Work Text:
The first step of Eito's plan is in play.
It's his second day at this so-called Last Defense Academy. Eito stands in the gymnasium, scythe in hand. Under the guise of discussing something private after-hours, it wasn't difficult to convince Sirei to meet up with him alone. It was even easier to convince him to let his guard down, waxing rottingly sweet spiels about finding the will to fight. Acting the part of a determined student, bowing his head politely. Requesting a lesson on how to wield hemoanima, so that he may strive for this cause too.
The weapon feels heavy in his hands, but thrumming with life. More than just woven threads of metal - like his very lifeforce was embedded deeply into the grooves. The blade is a dull gray. Instinctively, Eito knows where to place his hands. Where the fabric of his gloves meets the bandages winding around the handle. He knows (somehow, someway) that if he presses his palms into it tightly, if he draws the spikes out and into (straight through) his hands. If he allows his blood to flow through, to tint the blade a vibrant red. He knows about this before he even tries it, because it feels second nature to him.
He weighs the scythe in his hands, swaying slightly as he adjusts to its mass. It's heavy, so one well-placed swing will be more than enough to cleave Sirei in half. He had a hunch that Sirei was merely bluffing about having explosives implanted inside their bodies, just another manipulative tactic to keep their gaggle of soldiers in line. Of course, Eito would never rule out the alternative just based on his hopes. Which is why this blow had to be fatal on the first strike.
With Sirei's guard down, going on about something-or-other, he stopped listening... Eito expects this to be easy. It very well should be. He stands there, eyes locked on Sirei's unassuming form. He holds his scythe, poised to strike, and-
The gymnasium door slams open with a bang that nearly makes him jump out of his skin. A form barrels into the room, unruly and haphazard in its movements. It is revolting, a putrid mass of tissue and flesh ambling towards them. Between all of that, the splotches of bright red allow Eito to identify it as-
"Takumi...?"
Sirei stops mid-sentence. He turns around to face the sudden source of intrusion as well, pivoting on his stubby little legs. "Huh? Sumino?!" He sounds like he's just as surprised as Eito is. Takumi's eyes flicker briefly to Sirei, but his gaze quickly locks on Eito with an intensity that makes ants crawl up his skin.
He holds back his repulsion, asks what Takumi is doing here. He gets an answer that completely stuns him, reads his plans and intentions so utterly transparently that, at first, he doesn't have a thing ready to say about it. It's only when Sirei gawks and hollers, turns to him and demands an answer, that Eito snaps back to reality. He scrambles for something to say. He plasters a friendly smile on his face, turns to Takumi. Claims it to all just be one big misunderstanding. Admits to a partial truth - yes, he supposes it's a bad look to be spotted with his weapon out like this, but it's only because he wanted to make sure Sirei was being truthful.
And then, because the situation couldn't spiral any more out of his control, Takumi starts to talk about something very, very private to Eito. His cognitive disorder, his personal feelings and goals and everything he's never told, never spoken out loud to a single soul.
He feels like he's suddenly been stripped bare, like someone has cleaved him open and carved all of his secrets out of him. Spilled out on the floor like viscous red blood. Takumi's words hang in the air, pointed and unexplainable and absolutely true, it's all true, how does he know-
(Takumi claims something about being from the future. It's insane enough that Eito nearly dismisses Takumi as being entirely crazy. He would have done so, if everything he'd just said hadn't been so painfully real.)
It doesn't matter. It can all wait. It can wait until Eito's indignation subsides, until he feels his own blood splatter across his hands. Sharp spikes slice through his palms, drawing his hemoanima. A rush of energy floods through him, surging through his body in waves. It's a shame that he'll never get the satisfaction of deceiving Takumi, luring him to complacency before slipping the knife into the small space between his shoulder blades. Takumi pierces his chest with his Infuser, draws his weapon all the same. It doesn't matter what Takumi thinks or knows, if he kills him now.
Wielding his hemoanima feels second-nature to Eito, despite never doing it before. In his downtime, when he's alone with his thoughts, he's sure to have more opinions on this. But right now, as a well-placed swing draws blood from Takumi's torso, he simply strikes first and thinks about it later. Takumi is a strong fighter, but he isn't the only one feeling a sudden boost in power. For every slash Takumi lands on him, Eito returns it right back. He's confident that he can win this, as evenly-matched as they are.
