stealhearted | are you hurting the one you love?

「 If Mona-chan eats a doughnut that's shaped like a cat, is that cannibalism? 」

「 I think that's just really... weird... 」 [ Makoto seems vaguely disturbed by the concept, her reply fading away as she frowns. She looks helplessly at Akira, who only shrugs. He doesn't pretend to understand what goes on in the depths of Futaba's mind. ]

「 Well, it's settled! To commemorate our new-refound friendship, we're having crepes, and then Akechi-kun can treat us to doughnuts some other time! 」 [ Somehow it's gone from 'Ann and Akechi's doughnut date' to 'Akechi gets to get doughnuts for the entirety of the phantom thieves' but even Haru is laughing softly, so maybe it isn't so bad. ]

[He takes another bite of his crepe, mostly to avoid the stupid way his face wants to dissolve into a smile he's afraid of the sensation of, shifting one foot under the table to find and nudge Akira's. He doesn't look at him, but he sort of steps on his toes a moment and then recoils, angling his body a little inward toward the group, just barely.]

「 I'm not a cat!!! 」

Be sure everyone makes note of a few top favorite flavors, so I ensure I find something everyone likes. Tuna, Morgana? Or salmon. Do they make Nova Lox doughnuts...? [Teasing the cat, it seems, is safe enough he can manage. He does, however, fold himself up a little and lean on the table, the gesture unconsciously made to preserve warmth. He's pretty sure at this point he's just going to always be somewhat cold if he isn't touching Akira, which he hates, but supposes he will adjust to.]

「 Tuna doughnuts sound awful... 」 [ Haru muses, idly, and then the conversation continues to the best and worst flavors of doughnuts, with Yusuke putting in for lobster as the best and getting resoundingly voted down.

Makoto looks at her phone after a minute, and then catches Akira's eye to communicate something to him -- the leader of the group and the one that would be the interim leader if they ever needed it having some wordless communication skills.

She stands up, after a moment. ]

「 At any rate, while it was nice to catch up with you, Akechi-kun, it is a school night, so we shouldn't stay out too late-- 」 [ There's groaning from Ryuji and a discreet transaction of Haru slipping Yusuke a final box of snacks to ferret away to his dormitory.

Akira offers everyone a smile, and the smile is definitely not just because his almost-boyfriend is playing footsie with him under the table. Lucky you for not getting the wrong person's foot, Akechi. ]

Yeah. He still gets tired easy. [ Akira offers as an excuse, which seems to be the easiest way to describe what... exactly... is happening between them without going into detail. ]

[He sits nearly silent in the ambiance of them bickering over doughnut flavors, slowly making his way through about half of his crepe before carefully folding the paper back up over and around it in favor of setting it down. By the time Makoto makes her declaration of it being a school night, he's folded both arms over the table and is leaning on them, clearly fading but determined to listen anyway. He sits up specifically straighter when Makoto addresses him, stretching his shoulders up and backward, and shuffles out of the seat to allow Ann to get up as well.]

It's best to not wait until the last train, they can sometimes be crowded. [He notices both Ryuji's grumbling and Haru giving Yusuke snacks, and his throat closes up around a desire to say something he doesn't ever quite figure out how to put together. It helps that Akira calls him out on being tired, because he turns a light snipe on him, instead.] Forgive me for struggling to adjust to being undead.

「 Hey, I hope I look half as good as you when I'm dead! 」 [ Ann offers, and then pauses immediately afterwards. ] 「 That... came out weird... I meant-- uh-- someone save me. 」

「 What she meant was, "I want to know Akechi's skincare routine". 」

「 Shut up, Ryuji! 」

[ And then Futaba is pausing, grabbing Morgana and hefting him up. ]

「 You guys, uh, need another night alone or should I leave Catticus Rex here? 」

[Akechi startles, ending up with a hand placed delicately over his collarbone, and he laughs softly.] I'm flattered, truly-- if I can remember the brands of facewash I've used I'll recommend you some. [He can't quite figure out why Ann is so much less intimidating than the rest of them. Haru, at least, makes sense.]

[He turns his attention downward to Futaba, and Morgana in her arms (who yowls dramatically and goes deadweight, closing his eyes and sprawling with a dramatic "I've lost control of my limbs-- carry me, Futaba!", to which Akechi unthinkingly reaches out and scritches the very top of his head.] Whichever you prefer-- I'm not certain of custody rights between the family.

Go ahead and take him another night. We're still getting things figured out. [ Akira offers Futaba a smile, and she looks a little dubious but doesn't press. Truthfully, Akira thinks that explaining

1. making out with Akechi, and
2. why Akechi is crying at all times, and
3. these two things potentially at the same time

to his sentient cat, is simply more than he can handle on top of everything else. ]

「 Okie doikie artichokie. C'mon, I'm gonna feed you gummy sushi. 」

[His ears flare pink, because "still getting things figured out" in Akira Kurusu speak is Never A Good Thing, but he thinks maybe he also appreciates it. He wouldn't mind Morgana around, and it would give him a chance to force himself to stay centered, but if it's even remotely convenient for him to not be present, he doesn't mind not being seen by the soulful eyes of a loving tuxedo.]

