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It is getting dark outside, and student council work is getting just as dull. The sun hangs low in the sky, hole-punching beams through the cracks in the blinds, catching Teru’s eye at just the wrong angle. He scrapes his chair backwards to avoid becoming blind.
The back of Akane’s head looks funny, with stripes of shadow, lit up and dulled down, cast by the blinds. His glasses reflect a smudge on the ceiling. It looks unnatural, otherworldly, if he didn’t know better Teru would take his sword to it.
Akane turns around, frowning. He has such a cute face, what a waste for him to constantly contort it so grotesquely. The blinds cast a long shadow right over his eyes, lucky bastard.
“You look like a sad sort of tiger.” Teru puts a smile on, at least. Pretty enough for the both of them.
He takes back what he said, Akane is still cute when he’s in a bad mood. There is nothing he will ever enjoy more than trying to get a rise out of him.
Red-faced, he snaps, “I do not. You look like an asshole with an ego too big for his tiny boots.”
In fact, since Akane stormed through the poor student council door this afternoon, he’s been fuming. Something terrible must have happened for him to keep this up for so long. Teru will find out what, even if it requires… unsavoury means.
He smiles gently (it probably looks sarcastic - but that’s Akane’s problem) “What’s up with you?” Teru leans forward in his chair, and Akane turns his back to him.
“It’s nothing.” he sighs pathetically, “Just let me finish this and I’ll go home.”
“Aww. Maybe you should have a break and let me finish it?”
Akane slumps forward in his chair. He drops his pen; it rolls across the table, clatters onto the floor and stops at Teru’s feet. Neither of them make any effort to pick it up, and the only reason Teru’s sure Akane’s even still alive is the heavy rise and fall of his shoulders.
“… Do it.” he grumbles.
That’s surprising. Teru isn’t sure what to do with tired Akane; he can’t tease him, that’s for sure. It would be no fun. He leans down to grab the discarded pen, and inspects it, twirls it between his fingers. It’s quite a nice one actually. He clicks the end a couple of times, just to try it.
He hums, drawing a line on the back of his hand, “Okay.”
His chair scrapes harshly along the floor as he pulls it, screeching at the top of it’s lungs against the movement.
And it’s not usually like this, the chair is right to protest, Teru’s not usually so bold. Seriously, their feet are practically touching. He never takes his side.
Akane does not move his face off the table; his nose is probably squished and how does he even breathe those long breaths? His hand is still at the awkward position right after he dropped his pen, tipped back in the air. His shoulders will get stiff from hunching over.
Frowning, Teru takes the paper in front of him. He reads it through - scans it over with his eyes - and signs it at the bottom. Whatever.
Poor Akane, having to be here when he clearly wants to be at home. Maybe he’s tired…
Teru tries and fails to picture Akane sleeping peacefully. He probably sleeps face down, if the way he’s laying right now is saying anything. Teru bets he kicks his blankets around. And snores obnoxiously.
… That’s so embarrassing. Why would he even think about that?
“Uh-“ he clears his throat, “What’s up?”
Akane turns to look at him. His nose is red, and his face is just as squished; eyebrows downturned and eyes squinted, “What.”
“What’s your problem?”
He scoffs, “Rude, much? What’s yours?”
Huh, Teru is usually quite good at saying the right thing. What an unusual moment of weakness.
(Of course it’s Akane. It’s always Akane. Who else has ever got him to lose his composure?)
“I’m only worried about you.” Teru rests his chin in his hand.
Silence. Akane seems to think for a second, his brow furrowing.
He heaves a sigh, talking as if he’s caused the end of the world via extreme acts of violence, “I just… got a bad grade.”
Really? That’s it? He’s so annoying, had Teru all worried for nothing. He tries not to laugh, schools his features into a look of pity (probably) - “That’s not like you.”
“I know… It’s pissing me off.”
Teru can tell. Akane probably needs something to take his mind off this - can’t have his vice president skipping out on work! Maybe he can ask Aoi to hang out with him… But, then again, he wouldn’t want to disappoint her by telling her that he failed. He’s always looking to please her.
Teru hums, satisfied with the conclusion he’s drawn. “I think you need to distract yourself with something fun.” Akane just stares at him, “Like hanging out with a friend…”
“If it’s anything like last time we hung out, then no. That’s just going to be even more stressful.” he scowls. At the least, he’s quick at getting what Teru’s at. It would have been awkward asking him out if he assumed the advice was about Aoi.
His reservations are… understandable. “We can do something more relaxing, if you want.”
Akane sighs. He sits up, stretching his arms above his head, and looks at Teru with his half closed eyes. They’re so interesting, rich brown but the centre is bright cyan; having them so trained on his own is mesmerising. Teru finds his mouth dry.
“Let’s go.”
He grins.
So they leave, Teru files some papers into a drawer and Akane packs his bag. They both pass by the lockers to change their shoes, and grab their bags. Teru swings his sword case over his shoulder - he can never be too careful. Maybe Akane will be any sort of impressed if he has to exorcise a supernatural that decides to interrupt the… date?
