[He closes his eyes, inhales slowly, counts backward from ten. If he focuses on counting, he can remain impassive. He did it for years. He can continue to do it for years. He's so, so tired of pretending to be something and someone he is not, but it's easier. They've put up with enough of his malice, and he's trapped in the care of a boy in the care of someone he doesn't want to inconvenience in any way, because Sojiro Sakura has done absolutely nothing wrong.]

[Akira's voice makes his jaw set and his arms break out in goosebumps under the sleeves of his hoodie, and Morgana shuffles to the foot of the bed to watch Akechi for a moment.]

「 I mean that. If this is something to do with the Metaverse, despite everything... Things could go very badly, very quickly. You don't have a choice but to trust us, Akechi. 」

[Akechi's teeth grit mostly for Morgana's tone, because it's gentle in the same way it had been when he accused him of not really hating Joker at all. They can all see right through him, and it makes him sick. Still, he fakes it. His tone is clipped, but carefully reigned in.] Sure.

[Morgana is obviously not convinced, but he hops off the bed and winds himself into a figure eight around Futaba's ankles.]

「 Let's go, then! You owe me a marathon of that one show you were telling me about. 」