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Toya Aoyagi has never been one to seek a break in routine.
Well, normally. There are exceptions to every rule, including this one. He breaks routine when he has a particularly nasty argument with his father or when he can't see the bigger picture while creating music.
On days like this, Toya takes a walk.
It's not a particularly interesting route, but it's long enough to clear his head. Along Scramble Crossing, past the mall in Shibuya, stopping by Phoenix Wonderland if it's late enough in case he can catch Tsukasa Tenma leaving and chat for a while. Sometimes if it’s a particularly bad day, he walks straight to the Tenmas’ house and hides out for the evening.
Another day, and a particularly bad argument causes Toya to break routine again. He walks down Vivid Street, caught off guard by a familiar voice.
“Akito,” he calls, “is that you?” The voice suddenly stops, calling out “Toya!?”
Akito Shinonome runs over to Toya from wherever he'd been singing. The ginger boy is in Toya’s class, though they've never been particularly close, not yet. “Your voice is incredible,” Toya remarks. Akito grins, patting Toya’s shoulder, telling him to sing now, it's only fair.
That break in routine ended up being the day Akito and Toya formed their duo, BAD DOGS. Toya’s routine changed that day, quite drastically.
Now, he spends his free time with Akito. They perform on the street and in live houses together, they practice in the park and at Akito’s house (when Akito's father isn't home) and anywhere their voices will carry.
Toya’s breaks in routine look different now. Whenever he argues with his father, he doesn't immediately go on a long walk, he calls Akito. He goes to Akito’s house if he can, or to Weekend Garage if Akito is busy. Some days he still stops by the Tenmas’, though he doesn't stay as long - Tsukasa and Saki were ecstatic to hear he's made a friend, Tsukasa practically shoving him out of the door one day, what are you waiting for, Toya?! Seize this opportunity!
Toya has started learning that it's okay to take what he needs. It doesn't come naturally, mind. Akito, Saki, and Tsukasa have all told him in no uncertain terms that if he wants independence from classical music, from his father - truly, if he wants to learn who Toya is - that he needs to take it. And it's hard, to Toya who wishes to act in the interest of others, to Toya who's willing to stand aside and let others stamp away his sense of self.
He gets a message from Akito one day out of the blue. It doesn't say much, but there's enough information for him to determine that it's an important text. Toya, it reads, meet me at thr park at 7. Another text arrives a moment later, the* mb, and then his typically crystal clear communication halts. Akito’s always asked for exactly what he wants, and he doesn't hesitate to yank it out of the hands of whoever’s keeping it from him.
Is something wrong? Toya asks, Akito replies no. Is it important? he asks, yes, Akito answers. Toya has a piano lesson with his father this evening, but whatever this is requires his immediate attention.
Toya borderline wrestles his way out of his home at a quarter to seven - metaphorically, of course. His father, for all of his venomous words and vehement disapproval, has never laid a hand on Toya. Fortunate for the man, because Toya knows full well Akito would've flattened his father by now had he left a mark on Toya’s pale, unblemished skin.
As is demanded of him, Toya’s at the park at seven on the dot. Akito is leaning against the fence, acting cool, though the coming twilight does nothing to hide how nervous the boy looks. He coughs, clearing his throat before speaking.
“Toya-,” Akito begins, cringing and halting the moment his voice cracks. “Fuck, this… n-never mind.”
Toya cocks his head to the side, staring at the shorter boy who's acting far out of his typical character. “What's the matter, Akito?” he asks.
“Nothin’, Toya. Don't worry about me, yeah?” Akito says with a strained smile, one hand clearly hidden behind his back. Toya raises an eyebrow, reaches his hand for Akito’s sleeve. “N-No, don't!” pleads Akito, but Toya’s already got a grasp on him and a bouquet of blue and purple and white flowers appears before him. Akito's face is a shocking shade of red as Toya takes what he wants.
“Who are these for, Akito?” Toya asks, and for a moment Akito considers cowering away, saying they're for someone else, forget about today. “Uh… they're for, uh… for you, man,” he mutters as he holds them out, looking down at the ground.
“For me?” Toya asks as he hesitantly reaches a hand out.
“... yeah, for you,” replies Akito as he shoves them into Toya’s hands and looks away.
For him. Could that mean…? No, Akito would be more direct if he wanted to be with Toya, surely. “... what for?” he asks, and Akito cringes in response.
“Uh… y'know, since we're friends, ‘n’ all…”
Friends. He's always enjoyed being friends with Akito, yes. But now, Toya thinks, he has an opportunity to take what he wants.
“... I want to be your boyfriend, Akito.”
Akito does a double take, sputters. Toya’s always been direct, yes, but this? Surely he'd misheard. “You… what?” Akito asks, face redder than the sunset illuminating the park.
“I want to be your boyfriend, Akito. Is that… okay?” Toya murmurs, feeling less confident than he had when he'd spoke at first, why did he do that? Akito is his best friend, hell, his only friend aside from the Tenmas. He watches as his best friend’s eyes widen, his expression grows unreadable.
“... you can't just say shit like that, Toya…” Akito finally says, as a smile finally crosses his face and he presses the back of his hand against his eye. “Like what? It's true, Akito,” Toya replies.
“Toya, I… I'm glad, man. Really,” Akito says as he takes a step away from the fence and closer to Toya. “I kinda thought I fucked up our thing.”
Toya simply shakes his head as he accepts Akito’s arm around his shoulder, much like normal - their routine. “I doubt you would ever do something that bad, Akito.”
Toya’s routine is different again. Akito and Toya still perform at live houses together, they still hang out during and after school, Toya still skulks off to Akito’s house whenever he has a fight with his father.
But there are new parts of his routine now, too. Like touching Akito, for one. As far as Toya is concerned, physical touch is a foreign concept. The most he's done so far is let Akito wrestle him down to his level so he can have his hair rustled.
Akito throws his arms around Toya after a particularly good performance. He doesn't seem to realise what he's doing until he's already done it, when Toya lets out a strangled noise somewhere between a yelp and a gasp. Akito lets go immediately, I'm sorry, but Toya laughs.
He rests his hand awkwardly on Akito’s back, it's alright, Akito, he says, I just wasn't expecting that, is all. The next hug goes far smoother, as far as Akito is concerned, and Toya even puts his arms around him.
Akito asks Toya if he can kiss him one day, out of the blue as the pair walk silently beside each other through the park. Toya’s eyes widen at the question, and Akito coughs again, uttering another never mind, sorry, as though his request was something unheard of.
Toya quickly shakes his head, I would like that very much, Akito. He's adapted to Akito’s touch over the last few months - it's different, Toya thinks. Akito is loud, boisterous, demanding, aggressive at times. His touch is different - it's soft, gentle, he doesn't ask for anything Toya isn't ready to give.
