You don't even know the meaning of rest, do you. . .!
[but he does seem entertained as he tosses the rest of his food into the koi pond (CONGRATS AGAIN FISH YOU ARE FED EXTRA) so he can. catch her by her (good) shoulder and prevent her from tripping!! again!!]
[IT'S CLEARLY NOT HER FAULT - she's a little cold to the touch, but that's been the case since monday, it's just whether or not i remember to mention it]
I'm resting fine...!
[she was having a nice koi pond time and then along came akira]
[but she seems to finally be settling after her outburst of embarrassment, flicking her long hair over her shoulder in a haughty movement like it'll stabilize her]
[his expression seems to fall a bit, though his smile doesn't fade. but. . . whatever he wants to say or ask next? it probably isn't something he wants to ask. especially not after calling her his friend-- a sentiment he meant wholeheartedly and would never take back]
. . . I realized something after the trial on Saturday. It was something I didn't think about at the time, so I'm sorry that I'm bringing it up now. But--
[. . .]
You made me promise that if I ever found you suspicious to press you for all that I could, right? That's why I have to ask. . .
[he breathes out a little, relief settling in his shoulders as he flashes her a smile. he doesn't know why he was worried. she already made him promise not to go easy on her just because they were allies-- now friends]
I actually don't think you did. [that is honest!!] But I realized after the trial that you could have used your power to fake the bees. That's why I'm asking about it now.
. . . and I guess it was a bit careless of me to forget about it so easily.
Hmm... [she seems to be thinking about it - and then she shakes her head] The illusion works on one person only. It's a good guess, but I saw a lot more people than just one on Friday. But I can try to make sure that moving forward I stay with one other person than just Ookurikara on Thursdays so I can't fake anything in the morning.
[she's so down to get caught it's funny
but . . . she bumps shoulders with him then - he's now sitting on her good side]
Don't beat yourself up. I've told more people than just you so I can be scrutinized as much as possible. [a beat] But... thanks.
[oh thank god. he lets out a light laugh and leans back on his hands, face tilted towards the sky, eyes shut tightly]
I didn't realize it only worked on one person. If it does, then it definitely still couldn't have been you.
[because that's literally the only way she could've faked the bees, so. . . he is relieved that she's still in the clear thanks to curfew effects]
And don't thank me for something like that. I hate having to acknowledge the people I trust could have been involved, even if it was just self defense.
[the bees saving lili will never stop being absolutely hilarious]
.... I'm going to thank you because I know that's hard, you idiot.
No one wants to discover that someone they trust or like committed a murder, no matter the circumstances. Ultimately, because of this place, you'll still end up losing that person - and that might sting all the more, right?
... but we have to.
[because it's the right thing to do - to search for the truth, no matter how painful]
[ . . . . ah. to have personal experience with that - she frowns, and shifts just so she can watch him a little more closely, even though he speaks in a neutral tone.
she hesitates - obviously so - but she'll set her hand over his.]
... Doing the right thing is so rarely easy.
I don't.... know the right thing to say to you but - just... don't beat yourself up too much over it, if you can help it. [a beat] You're not a worse friend for it. At least - I don't think so.
[there's no static electricity when she touches his hand, but he feels the spark anyway, eyes snapping open and body going tense with surprise as he looks down at her. his reply isn't instantaneous, as though he's taking a moment to really absorb what she's doing]
[. . . and then he lets out a light huff, humorless and tired]
No. . . I think he was grateful for it, actually.
[because. . . the very same week it had happened, Hunter had asked him to kill him if he had ever turned into a monster. and Akira kept that promise]
But still. . . it-- it sucked.
[and he so doesn't want to do it again. even though, more likely than not, he's going to have to]
... well if he was your best friend, I don't doubt that's what he would've wanted. Instead of letting someone else take the fall...
[lili tries not to make assumptions about others that she knows nothing about but - the gratefulness is a feeling she'd understand. to want to be caught. it's why she's so adamant about it herself. and of course someone that akira likes and trusts ought to feel the same.]
... doesn't make it weigh any less. [to condemn a friend, someone you hold dear. she's seen people that she liked get sent to execution, but to have it be someone as close as a best friend....]
But... here, you can share the burden - if you want.
[comes his wry reply. funny. . . he isn't really the type to open up so easily like this. there's just something about Lili that makes things feel so simple, when they were oh-so complex before]
[either way, his hand shifts under hers until he has her fingers clutched in his own, squeezing lightly]
[the movement surprises her in return. she blinks for a moment before - tentatively at first before becoming more reassured - squeezing back.]
... yeah. You're a bleeding heart who'll keep everything locked up anyway, right? Because when people look to you to be certain, it's hard to crack or share. My least favorite type of person to deal with.
[although there's no venom when she says it - possibly because it's the closest thing she'll get to a lie.]
... but if we're - friends, you need to rely on me. Even if I don't know the right things to say, or I can't do anything more than be next to you...
Even if it's just a little—I... want you to believe in me too. That I'm not going to just leave you alone in all this.
[believe in her enough that he doesn't feel like he has to stumble under the weight of everything on his own.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[he just. nods as he says that like. it's the most normal thing]
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[no she's just trying to retaliate, like a fool]
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[that is not an encouraging response!!]
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[he doesn't react, beyond one very bland:]
Ow.
