Permanent Open RP post! Game based, AU based, meme based, canon based, catch-it-all based - everything is welcome. You can start or tell me what you want and I can start. NSFW is allowed - check kink list if you need/want
[Yu chuckles softly at the cat as he tries to get food from Akira and just waved off the piece of food that fell onto his pants. It was Saturday so he planned to do his laundry anyway.
Ever since he came back from Inaba, Yu never hesitated to ask things aloud. Of course, he'll apologize in advance if it's the intruding type of question, but he doesn't beat around the bush anymore. And it proved to be well accepted by people around him- for now.
He nods at Akira's explanation- fair enough. Yu would've probably done the same thing. And his friends would back him up- Kanji would probably threaten to kick his ass.] Yes. The 'Phantom Thieves' thing? It's an interesting thing to think about. [And after what happened to him, Yu has no problem believing in anything out of ordinary. Even ghosts are real to him now.]
W-Wait a minute-! [After Akira's explanation of his criminal record, a red alarm started ringing in his head. That's-] That's not right! Why would they convict you for something like that!? [He blurted it out before he could actually think about it.]
A-Ah, sorry, I shouldn't have asked like that. It just- sounds so unreal. [Was it a grudge? But Akira's just high schooler. Why would a salaryman hold grudge big enough to sue him and ruin boy's future with a criminal record? Not to mention that what he was trying to do to the woman was despicable.]
[He doesn't know what to say. It was a bad situation all around, which landed him here in the first place. Better. It was getting better, but it didn't stop the fact that he's still on probation, and guilt is always presumed ahead of him rather than giving him the benefit of the doubt.]
It's alright. I was doing what I thought was right and kind of... just got swept up by it. That's how it goes in this world, I guess.
[Akira pushes up his glass towards the bridge of his nose. Playing the field a little, he idly eats more of his dinner and shoots a pointed question at Yu.]
Do you think they're real? The Phantom Thieves, that is.
[Is it? Is that really how the world is? Everything that happened in the past year is telling him that it is not. So he shakes his head-]
No. That's not how the world is supposed to be. How is punishing the good people and rewarding the guilty alright? But I guess, that's just my opinion. [And there's nothing either of them can do about it.
He eats his food in silence, still pondering on what Akira told him. And if he was being honest, he'll be thinking about that even when he comes back home. Maybe he should give Naoto a call about this. Advice from Detective Prince can't hurt.]
Hmm? Well... [Yu idly taps the chopsticks against his lips-] I see no reason not to. If there really is a group of Thieves stealing hearts to make them repent for their horrible deeds, then they have my full support. What they are doing is admirable and gutsy.
[Akira shakes his head- Yu is filled with an intent of optimism, which probably means that he's been touched too much by the rural life, or something like that. It doesn't mean that he's not hiding back a smile, because he ultimately believes that too. Someone has to punish the guilty, and even if they're so far out of reach of the police and justice system, maybe what he's doing is right. Or not, who knows. All Akira can attest to is that he's following the beat of his own rebellious heart, one that's been passed over by society, one that understands that not everything is really just black or white.]
You're an interesting senpai.
[There, Akira starts laughing a little bit. He tries to distract himself with the ramen, bringing the bowl up to his lips to drink the broth that's been cooled down by the crosswinds at the top of the school.]
There's a website, too. Apparently there's a poll on whether or not you think they exist.
[Morgana's glare cuts through Akira's confidence, and he lets his food sit squarely in his lap. Phantom Thieves were a rumor too, weren't they? No one actually knew if they were out there, which only served to increase intrigue. Funny, too, that the people spreading the rumors in school about them were the same people who were whispering in the halls about the felon in school, or the new kid who just transferred in.]
What about you? What was life like before coming to Tokyo?
Interesting? I don't know about that. I'm just a regular guy who does ordinary, everyday boring things. [There's nothing special about him. He probably wouldn't have been here if he didn't meet the others. His optimism shows up only around people for some reason. The need to connect to them and help them out if needed. It's an inexplicable feeling that he didn't mention anyone.]
There is? Cool. I'll take a look when I go home. I'm curious now. [Also it will help pass time. All the books he had were finished the first two weeks back in town.]
It was... stressful, to say the least. [He tries to sound calm, but he can feel his throat tighten.] I don't know if you heard or paid attention to the Inaba murders. I was staying at my uncle's place there. He was a detective on the case. Two women died- one was still in high school. Everyone lived in suspense for a long time, scared they will be targeted next. [He sighs softly-] Luckily they got the killer.
If Akira could, he would have responded to Morgana, but at this point, it didn't seem like it would make much sense to respond to a meowing cat. He notices how the topic of conversation becomes a lot more tense, and instantly feels a little bad for bringing it up. But more than anything, he's convinced that Yu is harmless. Maybe he's not the best judge of character, but he does believe in people who tend to be honest and upfront with things... even when he's not particularly into doing that himself. But anyone who's been through a slew of murders around them must have had a hard time.
He remembers hearing about them in the news, actually. They had caught the killer, who was more or less rotting away in a jail cell. At least justice was working the way it was supposed to somewhere out there. He had no idea about the Midnight Channel, or the TVs, or the fog, but chances are he'd believe anything at this point.]
You're really good at picking things up. I wouldn't be surprised if you were helping your uncle figure it out. You're a troublemaker, after all.
[Akira laughs softly at that, not knowing the depth of his statement. His ramen is pretty much done- save for a little bit of broth and the freeze dried vegetables, which he wasn't exactly the biggest fan of.]
