{ Welcome to the final chapter of this book, loves. It's been such a journey with this book ever since I started it in 2019. Ash and Eiji are such a comfort couple for me and I hope that this book has helped you all heal from the ending of the actual show. Enjoy!}

None of this felt real, even if Ash so badly wanted it to be. The better parts of him served as voices of reason, asking just how much tragedy one person could go through in life before it would end. Yet the worst, predominant parts, told him he would wake up at home, buried under green sheets and hiding behind black curtains, clutching a knife to his chest. He still saw red on the pavement and all down the front of his shirt, all over his palms. He watched as Skip's body as it burned up in the woods, the smell of death-

" Ash? Ash, hey-"

Ash jumped against the hardened plastic interior of the car, panning his gaze around rapidly. He caught Eiji's eyes as the other male sat in the middle seat of the car, already having grabbed his hand. Ash noticed his own breathing as it was rather quick and shallow. He realized he didn't have any recollection of anything since they left the restaurant.

" Are you alright? You've been locked up ever since that car's engine was backfiring and popping a mile back." Eiji whispered, rubbing his thumb over Ash's palm, and Ash couldn't help but clutch Eiji's hand against his thigh and hold it closer to himself. This warmth was his lifeline to reality. He was in Japan, not roughing it in the Manhattan streets. He was with Eiji and his family on a nice outing, not at a funeral.

Ash's breathing leveled out and he nodded. By then, Kabuki was staring at him with beading eyes, having heard his breathing from two seats over. Luckily Eiji's mother had not noticed from the driver's seat, as she often engrossed herself into the road, making sure they got from point A to point B without incident.

" I'm fine..." Ash whispered to Eiji, hoping to reassure him but failing. Luckily Eiji had gotten pretty good at keeping his feelings in check when he needed to and chose to. This was one of those times.

" We're almost home. Ash, we're so excited to welcome you into the family." Ren said from the front seat. " Eiji has told us so much about you..."

" Well, other than the fact that I'm male." Ash said, managing a chuckle after his words. His heart was gradually slowing down but he was in recovery mode.

" I had to leave some things for you to say to them yourself." Eiji justified. He was half joking, but quickly looked for a way to change the subject. " Ash, up here on the right is my house..." He said as they turned down a small alleyway and bypassed rows of narrow multi-story homes. It seemed as though the plots were small but the space was maximized.

Ash looked at the beige fence they passed as they pulled into the tiny driveway, just long enough to fit the car. Everything was small, but Ash had never felt so at home before. There were less places to check, less places for people to hide.

" Is this the one?" He asked Eiji while looking at the ivory colored mortar exterior. " I like it."

" Yeah." Eiji told him. " Don't force yourself to compliment it." He added after the fact, totally joking. It was of no doubt to him that Ash didn't give a damn how small the space was as long as they could be together. Their thoughts were in unity with one another when it came to that... their sole desire centered on the other. Eiji wanted everything for Ash, and everything for Ash revolved around his safety, which was now achieved. And as for Ash, he wanted nothing more than for Eiji to be safe, and as long as he was by his side... he could almost guarantee it. This... was perfect.

" What, no no-" Ash fumbled. " I-"

" I'm kidding. Let's head inside." Eiji snickered and moved to crawl out of the middle so that the other two could exit as well, yet before he could, Kabuki basically stepped over him. She stuck her tongue out at Eiji after trampling her way through. She had missed being a brat to him.

" To think I even missed you!" Eiji called after her, and Ren smiled before getting out from the front seat. She went to unlock the door, and as she and Kabuki headed inside, Eiji and Ash were left in the backseat. Ash looked between the door, then Eiji as the other shook his head.

" Sorry, I love her so much but she can be such a little-"

Eiji found himself cut off as Ash wrapped his arms around him. He... felt so much better. His eyes closed and he eased against Eiji's shoulder. He prayed that the longer that he stayed here, the lesser the flashbacks would get. He hoped that an engine popping and mimicking a gunshot would one day be a mundane part of the city and nothing more.

" Ash...?" Eiji murmured, then reached back. He ran his fingers through Ash's hair and one of his palms settled behind his head to cradle it.

" Thank you." Ash whispered, his eyes squeezed shut even tighter than they already were.

