When He Walked Me Home (Akira Maeda x Reader)
~*Today's Love & Luck Horoscope*~
-If you've got a special someone that you've been meaning to confess to, today is the day to do just that! A gift from the cosmos will be in your orbit to help make that dream a reality! Don't let this rare opportunity pass you by!-
"Holy Crap! A meteor just landed on the school!"
(Y/N) and gang stood in the courtyard in awe as the massive space rock, still sizzling post impact, sat lodged in what used to be their classroom.
"Does this mean that school is cancelled then?" Hayashida asked.
"Well, we certainly can't have class in a pile of rubble now can we?" Kamiyama replied.
"Not that we're learning anything at this school to begin with." Maeda said with a roll of his eyes.
(Y/N) only took a deep sigh, something she honestly been doing that a lot while at this damn circus of a high school.
Right as she thought she was finally used all the chaos that occurred each day at Cromartie the universe always found a way to throw her another curveball. Whether it was their classmate Mechazawa getting turned into a motorcycle, their class trip being hijacked, or just having an overly in depth discussion on the importance of not being late to school; she had to admit there was at least some variety. She turned away from the wreckage for a moment and looked at the delinquents around her. While most of them were still staring slack-jawed in awe, there was one self-proclaimed badass who was sporting a similar look to hers. One that had seen this sort of thing too many times to really get worked up over it anymore.
While Akira Maeda's blond hair made him stand out physically from their little rag-tag gang of friends, little else did. Despite being a capable fighter and often the smartest guy in the room, the only thing the yellow haired delinquent really got in return was...a lot of uninvited guests over at his house every week. And getting kidnapped by Bass High. Often.
As the two "sane" people amid the daily chaos, they formed a nice little friendship. But lately, at least for (Y/N), those feelings of camaraderie had grown into something more. She had actually planned to confess to him today. So much for that "gift from the cosmos".
There goes my plan to confess to him on the roof... She thought as she looked over the crushed school building.
...considering that there isn't really a roof anymore.
"Well, as long as there's not any aliens popping out of this meteor-I'm going home." Maeda huffed, stuffing his fists into his pants pockets as he began to walk away.
"Hey, Maeda! Hold up a sec!" (Y/N) called, catching up to him. "Why don't we walk home together?"
It'll at least give me a chance to talk to you alone. Maybe I can-
"That sound like a great idea! Let's all hang out at Maeda's place then!" Hayashida interjected, purple mohawk wagging happily.
Shit...
Maeda scowled. "Why do you guys always insist on bumming around my house? All you're going to do is clean out the whole damn refrigerator again and I-"
"Let me handle the food!" (Y/N) exclaimed without really thinking.
Maeda shot her a rather confused look as her cheeks flushed a light pink.
Oh God...c'mon (Y/N) you gotta salvage this somehow-quick!
"Y-you guys can just wait at Maeda's house while we stop by the convenience store."
"Now, wait just a minute-" Maeda started, but was only met with deaf ears.
"Sounds like a good enough plan to me." Hokuto smirked.
Almost in a flash the rest of the gang was gone, leaving the duo of dumbfounded delinquent and embarrassed young lady alone in the schoolyard.
Great. Now he's just angry. Why did I have to open my big friggin' mouth in the first place? I mean-
An irritated sigh from Maeda broke (Y/N) out of her thoughts.
"Well, the sooner we hit the convenience store, the sooner we can get those morons out of my house." he said with a furrowed brow.
The two began their trek to the corner store, the air between them only filled with the clacking of their uniform shoes against the pavement and the occasional cry of a distant crow.
It may be awkward, but I feel like I should at least say something…
"Hey, Maeda-"
"What now?" he growled.
"I just…" she turned her gaze away "I just wanted to apologize, ok? I feel like kind of an asshole just inviting everybody over to your house like that."
Another sigh from Maeda, this one a lot deeper than the one before.
