Work Text:
It had been roughly a month since Akito had first heard the mysterious boy singing on a secluded corner in Vivid Street, and barely two weeks since he’d agreed to team up with him.
He’d known as soon as they’d sung together that he had made the right decision–Toya’s pitch was inhumanly precise yet still rough as he was a beginner at singing, and while he didn’t always put the right amount of emotion into his singing, once Akito gave him the right advice and explained what to fix it was instantly corrected. They’d been in a few events now as the “BAD DOGS,” and with each one the dream of surpassing RAD WEEKEND came just a little closer.
All in all, Toya was the perfect partner, and Akito grew happier every day that passed that he had taken the chance and invited him to sing together. They were an unstoppable pair once united, and he loved it.
However, outside of music, the two were so awkward you’d think they were nothing more than simple acquaintances.
Akito was good at communicating with his partner when it came to practice or performing–“try raising your voice a little more,” “that verse sounds okay but it could be better,” “remember to breathe so you don’t choke”—but the instant the mic was taken from his hands his “friend” skills took a critical hit. Every conversation he had with Toya became stiffer and harder to navigate, and it was hard to tell which boy made it more difficult to speak casually.
It didn’t help that Toya’s poker face was well-nigh indestructible 24/7. It stayed there no matter what Akito told him, whether it was a funny story he’d heard from Ken or exciting news regarding that event they were finally good enough to enter. He could never tell what the other boy was thinking, and it both annoyed and unnerved him a little.
He brought it up one afternoon when they were warming up, about a week into their partnership. “Y’know, dude, you’ve always got that poker face,” Akito started as he stretched downwards, peeking out at Toya from behind his bangs. “How come?”
Toya copied him, effortlessly touching his toes (how did someone so tall do that so easily?!) “I don’t know. It’s just there.”
“Can you make other expressions?” He’d seen him look worried sometimes when he checked the time or when certain songs came on, but other than that it was blank neutrality day in and day out. “Like, can you smile?”
“I don’t know,” Toya answered. “I haven’t consciously tried, but I probably could if I did. I’m not sure.”
“Huh,” was all Akito could say, since it made no sense to him. “Well, let’s get back to stretching. Mind giving me a few tips on how to reach down farther?”
“No, I don’t. You seem to have trouble bending over completely, so I’d suggest…”
Practice wore on, and although he was curious Akito decided not to bother bringing it up again. At the end of the day, as long as they could get their feelings across clearly regarding music, it didn’t really matter that they couldn’t talk casually just yet. It had only been a little while since they’d met, so it was just fine this way.
Really, talking was overrated in his opinion. All they had to do was get onstage, and everything–even Toya’s elusive emotions–was crystal clear.
“It’s so hot,” Akito complained, wiping sweat off his forehead. “Toya, let’s go find some shade. We’ll get heatstroke like this.”
“Alright,” the other boy replied, dutifully carrying their bags as he dragged their amp and microphones away. “Akito, your water bottle is getting low. Shall I go buy another?”
“If you don’t mind. Here, you can buy yourself something,” Akito added, stopping Toya and fishing a few coins out of his wallet. “I only need water, though.”
Toya nodded. “Alright. Thank you.”
He headed off towards the nearest vending machine (which was still a street or so away, unfortunately) and Akito gazed around their immediate area to try and locate a good place to continue. This isn't good. All the shady spots are taken already.
Crap. I should’ve picked one out to start with…
The equipment is starting to get really hot, too. If I let it keep sitting out in this weather, the manager won’t be happy.
…What should I do?
“Akito.”
He turned to see Toya behind him with a bottle of water and–unsurprisingly–a can of pure black coffee (which must have been his third of the day), both ice cold. “Here,” he said, handing Akito the water and opening his coffee. “You should let me pay you back. It wasn’t expensive, and I can definitely afford it.”
“Nah, it’s fine. Thanks for grabbing it for me,” Akito replied gratefully, accepting the bottle and cracking it open. He took a few generous sips before setting it down again, sighing. “Alright, Toya. I hate to break it to you, but we’ve got a problem. Well, two problems.”
“I’m listening.”
