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
[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.]
[So he was... going to ask him to reveal himself. He doesn't know what to make of the current situation. The thief in him is telling him to abscond away immediately, to take flight from this exact situation where he has to explain himself, because that responsibility shouldn't be anyone's burden. And then he could come back to Yu as Akira, and not a Phantom Thief, and try to prod something out of him. There's this instability there that makes him feel obligated to fix it.
And then it strikes him as odd, with all the things that went down in Inaba, that Yu seems so taken aback by the fact he mentioned... was it shadows? Or was it the heart part. Not knowing, he lets go of his hand.
Be honest with him, right?]
People whose desires have become so corrupt create palaces in their heart. They layer it, making it deeper and bigger than you can imagine, all to hide the fact against reality of what they've done. If you steal the core of that world, it comes tumbling down like a domino.
[He fishes his phone out of his pocket, the small movement bothering his chest, but he musters through it. Once the home screen is lit up, he hits the navigation app.]
Narukami Yu.
No match found.
Everyone has a version of themselves that exists in this world. Tell me. Why don't you?
[Yu leaned on the edge of the bathtub, listening closely to what the guy has to say. It sounds similar to what he experienced but... so much worse.]
So the corruption is so great they can't face themselves... [Yu mutters to himself in thought. The fog, the desires became so big that they completely shrouded one's heart and made people unable to see the truth in the eyes. And from the sound of it, the man is helping them do it by stealing the core of desires?
Yu wonders if this would've happened if he left his friends by themselves and didn't help them overcome the obstacles that came their way. He doesn't want to think about it.
He was about to scold him for moving so much when the guy took the phone out of his pocket. TV in Inaba, phones in Tokyo huh?
Yu smiles sadly staring at tiles on the floor-]
I don't have it because... I came to terms with it and accepted it as part of me. I faced my shadow and accepted all my weaknesses and bad sides. [Yu moves away from the bathtub and approaches him, taking him under the arm to help him stand up-] Come. You need to lay down so that your wound can heal up.
[The smile he gives him is filled with guilt and sadness-] And don't worry. You don't have to tell me who you are. [He knows how hard it is to hide the 'other world'.
While feeling directly responsible for not managing to fix the damage on the World, he feels determined to help the man out. If Yu wasn't strong enough, maybe he is and maybe he can put an end to all of it. So Yu feels personally obligated to help him out as much as he can.]
[What? Coming to terms with it? Accepting it as part of himself? That sounds really similar to... no, it can't be. Could it? Akira looks at Yu apprehensively. That's a solid alibi for not being found in Mementos, or having a palace. Only someone who's overcome their shadow could do that, someone who truly accepts who they are... and then it clicks.
The murders in Inaba. The way he talked about his uncle being a detective. The air of sadness he carried about himself, but confident in the same time. His heart feels heavier than it ever had at that moment, as he quietly listens, and lets the other help him up to his feet.
Just who exactly was this Narukami Yu?]
Persona...
[In the end, the exhaustion is starting to get to him. Without word from his friends, with all the things going on, and how badly he got his ass handed to him, it's a wonder he's even awake at this point, so Morgana would have to forgive him at some point for uttering that word out loud.
But part of Akira fears sleep tonight. To wake up in that jail cell, a sneering figure at him telling him that he's a slave, telling him that he has to prove himself to work towards his freedom. Wasn't this enough? If Yu were really involved with all of those problems back in his hometown- wasn't that enough too?
He swallows the lump in his throat, and is guided to a place where he can lay flat on his back. It feels good- the softness of support under him... and around him, in the form of Yu.
He sighs, reaching up to his mask, touching the edges of it.]
[The last thing the man says makes Yu's throat close up. He doesn't know what else to tell him. The urge to apologize for not making things better keeps growing in his gut, but he knows it's pointless. It's in the past. All he can do now is help him out. The TV world, the raging shadows- just being there is a task in itself. And the 'thief' got cut up in the process as well. Yu never had big wounds like this and he was glad.
He is also glad he followed his gut and looked in the alley.
