Permanent Open RP post! Game based, AU based, meme based, canon based, catch-it-all based - everything is welcome. You can start or tell me what you want and I can start. NSFW is allowed - check kink list if you need/want
It was to be expected. He couldn't have stayed in Inaba forever, no matter how much he wanted to. When he stepped outside the first morning in the city, it felt so surreally big and evenings were loud. Nothing like Inaba and its calm nights filled with sounds of crickets. Yu found himself being unable to focus on even reading a simple novel.
His parents didn't dally with applying him to the new high school. It was to be expected, after all, he was third and last year. He initially thought he'd go to his former high school, but they changed the place of living as well so the closest school was Shujin Academy. To Yu, it didn't really matter. Somehow, he wished that his remaining high school days would fly by so he could go do whatever he wanted. Mainly visiting his friends.
Yu, however, underestimated a city school. Sure, there were some gossips when he moved to Inaba, but he figured it was because Inaba was a small place and nothing really exciting happened. But to think that city school like Shujin Academy could gossip like this, weeks on end, was baffling. No one really talked to him, yet everyone talked about him. It was infuriating. So he spent most of his time rushing out of the school and going to his part-time job. The flower shop was cute and arranging flowers relaxing.
And today was especially tiring. He had a run in with council president who reprimanded him about all the gossips and that 'drinking alcohol is extremely prohibited at Shujin Academy'. Being friends with Rise has its weaknesses.
He was startled from his thoughts when a guy spoke up. His face looked familiar but he couldn't say why...]
Ah, yes. I'm Narukami Yu. [He looks at the vending machine and quickly steps back-] Sorry, am I in the way?
[Oh. So it really was him. Not that Akira should've been surprised, but he seemed to have a lot more approachable demeanor than what he'd expected hearing all the rumors. But that's exactly why rumors are stupid- they proliferate a cognition of something that's not true, one that brands you whether or not you like it.
Standing there, now, Akira feels a little awkward. He probably shouldn't have said anything at all, and he can feel Morgana fidgeting against the inside of his bag, almost headbutting him and reminding him that he needs to keep a low profile. But really, who listens to a cat, anyway?]
No, you're not in the way. Hey... I know I'm new around here too, so let me give you a piece of advice... Make sure you check the expiration date on the cold drinks here. I... [He scratches the back of his head, awkwardly looking for the right words to say] Might've gotten sick once already.
Anyway, I'm Kurusu Akira, it's nice to meet you.
[He holds out his hand to Yu, expectantly to shake it.]
[This guy could easily be the first person that talked to him. Properly talked to him, not 'good morning Narukami-kun' and 'teacher asked to see you' things. Like, proper talk, not related to school. He couldn't help but feel a bit happy about it. Maybe he could make some friends in the school, maybe not everything is grey.
He pauses and looks at the drink in his hand-] Huh? Really? I thought they restocked these every week. [That sounded pretty unbelievable. Is the staff around here lazy enough to not restock the items in vending machines properly? He checks the can and sighs. It seems this one is fine.] Thank you for the warning. I'll be careful.
[For a second, Yu hesitates about the offered hand. It brought back memories that he'd rather not remember. But it would be extremely rude not to accept it. With a smile, he shifts the drink in his left hand and shakes hands.] Nice to meet you too. Are you third year? I didn't see you around.
[Considering that Yu didn't immediately look at him weird when he introduced himself must've meant that he hadn't heard any of the things going around about himself. How he's definitely a member of the yakuza. How he's a crime boss. How he's been to jail before. Any number of half truths that indicate pieces of his record were somehow leaked to the general student body. It's... refreshing, in a way, to say the least that the reputation wasn't preceding him at first glance.
And he feels like he should warn Yu that the teachers around here really... aren't the best in the world when it comes to taking care of the student staff. The entire volleyball team could attest to that, as well as a few friends who were the objects of a sick person's twisted desires. But. Well, he's new, and he has this wide eyed look about him that he doesn't want to interfere with. That, and he's really not in the business of making himself seem like he knows anything about these parts. Living a double life was definitely not the easiest thing in the world.]
No... I'm a second year. I transferred here a little while ago from the suburbs.
[He wants to ask if it's rough moving from a rural area to the city, not knowing that Yu was already from Tokyo, but that wouldn't be right for someone he's just met.
Morgana bumps into his neck from inside his bag.
"Hey, idiot. Get your drink and let's get out of here. We don't need to make friends with newbies. It'll only rouse suspicion."
He heads to the vending machine to pick out a sports drink for the time being (checks the label too, just in case).]
Well, good luck out there. Don't let the rumors get to you.
[Well that was surprising. The guy's posture and looks gave Yu an aura of a lot older guy. Maybe... he's been through a lot. A lot of people that look rough but are younger tend to have quite a backstory behind them. But it isn't Yu's place to pry. Especially since he just met the guy. A kouhai. Sounds nice. And Akira-kun seems nice too.
Yu gives him a gentle smile.]
Really? Almost similar to me. Although, I'm from Tokyo to begin with... [he mumbles the last part more to himself than his new acquaintance. He nods-] It's quite alright. I got used to them by now. I wish they'd talk to me instead of talking behind my back.
[He opens his drink and takes a long sip. Yu doesn't know why, but he feels refreshed after talking to this guy. Did he crave human contact that much?]
[He can sympathize with Yu on that one. Although he's not really ready to talk to people if they directly confronted him about his situation, it would be infinitely better to actually have people talk to him rather than about him. And despite all the rumors he's already heard about Yu- his assessment is pretty much what he thought they'd be. He seems to be a normal type of guy, easy going, the type that would do really well in a small environment.
He tries to think of how hard it was to make friends when he first came here to Shujin, and how much he'd feel abandoned if he had to transfer back to his old life.
It sucks.]
Yeah. Heard you're quite the troublemaker.
