I don't have any marks, I keep making sure to check everywhere! [She laughs a little and then trails off, still feeling-- Odd. Not really satisfied? She's not sure exactly how to describe it.]
Can we meet up? I think... Um, I think I'd feel better if I could see you. Unless you're busy, of course! It doesn't have to be right now, or even today.
[He laughs a little, too-- she's so earnest. He feels lighter already, talking to her.]
Yeah-- no, I'm not busy. We could meet up now, if you..., [She wouldn't ask if she didn't want to, and she's probably not busy if she's making such a request. He redirects.] I'd like to.
[It doesn't take her long at all to head over and knock on Akira's door, though she spends a while agonizing how to look. Maybe for other girls it'd be about make-up and all, but for Sumire it's more about which 'her' to present.
So here she is, feeling odd with her hair down and her glasses on, looking this way and that as if worried someone might see her and not sure what to do if they did. So when Akira opens the door, Sumi is quick to throw her arms around him. Partially because she wants to, and partially to sort of hide herself for view]
[She's got no idea how much good she does him, does she?]
[He startles when she immediately throws her arms around him, thinking for a split second something was happening, until he registers that her hair is down, and the corners of her glasses are digging into his chest a little bit. Oh, she was shy.]
[A grin, and he loops his arms around her shoulders securely, rolling their weight onto his heels to pivot into his room.] Hup, [Somehow he manages to kick the door shut gently without pitching them both onto the floor, and he leans his shoulders back against it to smile down at her.] Hi there.
[Sumire makes a small yip noise as she's suddenly pivoted, a laugh bubbling up despite herself. Her glasses slightly askew, she looks up at him and gives a shy, sheepish smile.]
Hi. Sorry. [She takes a half-step back, but doesn't quite let go of him. She reaches up to fix her glasses and moves some hair behind her ear, twisting the end around her finger]
That's-- [That's not what she meant, gosh!! But his hand is warm and she blows out some air to move some wayward strands away.
She sighs a little and leans into the hand] It feels a bit... strange. Heavy. It's been a long time since I let my hair down--literally speaking, of course.
[It's a joke, sorta, and she smiles even as her eyes scan over him. He seems okay, but who can really know with their Mysterious Leader??]
Have you been settling in alright? Making friends?
Can't say I've ever had that problem. [He reaches up to twirl a wayward curl around one finger, chuckling.]
[He hums then, shrugging, and leads her away from the door into the room. It's nothing much, just a regular Inn Room, with his bag on a chair, his yukata and the clothes now given to him from Dazai as opposed to just borrowed hanging in the closet.] Haven't talked to a whole lot of people, but settling in has been fine. You?
I don't think long hair would look so bad on you. [She laughs softly and follows him in, taking a cursory look around.BUT WHO CAN TRULY TELL?? What even is a friend. Who knows.]
Like Kotone-san, and Kate-san. And there's been a few helpful adults I've met too. [Though Nanami kinda scolded Sumi for helping Too Much, but also like...not really?? He was odd. Nice, but odd. Adults, man.
She perks up and adds:] And Akechi-san is here too! [Which she's sure Akira is already aware of, but it's exciting!! To Sumi, anyhow]
Pretty sure I've worn a long wig in a dream at least once. [Thanks, Dancing in Starlight.]
[He nods, and drops into a sit on the edge of his mattress, offering her the space beside him because there aren't really other comfortable options. The chairs are serviceable enough, but they're certainly not comfortable.] I've met Kotone, and her friend Aragaki-san. And... Dazai. [A slight pinch to his features.] Jury's still out on what I think of him.
[And then he gets a sort of distant look to him.] ...and, yeah. Akechi.
[She frets for a moment on where to sit, but he's clearly leaving space for her to sit next to him. On the bed. Alone.
Her face burns red as she tentatively sits down, clasping her hands tightly over her knees. She focuses on what he's saying instead, perking up a bit at the familiar names] Oh! I'm glad you met her too, she's really nice! And...I think I met Dazai-san too, he'd been drinking a lot... [SIGHS...
