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He wasn’t sure what to make of Akiyama.
Clearly Kiryu had to think something of the man. He definitely felt something whenever Akiyama wandered into his path, but he wasn’t entirely sure what it was. It wasn’t hatred, because he was all too familiar with the sensation of hatred coiling like a dragon in his gut. It wasn’t the mild, incurious dislike he had for most people, and it certainly wasn’t affection, because the only person he really had any affection for was Haruka, and she was special.
Maybe the problem was that he didn’t have many friends. He didn’t like most people, so he didn’t bother getting to know them; perhaps if he did, it would be easier for him to figure out his own reactions to the people he did care about getting to know.
…honestly, the realization that he wanted to get to know Akiyama was surprising.
He’d run into Akiyama a few streets away from his apartment, recognizing a familiar jacket weaving in and out of a small crowd of thugs who were trying and failing to mug him. One of them had come up behind him with a bottle when he was distracted, and Kiryu had stepped in, and somehow this had led to Akiyama sitting on his couch in his shirtsleeves while the blazer dried next to the space heater. It had taken some work to get all the blood stains out.
“You sing at all?” Akiyama took a swig from the bottle of whiskey and passed it back. “We oughtta get dinner sometime. Do some karaoke.”
Kiryu took the bottle back and didn’t drink yet. “I don’t go out that much.”
“You. You don’t go out that much. I see you all over the place.”
“I mean, for dinner. Or karaoke.” He drank and passed the bottle.
“Well, that settles it, then. There’s this new yakiniku place, it’ll be my treat.” Akiyama took another swig and winked at him.
At some point, Kiryu was sure he’d get the hang of figuring out what Akiyama was trying to say when he said things.
“Maybe he likes you.”
It took Kiryu a moment to realize that Saejima had even said anything. They rarely spoke to each other—it was why they got along so well, their mutual willingness to sit side by side in companionable silence. Plus, the noodle place they were at was pretty loud.
When Kiryu did realize, though, and then realized what he’d said, he froze in the act of lifting his bowl to his mouth. “Who?”
“Akiyama. Sayin’ he wants to buy you dinner.”
“Likes me how? Why?”
“I dunno, who knows why that guy does anything?” Which, coming from someone who spent all the time he could with Majima Goro, was pretty impressive. “You gonna go?”
“I like yakiniku.”
“You oughtta wear a nice jacket or something.”
“What’s wrong with this one?”
“Don’t ask me, Majima’s the one with opinions about that shit.”
“So are you two going on a date or what?” Majima spun in his office chair, tipped it backwards, and stared at the upside-down world out the window with vague frustration. “You’re not bein’ real clear on this, man.”
“I asked him if he’d have dinner with me, said I was buying, he said yes.”
“Yeah, that means you’re buying him dinner. You kinda gotta hit him over the head with this shit, man, Kiryu-chan’s not too swift when he can’t punch the problem.”
“That’s sort of mean, I think he’s really clever.”
“Clever’s not the same as smart, man. Anyway, doesn’t matter whether he knows it’s a date or not, long as you do. So is it? Because if it is you gotta wear a nicer jacket.” Majima’s secretary caught his eye and tried to say something about his three o’clock having shown up, and he waved her away. “That mauve thing needs a fuckin’ vacation at a tailor’s. Or a furnace.”
“I’m amazed that you know what mauve is. Also, it’s burgundy. Also, I like this jacket.”
“Of course I know what mauve is, asshole, I’m a fucking stylish man! I have taste!”
There was a huff sound which could have been Akiyama on the other end of the line, or could have been his secretary trying to get his attention again. “Majima, half of what you own is leopard print.”
“You sayin’ there’s something wrong with leopard print? It looks good on me.” Majima waved the secretary away again, gesturing for her to leave the business card she was carrying on his desk. “You could stand to wear more prints, you look like a hobo.”
“Listen, Majima, I didn’t call you so that you could insult my fashion sense.”
“No, you called me ‘cause you asked Kiryu-chan on a date and now you’re freaking the fuck out about whether or not he’s actually gonna get the stick out of his ass long enough for you to kiss him. Which he won’t if you’re gonna pick up him looking like some drifter. I’ll lend you a jacket.”
“I’m two sizes bigger than you are.”
“Yeah, so’s everyone, you’ll make it work, that’s what you do.”
Yakiniku had been a good choice, because there was enough smoke rising from the grill that Kiryu didn’t have to worry too much about making eye contact. Saejima had lent him a different jacket, apparently on Majima’s insistence, and it didn’t fit, which they all should have expected. Too big by at least one size, probably more like three. Akiyama wasn’t wearing his usual jacket either—his was distinctly too small, and the lapels were leopard-print. Kiryu suspected that it was Majima’s, although why Majima was so concerned about how they both dressed, he couldn’t figure out.
“So. Uh.” He stared at the lapels of Akiyama’s jacket. “You catch any of the New Japan Cup?”
