Work Text:
“This is the guy you’re crushing on?” Akira visibly startles as Futaba perks up from where she’s peering over his shoulder. She cackles at his alarm and continues, “He seems like a total dork.”
Akira looks back down at the phone in his hand. An Instagram photo of a handsome young man stares back at him. The picture is clearly a selfie, capturing the young man’s smiling face and tilted just enough for the viewer to see a steaming bowl of ramen sitting on the table in front of him. The caption reads:
Detective.Prince The ramen in Ogikubo is simply divine! Many thanks to my lovely fan @borogoy34 for the amazing recommendation! #foodrecs #ramen #detectiveprincefoodrecs #goroakechifoodrecs
Akira finds himself smiling as he reads over the words again. He realizes this was a mistake as Futaba quickly picks up on it.
“Oh my god, you’ve got it real bad if you’re smiling at his corny-ass caption,” she needles, leaning over him again. “He is pretty cute, though.”
Cute is an understatement, Akira thinks, but he doesn’t want to give Futaba even more fuel to tease him. So maybe he is crushing on Goro Akechi, the young detective prodigy and local celebrity who also happens to run a food blog he’s very passionate about. He was struck initially by how good-looking the detective was when he watched interviews with him on TV. In one interview, Akechi put in a “shameless plug”--as he called it, laughing self-deprecatingly as he did--for his food blog, and Akira has been hooked on it ever since.
To be fair, he is genuinely interested in learning about different food recommendations in the area. Since moving to Leblanc, his circle of friends and acquaintances has been expanding rapidly, something he was certainly not used to back home. Now that he has a lot of people to hang out with, it’s useful to know where the best places to take them are.
But that’s not exactly the primary reason he’s so interested in Goro Akechi’s food blog. Mostly, he’s just hopelessly smitten with that pretty face and pleasant, dorky persona. He suspects Akechi’s real personality isn’t exactly like the one he displays for interviews and social media, but that only makes him all the more curious to find out what it is.
“Do you think he’d come to Leblanc?” he suggests to Futaba suddenly, as the thought pops into his head. He swipes his thumb absently on the picture of Akechi and the ramen; next to it is another picture, this time showing only the bowl of ramen itself in careful detail.
“You should ask him.” Futaba grins, dancing around the bar counter. “Clearly he takes requests from his fans. And we all know Sojiro could use more customers.”
A hand reaches up to twirl a lock of hair between his fingers as he considers the idea. “Maybe,” he says mildly.
“What, are you embarrassed?” Futaba leans her elbows on the counter. “Where’s the smug, confident show-off we all know and love?”
Akira thinks that may be a bit of an exaggeration of his personality, but she has a point. He’s normally not shy like this.
It’s just that there’s no guarantee Akechi will respond to him. Certainly, he has a lot of fans reaching out to him, giving him recommendations. And he doesn’t like the idea of trying to reach out and having Akechi ignore him.
But Futaba’s right. He’s more confident than that. So he nods determinedly, looking up from the phone. “Let’s do it.”
Futaba’s grin widens. “That’s more like it!”
And thus, Operation Get Goro Akechi To Leblanc commences.
Akira waits a few days before attempting to make his move. Akechi might not be looking for fan requests so soon after his last excursion. Really he should have probably waited even longer than a few days, but Futaba was badgering him about it and accusing him of being a wimp, so he had to cave.
Maybe he is a wimp, though, because when he actually sits down to try to send a message to Akechi on Instagram, he blanks out and stares at the screen for a solid fifteen minutes. What if he sounds weird? Or desperate? Or creepy? Or what if he tries to play it cool and seems too disinterested?
He shakes his head, trying to snap himself out of this negative train of thought. This isn’t like him, he remembers. He has max charm stat, as Futaba likes to say. And he is charming when he wants to be. He’s never had a problem flashing a smile or dropping a pick-up line to get the object of his attentions flustered, and it’s never failed him before. But for some reason none of that bravado is coming to his rescue now.
This isn’t about him, though. He’s just asking Akechi to come check out Leblanc, not him.
With that in mind, his nerves calm enough for him to type out a quick message.
“hey, saw your post the other day about the ramen at ogikubo. i really like it there too, so i was thinking maybe we have similar tastes. there’s this great cafe in yongen-jaya that i love called leblanc. it’s underrated but the owner makes the best coffee and curry, and it’s a nice quiet place to relax. maybe you can check it out if you have time? let me know what you think if you do.”
He sends the message before he can sit and pick apart how stupid he sounds, or debate any longer whether or not to add a smiley face at the end. Then he abruptly closes the Instagram app and locks his phone, tossing it onto his bed and rubbing his hands down his face, expelling the situation from his mind. Time to play some video games to forget about it for a while.
Out of embarrassment, he probably would have forgotten about the situation for a while, if Futaba didn’t still bring it up all the time. When she visits Leblanc a few days later and he tells her that he did, in fact, “suck it up and send the message already,” she grabs for Akira’s phone to read it immediately. Akira lets her, because even if he doesn’t, she’ll probably just hack into his phone and read it anyway.
