[Not since his sensei's--not since he lived in Madarame's place has Yusuke found anywhere quite so comfortable, that felt quite like home, as Leblanc. He might cite the atmosphere, the reassurance of seeing Sayuri on the wall to greet him when he enters, but it's more likely that Akira and the others have made this place a haven, away from a world where they all don't quite fit in.
As such, Yusuke never passes up the opportunity to go, especially not when Akira's the one extending the invitation. Just seeing the text made his heart soar!
...Is that a slightly over-exuberant reaction? Hmm. Oh well. Yusuke, as expected, spends little to no time overthinking it. He has more important things to spend his time doing, after all.
Currently, he's sitting in one of the booths, watching Akira curiously with his hands resting on his lap. The aroma of coffee and curry... it's making him feel hungry... Maybe he should've hopped off the train even earlier than he did so he would have a little extra money... it's not proper to simply allow himself to be treated all the time, even if the food offered is extra or not.
Either way, he's waiting for food before he inquires what Akira wanted his opinion on, that or for Akira to say it himself. Finally a chance to return the favour though! Akira is always offering him opinions and advice that, in Yusuke's experience, are very precious indeed.]
[it's not as if akira is entirely surprised that yusuke came at his request—but it's pleasant, no less. for all the ways that he can be eccentric and a bit hard to grasp, he's kind and reliable. he's incredibly trustworthy...
(and of course, the promise of food and coffee always works; befriending a literal starving artist sure can be a thing sometimes.)
but since he's the one who asked yusuke to come, he's already accounted for the fact that he should probably eat. so this one is his treat. he'll bring over a small plate of curry and a cup of coffee before sitting down across from him.]
...I want you to try this coffee blend.
[it's a really simple request, and one that comes without very much explanation. but the fact that akira is asking means there's a reason. he makes coffee frequently enough to help out—there are definitely motives to having yusuke try this coffee specifically that stretch beyond just a kind gesture to treat him.]
I took care of the curry too. [so he can just eat it and see if the coffee has the right flavor to complement it well.]
[So is this what he wanted an opinion on? Yusuke looks down at the coffee with interest (even though his stomach screams curry!!!!!! demandingly at him). Out of deference to his leader he'll move for the cup, curling his fingers around it.]
A new blend of yours?
[He'll take a curious smell of it first, wafting it under his nose. It'd be only right to sample the coffee with all of his senses, for Akira's sake!]
[maybe he should have waited for yusuke to sample the coffee first, but since they're meant to go together, he really didn't think about that way.]
Yeah. Boss says I still don't have enough depth to my flavors.
[and obviously, for a guy like akira—used to excelling, it's a bit frustrating. he wants to do a good job since sojiro is definitely one of the best adults in his life and someone he wants to do right by. but akira tends to enjoy his own coffee well enough to know he's not a great judge of it.
however—]
You have a good sense for these things. [he knows how much yusuke enjoys sojiro's coffee, so akira thinks he can get an honest opinion this way.]
[Yusuke looks at him for a long moment before he smiles, cup still in hand, held close to his lips.]
I'm honoured. I'll give you my honest impressions.
[He's very pleased Akira trusts his opinions. He won't let him down, even if he has to critique his coffee!! At the very least, he's confident he'll be able to do so. He spends plenty of time here indulging in the coffee, after all, so he raises the cup to take a sip, mulling over the flavours.]
[it's a very simple thanks, especially when he has no idea what yusuke will think of it.
but it's fine. even if it's terrible, it'll give him reason to keep trying until he gets it right. he knows that it's probably not the worst, but he wants to make something to be proud of and that the people around him will like.
he's kind of waiting in anticipation, but there's no reason to rush yusuke at all, so he'll... keep waiting for that opinion in the meanwhile.]
[Yusuke's even closed his eyes in concentration...]
I see what the boss means. You are the younger Leonardo de Vinci, while boss is more like the de Vinci already beginning his work on the Mona Lisa.
[He cups his chin with his free hand, frowning in thought.] Boss's coffees that were similar to this were a little richer... I believe. But. [He goes to take a taste of the curry and nods in satisfaction.] They still pair together well.