Akito laughs, the same laugh he lets out whenever he feels unsure, but takes Toya into his arms nonetheless and presses an anxious kiss to his cheek. This action, too, is unlike Akito - he's normally so assured, so confident, he takes what he wants. It's different with Toya.
“Uh… ‘s that fine? Or, uh…” Akito mumbles, staring into Toya’s eyes. Toya nods in return - it's a strange feeling, yes, warm lips against his cold, smooth skin, but it's pleasant. “Feels nice,” he hums. Akito grins and presses another kiss to his other cheek, “‘cause I know you hate when shit’s not even, weirdo,” as he rustles Toya’s hair again. Things are different, and yet they're the same, all at once.
Another day, Toya is helping Akito study for a math test. Akito’s never been good with numbers, or letters, really. “Kinda think I'm, uh… whatever that thing is, dys-somethin’,” he said one day after failing to spell almost an entire sentence correctly. “Dyslexic?” Toya asked flatly. Akito nodded, “that's the bitch. I think I'm dyslexic,” and Toya nodded back. He doesn't press Akito on his spelling anymore, gently corrects him when he draws his threes backwards, and he's paid back in kind with gentle kisses on every part of his face.
Akito pauses midway through an equation, looking up at Toya who's watching over his shoulder. “Do you need help, Akito?” he asks. Akito shakes his head, looking into his partner’s silvery grey eyes. “I kinda wanna kiss you, Toya.”
Toya laughs warmly. “You always want to kiss me, and you know I won't stop you. Go ahead,” he hums. Akito shakes his head again, “I mean a proper kiss. Like… on the lips, y'know?”
Toya’s a bit startled by the idea. For multiple reasons, really. He hasn't brushed his teeth since this morning and he's eaten food since then, for one.
“On the lips…” Toya muses to himself, letting his gaze fall to Akito’s unfinished problem. “When you finish your equation,” he decides, “and the answer has to be correct.”
Akito groans, because he knows that could take a while. “You're lucky I love you, Toya…” he sighs, though the smile on his face lights up the room. “I know, Akito. I'll help you, here…”
Toya kneels beside Akito, gently guiding him through the question at any point he's stuck. It takes a while, but he figures it out eventually and slams the book shut, shoving it haphazardly into the bag entirely disregarding potential creasing. “That's a rental book, Akito…” Toya whines.
“Shit… my bad, hold on,” Akito grumbles, fishing it back out and putting it away neatly. “‘s that better, princess?” Toya nods, and Akito stands up, falling backwards onto his bed. “Do I get my reward now, then?” he asks with a grin.
Toya closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. “Yes, you do,” he mumbles as he sits beside Akito. The other boy sits upright, looking slightly concerned, “you sure about this? You don't gotta if y’ain’t ready, Toya-” but Toya cuts him off, pressing a finger to his lips as he announces “I can do this.”
Akito laughs gently, shrugging. “Well, if you're sure. Pull away if you need to, partner. You know how it works by now, yeah?” Toya nods, “understood,” and closes his eyes.
One thing Toya’s always found easiest is doing what he's told. For years, he simply obeyed his father’s demands for his future without question. He did whatever work other students assigned him in group projects, didn't protest when the other kids said you can't play with us, you're weird! He took what he was given and didn't ask for more.
Akito’s different. Akito refuses vehemently to “go with the flow,” per se. If he wants something, he finds a way to get it. And hell to anyone who bothers him or Toya. He's always been that way, or so Toya’s been told by Ena over late lunches while Akito groans and demands that she shut up. Toya never mentioned that he was inadvertently proving his point, simply nodding to Ena, I see what you mean.
Today, Akito takes what he wants. He leans in and presses a quick kiss to Toya’s lips. He doesn't hold for too long, doesn't make any unwanted advances, simply enjoys the moment while he's in it. When he opens his eyes, Toya’s practically frozen - like he's unsure what to do next.
“Hel-lo? Anyone in there, pretty boy?” Akito asks, eyebrow raised as he waves a hand in front of Toya’s face. He snaps out of it, “s-sorry, just processing.” Akito nods, letting go and leaning against his headboard, stretching his legs out. “That fucking ruled. This rules, Toya,” he says with a grin.
“What rules?” Toya asks, perhaps naively as he continues getting used to the new sensation. “This, dude! I get to do this forever, y'know? You're, like… mine. Y'know what I mean?” Akito practically sings, grabbing a piece of mint-flavored gum from the torn package on his bedside table and popping it into his mouth as Toya sits still at the end of Akito’s bed, dumbstruck.
“I… suppose so, yes…” Toya murmurs. “You doin’ alright, man?” Akito says after blowing a bubble, Toya nods. He comes to his senses after another moment, takes Akito’s hand. “We still need to finish your homework.”
“Does it count as homework if you assigned it to me?” Akito groans, although he fails to suppress a smile. “Yes, it does. Come on,” Toya replies as he coaxes Akito off of the bed and back to his desk.
Toya’s routine is different again. Not by much, but sometimes Akito kisses him. Most of the time he asks first, some days he forgets - a show goes well or Toya helps him out and he presses a kiss to his lips without really thinking. He apologised at first, but Toya shut that down quickly, don't be sorry, Akito. I like when you kiss me, so Akito obliges. He still asks when he remembers, but sometimes he catches Toya off guard. He doesn't freeze anymore, he kisses back - he takes what he wants from Akito.
Toya asks Akito, one day. It's been another few months, and Toya’s slowly gotten used to the sensation of having his lips against Akito’s. They're on the way home from a café Akito’s been begging him to check out for the last little while, taking a quick break beside a vending machine as the ginger debates making a poor financial decision. His question is abrupt and direct, as is typical of Toya. “I want to kiss you, Akito.”
Akito's eyes widen, his hand curls up into a fist by his side as he grins. He lets out an almost silent yessss, punching up into the air, a display which amuses the boy. “Can I, Akito?” Toya asks with a bemused grin as Akito nods enthusiastically, resting his hands on Toya’s back.
Toya cranes his head down, pressing his lips quickly against Akito’s and pulling back in a near instant. Akito’s surprised by this. “‘s somethin’ wrong, partner? You don't normally pull back so fast,” he asks. Toya shakes his head as he holds Akito close, humming softly. “Sorry,” Toya replies. Akito shakes his head, “y’don’t gotta apologise, Toya, you're not doin’ anythin’ wrong.” Take what you want, Toya thinks - the words remain unsaid, not unheard. He simply nods.
“‘s fine if you're not ready, Toya. We can try another day, yeah? No problem,” Akito says as he runs a hand through his partner’s hair, pressing a kiss to Toya’s beauty mark. Toya nods, thank you, and closes his eyes - another day, he thinks, I can do that.
