stealhearted | are you hurting the one you love?

[At first he looks a bit like he's swallowed something sour, or his stomach hurts, or both, as he tries to keep from laughing, but he fails and reaches out to push the paw gesture away, smiling toothily.] Stop, you are so embarrassing. [He loves one embarrassing cat boy.]

[ Oh no, Goro is really cute when he laughs like this. Akira was momentarily afraid the joke had landed poorly, but he's started to recognize Goro's "I'm emotionally constipated about positive feelings specifically" face. There's still some relief when Goro breaks out into laughter.

It's really, really cute. ]

I don't think cats can have coffee, so I can't be a true catboy.

[He's self-conscious beyond words about his smile and his laugh, because he doesn't know how to look or feel genuine with either, so fairly shortly after he pushes Akira's nya-hand away he follows it, pivoting and curling into his collar to hide the way he keeps right on smiling. Akira can probably still hear it in his voice, at least.]

Probably no curry for cats, either, but I've never had a pet so I'm not an expert.

Morgana eats curry, but he's only partially a cat... maybe he gets out of being sick because of it? [ Akira leans in so he can lace his fingers through Goro's again, trying not to stare too openly at him because he knows it'll attract more attention than either of them are ready for. ]

You're also pretty catlike, you know.

[Entirely overwhelmed, he pulls Akira by his hand to the side so they aren't standing in anyone's way, and sinks into a crouch beside him, grumbling.]

You can't keep doing silly things like this, you're making my face hurt. [From smiling entirely more than he's used to, obviously. How dare you.]

I'm just helping you build muscle. It's good practice. [ Because being around Akira and the rest of the Phantom Thieves tends to be an experience with a lot of laughter, no matter what they wind up going through. It's nice, all things considered; for all the pain they've all been through... they're all still able to have a good amount of joy.

It helps that Goro has come back to life. ]

[Joy is not... something Akechi is used to or adept at. He tugs on Akira's hand a moment before he uses it as leverage to stand up again, splaying his free hand over his face to try and hide the remaining smile.]

Practice for what, should I be fearful?

Practice for being happy more often. [ Akira doesn't say it in an accusing way, or even a negative way -- it's like it's a hope for the future he's almost a little quiet about, a little afraid to say outloud.

He wants them both to be happy.

It feels like too much to ask from the universe. ]

Especially since Ann seems to have made it her mission to re-befriend you.

[His hand goes back into his hair and he fidgets, squeezing Akira's hand absently in something of a self-conscious gesture.]

I'm certain I won't be any good at this, but I can't seem to dissuade any of you.

We've got a whole life ahead of us to practice at things. [ It's terrifying and open and Akira thinks that they both are going to be entirely different people in ten, twenty, fifty years.

God, he wants to marry Goro. No, slow down, you can't think about that yet, Akira, you're sixteen, he tells himself firmly. ]

[His expression, and then his posture immediately following, pinch and shrink in on themselves. Akechi Goro has never thought long-term about having "a whole life", ahead of him or behind him. Suddenly having that now is enough to make him nauseous.]

...you don't know that. [So of course, he tries to put out the fire before it's lit.]

I believe it, though. [ Akira tugs Goro over, taking him to the next exhibit -- it's a little less crowded by children interested in the animals. ]

I believe that we're both going to live obnoxiously long, healthy lives, surrounded by people that actually like us.

[He's pretty sure he isn't fully capable of going an entire day without thinking something sour of himself, and today is no exception. He bites his tongue to not spit out his thoughts at Akira, because he doesn't deserve his ire, but he grumbles, huddled to him as they make their way to the next exhibit.]

Has anyone ever told you you have an irrational sense of optimism?

It's kind of a recent thing. I used to be pretty negative. [ Akira offers Goro a smile, because that's probably hard for Goro to believe -- but he didn't know Akira when Akira was in the middle of being prosecuted for assault, when his entire carefully constructed life was falling apart and he was getting yeeted onto a Tokyo train with a single box of belongings like it was all he was worth. ]

[He draws in a breath, holds it, counts backward from ten, and turns inward to lean against Akira, pressing his face into his neck.] I suppose neither of us are any good at presenting what we're actually thinking or feeling.

It's easier with you. [ Akira says. Akira wasn't optimistic, before -- realist, at best, he thinks. He didn't think there was anything he could do to change the world. He wanted to keep his head down and make it through his probation and go back to that little town knowing everyone would hate him...

It seems so far away, now. He has friends. Goals. Hopes. Dare he say it, aspirations. ]

It's probably too easy with you.

[Akechi thinks he might have some of those things, too, but he can only be so sure on a day to day basis. He certainly has more than he did, and it's... odd, but not unpleasant. He shakes his head.]

Just don't start oversharing.

I haven't already? I'm doing better than I thought. [ Granted, he's not the one who brought up the parental trauma on the like, third meeting, so he supposes he's got an advantage there. ]

[Listen,]

You don't talk about yourself when you talk, usually.

I do with you. [ Which is actually pretty true, all things considered. ] I'm not usually this talkative at all.

It hasn't reached oversharing yet, but my stance may be skewed. [Is he calling himself out,]

Does it bother you? [ Akira asks it very carefully, because it's a thing About Goro, something to keep wrapped up inside of himself even if Goro might forget one day. ]

I can... I don't talk about myself much, but I can. With you.

[He tilts his head just slightly.] No? You're welcome to, but... I don't... like to be asked about myself, even if I have absolutely overshared, you are under no obligation. [Akechi that is not what he's asking.]

It's not an obligation. It's... you said you wanted to help me, right? I thought that it might help if I talked more. I don't mind you asking. [ Akira flushes a little, ducking his head slightly and looking away. ]

If that's stupid, though-- I mean, I always like hearing about you even if it's oversharing.

[He can't put words to the way seeing Akira get flustered makes him feel. He likes it-- he likes it a lot, to see him honest and shy like that, so much that it makes his stomach squirm. He licks his lower lip, pulls it between his teeth in thought, and shrugs gently.] ...I don't know what to ask, but it's true that I don't know very much about you, and should change that.

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