awashlogs | [Closed] Whistle while you work

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[Closed] Whistle while you work

WHO: Akira and Akechi
WHERE: An unused building in Ruga
WHEN: beginning of August
WHAT: Akira cleans his new cafe, with help from Akechi
WARNINGS: dumb boys

[The building used to be a general store, he thinks, but that's alright. It's a little less run down than the one or two actual cafe/restaurant buildings he found, and it has nice big windows in the front. There's a counter that can be re-purposed as a bar, and shelving behind that he can use to store coffee and other items. There's an area behind the counter he thinks he can one day use to set up a stove for curry, but for now the coffee is his primary goal.

So he's gathered up what cleaning supplies he has (a broom, some rags, a bucket full of water) and come this way. He thinks they can clear out some of the busted and moldy shelves, clean it up, and then get some tables and chairs from other buildings. Maybe get some paint, and make the place a little cheerier; bring in new oil lamps to light it.

It's a big project, but he thinks it will be worth it. He even seems a little excited, as he turns back to Akechi.]

Thanks for offering to help, by the way.

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Hmm. [ A nod. ] It's no trouble at all.

[ Except it is a whole lot of trouble.

Really, at the time, he hadn't given it much thought, so the offer came to him on a whim, out of that pesky urge to please and make amends. But now that he's taken a good look at the place Akira picked, the memories of his first days in Chroma have flooded right back in, and all the time and effort he and Lupin had had to expend just to make their house look inhabitable. Trying to put together anything resembling a business, though? Definitely an ambitious project.

Still, he figures it will be worth it. He has missed having a place where he can relax for a little while, and just sitting around with a warm drink and seeing a few people chattering up always did seem to make him feel a little less lonely, anyway.

(He might like the barista more than he likes the coffee, though. That's exactly what makes it all the more troublesome.) ]

Well, I suppose we have quite some work ahead of us! Where do you think we should get started? The shelves, perhaps?

[It will definitely be worth it; Akechi will see!

Akira looks around, taking in all the things they need to do, before nodding.]

We can move the worst of the shelves out to be used as firewood; the rest, we can move to the walls for storage. Once they're out of the way, it'll be easier to clean the floors.

[There's shelving on the walls, too. He points at it.]

We'll take down what's moldy up there, too. The rest... I guess I can put decorations on it...?

[By which he mostly means, things people give him that he wants to display. Some things never change.]

[ That's... so much physical labor, though. Akechi is supposed to be the brains in the operation, but... ]

It sounds like you've given this quite some thought already. I'm impressed.

[ He's not as impressed with the amount of work they'll have to do around the place, though. Why did he even sign up for this... ]

Very well. Let us not dilly-dally for too long.

[ That said, he procures a small scrap of fabric from his pocket and improvises a hair tie with it-- there's not a lot he can do about his bangs, but a ponytail will at least keep most of his hair out of the way. Next, he approaches what looks like one of the shelves in worst condition and positions himself on one side, ready to push it outside.

He does give Akira a bit of an expectant look, though. He's gonna help him out here, right? ]

[Because friends help friends, of course!

Akira watches Akechi tie up his hair, but tries not to be too obvious about it. He tries to remember if he's ever seen Akechi tie his hair back like that; as good as it looks down and kind of shaggy, it looks cute tied up...

He quickly shakes that thought away. Focus on cleaning!

So he comes over to the other side of the shelves, ready to pull.]

Let's go. One, two... three.

[And they're off!]

[ And they're off!!

... or they would be, if the shelf didn't all but crumble, at first from what was clearly too much strain on its termite-infested legs, followed by the impact of one (1) Pleasant Boy's body losing his balance and falling over, right on top of whatever had managed to stay in one piece for all of a half second. Oops? ]

... ah, well. [ He laughs it off from his very uncomfortable spot on the floor. Gotta really capitalize on that gap-moe!! ] I suppose that makes it easier to carry it outside...?

[ It might not even be that bad an idea, if they're just going to re-purpose it as firewood? He just... wishes they'd come to that solution in less painful ways. Ow. ]

[Akira stares.

And then he laughs, a light chuckle, into his hand. He can't help it; he was just thinking of how hot Akechi looks, and now...

Well, he's still hot. But also in the floor. The gap-moe is very strong.]

Here. [He reaches down to help him up, and hopefully to make up for his laugh.] You okay?

[ Don't even think for a second he didn't hear that laugh, okay, you're on his hit list, Kurusu!!

He does graciously accept the offer to help him back on his feet, though, and just brushes himself off once he's properly up again. ]

Hmm, thank you. It's hardly the worst I have been.

[ The answer is light-hearted, and supposed to dismiss any lingering concerns, though it does inadvertently reveal a little more than he should be comfortable with. Well, one can always chalk it up to an active childhood and maybe a broken leg or arm-- definitely not searing pain and open wounds he had to tend to by himself while getting the hang of the Metaverse on his lonesome, absolutely not.