[yusuke really has a gentle way of being honest sometimes. akira knows that plenty of times... he can be kind of inconsiderate with his honesty because he just lacks the social grace to see a problem with it. but then he waxes poetic about coffee, not disagreeing with sojiro's assessment while still...
well, in a way, it seems like he's trying to mind akira's feelings. he doesn't mind the blunt honesty, of course, but there is something a bit endearing about that. he nods in response, listening to the criticisms, but still... kind of pleased that he doesn't seem to completely dislike it, either.]
I'll have to keep working on it then. [he smiles a little; it's back to the drawing board and testing another brew, but—] Thanks for giving it a shot.
Of course. I'll gladly continue to sample any more cups you make.
[Though Yusuke might destroy his stomach doing so...
He's not thinking of that right now. Rather, it's fine so long as he takes small sips of every single cup!! Akira's likely got this under control anyway, where Yusuke isn't thinking of it.]
[it was undoubtedly too soon for akira to be out of bed.
of course, takemi knew when she'd ordered him to bedrest, that he wouldn't listen. he's a phantom thief, and he has a lot to do—even if the scare of hearing he'd committed suicide (for however brief it was; she'd only thought he'd kill himself because he had no sense of self-preservation at all, her little guinea pig...) gave her reason to be stern with him... he wouldn't listen.
the lacerations on his face, the cracked ribs and a body full of bruising, and a bum leg that—well, if anyone had seen how bad the bruising was there on his thigh, they'd probably be amazed he could walk on it at all—none of that can stop akira.
he hates being holed up. there's so much to and so much to plan—and honestly, akira also just misses contact. being outside. freedom. akira values his freedom entirely too much.
so he goes out.
sure, he's got the hood pulled up over his head to conceal himself from any threats to their plan. sure... it hurts. it hurt like hell to move, and even getting down to the platform at yongen-jaya station is enough of a hassle that he lets three trains go before he can push himself away from the wall to limp onto the next one.
getting off in shibuya is no better, but as he goes through the walkway and spots yusuke standing in his normal spot by the 105, akira forces himself to straighten, wincing a bit before biting the inside of his cheek. it hurts like fuck to walk without a limp, and he almost feels like he could vomit by the time he give up, leaning against the wall in the same casual position he normally would. he shifts the weight off his right leg, and keeps his head dipped so shujin students passing by don't notice him—
and maybe just a bit because he's pale and sweating from the pain.
he's fine?]
I had a feeling you'd be here. [he's truly the embodiment of the fool.
in reverse. foolish. reckless. taking risks when he shouldn't. that's why he speaks so casually, as if it's any other day despite the fact that he shouldn't be here, and despite the fact that he's absolutely dying here and trying to hide it from yusuke as if his eccentric, oblivious ways will really remain blinded to the truth here.]
[Yusuke doesn't expect to see Akira today—of course he doesn't. He didn't expect to see him when he was captured, either, and yet he came here anyway, a place where they often—if not always—met up with each other. Chasing the phantom shape of his friend and leader, perhaps? It was the only thing he could think of to do during that time, a pantomime of his usual daily routine. He shakes off his thoughts with a small jerk of his head, frowning out at the people passing by, so oblivious to so many things.
Naturally, his mind is on Akira as he stands here. He should be thinking about art, painting, anything, but his mind is as blank a canvas as all of the ones he's tried to start and failed.
Funny how the moment he climbed over his art block another one appeared before him—this one not of his own making. He doesn't want to paint, to sketch, to do anything, what he wants is for Akira to be here and—
He startles, so lost in thought he didn't even notice the approach. His eyes pop open wide and he whips to face him.] A— [oh, no, tone it down, he's not Ryuji, and the last thing they need is attention drawn to them] —Akira, what are you doing here?
[He has a feeling that here is precisely where he shouldn't be, that he should be resting. There's no way that everything is fine and normal and it's okay to just hang out together.]
either way, it does take him a second to reply. the breaths he draws in are... labored, to say the least. he can't breathe in too deeply, or the pain in his ribs will likely be blinding. so the breaths are rapid and much more shallow—though it's apparent he's still trying to conceal that.
but it's fine.]
