ɪɴʙᴏx [ᴇxᴘɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴ]

[chemex]

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he's so cute ugh

[chemex]

[Akira grins knowingly, but nods.] Of course not.

[The pink spreads inward onto his cheeks, and his smile warms.] ...thanks. I know you don't afford praise for nothing. [He raises his glass in turn, clinking it gently against Goro's.] Merry Christmas, Goro.

rare satisfied goro treatment

[murderingjustice]

I will always give credit when credit's due. [With a content smile, he clinks the glasses together with Akira's, and takes a sip from the wine. The taste is smooth and fruity, not too heavy nor sweet. Just perfect for the fish.

Putting his glass down, Goro goes for the sushi, beginning to stack pieces on his own plate. Oh! And speaking of Shoyu? Seems like she's finished with her own meal and is now meowing quietly while circling around the table, hoping for seconds.]

weary emoji

[chemex]

[He hums in agreement and also takes a sip of his wine, smiling at it.] How'd you get wine, anyway? I guess I don't really know the legal drinking age, here. [Not that it's ever stopped him, but--]

[He glances down at Shoyu as she circles their feet, and chuckles.] No ma'am, there's wasabi and soy sauce involved in this, and I will not house a cannibal.

[murderingjustice]

You work at a bar, Akira. If anyone you should be aware of the alcohol law here. [Even if the said bar is owned by Dazai Osamu, the king of alcoholics himself.]

But it turns out, the locals are rather lax and have European-liked minds when it comes to handing alcohol to those who aren't--, [It is Crime Town. But whatever he was about to say is interrupted by another soft meow from the floor. Pleased that she got the attention from Akira, Shoyu is now circling around his chair, clearly anticipating a jump on his lap.]

Could she still be hungry?

[chemex]

Lupin is a lawless land of Osamu Dazai's design, I'm not allowed to turn away a paying customer.

[He hums, nodding.] That tr-- ma'am. Interrupting people is rude. [He sighs again, and sits back in his chair enough to leave space for her on his thighs.] All right, come on. [He pats the leg of his pants, unable to keep from smiling.]

[murderingjustice]

[There is almost an instant frown on Goro's brow when Akira sits back to make room for Shoyu. He opens his mouth to say something but before he gets a word out she has already on Akira's lap with a one agile leap, eyeing the contents of the table with curious eyes.]

You're going to teach her bad habits.

[chemex]

[Gently, Akira pushes on her hind quarters to convince her to sit in his lap, and then taps the top of her head with one finger.] Mmn, this is good practice. She can sit in my lap but she can't get on the table, and if she learns well I'll reward her.

[murderingjustice]

[Goro only raises a dubious brow at that. He, on the other hand, would rather not teach Shoyu that she can get fed from the table. But alright, then. He'll let Akira take reigns with her. So, he only answers with a hum, picking up a salmon sushi with his chopsticks, dibs it quickly on the soy sauce and proceeds to eat it.

Meanwhile, Shoyu looks at the fish with an interest and extends paw forward, tentatively trying to reach for Akira's plate.]

[chemex]

[That's where you're wrong, Goro-- he doesn't plan to feed her from the table. In fact, when she starts reaching for his plate, he makes a softer version of his earlier buzzer sound, bopping her gently on the top of her head.] No ma'am. You've been fed.

i love that icon. Point

[murderingjustice]

[Shoyu shakes her head when pressed, small ears twitching a little. She turns her head around to look up at Akira and meows twice. But at least she seems to remember the buzzer sound as she doesn't make right away a second attempt at the food on the table.]

You are rather good at this. [Goro says, now that his mouth is empty.] With animals, I mean. It's hard to believe you've ever had a real cat before.

[chemex]

Sojiro feeds lots of strays around Leblanc. [It's a simple statement that doesn't entirely explain his proficiency with cats, but-- maybe gives some insight. Either Sojiro taught him the basics, or he just learned on the strays.]

[He smooths his hand down Shoyu's spine when she responds well to the buzzer sound, reaching up to scratch behind her ears again.]

[murderingjustice]

Hmm. [Goro hums as an answer and reaches for his glass, taking another sip of the wine. He stays quiet for a bit, content on just watching his stupid boyfriend and the newly added personality to their household. It seems like Shoyu has taken instant liking to Akira, and vice versa.


Gaining a pet had never been in his plans. Maybe at some point of his childhood he had wanted a one like all other kids, but never knew to voice it - being painfully aware of their living situation. But watching the duo now does manage to warm his cynical heart just a bit, feeling a sense of home for the first time in ages.

But he still is cynical and there are issues that needs to be addressed and put on the table.]

Do you miss it? Leblanc and Tokyo, I mean.

