Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pebbles went scattering as boots hit the dirt path with a thud.

One of the pebbles went so far it dropped right into a drain.

"Yes! Toya did you see that? I got it in."

"Yes Akito, I saw it."

2 boys walked along the the path winding through a park. Fall had just started and the two singers (really just Toya), had wanted to go on a walk in the park to enjoy fall together.

"What songs should we do for our next setlist?" Akito asked, looking to Toya.

"I'm thinking fragile to end it off, since its always been a fan favorite. Although I'm not sure about the rest, so we'll have to ask Azusawa and Shiraishi about that."

"Mhm." Akito hummed in reply.

It went silent after that.

The trees leaves had started turning to yellow and orange, a few of them drifting in the light breeze before ultimately falling onto the ground where they made a satisfying crunch as shoes stepped on them.

Prior to going to the park Akito and Toya had gotten drinks to match the atmosphere of the park.

Akito had gotten hot chocolate due to his sweet tooth and Toya had gotten apple cider.

Breaking the silence, Toya started to speak.

"The leaves remind me of your hair, Akito." He said, a small smile on his face as he turned his head to look at his partner.

"Hah?!? Toya, man, you can't just say things like that..." Akito replied, scratching the back of his neck and looking away with a slight redness to his face. All while his ginger hair was matching with the trees behind him.

"Oh c'mon, even your yellow streak matches the leaves."

"Toya! Seriously dude, where's this all comin' from?"

Toya just chucked quietly, taking a sip from his cider and reminiscing on past autumns.

It had been a few years since they met and every fall they spent together only strengthened the unbreakable bond between them.

While Toya was spaced out, Akito had noticed a few jack-o-lanterns that had been placed next to some of the trees, likely for decoration.

"Oh that reminds me, you should come over sometime to carve pumpkins. I'm sure Ena won't mind at all."

That broke Toya out of his trance.

"Of course, as long as you're sure Ena is fine with it."

"Course man."

Continuing with the walk, it fell silent once again. Yet, it wasn't uncomfortable silence. It was nice. Most people would say that being with someone while not saying anything would be awkward and weird but for the two boys they could be together for hours without saying a word.

Just then, a squrriel stepped out into their path, holding an acorn and tilting its head at them.

Toya stopped and crouched next to it, a sparkle in his eyes as he looked at the little furry creature.

He hesitantly reached out to pat the squrriel on the head while Akito watched.

The squrriel seemed to like that so Toya continued to pet it. But something interrupted the moment, making the squirrels ears twitch and go alert before either Akito or Toya noticed what was coming.

Barking sounded around the park and the squrriel bolted up a tree, dropping its acorn in the process. A shiba inu came running at them while trying to chase the squirrel up the tree, pulling a teenage girl behind it.

"Samo-chan! S-slow down!" She yelled, finally coming to a stop.

Samo-chan kept barking at the foot of the tree, near where Akito was standing yet Akito seemed to have disappeared.

"Toya. Get that thing away from me." Akito whispered fearfully all while clinging to Toya's arm, half behind him.

The girl came up to them, leading her dog while Toya put an arm around Akito.

"I'm so sorry! I don't know why he does that.." She said, bowing to them.

"Ah, no worries, your Azusawa's friend right? Hanosato?" Toya assured her politely.

"Yes! That's me, you must be Aoyagi and Shinonome right? Your part of her group."

"That's us."

"Ah! I'm sorry again, but I have practice to get to. Thank you guys! I'll see you around sometime!" She ran off with Samo-chan running next to her, the squrriel forgotten.

"Akito, the dog is gone now."

"Phew! I thought it was never gonna leave..." He grumbled.

Akito, for his tough-guy persona was surprisingly deathly terrified of dogs. Only Toya knew about this, as "Shiraishi will just bully me."

Akito pulled Toya down to ruffle his split periwinkle and navy hair. Something he often did after a successful show or great practice, so it was confusing why he was doing it now but Toya didn't really mind.

A bench appeared in view and Toya lead them to sit down on it.

As they sat down Toya got a glimpse of Akito's hot chocolate, noticing it was nearly empty, much like his own.

Toya held up his apple cider, Akito copying him, knowing what was about to come.

The sunset in the background complimented the scene, providing them with orange light. The sun nearly under the horizon.

Toya smiled, his usual poker-face discarded when he was around Akito.

"To another year, partner."

The drinks clinked together, ringing around them. The leaves swirled around them, as if they were the only ones in the world.

Akito smiled back, bright as the sun.

"To another year."

He tipped his glass up, Toya mimicking his movements. The drinks were gone. Just like the light that had accompanied them a few moments ago.

"Let's get to my house, we can carve those pumpkins when we get there." Akito stood up and offered his hand to Toya.

Toya said nothing as he took Akito's hand and they left the park, taking the direction of the Shinonome residence.

