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Everyone was awfully chipper despite the biting cold. Akechi wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck, and pretended the frown twisting his lips was because of the cold. He walked down the familiar campus street on the way to his first class. The February chill numbed his nose and Akechi decided that this day was going to be particularly terrible.
“Not a fan of the holiday I see,” a familiar voice teased, followed by blonde hair and bright blue eyes filling his vision. Ann taped his shoulder in greeting as she fell in step with him. “You have that impressive furrow there between your brows, old man.”
Akechi grunted in response, “Same thing every year.”
Ann rolled her eyes, “Yeah well, it’s called a tradition for a reason.”
Akechi eyed the canvas tote on her shoulder filled with wrapped boxes, and raised a brow, “Wow you have a lot of time to waste.”
“Ha, I’d like you to know these were given to me. I’m just too nice to turn them down,” she gloated, ignoring Akechi’s unimpressed look.
The retort rolling of his tongue was interrupted by the sudden call of his name, “Akechi-senpai!”
A girl with big brown eyes, and fluffy brown hair stood in front of them. In her hands was a small ribboned package of handmade chocolates. Her eyes darted nervously towards Ann, finally settling on Akechi’s shoulders. She couldn’t look at him directly, but she extended her hands and offered the chocolate with every ounce of strength in her body, “Please accept these!”
Once upon a time Akechi would have smiled his dazzling smile, and take the time to thank her for the chocolates. But now, Akechi has lost patience for such meaningless traditions. Although, old habits die hard, and the practiced smile has already taken shape on his lips. His tone, although not harsh, lacked the gentle patience he used back in high school. “Thank you, but I can’t accept those.”
He didn't wait for the girl to respond, and kept walking towards the lecture building. He could see Ann’s smirk even before he turned to face her, “What?” He asked, daring her to comment.
“Oh nothing,” Ann laughed, “some hearts do have to break today.”
He grunted in reply, uninterested. The university bell chimed at exactly 8 am as they entered the lecture building. The main hallway has always been busy, but the holiday has given it more life in volumes. The crowded space further soured his mood. The two of them make their way to the cafeteria. Akechi was looking forward to coffee,even just the instant kind. He couldn’t wait for a wash of bitterness to soothe the headache that was starting on his temples.
As he and Ann entered the cafeteria, they were greeted by the sight of Akira in the middle of receiving chocolates. He was sitting about three tables away from the entrance. The girl was unfamiliar, but the outstretched arms, and ribboned white box was unmistakable from where Akechi and Ann stood. The sight assaulted Akechi with different kinds of irritation he didn’t want to think too closely about. But his mind was inevitably geared to dissect and over analyze every detail.
First was the sight of the petite girl wearing a pink sweater, with her dark red hair held by a bright red bow in a high ponytail, and her lips softly painted with pink gloss. She had the flush of nervousness darkening her cheeks, and she was glancing coyly up to Akira through her black frames as she explained in a soft voice how long she prepared her chocolates for him. She was plain, and honestly a little dumb looking. Akechi wanted to puke.
Secondly, was how Akira just sat there, smiling indulgently at the girl as if he was interested. He was wearing a white button down today, with his sleeves folded to his elbows. His grey outer coat was folded over a chair beside him. His mop of hair was messy as ever, falling just over his sharp grey eyes, his usual pair of glasses nowhere in sight. Akechi catches how the tendons of his biceps work as he receives the box of chocolates. Akira didn’t rush the girl away even after receiving the chocolates. They were familiar with each other, Akechi realized, and tasted something sour in his mouth.
A feeling akin to a heavy cold stone settled in Akechi’s gut was at how Akira’s eyes lit up as he caught sight of them in his periphery. Akira excused himself from the girl, left the box of chocolates on the table, and exchanged it for two hot cups of coffee, before walking towards Akechi and Ann. He almost reminded Akechi of a black labrador wagging his tail at the sight of playmates. The imagery sent ants to ravage his insides. Akira’s smile widened as his eyes met Akechi’s. The red haired girl left quietly.
“Hey,” Akira greeted, teeth flashing in a blinding smile. He handed the hot cups of coffee to Ann and Akechi, “Here.” His fingers might have lingered longer on Akechi’s cup as he passed it to him, but Akechi barely felt the pressure against his gloved hands.
