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Delicate long fingers trace the beautiful crafted glass bottle. The auburn liquid reflects in the wine eyes, gazing at it with curiosity. A hand touches the glass, fascinated, before delicately taking the bottle, making no noise to disturb the calm. Another hand lowers to grab an empty glass eagerly. A little grin appears on lips, as the long fingers stop at the top, ready to open the bottle.
"Goro!" The hand freezes. "You're not touching any alcohol are you?" Muhen's voice echoes in the empty jazz bar, startling the young part-timer.
Goro immediately puts away the whiskey bottle, smiling nervously. "Of course I'm not, Muhen-san."
Goro glares at his guardian who's cleaning the tables, whistling. Goro is 18 for fuck's sake, only one glass won't hurt him. Just because Goro is on probation doesn't mean he's prohibited to do anything.
He glances quickly at the bottle, he'll just take a drink discreetly when the jazz club will be filled and Muhen won't be focused on him.
Goro gasps when he feels a hand slapping the back of his head. He glares at Muhen, who's shaking his head, exasperated. "I can practically read your inner little tricks you're planning to try to drink behind my back. No alcohol for you, young man."
"I'm 18," Goro mumbles, begrudgingly.
"But you're under my roof and care so if I say no, it's no." Muhen crosses his arms. "Prepare the bar instead of eyeing at the bottles like a starving man, Goro."
Goro gasps, scandalized. "Excuse me? I'm not that desperate, thank you." He grabs his little apron, tying it around his waist. "Are you sure you're not imagining things, Muhen-san. Your age must be tricking you…"
Muhen glares at him and the sunglasses he's wearing doesn't tame his glare, on the contrary, they make it more intense. "Are you implying something, Akechi Goro?"
Wow. Complete name. Bad sign.
Goro looks away immediately, waving at the air, as if he's trying to dismiss the idea he implied previously. "Nothing at all, Muhen-san." He chuckles.
Muhen huffs but doesn't push it to Goro's relief. He shouldn't forget Muhen can be quite terrifying when he wants to be.
Goro ties his hair in a messy bun to prevent his locks from bothering him, exposing his left pierced ear, then sighs dramatically, as he leans on the old wooden bar. He's bored but it's not like he has anything to do. They're waiting impatiently that Futaba wakes up from her long rest and takes care of those foolish hackers: Medjed.
It's not like he could do anything. They already have cleared her entire palace and taken care of her shadow. The only thing Goro can do now is wait for results, but Goro isn't known to be someone patient.
Maybe he should've gone to Leblanc to meet with everyone and try to think of another solution if Futaba doesn't wake up in time. It's not like Sakura would try to understand their—what was his last excuse again—theatrical school project. It's a wonder Sakura didn't get suspicious over time with Ann and Sakamoto practically shouting in the cafe about their illegal activities.
Maybe he should have spent the evening with one of his confidents. Goro wouldn't mind for any of the personas to get stronger and makes his metaverse work easier however…
He smiles, staring fondly at Muhen. It's been a while since he stayed helping his guardian. And even if Muhen won't admit it either, he misses Goro too. Goro knows it. He has always been good at reading people and Muhen isn't exactly subtle.
"I'll open the door for Lyn-san then go to verify if everything is fine. Keep an eye on the entrance, alright?"
Goro hums loudly, acknowledging his words, as he blinks lazily, staring at the stairs with boredom. It's still early before their customers come so Goro can show off his new mixing skills. He walks around the empty tables, observing his surroundings. Jazz Jin looks slightly shady with those old wooden tables and bad lights. Maybe he should suggest to Muhen to modernize it a little and make the entrance more welcoming. Or is it a part of the charm?
Goro jumps when he hears the usual creaky noise of the stairs, a hint of someone going down.
He stares with surprise at the newcomer he didn't plan to see tonight. Akira Kurusu, detective prince and media darling, looks exhausted. He seems lost in his thoughts as he sits on his usual barstool, putting his suitcase next to him. In this state, the charismatic student looks more… human. Even more attractive to Goro's eyes.
"I didn't expect to see you here tonight, Kurusu-kun."
Kurusu blinks before smiling nervously at Goro. "Am I unwelcomed now?"
Goro shakes his head. "You're always welcome to visit me, dear." He winks, making Kurusu blushes.
"You and your bold attitude… Will I ever be used to it." He sighs, but Goro can see the fond smile he has on his lips. Kurusu leans in the palm of his hand as he looks up, staring at Goro in front of him. "But that's what makes you unique too."
"Complimenting me, darling?" Goro chuckles, putting his hand on the bar, leaning on it to get closer to Kurusu. Eyelids half closed, he purposefully makes his voice lower and more seductive. "You just arrived but you're already flirting with the staff."
He gets worked up too easily. Kurusu's cheeks get red, he moves away slightly and avoids Goro's gaze. "Y-you're the one who-!" He stutters before sighing. Flustered Kurusu is the best Kurusu. "...You win."
