Archive of Our Own ^beta

When Akito realized he liked Tsukasa, he didn’t celebrate or anything like that. No, instead he screamed into his pillow about why the gods were so cruel to him and what he had done to deserve this fate. That had been a few weeks ago. He still does it, of course. Maybe he’ll get an answer if he screams loudly enough. 

But while he waits for an answer from the gods, he continues his life like this wasn’t some major revelation. He still meets up with Tsukasa during lunch. He still goes to a few of his shows but, only if someone had asked him to come along. Like hell he’d go willingly and by himself. He still teases Tsukasa just to make sure he doesn’t get suspicious. 

Basically, everything was the same. 

Normally Akito would’ve been glad that was the case. Except this crush wasn’t normal. Akito so badly wants to tell someone about these feelings. Just not An, Kohane, Toya, Rui, Ena, Mizuki, and definitely not Tsukasa himself. But someone. 

Which is what led up to now. With him sitting in Weekend Garage, ranting about his feelings to An’s dad. 

“You don’t understand, Ken-san. He’s so annoying.” Akito huffs very fondly, erasing any kind of disdain he may have been trying to fake.

“Is he now?” Ken chuckles as he serves Akito another plate of pancakes. 

Akito mutters a thank you before continuing. “He is.” He begins to cut the pancakes into slices. “He’s loud, obnoxious, self-absorbed, careless. This list goes on.” Said list is wrong. Well, except for the loud part.

Akito can't go around telling people he actually thinks Tsukasa is charismatic, passionate, big-hearted, considerate, alluring, pretty, and honestly really cu— 

Anyway... 

Enough of that. 

He stuffs a piece of pancake into his mouth in hopes to distract himself from getting carried away in his thoughts. He notices Ken hasn’t said anything. 

“Ken-san?” He looks up with a mouthful of delightful pancakes and into the older man’s eyes. 

“You must really like him.” He says, genuine.

Akito chokes. 

“Wh— You— How did you come to that conclusion?!” He sputters, punching his chest so he can breathe properly again. If his face is red, he’ll blame it on the fact he was choking. 

Ken seems amused by this all as he lets out a laugh. Akito is so glad his misery brings Ken joy. 

Once Akito’s coughing fit calms down, he asks again. “How did you get that out of all the things I just told you?”

“Instincts?” Ken says with a smile. “You’re not as obvious as An is with Kohane but it’s visible enough.”

Curse old men and their somehow all-knowing wisdom. 

Akito neither denies nor affirms the claim and instead busies himself with eating his pancakes. He gets to enjoy them all the way through and drinks some water. Then Ken speaks up again. 

“You should try asking him out.” 

Akito spits out the water. 

…Gross.

“Why the— Why would I do that?!” Akito doesn’t have the choking to blame his red face on now. 

“Just a suggestion. Look at An and Kohane. They got together easily because they were honest about their feelings for each other.” Ken’s eyes go soft as he speaks. 

“It’d be nice if you get that too. With whoever this mysterious person is.” Ken would’ve guessed it was Toya but as soon as Akito used the word loud as a description, he scratched Toya’s name off the board. He’ll encourage it nonetheless. 

“Ken-san…” Akito says softly. He could tell how happy Ken was when An and Kohane first announced they were dating. Maybe… just maybe, confessing isn’t such a bad idea. 

Maybe he’ll get lucky as his two female teammates had. It’s like he’s been hit with this sudden wave of confidence. Coming to Ken about this was the right call. 

“You’re right…” He mumbles out, barely audible. Ken catches it though and smiles like a proud father. 

“You’re right.” He says more loudly this time. He gets up from his chair and clashes his silverware down next to the plate. “Thanks, Ken-san.” He acknowledges right before he takes off out the door. 

Where is he going? To plan a stupid confession that’s riding off his abrupt and newfound courage. 

—

He was ready. Akito had planned it out in his head all night. Okay, it didn’t take long to come up with a plan. Half of the time he was just hyping himself up so he doesn’t back out of this. There wasn’t even a plan. 

He was just going to go to the rooftop as usual. Except when Tsukasa comes, instead of them sitting down and beginning to eat and talk, he’ll tell Tsukasa he has something he needs to say. 

Then Tsukasa will give him the floor to speak and Akito will just say it outright. That he likes him. Anything after that? Akito isn’t prepared for it. 

What will he do if Tsukasa rejects him? Will they still be friends? Will Tsukasa leave right then and there? What if he never wants to see Akito again? What if he tells the whole school and he gets deemed as a loser who got rejected? 

He’s letting his insecurities take over. Akito knows good and well that Tsukasa isn’t like that. He’d probably reject him nicely and propose they still be friends. Yeah, Akito is just overthinking it. 

So he keeps telling himself throughout class that everything will be fine. When Toya asks him if something’s wrong, he says he’s fine. When his classmates question his sudden aloofness, he says he’s fine. When the teacher asks him to pay attention in class, he says he’s fine. 

That one was a mistake. Honest!

And when lunch comes around, he repeats that same mantra as he walks up the stairs. He makes sure he leaves class a little earlier than usual just to make sure he gets there before Tsukasa. 

But somehow when he opens the door he’s met with a bob of blond hair that fades into orange. He screams internally. The gods really are against him and cannot imagine why. He was planning on using that extra time to hype himself up some more.

“Akito! You’re here early!” Tsukasa’s face lights up adorably when he sees Akito enter through the door. 

“Ah…” Then he realizes it’d be weird if that was all he said so he decides to do what he does best. Pretend he’s not bothered. 

“You’re the early one, aren’t you? The bell just rang a minute ago.” He makes sure to wear a smug expression to really sell it. 

Tsukasa’s ears turn red but he doesn’t answer him and instead gestures to the bench with their food on it, nonverbally telling Akito to sit. The ginger complies, obviously. He can still go through with his confession. 

He takes the box of lunch Tsukasa had made him along with a slice of cheesecake. He sits first and Tsukasa follows after him. 

“So, my dear junior, I have an amazing story to tell you!” The blond exclaims once they’ve both settled onto the bench. 

Akito takes this as his opening. “Actually, senpai, I have something I wanna say first.” He takes a small bite of the cheesecake. 