Toya’s routine is different again. It's still mostly unchanged - he hangs out with Akito whenever the pair are free. But he's started slacking off. Toya’s piano slowly collects dust in the corner of his room, untouched for days at a time. He does his lessons with his father, but doesn't practice in his room much.
His father scolds him for it, one day. Toya’s eating dinner with his mother and father, carefully navigating the proverbial minefield - yes, father, may I have the salt?, nodding in agreement or shaking his head when the conversation calls for it. “Your recent performance has been poor, Toya.”
He freezes. “I've been busy,” he murmurs. “With that Shinonome boy?” his father replies, tone sharp. He gulps, nodding. “He's a terrible influence on you, Toya-”
Something in Toya snaps. “Shut up.”
Silence. The clock ticks, ticks, ticks. Cutlery clattering against porcelain, clank, clank. Silence again.
“... what did you say, Toya? I mustn't have heard you correctly,” his father says, staring down the boy. He almost buckles under the weight of his father’s icy glare. Almost. Today, Toya takes what he wants.
“I said… shut up. Was I too quiet, father?” Toya replies, trying to match his father's scowl, “I’m not arguing with you.” The atmosphere in the room grows thicker, almost enough to suffocate Toya - stamping him down, compressing him back into the mold he's tried so hard to break out of.
He gets up before his father has an opportunity to reply, rushing up to his room and grabbing his bag. He fills it with clothes and his phone and his charger and headphones and toothbrush and the one plushie he secretly kept, a ginger cat Akito won for him at the arcade. Then he leaves - walks downstairs and straight out the door, ignoring the disgusted yells from the dining room.
“Akito,” Toya mutters into the phone. Akito always picks up within the first few rings, unless he's occupied, and even then he texts. “Can I stay with you?”
Then he's at Akito’s, sitting in a pair of too-small pajamas Akito offered him, because in his haste he didn't think to grab some. He stares into space, a blank expression as his partner awkwardly slings a blanket over his shoulders. “Proud of you, partner,” Akito says as he takes a seat beside Toya. “Y’wanna cup of coffee?”
Toya nods - there's no problem in his life that a cup of hot, bitter coffee can't fix, or at least lessen. Akito comes back upstairs a few minutes later, armed with a mug of scalding hot coffee and a bar of dark chocolate. “Here,” he says as he hands them to Toya.
“I feel… like I've done something wrong, Akito,” Toya mumbles. Akito immediately shakes his head, “what, no way! All you did was-”
Toya interrupts, “all I did was something wrong, Akito. As troubling as this is, I shouldn't have told him to shut up… he's still my father.” Akito lets out a sigh as he sits on the bed beside Toya, throwing an arm around him and letting his hand rest on the boy’s waist. “Shit happens, Toya. Sometimes ya gotta talk back.”
Akito knows Toya hates talking back. He finds it hard to demand what he wants or needs, perfectly content to settle for less than the bare minimum. “You did somethin’ good today, man. What, wouldja rather be playin’ that stupid piano all day instead of hangin’ with me, eh?” Akito grins as he runs his hand through Toya’s hair, letting his fingers fall to his partner’s jaw.
“Hey, look at me,” he murmurs. Toya obliges - he does what he's told. Akito’s looking into his eyes now, gently thumbing over his beauty mark. “Let's talk, Toya.” And so he does. He tells Akito about what his father said, that he's been skipping piano. How he wishes that he could just be like Akito and-
“Hey, hey… Toya, relax. You're doing great, promise. I like you the way you are, y'know? Just… gotta grow a backbone, but you're tryin’, and that's what counts, yeah?” Akito says, leaning over and pressing a kiss against Toya's cheek - he'd love nothing more than to kiss the boy until he's problem-free, but he knows that isn't what Toya needs. Akito doesn't simply take what he wants when it's Toya.
Toya sighs, sipping his coffee and letting out a contented “aah.” Akito’s learned how to make it right by now, after much critique. “Gimme that,” Akito grins as he snatches the chocolate from Toya's hand, breaking off a square. “Open.”
Toya goes to protest, but he's interrupted by the sensation of chocolate in his mouth, slowly melting over his tongue. He's never been a huge fan of the texture, but the taste is pleasant enough for him to overlook it. Toya ponders as the chocolate coats his taste buds, watching Akito’s grin fade into a soft, sincere smile. “Feelin’ better?”
Toya nods. “Yes, thank you,” he says, smiling for the first time since he arrived at the Shinonomes’ house this evening. Akito surrenders the rest of the chocolate bar back to Toya, throwing his arm around his partner’s waist. The pair share a bed for the night, but Akito keeps his distance - a task easier said than done considering the size of it, but he manages, balancing precariously over the edge as Toya sleeps comfortably against the wall.
Toya’s routine is different again. His father still argues with him over their differing perspectives, but Toya’s learned to stop engaging. When he knows he can't win, Toya removes himself from the situation - be that by locking himself in his bedroom or by escaping to one of his safe spaces (the Tenmas’ or the Shinonomes’), he removes himself from his father's oppressive presence.
Toya’s with Akito, as per usual. The pair walk home together, taking a detour through a park - Toya’s always liked the wildlife, feeling the cool air mingle with the sweat on his skin after singing his heart out. They walk along a rushing river in the quiet park, Akito’s hand fumbling down Toya’s arm until their fingers intertwine, like they were made to be together.
“I want to try again,” Toya says out of nowhere, a sudden look of determination lighting up his eyes, a fire illuminating his face that's barely visible behind the twilit curtain over the area. Akito raises an eyebrow with a crooked grin, cocking his head - a habit he's picked up from Toya, though God only knows when it happened.
“Try what again?” he asks, before Toya puts his free hand on Akito’s shoulder, looking intently into the boy’s eyes. “Kissing.” Akito’s eyes widen in return, “go ahead, partner.”
Toya’s kiss is much like the rest of his physical contact - it's wary, uncertain, like a single misstep will send him back to the start of the labyrinth of emotions he's been navigating. Pressing his lips against Akito’s feels to Toya like he's standing on a pressure plate, mentally accepting defeat as he wraps his arms around his partner - so be it if he dies, he'll die having tried.
It's incredibly awkward. There's no movement, really - the pair are simply stood under the moonlight, almost perfectly still as cicadas sing around them. Akito takes the lead when he kisses, initiating motion, and Toya doesn't know what’s expected of him. So the pair stand awkwardly still for a prolonged period of time, until Akito pulls back, resting his forehead against Toya's. “Y’alright, Toya?”
Toya mutters a quiet yes, shutting his eyes. He lets out a quiet sigh, Akito rests his hand in the boy’s hair. “You're not. What's up, man?” he asks as he gently twirls blue strands around his fingertips, humming softly as he awaits an answer.
“... I'm terrible at this, Akito,” Toya finally mumbles. “I don't know what I'm meant to do,” he sighs as he absentmindedly traces a circle on Akito’s back with his index.
