The 6th Month - Atsushi x Akutagawa

Saturday (Part I)

(TEXTING)

Dazai: "hey Atsuhiii"

Atsushi: "what do you need?"

Dazai: "Akutagawa wants to hang out with u"

Atsushi: "huh?"

Dazai: "think you could meet him at the ice skating rink on Saturday? 1pm?"

Atsushi: "Do I have to? I bet ur just setting us up together cuz u ship us"

Dazai: "nooooo he asked me to ask you to hangout with him"

Atsushi: "fine Ig"

(TEXTING)

Dazai: "hey Akuuu I got ur little Jinko to go to the ice skating rink with uuu"

Dazai: "I told him to come at 1pm!"

Akutagawa: "really? I'm so excited! thanks!"

Dazai: "anything to make this ship sail ❤️"

。　。　。

　When 1PM on Saturday finally came, Akutagawa sat on a bench in front of the ice-skating rink. He spaced out while waiting for Atsushi to arrive. He wondered if maybe Atsushi wasn't even going to come at all. Had Dazai possibly even tricked him to thinking he would come? Hopefully not... He really wanted to spend more time with Atsushi. He knew Atsushi probably didn't like him back and maybe never would, but he at least wanted to try.

　As Akutagawa stared at the ground, thought racing through his mind, Atsushi came up and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Aku!"

　Akutagawa looked up and grinned at the presence of his lovely crush.

"Oh, Jinko! I was waiting for you!"

"Sorry if I came a bit late... It totally wasn't intended!"

"Ah, no worries! I didn't get here too long ago, anyway."

"Good! I fretted I kept you waiting too long..."

"Nope! May we head in now?"

"Of course!"

　The two boys awkwardly strolled inside the building together.

　Originally, Atsushi had had a hard time coming up with a step #5 for his plan of befriending Akutagawa. Thankfully, after Dazai's text message, he knew that this little "hangout" with Akutagawa would cover his step #5. Little did the tiger boy know, Akutagawa was secretly in love with him.

　Aku looked beside him to watch his crush walk next to him. He quickly focused his head forward again so the other wouldn't notice the redness that had formed on their face.

　They both obtained their skates and headed to the rink together. Atsushi had little to no experience with ice-skating, so he was kind of nervous to step onto the floor of the rink.

"Do you know how to skate, Jinko?" Aku asked him.

"N-Not exactly..."

"Don't be nervous, I got you if you fall."

　Akutagawa would then put his hands on Atsushi's hip to guide him. Atsushi slightly blushed at the movement from the other.

"Are you okay with me helping you like this?" Akutagawa asked.

"Y-Yeah! It's fine..." Atsushi replied to him.

　Atsushi had gotten butterflies in his stomach. He was never this close with someone who he "hated" before. Did he even hate Akutagawa? This definitely  wasn't the first time he'd gone through a crisis on this topic before, but it kind of bothered him whether he actually genuinely wanted to be Aku's friend or not. He was supposed to hate him but somehow wants to be friends with someone he rivals now? He said to himself he'd come back to this topic and decided to continue skating with Aku.

"You good Atsushi?"

"Yeah, just spacing out..."

　He turned to awkwardly smile at Akutagawa to show he was okay. However, Akutagawa saw the nervousness on his face. He decided to bring Atsushi with him outside of the rink and to a bench by the ice.

"Something is clearly bothering you, would you like to talk about it?"

"I guess it is... I wouldn't want to ruin our da- hangout though."

"Don't worry, I'm completely okay with it. If you want to go back home, that's fine with me too."

　The truth was, it wasn't okay with him. He really wanted to hangout with Atsushi, but he wouldn't want to force Atsushi to stay with him just because of his own reasons. If he truly liked the other, he wouldn't force him to be him.

"Well I just don't know if I can consider you a friend. As much as I like being around you, something just doesn't feel right..." He went on, "I just don't understand how we could go as enemies to friends this fast. I feel like I forced something... Almost 5 months ago, you were saying how you wanted to kill me after 6 months were over, right?"

　Akutagawa had forgotten all about that interaction.

"I forgot about that. I'm sorry, Jinko." He paused for a moment, "I think that whole thing is over now."

　Atsushi was, for some reason, surprised by this response. Does this mean the whole plan he came up with is over now? It was an all-so-sudden concept to him.

"I see." Atsushi stated to the other.

　He smiled and hugged Akutagawa.