Worth It {Ash x Eiji}

Send Off

{ Angst warning!

I know ya'll are mad about Skip... but please don't hurt me... heh... *sprints*}

Those hours waiting for Ash had been agonizing. Eiji had been taken back to the grimey apartment in the ghetto side of Manhattan, which they were currently using as a hideout. Ash's men, as well as some of Shorter's, were there and hulled up, awaiting any orders from their bosses when they arrived.

Or... if they arrived.

Eiji couldn't shake the worry from his mind. What if Ash and the others didn't make it out? He didn't know what he would've done if something happened to him.

However, when there were thumps that signalled someone, or rather, multiple people, coming up the steps, Eiji's anxieties were somewhat calmed. The men drew their guns, Kong and Bones stepped in front of Eiji to protect him in the case of it being a threat, and Alex approached the doorway. He lowered his gun when he saw that it was Ash arriving, and everyone was joyous for a moment.

" Boss!"

Shorter came in only a few moments behind Ash, carrying something wrapped up in a white sheet. He kept his gaze pointed at the floor.

Eiji struggled, but got up from the couch, seeing the pain in Ash's face and knowing that something was seriously wrong. Then there was the sheet... which had something small inside of it. He knew he shouldn't have been walking around much in his condition, but they'd patched him up for right then. He'd live.

" Ash... where is Skip? And Ibe and Max...?" Eiji asked in a shaky tone, slowly making his way over on his sore and battered legs.

" Max and Ibe are at Jessica's. I have men watching them..." Ash murmured, refusing to make eye contact with Eiji at first. He felt like someone had dropped an anvil on him as he forced himself to stand before his men.

" And... Skip?" Eiji asked.

The other guys seemed to be scared of Ash's reaction, wondering how Eiji had come over to him like that.

" Skip is in Shorter's arms..." Ash told them all, sniffling and taking a deep breath as he looked out to his guys. Their faces all sank as they realized what was under the sheet. Eiji's eyes brimmed with tears and his knees felt even weaker as he stood there. His stomach turned and it felt like the floor dropped out from under him. He wobbled toward the bathroom and shut the door with tears streaming down his face.

Shorter stood there with a grimace on his face and tears in the corners of his eyes. He felt like it was all his fault. He should've done more. He could've saved him somehow, right? If only he'd acted differently... maybe Skip wouldn't have gone out that way.

" Tonight... we're going to hold a funeral. Find a spot in the woods north of here and collect firewood. I don't care where you get it. It just has to be dry." Ash ordered, trying to tune out the way some of his guys were crying. " And get some rum. We're all going to share a drink in his honor..."

Ash slowly turned back to Shorter.

" Can you... have your guys... prepare his body, please?" He asked in a weak tone. " His clothes are all in his room below the bar."

Shorter looked up to his guys who were scattered in with Ash's.

" You heard him." He said, handing over the sheet gently. " I'll meet you all there... but get him there discreetly... the last thing we need is the cops on our trail right now."

With that, Shorter's guys were heading out, having taken a duffel bag with them to hide Skip inside. And Ash sucked up his emotions while turning back to his own men.