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Goro finally decided—he absolutely despises Corona. He hates the noise, the dances, the constant chatter, the filth, and most of all, he just hates people. People in cities are always in a hurry, never paying attention to anything, Goro notices. He doesn’t understand why Akira seems to like Corona so much, or kids for that matter, the worst plague humanity has ever faced in Goro's opinion.
“Mister!” one of the annoying kids cries out. Goro grew up alone, and his memory might be a little hazy, but he definitely wasn't so loud and obnoxious. God, who’s raising these degenerates? “Your hair is so beautiful, do you mind if we make a braid?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I—” Goro begins at the very same moment Akira says:
“He’d love it.”
Goro’s own sounds of protest disappear in the sound of Akira’s laughter, and the children’s delighted squeals. He makes sure to stare daggers at Akira when the kids make him sit down, pulling at his hair like he’s a new toy in their hands.
“You’ll pay for this later,” Goro mouths. “I’ll leave your insides for all of Corona to see.”
Akira smiles smugly, leaning against the wall.
“No you won’t,” he mouths back.
Goro closes his eyes to spare himself the sight of Akira’s disgustingly handsome face grinning back at him. Instead, he focuses on imagining beating him into a pulp with his frying pan in some dark alley, and well, he can always do that later. For now, he needs a little more patience.
It feels like hours, but the kids finally announce they’re done. He forces himself to look up and Akira’s no longer wearing his trademark smug grin, which at least comes as a relief. In fact, he’s staring at Goro in the way he’s never seen anyone look at him, and Goro studies that gaze carefully to analyze what it could possibly mean for the two of them.
Akira’s eyes are wide, lips slightly parted, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. It’s all very strange. Maybe he’s not feeling too well? Yes, that must be it. Goro did warn Mister-I-Know-This-Forest-Better-Than-Anyone-Else not to touch the strange-looking mushrooms, but of course, Akira never listens to him. Well, at least if he dies, Goro’s already in Corona, so it doesn’t matter. He already got what he wanted, didn’t he? Well, except—
“You’re not allowed to die just yet, thief.” Goro decides to remind him. “You promised to show me the lights.”
Akira blinks at him a couple of times, before shaking his head like a wet dog. “What?”
“If you’re unwell—”
“I’m feeling just fine,” Akira laughs, another sound that’s unfamiliar to Goro. It sounds different, airier, somehow panicked? Like Goro caught him doing something bad. “You just, uh…”
Goro raises an eyebrow at him. The kids are gone now and Goro doesn’t bother to thank them. He stands up, feeling the braid hang heavily on his back.
Akira comes closer, a flower in his hand that Goro didn’t notice before. He puts it behind Goro’s ear, and Goro feels his face grow hot, which doesn’t make a lot of sense, considering he didn’t touch the poisonous mushrooms. Maybe it’s contagious?
“You look very nice, Goro,” Akira whispers, making Goro shiver.
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” Goro says, forcing the pan between their bodies to create some space. It makes Akira step back. And then he grabs Goro’s hand, dragging him to the nearest fountain. They lean in until they’re able to see their reflections in the water.
“See for yourself.”
The kids did well, Goro will admit as much. While heavy, the braid is definitely more comfortable. It beats having to drag his hair around the dirty streets, with so many people stepping all over them, like they can’t bother to look down for even a second.
“The flowers are a bit much,” Goro grumbles. Then again, he does look nice. Goro tries his best to hide his smile, but judging from Akira’s triumphant grin, he wasn’t all that successful.
“Well, I’m glad you like it, because if I’m going to take you on that boat, then trust me, I definitely wouldn’t want to be seen with someone with your sour expression.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Goro snarls, the frying pan ready to strike.
“Oh, just you know,” Akira runs his fingers through his own hair, making it even messier than normal. “I’m kind of famous around here. So you have to understand, I have a reputation to uphold, and well, you can be a little scar—”
Slam.
Akira bends in half, grabbing at his stomach where Goro’s frying pan hits him. He slowly sinks into the ground, and Goro is aware of people staring at them, but the satisfaction of seeing Akira on his knees is definitely worth it.
“I’d punch you in the face,” Goro says sweetly. “But I wouldn’t want to be seen with someone so ugly on my first boat ride. You see, I have a reputation to uphold. What was it that they called you around here anyway? Joker? What kind of sorry reputation is that?”
“Did I ever mention that the way you got along with all these criminals in The Snuggly Duckling was a little alarming?” Akira mutters, still a little out of breath. “I’m starting to think you were the worst criminal of them all.”
“You’re only realizing it now?” Goro asks. He helps Akira back to his feet with a sigh—why did he have to get stuck with the most useless guide of them all? “You really are slow on the uptake, my sweet thief.”
“You called me sweet,” Akira points out. “So let’s focus on the positives. I always like the glass better when it’s half-full.”
This time Goro doesn’t even attempt to hide his smile. “So about the lights?”
