gyutaro turned off the car engine. you were in a dense forest seemingly used for hiking. the car was stopped in a gravel parking lot horizontal to a clearing leading into the woods.
"we have to hike?" you sigh. "i'll carry you if you'd like." gyutaro smiles.
"bro is whipped." akaza laughed.
"the hell i am." gyutaro shot back.
gyutaro's hostilely only fueled akaza's laughter. gyutaro scoffed before returning his attention back to you. "i'll walk. it's fine." you chirp.
everyone exits the car and walks towards the opening. for the first few minutes, all that can be heard are birds and insects chirping.
"so [y/n], tell me about you." akaza said. he walked with his hands slapping every passing tree. he didn't turn to look at you but kept walking instead. "well, i like art." you reply.
"lame." akaza taunts. you scrunch your face in annoyance. "gyutaro likes art too." akaza says.
"only because i get to see [y/n]'s beautiful face." gyutaro says. you mouth forms into a slight smile that gyutaro catches. he winks back at you. "i like soryu shiki ." akaza says.
"what's that?" you ask. guutaro scoffs at your question. "here his ass go." he sighs.
akaza stops a few inches in front of you. he waits until you get to his side before he begins to walk side-by-side with you. "it's a type of martial art. bare handed combat." he slyly smiles.
he grabs you by the back of your waist and pulls you to a pretty well grown tree. you stiffen up at his touch but you relax as his moves his hands away. "watch this." akaza positions himself in front of the tree. he bends his legs slightly into almost a squat.
he brings his right hand to his side in a fist and holds his left out with his fingers together as if saying 'stop.'
his lips part slightly and he bends his head slightly towards the ground. with a swift punch, the wood of the tree cracks. the tree starts to fall over on its side. your jaw pops open as akaza cheerily dusts off his knuckles. his knuckles didn't seem to be scratched or even red from irritation.
"how'd-"
"my step dad was a great man." akaza says. as if he didn't bare-handedly just take a tree down, he begins to pursue the trail once again.
gyutaro chuckles to himself and follows him. you pick up your pace to catch up with them.
the walk wasn't very far from a cliff. the cliff extended over the vast valley below. there was a picnic table a little way from the edge.
"i'm scared of heights." you blurt out. both boys stop to turn around. "sucks to be you then. you're missing out." akaza called. he walked over to the edge and plopped down. his feet dangled over it.
"we won't go that far out." gyutaro reassured you. you sigh, instinctively grabbing hold of his waist. you hold him from the back as he secures your wrist with his hands.
he slowly walks further and further out onto the cliff. "would you like to sit?" he asks. you nod your head, rubbing your cheek against his back. he chuckles and turns around, so your back is towards the bench. you sit down and wait for gyutaro to sit next to you.
"this view is beautiful. i remember how your face lit up when you stood on your balcony." gyutaro explains. "yeah.." you're too bestowed by the beauty of the sun lowering behind the trees.
gyutaro digs his phone out of his pocket and begins to play a song. at first, you couldn't tell what was being said. "i don't stand in line, i don't pay for clubs, f*ck that, yeah."
"but i'll wait for you." gyutaro hummed. "i don't like to drink, i don't like to think, f*ck that, ooh-oh." "but i'll ponder you." you hummed back.
a stream of smoke formed from akaza's face. you assumed that he was smoking and left it at that. he seemed to be an interesting person. "thanks for coming with me tonight [y/n]." gyutaro smiles.
you smiled at him and nodded. it wasn't like you were forced to be here with him. just being around him made you happy.
"could we dance before the song ends?" he asks. he sheepishly rubs his neck. "of course." you giggle. you stand up and push gyutaro away from the bench. you lay your hands on his chest and he rests his arms around your mid-back.
"my blue jeans could last me allllll my liiffeeee, ohhh yeesss. sooooo shoulddd weeeee-eee-ee."
the song sung. you closed your eyes and tuned into the music. you turned your head to the edge of the cliff where you saw the sun turning distant oranges and blues.
akaza was now slightly facing you both. you closed your eyes once more as a smile began to spread. gyutaro rested his chin on your head as you both swayed back and forth to the beat.
you lean back to look up at gyutaro who slowly opened his eyes. the sun made his eyes glow a slight hue of light brown. in fact, his entire face was glowing.
"if you want, we can..." gyutaro starts to push himself away, but you bring him back towards you. you cup gyutaro's face, pulling him down just for a second to look in his eyes, you close yours and give him a soft peck.
you then release his face and let him straighten back up.without a word, gyutaro pulls you into his chest and kisses you once more. this time, it was a bit more passionate. he then pulls away and smiles. "thank you for that lovely kiss,
[y/n]." he smiles.
"no, thank you gyutaro." you playfully swat his shoulder. "the mosquitos are fucking up my ankles let's go." akaza calls. he was already venturing back into the woods that you've just recently emanated from.
you both quietly laugh before gyutaro grabs his phone from the bench.
the drive home was quick. gyutaro walked you up to your apartment. akaza didn't bother saying goodbye as you exited the car.
"i'll see you later?" gyutaro asked as he stood in your doorway. "you will." you smiled. he bent down to give you another one of his galvanizing hugs.
he waved a final time before descending down the concrete hall. you shimmy as you think about your afternoon. you celebration is cut short by tengen's deal ringing in the back of your mind.
if you weren't before, you were now more conflicted than ever.
