September Catch-all!

[doublecrowss]

Who: Akechi & various
Where: various
When: various
What: quests, feelings, whatever else
Warnings: None 

Top levels to be added!

Comments

Lupin

[doublecrowss]

[ The last few weeks had been relentless on Akechi's already unstable psyche-- and perhaps even more so on his fragile heart. Whether inspired by a quest on the forum or by the thought of losing the people he'd grown fond of, Akechi had been moved to talk about his feelings with open honesty, and that alone had been a hurdle in and of itself; even facing his real emotions was something he hardly ever did, but going as far as exposing them? Quite the novelty, that was.

As was the fact he had good feelings to share, like the depths of his soul weren't so dark anymore. Among thieves and criminals, he's found a place to belong, and a flickering light inside his heart.

And it's thanks to those bonds and one unlikely revelation that Akechi is standing right outside Lupin's room. When it comes to sharing his burdens, he's still very much a rookie, but more and more, Lupin has proven to be someone he can rely on, aside from generally being someone with experience in this particular topic of conversation, so coming to him just seems like the logical course of action. ]

Lupin-san? [ He announces his presence with a couple of knocks on the door, before turning it open and peeking inside. ] Do you have a moment?

[ ... then again, considering Lupin's connection to a certain other thief, this conversation might take a turn for the awkward, so it will probably take more than just one moment. ]

[heartsteals]

[ And Lupin is perceptive; he's good at reading tells, he knows Akechi's been anxious these past few weeks. Originally, he thought it would disappear once they'd rescued everyone from the island - he was a good kid, to get that worried about his friends. But time passed, and it became clear as day that there was something else on the young detective's mind.

He won't lie and say he doesn't like to pry; he does, when he thinks it's appropriate, such as helping his roommate sort out whatever's on his mind. He simply hasn't gotten a good chance to bring it up with him yet. As it turns out, he won't have to; Akechi's come to him instead. ]

For you? Certainly, monsieur.

[ Akechi will find him standing by his bed, looking down at his gentleman thief ensemble laid out on the bed - or the cloak, at least. He's been trying for a while to get a stubborn bloodstain out of it from the time he was bitten by a werewolf. Naturally, he looks up from it when Akechi enters, giving him a grin. ]

What's up?

[doublecrowss]

[ Once he's given permission, Akechi makes his way in, only to immediately frown at the stained cloak on Lupin's bed. That must surely be a memento from the time the werewolves attacked, and the memories associated with that particular event are still too fresh in his mind, haunting him despite his making amends with the people he hurt back then. People he cares about.

It's not that he hasn't ever realized that before, but it works as another reminder of how lucky he is to have someone like Lupin as a roommate and friend. Someone he's learned to rely on, slowly but surely. ]

I hope you're not too busy. [ With one last look at the stain, Akechi shifts his focus to Lupin, ponders over how to even start this. ] There's something I would like to discuss with you.

[ A pause. That's not quite right... ]

Or, rather, I suppose it's closer to seeking advice, actually. [ A smile, just a little bashful. ] I imagine you must have valuable expertise in this particular topic.

[heartsteals]

[ he hopes Akechi isn't too grossed out by the cloak - or, more seriously, too bothered by seeing it. The whole werewolf debacle had been rough on the two of them, and although Lupin has largely gotten over it, he has a feeling Akechi is a little bit more fragile than he is. With a shake of his head, he folds the cloak up, moving it off to the side so that he has room to sit on the bed; once he's seated, he pats the spot next to him, inviting Akechi to sit down, too.

He honestly has no clue what he's going to be asked about here. Lupin's got a lot of knowledge on a huge variety of topics, so it could really be anything... and, of course, it's going to be the last thing he expects from Akechi. ]

Advice, huh? I'm pretty confident in my worldly wisdom. What topic would that be?

Ochako

[doublecrowss]

[ As part of his quest to understand his own heart, Akechi has decided to conduct a very personal investigation on what he deems to be unlikely couples in Chroma. Ochako and Okuyasu were certainly one of the first pairs to come to mind, and a conversation he'd had with Lupin before worked as the perfect excuse to get more information on the guy without raising any suspicions.

(And maybe, just maybe, he had also been mildly concerned for Ochako's choice of boyfriend, though he knows he's not really in any place to pry or give advice on the matter. But... it doesn't hurt to make sure that weirdo is actually good enough for her, right?)

So he sets up their usual tea time at the usual (estimated) hour, and once he hears knocking on the door, he promptly answers with his customary smile. ]

Good afternoon, Ochako-chan. Please come in-- our tea will be ready in another minute or two.

[thriftea]

So soon? I'm really glad I wasn't running late today!

[Not that she ever runs late. She offers him an amused grin as she steps inside, but then... off to their usual table she goes! Gone are the days when she awkwardly waited for him to lead the way; they've had tea too many times now for her to feel out of place.]

I know I always say this, but thank you so much for sharing your tea, Akechi-kun! You're the best.

[doublecrowss]

There's no need for that. The reason why I even have tea at all was thanks to your world, so sharing is the very least I can do.