Wanted... to see you. [that, he says quietly. really, if that was solely the case, he could have just sent yusuke a text and asked him to come visit at leblanc. it's not as if akira really has any doubts that he'd have come by after school instead of waiting for a phantom in his usually spot (even if that technically paid off).
it's no less true, though. he does want to see yusuke.
...he wants some sense of normalcy.
he'll speak up again after a moment, this a little firmer as he catches his breath.] Needed some fresh air. It's too stifling staying in Leblanc all the time.
[an akira problem, if there ever was one. not wanting to be cooped up—especially after the interrogation. while he'd gone into that incredibly willingly... with everything that happened, being confined to a singular, small space feels to constricting. for someone who is trying to break shackles and attain freedom in so many ways, that's always a point of contention. right now, it's just even more so than ever—
and he feels like yusuke is probably one of the people least likely to ignore that feeling and understand where he's coming from. even if all the phantom thieves have a good sense of it, they haven't been confined before in the same way yusuke had, and right now, akira thinks his own feelings might be similar to how yusuke felt at times with madarame.
or maybe that's a stretch he invented in his mind to justify his decisions, who knows—but he's rolling with it.]
[Is Akira out of breath? Is he leaning heavier against the wall than he would normally? Yusuke is paying attention—of course he is, his gaze is roaming over Akira like he's not sure he's not a ghost of some sort, an apparition that's just answering to his imaginings. So too is he trying to figure out if what he's seeing isn't just his imagination or the truth, but Akira does winded, even if his voice is quiet.
His lips compress tightly together, his fingers flexing at his side like he isn't sure what to do with his hand, but it swings as though he's offering it to him in some respect (but hasn't figured out what that is).]
That's...
[Yusuke trails off before he can say anything, because he does need a moment to think about it. The normal reaction would be to hurry him back, into bed where he can rest, but he does understand that desire to be out. It's in all of them, really, that desire for freedom, otherwise they wouldn't have all rebelled against what they'd known.
He's loathe to urge him to turn his back on the freedom he wants in order to return to bedrest, even if that's the right option. When have they—he—ever chose the right option anyway?]
Let's sit. There's a bench just outside, and there will be better to enjoy the fresh air.
[He's reaching out halfway, though he has a feeling Makoto would be frowning disapprovingly. Freedom is all well and good and his heart did clench hearing Akira wanted to see him, but at the very least Akira should be able to enjoy it.]
[and this is exactly why yusuke was his first choice.
for all of his eccentricies, for all that he can be dramatic—yusuke does have a good understanding of these things. makoto would certainly scold him, all of the others would fret and fuss. but yusuke finds this quiet compromise. he doesn't ask questions right out the gate, he's not condescending about—
it's a bit of a relief right now. it's not like akira is unaware that his breathlessness is a bit obvious; try as he might to hide a majority of his injuries and what's wrong with him so not worry the team so much, some things are obvious.]
Yeah, let's do that. It's pretty nice outside today, anyway. [it's a good compromise. they can talk and figure out where to go from there—and akira can sit, which he absolutely needs.
maybe that much is obvious. it takes a great deal of effort for akira to push himself from off the wall. his head never lifts—still that combined need of hiding his face from others and keeping some of his pained expressions masked—but when he has to shift the weight back to his injured leg, he hisses quietly, a bit unrestrained.
akira really hadn't planned for that sound to escape, but the pain still catches him by surprise. that bastard really had it out to break his leg if he didn't sign that confession...
which probably would have been fine if they hadn't drugged him so heavily and caused his memories to become too foggy to properly consent to what he was doing as intended. maybe then his leg wouldn't be like this, maybe his ribs wouldn't be either? who knows? what's done is done, akira knows he just has to recover so they can work towards their real goals and make his presence well-fucking-known to everyone who tred to tear him and the rest of the phantom thieves down.]