Akito hums for another moment before answering. “So what?” he asks as he runs his fingers along Toya’s neck, gently trailing them behind and around his ear.
Toya cocks his head. “What do you mean, Akito?” Akito smiles gently, resting his hand against Toya's jaw, hot fingers against cold skin.
“Doesn't matter to me, partner. You're tryin’, aren'tcha?” he says, pressing his thumb against Toya’s beauty mark for a moment before planting a gentle kiss against the boy’s cheek.
“I suppose so…” Toya mumbles. There's a moment of silence, as the cool, summer evening wind sings softly into their ears, before Toya pipes up again. “Are you sure it doesn't matter, Akito?”
“‘Course I'm sure, Toya. Y’know I wouldn't lie to you, don’tcha?” Akito replies, kissing the boy’s cheek again. “If it’ll help, I can take the lead. Wanna try that?”
Toya nods defeatedly, smiling sadly. “I'd like to be able to show you how I feel, Akito.” Akito scoffs in response, gently squeezing Toya - not too hard, not asking for anything. “I know plenty how you feel, partner. Don't worry your pretty face so much, yeah? We've got all the time in the world,” Akito says with a grin as he rustles Toya's hair, planting another kiss on the boy’s cheek.
Toya nods, letting out a soft laugh as Akito leaves a barrage of soft kisses against his face, “A-Akito, we're in public…” he protests. Akito smirks, “so what?” before finally zeroing in on his partner’s lips - he takes what he wants.
Toya still finds initiating a kiss to be awkward - he’ll never understand how Akito does it so naturally. But it doesn't matter, he's learning, and Akito doesn't care, he's trying. With every kiss he initiates, Toya edges his way out of his comfort zone - he wants Akito to feel the way he does. Akito doesn't mind the wait, though, and Toya makes sure to pay back his patience in kind with as many pancakes and cheesecake slices as he can gift his partner.
Another few months later, and they're on a date. Akito had grabbed Toya’s hand after school, pulling a card from his pocket. “‘s been six months, partner. I’m bringin’ you for coffee, c'mon.” Toya didn't protest, nodding along as Akito took him by the hand and tugged him gently along to their favorite spot - a quiet place through an alleyway along Vivid Street.
“It's my turn to pay, Akito,” Toya says as the pair walk through the door. Akito laughs and rolls his eyes, yeah right, ignoring the boy’s protests as he leads them to their favorite booth, the one with the red cushions in the corner beside the window facing Vivid Street.
“Sit down, princess. I'll get your coffee,” Akito says with a grin as he walks off before Toya has time to process and protest. He sits in a huff, though he fails to bite back the fond smile that crosses his face as Akito returns with his caffe latte and Toya’s black coffee, and a card with their order number. He puts it down in the middle of the table as he slides Toya's drink over.
Akito watches the microscopic changes in Toya’s expression as he picks up the cup, as he takes a sip, as he catches Akito’s gaze and looks awkwardly to the side, grinning sheepishly. “I’m so glad you're mine, Toya,” he hums as he takes a sip of his latte.
Toya smiles gently, almost nodding as he watches a pool of foam gather on Akito’s lip. “Let me get that,” he mumbles as he reaches across the table, tissue in hand, gently wiping at his partner’s mouth while he blushes furiously, practically hissing in protest.
“Ack- hey, stop that! You're acting like Ena-” Akito borderline growls, going silent the moment his partner’s finger brushes against his lip. He gives up his feeble protest, shrinking against his seat as he feverishly prays that nobody who knows him is present while Toya happily cleans his boyfriend’s face.
“Was that so hard, Akito?” Toya laughs, unbothered by Akito’s forced scowl from across the table. He simply grunts in response, burying his face in his cup as he waits for their food to arrive. As if on cue, a waitress brings a slice of Akito’s favorite creamy cheesecake and a plate of dark chocolate cookies, setting them down and taking the place card wordlessly.
The pair dig in, laughing and chattering together as they talk about anything and everything, “remember that time you tripped over on the bus, Toya?” and “Ena showed me some pictures of you the other day, Akito,” and countless little moments as they eat. Akito’s laugh is much like him, Toya thinks - it's loud, it's warm, and it makes its presence known. Toya’s is much more reserved, small, quieter - not asking for space, refusing to take it.
Time ticks by silently as the pair’s chattering fills up the mostly-empty cafe, when Akito abruptly says “I wanna try somethin’ when you're done eatin’, Toya.” Toya raises an eyebrow, cookie in his mouth preventing him from asking for clarification. He nods regardless, anything for you, Akito.
Toya notices Akito's demeanor falter somewhat as he continues to eat his cookies at his typical slow, careful pace. The boy fidgets with the strings of the hoodie he insists on wearing under his school blazer, taps anxiously at the table as he watches Toya’s movements. “Is something the matter, Akito?” Toya asks after a few moments of scrutiny.
“‘m fine, Toya. Just, y'know… waitin’,” Akito mumbles, pushing cheesecake crumbs around his plate with his finger. He waits, the impatience visible on his face as he tries not to comment.
Toya finishes his food after what feels like an eternity, and Akito grabs his hand, pulling him out of the booth and out of the café after leaving a tip on the table. “Where are we going?” Toya asks as Akito drags him down another alleyway splintering off of the main path.
“So, Toya,” Akito begins as he firmly plants his hands on either side of Toya’s shoulders. “We've been together for half a year, ‘n’ I wanna try somethin’.”
Toya cocks his head, doing his best to ignore Akito’s bright red face. “Something? What do you mean?” he asks, perhaps naively as he tries to blink off Akito’s intense gaze.
“I wanna make out with you. If… y'know, that's okay…” Akito murmurs as he lets go, turning his head awkwardly to the side. “You know what that is, right?”
Toya pauses before nodding hesitantly. “... a more intense kiss, isn't it?” Akito nods in return, looking sheepishly up at Toya with very little of his typical confidence. “Y’don’t have to if you don't wanna, partner, I just-”
“I want to,” Toya interrupts, pressing his finger to Akito’s lip. “Will you show me what to do?” he asks, watching his partner’s expression morph as he regains some of his nerve.
“‘Course I will. Y'know how this works, don'tcha?” Akito asks as he puts his hands around Toya, letting his right hand wander into his partner’s hair. “Pull away if you need to, okay? I won't be mad, promise.”
“Understood,” Toya replies as he puts his arms around Akito, still with the grace and elegance of a nervous beginner as he braces himself. Toya’s lips are gently pressed against Akito's, closing his eyes as he settles into the sensation. He jumps slightly at the feeling of Akito’s tongue poking against his lip, however, so Akito leans back, “s everythin’ okay?”
