stealhearted | are you hurting the one you love?

I don't know what I'm doing, either. [ Akira never actually knows what he's doing, he just does his best imitation of having his shit together and it seems to work out for him. Akira doesn't comment on the tears, because he thinks he understands; he thinks sometimes he's still overwhelmed by how many people care about him now, by how many people have faith in him. ]

We can figure it out together. [ A beat, and then: ] I brought you back on accident, but we can pretend it was on purpose. I'm not actually sorry about it.

[ Akira's voice is a little thick, like there's a swell of emotions lodged somewhere in his throat, but he doesn't acknowledge it anymore than the pricks in the corner of Akechi's eyes. ]

[He hears that, and it's... strange. It's strange. Logically, he understands that Akira has emotions, that he gets upset about things. He just can't seem to wrap his mind around him getting emotional over him (oh if you only knew, Akechi). He doesn't ever fully cry, himself, just swallows a few deep breaths and steadies his pulse, ignoring the dampness to his eyelashes and frowning.]

...I'm. Forgive me a curiosity, [He leans forward, awkwardly, raising his arms like they weigh tons, and doesn't look at Akira's face as he loops them both around his shoulders in a loose, stiff hug of sorts. His heart is absolutely in his throat and thudding so loudly in his ears he's sure he won't hear it if Akira says anything.] ...this is a common method of comfort, yes?

[ Akira pauses for a moment in the sheer absurdity of the situation: Akechi trying to hug him but clearly having no idea how. He smiles a little, mostly to himself, since he's pretty sure Akechi can't see it, and leans into the hug, wrapping his arms around Akechi. It's a much easier, more comfortable movement on Akira's part; he's used to giving hugs, and it comes fairly naturally to him despite the fact that he wasn't really on the receiving end of too many of them either, for a long time.

Ann and Ryuji really helped a lot, he thinks. ]

I hear it's called a hug. [ Akira offers, a little dryly. ] But it's nice.

[ Like this, Akira can feel Akechi's heartbeat, can feel the way his chest moves with his breathing and feel the rush of heat in his veins that signals him as alive, and it quiets down some anxious part of Akira that was terrified he'd vanish if Akira confessed. That Akira would wake up from another dream he'd had. ]

[Akechi thinks up until this point he's been pretty entirely numb since he found his way to Leblanc. His ears abruptly turn scarlet at the sheer rush of warmth from Akira's grasp, and he exhales a startled, shaky breath at the strangeness of it all. He'd been curled forward against Akira's collarbone just earlier, forgetting how to breathe and trying to remember just enough to not fall apart completely, but this was different on more levels than anything in him was prepared for.]

[Akira's dry statement has him grumbling and tangling his arms around him tighter for a moment in what is best described as a micro-tantrum.] I know that, you fool. [But it is nice. He's mortified by how nice it is.]

[He actually doesn't want to let go.]

[But he does-- because he's not prepared to decipher what it means that he doesn't want to let go, especially not after Akira's confession of earlier, so he uncurls his arms from around him and sits back, tucking some of his hair behind one ear. It's a startlingly shy gesture.] ...don't get used to it.

I don't mind if you get used to it. [ Akira offers as Akechi withdraws. Akira lingers for just an extra second, trying to commit it all to memory before he finally moves back a little. He pushes his hands in his pockets as he finally backs away, gives them both a little bit of space. He doesn't usually feel like he needs space, but he kind of gets it, now; it's overwhelming, to have just said so much at length to Akechi. It feels kind of like a weight has been lifted, though, and he needs to step back to enjoy it. ]

But thanks. For listening. [ And not completely trying to reject the idea that Akira was in love with him, because Akira knows Akechi could have continued to insist that Akira was in love with someone who didn't exist.

Akira's pretty sure that in a bad ending scenario, where he'd met Akechi years earlier but Akechi was still murdering people, he would have still loved him in the middle of all the assassinating and everything, so...

Really, if a bullet to the cognitive head didn't stop him, nothing will. ]

[A huff and a roll of his eyes, and as soon as he's freed completely he goes right back to a closed-off posture with his arms folded over his chest. Or maybe he's chasing the warmth that Akira left behind. Hard to say.]

I won't, and don't thank me for listening when I'm a captive audience. [There's the faintest of a taunt in his tone, almost a smile. The expression is entirely absent, but his tone is less harsh or deadpan than it could be. It's something.] Anyway, have you been paying any attention to this show?

Uh... [ Akira offers Akechi a smile that's a little bit sheepish, scratching at the side of his face. ]

Not since you fell asleep. [ Which is a little creepy to admit, that he was watching Akechi sleep the entire time instead of the TV show, but ultimately Akechi was considerably more interesting given how Akira has a significant lack of chances to see him looking genuinely peaceful. The novelty is way higher. ]

It's fine, I can restart the episode.

[Luckily for Akira, Akechi has absolutely no concept of ever being someone's willing point of focus, so it doesn't occur to him that "not since you fell asleep" incurs the notion that Akira was watching him sleep. He frowns, looking at the TV and finally registering the lowered volume, throwing his hands into the air and waving them.]

I've slept through far worse, I assure you, and there are probably captions. Are you just not interested? I've seen this all countless times, don't feel like you have to watch it in some desperate bid to have something in common with me, in case you forgot I'm currently tethered to you by about... [He closes one eye over, thinking.] Roughly five and a half to six feet of distance.

