(you can pm me here or on plurk if you'd like to beforehand, but also if you'd just like to drop something at my doorstep with no preamble please do!!)
[ Akechi. Please hear that very genuine concern in his voice. With great adorable beloved son power comes great adorable beloved son responsibility. PLEASE. ]
[ Wait, hold on. Remember that you're not supposed to sound panicked when a child gets hurt, because it will only scare them more. Be calm and strong. Take a deep breath. Don't think about him sitting all alone in the apartment with bloody knees!!! ]
[And thus, Maruki's hell begins. It's a small apartment, so Akechi's excitable voice carries through no matter where he seems to go.
The cup is tossed into the trash. A melodious 'clean up, clean up' following as he pushes the step stool back to its rightful place, washcloth straightened, cabinet closed.]
[Softest voice ever. The stepstool slid back out and across the floor. Someone's climbing up counters and something falls with an 'oops.' Don't worry about it.]
[The tears stop flowing with the appearance of a Really Big Dog. The neighbor is talking through the window now - mumbles and murmurs. Akechi asking all kinds of questions about Eren De Poochi. Such a weird name.]
I love him! Can he play at the park tonight?
[UNCLEAR THE OUTCOME. AKECHI SOUNDS HAPPY ANYWAY.]
[ Maruki listens to every clattering noise, every babbling stream of chatter. Tries to picture what Akechi is doing in his mind's eye, especially when he hears a window opening. At times when they're apart, his traitorous brain does nothing but supply a steady stream of images of ways things could go terribly wrong for Akechi, accidents and worse. For so long, he's only had to contend with those thoughts about Rumi. It's unsettling, to put it mildly.
He tries to get Akechi's attention, calling his name through the phone again and again, to no avail. He's given up by the time he hears Akechi interrogating someone about their dog, figures that he's entirely forgotten that they were ever on the phone. He's nearly to the station, anyway, but then– ]
There you are!
[ Palpable relief, so much so that the salaryman waiting next to him at the crosswalk glances over. ]
You sure do get up to a lot around the house when we aren't there, don't you?
Yeah. I like looking around - it's really nice. It's very clean. It's got lots of stuff in here.
[It's dope as hell, actually. His own room? Unreal. Madness. 10/10 stars. He tried to review this apartment once, but childguard stopped him from putting his stellar opinion online.]
When they take me back, I'll always remember it because I looked everywhere all the time.
I love you too, you little wild child. I'll be catching the train soon. And then I'll have to hang up, because it's rude to talk on the phone on the train, right?
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[ Akechi. Please hear that very genuine concern in his voice. With great adorable beloved son power comes great adorable beloved son responsibility. PLEASE. ]
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Yeah, I'm bleeding. That's why my legs hurt so much.
1/3
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I mean, ah... I'm glad you told me. We'll get you patched up. Just hang tight and I'll be home in– twenty minutes or so, okay?
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[Except he obviously doesn't by the way he starts to shuffle up to his feet - cup ramen is gone! Time to put it in the trash! He'll BRB, King.]
Wait - hold on. I'll be right back. You stay there.
[Maruki's a fuckin phone, but whatever! STAY THERE.]
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[ And now he's the idiot waiting patiently for a child to pick up the other end of the line again as he walks to the train station. ]
1/????????
The cup is tossed into the trash. A melodious 'clean up, clean up' following as he pushes the step stool back to its rightful place, washcloth straightened, cabinet closed.]
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[BIRD?
AT THE WINDOW? BIRD? AT THE WINDOW?]
WOW!
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[Softest voice ever. The stepstool slid back out and across the floor. Someone's climbing up counters and something falls with an 'oops.' Don't worry about it.]
Okay, here and...
[Window slides open with so much Effort™, but-]
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FLIED AWAY. Oh. Disaster. Oh. Hell. Oh. The saddest day of his life, oh.]
Come back.
[Oh he's on the verge of tears. Oh, he's so sad. Oh, worst day of his little life.]
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[The tears stop flowing with the appearance of a Really Big Dog. The neighbor is talking through the window now - mumbles and murmurs. Akechi asking all kinds of questions about Eren De Poochi. Such a weird name.]
I love him! Can he play at the park tonight?
[UNCLEAR THE OUTCOME. AKECHI SOUNDS HAPPY ANYWAY.]
Okay, bye! Come back tomorrow!
END
He was doing something.
Window shut! Stepstool put up! He hobbles back over to the hallway to say 'bye' to his mom and pick up the phone on the ground.]
Hello?
GOD
He tries to get Akechi's attention, calling his name through the phone again and again, to no avail. He's given up by the time he hears Akechi interrogating someone about their dog, figures that he's entirely forgotten that they were ever on the phone. He's nearly to the station, anyway, but then– ]
There you are!
[ Palpable relief, so much so that the salaryman waiting next to him at the crosswalk glances over. ]
You sure do get up to a lot around the house when we aren't there, don't you?
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[It's dope as hell, actually. His own room? Unreal. Madness. 10/10 stars. He tried to review this apartment once, but childguard stopped him from putting his stellar opinion online.]
When they take me back, I'll always remember it because I looked everywhere all the time.
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[Matter of fact and not distressed in the slightest.]
I think Eren De Pochi will be out there. I hope he is.
[He's got a sick ass couch to chill on right now. An 'oof' from throwing his phone, and then his body on it. Oh, it's so comfy.]
But I don't want to go back.
unfortunately the name did have to come up pls know i felt as bad writing it as you feel reading it
[ Gentle, calm, plainly stated fact. It isn't the first time he's reminded Akechi. It won't be the last. Eventually, it will sink in. ]
We aren't going to change our minds about you.
oh ew oh ew what did you DO
From his mom.
From families to come. He'll hear it again and again and again.]
Okay.
[Next week, next month, next year - he'll be waiting on the sidewalk with the memory of a home he loved most of all, and it's okay.
It's okay.]
Are you almost home? I miss you. I love you.
listen YOU try playing a guy who says names as often as maruki does and see how it feels
I love you too, you little wild child. I'll be catching the train soon. And then I'll have to hang up, because it's rude to talk on the phone on the train, right?
[ A lesson HARD LEARNED. ]
TAKUTO TAKUTO TAKUTO TAKI TAKI ROOMBA
[He's got you king - the second Maruki gets off voice though he's getting photos of the apartment.]
Be safe. I'll wait by the door. Even if that dog comes back, I won't move.
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You be safe too! Don't wait too close to the door or you'll get whacked again...
[ As soon as the call is ended, it's a countdown of three, two, one for the first garbled photo. ]