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her shoulders are shaking]
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[and pokes her shoulder]
[and gives her a bit of static shock. BZZT]
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[sHE DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING
SHE JUMPS AND FUMBLES WITH THE FISH FOOD some of it falls into the pond. congrats koi you are fed.
she whirls around]
You're dead, Kurusu!
[please stop lunging at him]
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You don't even know the meaning of rest, do you. . .!
[but he does seem entertained as he tosses the rest of his food into the koi pond (CONGRATS AGAIN FISH YOU ARE FED EXTRA) so he can. catch her by her (good) shoulder and prevent her from tripping!! again!!]
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[IT'S CLEARLY NOT HER FAULT - she's a little cold to the touch, but that's been the case since monday, it's just whether or not i remember to mention it]
I'm resting fine...!
[she was having a nice koi pond time and then along came akira]
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Are you?
[another amused quirk of his lips. with another huff, he guides her to sit]
Come on, let's sit. I have a few other things to discuss with you, anyway.
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[but she seems to finally be settling after her outburst of embarrassment, flicking her long hair over her shoulder in a haughty movement like it'll stabilize her]
Fine. What else?
[she'll sit with him.... her friend..... weird.]
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[his expression seems to fall a bit, though his smile doesn't fade. but. . . whatever he wants to say or ask next? it probably isn't something he wants to ask. especially not after calling her his friend-- a sentiment he meant wholeheartedly and would never take back]
. . . I realized something after the trial on Saturday. It was something I didn't think about at the time, so I'm sorry that I'm bringing it up now. But--
[. . .]
You made me promise that if I ever found you suspicious to press you for all that I could, right? That's why I have to ask. . .
Did you use your power at all last week?
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Not at all.
Think I had something to do with it?
Ask me all you want - I'll exhaust every avenue to prove my innocence as much as I can. I understand why you want to be sure.
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I actually don't think you did. [that is honest!!] But I realized after the trial that you could have used your power to fake the bees. That's why I'm asking about it now.
. . . and I guess it was a bit careless of me to forget about it so easily.
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[she's so down to get caught it's funny
but . . . she bumps shoulders with him then - he's now sitting on her good side]
Don't beat yourself up. I've told more people than just you so I can be scrutinized as much as possible. [a beat] But... thanks.
For respecting what I want.
[to acknowledge her resolve, before her safety]
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I didn't realize it only worked on one person. If it does, then it definitely still couldn't have been you.
[because that's literally the only way she could've faked the bees, so. . . he is relieved that she's still in the clear thanks to curfew effects]
And don't thank me for something like that. I hate having to acknowledge the people I trust could have been involved, even if it was just self defense.
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.... I'm going to thank you because I know that's hard, you idiot.
No one wants to discover that someone they trust or like committed a murder, no matter the circumstances. Ultimately, because of this place, you'll still end up losing that person - and that might sting all the more, right?
... but we have to.
[because it's the right thing to do - to search for the truth, no matter how painful]
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[. . .]
My best friend in the mansion killed someone one week.
[he admits to that so easily, his gone completely neutral. deceptively so, because even talking about Hunter despite the fact that he was saved hurts]
He killed someone, and having to out him was one of the hardest things I have ever done.
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she hesitates - obviously so - but she'll set her hand over his.]
... Doing the right thing is so rarely easy.
I don't.... know the right thing to say to you but - just... don't beat yourself up too much over it, if you can help it. [a beat] You're not a worse friend for it. At least - I don't think so.
You have to forgive yourself, too.
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[. . . and then he lets out a light huff, humorless and tired]
No. . . I think he was grateful for it, actually.
[because. . . the very same week it had happened, Hunter had asked him to kill him if he had ever turned into a monster. and Akira kept that promise]
But still. . . it-- it sucked.
[and he so doesn't want to do it again. even though, more likely than not, he's going to have to]
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[lili tries not to make assumptions about others that she knows nothing about but - the gratefulness is a feeling she'd understand. to want to be caught. it's why she's so adamant about it herself. and of course someone that akira likes and trusts ought to feel the same.]
... doesn't make it weigh any less. [to condemn a friend, someone you hold dear. she's seen people that she liked get sent to execution, but to have it be someone as close as a best friend....]
But... here, you can share the burden - if you want.
So you don't have to carry it by yourself.
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[comes his wry reply. funny. . . he isn't really the type to open up so easily like this. there's just something about Lili that makes things feel so simple, when they were oh-so complex before]
[either way, his hand shifts under hers until he has her fingers clutched in his own, squeezing lightly]
Thanks, though.
I really do appreciate it.
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... yeah. You're a bleeding heart who'll keep everything locked up anyway, right? Because when people look to you to be certain, it's hard to crack or share. My least favorite type of person to deal with.
[although there's no venom when she says it - possibly because it's the closest thing she'll get to a lie.]
... but if we're - friends, you need to rely on me. Even if I don't know the right things to say, or I can't do anything more than be next to you...
Even if it's just a little—I... want you to believe in me too. That I'm not going to just leave you alone in all this.
[believe in her enough that he doesn't feel like he has to stumble under the weight of everything on his own.]
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[he is one though, he can't deny it. and that's why his protest is mediocre at best]
But I do believe in you. Why else would I have come to you crying about messing up my power usage?
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