I like hanging out with you, by the way. We should exchange contact information,
[He has a lot of connections to the police. Naoto, Dojima, even several police officers at the Inaba remember him.]
Well- when you put it that way, I guess I am. [He doesn't confirm nor deny the fact that he meddled into the whole debacle with murders. He's not sure if he'd be able to explain it properly without making it look extremely suspicious. Because the way victims were murdered... was not 'normal'.
He finished up the rest of his noodles and placed the bowl aside, thanking Akira for the meal. It really hit the spot.]
I like hanging out with you too, [Yu says with a smile and pulls out his phone-] And somehow, something keeps making us run into each other everywhere. It would be rude to ignore it. You know what they say about karma, right?
It says that... you'll probably lose your wallet soon, right? At least I'll know how to get in contact with you.
[Akira holds up his phone, accepting the contact sharing app's permissions, and hears a ding, indicating that they had successfully exchanged details. He doesn't know what this means- he's met a lot of people over the past few weeks, definitely some of which would prove to help him in his journey, but mostly just a very weird list of people that he was loosely coming to terms with calling friends.
Caroline and Justine's words ring in his ear. Make friends. Strengthen bonds with them. It's the only path to emancipation. Or at least getting stronger personas. He wasn't sure if there was really a difference yet.
Akira stands up, collecting the empty bowl and depositing into a garbage bag, all the while bending to grab a chip, too. (Let it be known that Akira is pretty flexible, poise similar in disposition to none other than the not-cat he carries in his bag with him all the time.) There's the issue of the beaker, which he decides to hide, along with the hot plate, under a discarded cardboard box.]
Maybe it's not karma. Maybe it's fate.
[Akira smiles warmly, smiling turning into a chuckle of sorts. He hasn't remembered smiling and laughing this much in ages.]
Well hopefully if I lose it you're actually the one that finds it. [It was sheer, damn luck that he found Akira's. Then again- fate. He thought of that at the same moment Akira mentioned it. It's... weird how they are on the same wavelength all the time.]
If it's fate, then it's extremely fickle. We have to be careful.
[After saving the info on the phone, he pockets it and stands up. He was eating too so the least he can do is help with cleaning up. He eyes the science set warily and lets him take care of it. It wouldn't be good if both of them were meddling with it.]
Thank you again for inviting me. The ramen really hit the spot.
[For several moments, he was watching him pick up the stuff. The urge to call him to hang out tomorrow is big but- maybe it was way too soon. They just exchanged numbers as well.]
[When everything's squared away, Akira opens his bag and nods over to Morgana, who ultimately obeys, jumping into it as he carries it back over his shoulder. A small head pops out of the opening, looking at Yu momentarily.
See ya later!
Akira quirks a brow, wondering how in the world Yu got on Morgana's good side so easily. He should've taken notes. On the way towards the door, he turns his head to make sure the other is still there. It's a stupid thing, but with everything that's going on in his life right now, he wouldn't be surprised if Yu wasn't even real at all, or something.]
Anytime. Hopefully fate will be good to the both of us troublemakers.
[Taking his leave, he parts with the other. It's a simple enough route home, but the entire way he's caught himself trying to figure Yu out a little better, going through their time on the roof together. The next few days pass, and it's filled with the excitement of breaking into another palace to steal the treasure of an art mogul who's spun completely out of control. They've added a member to the crew, codenamed: Fox, an art student of the former mentioned corrupt adult. They're so close to getting to the treasure room when the security starts to rise exponentially.
Something was going wrong, gravely wrong- there were shadows everywhere. Morgana is trying to keep an intel route together, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of way to break through, and the nearest safe room is a backtrack worth a few hours of metaverse time. The party eventually wounds up split, and then split again, until it's just Akira alone.
His heart is racing, and the only thing he can think about is getting back to his friends in one piece. To make sure they're still alive. Make sure that they've still got fight in them. But there's too much fighting to make his own safe route to the exit. Running low on energy, he switches out personas to target weaknesses....
But it hits him by a surprise attack. A blade right against his chest, slicing right through the garb he was wearing. Eyes wide, he realizes that his is real pain. His hand reaches up, there's blood. It must be adrenaline at this point, but he returns to Arsene, who repels the wave of attack, only for Akira to find a window. There's no other choice but to jump out and pray that he lands on his feet, or at least into safety. The moments following are a blur, he races his way to the exit, leaving a trail of his own blood on the floor in its wake. Exit. That's all he can think about, and as soon as he's out of the portal, he tries to ascertain where in the world he was. None of his friends are around in the immediate vicinity, and it worries him, but first things first. Find somewhere to hide in the shadows.
He looks down- he's still in his costume. This shouldn't have happened, right? Every time he's left the metaverse, he's been back in his regular threads. There's a moment of panic, and he ducks into a nearby alleyway. What does he know about this area? Looking up at a street sign, the only thing that comes to mind is that Yu lives somewhere in this vicinity. He pulls up the contact card on his phone, and finds the address.
This is a last resort, but he heads in that direction, trying to text the others to see where they were. Things were about to get far more complicated.]
[The following days felt a bit weird to Yu because other students were giving him a critical eye. Maybe it was because he spent time with Akira, probably because his exam result placed him in top ten in the school. Again. Yu was sure that half of the student body thought he cheated and the other half that he was in cahoots with some of the professors. And neither was true.
Which is why Yu didn't give them a second thought.
And it felt weird because back at Inaba, everyone would tell him 'Good Work!' instead of '...are you close with Mrs. Kashiwagi?'. It was insane and Yu's patience (which he usually has in abundance) was running low. He didn't plan to make a speech just to explain to people that he actually studies for the exams.
