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For someone who had the same smarts as Einstein and the reflexes of a professional hit-man, Ash Lynx could be an absolute fucking dumbass at times.
I can't believe you thought your appendix bursting was just a bad stomach ache. Eiji grumbled to himself, washing the apple and apple peeler at the hospital room sink before setting himself to work on peeling said apple. Scared the daylights out of me.
“Hey Eiji! How's Ash doing?” Shorter came up behind him, looking over his shoulder to see Ash’s condition for himself. After Eiji insisted on driving Ash to the hospital for his ‘bad stomach ache’ and found out it was one of his organs needing to be removed, he called Shorter to help pack an overnight bag for Ash. Shorter was an absolute saint for actually picking up at one in the morning and for getting to their apartment with the spare key to pack said clothes.
“The doctor said the surgery went smoothly and everything was fine,” Eiji sighed as he carefully cut the apple in smaller bite sized pieces. “Although the doctor did say he was going to be a bit loopy when he wakes up because of the drugs taken for the surgery.”
Shorter let out a low whistle. “Can't imagine that, even that one time he was pissed drunk he still had that alertness to him. Didn't even know he was drunk until Skipper asked if he was high and he looked confused before saying he was on the ground floor.”
“Shorter you can't just stop there you have to tell me more-” just as Eiji rewashed the bite sized apple pieces and placed the peeler back into his zip lock bag, Ash stirred in his bed, blinking the sleep away from his eyes. Eiji was immediately at his side, helping him shift the bed at a more comfortable angle.
“Ash,” Eiji softly whispered, because even though he was pissed at him for being such a hard head about his pain, he was still the love of his life and worry came first. “How are you feeling? I've peeled some apples if you're hungry.”
Ash stared at the bowl of apple pieces held out by Eiji, then shifted his attention to Eiji, and then to Shorter. Shorter raised his brows at Ash, cocking his head to the side in question to his stare.
“You okay there man? You did just have your wholeass appendix removed.” Shorter grabbed a chair to sit beside Eiji, slouching over the bed with his elbows propped at Ash’s blanket covered feet. “You feeling like apples or not?”
“You don't have to eat them if you don't want to,” Eiji set the bowl on the bedside table, feeling a bit exposed with how intense Ash was silently staring at him and his every movement. “There’s a canteen downstairs and I've already bought some porridge if you want something relatively easier to eat. You do need to eat at least something - you haven't eaten anything for a good while since you’ve skipped dinner to make that meeting.”
Ash squinted at Eiji, and then back to Shorter, and finally back to Eiji again.
“I had surgery for my appendix?” Ash asked, voice rough from sleep. “And you guys brought me here?”
“Yeah dude. Gave us a hugeass scare too,” Shorter laughed and playfully nudged Ash’s leg at the foot of the bed while Eiji sighed in exasperation. “Eiji had to personally drive you here because you were being a dumbass about it too.”
“Eiji,” Ash repeated his name slowly, enunciating the vowels. “Eiji… you Japanese?”
“Uh-” Eiji didn't know what to say, his eyes widened in surprise and brows furrowed in confusion. At the same time, Shorter pulled down his sunglasses to squint at his old time friend, “those drugs really turned your brain to mush didn't they. You really channeling that big dumbass energy.”
“Shut up! I'm just asking! It’s a nice name,” Ash grumbled, swiping the bowl of apple pieces and started on them. “Thanks for the apples. I have no clue what Shorter did to reel in such a nice cute guy like you.”
“Uh!” Eiji blushed all the way to his ears, his cheeks burning with embarrassment as Shorter burst into loud laughter, clutching his sides as he did so.
“Ash, Ash- oh geez I'm gonna bust a rib-” Shorter actually had to remove his sunglasses to wipe the tears out of his eyes from laughing so hard, using one hand to pat Eiji’s shoulder in support. “You really think Eiji and I- oh man I've got to record this, for like, future generations.”
“The fuck you laughing for!”
“Ash, I-” Eiji couldn't help but smile, trying to hide his blush and broad grin with his hand in case he offended Ash any further. “I'm not Shorter’s boyfriend.”
“Oh shit sorry, uh- my bad. Didn't mean to make you feel awkward,” Ash scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, the blush on his cheeks making him look younger, like back in the days he first realised he was head over heels for the infamous wild Lynx.
Shorter was having the time of his life sneakily recording the whole thing on his phone while Ash was still distracted by Eiji.
“Are you-” Ash gulped, looking uncharacteristically bashful, his fingers fiddling with the last apple pieces left in the bowl. “Uh, are you s-”
“Geez you’re taking forever,” Shorter snickered, hands still on the phone. “Hey Eiji! You single and ready to mingle?”
“No, sorry,” Eiji couldn't help but say it in the sweetest voice he could muster. Ash frowned at the response, and Eiji would later argue that he was even pouting a bit. “I have a husband whom I love very much.”
“You don't need to say sorry for that,” Ash sighed, finishing the rest of the apple pieces and placing it on top of the bedside table. “Thanks for the apple pieces Eiji. Tell your husband that he's a lucky man to have you.”
“Well Ash, you're a lucky man to have me. Although I would say I'm the lucky one to have you.”
“You...me? Wait, I got fucking hitched? What the fuck?” Ash sputtered in response, his face going through ten different emotions before settling on an expression of disbelief. The blonde turned to Shorter for extra confirmation, to which the other just laughed out a reply.
“Yall’s got married last year my man. We all drove down to Cape Cod and had an awesome wedding. I can't believe you asked him if he was Japanese! Your lovesick ass even learnt the language so you could speak to his parents.”
“I did? Oh man… I did,” Ash words were slurred but recognition filled his eyes. He then turned to Eiji with pure awe on his face.
“Holy shit I'm married to an angel.”
Shorter burst out laughing again.
“Ash, you can’t just say that oh gosh-” Eiji squeaked, his face turning completely red.
“I know I'm high as an absolute kite right now but like, I just know you're good you know? Looking at you makes me feel like my soul was coming home.”
“Oh Ash,” Eiji was tearing up at this point. He wasn't even the one who had a major surgery but he was gonna end up looking like a teary blushy mess.
“Aww geez please don't cry! M’sorry-”
Eiji couldn't help but place a fond kiss to the side of his temple.
“I think that's enough excitement for today. You should really rest up Ash.”
“And you’ll still be there beside me when I wake up?” Ash yawned, his eyelids drooping and speech starting to slur heavily.
“Of course.”
“Love you Eiji,” Ash whispered as Eiji fixed the blankets around him.
“Love you too Ash,” a final kiss to the forehead before Ash drifted off to sleep again.