Work Text:
“Akira!” Miki clattered down the steps, bursting into the living room. Akira dropped his book on the floor, losing the page. He gritted his teeth.
“What?”
“Tell me why I found this” - Miki brandished an unsealed envelope in her hand. Akira recognised it to contain his application to Tokyo University - “on your desk.”
“I forgot about it.” Akira had not forgotten. He got up from the couch to face Miki.
“You numbskull! Be happy I didn’t tell my parents - they’d be livid.”
“I’m eternally grateful. Now give me that.” Akira held out a hand, but Miki snatched the envelope away.
“Not until you seal it, and walk with me down to the mailbox.”
“It's late.”
“They can pick it up in the morning! This is important; it’s a week until the deadline for God’s sake.”
“I know.”
“You know? Then you didn’t forget.”
“You got me. I’ll mail it later.” Akira reached for the letter again, but Miki backed away.
“‘Later’ is no good. You’re having second thoughts, aren’t you?" Miki's tone softened. "You know, with your grades you’ll have no problem getting in. I don’t see the problem.”
“I don’t know if I want to get in.” Akira started walking to the front door. Miki followed closely behind him, continuing her verbal assault.
“Then what else are you gonna do with your life? You can’t be a teenage delinquent forever.”
“I’m not a delinquent.”
“Then why are you putting your jacket on? This time of night, any useful member of society is about to get into bed”
“Me and Ryo are - ”
“Gonna go vandalise some city property? Sneak into a club? Get in another fight? I’ve seen your bruises, and cuts. You don’t get those from studying at the library.”
“I don’t care what you think we do. I’ll be back before dawn.” Akira bent down to tie his shoelaces.
“You’re such an idiot. I’m gonna mail this myself.”
“You’re a nag. I’m sure one day you’ll make some lucky man very, very miserable.”
Before Miki could form a rebuttal, Akira was out the door.
They were parked in Ryo’s car. After Akira finished speaking, Ryo took a long drag of his cigarette. He breathed it out slowly, then spoke.
“She’s being a bitch.”
“Don’t call her that.”
“What? I’m saying it like it is.” Ryo deposited the cigarette in the car's ashtray.
“She’s just being reasonable, in her own way. I’m the unreasonable one.” Akira had told Miki he wanted to join her. It was only right for her to check on him - she was sensibly worried that Akira would waste this opportunity. Yet, she was also selfishly worried that she’d need to face this new stage of her life alone. Akira understood that.
“What’s really unreasonable is signing 4 years of your life away on a degree that won’t matter one bit once the world starts falling in on itself.” Akira didn’t like it when Ryo talked about the end of the world. But - reluctant to encourage more talk - he brushed it off.
“Live fast, die young?” was all he said.
“Something like that.”
They fell into silence. Akira stared out at the forest path. There was a green patch, illuminated by headlights and ringed by darkness. Ryo pointed.
“See those tracks? I’ve been keeping an eye on him; he’s been wandering in a circle for days.”
“Some sort of depressive demon?”
“No idea. I don’t know if they can get depressed.” Ryo lit another cigarette. Akira watched him.
“Think they’ve got therapists for demons?”
“If they did, I’d get one. No human therapist could solve my problems.”
“Ha ha, very funny.” Akira replied dryly. Deep in the forest, something splintered. Ryo sighed and grabbed his car keys.
“I suppose we’d better go after the fucker.”
The sun had begun its daily hike, but the sky wasn’t blue yet. There was no real light in the clearing but the spark of Ryo’s lighter. Akira leaned in, sharing the flame, then exhaled a cloud of smoke. They were both spattered in blue blood, their energy satisfyingly spent.
“That was a fast one. Maybe I ought to join the track team.” Akira didn’t say what track team. Ryo showed his teeth - it wasn’t a proper smile, more like an acknowledgement. The end of his cigarette glowed as he took a drag.
“If you got accepted, would you go?” Akira shrugged. There was a lot he could say on the matter, but he didn’t feel like saying it. Not to Ryo.
“What would you like me to do?” he asked instead.
“Stay here, with me. Or, go somewhere else.” Ryo replied. He didn’t look at Akira while he spoke.
“Somewhere else, with you?” Ryo nodded.
“Somewhere with a lot of demons.”
“That does sound good.”
Being with Ryo was what sounded good. Every time Ryo crashed into Akira’s life he brought a welcome dose of unreality with him. If Akira left him behind, he might never feel that unreality again. But with his claws and teeth, would reality even want him back? Akira shivered; the morning wind wasn’t kind.
“Wanna go back?” Ryo asked.
“No. It’s nice, here.”
Their clearing was ringed by trees and morning mist. As the sky lightened, colour was beginning to seep back into the world. Ryo’s jacket sleeves were soaked blue.
Akira shivered again.
“Here.” Ryo held his cigarette in his mouth and shed his trenchcoat. Akira backed away, hesitant to take it. Instead, Ryo wrapped the wide coat loosely across both of their shoulders. The jacket didn’t actually help much - it was the shared body heat from their brushing arms that did.
With a sigh, Ryo dropped his head onto Akira’s shoulder. His eyes were closed.
“I’m about to fall asleep. Let’s go.” he murmured, making no actual move. Akira closed his eyes too. Blond hair tickled his throat when he swallowed. Somewhere not too far away, cars were humming across the motorway. It was the sound of humans coming to life. Above his head, a bird sang a morning song.
“Ryo…”
“Okay, okay.” Ryo lifted his head and stretched his neck.
Then he gathered up his coat, and flicked his cigarette butt to the ground.
Akira’s life was unpaused.