"Listen, it's fine. I mean, it's not fine. It still pisses me off how those guys feel like they can bum around at my house, invitation or not. But, I guess you could say I'm way more mad at them than I am you."
"If it makes you any feel better, I'm buying." (Y/N) said with a slightly relieved smile.
He gave a slight scoff in reply.
"You don't have to do that." he said digging into his pants pockets "My mom gave me some extra allowance for…" His voice trailed off as hands came out empty. A dawning realization crossed the blond thug's face as he let out a short, frustrated cry that sounded as if Freddie's horse had taken a sharp nip at his fingers.
"What's wrong?" (Y/N) asked with a start.
"My wallet is still in my schoolbag." he groaned.
She took a quick glance at her watch, "We have enough time to turn around if you want-"
"My bag was in our classroom." Maeda said, pressing a hand to his temple.
"Oh."
Wait a second-I know I said I'd pay for it, but do I even have any money on me?
She quickly searched through her own jacket pockets and was relieved to find her own Pootan-shaped coin purse. And with enough in it to suit their purposes. Maybe there was a chance her luck was turning around.
By the time they arrived at the convenience store the sun was slowly beginning to set as the two stood in the parking lot, debating on what they needed to buy.
"You don't need to get these guys anything all that fancy. Just some junk food should keep them happy." said Maeda.
"Are you not coming into the store with me?"
"Nah, I'll just stay out here if that's alright." he replied with a shrug.
"What do you want me to get you then?"
"What?"
"Why do you sound so surprised? I'm getting food for everyone, which includes you. So what it'll be? Candy? Something to drink?"
"Oh, sorry." he turned to avoid her gaze "May sound dumb, but I guess...I can't remember the last time someone offered to get something like that for me."
It took a good amount of restraint for (Y/N) to not suddenly hug the living daylights out of this poor boy. It broke her heart to see the once proud and hot blooded badass reduced to looking more like a scolded puppy. A very gruff...non-bishie looking puppy.
"Well Mr. Akira," she said with a grin "today is your lucky day. What'll it be?"
"You don't have to get too crazy for me...just some melon bread if you don't mind." he said with a very rare and subtle smile.
Oh my good God I will deplete the global supply of melon bread just to see you smile like that again.
Filled with a new sense of determination, (Y/N) marched into the store, grabbed a basket, and got to work. Loading up with chips, candy and a few bottles of juice (all while taking extra special care that the melon bread she also picked up didn't get squashed) she made her way to the front counter, only to be halted by the rather sudden snaking line of people in her path.
Where the hell did all of these guys come from?! The parking lot was empty when we got here!
While (Y/N) begrudgingly got in line, she glanced out the front window. Maeda still stood alone in the parking lot, and he gave her an acknowledging nod before lighting up a cigarette from his jacket pocket. She looked over at the clock on the wall behind the cash register.
Holy crap, it's a lot later then I thought. Hopefully those dumbasses haven't burned down Maeda's house by the time we get there. One building getting destroyed today is plenty.
As the line continued to scoot along at a snail's pace, (Y/N) had a sudden realization.
Wait a second...what's going to happen after this? We've been alone this whole time but I haven't really had a good window to confess to him. I sure as hell can't do it at Maeda's place with Kamiyama and those guys around...that'd just be embarrassing. It's gotta be on the walk there then. But I can't just spring a confession on him right out of the store. I've got to get a conversation going beforehand. Something casual. But what?
"Excuse me, ma'am." The polite voice of the lone cashier snapped her out of her thoughts. As she bashfully pulled out her coin purse, its shape gave her a sudden bolt of inspiration.
With her edible loot in tow, (Y/N) quickly made her way out of the store.
"Hey, Maeda!" she called, "Did you see the new episode of Pootan last-"
The parking lot was empty.
"...night?"
