stealhearted | are you hurting the one you love?

[He sucks in a startled breath and follows him when his lips move away, but doesn't quite kiss him again. He winds up sort of headbutting Akira's chin, reaching out and snaking an arm around him just briefly before standing, putting the mirror and concealer down on the shelf again.]

You know I won't, [He offers, but it's with the slightest edge of humor. He sits back down and folds his way backward on the bed, drawing his knees to his chest and hugging onto them, resting his toes over the screen of his phone.] ...don't forget to ensure Okumura understands she can say no. Even with the situation as it is, if I have to play parole officer Detective Prince while you're in class, so be it.

Text me dots and I'll pretend you're tapping. [ Akira says this with a certain degree of humor in his voice, because he is well aware he might as well ask Akechi for the moon, but. ]

I know. There's other alternatives we can do, if we have to. [ Akira just thinks this one might be the best one for all of them, Akechi and Haru included, even if Akechi doesn't think so.

Then his phone goes off and he heads downstairs, returning only briefly with the previously mentioned food -- it's curry with a heavy sweet and coffee flavor that's mostly carrots and potatoes, rice, and coffee on the side with a little bottle of water labelled "drink me!" in Futaba's handwriting -- before he vacates again to go back downstairs.

He's gone for about an hour, the next time; when he finally comes back up, he steps over to Akechi. ]

If you're up for it, Haru'd like to say hello.

[He's strangely numb, he finds, in Akira's absence. It's not the same numb he's accustomed to where he just doesn't feel, it's much more a numbness like being suspended in jelly made of salonpas. He's floating, more than anything, detached but almost pleasantly, slowly working his way through a plate of sweet curry that is still good even when it's not hot, and carefully peeling off a label with a teenage goblin's handwriting to fold and place in his pocket to keep for a sentimental reason he isn't willing to dissect.]

[The plate is mostly clean and the water bottle is empty, the coffee cup verily so when Akira comes back upstairs, and he's dozing leaned against the wall with his arms folded over the ledge of the window beside the mattress. He sits up and stretches, reaching out unthinkingly and tangling his fingers into Akira's in a way that shows he isn't entirely awake. He stays that way a while, booting up, and looks a bit like a chronically ill child on a good day when he finally looks up to him and processes the notion that Haru would like to see him.]

[He's confused, at first, because why would she-- but it makes sense, once he rolls it across his brain a few times. She was already present, they'd discussed the idea of her babysitting him because he was an invalid and couldn't be far from Akira without actually dying, and she was so polite it was maddening, at times. Of course she would want to come up and greet him, or have him come down to greet her, whether it involved discussing the verdict or not. He reclaims his fingers and tangles them together in his lap, instead, nodding.] I-- give me a moment to look less like a carcass, and of course.

Sure. Here. [ They haven't had a chance to go to the bath house, and while Akira is a little used to being a nasty crime boy sometimes -- Akechi, not so much. Akira reaches back with one hand, steadily combing Akechi's hair back in place, laying it down so it looks nice and not like he's been invalid levels of sick. ]

I figured it'd be better if you went downstairs. [ Rather than her coming upstairs. Akira's room has been something of a safe space, and Akira is hesitant to allow that to be so easily broken when Akechi has so few places to feel even remotely comfortable in. ]

She's already agreed, by the way.

I have a brush now, you realize, [He tuts, but doesn't push Akira's hands away, either. He waits until he's through with his minimal grooming and gets up, shuffling around to fix his hair a bit more himself, and dab on a bit of his own concealer to the circles plaguing his eyes. It doesn't fix the problem entirely, but it makes him look more like he's just had a few late nights studying as opposed to legitimately passing out in a laundromat.]

[He's most of the way through rearranging Akira's hoodie on his frame and dusting himself off needlessly when Akira mentions "she's already agreed", and he makes a wordless sound of acknowledgment before the statement sinks in. He goes still and then looks over his shoulder, hands on either of the lapels of the hoodie to make sure the hood is at least laying straight.] ...oh. [He's not entirely sure he can say he's surprised, but-- it makes his extremities a bit cold, to think about.] ...I'll have to thank her properly, then.

If it helps, you can say it's for my sake. [ Haru would have agreed regardless, he knows, but it did help that it was for Akira's sake: he couldn't return to school without Akechi, because he wasn't willing to let Akechi die. He hadn't phrased it in the same words to Haru, hadn't quite let on about how dire the situation was, but she was perceptive. She'd picked up on it. ]

Objectively it is, yes. [He finds his shoes, steps into them mechanically.] It's more because I can't keep you from finishing school than anything else, I just happen to be an unfortunate leech. [He doesn't mean it to be degrading of himself, it's... just a statement. It does make it easier, though.]

She's downstairs?

She is. [ Akira offers Akechi a reassuring smile. ] I'll go back down. You can take as long as you need. [ Because Akira knows Akechi won't take long, when it's Haru, when Akechi is seemingly terrified of.

Which is fair. Akira has seen the things she can do with an axe.

