Sunlight gently coaxes Akira from sleep. His eyes remain shut despite the light seeping through his lids, the warmth sinking into his whole being and making him feel heavy against the couch.
He inhales deeply. The oxygen rouses his body, but what truly brings his senses to focus is the scent that accompanies. A mix of familiar coffee and something else, something warm and inviting and sweet like a flower that Akira just wants to bury himself in.
Slowly, he opens his eyes. The attic greets him, sunlight filtering inside in the form of bright rays, though without the usual specks of dust floating in them.
Akira groggily sits up, the blanket that had been pulled up to his nose falling down his torso. His vision finally in full focus, he glances around the room, rubbing sleep from one of his eyes.
No Akechi.
Or Morgana, either, he realizes.
He pulls his phone from his pocket.
March 20
8:09AM
No service
Akira groans lightly. He couldn't recall the last time he saw any time earlier than 11AM on non-school days.
Switching his phone into a battery saver mode, he pockets it again, and stands up. He glimpses at his glasses - folded neatly and placed on the table next to him. Hadn't he fallen asleep with them on?
…He had, hadn't he.
He puts them on, and then, after hearing a faint noise from downstairs, makes his decision.
His steps to the bed are light and quick. Akechi's phone sat on it, plugged into the outlet next to his pillow. Curiously, Akira notices, only a thin sheet covers his mattress.
He turns his head back to the couch, where the blanket that was on him still lay.
The phone vibrates, bringing his attention back to it.
Focusing firmly on the task at hand, Akira picks it up. The notification was, thankfully, just that it was fully charged, and not a message Akira wouldn't be able to check without causing the suspicion of deleting the notification.
He unlocks the screen - noticing now that it's cracked. As far as he remembered, Akechi's screen had no abrasion, and it seemed rather unlike him.
Then again, so did having a phone background that was a picture of him, Ann, Ryuji, and Yusuke.
Akira notes that Akechi's phone does indeed have service, before quickly going to the text messages.
Unlike his own texting app, Akechi's was plainer, displaying no chat icons and rather than conversation topics, simply the first line of the conversation was displayed. Sighing, Akira taps the most recent one. The familiar icons of all Akira's friends display at the top of the page, and his eyes start to follow the chat log:
March 20, 1:14AM
Goro Akechi: Anyone else still awake?
Futaba Sakura: Of course
Ryuji Sakamoto: Yo
Ann Takamaki: Barely
Yusuke Kitagawa: Indeed.
Ann Takamaki: What's up?
Goro Akechi: Can't sleep.
Futaba Sakura: Want me to come over and we can play Star Forneus?
Goro Akechi: I appreciate that, but I wouldn't want you to walk this late at night by yourself. Besides, you actually couldn't right now.
Futaba Sakura: ;_; why not
Goro Akechi: It's a bit of a complicated situation.
Ann Takamaki: Complicated?
Ryuji Sakamoto: What's going on?
Goro Akechi: Someone is actually sleeping over here.
Futaba Sakura: O_O
Ryuji Sakamoto: TMI
Ann Takamaki: Omg don't leave us hanging
Ann Takamaki: Who is it
Goro Akechi: It's actually that boy we met outside the theater.
Ryuji Sakamoto: Oh it's a guy
Ryuji Sakamoto: That's kinda weird
Ann Takamaki: He was pretty cute
Ann Takamaki: Omg did you go looking for him after the movie
Ann Takamaki: He did seem to catch your eye
Goro Akechi: I did not
Goro Akechi: It was a coincidence. He was in the café when I got back. It's a long story but he had nowhere to stay for the night so I told him he could stay here.
Futaba Sakura: That's convenient. Are you sure he didn't make it up?
Goro Akechi: He didn't.
Ryuji Sakamoto: How do you know
Ryuji Sakamoto: You don't even know this guy and you're letting him sleep in your room…
Ann Takamaki: So you two met by coincidence a second time and hit it off so well that you'd let him stay over… omg
Yusuke Kitagawa: Does anyone know if there are 24 hour art stores?
Futaba Sakura: _
Ann Takamaki: Omg Yusuke
Yusuke Kitagawa: Yes?
Ryuji Sakamoto: Dude scroll up
Goro Akechi: Never mind it
Goro Akechi: Anyway, I just wanted to ask if I could invite him tomorrow, if his situation still isn't resolved by morning.
Ann Takamaki: YES
Ann Takamaki: You have to
Ryuji Sakamoto: Where did all this energy come from
Ryuji Sakamoto: I thought you were barely awake
Ann Takamaki: Things like this energize me
Ann Takamaki: Anyway, I'm sure everyone will be fine with it. I mean, I'm bringing Shiho
Ryuji Sakamoto: Yeah, fine with me
Futaba Sakura: I object!
Ann Takamaki: Why?
Futaba Sakura: Kidding. Just make sure you don't let him keep you up too late :3
Ann Takamaki: Omg
Goro Akechi: He's asleep
Ryuji Sakamoto: DUDE
Futaba Sakura: Wow! Good job!
Goro Akechi: I am going to bed.
Ryuji Sakamoto: Seriously dude though be careful
Ryuji Sakamoto: Like I said, you don't even know him
Yusuke Kitagawa: If you can't sleep, perhaps you could give me some feedback on this piece I'm working on? I'm thinking of adding a different shade of blue to this part, but I can't tell if it's fine as it is, and moreover, I don't have the shade of blue I want.