「 Gummy sushiiiii! Do you have anymore of the fatty tuna kind?? Those are my favorite. 」[Morgana exchanges a brief Look with Akira-- a fond sort of "let me know if you need anything", but in cat, and it flies directly over Akechi's head except for the fact that it's the second time he's seen Akira just... telepathically communicate with another of the Thieves. He doesn't know what to make of it.]

[Once they've all filtered out and said their goodbyes, the tension he didn't realize he was holding goes out of Akechi all at once and he drops back into the booth where he'd been sitting beside Ann, leaning hard against the table and putting his forehead in one hand. He doesn't say anything, at first.]

Edited 2021-03-25 04:56 (UTC)

Makoto figured everyone should clear out since Sae-san will be heading over soon. [ Akira offers, into the quiet. He locks up behind everyone automatically -- Sojiro probably won't be back for the day, he figures, so he might as well set about closing up. It gives him something to do.

If Akechi looks up, he might notice Akira doing something with carrots and a grater, but the specifics of it are a little hard to make out. ]

She thought it'd be better if you had a break between emotionally overwhelming events.

[He considered asking Makoto when she figured her sister might be headed their way, but didn't find the right time and realizes now that it likely just would have made it harder for her to corral the rest of them out. He considers sending her a text to thank her, but can't figure out how to word it without it sounding awkward, so he just continues to sit still until he angles his head to figure out what Akira is doing. Carrots and a--]

--you don't need to make me anything, I still have half a crepe.

This is for tomorrow. [ That's all Akira offers, despite the fact that a dessert crepe Is Not Really Food, Actually, but he's just glad Akechi is willingly eating it. And will probably finish it, if only because he won't want to waste something Ann spent money on and it's not going to be good by tomorrow, given it's comprised of 75% whipped cream by volume. ]

It's a new recipe, so you're my test subject. [ Oh, now he understands how Takemi feels. ]

[He grimaces slightly at being a test subject, but drags himself to standing to shuffle over to him and lean on a wall nearby.]

...I'm glad they all seem to be doing well.

Yeah. They're all doing really well. [ Akira's voice has something strange in it -- there's the requisite fondness, but there's also... something almost bittersweet? They're all moving along to not need him, and while he understands and is even happy about it, it's still strange to him.

They were all willing to let him go so easily. ]

Especially with you back.

[Akechi hears..., something, in his tone, but can't quite decipher in, and opts to reach out to swipe at him gently rather than think too hard on it.]

Stop your senseless carrot grating and come here.

[ The grated carrot is already in a pan on the stove -- but he turns the heat down and steps over to Akechi regardless. ]

It's not senseless. [ It's food! ]

[He hooks his chin on Akira's shoulder as soon as he's close enough, not quite hugging him but leaning anyway.] If you start making special things with carrots because of me I will be forced to complain, you realize.

You like carrots. [ Akira's protest is a little fangless, but he leans into Akechi. He lifts up one arm to wrap loosely around him, but just the one -- it's an embrace that Akechi can easily step out of when he wants to. ]

And I like you.

[He doesn't, at least not yet, soaking up the recharge that he's learning to accept.] Unfortunate that you have such terrible taste, really.

Does it matter if the taste is bad if it makes me happy? [ Like, some people eat some really weird food but it makes me happy. Liking Akechi is probably the same general concept, but with more murder. ]

Mmm, no, but it does make me and probably others question your mental stability. [He claims one of Akira's hands and presses his fingers to the back of his neck.] ...I don't know how you're going to manage this with me being such an invalid.

I never claimed to be mentally stable. [ Actually, given his reputation as a criminal, he feels like he should be thought of as the exact opposite, it's just that he usually keeps all of his inner turmoil on the down-low so nobody notices it. ]

Lavenza said it'll get better as time goes on, right?

That does very little for you now, when you should be going to school for your finals. [He's just going to ignore the first but. He'll take the chance to pick Akira apart when he's stopped being such a constant wreck, himself.]

The good news is I'm usually top of my exams, and I have you and Makoto to tutor me in anything I don't understand. [ Which isn't much, shaky grasp on induction proofs aside. ]

We'll figure it out. [ Even if he has to stick Akechi in the garden with Haru. ]

[Plant him like a carrot. He huffs, shaking his head but staying leaned against him, nodding.] Your irrational optimism knows best, I'm sure.

With my optimism and your pessimism, we're bound to meet somewhere realistic in the middle. [ It's a little sassy, the way he says it, like he's aware of both of their flaws in thinking about the future -- but the truth is he hasn't felt this optimistic in a long time. It feels like there's a future he wants to be a part of, instead of just a life he's living because there isn't anything better. ]

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