{ Thank you to everyone who has been rereading and asking me if I'm okay. Sorry. I'm not okay. My mental health issues have been on a downward spiral and my physical health issues depleted a lot of my energy for the past months. I put on a brave face. I hate to see people worry, especially those I love, which would include all of you guys, since you are a very important part of my life and I know many people rely on me. I'm alive. I've been working with some of the best doctors in the state and doing at home therapy. My two jobs and full college load don't help my condition, but here's an update. Again, I'm so thankful for all of you. I didn't get any hate for being gone for a few months, and for that, I am grateful. I'm blessed to have such a kind following. I'll do my best to recover from all of this as quickly as I can, but my doctors are not sure about the timeline. 

For now, enjoy the chapter and live well. 

Love Soki. }

With nightfall having come down on the city, Ash was on his way to meet with one of the most dangerous gang leaders in downtown Manhattan. Cain Blood was a man who was responsible for much of the drug market from there, stretching all the way to Harlem. In his ranks were many men who were very aggressive. It was almost like that was required of someone to be in the gang.

They were dangerous, much like with Ash's gang and every other. And now, it was up to Ash to convince him they needed to have an alliance. Everyone had cautioned him, saying that Cain and his people hated white guys, but he wasn't scared.

Arriving to the slum of a bar they used as a hangout, Ash was immediately looked at as an outsider. He ignored it, coming more inside. Cain knew he was coming, being as Shorter had sent him a message pertaining to it.

" You're a pretty boy just like they said you would be..."

Ash looked up to see a tall, handsome, muscular man with chocolate colored skin and sunglasses, even if it was nighttime. He knew this had to be Cain.

" And you're just as tall as they said..." Ash approached. He couldn't show any signs of weakness, what with the entire room being full of big guys just like Cain, who he guessed, would be more than willing to rip him apart.

Cain chuckled to himself, taking a drink of the whiskey that sat beside him. Ash was roughly six feet away from the other gang leader.

" You've got some major balls coming to me alone..." Cain said, and Ash didn't stir at that. He knew coming to him was risky, but he wasn't going to bow in the face of anyone. There was no way in hell he would ever do that.

Ash stayed silent for a moment, knowing that Cain had more to say.

" Now... enlighten me, Ash. What do you want with my men?"

Ash thought about how to word what he was going to say. He didn't want to look scared of Cain or even intimidated.

" I want an alliance. Pull your business out of downtown and help me take out Arthur." The blonde explained, his tone of voice being very intense.

Cain scoffed.

" The downtown is my main source of gains. Why would I do that?" He asked, and some of his guys began to laugh amongst themselves in the dimly lit room.

" Because if you don't, Arthur will come for you eventually. The mafia is backing him, and as of right now, you are low on his priority list, but if he knocks Shorter or me out of the game, you and your men are history." Ash told him, and his voice didn't waver once. He was in full business mode. " So what I'm saying to you is, team up with me, or we all die."

Cain sat up more, deciding to get to his feet.

" You came here by yourself to tell me that?" He asked him, clearly testing Ash and seeing if he was the badass everyone called him.

" Yeah. I did." Ash told him. " You're a boss. You have to look out for your guys just like the rest of us... unless you don't care and want to feed your men to the mafia."

Cain looked around his guys, and there were mixed reactions. Most of them were just tuning Ash out because he was white and they didn't give a holy shit about his opinion. And that would've been Cain's attitude as well, but Ash had spelled out for him that this war would have an effect on his people as well.

Chuckling, Cain looked down on Ash.

" Is there a reason you can't just take Arthur on yourself, one on one?" He asked.

" He's a coward... I doubt he'd ever agree to it." Ash replied.

" Well, hear this. Until you two try and settle it privately, I won't get involved in your war." Cain told him, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. His guys were like hyenas in the background as laughing erupted.

" Agree to supervise the settlement, then. There would be no other boss to take care of this... and Shorter would obviously be biased toward me. And since you clearly don't give a shit, you'd be the perfect candidate." Ash smirked a little, challenging him.

" Watch what you say, white boy." One of Cain's men growled.

" Leave him. I like the way he thinks and he's got heart." Cain waved them off. " Fine. Meet with me when you get him to agree..."

" Deal." Ash said, extending a hand to shake Cain's, which he got. He seemed to amuse the other leader, and that was at least enough. At least he hadn't walked into an ambush. Now it was time to head back to Shorter and the others.