The distant look doesn't go unnoticed. Sumire is quiet as she looks at him, hesitating. If what they've said is true, then Akira must be from after Akechi... Well. She doesn't know what to say. Her heart aches.]
...It's nice to see him again. Are you two, um... Doing okay?
[He smiles, faintly, nodding.] Kotone's very nice, yeah. [He doesn't immediately bring up that she has Persona-- he'd told her he wouldn't, but Akechi and Sumire were his teammates, they deserve to know. But he waits. Then he laughs, a little.] Dazai seems a little obsessed with drinking, yeah.
[He clasps his hands together, twists his fingers around.] "Okay" is a... bit of a temporary state for us, I think.
[The tension between Akechi and Akira had always been a bit... well. Tense. And odd. But they worked so well together and their power was unmatched, Sumi hadn't really delved too deep into their rivalry. Did that fall apart now without an overhanging threat like Maruki?
She hesitates before reaching out, just pressing her fingers to Akira's wrist, an offering to take more if he wished.] Do you want to talk about it?
[His fingers curl instinctively when her fingers touch his wrist, and he smiles. He can't, because he's the Leader, and he can't be seen as anything but infallible.]
[She nods and then leans her shoulder against his, smiling a little.] That's okay. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, just... Know that I'm here for you, okay?
[He does know, or at least he thinks he knows. He's aware, but that doesn't have any bearing on whether or not he can actually be vulnerable with his team. He nods, leaning his weight back against her.]
[She moves her hair behind her ear, sheepish again] Well, something like that, maybe... I met some nice people. Kate-san seems...nice. A little rebellious. And Kotone-san's been so nice and helpful! We danced at the party and she was great fun. She's pretty graceful! I think she said she played volleyball, but I wonder if I can get her interested in gymnastics too...
Ah, rebellion, the allure of a free spirit. [He's definitely Grinning about that one-- sir you stop being a shitpost this instant. He bumps his weight back into her shoulder again.] I didn't remember Kotone mentioning volleyball... She has a naginata? Big... stabby stick.
Senpai. [She rolls her eyes, exasperated, and bumps Akira right back with a giggle.]
I think I told her I could use a rapier too! I guess I'll have to get a lot more practice in, if I can get one here... [Sumi trails off before adding:] It's so weird, it feels kind of like I've always known her. She's just really easy to get along with. She just... sucks you in.
[He blinks, looking her over carefully, his eyes searching behind his lenses.] Yeah? What makes you say that? [He's fishing for a hook that lets him Explain without getting in trouble.]
[She thinks about it for a long moment, trying to put the feeling into words] I don't know... I guess she kind of feels like you? Um-- N-not that I really think of her like I think about you, or anything. And not that it's anything--Weird. Uhm.
[She shakes her head quickly, face red]
A-anyway! What I mean is, she's just... comfortable. Like I want to talk to her and be.. teammates. I think we'd get along well. She would probably fit in with the other Phantom Thieves too. I think they'd all like her.
[He laughs, but the sound is far from mean-spirited.]
Well, she is like me. [He leaves it at that, rocking from side to side just slightly.] And you don't have to justify who you think about and how to me, you know. [Is "she is like me" enough for Sumire to connect the dots? He's not sure, actually. It's pretty fuckin' vague.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[It takes him a little while to reply, though.]
I don't have any marks, no. You don't either? [If he very specifically avoided saying if he was or wasn't okay, well-- don't worry about it!]
no subject
Can we meet up? I think... Um, I think I'd feel better if I could see you. Unless you're busy, of course! It doesn't have to be right now, or even today.
no subject
Yeah-- no, I'm not busy. We could meet up now, if you..., [She wouldn't ask if she didn't want to, and she's probably not busy if she's making such a request. He redirects.] I'd like to.
no subject
Oh, um. [She laughs despite herself and sighs] ...I'm being ridiculous. Sorry. Should I go to your room?
no subject
You're not being ridiculous, it's fine. Come on over.
no subject
[It doesn't take her long at all to head over and knock on Akira's door, though she spends a while agonizing how to look. Maybe for other girls it'd be about make-up and all, but for Sumire it's more about which 'her' to present.