But he's not going to let that topic linger up in the air for long, anyway. Just in case. ]

I do mean what I said earlier, though. If this is furniture we were planning to scrap later on, then we might as well tear it down to make the cleaning process easier.

[What else is new?

He wonders at that, if Akechi is really just making light-hearted small talk or if he's hinting at worse things. Things that happened to him in the Metaverse... or perhaps even before that.

But Akira doesn't ask.]

So tear it all down, huh?

[He looks around at the remaining back shelves, then back at Akechi, raising an eyebrow.]

You want to do the honors?

[Because he knows well of Akechi's, ah... destructive tendencies.]

Hmm... [ He brings a hand to his chin, his own look following after Akira's, focused on the back shelves. ] While I wouldn't mind doing it, I don't think I have the necessary equipment on me at the moment...

[ A pause, as another idea seems to come to his mind. So he turns, this time to look at Akira with just a bit of a grin. One that may or may not border on... giddy. ]

You don't suppose it would be too much to resort to our Personas to do it, do you?

[ Come on, Akira. Let him put that destructive energy to good use, do it, you coward!! ]

[That is... quite the look. But Akira can imagine where he's coming from, and maybe letting Akechi release some steam in a productive context might actually be good for him.

So he shrugs, taking a step back.]

Knock yourself out.

[A pause, and he grins and adds:] Just don't let Robin Hood destroy the place. Remember that I'm the poor and not the rich.

[ With a satisfied chuckle, Akechi steps forward, towards the shelves, but pauses just as Akira adds to his own line of thought. ]

Oh, don't worry about that.

[ And then he turns, just enough to give Akira his profile from over his shoulder, his smile carefully hidden. ]

I wasn't planning on using Robin Hood.

[ But what could that possibly mean, hmmmm?

... alas, it's not Loki, either.

What that means is that, once the usual flash of light fades away and he's properly geared up in his princely suit and red mask, he's going to be taking his sword and going for all out melee attacks against the furniture. Whether it was the outfit or the Persona that had previously powered his pew pew gun, surely it would work for his toy light saber, right? So sit back and enjoy the view, Akira, he's going to be hack-and-slashing for a little while. ]

[Akira isn't surprised when it isn't Loki. He doesn't think Akechi has suddenly dropped his mask that easily.

He steps back, out of the way of any flying debris, occasionally ducking under the counter to spare his face. He's never been so happy to have glasses to give his eyes at least some protection here.

Akechi is going at it with a fury, and Akira is almost impressed; he must have been holding that back a while. Once he's finally stopped and the dust has cleared, he straightens up, dusting off his arms and pants as best he can.]

Good job.

[ Oh, he had definitely been holding it back-- he's always bottling it all up, his rage, his disdain for the world, and every single bit of darkness taking over what was left of his heart.

Once he's done with that seems to be the furniture in worst condition, he brings a hand to the back of his neck and rolls his head, basking in tension relief and that sweet, sweet rush of adrenaline-- just about the only thing that still makes him feel truly alive these days.

And just like that, his head drops to one side and his voice, to a whisper, lazy and drawled out, eyes seeking Akira. ]

You haven't seen everything I can do.

[ Just a small slip of his mask, a miscalculation in his plans, though deep down, he should've seen it coming; destruction always beckons to his real self.

But it's only there for a second, gone as soon as Akechi reverts to his regular outfit, furtive secrets replaced with pleasantry. ]

But, I'll accept those words of praise later. For now, I believe we should focus on taking these out, correct?

[For that brief moment, a chill runs through Akira. It's easy, in these quiet, happy moments he has with Akechi, to forget who exactly he is, and what he's done.

But of course, Akechi seems happy to remind him.

But it's gone as instantly as it came, and Akira also relaxes, coming back around the counter.]

It'd probably be easier if we had something to carry it with...

[There's a pause while he thinks, then he heads to the back of the store, where there's a storage room. He's hoping... ah!

The cart itself is about to fall apart, but it's better than nothing. Now that the shelves are all busted up, it should be easy to haul them in this. He wheels it out.]

[ A cart-- and still in somewhat working condition! He wasn't really expecting that-- burlap sacks would have been his safest bet-- but this is a welcome surprise. ]

Would you look at that... It seems we have lucked out!

[ Assuming it doesn't collapse on the way out like that first shelf did, anyway. But they'll deal with that if that happens; for now, Akechi wastes no more time and busies himself with loading up the cart with pieces of wood. ]

Speaking of luck, have you noticed small crates of food showing up by people's doors recently?

[ This isn't just idle conversation to pass the time, Akira, just wait for it. ]

[It probably won't last long, so they need to make it work as best they can.

He starts gathering up alongside Akechi, focusing on filling the cart as full as it will handle.]

We got coconuts, ketchup, and sardines.

[Which is a mix he can't really do anything with.]

Oh? That's quite the mix, actually. Lupin-san and I only got spinach...

[ Which is... oddly reddish for spinach, so it took them a while to even be able to properly recognize it. It makes him wonder, though, why his place seems to be the only one who got stuck with a single type of food-- unusual combination though it might be, at least Akira's assortment had more variety to it.