[There's a shy smile that plays on his lips as he opens his drink in response. If Ryuji were here, there would be so many more questions; this interaction would be so much louder, he'd probably be scared off by now. But Yu has this air of quiet confidence about him that's really... calming in a sort of way.]
Here's to being troublemakers, then. [He pretends to hold up his glass in a way of toast, until he sees the time on his watch from his raised arm.]
Ah... sorry to split, but I have to go home and feed my cat... See you round.
[Yu almost chokes on his drink. So- bad rumors about him already started huh? He's not even sure what people are talking about considering he's been in the school only for few weeks. Is that why the council president warned him about 'drinking alcohol at school'? Man, he forgot how fast news travel in the city school. And now that bad rumor is out, there's no way it will disappear so soon.
He sighs in defeat-] The drinking stuff? I tried explaining that the club doesn't serve alcohol ever since there was drunk car crash near it, but no one really listened. So I stopped trying. [Which is not exactly like him, but there was nothing else he could do.
With a smile, he raises his own drink to cheer back. So, the guy was marked as a troublemaker as well? Tokyo is ruthless.]
Oh, you have a cat? That's great. Go feed the little guy, I'll see you around! [Now that he mentions it, he needs to go to work. He shouldn't be late.]
[It's a few days later that Sojiro tasks Akira for a favor. Now, favors from Sojiro always came with a little bit of give of take, and this time, it came with the high honors of leaving him behind with a store key (under the condition that he abides by the lengthy list of rules he left behind:
1. No guests after 8pm 2. Be home by midnight 3. Don't end up at school late because of any damn part time jobs you take 4. If you cook, clean up. 5. If you cook, make sure you don't stink the place up 6. If you make coffee, make sure it doesn't suck.)
But that's fine- Akira figures that being able to leave the attic after school was a lot more accommodating to his particular needs (a part-time job, really) especially since he was dropping money left and right to obtain model guns, bandages from a doctor who performed clinical trials on him, and needed some extra cash to get to and from Shinjuku at night. But for the first order of business, he was asked to head to the flower shop down in the Shibuya underground mall. Fertilizer and a bouquet of soft white flowers.
Which was... to say the least weird, since he wasn't exactly sure what the flowers were for. Leblanc was dreary as ever, always sporting that jazzy, smokey feeling of a washed up crooner that had too much money leftover and wanted to start some side job that included selling coffee. Maybe it was for a date.
Akira... doesn't want to think about the later possibility, and ask he checks a text from Ryuji, he finds himself heading down to the subway line, Morgana in tow in his handbag.
This is bullshit! I can't believe that art fraud is doing this shit and getting away with it. We have to do something. Tell me we're doing something soon! The hell!
That was definitely a text to reply to later, not in the middle of a crowded subway station.
Not long after, he finds his way down the slope of the passageway, remembering vaguely where the shop was supposed to do. He only got lost once, which was definitely progress when it came to finding his way around Tokyo, and eventually stops when he sees who's working it.]
[There was nothing different in Yu's life as time passed on. School, work, home. That's it. There's no hanging out at Junes or solving a case. Which is, good in one hand, really good, but in the other... it made him sympathize with Yosuke. Even in a city as big as Tokyo, it was boring. Maybe it's because he has no friends?
...did he lose his ability to make friends? Was that just one-time deal that Velvet Room granted him?
Yu shook his thoughts away and went back to his work. As always, working at the flower shop seemed to calm him. Arranging flowers in categories and then by colors was like solving a puzzle where pieces fall into place by themselves.
He was so preoccupied with organizing that the shopkeeper greeted the customer first and only paid attention to who it was when the guy spoke up. Yu couldn't help but smile widely at the only person he made decent contact with. Short, true, but it was nice.]
Ah, yes. [Yu shrugs slightly-] There's nothing interesting going on at home so I'm killing time. [More like 'my parents are home 2 days out of 7'.]
[Yu admittedly looks... pretty natural when he's surrounded by a small stall like this, flowers brimming from conic shaped vats, the pleasant smell wafting through the nearby area. So much so that Akira finds himself dumbly smiling at the chance encounter. This would be the second time that he ran into the silver haired senpai, which he knows doesn't mean that much... but Tokyo is huge. Seeing each other in school is one thing, but out here in the vast crowd of faceless people, the hustle of the city, the anonymity of it all. It feels weird.
And since Akira is the type to trust easily, it never crossed his mind to check the metaverse app and see if Yu had a palace of his own. It would make sense, after all. nothing really seemed like it was fate, so much so as just realizing that people who act one way on the outside tend to have a very different underlying personality beneath it all.
Morgana, as if he could sense the same thing, pops up from the bag, his chin resting on Akira's shoulder.]
Careful, Joker.
I know, I know- we just need some flowers for Sojiro.
[He reaches around to scratch the top of Morgana's head, which, of course, is something that the not-cat hates, especially coming from Akira. It then dawns on him that yes, he's speaking to a cat in public and that probably makes him look on the verge of crazy, so he clears his throat with a little hem, and looks around a bit.]
Sorry, uhm. We're looking--- I'm looking for something soft and white. Any suggestions?
[Killing time or rather- trying not to think about the empty apartment. When he arrives home tired, he doesn't have to think much. Only have a shower, do school work if there's any and go to bed.
Meeting Akira at the flower shop this evening is an extremely pleasant surprise. Just like before, the guy has an aura that draws people in to talk to him. There was a sense of emptiness when their conversation ended last time. Yu wrote it off to his ability to attach to people easily and that he misses his friends back at Inaba.
His response was interrupted by a black cat popping its head from behind Akira. If one takes a closer look, they'd notice Yu's eyes light up.]
Oh? Is this the guy you had to feed? He's beautiful. [Without hesitating, he reaches out and scratches the cat behind its ear. He doesn't do it for long (he didn't want to agitate the cat and make it run away), nor did he mind Akira talking to it. Yu talks to cats himself.]
