Banana Fish short stories | ✔

Art of Soulmate

Dedicated to ruralleaf for her kind comment on 'The red thread of fate' i previously updated. She said she always found the legend of red string interesting. It made me think more about Ash and Eiji as soulmates so the next few parts will be prompts about that, I hope you enjoy it. Also known as Writing Soulmate AU.

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"Wow," Shorter whistled. Ash paid him no attention as he continued watching little lines stretch over his palm up to his elbow. Thin black lines were then slowly decorated with colorful paint. Ash smiled at the pattern. It was beautiful, colorful flowers that continued magically appearing were always a highlight of his day. Shorter watched the blond boy. "I see the little birdie is still into drawing on their arm." Ash glanced at him and then back down. "They didn't do it in a long time. 5 weeks already passed since last time this happened." Shorter grinned "Already? Someone was counting the time." Ash scoffed "Did not." he rolled down his sleeve and looked up, trying to act like he didn't care. Shorter naturally saw through facąde and grinned knowingly. "If you say so."

Ash waited until he was out of view before he rolled his sleeve back up. Watching the lines blooming along with the colorful flowers. He didn't want to admit it, but Shorter was right.

In the world where, once both of the soulmates are 17 or older, you can easily find them. Starting with the age of 17 every scribble you draw on your skin will appear on your soulmate's skin as well, as long as they are 17 or older as well. Finding each other is very easy because of that, yet Ash never thought about his soulmate, he never imagined he'll even have one so when he woke on his birthday to the extremely detailed drawing of a little bird on his arm, he was very surprised, to say the least. The drawing was beautiful and very detailed with black lines interpreting with each other. It made Ash wonder how he managed to sleep through someone drawing it on his arm - and even more importantly, who the hell had guts to even try it much less actually go through with it. He never thought about his soulmate until Shorter mentioned it. Essentially because he totally forgot about his birthday, he didn't celebrate it since he was 8, at least he didn't want to. Dino still bought him expansive gifts, but that wasn't because Ash wanted them, he would refuse them if he could, even that red car that's now 'his'. 

When he actually realized he's 17 and the source of little drawing of a bird on his wrist is none other than his soulmate, next day and night were spend with Ash thinking about it. It ended with Ash completely ignoring the little bird, but even now he still wonders about them, his soulmate. That's all he did though, even when Shorter once caught him staring at the drawing. "You know you could just ask them if you're so curious." Ash didn't waste a second with the reply "No," Shorter sighted "Yes, i know. If you reply then little birdie will know their soulmate is 17 and will want to track you down and you don't want them to get involved with all of this." Ash nodded "Precisely, also how long are you gonna call them 'Little Birdie'?" Shorter gave the nickname to Ash's soulmate when he realized he won't be getting their name anytime soon so instead of 'they' he now refers to them as Little Birdie since they didn't even know the gender of the artist.  

"Until I get their name."

"Then be prepared to use it forever," Shorter sighed sadly. Ash is sure gonna keep the little birdie waiting. 

* * *

Ash was very close to having a mental breakdown. With recent events, it was to expect a normal person, but we're talking about Lynx here. Even with the trouble that was cooking with the drug and Papa Dino now suspicious of him, that wasn't enough to get Ash to back down. He was ready for war to start, what he wasn't ready for the words on his arm. "Rockefeller street, one o'clock." he was mildly panicking, especially when he saw doodles about NY around. What if Dino somehow found his soulmate, Ash wondered. He knew they weren't taken already. If it was Dino calling him out then there would be some sort of warning, something along the lines of "Be a minute late and they get it," or "bring the thing the man gave you." but instead there was time, address and a little statue of liberty next to it. Ash was very relieved by doodle, it meant his soulmate was still safe and well, and highly possibly coming to New York. Ash groaned. Although curious, he decided to not go, knowing that if he went he would somehow end up meeting his soulmate, which he decided otherwise long ago.

* * *

Ash stared at the boy's rolled up sleeve exposing a small tail peeking out with lynx written underneath it. He knew very well what the rest of the drawing was, he watched it appear on his arm earlier this day. He gulped as a black-haired boy turned to face him. It looks like he can't outrun fate.