[Neil has no idea who Hegel is, but Akechi makes him sound important; Hegel's works. To that end, he's stunned and awed by the gift, and more so who it came from. A slow smile spreads out on his face as he takes the book, and then he smacks the cover with his hand, giving a bright laugh.]
Look at that! Brilliant, Akechi! Like it was nothing.
[The book seems to distract him again, and he starts flipping through the first few pages.]
I can't wait to read it. I'd ask what it's about, but...no. [He grips the book, grinning at his friend.] I'll read it all and get right back to you.
[ Akechi expects the bare minimum from those he interacts with - an exchange of pleasantries, the occasional shallow conversation, an amicable parting that will lead to yet another dull dialogue down the road. A few are held to a standard above that. It's a handful. He wants more from them. Expects it.
The excitement Neal has is something else entirely. It catches him off guard and it shows on his face for only a second. A weight lifts and-
It crashes back down.
Even prior to his celebrity status, he's never had a 'normal' school experience. Neil reminds him of the underclassmen making earnest attempts to learn from their seniors. It feels-
Odd. He isn't sure what to do, so he laughs it off with a quiet chuckle. ]
You'll learn much from it - that I assure you. Hegel's philosophy is complicated and erratic, but it's fascinating even with the shallowest understanding.
I look forward to hearing what you take from it in any capacity. It's been too long since I've met someone willing to indulge me on this.
[ He waves the conversation off, and- ]
Now for my request - it seems only fair to ask for your favorite book, no matter what the topic is.
[Neil sometimes gets this sense about Akechi that he doesn't quite know what he's doing. It's almost a little awkward, the way he pauses, quickly speaks his enthusiasm about Hegel, then just as quickly brushes it away. If Neil did something to make him feel embarrassed, he didn't mean to. He could be wrong, but that's he can really equate it to.
[With Akechi's question, he thinks he understands. It's exposing, sharing something so sacred. Under any other circumstances, Neil would hesitate, but Akechi has honored his request; Neil owes his friend the same.
[To that end, and with no more than a sad, small smile, Five Centuries of Verse appears in his hands.
[It's not quite the same as he and Charlie's, as the society's. It's newer, and it doesn't have the same inscriptions written in side - he checks quickly to make sure.
[One day, maybe, he'll share Keating's copy with Akechi too, but today...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Look at that! Brilliant, Akechi! Like it was nothing.
[The book seems to distract him again, and he starts flipping through the first few pages.]
I can't wait to read it. I'd ask what it's about, but...no. [He grips the book, grinning at his friend.] I'll read it all and get right back to you.
no subject
The excitement Neal has is something else entirely. It catches him off guard and it shows on his face for only a second. A weight lifts and-
It crashes back down.
Even prior to his celebrity status, he's never had a 'normal' school experience. Neil reminds him of the underclassmen making earnest attempts to learn from their seniors. It feels-
Odd. He isn't sure what to do, so he laughs it off with a quiet chuckle. ]
You'll learn much from it - that I assure you. Hegel's philosophy is complicated and erratic, but it's fascinating even with the shallowest understanding.
I look forward to hearing what you take from it in any capacity. It's been too long since I've met someone willing to indulge me on this.
[ He waves the conversation off, and- ]
Now for my request - it seems only fair to ask for your favorite book, no matter what the topic is.
no subject
[With Akechi's question, he thinks he understands. It's exposing, sharing something so sacred. Under any other circumstances, Neil would hesitate, but Akechi has honored his request; Neil owes his friend the same.
[To that end, and with no more than a sad, small smile, Five Centuries of Verse appears in his hands.
[It's not quite the same as he and Charlie's, as the society's. It's newer, and it doesn't have the same inscriptions written in side - he checks quickly to make sure.
[One day, maybe, he'll share Keating's copy with Akechi too, but today...
[He holds the book out with a smile.]
This book changed my life. [For the better?]
no subject
It's not something Akechi will shun or ignore, especially with someone willing to indulge his own favorite.
He takes the book and opens it up - flips through the pages to get a preview, notes it's all poems. Not a genre he reads, so all will be new to him.
It's not unwelcome. ]
Then I'll read it with the same reverence you hold it to. I look forward to starting this evening.
we can wrapperoo if u want
I look forward to our discussion. [It's really just like what they do at the society, isn't it?]