That's okay. White flowers you say? Hmm... let me see. [Yu went into the shop and looked around. There were several types of white flowers and all were beautiful. He reaches out for white amaryllis to show it off.] These arrived earlier. They are still very fresh and won't wilt fast.
If not, you can always go for the iceberg rose [he nods to the roses left of him] if you can't decide. Roses are always a go to when you're not sure.
You little traitor... [Akira mutters it under his breath, enough for Morgana to hear. Usually speaking his affection towards pretending to do anything cat like diminished greatly outside the realm of rolling up into a ball and sleeping next to Akira. That was it. No tasty treats. No paw tricks. No scratches on the head, nothing. It was horrible. Akira owned the world's weirdest not-cat.
Annoyed disposition aside, it's really hard not to pay attention to Yu when he looks so excited about getting the chance to meet the little guy. It's probably the first person he met that actually enjoyed the not-cat's presence outwardly (Sojiro secretly liked him, but it's not something he'd ever admit)- and... he was cute about it in a way that authentically showed he loves being around them. To say the least, it has Akira pushing up his glasses (NERD) and trying not to show that he was pleasantly surprised.]
He says thank you. [He laughs a little- cats can't talk, right? Akira is weird.] Oh... these are both really nice.
Hold on. Can you hold them both up against your hair?
[Reaching out, he gently grabs a hold of the iceberg rose and holds it out for Yu. There's a method to his madness. Anyone dating Sojiro probably has grey hair. It's important to pick flowers that complement beauty, after all.]
[After seeing the cat, Yu gets an idea to adopt one himself. A trip to animal shelter should fix that. Then he wouldn't have to work himself to the bone like this. It's good because he gets paid, but he doesn't want his school grades to suffer only because he doesn't like his apartment empty.
He gives the cat a wide smile and nods, resisting the urge to pet it again. It has such fascinating blue eyes too! Most cats Yu met had brown eyes or cloudy, grey color.]
Oh? Uh-- [the request takes him off guard for the moment, but he complies, bringing the flower stem next to his face. He usually doesn't pry into why people buy flowers, but he can't help himself after this.]
May I ask why? [He asks hesitantly while glancing at the shop owner who is giving him a critical look. Yu's not sure if it's approving or disapproving.]
[He goes to open his mouth- some things about Sojiro and how his tastes in older women is questionable at best, and how he didn't want to think too much about his dating life, and how this was all based on one giant assumption that he needed flowers to impress a chick, but then he realizes that he was using Yu to compare because he has senior citizen hair, and wow, that's kind of rude for someone he's just met for the second time.
Feeling the gaze of the shopowner heavily on the both of them, he tries to scramble and come up with another excuse. The problem is his shyness, and Morgana knows exactly what's going on because he's laughing at his shoulder. He shrugs a little, jostling the little guy to stop making so much noise, and he says the first thing that pops into his head.]
The flowers... aren't for me. I was asked to pick them up for someone, but I wanted to make sure they were pretty, so I just wanted to use you as comparison.
[Oh. Fuck. No, that's not what he wanted to say at all. Morgana is meowing so hard through his laughter that Akira shrugs him off completely, throwing him off as he lands on his feet- and then decides to hide behind Yu's legs.
Akira gives him a look of promised death, but it's to no avail, and he scratches his head in the extreme embarrassment.]
[Well... that was unexpected. He received compliments before- about his smarts, his guts, about his soccer moves, when he was battling shadows, from girls here and there. So why did this compliment took him off guard so much so his cheeks flushed lightly? He didn't even hear shopkeeper who tried to butt in and ask if they needed any help.]
Ah- s-sure then, I- okay! Whole batch! [So eloquent. All that studying he did and vast vocabulary and expressions he knows and he ends up saying "okay"? Yu wishes he can grab nearby decor paper and wrap his face up and let the earth beneath swallow him.
He grabs a handful of roses and turns to the desk to cut and arrange them properly. His heart needs to stop pounding so loudly too. The cat that's hiding behind his legs is helping him calm down too.
When he's finally done, he goes back to Akira to hand him the bouquet over. He had put additional effort into preparing it too- it was probably the best one he made so far.]
Here we are. I hope you like it. [...dammit, his cheeks still feel warm. Hopefully, it's not noticeable and his smile is a good cover up.]
[There's a good chance that Akira is going to die of embarrassment right here, which would be particularly upsetting in the sense that he never actually finished his probation. Maybe the after life would be kinder to him, who knows- but as he wonders how far into his turtleneck he can hide, he watches Yu go about arranging the bouquet.
It's always moments like this that he wishes time would speed up, but of course, every second feels like an hour, and as it gets closer to being completed, he tries his hardest to calm the raging blush that's settling down his cheeks. And for all the cool, debonair tricks he could pull off as a Phantom Thief, nothing really prepared him for being able to handle accidentally hitting on another guy. For once, he's thankful Ryuji is nowhere near. Or worse, Ann. They'd never let him live this one down.
(Which reminds him- when he gets home he's reaming Morgana out for leaving him in left field like this. And doubly so that he shouldn't meow a word of this to anyone else or canned food would be about the only thing he'd be eating for the next few weeks.)]
Thank you. They're perfect, really.
[Taking out his wallet to pay, he offers over the requires amount, forgetting that he also came to get some fertilizer. Oh well, Sojiro would chide him later about that one.]
[When he hands over the flowers and takes the money, he smiles and bows slightly, thanking Akira for the patronage. The florist was still giving him a judging look, but since Akira actually bought flowers and didn't just chitchat she didn't say anything to Yu.
The rest of the evening went by uneventful. They had few more customers but that was basically it. The shop owner had let him go home early since the business was slow. While he was putting away his work apron and picking up his school bag, he noticed something rectangular in the corner of the shop. With a frown, he picked it up.
