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i.
An unexpected visitor is waiting at LeBlanc for Akira when he comes back one evening. At the counter Goro Akechi sits with a coffee cup between his hands, and it’s a little unfair how effortlessly he looks so poised. Or maybe there is effort put into it, though Akira gets the strange feeling this is the detective prince relaxed.
So it is unfair that he can manage to look so breathtaking at the end of what was probably a long day, trying or not. It’s a little silly to be so attracted to someone not only opposed to, but actively working against them, but it wouldn’t be the first bad idea Akira has had and has followed through on since the move to Tokyo.
Besides, life had become much more enjoyable the more he started following his true feelings rather than ignoring them for what was simple or for what others thought he should do.
He greets Akechi with a nod.
“Ah, hello Kurusu-kun. I suppose I should apologize for intruding again, but I simply couldn’t resist coming by for coffee again.”
“You’re not,” Akira shrugs, hands staying in his pockets. Akechi tilts his head, just barely, but enough that Akira’s eyes might follow the way his hair falls, and catches the light.
“Pardon…?”
“You’re not intruding,” he clarifies, giving a small smile for good measure, and then walking by to put his bag down by the stairs, allowing Morgana to go upstairs if he wishes. Although usually he’d head upstairs as well, he slips behind the counter, getting a nod of approval from Sojiro as he starts putting the apron on.
“Well, Sojiro-san thank you for the coffee but I should probably be going,” Akechi bows his head, but before he can stand up Akira is tapping the cup he’s left empty.
“Are you sure you don’t want a refill?” This stops Akechi in his tracks. It’s a bit more than Akira would’ve expected, given the wide eyed look he’s getting. Not that it lasts long, as Akechi is quickly clearing his throat.
“I wouldn’t want to-”
“I insist,” Akira cuts him off, smiling (or maybe it’s a bit of a smirk), and now taking the cup to go get started. “You can tell me how I measure up to Sojiro.”
“He won’t,” Sojiro says, looking at Akechi, “But I hope that doesn’t stop you from coming back.” This gets a laugh from Akechi, but it sounds just fake enough that it has to be forced. While he makes the coffee Akira doesn’t have to look to know Akechi’s eyes are following his every move.
Once finished he gets a soft thank you and a small head bow before Akechi takes a sip.
“It’s...quite good. Thank you, Kurusu-kun.” He doesn’t seem to be lying. Akira will take that as a win (though what game they’re playing he isn’t quite sure).
“Glad to hear it.”
Akechi lets out a sigh, a strange one that is halfway between contentment and moroseness. One hand is still on the coffee cup, but he’s resting his chin in the other.
“Truthfully I’m surprised you didn’t just let me leave. After my last visit, I wouldn’t have thought you’d wanted to keep my company any longer than necessary.”
“Last time I said you were welcome here any time,” Akira points out, and he had, despite the dreary way Akechi had been speaking of himself. It was still true when he said it, and it was just as true now.
“I assumed you were being polite,” Akechi said, definitely straining a smile.
“I meant it.”
The grip on the coffee cup tightens minutely. Akira isn’t sure how to interpret that.
“Oh? Well, I’m grateful then. It truly is relaxing here.”
Akira nods. He’s not sure if he should say his next thought. Morgana probably would scold him for talking so much to their ‘rival’. Keep your friends close, and enemies closer though, right? (And maybe an extra rule should be added for particularly attractive enemies. Especially ones who seemed like they needed something that Akira was all too curious about, who were so careful about how they appeared it only left Akira wanting to know everything about who they really were)
He hadn’t gotten to where he was by biting his tongue and doing nothing.
“If you’re that stressed out, I’d always be happy to listen. Even if you just want to complain about school, or a boring workday, or annoying coworkers.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m stressed, I believe I handle things quite well,” Akechi replies, almost on cue, though for just a second it’s broken, as he has to pause and let out a small laugh (clearly almost held back). “I’m sure, once again however, you’re just offering to be polite. I can’t imagine any of that would be interesting to listen to.”
Akira shrugs.
“I mean it, again,” he says, searches a moment for how to properly say his next thought. “And it doesn’t have to be interesting. Sometimes it’s good to just talk, and have someone listen. It can be enjoyable to listen, even if it’s something mundane.”
