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“See you guys tomorrow!” Takumi called as he parted ways with his friends. They usually spent time after classes eating out or getting drinks while chatting. But with exams looming over their heads they all decided to head straight home and study properly.
Takumi watched his friends’ figures fall out of his sight before turning around and heading in the opposite direction. He and his childhood friends, Oboro and Hinata, lived in the same area close to their college campus. They used to be neighbors until Takumi’s family moved to a bigger house a few blocks away. He missed the convenience of having his friends next door, but he liked that now he had his own room too.
He took his usual route through the back end of a small shopping district, noticing something different about the end of the street. There was a storefront he had never seen before. It stood out from the other buildings for having a glass window with a solid black frame, teal paint that was starting to peel, and a hanging metal sign that said “Antiques” in a large cursive font. Underneath was a smaller font that said “Vintage Items Available.” It didn’t fit in with the natural wood and cloth banners that the other shops had.
What was particularly odd is that none of the stores on the street were missing or moved, there was the noodle shop still there, and a tailor family’s workshop across from it. In fact, it looked like this new store somehow managed to create a space between the noodle restaurant and the bakery that used to be beside it, instead of replacing one of them. Takumi approached the store, noting a statue bust and a vase in the window but no indication that it was even open. There was a part of him that was wary, like he was suddenly in front of something dangerous, but a stronger, bigger part of him was allured by the shop and what could be inside.
Takumi opened the door, causing the bells on the knob to jingle softly. The first item that greeted his eyes was a massive, jet-black suit of armor posed to clutch a sword in its hands. The armor was surrounded by chaos, shelves stocked full with delicate porcelain and brass ornaments, curious metallic machines that ticked away, decorative globes that spun slowly about their axes. There was very little space to navigate the store, and Takumi had to venture slowly towards the back. Sections of wall were covered in old shadow boxes and framed paintings, and one shelf was packed almost haphazardly with books. Upon closer inspection there were small labels on the shelf indicating which areas on it pertained to which subject matter. Curiously there weren't any other customers, and the man wondered if there was anyone else in the store at all. It was eerily silent aside from the sound of Takumi's shoes against the wood floor.
At the very back of the store was a wooden counter with an outdated metal cash register. The counter was plastered with almost completely peeled away travel stickers and faded event flyers. One advertised a magic show that took place almost 60 years ago. Small, crocheted animals decorated the space in front of the register. There were more shelves next to the counter, filled with intricate brooches and bracelets crafted in traditional styles from all around the world.
Sitting behind the counter with his nose buried in a book was a young man with short blond hair. He seemed to either have not noticed Takumi’s presence or merely didn’t care, idly flipping the page over with his free hand. Takumi was surprised at how young this person at the counter was, and marveled even more at his antiquated choice of style. He wore a light gray buttoned shirt, with loose sleeves that ended in long cuffs with tarnished buttons, a dark purple vest with some shiny thread embroidered into the collar, a deep red silk bow tie, and long black high waisted pants. His neatly trimmed hair was decorated with a simple black hairband.
The man finally turned his head to look at him and Takumi stepped backwards at the sight of the shocking ruby eyes that fixed on him. They were so vivid, a color unlike anything he had ever seen. The man's gaze also gave him a sense of unrest, as if they were piercing through him and dissecting him in silence. Takumi cleared his throat to regain his bearings.
“What is this place?” he asked.
“You didn’t read the sign outside before coming in here?” the blond said in a flat tone, his ruby eyes darting back to his book.
Takumi could feel his hair prickle at the way this guy talked. It was as if no one ever taught him how to do customer service. “I did read it, I just haven’t seen this place before. And I passed by yesterday.”
“Well, what’s on the sign is all you need to know, if you’re not here to buy anything then you can leave,” the other man said without looking back up.
“I’ll do just that then,” Takumi growled before he turned about face and walked out the door.
The sun was already beginning to set when he closed the door behind him, the jingling of the bells still ringing in his ears. Even though the shop owner was a rude and arrogant man, the contents of the store intrigued Takumi, and he couldn’t help but wish that he spent some more time browsing.
-----
“Wait, so some antique store opened up near your place?” Hinata asked, leaning his chair back, sipping on a juice box.
“It’s getting popular to collect vintage goods, apparently. People love thrifting to snatch unique items to complete their look. I’m sure a store like that would be popular with trendsetters,” Oboro suggested.
“I guess it just opened then, when I went in no one was in the shop,” Takumi mused. “Although the cashier really had a terrible attitude, maybe it’s just a money laundering front or something.”
“Oh that’s too bad, I would’ve liked to see if they had any good accessories.” Oboro frowned, unwrapping her lunch.
“Maybe after midterms we can check it out anyway, it still looked pretty cool,” Takumi said with a shrug, before biting into the sandwich he bought from the cafeteria.
-----
Takumi swung a bag of groceries in his hand while he walked home. He still couldn’t really get yesterday’s encounter out of his head, and he contemplated going back and asking a lot of questions just to get on the shopkeeper’s nerves and maybe sate some of his curiosity. But when he reached the end of the street, the antique store wasn’t there.
Huh?