“One. It’s currently the hottest part of the day, and all the shady spots are taken,” he explained. “We could go farther out and see if there’s a cool place to sing, but we’d have to lug all this with us. That brings us to the next problem.”
He gestured for Toya to touch the speaker. He did so and instantly yanked his hand back, clearly holding back a wince. “It’s very hot.”
“Yep. Two–all our equipment is overheating,” Akito continued. “If we could move it somewhere shady, that would be nice, but like I said, there’s nowhere to perform safely close by. Plus, this is my manager’s equipment, and while he’s very understanding, he’ll be pretty upset if I ruin it, so I don’t think we can do anything but bring it back to him.”
Toya nodded. Unless Akito was imagining it–and he wouldn’t be surprised if he was–the barest hint of disappointment clouded his face. “Do we have to stop practicing now?”
Akito hesitated. While they had been drinking plenty of water throughout the day, between the heat and the sudden lack of equipment it was for the best that they canceled for the day. If he’d thought ahead he could’ve looked into the places nearby and found them somewhere else to practice where it was nice and cool, but everywhere was sure to be booked at this point.
He’d really miscalculated.
I can’t believe I didn’t think about this.
I’ve been singing here for a year now, and I still can’t remember to look out for stuff like this.
…We can’t just skip out on practice.
But there’s nowhere on Vivid Street that’s open.
Even if he hated the idea with all of his being, it was safest that they stop for the day and try to make a plan for tomorrow.
But something about Toya’s face made him think otherwise.
“Tell you what,” he began, and his partner immediately stood up straight again. “Why don’t we stop by the store first and drop this off? Then we can head to the park and see if we can practice there. It won’t be the same without our stuff, but it’s the best we can do for now.”
Toya nodded. “That sounds good.”
Akito smiled despite himself. “Alright, glad to hear it. Will you carry the bags so I can get the rest?”
“Is there anything else I can get?”
“I guess the mics should be fine. Make sure they’re wrapped up nicely, ‘kay?”
“Understood.”
Akito lifted up the amp as Toya slung their bags over his shoulder, delicately wrapping the cords around their mics and trailing after him. They stuck to the shade as much as possible, weaving carefully around the other denizens of Vivid Street (who’d all had the same idea.) Today was loud and busy as always regardless of the heat.
They arrived at Akito’s part-time job an agonizingly (ten minute) long walk later, apologizing to the manager for not noticing his equipment had started overheating. “It’s fine, it’s fine! I appreciate you bringing it back before it got any hotter,” he promised, patting Akito on the back. “What will you two do now? If it’s too hot for the equipment, I think it might be too hot for you guys. Especially with how rigorously you work.”
“We’re thinking of heading to the park and seeing if there’s enough shade to practice there,” Akito answered. “We’ve been drinking plenty of water, so you don’t have to worry about us.”
His manager shook his head, looking tired but amused. “As long as you’re being safe, it should be fine. Don’t go catching heatstroke, got it?”
“We won’t, I promise. Thank you for lending us the equipment like always.”
“It’s nothing, Akito. See you tomorrow!”
“See you, sir.”
Akito bowed his way out and took his bag from Toya, pulling it over his shoulders. “Come on, let’s head to the park now.”
“Alright.”
Toya trailed silently behind him as usual, his quiet presence finally something Akito had gotten used to. Ever since day one he’d stuck behind him and spoken only he was required to, and while it had been unsettling at first, over the past month of their partnership it had gradually stopped bothering him.
It feels kinda funny to have him behind me when he towers over me so much, though, Akito thought to himself with a quiet laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“Huh?” He was momentarily taken aback, but ultimately deduced that Toya was just legitimately curious. “Uh, nothing. I was just thinking that it’s a little funny how you always walk behind me when you’re so much taller.”
He could practically hear Toya pondering the matter deeper. “I’m only taller by a few centimeters, though.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s a noticeable difference, at least.”
“I see.”
Toya seemed to be ruminating on that the entire walk to Nonogi Park, and Akito had to fight back the urge to laugh again (it would undoubtedly befuddle Toya even more, and he didn’t want to make his partner dizzy with…whatever was confusing him.) He shook his head and took in the park before them, noting which trees were closest and largest. “How about that one?” he asked, nudging Toya’s side and pointing to a tree leaning over a bench. “It’s nice and big, and no one’s over there. We can sit down if we get tired, too. What d’you think?”
