Will You Forgive Me? (Akechi x Akira)

Chapter 4- 2/2

They had all parted ways at the station with the promise that they would send the calling card later that week. Akira made his way through the dark lamp lit street until he turned the corner and saw the familiar warm lights of Leblanc at the end of the short street. He wasn't sure when to expect Akechi or if he was even coming tonight, he hadn't given him much notice of their 'change of heart' so he might not even be able to come.

"I was just about to lock up, but feel free to use anything, just make sure to clean up if you do." Akira smiled at Sojiro's words and took his place behind the counter to fix himself a cup of the house blend. He didn't feel like anything sophisticated should be wasted on him tonight. He didn't think he'd enjoy it to its fullest. Sojiro left while he was still preparing the coffee with a short wave.

It was amazing how much the man had warmed up to him. To think that Sojiro had wanted nothing to do with him just a couple of months ago and was now trusting him fully with his cafe, his heart and soul. As the machine whistled he lent back, watching Morgana jump up onto the stool once Sojiro was no longer in sight of the cafe door. He shook his head while smiling at the cat.
"You want anything? Cat treats?" He suggested with a laugh as he surveyed with interest the way Morgana's face screwed up angrily at his joke.
"I would like some milk, but the cat treats are not necessary thank you very much!"

Morgana scowled, only making everything funnier. Morgana could never really accomplish an actual angry expression without looking extremely cute in the process. Not able to resist the overwhelming charm exuding from the furious cat, he nonchalantly bopped him on the nose and went on his way to pour out some milk. When he placed the finished result on the table in front of him the reaction was much to his amusement.

"What the hell is this?" Morgana poked his creation with an accusing paw and then his eyes flicked back up at Akira,
"Would you like a spoon, Your highness?"
"No! I would like an actual utensil able to hold milk, in what world did you think a plate would work?!" Akira shrugged and pushed the plate carrying the swimming contents of milk further towards Morgana who looked at him in utter disbelief.
"Tuck in." He smiled and spun around to pour his own drink into an actual mug.

"My appearance may not look human, but I'm not some savage!" Akira was saved from answering by a small knock on the front door. There were only a few possibilities on who the knocker could be... Sojiro back to berate him for having Morgana on his stools, Futaba coming by to get him to make her a late night coffee, a robber checking to make sure no one was there so they could strip the cafe clean, or perhaps the worst and most explosive outcome, Akechi.

Morgana seemed to be already thinking it was the last possibility because his eyes were wide and staring. Akira dropped the mug he was holding onto the table. Luckily it hadn't been too far off the table and it only tinkled threateningly as it hit the table top.

With a final exchange of anticipated expressions with Morgana, he crept over to the door and peered through the darkened panes at a dark figure who looked as though they were ready to knock again until they must have realised Akira's mass behind the door.
"Kurusu? Is that you?" Ding ding ding! It was the 4th possible outcome! It was hard not to recognise the detectives voice when he constantly heard it through the Tv at Leblanc.

"I might have miscalculated your detective skills, you sure are smart~" he said as sarcastically as he could muster. He could tell it had done its job because of the short exhaling sound that only just carried through the door. Akira smiled to himself and unlocked the door to find a sour faced Akechi, a soft pout consuming his features. Akira's smile broadened, he hadn't liked that jive one bit.
"You think you're taking it a little too much to heart?" He asked with an amused tilt of the head.

Akechi straightened up and hitched a nonchalant expression onto his face as though he had never showed any signs of being affected by what Akira had said.
"I didn't take anything to heart," he said, a cold undertone to his voice, "but moving along from that, I really can't thank you enough for allowing me to stay here." The room suddenly felt a lot brighter despite the darkness creeping in from outside and every crevice seemed to sparkle invitingly even with the cobwebs. All illuminated by the glowing smile Akechi shone them.
"It was everyone's decision,"
"And some agreed rather begrudgingly so you better not do anything shady." Morgana interjected, his hard stare boring into Akechi.

Akechi smile saddened, but he nodded understandingly,
"I won't, I don't want to... Is that... milk? On a plate?" His eyes became wide and the corners of his mouth twitched uncertainly as though he wasn't sure whether to be amused or not.
"That's exactly what it is! This idiot doesn't know how to properly serve milk." The scathing remark elicited a overdramatised gasp from Akira as he clasped a hand over his mouth.
"You've never disliked the way I serve milk before!"
"You didn't serve it on a plate before!"

The heated exchange was cut short by a chuckle from beside them that made them both turn in unison to find Akechi watching them with apt interest. He took a few moments to compose himself, but when he did he choked out,
"You're bickering like a married couple." It was like a blow to the side of the head. He had not expected that. As much as he loved the cat, he would rather be married to a slug than Morgana. He couldn't imagine how bad bedtime arrangements would be if they were ever to be in a marital arrangement. He could never live with having to sleep at 5 in the afternoon.
"I only have eyes for one meowvelous lady~" Morgana chirped, a dreamy look in his eye.

"You should just tell her and get the rejection over with." He mumbled under his breath, but Morgana's ears perked up quickly.
"What was that? I think I heard you wrong because my queen would not reject me, and I will tell her! J-just not yet..." Morgana finished rather bashfully and turned to the stairs, "I'm going to bed."
"What about your milk?!" Akira yelled after the retreating cat, but he didn't respond, but rather jumped up the stairs two at a time.

Akira scowled and picked up the plate spilling with milk and poured the contents into the sink, running water over it to clean the rest. Akira had almost forgotten that Akechi was there until he coughed quietly,
"How's the palace coming along?" Akechi's tone was conversationable, but he could detect the longing behind the words. Akira didn't answer straight away, but finished scrubbing the plate until it was entirely milk free. Once he had nothing else to provide him with stalling time, he opened his mouth.

"We've got the infiltration route secured, just have to send the calling card." He turned to look at Akechi who seemed to be lost in thought, a silent finger to his lips. When Akechi caught him staring he smiled shortly,
"I'm glad." He didn't know why, but there was something really off about that smile. It wasn't one of happiness or any emotion Akira knew. It was confusing... and false. They were again left in a heavy silence where Akira picked up his own mug and began to wash it clean.

"You can take the bed if you want, you are the guest." He voiced after the long silence. Akechi seemed confused until it dawned on him what Akira was talking about,
"Oh! Uh, no, it's fine, I don't want to be more of a nuisance than I already am." He twinkled lightly, "we can share if you do insist though~" he said jokingly with a wink. Akira blanched and shook his head fervently,
"First of all, I'm the one that's supposed to be making those types of jokes, not the other way around, second of all, not a chance."

Akechi let out a laugh,
"Just thought I ought to get you back for the whole 'honey I'm home' thing. You can call us even now."
"I didn't even get a good reaction from that, you just played it off as if I didn't say anything." he mumbled a little scathingly and received a distant smirk from the boy opposite.

"Well at least it's made for good conversation now,"
"At least." Akira repeated with an accompanied groan. He glanced down at the small bag Akechi held by his feet and raised an eyebrow, "is that all you brought? Akechi nodded with a small look to his side,
"Is it too much?"
"Are you kidding? Your lucky to have fitted clothes enough for 2 days!" The bag looked just smaller than the average school bag and he knew from experience that his school bag- which was larger than the bag Akechi had brought with him- only just managed to fit his school things along with a change of gym clothes.

"I'll manage."
"Wait so there really is only 2 changes of clothes?!" Akira exclaimed his jaw dropping comically. Akechi simply shook his head exasperatedly, but a small grin was playing at his lips.
"Well we should probably go up or Morgana will have both our heads."