So, he left the school feeling low-strung and tense. He skipped going to the work. Working at the florist shop required him to smile to customers and be kind, and he couldn't do either of that right now. There was also this nagging feeling in the back of his head when he stepped out into the street.]
Fine, fine, [Yu murmured to himself whilst shifting his schoolbag better on his shoulder,] I'm going straight home.
[He passed through Shibuya and stopped in the bookstore to get something to read, since he was skipping out on the work in the first place, and then at the grocery store and got himself a nice piece of steak. As he watched the butcher cut it, it reminded him of Chie and Yu couldn't help but smile.
When, after thirty minutes, Yu took a turn into his street, the odd feeling came back to him. Was he being followed? His first thought told him to hurry, but his instincts told him to check. And he did. He whipped around harshly, startling a lady who was walking her dog. There was no one behind him.
He stepped forward carefully and stopped in front of his building. The alleyway. Someone was definitively there and watching him.
Akira was right. He is a troublemaker- by looking for trouble.
He called out tentatively, but didn't step forward-]
[For as brave as Akira could be when it came to infiltrating palaces, fighting shadows, providing justice for the meek who couldn't find it themselves, he always had his friends with him at his side. And now that they're not, he realizes that he's nothing without them. Hand over his chest, he grits his teeth for a moment, and in that split instance, he almost feels the urge to start crying. What was he? A teenager who was in way over his head, just like the image of those who disapprove of the Phantom Thieves would believe. Running around in little cosplays, getting involved with things they shouldn't have.
He braces himself up against the wall. No, that's not right. He accepted himself for who he was, he had seen his inner self and embraced it, and was better for it. He had to be. Nothing else made sense.
There was a mix of other feelings that washed over him when he saw Yu approach from the distance. Akira wasn't ready to explain his existence, to take his mask off in front of anyone, and so he kept his place up against the darkness. He tried keeping his voice deeper, more manly and refined than the soft spoken tonality he used on the other just a few days ago, and calls out from the alleyway.]
[Yu felt his heart climb up to his throat. The voice is familiar yet... not? A slight shiver went down Yu's back. Logic demands that he backs away from the ally because the person might be lying and waiting to ambush him. But... if the person is truly hurt then Yu won't be able to live with himself knowing that he could have helped but didn't.
He shoves the bags he was carrying into the school bag so his hands are somewhat free (and got bag a tad bit heavier in case he needs to use it as a weapon) and steps forward.]
Uhh... if I can... [Yu has to squint a bit in the shadowy alley and he finally notices a man- no wait, a younger guy (student!?) leaned on the wall. With a huge slash over his chest. The amount of blood and size of the wound completely distracted Yu from the fact that the guy was wearing a mask.
There was no hesitance in Yu's step anymore as he hurried over to him.]
How- this is serious cut-- [and the guy is losing a lot of blood.] Wait a second. [He drops the bag on the ground and shrugs off his school blazer and folds it, then presses it against the wound.] Are you dizzy? Can you lean on me and hold onto this? I live on the third floor here. I have first aid kit there.
[Morgana was wrong about Yu. Nothing firmed it up as much as it did right there, when the boy dropped everything he was doing, took the coat off his back, and ran to help him. That sort of courage, to help out someone even though he didn't know who it was, was downright admirable. And stupid. A little stupid. Akira could've been a serial killer for all Yu knew, but he doesn't think about that as much as the fact that he's bleeding out, and he needs to get it to stop.
He noticeably winces when Yu presses his blazer up against his chest. It stings, and he lets out a rough sound at the initial contact of it. Thank god Yu isn't trying to take him to the hospital. He doesn't have the mental faculties to actually find a reason not to, and that is a complication that he can't deal with right now.
Where was Ryuji? Ann? Morgana?
He can't tell if it's because it's dark, but the edges of the wall of the alleyway look blurry and indistinguishable from the street not very far off. Akira leans on Yu, in the end, holding up the makeshift first aid bandage to his chest.]
[Whether the guy is a criminal or no, Yu didn't care. Nobody deserved to die. If he was guilty of something- stealing or anything else, he will pay the price in prison. But not die. Not on Yu's hands.
With his free hand, he grabs the bag he dropped, while supporting the guy with his other hand, holding him firmly around his waist. He helped him up the first steps into the building and stopped in front of the elevator. Thankfully no one was around and building actually had an elevator. Yu wasn't sure if he could help him out up the staircases.
While they waited for the lift, Yu's eyes constantly looked from guy's mask to his wound and back at the mask. He couldn't properly see his face so he doesn't know if the man is still conscious.]
Keep talking and don't close your eyes, okay? Don't pass out on me.
[Akira tries hard not to move any more than he has to from the waist up, but ever since leaving the palace, he can feel his health heading in a downward spiral. Thank god he knew someone around here. Maybe Igor was right about making bonds with people. The more accomplices he can get, the better off he'd be.
Leaning on Yu, he feels his stomach turning. The upward motion of the elevator is really... something else that he wasn't completely prepared for at the moment, and he groans to himself, using the other boy as leverage for his head to keep himself at least somewhat more stable.]
... We were so close, too. The treasure was almost right in front of us. Then the security escalated...
[Yu knows that using elevator isn't the most comfortable right now. Not after losing a big amount of blood. He's probably getting extremely dizzy right now- from blood loss and from the upward motion. Luckily, Yu's apartment is on the third floor. And, as always, his parents aren't home. He could hear the guy mutter something about... stealing? So... he really was...
