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“So you like the Jinko.”
Lucy stops pouring Akutagawa’s tea to glare at him. She slams the pot on the table, but it’s not hard enough for it to break. “And what of it?”
Akutagawa’s face remains neutral. “Nothing,” he deadpans. “I was just wondering how you ended up being unfortunate enough to fall for an idiot like him.”
Lucy quirks a brow at that. “I could say the same about you?” She picks up the pot once more and finishes her task. “I’m not blind, y’know. I’ve seen the way you look at the tabby cat.”
The corner of Akutagawa’s mouth lifts up. “Of course. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.” He slides his cup closer to him. “The Jinko does not appear to be one of them.”
That earns him an eye roll from Lucy. “Tell me about it,” she sighs. The weariness in her voice could only come from crushing on a fool. “He’s so oblivious it hurts.”
She takes a seat across from him. “I don’t get what’s so hard for him to understand. Everyone knows! Except for him.”
Akutagawa doesn't comment on how she's supposed to get back to work, instead choosing to resume his conversation with her. “I can empathize with that,” Akutagawa says. “Being around him is a pain.”
Lucy leans across the table as if she’s about to tell him a secret. “I’ve risked my life for him on multiple occasions, helped him out when it wasn’t necessary, hell, I even took this job to be closer to him. And what does he do? He calls me a good ‘friend’. The nerve of that guy.”
Akutagawa listens to her rant intently before starting a complaint of his own. “I once told him the two of us are enough to burn the world and he still believes I despise him.”
“One time I wrote him a poem and he gave me criticism instead.”
“The other day I bought him dinner and he told me he didn't have to do that for an enemy,” Akutagawa makes an expression akin to one of a disgruntled cat. “I don’t understand why he still sees me as an enemy.”
“Well, you did cut off his leg.” She reasons.
Akutagawa’s eyes narrow at that. “That was once,” He protests. He’s grown tired of people bringing that up — even if it’s a little bit justified. “And I haven’t made an attempt on his life in nearly 4 months.”
Lucy looks at him as if he’s made a sick joke but doesn’t comment on it. “If it’s taking so long for him to understand, why don't you just confess to him?”
“Why don’t you?” He counters.
“I’ve tried!” She cries. “He always interrupts me before I get to say anything. It’s frustrating.”
“Poor you.” Akutagawa coos.
She stares at him for a bit, gaze calculating. “I get the sense that you’re mocking me.”
Akutagawa checks if his tea has cooled enough for him to take a drink, he doesn’t like scorching his tongue after all. “Why do you feel the need to ask? I thought we were berating the Jinko for being oblivious.”
“Shut up. Don’t compare me to him,” She snaps. “And don’t try to deflect. Why haven’t you confessed to him?”
That shuts Akutagawa up. Truth be told, he hasn’t tried to confess to Atsushi for fear of him not feeling the same way. He’s fully aware of what he’s done to Atsushi and knows there’s no way he’ll forgive him for it. How could Akutagawa expect him to reciprocate his feelings?
Akutagawa doesn’t deserve him.
Lucy quietly observes him, still waiting for an answer.
“I—”
He’s saved, or rather doomed (answers may vary depending on who you ask), by the sound of a bell jingling, signifying the arrival of someone.
Judging by the way Lucy scoffs, it isn’t hard to figure out who it is. Still, Lucy decides to give him a warning. “He’s coming over.”
Akutagawa struggles to suppress a groan.
Atsushi spots them from afar and slowly makes his way over to the booth where Lucy and Akutagawa reside.
“Hey guys,” his cheery greeting is not enough to stop the icy, twin glares the duo throws at him. Atsushi’s expression morphs into one of confusion.
“Uh,” he mumbles, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “So is there a reason as to why you’re here today, Akutagawa?”
Akutagawa elects to ignore him and takes another sip of his tea. The silence grows tense.
When it’s clear Akutagawa won’t respond Atsushi moves on and focuses his attention on Lucy instead. “I didn’t know you two knew each other?”
Lucy doesn’t respond and plays with her fiery red hair instead.
Atsushi shuffles in his spot, looking awkward and out of place. At this point, Akutagawa knows Atsushi well enough to know he’s close to breaking. It doesn’t come as a surprise when he hesitantly speaks up. “Have I done something wrong?”
Lucy and Akutagawa continue to disregard him. When Atsushi’s snaps his finger, Akutagawa knows he’s reached an epiphany of some sort. “Oh, I get it!”
Lucy’s gaze snaps to Akutagawa’s, something akin to hope shines in her eyes.
It all comes crashing down when Atsushi opens his mouth once more. “You’re on a date!”
Akutagawa freezes in his seat, unable to process Atsushi’s declaration.
What?
Across from him, Lucy’s seething.
Atsushi continues on as if he didn’t commit the biggest atrocity known to mankind. “I’m sorry for intruding! I’ll get out of your hair.”
Akutagawa deserves better than this.
“Jinko,” Akutagawa says once he’s finally able to recover. “You’re a moron.”
Atsushi has the audacity to look shocked at that. Akutagawa wants to deck him. “So you’re not on a date?”
“I’m sorry,” Lucy begins, voice frigid, “but furries aren’t allowed to sit at this table.”
Akutagawa snorts and he’s forced to hide his smile in his cup. He certainly didn’t expect that.
And neither did Atsushi, judging by the way he stammers. “Furries?”
“I said what I said.” Lucy’s shoulders shake as if she’s struggling to maintain a straight face. “Now leave.”
Atsushi begins to protest at that. “But—”
Lucy gestures wildly with her finger. “Go!”
Atsushi, who is unable to argue further, makes his way across the room and seats himself at the table most distant from them. Akutagawa smirks as he observes him. He looks cute when he sulks.
He only looks away once he hears Lucy’s soft giggle. He hums in approval. “I like you.”
Lucy beams at him. “You’re not too bad yourself.”
Akutagawa takes another drink of his tea. “So where did we leave off.”