Neither of them say anything leaving the school. Teru thinks about where to go, and decides they’ll take the bus. It’s easy, and cheap, and can take them as far as he needs. When he asks, Akane agrees, and it’s the most interesting conversation they’ve held since walking. Honestly? Teru doesn’t mind. He prefers silence over small talk - and Akane is relaxing to be around, rattling on or not.
By the time they’re at the bus stop, the sun hangs a little lower in the sky, and Teru’s spirits are higher than ever.
“I‘ll pay, it’s my treat.” Teru pulls his wallet out of his pocket. He smiles, pleased with himself. It’s like an actual date.
Akane just scowls, clearly not feeling the romance of the moment. “Yeah. If you weren’t paying I would just go home.”
Ignoring the last part, Teru steps onto the bus and gives the driver the money. He glances quickly at the map - and doesn’t recognise any of the locations. Perfect. Akane takes a seat facing inward; Teru follows, dropping into the one next to him. It’s a smart choice, he thinks. Having to sit closer to him on the more cramped forward-facing seats may have been too much.
Akane still bumps against his shoulder when the bus starts.
It’s a bit awkward, having to decide exactly where you’re going when you’re already on the way there. Especially when it’s… well, not quite a date - but important enough. And there’s no input from Akane, other than him meeting his eyes when Teru glanced over. He stares at him, accusatory. Rude.
Teru ponders the options on the board. He doesn’t want to go to town, he doesn’t want to stay near the houses, he’s not too interested in the park. Maybe they could transfer to another bus? No, that won’t fly. Where will the least supernaturals be?
Beside him, Akane shifts uncomfortably.
He lets out a loud gasp, “I told Ao-chan I would walk her home today.” his eyes blow wide and he looks terrified. Akane’s worrying might be cute - if Teru didn’t know the extent of it.
“Aww. How awful of you to break your promise to her.” he shrugs at his glare, closing his eyes while Akane takes his phone from his pocket. “I have never broken a promise to her, myself.”
He doesn’t look up from his phone, “This isn’t about you. Be quiet while I call her.”
Teru does as he’s told. Watches Akane punch the numbers in his phone with a sick feeling, bubbling up into his throat when he puts it up to his ear. He thinks he might throw up when he hears noise from the other end of the line.
Akane lights up, a smile immediately on his face. It’s beaming and bright and even the shadow Teru casts on himself falls away for a second.
The clear dread in his eyes does little to expel the feeling from Teru. He does tear his eyes away when Akane starts chewing on his lip, though, the nervousness even making Teru nearly feel bad.
“I am so sorry, Ao-chan, but I’m staying late today.” Akane says, clearly trying to lace his tone with as much sheepish remorse as he can muster. It comes off, in Teru’s opinion, that he’s laying it on a bit thick. But when it comes to Aoi, when is Akane not too much? “I wish I could walk you home. I’d love to, you know I would.”
He glances at Teru, copper eyes wide and brow furrowed. There’s a mumble from the other end of the line, and he starts on his hurried worrying again, “Well, you know the president. Always working me like a dog.” It hurts a little that he’d look straight into Teru’s eyes while talking about him like that. The quick, “Damn bastard.” he adds is only salt in the wound.
This shouldn’t be allowed, he should be called out, Akane is his subordinate after all, “Is this how you always talk about me?” he hisses. Akane only rolls his eyes in response, hunching back over in his seat.
“You too! Please ask Yashiro-san to walk home with you if you get worried.”
Teru leans back, stretching his legs in front of him. He stares at Akane in the reflection from the dirty window on the other side. His hair falls in his face as he leans forward, staring at the ground with a concentrated expression, grip strong on his phone. Teru doesn’t listen to his conversation anymore, it’s boring and sickeningly sweet.
(He wants nothing more than for Akane to rot his teeth.)
Huh… What a disgusting thing to think.
He tries to focus on the scene outside the window, but there’s a bump in the road and the whole bus jolts. Akane yelps and whips his head up, locking eyes with Teru through the reflection.
“… Sorry, Ao-chan, I really have to go.” he winces at whatever she said, “I’m okay, no need to worry about me. He just made me jump.” Teru grins at that, and even lets out a small laugh at Akane’s grimace in return.
“Bye! Love you.”
It’s embarrassing how Teru’s stomach turned at a statement like that, all too familiar and not directed at him at all. But Akane was staring right into his eyes when he spoke, so forgive Teru if he feels something.
He clears his throat, “Was she okay with it?”
“She’s fine.” he puts his phone back in his pocket and crosses his arms, “I feel terrible, personally.”
He should. Teru does.
“You should.”
He rolls his eyes, though there’s no malice in the action.
Akane is not someone for Teru to hold in high regard. Truly, he is lower than most other people he knows. For one, he plays subordinate as his vice president, and that’s not to touch on his status as the third clock keeper.
But, sitting beside Akane, jostling his arm when the bus jumps, laughing at his expressions - Teru can’t help but think of him as anything less than a good friend. He is warm and alive and human in his ways. More than Teru will ever be.
“When are we getting off?” he groans, stretching his arms behind his head. His shirt rides up a little.
