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"Your roots are showing."
Ryuji groans. Akira smiles just a little bit, a look that seemed innocent when they first met. Ryuji knows him well enough to recognize mischief now.
"Dude, you're the only one who notices that."
Akira sets down his game controller and reaches over to scratch Ryuji's scalp. It sets off an immediate shiver of pleasure down his spine.
"C'mon, don't do that while we're playing this. 's distracting," Ryuji complains, giving Akira a mock punch to the shoulder. Akira grins and returns the gesture. It's all so easy, like he never left.
The beeping of the 8-bit game on the TV carries on, more at odds with Akira's mother's house than it was with his attic in Leblanc. Ryuji kinda wonders if Akira had any decorations before he went on probation. The old TV, the arcade game dolls, the fake ramen bowl, the phantom thieves poster, it's all transplanted directly from Leblanc.
Ryuji isn't that stupid. He knows that isn't a good sign.
"Hey, when's your mom get home?"
"Not sure," Akira says, leaning back in his chair and looking up at the plastic stars on the ceiling. "If you're hungry, we can go get something."
"No, that's not-- wait. Actually, yeah, lets get something. I saw a ramen place on the walk over here, it any good?"
"Well, it's not bad."
"Good enough for me! C'mon, we can jog there."
Akira smiles, more affectionate than mischievous this time. It's a good look. Ryuji smiles back, wondering if he looks as dopey as he feels.
Running with Akira is as freeing as it always was. There's probably something poetic about trust in there, but Ryuji was never good at that stuff. They pass Morgana, who is out on one of his adventures, and carry on to the restaurant.
The ramen place is small and less crowded than the one they frequent in the city. Ryuji doesn't have particularly high expectations, but food's food.
"What's bothering you?" Akira asks as soon as they're sitting. He gets right to the point, not even bothering to order their food first.
"Dude. Ramen first, then feelings."
Akira blushes. It's stupidly endearing.
They get their ramen, and Ryuji devours his bowl. Akira doesn't quite keep up, but he isn't far behind. Just like running.
Under the counter, Akira bumps their knees together. It makes Ryuji feel as warm as the hot broth does.
"Ready to talk?" Akira asks. His tone is casual and easy. Ryuji sighs and sets his chopsticks down.
"Are you happy here?"
Whatever Akira was expecting to hear, that wasn't it. He's visibly taken off-guard.
"I mean, everything in your room's direct from Leblanc, dude. I've been here since yesterday and your mom's said maybe two words to either of us."
Akira is stirring the remaining broth in his bowl like the stray bits of noodles will tell the future. He sighs.
"I'm not close with my mother, especially after probation. She's almost a stranger now."
"What about your dad?"
"Same situation. I picked mom after the divorce because she didn't mind me bringing Morgana."
"Shit. I didn't know that was how you picked."
"I got along better with them before... Well. Before. They didn't believe me. Nobody did, until you."
There's a beat of silence. Ryuji is aware of the enormity of their connection in a way he hasn't been since his disastrous confession last year. He swallows hard. Emotions aren't his specialty, and he's still navigating his feelings for his best friend. He blurts out the first helpful-sounding thing that pops into his head.
"I bet Sojiro would take you back, no questions asked."
Akira gives his beef broth another idle stir.
"I don't want to be a burden."
"Dude, you saved his daughter. He doesn't see you as a burden at all."
"Him not seeing me as a burden wouldn't stop me from being one."
"Ugh, you're impossible," Ryuji groans, leaning back in his chair. The idea of Akira Kurusu as a burden is more outlandish than anything supernatural that happened last year. “You saved the world, you should be living with somebody who appreciates that.”
“Maybe I should come live with you,” Akira says, gently nudging the mood towards something lighter. It gives Ryuji an idea, though.
“Wait, why don’t you?” He asks, sitting up in his chair. Akira raises a skeptical eyebrow.
“Because then I’d be burdening your mother, who doesn’t actually know we’re dating?”
“Not with mom! I mean, we could get a place!”
Akira lowers the skeptical eyebrow and seems to consider it.
“You think we’re ready to live together?”
Oh. Ryuji sorta forgot about the whole ‘relationship’ thing. He isn’t great at navigating the lines they’ve been criss-crossing together. Well.
“You know what? Hell yeah! We saved the world together, and I never feel better than when I’m with you. If you’re down for it, then I am too.”
Akira is blushing again, and he’s smiling this time, like he’s watching something amazing.
“Okay.”
It’s so simple but it makes Ryuji want to shout in victory, or run a lap around the restaurant. Both? Both sound good. He elects to do neither, though, because he doesn’t want them to get kicked out.
“You should come back to the city with me, we can look for a place!”
Akira raises a hand to rub the back of his neck, a little cue that he’s feeling shy or sheepish.
“I don’t think I have nearly enough for the move-in costs,” He says, taking the wind out of Ryuji’s sails somewhat. He rallies quickly.
“Well, lets make our goal the end of high school, then! I’ll get a part-time job and we can save up together!”
Akira’s body language shifts into something Ryuji still associates with his Joker mask— Ryuji just gave his boyfriend a goal and a time limit, and Akira has risen to the challenge.
“Yeah. Let’s do it,” He agrees, reaching out a hand so they can shake on it. “I’d kiss you to make the promise official, but we’d be the gossip of the town in about two hours.”
“Dude!”