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Akira steps into the laundromat. It’s still cold, but at least it’s a little warmer. Enough to give him a break from the unrelenting chill of the city outside.
“Hey.” Akira greets Akechi hesitantly.
“Took you long enough.” Akechi says. His tone is so bitter Akira can taste it on his tongue.
“Geez, I’m sorry, ok? I got here as fast as I could.” Akira sighs. “There was a lot going on, alright?”
Akechi scoffs. “I’m sure you had a lot on your plate living in your perfect tailor-made little fantasy.”
Akira rubs the back of his neck, his expression remorseful. “It’s not like I stood you up, Goro.”
WIthout giving him a response, Akechi closes the distance between them and grabs onto his jacket to pull him into a surprisingly gentle kiss.
Akira blinks, caught off guard by the gesture. He relaxes into the kiss pretty easily, though, leaning against the washer and pulling Akechi with him.
Akechi wraps his arms around Akira and Akira gently sighs against his lips.
Warmth… Akechi was so warm. In this moment, Akira wonders if Maruki truly understood what his perfect world would look like. Because to him, it would be this moment, lasting forever. The second Akechi’s lips met his, everything melted away. Every bit of anxiety slipped away as easily as Akechi himself once did. He didn’t want to think anymore. Good god, he was so tired of thinking. He doesn’t want to let go of Akechi again either. He’s had enough of that for two lifetimes. Who knew what was going to happen after all of this...
Akechi pulls away far too soon. But it’s okay. He’s still close. His arms are still wrapped around Akira’s waist. They feel like the only thing keeping him from diving off the edge of a cliff. Safe, secure…
“I…” Akechi opens and closes his mouth a few times before finally speaking again. “I didn’t mean to be so aggressive. You’re just…”
“The only thing that makes sense anymore?”
Akechi is silent, but his expression tells Akira he’s right.
Akira swallows, gripping onto the sleeves of Akechi’s jacket like they were the only thing keeping him on his feet.
“Why do we have to fight him…?”
Akechi looks at him as if he just slapped him.
“Are you insane?”
Akechi pulls away and Akira feels like he’s falling. Everything Akechi was able to make disappear with a kiss fell on top of his head like a ton of bricks. He looks down at the ground.
“Do you expect me to believe having that man decide your entire life for you would be better than dealing with your problems, Kurusu?”
Kurusu… He thought they were far past that already.
“You know, Akechi, maybe I’m just tired of fighting.”
Akechi’s laugh is sharp, piercing. Akira feels like he’s been stabbed.
“The leader of the phantom thieves is tired of fighting? I’m supposed to be dead and you’re tired? Is this some kind of joke?”
Akira finds it in himself to look at Akechi again, and there’s fire in his eyes when he does. His stomach twists in a mix of guilt, fear and anger. He feels like he might be sick.
“Maybe the leader of the phantom thieves is tired of everything falling on his shoulders.”
“You decided this at the last moment?” Akechi’s face doesn’t show any sympathy, but Akira can never tell what’s actually going on inside his head.
“Decided…?” Akira chuckles. “You really don’t get it, do you?”
Akechi looks at him skeptically, but expectantly.
“Everything always seems to be my responsibility. Every goddamn time someone’s in trouble I have to play the hero and save their asses.”
Akira isn’t looking at Akechi again yet. He doesn’t even want to see his reaction to all of this.
“And you know! At least before I had everyone else to help me. I wasn’t all but alone. But no one wants to snap out of it so it’s all on me, because of fucking course it is! And the only help I get is a barely stable murderer who made me waste all my time mourning his fake death!”
Akira can feel Akechi’s eyes burning into his skull. But he doesn’t know if he should be feeling guilt or rage yet.
“I’m just so fucking tired! Who knows what’s gonna happen after all this is over! Fuck, can I even trust you? How do I know you’re not still trying to kill me?”
Akira recalls the cold steel of the gun barrel against his head. The fear pumping through his system as he prayed to every god he could remember that his plan worked. The barely successful attempt to keep himself in character.
“Don’t I deserve this?”
Akira feels a familiar sting in the corners of his eyes. Fucking hell.
“Don’t I deserve a break for once? Don’t I deserve to rest?”
Akira finally looks up, and he sees the guilt ridden expression across Akechi’s face. That sight is what pushes those tears out of his eyes.
“I want to live together with you! and my family, and all my friends! What’s the harm in that?”
Akira dwells on the happy faces of his friends and family. He remembers what he felt seeing Akechi again after Shido’s palace.
“God damn it…”
Akechi silently watches as Akira puts his face in his hands and starts to sob. He doesn’t know what to say now. He feels like, if things were a bit different, Akira would be laughing. ‘How ironic. Goro Akechi of all people is at a loss for words.’
It was at this moment that Akechi reconsidered his thoughts on the situation. Previously, he thought he was alive solely due to Akira missing him, and wishing to see him. Not anywhere near impossible, considering Wakaba’s appearance. However, seeing Akira utterly broken down and sobbing in front of him made him think maybe this was all Akechi’s personal tailor-made nightmare.
He takes in a deep breath, very carefully pulling Akira into a tight but gentle embrace. His sobs stuttered into gasps that made Akechi’s heart hurt.
“I’m sorry, Akira…” Akechi whispers into his ear, his voice is shaking a little. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Akira stays still for a moment before burying his face into Akechi’s shoulder and squeezing him tightly.
They stay like this for a while. Akechi tries his best to comfort his crying friend, running his fingers through his hair, telling him things will be okay. But he seems near inconsolable. Eventually, Akira seems to have gotten most of it out. He slowly pulls away, though he’s still in Akechi’s embrace.
“Sorry…” Akira apologizes, his voice quiet and somewhat hoarse, free of its usual confidence.
“There’s no reason to apologize.” Akechi assures him. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”
Akira doesn’t say anything, opting to give him a halfhearted smile instead.
“Are… you going to stop fighting?” Akechi asks, curious but concerned. He doesn’t want to do this alone… He doesn’t even think he can.
“No, of course not…” Akira pulls Akechi’s arms away from his waist to squeeze both of his hands. “I couldn’t give up if I tried.”
Akechi doesn’t know if he should be relieved or not.
“Just… Spend the rest of the day with me? One more before we have to take all this… Stupid bullshit on?” He looks at Akechi with pleading eyes.
Akechi kisses him. It’s a quick, but blissful kiss.
“Of course.”