Eiji had to think for a moment. Then it hit him... oh... thank you for taking him here? Thank you for everything? He didn't want to bask in the fact that he'd "saved" him or even take credit for getting Ash out of there. It wasn't for the thank you... it was because he loved him.

" Ash... this is your home now, okay? You don't owe me a thank you." He murmured into Ash's hair and kissed his forehead gently, blushing as he did so. Ash nodded his head slightly. He would've given Eiji a real kiss of gratitude, but he knew that Ren would wonder about them if they took too long. He figured he would have plenty of time for that now that his head wouldn't be on the chopping block every time he walked out the door.

They crawled out from the back of the van and grabbed their bags, and Ash walked slowly up to the house, taking in everything around him. He noticed how the air felt on his face, how it smelled as he took a deep breath, and he looked at the sun's position in the horizon, blocked out slightly by other homes. He listened to the bell crickets humming in the distance. Nothing... no yelling New Yorkers or bustle of feet or pant legs. He even heard the small electric buzz of Eiji's porch light over head. Ash felt a smile take over his face as he stood still on the step.

Eiji glanced over his shoulder, watching Ash attentively. His heart fluttered as he saw how at peace the blonde seemed... he wanted to show him how much better life could be.

" You hear that?" Ash asked, slowly opening his eyes as he met Eiji's gaze.

Eiji took a moment to listen, but his ears were deaf to it. He had grown up here, so of course he wouldn't know the difference.

" The crickets? I don't really hear anything." He replied and looked around himself, wondering if he was missing something.

" Exactly... it's so quiet here." Ash took a few more steps and then breathed in deeply again. The air felt better... his body absorbed it better... or maybe he was finally stopping to feel it.

" Get used to that... out here it isn't nearly as busy as the cities." Eiji grinned and opened the door for him, then picked up his bags. They both came inside, and Eiji immediately slipped off his shoes by the door. Ash followed suit. His senses were overcome as he entered, even if it was only the normality that got him. The subtle yellow/white glow of the overhead lights, the smell of-what was that...? Oh wait. He couldn't tell at first where the familiar scent had come from, why he recognized it. But then it slammed him in the face. Eiji. It smelled like Eiji, but now it was all over his body. This was the best hug he'd ever received.

Kabuki was already in front of the TV and watching the nightly news, and Ren was hanging up her coat in the closet.

" Eiji, go ahead and show him around. I'll be watching the news." She said, putting a hand on her son's shoulder as she turned. " It's... so good to have you home." Her eyes watered a little as she stared up at Eiji. " And Ash, welcome. I hope that your transition into this country treats you well. Don't hesitate to ask for anything if you need it, or even want it." She pulled them both into her arms and gave a hug that only a passionate mother could.

" Thanks, mom... I'm glad we're home." Eiji said gently, and Ash only stiffened at first from being touched. He didn't feel repulsed, nor was he fighting the urge to swat her. He just... let her happen upon him.

Ren let the two of them go and wiped her eyes, nodding and bowing to them only slightly before scurrying to the other room. She sat with Kabuki, and Eiji then turned his attention back to Ash. They left their bags by the door as he grabbed his hand and led him down the hall and away from the stairs that greeted them immediately by the front door.

" Here... I'll show you the rooms." Eiji said over his shoulder, and Ash was just looking at all the photos on the wall as he passed by. Before they could get to the dining room, Eiji joined Ash in looking.

" My parents really like pictures." He told him and squeezed his hand in his own out of habit.

" I... can't remember the last time I stopped to take a photo." Ash replied. It was a little mournful, but more funny than anything. He was almost carefree about it and content to stare at Eiji's family photos. But Eiji wasn't.

Pulling out his phone, he put on the front facing camera and smiled, getting his body in snug next to Ash's.

" Say cheese. This can be your first picture of many in your new home." He said, and Ash stared in shock for a moment. When was he going to stop being surprised at Eiji's kindness toward him? From the first moment they'd met until now, it hadn't stopped catching him off guard.

But he smiled anyway.

Eiji snapped a picture and turned to Ash afterwards with a dopey grin on his face. He brought Ash's hand up to his lips and kissed it gently after stealing a glance to make sure his mom hadn't walked up on them.

" I think you're trying to kill me." Ash whined and blushed, turning away.

Eiji pulled Ash out of the room and into the others on the first floor. They'd gotten distracted. He was supposed to be giving him a house tour! But still... they had so much time to explore it. Maybe they didn't go as in depth as they thought they would.