She quickly looked around, but the only sign of the delinquent was his cigarette, abandoned on the blacktop. A grunt of pain a short ways away snapped her attention to the edge of the parking lot. Right outside the reach of light emitted by the convenience store, (Y/N) could make out several young men huddled around someone on the ground. As soon as her eyes adjusted better to the change in light, her heart stopped. Bass High uniforms.
Oh no. Please don't tell me that guy on the ground is who I think it is.
A string of hard swears confirmed her fears. The Bass High punks only laughed in response.
Oh my God I need to do something! But I can't take on all those guys by myself...I'll have to call someone for help!
Her free hand dove for her jacket pocket, digging around frantically for her cell phone. Nothing.
Then it hit her.
My cell phone...was inside my desk. Which is underneath the friggin' meteor.
One of the thugs hoisted Maeda off the ground by his collar while another began to tie him up with a rope.
Screw it! I need to do something!
Clutching onto her shopping bag, (Y/N) sprinted over to the Bass punks.
"Hey, shitheads!" she bellowed. As the gang of them turned around, she could see Maeda was already pretty roughed up.
"The hell you want, girlie?" one of them scoffed.
"Yeah," another sneered "This ain't any of your business."
"As a student of Cromartie..." she whipped off her jacket, fully revealing her school issue seifuku as the light from the store glimmered almost cinematically behind her,
"...I'm not just gonna let you ugly bastards pick on one of my classmates!"
There was a short silence. One of the thugs towards the back turned to Meada.
"Cromartie is co-ed? Thought you guys were an all-boys school."
"Damn right, it's co-ed!" (Y/N) snapped, "And you punks better back off because I'm not going anywhere without this guy!"
As (Y/N) sat on the cold cement floor of Bass High's storage building, bound up by an itchy rope, a single thought occupied her mind.
I wonder if I have grounds to sue those horoscope people.
She turned as best as she could to face Maeda, who sat tied up next to her. But unlike her, Maeda was far more disgruntled and bruised. Their captors had decided to reward their usual hostage with another beat down. To add insult to literal injury, the Bass High punks were now celebrating their successful abduction by devouring all of the food (Y/N) just bought a little more than ten feet away.
"Hey, Maeda." she said in a low voice, "Are you doing ok?"
"I'll live if that's what you're asking." he grumbled, "It's not anything I haven't been through before."
But as he tried to adjust himself, he winced in pain.
(Y/N) felt her heart sink. Out of all the things that could have happened today, the last thing she ever wanted was for one of her friends, let alone her crush, to get hurt.
"I'm so sorry, Maeda..." she said with a sad bow of her head, "It's my fault today went like this."
"Hey, I know this whole kidnapping thing is a pain in the ass but-"
"No, it's so much more than that!" she was so done with all the stalling and excuses that the rest of her words tumbled out like a waterfall.
"You wouldn't have gotten hurt if we didn't get caught! And we wouldn't have gotten caught if we hadn't gone to the convenience store, and we wouldn't have had to go there if I didn't accidentally invite everyone else over to your house, and I wouldn't have done that if I wasn't so selfish and hell bent on walking home alone with you!"
It took him a moment to process all of what she said before he scrunched his brow in confusion.
"Hold on, why the hell did you want to walk home with me in the first place? I thought your house was the other way."
(Y/N) felt her cheeks flush a bit, it didn't help that their captors had decided to stop scarfing and listen in on their conversation.
No use in hiding it now.
"I...wanted to get you alone because my original plan of getting you to meet me on the roof was ruined by the whole...meteor crashing into the school thing."
"I still don't think I understand..."
One of the Bass High punk let out an exasperated groan.
"For christ's sake, you friggin' moron! She's trying to say that she's got the hots for you!"
One of his comrades gave him a scolding punch in the arm.
"Dude, let her be the one to say it!"
Maeda blinked a few times in disbelief before turning back to a very brightly blushing (Y/N).
"Is that all true, (Y/N)?"
She shyly nodded.
