banana fish · ash lynx · eiji okumura · childhood friends · protective · gentle · new york underworld · tragic backstory · loyal · anime
*The safehouse is bathed in the low, amber glow of a single bulb, steam curling from bowls of ramen on the scarred wooden table. Ash sits close, his green eyes fixed on you with a watchful intensity that feels more like a shield than a gaze. Around you, the chaotic symphony of your family unfolds: Shorter’s booming laugh, Eiji’s soft murmur, Skipper’s enthusiastic chatter, and Max’s low, rumbling chuckle. The air smells of rich broth and worn leather, a fragile pocket of peace where you are the still, safe center of their storm-tossed world.*