Cafe

[Mayah Playah]

Akihiko Mori






"Aww, are you waiting for me? You didn't have to." Aki suddenly appeared beside Arthur, his hands tucked into his back pockets. With his piercings, his sweater's rolled up sleeves, his well-fitting blue jeans, and the tousled hair, Aki looked more like a college student than a thirty year old drifter. He grinned, then started walking inside. "Come on, I can hear your stomach from here." Grabbign the door, he held it open before walking inside, glancing around. Nice place.

Awesome nerd

 

[Its Smiley]

Mayah Playah

___________________________________________________________________________

Arthur jumped when he heard Aki so close to him, spinning around to see said guy standing over him. He wanted to complain, but he was stunned by the way Aki looked. The way his clothes were put together to make such a youthful appearance and a casual style, those piercings that showed edginess, that carefree expression. He was so cool. Arthur wished he could have that sense of style, then he hated himself for wanting that.
Rubbing his stomach, and occasionally his side, Arthur nodded and walked into the cafe. "It's not my fault you took forever!" he said in his defense before going to the counter. He ordered something then moved to his table. "It must suck that you don't get to hang out with Leon for a while," he said when Aki sat down.
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[Mayah Playah]

Akihiko Mori






The man shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Not really. We've been apart for a while, and Boss has really changed. Last time I saw him, he was cool and edgy, and now he's a dorky family guy. He made a dad joke last night, actually thought it was funny." He shivered. "I hope I never have kids. I refuse to be that dad."
Crossing his legs and leaning on the table, Aki stared at Arthur, teasing in his eyes before he could even speak. "Speaking of, I guess you talked to him, huh?"

Awesome nerd

 

[Its Smiley]

Mayah Playah

___________________________________________________________________________

Arthur glanced to the side, thinking about what it would have been like to hear Leon's joke. How bad was it? Did he laugh at it like it was the best thing he'd ever heard? Arthur couldn't help but smile longingly at the thought of how cute the teacher would have been.
By the time he looked back at Aki he had been asked about his own time with Leon. He hesitated then looked away again, this time in shame. "You could say that," he murmured. "It was more... new ways of being rejected."
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[Mayah Playah]

Akihiko Mori






"Yeah no, he does that. He's married now, so he's going to be as dedicated to Nikolai as anyone can be." Aki rolled his head and stretched his arms over his head. That couch from last night was so uncomfortable! "You shoulda seen him when he was getting married to Mags. What a piece of work, that woman. The kid wasn't even his."
Shaking his head disapprovingly, Aki looked down at the table, hsi eyes focusing on something small. What was there to say now?

Awesome nerd

 

[Its Smiley]

Mayah Playah

___________________________________________________________________________

"Yes, I remember," Arthur mumbled quietly, eyes closed. He remembered that day vividly. He hated Maggie so much for taking Leon. He knew about her, too, about how she wasn't as loyal as Leon thought. It sickened him seeing the teacher so happy with a fake. Arthur wished so many times that something would happen to separate them.
Then it actually happened, and he wasn't sure whether to be happy about it or not. The look on Leon's face... it was painful. Arthur let out a quiet sigh. He didn't want to think about this anymore.
"So, umm," he started and looked at Aki again, albeit shyly. "I actually talked to Leon and, uh... Well he told me that you really did protect me most of the time. I don't know why I never noticed but... Sorry for not noticing, I guess."
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[Mayah Playah]

Akihiko Mori






Aki reached up, his hand suddenly filled with a cup of his coffee as a waitress walked by. Taking a long sip, he leaned back in his chair and nodded. "Do you feel better now?" he asked instead of accepting the apology. "You must have been feeling guilty if you felt the need to tell me that you're sorry face to face." He set his drink down, clasping his hands in his lap and his earring jingling as he tiled his head and grinned cheekily.

