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It all started with a stupid bet with Shorter -Ash wondered why he kept making them.-
His roommate was a very annoying person who was always trying to have some fun in a very odd way, and apparently his new hobby was challenging Ash to do stuff. They started making bets because Ash always won anyway, and it was a good way to keep Shorter amused. He hadn’t lost any single bet because every one in which he participated involved pretty easy stuff; like getting a professor to let them handle an essay a day later, a card game… Ash always won everything; he had been born a winner and that’s why he was the top student of his whole department. He was majoring in History, and even though he was a only a freshman, everyone was amazed and looked up to him.
Even his boyfriend. Yeah, Ash Lynx was dating the cutest boy on Earth, Eiji Okumura, a third year Photography student, and had been for around 3 months and a half. Ash Lynx considered himself a lucky person despite having to share a room with someone whose snoring was as loud as Shorter. They were best friends after all, so they were used to each other.
Ash had known Shorter for a pretty long time and was already used to betting with him, so it was only natural for Ash to not be surprised when Shorter ditched a class and entered the room with a familiar sentence emerging from his lips.
“I bet you can’t do this” He said. Everything started like that, with Shorter bragging about having the ultimate challenge which Ash couldn't face.
“Do what?” Ash asked, tired. Shorter just rummaged through the drawer of Ash's dresser until he found a small, brown album with an inscription on its front. It read “from my soul to yours” and it was signed by Eiji.
Oh no. What was Shorter pretending? Ash was weak for Eiji. He'd always been since they met. He'd been weak for those gentle eyes of his, for his touch, for his voice, for his soft hair... just for Eiji Okumura as a whole.
Shorter sat right beside Ash and tossed the album on his lap.
“I bet you can't finish this without cracking a smile. Since you're so in love with your precious photographer.”
You're right, I can't, Ash thought, Since I can't go on a day without smiling when I think about him in general, but he was so over Shorter's challenges and since he had won them all until that day, he thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to accept.
Turns out he was wrong.
“Who do you think I am? Of course I can, you asshole”
“I don't think you can since you're Ash 'I'm so in love with my boyfriend' Lynx. You're too in love to go through that without smiling a single time, I know you.”
“And you're Shorter 'I don't know how to mind my own business' Wong.”
“Does that mean you're chickening out? Didn't know you were that kind of person.” Shorter provoked him, nudging him with his elbow. Ash was starting to have enough with that crap. And that wasn't a good decision.
“You know you'll lose as you always do.”
“No. I'm certain you'll be the loser this time.”
“Okay. Let's imagine I accept. But you have to shave your head if you lose.”
“Oh no! Ash! That's too mean!” Shorter exclaimed, feigning anger. He didn't want to shave his head but he wasn't angry, he was just playing along with Ash. The blonde knew how much the Chinese valued his hair, since he was always worrying about going bald.
“What? You won't go bald if you shave your head before going bald” Ash claimed, raising his index finger and bringing it to his forehead like in the popular meme everyone knew.
“Fine...” Shorter muttered. “But” his voice became firmer as he stared right to Ash, taking his sunglasses off -which he rarely did- “if you lose, you'll have to wear a special costume chosen by me at the Halloween party.”
Ash froze. There was no way in hell he'd go to such extents, right?
Right?
“Shorter. I'll just say three words, remember them since your safety is at stake: not a pumpkin"
“Oh, no, don't worry, I won't make you dress up as a pumpkin.” Shorter brushed it off with a laugh and Ash sighed in relief.
Phew.
“A moth.” Shorter said. Maybe Ash had sighed too early.
“What.” Ash deadpanned. “Is there a moth in the room?” He asked since it was getting dark and they had a lamp on, maybe a moth had come inside the room. They were lucky they weren't with Eiji at that moment because had that been the case and...
“No.”
“Yes.” Shorter said with a smug grin on his face. “You'll be dressed up as a giant moth for the Halloween party. And you'll go there with Eiji, of course.
Ash froze again, Things were escalating really quickly; he hadn't thought it would've come down to that. Was Shorter so sure he'd win?
“You know Eiji's mottephobic, right? I mean, you've seen his reaction whenever he spots a moth, he hides behind me like a scared kitten and begins to scream until the moth has left his field of vision.” Ash exclaimed.
When he first learned Eiji was scared of moths, he laughed really hard, just how Eiji did when he learned about Ash being scared of pumpkins. However, after the initial shock and laughter, they took care of each other; Eiji had promised to go with him to the Halloween party and to help him avoid any pumpkin and Ash shooed away of the room or shielded Eiji from every moth.
That was a mean deal, Eiji would kill him if he sees him dressed up as a giant moth.
“You know Eiji will kill me, right?”
“Not if you tell him 'I'm dressed up as the thing you hate the most since I'm what you love the most, this will help you get over your mottephobia.”