Goro chuckles, gaining Kurusu's glare in return. "I always win." Despite being in the constant spotlight, Kurusu is quite easy to provoke and fluster. He's so honest in his reactions. It's quite the opposite of his usual shy and composed image he has on TV. Goro likes to think he's the only one who can make him act as such.
Kurusu sighs, slouching more as he fidgets with his gloves. A little bitter smile appears on his lips as he looks down. Seems like someone isn't in a good mood tonight.
"Well, what's bringing you to my dwelling tonight?"
Kurusu closes his eyes and snorts. "If I remember correctly Muhen is the owner of this place, Akechi-sa-!" Goro puts his finger on Kurusu's lips quickly, stopping him. Kurusu looks at him with shock, a beautiful shade of red on his face. He stares at the detective smugly, who seems so taken back by Goro's actions. Akira looks confused and flustered but then Goro sees the realization in his eyes, understanding what Goro is expecting from him. He avoids staring at Goro. Goro smirks. Is he embarrassed? "...Akechi-senpai," he mumbles, reluctantly.
Goro hums, satisfied. He moves away, grinning. "Glad to see you remember who won the last chess game, Kurusu-kun ."
Their little games and competitions always taste better when he has the occasion to humiliate his rival. He remembers too well the dread when he heard Goro saying "checkmate" playfully or how he looked frustrated when he had to call him senpai in one of his videos.
A shame that bet will end in a week, he liked it.
"Goro!" Muhen's voice makes him jump. He glares at Kurusu who chuckles at his surprise. "You're not disturbing my customers, are you?"
Goro slowly turns to look at his guardian with fake innocence. "Me? Disturbing your few rare customers on this crappy evening? I would never ." The sarcasm is practically drooling from his tone, purposefully annoying Muhen.
Muhen shakes his head, mumbling something Goro couldn't catch on. "Give something to that detective kid instead of annoying him."
Goro grunts but obeys, taking the usual non-alcoholic liquors to do one of his most popular cocktails.
"He's...not annoying me, Muhen-san." Kurusu says, hesitantly. "I do enjoy his company."
Goro blinks at him. Muhen looks at Goro then Kurusu then Goro again. They stay silent, Goro notices how Kurusu tries to look as little as possible. Is Muhen that intimidating?
"...I don't understand your little banter but don't flirt when you're working, Goro." Goro blushes, Kurusu gets even more red, hiding his face in his hands. Muhen raises an eyebrow. "What? You thought you were subtle? You're both always turning around each other like…"
"Okay, okay, I get it!" Goro hisses, embarrassed. He focuses on his mixing, absolutely mortified to get humiliated by his guardian in front of Kurusu.
"Just don't use my jazz club as your constant date spot."
"Muhen!!" He slams the glass on the bar, glaring at his guardian who's clearly having his fun with teasing Goro.
Muhen chuckles but moves away. Goro sighs deeply. He doesn't need to be reminded he's whipped for Kurusu, who he should be more wary of. Goro already has a bunch of proof that confirms Kurusu is clearly much more than a popular influencer and rookie detective. Despite that, Goro may enjoy his company too much to acknowledge those warning signs.
"...Muhen-san is your guardian, right? You have a very nice relationship."
Goro snaps out of his thoughts. Kurusu looks at Muhen emptily, no emotions in his tone for Goro to read in. Once again, the detective is undecipherable for Goro at his frustration.
Goro silently puts the cocktail in front of Kurusu. "To be fair, I didn't expect him to be nice with me. I'm charged for an assault after all."
Kurusu hums. "...It must be nice. Having a caring guardian." Is he envious? Goro raises an eyebrow at this. Isn't he the one surrounded by admiration and attention?
Goro winces. Though, those obsessed fans could hardly be called caring. Goro doesn't know how Kurusu handles them daily, he would have snapped years ago, or gone insane.
"...Don't you have someone close to you, Kurusu-kun?"
Kurusu looks down, he uses his bangs to hide even more from Goro's gaze. His hands take his glass and squeezes. Was it too sensitive to mention?
"...Not anymore," he murmurs. "I don't think I even remember having someone to count on."
Goro doesn't pry further, staying silent. Kurusu seems tense despite his calm voice. He doesn't expect him to share more, as he takes a sip but Kurusu opens his mouth once more.
"Even those who should have stayed to support me left me in an orphanage." Goro's eyes widen. He's...an orphan? Like him?
Is it similar to him? Did he lose his parents, too young to understand he was being left in the hands of that cruel system?
Goro hesitates to ask before whispering: "...Does your parents…"
Kurusu's dry chuckle interrupts him. "They're dead to me." A deep sigh escapes his lips. "They left me there, used the last ounce of authority to never let me outside of that hell and go to a foster home." He smiles. "You're an orphan too, right? I wonder what's worse. Being left by your family so suddenly when they're still alive or when death takes them away."
