Work Text:
The game is set.
Rain pounded against the windows of Leblanc. The coffee shop was illuminated by tiny candles framing every windowsill. A soft chime could be heard as the door swung open and shut.
Akira didn’t look up, assuming Sojiro had come back from running some errands. Business was slow today, so he was sitting at a barstool and reading a mystery novel.
“Come hang out with me,” a lilting voice called out to him. Akira could feel a smile creeping up his face before he even looked up to see who it was.
“It’s late, Goro.” Akira comments, admiring the way the raindrops from outside clung to Akechi’s hair and clothes.
“Like that’s ever stopped you before.” Goro scoffed, taking a few steps forward as Akira set down his book.
“If you like reading so much, come with me to the library.” Goro offered a hand. Akira sat in quiet contemplation for a moment before grasping Akechi’s hand and exiting the shop.
The large wooden doors creaked open as the two boys entered the building. Akira let Goro lead him to the back corner of the library and watched as Akechi pulled numerous books off the shelf with interest.
“I bet your favourite type of books are detective novels, huh?” Akira teased. Goro gave him a blank look. It was only then that Akira realized that all the books that Goro had pulled out were mystery novels.
“Oh.” He deadpanned as Goro chuckled.
Small petals floating down from the sky.
“Would you like me to read to you?” Akechi inquired. Akira nodded, and Goro opened the book.
The sky?
Akira watched as Goro’s eyes lit up as he read the story out loud. The rain outside had reduced to a simple pitter-patter as droplets ran down the window. Akira placed his palm on the glass and shivered at how cold it was. He recalled earlier that evening when Goro had offered him his hand. Even through the leather of his gloves, Akira could feel how warm Akechi’s hands were.
We’re still on the ground.
He glanced back over at the detective and shifted closer to him, now sitting next to the other boy rather than across. It was only when he changed positions that he realized that Akechi was still on the first page after five minutes of reading.
The seed has been planted.
“You’ve memorized the entire book?” Akira asked, making Akechi jump in surprise.
“Haha, yes.” Goro smiled awkwardly. A blush coated the detective’s cheeks, although it was unclear [to the audience, that is] whether it was from the heat of the fireplace or the compliment.
“It’s getting late. Thank you for reading to me.” Akira said politely, stifling a yawn.
“I’ll see you another time then.” Goro replied as Akira stood up and made his way to the exit.
Back at Cafe Leblanc, Akira headed up to the attic, the ghost of a smile lingering on his face. He’d like to think that Goro felt the same way [he’d just need to turn back the clock] too.
The mystery novel laid forgotten on the counter.
---
Yellow daffodils brighten the room.
Akira raced through the halls of Shujin Academy as the bell rang, disobeying Kawakami’s shout to follow the rules. He made a dash for the subway station and avoided the large crowd of students making their way home by travelling down a narrow alleyway. He soon came face-to-face with an elegant-looking building.
Mix in some dahlias, and see what you get.
This was the private school that Goro Akechi attended, a fancy place for the rich and elite. He waited impatiently at the front doors, ignoring the looks he was given as numerous people began filing out. He finally caught a glance of the famous detective and rushed towards him.
“Akechi! Come, I have something I want to do with you today.” He declared with a comically large grin on his face.
“I have work to do. Why are you so hyperactive?” Akechi said calmly, raising an eyebrow.
“Work can wait! It’ll be fun, I promise!” Akira ignored his question, instead grabbing Akechi’s arm and bringing him back down the alleyway.
Nothing. They’re exactly the same.
The movie theater was mostly empty as the boys walked towards their seats. The lights darkened as the opening scene began to play.
“You could at least tell me what we’ll be watching.” Goro turned towards the other boy.
“Stay quiet and you’ll find out.” Akira whispered, carefully watching Goro’s expression as the movie continued to play. Akechi’s eyes shone in recognition as he looked back at the screen, and soon a soft smile crossed his face. Akira felt his heart flutter into tiny little pieces, each one melting to form a murky puddle.
Something. They’re entirely different.
A couple hours later, the credits began to roll.
“Did you really drag me out of work just to show me a detective movie?” Akechi huffed as Akira grinned.
“Don’t pretend like you didn’t enjoy it.” He winked and pecked him on the cheek, momentarily bringing the hammer down on the glass structure of Akechi’s soul.
Akechi’s eyes widened as Akira dissolved into laughter in the now-empty theatre.
---
“I was supposed to go with Sae to the aquarium today.” The disdain is clear on Akechi’s face.
Akira looked up from the small desk where he was doing his schoolwork. Akechi was lying on his bed, jacket outstretched beneath him and his signature briefcase resting on the floor.
