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Ash hated Halloween. Don't ask why, because it was so traumatizing that he can't handle thinking about it. The only people that knew were Griffin and Eiji. He trusted them, but a few days before Halloween Eiji betrayed him. He walked into the station, ready to start his shift, only to find that the place was filled with pumpkins. Despite this he didn't scream, no matter what Shorter or Eiji will tell people. Ash Lynx did not scream because he saw pumpkins.
Everyone else thought it was hilarious.
"Why are there so many?" He cried, trying to find a spot to focus on. There were pumpkins as far as the eye could see. Eiji had a witch's hat on, smiling as he laughed at Ash's expense. "C'mon, it's just Halloween. The place is so drab and you wouldn't let me decorate the apartment."
"I said you could decorate it, just not to have those ."
"What's the big deal? They're just pumpkins." Sing asked, putting an unlit pumpkin on his head while moving closer to his captain. Ash took a few steps back. "Stay away." He tried to sound professional, but it was hard to do so when he was backing away from an inanimate object.
Eiji grabbed a pumpkin and moved closer. Ash tried to swat them away as everyone around laughed at the sight. "Stay away or I'll cry!" He threatened. That got Eiji to put the horrid thing down. "I'm sorry, hug?" He opened his arms and Ash reluctantly accepted while glaring at Sing, who refused to put the thing down. He carried it around until they got a call and had to leave.
"What's the deal with you and pumpkins?" Sing asked when they were in the truck. Ash shuddered, "It's not a story you want to hear."
(Eiji betrayed him a second time that day when he told Yue (who later told Sing because, boyfriend) that Ash was afraid of pumpkins because he saw his reflection in a car window when he was younger. To Ash's knowledge they didn't tell anyone else but it left him slightly on edge. Everyone did remove the pumpkins, thank god.)
Ash hated Halloween, and the feeling increased upon learning that there would be a full moon on Halloween night.
Shorter however, was ecstatic about the thought of working during a full moon.
"Look I'm telling ya, full moons are when things get exciting!" Shorter exclaimed, phone pressed against his ear as he walked in circles around the station. His boyfriend sighed. "I still don't see what's so exciting about a full moon."
"It's a science! People go crazy during every full moon. Crime increases, ERs are packed, animals and people go insane." Shorter explained. He could hear Cain laughing on the other end. "I'm pretty sure people act like that regardless of whether or not there's a full moon. You got any scientific evidence of this?"
Shorter paused. "Does the internet count as scientific evidence?"
Another laugh. "Yeah, I think I'm gonna hang up and let you start your shift."
Shorter rolled his eyes. "Trust me. I'll tell you every crazy thing that happens tonight and you'll realize the full moon makes people crazy."
"Yeah, yeah. Love you babe."
"Love you too." Shorter replied before howling, earning another chuckle from Cain as he hung up.
He pocketed his phone and sat down next to Eiji, who was wearing the witch's hat he had on a few days ago. Buddy was on his lap with a tinier hat on. "You gonna be alright being by yourself?" He asked Eiji.
Eiji slowly nodded. "Yeah? Why wouldn't I be alright?"
"C'mon. It'll be a full moon tonight. And who knows what kind of crazy things might happen. More specifically, what kind of crazy things might happen in bed."
Eiji jokingly covered Buddy's ears as he laughed. "You really think our sex life is that crazy?"
Shorter rolled his eyes again. "I'm serious."
"You seriously believe the full moon will make Ash want to pound me into the mattress?"
"You make me sound like a dumbass. Also, those were your words, not mine." Shorter pointed out, causing Eiji to go red. His hands were still over Buddy's ears, who was looking up at them lazily. Shorter didn't know why Eiji would do that. Dogs don't give a shit about people's sex lives.
"But still," He pressed, "there's a chance Ash will come back home, late at night…"
"Exhausted from work and will probably fall asleep on the couch." Eiji finished while Shorter sighed in exasperation. "You really want me to get laid tonight."
"Ash is always in a better mood the next day." Shorter answered honestly. Eiji laughed at the blunt response.