Teru hums, “In a bit. I don’t really want to go to town.”
“Then we’ll just be in the park.” he points at the map on the bus ceiling. The end of the line is at the park, and it’s only a couple of stops away.
“Let’s go then.”
Akane nods, shoulders sagging. He stares at the map as if he can will it to change, bring the route right back round to Kamome. How unfortunate that he can’t.
There’s awkward silence between them for the last few minutes. Teru has his legs stretched out too far and someone nearly trips over. Akane scrubs his glasses clean, and hangs them on the front of his sweater. The bus starts, jolts, turns a rough corner, stops, and churns back to a start again. It’s a lifetime before the last passengers trickle out.
They grab their bags from the empty seats and hurry out. Teru thanks the driver, flashing his prettiest smile, and Akane gives a curt nod. It probably seems strange, teenagers going to the park at this time; especially now it’s almost dark. At least the school uniform makes them look less likely to commit crimes.
In the back of the park, there’s a small section of woods, with a lake in the middle. That’s where Teru wants to go - needs to go. He walks firmly in that direction, and gets no complaints from Akane.
“I assume you have an idea where we’re heading?” he asks eventually.
Teru smiles, looking at him, arms behind his back, “Of course! Just follow me.”
He does. He always does.
Akane is half a supernatural and fully human. He is half the enemy and half begging for a death wish and yet he lives fully. Not a single apology for intruding on Teru like a parasite. He’s a welcome one - when Teru eats it’s to feed him, when he drinks it only quenches Akane’s thirst. Nonetheless, a parasite. He still leaves Teru hungry.
A human with supernatural powers, he justifies to himself at night, staring at the blank ceiling. Teru doesn’t usually have trouble sleeping, but some nights, when he’s just a little too tired, he’ll just lay there and think a little too much. Akane is a human with supernatural powers, not even half. He deserves to live. Protected like any other normal person - though Teru knows he’s more important than that… He’ll ignore that part.
It’s getting slightly colder, Teru notices, as he walks past the first tree. He’s fine with his shirt, but Akane’s sleeves are short. The sun is nearly fully set; but Akane looks okay, there’s no change in his demeanour.
Teru follows the path; stepping off to walk along a log, arms outstretched, pretending not to trip. He takes in the smell of air after rain - petrichor, Akane says - and pulls a leaf from a tree. It’s big, and brownish, and it breaks apart but at least Teru got to touch it.
He turns to look ahead. There’s a wooden platform extending slightly out from the path. Teru’s gaze glides over it and to the sparkling lake behind.
He feels his eyes widen. The water glints in the moonlight, winking, soft and unmoving as it gestures to him. It’s a strange feeling of calling, from his heartstrings to the ones tied to the tips of his fingers. For a brief moment, Teru wonders if this is the work of a supernatural. That, or he’s tired. He pulls his sword’s case off his shoulder anyway.
Akane turns to him, already quite far ahead, “Eh? Is there something there, pres?” his frown is audible, so is the long sigh he lets out. After a long second of Teru’s staring contest with the lake, he stomps over. Teru catches those warm eyes roll before Akane starts waving in his face, “Earth to mr. president. Helloooo.”
He tears his eyes away, sliding from one unlikely possibility to the next, “Have you ever swam in a lake before?” he asks, pushing Akane’s hand away.
“For the love of…” he groans, dragging his other palm over his face. “No. And I don’t really plan on changing that.”
Hmm. Teru doesn’t think he’s sure about that. He searches his expression, clocking the hints of doubt in his faltering scowl, beaming a smile at Akane’s awkward squirm. Great!
He walks onto the wooden platform, dropping his sword case to the side, and standing over the lake. The water smells strongly from here. It’s unpleasant - but the sort where you can’t get enough. Akane sniffs loudly and makes an unimpressed noise behind him.
“Okay! Let’s swim.” Teru decides.
“Let’s not.” Akane decides back, though ultimately it’s not up to him.
The lake shimmers under the stars, reflecting Teru back at himself in that eerily still, sparkling diamond mirror. It looks inviting, dazzling, terrifying. He wants to swim in it more than anything he has ever wanted before.
“I want to. Pleeease.”
Akane scoffs, “Now isn’t the time. It’s getting late, and you’re still wearing your uniform." he's right, on all accounts, as always, but Teru is more right and he wants to swim.
“It’s not that dark, and I have plenty of spare clothes at home.” - easy.
He hasn’t swum in a lake before. It is near the top of his list of things he wishes he could do, wedged between kiss someone and play laser tag. Akane would be terrible to deny him this opportunity.
But he is someone who Teru cannot be certain about, because everything about him is a first checked off his list. He was his first real friend and his first maybe crush and he came on his first date and they sang his first karaoke together. Akane was the first person to jump on a bus with him to who knows where and he is the first person who he will swim in a lake with.
“… You’ll drown.” Akane concludes, and takes off his watch, drops his bag from where it had been slung over his shoulder.
