Chapter Text
“Ash, are you okay?”
He set the book he was reading down as Eiji stepped into the room, bringing two cups of tea. Eiji sat on the edge of the bed, pressing one into his hand. The smell of vanilla wafted up to his nose, steam warming his cheeks. “I’m just tired.”
He didn’t want to tell Eiji that something wasn’t right. Alex had mentioned the same thing in his texts, Shorter too. Someone was watching them, someone lurking.
If they knew…
They couldn’t, Ash tried to reassure himself. Then again, he knew everything was possible, even the things that should not have been.
“You need more sunlight,” Eiji said brightly, springing up from the bed and crossing the room. He reached for the drapes. “There’s a gorgeous sunset outside tonight!” Red light flooded the room, like gold tinged with blood. Eiji beamed.
Fear struck Ash. “Eiji, get down!”
“Wha—”
A shot cracked through the window. Forget it. Ash launched himself up, hurling himself at his boyfriend. He and Eiji slammed into the floor. His elbow smacked the wood. Eiji’s blood trickled onto Ash’s arm from a graze.
“Boss!” shouted Bones and Kong’s voices.
“Turn the lights off!” Ash bellowed. He couldn’t see. He wasn’t going to let him.
I’ll lose everything.
They obeyed. He hauled himself and Eiji to their feet, stumbling as they ran out of the room.
“It just nicked me,” Eiji managed.
Shit . Ash wiped the blood from his palm onto his shirt.
“Ash,” Eiji tried. “You’re okay?” His eyes were wide in fear.
“I’m fine,” Ash assured him. He had a phone call to make, and everything ached.
I can’t protect them.
I’m cursed.
“Hello, kitten,” came Blanca’s voice. “Long time no—”
“Fuck you!” Ash had barricaded himself in the study, but he doubted Eiji would leave him alone for him. He clutched the edge of the desk, pain spreading through his midsection like a vice grip. He wasn’t going to gasp, give Blanca any hint that anything might be wrong, or different. Just in case they didn’t know.
Lee Yut-Lung took over the phone then, telling him Eiji was his target. Ash gritted his teeth, waiting, waiting, waiting for the words he knew would destroy him: that they knew, that Dino wanted Eiji gone for ruining something that was his, a vessel with golden hair and jade eyes.
But no. They just wanted to negotiate. Tomorrow evening.
“By phone,” Ash said.
“No.”
The fluffiest parka in the world wouldn’t disguise this. Ash doubled over. His breath caught. “Then give me two days.”
“No. We hold all the cards, you—”
Not all of them, and I’m not giving you this one! “Put Blanca back on.”
“Hi, honey.”
“Two days,” Ash said, trying to make his chest rise and fall like normal. “That’s not negotiable.”
“Ash—”
“So he can come up with some kind of plan—” Yut-Lung was talking in the background.
“God, do you ever shut up?” Ash yelled. “I will be there. I just need two days because tomorrow is—Eiji’s birthday.” A total lie.
“Unless you want it to be his last day—”
“Blanca, please,” Ash said. “You and I both know you’ll get what you want. I just want—a day.”
Muffled discussion. Ash now couldn’t stand. He crouched on the ground behind the desk.
“Fine,” Blanca agreed. “Nine pm. Don’t be late.”
“You’re always late.” Ash hung up. You said you retired, dipshit! I thought—I thought—of course you never cared. He should have known when Blanca left him that he didn’t care. But still. But still, he wanted to believe—wanted to hope—
“Ash?” called Eiji.
Ash yanked the curtains shut. He pulled himself to his feet, taking a breath as the pain subsided. “Yeah?”
Eiji entered the room, his arm bandaged. “I’m sorry, I—”
“It’s not your fault.” He straightened. “Eiji—”
“Ash, are you all right?” Eiji asked, studying him with wide eyes.
“Tired. As per usual. I don’t need this stress—”
“Ash!” Eiji grabbed his arm with surprising force.
“Huh?” Ash looked up at him, and then followed Eiji’s gaze down to his pants. Blood and water soaked them.
The timing could not be worse. He clung to Eiji’s shoulder, and fear broke inside of him, shivering through each cell in jagged barbs. Oh God, oh God, oh God.
“It’s okay,” Eiji was assuring him. “I’m here.”
It wasn’t.
He found out the last way anyone would want to find out: strapped to that terrible bed in that blinding room that was Dr. Mannerheim’s lab. He’d just been informed they were going to inject him with Banana Fish, and Dr. Mannerheim was examining his results and ignoring the hateful glare Ash was fixing him with.
