awashlogs | Even when the starry sky dissolves at dawn

Nothing but the truth, as far as I can see.

[ And he offers a small laugh to go with that. It's true, he may have only known Lupin in person for barely a couple of months, but it's enough to figure out the tales about him have told no lies. ]

Ah, but please-- [ He sits up a little straighter, scoots over to make extra room on his wall of choice. ] Be my guest. Although I don't have much to offer other than a blanket and my company.

[ he's a gentleman, not a womanizer, okay!! there's a difference. as long as akechi knows that, he won't mind... ]

Fortunately, that's all I wanted.

[ with that easy reply, he sits himself down next to Akechi, taking off his (newly-recovered) hat and setting it in his lap as he does so. There's no lecture incoming this time - once in a while, it's nice to just talk to him. ]

It's nice, isn't it? I'm usually awake at night, so I was missing the stars. Got to wonder what the occasion is, though.

[ His idea of womanizer is vastly different from the harmless flirting he's seen Lupin doing (see: Shido) so he's safe, really. ]

I've been wondering if this is some kind of reward, myself. [ He nods in acknowledgement of Lupin's comment, then redirects his gaze upwards, lets his thoughts wander again. ] Although for something so big as the night sky and stars, I suppose our efforts would have to be a lot greater than whatever we put into those forum quests...

[ A reward for collective efforts, maybe? Hmm. ]

Who knows... I don't even know how they'd blot out the entire sky like that in the first place.

[ one gets the sense that Lupin's tired of trying to deduce things by logic around here. Not that he's given up on solving the puzzle - just that he's well-aware that nothing is going to work the way he thinks it is. ]

I hope you're right, though. It could be a sign we're on the right track.

Hm. [ A nod. ] whether we are on the right track or not, though, that is a mystery I will keep working on solving.

[ But, he can also feel that Lupin isn't all that willing to discuss theories or even try to make any sense out of their circumstances, so that's as far as he'll go. In all honesty, they could use a break, really. ]

But, I think for tonight, at least, I would rather appreciate the view and have some time to relax. So, consider this my off-duty night.

Don't worry - I've no intention of making you work.

[ Akechi probably needs that time to relax. He seems like he goes through a lot every time something in the town goes wrong; fortunately, he seems resilient, too, though it doesn't do much to keep Lupin from worrying about him. Lupin is glad that he found him just enjoying the stars tonight and not devoid of color or covered in blood. ]

Have you seen any shooting stars?

[ Oh, Lupin, if only you knew. Losing his color and being covered in wolf blood is hardly the most trouble this kid has gotten himself into. ]

Shooting stars? [ He takes a moment to ponder over the question, then shakes his head. ] None so far, I'm afraid. They would be even harder to see in Tokyo, so I suppose this place might be my only chance.

[ A soft chuckle slips out, in anticipation of his own following comment, and then: ] Ah, but if we do spot any, don't forget to make a wish!

[ Right. As if wishes could actually be magically granted like that. ]

[ looks like Akechi anticipated where he was heading with that one. He smiles wryly. ]

I never saw too many in Paris, either. But when I got to England, I made friends with a man who's in love with the stars - he dragged me out to look at meteor showers and things like that a few times. I don't remember what I wished for at all.

[ Impey's probably worried about him at this point, regardless of how much faith he has in Lupin. Sorry, buddy. With a small shake of his head, he turns to Akechi. ]

I've got one this time, though. What about you?

A wish...?

[ He blinks once, and a soft hum escapes him lips as he lets his thoughts wander again. Of course he has a wish, perhaps one too many, even; he wishes for revenge, and acknowledgement, wishes for affection and attention like he never had. But none of those are wishes he can openly share. ]

I suppose going back home isn't a very unique wish, is it? [ He offers with a laugh, an answer he believes would sound normal enough, coming from any other teenage kid. ] It's not that I don't appreciate the company, by any means, but being held captive is hardly a situation I'm comfortable with.

[ That's probably only a half truth, though. Hostage situation aside, does he really want to go back to the hell he calls a life...? ]

[ Lupin tsks at that reply. ]

That doesn't count and you know it. I'd bet almost everyone here wants to go back. [ except Ryoji, apparently. ] You must have something more... Akechi-specific, right?

[ he, of course, has no idea what Akechi is thinking inside - he just assumes he's being shy and humble, as he sometimes can be. ]

Hmm... Well, I might not look like it, but I sometimes wish Santa Claus were real, haha...!

[ Is a lame joker any better? No? Can he really not dodge this conversation at all, he's running out of ideas here...

Oh, fine. Might as well offer some honesty, for a change. ]

The truth is, there is not much I wish for. [ Y'know, aside from revenge and all that fun stuff, but Lupin probably can't help him with that. ] Nothing that I would rely on a star for, at least. When you're on your own, you quickly learn not to expect anything to happen as though by magic, and that the only way to make your wishes come true is to work hard for them.

[ This is... probably the first time he has told anyone in this place about his past, isn't it...? ]

[ that line is so lame that it even gets a "seriously?" look out of Lupin, although he does offer a (disbelieving) smile and a cocked eyebrow. Akechi is even cheesier than him sometimes, and that's saying something. Still, he manages to ignore it, listening to what Akechi has to say instead.