"Oh really?" Ash asked, an eyebrow raised as he walked towards them. Buddy got off Eiji's lap to greet him.
"Heya, boss." Shorter waved casually, a kind of attitude only he could get away with. Ash pet Buddy before looking up at them. "Everything about the full moon is bs. There's no proof that it affects anything."
"Good thing I'm on a mission tonight to prove you're wrong!"
"Good luck with that." Ash teased. Shorter watched him lean close to Eiji and whisper "You know if you want to me to fuck you that badly you can ask, right?"
The bastard pulled away, smirking as Eiji's face turned bright red. "I'm heading home!" Eiji announced, getting up abruptly and grabbing Buddy's leash. Shorter grinned as he waved goodbye to Eiji and turned to Ash. "You know-"
"I swear if you say something about the full moon I will punch you."
"You would never." Shorter leaned back, mentally preparing himself for whatever kind of fuckery the night had in store.
---------
"I mean, things do get weird during full moons." Max replied, putting his phone on speaker so he could toss it onto the counter while he searched the fridge for food.
Eiji sighed on the other end. "Shorter was so persistent that the full moon made people crazy and have high sex drives and, I don't know, it's making me worry about Ash."
"I'm not confirming the high sex drive part," Griffin chimed in, stealing a Kitkat from the bowl of candy they had for trick-or-treaters, "But Ash is tough. Full moon or not, he won't let anything or anyone hurt him."
"But you don't deny that the full moon makes people crazy." Max pointed out, giving up on his search for food (they really needed to get groceries at some point). Griffin shrugged as he bit into his snack. "Crazy seems like a strong word. People act weird, yes, but that happens on the half moon, or the quarter moon, or when there's no moon at all."
Max perked up. "Hey Eiji, we ever tell you what happened when Griffin got his wisdom teeth pulled out?"
"Oh don't you dare-"
"Shunichi!" Max yelled, moving his phone to the table and sitting down. Griffin joined him and put his head down, groaning the entire time. Ibe walked in and looked at his boyfriends and the phone next to them.
"Yeah?"
"Tell Eiji what happened when Griff got his wisdom teeth removed." Max asked, grinning like an idiot the whole time. "There was a full moon the night it happened." He added.
"I remember him clinging to me and asking Max why the hell he had a giant teddy bear with him."
"Oh my god stop talking." Griffin whined.
"That wasn't the weird part. Tell him the weird part!"
"You can tell him yourself, can't you? Why do you need me to tell it?"
"We make it home and Griff, high on anesthesia mind you, starts going on and on about Banana Fish and how we weren't safe and needed to leave the house." Max told Eiji.
"Banana Fish?" Eiji asked, slightly confused about the new word.
"It's from one of Salinger's novels, I think." Ibe answered. "You come across a Banana Fish at sea, you'll feel like dying."
"Except I've never read Salinger." Griffin explained, "I don't know where I got the idea from but it feels familiar somehow."
"It could have just been a memory from a past life and not the full moon." Eiji wondered. Ibe nodded in agreement while Max scoffed. "No way, the full moon is one thing but past lives are a whole different thing! It's freakier for starters."
"You think past lives are scary?"
"The idea that I've probably done questionable things in past lives is scary, alright?" Max confessed. He was the only one that seemed to be concerned about the possibilities of doing questionable actions and not remembering them.
"You think we've been together in past lives?" Griffin asked. Without skipping a beat Max replied "Of fucking course we've been together. If we weren't then those would've been some shitty lives."
"Ew, are you guys going to be gross and mushy again?" Eiji asked, feigning disgust.
"This is what I deal with, Ei-chan."
"Oh shuddup," Max laughed. "You act like this too, don't be embarrassed."
Eiji laughed. "That's my cue to leave. Happy Halloween."
"Don't worry about Ash! He can take care of himself." Griffin reassured him as Max hung up.
---------
"Thank you for inviting me." Eiji told Amber. She smiled as she bit into her candy apple. "No problem," she said while chewing, "It's the least we could do and you deserve a normal night out."
