ɪɴʙᴏx [ᴇxᴘɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴ]

[chemex]

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[chemex]

[He does not miss the way her hand goes to that chain, and grins faintly. Point for Scott.]

[But then-- Yu? Akira's eyebrows shoot upward into his hairline and he blinks, but... Well, he can't blame her, Yu's pretty hot. And he certainly isn't one to judge the protagonist desire to hold everyone's hands.] Yeah?

[orphne]

Yeah. He's like us.

[In more ways than one, not just having multiple Personas. A magnetic charisma, an easy-going charm, and the same willingness to have fun and just go for something. Plus, he's pretty cute!

But she hadn't intended to tell Akira about that. Like, it isn't as though it's all that important. There's a faint hint of a frown in her brows, but she dismisses it in short order.]

It's nothing serious, don't worry! [A wink and a smile as she nudges Akira's arm with her elbow.] He took me to fly kites on the beach, though. Probably not Goro's style, huh?

[chemex]

Oh, you mean a Wildcard? Yeah, we talked about that a bit.

[He grins, wrinkling his nose a little.] Notsomuch. He'd park his ass somewhere with an umbrella and read, complaining when anyone tried to get him to actually have fun.

[orphne]

So you're saying we should take him to the beach and make him have fun.

[Surely between the two of them, they can get him off his butt and enjoying himself in spite of himself. She laughs a little as she swings open the gates to the farmlands, holding them open for Akira to enter before closing it behind her. Don't want the animals to escape!]

It's kind of nice, though, [she adds after a moment's thought.] Pretending to be normal with everyone.

[chemex]

As long as no one tells him it was my idea.

[Akira will literally pick his crabby ass up and drag him into the ocean until he laughs, don't test him. He slips into the fenced area and does a curious little circle watching her close the gate, because... He's never actually been here, he doesn't think? Somehow. He's looking off into the yard when she speaks, and hums a moment before he turns to her belatedly.] Oh, you mean not saving the world as teenagers?

[orphne]

You can blame me!

[She laughs again and tosses him a wink once the gate is latched. There are cows and sheep visible on other parts of the farm, and plenty of crops growing. The chickens are, of course, able to roam where they please, but Kotone doesn't head toward any of that. Instead, she turns down another path, one that looks like it was cut more recently, deeper into some of the surrounding woods. Not the creepy woods, just normal woods.]

That, and just... doing normal stuff. Going to parties, playing games, going on dates. It's like... [she kind of waves her hand and shrugs helplessly.] Hard to explain!

[chemex]

[He grins, holding his hands up in an "OK" sign, and then looks at each of the animal groupings as he follows her before focusing on the path and that they're headed into the woods.] ...some place this is, 's got a little of everything.

[A nod.] Mmn. I'm..., I dunno, I think I did so much in Tokyo that I'm burnt out, I just kind of want to stay in. [He's also been traumatized and is experiencing a good old Depression, but that's beside the point.]

[orphne]

Mmhm! I live there.

[She points to the farmhouse. That's Astralin's house, mind, not hers. She may have been living there for months, but it's still not hers.

Still, she gives Akira a hum and a smile, if tempered with a hint of concern. Burned out... not really a concept she's familiar with (if only because she feels it all the time but doesn't know any other way to be).]

I think it's still good to get out. I get sad if I stay inside too much by myself.

[Dazai said it's "depression" but that definitely can't be true because she's not sad all the time!!]

[chemex]

[His hands slide into his pockets as he walks, his posture pinning inward as he does so. He hums, but otherwise doesn't comment.]

[He knows how it looks. He's cried more since the maze than he did the whole year he was in Tokyo, and he's hardly left his apartment. He's getting better, he thinks, but he's well aware it doesn't look especially healthy. It's part of why he's trying to follow Kotone's energy and not turn tail and slink away.]

[orphne]

[Uh-uh. Give her one of those hands, bucko. She extends one hand in offer for him to take, if he wants, but it's less of an offer and more of a demand. Take it. Take it-!!

Either way, she keeps leading the way without further comment, deeper into the trees. He'll be able to feel the humidity start rising, and some awfully familiar architecture coming into view -- a Japanese-style open-air bath.]

Astralin-san worked really hard on this. I think he'll open it officially soon, but for now... it should just be us. [She gives him a smile and a raise of her eyebrows. Worth leaving the house for?]

text;

[orphne]

Akira!
I'm coming over, put pants on. :)

[chemex]

too cold for freeballing, come on in

[orphne]

[And within a few minutes, come in she does, a paper bag in one hand as she looks around for him. Hello? Bestie?]

I brought you some sugar cookies. Want them now, or should I put them in the kitchen?

[chemex]

[He’s at least not sprawled half-in and half-out of bed again this time? He’s in the kitchen, though his hair is still a little messier than usual, indicative of him having not actually left the apartment today.]

[That and the fact that he’s only wearing pants. He is, however, making coffee, and turns around with two mugs when she comes in, grinning.] Bring ‘em in here, I’ve got coffee.

[orphne]

Too cold that you gotta wear pants, but not cold enough that you need a shirt?

[She grins a little at him and drops the bag off on the table, holding her hands out for the coffee. Give it!! Give!!

But it's good to see him on his feet. After the attempted kidnapping, Yosuke and Deku getting killed, and everything else on the island... at least he's moving. None of that shows on her face though as she wiggles her fingers, waiting for him to surrender the coffee.]

