Day 12 date - Akechi

[assent]

[ The first library isn't exactly somewhere she wanted to go on a date--though it isn't because of the fact there had been a fire here but Other Reasons she doesn't plan on bringing up.

She brings blankets for the floor though, along with a couple of books from the other library which will hopefully make more sense once Akechi arrives. She's wearing a blue dress today, and again has her hair down simply because trying to braid it all the time on her own is Painful.

There is a bottle of water and a small carton of juice that she brought with her, though not much else.

While waiting for him to arrive she already has one of the books open on her lap and is reading it. ]

Comments

[afailedmurder]

So late...?

[a little hesitant to even ask]

[assent]

Um... [ Her hand moves to tuck her hair behind her ear, eyes shifting away from him. ] For one thing, this is nearly over, is it not...?

[ She is definitely hesitating too long on the rest though, because it's hard to do this in a way that won't make everything else awkward or upset him or anything. ]

For another, I...

[afailedmurder]

[Good news, this is already awkward and he is already upset.]

You don't have to explain.

I cant believe i did this on my phone it took forever

[assent]

[ idk what he expected tbh. He has months of experience on her with this. Besides, despite having a thing with both Allen and Rin she still hasn’t had much in the way or confirmation of their feelings so it’s... hard to know what to say with that in mind too. She doesn’t look happy—actually a little miffed—that he cuts in before she can get the words out. ]

Yes, I do. I do not wish to leave this place with the regret of not saying any of this, nor do I wish that you would never hear it. [ Time to extol some virtues!!! ] You are a wonderful person, after all. You are handsome, make me laugh and smile and despite everything you have been through...you are still capable of loving others. Perhaps the saddest thing is that had I known earlier I would have had an easier decision to make. As it is... both of us have someone else we care about a lot. Is it still okay to try making this into a real date if that is the case?

[ Unlike Akechi she doesn’t have the confidence in that security at all. Rip. This goes down as the second worst confession in history—right after what she told Shuichi tbh. ]

you are more dedicated than I

[afailedmurder]

[What else would he expect besides humiliating rejection? He can't even fully enjoy all these compliments while he's waiting for the other shoe to drop. By the time she's finished speaking he's so caught up in his own emotions and fear of rejection that he isn't even sure how he feels.]

Is it okay... with you?

i couldn't sleep .......

[assent]

[ Akechi please... it isn't like she wants this to be complicated either. She knows Allen said he was a little bit bothered by her having the date with him before though so it isn't something she can jump into without... considering things.

Despite that, neither of them have promised her eternal romance or whatever either.

And again there are like. 2 days. Left.

So. ]

...Yes. [ She lets out a breath, like trying to eradicate all the tension from herself. No turning back now, after all. ]

May I move closer?

[afailedmurder]

Please.

[His instantaneous response clarifies how he feels, though it's somewhat remiss in explaining why he feels so very very much, seemingly all of the time.]

[assent]

[ She does look relieved as well when he responds so quickly, knowing things had been a bit touch and go there. With permission granted, however, she picks up the book and shifts from her current place on the blanket only to pause when she’s in front of him. ]

Um... if it is all right, may I lean back against you? It would help to show you the evidence printed in here as well.

[ Also, for cuddles of sorts but. Y’know. ]

[afailedmurder]

Y-yes, of course.

[He's doing it! Doing a date!!]

[assent]

[ !!

Now that she's here though it takes a burst of courage to twist around and lean back--whether he catches on and shifts himself so she can settle herself in the middle of his legs or she ends up on his lap is another story altogether.

She draws her own knees up once settled though with her head resting back against his shoulder and the book resting against her lap. It's clearer to see the title now, Affaire Classée - thankfully one of them definitely speaks French, so. ]

Some of these you may be familiar with, but I thought we could choose whichever seemed the most interesting?

[afailedmurder]

[He does catch on, for better or worse, and moves to accommodate her. For a moment he is hesitant, unsure of what to do with his hands, but eventually just goes for it, wrapping his arms around her waist and settling in to look over her shoulder.]

Why am I not surprised you can read French?

[assent]

[ She ends up swallowing hard when this just pulls her more back against him, her heart racing a little from how close they are now. ]

With my status I was expected to learn many languages, I can speak 30 in total.

[ She'll open the book to the contents now, while he lets... that sink in... ]

[afailedmurder]

That's incredible! That's a full 28 and 1/2 more than me.

[Probably slightly more than that, considering English education in Japan. More importantly, he's glad she can't see his face while they are this close. Where the hell is his chill? We would need a better detective to solve that mystery.]

[assent]

[ She is probably not so lucky given that she's in front of him, the flush on her face isn't going down anyway, whether he could see her or not. ]

Perhaps a little; however, the royal family has that we must learn so many to be able to be coronated into King or Queen. It... is rather useless now--or it would be if not for this.

[afailedmurder]

[pauses]

It's going to take some time to stop living about the past... but it's not useless. You'll find new uses for these things. At least, that's been my experience.

[assent]

[ She shifts slightly at that, tilting her head enough to try and see part of his face. ]

You still kept working as a detective, did you not?

[afailedmurder]

[his gaze is a little distant while talking about this subject]

Yes, but it's nothing like what I planned. It's been a long road getting here.

[assent]

[ She shifts again, twisting a little more with her legs dropping to rest against his. ]

Despite that, you have come quite far, no?

[afailedmurder]

I suppose I have. Despite everything, I'm very fortunate... not many can overturn their fate.

[assent]

I... I am glad you were able to, in that case.

[ She still doesn't have the full picture of what happened to him, but... this tells her something. ]

[afailedmurder]

[momentarily quiet and then just blurts it out]

I was dying or... perhaps dead. I'm not entirely sure.

[assent]

¡¿Que?!

[ She's startled by that, enough that she drops the book forward, twisting now properly to look at him because she did not

know

about this?????????? Akechi????????? ]

[afailedmurder]

I've made a number of mistakes...

[Nervous chuckle. Maybe he should have kept quiet?]

A-as you can see, however, I'm fine now.

[assent]

"Now"... [ She repeats the word much more quietly, concern evident on her face now as she looks at him. ]

Did you evade it with the devices given to you last time...?

[afailedmurder]

We weren't given devices last time. I was healed upon my entry to the game, and when I left, I returned to Kurusu's point in time rather than my own. After I'd already been... avenged, I suppose.