Akechi looks away from him. If he stared any harder at the coffee left in the cup he could probably make it evaporate. After a moment he takes another sip.
“I’m sure I’ll be coming back, so I’ll be sure to consider your offer.”
Always so formal. It’s annoying as it is endearing, Akira is finding.
They’re mostly silent for the rest of the time Akechi takes in finishing cup, and the next time he makes to leave he insists that it’s late and he has to be going. Akira sees him off with a smile, and another reminder that he’s always welcome.
ii.
Another day of returning to LeBlanc and finding Akechi sitting at the counter. He’s becoming a regular. Everyone has been reminding Akira to be weary around the detective, not to trust him, and in the grand scheme of things Akira doesn’t completely trust him (he’s not stupid). During their talks at LeBlanc, however, there’s a sincerity they have with each other that he does trust.
Even if their talks have been short, even if there have only been a handful, within the confines of this small café it feels like they can have conversations that are normal. That they can talk without putting fronts on.
As has become habit when Akechi is waiting for him (and it’s probably conceited that Akira thinks he does come here specifically to wait for him but it’s also probably true), Akira sets his bag down by the stairs, and doesn’t waste time in getting behind the counter, slipping an apron on, and starting to make a refill.
“Is it my coffee that’s made you a regular?” Akira asks as he sets the coffee down in front of Akechi. A relaxed sip is taken before he gets a reply.
“Hardly,” Akechi replies, but he’s smiling. They share a laugh. “Your coffee is getting better, but it’s not quite as good as Sakura-san’s yet.”
“I told you, just call me Boss like everyone else does.” Despite saying that, Sojiro seems to have enjoyed the praise at Akira’s expense, as there’s a self-satisfied look on his face. Akechi nods politely, though Akira has to wonder if he’s going to drop the formality. Most likely not.
“The atmosphere here is nice as well,” Akechi says, and Akira thinks he’s actually going to answer the rhetorical question of how he came to be a regular here. (maybe the answer won’t be the whole truth, but Akira is interested in even knowing a partial truth of why Akechi keeps coming back, keeps talking with him)
He’s looking off at nothing, a smile still on his face (the one that’s relaxed, the one that isn’t plastic), but it’s a look Akira can now recognize as Akechi getting caught up in his thoughts. He hadn’t been lying at the train station either when he said he had a habit of following tangents and spacing out while working something over.
“I feel like I can let my walls down here,” he says, voice soft, if this were a noisy or busy café it would be lost to the background clamor, but that’s not what LeBlanc is. He lets out a nervous laugh, and looks back to Akira. “Ah, sorry, that probably doesn’t make sense. But...it’s nice to take a break here.”
“It makes sense,” Akira nods, “I feel the same way.”
iii.
“You seem to have made quite an eclectic group of friends.”
“Including you, detective prince.”
The smile slips from Goro’s face (they had talked enough that Akira had insisted they were on a first name basis until Goro relented). Clearly he had a different plan for where this conversation was going to go.
Akira likes seeing him surprised.
Being surprised over their friendship, however, that’s a little disheartening. Expected, but sad.
Even with these stolen moments where Goro reveals small truths about himself, Akira thinks the only way he’d have enough time to learn everything about him was if he lived at LeBlanc too. As it is, Akira just chases after everything little thing he learns, a little like stealing small treasures except they’re offered, freely (if rarely).
What they have might not be a traditional friendship, but Akira has made plenty of nontraditional friends.
“Not to sound rude,” Goro is fidgeting with the coffee cup between his hands, “But would you really consider us friends when we haven’t spent that much time together?”
“That’s awfully blunt,” Akira replies, then gives a lazy half shrug, “I enjoy talking to you when you’re here. You come here fairly often, I’d say we’re friends.” The fidgeting stops.
Everything in Goro seems too tense from such a simple statement. He really looks like this information that has to be dissected, considered from every angle.
“I’m not sure I…” he trails off. Akira smiles at him, not in pity, not in sympathy, but with a little hope that one day Goro will be surrounded by friendship, if he lets those walls down in more places than just a small, out of the way café.