Akane is the first person to watch Teru as he undoes his tie and unbuttons his shirt, one by one until it falls from his shoulders. The air is biting, but Teru has real scars bitten into him and he is warm enough that he could not care less. He folds his shirt and lays it in the grass beside his bag.
He’s met with Akane’s blank face when he stands back up, and he’d meet his eyes if only he wasn’t being awkwardly looked up and down. He’d tease him but his mouth is dry.
“I’m not sk…” he (thankfully) covers his face with his hands, letting out a long sigh, “You’ll actually die, it’s too cold for this.”
Oh. Akane hadn’t been checking him out, that was a look of real unamusement. He laughed, turning towards the lake so he can’t see his face.
“My shirt is white, I didn’t want poor Kou to have to clean it too much.” Akane groans at that, and Teru’s glad he can’t see the smile he cracks, “What kind of person do you think I am?”
Akane grumbles, “A stupid one.” but he still pulls his vest over his head.
They both take their shoes off, too, though when Akane undoes his belt he’s met with some suspicion, eyebrows raised, smirk planted right where it always is. His face flushes red, and Teru laughs. He isn’t stupid so he does the same. Drowning is definitely not something he wants to do, especially not today.
Teru hooks his fingers into his belt loops as he steps over the wooden panel. The second water hits his feet it’s freezing. And it is deeper than he thought, nearly toppling over in surprise. It’s like someone is holding his legs with dead, cold, clawed hands. His trousers are heavy against the water; holding him back, but Teru is nothing if not strong. He strides forward with as much grace as a swan.
… And promptly steps on a sharp rock. He hisses through his teeth, and quickly steadies himself. That’s a little embarrassing.
Teru turns around, half-expecting to see Akane walking away. Instead he just stares down at him, hands on his hips, expression somehow colder than the water. The moonlight looks pretty reflected on him.
“It’s not that cold.” he says, “Get in!”
He doesn’t know why he says that. Akane’s never charmed by his smile he puts on - but Teru can’t help it.
Akane tips his head back and groans, “Are you out of your mind?! I don’t think it’s warm.”
Is that really how it is? Teru’s got this far, Akane’s got this ready, neither of them can back out now.
So he swishes over, planting his feet embarrassingly solidly just to go nowhere, and grabs Akane’s ankle with his bracelet hand - maybe he should have taken that off. He fully ignores the startled noise he lets out and tugs him down.
If this were a romance tale of princes and knights, Akane would have landed in Teru’s arms. Maybe they would share a kiss under the moonlight and live happily ever after.
Teru imagines this for all of a second before the splash of water washes sense over him. He looks down beside him at the rippling murkiness, the only sign of Akane laying there other than his leg sticking up behind him.
He should have gone with the prince thing.
He heaves himself up, spluttering between hacks, like a pathetic cat that fell into a sink. Considering it’s Teru’s fault his dignity’s been pulled off by the current anyway, he offers Akane his hand so he can at least stand up.
“… You fucking… suck. You know that… right?” Akane coughs between his words. He even takes the liberty of punctuating his sentence by pulling a leaf out of his mouth. Lovely. At least it’s not the same hand he grabs Teru’s with.
“It was an accident.” he answers truthfully, but Akane still clicks his tongue.
(He also smiles. Teru isn’t wrong, his overly hopeful brain isn’t making it up, Akane’s smiling. It’s only small out of exasperation, or he’s lost his mind, but it’s there. Teru can’t help but crack a wider grin.)
The water is thick, and cold. Akane had a point - swimming might not be such a good idea. He stops in his tracks.
Spur of the moment decisions aren’t really Teru’s thing. He likes planning and thinking things through, weighing up pros and cons before diving headfirst. Especially when dragging Akane down with him. He’d been hasty with this.
Akane stares at him, no doubt confused. He looks unlike himself like this, school shirt untucked, hair messy. Usually he’s so uptight.
It’s fun, almost like Akane’s willing to show Teru a side of himself that no one else sees. As Teru does to him.
He lingers on that. Has Aoi ever been privy to this version of him that discarded his sweater and shoes and fell headfirst? There’s no doubt, she knows him more than anyone, but there’s a non-zero chance that maybe Teru’s second. Which he is fine with.
(Teru does not lose. He is first, head of student council, eldest son, future head of the family.)
What’s Aoi got on that? She’s not heir to anything, no responsibilities such as he has. Why does Akane prefer doting on her?
He had mentioned once, how he fell in love with her. She cried, and spat at him. Told him she hated him.
(“Seeing the truth under her usual demeanour… it would’ve been hard not to fall in love.” he cooed, “Though I don’t suppose someone like you would get it, president.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?!” - he was right, but he couldn’t let him know that.
Akane just shrugged, “You don’t appreciate things normally. Like a spoiled child. You’d see her cry and just be happy she’s sad.”)
Emotional? Honest? Whichever, Teru had noted as important to Akane, keeping it in the back of his mind. Akane fell for Aoi when she was feeling vulnerable enough to expose her true colours.
It hurts a little to know that, when Akane is the one person Teru is okay to be himself around. He could like him but he doesn’t. Every day Akane sees his honest self and he doesn’t bat an eye.
