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Akutagawa sighed, then looked over Andrew carefully, his eyes darting all around the fencer’s body, seemingly like he was looking for weak points. Andrew himself did notice this but decided to ignore it and take the topic elsewhere.
“You look tired, have a you been getting enough sleep?”
The man asked with genuine concern.
Akutagawa leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms, not expecting anyone to ask a question about his personal state.
"Of course not, why do you care."
He said, his voice monotone and emotionless.
“You honestly don’t look well, I can’t necessarily just ignore that.”
Andrew commented quietly before getting back to his usual work of analyzing evidence for the agency. However, he did keep his ears open.
Akutagawa just stared blankly at the man in front of him. He was not used to someone being concerned about his wellbeing, hell, his entire life no one was concerned for his health. Everyone just either used him, abused him, or left him to be on his own. So to hear that someone was concerned for his wellbeing was... Weird to him. He didn't know how to respond to that. Instead, he just stayed silent.
“If you need any water it’s in the drawer in the left. Take as much as you need.”
Andrew motioned towards said drawer without looking up at Akutagawa from his handiwork.
He looked at the drawer, then turned his attention back to the fencer. He didn't make an effort to get up and grab the water for himself, he didn't see it as 'necessary'. He was taught from a young age to not show weakness or to depend on others. So, he didn't. For a few minutes, the two stayed silent, not saying or doing anything. But then, he spoke up.*
"Why are you being nice to me?"
“Should I not be?”
Andrew questioned, curious as to what caused the other man to think the way he did.
Akutagawa looked down at the floor. Andrew couldn't see his eyes underneath the dark bangs that hid them, but he could distinctly tell he was serious from just his expression. He was used to being treated coldly, not so warmly.
"I was born from trash, a street rat. People don't look at me and assume I look like someone to be nice to. Even then, the only ones who were 'nice' to me always used me in the end."
“I see.”
Andrew nodded slowly as he processed Akutagawa’s reasoning. Considering how people have treated the younger man in the past, it’s no wonder that it had such a big impact on his psyche. Arguably for the worst.
“However, where you were born or what your ability is isn’t going to affect how I treat you. You’re still human, that’s a fact that can’t be changed.”
The fencer said firmly, as he closed a file on his desk, putting the information for the case away. He swivelled his chair around to face the other man, the relaxation and lack of tension in his body serving a deep contrast to the tension lining every muscle of Akutagawa’s body.
“Appearances can be deceiving, yes, but you shouldn’t necessarily be treated badly based on what you look like, where you came from, and what you have moved on from.”
He spoke honestly and clearly, knitting his fingers together with the clasped hands in his lap. The gaze of his blue eyes behind the tint of his orange-tinted glasses was intensified, but not threatening.
That simple sentence hit him hard. Sure, it was nothing but a simple phrase, but it felt like it could shatter the iron-strong wall of coldness surrounding him. His eyes suddenly softened a bit, and he leaned back against the chair. For a few moments, he didn't say anything, thinking about that sentence over and over in his head. No one had ever, since the day he was born, ever spoke to him the way Andrew did.
Akutagawa was not used to such honesty and truth from others. Everyone he met when he lived in the slums either looked down on him, or only had a kind demeanor towards him so they could use him for their benefit. But hearing the amount of truth and kindness from the fencer... Was both strange—God forbid it, comforting.
The tension in his muscles, the defensiveness he had, slowly started to drop as he listened to Andrew’s voice. The fencer’s words and honesty. It was something he desperately needed in his life, but was too stubborn to admit it.
He continued to listen to Andrew carefully, taking in his every word. He was genuinely taken aback that the fencer was being so open and kind to him. This was nothing like how he thought the man would act, from what he initially assumed from his appearance.
He stayed silent for a few more seconds, then spoke up, his voice more quiet than usual.
"Your way of thinking is completely different than anyone I have ever met."
Andrew hummed to himself thoughtfully, crossing his arms.
“Well, Akutagawa. If you may answer this, can you describe what you thought I looked like to you?”
He looked back up at Andrew once he finished speaking. He gave the detective a once over a few times before sighing through his nose and answering his question.