“It’s not something you need to think or worry about. You don’t need to spend a lot of time with someone to be friends,” Akira says, picking up the open ended thought. “We’re friends, because we talk, because I enjoy your company, simple as that.”
If only it were so simple. If only there weren’t so many other factors he was leaving out.
Not that they change the fact, for better or worse, foolish or not, that Akira genuinely considered Goro a friend. He would stand by this the same way he insisted they were on first-name basis until Goro believed him. Even if nothing went as planned for either of them. Even if they were working against each other.
They could still be friends.
iv.
“Welcome back.”
“Honey, I’m home.”
“You’re back awfully late.”
They share a smile. They hadn’t missed a beat in this exchange, and it’s a small pleasure to have this familiar of a rapport now. Extenuating circumstances ignored. In LeBlanc they can just be friends, a wall can be made around them that separates them from the rest of the world, and they can let the walls around themselves down.
Their normal conversation is interrupted by a politician on TV, by a customer in the store. By another small talk of the Phantom Thieves, who Goro seems to be siding partially with. That’s new. It could be a good thing as much as it could be a bad thing.
Akira doesn’t switch them to a more mundane topic, but Goro does.
“By the way, I was offered to speak at your school’s festival...oh, you probably already knew,” he says, and Akira nods. He knows more than Goro thinks he does. Not such a mundane comment, given their plans, and Goro probably has ulterior motives too. “I think I’ll agree to do it, it is a good opportunity after all.”
“I look forward to it,” Akira says, for more reasons than one (and does wish it could be only because he likes seeing Goro, likes hearing his voice). “I thought you were taking a break from public appearances, though.” This gets a sigh, a tired smile.
“I was, but...it would be awfully rude to turn down an invitation from a school,” Goro is standing up like he’s going to leave. It would be the first time he’s left before Akira has made him another cup of coffee after many evening chats together.
Akira still wants to talk to him more.
A bad idea comes to him, though if it works, maybe it won’t be so bad.
“Do you need some practice questions to prepare yourself?”
Goro laughs, then seems to realize Akira was sincerely asking (sincerely, with a few ulterior motives). He gets a nudge from Morgana. This isn’t part of the plan. He’s the leader though, he can improvise, he can tweak the plan.
“I don’t think I need practice, I’m fairly used to this sort of thing.”
“It couldn’t hurt.”
Neither of them move, Goro is staring at him, so Akira is staring back. One of them is going to give in and it isn’t going to be Akira.
“You two are blocking the doorway,” Sojiro speaks up. Goro’s attention snaps, and he apologetically raises his hands.
“Oh, could you take Morgana tonight Sojiro? Futaba told me she wanted to have him over tonight.” After some grumbling Sojiro agrees, Morgana is giving him a look that isn’t happy, but Akira turns back to Goro all smiles.
“Come on, let’s get out of the way,” he says, and doesn’t give Goro a chance to object as he walks by him, taking a second to brush his hand over Goro’s shoulder, to get him to follow him up the stairs.
Against both of their better judgments, they end up alone in his room. Goro is standing too properly, not even putting his briefcase down, but he does take a glance around the room. He doesn’t make a comment on whatever it is he’s observing.
“I...really don’t think I need the practice,” Goro says, “But I should thank you for the offer.”
“Always good to have answers prepared just in case though, right?” Akira asks, knowing full well that Goro likely thinks up every possible question and has a prepared answer for every one. He just wants to have a little fun. This is his first chance to speak to Goro truly alone in LeBlanc, a first chance to toe the waters before diving into something that in all likelihood could ruin the fragile friendship they have.
“That’s true,” Goro sighs, and finally sets down his briefcase. “You’re friends with Makoto Nijima too, aren’t you? So I imagine you might have an idea of what I’ll be asked.”
“Yeah,” Akira agrees, “Want the first question?”
“That was a question,” Goro shrugs, “Go ahead.”
Akira chuckles.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
Goro makes a noise, didn’t expect that clearly, opens and shuts his mouth and then sighs again.
“That’s hardly something-”
“You don’t think you fangirls want to know? Or fanboys?”
Goro closes his eyes. Then puts on his interview face.