[Yusuke flinches in surprise at the hiss—it's un-Akira-like to let something like that out, and he's certain that he would've held it in had he the choice otherwise. That means... Yusuke already knew he must be in pain, but the pain must be even more than he had anticipated.
His hand moves automatically toward one of Akira's arms, on the side with the leg he's favouring. He can't just stand and do nothing to help when Akira's clearly in pain, and even if it's something like taking his elbow to give him something else to put his weight on, that's what he's going to go for.]
Like this.
[Firmly. He'll help a little, and it's not so glaringly obvious as if he tried to put Akira's arm around his shoulders. He waits, however, patiently standing for Akira to start walking, when he's ready.]
it's a really subtle action, but it's one that speaks volumes about how yusuke perceives the situation. and even though akira kind of hates it—not that yusuke is thoughtful enough to help, but that his own discomfort is obvious enough to warrant it—he can't deny that he'd do just the same if the roles were reversed.
hadn't he, after all? even the very first time yusuke was in the metaverse, akira offered his shoulder—despite knowing that yusuke didn't want much to do with him. things have certainly changed since then—and now, the roles have been reversed.
tempting as it is, akira doesn't actually draw back, instead shifting his weight a bit. it becomes a little more obvious that there's a reason he's favorite one leg, just like there's a reason for his posture, the length of the sleeves on his hoodie and why he keeps his face dipped.]
...It's not as bad as it seems. [...as if that's going to make yusuke worry less or even seem believable.]
His expression is inscrutable, but Akira can probably tell that he's uncertain about it. What he had thought of his injuries up until this point are that they weren't that bad. But he's realising now how much worse than how he had been thinking all along.
And he's probably not even seeing the half of it.]
...It seems more than I could bear.
[Their leader is too strong sometimes; a lot of the time.]
[Light is pouring into Akira's room at Leblanc, early afternoon the perfect time (as Yusuke thought) to do this. It means they don't have to rely on artificial light, which is ideal; he wants to explore natural shadows and shades rather than the harsh ones artificial light can cause. He's arranging his drawing materials and his chair as he looks toward Akira.
It's easy to see that he's excited by the way his eyes are sparkling, though he appears to be trying to repress that a little because it won't do to be overzealous and mess up from the start. Focus is key.
He's still smiling though, his fingers wavering back and forth between several different types of pencils like he's not certain which will be best.
[of course, this is all pretty new to him. he knows he's been the subject of yusuke's sketches before—the more candid moments, when yusuke is just trying to capture whatever he sees without pose.
this is a little different.
of course, akira has offered before to pose for him; this is just the first time it's really come to fruition. and it's... awkward? not because akira really has a problem with it, but because he's admittedly unsure of how he should carry himself in order to make this a good image for yusuke to draw.
art is definitely not his strong suit here.
he sits a little straighter than he normally would, forcing his posture a bit more upright than his normally lazy, slouched look. his head cants to one side and he shrugs a bit.]
If at any point you become tired, just tell me. Breaks are important for models.
[you're a model akira
Yusuke observes him a long moment and while he certainly does look closely when he does his candid sketching of Akira, this is a whole other level of concentration. It's like he's trying to commit every feature, every small detail to memory before he attempts the sketching part.
His hand moves, loosely outlining Akira's figure sitting, correcting and re-correcting.
He might leave a silence to hang for several minutes before he realises oh.]
[he can probably last a while before he gets stiff; for now, he just watches the way yusuke works. he's not unsused to that level of focus, how yusuke works so hard to frame an image, to make every line fit his aesthetic standard...
even if it's a bit strange to be on this side of things inside of idly peering over his shoulder.
(but this thinks that it's got a charm of its own this way, really.)]
It won't be too distracting for you to keep talking?
[after all, yusuke is usually so engrossed in his work that he doesn't usually talk much at all... aside from to himself. and that's not something akira wants to get in the middle of at all!]
...It may take me several moments to reply or I might not hear you, but I'll do my best.
[Really, he will! He'll try to keep it in mind. It's a big deal to him that Akira is doing this for him, he wants to make it a pleasant experience. (And maybe he'll model again, fingers crossed.)