He had ran into Amber and her friends shortly after his encounter with Foxx (just thinking about the man made him shiver) and once they started talking, they realized they had much in common. Upon learning Eiji was going to be by himself again, Amber decided to take him to a Halloween party. It was the biggest party Eiji had seen. The whole block was celebrating, tables with bowls full of candy lined the sidewalk and colorful lights lit up the street. They spent most of their time in one of the houses, Eiji couldn't remember whose it was. The house was full of old college friends and friends of those friends, but the atmosphere was comfortable enough for Eiji to not feel out of place.
Eventually Eiji found himself alone in the dimly lit living room. Jack was with his boyfriend, Danielle was flirting with"the sexiest woman on the planet" (her words), and Amber, being Amber, had started a drinking competition. He abandoned his cup on the table, he only had it because someone handed it to him and he wasn't going to risk getting drunk while alone.
He stepped outside and flinched when cold air touched his skin. Children were running around in colorful costumes and playing while the adults sat on the sidewalk and drank. He found a somewhat quiet corner and watched the street from afar. The lights barely reached his spot, leaving it mostly pitch black. He hoped he didn't look like a stalker but Shorter would claim he was in his element. Eiji supposed it was his element, blending into the background and going unnoticed.
It turned out he wasn't the only one comfortable in the dark.
"Okumura Eiji."
The familiar voice made him flinch. Standing by his side was Foxx, the creep he once met at a bar. He was wearing an army jacket this time.
"Was I so untrustworthy that night that you felt the need to use a fake name?" He asked Eiji while having the audacity to sound hurt. He started inching closer again as Eiji found himself cornered, pressed against a wall and Foxx's arm blocking the only way out.
"I was being cautious and I had good reason to." Eiji snapped. "And I remember saying before that I have a boyfriend so how many times are you going to find me in dark places and come onto me?"
Foxx threw his head back and laughed, catching Eiji off guard. He smiled at him and leaned forward. "Didn't I tell you before? There's something about you that's just… irresistible . So irresistible that I'll keep asking and asking until you finally give in."
"What makes you think I'll give in?"
"Everyone gives in eventually."
"So that's what this is? You're upset I didn't make it on your list of people you've fucked and that's why you're following me?" Eiji asked, thinly veiled confidence preventing him from backing down.
"I didn't follow you this time." Foxx confessed.
"Wha-" The word barely had a chance to leave his mouth as Foxx leaned even closer.
"Why don't you," He started as he ran a hand through Eiji's hair, "just keep your pretty mouth shut, alright?"
"I think I finally know what I want to do with you." Foxx whispered as a sadistic grin appeared on his face.
"Eiji!" Amber's voice rang out as she managed to run past her friend. "Eiji, where are you?" He heard Jack call out "Dude, there's a cop looking for you!"
The mention of a cop around made Foxx back off. "I hope we meet under better circumstances. You should've come with me that night." Foxx told him as he walked away, blending into the background. Eiji sighed in relief and stepped out of the shadows.
Jack and Amber were talking to the officer, which happened to be Blanca. He noticed Blanca's shoulders dropped when he saw him. "Eiji."
"Blanca." Eiji replied, still uneasy about being near him. Blanca turned to his friends. "Remember what I told you." They nodded and walked off, Jack telling Eiji he would be in his car.
"What's this all about?" Eiji asked.
"We were told that someone we're looking for was around. Your friend Amber mentioned that no one could find you."
"What, they thought I was kidnapped?" Eiji joked, trying to make himself calm down. He tensed when Blanca just stared. "... Did you think I was kidnapped?"
Blanca didn't answer his question and asked his own. "In the past few weeks did you feel like you were being watched?"
"No, but I just had a creep I once met try to hit on me again."
"Did he tell you his name?"
"Foxx, but it might've been fake." The way Blanca's face seemed to lose color made Eiji uneasy.
"Are you absolutely sure it was Foxx?"