The sentiment is surprisingly familiar. Akechi has the manner of a well-bred, educated young man, and he even works on the side of the law. If he didn't know him better, he'd assume this talk of being on his own was teenage dramatics. ]

... Well, you're not wrong. If the stars were listening, I would've eaten like a king when I was a kid. [ not an outright statement about his own past, either, but an oblique nod to it - an acknowledgement that he knows where Akechi is coming from, in some way. ] But just because they're not listening doesn't mean nobody is.

[ he's the one asking, isn't he? ]

[ "Eaten like a king," huh? Sounds like Lupin went through his own share of hardship in his childhood, although poverty is hardly a plot twist in a thief's background. He would like to know some more, but prying wouldn't be very polite to do...

Hmm. Maybe if he shares some more of his own...? ]

In my case, nobody ever was. [ And yes, he gets what Lupin is subtly implying here, and that's why he takes the care to use past tense for this. It might be too late, but it's still nice to have someone who is here to listen. ] Planning out summer vacation trips, asking a child what they want to do for their birthday or what they would like to get for Christmas... Those are all things a parent would do.

[ And he didn't have any of that-- no family holidays, no birthday parties, no lazy days in the summer sun. Good parents wouldn't magically come to life, so that's one thing off his list. And wishing to go back in time and erase his own existence is... surely not something he could tell anyone, either. ]

I suppose that is why I can't think of any wishes to tell you about. More often than not, I don't let myself indulge and think about hypotheticals.

[ And when he does, what he wishes for is always revenge. ]

[ that basically confirms what Lupin had guessed from his previous comment. Though they've lived together for around two months now, Akechi didn't tend to talk about himself very much; this is probably the first time he's heard anything personal about his life back home outside of detective work. Sure, he seems well-bred and educated - but, then again, Lupin's good at acting that way, too.

He'd always been entirely alone as a kid, living on the streets and scrambling to survive; birthdays and christmas presents had been outrageous luxuries that he didn't even have time to think about, let alone wish for. Akechi's sentiment is more than familiar to Lupin. He watches the young detective pensively through lowered eyelashes, thinking on how to respond. ]

Yeah. I know.

[ his voice is a little softer and gentler than usual, lacking its usual pomp. There's no point in apologizing or offering condolences. They don't help, and if Akechi's anything like him, he doesn't want them in the first place. But he can offer him understanding. Again, he's not explicit about his own circumstances, but there's something in his response that's heavier than mere sympathy. There's a pause after that; then, Lupin shifts, sitting up on one knee and facing towards Akechi fully. He speaks again, more seriously. ]

... A gentleman thief always indulges. He lives by his own justice, in his own style, and if there's a hypothetical he'd like to make real, he fulfills it. Whether it's his own, or someone else's. [ with a dramatic flourish, he places one hand over his chest, bowing his head obsequiously before looking up with a small grin. ] Goro Akechi. The Gentleman Thief Arsène Lupin has heard the wish inside your heart, and will grant it with certainty.

[ It's wasn't quite a revelation, but there was definitely something different about the way Lupin had acknowledged that confession; it wasn't sympathy or condescending pity - and Akechi never liked any of that, had no need or use for it - but neither was it the sentiment of someone who could could only relate to Akechi's past in the realm of hypotheticals. It was something else. It was the honest feelings of someone who had been through the same.

But, he doesn't have the time to ask any questions, or even wonder much longer. Next thing he knows, Lupin is on his knee, grand and performative, making promises to grant wishes he was only half aware of. Could his heart even make such a call, if he wasn't sure it was even there, still...? ]

It's no wonder he acts the way he does...

[ It's only a whisper, as low as it's ambiguous, the sign of Akechi indulging his own thoughts again. Akira - no, Joker - is very much the same way, pompous and overly confident, far too fond of theatrics. Probably a little too reckless with his promises, too. Truly Arsene Lupin's other self. ]

Very well. [ Focus properly shifted back to the man in front of him, Akechi offers a soft chuckle in response-- curious, amused and indulging in equal parts. ] I'm not quite sure what wishes you may have heard, but coming from the legendary gentleman thief, I can only expect something rather grandiose.

[ And then, with a playful wink of his own: ] Just make sure it's not too great of a heist, or else I might not be able to turn a blind eye on it, okay?

[ if Akechi thinks he didn't hear that, he's wrong!! But Lupin doesn't comment on it. Instead, he breaks character to give him a big smile that's more genuine. ]

I know exactly what I heard. You might be a detective, but you're more like me than you think.

[ he's not fond of talking about himself; still, he owes Akechi at least that bare minimum of an admission. ]

Anyway, don't worry about that. I won't be stealing anything but some of your time. Besides, you're a hundred years too early to catch me!

[ More like him than Akechi would think, huh? No, he's always known this-- he has always been more thief than detective, and the only justice he really ever cared about was his own. It's what made him closer to the Phantom Thieves than he would say out loud-- what made him have fun with them, more so than he would like to admit.