Tsukasa tilts his head but keeps a smile on his face. “Of course then! Go ahead.” 

Now that he’s actually about to do this, Akito feels all that boldness he was feeling prior disappear into thin air. Was he really about to do this? What was he thinking?! Can he still back out of this? Tsukasa’s eyes watch him as he fights the uproar in his head. 

“Akito?” Tsukasa’s voice now has a hint of concern in it. 

Fuck this. What’s that thing people say? You only live once? Yeah. Akito can do this. 

“Tsukasa-senpai.” He huffs. Tsukasa doesn’t say anything but Akito knows he has his attention. 

“Tsukasa-senpai…” He repeats. 

“Akito.” Tsukasa mirrors him. 

Just three words.

“I like you.” He quickly spits out, suddenly finding his cheesecake very interesting. 

The silence after those words fell from his lips is deafening and Akito wants to sink into the floor. He’d like to look at Tsukasa’s expression but he’s also deathly afraid of what it’ll be. So he waits until Tsukasa speaks first. 

“You— You like me?” Tsukasa stutters and Akito takes that as a sign he’s maybe just as nervous as Akito. Which would be a good thing. You only get nervous like that if you like the confessor the same way they like you. At least, that’s what Ena’s shoujo mangas taught him. 

He takes that sprinkle of hope and looks up at Tsukasa. 

His upperclassman’s face was just the slightest bit red. Akito takes that as a win. “I do.” 

With that confirmation, Tsukasa turns even redder and a smile slowly spreads across his features. Akito takes that as another win. 

“I knew you’d come around Akito!” Tsukasa suddenly stretches his arms across their food and wraps Akito in a hug. “I like you too, of course!” 

Akito can’t believe his ears. His face heats up beyond the levels of the sun. Was this real? Was he dreaming? Was it really that easy? 

“Y-You do?” He’s way too happy to even curse himself about the shakiness of his voice. 

Tsukasa holds him tighter. “Of course!” Then he unlatches himself from his junior but stays close. He gleams. “I knew you’d accept me as your friend someday!” 

And just like any other time, Tsukasa's words bring nothing but confusion to Akito. 

“What?” 

“We’re finally at a mutual liking as friends!” 

Mutual liking. 

As friends. 

Friends. 

Akito faces the wall behind him and bangs his head against it. 

“Ah- Akito?!” 

Tsukasa was red because he was happy, not because he was nervous. He thought Akito meant liking in a friendly way. Were they not friends before? Akito guesses they never did make some sort of announcement of it but still! He thought they already reached into friendship territory. 

“Akito, are you okay?” Tsukasa’s voice invades his ears again. He lets out a long, tired sigh. He moves away from the wall to face Tsukasa once more. 

“You’re bleeding!” 

“It’s nothing.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yup.” 

Tsukasa begrudgingly lets it go as Akito begins to scarf his cheesecake down. Eventually, the older of the two starts to tell the story he had meant to tell before. 

Akito would’ve listened if he wasn’t questioning whether or not there really were gods out there and if they really didn’t like him. 

Tsukasa’s eyes are shining as he explains the plot of his latest show. 

Well, at least he can say he tried. 

—

“It’s no hope, Ken-san. The guy’s a grade-A idiot.” Akito had come to Weekend Garage after school ended, waiting for his fellow group members to arrive. 

Ken’s eyes widened at the sudden appearance and words of the boy. “What?” 

“You told me to ask him out, right?” He sits down on a stool across from the man. “So I did.” 

“You did?” Ken doesn’t mask his shock. He was simply offering a small push. He didn’t think Akito would actually go through with it. 

“I did but it went completely sideways.” 

Ken frowns at that. “Did he reject you?” 

“No.” Then he thinks for a second. Was that technically rejection? “Maybe? I dunno.” 

Ken’s frown just deepens. What does that even mean?

Akito notices the perplexed expression. He groans but decides he should probably explain a little more. 

“So it went down like this,” Akito begins to tell Ken the events that transpired just before he got here. After he finishes, Ken can’t help but laugh at the whole ordeal. 

“It’s not funny! Do you know how much courage it took me to tell him? Just for him to not even get it!” Akito lets his head fall onto the counter of the bar. 

“He sounds like quite the character.” Ken chuckles as he gets ready to make some pancakes for Akito to attempt to cheer him up. 

“You haven’t even heard the half of it,” Akito mumbles into the counter. 

Just then, a ring comes from the door. Akito keeps his head down but his ears open. 

“Akito! What’s up with you?” An walks in with her girlfriend right behind her. He curses every being out there. He was silently praying it was Toya. 

“He’s having romance troubles,” Ken answered for him. 

Wait. 

Wait wait wait wait wait!

An wasn’t supposed to know that! 

Akito’s head springs up and his expression is a mix of betrayal and embarrassment. His eyes practically screamed at Ken for revealing his biggest deepest darkest secret. 

Okay, it wasn’t that bad but still! An is going to have a ball with this information. 

“What? Akito, you got a crush?” Akito can practically hear the smirk without even having to look at her.

“No.” He quickly denies. 

But obviously, that wouldn’t derail An. She quickly made her way over to sit down on the stool next to him. Kohane moves a bit more slowly and sits on his other side. He’s been completely locked in. 

“Who is it?” An begins to invade his personal space. 

“Nobody.” 

An pouts but doesn’t let up. She turns to her dad behind the counter. “Who is it?” She repeats. 

Ken glances and Akito who has started to glare daggers at him. “He hasn’t told me a name.” He admits truthfully. 

An huffs but still, doesn’t give up. “Is it Toya?” She guesses. 

Akito’s face goes blank. 

“What?” 

“Do you have a crush on Toya?” 

Then he grimaces. Nothing was wrong with Toya, of course. He cherishes his partner very much. But he never even imagined their friendship becoming anything more than just that. 

An notices his scrunched-up face and quickly shoved the Toya suggestion in the trash. Sorry Toya. Akito doesn’t have many people he talks to so with Toya off the board there aren’t many other options. There’s no way it's a girl because… this is Akito. 

She gasps and Akito flinches. “Don’t tell me…” Akito feels sweat start to trickle down his forehead. 

“...Kamishiro-senpai?” 

He lets his head fall and hit the counter harshly. 