What would he even do if he did? Teru, for all he doesn’t know, is sure he wouldn’t want to be romanced the same way Aoi gets it.
“Do you ever wonder if Akane-san finds you creepy? That you might be coming on too strong?” Teru asks Akane, though it’s more like he says it to the water he stares at.
There’s a pause before he answers, no doubt he’s surprised by the question. Teru supposes it’s a weird thing to ask right now. “No.” he says bluntly, “But I’ve noticed you’re gentle with her. You don’t touch her and you’re weirdly respectful.”
Ah - Akane misunderstood his point. As if to rub it in further, he tacks on a little, “I think she appreciates that.”
Of course Aoi appreciates it. Teru’s seen enough of the people she runs into during her late-night walks to know that much. And he is gentle with her, he tries to be. It's the least he can do; it’s sweet she’s noticed. She’s almost definitely noticed how much he talks about Akane with her, then. Maybe she’s noticed how he feels about him... They’d be in the same boat with that. Or at least, similar boats.
Except going in different directions, Aoi sailing smoothly along and Teru’s engine faltering against the current. His probably tipped actually, and ripped itself to shreds with its own rotors.
“This isn’t about me.” - a blatant lie, but necessary.
“… No. If she didn’t like it, she’d tell me not to. I’m not stupid, president, I can tell what she wants.” He narrows his eyes, “Why would you even ask me that?”
“No reason.” he smiles, just to annoy Akane, rile him up. Give himself a little time to think while Akane cools off.
Those two really understand each other. On the same wavelength; connected telepathically; joined so at the hip, not even those few inches of height difference are really between them. So each other’s, that there’s no room between the Akanes and Aois for a third party. Teru has slotted himself comfortably in there anyway.
He doesn’t want Akane for himself, per se. He’d be a liar if he said he didn’t want him at all. Teru’s long past denying that, though it took him many sleepless nights over glasses and beads and how many electric shocks can seriously harm a living person. And one ‘intervention’ from Kou, but… Teru would rather not think about that.
(“You, umm… I think you might like him too.” Kou had offered, shifting his weight uncomfortably between his feet.
The loudest pause. “... Ah.” Teru had said, eyes wide, frozen in place as if it’d been a shocking revelation.
It hadn’t been.)
“Are you really into her?” Akane asks.
Teru stares at the stars in the sky. He feels all too bare, Akane looking through him like he’s glass, like he has no skin and is nothing but a beating heart. It’s cold in the water all of a sudden, dark and suffocating.
“What do you think?”
Then Akane’s grabbing his shoulders, twisting him, forcing him to look into those determined copper eyes.
“Stop playing around!” water splashes into his eyes and he looks embarrassed at his own outburst, a flicker in his otherwise steely expression. Teru tries to keep his own face nonchalant; though there’s no way Akane didn’t catch the way his eyes widened, or worse, the way he flinched.
The sky glitters, the stars the only other ones there, and Akane burns brighter, he always does. His eyes are a flame and even when Teru flicks water in them they are not doused.
“For once, just give me a straight answer.”
A beat, not even a cicada to buzz, Teru is all too aware of his own heavy breaths.
His heart thumps in his chest and pounds in his ears. He feels hot, though he’s shivering.
“No. I’m not interested in her.”
And Akane lets out a breath, lets his grip loosen, lets his knees buckle. He’s lucky Teru’s feeling just as vulnerable, because he catches him by the waist. He blushes, this whole thing is almost too embarrassing, they should just get out of the water and go home. But then it’s Akane who pulls him in closer, wrapping his arms around his back.
“I hate you.” he whispers. Teru won’t take it to heart; there’s no way it’s true.
He’s not sure about this. Akane isn’t so much younger, like his siblings, he can’t deal with this. It’s worse when he really starts to cry, his shoulders shake harshly and if they both weren’t already dripping wet Teru would maybe offer him a tissue. He sniffs, choking on a sob, and Teru just has to get out of the water.
He strokes the back of Akane’s neck, squeezing water from his hair. If anything, he cries more. How annoying. The sound plays a harp in Teru’s heart, plucking the strings far too hard, and he hates it.
“Let’s go home.”
“Give me a moment.” Akane mutters.
Teru won’t say yes. He inhales, looks up to thank the stars for their wishes of good luck, and plants a small kiss on the crown of Akane’s head.
It leaves a funny taste on his lips - probably of lake water. If Teru wasn’t tense before, he’s feeling more awkward than he’s been in his life, red in the face, hands shaking. And it’s not helped by Akane’s lack of reaction.
Contrary to popular belief - romance isn’t even close to Teru’s strength. That’s the closest he’s come to kissing someone before.
He supposes that might be something off his firsts list again. A kiss on the lips feels so far from that.
Akane can’t see him but Teru brings one arm to cover his face anyway, leaning forward to rest on the top of his head. The water on his arm makes his eyes sting.
He doesn’t move, not for the minutes they’re stood there. As he rubs his face, it occurs to Teru that if anyone saw them, it would be hell to pay. What does he do when Aoi finds out, let alone his father? She’ll be upset, bothered by the idea of Akane spending his evening with him instead of her, especially when they had plans. Not major plans, but it’s something nonetheless.