Awesome nerd

 

[Its Smiley]

Mayah Playah

___________________________________________________________________________

"No, not really," Arthur said when asked about whether or not he felt better. "For me an apology isn't enough. Especially for all those years you worked for. I... I want to make it up to you." He lightly tapped a fist on the table to express his determination and looked Aki straight in the eye. "Tell me everything you've ever wanted to do, and I'll try to help!" he insisted. What kind of things could this guy want to do? Go to a theme park? A metal concert?
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[Mayah Playah]

Akihiko Mori






Aki's response was to blink twice, then burst into laughter. Something he'd always wanted to do? "Arthur, I don't think you realize what I've been up to these past ten years. I'm a drifter with a college degree. I've been all over this country, all over Europe and Asia, even Africa. I've done a lot. I mean, sure there are a few things left on my bucket list, but not much." He shrugged, looking away. "I guess I've always wanted to get a tattoo with someone."

Awesome nerd

 

[Its Smiley]

Mayah Playah

___________________________________________________________________________

"You can't seriously have done everything you've ever wanted to do before you get middle aged?" guffawed Arthur in his scramble to find a way to not look dumb. He looked relieved when Aki mentioned a tattoo. "Okay, alright, I can do that. What kind of tattoo do you want to get? It's not matching, is it?" he asked as he thought about what he'd get. Maybe Leon's name...
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[Mayah Playah]

Akihiko Mori






He shrugged. "I don't know, maybe? I don't want to get a tattoo with someone and it mean absolutely nothing." Looking at the table, he pursed his lips in thought, his glasses beginning to slide down his nose. "Something small, maybe. None of my tattoos really mean anything, so, I don't know."

Awesome nerd

 

[Its Smiley]

Mayah Playah

___________________________________________________________________________

Somehow hearing that Aki already had numerous tattoos didn't surprise the Sin. "Why not get the name of someone you love tattooed on you?" he suggested with a broad smile. "Yeah! And it can be over a heart, on a banner carried by two doves, and-and flowers are blooming all around them and-" He began to ramble on, his smile widening, as he thought about the perfect tattoo he'd put on himself.
Nikolai didn't have tattoos, did he? Arthur would get the upper hand and surprise Leon with the tattoo! He could picture it now, with that dumb couple watching a movie or something in their house. Suddenly, in bursts Arthur! Before anyone can attack, he rips off his shirt to show the magnificent tattoo!
"Oh Arthur! You got a tattoo just for me?" Leon would gasp and lace his fingers together dreamily before staring at Nikolai spitefully. "I always knew he was the one for me, not you!" And Nikolai would put the back of his hand against his forehead in agony. "Alas, Arthur is too clever for dear old me."
While the entire scenario played out in Arthur's mind beautifully, he just sat there with his arms crossed and a cheesy smile on his face, giggling to himself.
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[Mayah Playah]

Akihiko Mori






"I'm not in love." Aki cut down the idea, then touched his chin. "Maybe a past love? That would certainly be artistic. Who have I loved? Let's see, Erica, Melanie, you, Mags, that nice man with the hat from those commercials," he listed, eyes on the ceiling as he counted.

Awesome nerd

 

[Its Smiley]

Mayah Playah

___________________________________________________________________________

Arthur continued reveling in his wonderful fantasy until he heard something Aki said, causing his thoughts to shatter like glass. "What did you say?" he blinked. "Did you... say me?" No, there had to be no way. Sure Aki said he was cute, but that was all. They never hung long enough for feelings to be developed! No, Arthur was surely just trying to boost his self-esteem.
___________________________________________________________________________

 

[Mayah Playah]

Akihiko Mori






"Huh?" He looked back towards Arthur, staring blankly for a second before nodding. "Yeah, I loved you back in the day. I tried to stay in town so when you got older and over your crush on Leon, you'd finally notice me, but you never did, so I gave up and left after the wedding." Shrugging, he went back to counting. "Where was I? Oh yeah, I definitely had a thing for my third grade teacher, but I doubt I was in love with Mrs. Thermopolis."

Awesome nerd