“Sh–Shinonome?!” Kohane jumps at the sudden sound. 

He whips his head back up to scowl at An. She couldn’t be farther off the mark! Sure, Rui is friends with Tsukasa but they’re completely different! Pigs would have to fly over his head for Akito to even think about seeing that eccentric asshole in that light. 

“No way in hell!” His voice holds enough scorn for An to throw Rui into the trash as well. There’s only one other option. 

“That other one then?” She asks, indifferent to the disgusted expression still on Akito’s face. “What was his name again…” An taps her chin, thinking aloud. 

“I’m telling you there’s no one.” Akito sighs, exasperated. He knows there's only one other name that she could say and he doesn’t know how he’s going to deny it without giving anything away.

“Kohane, help me out here. I think I’ve told you about our two oddball senpais, right?” An looks past Akito in the direction of her girlfriend. Akito also turns to her, silently pleading. 

The blonde thinks, her hand on her chin like An. Then, like a flip of a switch, she remembers. “It was Kamishiro-kun and Tsukasa-kun, wasn’t it?” 

An snaps her fingers in recognition. Akito hangs his head. “That’s right! Tsukasa-senpai!” She reaches past Akito to squeeze Kohane’s cheeks. “You’re amazing Kohane!” The blonde in question flushes red. 

He didn’t have much time to feel jealous about their relationship as An put her focus back on him. His stomach dropped. 

“So it’s Tsukasa-senpai, then.” She has the most mischievous smile on her face and Akito feels literal chills. How did someone as awe-inspiring as Ken manage to raise someone like… this. 

“It’s not.” Despite the denial sounding weak even to him, he has to try. 

“I kinda see it now though.” Akito wants to leave. “You always said he was annoying and you would tease him but you’d also meet him for lunch every day and go to his shows whenever asked.” 

That wasn’t enough to tell he liked him though. 

Was it? 

It wasn’t but, dreadfully, An had more evidence. 

“And come to think of it, whenever Toya mentioned him in a conversation, you always had something to say too.” Which were normally insults with no real venom behind them. “And you seem to really hate Kamishiro-senpai.” Her eyes widened comically. 

“Is that because you’re jealous of him?” She asks with a shit-eating grin that shows she knows she's right. 

But Akito won’t admit that. 

“Jealous? Of that guy? That’s absurd. I just hate how weird he is.” Akito scoffs. It was the truth. Somewhat.  He really did think Rui was odd. So maybe he might be a little envious that he’s close to Tsukasa but whose business is that? No one but his own.

“Mhm. Whatever you say.” She doesn’t believe his words at all. 

Then, she stretches. “Well, it's okay if you like Tsukasa-senpai. I think he likes you too.” She states matter of factly. 

Where did that come from? How would she know that? 

Before Akito could ask those questions out loud, another voice interrupts. 

“You like Tsukasa-senpai?” The two-toned-haired boy suddenly appears behind the three of them, making them all jump. 

“Toya?!” 

“Aoyagi?!” 

They all said simultaneously. 

“When did you get here?” Kohane asked. 

“Just now.” He too seems startled by their reactions. Or maybe it was what he had just heard. “Akito. You like Tsukasa-senpai?” He repeats the question. 

Akito wants a black hole to swallow him so he never has to face the world again. 

“No, Toya I… Uh. I– Uhm. It’s like… Ah. Uh.” 

What great talking skills he has! 

Before he could embarrass himself further, Ken returns with a plate of pancakes in hand. “Here you go, Akito.” 

He turns from Toya and towards the heavenly stack of fresh pancakes. His prayers have been answered. “Thanks, Ken-san.” He grabs the plate before Ken even sets it down and shuffles his way out of the triangle An, Kohane, and Toya had him trapped in. He was not going to spend a second longer there. 

With his pancakes in hand, he escapes from the bar to go home, eat his pancakes, and scream into his pillow. 

His groupmates and Ken watch his back as he walks – as he runs out the door. “Did something happen?” Ken spoke up. 

An just shook her head and Kohane let out a soft giggle. Toya was still a little confused but he at least gets the gist of it. He sits down in the spot Akito was just in and they begin to talk about some plans for Vivid Bad Squad. At one point during the whole thing, Toya thinks Akito and Tsukasa would make a great couple. 

He’ll have to tell him that later. 

—

So now all his teammates know about his crush on Tsukasa. No biggie. 

Except it is a biggie because Kohane won’t stop giving him words of encouragement, An won’t stop teasing him, and Toya is the worst of all. He’s almost spilled the secret directly to Tsukasa’s face more than once! 

Well, is it a secret if he had already told Tsukasa? 

Yes. Yes it was. 

Because Tsukasa took it the wrong way so technically Akito’s genuine disgustingly fuzzy feelings are still hidden. 

Anyway, Toya also keeps giving him this look. Like he pities him! And Akito doesn’t know why! It’s not as if he were miserable. He still continues on like everything is fine. 

“Akito! You’re spacing out again!” 

…Or maybe not. 

He had forgotten where he was for a second there. Tsukasa is seated next to him, looking at him with concern in his eyes. 

“Oh. My bad.” He halfheartedly apologizes. “What were you saying?” 

Tsukasa frowns. “You’ve been out of it a lot lately.” 

Akito won’t deny that. He didn’t mean to space off so often. Before, he would pointedly ignore Tsukasa's rambles. As they got closer, he would start to listen. Now? Akito thinks about Tsukasa so much that he forgets the boy is right in front of him. 

It only got harder to focus after he got unintentionally friend-zoned. He doesn’t hold it against Tsukasa, of course. He had forgotten to take his obliviousness into account when he planned out the confession. 

“Don’t worry about it.” He tells him. Their food had been finished minutes ago. “Just tell me what you were saying.” 

Tsukasa's gaze lingers on him for a few more seconds before he lets out a soft sigh and decides to let it go. 

“Well… I was just asking if you could help me practice for an upcoming play!” His eyes shine brightly and Akito has to fight the urge to straight up tell him how cute that is. 

After he pushes that sickening thought away, he considers Tsukasa's request. “Don’t you usually do that with that guy?” Even though he doesn’t say a name, Tsukasa knows who he means. 

