Chapter Text
Toya, Akito, An, and Kohane stand it the foyer of the building, discussing which escape room they should do.
"Oooh, I like this one!" Kohane says, pointing to one of the posters. "Seems interesting, what'da you guys say?"
Toya taps his chin, reading over the poster. "I don't see why not. What about you Akito?" He turns to the orange haired boy.
He crosses his arms. "I don't really care. I'm mainly here to get lunch after." He jokes.
Toya smiles, looking at the ground as An pumps her fist. "Yeah! Let's do this thing!"
The four approach the front desk as the lady behind it looks up from her monitor. "Hello, welcome! Do you have a room in mind?"
An steps forward. "Mansion on the Hill, Please!" She says, hands on her hips. "How longs the wait?"
The woman types on the keyboard, fingers flying as she reads off the screen. "We could take you back right now if you'd like! Slow day." She nods.
"Ooooh alright!" Kohane says. "We'll take it." She pulls her credit card or of her wallet as she hands it to the lady.
The lady swipes it, handing it back to kohane as she walks out from behind the desk. "Alright, let's go!"
The group follows the lady ad she walks to the very back if the building, two doors.
"My names Katie, and I'll be your game master," She says. "Can we split into groups of two?"
An grabs Kohane's arm and pulls her closer, leaving Akito and Toya next to each other.
Toya turns to Akito, nodding.
"Yeah, I'm cool with it." Akito says, scratching the back of his neck.
"Alright!" Katie claps her hands together, "You can open the doors and step inside. I'll come over the intercom to talk to you both independently, and then I'll turn on the timer and the game will start."
All four of the kids nod as they make their ways into their respective rooms.
Toya looks around the area, it being dimly lit. He couldn't see much on account of the lighting, but he assumes there's something they can do about that.
Akito bumps into a shelf, cursing to himself as he looks up at Toya. His face flushes, and he's thankful for the low light.
No voice comes over the intercom so the two boys assume that Katie is talking to the girls first.
Toya blinks, trying to see better when the lights go bright, then go a bit dimmer, the room illuminated.
"Hello guests." The intercom booms. "You four teenagers were invited to a dinner party inside of Mr. Lewis's mansion, but got separated from your friends." She pauses for dramatic effect. "You know nothing about Mr. Lewis, only that his only daughter betrayed the family, and he's looking for new heirs, and beneficiaries. He is an old man after all.
You have one hour to find your friends and figure out what happend in the Lewis family. Your time starts... NOW!"
The TV above the door flashes red and an analog clock appears, it being at 59 minutes, and 55 seconds. Toya's eyes flick to the bottom left corner of the screen, three tally marks with the words 'Hints Left,' next to them.
Noted. Toya thinks.
He scans the room. It's got a floral green wallpaper, a bar, two couches which match the pattern of the walls, a coffee table, and shelves, everywhere.
Akito looks at the shelf he bumped into, "Hey Toya, come check this out."
Toya walks over, accidentally brushing the other's shoulder as he looks at the shelf carefully.
He cocks his head. "A watch?" He says, puzzled.
Akito picks it up, studying it in his hands. "Looks fancy too." He points to a small detail on the side of it. "Look, it's got the family name engraved on it."
Toya squints at the letters Akito is pointing at, and, sure as hell, it said 'Lewis.'
But that's not all it said.
"Can I see...?" Toya says, Akito already handing over the watch. He flips it to see the backside, a scratch in a long straight line running across it. He shows Akito. "You think this is here on purpose?"
Akito takes the watch back, inspecting the scratch in the light as Toya walks over to the bar, looking at all the bottles of alcohol.
He grabs one of the bottles wine, empty, it dated 1912.
He turns to Akito. "Hey, does the scratch on the watch maybe line up woth any of the letters on the side?"
Akito furrows his brows in confusion, walking over with the watch in his hand. "Uhh, the 'W." Why?"
Toya purses his lips as he looks around the room, eyes catching on the chalkboard near the door. He places the bottle of wine back down, walking over to the door.
Akito places the watch down as he makes his way to the other side of the room, looking at everything on the shelves.
Toya pucks up a piece of chalk, it short and stubby as he waited on the chalkboard.
