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Russet ( nearly crimson ) eyes are sharp only for a moment before they mellow out, soften up until even the color seems to fade a bit from them, a warm brown with barely any hints of red at all. He cuts a slice of fried meat into little bite sized pieces, just shaking his head.
“ Honesty? I . . . didn’t really approach you out of honesty. I only want to talk to someone who isn’t Kurusu, someone who isn’t so . . . hard to read, haha. “
The younger boy doesn’t yet touch his food. His fingers are tapping the edges of a sketchbook, in which he is currently drawing the boy across from him. He doesn’t look up until he’s told he isn’t very hard to read. Blue strands hang down in front of his eyes and he quickly shoves them back behind his ear.
“ Honesty. That is . . . precisely the reason I am not hard to read. I prefer to keep what I want people to know on my sleeves. You find our leader hard to figure out? Are you not a star detective? I’d think his intentions are almost always crystal clear if you understand his resolve. I find myself questioning you more than I ever have him. “
Akechi doesn’t let his face betray any emotion he wouldn’t usually show. He pastes on one of the same smiles everyone says is so brilliant on TV. Maybe he was wrong in asking this boy out in the first place . . . Something seems off about him, something he can’t figure out, he wants to know what that is. He wants to know if he really is . . . different than the rest of them. Out of all those Thieves, why is this one so interesting to him? Why does he hesitate around him like this? Even Akira doesn’t really have this sort of effect on him . . . He doesn’t make him want to spill his guts out. No, quite the opposite.
Akira makes him want to play. Twist words up into pseudo-complexities. Make him guess at what he really means. He wants to keep Akira on his toes to see if he isn’t as stupid as he seems. ( He is, that fool of a boy. Such a waste of time. ) He drops hints but, ah, Akira isn’t smart enough to catch on, is he? He hasn’t been for a while, or maybe Akechi was just hoping for too much and Akira never was someone who could rival him from the beginning . . . A disappointment in the form of tangled black hair and wannabe charm.
( This boy though, he understood in one glance, one quiet request as he found the boy’s last class, offered to walk with him, asked him to come out to dinner so they could talk. )
Akechi clears his throat, eats a piece of meat, looks off to the side before answering.
“ Ah, so I don’t really understand him? I do believe you’re quite mistaken there. I didn’t ask you out to talk about him, however - “
“ Liar. “
A single word, pointed and quiet, sufficient in shutting the detective up in his tracks. His eyes narrow in anger for a moment before his expression closes off again, polite confusion taking its place.
“ I’m . . . sorry? I don’t know what you mean. Isn’t it rude to call someone older than you a liar right to their face like that? “
A pencil lead snaps and Yusuke clicks the back of his pencil, flipping to a new page, looking up at Akechi in time to catch his facial features shifting around, as if deciding what would be most pleasing. Yusuke sets his pencil down, leans across the table, tilts his head. Dark eyes narrow the longer he gazes at Akechi’s passively confused features..
Disgusting. It was so fake he wondered how Akechi enjoyed putting on such a farce day after day. Didn’t he ever tire of it? Yusuke wondered what his real emotions looked like. Were they quiet and reserved, like Akira’s? Or perhaps shocking and loud like Ryuji’s or Ann’s.
Maybe they were like his own, repressed by his own doing to seem more appealing to the general public.
“ That face. What you want, why you decided to talk to me. Don’t lie to me. I entertained the idea of coming out here with you because even if trying to understand you is a waste of my time, at least I could get a free meal out of it. “
The shock that widens Akechi’s eyes is what the artist wanted to see. He holds the expression in his mind’s eye, sitting back in his seat to sketch it out.
“ . . . Excuse me? A waste of time? Me? You . . . “
A gloved hand tightened around a pair of chopsticks. Why was he getting upset over this nobody little artist trying to insult him, to probably get some kind of reaction from him-
“ Did I misspeak? I said what I meant. I always say what I mean. Is that really such a foreign concept to you? Hm . . .I don’t really think so. There was something genuine in your face, in your tone back in the classroom. I don’t want you to pretend you want something you’ve cooked up in your head as pleasing to me. Tell me the truth. What do you really want? Why did you ask me to talk? “
. . . What was this boy getting at? Maybe it was a mistake- Trying to talk to him . . . He seemed like he’d understand but perhaps he was just wrong, why was he so . . . upset over this? Just say what you came here to say!