Akira bows—a little awkwardly, considering he’s still in pain—but at least he tries to be a gentleman, and Goro lets him take his hand with only slight hesitation. “Follow me.”
He lets Akira swim them to the middle of the lake, Loki and Robin settling somewhere behind him, observing the shining water with a hint of distrust.
“You’re safe,” Goro mutters. “If he tries to get us wet, I’ll just murder him in his sleep.”
“Hey!” Akira protests. “I would never do such a thing! And you wouldn’t—”
Akira stops for a second, letting go of the oars for a moment to get closer to Goro. “Are you okay? You seem a little on edge.”
Goro looks at the darkening sky.
He hates to admit that Akira’s right, but as the sun hides behind the horizon, he can’t help but feel the same dread he’s felt for the last eighteen years of his life sneaking back into his heart. He thinks back on their little adventure—an adventure he wouldn’t be able to survive on his own. He still can’t believe it. Akira’s reckless, he’s stupid, and while Goro still can’t help but despise him, he realizes he’d never discover he could be plenty brave and strong on his own if it wasn’t for Akira at his side.
And sometimes bravery means being able to acknowledge his own weaknesses. So he tries to be brave, just this one time.
“I suppose I’m a little terrified,” he admits.
“Of what?”
Akira keeps some distance between them, but his warm presence is still comforting. It gives Goro the last bit of courage he needed.
“I spent all of my life dreaming about these lights, watching them rise into the sky from the window of my prison,” Goro replies with a sigh. “What if it’s not everything I dreamed it would be? What if it’s not what I’ve been looking for? What if it’s all been a major waste of time?”
“It wasn’t a waste of time,” Akira says immediately. “Getting to know you, this crazy adventure is probably the most fun I’ve had in a long time. And call me conceited, but I think you feel the same way.”
Goro nods apprehensively. Akira smiles. “Then it was worth it, don’t you think? And with that dream coming true, you can always just...find another dream.”
Find another dream?
Before Goro can answer, Akira shushes him, pointing to the sky.
The lights rise, one after another, and Goro lets out a gasp. He’s aware of Akira laughing softly somewhere at his side, as he jumps to his feet, with some rediscovered childish excitement, as he stands at the edge of the boat to watch the lights more closely. For a moment, Goro is eight again, it’s his birthday, and the lights in the night sky are here to comfort him, they’re here to wish him all the best—it’s a prayer for his safety and growth, he’s sure of it now. The lights were always meant to guide him home.
Goro’s never been happier. It’s everything he ever wanted—how silly of him to assume it wouldn’t be worth it. The castle in the distance looks so inviting, almost home-like, the way his tower never was. Suddenly, Corona seems like the most beautiful place on Earth, and Goro thinks back fondly on all the people he's seen, the kids that helped him with his hair, and finally, Akira sitting next to him. Maybe it's not such a bad place, after all?
He turns around and he finds Akira with two lanterns, ready to be lifted into the sky. Goro sits down, taking it gently into his hands like it’s the most precious thing in the world. Speaking of which—
“I have something for you.”
He hands the lantern back to Akira, and he takes out the bag, the crown somehow heavier than he remembers it being. He should trust Akira by now, shouldn’t he? Besides, now their deal is off—it’s not like Goro should expect more from a thief. The realization makes some ugly feeling grow in his stomach that Goro’s not willing to name. A deal, right. That's all it's ever been.
“You earned it, thief,” he clears his throat. “For taking me all the way up here. I know it’s important to you, so here it is—your treasure.”
They’re both quiet for a moment, nothing but the slight shimmer of water breaking the silence. And then, to his surprise, Akira just shakes his head, pushing the bag out of his way. “That’s quite alright, Goro. I already found what I was looking for.”
Goro can hardly believe it. He has no idea what Akira could be possibly talking about. Was it something in the town? Something Goro never noticed him getting? Was it a person? That's right Akira did mention having some friends in Corona.
Goro presses his lips together. He knows that feeling at least—jealousy. He's going to be discarded now, of course, that only makes sense. He's only worth as much as his hair anyway.
“Is that truly better than the treasure?” he asks, trying to keep his voice neutral. "Whatever it is you found?"
“That’s what I mean,” Akira says with a vulnerable smile, and while ‘the smolder’ was never too effective on Goro, this look makes him instantly drop the bag, useless and forgotten, as Goro’s hands shake with some strange anticipation. “I already found my treasure.”
Goro’s heartbeat is so loud in his ears that he barely registers anything at all, and finally, Akira laughs to break the tension, shoving the lantern gently into Goro’s hands. Goro smiles back then, and they let the lanterns fly into the night. But this time, Goro’s not watching. He’s looking into Akira’s eyes instead, observing with fascination how the lights flicker in his dark eyes.
In the end, he realizes, it’s being here with Akira that made this moment so precious. Goro never even knew he was looking for a treasure—but in the end, in the middle of the lake, he ends up claiming it, and making it his own.