“Oh my,” said Dr. Mannerheim. “How interesting.”
“Does it tell you I hate you in my genes?” Ash rasped.
“No,” said Dr. Mannerheim. “Did you know you were pregnant?”
The lights blurred, obscuring Dr. Mannerheim’s face and voice as he prattled on for the voice inside Ash’s memories, replaying what he’d just said.
Pregnant. Preg-nant. Pregnant.
What?
“Didn’t you know that’s why you were so popular when you were younger?” Dr. Mannerheim asked. “Dino Golzine surely knew it was possible. I imagine that’s why he spent so much on you.”
Of course, he knew that it was possible for some men to conceive. It was just rare as hell, and those who could usually chose to have their organs removed so that they wouldn’t have to deal with the societal stigma. People would whisper, view them as objects of fetish even if the only way one could know was by a scan.
“Guess you’re still a whore,” said Dr. Mannerheim, and rage streamed through Ash, hot and stinging.
Pregnant.
Me.
This is—
Eiji’s child.
“I’ll consult my lab to see if we want to run the experiment and test results, or just give you a termination straight away. You’re around twelve weeks.” Dr. Mannerheim chuckled as he left.
The rage dissipated into ice seeping through his veins. He’d just been—through surgery, fought Arthur, almost died —and he was carrying Eiji’s child the entire time? Eiji…
He’d already lost so much blood. How could he not have miscarried?
Eiji… he was supposed to be on a plane back to Japan. But he was at the fight—he had no idea what happened to him after that, Ibe said they couldn’t find him—
Eiji was supposed to be gone. But—you’re here.
Ash’s hands moved towards his stomach. The restraints at least allowed that. He pressed it. It felt the same as ever. Maybe a little firmer, or maybe just his imagination.
Dino… you knew I could—did you want me to have your children for you? His stomach lurched.
He was probably polluting something of Eiji’s by carrying it inside of him, when all that was inside him was broken and bloodstained. And yet, if he terminated it—
Eiji should have a say, too.
I will survive. I have to.
He didn’t say a word to Max and Ibe when he saved their asses. When he had to dress as a nurse named Barbara, he wanted to scream. If you only knew. He bought a test from a pharmacy and the pharmacist assumed he was buying it for a girlfriend, of course.
It was positive, and Ash broke the test in half before throwing it away.
He found Eiji after talking to Cain, found Sing and Shorter there as well, tried to decide who would stick with him if they knew he was pregnant. If they even knew he was capable of it.
Eiji found him on the roof, watching the sun go down and shivering. He wrapped his arms around Ash, embracing him.
Even after you saw what I did to Arthur… Eiji, I’m not fit to carry a child.
Eiji, I’m a monster.
Eiji, I’m pregnant.
Ash dropped his chin onto Eiji’s shoulder. His breath shuddered.
“Ash?” Eiji asked. “What’s wrong?”
Ash shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. I’m back. We’re fine.”
He really should just get the termination. He shouldn’t bother Eiji with this. Eiji already had enough to deal with. He was a burden just himself. Eiji was just nineteen.
It took three days of snapping at Alex, Kong, and Bones, letting loose on Sing who told him he was acting like Yut-Lung, and refusing to sleep at a sane hour before Shorter finally rolled his eyes and told Eiji to do something.
“Ash, what happened?” Eiji asked in the dead of night, when Ash had been pretending to be asleep and thinking Eiji was asleep, only to realize they were both faking.
He didn’t answer. He faked a snore.
Eiji laughed. He rolled over and hit Ash with a pillow. Ash snatched it away, turning to face Eiji. His smile wobbled and fell.
“Ash?” Eiji pushed himself up, sitting. “Ash…” He was quiet. “I don’t know what to say. If you want to talk, I’m here.”
You wouldn’t be. You shouldn’t be . Ash closed his eyes. His hand drifted to his stomach again.
“You do realize,” Eiji said. “That there is nothing you can do that’s going to scare me right now, right? I saw you like—you didn’t want me to see you. And I’m still here.” His voice cracked.
And I’m hurting you. By holding back. Ash sat up slowly. He wrapped his arms around Eiji again, chest heaving as he tried to think of what to say. Eiji rubbed circles around his shoulders.
“There’s—a reason Dino’s so obsessed with me. Beyond just my brain and my—looks.” Fuck, why did he have to begin with that man?
