twostringsonebow

[ Akira can't answer at the moment. His body sways side to side despite his feet being firmly planted onto the platform. Goodbye, a second time. He slowly drops to his knees...

And plops onto his side. He needs some time to recover again. ]

[... There he goes. Wow. He really did not take that well.

Goro'll carefully make his way over, glancing at Morrigan, and sit next to Akira. What's he. Do. What are comforting words. Um. Wait, maybe comforting action? Would it be okay to pat him. No. Yes?]

You shouldn't have gone so fast if you couldn't handle it, Akira. [... scolding, gentle scolding will work.] What were you thinking?

[ It's not that bad, so he recovers eventually. When his vision isn't spinning, he looks over and up to Goro when he gets scolded. What. A. Nag. ]

I thought it would be fun... There's no point in spinning so slow, right?

[ Let him worm his way closer. Morrigan, now seeing the roundabout as a safe structure, hops onto it to accompany them. ]

Well, yes, there's not. But still.

[What if he'd fallen in a worse way? Not that anything truly bad could come of it, but it's a concern nonetheless.]

I'd feel bad if you got hurt, even if it would be your own fault. We're... [The hesitation's clear, folding his hands in his lap restlessly.] We're friends, after all. I think.

[Maybe? They haven't gotten deep like him and Silver, but frankly speaking Silver is so startlingly similar to Goro in ways it's almost frustrating.]

[ Akira's quiet, but he shifts a bit. It takes all his willpower to not curl up from this warm feeling overwhelming him. Friends. He's not sure if it's because this is at some god forsaken hour or if he has been feeling even more out of place with the memories, but he can't stop these emotions from welling inside him. In the spur of the moment, he laughs loudly, breaking into a fit that lasts for well over twenty seconds. It leaves him breathless, exhausted, but... he musters whatever strength left to sit up and look at the dark sky.

The stars have never seemed so bright to him till this moment. ]

You know, I never actually got to play with other kids on the playground. [ He's not even sure why he's telling him this, but it doesn't bother him anymore. ] So this is my first time with someone.

[ With the bump of their shoulders, Akira decides to lean his weary self against him. If it's too much weight, sorry, he'll tip them over like dominoes. ]

Thank you... For being my friend, Goro.

[The dread of mistaking their relationship disappears with Akira's words, stomach settling as a warmth falls over him; they don't topple, but it's most because Goro tenses magnificently at the weight before relaxing, a long exhale to help with his nerves.]

You're... Ah, no, don't-- I mean, you didn't? [So much to address, the weight on his side a pleasant distraction.] That's surprising to hear.

[What with how friendly and easy to talk to Akira is, he can't imagine the other not having kids to play with. He hesitates, then rests his head against Akira's, heart fluttering. There's no regrets about asking him out tonight, not a single one.]

We have that in common, then. [Quiet, but it doesn't seem to bother him to say.] This is my first time playing with someone else too.

I don't see how that's surprising.

[ To this day, he knows he's still strange enough to ward others off. That is life. He has mostly accepted that.

Still, this feels nice... A lot nicer than cuddling with a cat all the time, no offense. It's difficult not to be lulled to sleep when they're huddled like this. Akira allows himself to close his eyes for a bit, reassuring himself that he won't fall asleep to the comforts of someone's company. He reminds himself his cat is out, that he has to remember to bring him in, that they have to head home eventually—they can't sleep at the park. ]

I should be the one surprised. I thought you were always popular, even as a kid. Who would pass up playing with Prince Charming, Goro Akechi?

[ Goro is handsome now, pleasant personality, full of compassion, and cute in the past based on those family photos. Children probably flocked to him, asking to be his friend, inviting him to join them in a game of tag or something. Akira can somehow imagine it, an image so crisp and clear.

He catches himself being disillusioned by outer appearances... He has already weaved a perfect picture for Goro without knowing his past or anything about it. Instantly, he squashes his assumptions. There's a small nudge to the side of his head, just a little nuzzle. ]

Sorry. I would have played with you.

[Goro has a lot to say about Akira's denial of his surprise, but he tucks it away; Silver'd been right, after all, he idealized Akira to a far extent and was only now truly wanting to pick at the layers he'd become so familiar with to see what lay beneath, drawn by their shared visions and his own growing curiosity.