Toya nods, murmuring a quiet sorry. Akito shakes his head in response, “don't be sorry. D’you need me to, like… I dunno, explain it?” Toya nods again, visibly embarrassed by his lack of knowledge, “that would be helpful…”
His partner nods in response. “‘Kay, so… just, uh… open your mouth. And then, uh… you stick your tongue, uh…” Akito mumbles, looking down at the ground as he awkwardly stammers out a stilted explanation.
“... in your mouth?” Toya asks, tilting his head ever so slightly as he watches Akito somehow grow redder. “Y-Yeah, that. ‘sat okay with you?” the boy mumbles, looking hesitantly up at Toya.
“Um… yes, that sounds fine,” Toya agrees, steeling himself. “Are you ready, Akito?” His partner simply nods, taking in a deep breath before pressing his lips against Toya’s once again, gently prying his mouth open with his tongue.
The sensation is… indescribable, at least to Toya. Akito murmurs softly, clearly enjoying himself, while Toya struggles to understand the reason people enjoy making out. The mingling of tongues and spit, the physical sensation, and by far the worst part, the taste of freshly eaten cheesecake coating Akito’s mouth, all of it catches him at once - he starts gagging while still pressed against Akito.
Of course, Akito pulls away the moment he hears the sound, “oh my God, are you okay?!” But Toya turns his head to the side as he focuses on breathing the air around them, clean and untainted by the sickening sweetness of cheesecake.
Humiliation, is the only word Toya has to describe his experience. And it's not inaccurate, either - he’d just agreed to do something for the most important boy in his life, and started gagging over the taste of his mouth. Akito scrambles around in his backpack for his water bottle, handing it to Toya who takes a long sip, letting the water settle on his tongue to wash away some of the sugar.
“... Akito,” Toya sighs as he hands the bottle back to Akito, “I'm… so, so sorry.” His eyes widen as the bottle clanks against the ground, another scratch along the worn plastic as it hits concrete. Akito’s… frowning.
“The hell do you mean you're sorry, Toya?” Akito asks incredulously as he puts his hands on Toya’s shoulders. “I'm the one that should be apologising, are you serious?”
“For what? You didn't do anything wrong-” Toya starts before Akito cuts him off. “What, and you did? Don't bullshit me, man…” he sighs, putting a hand into Toya's hair as he pulls the boy closer. “Y’know I don't like you pushin’ yourself like that, partner. It's okay to pull away, promise.” Take what you want, Toya thinks.
“I want to push myself, Akito. It's… frustrating that I can't do these things easily like you can,” Toya mutters, sighing as he pulls back and leans down to grab Akito’s discarded bottle.
Akito sighs, running a hand through his hair as he leans against the wall. “Yeah, I know, I know. Uh, then… I dunno, let's see what went wrong or somethin’ and see if there's a way to, like… do it better next time?”
Toya ponders as he hands the bottle back, counting silently on his fingers for a moment before speaking. “Well, for one, there's the physical sensation… it's strange,” he muses. Akito nods, tapping his nails against the bottle as he listens. “Uh huh? What else?”
“... it tasted like cheesecake,” Toya mumbles after another moment, unimpressed. “And I didn't like the spit.”
Akito snorts softly, nodding again. “Makes sense. You're a clean freak,” he laughs. “So, weird taste, weird texture, and weird sensation?” he asks a moment later.
Toya nods, letting out a frustrated sigh. “‘s okay, Toya. So, if there's a next time,” Akito says, taking Toya’s hand, “I'll make sure my teeth are clean first, how's that? Not after cheesecake.”
Toya nods again, running his thumb back and forth over Akito’s hand. “... you're so patient with me, Akito.”
Akito laughs as he kisses Toya’s cheek, “‘course I am, partner. I love you, don't I?” Toya laughs in turn, smiling as Akito plants gentle kisses on every part of his face.
“That's true. I love you too,” Toya replies as he runs his other hand through Akito’s hair, sighing contentedly. Akito grins, resting his hand against the boy’s jaw.
“We can try again some other day, if y’wanna. No pressure, ‘kay?” Akito says as he presses a line of kisses along Toya’s jaw. Toya murmurs a quiet I'd like that, Akito in response, smiling softly as Akito makes him feel loved, wanted - makes him feel like he can be Toya, even if that's only in private.
Toya’s routine isn't much different now, really. He still isn't used to making out, and attempts are sparse over the next few months. Eventually he finds himself getting used to it - how could he not, with Akito’s gentle encouragement and endless patience? He's even gotten used to the taste of Akito’s cheesecake - the look on Akito’s face, Toya won't forget it for the world. He was practically glowing with pride, “you did it, Toya!!” as Akito squeezed him tight, I'm proud of you, Toya - the words go unsaid, yet Toya hears them regardless.
Another few months later, Toya walks past an unfamiliar girl on Vivid Street, dressed in the Miyamasuzaka Girls’ uniform. He doesn't think much of her - really, she doesn’t particularly stand out. Long, sandy blonde hair, glasses, and a distinct lack of confidence - Toya senses her unease in the split second their paths intertwine. Much like himself, he thinks before continuing along the pavement.
A few days later, he encounters the girl again - he's standing in the doorway of the first building Akito took him into on Vivid Street, Weekend Garage. Toya follows Akito inside, standing silently beside his partner like a bodyguard. An Shiraishi stands inside, greeting the pair with her typical grin, Akito responds with his typical feigned kindness - he keeps his true feelings buried deep inside, Toya’s learned, locked behind a vault of doubt and nervousness.
It's then that he notices the girl beside An, the same girl from Vivid Street mere days ago. She responds upon prompting from Akito, “m-my name is Kohane Azusawa.” The girl, Kohane, isn't like anyone else he's seen on this street. She's quiet, flighty, doesn't speak unless spoken to, fiddling nervously with her fingers and her hair and her glasses and her tie as she lets An speak for her.
Akito asks An a question. It's simple, sounds relatively light-hearted, easy to answer - “have you found a singing partner yet?” Neither of them know it yet, but the question causes a shift in their futures. “I found someone just a few minutes ago!” An replies with a warm smile.
Toya watches the pair’s back-and-forth from the sidelines, listens to Kohane nervously try to include herself. He watches as Akito invites them to sing with BAD DOGS at their next event - the machine begins to churn.
They leave after exchanging pleasantries with the girls - the Vivids, as they call themselves. “What was that about, Akito?” Toya asks as soon as they're further down the street and out of earshot.
Akito’s silent for a moment as he walks beside Toya. There's an expression on his face that Toya’s never seen - anger. Frustration, yes, but never anger. Anger directed at Kohane, that nervous, meek girl who’s daring to stand beside An.
He takes in a long breath before replying. “... did you know I played soccer until I started junior high, Toya?” Akito asks, his voice eerily… harsh. Toya’s never heard Akito sound as rough as he is right now, as he's speaking about a girl so much smaller than him, weaker than him. Fragile.
