doublecrowss | Inbox for awash

[ It's not Akira's tapping that wakes him up, but rather, the cat, who springs up from his spot at the very foot of the bed to stare at the window. Eventually, Prince crosses over for a closer look, climbing over and unceremoniously stepping on Akechi with little to no regard for his owner's sleep, as expected from cats. ]

Prince...? [ He drawls out, still in a half asleep stupor. ] What's the matter...?

[ And as he tries to blink himself awake, his eyes follow after the cat, and move on to the window, where he catches sight of... someone. It's dark out, so it's only a sillhouette, but it looks an awful lot like-- ]

... Akira?

[ What the hell is Akira doing outside his window in the middle of the night, why did he not use the door like a normal person, why... There's so many questions bubbling up in his mind, but he figures he'snot getting any answers until they get to talk. So he drags himself to his feet, grabs a blanket and heads over to the window, pulling it open. ]

What are you doing outside at this hour? You're going to catch a cold...

Akechi.

[He sounds oddly relieved when he says it, blinking owlishly to make sure his eyes and ears aren't playing tricks on him. So he is here, right where he's supposed to be. And he's supposed to be asleep, just like Akira should be.

He feels a little bad about that, but it doesn't cancel out how good he feels knowing that Akechi is safe.]

Sorry. I wanted to check on you.

[And then, he remembers that he's hanging out the window, and decides he should explain that too.]

I didn't want to wake Lupin up. [Because he's been panicking and it's a bit embarrassing. Even now, he's still looking Akechi like he isn't entirely convinced he's really there.]

To check on me...?

[ Akechi tilts his head to a side, and even though he's aware that sleep is currently weighing him down, he doesn't think Akira's explanation would have been convincing even if he had been fully alert. But, priorities first. ]

Well, you can check on me as much as you want, but you should at least come inside first.

[ And to drive his point home, the blanket he had hurried picked up on his way to the window is carefully draped around Akira's shoulders so to protect him from the cold somewhat. ]

[Well, there's also the fact that he just wanted to look in Akechi's room and see him as soon as possible, but he'll leave that out.

He lets the blanket settle on his shoulders, then pulls himself up over the sill and into the room, gracefully as he can with partially frozen limbs. He shuts the window for Akechi, mostly so he can take a moment to look away and take a breath.]

Sorry for bothering you like this. I know I woke you up.

Don't worry about it. I had just gone to bed, anyway.

[ Okay, so it's a lie, but it's said in hopes to offer some comfort so his heart is surprisingly in the right place, for once. ]

You might want to apologize to Prince, however. [ A chuckle, and he rubs his hands over Akira's arms and shoulders a few times to help warm him up. ] I'm used to late nights and early mornings, but interrupting his beauty sleep is a cardinal sin.

[ And, indeed, the cat hasn't moved from his spot by the window, pointedly staring at Akira in calculating silence and murderous intent, ears bent backwards and all. How dare!! ]

[Ah, of course. He almost forgot about the cat in the room, but it's true that waking him up is probably not going to endear him to Akira any more.]

Sorry, Prince.

[He moves away from Akechi (comforting as the arm rubs are) and reaches out to try and give the cat a few pets. Will he accept...?]

[ Absolutely not! Prince ducks at the attempt, then promptly storms off back to his blanket of choice, curling up as though sending a clear message: this is his territory! Don't even dare to steal any more of his blankets! ]

... ah, perhaps you might have better luck if you bring him a treat next time.

[ This is one difficult cat if he's ever seen one, man. If even Akira is having so much trouble, it makes Akechi wonder if the cat will ever warm up to him... ]

But, that aside-- [ Following suit, he moves over back to the bed and takes a seat on the mattress, patting the spot right next to him in hopes to get Akira to join him. ]

You were saying you wanted to check up on me?

[Ah, rejected. Akira sits there a moment, dejected, before turning back to Akechi.

He does as he wants, coming to sit next to Akechi. Then he holds out an arm, blanket still around it, to invite Akechi to share.]

Yeah. It's silly, though...