The noodle shop and the bakery were now right next to each other, as if the store never existed to begin with. Takumi rubbed his eyes with his free hand. There’s no way that was possible right? Everything about yesterday felt so real, the way the bells jingled, the smell of old books, the blond shopkeeper with the red eyes that he could still see even with his eyes closed. He shook his head and decided to check again tomorrow, just in case maybe he was imagining things.
Takumi found himself checking the street everyday after school, to no avail. He even asked the owners of the noodle restaurant if they knew anything about antiques and they looked at him as if he sprouted another head. Did he really just imagine it? It was a stressful time of the semester for everyone, and maybe this was a sign that he needed to take better care of himself.
After one week he considered taking a different route home, just to try and forget about the store that never existed. But when he reached the end of the street, it was there again. In between the noodles and bakery just like before. He scrambled towards it and looked through the window. It looked exactly how he remembered it, the clutter and piles of objects stacked high to the ceiling.
Once again he knew that there was something strange and extremely creepy going on, but the part of him that wanted to know more pulled him in. Takumi inhaled deeply before opening the door and heading to the back. Classical music was playing in the distance. So someone was here. He mentally braced himself for an interaction with the rude blond, but that interaction never came. Sitting instead at the counter was a petite girl with long blonde curls that were pulled into two tails on each side of her head and topped with giant ribbons. She looked much younger than the other shopkeeper, but she dressed in a similarly dated style. Takumi could already imagine Oboro taking an interest in this girl’s fashion sense, assuming it was historically accurate. Her music was playing through a phonograph, which wasn't too surprising to Takumi anymore. She hummed along with the music, her head bobbing back and forth making her massive curls bounce slightly.
“Hello?” Takumi called out hesitantly.
The girl turned to look at him. Her eyes widened in excitement. “Good afternoon! Would you like me to help with something? I don’t know much though!” she greeted in a cheery voice. Huge difference from the previous shopkeeper.
“Wasn’t there someone else working here before? An older guy,” Takumi asked, glancing at the door he just noticed behind the counter.
“Oh do you mean my big brother Leo? He definitely knows a whole lot more than me! He’s in the back right now. Should I get him?” she chirped.
“No thank you, um, I’m just going to look around thanks,” Takumi said. He didn't really need anything anyway, and maybe it was best not to ask too many questions right now. He didn't even know where he'd begin to ask. The girl nodded vigorously before turning back to the music she was listening to.
Using this opportunity to browse, Takumi made his way to the front of the store to take a look at some of the globes. He couldn’t quite place it but some objects in the area drew him in, the same way that the store itself did. It was as if they each had a story they wanted him specifically to hear. There was a myriad assortment of globes, some crafted from metal and with several overlapping hoops that encircled the spheres, others were carved out of wood with delicate hand painted details. He inched towards a large wooden globe that appeared to have sakura petals painted onto its base. The continents painted on it looked nothing like what Earth looked now. Each label was in a writing system he had never seen before. Was it some old movie prop?
“Will you be buying anything?” a voice said behind him. Takumi spun around to see the other shopkeeper, Leo, if he recalled correctly, standing behind him. Just the sight of him irked Takumi.
“Of course I’m buying something,” he sputtered indignantly. He spotted a fountain pen set out of the corner of his eyes and grabbed it. “I want this,” he declared.
“Are you sure you don’t want this?” Leo pulled a plush bear toy from a shelf next to him.
“What the hell? What kind of person do you think I am?” Takumi exclaimed in disbelief. What would Leo gain from mocking him now? He was a potential customer.
“I think you’re someone who has a hard time sleeping at night. Do you get nightmares? Stress dreams? Either way I think this could help you a lot more than that pen set,” Leo explained coolly, petting the fur on the bear's head down with his finger.
Help him? Was this some kind of joke? Takumi wasn’t five years old. How did this guy even know about his sleeping problems? He looked back at those unnervingly bright red eyes. Leo really didn’t look like he was joking. Moreover he was getting the same feeling he got earlier with the globe. There was something about the bear that was drawing him in, which the pen he grabbed didn't do at all. It was all just so bizarre.
“I’ll humor you then, how much is it?” Takumi inquired, defeated.
Leo turned the bear around and showed a small price tag tied around the bear’s neck. It was cheaper than Takumi expected for an old item, although he didn’t really know much about vintages to begin with. He just assumed everything would be expensive. Leo took the bear to the register and put it into a brown paper bag while Takumi fished into his pocket for his wallet.
“Also we don’t accept returns here, a small business and all,” the shopkeeper said with a small smirk. Insufferable. The girl at the counter smiled and waved.
“Thank you for your purchase! Come again soon!” she called after Takumi’s retreating figure. He heard Leo scold her for something but couldn’t hear what.
-----
When Takumi arrived at home he was exhausted. He tossed the brown bag on his desk and sank onto his bed. Maybe he could give the bear to Sakura, it was pretty cute for a plush and maybe she'd like it. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to see a few texts from Hinata about a sports special airing on TV that day. After shooting a few texts back he closed his eyes.
That night he dreamed… about nothing.
He blinked. Wait, nothing? The bed creaked as he sat up abruptly. He slept straight through the night, and woke up without any dread or the familiar sinking feeling in his stomach.