His opportunity comes when Takumi slips up. One wrong swing of his katana leaves him open. He realizes this at the same moment that Eito whirls his scythe around him, charges and strikes hard - sparks of bright purple flickering from his weapon. He feels resistance, and then none, and then a thud . His opponent’s body is slick with blood, dropping to the ground unceremoniously. It's gory and unpleasant, but Eito's had a lifetime of enduring such sights. So he hardly notices the way Takumi's blood sticks wetly to the underside of his shoes as he approaches. Before the Revive-O-Matic starts up and swoops in to whisk him away - because they are on school grounds after all, and death doesn't hold as much weight if you've got the chance to come back.
It's instinctive to Eito to reach for his Infuser. It's instinctive to Eito to hold it above Takumi's chest.
But his body locks up, seizing as a current rips through him- blinding and white-hot. Shooting up his leg and spiralling through his veins. It's awful, terrible, searing and blistering, and his vision begins to fade at the edges before he can do much else.
Eito Aotsuki wakes up in the courtyard, locked up in the cage like some sort of creature. His body is sore, his head hurts, his vision spins when he suddenly sits up too fast. He doesn't have a clue how long he's been out for.
Frankly, he's surprised to be alive. Given his true colours being so straightforwardly exposed to their commanding officer, he had his doubts that such a major transgression would be easily forgiven. Not to mention that he'd so openly tried to absorb Takumi's hemoanima and kill him for good.
Sirei appears in the courtyard soon after he awakens, his round egg-like body hobbling over at a leisurely pace. "Well, well, look who's awake! You've got Sumino to thank for this, mind you. What a softie, letting you off the hook like this."
Eito's gaze flits around the cage, and wonders if this is really something he'd consider off the hook . But... well, he's not dead . Although it is an interesting situation. Despite him killing Takumi, the latter chose to spare Eito's life. The more he thinks about it, the more intriguing it sounds to his ears. Takumi, knowing so much about Eito's closely-guarded secrets, seeing him for what he really is and not just his facade... and choosing to keep him alive. If he went out of his way to do this, there must be some sort of value that Eito's life has to him. Or perhaps it's Takumi's sense of morals, the proud and virtuous hero who won't stoop so low as to murder a human being. As horrible as Eito feels to lump himself in with the rest of those miserable creatures. What a really nice guy Takumi is. Just so, so nice .
It's fascinating. What does Takumi have planned? What is he thinking? What is he seeing, behind that piercing blue gaze of his?
He upholds this conversation with Sirei for a bit. He answers his questions. Asks a few of his own, under the lieu of an equivalent exchange. And Sirei is much less on board with leaving an anomaly like Eito alive, and is so very vague about the information he does give Eito that it infuriates him to no end. But nonetheless, Sirei turns and leaves the courtyard. Eito looks back, walks over to the bed. He sits down on it. And gets merely a few long moments to himself, before the serene sound of the courtyard's faux-nature is interrupted yet again.
The grass crunches under his feet as Takumi approaches the cage.
"Oh, Takumi." Eito starts, folding his hands politely over his lap. He beams up at his new visitor. "You really came all this way, just to see me?" He enjoys the way Takumi's expression screws up in contempt. "How sweet! I'm so touched!"
Takumi seems considerably less pleased to see Eito. Which is understandable, but it makes Eito no less regretful about killing him. When he opens his mouth, it's more insistence about being from the future. And frankly, as outlandish as it sounds - it makes some iota of sense. How else would he know so much about him, speaks so confidently and self-assured about these theoretical things he'd done? Eito draws out their conversation, poking and prodding and leading it like a dance. Of course I believe you. Why don't you tell me what you've been through? I'm the perfect confidant. Why don't you tell me more?
He enjoys talking to Takumi. It's fun to rile him up, to see his face contort into a myriad of expressions. He's disgusting as ever to look at, standing in the midst of the courtyard. A putrid fleshy stain in the middle of such a beautiful scene. But similarly, it makes him... special. He's interesting, so very interesting. Just looking at Takumi fills Eito with a deep sense of loathing, twisting and coiling in his chest like a vice... but he sort of likes Takumi, too. What a novel sensation, to feel this way towards a human being. Eito wants to know more.