Ah, well. That is beside the point. ]

However, after their appearance, I got a little curious and did some minor sleuthing around town-- call it a detective hunch, if you will. [ A giggle and a wink later, he adds: ] And I believe I may have some interesting findings...

[ He reaches for his phone in his pocket, swipes at the screen a few times then hands it over to Akira, revealing a picture of a crate with some... coffee? The color may be a little off, but it's definitely coffee! ]

[Akira looks at it, then raises his eyebrows in surprise. He wasn't expecting to see coffee, but there it definitely is - albeit it in an off color, but...]

Coffee... So, you think coffee has its color back?

[True, he doesn't know if anyone has experimented with the food they've received to see if it can be grown into colored products, but... usually, when something like this happens, it's because that thing has regained its color.

Maybe keeping the cafe running isn't entirely impossible, after all.]

If only we had a way to grow it...

That does seem to be often the case, whenever we are so generously gifted with food, doesn't it?

[ That generously might be served with a bit of sarcasm on the side, but for the most part, they are of the same mind; they can't be completely sure, but every time that has happened before, the result did seem to be a lasting color regain. At the very least, it's worth a try. ]

As for a way of growing it, I have been giving it some thought, as well. [ Because of course he had to be one step ahead, the big show off. But hey, as long as he's putting his cleverness to good use, right? ]

Not too long ago, we were also gifted with coins, which, in true fairytale style, could be traded off for wishes in the well. If we wish for coffee berries, then we'll have a way to grow them in the gardens.

[Of course Akechi is one step ahead of him on this one; he isn't surprised. The plan he's advocating here isn't bad, but there is one little problem with it.]

I already used my wish coin.

[On... coffee. And not the kind that could be planted, even if he had any left. Oops.]

Guess I didn't plan ahead.

[ ... ah. Of course he did, like the moron he is. But on the other hand, that's just as well; it gives Akechi the chance to show off even further. ]

Fortunately, planning ahead is something I'm rather good at.

[ With a smile that doesn't even bother to fake modesty this time, he puts his phone back in his pocket and, after a bit of searching, pulls his hand out in a fist. ]

I'm sure you'll recognize this.

[ And he opens his fingers, slow and deliberate, revealing a single coin just like the ones everybody else was granted earlier. Guess who doesn't give a damn about material goods and hasn't used his wish yet? ]

[Cut him some slack, he's had a rough couple of months.

He recognized the object in Akechi's hand instantly, of course. So he kept his, huh? Was there nothing he wanted at all...?

And there's another question here, and Akira can't help but sound a bit touched when he speaks.]

Are you offering this to me?

[ Well, let's not go so far as saying there is nothing he wants. There is plenty he covets, plenty he longs for, but he knows revenge must be conquered through his own hands, and love and affection can't be bought with a single coin.

... or could they? ]

I suppose I could keep with the theme and challenge you to a duel for it, but there is no way a simple rookie like me could ever hope to defeat a seasoned veteran like you.

[ Yeah, right. While he doesn't actually plan on battling it out right now, his own comment does make him wonder what the result might be, if he were to take on Joker with his whole powers, no holds barred... Even now, he can't help but feel giddy at the thought-- at the prospect of proving his superiority.

Alas, that, too, is a wish he cannot have. Not if he wants to stay true to that first one-- to continue to strengthen that bond, that is.

(For now, he thinks he does. But for how much longer...?) ]

Ultimately, it would be nothing more than an exercise in futility, so I would rather skip unnecessary steps and offer this to you. In a way, that, too, would be granting a wish.

[ Maybe even more than one, if he could make Akira happy, even if only a little. ]

[Akira doesn't comment on the duel idea, instead taking the coin and placing it safely in his pocket. They can go by the well later, once all the cleaning is taken care of.]

Thank you, really. It means a lot.

[The idea that he can keep this place going, that he can help people with it... that's important to him. And Akechi is doing so much to help him get it started, far more than Akira ever expected or would have ever asked.]

You know... you're really going all in on this project. [He searches Akechi's face, his lips tugging up in a smile.] Is that the wish you have?

[ There's a pause, and Akechi's eyes find what they had been looking for the minute they land on Akira's lips. ]

You could say that.

[ The corners of his own lips quirk upwards, and he finds himself wondering: how can a smile feel so sharp through his chest?

(He wonders, too, if this is why the metaphorical arrow has been long since chosen to portray this feeling.) ]

Besides, I've always believed in making my wishes come true with my own hands. [ A quick shake of his head to dismiss any intruding thoughts - and maybe the faintest hint of a fluster - and he busies himself with his task again. ] I might appreciate the chance to taste a good meal or get a change of clothes, but it would only amount to fleeting satisfaction. Something that I can devote time and effort to-- that's what makes it all the more rewarding.

[ Another pause, followed by a soft laugh, anticipating his own words. ]

But if you're really looking for a label, then let's just call that coin an investment.

[ There's a lot to be gained from this cafe, after all. ]

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