...Even if it's very easy to get engrossed. That's more for the fine details now, though, the outline is shaping up to just be a rough sketch. He doesn't need to concentrate quite as much at this point, but when it comes to refining...
Oh, he totally accidentally got a little engrossed. Oops. This might be harder than he thought.]
[akira would definitely model again anyway, that's not even really an issue here.
akira watches yusuke pretty intently while he works; he's pretty quiet—but he can see it, of course. yusuke is completely engrossed in his art, and akira?
well, he's endeared.
there's no reason to say much when he can just pose easily while being focused on yusuke's movements. though he does just idly hum so there's a bit of sound in the room, it's fine.]
akira can figure that yusuke is probably focused on the aethetics; he's grown so accustomed to that... that even though yusuke is making eye contact, akira just has to assume it's only that.
everything with yusuke always seems to be about aesthetic, after all. and akira doesn't blame him, even if—
well, would it be nice if it was more than that?]
Mm, I guess it is.
[akira's not sure he's being particularly expressive right now—but he might as well see where this topic takes him.]
What kind of expressions are you seeing right now?
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As such, Yusuke never passes up the opportunity to go, especially not when Akira's the one extending the invitation. Just seeing the text made his heart soar!
...Is that a slightly over-exuberant reaction? Hmm. Oh well. Yusuke, as expected, spends little to no time overthinking it. He has more important things to spend his time doing, after all.
Currently, he's sitting in one of the booths, watching Akira curiously with his hands resting on his lap. The aroma of coffee and curry... it's making him feel hungry... Maybe he should've hopped off the train even earlier than he did so he would have a little extra money... it's not proper to simply allow himself to be treated all the time, even if the food offered is extra or not.
Either way, he's waiting for food before he inquires what Akira wanted his opinion on, that or for Akira to say it himself. Finally a chance to return the favour though! Akira is always offering him opinions and advice that, in Yusuke's experience, are very precious indeed.]
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(and of course, the promise of food and coffee always works; befriending a literal starving artist sure can be a thing sometimes.)
but since he's the one who asked yusuke to come, he's already accounted for the fact that he should probably eat. so this one is his treat. he'll bring over a small plate of curry and a cup of coffee before sitting down across from him.]
...I want you to try this coffee blend.
[it's a really simple request, and one that comes without very much explanation. but the fact that akira is asking means there's a reason. he makes coffee frequently enough to help out—there are definitely motives to having yusuke try this coffee specifically that stretch beyond just a kind gesture to treat him.]
I took care of the curry too. [so he can just eat it and see if the coffee has the right flavor to complement it well.]
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[So is this what he wanted an opinion on? Yusuke looks down at the coffee with interest (even though his stomach screams curry!!!!!! demandingly at him). Out of deference to his leader he'll move for the cup, curling his fingers around it.]
A new blend of yours?
[He'll take a curious smell of it first, wafting it under his nose. It'd be only right to sample the coffee with all of his senses, for Akira's sake!]
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Yeah. Boss says I still don't have enough depth to my flavors.
[and obviously, for a guy like akira—used to excelling, it's a bit frustrating. he wants to do a good job since sojiro is definitely one of the best adults in his life and someone he wants to do right by. but akira tends to enjoy his own coffee well enough to know he's not a great judge of it.
however—]
You have a good sense for these things. [he knows how much yusuke enjoys sojiro's coffee, so akira thinks he can get an honest opinion this way.]
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I'm honoured. I'll give you my honest impressions.
[He's very pleased Akira trusts his opinions. He won't let him down, even if he has to critique his coffee!! At the very least, he's confident he'll be able to do so. He spends plenty of time here indulging in the coffee, after all, so he raises the cup to take a sip, mulling over the flavours.]
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[it's a very simple thanks, especially when he has no idea what yusuke will think of it.
but it's fine. even if it's terrible, it'll give him reason to keep trying until he gets it right. he knows that it's probably not the worst, but he wants to make something to be proud of and that the people around him will like.
he's kind of waiting in anticipation, but there's no reason to rush yusuke at all, so he'll... keep waiting for that opinion in the meanwhile.]