“If I say that he'll get angrier”
“But you have to say it.” Shorter pressed on.
“Why should I.” Ash deadpanned.
“Because you'll lose.”
That was the breaking point. Shorter knew very well how to taunt him, how to end the little patience Ash had.
“Fine! I accept your stupid deal!” He said, grabbing the album.
“You have to start by reading the inscription.” Shorter instructed.
Fuck this. It was going to be hard.
Okay. He could do it.
“From my soul to yours” He read in the gentlest of the voices.
This album was Eiji's present for the day of their first month anniversary of being together. Ash remembers having cried because he didn't feel he deserved such an angel, because he felt loved, truly loved and then he kissed and hugged Eiji for a while and told him he loved him and.
“Yo, Ash, you're spacing out and you've let go a sigh... and you have not even seen a picture...” Shorter taunted. “Is that smile coming off already?”
“No It's not!” Ash exclaimed. “Okay, we're off to the first picture.”
Ash was busy that day. He was running late to his first class because Shorter's snoring barely let him sleep last night. The corridors were pretty full so he had to dodge a few people when he was running at full speed to reach the classrom. Suddenly, he heard a loud thump and looked at the floor. He had bumped into someone and their books were all over the ground. Since Ash wasn't a jerk, he kneeled on the floor and helped the other person clean the mess. Then, he looked up and his eyes found the prettiest boy he had ever seen.
“I'm sorry-” They blurted out at the same time. The boy was blushing.
Cute.
The other boy looked idly at Ash during a few minutes until both a surprised and joyful expression crossed his face.
“You're Ash Lynx!” He exclaimed. “Oh my god! I've been looking for you!”
“Well, now you've found me.” Ash said. And I'm glad you did, he thought.
“I am Eiji Okumura. I am a third year in Photography, I study in this department too.” Eiji said, tending his hand to Ash. They shook hands and Ash noticed that Eiji's hand was warm.
“I was going to say I'm Ash Lynx, but you seem to know me pretty well. I'm majoring in History, but I'm only a freshman.” Ash let go, knowing that now he was going to be late for real, but honestly, he couldn't care less.
“That, I know too.” Eiji chuckled. “To be honest almost everyone in this building knows about you and how awesome you are.” Eiji said.
“Oh, you're going to make me blush” Ash joked; but it could easily be real, he doesn't get complimented every day by such a cute boy; rather he has to cope with Yut-Lung, him and Shorter's partner in their part-time job in the Banana Fish cafe. Honestly, that snake couldn't be more unbearable.
“But it's the truth!” He said, energetically, with a little pout in his face.
“Let's move a bit, Eiji, we're in the middle of the corridor” Ash said, and they moved a bit to the right side, since less people seemed to be taking that way.
“Anyway” Ash continued “Why were you looking for me?” He asked.
“Oh right! I have a project in which I need to interview someone from college and take pictures of them. Would you mind being my interview subject? Excuse me if this sounds weird, but I wanted to ask you since you study in this department too and you're pretty famous, I thought it would be interesting to know what you're thinking and to take some pictures of you, I bet my classmates will be pretty jealous of me if I tell them I had the chance to interview Ash Lynx.” Eiji went on, and as he spoke, Ash just connected two things in his mind:
Pictures and Eiji.
Then his mind developed the concept. Having Eiji take pictures of him meant having an excuse to spent time with Eiji. He didn't usually like taking pictures of himself let alone having other people taking pictures of him, but that was a special occasion; He had good vibes about Eiji, and his hands were soft, so why not.
“Sure, but I have class now. In fact, my first period started 10 minutes ago.” Ash chuckled. But honestly, fuck his first period.
“Oh, I'm really sorry! You're going to be late because of me...” Eiji apologized, a sad look on his face.
“Hey, don't be sad! I don't like the subject either, so it's not a great loss; and Shorter's there for me, so he can take notes.” He then thought about the last part of the sentence. “Okay, Shorter won't take notes, but really, it's okay.” He finished.
“Do you want to met at 12PM them? I have two hours of free time”
“Wow, my last class ends at that time, what a lovely coincidence.”
“You could call it that, or fate.” Eiji said with a smile. He was unbearably cute, damn it, Ash couldn't handle that.
“Whatever it is, we can meet at the Banana Fish cafe, it's around the corner. I can treat you to coffee, Shorter and I work there.” Ash explained. He was more than honoured to treat Eiji to coffe or to whatever he liked.
“I prefer tea, but I won't decline your offer. Okay, see you there! And don't ditch class!” Eiji exclaimed. He then shook Ash's hand again and run across the hallway.
I'm not Shorter, Ash thought. Okay, he maybe ditched a class or two but it wasn't something he'd usually do. So he entered the classroom, earned an angry look from the professor but had a seat and thought about that magical encounter until the period ended. That's what he did until 12PM arrived, basically.
