Diverted, Part 3
Rating: PG
Pairing: Akihiko/Minato
Spoilers: None
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Sneaking out of the janitorial closet without being seen was far more exciting that it should have been. It felt like a military mission: Akihiko resumed his lookout at the door, identified a safe moment, and whispered "go, go, go, go!" while shoving Minato out. Minato recovered smoothly, adjusting his tie with studied nonchalance as he meandered down the hallway. He paused at the top of the stairs, hands pocketed as usual, and jerked his head back to signal the all-clear.
Keeping up the intrigue, Minato immediately headed down the stairs instead of watching Akihiko exit the closet. He didn't stop until he was off school property. He then had the pleasure of shanghai'ing Akihiko for the second time that day, leaping out at him from the behind one of the large gate pillars. Akihiko rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.
"Come on!" cried Minato, feeling like an overexcited puppy. "We've escaped, let's run!" He grabbed the other boy's hand and took off, dragging him down the street.
"Come on," he cajoled, "you're not helping! You skipped your training today, didn't you? Gotta fit it in somewhere."
That jab landed effectively. Akihiko took off, and they raced down the road, competing to stay in front and force the other to be pulled along.
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Reaching the entrance to Port Island station, Minato paused to catch his breath. "Guess," he gasped, "guess that was a tie."
"Yeah," puffed Akihiko. "We'll call it a draw."
Both realized simultaneously that they were still holding hands. They abruptly let go and looked in opposite directions.
"Your gloves...they're softer than I thought they'd be." Minato wanted to smack himself as soon as the words left his mouth. //That's supposed to make this moment *less* awkward??//
Akihiko made a strained noise. "Um, good to know?"
Minato's cheeks colored again. //I must vow to stop doing things that make me blush! What's wrong with me this week?//
He scuffed his left foot on the ground, and stuck his hands back in his pockets, a self-comforting gesture. "So, um, we were gonna talk." He cursed himself for screwing up the good mood with his silliness. //I just can't keep my mouth shut - I give my secrets away AND make idiotic comments.//
"Minato-san." Akihiko touched his arm. "Stop beating yourself up."
"Oh." Minato looked up guiltily. "You could tell?" Akihiko's eyes looked kind again, like they did last night, but that almost made him blush again.
Akihiko nodded towards the turnstiles. "Come on, we'll miss the next train."
Minato scurried a few steps to catch up with him.
Akihiko looked askance at him. "So," he began purposefully, "question one: are you attracted to this girl?"
Minato shook his head.
Akihiko snorted. "What, obsessiveness not a turn-on?"
"No," Minato replied decisively. He swore he saw Akihiko give him an appraising glance.
"Question two: is there value in dating her anyway?"
"Yeah, there is. It'll power up my Justice arcana...and I like those persona."
Akihiko was silent for a moment. "I see what you mean. It really does feel wrong to think about it this way."
Minato breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad you understand," he gushed. "I mean, I've met some really interesting people - there's this sweet old couple, and a little girl, and this woman online who has a stressful job... I've had fun being forced to make new *friends*, but being forced to date someone is entirely different."
In a serious voice, Akihiko said, "This runs counter to everything I believe about not encouraging girls...but I think you should keep going out with this sophomore."
"Really?"
"Just because she got attached to you so quickly, doesn't mean you shouldn't get a normal amount of time to determine *your* feelings. Go on a few more dates, coincidentally improving your 'social link,' and then evaluate whether the relationship is working for you."
"You make it sound so...reasonable."
"Good. I can't guarantee it'll make sense to female-logic, but at least she gets to be happy for a little longer before her feelings get hurt. Since that seems inevitable, I have to advise you put the good of the team first. Tartarus is only going to get harder for us."
"Akihiko-senpai?"
"Yeah?"
"Regardless of what you said last night -" Minato was interrupted by Akihiko clearing his throat loudly in embarrassment. "Regardless," he repeated, peering intently at the older boy, "I think you're a fantastic senpai. You've taught me a lot."
Minato was pleased to notice he wasn't the only one with a tendency to blush.
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They grabbed some food at Iwatodai Station, eating it outside on a bench in the nice weather. Akihiko was a quick and efficient eater, which Minato appreciated after so many lunches with Junpei. Junpei tended to make a mess, and always tried to steal his leftovers.