He heads downstairs, regardless; if Akechi tries, he can probably hear the soft sound of Haru's voice greeting him. ]

[With Akira heading down ahead of him, Akechi dawdles a bit. He could have forced himself to follow on his heels, but he'd made such a point of telling him to take as long as he needed it was like he was specifically telling him to wait. He started for the stairs three separate times after hearing Haru greet Akira softly, and finally steps onto the second step in favor of sitting on the landing and massaging his temples.]

[He wasn't afraid of Okumura Haru because of what she could do with an axe, though that was a definite reason to never wish to incite her ire. He was afraid of her because he had no idea how to behave around her, because she was willing to not so much forgive him for his murder of her father as she was willing to work toward an understanding with him with regard of it. He had absolutely no social grace when he wasn't pretending to be a television icon, the face of the police, so trying to actually greet her as himself, without anxiously falling back into old habits was striking him as nearly impossible.]

[It's roughly ten minutes before he makes his way down the stairs, having brushed through his hair and eventually changed back into his uniform shirt for a reason he couldn't entirely articulate. Stepping onto the floor of the cafe and turning to find Haru and Akira seated and chatting put his heart rate in his ears, but he made his way across the room easily enough. He hadn't put on his tie, feeling it a bit too stiff, so he sort of just looked like a teenager half in and half out of his school uniform, almost sloppily so. He opts to turn a bar chair and sit at it in front of the booth Haru and Akira are in, so he's not too close but he's not a strange distance, either.] ...apologies for making you wait, Okumura-san.

「 I'm glad you were able to take your time. 」 [ Haru offers, in that quietly genuine way that she has. It might have come off passive aggressive or meanspirited from literally anyone else, but it's easy to tell that she means it. She stands up, slowly slipping her bag onto the table and rustles into it before she produces a small gift -- a square wrapped carefully in furoshiki, which she offers to Akechi. ]

「 Um, I'd like you to consider this the start of something new... since I'm getting to know the real Akechi-kun, this time around. So, I got you a few things, since you'll be on the roof so much -- I thought you might get bored... 」[ Haru trails off, a little uncertainly. The box certainly has some weight to it, and if he checks, there's a couple books on gardening alongside an umbrella, some pocket heaters, and a phone power bank. ]

「 A-anyway, I hope we'll get along. 」 [ "This time", but she doesn't say it; Akira, helpfully, just stands there with his hands in his pockets giving them both an encouraging smile even when Haru awkwardly offers Akechi a slight bow, like she isn't biting her bottom lip. ]

[It's another reason he struggles to know how to approach her-- she's so completely and utterly genuine in a way he hasn't known how to do..., probably ever, but certainly not in recent memory. He manages a pinched smile, at first, and tenses like he plans to stand as well when she moves to place her bag on the table, only to stall out and stare at the furoshiki-wrapped square like he had no idea what he was meant to do with it.]

[Which wasn't entirely incorrect,]

[His hands are shaking when he takes the square, and he mumbles a stunned "thank you" as he sets it on his knees and carefully unwraps it. His hands stop shaking as he claims each item out of the box, slowly relaxing in fractions like his shoulders, and by the end of it he's got a look on his face that is perplexed, absolutely, but some sort of smile, nonetheless.]

I-- thank you. [He bites his own lip, even looking up at her, and carefully replaces the items in the box, folding the furoshiki back around it and swiveling to set it on the counter in favor of standing, just stooped enough that he can put his hands into her line of vision where she's bowed.] Um-- I don't know much about gardening, but if you wouldn't be opposed, in your free time... I'd like to learn. [He pins one arm across his chest, grasping the other at the elbow and holding his hand out, offering to shake hers. He's not wearing his gloves.] I'll, um. I'll be in your care, I believe is the correct thing to say.

「 Oh -- yes! 」[ Haru takes his hand, a little hesitantly, and then shakes it. Her grip is firm once she has it -- she's used to business deals and not being taken seriously, and so she's always careful when it comes to things like this, intent on making sure it happens properly. ]

「 He mentioned you liked carrots, so -- I thought we could plant some of those, if you'd like! It's a very nice feeling to be able to eat something you've grown yourself! 」 [ It's easier, like this: Haru lights up at the idea of being able to garden, to show him something, to do something that isn't a minefield of subjects they're both trying desperately to avoid until they gain enough traction that the conversation won't immediately hurt them. ] 「 I usually go up for lunch, so I'll see you when I do! 」

[He makes a bit of an embarrassed sound, shooting Akira a briefly acidic frown at the fact that he'd brought up his love of carrots, but he manages to squeeze her hand gently. The smile on his face is strained, at best, but he's trying-- even if his posture is all sorts of tense and pretty wholly indicative of a frightened animal.]

I'd like that. Carrots, and-- perhaps, whatever your favorite might be. [Is that too much? Is it fishing for conversation topics to ask her what her favorite vegetable is? Is it weird to grow their favorite vegetables together?? Holy fuck being a teenager is so hard, he's so tired. He retracts his hand whenever it seems appropriate, taking a step backward to not stand quite so close, arm still pinned to his side. His other crosses over his ribs as well, holding his opposite elbow, and Akira would likely recognize that he was specifically pressing against a particular bruise under his shirt.] Thank you, Okumura-san. I really appreciate your assistance in this, and maybe I'll learn how to garden half as well as you do in the process.