So here she is, feeling odd with her hair down and her glasses on, looking this way and that as if worried someone might see her and not sure what to do if they did. So when Akira opens the door, Sumi is quick to throw her arms around him. Partially because she wants to, and partially to sort of hide herself for view]
no subject
[He startles when she immediately throws her arms around him, thinking for a split second something was happening, until he registers that her hair is down, and the corners of her glasses are digging into his chest a little bit. Oh, she was shy.]
[A grin, and he loops his arms around her shoulders securely, rolling their weight onto his heels to pivot into his room.] Hup, [Somehow he manages to kick the door shut gently without pitching them both onto the floor, and he leans his shoulders back against it to smile down at her.] Hi there.
no subject
Hi. Sorry. [She takes a half-step back, but doesn't quite let go of him. She reaches up to fix her glasses and moves some hair behind her ear, twisting the end around her finger]
How...do I look?
no subject
Like yourself-- if a little shy. I like your hair down.
no subject
She sighs a little and leans into the hand] It feels a bit... strange. Heavy. It's been a long time since I let my hair down--literally speaking, of course.
[It's a joke, sorta, and she smiles even as her eyes scan over him. He seems okay, but who can really know with their Mysterious Leader??]
Have you been settling in alright? Making friends?
no subject
Can't say I've ever had that problem. [He reaches up to twirl a wayward curl around one finger, chuckling.]
[He hums then, shrugging, and leads her away from the door into the room. It's nothing much, just a regular Inn Room, with his bag on a chair, his yukata and the clothes now given to him from Dazai as opposed to just borrowed hanging in the closet.] Haven't talked to a whole lot of people, but settling in has been fine. You?
no subject
Like Kotone-san, and Kate-san. And there's been a few helpful adults I've met too. [Though Nanami kinda scolded Sumi for helping Too Much, but also like...not really?? He was odd. Nice, but odd. Adults, man.
She perks up and adds:] And Akechi-san is here too! [Which she's sure Akira is already aware of, but it's exciting!! To Sumi, anyhow]
no subject
[He nods, and drops into a sit on the edge of his mattress, offering her the space beside him because there aren't really other comfortable options. The chairs are serviceable enough, but they're certainly not comfortable.] I've met Kotone, and her friend Aragaki-san. And... Dazai. [A slight pinch to his features.] Jury's still out on what I think of him.
[And then he gets a sort of distant look to him.] ...and, yeah. Akechi.
no subject
Her face burns red as she tentatively sits down, clasping her hands tightly over her knees. She focuses on what he's saying instead, perking up a bit at the familiar names] Oh! I'm glad you met her too, she's really nice! And...I think I met Dazai-san too, he'd been drinking a lot... [SIGHS...
The distant look doesn't go unnoticed. Sumire is quiet as she looks at him, hesitating. If what they've said is true, then Akira must be from after Akechi... Well. She doesn't know what to say. Her heart aches.]
...It's nice to see him again. Are you two, um... Doing okay?
no subject
[He clasps his hands together, twists his fingers around.] "Okay" is a... bit of a temporary state for us, I think.
no subject
She hesitates before reaching out, just pressing her fingers to Akira's wrist, an offering to take more if he wished.] Do you want to talk about it?
no subject
...I don't really know what to say. But thanks.
no subject
no subject
And what about you, hm? Making friends?
no subject
no subject
no subject
I think I told her I could use a rapier too! I guess I'll have to get a lot more practice in, if I can get one here... [Sumi trails off before adding:] It's so weird, it feels kind of like I've always known her. She's just really easy to get along with. She just... sucks you in.
no subject
no subject
[She shakes her head quickly, face red]
A-anyway! What I mean is, she's just... comfortable. Like I want to talk to her and be.. teammates. I think we'd get along well. She would probably fit in with the other Phantom Thieves too. I think they'd all like her.
no subject
Well, she is like me. [He leaves it at that, rocking from side to side just slightly.] And you don't have to justify who you think about and how to me, you know. [Is "she is like me" enough for Sumire to connect the dots? He's not sure, actually. It's pretty fuckin' vague.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
1/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)