Yu didn't dwell on it too much. The last part didn't make much sense so he figured the guy was getting into some kind of blood loss delirium. He takes the keys to the apartment and shoves the door open once he unlocks them. He barely waited to enter because he could toss his bag away and hold onto the guy properly. He kicks the door closed and turns on the light with his elbow.
The blood had completely soaked his blazer. Yu never curses, but this situation was an exception.] Crap, come- to the bathroom. [It's easier to clean the mess in the bathroom than in the living room/bedroom. Also first aid kit was there.]
Sit here, [he lowers the cover to the toilet and has him sit down.] Don't drop the blazer, okay? I have to undress you to fix your wound.
[Everything in the apartment is somewhat blurry at this point, but he can clearly make out a couch, and the general direction that they're heading seems to be where a bathroom should be. Akira looks down at the blazer momentarily, to at least take a look at the state he's in when he's in the light... and fuck that's a good deal of blood.
He hears Yu speaking, but not really, until he feels some pressure on his shoulders to be seated down, and he complies. The movement hurts, but it's manageable, and he doesn't feel quite as close to passing out as he did before, so the pressure on it must be helping at least a little bit.]
Oh. I hope this leaves a cool scar.
[He pulls the blazer away from his chest for a moment. Yeah. Totally a bad ass.]
[Maneuvering the body, Yu somehow manages to pull off the coat from the guy's back. But he didn't really care what happened to the shirt- it was already sliced in the front. So he just finished the business by ripping it off completely.
He grabs the medical kit from underneath the sink and then turns towards him, pulling the blazer away. Yu's nose scrunches at the sight- there was still blood but it stopped for the most part. The slice looked very deep so Yu made mental note to tighten the bandage as much as he can later.]
You should be happy you're alive, [Yu says and takes the gauze. He pours alcohol on it and gets on his knees in front of him.] I don't know what kind of thing almost sliced you into sushi, but I have to disinfect it. It will sting. A lot.
[And without saying much, Yu started working on the wound. He stole glances now and then at the man's face, trying to catch his gaze because... he feels like he's seen this person before. A loud thud in his chest warned him to focus more on helping the guy than thinking about how piercing his eyes are.]
[Akira, of course wrong in his assumption of Yu, couldn’t have guessed that he would know exactly what type of danger that he was in. Sitting there, shirt torn off, he doesn’t feel as nearly self-conscious as he should have. There’s kind of this thing that happens with modesty when you’re threatening to bleed out on another guy’s bathroom floor, but details, details. He focuses on the warning, looking at Yu squarely when he tells him about the stinging that’s soon to come. He tries to prepare himself mentally for this sort of thing, but there’s something about the suddenness of it, like a bandaid being ripped off without warning that has him gripping into his own hand, fingernails digging hard against the surface.
Okay, that didn’t sting just a little. That was a whole new world of pain. He looks down at his chest, which wasn’t smarter by any means, because he can see the skin kind of…frothing around the wound, which must mean that it’s working, right? Hands tired from being clenched so hard, he reaches out to Yu’s forearm and gives it a squeeze.]
Ughn… hold on, it’s still stinging.
[He winces his eyes shut behind his mask, pleading for Yu to give him a moment before he applies the bandage to let the sensation die down a little. The grip intensifies, and loosens, and intensifies again. Akira takes a deep breath. He’s trying so hard to be manly in front of the other, which is competing fiercely with his urge to start crying.]
[The man seems to be feeling a bit better because the blood has stopped bleeding out. Yu tentatively cleaned the wound and didn't mind the fact that he was gripping onto his arm. It must've hurt like hell. But he was honest. He really wanted to hear who and how gave him this kind of wound. No normal knife can make a cut like this. Not even butcher's knife. This looks more like a slash from-
He throws away the gauze when he's done and waits for the sting to subside. But he doesn't wait too long in case it starts bleeding again. He grabs another piece of clean gauze and places it over the slice.] Just- clench your teeth. We can't let it start bleeding again.
[With the bandage, he leans forward and starts wrapping it around the man's chest, making sure it's tight. Since he's not a paramedic, this will probably leave a scar- just like he wanted.]
[He doesn’t mean to laugh when Yu asks him so boldly as to explain things. Well… that’s not entirely true. He does mean to laugh, but he doesn’t mean for it to sound so condescending when he does it. Which wasn’t the intention at all, but really, the truth was so farfetched that nobody would possibly believe a word of it. Entering another world. Stealing their hearts. He looks up to Yu from his seated position, who’s working so hard to make sure he doesn’t pass out from blood loss. Whose gauze pads he used from his own personal supply were covered in his own plasma. And here Akira was, laughing at him when he asks questions.]
Sorry… It’s not… really funny. I’m being such a burden to you right now.
Akira closes his eyes and takes a breath inward. These small movements sting a little, but he’s learning to be okay with the pain, and takes the advice Yu gives him under consideration. He can’t start bleeding again. He has to get up. He has to find his friends. They could be in trouble. They could be dead. He would be nothing without them.]
They’re called shadows. They live like slaves inside peoples’ cognition of the world around them and get hostile when you try to steal their master’s heart.
[Yu is doing such a good job here- the bandage is tight, compressed perfectly so that it stops further bleeding. He doesn’t deserve Yu’s kindness… they’ve only just met. And even worse, they’ve never met like this before.]
You'd be a burden only if you died on me. [Seeing that the justice here is a bit twisted and out of control, there's no way police would accept his story that the guy just bled out on him and that Yu wasn't the one who sliced him.