Come see me whenever you feel like it, okay?
I'll see you around, Takumi.
By the time Takumi leaves, Eito has made up his mind. He wants to know as much as he can about Takumi. The strange, confusing little creature that he is.
So this leaves Eito with some fun little factoids to think about. And for better or for worse, he has a lot of time on his hands to think... because there's not much else to do in this cage of his.
Firstly: Sirei had some way to knock him unconscious. When he mulls over his memory, right before he fell unconscious - he recognizes the feeling. Electricity, similar to the same kind that he himself wields, but lacking that bloody edge of hemoanima. And whatever it was made physical contact with his leg, which was still very sore from where he'd been hit. Sirei is robotic in nature, so it's possible that he can build up electricity and dispel it as another method of self-defense. That, or he’d used some external weapon. It makes sense that the bombs implanted inside of their bodies weren't the only self-defense mechanism Sirei has to keep them all in line. How brutal.
Secondly: Takumi had spared him. Or, more aptly put: he was there to spare him. Which was strange, because Eito had succeeded in killing Takumi. Although that death wasn't final, it was enough to draw out the Revive-O-Matic to come and pick up his body. Apparently, its resuscitation feature works faster than he'd thought. But yet, he can't piece together why Sirei didn't just kill Eito on the spot while Takumi was still recovering, for however brief that period was.
The courtyard is covered in what he first thought were windows, although he quickly realized them to be screens. The visuals display what Eito believes is a night sky, the lights dim enough to mimic such an environment. Despite this, he couldn't feel more awake. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, leaning his back against the bed. He hardly gets visitors in the courtyard, which is far from a surprise, but it makes him wonder when Takumi will come back to talk to him next. Perhaps Takumi will take pity on him and bring him something to do, but he won't get his hopes up for that.
He perks up when he hears footsteps echo from down the corridor. His hearing is sharp, and the surroundings are quiet. The footsteps come closer, and Eito quickly scrambles back into his bed. He pulls the covers around himself, feigns being asleep. Not because anyone would particularly care if Eito was getting a good night's sleep, but because his incoming guest may let their guard down if they don't think he's listening. He closes his eyes and listens. The doors to the courtyard creak open slowly, and close with a click . The footsteps continue, steady and leisurely. They draw closer and closer to Eito's cage, before stopping right in front of the door. He strains his ears to listen for anything else, but hears nothing of note. It is dead silent for a few long seconds. And then:
"This is quite the surprise."
...
Eito hears a voice. It's ... clear. Gentle on his ears. It lacks the high-pitched squeals he'd expected, shrill and grating against his eardrums. Not a human voice , his mind helpfully supplies. But the sheer familiarity of it is extremely jarring. Curiosity gets the better of him, and he cracks one eye open. Just to have a little peek.
It's him.
Eito is so surprised by what he sees that he immediately forgoes any ideas of pretending to be asleep. His eyes shoot open, and he sits up in bed, and he throws off the covers. " What? " He manages to say. Because it is him. Another him. Another Eito Aotsuki is standing in front of his cage, hands casually resting in his jacket pockets, peering at him with a curious expression. His hair looks like it's been slicked back slightly - but in the dim lighting, that's the only major difference he can see between them.
"I hope you don't actually sleep with your glasses on." Other-Eito says.
Eito gets to his feet, walks right up to the front of the cage. He wonders if this is some kind of hallucination, or if he accidentally fell asleep after all and this is just some strange dream. His mirror image stands there, observing him back... a curious kind of scrutiny in his gaze.
"What are you?" When the shock of seeing his doppelganger subsides, Eito finds himself being flooded with questions. "You aren't human, are you? You can't be. Not if I can see you like this." This Other-Eito looks exactly like if he'd stood in front of a full-length mirror. Minus the fact that his voice sounds slightly different- but Eito's long known about that fun fact. Everyone always sounds a little different in their head.
"I'm you, of course. I'm from the future." His apparently-future-self smiles, before pulling one hand out of his pockets. He motions towards the bed. "This is a bit of a long story, so get comfortable." He plops down on the ground, sitting cross legged in front of the cage door. He waits expectantly for Eito to take a seat, and only starts talking once he does.