His father might try to skin him alive. No, that’s too cruel, but he would make him work extra. If not tonight then tomorrow. And, if he’s lucky and he doesn’t notice where Teru’s been all afternoon, any extra work might even be postponed to whenever he does discover any evidence of all this.
Teru hadn’t thought about that... Here he is, mentally slagging off his father with a whole half-supernatural boy crying in his arms. God knows what he thinks about gay people - he certainly wouldn’t be happy with anything Teru’s done. Kissing another boy’s head would only be the icing on the cake, with how neglectful he’s been tonight.
It’s so, so typical, that Akane’s the one responsible. He’s the only person that’s ever put a hint of doubt in Teru’s head about his father, and his work, and he nurtured it into a small seedling that picks at his conscience on the regular. The water from the lake only makes it grow up stronger.
Beneath him, the sobbing subsides, gasps heaved between teeth and pulled back lips turning to fuller breaths. The shaking stops; Akane’s grip turns weak.
He sighs, and stands up fully, “Okay.” he says, but the grimace on his face tells Teru that it’s not quite.
They both walk back in silence, Teru dragging a little behind. He stares at Akane’s back. He’s so put together - was that some sort of normal?
He’s never seen him cry before. Teru assumes Aoi is probably the only one who has; if not her then who else? She’s the one Akane trusts most with his whole life - Teru would be able to hold his bags, at best, in comparison.
Generally, Akane isn’t so outwardly emotional unless it comes to her, but ultimately everything does come to her.
Aoi will always be the sun, the center of his solar system. He is helpless but to orbit her and Teru is nothing but a distant star observing.
Tonight the stars provide the only light for Teru to heave himself back onto the platform behind Akane. Luckily, he’s strong, they both are.
(He half wishes he could have pulled Akane up first. Make up for not catching him earlier.)
Akane crouches over his bag, pulling out a clean shirt. He’s so smart for bringing spare uniform.
“Alright, then, I’m gonna change. Face the other way.” he says, and Teru isn’t bothered to make fun of him. He does what he’s told.
It’s a disgusting feeling to want to turn around, so he doesn’t even think about Akane undressing behind him. He focuses on his tie, pulling around his neck, looping it, tugging it down. Methodical, easy. The sound of Akane wringing out his shirt is loud, and although there’s a long splash it won’t be dry.
It won’t be nice to get back to the bus stop in half soaked clothes. Teru’s somewhat used to it, but being drenched in supernatural blood is a little different. He’s not sure if lake water smells better or worse.
He looks in his bag, but no luck. The most useful thing in there is a pack of tissues, so… not much. He pulls the strap over his shoulder.
Teru considers his options.
Maybe Akane won’t mind walking, even dressed like a drowned rat from the waist down. Absent-mindedly - stupidly - Teru glances over his shoulder.
He’s pulling his shirt on, one arm through, the other half of his back uncovered. His skin is wet too. The hair at the top of his neck sticks to him, still letting drops of water roll down his back. It’s…
Ew. That’s a bit creepy.
Teru crouches on the ground to tie his shoes. (Facing the opposite way). He grits his teeth and furrows his brow, ignoring the weird sensation in his stomach. His cheeks are a little red, too.
It takes a couple of tries to tie the shoelaces, but it’s dark, Teru’s hands are shaky with cold, his heart is beating hard, and, really, it’s quite hard to see in the dark. By the time he’s tied his other shoe, he’s completely forgotten about Akane and his soft skin.
He stretches his legs out in front of him and stares up at the sky, though the trees are tall and mostly block his vision.
It’s so peaceful, entirely silent other than Akane moving behind him. There’s a gentle breeze, a little biting but Teru’s been cold anyway. He’s felt worse.
What he didn’t think he’d feel is a much too harsh push on his shoulder.
“Get up. Let’s go.” Teru turns his head around slowly, and once Akane gets a good look at his face his frown softens.
Wow. Teru doesn’t look that bad, does he? “Okay!” he plasters on a smile, just in case, “Where are we going?”
He stands up, so Akane isn’t looking down on him anymore, and glances side to side, “Which way did we even come from?”
Akane sighs, “Follow me.”
He does, like a dog, right back into the woods. It’s dark, and it should be spooky, but Teru isn’t scared. Even when the bushes rustle and every step crunches leaves or snaps twigs. They are both capable of defending themselves, even against a strong supernatural. It’s unlikely a big one would be here anyway, the trees are too close together, it would be inconvenient.
It’s easy to tell himself that. Teru tells himself a lot of things, but this is easy to say and easy to believe.
“Thank you.” Akane says to him, between the tall trees and thorny bushes, “For being honest.”
Teru smiles a response much less truthful, “It’s no problem.”
It couldn’t be a bigger problem. Teru brought this on himself, he knows, but he really should have thought better. A date, with Akane, what could even go right?! And trust Akane to be the one ruining it, with his vibrant emotions and burning disposition. Warm blooded, human, against Teru’s cold heart.
