Chapter Text
The air was still as Sing handed the envelope to Ash. The ink spelling “Dear Ash” glared at the blonde from their place on the letter, urging him to read what Eiji wrote for him.
“He wanted me to give this to you,” Sing said bluntly, watching Ash carefully. Jade green eyes couldn’t tear themselves away from Eiji’s handwriting as he continued. “Why won’t you go to him?” The younger man visibly became angrier when Ash didn’t answer, taking a step toward the blonde. “He’s going back to Japan today!”
“I know,” was all Ash could reply, tracing the loop of Eiji’s scrawl with his thumb. Sing seemed taken aback.
“Then why? You’re his friend -”
“That’s exactly why,” Ash said sharply, tilting his head up so he looked at Sing with cold eyes. He held the letter close to his chest. “I’m returning him to his world. This world of killing… he doesn’t belong here .”
“But there isn’t any time left,” Sing replied as Ash turned his back. He gawked as he was met with the sight of the gray trench coat. He took another step forward. “Want me to give him a message?”
“You stubborn idiot!” he yelled when Ash gave no reply yet again. The blonde was still, staring at the ground in front of him as Sing huffed to calm himself down. After a moment, he spoke again. “At least read the letter first, then I’ll leave you alone.”
Ash didn’t speak, but gave a tiny nod, still not turning around to face Sing. He started walking to the side of the building, Sing silently at his tail. He eventually stopped at a nearby bench, sat, and took out the letter, placing the envelope next to him. Sing stood near him, letting Ash read as the wind blew past.
Ash, I am very worried because I haven’t seen you and I don’t know if you are okay. You said to me before, "We live in different worlds.” But I am not sure if that is true. We are from different countries, and our skin and eyes are different colors. But so what? We are friends. Isn’t that enough? What else do we need? I am very happy I came to America. I made many friends here. Above all…I met you, Ash.
You asked me many times if you scare me. But I never felt scared of you, not even once. From the first time I met you. Actually, I always felt that you are hurt, much more than me - that your spirit is wounded. I know you are much smarter than me, and bigger, and stronger - but even so... I always wanted to protect you. Funny, isn’t it? But what did I want to protect you from? I think I wanted to protect you from your future. Because your fate was sweeping you away, like a flood.
Do you remember telling me about the leopard in the Hemingway book? He died at the top of the mountain, and you said he knew he will never go back down. But I said you are not a leopard, and that you can change your future. It’s true, Ash. You can change your fate.
You are not alone, Ash. I am with you. My soul is always with you.
Ash felt his hands shake as he read Eiji’s letter, slowly choking up as a few stray tears dotted the paper. He fumbled for the envelope as if he knew there would be something else in it for him. Sing looked on, watching him with heightened curiosity. Ash fished out a small piece of paper and gasped when he saw what it was. It took a minute for Sing to realize that it was a plane ticket.
ALL NIPPON LINES - ANL PREMIUM ECONOMY
Flight AL-277, Gate 6, Seat 18G
Departure: 18:10
From: New York - JFK - USA
To: Tokyo - HND - Japan
Aslan Callenreese
Sing was as shocked at the sight of the plane ticket as Ash was. The bastard bought him a plane ticket. He turned to his friend(?), a sense of urgency filling him. Disregarding all potential consequences, he grabbed Ash by the shoulders, stood him up, and started shaking him.
“Ash, Eiji bought you a plane ticket to Japan . Excuse my bluntness, but if you think pushing Eiji away is the best thing for you, then you’re fucking wrong . It took me one second to realize that that man is in love with you! Go and follow him before you regret it, everything else here be damned!”
Sing could see the conflict brewing in Ash’s eyes. He stopped shaking the other man, before speaking again. “Ash. Eiji’s in love with you. He’s willing to put himself in danger for you, hell, he even took a bullet that was supposed to be for you. And he still wants you to go to Japan with him . Trust me, he doesn’t care who or how many people you’ve killed. He sees something in you worth fighting for. Are you just going to let that go?”
“I-” Ash blinked at him, his gaze switching from the letter and plane ticket in his hands to Sing. “I want to go with him.”
“So what the hell are you still doing here? Go!” Sing yelled as Ash turned away and broke into a full sprint in the direction of the JFK airport. Sing followed after him, grinning to himself as the distance between him and Ash grew and the man turned a corner, leaving Sing’s sight. He was nowhere near as fast as Ash, yet the fact that Ash would somehow make it to Eiji before he boarded his flight was a massive comfort.
After a minute, Sing’s feet slowed to a stop when he heard a loud grunt escape Ash. The hairs on the back of his neck standing up, he hovered a hand near his pocket where his kunai was.
“Ash?”