“ I . . . Ahaha . . . My apologies. It seems we’re getting off to such a bad start here . . . Something genuine? You mean when I said I wanted a friend to talk to? I just wanted to talk to you, really. Not for any . . . “
Why were those silver eyes narrowed and searching? What did he think he was going to find in Akechi’s eyes? It made the detective want to squirm. Or scream. Maybe both.
“ . . . Special reason, you see. We are teammates, yes? I’d think it would be okay to hang out with you guys . . . “
Yusuke slams his sketchbook shut.
“ I think you are purposely ignoring what I’m saying to you. You didn’t call me here to be honest with me? Then I’m leaving. Whatever it was you wanted when you seemed scared back in that classroom will stay beyond your reach if you don’t stop trying to play a game with me. I won’t be trifled with just because you’re bored with trying to figure out what things you can say to please and taunt Akira. He likes your games, finds something to enjoy in them, they only disgust me. I don’t enjoy looking for the hidden meanings in every phrase that comes from your mouth. I want to know the truth and nothing else. “
Was he being too harsh, perhaps? He wants Akechi to open up like he’d seemed to want earlier that day. He didn’t want to piss him off too much . . .
Air catches in the young detective’s throat, he covers it up with a drink of water. He . . . wasn’t wrong. This boy had caught on just like he’d hoped . . . But could he trust him at all? Did he want to? The answer was obvious, he did. But . . .
“ Sit back down, Kitagawa. Do you really think you understand everything, or even anything about me? You can’t possibly. So stop acting as if you’re so high and mighty here. You think you’re holding some sort of control over me, saying you’re only using this as a way to get free food? Please. That doesn’t matter one bit. And I’m the one being dishonest? You’d be upset if you didn’t learn what I wanted to tell you, admit it. You don’t want honesty, you want to know whatever secret I seemed ready to tell. “
Dark grey eyes gaze into his own, seemingly disappointed before they’re turning away and leaving.
Yusuke grabs his sketchbook and schoolbag, starting to walk off when his wrist is grabbed tightly.
“ Where are you going? I’m not done talking to you - “
“ I don’t care. I’m not playing games with you, Akechi. Let me go. You either tell me what you wanted to in that class or I’m leaving. “
He says each word without a hint of venom but with no less seriousness, no less finality than a bottle of poison.
. . . Like a trap. That’s what this was, huh? Ah . . . but it would be a trap he set for himself, wouldn’t it, being the one who invited Yusuke here . . . Could it really be considered a trap if one was so willing to take the bait?
“ Fine. That’s what you want? Okay. You win, this time. Don’t act like you don’t know what I want to say. Sit down and eat, or this really will be a waste of your time. “
Akechi squeezes Yusuke’s wrist, watches his eyes dart down between them before sighing and moving back into his seat. He’s . . . relieved, more than angry. He almost scared him away.
“ There’s no winning or losing here. Like I said, Akechi. I don’t wish to play a game. I just want to know what you wanted to say. The truth. “
He twirls a bit of noodles around his chopsticks, holds his hand in front of his mouth as he chews, waits patiently for Akechi to calm down.
“ . . . I suppose that’s just as well. It isn’t really a laughing matter. The things all over the news lately? It’s me. “
He presses gloved hands together, leans forward onto the table, looks over his fingers. Yusuke doesn’t react. He keeps speaking, almost deadpan.
“ Every incident. Each breakdown. All the shutdowns. That’s all me. “
Yusuke waits a moment, sighs. Then waits another before speaking.
“ Why tell me? Do you have a guilty conscious all of a sudden? “
Akechi snorts, covers his mouth a moment later. He hadn’t meant to do that. He really didn’t think this was funny.
“ All of a sudden? Do I seem so heartless to you? “
“ Not heartless perhaps . . . But fake? Yes. See, you laughed just now. Promise me. That you aren’t lying about whatever else you’re going to say. “
His eyebrow twitches. Fake? He deserves that.
“ Promise you that I won’t lie? What good would something like that do? I could promise anything, only to say whatever I wanted to right after. What is it with you and being honest? Are you trying to find a way to feel bad for me? I don’t need you to pity me, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m not telling you this so that you can feel bad for me - “
Yusuke folds his arms across his chest.
“ I don’t want to pity you. I just want to know you aren’t lying to me. See, I can catch it already. I’m asking as a courtesy to you. You wanted to tell someone so bad, you lie so often, I’m just giving you a chance to prove to the both of us that you don’t have to. “
Akechi wants to laugh. He thinks this was a stupid idea, not for the first time since getting to the restaurant. But . . . he understands what Yusuke is saying. So he goes along with it. What was it really going to hurt at this point? He’s already admitted what he did. Even if he brushed it off as a joke in poor taste, those eyes, sharp as the sword he used to cut through Shadows in the Metaverse, they’d catch him in the lie.
