6/16: akechi

[randori]

[ He could barely stand to be there any longer in the garden. The moment he was let free, Natsuo had turned tail and left without even waiting to see the results of the votes. He'd gone through the rest of the day. It's getting late. Instead of going to his own room, he slides down in front of the one where Akechi and Eichi will be coming back to, trail of blood that would have been there, smeared under his shoes like the blood Akechi had somehow managed to hide until the very very end.

To be honest, he isn't sure he wants to see Akechi's face again. He isn't sure if Akechi wants to see his.

He thought they were friends. ]

Comments

[randori]

I won't let them take you!

[ He's saying it as much to himself as he is to Akechi, both hands wrapped around his wrist and fingernails digging into his skin. ]

As long as you stay with me, I'll make sure nobody will touch you! Eichi is worried about you! Souji says it's okay if you want to sleep over with him and me sometimes! I bet Sanji will look after you and cook for you like he does for me! Rebecca and Summer and Rapunzel! They're good people and we're friends- we'll be okay!

[doublecrows]

[that. . . kind of hurts, and yet Akechi doesn't pull away. he's far too shocked by Natsuo proclaiming rather loudly that he'll do what it takes to protect Akechi from whomever may be seeking revenge (or just an easy target). and the names he drops-- Souji, Sanji, Rebecca, Summer, Rapunzel-- why would any of them care a lick about what happened to him after today?]

Why. . .

[his need for validation is strong, and kind of pathetic. he knows it. but he's asking, anyway]

Why would any of you care about what happens to me?

[randori]

Because we're friends!

[ I hope Akechi wasn't wishing for some concrete reason why somebody would care, but for Natsuo, this is as concrete as it could ever get. It's because they're friends that he care— not even past tense- they are friends and even if Akechi is a little shit, even if all of it was a lie, that doesn't erase everything that'd he and Natsuo had shared together.

Everybody else, maybe they really couldn't care less about what happens to him. But for Natsuo, it's just this much. ]

Because I know you have reasons. Because I want to know those reasons. Because I want to get to know you. Because I don't want to give up on you.

[doublecrows]

[because we're friends]

[he says that now, even after everything, and he's so earnest about it that Akechi-- even in his insecurities-- can't find himself able to doubt it. that's terrifying, isn't it?]

[. . .]

[hesitantly, he twists his wrist in Natsuo's to take his hand, grasping it tightly]

Please, come sit down with me so I can see how bad your injury is. I'll tell you everything.

[randori]

[ He was ready to take another breath to continue shouting over Akechi's continued insistence that his injury mattered at the moment but—

"I'll tell you everything." ]

Everything. Everything, okay? You promised. No lies. No hiding. I'll go with you then.

[doublecrows]

Everything.

[EXCEPT THE HISTORIAN PART OOPS. . . but that's fine it'll come up on Tuesday]

This way.

[and now he'll lead Natsuo to the. . . tailor's? he needs some strips of cloth with which to wrap those injuries since he has no first aid supplies]