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I see what the boss means. You are the younger Leonardo de Vinci, while boss is more like the de Vinci already beginning his work on the Mona Lisa.
[He cups his chin with his free hand, frowning in thought.] Boss's coffees that were similar to this were a little richer... I believe. But. [He goes to take a taste of the curry and nods in satisfaction.] They still pair together well.
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well, in a way, it seems like he's trying to mind akira's feelings. he doesn't mind the blunt honesty, of course, but there is something a bit endearing about that. he nods in response, listening to the criticisms, but still... kind of pleased that he doesn't seem to completely dislike it, either.]
I'll have to keep working on it then. [he smiles a little; it's back to the drawing board and testing another brew, but—] Thanks for giving it a shot.
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[Though Yusuke might destroy his stomach doing so...
He's not thinking of that right now. Rather, it's fine so long as he takes small sips of every single cup!! Akira's likely got this under control anyway, where Yusuke isn't thinking of it.]
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of course, takemi knew when she'd ordered him to bedrest, that he wouldn't listen. he's a phantom thief, and he has a lot to do—even if the scare of hearing he'd committed suicide (for however brief it was; she'd only thought he'd kill himself because he had no sense of self-preservation at all, her little guinea pig...) gave her reason to be stern with him... he wouldn't listen.
the lacerations on his face, the cracked ribs and a body full of bruising, and a bum leg that—well, if anyone had seen how bad the bruising was there on his thigh, they'd probably be amazed he could walk on it at all—none of that can stop akira.
he hates being holed up. there's so much to and so much to plan—and honestly, akira also just misses contact. being outside. freedom. akira values his freedom entirely too much.
so he goes out.
sure, he's got the hood pulled up over his head to conceal himself from any threats to their plan. sure... it hurts. it hurt like hell to move, and even getting down to the platform at yongen-jaya station is enough of a hassle that he lets three trains go before he can push himself away from the wall to limp onto the next one.
getting off in shibuya is no better, but as he goes through the walkway and spots yusuke standing in his normal spot by the 105, akira forces himself to straighten, wincing a bit before biting the inside of his cheek. it hurts like fuck to walk without a limp, and he almost feels like he could vomit by the time he give up, leaning against the wall in the same casual position he normally would. he shifts the weight off his right leg, and keeps his head dipped so shujin students passing by don't notice him—
and maybe just a bit because he's pale and sweating from the pain.
he's fine?]
I had a feeling you'd be here. [he's truly the embodiment of the fool.
in reverse. foolish. reckless. taking risks when he shouldn't. that's why he speaks so casually, as if it's any other day despite the fact that he shouldn't be here, and despite the fact that he's absolutely dying here and trying to hide it from yusuke as if his eccentric, oblivious ways will really remain blinded to the truth here.]
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Naturally, his mind is on Akira as he stands here. He should be thinking about art, painting, anything, but his mind is as blank a canvas as all of the ones he's tried to start and failed.
Funny how the moment he climbed over his art block another one appeared before him—this one not of his own making. He doesn't want to paint, to sketch, to do anything, what he wants is for Akira to be here and—
He startles, so lost in thought he didn't even notice the approach. His eyes pop open wide and he whips to face him.] A— [oh, no, tone it down, he's not Ryuji, and the last thing they need is attention drawn to them] —Akira, what are you doing here?
[He has a feeling that here is precisely where he shouldn't be, that he should be resting. There's no way that everything is fine and normal and it's okay to just hang out together.]
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either way, it does take him a second to reply. the breaths he draws in are... labored, to say the least. he can't breathe in too deeply, or the pain in his ribs will likely be blinding. so the breaths are rapid and much more shallow—though it's apparent he's still trying to conceal that.
but it's fine.]
Wanted... to see you. [that, he says quietly. really, if that was solely the case, he could have just sent yusuke a text and asked him to come visit at leblanc. it's not as if akira really has any doubts that he'd have come by after school instead of waiting for a phantom in his usually spot (even if that technically paid off).
it's no less true, though. he does want to see yusuke.