Toya listens to Akito, the boy who took him under his wing the day he ran away from his troubles, angrily ranting about Kohane. That An is a liar, or maybe just an idiot, or maybe she never cared about surpassing a legend. Not like Akito, who's dedicated his life to being better. “Saying you're going to surpass that night,” he utters, with an almost venomous hatred to his tone, “isn't something you can say half-heartedly.”
Half-hearted. That's the moment that plants a seed of doubt into Toya. It isn't like Toya’s never doubted he belongs - really, Toya’s never truly fit in anywhere. He's been molded from the day he was born, no more than a bird in a cage. Mentally trapped within steel bars like a prisoner overlooking a city - he's the only one who can't participate, can't explore, can't discover. “Oh…” is all he can bring himself to say. It's all he can bring himself to feel, as well.
Oh… is all he thinks when Akito snaps at Kohane after their performance is interrupted. When Akito roars at the girl, the girl who's physically shaking as hot tears pool in the corners of her eyes. When Akito, his partner, the one who took him in, insists over and over and over that nobody without resolve can surpass RAD WEEKEND.
It's all he thinks as he runs his slender fingers over the dusty keys of his piano, as the callused pad of his index catches on the B key. An incomplete scale, he thinks as he presses down gently on the C key, letting the pleasant sound of completion resonate around his otherwise silent room.
Resolve. Has Toya ever had resolve? He must have had resolve to play classical music, at some point. He must have had resolve to escape it. He certainly had resolve to run. Has he ever had the resolve to do something he wanted?
He presses down on the keys, staring at the sheet music he hasn't read in months. For all the misery it brings him, piano is something Toya knows, one of few constants in his ever-shifting life. There's a sickening comfort in the gentle sound of the instrument, one that makes his heart speed up and slow down and stop all at once.
Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata is the last song he's touched. Fitting, really - not as harsh as Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, not as warm as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The sound is stilted and unsure as Toya presses his fingers to the keys, falling back into the oppressive comfort as he smothers his thoughts in the melancholy piece.
The sound echoes deep into the crevices of his mind as he tosses restlessly in the late hours of the night. It echoes overtop his fears, his doubt. It echoes as his father berates him, berates Akito. It echoes as he stands beside Akito on stage, as he sings his heart out to further his partner’s dream. It echoes as he listens to the Vivids perform, as he watches that meek girl stand beside An and grab her dream by the horns - it echoes as he watches Kohane take what she wants.
Until it becomes deafening. The sound drowns him, the sound of those piano keys, ever so slightly out of tune from neglect. To him, it sounds like nails on a chalkboard, an endless cacophony of meaningless noise. To lack the resolve to stand beside Akito is the greatest sin he can commit.
“Toya? What's wrong?” Akito asks, reaching a hand out to Toya’s face, running his fingers along his jaw. Toya’s eyes dart off to the side, anywhere but Akito, anywhere but his partner.
“Akito, I...” Toya sighs, “I can't perform with you anymore.”
Akito’s eyes widen, his hand recoiling. “The hell do you mean? Did your old man say something…?” he asks, practically pleading, don't go, Toya. Maybe he misses the signal, maybe he doesn't care.
“... I can't do it anymore, Akito. There isn't…” Toya mumbles, steeling himself before staring into Akito’s eyes and trying to ignore the hurt across his face. “There isn't any meaning to our music.”
“Don't you fuckin' say that, Toya. Come on, this isn't- ugh, this isn't like you! What the hell is this?!” Akito borderline shouts as he looks around, searching for some hidden camera, waiting for someone like An to jump out and yell gotcha, Akito! “What, are you gonna go back to your stupid fuckin' piano after all this?! What kinda “meaning” are you gonna find in your piece of shit dad’s music, huh?!”
He latches on to Toya's hoodie, pressing his back against the wall as he tries to shake some sense into the boy. “Answer me, Toya!” Akito yells, a drop of spit hitting Toya’s cheek as he shouts. A cheek that, not so long ago, he'd patiently lined kiss after kiss along after something went oh so well, or something went oh so wrong.
“... let go of me,” Toya says firmly - he's taking Akito’s advice today. He takes what he wants as he pulls Akito’s hands from his jacket, staring at the shocked expression on Akito’s face. Akito reaches for Toya again, he begs, “no! Toya, snap out of it! What about us, Toya?! You've worked so hard to get to where you are, man! C-Come on, just-”
“You're chasing after a tiny event nobody else outside of this town knows about. Don't you think it's time you grew up, Akito?” Something in Akito snaps. He yanks Toya closer once again before he can think about what he's doing, balling up his fist and punching Toya’s unblemished face with as much force as he can muster.
Akito is gentle. He's patient, he's kind, he doesn't ask for anything Toya isn't ready to give. His fist against Toya’s jaw cracks like a whip in the air - it's so distinctly unlike Akito. Coarse, rough, cruel. He feels his partner’s fingers, fingers that are soft and gentle and patient, fingers that gently stroke along every part of Toya as he tries so hard to push himself, to take what he wants - those same fingers are curled into a fist, slamming against his face.
He doesn't need to look into a mirror to see the dark mark on his cheek, normally pale and unblemished and covered with patient kisses. “Fine, if that's how you want it, leave! And never show your fuckin' face around here again!” he spits, turning around a corner and disappearing from Toya's sight.
Toya stands still for a moment on the corner, wiping at the hot scrape on his jaw where Akito’s ring dragged along his skin. And then he walks - walks away from Vivid Street, away from the freedom he'd clawed so desperately onto just a week ago. It isn't like Toya wanted to be rid of Akito, not by a long shot. And, he thinks as he slowly makes his way towards his house, it hurts. The look on Akito’s face, every single emotion - pride, anguish, despair, rage - fear. Proud that Toya took what he wanted, despair that what Toya wanted, wanted more than anything else - was to be rid of him.
Akito punches a wall as he walks down Vivid Street, further into this town he's grown to know as a second home, one he can walk along any time he needs it. He hears the little plastic ring crunch against the wall, the ring that, once upon a time, Toya had won from a machine in the arcade for him. The fake sapphire shatters, falling in thousands of molecular shards out of the scraped up casing. He inhales sharply, ripping the thing from his finger and hurling it as far away from him as he possibly can.
He skulks into an alleyway, kicking a discarded can ahead of him. “God fucking dammit!” Akito shouts, “what kind of sick fuckin’ joke is this?!” He glares at his reddened knuckles - great, he's bleeding. He doesn't particularly care, since he can't feel it.
