1: A Competition

                                    

                                          
(Authors note: just to preface, this side story technically occurs after my original fanfiction Dark Sun. So if you want to get the full experience of this, please make sure you've read that story prior to reading this one :3 
Thank you, enjoy! )
                          
(Akechi's P.O.V)
                          
"It's going to be February in a few weeks..."
                          
Ren was quietly sipping his drink as we sat together at a table inside my favourite meeting spot: the Jazz Jin bar.
                          
I was listening intently to the music. I didn't look away from the live singer, despite hearing Ren's words.
                          
"Mmhmmm..."
                          
All of a sudden I felt his hand rest on mine as it sat on the table beside my glass.
                          
The warmth immediately jolted my focus. I turned to him in surprise.
                          
"Akechi. You know what that means, right?"
                          
I blinked, then pulled my hand out from under his in embarrassment with a sigh. All I could do was pick up my refreshment and sip it; attempting to relieve the awkward tension my boyfriend's forwardness brought upon me.
                          
"You aren't talking about Valentine's Day... are you?"
                          
Ren quieted down. 
                          
I mean, I hadn't assumed the guise of a Detective Prince for nothing. It went without saying that I could deduce this much based on his words. Ren should have expected such by now.
                          
"It's on the 14th. We should go out together."
                          
I scoffed.
                          
"You want to go out on a Valentine's Day date? Isn't that a bit...cliché?"
                          
I had never been one to celebrate any holiday. My idea of a day off was to simply rest and work on my studies. After all, I had spent quite alot of time working multiple jobs, prior to assassinating Shido.
                          
Now, my free time was spent on things I wanted to accomplish. 
                          
"You can pick the place. It doesn't have to be extravagant."
                          
He turned his gaze downward for a moment.
                          
"It would be nice, since we are dating and all..."
                          
I sighed, but despite my fleeting interest in celebrating such a trivial day, I couldn't help but feel like maybe I should just give this a chance.
                          
He seemed pretty keen on it.
                          
"I guess we could go somewhere..." I gave in with a non-chalant shrug.
                          
Ren looked back up to me and broke out into a smile.
                          
"Good. I already have your gift planned out too."
                          
I was sipping my drink again as he spoke. But as soon as I heard the word "gift", I nearly spat out the seltzer in my mouth.
                          
"We are exchanging gifts, too?"
                          
Ren narrowed his eyes at me.
                          
"Ofcourse. You won't be able to top what I'm going to give you."
                          
That ever familiar competitive tension sparked once again between us.
                          
...how dare he presume he could get the best of me.