It's nice, though. This. He smiles wanly at the image Akira paints of him, startling just a bit at the nuzzle and being so, so thankful that most of his flaming cheek is covered by Akira's curly hair than pressed against skin.]

Ah, well. You too.

[He lets it sit for a moment, hands curling around each other in his lap, and breathes out slowly. Even.]

I... was something of a quiet child, [he starts, reluctant but clearly wanting to share,] and I found solace in books and the solitude they offered, the worlds words could create. Each character I read about had a dream, had their own problems, and though their situation didn't mirror my own I understood their... loneliness, I suppose, when they were somewhat disconnected from their surroundings.

[They're all hard words to say, but it's something he wants to give to Akira anyway. Just a peek.]

It didn't make me many friends, though. [Nor did the insistent hands of their parents dragging them away, odd looks marrying hushed words. Books didn't hold rejection. It was just easier to read than to try in the end.

Goro's tone lightens slightly, easier words now.] I also liked to make my peers feel stupid, which you can guess didn't earn me any points.

[ Akira listens intently, piecing together a story with Goro's concrete details. Goro, a quiet yet pompous child, loves to delve the wondrous worlds of books. A bright, snooty, child that points out mistakes to make himself look better. He can't stifle the sputter, so it comes full force with a laugh afterward.

At least it takes him less than a second to recompose himself with a stupid smile. ]

So you were a cute brat. [ Of course there's no actual ridicule. ] All those kids are missing out, but I guess that's fine. You probably have better friends now. I'm great, by the way.

[ He nudges Goro's shoulder! Hehe. Just a hunch from what he saw on the network. While it may seem like Silver and Elizabeth were terrorizing him, he can tell it's a show of endearment. Definitely. He can sense in the air that it's supposed to be his time to talk... Sleepovers are always like this, even if they're at the park. His muscles tense at the thought. Slowly, he stops leaning against Goro, putting some distance between them. ]

I'm guessing you want me to share, too... Right?

[ It's only fair, but he asks. ]

[The smile gained at Akira's laughter, at the assumption of better friends now (him and Silver certainly, though the latter isn't anything he'd say directly to the boy), and fades once Akira starts to move away; he shakes his head, resisting the urge to close the distance himself.]

I don't mind either way, really. Though I won't deny I'm curious to know more about you, Akira.

[He doesn't want to make Akira uncomfortable. That's the last thing he wants to do, so he won't press.]

So tell me something else. Anything. How did you and Morrigan meet?

[ You're stealing his thunder... Rubbing his neck, he's appreciative of the ticket out of this conversation, but it leaves him feeling like he left Goro underwhelmed. He can't have that. ]

My family moved around a lot, so I didn't have enough time to get close to anyone. Sometimes I would be excluded since I was the new kid, too.

[ Missing shoes, notebooks in the fountain, desks vandalized with nasty messages... It doesn't matter. He moved, anyway. Again and again. His shoulders drop as he leans his head back a little further. What else to talk about? Maybe something funny? ]

I interrogated my mom since I noticed she didn't go out a lot. I barely hear her talk about her friends. Instead of asking me, she taught me this test that will help me or something. It's silly now that I think back on it. Do you want to know what it is? I'll tell you how I got Morrigan after.

[It's a surprise to hear Akira talk about it anyway, and though it's shorter than Goro's had been he listens attentively anyway, eyes turned from the sky to watch the boy beside him. Someone who moved around a lot... different circumstances, but the same kind of disconnection to the world around him.

It's hard to imagine, but it's not like it's the whole story anyway; he's got a hunch that there's more to it still untold, but he's not entitled to it.]

What was it?

[ His exuberance returns when they're not scratching the surfaces of their unfortunate childhoods. Though his eyes seem drowsy, they glisten... Maybe he's up to something, but he's looking back at Goro so he can explain this without confusion. He spreads an open hand with fingers slightly parted as a demonstration. ]

Count the most important things to you on one hand. Friends, dreams, family, sales on apples—whatever.

[ That should total to five, one for each finger. That's relatively easy for most people. ]

Then you narrow it down to one.

[Hm. His mom, his selfish reason behind being a detective, his... his friends, Catmosphere Cafe, books. Five things, five fingers spread out in front of him. Then narrow it down to one?]

As in, you narrow down their importance to you to find the most important thing?