「 Of course! I'm still learning myself, but I'd be happy to teach you what I can! 」

[ Akira only smiles pleasantly at Akechi's acidic look, but when he notices Akechi pressing in on his stomach, he finally steps forward. ]

I'm sorry to drag you all the way out here so late. Are you okay getting home?

「 Oh, yes! I won't be taking the train, I have a car waiting for me, so it's no trouble at all. I should be going, though. 」 [ Haru offers Akechi another smile, and then turns it on Akira, who returns it. ] 「 It was nice to see the both of you. I'll see you tomorrow! 」

[ And then she's shrugging her coat back on to leave. ]

[His smile is pressed when he offers it, but he makes sure it's present, all the same. It's a little fake, and he's pretty sure even Haru would be able to tell, but his heartbeat is too loud and thrumming in his ears and into his fingertips and he feels a bit like his whole body is throbbing.]

Be safe getting home, [He offers, quietly, uncertainly. It's hard to know what was okay to say to her, really.]

[The moment she's out the door he sinks back to sit in the chair he'd turned, folding over his arms and pressing them into his stomach harder than before, but it grounds him, makes the roar in his ears dull into static, instead. He was absolutely not going to survive this, he was sure of it.]

[ Akira follows behind her to lock up -- Sojiro's already left to go make Futaba eat something for dinner instead of letting her subsist off junk food and energy drinks. Then he heads back to Akechi, reaching out to pull him into a light embrace, but an embrace that forces Akechi's arms closer to his abdomen, puts pressure on the bruise from both of them. ]

Morgana will want to stay the night to keep an eye on you. [ Akira says it very matter of fact, like Akechi can object and Akira can stop it. But Akira doesn't think they'll need to -- it just means they can't get too handsy or violent, which is probably for the best, all things considered. ]

[He makes a small, wordless sound, leaning into the embrace so that the pressure against his abdomen feels like it could re-bruise the existing dappled skin, and then just relaxes, letting his arms fall slack to his sides. He just leans there, a moment, eyes closed, and takes a few deep, steadying breaths before leaning back to give Akira a frown that's too tired to have any heat to it.] Did you have to tell her about the carrots?

She wanted to know what you liked, and I thought carrots were safer than Featherman. [ Because Featherman is something more private that Akechi should be allowed to talk with people about in his own time. ]

[He sags slightly, sighing and dropping his head to rest his forehead against Akira's collarbone, then shifting to put his face against his neck, instead.] I suppose that's fair. And that's fine, I can't well tell him he can't when I passed out in a laundromat he was chaperoning me to.

[He finds one of Akira's hands and tugs on his pinky.] Could I make a request?

Yeah. [ Akira offers, slipping his fingers into Akechi's hand almost automatically. He can't tell Akechi that he'd do just about anything Akechi'd ask, because Akechi probably can't understand why he has that much power over him.

Well. At least he isn't using his boyfriend powers for evil. ]

Would you mind escorting my disastrously needy self to the bath house, I feel like I haven't bathed in years. [Akechi you have not even been alive again for a week, stop being dramatic.]

[ Does Akira mind seeing him naked? No. No, not at all. Akira grins, leaning in to kiss him on the forehead. ]

Of course I don't mind. C'mon, Morgana'll stay here and nap. It should be late enough that there's no one there. [ Which is good, given... they're both bruised. ]

[He allows it-- he's getting more tolerant of Akira's mindless affection. It's not like he has a choice, really, but... Maybe, just maybe, he likes it a little, too.]

The concept of bathing and changing into clothes I haven't been wearing for going on four days is probably the most exciting thing I've had to look forward to in recent memory. [A beat, and he frowns, nodding.] I suppose they don't allow cats in the bath. [Not that he wants to explain the marks on either of them.]

He also does not, generally, like large bodies of water. [ Morgana minds them less than a lot of cats, but he's still not terribly fond of the idea of being in a bath house...

Last time he had to groom his fur for like three hours. Akira timed it. ]

But he can hang out here. [ Akira grabs Akechi's hand to pull him upstairs to get his bath things -- notably, he does not let go of Akira's hand when they get there, not until they're halfway across the attic. ]

[This, he figures, is less something he allows and something he will adjust to happening regularly, especially. It's easy contact, especially without his gloves, so he doesn't mind it when it stays, keeping pace to keep their joined hands lax between them, fingers tangled together. When released, he looks down at their hands and blinks, flexing his fingers a moment and moving away to get his bag of toiletries from Sae, and then frown around until he finds the laundry from before.]

Would you be opposed to me getting a dresser of some sort? Or-- oh, I could just fold my things on this shelf, here. If that's permissible. [He doesn't know why he's still asking-- he knows Akira is likely to fuss at him for not allowing himself to be comfortable. For not assuming he belongs.]

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