?" Ash set the whisky on the floor and stepped closer to Eiji.
"Yep-ah" the p popped loudly as it left his mouth. His lips curled in a smile. He fell into Ash's chest and kissed his bottom lip slowly. [Alcohol tastes better on your skin.]
Ash chuckled drunkenly, "You're silly."
Eiji stared into Ash's eyes, voice cracking as he laughed, as if those green eyes housed planets and celestial bodies.
"Ashu?" Eiji whispered.
"What?" He whispered back.
"Are we too drunk?"
"Too drunk for what?"
"...sex…" Eiji mouthed, more than whispered, as if he was scared to say it.
Ash's face scrunched and his eyes shut tightly as he considered the question. His eyes opened when he had his answer. "Yes."
Eiji frowned. "Thought so."
Ash shoved him playfully, "You're obsessed." Ash staggered to the bed, with Eiji hot on his trail.
" 'Ts cuz I love you," Eiji said.
Ash flopped horizontally onto the bed face-first, his long legs hanging off at the ankles.
Eiji followed his lead, pressing his body up against Ash's, getting as close as he could without actually laying on top of him.
Ash peeked at him with one green eye. He chuckled in his drunken state. "Could you get any closer?" He asked, managing sarcasm even while inebriated.
"Uh-huh," he responded, goofily.
Eiji moved so that he was now laying directly on top of Ash's back. Both men laughed uncontrollably. Once they calmed down, Eiji got off him and kneeled beside him on the mattress. With a tug on his arm, he rolled Ash onto his back and then slotted himself back on top of him, his head finding Ash's shoulder. Without even thinking about it, his hands slid under the sides of Ash's shirt, resting lazily against as much of his warm skin as he physically could.
Ash smiled sweetly. He tapped Eiji's shoulder. "Up."
Worried he had upset him, Eiji slid off him immediately, sitting on the bed beside him again.
Ash sat as well and tugged the shirt he was wearing off his head in one swift movement. He stared at Eiji, waiting for him to do the same.
"Well? Make us even, right?"
Eiji nodded with a goofy smile and did the same, tossing his shirt to the floor.
Ash then slipped off his shorts, remaining only in his boxers, and again waited for Eiji to do the same.
When he did, Ash flopped back down and patted his chest, indicating for Eiji to lay back down. At first, Eiji smiled wider but then anxiety creased his brows.
"Tomorrow Ash will be upset if he thinks we…" his voice quieted to a whisper, " ...you know."
Ash pointed to the pad of paper by the phone, "Then write 'im a note."
Eiji's smile returned. "Good idea."
He stumbled off the bed, nearly falling as he did so, but managed to reach the paper in one piece. He clicked the pen and stared at the blank space.
He began to scribble future Ash and Eiji a note, shakily written in both English and Japanese. The note was not only written in two languages, but it also contained plenty of spelling errors and absolutely no punctuation, making it quite difficult to read. It said:
Ash We didn't [have sex] looks that [way] but [we] didn't promise promise promise [I wanted] to [and I think you] did 2 [but we couldn't] brake the rools plz don't be [upset I'm telling the] truth I luv [you sosososososo much] I woodnt lie [I'm cold you're waiting for me] my head is [buzzing] bye [I'm going to bed] Eiji Okumura
Somehow in his drunken state, he managed an elaborate signature as if the note were some binding legal contract.
He wrapped a fuzzy blanket around his bare shoulders before climbing back on top of Ash. The blanket draped over them both as they happily laid skin to skin.
[You're so warm,] Eiji told Ash sleepily.
Ash wrapped his arms tighter around Eiji as if the two couldn't be close enough.
They fell asleep, closely intertwined. Warm and content. And in his last fleeting moment of consciousness, Eiji had a rational thought: sometimes this was all he wanted; to fall asleep in Ash's arms, so filled with love that he could burst. And he hoped. He hoped he'd remember this when he woke up.
Author's Note:
Fun fact: I'm the redhead in the cafe from the beginning of this chapter. I'm the one who puts too much cream in her coffee and types way too loud and who has to listen to instrumental music and movie soundtracks while she writes in cafes because otherwise she can't help but be distracted by everyone else's conversations and who is absolutely writing fanfic with her back to a wall, hoping no one (including security cameras) can see her computer screen...Hi.