a/n: originally posted on ao3 in july 2021! i think this is at least the third longer-than-3-sentences fic i've written about characters going to a fancy party, but the first that isn't actually AT the party

Limos aren't something Kagami sits in everyday, or any day for that matter. In fact, he doesn't recall ever being inside of one before, but here he is in the backseat of Akashi's limo, sitting next to the guy himself, in Kyoto.

"Listen...I'm gonna be honest with you, I wasn't planning on showing up."

Akashi hums. "I'm not surprised. It's a long way for you to come for such a small thing. I'm grateful you did, though."

Kagami sighs and leans back against the seat. He still feels stiff. "Yeah, okay. Maybe it's small for you but it's not like parties with a 'plus one' requirement are normal for me, y'know."

"Oh, it's not a requirement. I simply requested your company and you agreed."

Kagami sputters. "But I thought-!"

Akashi smiles at him. "My apologies if you were under that impression. I appreciate your willingness to help me out if that had been the case."

Kagami groans and slumps against the seat. He realizes in that moment he's maybe fallen into the pattern the rest of the generation of miracles guys have: when Akashi calls, they come. He said he almost didn't show, but he knew he was getting on that train, hell or high water.

He looks out the window. Kyoto...he's never been.

"So...you got a spare room?"

"Plenty."

Of course a guy with a limo's probably got a mansion or something. Kagami didn't know he had money like that; you learn something new every day. He turns his head to look at Akashi.

"Hey, uh...thanks for housing me and stuff while I'm here."

"I'm always happy to accommodate a dear friend."

A "dear friend," huh?

Kagami, now somewhat bothered, takes to looking out the window again. They're driving farther out of the city now; it's not Kagami's usual scenery at all anymore. He's used to living right in the city, right in the middle of Tokyo. Maybe not directly in the middle, but the point remains.

He figures Akashi may be comfortable with the silence but he finds he isn't.

"Why me?"

Akashi takes a moment to respond. "I have my reasons."

"That's real vague of you."

A chuckle causes Kagami to glance back at Akashi. "Sorry. They're selfish reasons, so if you could wait until after tonight I'll let you in on them, then."

Kagami huffs. "Yeah, alright, sure. I can wait."

After a dizzying night of following Akashi around a ballroom of adults in his rented tux, carrying around a glass of sparkling water he barely drank and trying to contain himself at the appetizers table, Kagami finds himself back in the back of Akashi's limo. He heaves a large exhale of relief and undoes his clip-on bowtie. As he unbuttons the first two buttons of his shirt he lets out another sigh.

"Glad that's over," he says, "how do you do that? You do that stuff all the time, right?"

Akashi, poised, clean and very good-looking, smiles at him. "Not as often as you would expect. Shame you've already undone yourself, you were quite handsome."

Coming from Akashi, the compliment is enough to make Kagami blush.

"What, did that wear off just because I loosened up a bit?" he presses. Stupid, why did he say that?

Akashi looks him over; Kagami feels his eyes taking him in. "Hm...perhaps the contrary. This suits you more."

Kagami feels something stir inside of him. Is it embarrassment?

"Yeah? You're not so bad yourself."

Do "dear friends" compliment each other's good looks back and forth like this? Should he be feeling this way about it? He knows he feels something towards Akashi but it's been hard to describe what it is.

Akashi smiles again, though it's smaller, quicker. "Thank you, Kagami." He sighs. "I told you I would explain my selfish reasons for inviting you after the party, didn't I?"

Kagami almost forgot. "Huh? Oh, yeah, you did. What's up?"

He's never seen Akashi seem hesitant before; he's always confident, every action and word full of intent. It's something Kagami likes about him. Right now he's watching Akashi tap his knee and stare hard across the long expanse of the limo's back area. What could be so troubling?

"Maybe it would be better to tell you in the morning. I wouldn't want to make things awkward while you're staying in my home."

Kagami rolls his eyes. "I can handle whatever it is. Even if you're, I dunno, confessing to me or something I won't make it, uh...weird..."

Confessing to him? The thought made him nearly stop in his tracks. Was that the missing piece in his confusion? He was going for the most outlandish thing he could think of, but it seemed he hit the nail on the head in his mind. Did he just complicate things?

Akashi sighs. "Is that so?"

"Y-yeah! I mean, if I, y'know, said that kind of stuff to you, you wouldn't make it weird, right?"

Way to be obvious.

Akashi's expression changes from something distant to something almost amused. Did he already catch on? Or does he just find Kagami entertaining? "I suppose not, no."

"See? So whatever it is, I'll roll with it!"

Akashi puts his hand to his chin, considering. Then he drops his hand and looks up at Kagami. "Alright then. You were correct: I'm confessing to you."

Kagami stares back at him. He was...he was joking. Well, at first he was joking, then he kind of hoped it was true, but he wasn't prepared for the joke to become true at all after how short of time this turnaround happened in and-and he was overcomplicating this. This is the first time anyone had ever confessed to him and it was Akashi in the back of a limo after a fancy party. There is plenty to process.

But Akashi is watching him, waiting.

"I, uh..."

"You mean more to me than I believe you realize. You've made quite the impact on my life, and I couldn't be more grateful. You're tenacious, passionate, and loyal." Akashi says. Then he chuckles. "And I have to say I found your performance at the party very charming despite how clearly out of place you were."

Kagami knows he's blushing. Why try to even hide it at this point. "Gee, thanks."

"I appreciated your effort to fit in."

"Yeah, well..."

Akashi smiles at Kagami and Kagami can tell that something's been lifted off Akashi's shoulders. Right, he needs to respond to that whole confession thing. Oh boy.

Kagami takes a deep breath. "Uh, hey...look...I think you're a real great guy, too. You really care about the others and I think we all put our trust in you for a reason. I haven't even known you that long and I feel, I dunno, safe with you. And there's this part of me that wants to be around you; I want to know more about you."

Akashi looks shocked. That's an expression Kagami's only seen on him when Kuroko's involved. Then Akashi huffs and smiles. "Well then. You've surprised me, Kagami."

Kagami scratches the back of his head. "Yeah, well..."

"So am I to understand you reciprocate my feelings?"

"Yeah. I do."

Akashi reaches over and puts his hand on top of Kagami's. "I'm happy to hear that. Why don't we talk?"

Kagami stares at their hands for a moment, then turns his palm up so that they can intertwine their fingers. He smiles at Akashi. "Yeah, I'd like that."