Toya hummed. Akito had figured out over time that this meant he was pleased. “I like it. It’s probably the best we’ll get, so we’d better get over there before someone claims it.”
“Alright. Try to keep up.”
They hurried down the hill before them and raced to the tree, Akito easily outpacing Toya. He set his bag down and watched in amusement as his partner doggedly jogged towards him, huffing and puffing as he finally slowed to a stop. “Here’s your water.”
“Thank you,” Toya managed, fumbling the cap off and taking a sip. “Do you mind if we take a breather before getting back into practice?”
“Sure thing. It’d suck for you to run out of steam halfway through our session.”
“Thank you.”
The two boys relaxed on the bench, Toya neatly alternating between his water and his coffee. “I always forget how hot it gets on Vivid Street in the summer,” Akito sighed. “I should’ve planned more for today.”
“At least we found somewhere to practice,” Toya said, getting to his feet and dropping his empty coffee can into the nearby trashcan. “I’d hate to have to go home early just because it was too hot to do so.”
“Yeah. Same.”
The other boy nodded in agreement. A glimmer of determination was in his eyes, and Akito liked it. He’d learned that Toya’s silence and impassive face masked a great deal of resolve, almost enough to match Akito’s. It felt like opening a treasure chest every time he saw it.
No one else would take me seriously when I said I wanted to surpass RAD WEEKEND.
But he did.
…I’m glad he decided to sing with me.
Which is why we can’t sit back for too long.
Akito stood up, brushing leaves off his clothes. “Okay, we’ve rested enough. Let’s start warming up again.”
Toya nodded, following his lead and setting his water down. It was getting low, but while Akito relied on disposable bottles he’d brought along a huge one he hadn’t had to refill all day, so he wasn’t too worried yet. “Alright.”
They worked steadily for the next couple of hours, stopping diligently to drink water every now and then in order to stay hydrated. It wasn’t as easy to notice things without their mics, but months of practice had helped Akito pick up on awkward rhythms and subtle mistakes. Toya never hesitated to correct him, either, and each tip was spoken and highlighted as precisely as possible. Akito really appreciated the skill Toya had when it came to music.
He still wondered where he’d gotten it, but it seemed he would never know.
“Alright, let’s take a break,” he announced, dropping back onto the bench. “Ugh, even the shade is warming up. So gross.”
“It is very hot,” Toya agreed, fanning his face as he sat next to Akito. “Soon enough it’ll be too uncomfortable to practice.”
“We’re really being run off. This sucks.”
“Is it time to stop for the day?”
“I hate to admit it, but it might be,” Akito grumbled. “Damn it. We’re not gonna be able to get all our hours in tomorrow either unless we look for somewhere ahead of time.”
Toya’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “What now?”
Akito surveyed him out of the corner of his eye. As usual, he had a feeling his partner didn’t want to stop practice for another reason.
Toya had been like that since day one, honestly. He stayed out as late as Akito did without complaint, legitimately seeming frustrated or upset (from what he could tell, at least) when the time came for them to inevitably head home. When the road they always took finally split and Akito would bid him farewell for the night, he’d trudge off down the rest of the path with a noticeable slump to his shoulders. It was a sad sight to behold, and, although he had no real interest in Toya’s personal life—they were singing partners, not real friends—Akito always wondered why.
He had a feeling he might never know, same as with Toya’s musical skill. But the most he could do was not send him home too early.
What to do, though? We can’t practice like this.
We could find an even bigger tree, but it’s not worth it. It’s too hot for any of that.
Practice seems to be completely off the table at this point.
But if we’re not practicing, what are we doing?
We’re just singing partners. There’s no point in being out together if we’re not doing everything we can for RAD WEEKEND.
Is there?
A couple of voices–accompanied by the sound of footsteps–abruptly interrupted his thought process. “I can’t believe you finally got around to trying that place.”
“Come on, the final exams were kicking my butt! I would have failed everything if I’d taken too much time off!”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s good, though?”
“It is! I’ve tried a few different ice cream shops before, but this one is really nice!”