It was lucky that Yu had finished up wrapping the bandages when the man offered him an explanation. Color completely drained from Yu's face. Shadows. The word is way too familiar to Yu than it should be. From the sound of it though, it looked like they worked in a different way here in Tokyo.
But it didn't matter. 'Look at the world you fought for'. The TV world cleared out and became a paradise, a beautiful place and according to Teddie, what went on in human minds. Was he a fool to believe that he fought Izanami only for Inaba? Were his and his friends fighting all for naught? What was the point of fighting if the history is going to repeat itself?
Was Izanami right? Is the world this corrupted by the fog?
With a shaky hand, Yu reached out for a washcloth (he'd use a towel, but he wouldn't be able to explain bloody towels to his parents) and turned on the warm water. Wringing it out, he started cleaning the man up slowly from his blood without saying anything.]
[Akira doesn’t know what’s going on, but by the way he gets silent, right after he had made the thief smirk at how sharp witted he could be, he can tell something he said had a certain level of impact. The awkwardness almost feels palpable- like if he had a knife he could be able to cut it right down the center then and there.]
Did I… say something wrong?
[Akira doesn’t know about where the line in the world stood- the world of palaces and Mementos was still something so far off, distant, from its own self understanding. Yu’s not talking to him anymore, which confuses him, scares him in a way because by the way that his hand is moving, he knows he’s a little rattled. For a second, he wonders if Yu is angry that Akira’s lied to him, or that he’s not taking his request seriously. But it doesn’t really feel like that. This seems almost personal.
Reaching his hand upward again, his fingers close around Yu’s wrist, which is working to clear the blood off the surrounding skin of his chest.]
[Nothing before had made Yu doubt himself and what he did. Not the criminals, not shitty people, his own shadow, even the cursed goddess of desire. But this right here made Yu question everything he's done up until now. Because in the end...
..he didn't change anything.
He didn't hear the first question, lost in his thought. But the touch brought him back. Yu needed few seconds to focus on the question. He slowly shakes his head-]
It depends. Did you say that because you wanted to avoid explaining because people usually wouldn't believe something like that? Or is it the truth? I won't even ask you to take off the mask as I previously planned. So please. Be honest with me.
I think I deserve at least that.
[He didn't want to pull that last part, but he needed to know. He needed to know if him almost dying was insignificant and that Igor was just spouting some bullshit about 'great tragedy and mystery'. The fight with Izanami is still fresh in his mind and he words too strong.]
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no subject
Ever since he came back from Inaba, Yu never hesitated to ask things aloud. Of course, he'll apologize in advance if it's the intruding type of question, but he doesn't beat around the bush anymore. And it proved to be well accepted by people around him- for now.
He nods at Akira's explanation- fair enough. Yu would've probably done the same thing. And his friends would back him up- Kanji would probably threaten to kick his ass.] Yes. The 'Phantom Thieves' thing? It's an interesting thing to think about. [And after what happened to him, Yu has no problem believing in anything out of ordinary. Even ghosts are real to him now.]
W-Wait a minute-! [After Akira's explanation of his criminal record, a red alarm started ringing in his head. That's-] That's not right! Why would they convict you for something like that!? [He blurted it out before he could actually think about it.]
A-Ah, sorry, I shouldn't have asked like that. It just- sounds so unreal. [Was it a grudge? But Akira's just high schooler. Why would a salaryman hold grudge big enough to sue him and ruin boy's future with a criminal record? Not to mention that what he was trying to do to the woman was despicable.]
no subject
It's alright. I was doing what I thought was right and kind of... just got swept up by it. That's how it goes in this world, I guess.
[Akira pushes up his glass towards the bridge of his nose. Playing the field a little, he idly eats more of his dinner and shoots a pointed question at Yu.]
Do you think they're real? The Phantom Thieves, that is.
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No. That's not how the world is supposed to be. How is punishing the good people and rewarding the guilty alright? But I guess, that's just my opinion. [And there's nothing either of them can do about it.
He eats his food in silence, still pondering on what Akira told him. And if he was being honest, he'll be thinking about that even when he comes back home. Maybe he should give Naoto a call about this. Advice from Detective Prince can't hurt.]
Hmm? Well... [Yu idly taps the chopsticks against his lips-] I see no reason not to. If there really is a group of Thieves stealing hearts to make them repent for their horrible deeds, then they have my full support. What they are doing is admirable and gutsy.
no subject
You're an interesting senpai.
[There, Akira starts laughing a little bit. He tries to distract himself with the ramen, bringing the bowl up to his lips to drink the broth that's been cooled down by the crosswinds at the top of the school.]
There's a website, too. Apparently there's a poll on whether or not you think they exist.
[Morgana's glare cuts through Akira's confidence, and he lets his food sit squarely in his lap. Phantom Thieves were a rumor too, weren't they? No one actually knew if they were out there, which only served to increase intrigue. Funny, too, that the people spreading the rumors in school about them were the same people who were whispering in the halls about the felon in school, or the new kid who just transferred in.]
What about you? What was life like before coming to Tokyo?
no subject
Interesting? I don't know about that. I'm just a regular guy who does ordinary, everyday boring things. [There's nothing special about him. He probably wouldn't have been here if he didn't meet the others. His optimism shows up only around people for some reason. The need to connect to them and help them out if needed. It's an inexplicable feeling that he didn't mention anyone.]
There is? Cool. I'll take a look when I go home. I'm curious now. [Also it will help pass time. All the books he had were finished the first two weeks back in town.]