Futaba Sakura: -_-
Goro Akechi: I am sure it looks lovely as is.
Yusuke Kitagawa: Oh, you let that boy stay over?
Futaba Sakura: -_-
Goro Akechi: Good night, everyone. See you tomorrow.
Ann Takamaki: Good luck!
Ryuji Sakamoto: Night
Futaba Sakura: o/
Yusuke Kitagawa: Don't hesitate to call if you need anything, at any time.
Goro Akechi: Thank you.
Akira scrolls down but no more messages appear.
He backs out, going to tap the next log - or perhaps he should go back further, or look at his contacts -
"Mrow."
Akira turns fast, meeting Morgana's bright blue eyes staring at him from the top of the stairs.
Feeling his stomach flip, Akira hastily backs all the way back to the home screen. "Listen," he says quietly, "don't tell him. Please. I can't explain, but I'm not trying to cause any problems. There's just something I have to find out. I would never hurt him."
He pauses at that, thumb freezing as he went up to lock the screen.
"At least give me the day," he says, looking back at Morgana. "If you still think I'm suspicious by then, fine. But -"
A footstep creaks the bottom step.
Akira locks the phone and quickly places it back on the bed, before making brisk steps over to the couch. He sits down just as the top of Akechi's head comes into view.
"Ah, you're up," Akechi says with a smile warmer than the sun that had woke Akira in the first place. "How did you sleep?"
"Well, actually," Akira says, the realization of how light and rested his body felt hitting him only now, despite how early he rose.
"I'm glad. Here," Akechi says, holding out one of the plates he was carrying. "Apologies I didn't have time to make anything nicer. I usually wake up earlier than this."
"Thank you," Akira says as he takes the plate. On it lay two slices of toast and a small bowl of rice. "I really appreciate it."
Akechi sits on the other end of the couch. "It's no problem."
The two eat quietly, but it's just a few bites later that Akechi asks, "Did your parents contact you at all?"
Akira takes a large bite of the toast, giving himself several moments before he answers, "Oh, yeah. They're not sure exactly what's happening today, but it looks like they probably won't be here till late, if at all."
"I see," Akechi says. "That's unfortunate for them."
Akira watches him over the rim of his glasses. Akechi chews his next bite slowly, eyes staring down at his food. "In that case," he says after swallowing, "did you have plans for today?"
"Not at all."
Akechi clears his throat and pushes a lock of hair behind his ear, eyes barely meeting Akira's. "Well, my friends and I were going to have a picnic at a park nearby while the sakura are in bloom. You're more than welcome to come, if you'd like."
"That sounds really nice," Akira says, feeling a smile on his face that contrasts the feeling of his stomach doing a small jump. There's a pause before he adds, "Are the sakura really blooming already?"
"Oh, yes. Actually, we originally planned to do this at the start of April, but since the reports started about how they're blooming unnaturally early, and we were all free today, we decided to do it now rather than potentially miss it."
Akira nods slowly. The news had been on in Leblanc before he left yesterday - there were definitely no such reports.
Akechi takes another couple quick bites to finish off his rice, and then stands. "Anyway, I need to go back downstairs. We're all bringing different things, and I forgot to start preheating the oven."
"What are you making?" Akira asks, sitting up straight.
"Just some cookies," Akechi says, walking over toward the stairs. "Feel free to turn on the TV, by the way."
Akira stands up. "Can I help you?"
Akechi looks back at him, and when their gazes catch then Akira is finally able to take a moment to really look at him for the first time in the morning: with the sunlight hitting him directly, it was easy to see each and every strand of Akechi's sleep-tousled hair that was out of place. He had changed into pajamas at some point after Akira fell asleep, as he was now in a loose-fitting t-shirt and sweatpants. In the warm light his hair seems honey-coated. His eyes, too, seem just as sweet, but less due to the lighting.
"Don't be silly, you're a guest," Akechi says after a moment.
"You're the one who's giving me a place to stay, and food, and inviting me out," Akira says, already taking a step forward. "Besides, I want to help. I like to bake."
Not entirely true, actually. He had no real feelings about baking itself. …Really, he should probably stay up here and comb through Akechi's phone more.
Yet still, when Akechi smiles and says, "If you're sure," Akira finds his own lips being tugged into a grin.
Akira follows him downstairs, after backtracking just a moment to grab his own plate. He puts it in the sink atop Akechi's before Akechi hands him an apron.
"Isn't the café going to open soon?" Akira asks as he puts the apron over his head and ties it around his back.
"Actually, no, he's not opening today," Akechi says, turning a couple knobs on the oven. "He has some personal business to take care of."
Akira raises an eyebrow, but Akechi doesn't meet his gaze, instead rummaging through one of the cabinets. He pulls out a large bowl and then sets it on the counter.
"Could you get two eggs out of the fridge and crack them into the bowl?" Akechi asks as he turns around and starts to look through a different cabinet.
"Mmhm." Akira opens the fridge - at a glance, the contents seem identical to the last he had opened it - and does as asked, taking two eggs from the carton.
He shuts the door with his foot and cracks one of the eggs on the edge of the bowl, watching Akechi out of the corner of his eye. Akechi lifts a hefty bag of flour from one of the lower cabinets, placing it on the counter and pulling a measuring cup from a drawer.
"Making from scratch?" Akira asks, cracking the second egg.
Akechi smiles. "I've actually never used premade mix. I've been told these taste better, anyway."
