[The shut-in girl? Huh, he probably shouldn't be anywhere as surprised as he is to hear that. She was close to Akira.]
I didn't think she'd let anyone touch her. [His own hair has a long way to go before it's anywhere near Sakura-san's, but it still has definitely overgrown from the original form, the ends of his curls now easily passing his shoulders.]
Well, here's your chance to get better at it. Unless you're confident enough to actually cut it?
[He keeps the conditioner mostly to the ends, finger-combing it into the length of the hair and keeping it about an inch from his scalp, idly separating the saturated hair into sections and loosely braiding it.] I think braiding it is definitely a better move. [This has absolutely nothing to do with liking Akechi's hair grown out, not at all.]
A key item? What even.. you know what? Not important right now. Akechi hums idly as Akira works the conditioner into his hair. Then he slowly turns to look over his shoulder to meet Akira's eyes.]
We definitely need to do something about yours. I like being able to see your eyes.
[He looks up, startled, and then chuckles when he realizes he does have to kind of shake his head to get his curls to settle in a way he can see through easily.] I'll invest in some hair clips. Any requests?
One of these days I'm going to grab a pair of scissors and cut it by a force if I have to. [As if he didn't like the way Akira's hair looked but shhhh..]
Wouldn't be the first time you put a weapon to my head, [Gently. He runs his fingers through the loose braid to unfurl it, dunking the basin again.] Think that's long enough for conditioner?
Hm. [He lets out a quiet hum at that -- not really in the mood to revisit that particular memory at the moment, even if in a comedic context. It feels a selfish of him. After all it was Akira who had gotten the short end of that deal.
Carefully, he reaches out to brush his fingers against Akira's, resting his forehead against his knees again.] Yeah.
[He drops it-- he doesn't really see the situation as a competition of who was more traumatized, given they were both victims of their circumstances. Akira trades hands, setting the basin aside in favor of lacing the fingers Goro brushed against with his own for a moment, squeezing.]
[He picks the basin back up with his free hand, rinsing the ends of Goro's hair from a slightly different angle now that he's swapped from one hand to the other. He stays quiet, rinsing until the strands of hair aren't slick with conditioner anymore, and only untangles their fingers to stand up, pressing a kiss to the back of his shoulder again as he goes.]
[He doesn't go far, opening a small closet and bringing out a towel.] Do you need help getting out?
[It's only during times likes these when Akechi realizes just how much he's changed and just how.. starved for a touch he really is. Or has been all this time. Just being able to have Akira's hand on his own is enough to calm him down. He should be more at himself for becoming so soft but.. maybe it's just okay sometimes. To take what's given to you and all that.
The water splashes a little over the edge of the tub when he shifts, trying to stand up on his own. Trying being the keyword here, unfortunately. His legs keep feeling weak and wobbly, lacking the any real strength to support himself. Not to mention, any sudden movements keep pulling the skin around the wound -- stinging him as a not-so-friendly warning to stay down.]
[Akira was pretty touch-starved himself before he wound up in Tokyo, so now he's having a great time transferring all his affection to arguably the most touch-starved teenager on the planet. He tuts softly, rolling up his sleeves and plunging them into the water to loop them under Goro's arms.]
C'mon, hup. It's not childish to accept help when you need it and someone is offering.
It's still humiliating. [He mumbles quietly, taking a hold of Akira's shoulders and pushes him up. A few hushed angry curses slip past his lips along with grunts as he moves himself out of the tub, sitting on the edge of it.]
I'm not sure if that makes this just worse. [Mostly just empty words, really. In truth he's glad that it's Akira who's here with him rather than someone who he barely knows. So far Akira's seen all that there's to him, so why shy away now?
He slides his arms along Akira's, setting them down on his forearms. A frown meets a frown]
So, what is it that you suggest instead? That I let this be as if nothing happened?
[He just hums to acknowledge the statement, but doesn't refute it or otherwise comment.]
[His mouth quirks in one corner and he scrunches-- his face, then his shoulders, and his whole posture curves sideways in a gesture that isn't quite a shrug.] I'm not saying let it be as if nothing happened, but I'd like my boyfriend to not get arrested for manslaughter, and neither of us are real aware of the laws here.
Oh. alksalfsajk. Sorry, hearing it said out loud does make Akechi balk a little. He opens his mouth but closes it, feeling a fain tightness around his face.
Anyway!]
