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Long Beach had been a long trip. Sweat slicked their bodys by the mid August heat as they drove away from Max’s house. The summer threatened to fade away, taking all the gold moments with it.
He had told Eiji earlier that he’d like to take him somewhere.
Eiji was excited of course, and everyone decided to tag along.
Honestly, they all needed a break from everything.
It was only supposed to be Eiji and him. Maybe Shorter would glue to them but now they had Max and Ibe coming along.
It was fine with him. He didn’t mind it all too much. He made Max drive all the way to Venice Beach. Ash rode shotgun, windows rolled down to let the warm breeze cool their hot heads. Especially his—jeans and leather in this weather? Who the fuck wears that in this heat? But he figured it’d be cooler in Venice so he sucked it up. Plus, his magnum was tugged right on his hip, digging into him like hell and making it impossible to sit comfortably.
Parking was hell to find as well but alas, they found one a block away from the sidewalk stands.
They all got out slowly, one by one, the sun had cooled a bit. Ash walked over to Eiji, “I’ll be taking him. There's a few bars around here, maybe you geezers can have a drink or two,” he said, a playful smirk on face as he finished his sentence.
He left Ibe and Max stunned as he nudged Eiji to walk with him.
Shorter stayed sleeping on the truck. It was fine honestly. He was glad that at least Shorter took the hint.
Everyone knew what this was about. If they didn’t, then they were stupid. He wanted to take Eiji here to spend time with him, just the two of them.
To the fourth most familiar state to him. He knew this place well enough to know what parts were touristy and which ones to stay away from. Homeless people filled some gaps here and there but it was just like New York City in that sense.
“It is nice here” Eiji said, looking over the small bars and restaurants and homeless people.
Ash wanted to laugh at him really. There was no way he found this place “nice”. He chuckled softly at him, making Eiji turn to him with a small pout, “What ?”
“Nothing, c’mon” Ash said, walking to where a crowd of people surrounded some street performers.
Eiji stayed by his side, up on his tippy toes to see what was going on in the center of the circle. “What are they doing ?”
“They’re buskers”
“Buskers?” Eiji asked curiously.
“Yeah, they’re like street performers. They dance or sing or do tricks for money.” Ash answered, watching how a little boy did a back flip which set off a bunch of applauses from old fuckers whose back hurt from just beinding down.
“ Let’s go.” Ash said, grabbing Eiji's arm and pulling him out and around the crowd as they continued walking down the boardwalk.
“Woah, I never seen something like that”, an awed expression on Eiji's face.
Ash looked at him weirdly, “Ya’ll don’t got street performers in Japan?” he asked.
“Huh?”, Eiji turned to face him,”No—we do, but not like that ! I never seen one like that…”, shyed Eiji.
Weird, Ash thought. He turned to a sweets stand on the left.
“This is where I wanted to take you”
“Ice cream ?”
“Yeah, its pretty good”
“How do you know about this place ?”
“I would come to California sometimes, not by my own will.” Ash said, looking over at Eiji who had a perplexed look on his face. Right, he didn’t understand.
Ash changed the topic pretty quickly, “What flavor do you want?”
“Chocolate !!”
“Of course you do,” Ash responded. He ordered their ice creams and they sat on the cement seats in front of the shop.
The sun threatened to melt their treat completely if they didn’t finish it quickly. He never really liked ice cream to begin with but knowing Eiji—
“Woah, this is delicious”
“It’s okay”
They continued eating. “What do you think they are doing now?”
“Who? Max? Probably at some restaurant. Max should know this place…his fault if he gets lost,” Ash shrugged as gave a last lick to his ice cream cone before lowering his hand.
Eiji laughed at his response, “You right !” he exclaimed, almost done with the ball of ice cream and eating bits of the waffle cone.
“Where are we going now?” Eiji asked. They had, well, Ash had thrown his melted ice cream cone away. Eiji ate the entire thing, but that was to be expected.
“There are some cool rock and jewelry stands a little further down,” Ash responded.
They walked a few minutes down to the boardwalk till a necklace stand caught Eiji's attention right besides a tattoo shop.
The sun had gone down a little, it was late afternoon by that point.
“This one is so cool !” Eiji exclaimed, holding out his necklace towards Ash to see. It was plastic, that was obvious. Ash was used to diamonds being put on his ears and neck.
“Yeah it's pretty nice,” Ash said. And it did look cool. Eiji made him try it on.
It wasn’t until he saw Eiji pull a bill from his pocket did he actually start feeling kinda bad. He had wasted all the money he had brought on that ice cream and had nothing left to even buy Eiji a gift.
While Eiji was talking with the guy from the stand, Ash looked over the table. The same gadget on the necklace Eiji had gotten him was on a bracelet riiiight next to him. Interesting indeed.
He heard Eiji say “Thank you !” before turning over to Ash—“We should head back.”
“Yeah,” Eiji agreed. “It is late…”
Ash breathed out, and so they walked down to where they parked their car. Shorter was probably still sleeping and those two geezers better have been done with their meals by now.
Eiji was by his side, the ocean and sunset reflecting right in his face, the way the coast wind blew his black locks so carefully, the way his big eyes reflected a shimmer and hue of yellow and orange…
“Eiji,” Ash said.
Eiji turned to face him, halting his steps as his eyes widened curiously. It was that adorable look he always gave—one that Ash wasn’t even sure Eiji realized he made, or how much it affected him every time.
“Here,” he pulled out the bracelet and handed it to Eiji.
He looked over at the charm and a smile appeared on his face, “It is same as your necklace !” he laughed, and then as fast as he smiled—-“How did you get it ?”
Eiji's eyes were now clocking Ash’s gaze. It was fine of course. He didn’t have to say anything if he didn’t have to and he wasn’t going to.
“Put it on,” Ash said, trying to switch the topic, but that didn’t seem to convince Eiji, who held an even sterner gaze towards Ash.
“What ?”
“Don’t ‘what’ me ! I asked you where you got it, “ Eiji responded.
Maybe he was actually kinda mad. Geez.
“And what are you gonna do about it? Make me return it ? Bet you not.”
Eiji sighed, “Ash…” he’d given up finally, Ash grabbed the bracelet and wrapped it around Eiji’s wrist.
“Nice right ?” Ash said.
Eiji opened his mouth to speak, maybe some more reprimands but before he could utter a word Ashh interrupted him, “ ‘Kay lets get going. ”
He heard a small volcano fume behind him before settling right by his side.
They walked over to the car, hands brushing against each other as they laughed over a story Eiji was telling about his sister and him back in Japan.
Max and Ibe were already there, and Shorter was wide awake in the passenger seat. They were all waiting for them. Ash and Eiji got in the car—Max at the wheel, Ash in the front seat, and the rest in the trunk.
The sun was nearly set, and the air had definitely cooled. Ash gazed out the open window, his thoughts drifting to the gadget around his neck..
He wondered how he and Eiji got along so well.
Both of them lived completely different lives. Ash needed a gun to survive; Eiji needed a pole to feel free. Ash’s necessities were Eijis’ absurdities. His survival was Eiji’s madness. But maybe that’s what made them so close so fast. Maybe that is what made him so sure that Eiji was the one in whichever sense.
Eiji was beautiful in everything and anything. Ash was insane. They were American made.