“This is probably just some sort of placebo effect, no way that weird bear could have anything to do with it,” Takumi reassured himself aloud. The bear was still in the brown bag on his desk. He pulled himself out of bed and got ready for classes. Maybe he’d hold out on giving the bear away for now, just in case. He did purchase it from a very shady store.
At school Takumi decided to keep the odd encounter with Leo and the plush a secret from Hinata and Oboro, just because it was a little too odd. They were already worried about him enough as is. He tried to avoid the shop too, couldn't give Leo the satisfaction of getting into his head.
That night, Takumi didn't dream about anything again. It was as if all he saw was a comforting blank space before waking up. None of this was making any sense, he had an exam coming up which was the perfect time for nightmares. He decided that this was just the calm before the storm, and the terrifying dreams would start again on the night before the test… Except that exam day came and he woke up feeling well rested once more. No feelings of dread and misery. Something was definitely happening now, there was no way he would just sleep soundly all the way until exam day.
He shook his head and got ready for class, there were more important things to be concerned about today. The exam was easier when his brain wasn’t fuddled with sleep deprivation. Right after turning his answer sheet in, Takumi sent Oboro and Hinata texts that he had business to attend to and rushed to the antique shop. It was still there.
“Back so soon?” Leo furrowed his brow upon seeing him. The look on his face was genuine confusion.
“What kind of place is this? And before you tell me to read the sign I know there’s something off here, stores don’t just disappear into thin air and that bear I bought seems to be messing with my head,” Takumi demanded.
“Did it not work?” The blond asked, standing up.
"Did what not work? What on Earth are you going on about?" Takumi said, agitated.
Leo sighed. He slipped a metal bookmark into his book and set it down on the counter. “I suppose things aren’t working the way they usually do, so I might as well tell you the truth. This really is an antique store, everything in here is old. However, each item is also imbued with some kind of magic. The store itself is magic, it shouldn’t be visible to anyone who doesn’t have a problem they need fixed. I thought yours was your sleeping problem but the fact that you’re back so soon means that you still need something. Although to be honest, sleeping issues are a little minor compared to the kinds of things I normally deal with,” he finished, looking a little thoughtful.
Takumi was floored by all the information Leo dropped on him. Magic? That explained everything but also nothing at all. Magic wasn’t supposed to be real. He spluttered while coming up with his response. “I can’t believe something like that! How-How are you supposed to deal with other people’s issues? I’m a complete stranger to you!”
"Let's see. You're a middle child, and the son of the founder of the Hoshido Corporation. You go to college, the one nearby. You used to have trouble sleeping, and you had an exam this week. Hmm," Leo paused. So far everything he said was spot on, and Takumi could feel a wave of fear wash over him. "Oh, and it looks like one of your siblings started dating someone recently which seems to be bothering you greatly."
"What?!"
"Have you ever dated anyone before? It looks like you're averse to the notion of romantic love," Leo pushed on, unbothered by the delicate subject.
"Of course I've dated someone before!!" Takumi yelled, his face reddening as he spoke.
Leo frowned at the sudden outburst. "Maybe what you need isn't magic but some chamomile tea. Calm down." Easier said than done.
“Say you’re right, how are you supposed to help me anyway then?” Takumi said with a huff, forcing himself to keep his tone level and his voice down.
“That's a good question, one of the more reasonable ones you've asked so far. And the answer is, I have no idea. Most love related issues I receive involve someone already in love, or want to deter others from love. I'll give them something that will make their beloved fall in love with them or give them some courage to confess. Am I supposed to give you something to make you fall in love with the first person you run into outside? Do you need a date for some kind of family gathering? No, while your sad love life seems to be a problem for you I don't think it's something I'm expected to solve. Let's look a little more at what bothers you—”
“Absolutely not! I’ve had enough of this!” Takumi burst out of that store again, which felt like something he was doing a lot lately. He had no reason to bother with a place like that. It was probably illegal anyway. If he needed help he could get it from someone else, someone who had manners and not weird creepy powers.
The walk home gave him some time to mull over the things he had just heard. Leo was right about his feelings towards his sibling's love life. Most of his family members seemed too busy or too uninterested in love when suddenly Corrin announced they were seeing someone. He barely knew Corrin, who lived with another family for most of their childhood, but they were finally starting to get along. Now it felt like they were seeing each other less and less. It didn’t help that Hinoka and Ryoma were almost obsessed with the details of Corrin’s dates.
Leo was also right about his own abysmal love life. Oboro had confessed to him on the last day of high school, and he turned her down. He cared, deeply, for her but he couldn't feel the same way about her as she did for him. They were childhood friends, and she was one of his only friends, something that he was too scared to risk for an attempt at romance especially if he still couldn't develop feelings for her. Not only that but it had been a long time since he'd actually fallen for anyone.
If it were true that the antique store only showed for people with some kind of personal problem, then the time Leo’s antique store showed up for him for the first time was the day before a midterm that he was agonizing over, because family business cut into his studying time, although it turned out to be no big deal. After that it disappeared, and it showed up again after Corrin revealed to the family who they were dating. The problem that he might be having might really be related to Corrin after all, but not because he was jealous of them for having a love life, like Leo seemed to think. He picked up his phone and hovered over Corrin’s contact. If he put the effort into reaching out to his sibling and solving his own damn problems then maybe the store would disappear for him again.
