Does he profess to know Akechi perfectly well? Not at all. He never would. They have lived whole lives without one another, and there is still so much that they obfuscate from one another. There likely always will be.
But you don't spend months around someone, day in and day out, establishing the quiet routines of living and working together, revealing parts of yourselves to one another, training and fighting together and against one another in kind without learning how to handle a person well.
Maruki listens to his warnings, bites the inside of his cheek to force himself not to smile. The almost-tears are forgotten; they'll be back later, when he's alone in his room, still bath-warm and thinking back on Akechi's words to commit them to memory. Now he's only–
Endeared, really.
Akechi is a liar, but not always. There are kernels of truth in these statements, Maruki knows that. And he would love nothing more than to know Akechi's larger plan – Xie Lian's meddling still fresh in his mind, the mania in Akechi's eyes as he stormed out of the castle – but what good would it be to ask now? Akechi wouldn't reveal it.
They're liars. But that doesn't mean the trust isn't there, and the faith.
He looks at Akechi like he's just rattled off a particularly long grocery list to a person who's already done half of the shopping. Of course these are things Maruki knows. Has experienced in his own life. Expression mild, brows raised, but words sincere as ever. ]
I appreciate the warning, but it only seems fair if you're doing the same to me. I know you won't let me down.
[ A stretch, his arms over his head, the shifting blood flow a little dizzying for how long they've been in here. ]
By the way...
[ And then Maruki finally lets that smile loose, all the genuine affection he feels for Akechi and all the exasperated mischief along with it. ]
Enthralled?
[ A hand against the top of Akechi's head, quick as a whip.
And then he's shoved over and facedown into the hot water.
cw affection
Funny.
This is so funny.
Does he profess to know Akechi perfectly well? Not at all. He never would. They have lived whole lives without one another, and there is still so much that they obfuscate from one another. There likely always will be.
But you don't spend months around someone, day in and day out, establishing the quiet routines of living and working together, revealing parts of yourselves to one another, training and fighting together and against one another in kind without learning how to handle a person well.
Maruki listens to his warnings, bites the inside of his cheek to force himself not to smile. The almost-tears are forgotten; they'll be back later, when he's alone in his room, still bath-warm and thinking back on Akechi's words to commit them to memory. Now he's only–
Endeared, really.
Akechi is a liar, but not always. There are kernels of truth in these statements, Maruki knows that. And he would love nothing more than to know Akechi's larger plan – Xie Lian's meddling still fresh in his mind, the mania in Akechi's eyes as he stormed out of the castle – but what good would it be to ask now? Akechi wouldn't reveal it.
Maruki didn't reveal his, either. Despite appearances.
They're liars. But that doesn't mean the trust isn't there, and the faith.
He looks at Akechi like he's just rattled off a particularly long grocery list to a person who's already done half of the shopping. Of course these are things Maruki knows. Has experienced in his own life. Expression mild, brows raised, but words sincere as ever. ]
I appreciate the warning, but it only seems fair if you're doing the same to me. I know you won't let me down.
[ A stretch, his arms over his head, the shifting blood flow a little dizzying for how long they've been in here. ]
By the way...
[ And then Maruki finally lets that smile loose, all the genuine affection he feels for Akechi and all the exasperated mischief along with it. ]
Enthralled?
[ A hand against the top of Akechi's head, quick as a whip.
And then he's shoved over and facedown into the hot water.
Say odd shit, get dunked. ]