...he wants some sense of normalcy.
he'll speak up again after a moment, this a little firmer as he catches his breath.] Needed some fresh air. It's too stifling staying in Leblanc all the time.
[an akira problem, if there ever was one. not wanting to be cooped up—especially after the interrogation. while he'd gone into that incredibly willingly... with everything that happened, being confined to a singular, small space feels to constricting. for someone who is trying to break shackles and attain freedom in so many ways, that's always a point of contention. right now, it's just even more so than ever—
and he feels like yusuke is probably one of the people least likely to ignore that feeling and understand where he's coming from. even if all the phantom thieves have a good sense of it, they haven't been confined before in the same way yusuke had, and right now, akira thinks his own feelings might be similar to how yusuke felt at times with madarame.
or maybe that's a stretch he invented in his mind to justify his decisions, who knows—but he's rolling with it.]
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His lips compress tightly together, his fingers flexing at his side like he isn't sure what to do with his hand, but it swings as though he's offering it to him in some respect (but hasn't figured out what that is).]
That's...
[Yusuke trails off before he can say anything, because he does need a moment to think about it. The normal reaction would be to hurry him back, into bed where he can rest, but he does understand that desire to be out. It's in all of them, really, that desire for freedom, otherwise they wouldn't have all rebelled against what they'd known.
He's loathe to urge him to turn his back on the freedom he wants in order to return to bedrest, even if that's the right option. When have they—he—ever chose the right option anyway?]
Let's sit. There's a bench just outside, and there will be better to enjoy the fresh air.
[He's reaching out halfway, though he has a feeling Makoto would be frowning disapprovingly. Freedom is all well and good and his heart did clench hearing Akira wanted to see him, but at the very least Akira should be able to enjoy it.]
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for all of his eccentricies, for all that he can be dramatic—yusuke does have a good understanding of these things. makoto would certainly scold him, all of the others would fret and fuss. but yusuke finds this quiet compromise. he doesn't ask questions right out the gate, he's not condescending about—
it's a bit of a relief right now. it's not like akira is unaware that his breathlessness is a bit obvious; try as he might to hide a majority of his injuries and what's wrong with him so not worry the team so much, some things are obvious.]
Yeah, let's do that. It's pretty nice outside today, anyway. [it's a good compromise. they can talk and figure out where to go from there—and akira can sit, which he absolutely needs.
maybe that much is obvious. it takes a great deal of effort for akira to push himself from off the wall. his head never lifts—still that combined need of hiding his face from others and keeping some of his pained expressions masked—but when he has to shift the weight back to his injured leg, he hisses quietly, a bit unrestrained.
akira really hadn't planned for that sound to escape, but the pain still catches him by surprise. that bastard really had it out to break his leg if he didn't sign that confession...
which probably would have been fine if they hadn't drugged him so heavily and caused his memories to become too foggy to properly consent to what he was doing as intended. maybe then his leg wouldn't be like this, maybe his ribs wouldn't be either? who knows? what's done is done, akira knows he just has to recover so they can work towards their real goals and make his presence well-fucking-known to everyone who tred to tear him and the rest of the phantom thieves down.]
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His hand moves automatically toward one of Akira's arms, on the side with the leg he's favouring. He can't just stand and do nothing to help when Akira's clearly in pain, and even if it's something like taking his elbow to give him something else to put his weight on, that's what he's going to go for.]
Like this.
[Firmly. He'll help a little, and it's not so glaringly obvious as if he tried to put Akira's arm around his shoulders. He waits, however, patiently standing for Akira to start walking, when he's ready.]
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it's a really subtle action, but it's one that speaks volumes about how yusuke perceives the situation. and even though akira kind of hates it—not that yusuke is thoughtful enough to help, but that his own discomfort is obvious enough to warrant it—he can't deny that he'd do just the same if the roles were reversed.
hadn't he, after all? even the very first time yusuke was in the metaverse, akira offered his shoulder—despite knowing that yusuke didn't want much to do with him. things have certainly changed since then—and now, the roles have been reversed.
tempting as it is, akira doesn't actually draw back, instead shifting his weight a bit. it becomes a little more obvious that there's a reason he's favorite one leg, just like there's a reason for his posture, the length of the sleeves on his hoodie and why he keeps his face dipped.]
