ɪɴʙᴏx [ᴇxᴘɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴ]

[chemex]

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[chemex]

[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.]

[foundheart]

[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.

[chemex]

[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.]

[foundheart]

Well, I just... [She trails off, mumbling and embarrassed, twisting the hem of her shirt around her fingers. It takes her a minute to really connect the dots there.

She looks at Akira with a slightly furrowed brow. 'she is like me'...??] ...Is she a phantom thief too in her world?

[chemex]

[He grins, proud of her in some strange way.]

Sort of? Their version. She said she has a bunch of them, like I do. [It's kind of exhilarating to say, actually.]

1/2

[foundheart]

[foundheart]

She has a persona too?! Or-- More than one?! How? I haven't seen her in the Metaverse or anything! Is she from the time after I know of, or--?

[chemex]

[He scrunches his nose up, chuckling and shaking his head.]

I kinda forgot to ask for many specifics, but she doesn't use the Metaverse. She called it... shoot, something. I'll ask her again.

[foundheart]

[Sumi sits there for a few moments, stunned, before she turns to him again] That's so cool though! How exciting! We have more people that would understand this, right? That's great!

It feels a little less lonely now.

[chemex]

[He shrugs his shoulders up by his ears, smiling, and nods.]

Yeah, a little.

[foundheart]

[Sumi chuckles and leans back a little, looking up at him. He really is something to look at when he's smiling and happy like that; it makes her heart feel lighter just to see it.]

Senpai, I... [She trails off, blushes brightly, then turns away with a wave of her hand] I-I'm really glad we have all this time to spend! It's almost like a vacation, right? Haha...ha...

[chemex]

[He would be so bashful about her thinking that of him. He thinks he's very plain to look at. Sumire, however, is a precious little princess, honestly.]

[He looks sidelong at her, and it strikes him how different her stance on Aldrip is from Akechi's. Like a vacation, versus..., Whatever sort of prison Akechi views it as. His expression falls neutral a moment, and when he smiles again the expression doesn't quite reach his eyes.] Yeah. It's-- it's nice to not have to worry about stuff. [But oh, is he ever worried about things.]

[foundheart]

[The stutter makes her turned her head quickly, brow furrowed.] Senpai--

[She reaches out, touching his cheek and her eyes searching his face. Sumi sighs a little.]

...It doesn't really stop though, does it. [It's not a question. She's good at compartmentalizing and just. Pushing all of that away and deep deep down, but it doesn't truly leave.]

[chemex]

[He startles-- he forgot how quick she could be with stuff, how sincere she is when she calls him the fuck out. He watches her a minute, and then tips his head to lean into her hand.]

...no, but. It's nice to not have anything extra.

[foundheart]

[She moves, shifting to sit up on her knees and give her some height on him. She wraps her arms around his shoulders and pulls him into a hug]

I know.

[She doesn't know the full extent of it, obviously. She's not Akira, she's not the leader, but she gets it. That pressure. The pressure to perform and be perfect and people counting on you. She doesn't know all the other worries he might have here, she doesn't know what happened with Akechi or Dazai or anything, but. She's here for him anyhow]

[chemex]

[He watches her, a little confused for a moment, and he makes a soft little "oh" sound when she hugs him. He's still, then, trying to figure out what he's done to warrant such an action, when his brain catches up that she doesn't have to have a reason to hug him. He stretches his neck, hooks his chin over her shoulder, and wraps his arms carefully around her ribs. Gosh, she's so little.]

...thanks, Sumire.

[foundheart]

[Hearing her name makes her shiver as she lowers herself so he can hook his chin on her shoulder easier. It's easy to just sort of fit against him like she was made to be there]

We're friends. That's what friends are for. I'll always be here for you.

[chemex]

[He closes his eyes and relaxes a little in her grasp, sighing and not quite smiling. He doesn't speak again, for now, just soaking up her kindness.]

[foundheart]

[She lets herself be quiet too, petting his hair and just holding him. The rest of the room nd the world seem to fall away, leaving just the two of them behind.

After a few quiet moments she speaks up softly] Did you want to lay down and rest for a bit?

[chemex]

[His jaw feels stuck shut, despite her question, and his arms tighten just enough around her to be felt. He doesn't know how to say he doesn't mind, but he doesn't want her to leave. He deliberates for a while, wobbling his head a little in an uncertain gesture-- it's not a nod, but it's not shaking his head no, either. Eventually, he just plants his face against her shoulder, exhaling.]

If you want, [It's muffled, but it's something. How is he so bad a designating his own wants, goddamn.]

[foundheart]

[Sumi nods] Okay.

[And then...just kind of pushes Akira so that they flop down together on the bed. She doesn't let go of him either except to wiggle and get comfortable, making sure he isn't going to be crushing her arm or something. She giggles a little and pulls his pillow over so they can rest heir heads on it.

Who said anything about her leaving!!]

[chemex]

[It's a little strange, to be looked after, he thinks. He's always been so resistant to it, because he's so used to taking care of himself, and taking care of everyone else before even considering his own needs, so he's truthfully not certain how to act, here. He shuffles around with Sumire's movements, mindful of her, and winds up hunched carefully with one arm over her waist and the other curled against his own chest. He ducks his head to use that hand to pull off his glasses, shifting to fold them and set them aside, settling back to intermittently watch her and look away, like he isn't sure where to look.]

[foundheart]

[she follows his lead to remove her glasses so she can lay her head down more comfortably. It's... odd. She feels a little anxious and shy about this, but she's never seen Akira look so...bashful??

Sumi watches him for a few seconds, feeling her own heartbeat starting to speed up.] Is... is something wrong? Um, if this is too awkward, or if it's because of me, or something, I-I can go--

[chemex]

[He laughs, quietly, shaking his head.]

No, you're fine, you're good. I'm just... not used to people fussing over me, I think. I get so caught up looking after everybody else, I never let them.

[foundheart]

You should let them. [She pokes at his ribs a little for emphasis.] We want to take care of you too, you know. You care about us, but we all care about you too! It goes both ways!