L - 12
E - 5
W - 23
I - 9
S - 19
Toya looks at his work, knowing thay it may be a strech. "Hey, Akito. Do any of the bottles of wine have the number 23 on them?" He pauses. "Like dates. 1923, 2023, uh, 1823?"
Akito looks at all of the bottles, picking up one dated 1923. "Yeah." He says, turning it over and analyzing thr label. "Third shelf."
"Great." Toya says. "Look at it for any clues."
Akito tosses the bottle in his hands, hearing something inside. It's a dull sound, but a sound nonetheless.
He remembers seeing a corkscrew next to where the watch was on the shelf, so he walks over, grabbing it and opening the bottle.
He sees an off-white napkin, the corner stained red. He sticks his finger in and tries to pull it out.
He manages to get it out of the bottle, and when he does a key falls onto the floor.
Toya hears the ding on the floor and his head spins. "What was that?"
Akito bends down, picking up the key. "Key."
It's metal was cold, and it was silver in color. "Any idea where it goes to?" He turns to Toya.
Their faces are very close, the two both heating up. "Uhm." Toya is at a lose for words. "Key." He says, chiding himself in his head.
God, how stupid. He already felt like a fool in front of Akito, he didn't have to make it worse!
He looks into the boy's eyes, the green making his stomach fluttering.
The way his hair fell over his eyes, and how his smile looked, the smile that wasn't currently on his face. The smile that was now replaced with a look of uncertainty. Not sadness or anger, Toya can't read it. Awe? No, that's not it.
He takes a step back, clearing his throat. "I'm gonna look around for more clues. You look for what that key goes to."
"Got it." Akito says, stiff.
He watches Toya walk off, examining the shelves as he stands there stupidly. He blinks to himself, grounding him.
He quietly makes his way to the door, trying to see if the key would open it. Shocker, it didn't.
Akito gulps, worried.
The words had been on the tip of his tongue for months. Being alone with Toya made him worried, because he didn't want to day or do anything rash.
But Aoyagi Toya, the boy with the two-toned blue hair, split down the middle. The boy with the glasses that have the daintiest frame. The boy with those piercing grey eyes.
It's safe to say, that Aoyagi Toya make Shinonome Akito, feel things.
He could slip up at any moment, and that could ruin things forever.
Toya was his best friend, he couldn't throw that away, even for the chance of something more. The cons heavily outweigh the pros.
The two go through the escape room, Akito finding out the key went to a safe hiding behind the bar.
Toya would grab the journal from inside, flipping to the first page. And how Akito pointed to the clue, brushing Toya's knuckles, and how they had both started stammering.
A call from the intercom breaks the two from their trance. "Hey guys. You still have all three hints, and you're friends need one. You willing to give one up?"
Akito turns to Toya, who shrugs.
"No, we're good. Give it to An and Kohane."
"Alright! Sounds good. By the way, twenty minutes left!"
Toya grabs Akito'a hand, pulling him to the other side of the room. "I was going to tell you earlier, but I forgot. I need a second opinion."
Akito cokcs his head. "Hm? Sure, what's up?"
Toya knocks on the wall, "That sounds hollow to you, right? I'm not making things up?"
Akito puts his ear against the wall as Toya knocks again. "Oh yeah, that's definitely hollow. You think it's on purpose?"
Toya places a hand on Akito'a shoulder, the boy stiffens, this unexpected touch suprising him.
Toya bends at his knees, making his way to the floor as his hands slides down Akito'a arm, hooking on his fingers at the end.
"The floorboards as a bit of a different color here." Toya says, looking up at Akito.
"Oh, I!– Really?" Akito stutters, voice half a pitch higher. "So how do you think we open it?"
Toya taps his chin, "I'm not sure. Any ideas?"
Akito looks up in thought, but the feeling of Toya's warm hand holding onto his makes his brains fuzzy.
Toya stands up, hands still in Akito's when he looks down at it. Face turning bright red.
He lets go, hiding hid hand behind his back. He'd looked as if he was on autopilot, not knowing he hand held Akito's hand.
Akito gains back his senses, looking at the painting that's about a foot away on the wall.
He turns it to the side a bit which opens the wall in front of them.
Toya's mouth hangs open and Akito chokes out a laugh. "What!?" He exclaims. "It should not have been that easy."
Toya laughs aswell, the warm sound making Akito's heart melt.
