enteloki | LABY - IC INBOX

[Read a XX:XX because -

It doesn't matter and Maruki doesn't know the path his grand plan will lead him in only a couple months. A bad back is the least of his worries.

The topic isn't worth the battle. Agree. Be compliant. Accept the request and do whatever he wants anyway.

A response comes a few minutes later.]

I see. You're correct - I won't be young forever, though I doubt my back will be a concern.

I'll consider what you said and if I find suitable padding, I'll purchase it when I have enough shards.

[ Akechi Goro, for the love of god. Maruki has seen how deeply entrenched he is in the population of Somnius. Seen and heard and been the recipient of so many of his interactions. He knows Akechi has shards. Little shit. ]

Even if you don't, thanks for letting me be a nag for a little bit.

Anyhow, I did your laundry. Just so you don't wonder what happened.

[WDYM he doesn't have a thing. He's so broke,,,

But that little tidbit-

That little comment-

Oh.]

You did? Thank you, but that was unnecessary. I suppose it's too late to warn you about the gun in the pillow.

[AND SOMETHING ELSE.]

No problem. I have nothing but time this week anyway.

Yes, that was quite the surprise! I put it back where I found it.

[ AND. SOMETHING. ELSE. ]

[DID YOU SEE. SOMETHING ELSE. TELL HIM.

Maybe he got lucky and it was just destroyed in the wash, unwitnessed.]

The safety wasn't on - that could have been disastrous.

[Safety was on, actually. It's fine.]

As kind as that was, please inform me in the future if you're going to wash my items. I can provide proper warnings for any weapons or otherwise in my room.

I assume that's all you found. You wouldn't be able to type if you touched the acid.

I'm kidding, of course.

It seems like a waste to do your roommate's chores on your vacation. Are you that bored?

[ Akechi is many things. Irresponsible enough to sleep with a gun beneath his head with the safety off? That's not one of them. ]

I thought the acid was just for the moon statue? I wouldn't want to waste it by getting any on myself.

Sure, I'll let you know in the future. But no, I'm not bored. I've had a nice day cleaning up the castle. I find doing that also helps to clear the mind as well.

[ ............... ]

I'm glad I could help.

[ With the laundry. Sure. ]

[Akechi doesn't hide from anything. Doesn't balk, stand down or give up in any situation. A tenacity that's been a part of him for years.

But for once, he's happy the illuminated screen is a shield. His expression a little too unguarded. Preoccupied. If he were in front of Maruki, he could-

Not tell at a thing. That man doesn't hide from anything. Doesn't stand down or give up - that much he's learned. It's a source of anger for Akechi. A strength that impresses and infuriates. Maruki opened his eyes one morning and was blessed with an undeniable ability that puts him on an entirely different playing field.

If he were standing toe to toe with Maruki, trying to glean what he saw - Akechi would never find out. A mask as proper as his own. A guard as high as his. He was only half kidding when he made that bar proclamation about a sidekick - he would be talented in the field. A decent rival in the midst of one lost.

He's a liar, but liars slip up. Even Akechi has to stay on his toes, when words and expressions become overpowering. He never breaks. Never relents. Never shows weakness that isn't meant to exploit or manipulate, but-

Maruki's a liar who never slips in this particular area. It's in consistent meals to every person's taste, implied, told or gleaned from months together. It's in looking out for the injured, checking on the missing, bundling bodies on couches and tracking down the stubborn in thrall infested forests.

It's Maruki always being there. Akechi can't remember ever having such a consistent presence in his life. Can't remember a single point when he knew exactly where someone would be and-

Could rely on him, even when he doesn't want it. Especially when he doesn't want it. Joker was a friend. Joker came close. Akechi could contact him for every piddly, mundane issue, but-

If he were stuck in a palace, lost in a thrall - Maruki would be there, for better or worse. Joker wouldn't. Couldn't. It's Akechi's fault he can't.

If he were in any number of situations - Joker might assist. Maruki would.

He hates it. Hates him.]

What drives you to do this?