Chapter Text

glistening and glimmering, snowflakes fell at a steady pace as toya watched it from inside the warmth and comfort of weekend garage.

fire crackled from the fireplace across the room where vivid bad squad sat in a booth, an was talking (arguing) with akito about how her grades were so much better while kohane merely watched with a meek expression.

"i got a 66 on my last english test!" she excitedly proclaimed.

"well that's because kohane helped you!" akito shouted back at an, crossing his arms over his chest.

"like you can talk! you only got a 70 on that math quiz cause toya gave you all his notes." an shot back at him.

"oh come on, that didn't happen! i studied all on my own with my 𝘰𝘸𝘯 notes. right toya?"

..

"toya?"

toya finally tuned in their voices again after hearing his name.

"hm?"

"i studied by myself last math test right?"

toya, knowing full well that he had to give akito his notes for that replied;

"you did, akito. i didn't help you that time."

akito turned back to an triumphantly.

"ha! i told you! i'm just better than you."

"that's not true. toya would totally lie for you." an rolled her eyes.

"hey! toya is truthful." akito retorted, sticking his tongue out at her.

"h-hey guys? did you realize it was snowing?" kohane put in, pointing a finger at the window that toya was still staring out.

"SNOW?!?" an yelled, a bit too loud, getting attention from the other customers. she seemingly didn't care as she stood up with stars in her eyes.

an then turned to look at the rest of the group, hands on her hips and a smile on her face.

"n-" akito started to say before he was cut off by an.

"yes. we are going out there and you cannot say no."  she smirked at him as he buried his face in his hands.

an grabbed kohanes hand and started running for the door while kohane let herself get dragged over, protesting slightly about freezing if they didn't get warmer clothes.

toya watched akito sigh and slowly rise to his feet, presumably to follow the two girls.

"c'mon partner, we better catch up to them."

toya nodded ever so slightly and got up to let akito lead the way.

they pushed open the doors to witness an and kohane crafting a snowman. how they had gotten out here so fast? toya doesn't question it.

time passed by pretty easily while the two boys helped make it, which resulted in akito destroying it. and then an just had to throw a snowball at him, so of course he threw one back. then it was a snowball war as toya and kohane watched their partners battle to the death.

and this went on, and it went on. neither one of the stubborn singers could let the other win.

even as the snow started falling more steadily, the sun slowly slid behind the towering buildings, and customers trickled out of weekend garage till only ken remained inside, cleaning. even as toya and kohane joined in and started helping their partners nothing would stop them.

finally, almost in sync, both an and akito collapsed onto the ground, landing in the soft snow with a crunch.

"so." an huffed while sitting up, covered in snow and shivering. "kohane we should probably head back inside.... you wanna watch a movie?"

"sure an!" kohane smiled at her and helped her get up.

"cya guys tomorrow!" an called out while walking inside with a pep in her step, kohane not far behind her.

akito waved back weakly from where he was crouched in the snow.

after akito had gotten up, it was an unspoken agreement to walk with eachother.

while walking, akito brushed off snow in annoyance and shoved his shivering hands into his jacket pockets.

they continued, until reaching a park, where toya sat down on the nearest bench and the redhead sat down next to him silently.

"....do you know how to formally dance, akito?"

akito's eyes widened in surprise, and his brow furrowed in confusion. toya thought it was quite cute how expressive he was.

"unfortunately, yes i do. ena forced me to one day after watching some rom-com."

snow was falling around them, surrounding them, isolating them, as if they were on their own earth. spinning only for them.

"well, i was thinking," the taller boy rose to his feet, a small barely visible smile gracing his face.

akito followed what he was doing. he let toya take his hands in his own, and was met with coldness.

"we could dance in the snow?" toya asked, refusing to look akito in his eyes, choosing to look at their hands instead. he could feel akitos hands shaking in his.

akito blushed hard, suddenly glad toya wasn't looking at his face.

damn. this really was like one of ena's rom-coms. since when does your best friend ask to dance in the snow with you in the middle of the night?

nonetheless, akito agreed which made toya look up, light in his eyes.

it happened fast, toya grabbed him and clasped they're right hands together while placing the other hand hesitantly on akito's waist.

akito sighed. he used his left hand to make sure toya's was secure on his waist and he wasn't gonna let go when they started. the shorter then took his left hand up and placed it on toya's shoulder.

they started.

the light of the streetlamp above them was the only thing guiding them, they spun and danced until they were dizzy.

twirling and dipping, they swayed with eachother, as a unit. on their little earth.

not a care in the world, they couldn't feel the cold anymore, couldn't see anything else but the other in front of them.

their laughter and smiles rained throughout the dance whenever one of them messed up, or akito's face turned red and toya noticed.

this moment could very well be one that only they would know about. and boy, would they cherish this.

soon, the dance came to a close. but they weren't yet ready to part.

the taller of the two outstretched his arms and akito didn't have to think twice to go into them.    the snow falling around them, but they kept eachother warm.

entertwined, together, forever.