When he met Eiji, they sat in a table of the cafe and he took some pictures of him. He took one in which he looked particularly handsome; they were located in a table at the background of the stablishment, near a window, and the light shone in Ash's hair and eyes, making him look like an angel. Eiji said he'd send Ash a copy.
In the end they ended up talking about each other; Eiji discovered Ash hated pupkins and Ash discovered Eiji hated moths and that he was working as an assistant for Shunichi Ibe, a man who was a friend from Max, a friend from his brother; which means that sooner or later they'd have encountered each other anyway. Ash smiled at that thought.
Ash inhaled sharply as he traced the first Picture with his long, slender fingers. That was only the first picture and he already felt fuzzy and soft inside. It always happened with Eiji; Eiji always managed to make him feel like he was floating in the clouds, far, far away from reality; like he was in a distant place in which there were only the two of them.
Ash had to cut his train of thought as he saw Shorter eyeing him.
“This was only the first picture and you’re already making an effort to control yourself? Didn’t think you were so weak, Ash” Shorter mocked. He knew, everyone knew, he was weak to Eiji. He really liked this picture because it was when he met his boyfriend, so it was only natural that he had to contain himself if he didn’t want to crack the widest of the smiles.
“Shut up. It’s just that I like how I look in this picture. Eiji’s a great photographer” Ash said, and that was true. Eiji had taken pictures of both of them a lot of times (the majority of those pictures were in the album) he had even taken pictures of Shorter, and he look really well.
“Let’s talk about the puppy crush you had on Eiji when you first met, it was really funny, hearing you talk about that guy you had meat in the corridor, that guy you were going to meet at the cafe at 12, that guy who was so cute and gentle and-“
“Shorter! Stop it! You’re talking about Eiji because you want to make me smile and… you know that everything related to him makes me smile. A lot of people in my class want to be near me because ‘I’m smart’ and he was the first one to look up to me without expecting anything in return. You can’t really imagine how at ease I feel when I am with him… it’s like a whole blanket of warmth fills my body…” Ash explained, his voice barely a whisper, his lips trembling in the effort of what it looked like the trouble of keeping a smile from escaping his lips.
“Man… you’re really a fool in love. But I don’t blame you, Eiji is indeed a pretty nice guy; being around him feels comforting.” Shorter said, smiling.
“Why are you smiling? Are you taunting me?” Ash exclaimed, he was angry, this challenge was much more a challenge than what it had looked initially. It was hard not to feel happy when it came to Eiji.
“Okay okay, I’ll stop. Let’s go to the second picture then, shall we?”
And then Ash’s fingers traced the second picture, it was a picture of both of them laying in the grass, in a park, under a tree. The sun was setting. And well, the third picture was…
“Why did you choose to become a photographer?” Ash asked as he lay next to Eiji.
It had been two weeks since they met, and since that day, they had been meeting each other every afternoon. They would stroll to the nearest park and lay together for a while until the sun set.
“Because I like to keep memories of my life, of what I do, of what people do. Photography is an unappreciated kind of art and while I think I am not the best photographer, I thought I might as well give it a shot.” Eiji explained with a growing fondness in hi voice. At that point, Ash was completely in love with Eiji and he wanted nothing more than to grab his hand, caress his fingers while with the other hand he carded his fingers through his soft black hair.
“Hey, you are a good photographer, you made me look handsome in the pictures for your project” Ash said. He looked good indeed, and it was all thanks to Eiji’s talent, effort and full dedication.
“Like someone needs the best camera in the world or a natural talent to make you look handsome” He blushed -which was cute as hell- “Y-you are already pretty attractive” he stuttered. Ash was about to combust.
Ash started to feel bold so he shuffled closer to Eiji and grabbed his hand. Eiji made an startled jump.
“I’m sorry!” Ash apologized “Is this too much?” He asked. He didn’t want Eiji to feel uncomfortable.
“No! I’m not… I was just thinking… this is a memory I want to keep. Do you mind if I take a picture of us like this?” He timidly asked.
And then Eiji grabbed his camera and took a picture of both of them together, impossibly closer, surrounded of fallen autumn leaves. The colors of the environment with Eiji’s blush made the picture look… fleeting and amazing and cute and-
Ash felt his lips curling upwards.
“Ha ha, you’re like this and you have not seen the third photo yet!” Shorter made fun of Ash.
Ash let out a grunt.
“Leave me alone. I’m dating a sunshine, what can I do about it?”
“Try not to smile. At least for now. You can smile as much as you want and do whatever you want with Eiji when I’m not here.” Shorter said, raising an eyebrow and winking “but remember not to make noise.”
“You’re such an asshole” Ash said, and then they returned to the third picture.