Please be more specific. To help with household chores, or to help you more generally, or to help anyone at all?

I'm not being obtuse to annoy you, for the record. A couple months ago I would have had very different answers for each, so I want to be sure I know what you're asking.

Edited 2024-07-02 22:53 (UTC)

[Akechi-

Doesn't give a shit about why he wants to wipe down a kitchen or fold laundry. It can be chalked up to a mindless, repetitive task. Necessary needs for everyday life.

Akechi-

Doesn't give a shit if he helps him. It works in his favor - exploitation key to survival. If Maruki wants to assist, Akechi will repay debts and accept what's provided if the man's stupid enough to give.

Akechi -

Doesn't give a shit about the other people. His desire to help clear. A path twisted and warped by a bloodstained home and the loss of Rumi.

And-

Please be more specific and Akechi can't. He doesn't know what he's asking because he can't fathom a world where this question would genuinely pop up. Where he would actually want to hear the answer.

Words are typed, backspaced, appear and disappear as he edits, deletes, adds.]

It's difficult to put into words. I'm finding it hard to describe the intent behind my question, though it's clear in my own mind. It's funny how that happens, isn't it? I wonder if I was expecting mindreading to be in your numerous skillset.

[Type, backspace, delete, pause - nothing's written for a solid minute. Typing starts again and-]

I don't think any answer could have satisfied me. On the matter of being driven, it's any number of things to help you pursue any number of goals.

Without being in your shoes, it would be impossible for me to comprehend, no matter how empathetic I attempt to be. Just as you would never understand what drives me to pursue what I must.

[He wants to go back to Tokyo. Get away from this - get back to Shido and keep going.]

Please forget I asked for the time being.

If I was a mind reader, my job would be both much easier and less interesting.

True, we can only ever fully understand our own selves and our own minds. I'm the only person who would make every choice I've made, and so are you. Even another version of myself, as fanciful as that sounds, wouldn't be one that I could wholly comprehend.

That said, even though perspectives and perceptions will always differ between the other and the self, I do believe we can come as close as possible to understanding what drives one another. "We," generally speaking, all humans - but also "we," you and I. That's what we're doing right now, isn't it?

May I still answer your original question to the best of my ability? It won't put you in my shoes, but maybe it will bring you closer to where I stand.

A valid point and one I would expect from you.

Please feel free to respond as you see fit. I'm interested to hear what you'll say.

One of the most frustrating aspects of being here is having to explain why I do what I do. I don't begrudge people asking at all - we've discussed before how refreshing it is to see people actively questioning what's in front of them rather than trusting blindly. I get why they ask.

But to your earlier point, I never know how to answer in a way that will make sense for them. When something is so integral to who you are, how do you explain it in words?

I don't have to explain it to you. You saw my memory, you heard the story, and you know how Azathoth came to me. You understand why I want to help people, as well as anyone outside of my own head could understand it.

I don't think it's noble. It's actually... rather selfish. My desire to help others is just as much to soothe myself as it is to soothe them.

That's not something I would have admitted when I first arrived here and began counseling in dreams and being questioned for it. That's definitely not something I would have admitted if asked back in our true reality. Not because I wanted to appear so selfless, but because it meant admitting that I was in pain too.

Stupid, right? I'm a grown man. The fact that I've been so afraid of acknowledging my own suffering for so long is shameful.

You changed that.

Not only you, to be fair, but... well, I'd be a liar if I said you weren't a huge part of it.

I don't profess to know you well. But in the time I have known you, we've been through a lot, and I've never seen you back down or run away from anything. No matter how frightening, or dangerous, or painful it is. You accept the consequences of every fight you enter, literal or otherwise, and you don't try to hide from them.

That's the kind of person I always wanted to be. I didn't realize that it meant facing my own pain instead of burying it. I do now, because you showed me even if you didn't mean to, and it's something I try to work on every day.

I'm a different person for having known you, and I'm incredibly lucky for it. You've helped me. I've hopefully helped you. We're allies. It's not sentimental, it's a simple fact.