“Rui will be hanging out with Akiyama after school.” He reasons. “It’s just this once Akito! It won’t take much of your time!” He starts to plead. 

And he doesn’t really have to beg like that, Akito wasn’t planning on turning him down. He just couldn’t spring to accept or else it’d look suspicious. He’s honestly grinning from ear to ear internally at the thought of him being able to take Rui’s place today. 

“When’s the show?” He asks because, like he said, he can't accept that easily. 

“This weekend! It’ll be one of our best yet!” Tsukasa exclaims proudly with his fist on his chest. 

He says that about all his shows but Akito doesn’t say anything about that. 

“I guess I can help then.” He tries to sound nonchalant about it. He falters just a little when Tsukasa’s entire face glows brighter. “After school, right?” 

“Yup!” The upperclassman beams, practically shaking from excitement. “You won't regret it!” He springs up. 

Akito almost asks why he would regret it but Tsukasa had packed his things and was already by and out the door. 

Oh well. 

As the bell rings Akito gets up and makes his way to his own class. 

He had something to look forward to after school.

—

When the end of school bell rang Akito had to stop himself from leaping out of his chair and running towards the 2nd year floor. That’d look desperate, wouldn’t it? And he’d risk the chance of running into Rui. 

So instead, he awkwardly stands by the shoe lockers at the entrance with his foot on the wall and his arms folded. The two of them hadn’t really set a place of meeting so he hopes he catches the blond here. 

As he waits, he happens to bump into Toya. Well, Toya bumps into him seeing as Akito is just standing there. 

“Akito? What are you doing?” The boy asked. 

“Just waiting for someone.” He doesn’t clarify who because then Toya will just give him that pitying look again. 

He earns a skeptical look instead, which is fair. Akito doesn’t really hang out with anyone other than Toya and An at school. 

Just as he’s about to explain to Toya, fast footsteps come their way. 

“Akito! I thought I missed you!” 

Tsukasa’s bright aura springs into view and Akito pushes himself off the wall to stand straight. Toya stares at him. 

When the blond gets closer, he continues. “I went to your class but they said you already left!” 

Akito ignores the fact that now his classmates know he’s acquainted with the Tsukasa Tenma and focuses on the fact Tsukasa went looking for him. Toya continues to stare at him. 

“Ah! Toya! It’s been a bit since the last time we hung out, hasn't it? How are you?” Akito pretends the sudden attention shift to Toya doesn’t bother him. He will not get jealous of Toya. He’s better than that.

Toya finally stops staring at him and looks at his senior. He gives a small smile. “I’m good, Tsukasa-senpai. Why were you looking for Akito?” 

“Oh that! Akito is going to help me practice for our next show!” His smile grows. 

Toya eyes both of them suspiciously. Then, he gives Akito that look and Akito wants to run away. 

So he does. 

“Let’s go then, senpai.” He grabs Tsukasa’s wrist and starts to drag him back in the direction he came. They’ll find an empty room or something. 

“Wait! Bye then, Toya!” Tsukasa manages to call out. 

As the two of them walk away, Toya just keeps that same look in his eyes until they’re out of sight. 

Then, his face shifts into a soft smile. He’s so glad his two favorite people are getting along well. 

They find an empty room pretty quickly. Around this time, everyone is with their clubs. So they just find a classroom on the first year floor. 

“So, how do we do this?” Akito asks once they’ve settle into the classroom. 

Tsukasa paces around. “Well, we’re lacking some props but no matter! He’s the script.” He pulls out two sheets of paper from who knows where and hands one to Akito. 

Akito takes the paper and flips it over a few times. “Is this it? Aren’t scripts usually, I don’t know, longer?” He questions. 

“They are! This is just the page I needed help with.”

Akito hums. “So we just gotta do this?” 

“Mhm!” 

He nods and begins to skim over a bit of the script. That’s when he does a double take. Now he realizes why he would regret this. 

“Uhm… Tsukasa-senpai?”

“Yes, my precious junior?” 

“What’s the plot of this play?” 

Tsukasa's eyes glimmer as he begins to explain. “It’s a story about a prince who falls for one of his knights! Their love is forbidden by the king and queen and their people but nevertheless, they persevere!” 

“They face many many complications but their love gets them through it! It’s a truly beautiful story!” 

“It’s a love story.” Akito doesn’t ask, he states. 

Tsukasa pouts but he nods. “It’s much deeper than that though! I’ve already told you all this, Akito.” 

Did he? Akito must’ve been out of it when he did. But that’s not what he’s worried about right now! 

He’s been asked to recite these lovey dovey words to his crush that technically rejected him! He should’ve asked for more information on the whole thing before he just agreed to help. Stupid feelings making him make stupid decisions.

“And you want me,” He points at himself. “to help you,” He points at Tsukasa. “practice this?” He holds the paper up. 

Tsukasa doesn’t seem to get what he’s hinting at and just nods enthusiastically. “Right!” 

Akito holds the bridge of his nose and sighs. Well, what can he do about it now? Might as well get it over with so he can go home and scream into his pillow. 

“Right.” He repeats. “Okay. Yeah, okay. Let’s do this then.” He looks back down at the first line of the paper.

So the setting was in a forest. They had just ran off to avoid getting caught by the prince’s father, the king. Akito sucks in a breath and says his first line. 

“We can’t always be this careless.” 

Tsukasa immediately follows up. 

“It’s alright. If anything were to happen, you’d protect me right?” The tenderness of Tsukasa’s voice makes Akito falter just for a short second. 

“You’re really troublesome for a prince, you know that?” He says, equally as tender. Because that’s how his character was supposed to say it, obviously. 

Tsukasa chuckles. “Well, if it weren’t for me being troublesome, we’d have never met.” 

The script says he has to touch the prince’s ear. Akito looks at Tsukasa with questioning eyes. He gets a nod in return. Shit. 

He takes a deep breath. “I guess I can be the least bit thankful for that.” He raises his hand to Tsukasa’s ear as if he were brushing his hair back. 

Tsukasa turns pink, which in return makes Akito’s cheeks tint too. This was still in character, right? 

“See? Things aren’t always so bad.” Tsukasa’s voice seems the slightest bit uneven but Akito doesn’t comment on it. 