Akane inhales, but doesn’t say anything. Good, he doesn’t need too, Teru doesn’t want him too.
He holds a branch so it doesn’t hit Teru in the arm. It’s… weirdly intimate, he hates the feeling in his chest at Akane’s slight smile he turns back to give. Akane doesn’t smile at him. He wants him to, now.
Is Teru greedy? Akane gives him an inch and he needs a mile.
… No. A mile would be fine. A mile would be more than enough, compared to Akane’s usual 500. Teru’s mildly disgusted by how he acts towards Aoi, especially when she shows no signs of liking it. He wouldn’t want that sort of overbearing treatment - Akane acting like he’s a somewhat-human-shaped mound of dirt is almost refreshing.
It’s weird, being out here, with no one around. Silence other than familiar light footfalls. Teru’s clothes stick to him; he’s lucky his torso didn’t get very wet, but his legs are not so fortunate… At least he didn’t fall in the water.
The bus stop isn’t too far away, and it’s just their luck there was one leaving as soon as Teru caught a glance past the trees. He started running to catch up - earning a yelp from Akane, left in his dust.
He waved, and the driver saw, squinting like this is unusual. She stopped, though, and Teru slips on with a bright smile on his face. Akane is close behind, offering a breathless “Thank you.”
Teru looks at the available seats. Apart from a few people near the back, it’s almost entirely empty. Great - they can sit where they did earlier…
Pushing past him, Akane collapses into one of the window seats. You know, the front facing ones, that Teru didn’t want to take. This isn’t where he was going to sit. He drops his bag in front of the aisle seat with mild hesitation, propping his sword case next to it.
As the bus growls with movement, Akane falls onto Teru’s shoulder. It’s with the forward movement, he’ll sit up after. (Teru has to start breathing again when Akane doesn’t even try to move.)
He keeps his shoulders steady and watches out the window. Lights from buildings stretch over the dirty glass, bright streaks that make Teru want to squint. He holds his case strap tight, resting it on his leg, keeping his foot still with his bag resting on it. The bus drives past the first dark stop.
Minutes of agonising warmth pass before Akane’s breathing grows heavy. He’s sleeping - dread settles in Teru’s stomach.
Without moving his head much, he strains his eyes to look at Akane.
He’s pretty. No wonder he’s so popular; Aoi’s lucky to have someone so devoted as he is. A few strands of his sweet-smelling hair fall in his face, and tickle Teru’s neck. The way it’s cut suits him, especially as it grows out. His cheeks are soft, round with a little baby fat, and his face is framed nicely by his glasses. A good choice, if Teru says so himself, but he pulls them off him anyway. It wouldn’t be good to accidentally squish them.
He drops the pair in his lap, and feels bold. Teru moves the free strands of hair from Akane’s face with the back of his finger. It just falls back down where it came from, but the soft sensation worms it’s way deep into Teru’s fingers.
After what feels like eons dragging their feet, Teru starts to recognise the streets more. He shakes Akane awake, and pushes him off his shoulder - he doesn’t know what he’d do if he made a comment about sleeping like that.
Akane rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand. He blinks slowly, face painted a pretty shade of confused.
“… Thank you for waking me up.” he eventually mumbles.
Teru smiles, “You’re welcome.”
To that, Akane shoots him a look. He’s awake now.
As the bus trundles to a halt, they both haul themselves off the seats with their bags to leave as soon as possible. This time, the bus driver receives a wave from Teru, and nothing from Akane. How rude of him.
The walk to Akane’s house is awful. Teru can’t bring himself to speak and Akane is all out of small talk, and apparently done with the kind glances over his shoulder. His eyes look heavy, and subdued, and Teru realises how late it really is. He needs to get to work soon - his father won’t be happy. If he’s not already fuming.
Akane nudges his arm, “We need to cross.”
Teru nods. He walks on the road, Akane slightly behind him. There’s a rumbling of an engine, and the flash of a headlight. It feels so dramatic but he pulls him ahead by the wrist, decision fuelled by adrenaline.
“… I can walk myself.” Akane says, staring at Teru’s hand around his wrist, frustration all over his face. He shakes himself free, and rubs over where he grabbed him.
There’s a sinking feeling in Teru’s stomach. He thought that was nice, it gave him a pleasant rush, his skin burns where it touched Akane’s. His heart is pounding and all Akane does is look annoyed.
(Teru kind of wanted to hold his hand, and it kind of feels terrible that Akane hates the idea.)
On this street, there are two houses that look almost identical, or were certainly built as such. They are home to families of children with almost identical names.
The left one belongs to Akane. He opens the gate, waiting for Teru to enter before shutting it, and looks up at the back window of the house on the right, to which Teru follows his gaze. The light is on, and there’s a shadow visible behind the balcony.
Aoi isn’t asleep - of course not, she’s surely worried about Akane. Her light switches off after she gets closer to the window, though, as if she’s embarrassed to have been clocked showing any sort of vulnerability. How she’s like that when she’s got someone as open as Akane around her all the time, Teru wouldn’t know.
