stealhearted | are you hurting the one you love?

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. ]

"Somewhere realistic" sounds a bit far-fetched considering who we are. [He can handle sassy, because he can manage a little sass back. He steps sideways out of Akira's one-armed hug, then, looking back to the kitchen with a quirked eyebrow.] What are you making, anyway?

Carrot furikake. You grate it finely then dry it out and cook it with some seasonings, and it'll go really well on rice. [ Akira's plan to get Akechi to consume enough calories to sustain himself hinges on rice, because he's pretty sure Akechi will get tired of curry long before Akira does.

Mostly because Akira still isn't actually tired of curry. ]

[Because he made him promise he would eat rice later. He stares at the pan on the stove a while, then looks at Akira, and his expression is largely blank, if a little stunned.] ...you are far too young to have so many mothering instincts, I will never understand. [That's Goroese for Thank You, possibly.]

Given how many terrible parents we all have, someone's gotta help take care of our group. [ Haru's another great candidate, but Akira doesn't want her to strain herself fussing over Akechi... also, Akira just likes fussing. Especially over Akechi. It makes him feel all self-accomplished and happy. ]

It says it'll keep for a week or so, so it'll make a good snack.

[He grinds out an irritated sound that isn't half as annoyed as he hopes it would be, bashing his forehead into Akira's neck for a moment.] Yes, yes. I refuse to call you daddy, regardless of where our relationship goes in the future. [Because he knows how Akira wants it to.]

I'm not interested in being on that side of a daddy kink. [ Akira says it very matter-of-factly, like it's something he's considered (he has) but has no real interest in with Akechi (which is true). There is a hint of a smile in his voice, like he's trying not to laugh; the mere idea of either of them having an actual honest to god daddy kink within their myriad of issues is...

Hahaha. ]

I can call you senpai, though.

[It takes him a moment to process the meaning being that side of a daddy kink, and his eyes get wide despite him looking at a low corner of the bean wall. Yikes. Akira is a landmine, he thinks. ...an unfortunately attractive landmine. This is going to be a problem.]

...absolutely not. Particularly because I have no intention of teaching you anything or any other actions that would result in the title.

Does that mean I'm the teacher? [ Akira asks, sounding entirely too teasingly smug at the idea. It's true that he's definitely the more experienced of the two, and while he doesn't mind that, it is funny to imagine him having that kind of advantage over famed Detective Prince Akechi Goro.

It is, as Futaba would say, that gap moe. ]

I'll teach you well.

[Akechi turns his look of slight horror on Akira, instead, and shakes his head slowly.] No, that's... I think this conversation is over now. [Another time. He is not in the mindset to find this funny right now.]

Do we have an ETA on Sae-san? I should probably wash my face...,

[ Akira checks his phone. ] She's on her way, so you probably have time. I'll make her a cup of coffee if she's early. [ Since Sae legitimately enjoyed Leblanc as an establishment even before Everything Went Down, he's happy to fall back on old habits. ]

[Thank you for taking his Absolute Nope gracefully, Akira. Still somewhat stunned he instigated that conversation, Akechi wanders to the restroom and washes his face-- it's more of just hitting it with cold water a few times and trying to clear his head to present himself like someone who isn't constantly on the edge of an emotional breakdown he never allowed himself prior to literally being brought back from the dead, but it's fine, surely.]

[ Akira goes ahead and starts making a cup of coffee for Sae -- he can't quite remember what she likes, but he has a vague idea based on her personality -- and sure enough, it isn't long before there's a knock on the door.

There's probably a small amount of commotion audible to Akechi as Sae steps inside with both a large box and a duffel bag that she sets down, gingerly. ]

Did you take that on the train?

「 No, I took a taxi. 」

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