Please. When was last time you saw any figure of authority here? Besides, it wasn't in my intentions to just go after him without proper plans or looking into him. Have some faith in my skills. [He is an ex hit-man after all!] It's getting cold, give me the towel already.
[The beat of silence from Akechi makes him rewind to go over what he said, to figure out what tripped him, and-- oh.]
[Pink bleeds inward from his ears and he looks dutifully at the wall, because looking directly down would be looking into Goro's naked lap. He clears his throat, and moves away to get the towel, draping it around him and wrapping his arms around his shoulders in the process.] ...at least let me help you with an alibi, if you're gonna insist on being a murder goblin. [...well. He's certainly not going to offer to help kill a guy, but. That's the next best thing.]
You're the goblin here.[He murmurs back. Hah, what a comeback!
But thank you for the towel, Akira. Akechi pulls it over himself with his left hand, finally covering himself with something. This time, however, he doesn't lean against Akira this time, biting down on his lower lip briefly before speaking out again.]
You are aware that.. a spousal testimony isn't the most reliable one in the court. If it truly came to that[God, he can feel the heat creeping up back of his neck. Look, he tried to reciprocate the sentiment the best he could. It's clumsy and awkward bt so are feelings.
But Akechi takes a quick moment to think what he was offered here. Akira willingly turning a blind eye to his murderous antics and even more. Wow, kinda huge.] However, if you are serious about becoming an accomplice. There's something you could do.
[He shocks backward like a curly-haired bullet, startled, and stares owlishly at him.]
Wh. Spousal? [Are they getting married and he didn't realize?? His whole face bleeds scarlet and he shuffles to sit on the toilet to try and actually take seriously the suggestion Akechi is about to make.]
[Even if his heart feels like a hummingbird's.] Y-yeah? [Whoops, he croaked that a little.]
Oh. Don't give me that face. You know I meant that you might not be the best alibi. [No they're so not getting married if he has anything to say about it. Ugh, gross.
When Akira pivots back to sit down Akechi begins to idly dry himself, pulling the towel over his head.] You could talk to Dazai-san. If I'm correct he has a network of some kind. He might've heard something about the person I'm looking for.
You know all too well the power of words, Goro Akechi, and spousal is not one I'd have expected you to use for us. ...ever. [He's not ready to be a widow.]
[He blinks, sobered by the response.] ...he does, yeah. And-- you won't like this, but he could help figure out a way to... handle him, maybe without murder.
[He really should've predict Akira clinging on the way he phrased it. ] Don't worry. I don't plan on repeating it. [or use the 'b'-word either! or so he threatens.]
He could but that doesn't mean he will. [Because honestly? He honestly doubts that the man will prove out to be any real help due to the.. unfortunate relationship between them. But Dazai, just like everyone out there, liked Akira so he might throw a bone at his way.]
[He averts his gaze suddenly, reaching up to rub the back of his neck.] ...ah, should I not have said boyfriend? My bad. [He will now never say it again for fear of upsetting Goro.]
[He hums, shaking his head.] ...he understands how important you are to me. He might help, if we can make it worthwhile for him.
[And so both of them never spoke of it ever again.. Or that's how it'd normally go between them. But maybe some things are worth of the effort to clear things up.]
I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion, Akira... Unless I managed to offend you somehow. [So, a clearance for the b-word on your part! Kinda.
Now done with towel-drying his hair he slides the cloth back on his shoulders, wrapping it around himself.] Hah, really now? That might prove out to be a rather difficult task. Or are you that confident in your own charm?
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I didn't think she'd let anyone touch her. [His own hair has a long way to go before it's anywhere near Sakura-san's, but it still has definitely overgrown from the original form, the ends of his curls now easily passing his shoulders.]
Well, here's your chance to get better at it. Unless you're confident enough to actually cut it?
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[He keeps the conditioner mostly to the ends, finger-combing it into the length of the hair and keeping it about an inch from his scalp, idly separating the saturated hair into sections and loosely braiding it.] I think braiding it is definitely a better move. [This has absolutely nothing to do with liking Akechi's hair grown out, not at all.]
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A key item? What even.. you know what? Not important right now. Akechi hums idly as Akira works the conditioner into his hair. Then he slowly turns to look over his shoulder to meet Akira's eyes.]
We definitely need to do something about yours. I like being able to see your eyes.
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[He looks up, startled, and then chuckles when he realizes he does have to kind of shake his head to get his curls to settle in a way he can see through easily.] I'll invest in some hair clips. Any requests?