Yu leads his guest to his room- in case that the wound opens, it's better it happens there instead of his parent's room. He helps him lie down and takes off his shoes. He presses his hand briefly against the thief's forehead to check for temperature- that blood loss could spiral the temperature out of control. It was fine for now and Yu sighs in relief.
After fidgeting around the bed for a while (fixing the covers and the pillow), he finally speaks up-] Rest now. I'll be in front of the room.
[The doorknob clicks as he heads out.] I'll keep you safe, [Yu says barely above the whisper and closes the door quietly behind him.
He leans against the wall next to the door and runs hands down his face. Biting his lower lip, he slides down and sits on the floor. 'I should tell Yosuke... no, it will just worry him. And he's in Inaba, he can't help. Ah... the bag. The meat will spoil..' The thoughts just fly around in his head. He needs to think about this properly. And he has the whole night to do it.]
[Maybe it's just the delirium hitting in, but the feeling of being in an actual bed, not just a futon with some old sheets and a blanket tossed on top in the middle of a dank attic... it's comforting in so many ways. When the door is closed behind him, for a minute or two Akira is staring up at the ceiling. Finally in his solitude, he takes his mask off, and he feels like his heart is beating even faster. All it would take would be for Yu to turn around and come back in.
But knowing what he does now about the silver haired youth, he supposes it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. He thinks of how sad he looked, like his entire figure was draped in an odd sense of failure... and it's probably best to just not get involved. Everyone has their own demons to face, and he can't imagine to begin to understand what he must've went through over the last year.
Little does he know the parallel to the teenager outside- Akira's running his own hands down his face. He knows he should leave before the morning comes, but... is that futile? He's already shirtless, bandaged, and in desperate need of some respite to recover. Akira turns his head slightly to look at the nearby window. That would be the easiest escape route- Morgana's taught him pretty well at this whole... thievery gig. But when he looks- he catches the soft, but lingering scent of the pillow below him.
So this is what Yu smells like.
Surprised at himself, he looks up at the ceiling again. No. That's not okay, either. There's a yawn, tired, and he grabs for the other pillow next to him to place it over his bandaged chest, and holds onto it tightly, hugging, burying his face just into the edge of it. There's that smell again. He realizes he's pathetic in that moment. All of those past months, coming to Tokyo. Living life like people thought he was a criminal at school, only to become a criminal in real life. Unable to carry on without his friends. Relying on Yu like this, even though he's barely met him. He just feels so...
[When Yu finally gathered himself from the floor and checked the clock in the living room, it was 9PM. It wasn't that late but it wasn't early either. As if put on automatic, he collected his stuff from the hallway, put things away in the fridge and then went to the bathroom. The blood splatters were everywhere, his jacket completely drenched and man's ripped clothes in the corner. Working- it seemed to take off his thoughts from what he found out earlier. But, eventually, he'll stop and he'll be forced to think about it.
After shoving the man's and his own jacket in the washing machine and fixing everything up, he went back to the living room. He didn't feel sleepy or tired at all. When he sat down on the couch, his eyes fell onto his cellphone.
He has no excuse not to tell them about it. Especially Yosuke and Naoto. He really wanted to hear their voices- Naoto's reason and Yosuke's support. To tell him that things aren't always as they seem and that what they did wasn't pointless. He picked up his phone and typed out the message. 'Let's talk'... in the end, he didn't send it. He'll just miss them even more. With a sigh of frustration, he tossed the phone aside.
Sleeping on this should help out. 'Morning is wiser than the evening, right?' Yu thought sourly and stood up. He went to the kitchen and made few sandwiches for his guest. It's not his fault that Yu failed. It's Yu's fault that he got stuck with fixing his mistakes. Making him food and helping him out with his wound is the least he can do.
He quietly opened the door to his room, a plate with covered sandwiches in his hand. He left the light turned off in case he was sleeping and to keep his promise and not see who he is. Even though he wanted to know so he can help him out more actively. But the promise is a promise. He left the plate on the night table and checked the guy's temperature again. It was normal and Yu felt relieved. It could've been so much worse.