A wallet. Akira-kun's wallet according to the library card in it (he had to check this isn't snooping!). He somehow dropped it and the customers that came in and out kicked it into the corner of the shop. He nodded his goodbye's to the shop owner and went home. Well, he has another chance at talking to him, that's for certain. Is this luck? Or fate? Sometimes he wishes he could go back in velvet room and get cryptic advice from Igor or Margaret. Cryptic advice is better than none.
The next day, he tried finding Akira during lunch time. He overestimated himself when he stepped out of his classroom and was greeted by an avalanche of students going to buy lunch. Why is the third year on the first floor anyway!? A question he never got an answer to.
Fighting his way through the crowd, he finally managed to reach the second floor. It wasn't as crowded as first, but... he didn't see Akira. And being the moron that he is, he didn't ask which class he attends. Well- he has no other choice but lingers around, hoping to bump into him.
The nervousness of getting to meet him again is twisting his stomach enough to not be hungry.]
[When he got home, he left the bouquet on the coffee table, careful to at least grab a pot out of the back and place some water in it to keep the cut fresh. It wasn't much later that he realized he didn't have his wallet and proceeded to tear up his room, thinking he had dropped it somewhere in Leblanc (it was less of believing that he had actually left it laying around and more hoping that he didn't drop it in the middle of Shibuya. Good-bye savings). Some time past midnight, Morgana said that he should head to bed and that maybe it would show up in the morning.
The worry kept him up for another hour or two until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. There wasn't anything he could do about it; beating himself up over it wouldn't help. Waking, he eventually makes his way downstairs, somewhat ready for school, wondering if he has enough time to try and trace his steps back to the flower shop and see if it was still there (unlikely)- until he noticed that the roses he placed in a pot were gone, which roused a whole other level of suspicion.
Sojiro didn't even say thank you.
Using his phone for subway passage, he makes his way to school, managing to nab a seat on the train, Morgana bouncing in the schoolbag in his lap. Most of the day was met with passive worry over that stupid wallet- and he wasn't about to ask Ann for some money for lunch, so he was going to go hungry until dinner.
He was actually just thinking about Yu, too, as he decides to go for a walk during lunchtime. Everything about yesterday was horrible- from his slip up at the shop, to leaving his wallet, to the lack of sleep he got over thinking about both things... and there he was, of course, just standing outside the classroom down the hall.
Wait- was he waiting for Akira? Oh no. This wasn't what he was expecting. What if he said something stupid again? He veers right, pretending he didn't see the upper classman. Maybe he can get away undetected.]
[And Akira would've gotten away with it hadn't been for a student in a bright yellow shirt with big 'ZOMG' letters on it. Thanks to his loud call out for Akira in the middle of the hallway, Yu managed to spot the boy he was looking for.
Of course, he didn't interrupt the conversation. He diligently waited for them to finish up before he approached. It felt awkward after last night's encounter, but Akira probably needed his wallet. Maybe he didn't even have his lunch yet!]
Excuse me, Akira-kun. [Yu waved lightly to get the other boy's attention.] I need to speak to you for a second.
[Finally standing in front of him, Yu reaches for his inner pocket and pulls out Akira's wallet.] You dropped this yesterday in the shop. I almost didn't notice it- people had kicked it to the side as they came in and out of the shop.
[Good old Ryuji. Leave it to him to bring all the attention in a room straight to himself, and by proximity, Akira. Which was exactly what he was hoping to not really do. Worse, of course, is that Ryuji has suddenly come up with code references to the heist they're working on, and Akira had no idea what he was talking about until half way in. But he's always so enthusiastic and inspired, and it never fails to be somewhat contagious, at least, so it gives him enough pep to face Yu afterward.]
Oh... hi.
[24/7 charm, 24/7 grace: Akira Kurusu. Yu holds out his wallet, and Akira's brows perk upward. To say he was surprised was a huge understatement.]
My wallet?
[Reaching over, he takes it back, looking at its closed figure in his palm. Relief washes over him as he smiles softly at the gesture. To think, he'd left his ID card and everything there, and Yu happened to pick it up. Or pickpocketed him... but that seems rather unlikely considering how forward this guy seemed to be. Akira laughs at himself a little for even thinking that, and pockets it, without even checking to see if any money was missing.]
Thanks... I was beginning to think I'd never find it.
[He can feel Ryuji quirking a brow, until he feels the weight of a hand on his shoulder. Catch ya later, Akira. You'll have to tell me this story tonight. - before he settles off to leave (1) very awkward feeling Akira alone with Yu.]
Are you free? I think I owe you a ramen at this point.
[Yu didn't get the head or the tail of conversation between them, and he didn't bother to. It was something between them and Yu wasn't one to pry (if he overhears stuff, that's by accident!). He gives the loud boy a short nod as a greeting before looking back at Akira.]
Yes. It was in the corner of the room so I consider it a lucky coincidence that I noticed it. I didn't go through it at all, just looked at the ID. [Yu is not versed in pickpocketing and he doesn't really need to be. When the blond boy leaves, he feels less pressured. He doesn't know why- maybe it's the nerves of trying to make himself look presentable to someone he doesn't know.
He didn't expect to be invited out for hangout though. And Yu never refuses the invitations-]
I am actually. You don't really owe me anything, but I'd like to hang out with you. Is after classes alright? Lunch break is almost over. [He's not above skipping classes, but he can't suggest that to someone he recently met!]
[It's really not Yu's fault. Ryuji can instill a sense of worry in just about anyone. He has a looming presence that comes off as thuggish, which Akira doesn't mind anymore, but he understands the situation decently well for someone making a first acquaintance. Oh- right. He probably should've actually introduced the two. He's not sure exactly how well that would have went, but it would've been the polite thing to do. He chalks it up to the lack of sleep and the fact that Yu just saved him from having to get a new wallet, new ID, and scramble to replace the funds that were stored away in there.
He's a proper thief, after all. Maybe he should invest in a safe, or something.]
After classes? It's a date.
[Wait.
He really has to stop doing this.]
I mean. It's... uh...