"Yes, why? You're starting to scare me."
Blanca still didn't respond. He looked at the crowd then back at Eiji. "Stop by the station tomorrow and tell Charlie everything you know. And go home, Jack said he would take you."
"Blanca, why ?" Eiji pressed, desperate for information. He still didn't answer, his radio allowing him to ignore the question.
"I have to go. Just be there, alright?"
Eiji wordlessly got into Jack's car, thankful his friend didn't ask any questions. On the drive to his apartment Amber spammed him with news articles, each one more grotesque then the last. He squirmed in his seat as he read them.
He had talked back to a possible serial killer twice.
---------
"Alright, we got possibly two or three injured and one unstable individual. Cops should be here soon." Ash explained as everyone exited the truck. The moon glared at them from above as they walked into the park.
"Shit." Ash muttered as he looked at the small crowd of people and the bodies from afar. One was battered and bruised but they were still breathing. The other was on the ground, no injuries but out cold. He pointed to Yue. "Can you handle it?"
Yue nodded and got closer, the crowd stepping back so he could work.
There was another scream further into the park. "Stay here. Sing, come with me." Ash ordered. Sing tailed from behind, shaking like crazy.
"Shouldn't we wait for the cops?" The younger male asked. "What if-"
"We'll be fine." Ash answered as he pressed on.
The scream was from some girls yelling at two guys to stop fighting. A cop was dead on the ground, bloody and still. Ash soon realized it was less of a fight and more of a struggle. One of the guys looked like your stereotypical stoner, shirt off and a crazy, rabid look in his eyes.
"Hey, break it up!" Ash yelled as Sing looked on in horror. "Ash, what the hell is he doing?"
Ash looked down right as Sing made a retching sound. The guy below was missing a small portion of his face and the stoner was covered in blood. He had a feeling some of it was from the cop. "Probably bath salts." He said as he slowly crouched down.
"Does he have a weapon?" He asked as the guy got off his victim and moved slowly towards them. Sing shook his head frantically. "I don't… I don't think so. Why?" Ash didn't answer, his attention focused on both the guy and the cop. He couldn't find the gun so he grabbed the taser instead.
"Stay back!"
The guy continued to move closer. Sing took a hesitant step back as Ash fired. The guy staggered back before staring at the two wires that now were attached to his chest. He looked back up, unfazed as he pulled them out. At this point Sing was clinging to Ash. "The fuck do we do!?"
The guy crept forward before a force knocked him back and the sound of a gunshot pierced the silence.
In that brief moment Ash blinked, and suddenly he wasn't in a park dealing with some guy high off of bath salts. He was in a room he didn't remember ever being in and he froze.
Shorter was in front of him, a small hole where his heart would be. His eyes were wide and his body trembled before collapsing onto the ground. The familiar weight of a gun was in his shaking hands. It fell onto the pavement as he stared at his best friend, dead on the floor.
"Ash? Ash!"
He snapped out of it as Sing shook him, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He sometimes forgot Sing was the youngest on their team. "Are you alright?"
He couldn't find it in him to speak so he nodded. Sing, content with the response, went to check on the victim. Ash looked at the corpse in front of him. It wasn't Shorter, it didn't look like Shorter at all. Why would he think it was Shorter in the first place, he wasn't even here.
Blanca was next to him. He didn't know when he appeared but he was grateful. "When did you get here to...?" He gestured to the corpse.
"I got here in time." Blanca replied. "Don't think the DA will be happy once they know I did this."
"It was justified."
"I'm not the one who decides that. The worst that will happen will be desk duty."
Ash looked behind Blanca. He could hear the sirens. "They'll probably want to take statements from you and the kid." Blanca said.
Ash nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah, I could do that." He sighed and looked up. "Damn moon is making me hallucinate."
Blanca raised an eyebrow. "The moon? You believe in what people say about it?"
"The full moon is fucking terrifying!" Sing yelled once his job was done. It wasn't his first time working during a full moon, but each one seemed to get more and more unsettling. Blanca laughed at that right as Charlie walked up to them.