How're you doing?

[chemex]

Hey now, too cold for freeballing and too cold to be without pants are two very different states of being. [He presses a mug into her reaching hands, and very pointedly diverts his attention back to the counter to get his own at the question.]

"I'm alive" isn't the answer you're looking for, but it's about the best I've got. [Has Kotone started to catch on that he shitposts a lot harder when he's stressed or upset?]

video

[coordinatroll]

[ The video opens to Mitama, though just like in her recent post, she's wearing her "disguise". She's here on an important business, after all. ]

Ho, ho, ho! Thank you for joining our Secret Santa event~ It's time to find out what ─ or rather who ─ your assignment as Santa's Little Helper for this year is! Drumroll, please...

[ She makes a pause for a dramatic effect, her hand slipping into a Santa hat she's holding and pulling out a small piece of paper with a name on it. ]

It's none other than... Scott Summers, the love-struck boy with rose-tinted glasses!

Remember, you should present your assignee with a gift of your choice until December 25th! Good luck, and remember: your main task is to spread joy, happiness and the spirit of Christmas cheer!

Miss Santa Coordinator, out!

[orphne]

What's it called if a girl walks around without pants?

[She gratefully accepts the mug, though, leaning against the closest counter and grinning as she blows on the hot coffee. Akira's coffee always is a treat! It kind of reminds her of when she used to work for that café in Tatsumi Port Island or when she'd go there to hang out with Shinji.

More importantly, though, Akira's... being himself. She hums, acknowledging what he'd said with a bit of a shrug.]

Being alive is a pretty good start, at least!

[chemex]

[He thinks on that, frowning.] Not sure, actually. I'll get back to you on it.

[His shoulders hunch slightly, but he nods.] 's been kinda rough lately, so it's better than the alternative.

[orphne]

[She hums again. Ain't that just the way, though? Things get tough, and not everyone makes it through, but they have to live each day to the fullest they can.

Shifting the mug to one hand, she raises her other in a clear "come here," gesture. Lean against this counter and slouch into her waiting arm, buddy. It's a half a hug, but it's the best she can do when she's got coffee.]

I'm glad you're here, [she says simply, just as a reminder.]

[chemex]

Free lipping, maybe...? [He offers, more quietly than usual as he's just thinking out loud, and he trails off when she holds her arm out. His expression goes from confusion to hesitance, but he does shrug his way into her.]

...'m glad you're here, too.

backdated to late november-event. let's ball

[murderingjustice]

[There's nothing quite like having to go through the anniversary of one of your worst traumas and then having your significant other, who just happens to be involved in said trauma, to be kidnapped and almost drowned. Fighting the monster had eased some of the tension and brought the much needed distraction from the issue at the hand, but still statement stays: November sucks.

It's been a long and exhausting ordeal and Akechi finally makes it home with Akira. But stepping past the threshold doesn't bring the ex-detective any relaxation or work feeling of safety. It's the opposite now that they were alone, actually, with the heavy cloud from their argument at the docks still hanging above them.

And now that he thinks of it... how long has it just been since he and Akira spend time under the same roof like this?]

You should go and take a bath and warm up. You'll catch death if you stay like that. [Logic. Easy thing to lean to.]

🍒

[chemex]

[Akira has had a really bad..., like, week? Week. Goro avoided him leading up to the 20th, he felt awful and wrong but wanted to give him space during it, then he got mcfucking kidnapped, then they got to fight Cthulhu for the honor of the snake people who kidnapped him. He was tired, he was still cold, and he was terrified to speak to, let alone touch Goro despite how desperately he wanted to throw his arms over his shoulders and stand still for a while.]

[He almost didn't go back to the apartment, but he followed Goro on autopilot, only jolting slightly at the sound of his voice when he realized where they were and that he'd followed him back. His veins go icier than they were from the ocean, and his mouth stuck shut, his feet leaden leaving him in the doorway. He works on it slowly, taking a moment to catalogue things-- his feet on the floor, solid, the apartment with its familiar decor and scent, even if he couldn't tell if it was warm until it worked through the oppressive cold forming an ugly bubble around him.] I don't have to stay.

[murderingjustice]

[Goro is just about to reach out to switch the lights on in their apartment when Akira's voice reaches his ears, making him stop in middle of motion.

He.. hadn't expected that. His first thoughts circle around on where but then he realizes Akira probably has far more escape routes than he does. There'a always the inn, but Goro could see him going to Kotone's.. or even to Yu's. They had seemed to be in rather close terms after all. Well, whatever. It didn't have anything to do with him, right? Considering how much he had stayed away the last week.]

You don't have to, no. [He agrees, completing his task to flick the lights on. Allowing both of them bask their miserable states in the light.] But first you need to get warm.

[chemex]

[He'd stopped shivering hours ago, just numb after long enough of ignoring being cold, but his lips had gone a little blue when he'd been in the water, blood rushing back to them the longer he stayed out. The things from Yu had helped, but he hadn't ever really warmed back up to a proper body temperature, and Goro stating it again made him realize he wasn't sure when he'd last felt his fingers or toes, actively.]

[He makes an affirmative sound, but doesn't move from the door.] Um. I can..., stay at the Inn, for a while. So you can stay here.