Akira looks at him a moment, before tossing the eggshells into the trash. Being able to make homemade cookies wasn't something he had exactly expected out of Akechi, but telling him it was unexpected would probably be suspicious.
Then again, Akechi had let Akira sleep over last night despite barely knowing him.
"Can you get the sugar? It's in the cabinet behind me."
Akira is opening the cabinet before Akechi specifies which one, and clears his throat as he puts it on the counter. "How many cups of this?"
"Two, for how much we're making," Akechi says, handing Akira the cup after pouring in one more of flour.
"You have quite a feel for this," Akira says, scooping a cup.
Akechi rolls up the bag of flour and puts it back in the cabinet, before taking out a few smaller containers. "It's just something I've done a lot, especially when I was younger."
Akira nods as he pours the next cup. After rolling the bag up and placing it back in its compartment, he looks back at Akechi. Akechi watches closely as he scoops teaspoons of baking powder, careful that the small measuring is filled just right before dropping it into the bowl. Once a few of those are in, he moves onto the salt, and Akira puts the baking powder away, and then the salt once Akechi is done, as Akechi adds vanilla extract.
"Just some milk and butter," he says, putting the teaspoon into the sink. He opens the fridge and pulls both of them out, setting the butter on the counter next to Akira. "A quarter cup of that, and I'll warm the butter up a little bit."
Akira nods, reaching into a different drawer than the one where the other measurement cups were kept - Sojiro was weird like that, something about how often he needed things - and pulls out the quarter cup, carefully measuring out the milk. He hears the microwave beep behind him, and glances at Akechi out of the corner of his eye. His gaze meets Akechi's - like he'd been watching - before Akechi quickly looks back at the microwave, opening it and taking the butter out.
Akira puts the quarter cup into the sink as Akechi measures out some amount of butter with the cup, tapping it on the edge of the bowl with a clink when he's done.
"Do you mind starting to stir this for me? We're low on time, and I need to text them to make sure everyone's ready," Akechi says.
"Sure," Akira says. This time he waits for Akechi to take the whisk out of a drawer and place it on the counter.
Akechi doesn't look back as he goes up the stairs.
Akira stirs against the heavy batter, eyes still on the place Akechi had turned the corner. Did Akechi have suspicions? Was he going to tell the Thieves?
Maybe it was better that way. If Akira could confirm the details of their activities, then -
Then what?
Akira stops stirring.
What was he even doing here? What was he trying to accomplish?
He realizes, standing in the empty Leblanc, that he had walked through that door in the Velvet Room yesterday with no plan at all. As soon as the possibility of seeing Akechi was even a bit real, his mind had been set.
His own recklessness had long ceased to surprise himself, but recklessness without reason was not only surprising, but terrifying.
Akira's eyes close. In the silence, it's not hard to imagine being back upstairs, sitting on the couch with Akechi. The comfort, the easy feeling. All the little things he had learned about Akechi.
Maybe that's why he was here.
Lavenza's voice is clear in his mind: "Death is perhaps the only absolute in this world."
What if this wasn't even Akechi at all? Akechi was - dead. Dead. It didn't matter if he died in the Metaverse. Why would that matter? Death was death. It was when the body ceased to function. It was when life was over. It was when you stopped to exist, and other people were no longer able to see you, to talk to you, to learn about you.
Maybe that door hadn't really been about Akechi at all. Maybe this was some kind of divine punishment, because maybe it was even more Akira's fault than he realized.
He remembers Akechi at the Thieves' meetings, always close to him. Akechi, always at his side in the casino and in Mementos. Akechi, who never really responded to group texts that much, and then Akira would open their private, blank chat window, stare at it, and close it. Akechi, who would come to Akira at the station every so often to talk. Akechi, who Akira would gaze at from across the platform, but never approach first. Akechi, who looked so desperate and confused and torn that night on the cruise ship.
"You really like Joker, don't you?"
That was when Akechi had really lost it, wasn't it.
Akechi hadn't been honest with his feelings, and it cost him.
Had Akira not been either?
He already knows what it cost him.
He stirs the batter with enough force that some of it spills out.
Death was death.
The fact that he was getting this time with Akechi and learning all these things about him, despite that - he should be glad he has the chance at all.
He is. He is. The way Akechi talked and smiled -
Akira's stomach stops churning and his heart jumps a bit.
That was worth anything.
The stairs creak loudly and Akira looks down at the bowl, the mix having turned into a smooth finish.
Akechi sets his bag on one of the booth tables, and then walks over to Akira. "Thank you," he says, and Akira shakes his head, pulling the whisk out and tapping it on the side of the bowl.
"Ah," Akechi says, taking a step closer. "Hold still."
He brings a hand up and with a touch much too soft, his finger slides across Akira's cheek. His bare skin is only lukewarm but it sends a wave of heat down Akira's body.
It was a touch somehow even gentler than the way Akira must be looking at him right now.
Akechi brings his hand back, a bit of the cookie mix on his finger. "You - had some on your face," he says, looking away quickly. He walks to the sink and washes it off.
"Thanks," Akira says, swallowing and looking down. "So, uh, where's the tray so we can get these in the oven?"
Akechi nods and heads to the cabinet next to the oven, moving some things around before pulling out a long tray. After setting it on the counter, he sprays it down with oil.
They roll the dough into balls and place them on the tray in silence.
"I had fun last night," Akira says eventually.
His eyes glance over to Akechi. Akechi's hands stop rolling the dough in his hand - for just a moment.