He looks away. It’s impolite to peek through a girl’s window.
Akane stands in front of his door. The porch bulb shines on his head, a ring of light for only him. He stares back into the dark, into Teru.
It’s so… final.
They’ll see each other tomorrow, but, god - it feels less of a goodbye and more of a farewell. A farewell to tonight, to firsts, to whatever was between them.
“I didn’t have a bad time tonight, pres.” he says, punctuated by a tiredly owlish blink at the ground. His words just barely register beneath Teru’s beating heart.
It’s sickening, to say the least, how Akane looks beautiful standing there. He’s posing, a model for a marble statue, standing forever solid in Teru’s mind. He’s glowing like an angel and still burning a flame. He is alive and he is life and death.
Who is Akane if not caught between the two?
He stands solid and alive and grounded and warm and yet intangible - not literally. Teru could reach out and touch him. He could stroke his cheek or run his fingers down his arm or hold his waist. But Akane is not his to look at.
So he closes his eyes. “Me too.”
He can’t say more because he thinks he might say everything. Why is he so caught up in Akane right now, it’s so embarrassing! He feels like a giggling schoolgirl and it’s disgusting because Teru couldn’t be further from that.
“You’re a nicer guy than I thought.”
“… I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was one.” (Teru’s smirk is immediately wiped clean.)
Akane smiles gently, eyes half closed, cheeks a little red - the reflection on the light. He smiles right at Teru. It’s like he’s looking at the most important thing in the world. A precious gem carved straight from the rock, pure and unrefined. A painting in a gallery, framed in gold and painstakingly made in bold and reckless strokes that add up to a beautiful whole. A person that spends their life building up their truth, only for Akane to take it down, wielding a sledgehammer in his fiery, fierce eyes.
Teru swallows, mouth dry. His head is dry of thoughts, too. What does he say to that?
“See you tomorrow, Aoi.”
Akane stays silent. Say something, please, Teru wants to go home. He shifts his weight between his feet, and watches Akane open and close his mouth. It’s cute, like a goldfish. He pulls his lips back into a grimace; Teru thinks that’s less cute.
It’s been… half strange, half exciting to notice these things more. It’s not often that he gets to watch Akane up close, pay attention to his smallest mannerisms, take in every little detail of his body language. He’s so expressive and Teru loves it, revels in everything. His laugh, his scream, his cry. He wants to hear it all every day.
(Not that that’s possible. Get a grip, Teru. It’s too late, that’s the tired part of his brain talking.)
“President, I…” Akane scrunches his brows and nose, and his hands form into fists. Teru’s eyes widen a little - it’s not like Akane to be so nervous talking to him of all people.
He takes a deep breath, “I know you like me.”
What.
Teru doesn’t flinch, but he moves back and his eyes widen and his breath hitches and oh god, that’s not what he meant by ‘say something’. He grips the strap on his shoulder and it digs into his palms.
“I mean, I’ve had my suspicions a for a while,” he stares off to the side as he talks, “But earlier, when you - uhm!”
On impulse, Teru clamps his hand over Akane’s mouth. He moves his head and angrily stares straight at him. Teru’s heart skips a beat, how embarrassing, though it’s already pounding and fluttering and flatlining all at the same time.
Akane grips his wrist and pulls Teru’s hand off him. “So I was wrong, was I?”
No. Akane’s never wrong, he’s smart and perceptive and bang on the money. He should have known he can’t just avoid it, he was always going to find out one way. They just went on a whole date! Teru should have thought this through better. He hadn’t even tried to be subtle, had he? What the fuck was he thinking? Now Akane’s staring at him like he’s grown a new limb and used it to tear him to pieces, one by one.
What does he do? What can he do?
“No.” he admits, defeated resignation seeping through the sound.
A fox calls and Teru wants to scream with it. He’s not one to run from a problem, but it’s tricky to lighten the mood with such a weird stare coming from Akane.
“… I guess I wasn’t lying about liking ‘Akane-san’.” he jokes, leaning forward as he moves his free hand behind his back. Akane still has captivity over his other one.
The frown he gets is nice, familiar. The awkwardness is gone, this is what he likes from Akane. Less of the ethereal omnipotence and more of the down-to-earth stubbornness.
“I guess you weren’t.”
There’s a beat. Nothing but staring, not uncomfortable but not quite enjoyable.
And then he steps forward, grabbing Teru’s collar and planting a kiss on his lips. Teru sees the doubt flash in his eyes before he processes just what Akane doubted.
Oh. He kissed him. Akane kissed Teru, on the lips, Akane kissed him. Of all people - the furthest out of reach, elusive Akane. He likes Teru. Or considered liking him for enough time to want a kiss, or maybe he’s lonely and tired of waiting for Aoi, or maybe he took pity on him, or maybe he likes Teru half as much as the exorcist likes him.
Teru closes his slack jaw, blinks his wide eyes and lets Akane finish entering his house. He catches his eye just before the door closes.
That has to have been a smile.
The stars wink down at him, shining and glittering, diamonds of the sky. Teru walks into the dark, takes a deep breath and draws his sword. He does not look back.