It always came back to him . He’d broken Ash beyond repair, burned him up.
No , no—if that were true, then why—
“Because he’s a selfish git monster asshole?” Eiji suggested. “Ash. If it wasn’t you, it’d be someone else. He’s—it has to do with him, not with you.”
“Eiji, I’m pregnant.”
Eiji froze.
Now I’ve lost him. Now you see how deformed and—
Eiji pulled back, looking in Ash’s eyes. He looked stunned.
“It’s yours,” Ash mumbled. “Twelve—now thirteen weeks, I guess—” His voice choked up. “I’m—disgusting, I’m—”
“No!” Eiji gripped Ash’s shoulders. “You’re not disgusting—or if you are, then fine. Something disgusting makes me want to live. Something disgusting is carrying a fetus—that’s not something disgusting. That’s something beautiful.”
Ash gaped at him. “You’d want to keep it?”
“I’d want you to do what makes you happy,” Eiji said, looking down at his hands.
“Eiji,” Ash said, the lump breaking in his throat. “I want to keep it, too.” I’m just scared.
Eiji was trembling. You’re scared, too. But Eiji kissed Ash’s abdomen.
There was a lot of fiddling with the gang over the next few weeks. Shorter asked if he was happy and then congratulated him, waiting a few days to text Ash that he better not be thinking this would lessen his opinion of him because the only way that would happen was if Shorter was not named godfather. Alex, Kong, and Bones would know. No one else would.
Ash felt guilty communicating with Max via phone and text, but he couldn’t risk it. If Dino found out, he’d kill Eiji and the child. So no prenatal care, which Ash knew was stupid but he didn’t see the alternative. Even if he went to see Dr. Meredith, someone might see. Ash could only hope the amount of blood he’d lost in the fight with Arthur wasn’t enough to have caused a problem. Please.
Please, let me do one thing well in this world.
...
“You’re in labor,” Eiji said firmly, blood still staining the bandage on his shoulder.
“I am not.”
“Do you want me to call Shorter? Nadia probably can help—”
“I’m not—” Panic was shivering inside of him. Ash arched up back up. “Motherfucker—”
“Is this kind of pain normal?” whispered Kong.
“It gets worse as it goes on,” Bones confirmed. “I watched videos online, women and men, just to—”
“Fuck,” Ash panted. “Make sure—all the blinds and curtains stay closed. Don’t let anyone into this place. Except Shorter, if he comes, and Nadia.”
Eiji held Ash’s hand, face white.
“Your shoulder—”
“I’m fine,” Eiji said.
“You’re not.”
“I’m just—scared.” Eiji gulped.
Scared? Ash looked at him.
“You’re not alone,” Eiji assured him. Ash’s grip tightened on his hand.
Forty-eight hours. Well, at the very least, this might make it easier to hide it. But—if there wasn’t enough time—
Shorter arrived to cheer Ash up with jokes. It did not work. His insides were spasming constantly, and it was talking all his strength not to scream and also not to break Eiji’s hand. His mind spun with all the articles he’d read on how it was harder for a man to give birth than a woman, what could go wrong, the worst things that could happen to him or to the baby.
“You’ll be fine,” Nadia assured him. “You’re doing well.” She’d told Charlie she had to help Ash with something important and Charlie had responded that he didn’t need nor want to know, but to tell Ash good luck. Ha .
I’m going to bring a kid into this world.
What was I thinking?
“I hope he or she looks like you,” Eiji told him as the clock ticked closer to midnight.
What? Why? Ash looked up at him, the muscles in his throat clenching so tight from the force of not screaming.
“You can scream,” Eiji said, sitting next to him and massaging his back. “You’re in pain. There’s no shame in it.”
Ash buried his face into Eiji’s uninjured shoulder. He screamed.
What if our child comes out like me? Someone who can—who is—
This is why all the perverts are attracted to me like a magnet, it’s me, it’s me, it’s me—
“This is terrifying,” Shorter declared around three in the morning. “Does it ever end, Nadia? How do women and men do this? I swear they gotta be the strongest people of all.”
Really? Ash looked at his best friend, sweat drenching his face. Eiji wiped his forehead.
I’m going to be a terrible father, Ash thought. Eiji was the one reading all those parenting books. He had no idea. He had never really had— Griffin—I wish you were here.
It was five in the morning before he finally voiced it between gasps of pain. “I’m going to fail my kid—I don’t know how to do this—”
“No one does,” Nadia said soothingly.
