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“I’m sorry to intrude. You must have been sleeping.”
“I wasn’t.” A lie.
Goro Akechi was the last person Akira was expecting to show up at Leblanc’s door. More specifically, Leblanc’s door at three in the morning. Actually, Akira wasn’t expecting anyone to be at the door this late. Except maybe Yusuke, who once showed up unprecedented to discuss his latest art piece. That was a strange night-
“Can we talk?” Akechi shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
“Why now?” Akira blurted. He winced as a scowl formed on Akechi’s once neutral features.
“It’s important,” he gritted, “it can’t wait.”
Akira slouched against the doorframe. “Shouldn’t the team be here for this?”
“No. Just you.”
Akira stepped back and gestured to the attic steps. The brunette hesitated before stepping inside himself. He spared Akira a glance before escorting himself to the stairs.
-
“Where’s the c- Morgana?”
“At Futaba’s.”
Akechi nodded.
“So you had something to say?” Akira patted the space of bed beside him.
“Ah, yes. That is the purpose of my trip after all.” Akechi slowly stalked his way to the bed. He ungracefully fell into the spot beside Akira. After taking the time to adjust himself, he spoke. His voice now quiet, and uncharacteristically nervous. “I know the identity of the individual behind the mental shutdowns.”
Akira’s breath hitched. He curled his hair around his finger. “Do you? Who is it?”
“Me. I’m behind the mental shutdowns and the psychotic breakdowns. I killed all of those people. Including Okumura and Wakaba Isshiki…” Akechi peered at Akira. “You don’t seem to be very surprised.”
Akira shook his head. “Why would I be? I already knew. I know your entire plan, Akechi. To sell us out. To kill me.” Akechi’s eyes widened. He lowered his head, his bangs obscuring his face.
“Then...Then why? Why did you keep me around? If you knew the truth, knew just how much of a monster I really am… Why didn’t you turn me in?”
Akira placed his hand on Akechi’s. The latter visibly tensed. “Because…” Akira struggled to gather his thoughts. A confession from Akechi wasn’t something he was prepared for. “I think you’re a victim too.” He settled.
“...What?” Akechi rasped, his eyes drifting to the ravenette once more.
“I know someone else is behind this. Pulling the strings. You’re being manipulated. You have been your entire life, and I understand that, but it doesn’t make what you did- what you’re doing- right.” The two locked eyes with one another.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is… I understand your reasoning, but it doesn’t make it just. I think you know that. That’s why you came here tonight. You feel guilty. You want to do what’s right.” Akira gripped Akechi’s hand and laced their fingers together. “I want you to atone for what you did, but I also want to take down the bastard that did this to you. That caused you all this pain. That made you think there was no way out.” Akechi’s eyes were misty.
“Even then, it’s too late. The plan will be carried out today, in a mere few hours, and there’s no way to stop it. You’re a dead man walking, Kurusu.”
Akira had the nerve to laugh. “You really think I was going to let you walk into that interrogation room and shoot me in the head? No way. We have a plan.”
Akechi snorted. “A plan, you say?”
“The Phantom Thieves always have a plan. We can fill you in on it tomorrow. Before we enter Niijima’s palace.”
“How are you so sure this ‘plan’ of yours will work?”
“I wasn’t. I just had to put my trust into the team, but now I’m 100% sure everything will turn out okay. The plan heavily relied on you not finding out, after all.”
“And what if I’m lying to you right now?”
Akira raised their still intertwined hands. He smirked. “You aren’t.”
Akechi let an enigmatic smile slip onto his face. “I suppose you are correct.”
“I always am,” and as an afterthought, “it’s late.” Akechi’s hand left Akira’s as he jumped up and adjusted his uniform. Akira didn’t miss Akechi trying to subtly wipe his eyes free of unshed tears.
“My apologies! You must be exhausted! With all that has been on my mind, I had forgotten how late I had come here. I’ll be on my way.”
“You’re going to walk home this late? The trains stopped running hours ago.”
“I’m aware of this. I don’t mind walking. If I keep at a brisk walking pace it shouldn’t take me more than two and a half hours.”
“What? No. Just stay the night here.” Akechi halted his movements.
“B-But I didn’t bring any other clothes with me.”
“I have clothes you can borrow. You’re a bit taller than me though, so they might not fit perfectly.”
“We both have school tomorrow.”
“It’s fine. Set an alarm.”
“I need my phone charger.”
“You can use mine. I have an extra.”
“T-There’s only one bed.”
“A beg large enough for two people. Or I can take the couch.”