" Let's head up to my room." Eiji said excitedly, grabbing his share of the bags by the front door. " Mom, we'll be upstairs." He informed her a second later.

Ash didn't know why his heart was pounding as they walked up the steps together. No. It wasn't because he was on an incline and he had heavy bags. He felt himself staring off into space and almost tripping over the final step, but thankfully Eiji hadn't noticed that much. Maybe this was all just overstimulating to him.

" Mine's the last room on the right." Eiji said as he led Ash inside, pushing the door open. It had clearly been kept up and cleaned all while he'd been gone. There was no dust or anything on his dressers or window sills.

The bedspread was a maroon color and the actual frame itself was pretty low to the ground. There was a dark wooden nightstand and a small bedside lamp atop of it. The curtains seemed light, like they would billow at the slightest hint of a breeze. There was also a closet in addition to the dresser, and a storage chest at the far wall of the room. It looked pretty basic, but to Ash, it was everything. Out of everywhere they'd been so far, this place felt the absolute safest of all. The room's air was different. It whispered encouragement into his ears and made his muscles ease.

This was Eiji's room. It was like a hug from Eiji, but it didn't stop when he took a step, changed directions or even laid down. His body was warm.

" I know it's not very big, but the bed is big enough for both of us and I think that we can make room for-"

Eiji turned when he realized that Ash hadn't said a word. And he actually dropped his bags and ran to him when he saw the tears slipping down his cheeks. They didn't seem pained, but Ash wasn't grinning, either. He looked like an ex-convict who'd just been released from his wrongful prison sentence, seeing the blue sky for the first time in ten long years.

" Ash?"

Ash gently set his bags down and didn't bother wiping the tears away. He'd gotten pretty sick of doing that. He instead cupped Eiji's cheeks and leaned down, pressing their lips together. He squeezed his own eyes shut and trembled. Even his lips were shaky as he kept them locked with Eiji's.

Eiji's eyes remained open at first, but it was almost like he understood exactly what Ash was feeling. He ran his hands back through the blonde's hair, pulling him close.

" You're safe." He whispered to Ash the second he got some air, and Ash sniffled and yanked Eiji into a hug, quietly sobbing onto his shoulder. He sounded so relieved. There were years of burden rolling off of his shoulders.

They stayed like that for a long time. The grips they had on one another turned their clothes into wrinkled heaps around their bodies. Not to mention, they were both sweaty and gross from the stress and bustle of the airport.

" Do you have a shower here?" Ash finally whispered. He didn't feel gross, not really. Maybe he only wanted to wash the last of his worries away. America was in his hair. It was on his clothes. It was on his conscience.

" No. We use a hose in the back." Eiji replied with a snicker, to which Ash deadpanned. " Yeah, yeah...we do. I actually have a bathroom attached right there through that door. My little sister and I share it. It's only connected to my room and the hallway, though."

" I think I need to shower, I feel so..." He couldn't believe he was actually about to say this out loud. " I feel dirty in some place as nice as this. I need to wash America off of me."

Eiji turned over to Ash, letting his words really sink in before he replied.

" Have you ever thought about being a writer, Ash?" He asked in a soft tone.

" No. There's no money in it."

" Well... when you go to college I want you to take some classes on it." Eiji rubbed Ash's shoulders and stared up at him. He wholeheartedly believed in Ash.

Ash scowled a little, but muttered that he'd think about it. There was a bit of silence between them for a moment until Eiji cupped Ash's cheeks and sighed. Although he wanted to cuddle up with him, of course he would give him his time.

" You wanna come shower with me?" Ash joked, trying to change the subject. He didn't want to think about serious stuff anymore.

Eiji turned beet red.

" Eh?!"

Wait, was Ash serious? Eiji could only wonder as Ash winked at him and stepped out into the hall, turning toward the bathroom. He stood there, gulping and rubbing his cheeks which were boiling with blush right then.

Well, he was about to find out. They had the whole rest of their lives ahead of them... and Ash was finally letting him in. Eiji couldn't wait.

{ Thank you so much for reading until the end of this story. They deserve a mellow, peaceful new life. 

If there are any ships or anything else you would like to see more of from me, go ahead and leave a comment! Until next we meet.

~Soki}