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[maskreant]

Hey, this is Akira Kurusu and I'm not available right now. Leave a message and I'll get back to it as soon as I can.

GOSSIP

SCHEME

P.THIEVES

Comments

[maskreant]

I'm sure it will.

[ He smiles after hearing Nanashi is somewhat nervous... It must be hard. Akira has never been nervous to talk to his parents, but he never wanted to bother them.

But he knows what it's like to be nervous to approach people, even when you rationalize it as not being a big deal. ]

Did you want to rehearse?

[reaquila]

What, you mean like practice lines? Uh, sure.

[They can try it out.]

Are you gonna pretend to be Jouhei?

[maskreant]

[ There is one flaw to this... ]

I don't know what Jouhei is like, but you can still pretend while I try my best.

[reaquila]

Okay...okay so how's this. [Nanashi covers his face. This is going to be so embarrassing.]

Oh!! Would you look at that? I haven't seen you in ages!!! I wonder why???

[He tried??????]

Well, I gotta go now...!!! Bye!!!

[No.]

[maskreant]

[ Akira is quiet with a slight scowl, stunned speechless. Very. Very. Dubious. ]

That covered nothing.

[ He’s being honest. Even Morrigan doesn’t look impressed. ]

[reaquila]

[ He angrily puffs his cheeks up. ]

Fuck, you can't be serious. I'm not good at talking I don't even know what to say .........

[RIP.]

Maybe I'll stay quiet and see how he reacts first? Is that an option?

[maskreant]

[ Nanashi. You said absolutely nothing. He could just let his friend handle it the way he wants.

He should be honest, seeing that Nanashi is slamming the flight button so fast. ]

... No. What if he's waiting for you to be comfortable and talk to him first?

[ Then it would go nowhere and it'll be worse. ]

[reaquila]

We'll be silent forever.

[ ...Hm, yeah no. He's gotta make the first move. Akira's right. Nanashi can't be a wuss about this. ]

Fuck, I can't just show up and shout "hey?? what's going on?"" after going away for so long.

[ This is the worst. Nanashi sticks his tongue out in disgust at himself. ]

It'd be so awkward.

[maskreant]

It would definitely be awkward.

[ And that's the timer going off. Akira puts on oven mitts as he pops the oven open to take out their long awaited baked salmon. It looks good and the herbs make it more than just aromatic. ]

Why don't we start with what you want him to understand?

[ Do that while he plates their food. ]

[reaquila]

[ This is so hard. He's confronting an issue that he's been running away from for weeks. It's only normal that Nanashi doesn't know what to say or how to cope.

But he can't flee at the sight of Jouhei so he has to come up with something to say. ]

I need to apologize to him somehow, but for what? Seems like there's a long list of things I should be sorry for.

[That salmon smells good . He's distracting himself with food.]

[maskreant]

[ Hmm... Akira knows it's difficult when you need a starting point, but after that it should come out like a waterfall. Nanashi only needs a push for that. Once the plates are ready, Akira places them on the kitchen dining table and motions Nanashi to come eat. The salmon is nicely baked with a small miso glaze, then there's garlic grilled asparagus on the side. ]

Then let's narrow it down to top five things you want to apologize for. Easy enough?

[ At least try. ]

[reaquila]

Uh, no? [Nanashi scratches the back of his head with his hand. ]

Sorry for getting wasted? Running away from home? Getting killed??? Not replying to text messages??? That's already four things....

[It's too much. When he says it like that it sounds really bad too. ]

Do I really have to list them out this way?

[maskreant]

[ Uhm... He's not even sure what to touch first? There are some concerning things coming out of this high schooler's mouth, especially the killed part. It makes the hair on his neck stand on end, finding it hard to even start eating any piece of their meal. ]

It's up to you... But maybe you should start with running away with home and not contacting him. Everything else can come after.

[ What the hell, Nanashi? ]

[reaquila]

I'll do that then. [Nanashi folds his arms together and flops into his seat.]

Dunno what's wrong with me, bro. It's like everything that comes out of my mouth is garbage. Finding the right words is hard.

[He yawns while looking utterly exhausted.]

Maybe I'm thinking too much.

[maskreant]

[ Akira can finally have a bite or two as he contemplates on this a little more. He understands not knowing what to say when it's important sometimes, especially with someone close. ]

You can keep rehearsing until you feel comfortable, but I'm sure he would be most comforted hearing it in your words. [ ... ] It's important to you.

[ Of course you're thinking a lot about it, dumbo. ]

[reaquila]

It is. Jouhei's the only family I've got left in the city. I can't mess this one up, Akira.

[Nanashi frowns and he looks saddens by this.]

If I do then I've got no place to return to. He's a nice guy so I think he'll be able to understand my reasons. I just have to talk it through.

[talking is the hard part.]

[maskreant]

[ ... Akira tries to smile a bit, finding it endearing that Nanashi cares so much about his cousin. Even if he never had something like that or felt like that towards an actual family member, he understands. ]

I think you'll do fine, Nanashi. Even if you blurt something dumb out, it sounds like your cousin might be used to it.

[ It is... a nice yet mean thing to say. ]

[reaquila]

Huh, you really weren't pulling any punches with that one. [He's not wrong, but why Akira!!]

I've done a lot of stupid things in front of him before. Like that time I went shopping with Jouhei and Minato. Everything went to hell in a few hours.

[That was fun though.]

I got scolded afterwards...but it's not as if I hated it. Did you know that senpai got in trouble too?

[woops. THEY SURVIVED JOUHEI'S IRON FIST. ]

[maskreant]

[ He's chewing on his asparagus with eyes bright, ends of his lips quirked upward as if trying to stifle a small chuckle. That sounds like a great story to listen to is the first thing that comes to mind. Second, it's also funny how Nanashi has to emphasize Minato got in trouble, too. ]

It can't just be you in trouble. Anyway, I didn't know he did.

[ Time for questions. ]

What exactly happened?

[reaquila]

It happened around Easter? I just took senpai with me to do some groceries. You'd think we'd be able to handle that much. [They couldn't even do it without ruining lives.]

I felt like playing a prank on Jouhei so I slammed into him. We made a mess of things. I think one of the ladies screamed?

[That poor shopper didn't get out unscathed. ]

Senpai stood there acting all innocent like he did nothing wrong. Jouhei was really fucking pissed. None of us said a word.

[maskreant]

...I thought he actually did something.

[ Scratching his cheek, he guesses that's normal of Minato. Maybe doing nothing is the same as doing something, being an Observer.

HE SHRUGS as he cleans off his plate. ]

He's an accessory to shopper abuse now.

[reaquila]

By standing still and doing nothing Jouhei thought that senpai was in league with me.

[ Nanashi makes a tired face and then continues to eat his meal. ]

He seemed a little too calm and it was suspicious as hell. I got five pinches to my face that day!! FIVE!

[maskreant]

He's not wrong.

[ Being a bystander makes you an offender, too. Akira believes in that wholeheartedly. He does squint at the next part as he pats his lips clean. ]

... Isn't that child abuse? Even if you did deserve it.

[reaquila]

My family's far from normal so I dunno. We're like that all the time. Even my little sister pinches people three times her size.

[ His family household is....interesting. They're a mess with their pinching habits. ]

I think she took up Judo? She's freakishly strong...and so is Jouhei.

[maskreant]

[ Oh? Oh. Oh. Akira is suddenly not too sure about this now, but... You know what? That's fine. He can survive all of them if things go to shit or they bully him.

Or he can use Nanashi as a meatshield. ]

Sounds like it runs in the family... I can only what you can do aside from running fast and summoning demons.