Vivid Bad Squad Polyship (Slow Burn)

Shinonome Living Room

Akito tied his shoe and looked up at Toya, who was drinking some canned tea before they got started with practice. He always closed at least one eye when he drank. Akito watched him. Toya's gaze turned to him and the ginger fumbled. Toya hummed innocently. Akito tried to recall what he was going to say to the radiant dude, when he heard Kohane laugh over in the corner of Crasé café, where they had met. He took a breath and choked when he heard An's grating voice over hers. "Uhm-- nothin', nothin', just... You're usually playing at the arcade on the Fridays after practice, right? Since those two are booked weekly, now?"

Toya's curious face returned to normal. "Yes, I do." Every conversation in the café suddenly paused, leaving a silent bubble, but the guys were caught up in their own little world to notice.

"Well, come home with me, instead. I've got plenty'a stuff we can do together."

Across the café, An did a spit take into her cup of coffee. So much for sharing it with Kohane. The gerbil patted her on the back, giggling nervously. After a couple cute, watery coughs, Kohane looked over her shoulder at Akito. She felt-- vibes, from the two of them. Akito said definitively he wasn't queer at all, though, so, she shouldn't be possessive.

Akito gave a cursory glance at An before turning back to Toya. "Psh, what's her deal?" He was getting war flashbacks of her choking on those beans... So many beans. Chatter started back up again. Kohane tried to engage with Luka and Miku, who were talking about the best shoestrings for a performance on a mixture of concrete and pavement, and she was failing miserably. Her mind wandered back to Akito and Toya no matter what path she tried to lead her thoughts. It was almost as bad as trying to keep her mind off of An.

Everyone was surprised by how Kohane ripped into An the Friday practice before their booking. Even stranger was An's cheerful acceptance of the pointers. Akito gossiped about it with Toya until An left, after which he pulled Kohane aside. He assumed Toya was still a wallflower, as usual. He was not, but after Kohane's indifference to Akito's word choice the day before, he figured she was either too pure to date someone like him or didn't care if the two guys got together. This was far from a go-ahead to move on Akito. This just took him back to where he was before: with an unrequited crush. With a sour face, he watched him ask what was going on with her, defending his beloved rival, and she said something about the two of them practicing one day that Akito cut off. Apparently he'd already heard the gist of it. She looked like she wanted to add more to the tale An had spun. Toya cocked his head. Had something happened between the two girls?

Toya looked away and chided himself. He was just being overbearing like with his Seventh Cicada shipping. Love confessions don't happen in a side chapter and get brushed over. He'd seen enough.

Toya vanished without warning. Akito knew he'd appear outside his house, since they'd travelled home together, but he was still surprised and a little worried. Kohane looked at Akito for an explanation and he shrugged her off with a vague farewell. Kohane left soon after, too, leaving the VOCs to debate what had happened.

Wondering about the lack of sexual innuendo in the debate about the humans, Rin headed out to see MEIKO and Len on the patio. MEIKO tiredly looked after Len, who slept with his head in his arms. A green insect inched along his nose. "Ah, you're both out he-- eew!! What is that!" Her shrill screaming jolted Len awake. His nose twitched and the worm fell to his arms.

He looked at where she was pointing. "An inch worm! Haven't you seen the photos?"

"Y-y-yeah, but..! This SEKAI shouldn't have bugs. It should only have plants!" MEIKO breathily laughed-- or was that a cough?-- and continued smelling the cup of hot tea she held in her hands. Rin had no complaint when it was butterflies or moths.