[ Akira can't help but laugh a little. Given that he just confessed his love to Akechi, he doesn't feel too embarrassed about elaborating on the subject. ]

I thought you looked really peaceful. It was cute. [ He falls just short of saying "you were cute, but that's clearly what he's thinking, because he has that vague dopey smile on his face that absolutely screams that he's thinking about Akechi. ]

[He blinks, considering the statement, and then turns his head sharply to frown.]

...you mean to say you were watching me sleep?

...Yeah. [ Akira rubs the back of his head, a little embarrassed. Not because it's actually embarrassing after everything, but just because Akechi is clearly not used to being the object of anyone's actual, legitimate affection. ]

Sorry. Is it weird?

[He just looks sort of scandalized, bunching up where he sits and fidgeting.]

...a bit, [But he doesn't... mind it, he doesn't think? He's very confused.]

It's just... it's really nice to see you get to relax. [ Stop talking, Akira, you're making it worse. ]

I feel like it doesn't get to happen enough. It's nice that you felt safe enough to fall asleep next to me. [ Which is because Akira has literally never done anything to hurt Akechi even when Akechi was plotting to kill him. ]

[He's... making it worse, yes, in that Akechi still can't wrap his head around it, but he does, in some way, appreciate the explanation. He waves a hand dismissively.]

You're embarrassing yourself, [...and Akechi, but that's. Beside the point.] And it was more that I rendered myself exhausted from being an absolute twit this morning. [Because he can't very well agree to the fact that he does, in fact, feel safer around Akira than he probably ever has in his life? That would be silly.]

I'm embarrassing, it's fine. [ Just wait until you become the boyfriend that gets the subtle PDA. Then you'll really be embarrassed, Akechi.

But, at any rate -- ]

We can go to the bath house. You'll probably feel better after that, too.

[His expression pinches again and he shakes his head, scoffing softly.] It wouldn't be in my first choice of words to describe you, but what do I know.

[He hums, thinking that over, and shifts to stand, stretching his arms forward and nodding.] Are they open this early in the-- how long did I sleep?

Only about an hour, but if we go now we'll beat the rush. [ Akira offers a smile, because he's figured out all the busiest times to go, given how often he has to use it and how sometimes he just isn't up for seeing 6,000 elderly dongs. ]

You might even feel up to charging your phone once you're clean.

[He fidgets with the sleeves of-- he's still wearing Akira's hoodie, wow. He takes a little longer to fidget with them, frowning and nodding.]

I still don't have a charger.

[ Akira actually gets up, wandering over to the bed and pulling out ... a collection of chargers, varying from a plain braided black cable to a bright pink cable. He offers them out to Akechi, a little bemused about it. ]

When we started using this place as a hideout, everyone brought their chargers... One of these will probably work.

[He stares at this presentation, pursing his lips. Eventually he fixes Akira with a bit of an unamused frown.]

You could have said that from the start, you know.

I... thought you'd want the excuse to avoid everyone for a little longer. They're all excited you're back, but I know it's a lot to deal with.

[ There's a beat, and then Akira taps something on his phone, pulling up a small comic. ] Futaba started making memes.

[ And then he turns his phone around to show Akechi this. ]

[He somehow seems more uncomfortable with Akira's obvious accommodation. His shoulders pinch inward, but he walks up and claims one of the chargers after inspecting their cables.]

...I'll have to deal with them eventually. [But he does, honestly, appreciate it. He walks to the wall and plugs the charger in, then to his coat, fishes out his phone, and gives it an apprehensive frown before plugging it in. Then he stands up and pivots away from it.] But I suppose the phone can charge while we bathe.

Yeah. [ Internally, Akira thinks about the fact that he has quite literally just professed his undying love for Akechi and now they're going to go get platonically naked together, and like, would it be weird? If he uses that forbidden knowledge? For some lascivious private activities? Would that be morally wrong?

Technically, he's already seen Akechi naked, and he has already used that for the same activities, but it is definitely on a new level now.

Maybe it's only weird if he makes it weird. ]

Will your hair be okay with the bath house shampoo?

[It's definitely only weird if he makes it weird, but give Akechi the time to refill his HP bar and administer some teasing and maybe it'll be less weird. He's got no idea what to do with a hormonal Akira Kurusu having confessed feelings only to immediately go to a public bath house with him.]

[It's good he's very much not prepared to consider his own feelings on the matter, let alone how to act on them, because they do not need to get kicked out of the bath house for getting handsy...]

[He brings a hand up to the ends of his hair and considers the question, walking up to him with a frown and shoving his hand in Akira's hair without warning. Why he thinks Akira's hair texture is going to be any sort of indication he's not sure, but it'll do for now.] Should be. [He's going to be a frizzy disaster, but it's fine.]

[ Akira's hair, despite the fact that he uses literal body soap on his head, looks, smells, and feels fine. It's surprisingly soft, and most of the curls seem to be because his hair is just extremely thick and attempting to be abducted by aliens one strand at a time. ]

If it's not, we can get you something nicer. I think your standards might be a little higher than mine. [ Which is to say that even if Akechi isn't trying to be the detective prince, he still tends to dress sharply with a good amount of care given to his appearance. Which is great, since it means he always looks absolutely stunning even in sweater vests and polo shirts, but it also comes with a price tag that... might be a concern if Akira didn't have a lot of yen stuffed in strange places in his bedroom.

It does take all of Akira's willpower not to lean too obviously into Akechi's touch, though. ]

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