“But-”
Akira pushed himself off the bed and approached Akechi. He gripped the other’s shoulders. “Any excuse you make I’ll provide a counter argument for.” Akira slid a hand up Akechi’s neck. He placed a finger against his lips. “So just shut your pretty little mouth, okay? I’ll get you some clothes.”
He left Akechi sputtering and red in the face. “H-Hold on a moment!”
-
“Kurusu? Are you awake?”
“Hm? Yeah. What’s up?” Akira lolled onto his side to face Akechi. The latter was staring at the ceiling.
“Oh, nothing. Just checking.”
“Are you having trouble sleeping?”
“Truthfully? Yes. I can’t recall the last time I shared a bed with someone.”
Akira attempted (and failed) to stifle his laughter. Akechi shifted, so he and Akira were face to face. Their breath mingling. “What?”
“I assumed you shared a bed with lots of people. I mean, there’s enough tabloid articles about your bedroom habits that at least one of them has to be true, right?”
Akechi’s eyes narrowed. “My bedroom habits? What do you-” His expression faltered. “Oh. You’re insinuating… No. Please disregard any of those rumors or articles. I’ve never done such a thing. I was referring to my mother. Whenever I had a nightmare I’d climb in bed with her. She’d sing to me until I fell asleep. I suppose my previous statement does sound somewhat strange without context.”
“No, I was just messing around. It’s nice that you had that relationship with your mother. No matter how short-lived it was.”
“Short-lived indeed. I think I resent her sometimes. For leaving me behind.”
“Focus on the good memories you have, not on what could have been.”
“You’re filled with inspirational quotes today, aren’t you?”
“And you’re filled with self-loathing today.”
Akechi hummed. “A lot has been on my mind,” then a moment later, “it’s cold.”
“Yeah. Winter is approaching, isn’t it? It’s either hot or freezing up here.” He cupped his hands together and rubbed them.
“You should invest in a space heater.”
“I know of a much cheaper alternative.” Akira sat up and slid directly next to Akechi, startling him with the abrupt movements. He shifted the quilt around before finally settling down and wrapping his arms around Akechi’s waist. He pressed his face into the other’s chest, who was now breathing erratically.
“W-What are you doing?” He held his arm above his head, the other being trapped underneath Akira’s lithe form.
“Using the heater in my bed to my advantage.” His voice was slightly muffled.
“That’s dangerous. Heaters can burn you.” Akechi lowered his arm, so it draped around Akira’s shoulders.
“I don’t think this heater will burn me. He loves me too much.” Akechi froze, then relaxed after settling on the realization that has been presenting itself in his head all day.
“I do. That’s why I can’t kill you. You’ve truly grown on me, Kurusu.”
Akira untucked himself from Akechi. He stared at him, his eyes half-lidded. “You broke character.”
“My apologies, Kurusu. I wasn’t aware we were putting on a play.”
“It’s Akira,” he mumbled before pressing his lips to Akechi’s.
Akira may appear to be confident, but on the inside, he has no idea what he’s doing. He’s never kissed anyone before. He usually avoided the topics of kissing and relationships altogether. Luckily for him, Akechi seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Akira was beginning to pull away when Akechi’s hand slid up to cup his jaw and pull him back in, their lips slotting together into an official kiss. From there, things seemed to only heat up. Akechi’s other hand had slipped down Akira’s torso, grasping his waist. He tugged Akira’s body forward so their hips were flush against one another.
The kiss was sloppy. There was no rhythm or coordination. They were just making it up as they went. There was no plan. So when Akechi’s tongue slid into Akira’s mouth, he melted. He went limp. His tight grip on Akechi’s waist fell, allowing Akechi to freely move. Akira opened his eyes and oh that’s where the extra weight came from. Akechi’s body was on top of his own, pressed against him. He held himself up on his elbows, as to not completely crush the ravenette.
Akechi pulled away, panting. “I love you.”
The words were blatant. Quickly said as if they were never spoken at all.
His voice cracked, the words nearly getting caught in his throat. “You could not have picked a worse time.”
“Believe me, I certainly could have. You’re a dead man walking, remember? The ‘dead’ has to come into play at some point.”
He tried to think of an appropriate response, but instead, “I’m tired.”
“I know. Me too.” The weight was gone now, and the two returned to their previous positions. Namely, Akira wrapped around Akechi like a koala.
“Are you still cold?” Akechi’s voice came out airy.
“...No,” he replied.
Akechi smiled, though it wasn’t visible in the darkness of the room.
“As cryptic as ever, Akira.”