words | akaashi keiji

arguments.

"It's dreadful what little things lead people to misunderstand each other."
L.M. Montgomery

Soon Christmas passed, and with it came the new year, with bountiful celebrations that Mei had missed in the city.

Not that island living didn't bring her her fair share of fun, but Hokkaido grew colder than Tokyo in the winter, so she had grown used to attending house parties like she was still in high school.

Tokyo had more bars, and more clubs. Not that she frequented them, but she much preferred them over house parties on the beach.

Tokyo also had her mom, and she knew her way around save for the new shops that were built in her absence.

Contrary to Mei's own beliefs, she was also excited by the idea of reconnecting to those she knew in high school– although Jun was still off on her own.

"You're smiling in the morning. I feel like I should be concerned." Came Hyodo's gruff morning voice, making Mei's eyes snap up from the glass coffee table.

Both of her hands were wrapped around a glass of iced coffee, and she refused to remove them despite slightly shivering. She stared back at Hyodo in silence, blinking slowly.

"On a Saturday no less," he continued, a bit more awkwardly. He sent her a small smile, and she let out a yawn before deciding to respond.

"I've just missed this."

At this, Hyodo lifted his brows, half-expecting for her to continue. "Missed what? Waking up before noon?"

Mei huffed out in amusement before taking a long sip of her coffee, only slightly rushing to finish it so she could leave the apartment and visit a cat café for the first time in forever.

"No, just the energy in Tokyo. There's a lot to do." She muttered into her coffee, sounding far away and making Hyodo click his tongue.

"There must be a lot to do." He complained, his brows furrowing to match the way he frowned. "You're never home anymore."

Mei blinked at the new silence, feeling her teeth grit just slightly and making her bite on the rim of her glass.

"I'm never home? Sounds rich coming from you."

"What does that mean?"

Mei let out a sigh at the changed atmosphere, wishing that it didn't have to be a Saturday morning. She really had been excited to revisit the old cat café with Akaashi.

"I mean," she began, trying and failing (miserably) at hiding her displeasure, "you're the one who stays out most nights. I fall asleep with Fyodor more than with you now."

As if on cue, Fyodor awoke from his fourth nap just that morning, scurrying across the tense apartment and hopping to rest in Mei's lap.

She dropped a hand from around the cold glass and used it to circle her index finger around Fyodor's ear, the cat flinching at the cold.

"And that's another problem, if we're laying them out now–"

"Laying out problems? I was only stating a fact." Mei fought before he could finish, letting her mouth hang open at both herself and at the dumbfound expression on Hyodo's face.

"As I was saying, that's another problem. You used to refuse letting Fyodor in the bed. His fur is everywhere, and you know it makes me itch."

Mei grimaced, visibly, laying her hand flat against Fyodor's ears as if it would prevent him from hearing words he couldn't understand.

"And I stay out on game nights for a reason." He continued, crossing his arms over his chest in preparation for a fight that Mei was not prepared for.