[He feels a little embarrassed now, knowing Akechi is alive and well. But he shouldn't leave him hanging, so...]

I had... a nightmare. Several nightmares.

A nightmare...?

[ Well, that doesn't sound so silly, if it was bad enough that it made Akira face the chilly night outside just to come see Akechi-- which makes him think those nightmares must be related to him, too. Hmm.

Whether his assumption is right or not, he scoots over like Akira is asking without words and joins him under a shared blanket. Maybe his close presence and warmth can be a source of comfort, as he figures out the remaining details behind Akira's troubles. ]

Do you want to tell me about it? If you'd rather wait until the morning, I could try to distract you, instead...

[It does feel better, to have that comfort close at hand. Though, when Akechi moves in like this, he might notice that Akira is shivering - and it's from more than the cold.]

I...

[He trails off, considering. He'd rather wait, but somehow he feels like he won't sleep if he waits until morning to tell Akechi. Like the anxiety of it all will keep him awake, no nightmares needed.

So he might as well now.]

It was about you. You... went into the woods.

[ Akechi does notice the shivering, but chooses not to comment on it out of courtesy. It does make him worried, though; Akira isn't normally the type to be so affected, to let his troubles so easily show in his face or his body language, and yet... whatever this nightmare was about, it was strong enough to overpower even his ever resilient coolness.

And as soon as Akira goes on, Akechi can make a few educated guesses as to what could possibly have happened in that dream. Nothing good ever comes out of that forest. ]

The woods... And what happened next?

[But Akira just shakes his head.]

Nothing.

[He keeps his eyes on hands, not looking at Akechi's face.]

You just... kept walking into the woods. Away from me, away from everything. And then I'd wake up.

[And yet, it was unsettling enough to put Akira in such a state.]

Away from everything...

[ And away from Akira, huh? While not as gruesome as Akechi had initially thought, the dream is still rather alarming, enough that it drove Akira to seek him out just to make sure he was there. And though he can't be sure, a part of him wonders if this isn't related to events from the past couple of weeks, the loss of his color, the curse in the ice castle...

... the quest Akechi had asked him to take on. It doesn't sound like much of a reward, but it wouldn't be the first time they got something closer to punishment instead. ]

It's all right. [ He won't force Akira to look at him, but he does reach for his hand, gives it a reassuring squeeze. ] I'm here.

[ It reminds him of something Akira has told him before, on more than one occasion before-- back when they fought the sirens, and when the mirror yelled harsh truths, all times when Akechi faltered. So maybe this time, he can be the one to give Akira strength. ]

The touch helps, and though Akira doesn't return the squeeze, he leans a little more into Akechi in return. He also wondered, if it was some kind of side-effect of the ice palace, or any of the other things they've been through here. It feels related, but maybe the town is only targeting people they care about and giving them these dreams...

Or maybe he's just more out of sorts after the ice palace than he thought.]

I know. I just had to make sure. [He gives a little shrug with his outward shoulder.] Like I said, it's silly.

[It's not even like Akechi died in the dream or anything. He just... walked.]

[ A shake of his head, gentle, but firm. ]

It's not silly at all. Even if the dream itself seems harmless, there's no telling what kind of effect it can have on a person's subconscious. At the very least, it must have felt alarming enough that you were struck with the urge to find me...

[ Akira, who's always so barely expressive, not uncaring, but not so easily driven by emotion that he would lose his cool over something meaningless. And the fact that he's been having that same dream for days now... Clearly he's been taking on more than he could handle.

Akechi falls silent for a moment longer, his thumb idly stroking the back of Akira's hand as he thinks of any way to help, both because he doesn't want Akira to be so troubled, and because of his own inexplicable sense of guilt. And once the moment is over, what he comes up with is: ]

Would you like to stay over for tonight?

[Now, Akira does look over at Akechi. It's not really out of surprise, since they've spent the night together several times now, but out of a sense of relief, and gratefulness.

He's not sure he could handle going back alone now, and Akechi offered without him having to ask.]

...Yeah. If you're okay with that.