“Aww, aren’t you the sweetest,” Ann wiggled her eyebrows at Akira but sideeyed Akechi. “And as popular as ever.” Ann has never seen a Valentine’s day when Akira didn’t receive anything.
Akechi continued to pretend to be busy with his coffee.
Akira laughed good naturedly, and went to collect his things from the table. “Let’s go to class.” His gray coat was slung over one arm, and his brown messenger bag across his body. A small paper bag of gifts in one hand. The weight of his bag across his chest pulled the top of his shirt open, revealing the sharp edge of his collarbones. Akechi’s eyes narrowed, and he thought Akira was begging to catch a cold. But he remained silent, and took a big gulp of coffee. It burnt his tongue, eyes staying trained on the patch of white skin. He absolved himself from any guilt - he wasn’t Akira’s father - and let Akira’s neck stay exposed to the February morning chill.
They made their way to class. Akira offered to carry Ann’s bag of chocolate as they walked. He asked Akechi about his lectures for the day, and proceeded to tell him about his progress with his internship at the media company without prompt. There was a lively light in his dark eyes. The cup of coffee stayed warm in Akechi’s hands. It wasn’t from the cafeteria. There was the familiar scrawl of Leblanc on the cup that triggered a familiar warmth in Akechi’s gut.
“You guys have any plans tonight?” Ann asked, looking at them as if they should be having plans together .
Akechi wasn’t sure if he was disappointed that there weren’t any plans.
“We both have work today,” Akira replied easily. “Sojiro needs extra hands in the cafe this afternoon. Valentine crowd and all. You?”
Sometimes Akechi wondered if it was only him overthinking all the undertones in Ann’s words.
“A date, of course ,” Ann sighed dramatically at them, “stop wasting your youth. It’s just one day.” This was a familiar line she used on them regularly regarding weekends as well.
Akira laughed, “I will when he does.” His eyes slid to meet Akechi’s, and Akechi wished he was wearing glasses to obscure how sharp and striking his eyes were.
Akechi broke away from his gaze, “Oh please, don’t compare your work with mine.” He meant to sound mean, but Akira seemed immune since his lips stayed stretched in a smile.
“I wouldn’t dare, Mr. Holmes.”
Akechi also wished Akira’s voice was a few pitches higher so he couldn’t stand listening to him.
Ann made a loud disgruntled sound, and muttered something about shameless flirting under her breath, before she waved goodbye and turned down another hallway.
“See you later?” Akira stopped walking, They’ve reached their point of separation. The last stretch to the law building was a trip for Akechi alone.
Akira looked a bit expectant. As if seeing Akechi was not a regular event in his daily life.
Akechi decided the question was rhetorical, so he settled with a small wave and left.
///
The pleasant feelings that morning evaporated even before Akechi could turn the events over in his head. His law professor pulled a surprise, asking about articles that the course syllabus didn’t even contain. The moment of surprise, when he was called for recitation, and that the first syllable that tumbled from his lips ended up in a stutter irked every pore of his perfectionist self.
His recitation still ended with a near perfect grade. Years of working with the police, and learning early under Sae was an advantage he worked to the fullest. He pulled his gloves tighter against the tips of his fingers as he sat back down.
He was working on, “going easier on yourself” as Akira would put it, but old habits die hard, if they died at all. But Akechi tried.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
“Lunch?” The message appeared next to Ann’s icon.
Akechi typed, “I’m heading to the police station right after.”
Ann sends a sad bunny sticker, which Akechi would have found annoying if they weren’t friends. “You really just work all the time.”
Staying busy kept dark thoughts at bay, but Akechi typed instead, “How about let’s get crepes tomorrow instead?”
His phone buzzes repeatedly under the onslaught of heart emojis, “Yes!!!! You are the best .”
Akechi knew half his friendship with Ann was built on their shared tower of sugar. He opened his bag to keep his phone, and found a packed sandwich inside instead. It was wrapped neatly in a patterned tissue paper and a ziplock.
“Not-curry snack,” was neatly scrawled in black ink across the plastic.
Akechi decided the weather was going to be warm enough the rest of the day to forego his scarf.
He opened the sandwich while walking to his next class, and didn't think too closely about the prickle of embarrassment as he took a bite. The bread was soft, his teeth first met with the crunch of fresh lettuce, followed by a cold spritz of tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and finally the mellow smokey scent of ham.
