(open) if you don't want to, i can live with that

[jokey]

Whomst: akira and you~ ✨
What: akira wandering around doing akira things
Where: various places around campus
When: late january
Warnings: none, will update as necessary

i. CHATTY CATTIES

[The resident cats seem familiar, their toe beans pleasantly plump beneath his thumb and their fur silky soft... but something is off. Something doesn't feel quite right, and it's neither their beans nor their silky soft fur, so what could it be?

Stooped in the hallway, Akira turns to the black cat and shakes his head.]

I could've sworn you had a name. [Akira taps his chin, brows scrunched up in thought.] ...Miyuki? No. Morris?

[Akira's been here trying fruitlessly to converse with the cats for the better part of an hour. Crazy? Possibly.]

ii. STEAL BOOK, GET NAILED

[Incidentally, if you're studying hard (or hardly studying) in the library, you'll bump into Akira sooner rather than later. He's quiet, if not exactly shy, and strides up to eye the book in the other student's hands.]

That's a new one. Let me guess, another novel no one's heard of?

[The sharp-eyed might notice that all the fingertips on Akira's right hand have been thickly wrapped in bloodied bandaids. Curious!]

iii. STORE LOSER

[Should someone be headed towards the student store late in the evening, they might coincidentally find Akira giving the vending machine a nice, solid kick. He looks he might fire off a second when he feels the gaze of another student all but boring into him.

Turning, Akira brushes his blazer into place a little too casually. This is exactly what it looks like, and so Akira doesn't bother trying to save face.]

Sorry. The vending machine ate my homework. [Stepping aside, Akira flippantly motions to the machine.] All yours.

Comments

ii!

[mermaidcursed]

( sometimes reading in this place is just a migraine that makes nene wonder if it's even worth the effort. but she's been bored and... well, feeling a little burned out from sewing, and it's not like she can check the garden during the winter, so she might as well try something new. she almost doesn't notice that she recognizes that voice- but she does. and when she looks up, it's a familiar face, too-

akira.

her missing friend and former roommate. )

ah...

( she might stare in shock for a little too long before she realizes, trying to sign out a 'hello' with softly shaking hands, the book tucked between her arm and torso so as to not drop it. it's a test- on a few levels, actually. )

[jokey]

[Her reaction isn't quite what Akira was expecting, yet it's not the look of distaste his subconscious anticipated. She's visibly shocked, and with an apologetic tip of his head, Akira dismissively waves a hand.]

Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.

[But he doesn't leave it at that. There has to be some reason why she'd reacted as strongly as she did. His tone softens when he questions her.]

Are you okay?

[mermaidcursed]

( ... no sign of recognition- both of her, and jsl. she should have expected both, because only a couple of the people who returned after going "missing" remembered everything, and not a lot of people know sign language at all, but she still can't help but deflate a little. quietly, she nods- even if it's a lie. not much can be done to fix this sort of problem, after all. where was her pda... ah.

she digs it out of her pocket and deftly types with one hand while she adjusts the book more comfortably against her before turning the screen towards him, careful not to send the typed words to the forums. )

you're ok
i just wasn't expecting it
you don't remember me, do you?

( a pause- and then she types again, repeating the process. )

don't feel bad if you don't. okay? this place can do things to you like that.

i

[commences]

Be careful, that one has a bad temper.

( as in if someone isn't careful, that one will attack a person in their face then take their eye as a reward after clawing it out. that's what makes the black one so cute, but he laughs as he watches his newfound companion acknowledge the feline. )

It's fought against seven people and a broom.

( no, really )

I hope you aren't Bev's next casualty...

( which is to say that the black cat won. )

[jokey]

Seven people and a broom?

[Gasp! Akira regards the cat with awe... feigned as it is. He'd rather not get on any cat's bad side, frankly. That doesn't stop him from turning his back on it to address his classmate.]

That said, Bev's an unusual name. Is that foreign?

[commences]

Yep! Hm...? ...No one's ever been bold to ask that question.

( actually, it's forbidden lore of the school that komaeda has never told anyone about. at foreign, he smiles to confirm his suspicions, or just to lead him on even more. with one step forward, he'll point to the black cat who seems to be ready to move if they're both too close, and komaeda thinks that someone as expressive as the other is enough company around bev; so he comes closer to him, and not the cat. )

Bev's very usual, you'd die from dehydration if it wasnt. Anyway, it's short for "Beverage".

( what do you think? )

[sisters]

( he spares a glance to meet the other's eyes, and after the flicker of surprise passes, a warm smile spreads across his face. )

Not quite.

