[His hands still shake, even as he tries to still them, struggling with his phone because he definitely needs to contact someone. There's no way he can go through that without telling anyone that he- that he actually-
he can still feel-
He takes a breath. It trembles when it comes out, but he's calmer. And because he's a bad brother, he pulls up his oldest friend's name in his contacts and not his sister's.]
It twists up his throat like vines, the notion of making Minato come all the way out here and being a burden just because he's having a post-death crisis.]
You can, but I'm okay now. I still have to figure out where I am, but I think it looks like Brick Alley?
[Distraction. That's the best thing no matter what angle he looks at it from.]
What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you since you got the Zodiac app?
[It makes his throat close up, reading those words. There's... one thing, from a long time ago, that makes a bigger difference now that he knows a little more. But what if it wasn't that? What if, while he and Minato were apart...]
Which one was it for you? The first or the second?
[Akira has to shut his eyes for a moment, opening them again something of a slow affair. Even if it wasn't death, it still makes his throat close up.
If Minato had gone through this, then he...]
I think I just had the first happen to me.
[His fingers have already pressed send before his brain catches up with his body and informs him that he might've broken that news in the worst way possible.]
[ Sent it, Minato means. What else are friends for if not hearing the hard things along with the easy? In cases like these, what can you say? But you can be there to hear it, and to try to find words. ]
It did. Hurt. I spent a lot of time in the hospital after.
[Ways to make it easier, perhaps. Soften the blow. But Minato's known him long enough that he might've simply seen through it anyway.
The hospital, though... That only brings a few incidents to mind. He latches onto figuring that out instead of his current situation or the pain that he couldn't save Minato from.]
Was this that one time you were out for a while in fourth grade?
[Back then... His hands full of notes to share everything Minato missed from school, or shoulder pressed to shoulder when they fell asleep watching movies at each other's houses...
Akira hadn't known anything back then. But now, he thinks, he can understand.]
When my legs stop feeling like jelly, return the favor for me?
[ To both things. He wants Akira to be able to recieve what he got. Of course Minato can pretend things are ordinary and treat Akira like always if that helps...but to do so he has to get there.
So he goes quiet as he rushes to meet Akira. There's very few things in life Minato rushes to, but this is worth it. ]
[It allows warmth to seep into his chest, but there isn't much to add to that, so Akira pockets his phone and sits it out.
That jelly sensation in his legs persists, so Akira checks himself over, looking for any injury that he might've overlooked. He had felt... real, when he'd woken up after death, he doesn't think it was a hallucination, and he hadn't been hurt during that at least. But if he isn't wounded at all, then that feeling has to be...
It has to be something mental, doesn't it?
Maybe this is just what it feels like to crack, for the one that's used to being the grounding presence to the people he cares about.
So he waits, and tries to remember how to feel together, and he can't even really be sure he's succeeded when the person he's been waiting for finally arrives.]
...Minato.
[His voice is quiet and just a little creaky, and Akira isn't sure what expression he's wearing... but he'd imagine it isn't what he wishes he was projecting.]
[ Neither of them has ever been the most expressive. Because of it, though, they're pretty good at reading one another. At least, Minato thinks that may be the case. The smaller signs of emotion, the tightening of lips or tension in shoulders, things that can be covered with a calm expression some people can't see past...
Though right now, yeah, neither of them may look quite calm. Minato doesn't stop moving until he's a foot away at best. There's nothing like pity in him for Akira, for anyone who goes through this.
But there's sympathy. The memory of how he felt about death in another life, and how he's walked so long beside it in this one. ]
If your legs are still jelly, I'm a decent walking stick. [ It's quiet, some half-hearted odd humor but also a genuine offer because he isn't sure how to offer something else entirely. ]
[It's enough to startle a laugh out of him, helpless and fond. It lifts the gray film out of his mind, makes his thoughts just a little bit clearer.]
I'm in the market for those right now, so that's lucky that you came by right when I needed you.
[It's supposed to land as a joke, humor to match humor, but it comes out just a little too genuine for that.
It seems they're both in that boat.]
I think I can walk okay, but... I'm not steady, so just be careful.
[For Minato's own sake, of course, because heaven forbid that Akira ever worry about himself in any life. But since it's him... Minato will probably get that, too.
There's no one else that isn't family that can read him as well. Even back when he'd been a quiet child, and then a more open but still reserved adult... Minato has always gotten him. He's always made him feel known and seen, even during that brief time it took more to coax him out of his shell.
It should make him feel humiliated, even ashamed, to be seen like this now, shaken by his own death when he still gets to live after. But instead... the only thing that thrums through his veins is relief.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
un: plantdad; text (post-horror event, so mid-October I think)
he can still feel-
He takes a breath. It trembles when it comes out, but he's calmer. And because he's a bad brother, he pulls up his oldest friend's name in his contacts and not his sister's.]
Minato. I need to talk to you when you get this.