His doppelganger comes from a future where his plans had flourished wonderfully. A future where he'd successfully stayed hidden in the Special Defense Unit's ranks, weaseled his way to Takumi's side. Established himself as his most trusted confidant, his voice of reason, his dear companion and friend . He'd died for his successful sabotage, and it would have been a picture-perfect ending to the stage he had set.
That is, if Takumi didn't go back in time. Back to the very beginning, to the second day, to barge into the gymnasium and deliver a rather sickening speech and soul read. By the time Eito and Takumi fought, his plan had already fallen off course.
Somehow, some way, the Revive-O-Matic had briefly malfunctioned. As far as his clone knew, it was for a very short period of time - right after Takumi had travelled back in time and arrived here. A brief lapse, but nothing it couldn't adapt to. On its own, this wouldn't be a problem. Except that Eito had managed to kill Takumi during that short time frame, in the gymnasium a few days ago.
Which is what started everything off.
The Revive-O-Matic picked up Takumi's body and hemoanima, brought it back to the Infirmary to stitch it all back up together. But, likely unused to such a strange combination of hemoanima in Takumi's body, it misinterpreted it greatly. At some point in the future, future-Takumi absorbed future-Eito's hemoanima. And when he travelled back in time, so did future-Eito's cryptoglobin. That is to say: the Revive-O-Matic read two distinct readings of cryptoglobin, spat out a Takumi, and then spat out a second Eito .
So his clone woke up in the currently unused dorm on the rooftop, surrounded by white walls and Eito's belongings. And, to avoid being detected, that's where he's been hiding out for the past few days. Sleeping during the day time, and sneaking out at night to get food from the cafeteria. It is, according to said clone, "much nicer to roam the building when it's not crawling with those freaks from the Special Defense Unit". Eito has only really seen the inside of his cage so far, and no one comes to the courtyard, but he's still inclined to agree with this sentiment.
As far as his testing goes, the other Eito is real. He has to be careful, as Sirei has removed Eito's DNA from the Revive-O-Matic, so neither Eito will be able to be revived in the event of a fatal injury. But he's snuck a spare Infuser out of the War Room, and he can use his hemoanima. So, not a cryptoglobin-powered hallucination. Just a second Eito, as real as it gets, in the same timeline as the first Eito.
Which brings them to:
"Ei-ni, then." Eito stresses the ni , holding up two of his fingers like a peace sign. "I'll call you that. It'd be rather confusing if we were both Eito."
He watches as his future self raises an eyebrow, regards him with a flat look. "What, am I not a person to you? How could you say such things...? You're hurting my feelings."
"Oh, would you prefer to be Ei two? "
"Ugh. Alright then, I suppose Eini is fine." Eini huffs. "Actually, I have a better question. Why am I the second Eito? From my perspective, that should be you." He grumbles, folds his arms over his chest. And it suddenly strikes Eito how strange it is, to see his own expressions and mannerisms in person. But he doesn't get to think about it any longer, because Eini plants one hand onto the floor and pushes himself up to his feet. "Oh well. It doesn't particularly matter in the long run. What does matter, is that I can break you out of this cage. And... Well, I'm not sure where we'd go, but I doubt we'd be able to hide inside the academy for long. Not if we're both missing."
Eito shakes his head.
"Oh, that's tempting... But not yet." This is a gamble. It would be much safer if they did as Eini suggested, if they got up and left in the dead of the night - even more so if he told Eini to take a few days to prepare. Stock up on food, snatch supplies from around the school to take with them. But another opportunity murmurs into his ear, and he can't refuse it. "Let me guess... Takumi and his hideous little friends don't have a clue about you. Do they?"
"Of course not. I'm not that careless."
"Then... What about this?" Eito steeples his fingers together. "If I'm still locked up in here, they won't suspect a thing. Why won't we take it easy for a little while? Let that meddling little Takumi think he's gotten the upper hand, that he's the only one that knows about the future. He’d never figure it out. And we could sabotage them from right under their noses." The idea of tricking Takumi is very tantalizing, although he won't pretend like he's not trying to settle a score. He glances up to gauge Eini's reaction, and is quite pleased to see that the other Aotsuki looks rather intrigued. "Besides, you'll be around to break me out of here whenever the time is right."
"It sounds to me like you just want to stay in the cage."