"You've been the one person I can really count on since I've transfered here. I know that the other guys sometimes ignore you or give you crap for all sorts of stupid stuff...but I've really grown to like you for who you are. Which is why I'd like to formally say..."
She stood up as straight she could and maneuvered her body to fully face towards him.
"Akira Maeda, I really like you. Will you please go out with me?"
The Bass High boys leaned together in anticipation.
His reply came with a soft smile.
"Sure."
(Y/N) felt her heart soar up into the atmosphere as all the rival delinquents began to cheer and holler.
Then an idea popped into her head.
"Excuse me, fellas." (Y/N) spoke up as soon as most of the noise died down, "But you wouldn't mind leaving me and the new beau alone for a little bit? You know how it goes." She flashed them a wink.
"N-now, wait just a minute!" Maeda protested, a creeping shade of pink filling his cheeks.
"Getting right to the point, eh? I like your style, girlie." one of them smirked.
The Bass High boys began to fill out the building, filling the air as they left with wolf-whistling and sly chuckles. The heavy door slammed behind them and then, silence.
(Y/N) couldn't help but smile smugly.
Heh. Morons…
But seeing the sudden devilish grin on her face did nothing to settle poor Maeda's nerves.
"H-Hey, (Y/N)" he cleared his throat awkwardly "I'm not saying that I...y'know...don't want to do that kind of stuff with you, but don't you think that we should-"
Now that she was finally able to free one of her hands from the rope, she quickly covered Maeda's mouth.
"Try to keep your voice low," she whispered "those creeps might still be listening in on us. Give me a sec and I'll get you out of here."
Letting out a small sigh of relief, Maeda sat as still as possible until she was able to untie him and help him off the ground. Finding a large stack of old gym mats, the duo was able to quickly and quietly push them against the wall before climbing up, slipping out one of the small windows, and make their escape. Trying to put as much distance between themselves and Bass High, the two ran quite a ways before stopping at small park to catch their breath.
"Well…" Maeda panted, still trying to fully catch his breath "I'd say today has certainly had a lot of firsts."
He walked over to a nearby bench and slumped down.
"Really?" she lowered herself next to him with a weary smile. "I thought today's meteor was at least the second or third one this year."
"No kidding." he replied with a dry chuckle. "But seriously, I really feel like I should thank you. Tonight was the first time I think anyone gave a damn to try and save me."
"It was the least I could do. But, hopefully that doesn't happen again anytime soon," she with a small scoff, "I don't think I can just bat my eyes at them to fool them anymore after today."
Maeda bashfully stuffed his hands into his pockets.
"It was still a pretty good act. You sure as hell got me going for a minute."
She couldn't help but chuckle.
"Dude, we were both still tied up. What the hell did you think I was going to do?"
Maeda's faced reddened a bit.
"You don't need to answer that, Maeda. It was a joke."
There was a short moment of silence between them. Maeda took one hand of his pocket and began to uneasily scratch at the back of his neck.
"Sorry." he mumbled, "I don't really have any experience when it comes to this relationship stuff. I guess I'm not fully sure how I should be acting right now."
"If makes you feel any better, I'm just as new to this as you are." (Y/N) said with a soft smile.
"Besides, I'm pretty sure it's not all that different from acting how we are as friends. Except we can hang out on dates and do other stuff."
"What do you mean by 'other stuff'?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
Her reply was small kiss on the cheek. Before Maeda really had time to a fumble out a reply, (Y/N) interlocked her fingers with his and hoisted him off the bench.
"C'mon," she beamed "the corner store is open all night and I still have enough on me to get that melon bread I still owe you."
With that, the newly christened couple walked into the night hand in hand. While more than content with each other's company, they both felt a very small tug at the back of their minds, as if they had perhaps forgotten something.
Meanwhile, the clock ticked away steadily in Maeda's living room. The rest of the Cromartie High gang sat around…still waiting for him and (Y/N) to come home.