...

" Eiji, what the hell are you doing here?" Shorter asked as Eiji walked into the room, the beat up and grimey apartment that Ash's people normally met at. And yes, he had snuck out of the condo. It was enough to make Shorter's stomach drop when he saw him, being as he knew Ash would've never let Eiji leave unaccompanied like that.

" I couldn't stand not being a part of this." Eiji told him. He blended in with Ash's guys because he wore his orange varsity jacket, as well as jeans and sneakers. " Where is Ash?"

" He's..." Shorter scratched the back of his neck. He didn't know if Ash had told Eiji the truth about this, so he wasn't quick to answer. " Eiji, if Ash wanted you to stay home then there's a reason for that."

" Like hell there is. I'm here because I want to help." Eiji got defensive, and Ash's guys such as Alex, Bones, and Kong were quick to realize the reason for that. Most of the people in Ash's inner circle had figured out that Eiji was like fine china to their boss, and they'd all be screwed if they let anything happen to him.

" Eiji, come on. Please. Can we just take you back home?" Alex came forward. He and Shorter were the ones left in charge in Ash's absence, and Shorter's second in command was also there. Sing was his name, and he really wasn't sure about why Ash was so protective of Eiji.

" I'm confused... I know we helped get you out of Dino's hands, but what's your relationship to Ash?" Sing spoke up, and Shorter was ready to choke on air once that was asked. Eiji's face grew a little red, but he didn't let that last.

" I'm his friend." Eiji insisted. " His..." Everyone seemed to sit in anticipation as Eiji trailed off. " His very good friend."

Bickering erupted after that, even as Shorter tried to quell it. Sure, Eiji was one of their own, but Ash would literally kill them if they let anything happen to him. They needed to get him to safety, but little did they know, it was already too late.

" Yeah... he's inside."

" Take him. Kill as many of the others as you can."

The watchmen standing at the door to the beat up apartment were taken out silently, but one of Ash's men downstairs saw the action take place. He rushed upstairs to tell the others, only able to yell Arthur's name before he was taken down in the main doorway. He was shot and landed on the floor right by Eiji's feet.

Shorter panicked and went to shield Eiji, but he was too far away to get there in time. Two of Arthur's men had snatched Eiji by force, holding him in an head lock and dragging him away.

" Take cover!" Shorter yelled as shots broke out in the apartment, and Eiji tried his best to fight back, delivering kicks and punches, even bites. Nothing seemed to work, and he began to wonder if Ash was right. An all out battle had broken out upstairs as Eiji was dragged down the stairs.

Meanwhile, Ash had been walking down the street, only a couple minutes away from the apartment when he heard the shots. When they broke out in rapid succession, he knew there was only one place they could've been coming from.

He began to sprint down the street, pulling out his gun from his waistband as he made it into the alley. That's when he saw the car waiting outside the apartment, as well as Arthur directing his guys, who were just emerging from there. But then Ash's heart dropped.

" EIJI!" He yelled, and everyone turned to see Ash standing there, aimed at all of them and slowly walking forward.

" Nice of you to finally show up..." Arthur said. " Put him in the car." He told his henchmen.

" You make one move and I'll shoot both of your brains out." Ash growled, getting closer to them all. And Eiji felt the fear of god instilled in him when he saw the murderous intent in Ash's eyes. He pitied anyone who Ash came after.

Arthur figured his guys would stop at that, and they did.

" You're gonna drop Eiji, pack up your guys, and get the fuck out of my side of town." Ash spat, and the shots had finally stopped from upstairs, as Arthur's leftover people had been taken down.

Shorter was the first one to be heard rushing down the stairs, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Eiji and Ash there.

" Like hell. Dino wants your boy toy, so he's going to get him." Arthur pulled Eiji toward himself, using him as a human shield. Ash wouldn't be able to shoot him now.

Ash clicked his tongue and thought for a moment.

" Take me instead." He said.

" No!" Eiji exclaimed.

Arthur didn't seem amused. Surely Dino would've wanted them both.

" Or, fine- what is it that you want?" Ash asked, still holding his gun at an angle where he could shoot any of them.

" I want to grind your smug little face into the ground." Arthur replied, cold in his words.

Ash saw an opportunity in this. He figured Arthur was on orders from Dino, probably to take Eiji as a way of luring him out. And he also knew that Arthur was selfish and easily manipulated. All he had to do was give him an opportunity to have what he wanted.