The walk back to the dorm was as quiet as the same walk had been that morning. Minato couldn't help but reflect on how much better he felt today than yesterday. He no longer carried a heavy secret alone, he had a plan for dealing with Chihiro, and he seemed to have become friends with Akihiko. //I almost don't know how to recognize friendship anymore, without a portentous announcement in my head!// Minato chuckled to himself.
His silly good mood seemed to be returning. //I've got so much energy!// he thought. //We should totally go to Tartarus tonight. I can try out that awesome sword I just got from Elizabeth. Though it *is* hard to get the jump on shadows with a two-handed sword... Maybe I'll give it to Junpei instead, if I can pry that spiked bat out of his hands.//
The lounge was unusually empty when they arrived home. "How was your day?" Fuuka asked, smiling beatifically at them from the couch.
Minato opened his mouth to say something polite, when Akihiko jumped in. "Oh, Minato-san has a dreadful cold." Minato looked at him suspiciously. "I ran into him on the street," Akihiko continued, staring pointedly back at him. "He was so weak. I took him for some soup and helped him walk home." Minato shrugged and turned towards Fuuka, nodding. He punctuated it with a pathetic sniffle.
"Oh that's terrible!" cried Fuuka, her maternal instincts flaring. "You should help him straight to bed. I'll make sure to tell everyone that we aren't going to Tartarus."
"Thanks, Fuuka-san," Akihiko intoned solemnly.
Minato started a slow shuffle across the room, leaning on Akihiko with his left arm as if too tired to carry his own weight. Fuuka's empathetic gaze watched their progression. After they passed behind the dining room screen, the sounds of typing resumed and she murmured out loud, "Poor Minato-kun. Akihiko-senpai is so very kind...."
Safely out of sight on the steps, Minato grabbed his arm back and used it to elbow Akihiko in the ribs. "You totally played her!" he hissed. "You are SO lucky no one else was around. They'd see right through you."
"And who played along?" Akihiko retorted, bounding ahead to check the second floor for other residents.
"I only did it so you wouldn't seem like a LIAR."
"Keep your voice down, you're supposed to be sick."
"Besides," he continued, turning back and grabbing Minato's hand to draw him up the last few steps. "I wasn't ready to share you yet."
Click here to continue to Part 4.
Pairing: Akihiko/Minato
Spoilers: None
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
Sneaking out of the janitorial closet without being seen was far more exciting that it should have been. It felt like a military mission: Akihiko resumed his lookout at the door, identified a safe moment, and whispered "go, go, go, go!" while shoving Minato out. Minato recovered smoothly, adjusting his tie with studied nonchalance as he meandered down the hallway. He paused at the top of the stairs, hands pocketed as usual, and jerked his head back to signal the all-clear.
Keeping up the intrigue, Minato immediately headed down the stairs instead of watching Akihiko exit the closet. He didn't stop until he was off school property. He then had the pleasure of shanghai'ing Akihiko for the second time that day, leaping out at him from the behind one of the large gate pillars. Akihiko rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.
"Come on!" cried Minato, feeling like an overexcited puppy. "We've escaped, let's run!" He grabbed the other boy's hand and took off, dragging him down the street.
"Come on," he cajoled, "you're not helping! You skipped your training today, didn't you? Gotta fit it in somewhere."
That jab landed effectively. Akihiko took off, and they raced down the road, competing to stay in front and force the other to be pulled along.
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
Reaching the entrance to Port Island station, Minato paused to catch his breath. "Guess," he gasped, "guess that was a tie."
"Yeah," puffed Akihiko. "We'll call it a draw."
Both realized simultaneously that they were still holding hands. They abruptly let go and looked in opposite directions.
"Your gloves...they're softer than I thought they'd be." Minato wanted to smack himself as soon as the words left his mouth. //That's supposed to make this moment *less* awkward??//
Akihiko made a strained noise. "Um, good to know?"
Minato's cheeks colored again. //I must vow to stop doing things that make me blush! What's wrong with me this week?//
He scuffed his left foot on the ground, and stuck his hands back in his pockets, a self-comforting gesture. "So, um, we were gonna talk." He cursed himself for screwing up the good mood with his silliness. //I just can't keep my mouth shut - I give my secrets away AND make idiotic comments.//
"Minato-san." Akihiko touched his arm. "Stop beating yourself up."
"Oh." Minato looked up guiltily. "You could tell?" Akihiko's eyes looked kind again, like they did last night, but that almost made him blush again.