. . . He was thirsty again, but he ignores it.
“ Okay. I promise that I’m not lying to you when I say I’m doing all of this for a man I hate with every fiber of my being. Ah . . . I never thought this is what I’d end up as, honestly . . . As some personal assassin for a politician with illusions of grandeur and power. There’s a goal I have, I can still see it as clear as day. I only . . . want to tell someone else before things start coming to a head. See, I don’t want you to feel bad for me, I just want someone to know the truth who won’t twist my words to hear only what they want. “
He takes his glass of water then, downs half of it, takes a deep breath. Yusuke is staring. Not judging. Just watching . . . Akechi keeps speaking.
“ All those incidents on the news are from the orders of my boss. Tell me, do you understand what that’s like? “
Yusuke thinks, blinks twice and shakes his head. Did he understand what? The plea for help? That was as clear as day, even if Akechi did said he didn’t want anyone to feel bad for him. Which Yusuke didn’t. What else was there to understand?
“ To murder someone? Dozens of people, actually? No. I don’t understand that at all. What am I supposed to understand? “
Akechi chuckles, tries to keep his laughing under control. You don’t look as serious when you laugh. And he was deadly serious, no matter how casually he spoke. Still, laughter slips from between his fingers.
“ You’ve never killed anyone. I can tell you wanted to but you don’t have it in you. No, that’s not what I mean. Do you understand what it’s like to take orders from someone you hate? You do. I know you do. I can see that in your face like you claim you can see my lying. I never wanted to kill anyone but the man I kill for. I find it almost ironic, really. It’s so close to the time for the curtains to fall on my plan and only now has carrying this around become a bit too inconvenient to know on my own. You . . . understand that, don’t you? “
His words aren’t desperate. Not pleading. They sound empty in his own ears. Is that what Yusuke thought too? That he was just rambling thoughtlessly? He really . . . just wanted to share this with someone who would understand. Who could understand being so angry at one person for being the sole reason your life went to hell.
Akechi’s laughing almost unnerves him, not that he lets it show on his face. He only wanted to speak with him because he thought they were similar?
“ Do you really think we’re alike? Why? Because my former sensei stole from me? Made me paint for him? I’m supposed to make this incredible leap to understanding why you’d ever agree to murder people? “
Yusuke shakes his head, his hair falls across his face again but he doesn’t fix it this time.
“ I don’t understand. “
Akechi’s hands ball up into tight fists. His voice goes even lower, he lets himself speak in anger.
“ Don’t be purposely fucking stupid, Kitagawa. I never agreed to murder anyone. I am a detective, that’s the image I’ve built for myself and that’s what I wanted to be . I had a sense of justice. He told me, a couple of years ago, how I could help him. He told me to kill any Shadows I found. Especially the human looking ones. I didn’t know until seeing the news the next morning that it wasn’t just some monster impersonating a human that I’d killed. I . . . “
He doesn’t laugh this time. He’d much rather have a bucket to throw up in, even now, nearly three years later. He just shakes his head until the nauseating feeling passes.
“ I prefer my other power. The psychotic breakdowns the news has taken to calling them? It feels less like murder that way. “
Yusuke listens to everything. He should, by all means, condemn this boy and be done with whatever this was, should he not? He admitted of his own free will that he’s the one causing the incidents on the news. But he had to know . . .
“ You said you never agreed to it. What happens if you fail to . . . take care . . . of someone? “
It’s not a question he particularly wants to ask nor know the answer to.
“ Is that really a question you need to ask? If you cross the boss, you usually don’t wake up alive once he finds out. “
That was the answer he was expecting but he still wants to know more.
“ If you could go about your . . . grand plan another way, would you? “
He tries not to let his voice sound like he was being particularly kind. Yet Akechi’s eyes narrow in anger, that reddish tone coming back in force.
“ Don’t. Do that. You’re looking for a way to feel bad for me. Make no mistake, I do what I do now with my end goal in mind. And I don’t care how shitty it makes me look to you, Kitagawa. The ends will justify the means for me. “
Again, he doesn’t expect anything else. He doesn’t let himself get angry at the response. He just leans over the table a bit, steels his voice.
“ I don’t feel bad for you. This is a matter of whether or not I’ll choose to be the friend you’re looking for. If you had the choice, would you still choose to kill people like you do? “
Akechi’s eyes widen, he doesn’t lean back as Yusuke leans closer, scrutinizing him with cold, silver eyes.