Damn it, he suddenly stopped walking with the sandwich halfway to his mouth. I blog about food, he reasoned to himself, poetic descriptions while I eat is perfectly normal. He stared at the sandwich in hand, and resumed eating. He should ask Akira what kind of ham he used this time.
///
Work at the police station was usually not heavy in the first few months of the year, in terms of legwork. But the amount of paperwork that senior officers put off over the holidays were steadily piling up on Akechi’s table, and he found himself reaching out to a coffee mug that was becoming empty faster far too often.
This day was no different, with people begging to get off work early to go on their Valentine night date. The familiar throb of a headache blooming at his temples was making itself known. It was either he didn’t have enough coffee, or he was already more coffee than human.
The hand on the wall clock was silently mocking him as it chimed it’s hourly song. 9PM. He’s spent more time fixing other people’s paperwork here than he had slept for the whole week. He sighed to himself. Scut work was a given at any occupation, but sometimes Akechi found himself eyeing his deskmate’s lighter with more yearning than necessary. Three more folders to go. He rolled his shoulder back, muscles tight after sitting for so long. After this, I’m going to take a hot bath and go straight to sleep.
He got through the last of the documents half past nine. He declined the invitation to go out drinking with a practised smile as he left the building. He opened his phone on the way to the station, and saw: 1 missed call.
Akechi opened the notification and saw the call from Akira timed about an hour ago. He stood by the entrance of the train station, and pondered if he should call back. But the ache between his shoulders and the throbbing of his temples were insistent reminders of his bed and warm bath he promised himself.
He sighed, feeling a bit disappointed as he pocketed his phone. But just as he swiped his train pass, he heard his name called.
“Goro!”
Akechi turned, surprise flitting through his eyes. The sight of a familiar tall figure and messy black hair greeted him. Akira’s cheeks were tinged red from the cold. He was dressed in the same white shirt and gray coat, with a navy blue scarf around his neck.
“I thought I missed you,” Akira swiped his train card and walked towards Akechi. “You finished work really late today.”
“What are you doing here?’ Akechi raised a brow. They walked towards the platform. Akechi realized he wasn’t that surprised.
A sheepish smile tugged the end of Akira’s lips, and his eyes moved to look at the floor instead. “I passed by the station, to see if you were there. Shinichi-san told me you’ve left.”
“Ever heard of making plans?”
Akira continued to remain immune to his acidic tone, “You’d have said no if I made plans for tonight. And you’d still be at the station.”
Akechi levels him an unimpressed stare, “So you decide an ambush is the way to go.”
Akira walked close to him, so that their gloved hands grazed against each other. “Next year, I’ll ask properly -”
Akechi vaguely remembers picking up a book on how to tame dogs. “Then try again next year.”
“- with flowers and chocolates.”
Akechi turned away from him with an impatient sigh, but only to hide his warming cheeks. “You are out of your mind.” He wanted to be difficult just because he could.
Akira’s cheeks stayed pink, and he raised the package in his right hand. “Dinner?” He announced as they stepped into the train. The car only had a few passengers, but they stayed standing near the door. Akira was standing close enough that Akechi had to tip his chin upwards to see his eyes. His stomach grumbles in agreement to the savory scent wafting out the take out package.
Akira took his silence as agreement, “Great, your place is nearer,” he said, as if they weren’t already inside the train in the direction of Akechi’s apartment. He stayed close, as if the train was full and he was being pushed forward into Akechi’s space.
The train ride was over after only a few breaths, but the scent of Akira’s soap lingered.
“I’m allergic to pollen,” Akechi said as they stepped out of the train. His apartment was just two streets away.
Akira turned to him with an indulgent smile, ”Your apartment is flower free, I promise.”
“And I only eat dark chocolates.”
“You’ll have to wait until after dinner for dessert.”
“You are awfully confident about this.”
Akira laughed, and his left hand reached out to catch Akechi’s right wrist. He pulled him forward, a bounce in his step. “Nonsense, I’m just happy. This is happiness speaking.”
“What the hell-” but Akechi let himself be pulled. He adjusted his scarf to let the cold wind against his neck. His chest felt a bit tight.
“It’s cold, come on let’s walk faster.” Akira’s fingers were gentle around his wrist. If Akechi pulled his hand just a little, he could hold those slender fingers.
Tomorrow, Akechi thought to himself, he was going to read that book on housebreaking dogs.