"I did too," Akechi says, gaze remaining fixed downwards.
They make a few more in silence.
Then, Akechi looks up at him, and their eyes meet. "You can come here," he says, voice quick. It slows as he continues, "If you want to, or if you need something…" Finally, his gaze falls back down, long lashes hooding his half-shut eyes. "If you need a place where… if you need some place to just -"
The oven beeps so loud they both jump a little.
Akechi looks over to it, and then back to the now-filled cookie tray. "Oh - it's preheated." Without looking at Akira, he picks up the tray, opens the oven door, and carefully pushes it inside.
He stands there, and Akira rubs the back of his neck. "Well, those will be done soon," Akira eventually says.
"Yeah," Akechi says, setting a timer on the oven. There's a pause before he adds, "I'm going to go change," and he heads up without taking off his apron.
Akira stares at the stairs a moment.
Then, he unties his apron and brings it over his head, hanging it up neatly.
In the silence it's easy to hear even the smallest movements from upstairs. He hears the floorboards creak, and Morgana meow. Akechi's voice is too soft to be intelligible.
Then there's the sound of the floorboard next to the bed - Akira knows that one too well - and Morgana meows again, and then the silence returns.
Akira stands still in the quietude, ears carefully focused, for about a minute until he finally sits down at the counter.
Aimlessly, he pulls his phone from his pocket, and flips through his apps in more detail. Aside from a lack of contacts and messages, there are also no photos in his gallery and no Internet history. A complete reset.
He pockets the phone and looks back to the stairs. There's still not even the moving of the floorboards, or Akechi's quiet voice.
Morgana's head appears at the top step, craning down and looking at Akira from around the corner.
Akira tilts his head a bit and waves once, but Morgana is back upstairs before his hand is even up.
A minute passes, and then another. The silence pursues. And it pursues for the next ten minutes that Akira sits at the counter alone.
Only when the oven beeps does he hear movement from upstairs again, and a moment later Akechi is descending the steps. Instead of his pajamas, now he wore a black shirt tucked into a pair of jeans, and a white overshirt buttoned up halfway. It was by far the most casual look Akira had ever seen him in, but more than that, the outfit was strangely familiar…
His eyes meet Akechi's. Akechi gives him a small, warm smile, before setting his bag down onto a table and heading to the oven.
"Can you get a container for these from the cabinet over here?" Akechi asks as he carefully reaches a gloved hand in to grab the tray. He places it on the counter and takes off the glove, quickly opening the drawer and taking out a spatula.
Akira does as asked and puts a sizable plastic container next to the tray, and is silent as Akechi peels the cookies off and places them inside. "We should get going right after this. Though," he adds, laughing a little, "knowing them, at least a few are bound to be late."
Akira smiles, and pets Morgana, who had jumped onto one of the counter chairs. Sniffing fervently, he leans in toward the cookies.
"Don't worry," Akechi says, pausing his motions to stroke him once, "you'll get a bit too."
It takes less than a minute for Akechi to package the cookies safely and Akira already has his shoes on when Akechi slings his bag, packed with the cookies and Morgana, over his shoulder.
The café bell chimes as they leave.
The weather is all sorts of pleasant. A soft breeze carries the air of spring, and a bright sun sits in the crisp blue, cloudless sky. It's the sort of shining sun that brings out every highlight of Akechi's hair, making it glitter even amongst all the shadows cast by the buildings of the back alley.
Akira turns his attention to the path in front of them, only glancing at Akechi out of the corner of his eye, now. They walk in silence for a few moments before he asks, "So have you always gone to Shujin?"
Akechi glances at him before turning his gaze back ahead of them and saying, "Only for my last year, actually."
"Oh?" Akira says. "Why'd you transfer?"
As they turn the corner and start to close in on the station, Akechi pulls his wallet from his pocket, attention fixed firmly on it. "Well… it's a bit complicated."
Akira waits a moment and then says, slowly, "Did something happen?"
Akechi's pace dwindles a bit. "Mm… not exactly…"
They come upon the subway entrance and Akechi takes hurried footsteps down into it. Akira picks up his own pace a bit to match, swiping his card at the terminal and following Akechi to the platform.
They stand next to each other at the edge. The crowd is far from the rush that Akira generally encountered on his way to school, but even if it was packed, Akira doubts that the talk of a crowd could pierce the silence between him and Akechi.
"I didn't mean to pry," Akira says, running two fingers through a part of his bangs. "Sorry."
Akechi quickly shakes his head, his gaze unmoving off of the train tracks. "No, no. I don't mind. …I'm happy you're interested. It's really… just a family thing, I suppose. Some information got out in regards to my situation and the school I was attending before made it clear they didn't want me there any longer. I ended up at Shujin because it was in the relative area, but not too close to where I lived… which is another reason I'm staying at the café. I admit I didn't feel good about it at first… but now I'm thankful." Akechi looks up, a small smile on his face. "After all, if I hadn't transferred to Shujin, I wouldn't have met all my current friends. And I wouldn't have met you either." He looks at Akira, a sparkle in his eyes even without the sun shining in them. "Like I said, I really do think fate brings people together."
Akira feels his mouth curve into a smile on its own. Faintly, he hears the beeping signal of an incoming train.
Akechi's eyes move back down, his smile fading a bit. "Actually… to be honest, when I talk to you, I feel like -"
The train shoots by them, grinding loudly against the tracks. It brings a rush of air, one that pushes Akechi's hair fair enough forward that he has to hold it back in place with a hand.