( shutting the book around his finger to hold the page, he holds it up for the other to see: oranda goldfish definitive care guide. more importantly, while akira gets his look at the title, amami can notice something interesting of his own. )

You're an avid reader, huh?

[jokey]

[Oranda goldfish? Akira's seen a few in aquariums and books, but it takes passion to read a whole ass book on properly caring for one. A definitive guide, no less.

Needless to say, Akira doesn't quite share his passion, but he answers that question with an affirmative nod.]

What tipped you off?

[Could it be his lovely blood manicure? Akira lifts his injured hand and shrugs.]

This library's determined to keep its books. I wonder if the librarian personally confiscated my nails in my sleep.

[sisters]

( ah yes, absolutely charming. amami takes one look at those bandages and winces a little just at the thought of how fun that must've been. either way, this is about what he expected from this interaction. from here, he weighs the options for a moment before dog-earing the page of his book like a heathen and tucking it away in a backpack slung over his shoulder. )

Try coming back in the evening. If you've got an alarm, you can set it for eleven o'clock — they only get you for it if you don't return the books by the next day.

( komaeda lost so many of his five whole fingernails for that knowledge. still not sure if he has those back. more importantly: )

I take it you just came to then, huh?

iii;

[bullchuck]

_{[ That is certainly a kick. Would be a shame if a person got kicked by that leg, wouldn't it? Unless you're Itto who thrives off of fighting. His hair is tied up in a messy bun as he approaches Akira. He pops his lips together, giving the vending machine a good look over before putting his attention on Akira: ]}

Yoooo, what! You're givin' that easily? Just like that? Not even puttin' up a fight, huh! What the hell, man? You gotta get somethin' like this to respect ya!

_{[ BIG OLE SLAP ON THE VENDING MACHINE... ]}

Tell me what happened!

[jokey]

[Here comes trouble. Akira had only intended to test the metal's mettle, but the boy (...whole ass grown man...??) who strides up to him and smacks the damn thing might actually intend to break it. No, he intends to fight it. Uh, but that said—]

Oh. I heard it cry. [the fuck is slapping it gonna do, bro] It says "stop hitting me, I have a wife, four kids and a terminally ill mother."

1/2

[bullchuck]

_{[ There's a brief moment where he's processing. Almost as if he is believing Akira. There's even a passing expression of sympathy on his face. It's quite possibly because they don't have devices like this from his real world, so he feels some kind of de-attachment in regards to it. ]}

Wha..

[bullchuck]

No, wait, that ain't true! It's just a big box that gives you snacks when you put money in it! And people have problems all the freaking time with this thing! See, like this..

_{[ Itto jabs a finger against the glass, pointing to some shrimp chips. Excitedly, he turns to look over (and down) at Akira. ]}

That's the one ya wanted, isn't it? 'Course it is!

_{[ Oop. He's wrapping his arms around the machine. Was he really going to try and lift it? ]}

i

[miirai]

Mii... I'm not sure what their names are either, but they don't look like a Miyuki or Morris.

[The small girl pipes up rather cheerfully with a smile on her face; she's actually rather fond of cats.]

[jokey]

[She's not wrong about that. As much as Akira wants one of them to be his replacement Morgana (whether he's realized that or not), Miyuki and Morris are pretty ill-fitting names.]

You're right, but it beats calling them Cat A and Cat B.

[Before long, Akira stands and straightens up, turning his attention to the small girl in front of him.]

Am I in your way?

[miirai]

That's true. The poor little cat-san deserves a little better than to be called A-san and B-san. It makes it sound like they're little criminals headed off to jail. Meow, meow. ☆

[She makes little paws with her hands playfully.]

You're not, sir. Unless you're giving me permission to squish the paw pads.

ii

[mathodical]

[ technically not a student, but william likes the library. it's the scholar (ha) in him.

he does, however, make a show of closing the book so that akira can take a proper look at the cover. ]

Only if your world doesn't know of Sherlock Holmes.

[ because yeah, that's The Final Problem that he's holding in his hands.

william's eye will flicker to the bloodied bandaids on akira's hands though. mildly concerned?????? but he's not going to ask

(for now, at least) ]

[jokey]

[Oh no, it's a Big Problematic Adult. Luckily for him, he had Akira at Sherlock Holmes. The Final Problem, huh?

Straightening up (that's how you know he's actually paying attention, wow), Akira regards the man with a quiet sort of curiosity.

anyway stop staring at his hand, they're here to talk about BOOKS]

Of course it does. I feel bad for anyone whose world doesn't. [That said... Akira tips his chin towards the book.] But I'm not familiar with that particular story. Wanna give me the sparknotes?