Corrin replied to his text the next morning, apologizing for the late reply. The apologetic emoji after the string of words just kind of irritated Takumi. He knew he was being petty but he already wanted to give up on trying to patch things up between them. They could go back to being the estranged siblings they were when Corrin first moved in. He sighed and typed a few words into the messaging app. Haha, it's fine, don't worry about it.
----
Takumi only had a couple of classes, but with archery practice on hold because the range was being reserved by the student council, and Oboro and Hinata stuck with group projects, he found himself going home early. He didn't really want to go straight home. The only person who would be there was Hinoka, who sprained her ankle recently and wasn't very happy being stuck inside. So in a severe lapse of judgement he found himself standing in front of the antique store, his hand closed around the door knob. He had a lot of questions, and maybe Leo could accidentally help him realize something about his situation again, he argued to himself. Maybe he was just looking for someone to take out his frustration on.
He walked up to Leo and placed both of his hands on the counter. "How much do you know about me? What kind of weird mind power do you have, do you just happen to know everything about a person as soon as they walk in?" he demanded. The shopkeeper looked up at him, not even deigning to look surprised.
"Hehe, I actually just looked you up. Your family is pretty famous and I recognized the name when I saw your credit card in your wallet," Leo replied with a satisfied smirk as if it was something to be proud of.
“So Corrin’s love life was all over the internet?!” Takumi blurted. He knew that his family was almost celebrity status but he didn't think people cared that much.
“Oh no, I got that from my divination powers. I can only look at what's bothering people, not their whole life story or all of their thoughts. Troubles are only visible to me in incomplete forms, so I can only make educated guesses on what they're really about. You don't have to worry about what I know," Leo stated in a matter of fact way. As if that wasn't a terrifying kind of power.
Despite the incredibly invasive magic described to him, there was one aspect that calmed Takumi down a little. Only being able to see current troubles meant Leo didn't know all the embarrassing details of his childhood like he initially thought. Although that did mean Leo now knew that Takumi was worried about that, didn't it? Great. He thought "My problem is that Leo is the worst" very hard in his mind hoping maybe the other would pick up on it.
If Leo picked up on that thought he didn't show it. He placed his book on the counter and folded his hands together. “So, what brings you here today, Takumi? Should I provide something to prevent others from finding out you watch Superhero Legend Zero X every Sunday?”
“Whoa! Who said I cared whether people know what I watch on Sundays?! Can you stop using that crazy power on me?” Takumi forgot that he was even embarrassed about that fact, but earlier his professor used the show as an example in lecture and none of his classmates had heard of it before. One of them even said it looked kind of dumb. Educated guesses or not, Leo was too dangerous.
“Hm, you seem to be worried about the new member of your archery club. Archery is a fascinating pastime. Ah, you don’t get along with new people, it seems,” Leo mused. He didn’t seem to listen to anything Takumi said.
“Look, I don’t want your help or anything, so stop using that power already! I was just thinking if this store was going to be here all the time from now on I might as well get my chance to look at all the cool stuff here."
Leo waved his hand dismissively. "As you wish. But remember: if you break it, you buy it."
Takumi swore under his breath as he wandered away. In truth, he wondered if there was something in that store that would just feel right. The bear did help him, and if the store was meant to solve problems, then just maybe there was something in here for him. He really didn’t want to have to fix his family or social issues by himself. It was easier to pretend nothing was wrong. He stayed for about half an hour, not finding anything that stood out to him, until he got a text from Ryoma asking him to pick Sakura up from her afterschool club activities.
-----
Takumi visited again the next day, and judging by the crease in his forehead, Leo wasn’t particularly enthused about this. He didn’t say anything about it though, and promptly ignored him.
This time Takumi wanted to browse some of the books. None of them seemed to have the power that the other objects did but he couldn't help but have his interest pique at a collection like this. Many of them had yellowed pages and there were pocks and scuffs on the covers. Leo had them organized by subject and then by title, likely because it seemed like some had unknown authors. There were mostly biographies, but there were a fair number of other subjects and even works in foreign languages. Takumi took particular interest in the books that were written on life in the past, their agriculture, weaponry, and politics. These books were packed so tightly into the shelf that he struggled to pry them out without causing an avalanche of paper and dust. He wondered if he was even allowed to read any of the books in the store without purchasing them first but the shopkeeper didn’t do anything to stop him. It looked like Leo was just going to pretend he didn’t exist for as long as necessary. He sat cross-legged on the floor and flipped through the pages of the book. Completely absorbed in the wealth of knowledge on each page, he didn't notice Leo had left his post at the counter.
"Would you like some tea? I just brewed a pot. It's chamomile," Leo's voice sounded from above him. Takumi startled, knocking his elbow on the bookshelf. He was taken aback by the sudden invitation but didn't detect any malice in Leo's tone. He supposed there was no harm in accepting.
Leo pulled a stool out in front of the counter. “If anybody comes you can just move over to the side,” he said before going through the door behind him. Takumi hesitantly took a seat. The blond emerged again with a tray carrying a pair of dainty little teacups, and placed one in front of him. The teacup looked so delicate, not like the thick clay ones he had back home. It was white with a scalloped texture, gold and pink flowers painted on the surface of the cup and saucer, and a tiny handle that curled into a leaf where it met the cup. The tea had a mellow scent, steam wafting into Takumi’s face washing a wave of calm over him. Leo took his place behind the counter and sipped daintily at his tea while his eyes scanned text on yet another book. Takumi stared at him intently, suspicion in his eyes.
