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The student council meeting had proceeded with no flaws, the other members were almost all in favor of having a winter dance. It was chilly and dry out– finals looming over the student body. A dance to wrap up the second-term was sure to raise morale.
Teru was expecting Akane to rush to another flabbergastingly lovey dovey confession to Aoi with the added addition of asking her to be his date.
As much as Teru would love to see the fruits of his labor as student council president, he had no doubts his father would send him out on patrol the night of.
“What’s got you all worked up?”, Akane dropped his laptop on the long table stretching across the room, effectively sweeping Teru up from his train of thought.
“What’s the computer for?”, Teru didn’t want to talk about personal concerns right now.
“I have to design the poster– the social manager is sick today. I thought I told you?”, Maybe Akane
did– Teru wasn’t really paying him much mind.
–
They worked in silence, the afternoon sun bleeding into the evening. Large windows on the sides of the room letting the light leak in. Neither got up to turn the lights on, lost in paperwork and other classwork.
Teru looked over to Akane, his golden brown hair glowing even brighter in the evening light. His glasses reflected the light, making it hard to see his eyes. Teru didn’t need to see them to know the color. He’d catch himself looking at Akane’s amber eyes– so apparent under his perpetually furrowed brow.
He wondered if his eyes looked the same when he was with Aoi, if the pitch black that stung in his gaze was replaced by a soft shade of pink or a pure white.
“Would you quit staring.. I’m trying to get my work done.”, Teru tried to suppress the feeling of heat rising to his cheeks.
“Are you asking Aoi to the dance?”
“Yeah, why..?”
“Not everything I ask you has some evil malicious intent behind it Akane.. I’m nicer than that..”, He put on his best puppy eyes and pursed his lips. Akane scoffed.
“Are you patrolling on the night of the dance?”
“It seems likely..” Teru hated the way that his heart squeezed at the thought of not going, he wasn’t supposed to like things like this.
“Do you want to go?”
“Would you believe me if I said more than anything?” Teru looked down, he didn’t want Akane to read his face.
“I don’t see why you lie about it..”
Akane turned back to his computer and started typing away at whatever English assignment he had pulled up. Teru wanted to say something, he was pretty sure Akane could tell. That’s why he turned away.
“It’s a bit rude making me plan this when I can’t even go, don’t you think?”
“I’m not sure what you are getting at, President.”
“Make it up to me, cause I can’t be there.. and all”
Akane gave him a puzzled look, annoyance hidden among the wrinkles in his forehead. Teru tried not to show it but he was deathly afraid of his next ask.
“Let’s dance!”
Teru was surprised when Akane actually stood up and stood across from him. He hoped that it wasn’t because Akane could tell how Teru actually felt– he hoped it wasn’t pity. If Akane could tell, neither of them mentioned it.
Akane picked his phone up and started searching something up, Teru had the manners to not peer over his shoulder.
A peppy waltz started to play from the tiny phone speaker, Teru’s palms started to sweat.
“Waves of the Danube, Ion Ivanovici, he’s a good composer”
Akane rested his hand on Teru’s shoulder and stretched out his other arm. Teru followed in suit, grabbing Akane’s outstretched hand and placing his hand quite firmly on his hip.
They began to lightly step in counts of three, Teru remembers his dad telling him all waltz’s were in ¾ time.
“You’re quite heavy handed, President..” Teru’s grip on Akane’s hip was tighter than he had thought it was, he let loose a little.
“Akane, my hands weren’t made to be gentle.” Teru broke eye contact and stared at their feet, dancing was good, he could pretend to focus on any other moving part of their operation.
“They can be– I’ve seen you with your siblings.” Akane’s thumb rubbed Teru’s where their hands joined, Teru hoped the skin was rough wherever Akane was touching it so he didn’t have to think about any other life he could be living than this one.
Teru moved slightly closer to Akane.
Akane didn’t back away.
“I really want to go.” Teru didn’t like how his voice cracked at the end, Akane’s brow furrowed impossibly more. He let out a deep sigh.
“I know.”
Their steps slowed and got smaller, ending with them swaying against each other– barely in time with the soft classical music playing. Teru dropped his arm, their still intertwined hands landing at either of their sides.
“It’s scary to me– when you go out there, knowing you’re alone, fighting all night.”
“When the President dies the VP gets to take office, pray for my downfall, it’s easier for both of us.” Akane huffed, he was trying to be vulnerable but Teru just had to put his walls back up.
“Don’t say stuff like that.”
Teru leaned his head down until it reached Akane’s shoulder, rolling his head to the side until his eyes met Akane’s neck and his cheek squished hard into his bony shoulders.
Akane rubbed his back.
“Are you gonna do this with Aoi next week?” Teru prayed he would say yes, so then he could chalk whatever was going on to just practice for the real thing with the real girl.
“As if,” Akane snorted. “She’s probably going with Nene”
“You’re not mad?”
“When you really care about someone you can try to let them go.”
Teru nodded against Akane’s shoulder.
“Would you let me go?” Teru didn’t like that he let the question slip out his mouth, he didn’t like that he would even think of that question just as much.
“I couldn’t.”
“Do you not care about your dear President?”
“I’m scared that if I let you go you’ll run off and never return back.”
“I’ll come back, you know I’ll never even leave in the first place.”
Akane felt his spirit lift at the thought but Teru knew the reality, he truly would never leave, his exorcist roots keeping him trapped in this stupid town, trapped outside at night fighting god knows what until the day he died doing so.
Akane leaned his head against Teru’s as they continued to slowly sway.