"It looks crowded," Akechi says, and Akira fights to hold in a laugh as Akechi starts to carefully brush locks of hair back into place. "Let's hurry."
Several people get off the train only for several more to get on, which makes it for a bit of tight squeeze as Akira and Akechi slip inside. It's not stuffed to the brim, but as the train door closes, Akira finds himself unable to position himself in a way where he's not at least brushing up against Akechi's side.
As the train starts to move, Akechi looks over at Akira. "But I want to hear about you, too, if that's alright. Where did you live before this? Why'd your parents move?"
Akira rubs the back of his neck. "Just a regular small city, I guess. It definitely doesn't compare to Tokyo, but it was busy enough. My parents… it's also kind of complicated family things, I guess." Akira's heart weighs a bit heavy with the lie. "But my old school didn't want me anymore either, actually."
"I see," Akechi says, looking a bit away. Akira's heart drops further into his stomach.
"But I don't mind, really. I didn't have any attachment to where I lived… no friends really or anything." Akechi meet his gaze again, and this time Akira is the one who casts his eyes downward. "Actually, I'm really not close with my parents at all. …I'm glad that I've had this time away from them."
Akechi offers him a warm smile. "Transferring to a school with no real friends… we are rather alike, aren't we?" Then, he gives a small laugh, lightly covering his mouth with his hand. "Maybe it's a good thing I'm a year ahead of you. We could have ended up as something like rivals."
Akira looks at him. "I don't think that would be so bad. …But I think we work better as friends."
The train is loud as it reaches a stop. Akechi doesn't speak over it, and just evenly meets Akira's gaze. Akechi's eyes are darker in the artificial train light, and his searching look only adds to the effect.
As people move around, some getting off and others getting on, and Akira and Akechi shift around a bit. It starts to move again and Akira can no longer find Akechi's eyes, his bangs obscuring them as he looks down.
"How was the movie yesterday, by the way? I didn't get to ask about it too much. And I don't mind spoilers," Akira says with a small smile.
Akechi looks back at him, and, thankfully, Akira sees a small smile return to his face.
And so they spend the rest of the ride in conversation. The movie topic quickly dissolves into a discussion on the book it was loosely based on, and Akira finds out that Akechi likes to read, that he likes mystery and detective novels, and then Akira is able to hear about how Akechi wants to study criminology in college. When he asks Akira what he plans to study, Akira tells him honestly that he doesn't know. He doesn't bother thinking up some offhand idea, not because the lie is too much but because his mind is too occupied thinking of Akechi in college: Akechi studying and being an honors student just for the sake of it, not because he was attention starved, but because of a want to succeed, a want to go on with his study so that he can help victims. It suits him, it suits him so much more than being a "missing person" with no one looking for him.
When the train slows to its stop, its grinding against the tracks is that of a piercing, icy screech.
Akira steps off after Akechi. They head up the stairs and the spring sky greets them again, its brightness nearly harsh.
"Have you ever gone sakura viewing before?" Akechi asks.
"No, actually. Guess because I never really had anyone to go with," Akira says as they turn a corner. "What about you?"
"I have a few times. Not anytime recently, though. I think the last time was -"
"Hey hey you guys!"
Akira turns to meet the too-familiar voice. Ann is nearly skipping toward them, holding along Shiho by the hand.
"Hello," Akechi says, smiling at them. "I'm glad you could make it too, Suzui-san."
"Thank you for having me," Shiho says, bowing lightly.
Akechi shakes his head. "You're always welcome, you know."
"See, that's what I keep telling her, too!" Ann says.
They laugh a little, and Shiho gives Ann a small, playful pout.
"I'm sorry, let me introduce you. This is Akira Kurusu," Akechi says, gesturing at Akira. "He just moved here, and I let him stay over -"
"No, no! Give me the details later!" Ann says quickly, waving her hand. Not as subtly as she probably hoped, she taps at the bulge of her phone in her shorts pocket. "You're going to have to repeat it anyway, everyone else is going to want to know." She clears her throat, and looks at Akira. "I'm Ann Takamaki. It's nice to meet you! This is Shiho Suzui."
"Nice to meet you," Akira says.
"They both go to Shujin, in the same grade as you," Akechi says. "So if you need anything, I'm sure they'd be willing to help."
"You both go to Shujin?" Akira asks, eyebrow raised a bit.
Ann nods. "Yep. So you can count on us!"
Akira moves a strand of his bangs. "Thank you."
"We should go," Akechi says, looking at his phone. "Do you know if the others are here?" He asks as he starts to walk.
"I think I saw Makoto and Haru a bit ahead of us, but they're usually early, anyway," Ann says. "The other three will probably be late, knowing them…"
Akechi laughs a little.
"So, so, Kurusu-kun, what do you think of Tokyo? Did you move from somewhere far?" Ann asks.
"It's kind of busy, but I like it," Akira says. "And no, I didn't move from that far."
"I understand what it's like to be the transfer kid. I've moved around a lot… I'm lucky I have all the friends I do now, but back when I first transferred here… but first real friend was Shiho," Ann says. Akira's eyes move away as Ann gives Shiho a tender look, only to catch sight of her interlacing her fingers with Shiho's own. "I'm glad you were able to meet someone so nice as soon as you moved here, too," she finishes, looking at Akira with a smile.
Akira nods, looking ahead of them. "It's been really nice," he says, a bit softly.
"Oh, look!" Shiho says, pointing as they turn a corner.
