Protective and Loving

Chapter Four: Secrets Leaked

Ryuji's P.O.V.

          When I got home, I quickly decided what to wear to my dinner date with Akira. I didn't really have anything fancy, so I just decided to go with a simple pair of jeans and a light blue shirt. I changed into them, and I sat in my bed until it was time to leave. When I left the house, I pulled out my phone and message Ann.

Ryuji: Yo Ann I'm about to leave to go see Akira

Ryuji: Any suggestions to what I should do??

Ann: Pay for the meal, it shows you're being generous

Ann: Oh, and don't be an idiot. You need to act your best with him

Ryuji: Okay.. thanks I guess

Ryuji: Gtg or I'll be late

Ryuji: See ya!

          I put my phone away and I head to the train station.

~Timeskip to when he arrived~

          I finally arrived at the ramen place, and I saw Akira waiting for me. He looks up from his phone and gives me a warm smile.

          "Hey, Ryuji.." He says happily. I smile back at him and give him a "hey!". We enter the ramen place and take a seat. We just ordered beef bowls and we began to wait.

          "I'll pay for the food.. I was the one who invited you, so it's only fair." I told Akira. He tried to protest against the idea, but I kept telling him that I'll pay for it no matter what. We soon got our food, and we both dug in. We stayed quiet while we ate, savoring every bite of our noodles.

I could hear Akira quietly purr as he ate, so I let out a small giggle. I carefully leaned over the table and gave him a boop on his nose. His eyes widen in surprise and he quickly pulled his hood over his head in embarrassment.

          "Dude, you're effin' adorable, you know that?" His face immediately flushed a bright pink color, and I noticed his cat ears perk up under the hood. I smile at him brightly, and he slowly pulls his hood down and his ears turned back to normal.

I pushed my empty bowl to the side and I pull out my wallet to pay. I take out the appropriate amount of yen and put it in the check.

          "Today was wonderful, Ryuji. Thank you for inviting me out." Akira tells me. I blush a bit and smile more.

          "No problem dude!" We were about to leave, when somebody called out Akira's name.

          "Akira!" They called. I turned to see who it was, and it was non other than Goro Akechi. Ugh, great. Why was he here, of all places? Akira turns to look at him and smiles softly.

          "Hello, Akechi.." The junior detective returns the smile.

          "I've been looking for you.. Do you think you could come outside with me for a few minutes? I few questions I would like to ask you.." Akira was a bit confused, but agreed to it.

          "Of course.." He looks at me. "Do you think you can wait here until I come back?" I pout a bit, but nodded. I sat back down and watched Akechi lead Akira outside. You better not do anything to him you sketchy piece of shit..

Akira's P.O.V.

          Akechi brought me outside to the back of the restaurant, where we wouldn't be interrupted.

          "What do you need to ask me, Akechi?" I ask calmly. He pulls out a clipboard with a pen and paper attached to it, and looks up at me.

          "Well, I have been hearing rumors about a werecat running around here.. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you..?" He asks, looking me dead in the eyes. I felt my heart stop at the question, and I quickly slip my hands into my pockets.

          "No, I don't.."  He gives me a skeptical look, and pulls something out of his pocket.

          "Well.. Then maybe a better question is.. Are you the werecat..?" He shows a few photos, and I feel my heart stop beating for a good three seconds and my eyes widen. The photos were of me in my werecat form.. in my school uniform. I look up at Akechi, and I swear he had the smuggest look on his face.

          "That look in your eyes tells me that I have my answer.." I glare at him and felt my teeth sharpening.

          "How did you get these..?" He just lets out a soft chuckle.

          "It's a secret only detectives like me know.." That little bitch. "Now Akira.. I won't tell your secret.. If you do something for me.." I just stare at him. "Let's make a deal.. I'll shut the rumors down and say it was just a stray house cat, and in return, you meet me on the full moons and inform me on what it's like to be a werecat.. How does that sound?" Really? That was it? That doesn't seem too bad..

          "It's a deal.." Akechi grins and we shake hands.

          "Good.. That is all. Now, let's go back. You don't want to keep Ryuji waiting, do you?" I shake my head, and we both go back inside.

I go back to the table Ryuji and I were sitting at, and tapped on his shoulder. He looks up and smiles, then stands up next to me.

          "It's about time you came back!" He says jokingly. I let out a small chuckle.

          "It was only like five minutes.." I tell him.

          "Well it felt longer to me.." I blush a bit and smile. We both exit the restaurant and make our way home.

          I enter LeBlanc and head straight up to my room. Morgana was laying on my bed, and his head perked up when he heard me coming up the stairs. He moves to let me sit down, and plops down next to me.

          "Hi Akira! How was your date with Ryuji?" He asks. I look at him and smile.

          "It was nice.." I told him, leaving out the part where Akechi got involved.

          "That's good.." Morgana says happily. "You must be tired after today.. You should get some sleep.." I nod, and quickly change into more comfortable clothes. I climbed under the covers, thinking about Akechi's deal. Was it really a good idea to agree to it? I didn't really have much of a choice.. And how did he find out my secret, and why was he so curious about it? I pushed the thought away for now, and slowly drifted into sleep. I'll tell the others tomorrow...