After picking up the blanket and pillow from the closet, he went back to the living room. Hoping he will still be around in the morning to tell him few things, Yu fell asleep on the couch, waking up throughout the night from restless dreams.]
[Throughout the night, texts start pouring in, but Akira is rather dead to the world and doesn't stir throughout his sleep, unaware of the rest of the team chiming in and discussing their locations and safety. On the ladder to the top, there are bound to be a few rungs that snap just as you put your foot on them, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep climbing. There was still a deadline, after all, that weighed heavily on the entire group. Change Madorame's heart or face charges.
Joker, where are you?
Is Morgana with you?
Are you ok?
I'm worried...
Hey man, stop playing games. This is bullshit, you gotta reply to us!
It isn't until the refracting light between the bedroom's blinds start to shine through onto Akira's face that he catches what seems to be the glare of the morning sun. His hands pat the bed blindly for his phone, as he reaches to his pocket to pull out his glasses. They're okay. That's all that matters right now. He fires a text back: I'm ok. Sorry for making everyone worry. Let's meet at the hangout today. Looking at the date and time, his heart starts thudding in its chest. Sunday, no school- but he had planned to leave in the middle of the night and vanish without a trace.
Sitting up, he rubs his eyes and realizes what a strain he put on his body the night before. He looks over to the plate of sandwiches. Yu was too nice. And here he was, crashing into his house, bloody, a mess, ready to leave. Like it not, though, this was the life he had chosen. He bites down on his bottom lip, looks to the closed door, and picks up a sandwich to eat. He hopes that Yu isn't too offended by the abruptness of his departure, but he needs to get back to Leblanc. Things would be much worse if Sojiro found out he had been away all night- which makes this a double combo of sneaking out of Yu's window and back to his own over at the coffee shop.
He picks up the mask, holding it in his fingers, and leaves it next to the tray of snacks, almost apologetically. He's not really proud of what he does next, but it has to be done- he quietly opens the sliding door to his closet and carefully takes down a shirt to borrow. Steal. Whatever. When it's pulled on over his head, he looks again at the door to the living room, and makes his labored exit through the window. Luckily it's only a three story drop.]
Sorry, Narukami-san. [He whispers to himself as he makes his way back through the alley he was in, just hours ago.]
[Yu wakes up in the morning with a headache. The TV is still on from last night and his phone is blinking that he got a message.
H.Yosuke: bro I had dis rly weird dream about u last night. u ok there?
It tugs a small smile on his face for two reasons. One- Yosuke awake early on Sunday? It must be snowing in Inaba. And two- it just felt nice. Now, calmer, he can think through everything that happened last night and talk with his friend. He should call him.
But before that, he needs to check on his patient. When he opens the door and notices the empty bed, he just sighs and leans against the doorframe with crossed hands. Seeing no blood on the sheets it means that he did well with the bandages and it makes him happy. Aside from wanting to ask him few other stuff about shadows, Yu wanted to remind him that he has to change the bandages at least every second day because of how big the wound is.
His gaze falls on the open window-]Well... that's a thief for you. [Maybe he'll come back to pick up his coat. The shirt isn't usable anymore, but the coat is. He walks over with intention to close the window... but changes his mind. And walks back to the kitchen.
Steak and a long talk with Yosuke are waiting for him.]
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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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And then it strikes him as odd, with all the things that went down in Inaba, that Yu seems so taken aback by the fact he mentioned... was it shadows? Or was it the heart part. Not knowing, he lets go of his hand.
Be honest with him, right?]
People whose desires have become so corrupt create palaces in their heart. They layer it, making it deeper and bigger than you can imagine, all to hide the fact against reality of what they've done. If you steal the core of that world, it comes tumbling down like a domino.
[He fishes his phone out of his pocket, the small movement bothering his chest, but he musters through it. Once the home screen is lit up, he hits the navigation app.]
Narukami Yu.
No match found.
Everyone has a version of themselves that exists in this world. Tell me. Why don't you?
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So the corruption is so great they can't face themselves... [Yu mutters to himself in thought. The fog, the desires became so big that they completely shrouded one's heart and made people unable to see the truth in the eyes. And from the sound of it, the man is helping them do it by stealing the core of desires?