The field of sakura trees comes into view. Pink petals sprinkle the grass, the trees in full bloom. Their vibrancy makes all else seem pale.
"Ooh, it's beautiful!" Ann says. "C'mon, c'mon."
The four of them cross the street and walk onto the field. A few couples and small groups wander amongst the trees, but not many people altogether.
"Do you think this is a good spot?" Ann says, walking with Shiho next to one of the bigger trees.
"I think so," Akechi says, following her. "We'll be able to see when the others come this way, probably, too."
Ann nods, slighting her tote bag off her shoulder and placing it next to the tree. Reaching in, she takes out and unfolds a large blanket, unfurling it and spreading it evenly on the ground. "Shiho, let's go see if we can find Makoto and Haru."
As they start to set off, Akechi sets down his bag next to Ann's, and within an instant Morgana leaps out, following right next to Ann.
"Ooh, are you coming, Morgana? Let's go, then!" She says.
Akechi sits down on the blanket. "It's funny, but Morgana does seem very fond of her," he says as Akira sits down next to him.
"She's nice," Akira says.
Akechi nods. "She's one of the first friends I made when I transferred, actually. I don't know Suzui-san all that well, but I like her, too. They make each other very happy."
Akechi says something else, too, but Akira's not too sure what, because his eyes are too focused on how a sakura petal has landed in Akechi's hair. It's cute, the warm pink bringing out the honey-coated sheen of his hair. Both equally soft.
"Kurusu-kun?"
Akira meets his gaze. "Hm?"
"I was wondering if I was maybe too forward… I hope you didn't feel obligated to come. I can understand it might be a bit uncomfortable suddenly having lunch with a group of people you don't know."
Akira quickly shakes his head. "Oh, no. I don't mind. I mean, I guess I usually would… but you guys are easy to be around. I really appreciate the invite."
Akechi laughs a little, back of his hand covering his mouth. "Well, I hope you still think that when the others get here."
"I will," Akira says. He then scoots a bit closer. "Before they do, you… have a petal in your hair, by the way."
Akechi's just barely made eye contact with him as Akira runs his fingers into Akechi's hair. It's even softer than it looks, softer than the petal that he picks up between his thumb and index. Akira watches the way the strands catch light as they move, letting them cascade in between his fingers a few seconds before he finally pulls back.
"Oh -" Akechi says, looking between the petal and Akira and back again. "Ah, thank you," he says, gaze moving down at the blanket.
"Ah! I knew it had to be something like that!"
In an instant Futaba is crouched on the blanket, looking intently from Akira to Akechi. "So?! How did it happen?"
"Hello, Futaba," Akechi says with a small sigh, though he wears a smile nonetheless.
"Hello," says Yusuke, sitting down now next to Futaba, having been several paces behind. "Sorry we're a bit late. After we met up, Futaba wanted to run back home to grab her sweater."
"Ahh, don't blame it just on me! You were late too!" Futaba says. "And it's a lot colder out than I thought it would be!"
"It is a rather chilly for this time of year," Akechi says, looking up at the sky. "It's odd, usually it has to be warmer for the sakura to bloom early…"
"Oh! Yusuke, Futaba-chan!" Ann calls, waving at them from the distance and still holding Shiho's hand with her other.
"Hello everyone," Haru says from behind her, waving at them with Makoto at her side.
"Can we eat now? I'm hungry," Futaba says, taking out a few containers from her bag. "I brought curry that Sojiro made for us!"
"We should wait for Ryuji too," Makoto says as she sits on the blanket with the others. "Besides, some introductions are in order."
She looks expectedly at Akira who says, "Oh, I'm Akira Kurusu. It's nice -"
"Hey, hey! Wait for me!" Ryuji calls, running over to them.
"Aw. I was looking forward to eating his share…" Futaba mumbles.
"I heard that," Ryuji says as he sits cross-legged with them.
Makoto laughs softly. "Akira Kurusu, then?"
Akira nods. "I just moved here, and… Akechi's been helping me as my situation gets sorted out." He pauses, not oblivious to the several glances that get tossed around. "I'm transferring to Shujin for my third year, so… I hope we all get along."
"I'm Ryuji Sakamoto," Ryuji says quickly, waving his hand. "I'm going into my third year at Shujin too, so let's be pals."
The rest introduce themselves in tow, and at this point Futaba is pulling the food from everyone else's bags for them.
The lunch is sprinkled with warm conversation - thankfully, no one asks too much about Akira's personal life, but no one else talks about theirs much, either. It's mostly discussion about current events, school - normal friend talk. The sorts of discussions the Thieves' meetings would dissolve into if there was no more business to be had. Everyone is the same person that Akira had seen only yesterday.
Only Akechi seems different. Because every other moment, he's smiling, laughing. He's talking about normal high school boy things, not mental shutdowns and plans to ruin his father's life, void of any other ambition. But his keen intellect is there, his sharp wit, and an ease of conversation flows between them - one that Akira realizes isn't actually all that different, because he recognizes it, he recognizes it from the way they would speak in Leblanc, Akechi sitting there with a coffee cup that's been empty for hours.
So maybe Akechi's warmth and smile and laugh at conversation with his friend isn't so different either.
"I'm glad you brought this guy with you," Futaba says once the food as dwindled down to just the cookies and Ann and Shiho's crepes. Smiling at Akira, she continues, "He's fun."
"Hell yeah," Ryuji says. "You fit right in with us, dude. I hope we get put into the same class."