[mathodical]

[ can't wait for a confidant to be unlocked eventually between these two

he's getting questions about the hand LATER but for now, william laughs softly, and there's an amused undertone to his next words. ]

Sparknotes? Do you mean a summary?

[ i'm sorry akira you're talking to someone who's from victorian england???? but he is good enough at guessing Context Clues at least so /shrugs ]

The Final Problem... Essentially, the great detective Sherlock Holmes dismantles his nemesis's criminal empire and it ends with a final confrontation against the Lord of Crime. Ambiguous ending, too, with two sets of footprints at the edge and none of them to be seen.

Not the most accurate representation of events but I understand there was quite a bit of embellishment and creative liberties involved from the author himself. Waterfalls, seriously?

[ offering the book to him because. well. why not. ]

You are familiar with the other stories?

[ now he sounds equally curious as much as akira probably feels? maybe? ]

2

[waitingforplayer2]

[ She can't believe it. Somewhere in the library she actually found an old tattered strategy guide for NES games. She doesn't have that console or any of those games herself, but she's poring over the book with great interest, letting herself drop into those spaces even if she can't really interact with them...

Her new visitor's words take several long seconds to really register that somebody's talking to her, and she sleepily shakes herself out of the reverie she's been in. ] Huh? Oh... [ She rubs her eyes and yawns, and shows him the strategy guide's cover. ]

[jokey]

[A strategy guide, huh? There's a certain glint in Akira's eyes when he notices that it's not just a strategy guide, but one for an NES game of all things.]

Woah. Retro.

[He's quite fond of older games himself, though that's partially because old second-hand consoles are what he could afford back home. Taking a seat next to her, Akira studies the cover more closely.]

This one's on my backlog. Does it live up to the hype?

for pancake judas

[jokey]

[Coming around in Yogen had been some flavor of unpleasant, yes, but it was Akechi whose rude awakening was far stranger. According to him, he'd awoken to find himself outside of the science lab and aching from head to toe with no recognition of how he'd gotten there. Frankly, strange doesn't even begin to describe it.

Quipping that Akechi smelled like a camp fire lead to them making their way to the science lab for the purpose of investigation. Akira has his own mystery to untangle, but they're going to tackle Akechi's first, he'd decided.

Stood before the door to the lab, Akira recalls one other detail Akechi'd mentioned to him.]

Got that key on you?

[The one that was hot to the touch when he'd first happened upon it in his pocket, right? That key.]

that is a cruel and unusual and unfortunately true moniker

[forfeited]

[When you weren't quite sure if you were dead or alive, and suddenly woke up in what you quickly realized was a school, singed but unharmed and with even less of an idea if you were dead or alive-- well, one could call you Goro Akechi. His mind was still reeling, but the inclusion of one Akira Kurusu had resulted in an abrupt factory reset of his attempts to figure out what in the hell was going on. He could only assume Akira was somehow responsible, largely because it was always easier to blame him, and because he truly and sincerely couldn't come up with a better reason for the mounting number of oddities about the current scenario.]

[He supposed there could be worse things to endure, but he would certainly act like this was the absolute top of his list. He let the mop-haired teenager take the lead, following him with no small amount of acerbic complaint. He came to stand a rather uncompanionable distance from him near the door, assessing him and then the door itself for a moment. He did, in fact, still have the weird hot key, and slid a gloved hand into his pocket to curl his fingers around it. It wasn't hot anymore, and hadn't been for some time, so he saw no harm in extracting it.]

Go figure, the key I've done nothing to displace is still exactly where I left it.

iii

[moraloutrage]

[A studying session ran later than usual, and Ishimaru finds himself feeling parched. He goes over to the machine to get some water - just in time to witness Akira's assault on the machine. He narrows his eyes in disapproval and folds his arms as he addresses him.]

A likely story! Kurusu-kun, you really should be more respectful with how you handle school property! [It might be a hell school, but it's still a school! Having said his peace, and with it not yet sinking in that he's speaking to someone who's actually back from the dead, he steps forward to make his selection.]

[jokey]

[Haha, who could've predicted a browbeating like this, ahaha

Akira's attracted the attention of the very last person you want catching you mid-vending machine assault, but it's alright. He's talked his way out of worse situations in the past, so he'll just... step away from the machine all casual-like and let this dude do his thing.

Mm, yes, this dude, because Akira's pretty sure he'd never forget the name attached to those impressive eyebrows. Seems they've met in a previous life.]

You're right. I'm sorry. [is he tho.........] I got carried away in a fit of manly passion. My body just moved on its own.

[Surely This Dude will understand fits of manly passion.]