[Akira raises his arm to the back of his head, feeling dumber by the minute. He's not like this with anyone else, so why Yu of all people?]
No worries. I'll... how about the roof? I'll bring some snacks.
[Akira also isn't above skipping class, but considering his most recent blunder, sitting through a history lesson with Kawakami sensei seems a lot less embarrassing at this point.]
[Yu holds back a chuckle out of politeness. It seems that Akira's watching what he says way too much to have a proper conversation.There's something so endearing about the way his new friend (was there ever a doubt he wasn't?) stumbles to find words.]
Sounds like a plan. I didn't hang out on the rooftop in a while. [Did that bring back some memories or what? The whole investigation team, chilling out on the rooftop, eating ramen. Mostly stealing said ramen from the girls.] I'll bring some snacks myself. [If he knew he'd hang out with Akira, he would have made some snacks back home.
Yu always aims to impress.
After waving a short goodbye, Yu went back to his class. Finally, after several weeks, he has something to look forward to. It was a feeling he missed. So when the classes ended, Yu crammed as much snacks and drinks as he can in his bag and headed for the rooftop. He checked the door and smiled when the handle clicked letting him step out. Peering curiously around, he wondered if he was the first one to arrive.]
[The rooftop wasn't exactly the French Riviera or anything- it was shabby, looked like it had taken a beating, and there were things strewn about that showed it was a place that access by the general student body wasn't allowed, but it happened anyway. Not far off, a planter box sat in two rows. Someone had been tending to it, but Akira didn't know who would drag themselves up here to take care of a few meek vegetable plants. Maybe it was the biology teacher. It seems like something she would do.
Prior to coming up, Akira had bought two bowls of instant ramen from the vending machines downstairs. The trickier part was getting hot water up here- but with a little help from a hot plate and a thoroughly washed out glass beaker from the science practice room this afternoon (look, he didn't steal them, no, of course not), it was busy bubbling away and prepping to be dumped into the styrofoam containers.
Morgana cheerfully circles around his feet, chattering away about little things, about Mementos, about how they should go see how far it goes, not different from a kid in Japan who thought if he burrowed a hole deep enough in the ground he'd land up in the United States. It's not long after that Yu arrives up here, and as Akira is sitting, watching for the bubbling beaker to hit its boiling point, he waves.]
[It's not wide and tidy like Inaba's rooftop but there's this sense of comfort and familiarity coming from it. Maybe it's those little gardens and stuff cramped in the corners. Something like a camping place? Yu liked this place already.]
Thank you for invi..ting.. me... [Yu's voice slowly faded out as he spotted in what Akira was heating up the water for the ramen.] ...is that from science lab? [...] How did you get it here without anyone seeing you? [It might not be big, but it's glass and if it breaks, principal's face might pop from anger.
And no, he's not judging Akira for doing this. In fact, he looks more fascinated than he should.]
Oh! [His eyes fall on the cat near Akira's legs and Yu drops his bag to the side so he can crouch and greet the cat as well.] I see you dropped by as well, despite the fact that it's forbidden to bring pets to school.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
having silver/gray hair but not being old man helps
It was to be expected. He couldn't have stayed in Inaba forever, no matter how much he wanted to. When he stepped outside the first morning in the city, it felt so surreally big and evenings were loud. Nothing like Inaba and its calm nights filled with sounds of crickets. Yu found himself being unable to focus on even reading a simple novel.
His parents didn't dally with applying him to the new high school. It was to be expected, after all, he was third and last year. He initially thought he'd go to his former high school, but they changed the place of living as well so the closest school was Shujin Academy. To Yu, it didn't really matter. Somehow, he wished that his remaining high school days would fly by so he could go do whatever he wanted. Mainly visiting his friends.
Yu, however, underestimated a city school. Sure, there were some gossips when he moved to Inaba, but he figured it was because Inaba was a small place and nothing really exciting happened. But to think that city school like Shujin Academy could gossip like this, weeks on end, was baffling. No one really talked to him, yet everyone talked about him. It was infuriating. So he spent most of his time rushing out of the school and going to his part-time job. The flower shop was cute and arranging flowers relaxing.
And today was especially tiring. He had a run in with council president who reprimanded him about all the gossips and that 'drinking alcohol is extremely prohibited at Shujin Academy'. Being friends with Rise has its weaknesses.
He was startled from his thoughts when a guy spoke up. His face looked familiar but he couldn't say why...]
Ah, yes. I'm Narukami Yu. [He looks at the vending machine and quickly steps back-] Sorry, am I in the way?
also being the king of swag helps
Standing there, now, Akira feels a little awkward. He probably shouldn't have said anything at all, and he can feel Morgana fidgeting against the inside of his bag, almost headbutting him and reminding him that he needs to keep a low profile. But really, who listens to a cat, anyway?]
No, you're not in the way. Hey... I know I'm new around here too, so let me give you a piece of advice... Make sure you check the expiration date on the cold drinks here. I... [He scratches the back of his head, awkwardly looking for the right words to say] Might've gotten sick once already.
Anyway, I'm Kurusu Akira, it's nice to meet you.
[He holds out his hand to Yu, expectantly to shake it.]
that too~
He pauses and looks at the drink in his hand-] Huh? Really? I thought they restocked these every week. [That sounded pretty unbelievable. Is the staff around here lazy enough to not restock the items in vending machines properly? He checks the can and sighs. It seems this one is fine.] Thank you for the warning. I'll be careful.
[For a second, Yu hesitates about the offered hand. It brought back memories that he'd rather not remember. But it would be extremely rude not to accept it. With a smile, he shifts the drink in his left hand and shakes hands.] Nice to meet you too. Are you third year? I didn't see you around.
I AM THOU, THOU ART I
And he feels like he should warn Yu that the teachers around here really... aren't the best in the world when it comes to taking care of the student staff. The entire volleyball team could attest to that, as well as a few friends who were the objects of a sick person's twisted desires. But. Well, he's new, and he has this wide eyed look about him that he doesn't want to interfere with. That, and he's really not in the business of making himself seem like he knows anything about these parts. Living a double life was definitely not the easiest thing in the world.]