Goro doesn't respond. His mother… Even now, a childish part of him is bitter she left him alone. But he understands who's responsible for her death now. His father who never supported her, the neighbors who were shaming her to be a sex worker, the whole society who was pushing her in the mud and then ignored her corpse they stabbed.
Goro isn't a phantom thief for self-righteous morality. He's their leader for revenge against the whole world, he's here to watch with sick pleasure people crying under the weight of their sins they refused to acknowledge. He's not here to make the world a better place but to show how cruel it is.
Maybe Kurusu is doing that too but no one was here to support him.
Kurusu looks up and smiles. "I'm sorry for mentioning such a depressing topic."
"You're free to vent," Goro answers quickly. He's at the edge of begging him to say more, to show him more how similar they are.
But Kurusu shakes his head. "I appreciate your offer but… I'm fine now." Is he? "I overcame my circumstances and now… here I am." Is he even aware of how sad he sounds? How can Goro hear the scream for help behind his composed act?
"Is it really better?"
Kurusu doesn't respond immediately. He plays with the straw, staring at his cocktail. "I wonder."
Goro hums. He walks away from him, feeling his confused gaze on his back. He fidgets a little with the radio then smiles when he begins to hear the usual soft jazz music resounding in the empty club.
He goes to the other side of the bar, stopping next to Kurusu.
"... Akechi-senpai…?" He blinks and tilts his head in confusion, trying to understand what Goro is planning to do. "What are you doing? Was it because of what I talked about? My apologies, I think the case of the phantom thieves is stressing me out slightly. I didn't mean to dump this on you or overshare, really. You don't need to do-" He stops when he sees Goro reaching out, offering his hand. "Akechi-senpai…?"
"Will you allow me that dance, Kurusu-kun?"
Will you allow me to support you?
Kurusu looks at his hand like it's an alien object, he seems lost by his sudden proposal. "I'm…" His hand seems to fidget but he doesn't put it in Goro's. "I'm afraid I don't know how to dance to that kind of music."
"That's alright. We'll go to our own rhythm." Goro doesn't try to hide his intentions. He doesn't move, still offering his hand. "I can lead you. You just need to follow."
Please, let me help you.
Akira hesitates. He slowly puts his hand in Goro's, clearly unsure of what's happening but he nods, giving his approval.
Goro gently pulls him on the dance floor, empty, under Muhen's gaze. He brings him closer to him, their foreheads touching. Goro links their hands together, palm against palm, fingers crossed. Goro doesn't move yet, staring straight in Kurusu's eyes. He seems… scared, shy but also so hopeful, that shining grey always so hesitant, so beautiful when Goro is more close.
"...Is it wrong for me to indulge in this?" Kurusu whispers, looking at him in shame.
"You can be selfish with me, darling." Goro reassures him, his thumb tracing circles on the back of Kurusu's hand.
"I'm… I'll regret it." But his grip on Goro's hands tightens.
Goro will too. He'll hate himself for getting too close for him and ending up hurt because inevitably, they'll fight until one wins. Goro will scold himself to have thought he could indulge in this and ignores how Kurusu is a danger for him, for them, for his mind.
But Goro isn't known to be exactly sane or completely rational. Especially when it concerns the shy detective.
"Then let's regret together."
They begin to sway at a slow pace, listening to the rhythm. They don't do anything dramatic. None bows, arches nor curves to impress their empty audience. Their hips only moves in a slow pace, like an intimate embrace where they ignore the burning world around them. Their knees bump sometimes, making them laugh at their clumsiness. Kurusu's head rests on Goro's shoulder and Goro's gaze never leaves him.
Here, their mistakes don't matter, their lives don't matter, they just swoon at the comforting sounds of the brass echoing in the room. Time passes by and they don't acknowledge it. Only the presence of the other is important, their bodies pressed together in their own unique dance, where no other rhythm than theirs could fit.
It's unfair.
But did the world ever have been fair to them?
Goro can't help but wonder if he just knew Kurusu earlier, would his opinion on the world be different? If they had each other just slightly before, would their circumstances would've changed?
What if?
"Will you stay?" Kurusu asks, shyly. He lets go of Goro's hands and slides his arms around his chest, still hesitant to hold him closer.
Goro doesn't know if he's asking him for longer, for the night or forever. He doesn't really care.
"As long as you want me to."
It's so unfair.
Kurusu hums, satisfied. And they pretend Kurusu will always want him there and never leave. That their confrontation isn't getting close each second is passing by. They're just young teenagers, their worries simply being what the other is thinking and not who would be the first to backstab.
They pretend the world isn't as unfair as it really is.
Why couldn't we meet earlier?
And they dance and dance again until the world is spinning around and they hope their choreography will never get to an end.