Title: Emotional Encounter
Characters: Akoya, Ryuu||Ship: N/A
Chapters: 1-1||Words: 1,500
Genre: Friendship||Rated: G
Challenges: Diversity Writing, BKCBL/BKCHK/ML/TH/ROTG, C58, unusual friendship; Advent 2015-2016, #12, write a gift-fic & review a neglected fic
Notes: I wrote this for SilvorMoon, for the tumblr prompt of "please don't have an emotion in front of me".
Summary: Akoya doesn't want to think that Zaou Ryuu can have emotions. Especially not ones that he doesn't personally approve of. That might mean Zaou's a *person!* Heavens.

Of all the possible sights Akoya thought he'd see as he strolled down the street, Zaou Ryuu half-slumped against a wall, staring down at his phone wearing one of the most dejected expressions he'd ever seen in his life wasn't one of them.

Akoya's first thought was that Zaou just didn't look right with that sort of look on his face. His second was that whatever had caused this expression might well be useful for their plans. There was always room for a new monster, in his opinion, and if it were all that distressing, then surely it would be useful.

His third thought was a little different – a flicker of curiosity to know what could possibly have dejected Zaou this much. The other teenager didn't seem to know how to be sad for more than three consecutive seconds, and Akoya wanted to know what had done it. He told himself it was because if anyone should do this to Zaou, it should be him and if someone else were doing it, then he wanted to know who and why.

He strolled over; Zaou didn't seem to have noticed anything as he put his phone away and looked ready to head off on wherever he'd been when he got what the bad news was. Akoya didn't let him get away.

"Dare I ask what's so upsetting?" Akoya said by way of greeting. The moment that he spoke, the sad expression vanished off of Zaou's face, replaced by a hollow grin.

Akoya could identity a false expression from half a street away. He made them himself often enough, and he found now that he didn't like them when they were turned towards him, especially when Zaou spoke with equally hollow, if vibrant, words.

"You shouldn't have to. You did just walk up, after all," Zaou taunted. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you rode in that fancy car of yours all the time."

Akoya waved one hand. "if I choose to take a walk, I'm certainly allowed to do so. Now you tell me the real answer. It isn't as if you're capable of lying to me."

Zaou's eyes narrowed. "What makes you think I'm lying to you?"

"Because you are. Really, Zaou, don't have an emotion in front of me. I'm not sure if you actually know how to do it properly." Akoya sniffed. "And where are the rest of those ridiculous people you call your friends? I didn't think the five of you were ever this far apart."

That oddly reminded him of those Battle Lovers, who had such a tendency to turn up when and where they weren't wanted. They always stuck so very close together, and on occasion Scarlet did mention things about baths, which -

"None of your business." Zaou snapped. "They're busy. That's all."

He wasn't entirely lying about that. Akoya still hadn't entirely given up the idea of departing and informing Kinshiro, Arima, and Zundar about the perfect chance to create a monster out of someone he genuinely disliked. But he wanted to have an idea of what kind of monster they could get out of this first.

"You looked far more bothered than what a simple 'busy' would merit," Akoya pointed out, enjoying the way he made Zaou more and more uncomfortable. Most of his pleasures in life were far more complex than this but there was something to be said for the simple things as well.

Zaou shook his head. "If it gets you away from me – Io and I were supposed to go see a movie and he just canceled. He said something came up and he can't get away right now. Probably something to do with the stock market." Zaou pressed his lips together for a second before he shook his head again and that false expression of cheer returned. "Now, are you satisfied?"

Oh. Akoya began to reconsider his plans. It wasn't that he wouldn't enjoy the thought of turning Zaou into some sort of monster – something hideous and revolting and as unbeautiful as it possibly could be, something that could never have friends, never have a single date with anyone ever, but now he found himself reminded that Io also existed, and was – somehow – Zaou's friend.

Io would likely be rather displeased at whatever happened, even if he never exactly knew why. Io had turned down the chance to join the Student Council, but Akoya hadn't entirely given up the thought of persuading him for it another day. If not this year, then next. If it should happen that Io found out that Akoya had a hand in such a thing, then he would be irritated, to say the least.

"I wouldn't worry about it so much. You know as well as I do that his finances come first for him," Akoya said. He wondered if he could find something genuinely comforting to say. He knew he was as bad at that as he was at – more things than he cared to think about. What he could do, he was very good at, but those things that he couldn't do he was atrocious at.

But perhaps those were the words Zaou needed to hear, as he snorted some. "You might be right. Don't let it go to your head. You've got enough hot air in there already."

Normally that would have irritated Akoya. Right now it sounded enough like he was used to hearing from Zaou for him to offer one of his favored smirks.

"I assure you, I will let nothing go into my head that doesn't belong there." He glanced at the time. He didn't need to be home at any given time, as long as he wasn't too late. Perfect. "Now, as you clearly have nothing better to do with your time, come along with me."

Zaou didn't move a muscle. If anything, he looked suspicious and distrusting. Akoya approved.

"Excuse me?"

"You have nothing else to do and I have free time. Therefore, you and I are going to spend this time together." He hadn't yet decided what to do, but that could come once Zaou stopped arguing with him. The idea had just taken root but he found he enjoyed the notion of bedazzling the poor fool until he didn't dare look sad around Akoya ever again. Emotions that he didn't approve of weren't allowed.

"Why would I want to spend time around you when I could go home and get twice the entertainment staring at a wall?"

"Because you can't." Akoya smiled a sleek, predatory smile that he knew full well made him more enticing, slipping one finger into his pink curls, enjoying the feel of sleek hair against soft skin. Zaou didn't quite look enticed, but that read as challenge to him. Not that he'd want to keep Zaou around, but the boy should at least know what he was missing by not aspiring to Akoya's level. "You would sit in your room and stare at the walls, mope, and stare at your phone. You would get absolutely nothing done and while that is amusing, that isn't what I intend to do."

Zaou crossed his arms. "So? You can do whatever you want. I'm not getting involved."

"Don't you even wonder what I have in mind?" Akoya asked, arching one eyebrow. He didn't wait for Zaou to lie and say that he didn't. "Shopping. Anywhere that I want – or that you want. Call whoever it is you live with and tell them you're having dinner out. All of it my treat."

He could not have said where this burst of what may have been called generosity came from. It really wasn't generosity, he knew. It was the desire to make certain Zaou didn't feel things that could be construed as emotions that Akoya didn't want to see him feel, such as being upset that his friends had lives that didn't involve him. He was more than satisfied if Zaou experienced envy, greed, or lust for pretty possessions, especially since he could dangle them over Zaou's head for as long as it amused him to do so.

Zaou threw up his hands. "You're just going to kidnap me if I don't oblige you, aren't you?" He glared at Akoya as if Akoya had deliberately arranged for everyone to have other obligations on purpose. Akoya did nothing, only waited, until Zaou jerked his phone out of his pocket and started punching keys. Clearly he would do this and clearly he would do it while being annoyed every single step of the way.

I think he'll be a lot more amusing like this than as a monster. And perhaps this could interest Io as well. He wondered exactly how much of Io's choice not to join the Council was because of wanting to stay around Zaou. If Akoya managed to convince Zaou to leave the Defense Club as well – well, it was a thought worth pursuing.

And pursue it he absolutely would.

The End

Notes: I think Akoya's biting off more than he can chew here.