“Fine...I am not seeing anyone. I don’t have time for that, unfortunately,” he pauses. His expression shifts from the amicable, polite and unfocused gaze to something piercing. “I have to focus on catching the Phantom Thieves after all.”
“That’s a good answer,” Akira grins, “But if you want my opinion, you seem to enjoy the breaks you take here at LeBlanc. Maybe relaxing a bit more wouldn’t hurt.”
“That’s not a question.”
“If you could date someone, what kind of person would you want to date?”
Goro gives him a pointed look, annoyed, but not angry. Akira’s grin widens.
“Someone who keeps a reasonable amount of distance.”
That’s honest, at least. Akira lets out a hum.
“I think I could do that.”
For a second Goro looks shocked, then lets out a huff.
“You don’t have to tease me…” he chides, but he does have a smile on his face, the kind someone wears when they’re trying to be angry at a friend, and failing.
“And if I wasn’t teasing you?”
Silence.
It’s like every emotion falls away from Goro’s face and all that’s left is a haunting stare, like he’s seeing something in Akira that’s too far away to grasp, revealing a yearning, a longing, one that Akira isn’t even sure he could meet as they are.
Goro’s the first to look away, to glance down, take a breath (and maybe it’s wishful thinking but Akira thinks it’s disappointment). A small smile rises on his face.
“I...I can only stand by what I said before. I don’t have time to date.”
“That’s too bad,” Akira replies, simply. “Can I at least get a kiss?”
He is most definitely pushing boundaries tonight. This he can play off as teasing, but if it happens, well, he’s not going to regret it (come what may).
“I don’t understand you,” Goro looks back at him, shakes his head.
“That’s not a no.”
Silence again. Goro lets out a laugh, and covers his mouth for a second.
“You’re too much,” he says. Then takes a step closer. “Fine.”
It’s Akira’s turn to look surprised.
“Oh? Was this your bluff?”
Akira answers by closing the distance between them. If this is a chance he’s taking it.
The kiss isn’t deep, it’s chaste, doesn’t last nearly long enough before they’ve pulled apart, and a longer moment hangs between them. Akira’s eyes look to Goro’s lips, watches him lick them once, and for a second it seems like Goro minutely leans forward, as if he wants as much as Akira does to do that again.
Goro pulls further back, steps away. His eyes look sadder than before.
Akira smiles.
“I don’t suppose that changed your mind?”
A small, slow, deliberate head shake.
“It can’t. Not now.” There’s more weight in those two sentences than four words should be able to carry.
Akira’s going to be thinking about this, reliving this kiss, for days (if not more). It was sweet while it lasted.
“Oh well. Maybe after you catch the Phantom Thieves,” Akira says. Something darkens behind Goro’s eyes. “I’ll just have to hope I steal your heart before one of them does.”
v.
Once again, and likely for the last time, Goro has surprised Akira with his presence at LeBlanc. Since joining the team he’d stopped coming to LeBlanc, for reasons Akira couldn’t figure out. Despite everything he knows now, despite what will be happening the very next day, his first thought is still ‘it’s good to see him here ’.
Here being significant because whenever Goro was at LeBlanc it was the only time Akira trusted he was getting real reactions, unpracticed answers, actually seeing (if only glimpses) who Goro Akechi actually was.
His smile isn’t the affected smirk he puts on as Joker. Maybe LeBlanc just has that effect on people.
“Good to see you,” he says in greeting. For a second (a glimpse) Akira sees Goro’s eyes light up, as if what he said was something unexpected (something not heard often).
“You’ve seen me a lot lately,” Goro retorts, and he might actually be teasing Akira. And two can play that game.
“Maybe I think it’s good to see you every time I see you.”
This actually gets a real, actual eye-roll from Goro. He knows it’s real because Akira has seen Goro’s patience worn thin, has purposely tried to wear his patience down outside of their talks at LeBlanc, and the charming detective is always able to perfectly mask annoyance when he chooses to. A small victory. The kind of small victory Akira wishes he could make happen more.