“Hm. You’re right.” Then he flicks Tsukasa’s forehead as the paper says to.

“Ouch!” 

“But even so, you know what’ll happen if we get caught.” Akito’s voice shifts from soft to stern. 

Tsukasa pouts. “Maybe I’ll need to be the one to protect you, then.” 

Akito lets out a breathy laugh. “Really now?” 

“Don’t underestimate me, knight! I’m plenty capable.” He puffs out his cheeks. 

Akito laughs again, genuinely, accidentally. But thankfully it’s in character. “I’d like to see that.” 

Then he glances down at his script again. Lean in to each other while maintaining homoerotic eye contact? Who wrote this?! 

(Rui lets out a sneeze, somewhere.) 

Still, he goes through with it. He looks into Tsukasa’s sunset-colored eyes. Who was going to lean in first? Akito doesn’t want to because this is already too much for his heart. 

Tsukasa’s face is still pink but, thankfully, he leans in first. Time slows as their faces inch closer together. What were they leaning in for again? Akito should’ve read the whole script beforehand. 

Tsukasa stops right before their noses touch. They can feel each other’s breath on their faces. 

Fuck. What now? Was he supposed to speak first? What was his line? Akito was starting to panic. Tsukasa has never been this close before. His lips are just centimeters away from Akito’s own! As much as he wants to look down at them or his script, he can’t break away from Tsukasa’s gaze. 

Both of their faces match in redness and Akito is sort of glad he’s not the only flustered one. Unless this was all part of the act. That’d hurt a little. 

“Akito…” 

That was definitely not supposed to be Tsukasa’s line. 

“Tsukasa…” 

And that was not supposed to be Akito’s line either.

It all happened so fast that neither of them know who closed the distance first. Their lips connected. Akito’s first thought was about how soft Tsukasa’s lips were. His second was… 

What. 

Is he really kissing Tsukasa Tenma right now?? Was this a part of the script?! Is he even doing this right? He’s never kissed anyone! He’s sure there wasn’t a kiss when he skimmed over the text! What is going on?! He’s freaking out! 

His mind went haywire within a matter of seconds. Because that’s how long the kiss lasted. Nothing more than a few seconds. Tsukasa is the first to pull away and Akito embarrassingly tries to follow after him. 

They’re staring at each other, faces feeling hotter than the sun. 

“Tsu–”

“AH! Hahaha! That was– part of the script! Since the two were in love, of course.” He jumps back out of Akito’s space. “The prince and the knight! They’re the two in love! Yes, not us. I-I mean– Uh. That was just…” Tsukasa flails his hands around nervously. 

“I think that’s all for that, right? You must have– other arrangements for today? Toya! You usually go and meet Toya, yes? Ahaha! Yes, yes. We should stop here!” 

“Wait, senpai–”

But it was no use, Tsukasa was already at the door. 

“Thank you for your assistance, Akito!” He quickly yells out behind him as he exits the room and runs down the hall. 

Akito stands in the middle of the classroom, dumbfounded. His fingers slowly raise up to touch his lips gently. Then, his knees gave out and he slumped onto the floor. 

He’s definitely going to have a lot to scream into his pillow about today.

—

Tsukasa’s mind is screaming. The entire time he’s running through the halls and down the stairs, his mind is screaming. 

Why did he do that? He never did anything like that when he practiced with Rui! What he did was not part of the script! The knight and prince would stare at each other then the knight would take the prince’s hand, kiss it, and lead him back to the castle! Tsukasa got carried away! He got too bold! 

But it wasn’t his fault Akito looked so… kissable!

His acting wasn’t bad at all and Tsukasa felt himself getting swept away. It was the role’s fault! The role’s! If they had acted as a pair of different characters, this wouldn’t have happened. 

What will Akito think of him now? What if he never wants to see him again?! Akito was just being a good junior – a good friend to his senior. And he used that to his own advantage! 

Stupid stupid stupid! 

In the end, once Tsukasa reaches the gates of the school, he comes to the conclusion that this is all Rui’s fault. 

Stupid Rui putting stupid ideas into his head. Stupid Rui writing a stupid play about stupid lovers. Stupid Rui bailing on him to go on a stupid date with his stupid partner. He takes that back, he doesn’t think Akiyama is stupid, nor are the dates. He’s happy for them. But right now he needs someone to blame. 

“He told you he likes you?” Rui doesn’t hide the smirk on his face. 

“Yeah! He’s finally accepted us as friends.” Tsukasa excitedly exclaims as he adds the finishing touch to one of the costumes. 

“So, he said he likes you as a friend?” 

“Well, how else would he mean it?” 

“Romantically.” 

Tsukasa drops the pins he was holding. 

“What?!” 

“Just my suggestion.” Rui does his signature fufufu laugh. 

“You’re teasing me, aren’t you?” Tsukasa huffs and he bends down to pick up the things he dropped. 

He only gets an amused hum in response and that was the end of that. 

It should’ve left his mind but he found himself replaying the… confession in his head over and over. Since that day, Tsukasa’s mind has been filled with Akito more than usual. Thankfully, he was a skilled actor so no one could tell anything was off. 

Except maybe Rui. But that’s irrelevant. 

Akito himself also seemed to be less present, mind wise, since he told Tsukasa those three words. He covered it up with insincere apologies and brushing his concerns off but Tsukasa could tell. He wanted to ask his junior more about it but there never seemed to be a proper time. 

That was when Rui made a suggestion. 

The whole script thing was orchestrated by Rui. Tsukasa didn’t exactly have any objections at the start but when Rui gave him one of the most romantic moments to practice he should’ve turned it down. Now look at what he’s done! 

Akito probably thinks he’s weird! 

Well…

Weirder than he already thought! 

Through all these thoughts, it wasn’t until he finally reached his house that he realized Akito hadn’t pulled away. 

—

“What’s up with him?” Mizuki nudges An. 

“He hasn’t had lunch with Tsukasa-senpai in two days – well, three now.” Toya supplies for them. 

Akito glares at the three of them. “That’s not it.” 

“What else would have you so moody then?” An asks, both teasingly and genuinely curious. 

“None of your business.” 

“Uh, sorry Lil’ bro but, it is our business if you come and get rid of our appetites with your bad mood.” They snicker. 