“Caught the end of it. Shibata’s gonna crack his skull open someday if he keeps going that hard.” Akiyama grinned at him through the smoke. “You see him headbutt Nakajima that one time?”
“I was there that night.” Kiryu didn’t grin back, but he relaxed a little. “I heard it.”
“I wouldn’t wanna fight that guy.”
“Yeah, me neither.” A pause. “Bet I could take him, though.”
Akiyama laughed and swallowed a mouthful of beer. “Yeah, I bet you could. He’d probably kill me.”
Kiryu shook his head. Had some of his own beer. “I wouldn’t let him do that.”
Akiyama didn’t answer for a moment, just long enough that the silence was a little weird, and then said, “You tried this beef tongue yet? It’s really good.”
“I haven’t, no.” Kiryu leaned forward with his chopsticks to pick a slice of beef tongue from the platter they’d ordered—and instead, Akiyama lifted his own chopsticks and held out a piece already cooked. After a brief moment of surprised staring, Kiryu ducked his head and ate it.
It was delicious.
A few tables over, a waiter stumbled and overturned a dish of kimchi onto the floor, which was the only thing that got them to stop staring at each other.
By the time they got to the bar, they were both several more drinks in, which made it easier to talk. Not that they were talking about anything very deep—sports scores, things they’d done, people they’d both run into, Majima’s insane taste in clothing.
They dropped onto stools at the bar side by side, Akiyama’s arm slung around Kiryu’s neck, and Kiryu said, “That’s one’a his jackets, right? Where’d yours go? I like your jacket.”
“You do.” Akiyama slapped him on the chest, looking delighted.
“Yeah, it’s a nice color. Looks good on you.”
Akiyama glowed. “Tell Majima that. He made me take this one. It doesn’t even fit me. Yours doesn’t either, I bet it’s Saejima’s. Hey.” He waved at the bartender. “Whiskey? Whiskey. Two whiskeys.”
“Yeah, Saejima said Majima made him give me the jacket? Not sure why.”
“Who knows why that guy does anything?”
There was a loud shattering noise as some other drinker in another corner of the bar dropped his glass, but they ignored it, because the whiskey had come. They drained their glasses together, leaning on each other, and then waved for more, draining those as well before Kiryu said, “Didn’t you wanna sing?”
Akiyama looked at him like he’d said the most brilliant thing possible and breathed, “Yes. Singing. We should sing.”
They sang, loudly and at length. First there was some obnoxious pop song, the sort of thing Haruka liked but Kiryu normally sort of tuned out. Then a song in English, which both of them stumbled through, laughing as they got tongue-tied on the verses. And then another pop song, except that this time Akiyama kissed him in the middle of it during an instrumental part.
He blinked. His arm was still sort of around Akiyama’s shoulders, and Akiyama’s arm was around his back, and Akiyama’s other hand was grabbing one of the lapels his too-large jacket. There were only three other people drinking in this bar, and they were all staring. Not that any of them were going to say anything, but there was definitely a staring kind of feeling in the room. He blinked again, because Akiyama was still kissing him, but then the instrumental part ended and Akiyama went back to singing.
He made an effort, but he couldn’t quite get into the rhythm of the rest of the song.
They stumbled away from the karaoke machine and sat down again, at a table this time, and Kiryu said, “Um. You kissed me.”
Akiyama grinned at him. “Yeah.”
“You mean to do that?”
“I don’t really do shit I don’t mean to do. Mostly. At least half the time. I meant to do that. Why? You pissed at me?”
“Am I pissed at you?” Kiryu thought about it. Was he? “Not really.”
“Good, you mind if I do it again?”
“Go for it.”
Midway through, Akiyama opened one eye, glanced to the side, and said, “I think that guy in the corner took a picture of us,” against Kiryu’s mouth.
New snap from oneeyedcur!
Saejima tapped on the notification, waited for the picture to pull up, and sighed. It wasn’t a very good shot, but that was definitely Kiryu and Akiyama kissing in the corner of some bar. That jacket really didn’t fit Kiryu. The caption said [MAYBE NOW HE’LL STOP TALKING MY EAR OFF].
He shrugged. “Hey, phone lady?”
The little voice from his phone said, “What can I help you with, Taiga?”
He hated that the phone lady called him that, but he wasn’t sure how to change it, and Majima wouldn’t explain it because he thought it was funny. “Text Majima, that’s a little creepy that you’re spyin’ on them, bro.”
“You want me to send Majima the text ‘that’s a little creepy that you’re spying on them bro’?”
“Yeah.” The little ‘sent’ message flashed. “Thanks, phone lady.”
“You’re welcome, Taiga.”
A moment later he got a text back. [Akiyama’s been driving me fuckin crazy bro, I gotta make sure this shit gets done right]
“Text Majima, maybe give ‘em some privacy.”
[once I know it’s going ok]
[oh shit I think they spotted me]