“ I don’t see how it has anything to do with whether you want to keep talking to me. All that matters is what I do now. What if’s are not important. If I’d do something isn’t as important as what I choose to do now. “
“ Then it’s a choice now? You wouldn’t do anything different, if you were given the chance? Even now, sitting here, spilling your guts out. You don’t regret this in the least? “
Yusuke’s voice is even, calm, it pisses Akechi off. So much that he doesn’t stop to think it was bait.
“ I never wanted to hurt anyone but him. But it’s too late to care about that. If there was another way to work out my plan, I would have. But from the first Shadow I shot up till now, I can’t just take it back. Smile and say ‘ oops, sorry, didn’t mean to do that. ‘ Because when it comes down to it, I’m not sure how much it even bothers me now. Is that what you wanted to hear? Are you happy now? “
His hands are gripping his knees so tightly he’d probably bruise if he was more fragile. Why is Yusuke looking at him like that? Why does he look so pleased with himself.
“ So that’s what you meant. What I should understand. Why you think we’re similar. Hm . . . Thank you, for trusting me enough to be completely honest. I really was worried you were going to keep lying for a moment there . . . “
Yusuke sighs in relief, takes in Akechi’s narrowed, distrustful eyes. He smiles, not happily, but simply friendly. And Akechi stares.
Akechi . . . wonders what’s wrong with Yusuke. Why he isn’t leaving. ( He really is just different, isn’t he? A good friend to make, even if only for a couple of weeks. )
“ Why are you smiling at me? “
“ I’m sorry . . . Should I not? “
His hand covers his mouth a moment later, a slight frown taking the smile’s place.
Akechi doesn’t like it nearly as much. He’d touched on an insecurity, hadn’t he?
“ That’s not it. I asked why you were doing it, not to stop. “
Yusuke shrugs after a moment, his hand not dropping.
“ No reason in particular. I was simply trying to be friendly. Your answer was satisfactory enough that I’m not leaving. You wanted a friend you could talk to, yes? “
Akechi presses his lips together, tilts his head.
“ . . . You . . . are such a weirdo. “
And then Yusuke actually looked surprised. Akechi snorts, not bothering to hold his laugh back this time.
Yusuke just flattens his gaze, sitting back in his seat as he decides to finally eat his food.
“ You must be even more so to wish for my company. “
“ Well it seems I wasn’t mistaken in thinking you wouldn’t get upset and go around telling everyone what I just told you. “
Yusuke hums thoughtfully.
“ It’s not that I wouldn’t. You are a killer, after all. But you’re being manipulated into it. I can’t fully blame you. And on top of that, you promised to be honest. If you keep being honest, I’ll never tell your secrets. That is how trust works, is it not? “
Akechi shakes his head slowly.
“ You trust a killer? How do you know I’m not trying to make friendly with you to lower your guard and kill you? “
“ Are you? Do you want to kill me? “
He answers too quick.
“ No - “
“ I thought so . “
. . . The hell?
“ Why are you so . . . “
“ So what, Akechi-kun? “
The detective’s hands finally relax their tight grip on his knees. as he leans his arms forward onto the table.
“ Should I say eccentric? “
Yusuke sits back as he pushes his his now empty plate to the side.
“ Is that what you want to say? I won’t deny that I am, a bit. “
“ I just think you’re different. Not in a bad way, but enough that you can keep my secret with me. “
They both stare at one another for several moments. Neither knows which one wants to speak up first, or if they should. They open their mouths at the same time.
“ Th - “
“ So - “
Another short pause between them. Akechi waves his hand.
“ You go ahead. “
Yusuke nods, opening his sketchbook again, flipping to a clean page and grabbing his pencil before continuing.
“ So. As I was saying. You think I’m so different you decided to share what you see as a burden with me. Should I be flattered you think me that strong? “
Akechi laughs again, not fake or prompted in any way.
Yusuke purses his lips and sketches before Akechi calms down. His hair falls in his face, he holds his chest, his eyes light up before he squeezes them shut, Yusuke notices. He looks up again to see Akechi still smiling. And he . . . can’t help bringing his fingers up to frame his face, tilting his head so the overhead lights shine over his hair, giving Akechi the illusion of a halo.
. . . With a smile that innocent, it was hard to think this boy that could be mistaken for an angel in his beauty was the cause of all the incidents and fear slinking through the city.
Akechi holds a finger up to his chin, leaning closer.