“I don’t really have anything against you, you know. Since you’ve been coming in often there’s no point in trying to avoid you,” Leo spoke up, seemingly uncomfortable from the unwavering pair of eyes fixed on him.
“So you’re just a jerk because it’s fun for you,” Takumi deduced.
“That’s not it either,” the shopkeeper muttered, looking a little sheepish. Takumi made a loud hmm, just to poke fun at him.
“Tell me something about you,” Takumi said, finally picking up his tea to sip on it.
“No.”
“It’s not fair that you know all about me, I think that I should learn something about you in return,” Takumi pouted.
“Ah, well no one asks you to come here do they? You could avoid me finding out too much just by not showing up." Leo took another sip of his tea, his eyes closed. He had a very dignified way of drinking tea.
“That’s true, but c’mon, what if I asked your sister about you the next time she’s around? I’m sure she has tons of things to say about you!” Takumi argued.
The blond frowned and shot a glare at the man across from him. “Fine. Just don’t you dare talk to any of my sisters about me. I say sisters because I’m a middle child like you, I have three older siblings and a younger sister.”
“Are you joking? Because if you’re not then we’re—”
“Rather similar, yeah.” Leo nodded, looking a little uneasy at this revelation.
Takumi swirled the tea in his cup thoughtfully. "Actually I've noticed the kinds of books you read are the same kinds I like to read. History, philosophy. I like those subjects too."
"I'll admit I'm surprised. I guess it's not just our family situation that's similar but our tastes as well."
"Now tell me something embarrassing about you," Takumi said, a cheeky grin stretching across his face.
"Why would I willingly do that?" Leo’s eyes narrowed at him.
"Because you get to see all my embarrassing little worries and I don't get to see yours! But mostly because if not then-!" Takumi stood up and made his way around the counter, reaching for the drawer under countertop. There were probably only store supplies in there, but he hoped maybe Leo had something scandalous stored there too.
"Argh! Okay, okay! I'll tell you one thing!" Leo exclaimed, and Takumi retracted his hand, looking back at him eagerly. The blond exhaled loudly, and lifted his hands to fix the placement of his headband. "I… I like to watch Superhero Legend Zero X on Sundays too."
"Seriously?!" Takumi had to admit that was an embarrassing fact, especially after outing his own worries about it, but it was also surprisingly cute.
"Every character's power is so well thought out, you end up wanting to tune in again…" Leo mumbled, his ears turning red.
“Oh definitely! Even though the battles can get a little repetitive, the world building is spectacular!” Takumi enthused.
The two of them talked about Superhero Legends, then about books, and in a blink three hours had gone by. Leo had served a cup of tea for each of those hours. Takumi stood up to leave, thanking the shopkeeper for the drinks, hurriedly stuffing his belongings back into his bag after taking them out to show to Leo. Their parting was awkward, as both were aware now that the animosity between them at their meeting was pointless.
-----
Days passed and Takumi found himself visiting Leo’s store as often as he could. Only once did he ever see a customer, but Leo assured him others showed up sometimes too. They would spend their afternoons talking, reading, sometimes Takumi would bring his homework and work on it quietly while Leo cleaned the store. He would have never expected it at first, but he enjoyed Leo’s company. The blond seemed eager to take it upon himself to try and solve any issue he got wind of, but he stopped bringing up Takumi’s worries unprompted like he did before. Takumi found himself telling Leo about his archery practice and his school work, and Leo would tell him all about the items at the store, how his magic worked, and share his excitement over new items he managed to procure.
Things started to change since Takumi began visiting Leo regularly. He was getting along with Corrin again, even though they saw each other less than before. He didn’t think it was because of the store itself, but the secret relaxing hours he spent with Leo seemed to make him less wound up at home and more willing to open up to his siblings.
-----
Takumi idly scratched the end of his pencil against the tip of his nose. He took a brief moment to admire his work before shaking his head and crossing out his process. The assignment wasn’t particularly hard but the professor of the course always made the wording of the problems somewhat unclear which made it easy to end up using the wrong formulas. He heard a clack as Leo pushed his cash register shut.
It was just another quiet afternoon of doing homework while the other busied himself with shop maintenance. Out of curiosity, Takumi turned his head to sneak a peek at Leo. The blond was already looking at him, and their eyes met for the briefest of moments. His face flushing, Takumi snapped his head back to stare down at his stupid math problem. It was such a short glance so he was probably just imagining it, but the way Leo looked at him was so gentle, and he could've sworn he was smiling. Takumi was so hung up on what just happened he couldn’t even bring himself to remember what he was doing with this assignment. He reread the question over and over, finding no solution.
“Are you struggling with your homework?” Leo asked, breaking the silence. There was a sweeping sound. He must have grabbed a broom at some point.
“Just a little, you know how Professor Yukimura is,” Takumi grumbled. At this point Leo knew all of his professors’ names.