“I am not in a bad mood.” He says, clearly in a bad mood. 

“Okay so this, whatever mood. Does it have anything to do with Tsukasa-senpai?” An asks. 

Akito doesn’t respond and just looks off into the distance. Tsukasa hasn’t talked to him since he ran out of the classroom that day. He had went to the rooftop the day after, the day after that, and today. Tsukasa was a no show. And Akito knows he’s here at school, he’s just deliberately avoiding him. 

So yeah, his bad mood is Tsukasa’s fault. But if these guys find that out, he’d have to explain why and he really doesn’t feel like sharing what happened that day with anyone other than Tsukasa. And maybe Ken. 

At his silence, the other three exchange looks. 

“So, what’s up with that? I thought you didn’t even like Tsukasa.” Mizuki surprisingly hadn’t found out about the crush yet. 

And Akito had planned to keep it that way but, the world is against him. 

“It’s the opposite, actually.” An smirks. She must be what the gods who hate him sent down. 

Mizuki’s eyes widened and a similar smirk found itself on their face. 

Twin devils. Akito concludes that must be what they are. 

“What’s this? Lil’ bro? You got a crush on Tsukasa?” Then they pull out their phone. “I have got to tell Ena!” 

That makes alarms go off in Akito’s mind and he reaches over the table they were seated at as an attempt to grab their phone. “Don’t you dare!” 

“Aw why not? It’s cute!” Mizuki puts on a pout but it doesn’t fool Akito. They mercifully put their phone away.

“It’s nothing you should feel ashamed of, Akito.” Toya decides to add. 

Akito appriciates the sentiment but hes not ashamed. He’s embarrassed!

“Speaking of Tsukasa, doesn’t he have a show this weekend?” Which is in two days. Not that Akito was counting down or anything. 

“Ah, you’re right! I ran into one of his, what are they called? Troupe members?” Toya nods to tell her she’s right. She continues. “I ran into one of them on the street and they invited me and Kohane.” An recalls. “I’m sure Tsukasa-senpai already invited Akito and Toya.” 

“He did.” Toya nods, then a look flashes across his face. “Akito.” 

He wants to shrink into his seat. “Yeah?” 

“The last time you saw Tsukasa-senpai… was it that day you two practiced together?” 

Akito flinches and it doesn’t escape any of their eyes. 

“No way! Rui told me that this upcoming play was a love story!” Mizuki’s eyes glimmered with mischief. 

“It is not!” It is. 

“And you practiced with him?” An’s eyes share the same shine as Mizuki’s. 

“I did not!” He did. 

“What, did you guys like, kiss or something?” Mizuki jests. 

Akito freezes. 

Deny deny deny! 

He needs to deny it! But his mouth won’t comply with him. If he stays quiet for too long they’ll make assumptions. Not wrong assumptions but assumptions nonetheless. He won’t ever live it down! And from that assumption they’ll make more (most likely correct) assumptions!  

What should he say? He can feel the back of his neck heat up as he recalls the events that transpired. This is bad! 

“...No way?” 

Shit. He was thinking for too long.

When he’s dragged back into the real world, three pairs of eyes are staring directly at him. 

“You kissed him?!” An and Mizuki shout at the same time. Toya shows his shock in his own way on his expression. 

“I didn’t!” Perfect! His body is complying now! Where was that like, a few seconds ago?

“You did!” Mizuki accused, rightfully. “Is that why you’re so gloomy? Did you get rejected?” 

“Shut up.” He says instead of giving a proper response because, well, he didn’t know the answer either. 

“It’s alright Lil’ brosef! I’ll treat you to some cheesecake!” 

Huh. Maybe he’ll let Mizuki believe what they want. Then cheesecake makes him remember Tsukasa. He groans. 

“This is bad, isn’t it?” An has a hint of concern in her voice. “Akito just groaned at the idea of cheesecake.” Akito groaned at the idea of cheesecake. 

“Tsukasa-senpai would often bring him cheesecake for lunch.” Toya tells her. 

“Ah. That explains that.” 

“No it doesn’t.” Akito scowls. 

“Will you still be going to his show?” Toya asked curiously. 

Akito hadn’t thought about that. He was keeping track of the days, yeah, but he hadn't thought about whether or not he would go. Is he even allowed to go? Tsukasa technically didn’t invite him. He told him about it, sure, but that’s not an invite. 

What would he even do there? Watch the show, great. Then what? Would he just leave after that? Could he just leave after that? 

Actually, maybe he could use this as an opportunity. 

If he goes to the show, he can corner Tsukasa backstage and talk about what happened that day and what it meant and how he felt about it. Because Akito knows how he felt — how he feels about it. He wants to know if Tsukasa feels that same way. He has to know. 

“Yeah.” He finally replies, charged with a new idea. 

Toya gives a small smile at the sureness in his partner's voice. An and Mizuki exchange a slightly worried look but decide to let it go. Akito knows what he’s doing. 

With that, the four of them continue their lunch until the bell rings. 

—

“Shinonome… are you sure you’re alright?” 

“What? Of course I am.” 

He’s a liar. 

He was sitting in the crowd along with his group member and Mizuki. Two days prior, he was all ready for this. Tsukasa still hadn’t talked to him but that only fueled his reason to come. 

Now that he’s actually here? He wants to go home and, as usual, scream into his pillow. He is looking forward to seeing Tsukasa again though. Almost a full week of no contact hasn’t been so good on him. 

It isn’t watching the show he’s worried about. It’s what he plans on doing after. He had time to plan but in the end he wound up with nothing. But that’s fine. He’ll just wing it. How hard could it be? 

A voice on the back of his mind unhelpfully says it’ll be harder than confessing his feelings but Akito won’t listen to that. 

“He’s just getting jealous that someone else will be acting all those lovely dovey scenes with Tsukasa and not him!” Mizuki teases. 

Akito actually wasn’t thinking about that but, now that he is, Mizuki is right. Stupid Rui. 

Before he could say the exact opposite of his thoughts, the lights around the area dimmed. The show was about to start. Why was Akito so nervous? This isn’t his first show. Why is he nervous?! 

“Akito.” Toya calls from next to him. Akito looks at him as the announcer says the name of the play. Somehow, Toya tells him the words through his eyes and he feels at ease. That’s right. He was going to face Tsukasa after this. He smiled at Toya, who smiled back. 