“ Why do you do that thing there with your fingers? What does that mean? “
Yusuke drops his hands, turns to a fresh page, scratches his pencil across the paper in quick, short lines, putting to paper the image he’s saved away in his mind. He puts off answering Akechi until he’s satisfied that the drawing captured what he wanted, as much as a quick sketch could. He’d much rather have an entire afternoon to paint an expression like that one but he could make do with that for now.
“ . . .Kitagawa? “
“ Hm? Oh. Yes. The finger frame I made? I use it to look at things I find aesthetically pleasing. “
Akechi blinks. Stares in surprise. Scratches his cheek as he coughs into his hand.
“ A funny thing to say to another boy, hm? “
Yusuke just raises a single eyebrow. Nothing else. A moment later he shrugs.
“ Why? I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. Aren’t you a celebrity? Used to such compliments? “
Akechi clears his throat and presses his hands together before holding them against his cheek.
“ I think it means more coming from someone who could care less about who I am on TV. “
Yusuke nods and holds a hand up in front of his mouth as he smiles.
“ I suppose it would. “
“ Does anyone ever tell you the same thing? “
Yusuke tilts his head, looks to the side for a moment before tapping his pencil against another clean page.
“ People do think I’m handsome, yes. I don’t usually care to hear it. It doesn’t have much to do with what I wish to do as an artist. I’ve never been very conceited. “
Akechi purses his lips, reaches across the table for Yusuke’s glass of water as well, drinking a bit of it.
“ It doesn’t have much to do with why I asked you out but . . . Sitting here now, I wouldn’t mind taking you out again. “
They stare at each other for several long moments. Akechi moves to apologize but Yusuke holds his hand up.
“ What I said was funny but you just asked me out on another date? “
A charming grin spreads across Akechi’s lips and he winks.
“ Oh, so you think this is a date now? “
Yusuke blushes slightly, sighing and sitting back in his seat, looking down as he closes his eyes.
“ I’m still here, so if you want to call it that, I won’t stop you. You do have to buy me dessert though. “
He holds his hand up to hide his smile again.
Akechi . . . feels happy. And oh so relieved. Someone to share this burden with a little while longer. It wasn’t something he’d ever put thought to, but reaching out like he had in that classroom . . . He was glad it seemed to pay off.
“ Grab whatever you want. I’ll pass on the sweets for now. “
Akechi calls the waitress over and Yusuke grabs strawberry ice cream, keeping things simple. It isn’t too much longer before he’s done and they’re both ready to go.
Yusuke hesitates as he stands up, flipping through his sketchbook before he hands it over to Akechi.
“ Look through them. “
Akechi just nods, looking at the sketches.
He liked knowing people thought he was attractive, it always left the ghost of a nice feeling in his chest, it was nice to be admired, or thought of jealously. He’d never . . . seen himself through someone else’s eyes though. So many different . . . expressions.
He looked emotionless in some. Shocked, surprised, embarrassed in the others.
. . . Happy.
Not, making himself look happy to please someone else.
He was caught actually laughing before he could think better of it and he runs his fingers over the drawing.
“ . . . Could I keep this one? “
He turns the book back to Yusuke, hoping that he’d say yes. He liked this one. Knowing that someone saw him this way.
“ That one? If you like that one, see the next. You missed the last one. “
Akechi blinks but pulls the book back, flipping the page once more. Oh. Well . . . he saw what Yusuke meant. This one was in some ways better, his smile was bright and Yusuke had seemed to capture a halo around his head. An angel? As if.
“ I have to admit I like the other more. This one . . . you should keep it. So? Can I have the one of me laughing? “
Yusuke takes his sketchbook back, looks between the drawing of Akechi getting caught laughing and then just smiling.
“ I can do better than a pencil sketch if you come back to my dorm room. I’ll turn it into a painting. And you can keep it. “
If he had to pick one to hold onto himself, he’d choose the latter. Why did Akechi like the former so much?
“ Oh, for free? You’d make me a painting? “
Yusuke brushes his hair away from his face, placing a hand on his hip.
“ Who said anything about free? You said you’d take me out again. The food is a bit expensive for my tastes but it’s food. And I could get some more painting material out of you if I surprise you. That’s payment enough. So? What do you say? “
Akechi just shrugs.
“ If you think it’ll be better, yeah. I’ll go with you. “
Yusuke nods.
“ I don’t think, I know. A painting will look better. You do know where the dorms are, right? “
Akechi grabs his case, holds his arm out in a teasing gesture.
“ Feel free to lead the way. “