Yu wonders if this would've happened if he left his friends by themselves and didn't help them overcome the obstacles that came their way. He doesn't want to think about it.
He was about to scold him for moving so much when the guy took the phone out of his pocket. TV in Inaba, phones in Tokyo huh?
Yu smiles sadly staring at tiles on the floor-]
I don't have it because... I came to terms with it and accepted it as part of me. I faced my shadow and accepted all my weaknesses and bad sides. [Yu moves away from the bathtub and approaches him, taking him under the arm to help him stand up-] Come. You need to lay down so that your wound can heal up.
[The smile he gives him is filled with guilt and sadness-] And don't worry. You don't have to tell me who you are. [He knows how hard it is to hide the 'other world'.
While feeling directly responsible for not managing to fix the damage on the World, he feels determined to help the man out. If Yu wasn't strong enough, maybe he is and maybe he can put an end to all of it. So Yu feels personally obligated to help him out as much as he can.]
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The murders in Inaba. The way he talked about his uncle being a detective. The air of sadness he carried about himself, but confident in the same time. His heart feels heavier than it ever had at that moment, as he quietly listens, and lets the other help him up to his feet.
Just who exactly was this Narukami Yu?]
Persona...
[In the end, the exhaustion is starting to get to him. Without word from his friends, with all the things going on, and how badly he got his ass handed to him, it's a wonder he's even awake at this point, so Morgana would have to forgive him at some point for uttering that word out loud.
But part of Akira fears sleep tonight. To wake up in that jail cell, a sneering figure at him telling him that he's a slave, telling him that he has to prove himself to work towards his freedom. Wasn't this enough? If Yu were really involved with all of those problems back in his hometown- wasn't that enough too?
He swallows the lump in his throat, and is guided to a place where he can lay flat on his back. It feels good- the softness of support under him... and around him, in the form of Yu.
He sighs, reaching up to his mask, touching the edges of it.]
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He is also glad he followed his gut and looked in the alley.
Yu leads his guest to his room- in case that the wound opens, it's better it happens there instead of his parent's room. He helps him lie down and takes off his shoes. He presses his hand briefly against the thief's forehead to check for temperature- that blood loss could spiral the temperature out of control. It was fine for now and Yu sighs in relief.
After fidgeting around the bed for a while (fixing the covers and the pillow), he finally speaks up-] Rest now. I'll be in front of the room.
[The doorknob clicks as he heads out.] I'll keep you safe, [Yu says barely above the whisper and closes the door quietly behind him.
He leans against the wall next to the door and runs hands down his face. Biting his lower lip, he slides down and sits on the floor. 'I should tell Yosuke... no, it will just worry him. And he's in Inaba, he can't help. Ah... the bag. The meat will spoil..'
The thoughts just fly around in his head. He needs to think about this properly. And he has the whole night to do it.]
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But knowing what he does now about the silver haired youth, he supposes it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. He thinks of how sad he looked, like his entire figure was draped in an odd sense of failure... and it's probably best to just not get involved. Everyone has their own demons to face, and he can't imagine to begin to understand what he must've went through over the last year.
Little does he know the parallel to the teenager outside- Akira's running his own hands down his face. He knows he should leave before the morning comes, but... is that futile? He's already shirtless, bandaged, and in desperate need of some respite to recover. Akira turns his head slightly to look at the nearby window. That would be the easiest escape route- Morgana's taught him pretty well at this whole... thievery gig. But when he looks- he catches the soft, but lingering scent of the pillow below him.
So this is what Yu smells like.
Surprised at himself, he looks up at the ceiling again. No. That's not okay, either. There's a yawn, tired, and he grabs for the other pillow next to him to place it over his bandaged chest, and holds onto it tightly, hugging, burying his face just into the edge of it. There's that smell again. He realizes he's pathetic in that moment. All of those past months, coming to Tokyo. Living life like people thought he was a criminal at school, only to become a criminal in real life. Unable to carry on without his friends. Relying on Yu like this, even though he's barely met him. He just feels so...