Leo laughed. “You don’t need my help do you? When you say you don’t want me solving your problems that doesn’t extend to math does it?” he teased.
“Of course it does, genius. You’re not getting anywhere near this assignment,” Takumi quipped, punching a few numbers into his calculator at the same time. “Also I already have an A in this class, what if you bring me down to a B? I’ve never seen you do math.” He knew that Leo graduated college early, and he probably was good at math, but it was fun to pretend he wasn't.
“I’m sure even if I got every problem wrong, which I won’t, you still wouldn’t get a B in the class. Because you’re a nerd just like me,” Leo smirked.
“Touché,” Takumi said, his mouth curving into a smile.
------
It was a rainy day, Takumi jumping over puddles on his way to Leo's store. The shop was illuminated by a few candle lit lanterns, despite having electricity (something Takumi assumed only had to do with aesthetics). The rain pattering against the window made the store feel calm and cozy. A cup of tea and a chat with Leo would be the perfect thing.
Leo had a rotary phone on the counter, and it looked like he was attempting to bind magic to it. He greeted Takumi with a small smile and nod, before turning back to the phone. The lighting wasn’t particularly good but he looked a little paler than usual and there was sweat on his brow.
“Leo, you don't look well. Have you been resting?” Takumi inquired. It had been a few days since his last visit.
Leo only grunted in affirmation. Takumi raised an eyebrow.
“You’re in no state to be running this store right now, idiot. Why don’t you lie down?” Takumi chided. Leo protested this and Takumi's attempt to pull him away from his work, but Takumi’s well developed arm muscles from years of archery prevented him from being able to make much of a fight.
Takumi dragged Leo to the back room. It served as a break and storage room, containing a couch with a coffee table and more shelves with items yet to be put on display. There were two doors at the back of this room, one that led to a small washroom, and another that probably opened to the outside. He led the tired man to the couch, gently pushing him to lie down with his head on the cushion. Leo complied reluctantly to every movement but when his head touched the small embroidered cushion he sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping.
“I was hoping you’d come to see me today,” Leo said, his voice barely over a whisper. Takumi’s heart skipped a beat. “Ah no, that was presumptuous of me, thinking you come to see me,” Leo's voice trailed off.
“Shh, just take it easy for now,” Takumi said softly, giving a reassuring pat to his friend's shoulder before standing up. "Where do you keep your tea? I'll make some for you. It’ll help you relax," He saw Leo’s hand lift above the couch and point to the corner of the room.
Leo sat up when Takumi approached him with a teacup. “I really should ask for a different sofa, this one is terrible,” he muttered. He took the cup from Takumi, who sat down next to him. “Thanks.” The two of them sat there for a few minutes, Takumi waiting for Leo to finish his tea. Leo spoke up again, “I’m the best mage in my family, but recently it’s been so difficult producing results for customers. I wasn’t even able to figure out why this store shows up for you. I wonder if I’m just not…” the rest of his sentence devolved into incoherent murmuring.
“You’re probably just stressed Leo. You’re always so burdened with everyone else’s problems. And I don’t know a thing about magic but I already know you’re probably the best at it. But even the best can’t do things properly if they’re tired,” Takumi said.
“You don’t know anything about magic though, what if it really is a problem with my skills? Or if I'm just not creative enough with my spells?” Leo lamented.
Takumi’s brows furrowed. It took a lot out of Leo to get him to open up about his insecurities, most of the time it needed to be coaxed out of him. “Even if I don’t know anything about magic, I know for a fact that it’s not you. The bear I bought from you told me that. You should believe me every once in a while, it would do you a lot of good,” Takumi replied. He noticed that Leo was sitting closer to him than before, their shoulders were almost touching.
“If you say so,” Leo finally said. Good. Takumi didn't really want to argue with Leo right now. He jolted a little as he felt Leo burying his face in his shoulder. His heart pounded as blond hair tickled at his neck.
“Will you stay?” Leo murmured, muffled by the fabric of Takumi’s shirt, “This is much more comfortable than lying down.”
Takumi opened his mouth, wanting to say that Leo should go home and get rest in a real bed, but all that came out was: “Okay.”
Leo appeared to be satisfied by this answer and relaxed his weight completely against him. It seemed as if he had already fallen asleep. The half filled teacup teetered and Takumi moved to ply it out of his hands. He swore to himself for jerking his arms like that but the sudden movement didn’t seem to stir the man leaning against him. Takumi placed the cup down on the table and watched Leo’s back move rhythmically with his breaths. His heart had been pounding like crazy since the other had first started leaning on him, and it showed no signs of calming down. Leo’s body heat permeated to him, and with his face and ears flushed a deep red Takumi felt very, very, hot.
He spotted a book Leo left on the coffee table and reached for it, using his other hand to keep his friend steady. It was a romance novel from the looks of it, which he felt would make his situation worse, but he had very few options at this point. His phone was out front with his bag and he really needed a distraction. His sweaty hands fumbled to open the book to the first page. He forced himself to focus on every single word, but he would not be able to say what any of them were about.
By page twenty, he felt Leo stir against him. The blond pulled himself up and rubbed his eyes. He blinked sleepily, but froze when he saw Takumi.
“Y-You’re still here?” he stuttered. His face and ears tinged red.
