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Goro walks out of the police station, tension in his shoulders from the morning of interviews as the detective prince, a quick snack before he went to school late and squishing into a crowded train towards the station all before 4pm.
It’s now 7:24pm.
He would’ve tried to coerce Sae into getting him some more sushi for dinner, but he got a message 10 minutes prior from a… a friend, per say.
Hey Akechi, did you want to go to the jazz club tonight?
Kurusu Akira, 7:12pm
Kurusu, good evening. Sure, I am free tonight. What’s the occasion?
Akechi Goro, 7:23pm
Goro has to wait for a response for a minute, but he starts walking to the train station regardless. It will take him 20 minutes or so to get to Kichijouji from the police station by train so he might as well start heading that way.
I don’t have any specific event happening, but I’ve seen you on TV a lot more recently.
Kurusu Akira, 7:25pm
I figured you could use some company that wasn’t a camera lens or makeup artist.
Kurusu Akira, 7:25pm
They aren’t that bad. You get used to it after the first few days of appearances.
Akechi Goro, 7:25pm
I’m coming from the Police Station, I likely will arrive around 7:50pm
Akechi Goro, 7:26pm
Goro feels his phone vibrate more as he pockets it, likely with more messages from Akira but he doesn’t look at them on account of his train coming into the station and he is walking against the crowd of people exiting the station.
He squeezes between people going up stairs as he goes against them to get to the platform in time.
But he sees the train pull away just as his feet hit the platform.
Goro sighs, and moves to the side a bit to not block the rest of the crowd. He gets out his phone to send a message correcting his time of arrival once the next train time gets updated on a screen nearby.
But he doesn’t have to.
You were with the police today? I can meet you at the station and we can take the train together.
Kurusu Akira, 7:27pm
Akechi, I can see you up ahead of me, turn around!
Kurusu Akira, 7:28pm
“Akechi!” His name is called out from the stairs he was just walking down.
He looks up to see Akira, puffing a little bit as he runs down the stairs holding onto the hand rail.
…A good friend, he supposes.
~~~
The train was lightly packed, but not as bad as expected for a Thursday night.
(There was 1 seat open both boys saw on the train car, but neither took the seat. Both standing and holding onto hand grips above them.)
Once they stepped out of the train station to head towards the main street of Kichijouji, the crowds became more dispersed. They were able to talk more freely and walk side by side rather than being one behind the other.
Yet despite that, they walk in comfortable silence. No comments or quips about their days or the surrounding scenery and people, simply walking in each other’s company.
Arriving at the Jazz Jin, Goro hears the recorded jazz music playing and immediately feels more relaxed in his neck, stress melting away from the deadlines and new schedules booked today.
However, the tables are organised in a different pattern to how they normally are, and a few new tall standing circular tables have been added, without chairs at them. The new table placements now make a larger space around the mic stand and piano.
The change of scenery first throws Goro off (he ignores his shoulders starting to rise up to his head again), looking around and trying to figure out the reason behind the new table placements before Akira gestures him to follow further into the jazz club and points at a sign next to the host stand.
~ Live music and dance night ~
Due to common suggestions from patrons,
With our live singer tonight, feel free to come up and dance to the music if it speaks to you.
Enjoy the music and drinks.
- Muhen
“I guess I picked the right night to come in.” Akira laughs to himself a little bit, but he speaks stiffly. “We can leave if you don’t want to stick around. I’m sure there's other places that are still open, maybe this is a sign for us to explore other places in the area.”
He’s smiling at the sign before looking back to Goro, but his face doesn’t match his words. While asking if Goro wants to leave and avoid the dance evening ahead of them, he looks like a puppy that just got a new toy - tail wagging, eyes bulging and can’t stop moving in anticipation. it’s obvious he wants to stay.
(Ever always, his heart on his sleeve)
“No no, we can stay. I’m definitely not one for dancing but that shouldn’t change how I listen to the music. A little change won’t hurt the night.”
“Even if the dancing is absolutely terrible?”
Goro puts on a princely smile. “Well, then I’ll just have to close my eyes. Now, which table do you like the look of?”
~~~
The drink of the night is sweet, some sort of berry mix that’s not too heavy in his mostly empty stomach. Makes him feel a bit lighter and less tired in his body, and lighter in his legs to move around faster and more agile (he can move his head without pain in his left side now. Bless Muhen’s mixing skills). The view from their table is slightly obscured by some other patrons closer to the dance area than they are, but the table next to the wall was a change to their usual spot.
Goro watched the usual singer walk to the microphone, joined by a pianist Goro hasn’t seen before, but the first song they start singing was not one he was familiar with.
Now, by those who knew him, Akira was a known dancer within the group - or at least a ‘groovy kinda guy’ as Ryuji often described. He had been seen nodding his head and tapping his foot to the music that played in Big Bang Burger when they went in, doing little dance trends that come up on social media, even doing dramatic performances like a pop idol if music performances ever come on the TV in Leblanc on occasion during meetings.
Goro assumes seeing the other people go up and slowly move, or dance with one another in the room is what’s prompting Akira to lean in and ask if he wants to get up too.
“It looks fun up there. And at least you won’t be alone. First one to go up is the scariest.” Akira says while swishing the drink in his glass.
“I’d argue that the first person just has to be crazy enough to get up and show other people they can do it. It’s the second person who shows that it’s okay to be that crazy and that anyone to do it.” Goro takes another sip of his drink.
It’s an unspoken challenge. Are you really going to go up and join the group?
“Come on my detective prince,” Akira smirks as he makes eye contact with Goro, “You’re so popular, you surely have at least some dance skills for swooning all your fans.”