No... I'm a second year. I transferred here a little while ago from the suburbs.
[He wants to ask if it's rough moving from a rural area to the city, not knowing that Yu was already from Tokyo, but that wouldn't be right for someone he's just met.
Morgana bumps into his neck from inside his bag.
"Hey, idiot. Get your drink and let's get out of here. We don't need to make friends with newbies. It'll only rouse suspicion."
He heads to the vending machine to pick out a sports drink for the time being (checks the label too, just in case).]
Well, good luck out there. Don't let the rumors get to you.
THOU HAS ESTABLISHED WILDCARD CONFIDANT
But it isn't Yu's place to pry. Especially since he just met the guy. A kouhai. Sounds nice. And Akira-kun seems nice too.
Yu gives him a gentle smile.]
Really? Almost similar to me. Although, I'm from Tokyo to begin with... [he mumbles the last part more to himself than his new acquaintance. He nods-] It's quite alright. I got used to them by now. I wish they'd talk to me instead of talking behind my back.
[He opens his drink and takes a long sip. Yu doesn't know why, but he feels refreshed after talking to this guy. Did he crave human contact that much?]
Thank you for the encouragement.
no subject
He tries to think of how hard it was to make friends when he first came here to Shujin, and how much he'd feel abandoned if he had to transfer back to his old life.
It sucks.]
Yeah. Heard you're quite the troublemaker.
[There's a shy smile that plays on his lips as he opens his drink in response. If Ryuji were here, there would be so many more questions; this interaction would be so much louder, he'd probably be scared off by now. But Yu has this air of quiet confidence about him that's really... calming in a sort of way.]
Here's to being troublemakers, then. [He pretends to hold up his glass in a way of toast, until he sees the time on his watch from his raised arm.]
Ah... sorry to split, but I have to go home and feed my cat... See you round.
no subject
He sighs in defeat-] The drinking stuff? I tried explaining that the club doesn't serve alcohol ever since there was drunk car crash near it, but no one really listened. So I stopped trying. [Which is not exactly like him, but there was nothing else he could do.
With a smile, he raises his own drink to cheer back. So, the guy was marked as a troublemaker as well? Tokyo is ruthless.]
Oh, you have a cat? That's great. Go feed the little guy, I'll see you around! [Now that he mentions it, he needs to go to work. He shouldn't be late.]
no subject
1. No guests after 8pm
2. Be home by midnight
3. Don't end up at school late because of any damn part time jobs you take
4. If you cook, clean up.
5. If you cook, make sure you don't stink the place up
6. If you make coffee, make sure it doesn't suck.)
But that's fine- Akira figures that being able to leave the attic after school was a lot more accommodating to his particular needs (a part-time job, really) especially since he was dropping money left and right to obtain model guns, bandages from a doctor who performed clinical trials on him, and needed some extra cash to get to and from Shinjuku at night. But for the first order of business, he was asked to head to the flower shop down in the Shibuya underground mall. Fertilizer and a bouquet of soft white flowers.
Which was... to say the least weird, since he wasn't exactly sure what the flowers were for. Leblanc was dreary as ever, always sporting that jazzy, smokey feeling of a washed up crooner that had too much money leftover and wanted to start some side job that included selling coffee. Maybe it was for a date.
Akira... doesn't want to think about the later possibility, and ask he checks a text from Ryuji, he finds himself heading down to the subway line, Morgana in tow in his handbag.
This is bullshit! I can't believe that art fraud is doing this shit and getting away with it. We have to do something. Tell me we're doing something soon! The hell!
That was definitely a text to reply to later, not in the middle of a crowded subway station.
Not long after, he finds his way down the slope of the passageway, remembering vaguely where the shop was supposed to do. He only got lost once, which was definitely progress when it came to finding his way around Tokyo, and eventually stops when he sees who's working it.]
Part time job?
no subject
...did he lose his ability to make friends? Was that just one-time deal that Velvet Room granted him?
Yu shook his thoughts away and went back to his work. As always, working at the flower shop seemed to calm him. Arranging flowers in categories and then by colors was like solving a puzzle where pieces fall into place by themselves.
He was so preoccupied with organizing that the shopkeeper greeted the customer first and only paid attention to who it was when the guy spoke up. Yu couldn't help but smile widely at the only person he made decent contact with. Short, true, but it was nice.]
Ah, yes. [Yu shrugs slightly-] There's nothing interesting going on at home so I'm killing time. [More like 'my parents are home 2 days out of 7'.]
How can I help you?
no subject
[Yu admittedly looks... pretty natural when he's surrounded by a small stall like this, flowers brimming from conic shaped vats, the pleasant smell wafting through the nearby area. So much so that Akira finds himself dumbly smiling at the chance encounter. This would be the second time that he ran into the silver haired senpai, which he knows doesn't mean that much... but Tokyo is huge. Seeing each other in school is one thing, but out here in the vast crowd of faceless people, the hustle of the city, the anonymity of it all. It feels weird.
And since Akira is the type to trust easily, it never crossed his mind to check the metaverse app and see if Yu had a palace of his own. It would make sense, after all. nothing really seemed like it was fate, so much so as just realizing that people who act one way on the outside tend to have a very different underlying personality beneath it all.
Morgana, as if he could sense the same thing, pops up from the bag, his chin resting on Akira's shoulder.]
Careful, Joker.
I know, I know- we just need some flowers for Sojiro.
[He reaches around to scratch the top of Morgana's head, which, of course, is something that the not-cat hates, especially coming from Akira. It then dawns on him that yes, he's speaking to a cat in public and that probably makes him look on the verge of crazy, so he clears his throat with a little hem, and looks around a bit.]