“Uh, I got caught up in this book,” Takumi diverted, holding the book up to solidify his point. It was a terrible lie, Leo knew he didn’t read romance.
“I see,” Leo replied, his eyebrow raised.
“Weird, right? W-Well it’s getting late so I’m going to head home now. Make sure you rest tonight, okay?” Takumi stood up. The blond looked like he was going to say something but Takumi didn’t stick around long enough for him to.
Takumi grabbed his belongings and stumbled out of the store. It was still raining outside, and the cold droplets fell on his face as he struggled to open his umbrella. This incident clarified one thing for him. He was head over heels for Leo. The past few months he caught himself feeling certain ways, like how absolutely giddy he felt when he caught Leo sneaking glances at him, or how his heart swelled when Leo laughed. It was something he always pushed to the back of his mind, since this was the first time he had made a friend in years he wanted so desperately to believe it was just excitement over new found friendship. But Leo sleeping against him, and the way he felt about it was not friendship.
His analysis of his feelings was abruptly halted by a realization. Leo could see people’s troubles. There was no way Takumi could hide his worries about what Leo thought of him or whether he should confess or take everything with him to the grave. He might have already noticed when their eyes met earlier. Their whole relationship could be at jeopardy now. He needed more time to think.
-----
More time turned into a couple of weeks. He took a longer route to get home to avoid passing Leo’s store and spent a lot of time studying at the campus library instead of hanging out. There was a part of him that wanted to let Leo know, that wanted more than just a friendship, but another part was already so happy, so content with what they already had. He wondered if Leo would find his feelings disgusting, if he couldn't stand the thought of being friends with someone who felt that way towards him. He just didn't want to confront any of these possibilities, the same as he did with Oboro, the same as with Corrin.
But he missed Leo. He missed him so much. Leo's power meant that if Takumi wanted to see him again then he had no choice but to confront these problem feelings head on.
-----
“Takumi? It’s been a while. I thought you—” Leo called out to him, his eyes wide.
“Are you using your power on me?” Takumi asked. He'd made up his mind. He was going to bare himself to Leo today.
“Pardon?”
“Where you can see my troubles, are you using it right now?”
“No. I haven’t used it on you in a long time,” Leo replied, a crease forming in his forehead.
Takumi was a little surprised, but he pressed on. “Why not?”
“You told me to stop that time, so I did. Honestly I was a little irritated with you and didn't want to help you, but after a while I just wanted to respect your wishes," Leo explained.
“So you really can’t tell what’s been bothering me then." Takumi fidgeted with the hem of his jacket. He had an out.
“It does seem like something is bothering you today. Does it have something to do with why you haven’t been visiting recently? Was it something I said that time? I know I said... a lot of things to you,” Leo said quietly, his eyes cast down in shame.
“No, no! It wasn’t about that, and I’m sorry I didn’t show up. I had so much on my mind I think if you took a look at my thoughts even your brain would fry,” Takumi exclaimed, frantic to clear things up. “Um, what I really came here to say is, will you—will you let me take you out on a date?”
“What?” was the simple reaction. Leo didn't look disgusted at the very least, so Takumi continued.
“I-It’s okay if you hate it but just once, if you’ll give me a chance. I was thinking about how you told me I was averse to romance in the past and you were right then. I’m always so scared of ruining my relationships with people I end up holding myself back, thinking that as long as things are the same nothing can go wrong. But I like you, I like you so much that I don't want things to stay the same. I want you to see me as someone more than a friend.” Takumi paused, finding it hard to fill the air in his lungs. "You can reject me too, but just know that I'm glad I could say it."
“I see. I admire your courage, Takumi,” Leo said after a long pause. “I’ll let you take me on a date, but only because you owe me for avoiding me for so long. I trust that the son of Hoshido Co.’s CEO can pay for my lunch?”
“Of course I can! I’ll cover everything! To be honest, I thought you would be able to see how much I fussed over my feelings and you’d feel grossed out, so I just couldn’t bring myself to come,” Takumi mumbled. He owed Leo an explanation after all that.
“I never clarified that I stopped using my powers on you did I? You must have been so uncomfortable this whole time. I’m sorry.” Leo was looking apologetic again, wringing his hands above his lap.
“I wasn’t, Leo. Most of my worries were so silly, like hoping I would get a good score on an assignment, or something like that. I think I was more excited to be able to talk to someone else about Superhero Legends and ancient kingdoms,” he laughed awkwardly, “Being here took my restlessness away so much I thought maybe you couldn’t see anything anyway.” There was a very small part of him that had a feeling Leo wasn’t really analyzing his thoughts for a while now. His eyes were gentler, an earthier color, not the piercing brilliant red that he had when they first met. Takumi smiled, hoping it looked reassuring and not positively dopey.
----
The day of their date finally came, and Takumi could hardly sleep the night before. He was almost in a daze the entire time he was getting ready, and barely reached their designated meeting place on time.
Leo was already there, leaning against a pole looking down at his phone. Takumi didn't know he even had one because he kept up the appearances of a nobleman from the 1800s at all times. He wore a sleek black turtleneck and a brown coat with a grid pattern on it, skinny jeans and a pair of slip on shoes.
“Modern fashion?!” was the only thing that Takumi managed to say.