“Huh?”
“I didn’t know what to do when my parents died,” Nadia said. “You’ll just—figure it out.”
Or you wouldn’t. Like his mom, who split.
I can’t—
The threat from Blanca lingered in his mind. He looked up at Eiji, into his chocolate eyes. You really—love me no matter what I do.
It’s the best feeling in the world.
You’d give that to our child, too.
I’m not alone.
The first streaks of dawn were breaking from behind the curtains when Nadia finally told him to push. Shorter excused himself. The smell of blood filled the room, and Ash threw up.
His abdomen felt like someone had lit it on fire and sliced it at the same time, and then he felt something different: relief. Less pressure.
But no crying. Ash pushed himself up on his elbows just as a high-pitched whimper broke out. Eiji was gaping, tears running down his face.
“A baby boy,” Nadia announced. She had a blanket ready, and she was handing the bundle to Ash.
What do I do? He had no idea. His IQ was failing him. His arms reached out to take it. It was so light, and yet solid. Tufts of matted, bloody black hair stuck to the baby’s head. His eyes were open, huge and round, like Eiji’s. And his fingers were tiny and grasping.
“Oh,” Eiji whispered., leaning against Ash’s shoulder. He reached out his hand, cupping the baby’s face. “Ash, he’s soft.”
Ash couldn’t speak, and it took him until a teardrop spilled onto his son’s face to know why.
I’m crying.
Eiji was, too, unabashedly. “He’s perfect.”
Perfect.
He really was. He had fingernails and toenails, a small nose, and he kept looking up at Ash, and he was crying, and Ash just wanted to hold him close, breathe in his scent.
I’ll never let anyone hurt you. Not ever.
“I love you,” Eiji choked out.
Me, or him?
Oh.
Both.
“Me too,” Ash managed. “I love both of you.”
“Ash,” said Eiji. “Can we name him Griffin?”
Ash’s jaw fell open. “You—”
“Or we can choose a new name,” Eiji said. “One you want. It doesn’t really matter to me what he’s called—he’s just—”
Our son.
My son.
Your son.
Wow . “I like Griffin,” Ash admitted.
Eiji took the baby, rocking him. “Shh, Griffin Okumura-Callenreese,” he whispered.
“Okumura,” said Ash. “I don’t care for my last name.”
Perfect .
For just a moment, Ash wanted to close his eyes and rest, his boyfriend by his side, their son with them, and forget about the threat given earlier that day.
Ash curled up in his bed. It was late afternoon and Eiji seemed to be doing okay after his gunshot wound. Shorter had gushed over the baby, giving him a stuffed black cat. Alex, Kong, and Bones bought Griffin clothes. Eiji insisted Ash needed to rest, but now Griffin was back with him, sleeping.
Ash couldn’t sleep now. He just wanted to look at him. His skin was creamy and soft, his cheeks chubby. They’d fed him from a bottle, and he seemed to like it. His eyes were still blue, but Nadia said they’d darken soon, to green or brown. Probably brown, Ash was guessing. He was glad.
Griffin looked like baby Eiji. Ash smiled at him.
Blanca’s voice, Yut-Lung’s… they burned in the back of his mind.
What if he is like me?
So what ? Ash couldn’t believe that made him any less special, any less worth—everything.
I will never let them touch you .
He loved Eiji, and that made life. It was beautiful.
A knock on the door. “Ash?” called Eiji’s voice.
“Yeah?” Ash stayed lying down. He smoothed Griffin’s hair. The baby’s eyelids fluttered. He even had tiny eyelashes.
“Ash, someone’s here to see us,” Eiji said, voice hesitant.
“Who?” Fear suddenly spiked.
“Max.” Eiji swallowed. “And Ibe.”
Ash’s eyes popped. They couldn’t—they weren’t supposed to—Shorter was the only one, but he wouldn’t have—
“Bones tried to keep them downstairs and they didn’t listen. I told them you have the flu, but Max isn’t buying it—he’s worried—he doesn’t know.” Eiji kept his voice down.
“Do you want to tell Ibe?” Ash asked. It was nothing to keep it from his family. But he had his gang. Eiji… he’d have kept this a secret. For his sake. For Griffin’s.
Eiji nodded.
“It’s okay,” Ash said. “Just—tell them not to—”
Eiji broke into a grin. He kissed Ash and Griffin both on the forehead.