[ With a goodhearted chuckle at Ochako's unnecessary thanks, he closes the door behind them and lets her get comfortable while he goes fetch their tea-- the old kettle is already steaming, so it should be about ready. So he pours the liquid into Ochako's cup with his habitual "careful, it's hot" warning, before moving on to his own. ]

Although I must admit, our tea time today is also a bit of an excuse-- for having your lovely company, of course, but there's also a particular topic I would like to discuss with you.

[thriftea]

[Tea!! Heck yes. Ochako leans forward to catch a whiff of its pleasant aroma, instinctively curling a hand around her cup. A "particular topic," though? That's enough for her to put her tea appreciation on hold, and she glances right up at him.]

With me? [What'd she do? But after that split-second of surprise, her expression softens.] I mean, sure! You can talk to me about anything, Akechi-kun! And now I'm super curious, so...

[Spill it!]

Izuku

[doublecrowss]

[ Under the guise of a friendly visit and with the excuse to borrow his manual charger, Akechi has made his way to Izuku's place-- a largely conspicuous green house, sticking out like a sore thumb in an otherwise yellow district, which may as well signal the real reason behind this trip. Because it likely means a blue now lives there.

A blue who, as far as Akechi has gathered, is Izuku's boyfriend. And while he has no personal investment in that relationship itself, he may be interested in the principle behind it. Understanding what makes a previous friendship turn into something more, and the gradual shift from platonic to romantic... The thought still eludes him, somehow.

So, after a brief exchange of inbox messages so he won't drop by unannounced, Akechi comes over, knocks on the door a couple of times, and waits until someone answers. ]

[inheritance]

[With Izuku expecting the company, Akechi doesn't have to wait for long before the door opens for him.]

Hey, Akechi-kun! [Izuku greets him, his usual, bright smile already in place.] Come in, the charger's right on the table. No one else has asked for it today, so you can take as long as you'd like.

[doublecrowss]

Hello, Midoriya-kun. Thank you once again for sharing your charger.

[ Pleasant greetings out of the way, Akechi heads towards the table and quickly plugs his phone in. Working the lever is a mechanic motion, at least, so he can still make conversation as his phone slowly charges. ]

I've been trying to only use it sporadically, but I never realized before just how much I rely on my phone to keep track of potential evidence and clues. And there are always so many mysteries waiting to be solved in this place, haha...!

[inheritance]

Yeah? [It goes without saying that Izuku's always happy to keep his visitors company, but then Akechi brings up the evidence he's been collecting, and that only makes him all the more eager to stay.

He plops right down into the next chair, eyes bright.]

What kind of things have you been keeping track of? I've been thinking about taking my phone out with me to take pictures of the monsters we run into, but... I'm worried I'll end up breaking it or losing it along the way. [If there's anything that Izuku's learned over the past few months, it's that things never quite go the way you expect them to in Chroma. And phones aren't so easily replaced here.]

Ryo

[doublecrowss]

[ It's not as if they have had a lot of luck for the past... several quests they have done together, it's true, but Akechi continues to try, anyway; it's a way to learn more about Ryo, the one person who somehow manages to talk even less about himself than Akechi does, and perhaps the reason why he's so drawn to him. It's a mystery to be solved.

(But maybe it's also a matter of honor by now, just a bit. How can such brilliant boys keep failing miserably at such stupid tasks?)

So with renewed hope and a good dose of stubbornness on the side, they exchange a few words over private messages, and schedule a time and place, where Akechi is currently waiting for his quest partner. These never tend to be quite as straightforward as they seem, but surely, surely they can fetch some honey... right? ]

[apocalypticist]

[ Ryo is aware that they've had more failures than successes (and really, Dextera deserves more credit than Akechi does for making the memory sharing quest a success), but he hasn't given up yet. Akechi is by no means an incompetent person, so he's willing to keep trying. Maybe he'll learn a few things about him; he's clever and interesting enough to be worth keeping around.

He grabs an empty glass jar to put the honey in before heading over to their meeting place, dipping his head slightly in greeting when he sees the detective. ]

Hello, Akechi-san. What do you know about gathering honey? [ It's okay if he knows nothing, because Ryo is a walking Wikipedia with plenty of unnecessary knowledge about bees and honey. ]

[doublecrowss]

Ah, not a lot, I'm afraid. I'm quite the city boy, you see, haha.

[ Polite greetings and ice-breakers so properly dispensed, Akechi does proceed to reach for the bag he brought along, holding it open so Ryo can check the contents if he so wishes: an empty glass jar and a pair of knives for uncapping the honeycombs. ]

However, more than the honey extraction method itself, I'm concerned for the actual bees we might find. They're never quite the way we are used to, are they?

[apocalypticist]

[ Ryo takes a quick peek at the contents inside the bag, giving Akechi an approving nod. He's already got a jar and several knives under his coat, but it's good that Akechi came prepared as well. ]

I've previously encountered bees the size of a closed fist. [ Doing the quest with Dextera was... interesting. It went rather well, though; the bees were easily delt with and they got the honey without anyone getting stung. ]

Let's hope we don't run into any larger variants, or bees capable of breathing fire.