---------
"Wait, so he wasn't high?" Sing asked, eyes wide in disbelief. Yue nodded, brushing strands of hair out of his face. "According to Blanca, the tox report said there was only alcohol."
"So this dude just ate people's faces cuz he felt like it?" Cain asked as Shorter choked on his drink. It was his idea to facetime them after work in a desperate attempt to convince his boyfriend that people did go crazy during full moons.
"Guess he was hungry." Yue shrugged. Shorter clutched his sides as he laughed. "There's a McDonald's like, two blocks down!"
"That wasn't the only crazy thing that's happened." Sing said, causing Shorter to lean forward in anticipation. "Don't keep it to yourself! Tell us!"
Sing rubbed the back of his neck. "It wasn't anything super crazy. We were responding to a call, someone got stabbed. He was dead when we got there but the guy he... He looked a lot like Ash. I don't know, it scared me. I had this weird feeling, like it wasn't my first time seeing Ash's dead body."
Shorter leaned back, a somber look on his face. Cain let out a heavy sigh. "Damn that's fucked up."
"Well, Ash is alive so I'm not sure how you could've seen his dead body. Unless you had one really realistic nightmare at some point." Shorter wondered, trying to come to a conclusion that would make sense. Yue put a hand on Sing's knee. "Hun, should I be worried and look into whether or not you need to see a therapist?"
"Huh? No, I'm fine." Sing answered. "It was just," he paused to find the right word, "weird."
"That's one way to put it." Cain said. Sing never understood why he always wore his shades inside because for some reason he wanted, no, needed to know what his expression was.
"Fuck, I might end up believing your crazy moon theory." Cain joked, an attempt to lighten the mood. Shorter smiled at the obvious lie. "See? I told ya!"
Sing pushed the memory to the back of his mind and focused on the hand on top of his.
---------
"Why didn't you tell me about that creep earlier? I would've kicked his ass." Ash asked. His body was pressed against Eiji's side, his head on his shoulder. The t.v slowly turned into white noise as Ash listened to his boyfriend talk about both of his encounters with Foxx.
Eiji shrugged. "I think I was still coming to terms with the fact it happened. I wasn't expecting to see him again either. But um," he bit his lip. "I felt like you needed to know, especially after I learnt he's a serial killer."
Ash blinked once, twice. He looked up at Eiji. "Did I hear that right?" He whispered, his eyes full of fear and concern.
Eiji nodded. "Blanca and Charlie didn't tell me much but I did some research and," he trailed off. "I'm going to talk to them before work. I said I didn't know much but I guess every bit helps."
"He's not worried you've seen his face twice now?"
"He didn't seem that concerned. Maybe he's that good at hiding." Eiji shivered at the thought. There was no way Foxx would look for him a third time, right? Ash wrapped an arm around Eiji, bringing him impossibly closer.
"I'll protect you." He murmured, face against the side of Eiji's neck. "If he ever shows his face again I might get arrested for murder."
Eiji smiled. "Leave the murder part to Blanca. He looks like he could do it and the system would never know."
"Bold of you to assume he hasn't done it before."
"You're right, it's a miracle he can work with the police."
Ash smiled lazily at the change in mood and began planting soft kisses on Eiji's neck. He could feel his boyfriend shiver with each touch.
"And what's this about?" Eiji asked, sighing softly.
"I was thinking about what you said earlier. Something about me fucking you into the mattress."
Eiji pulled away to look at him. "Are you sure? I know you're tired…"
Ash sighed, half exasperated and half longing. "I wanna do this for you, if you let me. Not gonna lie, the thought of you helped me get through the night."
Eiji smiled and kissed him, too quick for Ash's liking. "You better not fall asleep halfway."
Ash scoffed. "I have never done that." He picked Eiji up, something he loved doing whenever he had the chance because he had the strength to do it. Eiji wrapped his arms around Ash and pressed kisses down his neck as he was carried to their bedroom. Eiji wouldn't mind if this happened after every full moon.