Akihiko nodded towards the turnstiles. "Come on, we'll miss the next train."
Minato scurried a few steps to catch up with him.
Akihiko looked askance at him. "So," he began purposefully, "question one: are you attracted to this girl?"
Minato shook his head.
Akihiko snorted. "What, obsessiveness not a turn-on?"
"No," Minato replied decisively. He swore he saw Akihiko give him an appraising glance.
"Question two: is there value in dating her anyway?"
"Yeah, there is. It'll power up my Justice arcana...and I like those persona."
Akihiko was silent for a moment. "I see what you mean. It really does feel wrong to think about it this way."
Minato breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad you understand," he gushed. "I mean, I've met some really interesting people - there's this sweet old couple, and a little girl, and this woman online who has a stressful job... I've had fun being forced to make new *friends*, but being forced to date someone is entirely different."
In a serious voice, Akihiko said, "This runs counter to everything I believe about not encouraging girls...but I think you should keep going out with this sophomore."
"Really?"
"Just because she got attached to you so quickly, doesn't mean you shouldn't get a normal amount of time to determine *your* feelings. Go on a few more dates, coincidentally improving your 'social link,' and then evaluate whether the relationship is working for you."
"You make it sound so...reasonable."
"Good. I can't guarantee it'll make sense to female-logic, but at least she gets to be happy for a little longer before her feelings get hurt. Since that seems inevitable, I have to advise you put the good of the team first. Tartarus is only going to get harder for us."
"Akihiko-senpai?"
"Yeah?"
"Regardless of what you said last night -" Minato was interrupted by Akihiko clearing his throat loudly in embarrassment. "Regardless," he repeated, peering intently at the older boy, "I think you're a fantastic senpai. You've taught me a lot."
Minato was pleased to notice he wasn't the only one with a tendency to blush.
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
They grabbed some food at Iwatodai Station, eating it outside on a bench in the nice weather. Akihiko was a quick and efficient eater, which Minato appreciated after so many lunches with Junpei. Junpei tended to make a mess, and always tried to steal his leftovers.
The walk back to the dorm was as quiet as the same walk had been that morning. Minato couldn't help but reflect on how much better he felt today than yesterday. He no longer carried a heavy secret alone, he had a plan for dealing with Chihiro, and he seemed to have become friends with Akihiko. //I almost don't know how to recognize friendship anymore, without a portentous announcement in my head!// Minato chuckled to himself.
His silly good mood seemed to be returning. //I've got so much energy!// he thought. //We should totally go to Tartarus tonight. I can try out that awesome sword I just got from Elizabeth. Though it *is* hard to get the jump on shadows with a two-handed sword... Maybe I'll give it to Junpei instead, if I can pry that spiked bat out of his hands.//
The lounge was unusually empty when they arrived home. "How was your day?" Fuuka asked, smiling beatifically at them from the couch.
Minato opened his mouth to say something polite, when Akihiko jumped in. "Oh, Minato-san has a dreadful cold." Minato looked at him suspiciously. "I ran into him on the street," Akihiko continued, staring pointedly back at him. "He was so weak. I took him for some soup and helped him walk home." Minato shrugged and turned towards Fuuka, nodding. He punctuated it with a pathetic sniffle.
"Oh that's terrible!" cried Fuuka, her maternal instincts flaring. "You should help him straight to bed. I'll make sure to tell everyone that we aren't going to Tartarus."
"Thanks, Fuuka-san," Akihiko intoned solemnly.
Minato started a slow shuffle across the room, leaning on Akihiko with his left arm as if too tired to carry his own weight. Fuuka's empathetic gaze watched their progression. After they passed behind the dining room screen, the sounds of typing resumed and she murmured out loud, "Poor Minato-kun. Akihiko-senpai is so very kind...."
Safely out of sight on the steps, Minato grabbed his arm back and used it to elbow Akihiko in the ribs. "You totally played her!" he hissed. "You are SO lucky no one else was around. They'd see right through you."
"And who played along?" Akihiko retorted, bounding ahead to check the second floor for other residents.
"I only did it so you wouldn't seem like a LIAR."
"Keep your voice down, you're supposed to be sick."
"Besides," he continued, turning back and grabbing Minato's hand to draw him up the last few steps. "I wasn't ready to share you yet."
Click here to continue to Part 4.