"Physically, judging by your height, build, and appearance, you look capable of a fight. I assumed you were the type who had some serious skills from your looks, but your demeanor says the opposite. You give the impression that you'd rather do something that was non-violent, which confuses me. You give off the vibe of a pacifist, yet look like a warrior."
Andrew gave Akutagawa a small, friendly smile once he heard the assumption the newest member had about him.
“That’s actually quite interesting. But, I would assume that me as a person is far from someone you were used to back in the slums. But, I can’t say that you’re wrong. I’d rather not spend all of my energy fighting, but I have to emphasize that defending myself from harm is important. Though, I am unsure whether you see that as a waste of my strength. Many do.”
Akutagawa paused, then looked down at the floor for a moment. He seemed to be mulling over his next words carefully, but then spoke up again.
"Your ability to defend can be a 'waste' under some circumstances. But I have never seen it that way. If I see someone as a threat, I kill them immediately. But you..."
He looked back up at Andrew for a moment, then to the side.
"You're different. You find other ways to stop someone, without killing them. I don't like it, but... for some reason I respect it."
The fencer’s gaze held a sense of understanding. He nodded as he registered Akutagawa’s viewpoints. Considering how unforgiving the place the other man emerged from was, it wasn’t too hard to figure out what needed to be done to see another sunrise. Which saddened him.
“You don’t have to. But in the agency, we don’t kill unless if it is purely out of self-defense. But I can’t force you agree with that or my personally morals. Since I could assume that you have been used to killing for the sake of your own survival your entire life. Which is something really no one could truly blame you for. You did what you had to do.”
He stayed silent, not knowing how to respond to that. No one has ever spoken to him with so much understanding, so much respect. It was unlike anything he had experienced. It was... Refreshing? Strange? Maybe it was both, but he didn't know how to process it entirely. But he knew deep down...
He didn't dislike it.
He just continued to look down at the floor for a moment, still avoiding eye contact. It was a bit embarrassing, in a way, to be heard and acknowledged in such a manner.
“Truly. I shouldn’t judge you from where I am. I won’t understand everything, or anything at all, and that’s a given. However, the least I can do is just hear you out.”
Akutagawa stayed quiet for a few more moments, thinking to himself, then chuckled. It wasn't a happy chuckle, in fact he sounded bitter, almost. But it wasn't directed towards Andrew.
He was still not looking up to meet Andrew’s gaze. For some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to look at the fencer properly. What is this strange feeling? He was embarrassed? Why? He didn't know.
He paused for a moment, then muttered something under his breath.
"Hmph... You're too kind for your own good, swordsman."
Andrew laughed to himself. It was a light, quiet sound that didn’t have much echo to it. However, he was able to take Akutagawa’s words without offense really. After all, he was just being honest with him. The fencer knows that shouldn’t be judged at face value.
“I get that a lot.”
He said, opening the drawer on the left side of his desk. He grabbed the neck of one of the plastic water bottles there and tossed it over to Akutagawa. He turned his back to face his work a bit after, knowing how he would be. He didn’t really need to look, allowing his other senses to tell for him in place of his eyes.
“Also, you look dehydrated. At least take care of yourself a bit before we find your younger sister. Okay?”
Akutagawa caught the water bottle in one hand as it was tossed to him. He opened the cap, taking a few sips of water from it. He was dehydrated, and he was hungry. He hasn't slept nor eaten in a while. But he was always so occupied with looking for Gin that he put his own health on the backburner.
"Hmph. Don't tell me what to do, swordsman."
He said to Andrew with an annoyed tone, trying to act aloof as he continued drinking from the water bottle.
Andrew smiled to himself, his expression was concealed with his back turned to the other man. But his tone held a hint of amusement, though he will be backing off for now. He just found how contradictory Akutagawa’s actions were to his words an endearing, in its own weird way.
“I won’t.”
Akutagawa rolled his eyes, then finished the water bottle Andrew gave him. He looked to the side, staring at the wall blankly. He was embarrassed. He didn't like being lectured by this man out of the entire agency about his health, but he knew Andrew was right. He didn't look after himself as much as he should.
He placed the now-empty bottle on the desk and crossed his arms. He still wouldn't look at Andrew, he felt it would be embarrassing to do so right now. He just sat there, waiting for another member to come in or something.