Their attention focuses on the stage again as the curtains open. 

The first thing Akito’s eyes find is Tsukasa. He was standing in the middle of the stage so it would’ve been hard to not see him but, even if he wasn’t, Akito would’ve found him. 

Tsukasa was dressed in fancy clothes and the backdrop behind him was a stone wall. Probably his room in the castle. The blond starts off amazingly well. His voice carries and he has just the right kind of emotion behind his words. Akito revels in it. 

He gets through the show without having any nerves creeping up to intrude his brain, thankfully. Well, except for some scenes where Rui would get a little too close to Tsukasa. He brushed that off though. 

Once the show is finished, all the troupe members bow and wave at the crowd. That’s when Tsukasa's eyes lock with Akito’s. But only for a split second because Tsukasa looks away almost immediately. Yeah, Akito definitely has to get some words out of this guy. 

So he stands up before the rest of his group and makes his way backstage. 

“Ah. He’s off to congratulate his boyfriend.” 

Akito hears someone — he doesn’t care for who because honestly it could’ve been any of them — say as he starts to speed walk before Tsukasa could run away.

When he reaches his destination, he bumps into a small pink girl. 

“Eh? Ah! You’re Akito! What’re you doing here by yourself? Usually you have Toya or—”

He cuts off her soon to be ramble and walks past to where Tsukasa hopefully was. He hears a loud, unmistakable voice from around the corner. 

“Gahhhhh! Rui! He was in the crowd! I didn't even notice until the end! I have to go before he…” 

“Before I what?” He suddenly speaks up from behind him, making Tsukasa jump and spin around. 

“A-Akito! What’re you doing here?!” 

“Fufufu. I’ll take this as my cue.” Rui sends a wink in their direction and walks past them. 

Stupid Rui both boys, now alone, think at the same time. But this is no time to insult Rui! They had to talk things out now. 

They stand in silence. 

…But who’ll talk first?

Akito should’ve at least thought of a lead to start the conversation. Well, here goes. 

“So—”

“Akito I’m soooo sorry for what happened earlier this week! You see, I got so caught up in our roles that I did something completely wrong! I should’ve known, as your upperclassman, to not do such a thing! This is me being selfish but if you don’t hate me too much could we still remain friends?”

“I’ve gotten far too used to your presence during my lunches and I tried to give you some time away from me but when I saw you today I completely cracked! Still, I understand if you never want to see me ever again. I won't ever bother you again if you just say the word. But if we’re being honest, I don’t think I want you to—”

“Senpai.” 

Tsukasa finally stops and catches his breath. He hadn’t meant to say all of that. He just got scared! He didn’t want Akito to turn him away so he decided he should get his words in before he did.

“Ah— Uh. Yes?” 

Akito was taken aback. He didn’t think Tsukasa would have that much to say but at the same time, he’s glad he did. Because now he knows what Tsukasa has been thinking this whole time. 

“I don’t hate you.” Akito tells him, voice uncharacteristically soft. 

“You don’t?” Tsukasa asks, voice uncharacteristically hesitantly. 

“Did you regret it?” Akito replies with another question. One that catches Tsukasa off guard. 

“What?” 

“Did you regret it? Kissing me, I mean.” The tips of Akito's ears turn red and he's starting to get embarrassed. But he came backstage for a reason and he was not backing out now.

Tsukasa doesn’t reply immediately. What was he supposed to say to that?! Was this a trick question? On a side note, Akito looks really cute when he’s shy like this. And truthfully, Tsukasa didn’t regret the kiss at all. What he regretted was running away after. 

But how was he supposed to just say that?!

He feels his face slowly get warmer. 

“Hello? Tsukasa-senpai?” 

“…I didn't.” He looks down and mumbles so quietly that Akito hadn’t even heard him.

“What was that?” 

“I didn’t.” Tsukasa repeats, more loudly this time. He doesn’t look up. He feels Akito’s eyes burning into him but he doesn’t dare look up. If he did, he would see Akito’s face flush red. 

“Tsukasa.” Akito calls for him. Tsukasa keeps his eyes on his feet. 

“Tsukasa…” Akito sounds a little more breathless this time. Tsukasa keeps his head down. Akito doesn’t have the patience for this! He’s waited enough. 

“Oh for fuck’s—”

He cuts himself off and reaches for Tsukasa, who yelps at suddenly being grabbed. 

“I’m—sorry?” Tsukasa is thrown off by Akito’s sudden assertion. 

“I’m going to kiss you now.” 

“What?!” 

“Is that okay?” His face is completely colored despite him being the initiator. 

Tsukasa gulps. He must be dreaming! 

But despite that way of thinking, he slowly nods. 

As if he were waiting for this moment all his life, Akito leans in with no hesitation after Tsukasa’s approval. 

Just like the first time, his lips are soft and welcoming. Akito lets his hands find purchase on the side of Tsukasa’s face. They’re both complete amateurs but the fact they get to gain experience together makes it all the better. 

They part for a bit, in need of air. Both of their pupils are blown wide. Suddenly Tsukasa raises his arms and wraps them around Akito’s neck. Their lips meet again, the kiss deeper this time. 

Akito could get high off this feeling. This has to be a dream. Somebody pinch him.

“Oh my god.” 

The boys jump back from each other immediately once a new voice reaches their ears. 

Akito was lying. He didn’t want someone to pinch him. Let him go back to his dream world. 

“Saki?!” 

“Brother! You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend!” The girl, Saki, said. Very loudly, by the way. Must run in the Tenma’s blood. 

“He’s—” Tsukasa was about to deny it, then he looked at the flustered boy standing next to him and the words died on his tongue. Akito noticed, of course, and gave a smirk despite his red face. Tsukasa turned his head quickly. 

“Ahhh. Is this that junior you’ve talked abo—”

“Saki!” Tsukasa squeaks. 

“Ahaha! So it is! Don’t worry brother. I won’t embarrass you in front of your boyfriend.” She smiles and Akito’s first thought is that she must be an angel. 

Then the two siblings stare at each other in silence. Well, outward silence. They seem to be having a conversation non verbally. 