It was... stressful, to say the least. [He tries to sound calm, but he can feel his throat tighten.] I don't know if you heard or paid attention to the Inaba murders. I was staying at my uncle's place there. He was a detective on the case. Two women died- one was still in high school. Everyone lived in suspense for a long time, scared they will be targeted next. [He sighs softly-] Luckily they got the killer.
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If Akira could, he would have responded to Morgana, but at this point, it didn't seem like it would make much sense to respond to a meowing cat. He notices how the topic of conversation becomes a lot more tense, and instantly feels a little bad for bringing it up. But more than anything, he's convinced that Yu is harmless. Maybe he's not the best judge of character, but he does believe in people who tend to be honest and upfront with things... even when he's not particularly into doing that himself. But anyone who's been through a slew of murders around them must have had a hard time.
He remembers hearing about them in the news, actually. They had caught the killer, who was more or less rotting away in a jail cell. At least justice was working the way it was supposed to somewhere out there. He had no idea about the Midnight Channel, or the TVs, or the fog, but chances are he'd believe anything at this point.]
You're really good at picking things up. I wouldn't be surprised if you were helping your uncle figure it out. You're a troublemaker, after all.
[Akira laughs softly at that, not knowing the depth of his statement. His ramen is pretty much done- save for a little bit of broth and the freeze dried vegetables, which he wasn't exactly the biggest fan of.]
I like hanging out with you, by the way. We should exchange contact information,
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Well- when you put it that way, I guess I am. [He doesn't confirm nor deny the fact that he meddled into the whole debacle with murders. He's not sure if he'd be able to explain it properly without making it look extremely suspicious. Because the way victims were murdered... was not 'normal'.
He finished up the rest of his noodles and placed the bowl aside, thanking Akira for the meal. It really hit the spot.]
I like hanging out with you too, [Yu says with a smile and pulls out his phone-] And somehow, something keeps making us run into each other everywhere. It would be rude to ignore it. You know what they say about karma, right?
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[Akira holds up his phone, accepting the contact sharing app's permissions, and hears a ding, indicating that they had successfully exchanged details. He doesn't know what this means- he's met a lot of people over the past few weeks, definitely some of which would prove to help him in his journey, but mostly just a very weird list of people that he was loosely coming to terms with calling friends.
Caroline and Justine's words ring in his ear. Make friends. Strengthen bonds with them. It's the only path to emancipation. Or at least getting stronger personas. He wasn't sure if there was really a difference yet.
Akira stands up, collecting the empty bowl and depositing into a garbage bag, all the while bending to grab a chip, too. (Let it be known that Akira is pretty flexible, poise similar in disposition to none other than the not-cat he carries in his bag with him all the time.) There's the issue of the beaker, which he decides to hide, along with the hot plate, under a discarded cardboard box.]
Maybe it's not karma. Maybe it's fate.
[Akira smiles warmly, smiling turning into a chuckle of sorts. He hasn't remembered smiling and laughing this much in ages.]
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If it's fate, then it's extremely fickle. We have to be careful.
[After saving the info on the phone, he pockets it and stands up. He was eating too so the least he can do is help with cleaning up. He eyes the science set warily and lets him take care of it. It wouldn't be good if both of them were meddling with it.]
Thank you again for inviting me. The ramen really hit the spot.
[For several moments, he was watching him pick up the stuff. The urge to call him to hang out tomorrow is big but- maybe it was way too soon. They just exchanged numbers as well.]
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See ya later!
Akira quirks a brow, wondering how in the world Yu got on Morgana's good side so easily. He should've taken notes. On the way towards the door, he turns his head to make sure the other is still there. It's a stupid thing, but with everything that's going on in his life right now, he wouldn't be surprised if Yu wasn't even real at all, or something.]
Anytime. Hopefully fate will be good to the both of us troublemakers.
[Taking his leave, he parts with the other. It's a simple enough route home, but the entire way he's caught himself trying to figure Yu out a little better, going through their time on the roof together. The next few days pass, and it's filled with the excitement of breaking into another palace to steal the treasure of an art mogul who's spun completely out of control. They've added a member to the crew, codenamed: Fox, an art student of the former mentioned corrupt adult. They're so close to getting to the treasure room when the security starts to rise exponentially.
Something was going wrong, gravely wrong- there were shadows everywhere. Morgana is trying to keep an intel route together, but there doesn't seem to be any sort of way to break through, and the nearest safe room is a backtrack worth a few hours of metaverse time. The party eventually wounds up split, and then split again, until it's just Akira alone.
His heart is racing, and the only thing he can think about is getting back to his friends in one piece. To make sure they're still alive. Make sure that they've still got fight in them. But there's too much fighting to make his own safe route to the exit. Running low on energy, he switches out personas to target weaknesses....
But it hits him by a surprise attack. A blade right against his chest, slicing right through the garb he was wearing. Eyes wide, he realizes that his is real pain. His hand reaches up, there's blood. It must be adrenaline at this point, but he returns to Arsene, who repels the wave of attack, only for Akira to find a window. There's no other choice but to jump out and pray that he lands on his feet, or at least into safety. The moments following are a blur, he races his way to the exit, leaving a trail of his own blood on the floor in its wake. Exit. That's all he can think about, and as soon as he's out of the portal, he tries to ascertain where in the world he was. None of his friends are around in the immediate vicinity, and it worries him, but first things first. Find somewhere to hide in the shadows.
