Stay ( Akiryu/Pegoryu)

"Fearless leader"

Akira is lying his room by himself, he felt lost, dark circles under his eyes, why was he acting like this?, why is he acting like this now?, he's free from prison and probation, right? Why does he feel trapped?, he's been hiding it for too long, he wanted to try and re-adjust with Shibuya which he slowly seen as a second home but how come he had this unsettling feeling? But no matter how much he hides it, those unwanted memories won't go away.

A familiar looking cat looked up out of his curled up body and could notice something is going on which lead him to jump down from the bed and nudging Ryuji on the couch sleeping. "What do you want?, it's late..go get sushi yourself.."

"My appetite can wait, Akira has been acting...odd...it's a little bit concerning.." Mona frowned, cleaning his paw.

Ryuji slowly stands up and sees there is something on his mind.

"Eh...You doing okay?...you've been awfully quiet all day"

"I'm fine..." he mumbled in response.

"Come on, man..what is up?, you're clearly hiding something and I just want to know-

"I said I'm fine.....just go to bed.." Akira raised his voice a bit, turning the other way.

Ryuji sighs "Okay but...if you need anything..just let me know.."

The blond male looked at him a little annoyed and a bit hurt by how oddly dismissive he was acting. He didn't want to leave his side until he knew what was going on, he couldn't stand it when people are lying when their not okay, it reminded him of how the track team refused to open up about the bad treatment they got from Kamoshida and as much as he wants to help him, he decides to give him space instead of demanding answers. Morgana watches him leave the room, the feline looking creature decides to leap back onto the bed and decides to sleep on top of the covers where Akira is, he knows he can't do much to help him, so all he can do is lie next to him for support.

Later, Akira is once again alone with his thoughts, he sighs sadly, feeling a little guilty for lashing out at Ryuji all of sudden. No matter how much he tried to sleep it off, he just kept waking up, he turns over to see the blonde male right in front of him.

"Oh...hey..." Akira replied apologetically "Uh...I shouldn't of yelled like that.."

"It's fine...I kinda got worried all of sudden, I thought I did something wrong for a moment there"

"No you didn't.."

There was an uncomfortable silence between until Ryuji slowly broke the silence. "Are you okay?.."

Akira smiles sadly "Yeah...I'm okay...just tired as all.."

Ryuji gives a sad smile and decides to go back to sleep until suddenly, he felt Akira lightly tug his hand. The trickster looks at him with this nerve of confusion and fear which makes Ryuji realise that everything that happened on his probation got to him, it surprised him at first on how he managed to recover but the truth was right in front of him.

The blonde looks at him hesitantly "Hey...Akira?..." he bit his lip "Is it okay..if I accompany you for tonight?...I would go sleep downstairs but..the shop can get pretty cold at night..."

Akira shrugs at the answer, a little surprised by the response "Well...if you want to.."

A smile cracks on Ryuji's face.

"I'll go get another blanket!, It's fine I can take the floor"

Before Ryuji could run downstairs, Akira stops him in his tracks. "Ryuji?.....don't be dense..." Akira sighed with a deadpan expression, making him a little confused. "There's more room here" he taps the mattress with a little smirk, leading his best friend to blush in realisation.

"W-What?...come on, man...you're joshing me"
He laughs nervously, Akira looks at him, he was serious. Ryuji gulps reluctantly as he approached Akira and lied next to him, he looks at him for a long minute which lead to another silence between them.

The trickster smirks "What's with that look?.."

"It's nothing!...I just.....It's...not important.." Ryuji pouts, averting his eyes from him.

They once again look at each other in the comfort of the room. Ryuji hesitantly shifts his hand through Akira's hair and moving his sideburns behind his ear which lead him to blush and Ryuji to shift back.

"Sorry!....It's just...Your hair it's just...soft..I couldn't resist.."

Akira pauses and smiles a bit by Ryuji's embarrassed expression.

"I guess that's why Morgana calls me 'Frizzy Hair'..Huh. "

There was yet another silence between them, Akira pauses again through a defeated smile "Uh...Thanks.."

"Don't mention it...."

..."I'm so tired..."

"I know, man.."

..."I know you all look up to me and see me as this fearless leader but on the inside...I was terrified..." Akira's head pressed against his pillow. "It's been taking me a while to move on..I know you don't recover from this Immediately...but I don't want to fall apart over this...I mean I don't want to end up pushing people away and my heart would suddenly manifest a palace that a figment of my shadow and cause me to hurt my own teammates, right?"
He laughs sombrely, as he frowns cautiously.

Ryuji looks at him understandably worried on what he meant by that, he shifts close to him.

"Akira....that won't happen...we'll make sure it won't happen...you got wrapped in some shit and you don't know how to process..especially on how to adjust to that said environment. Ryuji sighs "You have every right to be angry, upset and even scared...but that doesn't make you bad..you're good, Akira..we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you..." Ryuji smiled sadly ".....I really missed you..."

..."I missed you too..."

Akira goes quiet again, he suddenly felt Ryuji hesitantly pulls him close into his chest stroking his hair, he becomes a little surprised by the forwardness as he slowly dozed off and his breathing becoming calm and soft.

Ryuji laid there quietly while resting his chin on Akira's head as he blushes lightly with a warm smile on his face as the moonlight shun through the windows upon them.