Futaba’s only response is to snort amusedly and say “You’re so gay,” before handing the phone back to Akira and turning her attention back to the episode of Featherman they’re watching.
Akira doesn’t really know what she means by that, but hopes his gayness didn’t bleed through too much and scare Akechi off.
That worry amplifies as the week drags on, and he still doesn’t hear back from Akechi.
Maybe he wasn’t interested in Leblanc, but he still would have replied, right? Just to say he was too busy to come? Or maybe it’s as Akira feared, and he’s really too busy to even check or reply to all of his messages.
He tries to focus more on school and helping out at Leblanc to take his mind off of it. At least Futaba isn’t bugging him about it now that she knows he sent the message.
At the end of the week, Akechi makes another post on his Instagram, cataloguing a recent visit to a high-end sushi restaurant in Shinjuku. Akira can’t even fully appreciate how cute he looks in the pictures, disappointment setting in as he accepts that Akechi ignored his message.
“Want me to hack his phone and send him threatening messages to get him to come here?” Futaba offers.
Akira shakes his head but can’t help the laugh that comes out of him. Futaba is always good at cheering him up. “Somehow I doubt that would help,” he says, reaching out and ruffling Futaba’s hair.
She swats his hand away. “That’s what you think! Just let me know if you need my expertise.”
He has no doubt that with her “expertise,” Futaba can do something to make Akechi, or anyone, come to Leblanc one way or another. But that really isn’t how Akira wants to get things done. If Akechi doesn’t want to come or is too busy to keep taking requests from fans, he gets it. At least he can say he gave it a shot.
It is a shame that he couldn’t get Leblanc the extra publicity, though. Sojiro works hard and doesn’t get nearly enough recognition for it.
The following day, Akira comes home from school and sees Sojiro behind the counter, taking his apron off. “Hey, kid,” he calls. “You mind watching the place for a couple hours?” He doesn’t elaborate, but Akira never asks questions, anyway.
“Sure.” He’s tired from school, but he won’t deny Sojiro the extra help. And there isn’t anyone in the cafe right now, so maybe he can just spend the time getting homework done.
“Thanks, kid.” Sojiro pats him on the back and hands him the apron before leaving.
He’s about halfway through his math homework, wondering if he should send Makoto a quick text about a problem he’s having trouble with, when the bell jingles and he looks up, stashing his homework under the counter.
“Welco--” The word cuts off as he takes in the sight in front of him. He blinks incredulously, but his eyes aren’t deceiving him--that’s Goro Akechi who just walked in the door, wearing his signature trench coat and gloves, carrying a briefcase, looking like he just came from work.
Akechi either doesn’t notice his strangled attempt at a greeting or pretends not to. He takes a seat, second to the end, and sets his briefcase down on the counter. “Hello,” he says with a pleasant smile. “You--ah!” As he looks at Akira properly, his face lights up in recognition.
Akira tries very hard to maintain eye contact and not blush. He tilts his head curiously at Akechi’s outburst.
“You’re the one who recommended me this place, aren’t you?” Akechi says. “I recognize you from your Instagram. Hmm… Akira Kurusu, was it?”
Akira nods, still not trusting himself to speak. And trying not to blush even harder with the knowledge that Akechi actually looked at his Instagram.
“Very sneaky to recommend the place that you work,” Akechi continues. “You definitely didn’t mention that in your message.”
His tone, while light and joking, does have an accusatory undertone. Akira forces himself to get over his shocked silence so he can defend himself.
“I don’t really work here,” he explains hastily. “I’m just watching the place for the owner. I do live here, but I didn’t want you to think I was biased if I told you that.”
“You live here?” Akechi sounds surprised.
“Yeah, in the attic upstairs.” Akira moves to get one of the coffee cups out. “But I wasn’t exaggerating when I said it’s great. My coffee’s not as good as the owner’s, but maybe you can let me show you what I mean.”
Akechi hums in acquiescence, setting his chin in his hand as he watches Akira. “I suppose that’s the only way to determine whether you’re biased or not.” He flashes a charming smile. “I’ll leave it up to you, then, Kurusu-kun.”
His heart pounding in his chest, he sets to work making the single most stress-inducing cup of coffee he’s ever made. He takes Akechi’s words to mean he wants Akira to pick the roast for himself. He has an idea of what Akechi likes from following his Instagram, so it really isn’t too hard. His nerves make it a lot more difficult than it should be.
In the end, though, he thinks he’s done a decent job. Sojiro’s training has definitely paid off. As nervous as he was, muscle memory from brewing cups so many times has gotten the job done without incident.
He presents the cup to Akechi, who looks up from the book he started reading while he waited. “Thank you,” he says politely, setting the book aside and pulling the cup and saucer closer to him.
