Afterward - BananaFish (ONGOING)

Part Seven - Eulogy

Sorry for taking a little while to update :)
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After his conversation with Blanca, Eiji had decided that maybe it would be best to go back inside and face the music. After all, he wasn't the only one mourning over the once gang leader.

His heart pounded furiously in his head with every step he took, screaming at him to turn around, don't go back into that building, don't go back to where he lay. But ignoring them, his feet treaded lightly, taking him back into the church.

At this time, the once empty pews were now filing in, not all the way full as having multiple gangs in one area is asking for danger. This is the very last place a fight needs to break out, besides, it's not like the majority of the  Chinese gang wanted to show up. After all, Ash had killed one of their own, Lao, and to their understanding, he'd taken away Shorters life too.

Eiji was there. This wasn't the case. Shorter's life had been taken away as soon as they'd injected that fucking drug into his system. And although he shouldn't, he knew deep down in his gut that he shouldn't, he resented Lao.

He was glad he was dead.

"EiChan." Ibe looked up, as he noticed Eiji scanning the room hollowly, "come, sit. You look like you might pass out."

With a nod, Eiji did as instructed, giving the older man permission to guide him over to the pew at the front of the church where Max and Jessica had both already settled themselves.

Light was streaming in through the buildings windows, oranges and gold caressing everyone's faces. It wasn't long later when Max decided he was finally ready. With a gulp, the older man made his way up to the front of the church, every step feeling heavy the closer he got, weighing down on his shoulders.

Originally, they'd asked Eiji to give the Eulogy. He'd ended up staring down at his feet blankly for a solid five minutes before slowly shaking his head. "Sorry." He'd told them hoarsely, "I don't think I can."

"Aslan Callenreese. You all knew him as Ash Lynx, the warrior on the streets, the fearless leader of a gang, the one who never misses a shot when he pulls the trigger. That was Ash Lynx." Max nodded, eyebrows furrowing as he read his discarded notes. "But Aslan Callenreese, was a teenage boy with bright, green eyes, blonde hair, and a whole future ahead of him. Aslan Callenreese was Ash Lynx but he was his own person too."

His voice was wavering, like he was trying not to shout the eulogy instead of read it calmly as he should.

"I have a son, little Michael, and although Aslan is built on the reputation of being both dangerous and unforgiving, he was so.... gentle with him. I can recall after an incident, I was peering out the window and seeing this valerous teen cradling my son in his arms." He gulped, his eyes misting over, "they both looked so fragile."

Eiji clenched his jaw, fists curling into a tight ball so that his fingers dig harshly into the pits of his palm, cutting through his skin. Soft skin was felt over his own, and he peered over to see Jessica caressing his hand in her own, his nails unticking and allowing her to run her thumb over his knuckle. For both their comfort.

"I like to think Ash saw me as a father." Max continued, a small smile pressed on his face, "he would call me dad sometimes, jokingly, but selfishly it made my heart swell up. His own dad.... that bastard didn't even bother to show up." He murmured the last part under his breath, but loud enough for Jessica to tut behind her teeth.

"Sorry," he said through a cough, "Ash deserved a father who loved him unconditionally, and I'm glad I got to be that figure. I won't drag on, he'd probably resent me for that." He said with a soft laugh, "but I can tell you he had a heart full of love."

Eiji held his breath, feeling eyes flicker back and forth to him and he slid even further down into his chair, hand locking with Jessica's fingers, like a young schoolboy who'd been called out for graffitiing in the boys toilets.

"He was proud of his gang. You were his family, and he would want you all to live now that Dino and his sick crew have been taken down. He'd want you to live the way he wanted to. All of us."

He chocked back the overbearing lump in his throat, before muttering a thank you, furiously wiping a tear from his cheek as he returned back to his position on the other side of his wife.