𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙥𝙚 | 𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘩. ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

˚⊱ 30. | ᴅᴇɴɪᴀʟ ⊰˚

Denji and Power stumbled into the apartment, their footsteps echoing in the hallway. They were almost not surprised to see Aki standing there, dressed in his work uniform, looking as if he was heading out.

"Damn it." Denji muttered under his breath, his frustration at Aki's aloofness bubbling up again.

Power rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed with Aki's demeanor. "Typical," she muttered.

Denji clenched his fists, his annoyance growing as Aki avoided eye contact. "Seriously, man?" he said, his voice gruff. "You're leaving again?"

Aki remained silent, his expression guarded and distant. The tension in the hallway was palpable, as Denji and Power waited for him to respond. His demeanor was cool and collected, as if he was trying to mask his own inner thoughts and feelings.

His eyes were fixed straight ahead, avoiding looking directly at Denji and Power. His body language was stiff and his hands were clenched tightly by his sides. It was as if he was trying to hold himself together, yet at the same time, he seemed distant and unreachable.

It was clear that Aki was in turmoil, but he was doing a good job of hiding it. His expression was stoic, and his body was tense, as if he was always bracing himself for something.

He soon broke his silence, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "I'm heading out on a patrol," he said, his gaze still fixed straight ahead. Denji and Power exchanged a look, clearly not convinced.

Denji stepped forward, trying to gauge Aki's expression. "Aren't you supposed to be off tonight?" he asked, his voice gruff.

Aki finally met Denji's gaze, his eyes cool and unreadable. "Change of plans." he said shortly, his tone leaving no room for further argument.

Power crossed her arms, her expression filled with feigned disbelief. "Oh, really?" she said dramatically, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You mean you just suddenly remembered that you had a patrol scheduled tonight? How convenient."

Aki's eyes flashed with irritation as Denji and Power continued to press him. He gritted his teeth, his words short and clipped. "I don't have time for this," he said, his voice low and cold. "I have a job to do. If you'll get out of the way."

He tried to push his way past Denji and Power, but Denji was determined to stop him. He blocked Aki's path, standing his ground. Power stood off to the side, crossing her arms over her chest with a small amused huff.

Aki's irritation grew as Denji stepped in front of him, blocking his path. He let out an exasperated sigh, his patience running thin. "What now, Denji?" he said, his voice sharp.

Denji's usual carefree demeanor was replaced by a rare seriousness as he looked Aki straight in the eyes. "We came back from visiting Touko." he said bluntly, his tone firm.

Aki's expression flickered for a moment, a hint of guilt and uncertainty passing through his eyes. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced once again by his usual unemotional demeanor. "And?" he asked gruffly, avoiding Denji's gaze. "Why do I care where you came from?"

Denji didn't back down, his irritation growing with each passing second. "Because you should!" he exclaimed, his voice raising in volume. "Touko is worried about you, dammit!"

Aki's expression hardened at the mention of Touko. He knew that he had been avoiding her, but hearing that she was worried about him brought a pang of guilt into his chest. "I've been busy," he snapped, his voice cold. "Patrolling, working. I don't have time to deal with her right now."

Denji let out a frustrated huff, clearly not buying Aki's excuses. "That's bullshit and you know it," he said, his voice rising. "You've been avoiding her for a month now. You know better than anyone that she deserves better than that."