“Of course, I am well versed in modern fashion, but it would look wrong to wear something like this while surrounded by vintage objects. The shopkeeper’s style is just as important as the design of the store itself,” Leo replied nonchalantly.
“Y-you’re right.” Or at least, it kind of made sense. Takumi was glad he panicked enough to get Oboro to take a look over his outfit for today. It was a simple look, he had his newest sneakers on, a sweater and long pants, but he was confident the colors and patterns looked good together.
"You look handsome, Takumi." Leo smiled at him. "You're usually wearing a lot of long jackets and layers, but this accentuates your hips.”
Takumi stared at him with wide eyes, a flush creeping up his face. He mentally berated himself for being so shocked at Leo’s outfit he didn’t first comment on how good he looked. “Th-Thanks Leo, you look really good too. Amazing even,” he stammered.
Leo chuckled, his head turning slightly to the side and his hand covering his mouth the way he always did when he laughed, the way Takumi adored. “Where are you taking me today?” he asked.
“Oh right. Um, I was thinking this...” Takumi explained his plans. He thought they could start off by visiting the museum, which he was certain Leo had already been to before but it was always a different experience when going with someone new. They also had a new exhibit on book binding from the 14th century, which he hoped his date hadn’t seen yet. Then he planned to take Leo to one of his favorite restaurants for a late lunch, a place that served a number of soups he highly recommended.
The date went smoothly, Leo seemed interested in the things Takumi showed him, and he even enjoyed the dish that was recommended to him. By the end of it Leo still seemed to be in a good mood.
“Hey, my sister asked me to pick up something from the shop, will you come with me? It’s on the way to your house, right?” Leo turned to him after they left the restaurant.
Takumi nodded. This was the end of the date, he realized, his shoulders dropping. He had a lot of fun with Leo but they didn't do anything that would make Takumi look good as a romantic option. Every time they moved between one spot and another he thought about taking Leo’s hand, but every single time he stopped short. The furthest he got was brushing the backs of their hands together. When they got lunch he considered offering some of his food to his date, but the mere thought would make his face feel hot. It was too embarrassing, and what if Leo didn’t like that kind of lovey dovey thing anyway? At some point they were standing in front of the antique store, and Leo was unlocking the door with a brass key from a comically large keyring.
"Are you planning on just standing out there? Come on." Leo took him by the hand and dragged him towards the back of the store. Takumi ducked his head and swerved to the side to avoid knocking over any items but Leo didn’t slow for him.
Leo shut the door behind him and turned to Takumi, who had one quick glace into those pretty red eyes before Leo’s lips were on his. Takumi froze up, unable to lean in or pull away. The kiss was gentle, their lips only just touching.
It felt like centuries before they parted, but Takumi knew it was only a few seconds at most. Every cell in his brain felt like it had short circuited, and he could only stand there, dumbfounded.
Leo’s cheeks were dusted with pink as he eyed Takumi for a reaction. "I had fun today. And I know you struggled to ‘prove yourself’ to me but we’re alone here, so it’s okay, right?” He had a pleading look in his eyes.
Takumi blinked several times to regain his composure. “You saw me struggling?” he asked meekly.
"I could see you looking intently at my hands."
"Oh, uh, that was pretty lame then.” Takumi looked down, feeling deflated.
“I thought it was cute, but I have a little bit of a bias.” Leo shook his head. “Takumi, you didn’t ever have to try so hard to make me see you as more than a friend because I already like you,” he said, and although he maintained a confident tone, his face was redder than Takumi had ever seen before.
"Y-you do? Why didn't you say anything before?" Before Takumi went and embarrassed himself all day?
"You were so certain that all of this was towards fixing your feelings towards romance, and you never want me to help you." He shrugged. "So I thought I'd tell you if this date went well. And it did. I’ve admired you for a long time now, you’re so sincere, and smart, and kind. When you talked about archery or your family you had this determined look on your face that's just so handsome. I found myself growing more attracted to you, looking forward to your visits and wanting to see your smile and hear your laughter. I kind of thought you already knew, because you catch me staring at you a lot," Leo confessed, almost too fast for Takumi to keep up.
Takumi gaped at him, his mouth opening and closing again like a fish out of water. He wanted to say something equally embarrassing, equally as soul baring, but he couldn't figure out where to start.
“Can I—Can I kiss you?” he asked weakly, the only words he could muster.
Leo tentatively reached out for Takumi’s hand. When the latter didn’t pull away, Leo laced their fingers together. His fingers were so slender. “Will you make up for all the times you didn’t today?” he asked.
Takumi didn’t even answer the question. He leaned in to press his lips on Leo’s, using his one hand to push him slowly against the door. He felt Leo's other hand move to the back of his head, pulling them closer. It was sloppy, and a little frantic, Takumi wincing a little every time their teeth bumped together. But Leo's lips were soft and his hair was soft, and this was real, and oh, Takumi wanted every second of this. They pulled away to catch their breaths, Leo resting his forehead against Takumi's. He still held his hand, squeezing it gently. Takumi gave him another kiss, a chaste one, with none of the feverish energy the previous one had. He liked this kind too, and was already considering what his next kiss would be like.
He absolutely intended to make up for every time he thought about kissing Leo and just didn’t.