Two girls walked past their tree, happily chattering away. Both were holding plastic cups with ice cream piled high inside them. They appeared to already be melting in the summer heat, but their bright colors stood out to him even as they vanished from his line of sight. Huh.
Ice cream…
Akito glanced at Toya, who was staring at the girls’ retreating figures. Unless he was imagining it, he seemed to have perked up slightly at the mention of ice cream. “You want some?”
“Eh? I mean, it sounds nice.”
“I bet I know what place they’re talking about,” Akito said, getting up and gathering his things. “Why don’t we go check it out? They’ve got a ton of options, plus it’ll cool us down a bit. And once we’re there, we can talk about our options for the rest of the week.”
Toya considered it. “Yes. If you don’t mind.”
Akito grinned. “Alright, follow me. It’s this way.”
They had to take a train to reach the parlor as it was across town, but Akito didn’t mind since it was nice and cool inside. The two stood there and enjoyed the AC as the train rattled along, preparing to say farewell to it again for a short time. At least the parlor isn’t too far. The walk’s only a few minutes from this station.
…What am I doing?
Why am I going to so much trouble just to make sure Toya doesn’t feel…sad, I guess?
I can excuse today as a one-time thing, but what will we do if we can’t practice at all this week?
We can’t just keep going to the parlor. Especially since I’m only guessing that I know what’s going on.
This is dumb. I should’ve just kept trying to find a place to practice.
The train began to slow, and when Akito glanced up at Toya he saw a tiny sparkle of what seemed to be excitement in his eyes.
Maybe it had been a good idea after all.
…Well, we’re here. Time to make the best of it.
They exited the train together, hurrying onto the main street. For one frightening moment Akito thought he was leading them in circles (he’d only been here once or twice, after all) but at last, after what must’ve been five minutes of walking around in the now unbearable summer heat, they reached the parlor.
“It’s very blue,” Toya commented, taking in the building in front of them.
Indeed it was. The front door was clear glass, but the exterior of the shop was the color of cornflowers while the inside was painted a soft baby blue. Most of the furniture was pink and white, but otherwise it was overwhelmingly blue.
Akito actually liked it, though. Somehow it was soothing.
“It is,” he agreed. “Let’s head in already. It’s an ice cream place, so the AC should be pretty good here.”
“Alright.”
The bell let out a pleasant chime as he pushed the door open. “Welcome!” the girl at the counter called, beaming brightly. “Sit wherever you’d like.”
“Thank you,” Toya replied with a nod.
“Let’s sit here,” Akito said, gesturing to the table nearest to the large window looking out at the street. “I’ll grab a menu.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“No problem.”
He took one from the shelf by the counter and sat down across Toya, who was (predictably) already gazing at the large coffee machine in the corner of the store. “Do you seriously want more coffee?” he asked in dismay. “You’ve had so much today already. You’re gonna make yourself sick.”
“It tastes good.”
“Fine, but I’m not funding your addiction. I’ll pay for the ice cream, but nothing else.”
“That’s fine.”
Akito set the menu down between them with a sigh, turning it so Toya could see it. “Here. Anything you like?”
His partner studied the menu, eyebrows furrowed. “You can eat cookie dough?”
“Oh, yeah. Well, cookie dough usually has eggs in it, but if you’re not baking it you can take them out and eat it raw,” Akito explained, oddly pleased to be able to tell him. “It’s pretty good. Are you gonna try it?”
Toya’s eyes swept over the menu one last time, pausing on the coffee flavor (God, how deep did this addiction run) before he nodded. “Yes. It sounds interesting. I’d like the smallest size, please.”
“Alright. Give me a minute to pick and I’ll order.”
He scanned the menu intently, considering each option with care. Solo flavors, mashups, soft serve and even milkshakes…they’ve got it all.
The orange and chocolate would taste pretty good together…so would the milk and strawberry, though.
Oh.
They have parfaits, too!
Strawberry shortcake, cookies and cream, and even a cheesecake parfait?!
This shop is even better than I thought.
Akito stared at the bright little photos, doing his best to keep his expression neutral (thankfully Toya was off buying his fourth cup of coffee that day, at least) as he fiercely debated what to pick. They all sound so good.