Alone.]
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After shoving the man's and his own jacket in the washing machine and fixing everything up, he went back to the living room. He didn't feel sleepy or tired at all. When he sat down on the couch, his eyes fell onto his cellphone.
He has no excuse not to tell them about it. Especially Yosuke and Naoto. He really wanted to hear their voices- Naoto's reason and Yosuke's support. To tell him that things aren't always as they seem and that what they did wasn't pointless. He picked up his phone and typed out the message. 'Let's talk'... in the end, he didn't send it. He'll just miss them even more. With a sigh of frustration, he tossed the phone aside.
Sleeping on this should help out. 'Morning is wiser than the evening, right?' Yu thought sourly and stood up. He went to the kitchen and made few sandwiches for his guest. It's not his fault that Yu failed. It's Yu's fault that he got stuck with fixing his mistakes. Making him food and helping him out with his wound is the least he can do.
He quietly opened the door to his room, a plate with covered sandwiches in his hand. He left the light turned off in case he was sleeping and to keep his promise and not see who he is. Even though he wanted to know so he can help him out more actively. But the promise is a promise. He left the plate on the night table and checked the guy's temperature again. It was normal and Yu felt relieved. It could've been so much worse.
After picking up the blanket and pillow from the closet, he went back to the living room. Hoping he will still be around in the morning to tell him few things, Yu fell asleep on the couch, waking up throughout the night from restless dreams.]
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Joker, where are you?
Is Morgana with you?
Are you ok?
I'm worried...
Hey man, stop playing games. This is bullshit, you gotta reply to us!
It isn't until the refracting light between the bedroom's blinds start to shine through onto Akira's face that he catches what seems to be the glare of the morning sun. His hands pat the bed blindly for his phone, as he reaches to his pocket to pull out his glasses. They're okay. That's all that matters right now. He fires a text back: I'm ok. Sorry for making everyone worry. Let's meet at the hangout today. Looking at the date and time, his heart starts thudding in its chest. Sunday, no school- but he had planned to leave in the middle of the night and vanish without a trace.
Sitting up, he rubs his eyes and realizes what a strain he put on his body the night before. He looks over to the plate of sandwiches. Yu was too nice. And here he was, crashing into his house, bloody, a mess, ready to leave. Like it not, though, this was the life he had chosen. He bites down on his bottom lip, looks to the closed door, and picks up a sandwich to eat. He hopes that Yu isn't too offended by the abruptness of his departure, but he needs to get back to Leblanc. Things would be much worse if Sojiro found out he had been away all night- which makes this a double combo of sneaking out of Yu's window and back to his own over at the coffee shop.
He picks up the mask, holding it in his fingers, and leaves it next to the tray of snacks, almost apologetically. He's not really proud of what he does next, but it has to be done- he quietly opens the sliding door to his closet and carefully takes down a shirt to borrow. Steal. Whatever. When it's pulled on over his head, he looks again at the door to the living room, and makes his labored exit through the window. Luckily it's only a three story drop.]
Sorry, Narukami-san. [He whispers to himself as he makes his way back through the alley he was in, just hours ago.]
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H.Yosuke: bro I had dis rly weird dream about u last night. u ok there?
It tugs a small smile on his face for two reasons. One- Yosuke awake early on Sunday? It must be snowing in Inaba. And two- it just felt nice. Now, calmer, he can think through everything that happened last night and talk with his friend. He should call him.
But before that, he needs to check on his patient. When he opens the door and notices the empty bed, he just sighs and leans against the doorframe with crossed hands. Seeing no blood on the sheets it means that he did well with the bandages and it makes him happy. Aside from wanting to ask him few other stuff about shadows, Yu wanted to remind him that he has to change the bandages at least every second day because of how big the wound is.
His gaze falls on the open window-]Well... that's a thief for you. [Maybe he'll come back to pick up his coat. The shirt isn't usable anymore, but the coat is. He walks over with intention to close the window... but changes his mind. And walks back to the kitchen.
Steak and a long talk with Yosuke are waiting for him.]