Minato & Kei

[doublecrowss]

[ Learning more about other Persona users was always something that took priority on his list, and now that they weren't actively fighting for their lives, quests were about the only good excuse he had to carry on with his private investigation.

Besides, this team in particular did seem to work out fairly well, or at least it did when the time came to fight the sirens. And considering he was under the impression Nanjo had something in mind for them to try, that is all the more reason to go slaughter some fairies together.

So he waits at the scheduled time and place, and once the two others arrive at the scene, he greets them with his usual smile, and a polite bow of his head. ]

Thank you for agreeing to this once again, Arisato-kun, Nanjo-san. I hope we will continue to get along.

[totheno1]

[Exactly at the scheduled time, the silhouette of Kei is visible as he makes his way over, sword behind him, briefly pushing his glasses upwards.]

Mr Akechi. Mr Arisato. It is good to see the both of you again. Thank you for indulging me in this idea of mine.

[It's certainly a lot more of a polite circle than he was used to, what with Mark, Brown, Reiji and their leader.]

[messianic]

I'm glad I could help.

[Minato just nods in response, one hand tucked into his pocket as usual, the other holding a sword.]

Besides, it's been awhile... have we ever taken on a quest where we had to fight something together?

the 21st

[theshowsover]

[It's early afternoon now. Akira has just finished up his lunch of soup, now mostly cold, made by Yata the day before, and he's taking advantage of a moment without customers to do some dishes. He's interrupted by the door opening, and he turns in time to see Akechi walk in.

He smiles immediately, dropping the dish he was washing into the basin and wiping his hands on his apron as he comes to the counter.]

You're here early.

[doublecrowss]

Oh? I didn't realize you were keeping track of my schedule.

[ Comes his melodious reply, almost as smooth as usual-- but only almost. Although he does tease Akira for it, it's true dropping by the cafe whenever it's open has become a part of his routine, notably by the end of the afternoon, right before closing hours. Today, however, he's allowed eagerness and anxiety to get the best of him, showing up a little early with a reason and an excuse.

The former is the reason why his mannerisms are slightly off, and the latter is a crutch he holds on to.

So with that thought in mind and not another word, he takes up his customary seat and slides a package over the counter, neatly wrapped in old newspaper. Inside, Akira will find a medium-sized wooden plaque; it's shaped like a rectangle with round edges, and the surface has been polished to the best of Akechi's abilities with what little tools they have available. The words "Cafe Morgana" and "Open" have been written in purple paint, in simple but elegant calligraphy. A fine job, really. ]

[theshowsover]

[Akira takes the package gingerly, unwrapping it slowly, but with an eager light in his eyes. He's excited to see what Akechi did.

And of course it's as elegant as he would have expected. Still simple, to match the more rustic theme of the cafe, but beautiful all the same.]

...It's awesome.

[Maybe the paltry praise is a bit short on words, but the smile he offers up to Akechi hopefully makes up for it, a sincere beam, bigger than normal, his eyes shining with appreciation.]

late september

[doublecrowss]

[ It takes him a few extra days and a very pushy conversation over inboxes, but Akechi finally sets foot in the cafe again after the latest events and painful memories within a memory he would like to leave behind. He knows that's not going to happen, though. He can never forget.

So maybe, he realizes, that means he should build new, happier memories that he can associate the cafe with. It is supposed to be his go-to place of relaxation, after all-- and the barista, his go-to person.

Unlike last time, he waits until his usual hour before he makes an appearance, until the final customer leaves Akira alone behind the counter. ]

I hope there's still time for one more cup of coffee.

[ It's how he chooses to announce himself, a bashful smile contrasting with the way he casually flips the cafe sign over, like he owns the place. ]

I'm not too late, am I?

[ For coffee, and maybe for resuming a different conversation they left unfinished. ]

[theshowsover]

[Akira's wiping down the counter when the door opens, and when he sees who it is, he can't help but smile, a little bashful himself in return. He'd been hoping Akechi would come back soon, and his light air now makes Akira hopeful that he won't run away this time.

He knows this has been a hard last several days on Akechi - it wasn't easy on him either. Things he'd rather not be revealed came out, and he witnessed more than his share of painful things. Especially once particularly painful thing.

But he's resolved to put all that behind him. The town wants to play tricks and try to hurt them, but he won't let it happen. This is his chance, his chance to be happy with Akechi, to try to change the outcome for the better. The machinations of the town can't set him back any further.

So his eyes are light and happy when he sees Akechi, to match his smile. He's so glad to see him.]

I always have time for my VIP.

[He turns to grab for some beans, Akechi's usual roast.]

[doublecrowss]

[ With a light chuckle, Akechi closes the door behind him and heads over to his usual stool, right in front of the counter. There's a faint stain left on the surface from where Akira dropped a full cup of coffee, overwhelmed by the pressure of a hand and a memory he should never have to witness.

For a second, Akechi recoils, and he almost questions his decision to come back here today. Almost. ]

I promise I won't let it go to waste, this time.

[ His coffee, and his chance for happiness. ]