“She acts like your mother sometimes.” Akira says in a neutral tone. He absentmindedly scans Goro’s room. Tiny bottles adorn his shelves, and Akira tilts his head as he reads them.
“Luvox-Fujisawa, Depromel-Meiji Seika...” He mutters to himself, taking in how the blue walls of Akechi’s room resemble a misty pond on a foggy spring day.
“Not true.” Akechi rolled his eyes and sat up. A delayed response to an otherwise meaningless statement.
“Well, let’s head out then.” Akira stated plainly, setting his pencil down.
“To where, exactly?” Akechi asked in a restrictive tone. He didn’t expect an answer, much less a proper one.
“The aquarium.” Akira gave the other boy a blank stare. His eyes held a trusting gaze for a moment before he smirked and turned away, eyes twinkling with a sense of childish mischief.
Akechi didn’t respond as they gathered their things and headed out, hand in hand.
The aquarium was relatively empty at night, giving the room an eerie, yet oddly calming vibe. The lights in each tank made the water look like a striking blue, further emphasizing the neon colours of each fish.
“They seem to like you.” Akira says nonchalantly as the fish dart over to Goro’s side of the tank. The ripples in the water made it so that both of their reflections were distorted, so Akira couldn’t make out Goro’s reaction to the comment or the fish.
“Hmm…” Goro frowns for a moment before replacing it with a dazzling smile as he leans closer to the surface of the water. His eyes seemed brightened under the artificial lights, and it’s like Akira was falling in love with his boyfriend all over again.
“I love you.” Akira cups his hands so that they’re just barely touching the water, and glances up to look at his boyfriend with adoration.
“That’s awfully kind.” Goro’s tone is clipped as he dips his fingers into the water, watching as the fish danced in circles around his hand.
“I’m not joking.”
“I know.”
“Then open up to me.”
The hum of the tank’s water jets make for a comforting silence as light footsteps could be heard.
“I love you too.” Goro traced a heart on Akira’s cheek, fingers wet from the water. Akira let out a soft giggle and kissed him gently. The fish slowed their movements as they bobbed up and down in the tank.
Hours after hours poured into each other as the two boys walked around each tank, completely mesmerized by all the different types of fish. Akira held Goro’s hand the entire time, rattling off random fish facts that even had Goro baffled as to where Akira could have possibly gotten this information from.
They ended the night with another quick kiss as they headed their opposite ways. Akira was greeted with the usual faint smell of coffee as he entered Leblanc, scanning the area to see if anything needed cleaning.
It was only then that he noticed his mystery novel discarded on the floor. He opened it up, flipping to the end. There was a handwritten note waiting for him there, neatly taped to the page.
Dahlias are better. Meet me at the end, will you?
---
[White noise. Black noise.]
[Yellow noise? Some red noise too…]
Akira was standing in Shibuya Square, people passing by him, but not quite close enough for him to reach. Wind whipped around his body as a ticking noise could be heard. Eyes wide, he slowly turned around.
Oh. The sun was shining.
There was no trace of wind anywhere [and no more ticking], and he was all alone in Shibuya Square. The faint smell of daffodils [not coffee, never that] lurked in the air.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up.
Goro was there.
There were petals on the ground.
He could never be alone as long as Goro was there.
[And then there was only red noise.]
---
The gym was bustling with noise as hundreds of people milled about. Confetti scattered the floor like the petals of roses [roses?] on a windy day. Akira was standing in a corner, observing the crowd. Kawakami had congratulated him earlier before he was swept away by Ann offering him a slice of cake.
“Can’t believe I’m graduating…” He sighed, mentally revising all of the events that had occurred during his time at Shujin Academy, from the beginning of the Phantom Thieves, to wiping his record clean. Good experiences, but ones that weighed heavy, like when you sink down onto your bed after a day of harsh work.
He kept up the reputation of the aloof loner, not due to any obligation, but because he preferred to spend time alone. Crowds gave him headaches and reminded him of Shadows.
Speaking of crowds, the principal was up on stage for the closing speech of the ceremony, and Akira took it as his cue to quietly slip out the backdoors while everyone else gathered around the foot of the stage.
Outside, the cool air wrapped around his body like leaves covering a stream. He felt raindrops dance on his skin and smiled as the telltale signs of a storm hung over Tokyo. He heard footsteps behind him and the same lilting voice call out.
Elegance and dignity, betrayal and dishonesty.
“You should get back to reading that mystery novel of yours.”
He turned around to see Akechi holding a bouquet of red dahlias.