Something is so deeply wrong, Akito thinks. Him and Toya had been inseparable, joined at the hip like sun and moon, light and dark - meaningless without each other. Memories of everything, the colors, smells, textures and tastes - really, everything Toya assaulted him, every stupid second he'd wasted - no, not wasted, not a moment he spent with Toya could ever have been a moment wasted. “Akito, is that you? Your voice is incredible,” Toya said to him that fateful day.
He spits out his gum onto the pavement. God, what a fucking idiot he is. Toya, had he ever cared about them? About Akito and Toya, the pair? Was he just… using Akito as a way out? “Toya, if y’want somethin’, you gotta take it. Take whatcha want,” he'd told Toya one day after a particularly rough argument with his father. “... I want to be your boyfriend, Akito,” Toya murmured to Akito when he was too scared to take what he wanted. Ironic.
His mind rolls over as he scours the alley for a discarded can of spray paint, ignoring the music emanating from the nearby live house - that's right, the world won't pause, not for Akito. It would be too cruel to allow the boy time to grieve, wouldn't it? “That fucking ruled. This rules, Toya,” Akito told Toya after their first kiss. The boy was confused, he asked “what rules?” Akito laughed softly, “This, dude! I get to do this forever, y'know? You're, like… mine. Y'know what I mean?” If only he was told his “forever” had an expiration date. It's almost funny, really.
“... you're so patient with me, Akito,” Toya muttered one day, the day they made out for the first time. Was it really only a month ago? He's lost track of time, sand slipping through his fingers. “‘Course I am, partner. I love you, don't I?” Akito desperately tries to silence himself as he finds a half-empty can of black spray paint, covering up that stupid orange-and-blue graffiti he'd left with Toya one day. “That's true. I love you too.”
He glares at the wall - glares at the horrendous black mark that covers his name, covers those four letters, Toya. “I like you the way you are, y'know?” He'd told Toya after he stood up against his stupid, awful father. “Just… gotta grow a backbone, but you're tryin’, and that's what counts, yeah?” Oh, how terribly ironic.
“God… dammit,” Akito whispers, slumped against the wall, not caring if any of the still-wet paint gets on his jacket as he pulls out his phone and calls his sister. He doesn't call Ena, usually - she gets annoyed. He prays that, just this one time, she won't mind. He sighs, his voice cracking halfway into “hello,” admitting defeat and walking back towards his home.
Toya’s routine is different again. Instead of practicing in the park (with Akito) or performing at live houses (with Akito) or going to the Shinonomes' house (to see Akito), Toya walks home (without Akito). Not like the house means anything to him, anything more than street music, but it's the only place he has left. He avoids Akito and An at lunch, avoids his family at home, even avoids the Tenmas as they text to ask how he's been lately.
The familiar keys of his worn piano play slightly out of tune - quite fitting, Toya thinks. His door is barricaded, chair and desk and closet pressed against the mahogany to keep everyone away, it's just Toya and his piano, his sickening, vile piano.
He sighs as he rests his hands on the keys, quietly playing a few scales before letting his hands take control and his mind rest - not truly, but his focus lies upon the music. Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2, he decides, closing his eyes for a moment. It isn't quite the same without the orchestra - incomplete. Really, it's rather fitting in Toya’s situation. Toya without Akito - incomplete.
His phone is dead - he doesn't bother to charge it. If anyone needs him, that's their problem. He ignores the pounding on his door, ignores the light fading away behind his curtains, ignores his stomach growling and ignores all the thoughts in his head, Akito, Akito, Akito.
Toya's a fool. He barely eats, barely drinks, barely lives. Could this even be called “living,” really? After everything, almost a year of freedom he'd fought for tooth and nail - it took one sentence. One sentence, and he allows his family to crush him back into the mold, with as much force as a hydraulic press to ensure he never escapes again. The marionette strings keep him from falling on his way to and from school over the next week - as his routine returns to what it was before he met Akito. He wakes up, goes to school, comes home and plays piano until he can't think, can't see, can't feel his hands or stomach or anything but the hunger pains numbing his body.
He takes a heavy breath, sighing as An corners him in the courtyard, armed with Kohane by her side - he has a newfound admiration for the girl. Even after Akito’s cruelty, the harshness and venom and rage, she's still standing beside An, standing tall for the dream she wants to fulfill. It's admirable, for Toya, a boy with no dream, no will to move on or to take his life into his own hands - a boy who can't take what he wants. He walks away. He doesn't have the energy to handle An’s hope, doesn't have the time to handle Kohane’s worry for him.
One thought sticks with him - only one, it's all he has the capacity to handle - “you always look like you're having fun when you sing with Akito.” Toya’s never been in touch with his emotions, really - they aren't logical, don't make much sense. He knows he loved Akito, at one point. He knows he despises what his father wants from him. He knows that he doesn't know who Toya is.
He knows he needs to say goodbye to the town that's taken care of him. Really, it's the polite thing to do - to say goodbye to Ken, to say goodbye to the posters littering the streets, to say goodbye to the people of Vivid Street who've supported them - no, who’ve supported Akito at every turn.
It's then, a week after breaking off his relationship with Akito, that Toya wanders into Weekend Garage for the last time. He moves with purpose, with will and with force as he locks eyes with Ken. He sighs as a free cup of his favorite coffee is pressed into his hands - coffee he won't smell or taste or experience again, after today. He sighs again, a thin frown crossing his face as he asks Kohane to keep this between the four of them, Ken, An, Kohane, and Toya. “I don't want him to be disappointed in me,” he mutters - not that it matters, since he doesn't plan on seeing Akito again. School may be awkward if they make eye contact in the halls, but Toya doesn't particularly care right this moment.
… but he still cares. As much as he tries to deny it, Toya can't help but feel for Akito. He feels afraid of disappointing him, afraid of hurting him - devastated that he left Akito. The words come out of his mouth before he can stop them, really - “Ken… please, take care of Akito for me.”
If Akito is one thing, it's stubborn. That's why, when he gets a call that Toya’s currently in Weekend Garage, he doesn't hesitate to drop everything and make his way to the only boy he's ever loved. The cool wind nips at his nose, threatens to shove him down and keep him away from Toya. But as he listens to Toya spill his heart over the phone, the only thing he regrets is that he didn't push harder. That he gave up so easily, let his anger take charge.
“... he shared his dream with me. Akito… he's the first person I've clearly understood my feelings for, ever.” Toya sits in the booth, cradling the hot cup between his hands as he runs a finger around the rim, taking a sip. “I loved him. It's just that… his priorities are different from mine. He looks ahead, and knows what he wants. If someone like…” Toya murmurs, taking another long sip of his drink, “if someone like me were to stand beside him, I'd just… keep him from realising his dream.”
“It's odd, that… in the end, I had the weakest resolve out of everyone,” he concludes, downing the rest of his coffee. “You and Azusawa would be better suited on the stage beside him. You both have the resolve, I'm certain of it. That's why…” he sighs, resting his head in his hand, “that's why I've decided to stop acting like a child. To stop relying on Akito.”