The cheesecake parfait looks amazing, though. The cake, the strawberry sauce, the powdered sugar and berries, vanilla ice cream at the top…
I’m gonna get it.
…Wait.
What if Toya says something?
Akito stopped to consider it, warier than he had been a minute ago. He hadn’t really been out with Toya like this before, and his massive sweet tooth (which, according to his classmates, was “surprising”) had yet to come up. He didn’t really think it was strange–sweets were sweets, and why was he to blame if he liked sugar?–but for some reason people viewed it to be so.
Why, he didn’t know, but the fact remained that most people he had the pleasure of knowing were annoying like that.
What if Toya was the same?
You know what?
Even if he does, who cares?
I’m not gonna get judged by the guy with a black coffee addiction.
The guy in question came back within another moment, the parlor’s largest cup size held in his hand. “Have you decided what you’re getting, Akito?”
“Yeah,” Akito replied casually. “I’ll go order now. Be right back.”
“Alright.”
Akito ordered quickly and sat down again, idly tapping his fingers as he watched Toya sip his coffee. The silence stretched out between them until finally (after what felt like an eternity of waiting but was apparently only ten minutes) he heard his name being called. “That’s our food,” he said, getting to his feet. “I’m gonna go grab it.”
Toya nodded. “Thank you.”
“No problem.”
He made his way towards the counter, thanking the server with a polite smile as he accepted the tray she handed him. Thankfully the parfait wasn’t too large–really, Toya’s little bowl just made it look bigger than it actually was–so he carried it back without any problems. “Yo, Toya. I’m back.”
“Ah, is that mine?” Toya asked, carefully lifting his bowl off the tray as Akito lowered it onto the table.
“Yeah. I got you the smallest size like you asked,” Akito promised.
“Thank you. Oh, I didn’t expect you to order a parfait.”
“Really?”
Come on, don’t get mad just because of that.
Toya always makes that face. He’s probably not being rude.
“It looks very sweet,” the other boy commented, ignorant to the irritation Akito was trying to push back. “Do you like cheesecake, Akito?”
“Oh, yeah. I eat it all the time,” Akito admitted, at last accepting that his partner was not, in fact, making fun of him. “My sister keeps eating the ones I pack away, though. It’s really annoying.”
“Mm. I can see why it would be.”
“I label them and everything! She always says she just didn’t see it, but…”
Toya let him rant for a few minutes before reminding him that the ice cream would get warm. Akito hastily took a bite from his parfait, practically melting on the spot. It’s so good.
The berries are just tart enough to contrast the powdered sugar and strawberry syrup, and the cheesecake is so fluffy. This is delicious.
Maybe I should tell Ena about this place.
…Ah, she’ll be fine. She can look it up on her own.
“Heh.”
Akito snapped sharply back to reality at the tiny laugh, ready in an instant to defend himself if needed. “What?”
Toya smiled almost too faintly to see, the corners of his eyes crinkling up slightly. “It’s nothing. You just looked so happy while eating…I thought it was nice.”
He’s smiling.
It’s surprisingly pretty.
He hastily banished the thought, embarrassed that it had even crossed his mind. “Thanks, I guess,” he muttered, unable to meet Toya’s gaze. “Hurry up and eat your stuff before it gets too warm.”
“Ah, you’re right.”
Akito watched him take miniscule bites of the cookie dough, frowning a little bit as he did. “What’s wrong? Don’t like the flavor?”
“...I don’t actually like sugar that much,” the other boy confessed, looking almost embarrassed. “It makes me feel a bit sick.”
“How come you ordered something, then?” he asked, startled.
“Well, I do like cookies,” his partner replied. For some reason he looked almost wistful. “My mother always makes the best ones for special occasions, and it’s the only thing me and my father can talk about without fighting. I just thought trying them in a way I don’t ordinarily do would be nice.”
Without fighting?
Isn’t that weird?
It’s just like–
“Toya, do you not get along with your family?”
Toya blinked. For once Akito could detect clear, obvious surprise on his face. “Eh?”
Bad impulse. Bad impulse.
Fuck.
“Sorry. You don’t have to answer that,” he stammered out as quickly as possible. “I didn’t–ugh, just pretend I didn’t say anything. What were you saying? Cookies?”