Ash flopped back down. Griffin stirred. Ash reached out his hand, and the baby’s fingers curled around his middle finger. Ash snorted. “You’re silly already.”
“Ash?” Max entered the room. “Eiji said—” He stopped still.
What Eiji had said, Ash would never know, but it was definitely not what was actually going on.
Ash met Max’s eyes. A flush spread across his face, but he couldn’t—he wouldn’t get—Griffin was not shame. He would not treat his son like something to be embarrassed about. He kept Max’s gaze, and he watched as understanding dawned on Max’s face, as the still-lingering smell of blood, the shape of Ash’s body as he sat up, the newborn.
“Ash,” whispered Max.
Don’t. Please don’t. Ash squeezed his eyes shut. The baby whimpered, and Ash reached for him, pulling him closer, against his chest.
I’m not ashamed. I’m not.
I still love you, even if I am.
Is that enough? Am I already failing?
The bed creaked. Max, sitting next to him. “He’s beautiful.”
Really? Ash met Max’s eyes, and saw a tired look, but a smile, a genuine smile, on his lips. “He was born around seven this morning,” Ash said. “His name’s Griffin… Eiji suggested it.”
Max nodded.
“He’s Eiji’s,” Ash added, hating that he had to clarify that.
“I know,” said Max. “He looks just like him.”
Ash smiled. “I’m glad.”
“I see you in his face, though,” Max said.
Ash swallowed.
“May I hold him?”
Ash nodded. He passed Griffin to Max. The baby opened his eyes, blinking sleepily. “That’s Max,” Ash told his son. “He’s nice. He won’t hurt you.”
“How long have you known?” Max asked.
“The hospital.” Ash gripped his hands together. “I didn’t even know it was--I mean, that I was--it wasn’t something I’d considered I’d be able to--” That’s why we didn’t use protection. But we should have anyways, with my history. I’m dirty. I could have infected Eiji with any manner of horrible things.
I’m so irresponsible, and I have a kid.
“You don’t need to explain,” Max said softly, stroking the baby’s hair. “Ash, you really don’t. It happens. I had a colleague who interviewed men who chose to have their babies once. It was a great article.”
Ash’s voice trembled. “I’m glad I have him.” He’s my son. “If Dino—”
Max’s eyes flashed. “He won’t find out.”
He might . “That’s why I’ve been—more or less a hermit the past three months.” Ash hunched his shoulders.
“Ash,” said Max. “That’s not something you and Eiji should have had to bear alone.”
Griffin woke up and wailed. Ash reached for the bottle he’d kept on the nightstand, taking the baby back. He fit the bottle in the infant’s mouth, watching as his son latched on.
“I remember when Jessica and I had Michael,” Max said. “It’s the best feeling in the world. And the most terrifying.”
Ash snorted. “Yeah.” He swallowed. “Eiji is--”
“Amazing,” Max said. “Someone who loves you, and whom you deserve.”
Ash’s jaw fell open. The bottle slipped. He cussed, righting it. He probably shouldn’t swear in front of his son. He felt so warm. “Max, if anything ever happens to me—you and Jessica—Eiji and Griffin—”
“Don’t say that, Ash.”
It’s closer than you think . Ash hung his head. “Dino would kill them both. Or worse. I can’t—that can’t ever happen.” He couldn’t imagine it. Griffin’s eyes started to close.
You’re safe here.
You’ve never not been safe. You don’t know what that would mean.
I don’t want you to ever have to.
Max wrapped an arm around Ash like an older brother, or a father. “It won’t. I promise you.”
The door opened again. Eiji, and Ibe. Ash gulped. He wasn’t sure what to make of Ibe—what would he think that he and Eiji had been having sex, and unprotected at that, and—
“Oh, Ei-chan,” said Ibe. “He’s adorable.”
Eiji came to sit next to Ash, taking the baby. He was glowing.
Ibe grinned at Ash, who smiled back.
You’re so happy.
Eiji, it might all be ripped away soon.
I’m so happy you’re happy. Even just for now.
I just wish it could be forever.
“Well, you look like hell,” Yut-Lung remarked, folding his arms across his chest as he watched Ash gingerly standing in the warehouse. He was still sore everywhere, and his heart pounded with each minute he spent out here, away from Eiji, away from their son.
But this was for them. To protect them.
I… have a family. He squeezed his fists. “I had the flu.”
Yut-Lung pointed a gun at him.
“Can you fire that, little girl?”
