[ He can bite his tongue hard enough to suppress the smile. He can. ]
Support.
[ Phone briefly set down, because the other hand is still occupied with toast, and he reaches over without looking to ruffle Akechi's hair. Briefly, playfully. Phone in hand again, quick and casual as anything. ]
[There's a weight against his head - his own chin tilts up to see what the fuck is happening when -
A ruffle.
For whatever reason Maruki chose to do it then, Akechi can't say. It's stupid. Sentimental. Meaningless. A sane person wouldn't touch someone who wrapped fingers around their throat less than ten hours ago.
Akechi allows it. Does nothing to shake it off, despite the clear displeasure in his face when he takes an all too brutal bite of toast.
He needs to play nice - keep the allyship. Keep him quiet in reality. Last night was brutal and Maruki is stupid and-
[ Instantaneous. And then back to toast. Maybe more coffee too? He didn't have the meltdown last night but he feels emotionally hungover all the same. ]
[ All those questions he had last night, still etched on the inside of his eyelids as he tried in vain to sleep. Even the thought of bringing them up now exhausts him, but– ]
There's no point in keeping this a secret. They end up dead, always. Maruki knows killing has to be method.]
Kill the palace ruler.
If we can't reach Vaeros physically, there may be a way to do it through alternative means. Our thought experiment failed, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
[ Maruki reads and rereads it, again and again, the warm ceramic of the coffee mug pressed against his cheek.
Okumura–
Well. It makes sense, unfortunately.
He glances over at Akechi, then back down at his phone. Doesn't deviate from their pattern. ]
Every time someone has told me that it's impossible to see or reach Vaeros, therefore impossible to fight him, I've found it disappointingly narrow-minded. I've suspected that there are ways to attack without being physically present.
[Loaded question. Palaces, Mementos - could Akechi even put a number on it?
He-
can't remember. The lines between months and years blurring together. The first year was difficult. The latter ones much easier. All of the targets were so disgusting they barely hit a blip on his radar. Most didn't make the news, in the beginning. Small time targets to test reliability and loyalty.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Oath.
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Hm. ]
Loyalty.
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Black. White. Letters on an illuminated screen.
It's a game.]
Ally.
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Support.
[ Phone briefly set down, because the other hand is still occupied with toast, and he reaches over without looking to ruffle Akechi's hair. Briefly, playfully. Phone in hand again, quick and casual as anything. ]
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A ruffle.
For whatever reason Maruki chose to do it then, Akechi can't say. It's stupid. Sentimental. Meaningless. A sane person wouldn't touch someone who wrapped fingers around their throat less than ten hours ago.
Akechi allows it. Does nothing to shake it off, despite the clear displeasure in his face when he takes an all too brutal bite of toast.
He needs to play nice - keep the allyship. Keep him quiet in reality. Last night was brutal and Maruki is stupid and-
Still here.
Always here.]
Protect.
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[ Instantaneous. And then back to toast. Maybe more coffee too? He didn't have the meltdown last night but he feels emotionally hungover all the same. ]
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Not the first one that comes to mind. He backspaces something indecipherable and-]
Idiot.
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Shrug.
[ And with that, he's up again to refill both of their coffees. ]
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Like normal.
It makes him uneasy. Comforted. Anxious and-
Something else. He pushes the sensation away.]
Wave.
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Holiday.
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Work.
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Balance.
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[ They're kind back to square one, bestie. ]
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Perception.
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But that beach episode IS happening. ]
Manipulation.
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But he's never been one to avoid poking the bear. Avoid dirty work. It's all a game anyway.]
Shutdown.
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How?
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[A beat, and -
There's no point in keeping this a secret. They end up dead, always. Maruki knows killing has to be method.]
Kill the palace ruler.
If we can't reach Vaeros physically, there may be a way to do it through alternative means. Our thought experiment failed, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
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Okumura–
Well. It makes sense, unfortunately.
He glances over at Akechi, then back down at his phone. Doesn't deviate from their pattern. ]
Every time someone has told me that it's impossible to see or reach Vaeros, therefore impossible to fight him, I've found it disappointingly narrow-minded. I've suspected that there are ways to attack without being physically present.
Now I know.
Okay. So we start looking into alternatives.
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But he's surprised - wants to push it to see if Maruki will crack. Doesn't because-
Dark bags under his eyes, slowed movements.
Akechi doesn't care, but there's no rush to do this or an immediate call to action.]
I'll let you know if I find a promising lead.
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[ ... ]
How many palaces would you say you've been in?
That's the last question I'll ask. It's more general curiosity than anything else.
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He-
can't remember. The lines between months and years blurring together. The first year was difficult. The latter ones much easier. All of the targets were so disgusting they barely hit a blip on his radar. Most didn't make the news, in the beginning. Small time targets to test reliability and loyalty.
It's not a lie. He truly-]
I don't know. I've lost track.
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