Chapter Text
“So…I have a favor to ask.”
Akechi’s finger, which has been tracing the back of Akira’s hand absentmindedly went to a complete halt.
Ah, so that’s why Akira called him over so abruptly that evening.
He should’ve known, honestly. Akira never just drops him a text message to spend the night. There’s always a dance so-to-speak, a tango of words accompanied by some drinks and gentle music from the jazz club.
There was always build up. But this time had been different.
Akechi had just figured maybe Akira was really pent up or something, and lucky for him, Akechi had just finished reading a novel he’d picked up the other day, leaving him with a free evening.
There’s always a catch to everything, isn’t there?
Akechi turned around in Akira’s arms to look at him accusingly. “And you waited to bring this up until after we had sex?”
Akira paused. “Well I wasn’t going to bring it up before sex.”
“You’re so funny I forgot to laugh.” Akechi spoke dryly.
Akira gave him a mischievous grin. “So you know…Christmas…”
“Uh-huh.”
“I was thinking you could spend Christmas Eve with me, and then stay over for Christmas.”
Akechi’s eyebrows furrowed. “I see no problems with that.”
“Great!” Akira beamed at him.
But then he muttered under his breath. “And the others will be there too,” He changed the subject before Akechi could protest. “So tell me about the novel you read-“
“Akira!” Akechi protested in a groan, ramming his face into a pillow and letting out a noise of irritation. “Forget it.”
“It’s one day.” Akira insisted gently. “Just Christmas Eve.”
Akechi glared at him. “I think you’re forgetting the key reason I don’t hang out with your friends.”
“Which is?”
“They don’t like me.”
Akira rolled his eyes. “They do so. Sumire likes you.”
“And the others?”
When he paused for too long, Akechi clicked his tongue and sat up in the bed to snatch his clothes off of the floor. “Goodbye.”
“Wait, wait, wait-“ Akira grabbed his arm. “Come on. It’s one day. I just want to have my best friends and my boyfriend in the same room, okay?”
“Akira there is nothing in the entire world you could say to me to make me go.”
Akira thought for a moment as Akechi snagged a shirt off the floor. “Hey uh, remember that time you tried to kill me?”
Slowly, Akechi turned to Akira, positively fuming.
Akira looked at him innocently. “I’m just saying…if you were still feeling bad about that or something, this could make us even.”
“You are never allowed to bring that up again.”
“Cross my heart.”
Akechi huffed loudly. “Fine. I’ll…socialize with your…friends.” The words sounded sour on his tongue.
“You also have to buy them presents.”
“Excuse me?”
Akira shrugged. “It’s Christmas.”
Akechi opened his mouth to protest.
“Attempted murder.” Akira chimed in quickly.
He didn’t have an argument to that.
“…One day.” Akechi conceded. “If any of those creatures stay over, I’m breaking up with you.”
“They won’t be.” Akira cackled. “Now put the shirt down.”
Akechi barely had time to toss the shirt away as Akira tugged him back down for a cuddle session.
Something Akechi quickly realized when he stepped into the anime-filled store, is that everything looks exactly the same.
Not in the literal sense, of course. Akechi isn’t that blind. The figures all have different hair colors and poses and attires, the plushies are of various sizes and creatures, etc.
But in another sense, they were all so similar that Akechi could hardly tell what was what. They were all wildly colorful, and all felt like they could be from the exact same series.
He planned to grab some figure for Futaba and move on, but if he got her something from a show she hadn’t seen before, he’d never hear the end of it.
“You look lost. And scared.”
Akechi’s head snapped over to a young boy who was leaning against the wall, hands shoved in his pockets. He was giving Akechi this teasing smirk that made his blood boil.
“I’m fine. Thank you.” Akechi replied stiffly.
“You’re Akechi Goro, right?”
Akechi almost rolled his eyes. Great. The last thing he needed was to run into a fan. “Yes, I am. Would you like an autograph?” He asked politely.
The kid snorted. “An autograph? Oh right, Akira mentioned you were on TV a ton.” At the mention of his boyfriend, Akechi’s eyes widened.
“You know Akira?” He questioned.
The boy raised an eyebrow. “Uh, duh? He’s like a big brother. I’m Shinya. Surely he’s mentioned me?”
Akira actually had mentioned Shinya. He was one of Akira’s many confidants, and helped teach him gun techniques that he used in palaces. “Of course. My apologies.”
“So, you’re the boyfriend he doesn’t stop talking about,” Shinya teased. “What are you doing in an anime store? You like this stuff?”
Akechi held back a snort. “I’m trying to find a Christmas present for his…” Friend? Sister? “For Futaba Sakura, I’m guessing Akira has mentioned her?”
“Futaba? Of course. She and I play games together sometimes.” Shinya smiled fondly. “But if you’re looking to get her a present, I wouldn’t go with anime crap. She likes to pick that stuff out herself.”
Damn. Not what he wanted to hear.
Shinya noticed his expression and grinned. “You’re not very good at this, are you?”
Two minutes and he already didn’t like this kid.
“Come with me.” Shinya strutted out of the shop, as if Akechi would follow him like a trained dog.
Well…he didn’t really have many options. So he did comply.
Soon enough, Akechi found himself at a tech store, filled to the brim with computers, phones and various accessories.
“Futaba owns all of this stuff.” Akechi protested when Shinya dragged him inside.
Shinya rolled his eyes. “Futaba’s been complaining that the noise in places makes her too anxious and it’s making it hard to leave places she feels comfortable. You should get her some noise canceling headphones that could help.”
Huh. That…wasn’t a bad idea.
“Which ones?” Akechi questioned.
Shinya glared at him. “Uh, it’s your present to her. At least do some of the work.”
This kid was really lucky he was a child.
“I gotta head out, but good luck with your shopping. Later, big brother Akira’s boyfriend.” Shinya winked and saluted before hurrying out of the store.
Akechi grumbled and turned back to the headphone selection. There was so many options. Different colors, designs, and functionality.
He was back to square one. He had no clue what Futaba liked.
He was just about ready to give up, but he remembered Akira’s pleading look.
Those wide, hopeful, annoying eyes of his…
Akechi promised to try.
Taking a deep breath, Akechi thought for a moment.
Futaba didn’t like to stand out, so something on the subtle side would be better, probably with darker colors.
Okay, that eliminated some options. He was getting somewhere.
No wires. Futaba gets herself tangled in them.
More options eliminated.
What had Futaba said recently in the group chat?
Akechi took out his phone and scrolled through old conversations, mostly banter from everyone else.
Futaba: I KNEW IT. THE CAKE IS A LIE AFTER ALL!
The cake is a lie? It was a random, out of place comment. Futaba was known for those.
Meaning it must be from something.
A quick search online brought up multiple articles about a video game called Portal.
“Excuse me,” Akechi spoke up when an employee walked by. “You have many headphones here with game designs. Do you have any with a design from…Portal?”
The employee grabbed some headphones that were sat right in front of Akechi, and held them out rather condescendingly.
Akechi should get a medal for handling it with dignity and grace. “Ah, thank you very much.” He gave his best show smile and took the headphones, only scowling once the employee walked away.
He gave the headphones a once over. They were a dark green color, with what Akechi could only assume was the Portal logo on either side. Wireless, and not too bulky either.
They were perfect for Futaba.
With an overwhelming feeling of victory in his chest, Akechi left the store after purchasing the headphones.
That was when he decided.
Akira’s friends were going to get the best presents they’ve ever received and never be able to get anything that even compares.
He was winning Christmas.