I am, and I want you to come up with me.
Goro simply laughs in lieu of a response. It doesn’t matter if he can or can’t - his reputation in the forefront of his conscious mind ensures that he doesn’t get out of his own chair.
Akira takes the lull in conversation as a ‘no’ and says a quick ‘I’ll be back’ as he gets up from the table and moves towards the swaying collective.
If Akira wasn’t familiar with the song, it didn’t show in his movements. They flowed from one step to the other easily. He didn’t strike Goro as the type of person to move so fluidly, if anything a hiphop or a break dancer. Perhaps it was a wild, or thieving part of him to be so adept at sitting in new situations.
Akira was up there for a little while dancing by himself, or cheering on other people who came up and showed on their faces how nervous they were. Even once they left he continued by himself in the open space around the music performers.
Akira every now and again would give Goro a fleeting look to check he was still there between songs.
Goro doesn't miss a single time Akira looked over.
It was only a matter of time until Goro skulled the rest of his drink next to Akira’s still three-quarter full glass, stood up and went to join Akira.
When Akira heard footsteps coming up to the dance area he turned around and smiled to welcome them.
And when Akira realised it was Goro coming up to him, his smile softened and he offered his hand out to him, bowing his head and upper torso.
Bowing to a prince, and asking for his hand in a dance.
“If you’re going to make a deal out of this I’ll take my briefcase and leave.” Goro spoke and put his gloved hand in Akira’s bare one.
Akira laughed to himself, louder than before (it sounded like a harmony to the singer’s voice), “My apologies, but it’s only respectful I bow for the prince’s first dance of the night.” He brings their joined hands up to the side and holds Goro’s lower back and starts to rock them both side to side.
It’s…pleasant. But it is obscenely obvious after about 10 seconds that Goro does not know what he’s doing. He's stuck upright in his posture and legs are suddenly stiffer than when they were full of fatigue after his work at the police station and interviews earlier in the day.
“Put your hand on my back, then I’ll lead you through it. Just do what feels most natural.” Akira’s voice is soft in Goro’s ear. It’s intimate, like a secret between just the two of them.
“I’m sorry I’m not as used to spontaneously dancing out in the world like you. You’re far too suave and in your element here.” He says dripping the sentiment in theatrics and vocal strain. “This is one skill I might have to give you the win in.”
Akira takes the initiative to move Goro’s hand that still remains swaying to his side to his back. “Don’t say that. This battle has only just begun.”
Goro doesn’t say anything in response, but he notices Akira standing upright and holding his arm and back like this, it’s quite nice.
It's, really nice.
Goro’s legs and arms loosen once again, and he starts following Akira’s movements once more. They don’t do any spins or extra steps (after feeling Goro in his arms earlier, Akira doesn’t dare throw him off and dissuade him from sticking around), but simply sway back and forth in each other’s arms. The music fades in and out with each song guiding each step, or a little tip of a head as they reach the end of a step. Goro closes his eyes.
It’s them alone, and the world around them. And it’s soothing to the innermost depths of their hearts.
Goro rests his head on Akira’s shoulder.
Holy fucking shit.
Goro takes a breath in, realising what he just did but can’t help himself to lift his head up.
Coffee and curry has never felt so much like home.
Akira doesn’t risk turning his head to look down. He doesn’t want to hit Goro with his chin, or move too far and make him lift his head. But curiosity did kill the cat.
Akira slowly tilts his head down towards Goro’s, so they rest lightly on one another.
(Akira thinks he’s never washing this shirt again)
Neither can hear each other’s heartbeats, but one would think they could with how loud they were beating and how close they were together now.
It’s almost serene, while most of the people who were in the Jazz Jin at the start of the night have now left, a few people left are sipping the last of their drinks and not paying attention,
It’s just the two of them dancing while the rest of the world turns away for a moment. Like there's no forces pushing them at odds, no hidden knives at each other's necks, no guns aimed for the head.
4 feet, 4 hands, 2 hearts, and a dance.
Unfortunately, when the music stops between songs once again, they must lightly wake up from their dream.
Those still in the club start clapping for the musicians and their time for the night, and Akira brings the two of them to a halt and lifts his head off of Goro’s.
(Not before putting a feather-light kiss to his hair.)
Goro opens his eyes at the soft press on his head unsure what it could’ve been, and when he looks back up at Akira, he’s met with flushed cheeks.
(He can’t imagine his own are any different from how his heart is beating in his chest.)
They don’t say anything standing at equal eye level again but Akira lets go of Akechi’s hands to applaud the musicians.
(Akira’s eyes linger in Goro’s before looking over though.)
Goro snaps out of his daze, joins in the clapping and as it dies down looks back at Akira (who is already looking back.)
They both turn around and start walking back to the table and Goro starts to adjust his blazer and tie to make sure they remain flawless, when Akira speaks up. “I think you won this battle - your point.”
“Are you sure? It doesn’t allude me that many of the people here danced because of your presence, or the amount of smiles people had while watching you.” Goro is surprised he didn’t see more phones out recording Akira dance. “I’m pretty sure you win.”
“I think, it doesn’t matter who else was watching, because all I was hoping for was you. And you did not disappoint.” Akira sits down and takes another sip of his drink. “I don’t even think my drink will refresh me after that dancing, you’ve tired me out Akechi.” He grins as he swallows his drink, pulling at his shirt a bit to cool down. The drink’s flavour must still be as vibrant as when he got it. Or he’s still high from dancing with Goro.
Whatever it was, it was a night that neither would forget, from the music that played, to the flushed skin, to the soft touches.