Maybe in another life, where they aren’t Phantom Thieves, where Goro isn’t planning to betray them, where they’re just normal high schoolers (if Goro could ever be considered normal, and really, even knowing the truth Akira can’t stop seeing him as amazing). Maybe in that life they’re just two high schoolers enjoying talks over coffee, not playing any games, and maybe that Akira could steal that Goro’s heart and only in the metaphorical sense.
That’s not this life.
“Are you having a meeting tonight?” Sojiro asks, “I can close up.”
Akira shakes his head.
“No,” he replies, then looks to Goro. “I’d like to talk to you though, just discuss some things for tomorrow.” Goro looks back at him, eyes meeting his, clearly trying to decipher as much as he can. He nods, slowly.
“If it’s anything to do with,” Sojiro makes a gesture, “I’ll close up anyway.”
“Thank you,” Akira smiles, genuinely thankful for the support Sojiro has been giving them. “Oh, Futaba mentioned wanting to have Morgana tonight.” That’s not entirely true (or true at all) and Morgana does make a noise of protest, but Akira would rather talk to Goro alone.
One last time.
“Why don’t you ever- He’s your damn cat,” Sojiro sighs, “Fine.” Akira gives him thanks again, and then gestures for Goro to follow him up the stairs.
“Is there something I should know about in regards to our plans for tomorrow? I thought we already had everything in order.” Goro doesn’t waste any time in questioning him, not bothering to even sit down.
“No. I just wanted to talk to you. You haven’t been stopping by LeBlanc as much lately.”
“We’ve still seen each other-”
“This is different.” Akira shrugs. Goro’s eyes narrow slightly, not hostile, just thinking, or analyzing, or working again to figure out what Akira is saying. “And, tomorrow the Phantom Thieves are disbanding.” There’s a shift in Goro’s posture, subtle, but enough to be noticed.
“Yes,” he replies, suddenly not looking at Akira. “We did agree upon that.”
“And even if we’re not getting caught,” save for Akira, but in their current game Goro thinks Akira’s cards are on the table while his hand is still hidden, “You are putting an end to the Phantom Thieves.”
“I...am sorry, however, I believe it’s the right thing.” He looks uncomfortable. Akira is forcing him to lie in the one place he gets to see him honest. That’s not the point of this conversation.
“And, you said after you solved the Phantom Thieves case, dating might become a possibility for you,” Akira is grinning. Is this cruel? Maybe a little. It’s also a little wishful thinking, but he’s not lying either, even knowing this is an impossible outcome.
No matter how he tries to rationalize to himself that knowing what he knows he should not have anything even resembling a crush for Goro Akechi, it doesn’t stop him. He wants to believe in the glimpses he’s seen of who Goro is. He doesn’t think anyone is beyond saving, because if people are beyond saving then everything they’ve been doing would be for nothing.
So Akira’s willing to reveal some of his cards, willing to be just a little vulnerable with his own heart if it means maybe, just maybe, it could help to one day save Goro.
He’s getting a wide-eyed stare. That’s not so surprising anymore.
“You-” Goro puts a hand to his face, lets out a laugh of disbelief, “You’re just joking right?”
“And if I’m not?”
Concern, or longing, or maybe both on Goro’s face now. As much as Goro’s expression betrays his feelings, Akira can’t read his mind. Even with his walls as down as they can be, there’s still too much about Goro he doesn’t know, might not ever know.
And then Goro smiles, the sadder one he’s worn at LeBlanc before. It’s sincere, but it hurts to see as no smile has any right being so unhappy. However, one thing Akira does know about Goro by now is how much he loves to be a contradiction.
“Then, I’m sorry again, because I’ll still be quite busy and I don’t think…” he trails off, but he’s at least able to look Akira in the eyes. Again, with an almost longing look. “I...maybe…No, I don’t, I don’t want to get your hopes up.” Then he shakes his head. It seems he almost lied (there wouldn’t be a maybe after all, there wouldn’t be a chance for them to start a relationship tomorrow), but stopped.
Akira shrugs. He knew the answer already.
“I should go,” Goro says, and Akira nods, even though he has one last card up his sleeve.
“Before you do, can I at least get a kiss for good luck?” The grin on his face now is entirely cocky and self-sure, a tease. For a moment it looks like Goro is opening his mouth to reply, to decline, to give another rejection but he stops.