...It's not as bad as it seems. [...as if that's going to make yusuke worry less or even seem believable.]
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[Is that so, Akira??
His expression is inscrutable, but Akira can probably tell that he's uncertain about it. What he had thought of his injuries up until this point are that they weren't that bad. But he's realising now how much worse than how he had been thinking all along.
And he's probably not even seeing the half of it.]
...It seems more than I could bear.
[Their leader is too strong sometimes; a lot of the time.]
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[Light is pouring into Akira's room at Leblanc, early afternoon the perfect time (as Yusuke thought) to do this. It means they don't have to rely on artificial light, which is ideal; he wants to explore natural shadows and shades rather than the harsh ones artificial light can cause. He's arranging his drawing materials and his chair as he looks toward Akira.
It's easy to see that he's excited by the way his eyes are sparkling, though he appears to be trying to repress that a little because it won't do to be overzealous and mess up from the start. Focus is key.
He's still smiling though, his fingers wavering back and forth between several different types of pencils like he's not certain which will be best.
this is important, even if it's just sketching]
We'll start whenever you are ready.
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this is a little different.
of course, akira has offered before to pose for him; this is just the first time it's really come to fruition. and it's... awkward? not because akira really has a problem with it, but because he's admittedly unsure of how he should carry himself in order to make this a good image for yusuke to draw.
art is definitely not his strong suit here.
he sits a little straighter than he normally would, forcing his posture a bit more upright than his normally lazy, slouched look. his head cants to one side and he shrugs a bit.]
I think I'm ready.
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[you're a model akira
Yusuke observes him a long moment and while he certainly does look closely when he does his candid sketching of Akira, this is a whole other level of concentration. It's like he's trying to commit every feature, every small detail to memory before he attempts the sketching part.
His hand moves, loosely outlining Akira's figure sitting, correcting and re-correcting.
He might leave a silence to hang for several minutes before he realises oh.]
We can keep talking, as well.
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[he can probably last a while before he gets stiff; for now, he just watches the way yusuke works. he's not unsused to that level of focus, how yusuke works so hard to frame an image, to make every line fit his aesthetic standard...
even if it's a bit strange to be on this side of things inside of idly peering over his shoulder.
(but this thinks that it's got a charm of its own this way, really.)]
It won't be too distracting for you to keep talking?
[after all, yusuke is usually so engrossed in his work that he doesn't usually talk much at all... aside from to himself. and that's not something akira wants to get in the middle of at all!]
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[Really, he will! He'll try to keep it in mind. It's a big deal to him that Akira is doing this for him, he wants to make it a pleasant experience. (And maybe he'll model again, fingers crossed.)
...Even if it's very easy to get engrossed. That's more for the fine details now, though, the outline is shaping up to just be a rough sketch. He doesn't need to concentrate quite as much at this point, but when it comes to refining...
Oh, he totally accidentally got a little engrossed. Oops. This might be harder than he thought.]
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akira watches yusuke pretty intently while he works; he's pretty quiet—but he can see it, of course. yusuke is completely engrossed in his art, and akira?
well, he's endeared.
there's no reason to say much when he can just pose easily while being focused on yusuke's movements. though he does just idly hum so there's a bit of sound in the room, it's fine.]
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Eventually he stops looking so much at Akira as a whole and focuses on his face. To start.
He's studying his eyes, in such a way it's kind of hard... to tell... if he even recognises they're making eye contact.]
The human face is so expressive, is it not?
[he remarks idly, saying exactly what he's thinking because why wouldn't he?]
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akira can figure that yusuke is probably focused on the aethetics; he's grown so accustomed to that... that even though yusuke is making eye contact, akira just has to assume it's only that.
everything with yusuke always seems to be about aesthetic, after all. and akira doesn't blame him, even if—
well, would it be nice if it was more than that?]
Mm, I guess it is.
[akira's not sure he's being particularly expressive right now—but he might as well see where this topic takes him.]
What kind of expressions are you seeing right now?
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