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It's been almost half a year since Akiteru moved to Niigata, and he still isn't sure if he's made the right decision. His new job here is satisfying, but it's exhausting too – he's so tired most of the time that having the energy to go for a walk at the end of the day counts as a rare win. Save for the university, his small neighborhood at the edge of the city, and this bar, Niigata still feels unfamiliar, and Akiteru wonders if this job was worth giving up a life he'd settled into comfortably, with friends and a city that felt like home. He figured he'd be closer to Kei and his parents than he was in Sapporo, at least, but with how hectic things have been, he's only been able to visit once in the five months he's lived here.
He sighs as he traces idle lines into the condensation on his glass of beer, looking lazily around the bar just as the one unmitigated spot of joy in his new life walks in and takes off the hood that only half managed to protect him from the beating rain outside. Tenma looks dishevelled, with some long dark strands plastered to his face and the shoulders of his hoodie several shades darker than the rest, but he still throws Akiteru a bright smile and a cute wave when he spots him in their booth.
He and Akiteru had met right here, randomly, just a month after the move, when Akiteru decided to grab a beer at the bar closest to the station. That first night, and almost every Friday since, they talked until the bar was empty and the owner had to shoo them out at 2. Akiteru’s never been more grateful for a chance meeting; Tenma’s become his closest friend in Niigata, his random texts the bright spots in tedious, exhausting days, and Fridays the highlight of each week.
“No Kei? I thought you said he’d be visiting, I was looking forward to seeing that scrunchy face of his again after eight years,” Tenma says as he slides into the booth across from Akiteru, grinning.
“Uh, no– big news, actually. He and Tadashi decided to stay home after Tadashi popped the question this week. I’m going back next weekend to congratulate them.”
“No way! Tell them I said congrats too. We should get one of those– what’s that stuff Kei likes to drink again? The baby edition White Russian? Let’s get one of those in their honor, I’ve never tried it!” Tenma says, even as he takes a sip of his first beer.
Akiteru laughs. “You know, I told him that’s what you called his Kahlúa and milk, and he scoffed.”
“He’s good at that, isn’t he?” Tenma asks, but he sounds more amused than anything, almost fond, the same way Akiteru is about his little brother’s prickliness. It’s kind of sweet that he feels like that too. “I remember feeling his scorn right from the stands when we watched them last time.”
“Oh yes, master scoffer, my brother.”
Tenma grins. “I’ll go grab our drinks to toast him then, on both of his achievements.” He’s already popped out of the booth and skipping over to the bar before Akiteru can protest.
Tenma’s mellowed out since high school, still as laid back and carefree as he was when they’d met at the Spring Tournament back in Kei’s first year, but he also carries that spark of enthusiasm that made him the Little Giant, only less scary intense. Now, he just gets excited about small things, like weird news in the morning paper he always texts to Akiteru, or Animal Tower 4, or trying Kahlúa and milk for the first time as a way to celebrate Kei getting engaged. It’s silly but cute, and Akiteru can’t help but feel fond.
It’s only a minute before Tenma’s back and sliding a drink in front of Akiteru. “Here you go, one White Russian Lite.”
“You’re not getting invited to the wedding if you call it that when Kei visits,” Akiteru says, and takes a sip. It’s a little overly sweet and creamy, like Kei likes, but not unpleasant.
“As if I’m getting invited anyway! Neither of them sounds like the kind of person who’d want a giant wedding.” Tenma nudges Akiteru’s foot under the table. “The only way I’ll get to go is if you take me as your date.”
Akiteru feels his cheeks heat up. “R-right. Well, if you’d like to see my little brother’s scrunchy face and maybe also him saying his vows, I can do that.”
“Sounds good!” Tenma says with one of those charming smiles, and Akiteru has to hide his face by drinking more of the not-White-Russian. He’s been thinking about Tenma’s charm a lot lately, catching himself smiling goofily at texts on his morning commute, wanting to have Tenma there when he’s watching stupid tv after a mind-melting day at work.
“Anyway, your parents must be ecstatic too, huh?” Tenma asks. “You said they really love Tadashi?”
“Oh yeah, they adore him. The one downside of the whole thing is, with my parents, uh… the day after, they texted me about so when are you getting married, Akiteru? and have you met anyone there in Niigata? They’ve never been obnoxious about it, but…” Akiteru trails off. “I guess it only bothered me this time because I kinda figured I’d have someone serious by the time I’m 32 too.”
There’s a flash of hesitance across Tenma’s features before he gets that familiar determined look, but before he can try to cheer him up, Akiteru cuts him off. “But hey! I’m not going to mope about that tonight. I’m happy for Kei and Tadashi.” He means it too, and Tenma must know, because he smiles gently at Akiteru as he jostles his foot again.
“All right. To Kei and Tadashi!” he says, knocking his glass against Akiteru’s.
The rest of the night goes by like usual, in a pleasant buzz, and even if there’s a longing in Akiteru’s chest that aches a little with Tenma’s every laugh tonight, he’s happy to spend his time like this. Before he knows it, it’s 2 in the morning again, and he and Tenma are stepping out onto the street.
It’s a pleasant night out now that the rain’s stopped, fresh and breezy, and Akiteru takes a deep breath before they start walking. They head down the street, away from the station and towards Tenma’s place so Akiteru can drop him off before he’ll go home too. That became part of their Friday routine early on – Akiteru gladly taking the five-minute detour because they kept getting caught up in talking, only saying goodbye at the door to Tenma’s building.
Tonight, Tenma stops in the doorway, holding the glass door half open.
“You feeling okay?” he asks, looking more serious than before. “You were a little weird tonight.”
“Oh, it’s just–”
“Is it about the thing you said before? About not finding someone?”
“Uh, maybe.” Akiteru scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. “It’s stupid, though, don’t worry about it.”
“It’s not stupid. But, you know, about that… I wanted to say, there’s always me. If you’re interested.”
Akiteru stands for a moment, dumbfounded, as Tenma reaches out to gently touch a finger to his hand, just for a second. He goes on, “I had the biggest crush on you in high school, and I still do, so!”
He shrugs and gives Akiteru a bright grin, but before Akiteru can really say anything, he slips inside with a wave and lets the door close, leaving Akiteru to stare at his own stupid smile in the glass.