words | akaashi keiji

swims.

"In the absence of this impulse nothing stirs."
Philip Larkin

"Okay, okay. No cat." Mei conceded, frowning playfully toward Akaashi as he stared back at her.

The two were sat in a small coffee shop on late Saturday afternoon, and they had been watching a few of the people come and go for the past half hour.

He stayed silent, until Mei threw on another goofy smile, hoping to catch him smile, but it did not happen.

"So, what do you do for fun anyway? Read?"

"Yes."

"Anything else? What do you do on weekends usually? Anyone you hang out with? Or am I the only one with the honors," Mei joked, making Akaashi shake his head back at her.

"You're not. My friends aren't available this weekend."

So, he does have friends! Interesting...

"Do they go to different schools?" Mei asked quietly, becoming serious as she took in Akaashi's unmoved expression.

"Some of them went to university."

Ah, I see. He hung out with the third years when we were second years.

"I'm sorry, I know it sucks when you're left behind."

Akaashi nodded slowly, looking to Mei with a furrowed brow before questioning, "have you been left behind, then?"

Nope, I ask the questions here, buddy.

Mei gave an awkward laugh, leaving Akaashi to look at her questioningly before taking a sip of his hot tea.

"Getting deep now, are we? You're very philosophical." She commented, completely dodging the question, which wasn't unnoticed by Akaashi.

"I make observations," he said with a small shrug, choosing not to press his question further but keeping mental note about it.

"Anyway, so you think I can ever meet your fancy college friends?" Mei quickly perked back up, and Akaashi let out a tired sigh.

"No."

"Always so blunt and cold, Akaashi." Mei fired back quickly, pouting at him again as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"They're busy people."

"And you're not? Are you ever busy?" Mei began asking even more questions, leading Akaashi to give another long sigh.

"I used to be."

Is this... him finally opening up?

What's in the tea here? I gotta bring him here more often.

"Used to be? Has something happened?" Mei asked, giving a slight frown of pity.

Akaashi stared back at her plainly, lifting his mug to his lips before leaning back in his seat.

"No."