The chilly October wind was starting to become too much for them so they got up and left the park. However, their hands were still intertwined. Eiji lived in a flat near the department, but he always walked Ash to the dorms.
“Well… want to meet tomorrow, Mr. Photographer?” Ash joked.
“Umm yeah…” Eiji stuttered.
“But there’s something I have to tell you before you go.” Eiji continued, staring at Ash.
He was serious.
Oh no. It was coming.
“Would you… I mean… I like you! I’ll understand if you don’t since I’m not no one special but…” Eiji stammered. No one special? Fuck it!
“Eiji, you’re the most special human being I’ve ever met. I don’t want to date you. I love you and I want to be with you for as long as you want to bear with me.” Ash told Eiji, a confession that really wasn’t knew. Through their lingering touches and gestures it was already clear.
“Me too. That is, if you don’t mind.” Eiji answered as he caressed Ash’s hand
“Why would I mind?” Ash asked.
“I don’t know, maybe Mr Ash Lynx is too busy to waste his time with a lowly photographer like me” Eiji said. They were impossibly closer, both of them blushing.
“Don’t talk about yourself like this or I’m breaking up with you” Ash said. He didn’t want Eiji to be so hard on himself. “Besides, I’m the one who doesn’t deserve such a blessed human being.”
“Don’t talk about yourself like this or I’m breaking up with you.” Eiji countered.
“We’re not even dating yet.” Ash chided, tauntingly, as he caressed Eiji’s hair and enjoyed the warmth of their bodies melded together in a tight, warm embrace.
“Who told you we’re not?” Eiji asked? “I’ve tould you I like you and you said you love me, which I do too. So then?” He finished.
“There’s something missing.” Ash said as he daringly touched Eiji’s lips.
“Oh.” Eiji let go.
And the world stopped for them as they kissed and kissed for what it seemed like a life time. Eiji didn’t taste like anything in special but he smelled of autumn leaves and his shampoo and everything was back in place and in Ash’s life there was only Eiji, Eiji, Eiji.
Until they both heard the click of a shutter.
Since when did Shorter had a camera?
“Like, seriously, why did you have a camera?” Ash asked to shorter, his lips curled upwards in an almost smile. His self-control was vanishing. He was starting to think that he was about to lose, but remembering the afternoons of hand-holding, the fumbling, the not-knowing if it was going to be mutual even though deep inside their hearts they both knew it…
It was all too much.
“I borrowed my sister’s for a project, got out of the dorms and saw my best friend kissing his crush. The picture ended in the project accidentally, so that’s why all the department knew you were dating Eiji Okumura.” Shorter confessed, contorting his face in what later exploded into his classic laughter. Ash was probably going to get angry, or he probably knew it already, because Ash knew everything. And Shorter knew he was going to win because for Ash… being near Eiji was the happiest feeling in the world.
“So it was because of you! I swear I’m going to kill you. But… I really like this picture.” Ash confessed. They were under a streetlamp, hugging impossibly tighter as their bodies were moving, but the shot was flawless, despite having been taking from a hideout.
And then Ash read the inscription that was right besides the picture.
The first of many, many more.
And then he smiled. He couldn’t contain it anymore. He then eyed the other pictures in the album. It was full of pictures of them kissing, of pictures of them holding each other, a close up of their joined hands… Eiji was skilled and always paid attention to the tiniest of details.
It was all over. Shorter got up and grabbed something from his closet.
It was the fucking moth disguise.
The day of the party, everyone started gossiping about why was Ash Lynx disguised as a moth. But he didn’t care, he just waited for Eiji to enter the building, and when he did, Eiji’s face was… was. It was the horror face he usually had when he sighted a moth. It was disgust.
“Ash.” Eiji shouted as he got closer to Ash. Was he angry? He looked a little bit pissed.
“B-before you murder me… let me explain.” Ash stuttered. He’d gotten in trouble thanks to Shorter again.
“Ash” Eiji let go as he started taking more steps towards where Ash was.
“I am dressed up as the thing you hate the most, and since I’m what you love the most you’ll get over this soon?” He asked, doubtfully. There was latter among the few people that were in the party, since it had barely started.
“Ash.” He whispered to his ear, now that they were impossibly closer.
“Let’s go to your room. Now. I’m going to strip you off this… monstruosity.” He said, disgust laced in his voice. The disguise was so badly made that it didn’t look like a moth. He was just a giant mass of fur.
Ash gulped. It looked like he’d have to thank Shorter. That was an unexpected ending for their bet.
Actually, he’d have to thank Shorter for the kinky sex after he’d gotten rid of the stupid disguise and for having seen the album again. From my soul to yours was the greatest memento of the relationship he shared with his boyfriend and the love of his life,
Eiji Okumura, the always precious Eiji Okumura.
His soulmate.