Prompt Writings

The Only Exception

Pegoryu - Valentine

-Tuesday, February 14, Evening-

"Since you asked me to come here today, I'm guessing don't have a date either?" Ryuji asked Akira.

"The girls on our team are kinda... Cruel. Honestly, I'd rather be with you today"

Akira lead Ryuji inside of LeBlanc. His statement wasn't entirely the truth of why he called Ryuji here, but saying the whole reason why out of the blue might not sit well with either of them.

Flopping into a booth, Ryuji sighed "But seriously... First Christmas, and now Valentine's Day? This sucks..."

"You want something to drink? I can make you some coffee or something" Akira offered.

"Sure, thanks man..."

"Hey, I know both of us didn't get any ladies today, but that's not too bad" he told Ryuji "After all, we have each other"

After his statement, Ryuji looked downward at the table, almost deep in thought. He stayed like that for a minute or so before looking back up to watch Akira make the coffee.

"Y'know, you're gettin' pretty good at that!"

"O-oh, I am? Thank you"

Akira made his way back to the booth, setting down both his and Ryuji's coffee cups. The bleach blonde took a sip and looked happy as can be. That smile fell as he spoke again.

"Can't believe we aren't getting any chocolate... Even Yusuke got chocolate! Probably Mishima, too..."

Akira nodded "Maybe heroes aren't always popular in the romance department..."

He realized that now would be good, when he had Ryuji's attention on this topic.

"Hey Ryuji, I'll be right back... I just have to go upstairs for a second, okay?"

Ryuji nodded "Alright!"

He went into the attic serving as his bedroom for a brief minute. After a little bit of rustling around up there, he came back down quickly with his hand mostly behind his back.

"What's...?"

"L-let me sit down first..." Akira told him, doing so.

Looking closer at his face, Ryuji noticed it was tinted pink and that Akira could barely make eye contact with him. He slightly fidgeted with the apron on his body using the hand that wasn't behind his back.

"Ryuji, do you remember when we first became friends...?" he asked.

"Yeah! Of course I do, man!"

Akira had a timid, gentle smile "Thinking back to it, I always feel so happy. You turned out to be the most caring and kind person in our entire school, and I feel lucky that I got to meet someone as great as you are. W-with you, I feel like I belong..."

"Same here! If there's a place I belong, it's gotta be next to you!" Ryuji cheered.

"And I..." Akira stopped to think, sighing "I need to tell you this, before I miss the chance to... Even if you might think less of me for it..."

"Akira...?"

This was the one time that Ryuji had ever seen his leader being even slightly nervous about anything other than the Metaverse. But now? He could barely make eye contact. Akira moved his hand out from behind his back and towards Ryuji, a decent-sized bar of milk chocolate enclosed within it. His deep gray eyes showed insecurity, almost shyness, as he spoke from within his heart.

"I-I love you, Ryuji... Meaning r-romantically... Whenever I'm with you, I... I feel like I can be who I am without a care in the world... I've... I've never felt this way about another guy before, and... I-I..."

The raven-haired boy stopped himself from saying any more, sighing and looking away. Akira's attention was brought back to the boy in front of him when said boy tenderly held the underside of his hand.

"Hey... You don't need to stop yourself. You can finish what you tried to say, I'll listen" explained Ryuji in a caring voice.

Nodding, he continued "I... I'll be okay if you don't feel the same way romantically, as long as we're still friends. I'd never force you to stay, because the only thing I want is for you to be happy"

Ryuji slowly lowered Akira's hand to the table and removed the bar of chocolate from his grasp, putting his own hand in its place and intertwining his fingers with the other's.

"Y'know, I'm glad you said something... Cause I... I-I didn't know how to say it... You... Make me feel free..."

With tears welling up in his eyes, Akira pulled the bleach blonde into a kiss, which the other returned. After he pulled away, the raven-haired boy felt the aforementioned tears roll down his cheeks, a smile on his face. Ryuji wiped away his tears with a smile of his own.

"You know I'll always have your back. I love you, Akira"

"I love you too, Ryuji"