I think... something really bad happened to me.
un: n-jima
Minato answers fairly quickly, because way to be ominous. He's worried - Akira is more often casual and easygoing like Minato himself. ]
Do you want me to come over?
no subject
not yeets her from the window i'm in tearsIt twists up his throat like vines, the notion of making Minato come all the way out here and being a burden just because he's having a post-death crisis.]
You can, but I'm okay now. I still have to figure out where I am, but I think it looks like Brick Alley?
[Distraction. That's the best thing no matter what angle he looks at it from.]
What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you since you got the Zodiac app?
one of my fave akira icons...
The worst thing that ever happened to me came before that. Possession like mine happens only if you die, or are about to.
me too... 🥺
Which one was it for you? The first or the second?
he looks like some fae person...
[ Also he went willingly so... ]
where is his fae au
If Minato had gone through this, then he...]
I think I just had the first happen to me.
[His fingers have already pressed send before his brain catches up with his body and informs him that he might've broken that news in the worst way possible.]
I'm sure that fic exists
But still, he wants to go. ]
You're not okay, then.
i'm still on the hunt for it... i've seen fae akechi but where is fae akira
[His throat is still so tight. He can't tell if it's for himself or for Minato anymore. Maybe it's simply both.]
But you're not either, are you? Did it hurt when it happened?
[Does it still hurt now, he doesn't send.]
time to pick up your sword and write it
[ Sent it, Minato means. What else are friends for if not hearing the hard things along with the easy? In cases like these, what can you say? But you can be there to hear it, and to try to find words. ]
It did. Hurt. I spent a lot of time in the hospital after.
sighs... you're right. throws it on the WIP pile.
[Ways to make it easier, perhaps. Soften the blow. But Minato's known him long enough that he might've simply seen through it anyway.
The hospital, though... That only brings a few incidents to mind. He latches onto figuring that out instead of his current situation or the pain that he couldn't save Minato from.]
Was this that one time you were out for a while in fourth grade?
lemme read it when ur done
[ He ate more, slept more... ]
Where are you?
preemptively places it in ur hands
I wish I had realized it was worse than it was back then. I'm sorry, Minato.
[It wouldn't have changed much, in the long run. And yet, he still...]
I'm pretty sure this is Brick Alley, though, the more I look at it. Financial district, same one that has the Ai-Mart.
eats it
[ So he hadn't wanted to ruin that...and yes, sometimes he dabbles in hypocrisy. ]
I'm heading your way.
as is ur right
Akira hadn't known anything back then. But now, he thinks, he can understand.]
When my legs stop feeling like jelly, return the favor for me?
I'll wait here for you.
no subject
[ To both things. He wants Akira to be able to recieve what he got. Of course Minato can pretend things are ordinary and treat Akira like always if that helps...but to do so he has to get there.
So he goes quiet as he rushes to meet Akira. There's very few things in life Minato rushes to, but this is worth it. ]
text >> action
That jelly sensation in his legs persists, so Akira checks himself over, looking for any injury that he might've overlooked. He had felt... real, when he'd woken up after death, he doesn't think it was a hallucination, and he hadn't been hurt during that at least. But if he isn't wounded at all, then that feeling has to be...
It has to be something mental, doesn't it?
Maybe this is just what it feels like to crack, for the one that's used to being the grounding presence to the people he cares about.
So he waits, and tries to remember how to feel together, and he can't even really be sure he's succeeded when the person he's been waiting for finally arrives.]
...Minato.
[His voice is quiet and just a little creaky, and Akira isn't sure what expression he's wearing... but he'd imagine it isn't what he wishes he was projecting.]
hugs akira thru meta comment headers
Though right now, yeah, neither of them may look quite calm. Minato doesn't stop moving until he's a foot away at best. There's nothing like pity in him for Akira, for anyone who goes through this.
But there's sympathy. The memory of how he felt about death in another life, and how he's walked so long beside it in this one. ]
If your legs are still jelly, I'm a decent walking stick. [ It's quiet, some half-hearted odd humor but also a genuine offer because he isn't sure how to offer something else entirely. ]
it's what he deserves
I'm in the market for those right now, so that's lucky that you came by right when I needed you.
[It's supposed to land as a joke, humor to match humor, but it comes out just a little too genuine for that.
It seems they're both in that boat.]
I think I can walk okay, but... I'm not steady, so just be careful.
[For Minato's own sake, of course, because heaven forbid that Akira ever worry about himself in any life. But since it's him... Minato will probably get that, too.
There's no one else that isn't family that can read him as well. Even back when he'd been a quiet child, and then a more open but still reserved adult... Minato has always gotten him. He's always made him feel known and seen, even during that brief time it took more to coax him out of his shell.
It should make him feel humiliated, even ashamed, to be seen like this now, shaken by his own death when he still gets to live after. But instead... the only thing that thrums through his veins is relief.]