The two walk into what appears to be a walk-in closet, when suddenly the door shuts behind them.
The light in the closet is low, and there's boxes, books everywhere, and clothes on the racks.
Toya's breath hitches, the room being tight and the two boys could barely move around in there.
For it being a millionaire's walk-in closet, it was pretty tight
Akito looks at the wall on the other side of them, it having printed photo frames on it. He assumes that's the exit.
It kinda of breakd the immersion, but who really cares?
The two look around the small room.
They find a few hints but can't seem to figure out the big picture.
Toya turns to Akito, the frustration visible on his face. "Anything?"
Akito shakes his head.
His stomach twists, and his mind races. No, no, no, this is a bad idea, don't say anything, don't–
"Can I do something stupid?" Akito says, the words flying put of his mouth.
Toya cocks his head in confusion, but does a small nods.
Akito's eyes go wide, "I– Uh..." He panics and kicks the wall, knowing that would do nothing.
"Sorry." He says, turning back to the books on the floor.
Toya shrugs. "Worth a shot."
The two inspect the books, and then the boxes, making their way up to the rods holding various different coats and shirts up.
Toya mumbles something that Akito can't make out.
"Huh?" He says.
"I just wanted to say sorry for holding your hand earlier." He mutters, voice just loud enough for Akito to hear.
"I– It's fine." Akito chuckles nervously. "No big deal."
Toya sifts through the rack. "But it's not fine though." He pauses, hands shaking. He turns to face Akito. Akito turns to face Toya aswell. "I really like you, Akito. And I just," He shrugs, letting his arms fall to his side. "Don't know what to do about it."
Akito blinks. "What?" He stands in shock, heart beating fact."
Toya sighs. "I'm sorry. It's selfish I know, but I just didn't want to lose you. You're my best friend and–"
Toya's little speech is cut short when Akito rests his hands on the other boy's neck, pulling him closer and meeting his lips.
Toya is a little shocked at first, but melts into the kiss when he gets over the suprise.
He grabs Akito's jacket, pulling him closer.
The two pull away at the same time, the dim light making Akito's eyes shine. Toya finds it mesmerizing.
"So," He breathes heavily. "You like me back?"
Akito nods. "Yeah."
"Great."
Toya pushes himself against Akito, their lips meeting once again.
The kiss becomes more heated this time, Akito's hands moving from Toya's neck to his jawline as he tilts the boy's head.
Toya grips tighter on Akito's jacket, the kiss going on for a bit of time before he pushes the boy away. "Oh my god, Akito!"
"What?" He says, voice full of worry.
"The cameras." Toya whispers, "Don't escape rooms have cameras?"
The two stand in silence for a moment before they both make noises of despair.
Akito covers his face with his hands, groaning while Toya bangs his head lightly against the wall.
Toya turns back to Akito, resting his forehead against his shoulder. "Oh my god, I didn't think that a moment like thks would end so embarrassing." He whines.
"I knowwww." Akito says, agreeing with Toya. He suddenly remembers the 'escape' part of the room.
His and Toya spend the last five minutes of their time remaining figuring out how to leave the closet.
They end up figuring it out, and the wall opens up.
Akito starts to exit the room but Toya stops him, grabbing his wrist.
He has a timid look on his face, almost as if he were scared to speak. "Wait." He says, meeting the orange haired boy's beautiful green eyes. "I don't want to brush this off. Are you serious?" He pauses, voice lowering. "Do you actually like me?"
Akito smiles, grabbing Toya's hand. "I really like you."
The two share a peaceful moment, knowing that their love is real and not just something that happend in the moment.
"Now let's go!" Akito exclaims, pulling Toya outside of the room and running down the dark hallway.
They make it into a room full of screens, and An and Kohane sit in chairs inside. "Finally!" An exclaims. "You two took forever!"
"Yeah, well you took one of our hints and we used none. So who would have won in the long run?" Akito bites back.
Kohane giggles as she whispers something into An's ear. An smirks as looks at the two boys.
"Oh rightttttt. I forgot about that." An says looking at Kohane who is smiling wide.
Toya cowers behind Akito in embarrassment. "The hell are you on about!?" He exclaims.
He grabs Toya's hand, "We're going to wait outside."
Toya follows Akito, a stupid grin on his face.