[chemex]

[A small smile warms Akira's features, further toasted by the wine, and he rubs his fingers along Shoyu's ears and spine until she wilts bonelessly into his lap, purring.]

[He looks up at Goro's question, hesitant.] ...of course I do, it was more home to me than where I grew up ever was.

[murderingjustice]

I know that much. [Neither of them really liked to talk about their pasts before entering to Yaldabaoth's game. And while Akira kept his lips sealed about his home life he was more open to talk about the time in Leblanc, always with certain fondness in his voice.

But that's not really what's at the root of the question.] And despite that you still think it's alright to have her with us?

[chemex]

[A certain weight presses into his shoulders at the shift in topic, and Akira looks to the cat in his lap, purring away.]

...if you were gonna make me question the morality of fostering a cat, Goro, why'd you do it on Christmas?

[murderingjustice]

I didn't think the date mattered that much. [Goro, too, looks down at the cat -- or as much as he can see fro his seating. He idly snaps the chopsticks in the air before poking another salmon roll.]

Do you want to go back, Akira?

[chemex]

Guess it doesn't. [He pets Shoyu absently, having completely forgotten the sushi. It's a handful of seconds before he responds, taking the time to digest the question. He looks from Shoyu to the sushi and back, and then finally at Goro.]

...I don't honestly know.

[murderingjustice]

[Goro lifts his gaze to meet Akira's, lips sealed shut. The record player plays in the background, but somehow he can't quite pinpoint the melody anymore. Part of him thinks that, yes. Akira should want to leave and not to waste his life and future in here. Not now that he finally has one waiting for him in Tokyo. And at the same time, selfish, irrational part of him wants to preserve this little bubble they've built around each other.

With a long sigh, Goro tears his eys away from Akira, looking outside of the window at the snowy Aldrip nightsky.]

I still intend to uncover the truth and find a way back home, that hasn't changed. But.. [He pauses a bit, tension growing in his shoulders and voice drawing distance.] So that we can decide when to leave, with our own terms rather than being in the mercy of some invisible force. When we are ready to, that is.

[chemex]

[Goro always did have his head screwed on straight in terms of proper ambition, Akira figures. He lets his hand go still on Shoyu's back, enjoying the fading rumble of her purr as she dozes off.]

...would you hate it if I said I don't mind staying, for now?

[murderingjustice]

Perhaps a little, yes. [It's as honest answer as he can give. And it's quite frightening thought. What staying here would mean, the importance of it. He huffs out the air, biting insides of his cheek as he mulls over it, feeling the anxiety raising its ugly head within his mind, like a beast.

To stay here would mean living. Looking forward to future. ]

..Despite everything, I must admit that I wouldn't be satisfied if we left like this. There is something I want to see through first.

[chemex]

[Akira can't say with full sincerity he would want to stay in Aldrip forever. It's done a lot of damage in not a lot of time, to him and plenty of others. It doesn't change that it's presented him with the chance to have the one thing he never had the real world chance to.]

[He idly finds himself trying to memorize the patterning of Shoyu's fur, the conversation melancholic enough that he feels it prudent to remember the moment.] And what's that?

[murderingjustice]

[It's far from perfect. The opposite of it actually. They've been hurt so much ever since coming here, partly because of this world, partly because their own baggage that they keep carrying on their shoulders. And yet, they keep surviving by leaning on each other, licking each others' wounds.

Something that Goro Akechi would have detested earlier so much. Since when he had begun to change like this?

Lips pulled into thin line, Goro turns his attention back to Akira. Inhaling deep and exhaling, the complex emotions washing over him. He knows very well that the answer is going to break the promise he made Akira that one day all those months ago. That he wouldn't make the other have to choose between him and the world. But since when he's had troubles with lying.]

...This.

[chemex]

[It was the last thing he expected to hear, and as a result it lances straight through him and he doesn't have time to check the way his expression twists. He tries anyway, muting it as soon as he realizes, and ducks his head to try and hide his face with his hair. It only kind of works, given the strained nature of his forced smile is still clear.]

[His voice is very small, and he reaches across the table for Goro's hand despite his words, whispered hoarsely.] That's not fair, Goro.

[murderingjustice]

[Goro waits for Akira's response, hooded red eyes carefully observing the shift in his face, unsure how to read the expression.

But he's right. It's not fair. Nothing is fair about this situation and he had known it immediately they had agreed to give this thing a chance. Give them a chance. It had been stupid crutch for both of them, which now has turned into something like a lifeline. At least that's how it was Goro.]

I know. I'm selfish like that. [He answers, reaching out to meet Akira's hand, index finger looping around his.]

[chemex]

[He makes an ugly little sound, curling their fingers together, and folds over until his head rests against the table.] That's okay, I love you anyway. [He doesn't want to leave, ever, thanks.]