[Though Goro's kind of doing it anyway in his mind, staring at his hand.]

[ He has done this exercise several times in his life whether silly or not. Sometimes, he's not even sure why. Either way, he doesn't need to do it again today, so he looks at Goro's hand, too.

It looks soft and delicate. ]

Yeah, exactly that. Have you already picked out your most important thing?

[ Let him help fold Goro's fingers until only the index is left. ]

[Akira's hand is warm and Goro wishes he were just a bit braver, just a bit more, but it's better that he's not. This is nice. Friends is a step forward, and that is nice, too nice to lose. Doesn't mean he's gonna pull away though, Akira's fully capable of doing that himself.]

It was the first thing on my mind, though I suppose for most people that would be the case. Am I required to tell you what it is?

Not required.

[ It would be too much to ask for, he thinks. While he is curious, it shouldn't be too hard to guess it be a dream, family, or friends... Those usually hit the top. He retracts his hand now, but with a lingering graze along Goro's knuckles. ]

How easy was it for you to decide?

[Lord, he is gay tonight. His hand burns and he's laying back, rubbing his knuckles idly as he ignores the flutters in his stomach in favor of staring at the sparkling stars.]

Almost too easy, honestly, though I suppose that's worrying in its own way.

[Goro glances at Akira, smile curious.]

It's an interesting test to teach someone, though it begs the question of why.

[ For some reason, that answer kind of stings. Almost too easy. He's sure Goro doesn't mean it in the way he interprets it. Not at all. He rests his open palms against the platform as he watches the stars, too. To think he used to do this alone... The presence next to him is warm, foreign, but comforting.

Morrigan planting himself onto his lap is also nice. Kitty gets pets. ]

My mother told me it's a test to show how easy or hard it is for you to throw everything else away. It's silly, right?

[... Oh. Oh, that turns this into something new, and those butterflies drop dead in his gut.]

I don't know if I'd call it silly, but... it certainly is something. It turns my "almost too easy" into "not easy enough", even if the answer remains the same.

[He wonders what sort of things are important to Akira, which he can afford to lose and what he can't. Maybe he'll ask him another night.]

[ He remembers what his mother said exactly. It rings in his ears, "if you can pick the most important thing to you quickly, that's how easy it is." It... sounds lonely. Whatever, it's in the past. It's also dumb. Nothing Goro says will make him think otherwise. ]

I wouldn't use it unless you have to make a decision.

[ Lesson learned. He hopes that day never comes, but it's also better to transition to happier things. ]

So I found Morrigan in a box on a rainy day and took him home. It seemed like he was the runt of his litter.

[ As if on cue, Morrigan squints. ]

I'd say he still is.

[Sorry Morrigan. He's thankful for the topic change though, chuckling softly.]

But you're the type of person who does that, hmm? How admirable.

[like a bad boy in a shoujo. except he's not as delinquent as them]

[ Morrigan seems peeved, but it might be because of the time of day. The cat lazily closes his eyes on Akira's lap, possibly trying to sleep now. Gently, he shoves Goro's shoulder. ]

What's that supposed to mean? [ It's a compliment, but still... He's feeling attacked for being predictable. ] I'm sure you would have done the same.

Of course. I'm just saying that it fits you.

[He's not sure why, but he can absolutely see Akira just kind of picking up strays, even beyond Morrigan. Maybe it's because he's aware that Silver's his friend now and Silver's as stray as they come. Goro yawns a little, rubbing his face.]

Animals are easy to get along with, aren't they? A little act of kindness can go a long way with them, or so I understand, but that doesn't mean they're pushovers... and though I know there's people out there who probably looked at Morrigan and just walked away for whatever reason -- they don't like cats, they can't handle taking one in, he's too small -- I can't imagine ever meeting someone who would. Or did. I don't think I'd like them very much, honestly.

[ Maybe because Akira is a stray. Birds of a feather flock together cause he definitely did not pick Silver up like a stray cat. The lack of sleep is finally taking its toll on him, so he returns to leaning against Goro. ]

Everyone has a story. [ That's what he tells himself, so he can't blame those that pass by as much as he would like. ] But I probably wouldn't like them much, either.

[ Yawns are unfortunately contagious. Akira starts first, then his cat follows after. ]

We should head home.

[ But he doesn't budge? What is energy? ]

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