Akira smiles at them, leaning back against the tree. "Thanks. Me too."
"Oh, now that we're not eatin' so much, why don't we play a game? I brought cards," Ryuji says, quickly fishing through his bag.
"Ooh, like what, poker?" Futaba leans forward. "I'll warn you, I'm pretty good."
"I can't imagine you have much of a poker face," Ann says.
"Okay, okay, everyone knows how to play, right?" Ryuji says, shuffling the cards. He only does it for a few moments, quickly passing them out to everyone. "Aces high. Jokers are wild."
Akira takes his hand, watching from the corner of his eye as Akechi takes his with slight hesitation.
"What, afraid you're gonna lose?" Akira teases.
"Hm?" Akechi says, looking at him. Their eyes don't exactly meet, Akechi's quickly moving back down to his cards. "Oh, no."
He laughs, too similar to the one Akira had heard so often on TV.
With as many people as they had, the game was a bit long. Off the bat, Akira is handed a full house that ultimately wins him the game. Akechi folded early in, and Akira can't help but think he probably smiled at his cards a bit and gave himself away.
After that, Makoto and Haru take their leave, saying they had shopping to do while the day was somewhat young. The remaining play another game; this time, Akechi is surprisingly - or maybe unsurprisingly - aggressive, moreso than the others besides Akira himself, and it's much more fun. This time Akira manages to accumulate a three of a kind of aces that bring him this win as well. Yusuke and Futaba bid their farewells at the end.
Ryuji deals out what he says is the last hand, and Akira quickly takes his new cards. This time, they decided to play by having a shared hand in the middle, and after the first few center cards are revealed Akira has little hope for a three win streak. With just the five of them left, the chances of him winning on nothing but a joker and an ace are slim.
But after Ryuji folds and there's just one card left unflipped - Akira could easily win if it's the one of the three remaining aces, as with the joker, it would be three of a kind. Not ideal, but a fair chance with these odds.
"Fold," Ann sighs, placing down her cards.
"Me too," Shiho says.
"Either of you quittin'? You better not, it's the last hand, you gotta stay in." Ryuji says, leaning forward.
"I think you should stop while you're ahead, Kurusu-kun," Akechi says with a coy smile.
"Fortune favors the bold," Akira says, laying down his cards face up before Ryuji can even turn over the last one.
It comes up - as an ace.
Without a word, Akechi puts down his cards. A pair of aces.
"Whoa! Two three of a kinds!" Ryuji says, looking at both their hands. "Uh, what happens then?"
"Wouldn't he win?" Ann asks, gesturing at Akira. "Since the joker is wild."
Ryuji scratches his head. "Well, I guess, but wouldn't it count as an ace since it's the best he can make?"
Before anyone else can say a word, Ryuji's phone beeps loudly. "Oh damn, that's my alarm," he says, pulling it from his pocket. "I gotta go, I'm goin' grocery shopping with mom."
"How sweet," Ann teases, leaning back.
"Shut it. Just gimme the cards," he says, hastily grabbing the middle ones. Akira piles his and slides them forward, catching Akechi's lingering gaze on them before he, too, stacks them and hands them over.
Ryuji says his thanks and heads off. In the quietude, Ann stretches her arms up, and when she lowers them one wraps around Shiho's shoulder. "We should get going, too."
"I had a lot of fun," Shiho says. "Thank you all."
"I did too," Akira says, standing up with the rest of them. He and Akechi help fold the blanket, and Ann puts it neatly back into her bag.
"Ahh, you're so cute," Ann says as Morgana weaves between her legs, purring loudly. "Can he come stay over? It's been a while," Ann says, looking at Akechi with pleading eyes that don't even compare to Morgana's.
"If you'd have him, I think he'd appreciate it," Akechi says. Morgana does a lap around her legs and Shiho's too, before Ann lowers her tote bag and lets him jump in.
"We'll see you guys later," she says as she and Shiho starting to walk back toward the station. Akira and Akechi wave them off.
"Did you have a good time?" Akechi asks, looking at Akira.
Akira nods. "A lot. Thanks. Did you?"
At this, Akechi gives a short giggle. "Of course. They're my friends. They're always fun. And having you just made it better."
Akira opens his mouth to reply, but it gets lost in the way heat rises to his face. Thankfully, Akechi isn't looking at him, instead placing the empty cookie container back in his bag.
Akira swallows. "By the way, there was something I wanted to mention," he says.
"Oh - I actually had something I wanted to talk to you about, too," Akechi says, avoiding his eye. "But you first. What is it?"
Akira rubs the back of his neck. "Earlier… when we were on the train. I said I was glad that I was getting this time away from my parents. That's true, but… what I meant more was…" Akira takes a deep breath. His heart somehow feels about ready to leap from his chest.
Akechi watches him with intent eyes, a gaze searching and soft.
"I'm just glad that I've had this time with you," Akira says, looking at him evenly. "And… really grateful."
Akechi stares at him, expression unchanging and unreadable.
Akira's not too sure if there's a point to this.
After all -
Akechi is dead.
Whatever he's seeing, it's not real.
He knows that.
Maybe it's just for himself, because that's all he can do now; give himself closure. Because Akechi never got to have it.
But could he really even call it closure, when whatever he was looking at wasn't truly Akechi?
Whatever he was seeing - there was no way it was Akechi. Logically, he knows this. He knows it. There is just - no way.