His will seems to have broken, or maybe just chipped, a little.
“...That wouldn’t be horrible, I suppose,” he says, looking at Akira with fondness (and that’s new). It makes Akira’s heart flutter in a way he’d be ashamed to admit to. Then Goro nods, and looks like he’s trying to find resolve before he’s the one to close the distance, to step to Akira, to pull them together for a kiss.
It’s slow, it’s not desperate (like it probably should be), almost mournful in taste and feel. A parting kiss.
A goodbye kiss.
One that ends too soon (it’d always be too soon), but Akira is taking the chance to lightly grab Goro’s wrists as he starts to step back, sliding his hands down to barely hold onto his hands.
“Stay.”
Goro hesitates more than Akira could’ve hoped for. Not enough to spark any hope to life, but enough to make him feel like he made some kind of difference. Gently (too gently for what they’ll be doing soon) Goro’s hands slip out of Akira’s. He shakes his head.
“I wish I could.”
“You can.”
Akira has, quite literally, nothing to lose. They’re not going to break their streak of taking opposing sides in debate.
A smile graces Goro’s face again, only the slightest upturn from being a neutral line, as if he doesn’t have the strength to actually smile. He looks so, so tired.
“I look forward to pulling off the heist tomorrow,” he says, “I’ll see you then.”
With that he turns and leaves, mind settled, decision made. Akira doesn’t follow him. Even takes the time to wait before going downstairs himself to lock up.
He has the distinct feeling this was a loss, on his part. (lose the battle, win the war, but he isn’t sure what the cost of winning will be now but has a sinking feeling whatever it is it will be too much )
+
It’s been a year. Akira had gone home, graduated high school, decided on a university in Tokyo, and was once again paying rent by working part-time in LeBlanc whenever he’s not in class. He’s even moved up in position, as now Sojiro leaves him to run the place alone more often than not. There are regular customers, Akira knows their schedules like clockwork, there are wanderers who happen upon the café, he can tell when it’s going to slow or busy by the weather, by the news, by so many little things.
Today is going to be a slow day. Slow enough he can safely have a textbook and notes on the counter to hunch over, twirling a pencil between his fingers idly. For all the little ways he can predict customers, Akira never could’ve expected the one who followed the ring of the door, interrupting what was supposed to be a monotonous day.
He looks up, slowly, surprised someone has come in after all.
A customer hasn’t walked in, an unexpected visitor has.
There’s no mistaking the mess of light brown hair, or piercing sienna eyes, or anything about who has walked through the door other than the small, hesitant smile on their face, one Akira has never seen before and one that takes his breath away (though it’s not the only reason his breath has stopped). The door closes behind him. Silence hangs for a moment as an uncertainty for them both.
“Honey I’m home.” His voice is soft, the statement is almost a question, unsure, and so unlike the way they’d last spoken to each other. Akira doesn’t rush, but he walks from behind the counter and over to the one and only Goro Akechi, standing in this café, standing in front of him, impossibly, alive.
Akira has questions, should be angry, should be so many things, but relief is conquering every other emotion, every question he has. The only thing he can do is reach out, Goro flinches for a second, but not quick enough to stop Akira’s hands from cupping his face, confirming this is real .
“I-” Goro starts to say, voice confused, and Akira shakes his head.
“No, shut up,” and it’s a miracle his voice doesn’t crack. He can hear an explanation later, they can catch up later, they can both apologize later, Akira still is accepting this is real, this is real, this is real . Their eyes meet, and he hopes he’s getting the confirmation that it’s alright to close the space, to move his fingers into Goro’s hair and hold on as their lips meet. It takes a moment, and then Goro is returning the kiss, pressing into him, after another moment wrapping his arms around Akira, gripping at the back of his shirt like he’s clinging on for dear life.
When they part for breath the distance between them is slight.
They both need a moment to breathe. So much is going to have to be said, but Akira is smiling, Goro is too, for once looking entirely authentic, entirely happy , in a way that is as uplifting as it is heartbreaking that it’s taken this long to see this smile, and out of everything there is to say Akira says the most important thing first.
“You’re home.”