Both of them handle their emotions several degrees to the left of what most consider normal. It's not vicious, but visceral. As if a dagger was wound and dug deep into Akechi's chest.
As if his own hands bury deep in Maruki's torso, digging fresh wounds out of old ones.
They went to bed because that's the routine. Lay. Talk. Sleep.
Akechi went with him this time. Far too old to spend a night in his parent's bed, but Maruki will never say no and Akechi never needs to embarrass himself by asking. They tuck into folds of blankets and pillows together. Stare at the ceiling and talk. Pull out their phones and show each other videos curated from algorithms that overlap more often than not.
Akechi drifts off first. He always does. A hand gently stroking his hair, his face tucked into the man's side.
And he knows he's the son of another man who he acts on his lie without a shred of guilt. He stands alone in the Diet Building's shadow because his mother stood alone without ever getting to see it. It's a battle she fought against an unjust world - so will he.
Father and son. He doesn't remember. He doesn't remember.
He takes a seat by the throne at a blood soaked table.
He can't remember. He can't remember.
Shido didn't know her name.
And he can't remember, so he doesn't and-
He doesn't keep a photo of a woman he'll never know on the wall of his too pristine office.
It's about money. Power. Fame. Akechi's offered it for his silence.
Accused of vying for it with this meetup. Akechi is of no use to him with nothing to offer beyond a memory of a life Shido never wanted and-
There's a threat at the end of it. A comment about ending up hanging from a rafter with -
He doesn't know there were ten splinters. Akechi does. Shido doesn't care there were ten splinters. Akechi does. Shido speaks in a tongue vile and cruel. Akechi knows his own words could match it and it's only the vision of someone better in his heart that stills him. He wasn't raised this way. Won't act it. Can't.
So he doesn't.
And it's too much. And it's too much. And when Maruki pulls him out of their apartment hallway into a home that feels suffocating for the first time ever, Akechi lays out on the small balcony instead.
And when he's asked about it, his fears turns to truths. Sprout in his heart. A lie tumbles out. He doesn't feel well today. Doesn't want to be touched. Doesn't want it to spread. Doesn't want ten more splinters in his vision. He loves them. He loves them. He loves them and-
He loved her. He loved her. He loved her.
And he hates him. He hates him. He hates him and-
When Masayoshi Shido found dead covers every newspaper, all channels, every radio station and talk show from a mysterious new phenomenon dubbed a Mental Shutdown.
Akechi smiles when catching his true father's worried gaze from across the couch, Loki burning deep in his chest.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
h e h e h e h
Both of them handle their emotions several degrees to the left of what most consider normal. It's not vicious, but visceral. As if a dagger was wound and dug deep into Akechi's chest.
As if his own hands bury deep in Maruki's torso, digging fresh wounds out of old ones.
They went to bed because that's the routine. Lay. Talk. Sleep.
Akechi went with him this time. Far too old to spend a night in his parent's bed, but Maruki will never say no and Akechi never needs to embarrass himself by asking. They tuck into folds of blankets and pillows together. Stare at the ceiling and talk. Pull out their phones and show each other videos curated from algorithms that overlap more often than not.
Akechi drifts off first. He always does. A hand gently stroking his hair, his face tucked into the man's side.
And he knows he's the son of another man who he acts on his lie without a shred of guilt. He stands alone in the Diet Building's shadow because his mother stood alone without ever getting to see it. It's a battle she fought against an unjust world - so will he.
And
can't breathe can't think can't fathom can't understand
He takes a seat by the throne at a blood soaked table.
He can't remember. He can't remember.He doesn't keep a photo of a woman he'll never know on the wall of his too pristine office.
Accused of vying for it with this meetup. Akechi is of no use to him with nothing to offer beyond a memory of a life Shido never wanted and-
There's a threat at the end of it. A comment about ending up hanging from a rafter with -
He doesn't know there were ten splinters. Akechi does. Shido doesn't care there were ten splinters. Akechi does. Shido speaks in a tongue vile and cruel. Akechi knows his own words could match it and it's only the vision of someone better in his heart that stills him. He wasn't raised this way. Won't act it. Can't.
So he doesn't.
And it's too much. And it's too much. And when Maruki pulls him out of their apartment hallway into a home that feels suffocating for the first time ever, Akechi lays out on the small balcony instead.
And when he's asked about it, his fears turns to truths. Sprout in his heart. A lie tumbles out. He doesn't feel well today. Doesn't want to be touched. Doesn't want it to spread. Doesn't want ten more splinters in his vision. He loves them. He loves them. He loves them and-
He loved her. He loved her. He loved her.
And he hates him. He hates him. He hates him and-
When Masayoshi Shido found dead covers every newspaper, all channels, every radio station and talk show from a mysterious new phenomenon dubbed a Mental Shutdown.
Akechi smiles when catching his true father's worried gaze from across the couch, Loki burning deep in his chest.]