But Akechi's laughs, his happiness, his daily life like this - it's natural, too natural, it's what's right, it's what Akechi deserved - even after his mistakes, he at least deserved a chance -
Whatever it is, this Akechi smiles at him after a few moments, his gaze almost shyly turning away as he brushes some hair behind his ear.
"You too," he says quietly. "I know I said this before… but it really does feel like fate."
There's a pause, and a sakura petal falls into Akechi's hand as he lowers it. His eyes fixate on it. "I wish we could come back here," he says, "but it seems the sakura will be gone sooner than usual, with this weather."
"And they don't stay long to begin with," Akira says, slowly looking from Akechi and up to the tree branches. "They're so vibrant… I feel like I'll never be able to look at other things the same way. Like nothing will be as beautiful."
"Are you always that poetic?" Akechi asks, a light tease in his voice.
"No. I'm not," Akira says, not meeting his gaze.
After a moment, Akechi says, "I wanted to ask you something."
Akira looks at him. Now, Akechi's gaze was on the ground. "What is it?"
The silence is long. The wind slows, and the world itself is quiet.
"Do…" Akechi starts, voice soft. Then, he looks up, meeting Akira's gaze dead on.
The pause is short before he speaks again, but it's enough time for Akira to think that, no matter how improbable, there is at least a part of this Akechi that is real, somehow. This moment with Goro Akechi, showing him eyes shining too bright to be false, sakura petals falling around him.
Akechi says, "Do I know you?"
Akira feels his heart stop.
He has no idea what he's going to say, or what that even means, and he doesn't have time to think about it - because after an asphyxiating, poignant second, Akechi drops to his knees, a hand gripping his head as he cries out in pain.
Instantly, Akira is crouching at his side. "What's wrong?" He asks quickly, a hand on Akechi's shoulder.
"I… I don't know," Akechi says, taking in sharp breaths, "My head…"
Akira gives a cursory look at Akechi's head, gently but quickly brushing some of his hair around. "You look normal. Does it hurt anywhere else?"
Akechi shakes his head, breathing coming in shuddered.
"Deep breaths," Akira says. "Come on. Let's go back to the café."
He slips an arm under both of Akechi's, helping him up.
"I'm sorry," Akechi says, legs shaking a bit. "I'm sure I'll be fine in a moment…"
"Even if that's true, let's just start going back at least," Akira says. "You should be laying down."
"I can walk on my own," Akechi says, pulling away.
Akira holds him firm. "Just let me help."
Without warning Akechi pulls back again, with force enough that Akira nearly stumbles. "I don't need help!"
Akira stares at him. One of Akechi's hand still holds his head. His other is curled into a fist.
Akira watches Akechi's chest rise and fall in a deep, long breath.
"Sorry," Akechi says eventually.
"It's okay," Akira says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Come on. Let's go together."
Slowly, Akechi nods. He starts to walk toward the crosswalk, and Akira stays right at his side.
They go in silence. The wind has picked up, now, and what was once a gentle spring breeze is now a chill.
Once they arrive at the stairway down to the platforms, Akechi says, "Would you mind if we went to my apartment instead? It's closer."
"Fine by me," Akira says, sliding his card at the gate. "As long as you don't mind me."
Akechi shakes his head. Akira thinks he sees his mouth open, but even if it was, it's closed fast enough that Akira can't be sure.
Thankfully, the train arrives in less than a minute, and the crowd is much thinner. Akira and Akechi take seats side by side.
"How's your head feel now?" Akira asks.
"A bit better," Akechi says, rubbing one of his temples. He sighs deeply, closing his eyes.
"You should rest, if you can," Akira says.
Akechi barely manages a nod, leaning back into his seat. "We get off in five stops," he says quietly.
Akira just nods. The dark tunnels of the subway contrasted with the light inside the train make it easy to see the mirror image of him and Akechi in the window opposite them. He watches it intently - the picture of them together, side by side. Every light movement affirming that it's not just a projected image, but something real.
Every minute Akechi's body leans further to the left, and by the time they're at the second stop his head is resting fully on Akira's shoulder. Akira shifts his gaze to look down at him - up close like this, he can see every single long eyelash, every detail and contour of his face. Akechi was always pretty, but seeing his body relaxed and nearly free of all tension, it's hard not to brush his hair away and -
The train chimes as they come to another stop, but thankfully, Akechi doesn't wake. Honestly, Akira's not sure if he's actually asleep - being able to sleep in this situation didn't seem like him.
But he didn't bother to think about it too much. He simply lets Akechi rest on him, keeping his hand within brushing distance of Akechi's.
After a bit longer, they arrive at their stop.
"We're here," Akira says softly.
Akechi slowly sits up straight, rubbing one of his eyes.
"How do you feel?" Akira asks as they stand up.
Akechi looks from Akira's shoulder, back up to his face. "About the same," he says after a moment.
Akira follows him off the train. It takes less than a minute before they turn down a sidestreet, and Akechi is opening the door to an apartment building.
Inside, it's very plain, reminding Akira a bit of the one he lived in with his parents. Akechi leads the way to the elevators, and they get off on the fourth floor, and head down the hall to room 442.
Akechi pushes on the door handle, but it remains firmly closed. He reaches into his bag, and then sighs. "I left my keys at the café."
"Should we go see if the manager is around or something?" Akira asks.
"It's fine," Akechi says, knocking lightly with the back of his hand.
Akira stares, and opens his mouth to ask the obvious question.
Not a moment later, though, the door unlocks with a click and opens.