He looks down- he's still in his costume. This shouldn't have happened, right? Every time he's left the metaverse, he's been back in his regular threads. There's a moment of panic, and he ducks into a nearby alleyway. What does he know about this area? Looking up at a street sign, the only thing that comes to mind is that Yu lives somewhere in this vicinity. He pulls up the contact card on his phone, and finds the address.
This is a last resort, but he heads in that direction, trying to text the others to see where they were. Things were about to get far more complicated.]
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Which is why Yu didn't give them a second thought.
And it felt weird because back at Inaba, everyone would tell him 'Good Work!' instead of '...are you close with Mrs. Kashiwagi?'. It was insane and Yu's patience (which he usually has in abundance) was running low. He didn't plan to make a speech just to explain to people that he actually studies for the exams.
So, he left the school feeling low-strung and tense. He skipped going to the work. Working at the florist shop required him to smile to customers and be kind, and he couldn't do either of that right now. There was also this nagging feeling in the back of his head when he stepped out into the street.]
Fine, fine, [Yu murmured to himself whilst shifting his schoolbag better on his shoulder,] I'm going straight home.
[He passed through Shibuya and stopped in the bookstore to get something to read, since he was skipping out on the work in the first place, and then at the grocery store and got himself a nice piece of steak. As he watched the butcher cut it, it reminded him of Chie and Yu couldn't help but smile.
When, after thirty minutes, Yu took a turn into his street, the odd feeling came back to him. Was he being followed? His first thought told him to hurry, but his instincts told him to check. And he did. He whipped around harshly, startling a lady who was walking her dog.
There was no one behind him.
He stepped forward carefully and stopped in front of his building. The alleyway. Someone was definitively there and watching him.
Akira was right. He is a troublemaker- by looking for trouble.
He called out tentatively, but didn't step forward-]
...H-Hello?
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He braces himself up against the wall. No, that's not right. He accepted himself for who he was, he had seen his inner self and embraced it, and was better for it. He had to be. Nothing else made sense.
There was a mix of other feelings that washed over him when he saw Yu approach from the distance. Akira wasn't ready to explain his existence, to take his mask off in front of anyone, and so he kept his place up against the darkness. He tried keeping his voice deeper, more manly and refined than the soft spoken tonality he used on the other just a few days ago, and calls out from the alleyway.]
May I ask you for help?
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He shoves the bags he was carrying into the school bag so his hands are somewhat free (and got bag a tad bit heavier in case he needs to use it as a weapon) and steps forward.]
Uhh... if I can... [Yu has to squint a bit in the shadowy alley and he finally notices a man- no wait, a younger guy (student!?) leaned on the wall. With a huge slash over his chest. The amount of blood and size of the wound completely distracted Yu from the fact that the guy was wearing a mask.
There was no hesitance in Yu's step anymore as he hurried over to him.]
How- this is serious cut-- [and the guy is losing a lot of blood.] Wait a second. [He drops the bag on the ground and shrugs off his school blazer and folds it, then presses it against the wound.] Are you dizzy? Can you lean on me and hold onto this? I live on the third floor here. I have first aid kit there.
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He noticeably winces when Yu presses his blazer up against his chest. It stings, and he lets out a rough sound at the initial contact of it. Thank god Yu isn't trying to take him to the hospital. He doesn't have the mental faculties to actually find a reason not to, and that is a complication that he can't deal with right now.
Where was Ryuji? Ann? Morgana?
He can't tell if it's because it's dark, but the edges of the wall of the alleyway look blurry and indistinguishable from the street not very far off. Akira leans on Yu, in the end, holding up the makeshift first aid bandage to his chest.]
I think... I can make it... Thanks for this...
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[Whether the guy is a criminal or no, Yu didn't care. Nobody deserved to die. If he was guilty of something- stealing or anything else, he will pay the price in prison. But not die. Not on Yu's hands.
With his free hand, he grabs the bag he dropped, while supporting the guy with his other hand, holding him firmly around his waist. He helped him up the first steps into the building and stopped in front of the elevator. Thankfully no one was around and building actually had an elevator. Yu wasn't sure if he could help him out up the staircases.
While they waited for the lift, Yu's eyes constantly looked from guy's mask to his wound and back at the mask. He couldn't properly see his face so he doesn't know if the man is still conscious.]
Keep talking and don't close your eyes, okay? Don't pass out on me.
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Leaning on Yu, he feels his stomach turning. The upward motion of the elevator is really... something else that he wasn't completely prepared for at the moment, and he groans to himself, using the other boy as leverage for his head to keep himself at least somewhat more stable.]
... We were so close, too. The treasure was almost right in front of us. Then the security escalated...
[Is this supposed to be small talk?]
I have to find them. Skull... Mona... Panther...
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Luckily, Yu's apartment is on the third floor. And, as always, his parents aren't home. He could hear the guy mutter something about... stealing? So... he really was...
Yu didn't dwell on it too much. The last part didn't make much sense so he figured the guy was getting into some kind of blood loss delirium. He takes the keys to the apartment and shoves the door open once he unlocks them. He barely waited to enter because he could toss his bag away and hold onto the guy properly. He kicks the door closed and turns on the light with his elbow.
The blood had completely soaked his blazer. Yu never curses, but this situation was an exception.] Crap, come- to the bathroom. [It's easier to clean the mess in the bathroom than in the living room/bedroom. Also first aid kit was there.]
Sit here, [he lowers the cover to the toilet and has him sit down.] Don't drop the blazer, okay? I have to undress you to fix your wound.
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He hears Yu speaking, but not really, until he feels some pressure on his shoulders to be seated down, and he complies. The movement hurts, but it's manageable, and he doesn't feel quite as close to passing out as he did before, so the pressure on it must be helping at least a little bit.]