The room is eerily silent. Weekend Garage is typically a warm, bustling environment full of lovers of music, in all shapes, sizes, and colors. And yet here, as twilight settles over Vivid Street, it's silent. He utters a firm thank you, before pushing out of the booth and turning to leave, to make his decision final.
“Toya, do me a favor before you go,” Ken interrupts. Toya cocks his head, huh?, and he continues. “There's someone else who hasn't accepted your decision, Toya. Mind talking to him?” Before Toya has the opportunity to continue, the door is practically thrown off the hinges as a very frostbitten, very sweaty and very determined boy sprints inside, stopping just in the foyer to catch his breath.
“Akito?!” Toya gasps. This is what he'd been dreading, the one person who threatens his newfound resolve - the person he's running from. He falters, under the bitter gaze of a boy who, despite how hard he tries, he fails to stop loving. The one person who he can't escape from. “You're here. Were you-”
“Yeah, I was listenin’. Asked Ken to leave his phone on,” he sputters out between heavy breaths, finally standing upright, standing his ground.
Toya stares down at the ground - he can't falter, not now. He lets out a quiet sigh, “... you must be disappointed that the person with the weakest resolve ended up being the person beside you this whole time, Akito.”
Akito fights the urge to grab Toya by the collar, to show him that he's wrong, oh so wrong, but he resists. Not now. “I've seen your goddamn resolve, Toya! You… practice day in and day out, from when the sun rises ‘til it sets.”
Toya smiles weakly, looking up at Akito. “... I wanted to be someone worthy of standing beside you.” Against his better judgement, his heart wills him to take a step forwards, slowly but surely closing the gap between them. Between Akito and Toya, between BAD DOGS, the unit. Between Akito and Toya, two boys so helplessly in love with each other that it hurts. “I practiced so hard, Akito, because I wanted to stand beside you. The skills I had from classical music weren't enough to make me worthy of being your partner.”
“Toya…” Akito sighs, taking a short step forwards - it's not too much, it doesn't ask for anything Toya can't give him right now. “You know damn well you're more than worthy of being with me, man…”
“... I can't believe you, Akito. It isn't that I haven't tried to, I promise you. It just… doesn't make sense,” Toya replies, remaining firmly in place. “Whenever I stood beside you, singing on stage, I felt a little closer to understanding who “Toya” really is, and I'll never stop being grateful for that, Akito. But…” Akito’s expression shifts, biting his lip as he braces himself for what's to come, “that's all the more reason I can't stand beside you, Akito. I can't help you fulfill your dream.”
“God dammit, Toya! I don't… ugh, you're not usually this dense, so I'm gonna make this clear, okay?!” Akito yells, closing the gap between him and Toya as he grasps the boy by the jacket. “My dream means nothing to me if you aren't the one with me, okay?! I don't want to do this with anyone but you! Is there not a single part of you that wants to do it with me?!”
Perhaps it's the fire in Akito’s eyes. Perhaps it's the bodily closeness, perhaps it's the fact that Toya can feel the sweat on Akito’s hands through his hoodie and he understands how desperate Akito is for him to stay. He doesn't know what it is, but something compels him to snap, to bounce back into form and decompress from the cookie-cutter shape he'd been jammed into. “Of course there is! Do you have any idea how many times I've thought about giving it all up and chasing your dream with you?!”
“That's more like it,” Akito says softly, a small smile finally crossing his face as he releases Toya’s creased hoodie and takes a step closer, putting his arms around Toya. “If that's what you want, just… do it, Toya. Take what you want, yeah?”
Toya turns his head away, staring off to the side as his arms snake their way around Akito’s body - he doesn't realise he's even doing it. “But-”
Akito presses a finger to his lip, “enough outta you. I want to be your partner and you want to be mine. All that's left is to reach for our dream, you ‘n’ me. What more is there to it, huh?”
Toya turns his head back, finally looking into Akito's eyes, crumpling like paper under his partner’s soft gaze. “... is it really okay for someone with such weak resolve to stand beside you, Akito?”
If the moment weren't so intense, Akito would've burst out laughing. Instead, he gently cradles Toya’s face with one hand, the face he'd left a mark on not so long ago - he was going to make up for doing that, no matter what. “Your resolve isn't weak, dumbass. Maybe to you, sure, but… to me, you're the best partner a guy could ask for.”
Toya nods, letting out a soft sigh as he presses a hesitant kiss against Akito’s cheek. “If you want something, take it… it was really that simple all along, then.”
Akito scoffs, pressing a kiss against Toya’s beauty mark in return. “For someone as smart as you, you can be a real dumbass sometimes,” he smirks as he rustles the boy’s hair. “You and me, we're gonna surpass RAD WEEKEND together, no matter what. Alright, partner?”
Toya simply nods in return. He can feel An and Kohane staring at them now that he's relaxed a little, but he chooses to ignore them just for a moment longer, remaining comfortably in Akito’s embrace - how he'd missed those arms, so strong and yet so gentle and so kind. It's as he remains here, still and comfortable in the embrace of his partner, his one and only, that he feels… content. This is his home, Vivid Street, and his person, Akito.
--------
Toya Aoyagi has never been one to seek a break in routine.
But recently, he hasn't been too bothered by the shifting tides of change. The constants in his life evolve and change and grow alongside him now - for example, he and Akito teamed up with An and Kohane to surpass RAD WEEKEND as a unit.
Nowadays, he has so many safe spaces - so many cafés along Vivid Street, Weekend Garage, the Shinonomes’, the Tenmas’, Akito. Now whenever he butts heads with his father, he doesn't let it bother him - it doesn't matter, not now that Toya has the resolve. Resolve to stand up to his father. Resolve to sing alongside Akito, alongside An and Kohane. Resolve to take what he wants.
On days when Toya needs a break from his routine, he takes a walk. He wanders along Vivid Street, searching within the colorful city to find hidden gems, cafés off of the main path. Some days he walks with Akito, hand in hand as they talk about anything and everything and nothing at all.
Toya and Akito have been together for almost a year now. Akito’s been hinting at something exciting for their one year anniversary, and he's been kept entirely in the dark by Kohane and An who know exactly what Akito has been planning.
For now, though, he's content. He's content with simply waiting, letting Akito take him by surprise. Content with the way his life is now, content with taking what he wants. Content with himself. He no longer finds himself searching for who “Toya” is - Toya’s a street musician. And Toya’s content with who he is, with whom he gets to be with. More than content - ecstatic, overjoyed.
Perhaps Toya Aoyagi will never truly have an unchanging, stable routine. But, at this point in his life, he's made peace with the tides of change - he looks forward to what’s to come, to his future.
A future he plans to spend with Akito Shinonome.