“Whoops! I need to go back with my friends before they start worrying!” She suddenly says. “I’ll meet you at home brother!” And she runs off. 

Akito swears he hears a sigh of relief come from Tsukasa. 

“So,” 

Tsukasa fliches. 

“You’ve talked about me with your sister?” He lets a sly smile cover his face. 

“Disregard that!” 

“I don’t think I will.” 

Tsukasa makes a struggled sound and Akito laughs. He feels like he’s on cloud nine, honestly. 

“Akito,” Tsukasa says when Akito’s laughing has died down. 

“Hm?” 

“That day, on the roof… when you said you liked me.” 

“What about it?” That was the day he almost died from humiliation but, he won’t show that. 

“Did you mean that like, in a—in a romantic sense?” 

Akito deadpans.

“Do I need to kiss you again?” 

“Wh—No! I mean if you… NO!” He sputters, becoming red again. Then he hides his face in his hands. 

“This is so embarrassing! You should’ve been more clear!” 

“Hah? I was plenty clear!” 

“You let me get confused!” 

“I didn’t see a point in clarifying if you already took it the wrong way.” 

“You should’ve!” 

“It worked out anyway.” 

“It could’ve worked out sooner!” 

“It’s fine now, isn’t it?”

“Still!” 

Akito sighs. “Do you want me to, what, confess again?” He thinks he’d die if he had to do that. 

“No… You don’t have to!” He clearly wants him to. 

Akito sighs again, this time more obviously. He didn’t think he’d ever have to repeat those words again. Except, this time, he knows Tsukasa wants to hear them. And he knows the feelings are returned. 

Huh. Maybe he doesn’t need to build up as much courage as he had the first time. 

He steps closer to Tsukasa like they were before they got interrupted. Tsukasa suddenly finds the wall color really interesting. 

Akito gently grabs his face like he held him before and forces eye contact. 

“I like you, Tsukasa.” He gives him a kiss on the nose. 

“Ah… That, uhm.” 

Akito does his best puppy dog eyes. “You don’t like me back?” 

The way Tsukasa’s eyes filled with panic was exactly what Akito was looking for. 

“I do! I like you too…” He hides his face again. “Gah! This is too much!”

Akito feels elated. He moves Tsukasa’s hand to pepper his face with kisses, thriving off this new wave of warmth. 

“Oh my. You didn’t strike me as such an affectionate type, Shinonome.” 

An all too familiar voice interrupts but this time Akito keeps a hold on Tsukasa's waist so he doesn’t back away. 

“Rui!” Tsukasa screeches. Imagine being caught not once but twice! And by two of the people closest to you, no less! He might as well just ascend into the heavens now.

“I thought you took your cue to leave.” Akito, pettily, shoots at the purple haired boy. 

“My apologies. I didn’t think you two would be making out.”

“RUI!” Tsukasa hisses, earning a chuckle in response. 

Seriously, why does everyone around him take such pleasure in teasing him? 

Akito and Rui seem to be having a showdown or something, Tsukasa doesn’t know. But it seems one sided on Akito’s part. 

“Okay, so like, do you need something?” Akito holds Tsukasa tighter. 

“Just wanted to let Tsukasa know we’re supposed to be wrapping up here.” He smiles. 

“Ah! That’s right! I still need to grab some props and take them back.” Tsukasa easily gets out of Akito’s hold just then. The ginger frowns. 

“Didn't you guys already put up the props?” Akito asks Rui. 

“We did. There’s no need to rush, Tsukasa.” 

“No, not those! I have some I want to take back home with me and improve for our next show.” Tsukasa’s flustered demeanor changes completely like a switch was flipped. 

“What? Your props are already great, aren’t they?” 

“They are indeed! But they could be better.” Tsukasa begins to walk further from Akito and closer to the corner. 

It feels a little childish to admit but now that Akito knows his feelings are reciprocated he doesn’t really want to be apart from Tsukasa. He wanted to make up for all the times he had to stop himself before.

But he won’t voice this. He can't exactly keep Tsukasa from his work. 

Just before the blond turns the corner, he looks back. Akito gives a small wave. Tsukasa doesn’t return it. 

Instead, he rushes back in front of Akito and gives him a chaste kiss. They hear Rui let out an amused gasp. Akito pulls him back for another, longer kiss. 

Tsukasa leans back and Akito, this time shamelessly, chases after his lips. It earns the cutest giggle from the star in the making. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” 

Akito is fine with that. With a promise of tomorrow. “Yeah.” He gives one more kiss. 

And just like that, Tsukasa left around the corner. 

“I’m happy for you two.” 

Akito flinches. He didn’t forget Rui was there. No, he actually wanted him to see. Call it petty but Akito can’t help it. He just didn’t think he was going to say something like that. 

“Oh. Yeah. Thanks.” Akito replies, uninterested. Then makes his way to leave after Tsukasa. 

“You’ll be good to him, I trust?” Rui says before he gets out of sight. His usually playful tone seemed more serious. 

Akito stills. Was that even a question? Of course he’ll be good to him. He’s been crushing on Tsukasa since, like, he first met him!

(He denied it at first but it doesn’t change the fact.)

Akito makes a face and clicks his teeth at the other before simply replying. “Obviously.” And then he turns the corner. 

Rui smiles at the confidence in the younger’s tone. He is genuinely happy for Tsukasa. He’s glad someone as stubborn as Akito will be by his side from now on. 

With that in mind, he too, leaves from backstage to greet his own beloved. 

—

When Akito gets home, he rushes to his room. Everything that happened today replays over and over in his head. He kissed Tsukasa. Multiple times. He is now dating Tsukasa. 

He flops onto his bed. 

He is dating Tsukasa. 

Tsukasa Tenma is now his boyfriend. 

He grabs his pillow and screams. 

He has a boyfriend! 

And that boyfriend is Tsukasa! 

All the times he’s scream into his pillow before about how every odd was against him but now? He’s over the moon!

He’s going to get to go on dates, do all those sickeningly sweet couple things. 

God, he’s been contaminated with corny teenage thoughts. Someone save him. 

He screams into the pillow again. 

Then there’s a bang on his wall. 

“Be quiet!” Ena calls through the wall. 

Akito ignores her and continues screaming.