Oh. I hope this leaves a cool scar.
[He pulls the blazer away from his chest for a moment. Yeah. Totally a bad ass.]
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He grabs the medical kit from underneath the sink and then turns towards him, pulling the blazer away. Yu's nose scrunches at the sight- there was still blood but it stopped for the most part. The slice looked very deep so Yu made mental note to tighten the bandage as much as he can later.]
You should be happy you're alive, [Yu says and takes the gauze. He pours alcohol on it and gets on his knees in front of him.] I don't know what kind of thing almost sliced you into sushi, but I have to disinfect it. It will sting. A lot.
[And without saying much, Yu started working on the wound. He stole glances now and then at the man's face, trying to catch his gaze because... he feels like he's seen this person before. A loud thud in his chest warned him to focus more on helping the guy than thinking about how piercing his eyes are.]
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[Akira, of course wrong in his assumption of Yu, couldn’t have guessed that he would know exactly what type of danger that he was in. Sitting there, shirt torn off, he doesn’t feel as nearly self-conscious as he should have. There’s kind of this thing that happens with modesty when you’re threatening to bleed out on another guy’s bathroom floor, but details, details. He focuses on the warning, looking at Yu squarely when he tells him about the stinging that’s soon to come. He tries to prepare himself mentally for this sort of thing, but there’s something about the suddenness of it, like a bandaid being ripped off without warning that has him gripping into his own hand, fingernails digging hard against the surface.
Okay, that didn’t sting just a little. That was a whole new world of pain. He looks down at his chest, which wasn’t smarter by any means, because he can see the skin kind of…frothing around the wound, which must mean that it’s working, right? Hands tired from being clenched so hard, he reaches out to Yu’s forearm and gives it a squeeze.]
Ughn… hold on, it’s still stinging.
[He winces his eyes shut behind his mask, pleading for Yu to give him a moment before he applies the bandage to let the sensation die down a little. The grip intensifies, and loosens, and intensifies again. Akira takes a deep breath. He’s trying so hard to be manly in front of the other, which is competing fiercely with his urge to start crying.]
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[The man seems to be feeling a bit better because the blood has stopped bleeding out. Yu tentatively cleaned the wound and didn't mind the fact that he was gripping onto his arm. It must've hurt like hell.
But he was honest. He really wanted to hear who and how gave him this kind of wound. No normal knife can make a cut like this. Not even butcher's knife. This looks more like a slash from-
He throws away the gauze when he's done and waits for the sting to subside. But he doesn't wait too long in case it starts bleeding again. He grabs another piece of clean gauze and places it over the slice.] Just- clench your teeth. We can't let it start bleeding again.
[With the bandage, he leans forward and starts wrapping it around the man's chest, making sure it's tight. Since he's not a paramedic, this will probably leave a scar- just like he wanted.]
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Sorry… It’s not… really funny. I’m being such a burden to you right now.
Akira closes his eyes and takes a breath inward. These small movements sting a little, but he’s learning to be okay with the pain, and takes the advice Yu gives him under consideration. He can’t start bleeding again. He has to get up. He has to find his friends. They could be in trouble. They could be dead. He would be nothing without them.]
They’re called shadows. They live like slaves inside peoples’ cognition of the world around them and get hostile when you try to steal their master’s heart.
[Yu is doing such a good job here- the bandage is tight, compressed perfectly so that it stops further bleeding. He doesn’t deserve Yu’s kindness… they’ve only just met. And even worse, they’ve never met like this before.]
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It was lucky that Yu had finished up wrapping the bandages when the man offered him an explanation. Color completely drained from Yu's face. Shadows. The word is way too familiar to Yu than it should be. From the sound of it though, it looked like they worked in a different way here in Tokyo.
But it didn't matter. 'Look at the world you fought for'. The TV world cleared out and became a paradise, a beautiful place and according to Teddie, what went on in human minds. Was he a fool to believe that he fought Izanami only for Inaba? Were his and his friends fighting all for naught? What was the point of fighting if the history is going to repeat itself?
Was Izanami right? Is the world this corrupted by the fog?
With a shaky hand, Yu reached out for a washcloth (he'd use a towel, but he wouldn't be able to explain bloody towels to his parents) and turned on the warm water. Wringing it out, he started cleaning the man up slowly from his blood without saying anything.]
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Did I… say something wrong?
[Akira doesn’t know about where the line in the world stood- the world of palaces and Mementos was still something so far off, distant, from its own self understanding. Yu’s not talking to him anymore, which confuses him, scares him in a way because by the way that his hand is moving, he knows he’s a little rattled. For a second, he wonders if Yu is angry that Akira’s lied to him, or that he’s not taking his request seriously. But it doesn’t really feel like that. This seems almost personal.
Reaching his hand upward again, his fingers close around Yu’s wrist, which is working to clear the blood off the surrounding skin of his chest.]
Are you okay?
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..he didn't change anything.
He didn't hear the first question, lost in his thought. But the touch brought him back. Yu needed few seconds to focus on the question. He slowly shakes his head-]
It depends. Did you say that because you wanted to avoid explaining because people usually wouldn't believe something like that? Or is it the truth? I won't even ask you to take off the mask as I previously planned. So please. Be honest with me.
I think I deserve at least that.
[He didn't want to pull that last part, but he needed to know. He needed to know if him almost dying was insignificant and that Igor was just spouting some bullshit about 'great tragedy and mystery'. The fight with Izanami is still fresh in his mind and he words too strong.]
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