When he lifts the cup and takes a sip, Akira relishes in the way his face lights up. “This is very good,” he remarks. “Easily the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had.” Maybe Akira should be offended by the surprise in his tone, but he feels too proud for making something Goro Akechi liked.
“I guess I’ve proven myself, then.” Akira tries to sound nonchalant as he cleans off his work space.
“You have, though you can’t blame me for doubting you,” Akechi says, taking another sip of the coffee. “I get a lot of recommendations, and not all of them are up to par.”
Akira nods as he considers that. It’s sort of surprising Akechi takes recommendations from fans at all, given how people can have terrible taste. He guesses that he probably looks up reviews for the places beforehand, but Leblanc is so obscure that couldn’t have been the case this time.
“I apologize for not responding to your message,” Akechi continues, and Akira starts, surprised. “I usually try to respond to my fans, but… well… I’m afraid I have a bit of a confession to make.” He laughs sheepishly, his voice going quieter as though he’s telling a secret. As though there’s anyone else in Leblanc to overhear them.
(Well. Besides perhaps Futaba. Akira isn’t sure if she still has the place bugged.)
“What’s that?” Akira asks, curious.
Akechi glances down at the cup of coffee cradled in his hands. “My interest was piqued when you mentioned how quiet and relaxing this place was,” he admits. “A lot of the popular places I go to are nice, but is the kind of atmosphere that I’m most comfortable with. I was hoping to come here without telling anyone or making a blog post about it… so that maybe I could make it a nice little hideaway spot. To get away from all of the noise, sometimes.”
He peers up at Akira from under his bangs, looking embarrassed as his fingers fiddle absently with the coffee cup. Akira thinks he falls just a little bit in love with this adorable boy.
“Hey, I get it,” he assures Akechi after a moment, when he feels he can speak again. “That’s what I like about this place the most, too.”
And it really is. As much as he wants Sojiro to do well, Leblanc would lose its charm if it became overrun with Akechi’s fans.
Akechi smiles brightly at him. This smile looks a bit less practiced and polite than the others Akira has seen. He can’t help the way his heart skips a beat when it’s directed towards him.
“I’m glad you understand,” Akechi says, sounding relieved. “I really do like it here, and would like to come back.” He pauses briefly. “But I hope you really don’t mind that I’m not going to post about it. I imagine the owner would like more customers.”
Akira shakes his head, waving his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. You’re right, it’s good to get away from all the noise. Especially for someone like you, I imagine.”
“Thank you, Kurusu-kun.” Akechi smiles at him again before glancing at his phone. “Oh, it seems I have to get going. I don’t know how I could possibly repay you for your understanding…” He quickly drinks the rest of his coffee and stands up, reaching for his wallet.
“The drink’s on the house,” Akira interrupts.
Akechi gapes at him for a moment. “Well--then--at least let me tip you. I can’t possibly not pay for such a delicious cup of coffee.”
Akira shakes his head again. “I don’t need a tip.” Then, before he can think too hard about it, he barrels on, “If you really want to repay me, though, there’s something else you can do.”
“And what’s that?” Akechi asks.
“I know another great cafe in Akihabara,” Akira says. “You can let me take you there, as another… recommendation.”
The pause, as well as his overall tone, isn’t exactly subtle, so he isn’t too surprised when a light blush makes its way onto Akechi’s cheeks. “Kurusu-kun,” he starts, his eyes widening. “Are you asking me on a date?”
“Hm. Maybe.” Akira shrugs, taking Akechi’s cup and saucer away to clean them, pretending that his stomach isn’t twisting itself into knots. “It doesn’t have to be a date if you don’t want it to be. But that’s the best repayment I can think of.”
There’s a pregnant pause in which Akira busies himself with cleaning so he doesn’t have to look at Akechi. With every excruciating nanosecond that passes it gets harder and harder to pretend to be calm.
“Alright, then.”
Akira looks up, almost surprised that Akechi agreed. Akechi isn’t quite meeting his eyes, his face still the lightest shade of pink.
“You can message me about it on Instagram,” Akechi goes on to say. “We’ll work out a place and time. But I’m busy, so I can’t promise it will be too soon.” He sounds embarrassed and almost grumpy. Akira finds it overwhelmingly endearing.
“Sure.” Akira can’t keep the wide grin off his face and hopes he doesn’t look like a lunatic--not that Akechi is looking at him, anyway. “I look forward to it. And come back to Leblanc soon, Akechi-kun.”
Akechi nods, looking a little less embarrassed at that thought as he grips his briefcase, ready to go. “I certainly will,” he promises. “I’ll see you later, Kurusu-kun.”
Then he leaves, and Akira is left in his wake, shocked and awed that that encounter actually happened.
He’s only beginning to process all of the flurry of emotions when his phone starts buzzing violently on the counter.
AKIRA
WHAT THE FUCK
DID YOU JUST ASK OUT GORO AKECHI??<22
DID HE JUST SAY YES??!!@F8RRJG
Ah, so Futaba does still have Leblanc bugged, after all.