I guess... in the end, it's like I said before: I'm glad you're here.

[No one has ever said that to the Detective Prince and-

No one has ever said that to Akechi Goro. No one talks to Akechi Goro with this degree of sincerity. No one looks at Akechi Goro. No one thinks about Akechi Goro. No one likes Akechi Goro because it's a figment that hasn't existed since his mother's bloated corpse filled his vision.

Akechi can't brush off the words that fill the screen because Maruki only talks to Akechi Goro.

It's a mistake. A brutal one. A betrayal in the shadow of every interaction they have. The words fill his vision like a bruised corpse. They repeat and repeat and repeat and replace the persistent, buzzing static like sensation that fills him from the base of his skull, to the back of his eyes.

He could kill Maruki while he sleeps. It would be kinder. A quiet apartment nestled in the middle of Tokyo. A small home that smells like spices and books. The automatic locks are easy to disengage. A window might be left open - Maruki likes fresh air and light. He wonders if the man forgets to shut if. If cicadas fly into his room and keep him from sleeping. The persistent high pitched chirping will keep him up all night. A monster hidden in the corner of his room. Maybe the night Akechi comes to kill him, Maruki will be wide awake, staring at him with squinted eyes while he stands in the darkened doorway. His glasses are on a stand by the right side of his bed, probably. Not the left. He'll know Akechi immediately, even without the full scope of his vision.

A cicada will be in the apartment, so Akechi can't kill him while he sleeps.

He could kill Maruki on the streets - messier, crueler and without an inch of kindness afforded to him. Maruki likes fresh air and walks. He might live near a bathhouse. He'll probably walk to it, traversing a well worn path with his nose in his cellphone because he likes to be informed. He wonders if the gleam of a pen from a tiny hobby store will catch his eye or if it's books or a poster with a discount dinner in vivid, colorful font. Akechi could sneak up behind him. No Azathoth to buffer the knife twisting into his back. The blade will be sharp because Akechi isn't a cruel man. It will be sharp, slide in and he won't feel it until it's too late.

Maruki wouldn't see him right away, but his phone will drop - clatter and hit pavement. The battery will fall out because Maruki's smartphone isn't the latest model like Akechi's. He'll turn to fight off the pain in his spine. Maybe he'll think it's something Venat can fix. Venat could fix it. Venat could kill him with that blooming power of hers. She could kill Akechi and save Maruki. A part of him wants her to, in that moment, in that thought, with that sensation of his hands pressed into his back, this time to rip him apart instead of mend him.

The poster will catch his eye again. It's tempura udon. They were supposed to have it that night. Akechi was supposed to wait until afterwards to allow the man a final meal. A final kindness. He doesn't. Akechi doesn't know why.

A colorful, vivid sign will be on a window, so Akechi can't kill him on the street.

Maruki praises him for accepting consequences. He won't forget. He'll never forget. The words will twist around his heart like a rotten vine until barbs rip it to pieces. He won't forget. He'll never forget. He can't forget and-

It's the kindest thing Akechi can do, maybe, to accept the consequences from someone who praised him for it. Akechi's fingers will latch around Maruki's throat, while his glasses are clean and clear. He wipes them right after dinner. The steam fogs them up. He'll wipe the clouds from his vision with a cloth meant for it, instead of the cuff of his sleeve. Ever prepared, ever organized.

They'll sit in the living room for awhile, talking. Akechi's a professional. A performer. Nothing will stop him from trying to coax out every last word from this man's throat - a final gift. A jagarico pack. A plate of sushi. Phrases, teases, gentle coaxing and laughter - Akechi will listen, hear it, remember.

He'll turn every single word into a red thread that will wrap around his lungs because he won't be able to breathe. He can't breath now. He hasn't in awhile. Maruki won't tell him to leave - he never does. He won't then. Especially then. It'll be late and Akechi will be offered a couch - blankets, pillows ready on the corners because Maruki is prepared. Akechi is allowed. Akechi will press his palms into the barbs around his heart until nothing's left.