[He knows Akechi wouldn't have offered if he wasn't, but he has to keep up at least some appearances that he can handle this himself.]

[ Akechi huffs a small laugh, relieved in his own way, as he presses his forehead to Akira's. ]

I wasn't planning on letting you go even if you had declined.

[ And though he tries to play it off as friendly teasing and even adds a wink for reinforcement, there's a hint of that aggressively protective side of his looming over his words, the side that doesn't trust Akira to make reasonable decisions, and acts out of fear he'll get in trouble. But, at least this time, they're in accordance, so hopefully they won't have to argue.

With another hand squeeze for good measure, Akechi stands up to give his bed a look over; they may have shared it before, but last time they did, there wasn't a furry menace sleeping soundly by their feet. ]

It's going to be an even tighter fit now that Prince is here, though. I hope you don't mind that.

[He notices that protective edge, and it reminds him of their arguments from the past. But he can't really disagree with it this time; he is the one who came running all the way here in the middle of the night just to make sure a nightmare wasn't true.]

It's fine. I'm used to Morgana.

[Admittedly, Morgana doesn't hate him... but he's sure they can make it work!]

He pretends he doesn't, but I know he sleeps on my chest.

[ Hey, Prince doesn't hate him, he's just not used to this stranger cat in his turf! ]

He does, huh?

[ Still, Akechi has to laugh at Akira's comment and, more importantly, his oh so naive assumption. Friendly or not, did Akira really think the cat was going to be the real issue here, or is he playing dense on purpose? If it's the latter, then-- ]

Well. I'm afraid I'm a little heavier than Morgana, though.

[ Just to make extra sure he's getting his message across. ]

[Oh. So they're talking about a different Prince.

Akira allows himself a little smile at that, kicking off his shoes before getting up off the bed as well.]

I think I can handle it.

[If Akechi wants to cuddle like that, well, he can't say he minds that at all.]

[ Exactly. The one Prince who has already warmed up to his cat rival. ]

As long as you're sure.

[ Because he doesn't intend to relent on his cuddling rights-- especially not tonight, given the circumstances and Akira's recurring nightmares. At the very least, it should help Akira, to wake up to his body so close to his, warm and real. ]

Let's make haste while Prince has settled down. If he decides to move up on the bed, it will be near impossible to make him change his mind.

[ Whipped by cat, now Akechi is really living that cat owner life. So he moves around the bed with caution, hoping not to attract Prince's attention too much, and slips under the covers; he's still kind of close to the edge of the mattress, but there should at least be enough room for Akira to join in. ]

Right.

[He understands that cat owner life, so he quickly moves along with Akechi, crawling up under the covers and settling down next to Akechi. It's nice and warm with both of them there.

He's starting to get used to this feeling.]

You've adjusted fast. [To the cat.]

[ There's a blink in mild surprise at the comment, but then he giggles it off, amused and... maybe genuinely happy, too.

Not just because of the cat, either. ]

Coming from such high authority, I find that very flattering.

[ ... well. At least, not because of the cat curling up at his feet. ]

I admit I still have quite some trouble with him, though. I understand cats can be quite demanding, but I'm afraid he might end up getting rather... spoiled, haha.

[ But he does what the cat wants so the cat will like him!! It's a delicate balance!! ]

It's probably easy to do that when they can't complain directly to you.

[Sorry, Morgana, but sometimes your complaints are annoying! When Prince does it, it's just cute.]

It's okay, though. Cats deserve a little spoiling.

[After all, he's getting some too, as he wiggles closer to Akechi.]

They do, huh...?

[ Akechi only hooks an eyebrow at that comment, a knowing smile on his lips. It seems fairly clear to him that they're not talking just about Prince anymore-- and he's actually perfectly content with playing along. ]

Very well. Then I suppose I have two cats to spoil rotten.

[ Said as he, too, wiggles closer, laying his head on Akira's chest as per his earlier implication-- and though it's not quite as soft as an actual pillow, it's somehow even more comfortable. ]

(no subject)

theshowsover - 2018-12-18 03:55 (UTC) - Expand