It's probably what has made him grow a little fond of his roommate, too. Being able to relate to people like this... he can't say he has ever really experienced that before. ]

But you're sitting right next to me, Lupin-san. If I wanted to catch you right now, I could.

[ And while his own smile isn't as big and genuine as Lupin's, it is perhaps not as fake as it normally is, either-- and not remotely condescending, as he might feel inclined to doing with other adults on occasion. ]

But, if all you're taking is some of my time, then it shouldn't be a crime at all. It is not theft, if I willingly give it to you.

Don't bet on it, kid.

[ akechi's confidence is endearing; it only cements his decision to do something for him. For all his quips and smiles, there was something a little stiff and lonely about him - Lupin thinks this conversation's explained what that is. He didn't have a family. He's probably not used to being around people that much, by the looks of things. In a sense, he'd had worse luck than Lupin; eventually, he did have someone to give him parties and pay attention to him, even if that person betrayed him in the end.

He hasn't known Akechi that long, but he can tell he's a good kid. He may as well pay it forward. ]

I'd ask when your birthday is, but I suppose we don't have a clue what day it is here anyway.

[ Akechi only offers a soft chuckle at that first response, always friendly and polite. The more time he gets to spend with Lupin, the more he realizes he truly is the original Phantom Thief: overly confident, way too self-assured, but also undeniably alluring. Perhaps getting this chance to meet him in the flesh wasn't such a bad detour from his plans, after all.

But then he goes on, and Akechi hooks an eyebrow in curiosity. ] My... birthday?

[ That was... a little sudden, though Akechi supposes he did mention something about birthdays in passing. Was Lupin planning to take him out on his birthday or something? It's not like they even had any places to go... ]

You're right, that would be rather pointless without a calendar. [ And like this, he keeps the information to himself-- keeps himself from building expectations, and from being disappointed later on. ] Were you planning to bake me a cake, though? Is that one more of your many skills?

[ he'd take you out if he could, akechi, but there's nowhere to go... instead, he has to make do with what he has. It's a little disappointing that Akechi doesn't take the bait and give him the actual date, even though it doesn't matter. Lupin simply wanted to know. Just in case. ]

Hmmm... Well, I bet I could make one if we actually had the ingredients. Nothing too fancy, though. I just know enough to get by.

[ he relaxes his posture once more, sitting cross-legged on the ground. ]

My friend Impey, though - I bet he could bake you a great cake with just the stuff we have laying around here. He's a genius in the kitchen.

[ Maybe Akechi will tell him, at a later time, if his birthday ever becomes an auspicious occasion. As it is, he just doesn't feel like there's anything to celebrate, when his own parents never wanted him.

(Although, hearing that Lupin would be willing to bake him a cake does warm his heart, just a little bit.) ]

Well, if we ever get the chance, I would love to try that. I may not look like it, but I'm rather fond of sweets.

[ He's not, really-- in fact, he doesn't care about the taste of food at all. It's an useful quirk, in a place like this. ]

Ah, but that's... the same friend you used to watch the stars with, correct? It sounds like the two of you were fairly close.

Actually, you look exactly like the type.

[ what does that mean?? you figure it out, akechi. Lupin can just easily imagine him scarfing down cake, for some reason...

But he leaves that for the time being, nodding at Akechi's question. His past may be something he's reluctant to discuss with people, but he doesn't mind talking about his present - especially to someone who already knows what he does. ]

Mm, that's right. Originally, we were... well, I guess you could call us business partners. I met him two years ago when I came to London. He's an idiot, but he's a good guy.

[ Akechi's only response to that first comment is a slight tilt of his head and a single blink. What does that mean, indeed...

But then Lupin is talking about his friend, and Akechi sees it as an opportunity to learn more about him. Maybe it's true, what Lupin said about Akechi being more like him than he knows-- at least as far as being fairly secretive about their past. ]

Business partners... Does that mean he, too, was a thief-- or at least someone who assisted you in your heists?

[ he shakes his head. ]

Nope. Just the opposite, actually - he had something stolen from him, and I happened to be tracking down the people who stole it for entirely separate reasons. That's how I met him. We figured we may as well work together to find them. [ that's the gist of it, at least. ] He's a genius engineer - says he's going to fly to the moon someday.

[ the light way in which lupin talks about him speaks of their familiarity. If he were less strict about showing weakness, there might even be a hint of loneliness in his voice, but he does a good job keeping it locked out. ]

[ Yes, their familiarity is obvious just from the way Lupin speaks about him, and even though he doesn't show it, Akechi does wonder if he feels sad, talking about someone who isn't here. It's hard to relate when Akechi himself doesn't have anyone to miss. ]

So you tempted an otherwise upstanding citizen to the wrong side of the law... Lupin-san's charm truly is a force to be reckoned with!

[ It's not a joke, but he laughs, anyway, airy and friendly. Praise is often a very effective technique. ]

Flying to the moon, though... That sounds like a fairly romantic notion. I wonder if this, too, was the result of your influence on him.

Even when the starry sky dissolves at dawn

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