“I won’t be firing it. You’ll be. Into your own head. And if you do that, then we’ll leave your precious Eiji Okumura alone.”
Die?
If I do that, though—Eiji and Griffin— Ash snatched the gun. It was the only way, the only way—
An empty click. Huh?
Yut-Lung smacked it out of his hands, and it was clear. He wasn’t going to be given as easy of a chance to die.
His life, for Eiji’s. His freedom, for Eiji’s. And Griffin, but they clearly did not know about him, because if they had noticed, he was sure Dino wouldn’t hesitate to threaten his son.
And he kept imagining his mother, leaving him.
I’m the same.
I tried to be better, and all I am is the same.
At least I lasted two days .
He’d use birth control from now on. Dino wouldn’t need to know about it. But then—if he—he would—but then—a child forced on him, going through all that for a child sprung from someone he didn’t love—Ash wanted to throw up.
I love you.
His mother hadn’t loved him.
He agreed, and when Blanca lingered behind, Ash knew he wouldn’t stand a chance trying to punch him in the best of healthy, never mind right now. He just hoped he wouldn’t start bleeding.
He lasted less time than he would have as a fourteen-year-old. “You’re regressed,” said Blanca.
No, I just had a baby .
“You heard what the monsieur said. He doesn’t mean it. Go back to him. You’ll have everything—wealth, power—”
“Everything fake,” said Ash.
“You just have to give one thing up—”
Two things. “What do you even know about it?” Ash managed. “You know what Dino actually wants to do with me?”
Blanca frowned.
“He wants to make me have his kids,” Ash said, looking into Blanca’s eyes.
“That’s not possible.”
“Are you ignorant? Of course it’s possible. It’s just rare. Why else do you think he’s spent so much on me?” Ash slumped. “That’ll be my life there, Blanca. But I’ll do it if you just—don’t hurt him.” He closed his eyes. He couldn’t stand to look at the man anymore.
You left me.
I’m about to leave Griffin.
I’m becoming you, like Dino and you always planned .
“I’m surprised you showed your face here, Shorter Wong,” drawled Yut-Lung.
“Shut up,” said Shorter. He glanced at Eiji, Sing watching both of them. Ibe was watching Griffin.
He wouldn’t have run. He’s not his mother. What did you do to him, you bitch? Eiji glared at Yut-Lung.
He’d always been Ash’s weakness. Now, even more so. They both were. And if Yut-Lung—
Yut-Lung ranted and raved about how it was all his fault, and Eiji couldn’t hear it. He couldn’t afford to listen to this crap. I’ve got to save him.
Ash, Griffin’s been crying.
Ash, he misses you.
Ash, I miss you.
There’s got to be a way, even if it looks impossible, and I’ll find it. We’ve already done the near-impossible.
Eiji ran from that place, Shorter following him and swearing. “We’ll get him back, Eiji.”
Eiji nodded. He wiped at his eyes, but in truth he was more angry than tearful. “He doesn’t know about Griffin, or he’d have mentioned it.”
Shorter nodded.
“He’s giving everything to protect Griffin, and I--” Ash was the one who had to go through a pregnancy, labor, all of it, and he was just--useless as ever. Not now. Not this time.
You thought I was capable to raise Griffin.
You don’t think I’m useless, Ash, do you? I want to believe it. And I’ll save you. For me, for you, for Griffin.
Ash, he cries at night. He misses you. He knows you.
He turned on the corner across from where Alex and the others were staying with Sing’s guys. Sing caught up. “I told him I’d side with you in this.”
“Huh?” Eiji blinked. Shorter’s eyes widened.
“He’s your best friend, right?” Sing looked up at Shorter.
“It’s not just that,” said Eiji. “He’s doing it to protect me and—” He stopped himself. “We’ll have to—disappear. Once we get him back.”
Shorter cussed. “Yeah.”
“What?” Sing asked. “Look, if we’re gonna be teaming up, how about you give me all the information. Yut-Lung just threw a teacup at me; I think he’s a little hysterical. I deserve some kind of information.”
Shorter rolled his eyes, ruffling Sing’s hair. “It doesn’t—”
Eiji pulled out his phone. He slid it into Sing’s hands. His background was an image of himself, Ash, and Griffin.
Sing’s eyes popped. “Holy hell.”
“Please,” Eiji said. He had to get back. He couldn’t stand to leave his son any longer. He held him when he got back—his son, Ash’s son—and cried, the baby snug against his shoulder.
Please come back.
We need you.