Sorry, uhm. We're looking--- I'm looking for something soft and white. Any suggestions?
no subject
Meeting Akira at the flower shop this evening is an extremely pleasant surprise. Just like before, the guy has an aura that draws people in to talk to him. There was a sense of emptiness when their conversation ended last time. Yu wrote it off to his ability to attach to people easily and that he misses his friends back at Inaba.
His response was interrupted by a black cat popping its head from behind Akira. If one takes a closer look, they'd notice Yu's eyes light up.]
Oh? Is this the guy you had to feed? He's beautiful. [Without hesitating, he reaches out and scratches the cat behind its ear. He doesn't do it for long (he didn't want to agitate the cat and make it run away), nor did he mind Akira talking to it. Yu talks to cats himself.]
That's okay. White flowers you say? Hmm... let me see. [Yu went into the shop and looked around. There were several types of white flowers and all were beautiful. He reaches out for white amaryllis to show it off.] These arrived earlier. They are still very fresh and won't wilt fast.
If not, you can always go for the iceberg rose [he nods to the roses left of him] if you can't decide. Roses are always a go to when you're not sure.
no subject
You little traitor... [Akira mutters it under his breath, enough for Morgana to hear. Usually speaking his affection towards pretending to do anything cat like diminished greatly outside the realm of rolling up into a ball and sleeping next to Akira. That was it. No tasty treats. No paw tricks. No scratches on the head, nothing. It was horrible. Akira owned the world's weirdest not-cat.
Annoyed disposition aside, it's really hard not to pay attention to Yu when he looks so excited about getting the chance to meet the little guy. It's probably the first person he met that actually enjoyed the not-cat's presence outwardly (Sojiro secretly liked him, but it's not something he'd ever admit)- and... he was cute about it in a way that authentically showed he loves being around them. To say the least, it has Akira pushing up his glasses (NERD) and trying not to show that he was pleasantly surprised.]
He says thank you. [He laughs a little- cats can't talk, right? Akira is weird.] Oh... these are both really nice.
Hold on. Can you hold them both up against your hair?
[Reaching out, he gently grabs a hold of the iceberg rose and holds it out for Yu. There's a method to his madness. Anyone dating Sojiro probably has grey hair. It's important to pick flowers that complement beauty, after all.]
no subject
He gives the cat a wide smile and nods, resisting the urge to pet it again. It has such fascinating blue eyes too! Most cats Yu met had brown eyes or cloudy, grey color.]
Oh? Uh-- [the request takes him off guard for the moment, but he complies, bringing the flower stem next to his face. He usually doesn't pry into why people buy flowers, but he can't help himself after this.]
May I ask why? [He asks hesitantly while glancing at the shop owner who is giving him a critical look. Yu's not sure if it's approving or disapproving.]
no subject
Feeling the gaze of the shopowner heavily on the both of them, he tries to scramble and come up with another excuse. The problem is his shyness, and Morgana knows exactly what's going on because he's laughing at his shoulder. He shrugs a little, jostling the little guy to stop making so much noise, and he says the first thing that pops into his head.]
The flowers... aren't for me. I was asked to pick them up for someone, but I wanted to make sure they were pretty, so I just wanted to use you as comparison.
[Oh. Fuck. No, that's not what he wanted to say at all. Morgana is meowing so hard through his laughter that Akira shrugs him off completely, throwing him off as he lands on his feet- and then decides to hide behind Yu's legs.
Akira gives him a look of promised death, but it's to no avail, and he scratches his head in the extreme embarrassment.]
I'll take the roses. The entire batch.
no subject
Ah- s-sure then, I- okay! Whole batch! [So eloquent. All that studying he did and vast vocabulary and expressions he knows and he ends up saying "okay"? Yu wishes he can grab nearby decor paper and wrap his face up and let the earth beneath swallow him.
He grabs a handful of roses and turns to the desk to cut and arrange them properly. His heart needs to stop pounding so loudly too. The cat that's hiding behind his legs is helping him calm down too.
When he's finally done, he goes back to Akira to hand him the bouquet over. He had put additional effort into preparing it too- it was probably the best one he made so far.]
Here we are. I hope you like it. [...dammit, his cheeks still feel warm. Hopefully, it's not noticeable and his smile is a good cover up.]
no subject
It's always moments like this that he wishes time would speed up, but of course, every second feels like an hour, and as it gets closer to being completed, he tries his hardest to calm the raging blush that's settling down his cheeks. And for all the cool, debonair tricks he could pull off as a Phantom Thief, nothing really prepared him for being able to handle accidentally hitting on another guy. For once, he's thankful Ryuji is nowhere near. Or worse, Ann. They'd never let him live this one down.
(Which reminds him- when he gets home he's reaming Morgana out for leaving him in left field like this. And doubly so that he shouldn't meow a word of this to anyone else or canned food would be about the only thing he'd be eating for the next few weeks.)]
Thank you. They're perfect, really.
[Taking out his wallet to pay, he offers over the requires amount, forgetting that he also came to get some fertilizer. Oh well, Sojiro would chide him later about that one.]
no subject
The rest of the evening went by uneventful. They had few more customers but that was basically it. The shop owner had let him go home early since the business was slow. While he was putting away his work apron and picking up his school bag, he noticed something rectangular in the corner of the shop. With a frown, he picked it up.
A wallet. Akira-kun's wallet according to the library card in it (he had to check this isn't snooping!). He somehow dropped it and the customers that came in and out kicked it into the corner of the shop. He nodded his goodbye's to the shop owner and went home. Well, he has another chance at talking to him, that's for certain. Is this luck? Or fate? Sometimes he wishes he could go back in velvet room and get cryptic advice from Igor or Margaret. Cryptic advice is better than none.
The next day, he tried finding Akira during lunch time. He overestimated himself when he stepped out of his classroom and was greeted by an avalanche of students going to buy lunch. Why is the third year on the first floor anyway!? A question he never got an answer to.