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One of these days I'm going to grab a pair of scissors and cut it by a force if I have to. [As if he didn't like the way Akira's hair looked but shhhh..]
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Carefully, he reaches out to brush his fingers against Akira's, resting his forehead against his knees again.] Yeah.
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[He picks the basin back up with his free hand, rinsing the ends of Goro's hair from a slightly different angle now that he's swapped from one hand to the other. He stays quiet, rinsing until the strands of hair aren't slick with conditioner anymore, and only untangles their fingers to stand up, pressing a kiss to the back of his shoulder again as he goes.]
[He doesn't go far, opening a small closet and bringing out a towel.] Do you need help getting out?
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The water splashes a little over the edge of the tub when he shifts, trying to stand up on his own. Trying being the keyword here, unfortunately. His legs keep feeling weak and wobbly, lacking the any real strength to support himself. Not to mention, any sudden movements keep pulling the skin around the wound -- stinging him as a not-so-friendly warning to stay down.]
.. I feel like a child. [Meaning: yes.]
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C'mon, hup. It's not childish to accept help when you need it and someone is offering.
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I can't wait to kill the fucker.
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[And then he frowns.] Can we move away from the murders of our past?
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He slides his arms along Akira's, setting them down on his forearms. A frown meets a frown]
So, what is it that you suggest instead? That I let this be as if nothing happened?
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[His mouth quirks in one corner and he scrunches-- his face, then his shoulders, and his whole posture curves sideways in a gesture that isn't quite a shrug.] I'm not saying let it be as if nothing happened, but I'd like my boyfriend to not get arrested for manslaughter, and neither of us are real aware of the laws here.
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Oh. alksalfsajk. Sorry, hearing it said out loud does make Akechi balk a little. He opens his mouth but closes it, feeling a fain tightness around his face.
Anyway!]
Please. When was last time you saw any figure of authority here? Besides, it wasn't in my intentions to just go after him without proper plans or looking into him. Have some faith in my skills. [He is an ex hit-man after all!] It's getting cold, give me the towel already.
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[Pink bleeds inward from his ears and he looks dutifully at the wall, because looking directly down would be looking into Goro's naked lap. He clears his throat, and moves away to get the towel, draping it around him and wrapping his arms around his shoulders in the process.] ...at least let me help you with an alibi, if you're gonna insist on being a murder goblin. [...well. He's certainly not going to offer to help kill a guy, but. That's the next best thing.]
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But thank you for the towel, Akira. Akechi pulls it over himself with his left hand, finally covering himself with something. This time, however, he doesn't lean against Akira this time, biting down on his lower lip briefly before speaking out again.]
You are aware that.. a spousal testimony isn't the most reliable one in the court. If it truly came to that[God, he can feel the heat creeping up back of his neck. Look, he tried to reciprocate the sentiment the best he could. It's clumsy and awkward bt so are feelings.
But Akechi takes a quick moment to think what he was offered here. Akira willingly turning a blind eye to his murderous antics and even more. Wow, kinda huge.] However, if you are serious about becoming an accomplice. There's something you could do.
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Wh. Spousal? [Are they getting married and he didn't realize?? His whole face bleeds scarlet and he shuffles to sit on the toilet to try and actually take seriously the suggestion Akechi is about to make.]
[Even if his heart feels like a hummingbird's.] Y-yeah? [Whoops, he croaked that a little.]
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When Akira pivots back to sit down Akechi begins to idly dry himself, pulling the towel over his head.] You could talk to Dazai-san. If I'm correct he has a network of some kind. He might've heard something about the person I'm looking for.
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[He blinks, sobered by the response.] ...he does, yeah. And-- you won't like this, but he could help figure out a way to... handle him, maybe without murder.
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He could but that doesn't mean he will. [Because honestly? He honestly doubts that the man will prove out to be any real help due to the.. unfortunate relationship between them. But Dazai, just like everyone out there, liked Akira so he might throw a bone at his way.]
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[He hums, shaking his head.] ...he understands how important you are to me. He might help, if we can make it worthwhile for him.
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I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion, Akira... Unless I managed to offend you somehow. [So, a clearance for the b-word on your part! Kinda.
Now done with towel-drying his hair he slides the cloth back on his shoulders, wrapping it around himself.] Hah, really now? That might prove out to be a rather difficult task. Or are you that confident in your own charm?
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He likes me, I think I could come up with something.
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[almost dying does that.]
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