Maruki will walk over to him and-

Pat his head and-

Akechi will return the favor with deft precision, with an act, with the truth. He won't look away. Won't pretend it's Shido. Wouldn't dare sully the image of someone who offered these soft bits of praise to a killer, liar, murderer and-

Akechi will tell him it's his fault, while his face is peppered with spots of blue. It's his fault. It's Akechi's fault. There's no one left.

He can't breathe and-

The air is cold. It's hot. He inhales too deep, too shallow. There's an indent in his forehead from the phone pressed against it. It hurts. He doesn't stop. He's breathing and it doesn't matter.

Bright lines. Vivid spots. The ground is coated in bubbles he has to blink away. It doesn't matter. This doesn't matter. Nothing matters. Shido matters. Shido matters. Shido matters because-

Every death staining his hands will be one more way he kills Shido. Every piece of Akechi ripped to shreds will be returned tenfold. Maruki will die and Akechi will bring him back with the pieces of Shido he scratches free from a bloated corpse. Maruki will die and Akechi will pull all these words from his heart to listen to when his vision's stained red, red, red and he wins.

Maruki will be there when he wins because Akechi wants him to be.]

[The text comes too fast, too soon, too late. He doesn't know what time it is when the read becomes a response. It's dark - it might be late.]

Thank you for the insight and the kind words.

I'm happy to know that something I did resonated with another. It gives me a view of your character I hadn't thought about.

You are strong. Facing pain is difficult, but necessary. You've shown you can handle almost anything thrown at you. It's an admirable quality that you've grown into and it's impressed me.

Rumi would be impressed too.

[He doesn't care. Hates her. Hates Maruki. Can't stand the thought of looking at him when he walks through those castle doors.]

I'm glad you're here.

[Because he has to.]

I hope our partnership continues.

[Because he has to.]

I'll be back soon.

Edited (words lmao and more words LMAO shut up ) 2024-07-03 02:45 (UTC)

[ There it is again, that invocation of Rumi's name. Not said quietly in an empty bath house, spelled out in stark black and white before him. He won't forget.

The sun's gone down. The windows have all been closed up save for the one in his room. He likes to sleep with the warm breeze on his face.

Dinner has already been made and put away. He'll happily go back down to fix up a reheated plate for Akechi and sit with him while he eats.

Maybe that's a way he could have simplified those messages into their base sentiment. What drives him? Having a person around who he's always happy to see. Since that rescue in the marketplace. ]

Thanks, Akechi. It will continue.

Take care coming home. See you.

I have good news.

[YOU FOUND A WAY OUT OF THIS SHITHOLE? They're going home? Fuck everyone and they're just bouncing, honestly?]

Then by all means - feel free to say it.

[ Oh bestie, if only. ]

You won't have to worry about window visitors of any kind anymore.

[MARUKI......Is Night Sky dead?? That's not good news!!!]

Okay.

Please clarify what you mean.

[ Spoken like a guy who truly doesn't care! ]

I don't intend to have any spontaneous personal visitors to the castle going forward, and will be making it clear to those who have done so in the past.

[That is good news. The text is read again, as if some hidden meaning is there.

Akechi can't parse it out. Annoying.]

I'm happy to hear that. Is there any particular reason you're telling me this?

There is.

You and Venat seemed to have a good time when she visited to attempt to destroy the statue recently, huh?

Calling it a good time would be a stretch, but it wasn't unenjoyable.

How is this related?

Oh, come on. I lay out clues for you and you don't even want to solve the mystery yourself? Some Detective Prince...

[READ AT XX:XX.

Whatever stupid shit Maruki's up to today? Not his problem. Windows and Venat - the only mystery at hand is whether or not Maruki whacked his head somewhere. Maybe it's the beginning of a concussion. Hopefully he collapses inside the castle - Akechi doesn't feel like dragging him in.]

LABY - IC INBOX

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1/2 cw: suicide, murder, violent thoughts, descriptive violence

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text; un: doc0203

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accidentally posting the most ominous blank comment for great justice

IT WAS SO SPOOKY

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1/???