Fighting his way through the crowd, he finally managed to reach the second floor. It wasn't as crowded as first, but... he didn't see Akira. And being the moron that he is, he didn't ask which class he attends. Well- he has no other choice but lingers around, hoping to bump into him.
The nervousness of getting to meet him again is twisting his stomach enough to not be hungry.]
no subject
The worry kept him up for another hour or two until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. There wasn't anything he could do about it; beating himself up over it wouldn't help. Waking, he eventually makes his way downstairs, somewhat ready for school, wondering if he has enough time to try and trace his steps back to the flower shop and see if it was still there (unlikely)- until he noticed that the roses he placed in a pot were gone, which roused a whole other level of suspicion.
Sojiro didn't even say thank you.
Using his phone for subway passage, he makes his way to school, managing to nab a seat on the train, Morgana bouncing in the schoolbag in his lap. Most of the day was met with passive worry over that stupid wallet- and he wasn't about to ask Ann for some money for lunch, so he was going to go hungry until dinner.
He was actually just thinking about Yu, too, as he decides to go for a walk during lunchtime. Everything about yesterday was horrible- from his slip up at the shop, to leaving his wallet, to the lack of sleep he got over thinking about both things... and there he was, of course, just standing outside the classroom down the hall.
Wait- was he waiting for Akira? Oh no. This wasn't what he was expecting. What if he said something stupid again? He veers right, pretending he didn't see the upper classman. Maybe he can get away undetected.]
no subject
Of course, he didn't interrupt the conversation. He diligently waited for them to finish up before he approached. It felt awkward after last night's encounter, but Akira probably needed his wallet. Maybe he didn't even have his lunch yet!]
Excuse me, Akira-kun. [Yu waved lightly to get the other boy's attention.] I need to speak to you for a second.
[Finally standing in front of him, Yu reaches for his inner pocket and pulls out Akira's wallet.] You dropped this yesterday in the shop. I almost didn't notice it- people had kicked it to the side as they came in and out of the shop.
no subject
Oh... hi.
[24/7 charm, 24/7 grace: Akira Kurusu. Yu holds out his wallet, and Akira's brows perk upward. To say he was surprised was a huge understatement.]
My wallet?
[Reaching over, he takes it back, looking at its closed figure in his palm. Relief washes over him as he smiles softly at the gesture. To think, he'd left his ID card and everything there, and Yu happened to pick it up. Or pickpocketed him... but that seems rather unlikely considering how forward this guy seemed to be. Akira laughs at himself a little for even thinking that, and pockets it, without even checking to see if any money was missing.]
Thanks... I was beginning to think I'd never find it.
[He can feel Ryuji quirking a brow, until he feels the weight of a hand on his shoulder. Catch ya later, Akira. You'll have to tell me this story tonight. - before he settles off to leave (1) very awkward feeling Akira alone with Yu.]
Are you free? I think I owe you a ramen at this point.
no subject
Yes. It was in the corner of the room so I consider it a lucky coincidence that I noticed it. I didn't go through it at all, just looked at the ID. [Yu is not versed in pickpocketing and he doesn't really need to be. When the blond boy leaves, he feels less pressured. He doesn't know why- maybe it's the nerves of trying to make himself look presentable to someone he doesn't know.
He didn't expect to be invited out for hangout though. And Yu never refuses the invitations-]
I am actually. You don't really owe me anything, but I'd like to hang out with you. Is after classes alright? Lunch break is almost over. [He's not above skipping classes, but he can't suggest that to someone he recently met!]
no subject
He's a proper thief, after all. Maybe he should invest in a safe, or something.]
After classes? It's a date.
[Wait.
He really has to stop doing this.]
I mean. It's... uh...
[Akira raises his arm to the back of his head, feeling dumber by the minute. He's not like this with anyone else, so why Yu of all people?]
No worries. I'll... how about the roof? I'll bring some snacks.
[Akira also isn't above skipping class, but considering his most recent blunder, sitting through a history lesson with Kawakami sensei seems a lot less embarrassing at this point.]
no subject
Sounds like a plan. I didn't hang out on the rooftop in a while. [Did that bring back some memories or what? The whole investigation team, chilling out on the rooftop, eating ramen. Mostly stealing said ramen from the girls.] I'll bring some snacks myself. [If he knew he'd hang out with Akira, he would have made some snacks back home.
Yu always aims to impress.
After waving a short goodbye, Yu went back to his class. Finally, after several weeks, he has something to look forward to. It was a feeling he missed. So when the classes ended, Yu crammed as much snacks and drinks as he can in his bag and headed for the rooftop. He checked the door and smiled when the handle clicked letting him step out. Peering curiously around, he wondered if he was the first one to arrive.]
Hello?
no subject
Prior to coming up, Akira had bought two bowls of instant ramen from the vending machines downstairs. The trickier part was getting hot water up here- but with a little help from a hot plate and a thoroughly washed out glass beaker from the science practice room this afternoon (look, he didn't steal them, no, of course not), it was busy bubbling away and prepping to be dumped into the styrofoam containers.
Morgana cheerfully circles around his feet, chattering away about little things, about Mementos, about how they should go see how far it goes, not different from a kid in Japan who thought if he burrowed a hole deep enough in the ground he'd land up in the United States. It's not long after that Yu arrives up here, and as Akira is sitting, watching for the bubbling beaker to hit its boiling point, he waves.]
Welcome to the hideout.
no subject
Thank you for invi..ting.. me... [Yu's voice slowly faded out as he spotted in what Akira was heating up the water for the ramen.] ...is that from science lab? [...] How did you get it here without anyone seeing you? [It might not be big, but it's glass and if it breaks, principal's face might pop from anger.
And no, he's not judging Akira for doing this. In fact, he looks more fascinated than he should.]
Oh! [His eyes fall on the cat near Akira's legs and Yu drops his bag to the side so he can crouch and greet the cat as well.] I see you dropped by as well, despite the fact that it's forbidden to bring pets to school.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)