“I…”
Toya stared at his cookie dough, lightly tracing his nail along the table. “No,” he said at last. “No, I don’t get along with them.”
…I guess I knew it.
He stays out so late, and he avoids talking about them as much as possible.
His phone’s always on Do Not Disturb, too. I thought it was weird, but…
Akito thought briefly of his sister, and how tension was still sparking inside their house like a dangerous electrical current.
“Why?” he asked. “Am I allowed to ask?”
The very edges of Toya’s mouth curled into another smile, but it was nowhere near as warm or soft as the previous one. The defeat in his expression filled Akito with an emotion he couldn’t name. “It’s complicated, I’m afraid. I’m not the person my father wishes I was. That’s all.”
The noise of the parlor carried on. Customers talked loudly from other tables, and there was plenty of movement as they walked back and forth to grab menus and pick up orders.
“...Huh.”
For some reason that was all Akito could think to say.
What should I say?
Is there anything I should say?
“Is there anything I should do?”
Toya looked out the window for a brief moment as though collecting himself, then turned back to Akito. “I don’t want to talk about it if possible,” he answered. “If anything, just keep singing with me.”
Akito smiled slightly. “Of course, Toya. I didn’t team up with you just for fun,” he reminded him. “We’re the BAD DOGS. We’re not just gonna stop singing ‘cause we got bored. Isn’t that right?”
He thought the other boy might’ve looked relieved. “I’m glad to hear that. I hope I don’t inconvenience you, Akito.”
“Don’t worry about it. Look…”
Akito hesitated. Did he really want to involve himself in his partner’s problems like this?
Sure, it was the right thing to do–maybe. He wasn’t completely sure. But they were only teammates because their voices fit together so well. It was nothing more than an alliance created for the sole purpose of surpassing RAD WEEKEND.
Nothing mattered more than reaching and going beyond that event.
And yet something about his partner–a stoic and reserved boy who could hardly change his facial expression and stayed out late or met him as early as five am just to avoid his family–made him think otherwise.
And so he decided.
“If you’re ever having a hard time…tell me. If you feel like it,” he added awkwardly. God, he was not good at this. “There’s probably nothing I can do except try and cheer you up, but…I don’t know. I’d hate to think about you feeling bad and not doing anything about it. It just doesn’t feel right.”
Gray eyes stared back at him from across the table, so still and clear Akito could see himself reflected inside them. It was well-nigh impossible to tell what their owner was thinking, and as usual it was nothing short of unnerving.
“Thank you,” Toya said finally. “I’ll try.”
“Good to know.”
His partner hummed, and the quiet spell that had somehow fallen over them softly broke. “I suppose we should finish.”
“Hn? Yeah, I guess we should,” Akito agreed. “We can leave as soon as we do.”
“Alright.”
To his surprise Toya picked up his spoon and continued to eat the cookie dough, expression oddly resolute. “Dude, you don’t have to finish it if you don’t want to. It’s not a big deal.”
“No, thank you. You paid for it, so I want to finish it,” Toya said firmly.
“Okay, man. Do what you want,” Akito replied, slightly exasperated. “It wasn’t that expensive. I do have a job, you know.”
“I know. But I want to try and enjoy this since you bought it for me.”
“You…”
Seriously, what’s with that earnesty?
Why are you so serious about these things?
Akito found he didn’t mind it too much, surprisingly.
“Akito, your parfait is melting.”
“Oh, right. Thanks.”
“It’s nothing.”
They ate quietly together over the next few minutes. Toya valiantly ate the entire bowl of cookie dough despite Akito’s constant reminders that he really didn’t have to, admitting he thought it tasted good but was really too sweet. He then sat back and leisurely sipped his coffee as Akito worked his way through the parfait, occasionally commenting on little things around the store like the music playing in the background or the commercials visible on the building outside. Akito carried the conversation on when he did, and while it always ended shortly something about it was soothing.
Somehow, it wasn’t so awkward today.
Why?
We’re always so stiff when we’re not talking about music no matter what I try.
Is it because we’re taking a break?
Or are we just more used to each other now? Especially after all that?
Whatever it is, it’s nice.
…I think I kinda like it.