" Then take me on. One on one. Give me Eiji and I'll fight you. We can settle this once and for all." Ash said, and when Arthur didn't answer right away, he had to do more. " That is... unless you're scared I'll beat you again..." He smirked.

Arthur looked between all the guys who'd come to gather there, his own and Ash's, and he knew that he couldn't say no. Dino didn't have to know he'd managed to get his hands on Eiji, since it was basically a fluke in the first place.

" I have a moderator already." Ash added. " All you need to do is agree..."

With that, Arthur stepped back from Eiji. His guys had guns as well and could've shot at Ash if he tried anything. He shoved the Japanese male toward Ash, and Eiji stumbled against Ash's chest.

" Meet at the subway station tomorrow night. Midnight. Take it or leave it." Arthur told him, and Ash's heart rate finally slowed down as he wrapped an arm around Eiji and backed up with him.

" Cain Blood will supervise..." Ash said. " I'll be there."

With that, Arthur and his leftover men loaded in the car and made a getaway. Surely there would be cops poking around soon. And Shorter knew this, because he began herding their people away from the apartment, knowing he would meet up with Ash maybe a few alleys over.

" What the hell are you doing here?" Ash asked Eiji, guiding him with his arm as they had to scram before the cops got there.

Eiji did feel guilty for dragging Ash into this, and now he was worried that Ash had just made that deal to save him. He didn't want to start crying and be even more of a burden, though. He let Ash duck with him into another alley, and Ash was in eye shot from Shorter and the guys. He gestured for them to wait where they were at, and he all the while grabbed Eiji's wrist and pulled him aside until they'd stopped in another gap between buildings.

The Japanese male cringed back and expected Ash to yell at him and be furious, but when nothing happened, he slowly opened his eyes. And that was when he saw Ash on the verge of tears, his green eyes filled with worry, staring at him in concern.

" Ash..." Eiji murmured. " I-"

" What were you thinking?" Ash interrupted. " He could've taken you, and who even knows what would've been waiting for you at Dino's..." Tears streamed down his cheeks as he even thought about it.

" I wanted to help your guys..." Eiji stared down.

" And I need to keep you safe. Arthur clearly tailed you... and now I have to pray they don't know where our condo is." Ash told him, wiping his eyes. " Eiji... you're everything to me, don't you get that?" He barely had a filter right then, and so the last part had managed to slip out.

Eiji's eyes beaded around as he looked up.

" Maybe you just should've let them take me... what did you just agree to do? For them to give me back?" He asked, and Ash didn't seem to want to answer, so Eiji pressed him. " Ash."

" I'm going to fight Arthur. Whoever isn't dead at the end of it wins..." Ash told him. " I have another gang leader who is going to supervise and make sure Arthur doesn't pull any tricks. Usually these sorts of things are just fist fights with pocket knives..."

Eiji felt his throat getting tight and he wanted to crawl into a cave and never come back out. So Ash had just practically thrown his life away to save him? Granted, Ash could've made it out just fine, but there was also a chance he wouldn't.

He covered his mouth and tried to keep himself together, not wanting to break down and make this about himself. But still... he would've rather dealt with Dino's torture than have Ash go through that.

" Why do things have to be this way?" Eiji asked, stepping closer to show how serious he was in his words. He hesitated for a moment, but then his hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they rested on Ash's shoulders.

" For me to keep you all safe... I need to handle things with him, otherwise he will never stop coming after you..." Ash told him. " Please... I need you to trust that I'll make it out of this okay."

Eiji had to bite back his emotions, leaning his face against Ash's chest, so that if he cried, the blonde wouldn't have to look at him while he did so. He gripped Ash's shirt and trembled slightly as he thought about losing him, not thinking he could take it.

Ash sniffed, wiping his eyes and ridding himself of the stray tears. Gone was the anger and concern about Eiji sneaking out. Now he had to worry about keeping Eiji healthy mentally.

" I'll be fine..." He assured, and he found that his hands were shaking slightly as they moved to rest on Eiji's hips. Ash had never touched anyone like that before, but it seemed to help calm Eiji down as they stayed that way.

All Eiji could do as he stood there was pray. Ash couldn't leave him yet, not before the truth could come out.

{ Woah... the gay tension is so thicc in here. Why fix it when I can make it even thiccer? ;) }