Will You Forgive Me? (Akechi x Akira)

Chapter 15- Underground Mall

"Akira! Akechi!" Akira turned at the sound of his name and caught sight of Ann waving enthusiastically just up the street. Akira smiled and waved back, watching Ann slowly make her way through the crowd towards them. Akira noticed Goro's posture stiffen slightly beside him, but made no other cue to show he had noticed Ann. Akira nudged Goro gently in the side, whispering as he did,
"Relax won't you?" He smiled reassuringly.
"I am relaxed." Goro snapped quietly back, making a gesture that looked like he was about to cross his arms, but decided better of it.

"Hi!" Ann puffed as she finally made it to them, standing proudly as though she had completed some daunting task. "I didn't think it would be this busy." She said with wide eyes, "you think something's on?"
"The train lines are packed as well," Morgana commented, sticking his head out of the bag to look up at Ann, "I got so squished Lady Ann." He continued, hanging his head sadly.
"We were all squished..." Akira sighed and Ann laughed.

"I'm sorry for the late notice Takamaki. I hope we didn't cause you trouble." Goro spoke up, sounding extremely apologetic.
"Of course not!" Ann shook her head quickly, "I needed something to take my mind off everything once the shoot was over, so this is perfect." She smiled brightly, "and besides I heard you needed help picking out some new clothes," she added pointedly at Goro who chuckled lightly, although Akira could now tell how forced it really was,
"It would be an honour to receive your assistance Takamaki." He twinkled. It was smiles like these that truly made Akira believe Goro's sincerity, but now...

Ann smiled, her eyes glancing around and finally stopping on the crepe stand a few shops away.
"Hard shoot?" Akira questioned with a smirk. Akira remembered how after particularly tiresome photo shoots, Ann would often drag him to a cafe of sorts and order what seemed to be the dessert with the highest amount of calories. Ann sighed, shaking her head in disbelief,
"Damn, am I really that easy to read?" She laughed, with a grin at Akira, "Mika was there again..." she explained, her face falling slightly, "she doesn't hold back at all, it really takes it out of me when she's there," she paused, then her expression suddenly flipped and she was smiling again, "but I guess I can thank her for that too! I have a new passion for modeling now and I will definitely surpass her one of these days!"

"Lady Ann, you've truly grown." Morgana purred and Ann looked sheepishly back at him.
"Ahaha! You really think so? It's really thanks to this guy that I was able to find my courage in the first place." Ann nodded to Akira who felt a rush of affection for Ann. Morgana was right, she had grown. Akira glanced beside him and saw Goro frowning skeptically at the group of them as though lost in thought.
"Don't give me all the credit, you're the one responsible for changing." He smiled warmly, "why don't we get something once we finish shopping?" He questioned with a nod towards the crepe stand, causing Ann's eyes to light up.
"Mhmm! Even with the promise of sweets I won't be holding back on you Akechi, I'll have you try on everything if we have to!" Ann exclaimed, clapping her hands together in a final sort of fashion.

Goro looked taken aback and a tad wary at Ann's enthusiasm, but willingly followed them down into the underground. Ann seemed to beeline directly to a specific store as if she had planned this from the very beginning. Goro looked up at the store name,
"A reject store," Goro murmured absently and Ann nodded,
"Mmhm! You'd be surprised at all the stuff you can find here." Akira surveyed the shop with interest. He had only ever looked in from the outside and hadn't ever thought of actually shopping there.

Akira glanced at Goro who caught his eye,
"Let's shop!" He said watching the colour drain from Goro's face at an alarming pace as he nodded walking in after Ann who had already one foot inside the store. Ann spent a couple minutes scanning the racks of clothes and taking looks at Goro when she wasn't.
"Alright! I've got a few things that would suit..." Akira gaped at the pile in her hands.
"When did you pick up all that?!"
"You obviously weren't paying attention," Ann teased and sifted through the pile and pulled out a couple to hand to Goro who accepted them rather cautiously. "Try these first, the size should be fine, but if it's not don't hesitate to say." She smiled. Goro offered a short smile back before retreating to the changing room up the back of the shop.