"Frankly speaking, I don't mind it here... But that's not what it is."
"Alright, whatever you say." Eini shrugs, a feigned nonchalance that doesn't do much to hide the sharp glint in his eyes. Surely, formulating his own plan. He turns and leaves, walking back the way he came. If Eito has to guess, he will most likely head back to his room on the rooftop.
Eini stops walking, turns back around- and smiles. An honest smile, not the fake, sweet smiles he practices in the mirror to perfect his facade. "I'll see you around, Eito."
And then he truly does leave, and Eito watches his retreating back until he walks through the doors and vanishes into the hallway. He waits until he can't hear his footsteps anymore.
And then Eito slips back into his bed, takes his glasses off and places them underneath his bed. It feels a bit silly, but it's better than accidentally stepping on them when waking up. He reaches down, pulls the covers over his body. The corner of his lips curl up into a smile. Eito's head is still spinning a little, trying to wrap his mind about what a strange situation this all is. But he has an ally now, even if that ally is another version of himself. He keeps thinking about it until he slips into a calm, relaxed sleep.
Eini visits him the next night.
It's a good thing that Eito is generally pretty good with handling a lot of information all at once, because that is exactly what Eini is subjecting him to. Recounts of Eini's one-hundred days at the Last Defense Academy, the plan he'd lovingly crafted and executed. During Eito's own fight with Takumi in the gymnasium, Takumi had mentioned something about blaming Eito's future self for "laying it all out in a lengthy monologue". Unfortunately, that had quite a bit of truth to it, because that's exactly what Eini is doing to him right now.
A part of him is pretty mad about it. If Eini didn't read out his entire script to Takumi and fed him such useful insights, Takumi wouldn't have been able to burst in and prevent him from killing Sirei. But when he sits cross-legged on the floor of his cage, Eini seated the same on the opposite side of the bars... watching him recount it all so ecstatically, so manically, motioning and waving with his arms and getting really into it...
... Well, it's nice to see him having fun.
Eini is talking about "explorations" now - when they'd form small groups and venture outside of the Wall of Undying Flames, gathering materials to bring back with them. How that irritating little ogre Takumi would always insist on bringing Eini along with him. How he'd been so very tempted to sit back and let Takumi eat all the poisonous mushrooms he wanted. But he didn't, he stopped Takumi from putting strange things into his mouth, because he's a good little companion and a kind friend and certainly not a traitor. The silver lining of Eito's situation is that with his mask completely shattered, he doesn't have to deal with any of those false niceties.
He starts mentioning something about a runaway truck when Eito's gaze flits over to his hand. Eini is gesturing wildly with one gloved hand, but his other is wrapped around one of the cage bars. He looks at it, thinks about the fact that he's... never seen someone else's hand like this. Hands usually look slimy, like extended fleshy appendages to reach and grab and make his skin crawl at the mere thought of contact. But Eini is another version of himself.
Come to think of it... Why can Eito see Eini normally? Is it because they share the same hemoanima, so his eyes identify him as Eito himself? As simple as if he's looking into the mirror? But he's too different to be just that. He carries himself a little higher, a little more smug... a little more practiced. And very, very , certain in his role as an antagonist to the Special Defense Unit. Eito reaches out his hand, gently places it over the back of Eini's fingers. The latter immediately stops talking, whipping his head around to stare at their touching hands.
"... How fascinating." Eito says. "You really don't feel as revolting to the touch as the rest of these awful humans."
Eini looks at him, like he's just said something extremely obvious. "Of course I don't; we're the same person. Surely you didn't forget about that." Despite his words, he looks curious about it too. Eini lets go of the metal bar, turning his hand around. He interfaces his fingers with Eito's. It feels... fine, he muses. Better than expected. But he can't feel anything other than the pressure of Eini's fingers in between his own. They're both wearing gloves, so that's two layers of fabric divorced from actual contact.
That should have just stayed as a mere observation, but it doesn’t.
Eito pulls his hand back. He tugs one of his gloves off of his hand. He's not entirely sure why he does this, and maybe his thought process is more than a little scrambled when suddenly confronted with a person in front of him that doesn't look and smell like a hideous monster. But he wants to know what it feels like. Does it feel the same as if he clasps his own hands together? He feels the breeze against the bare skin of his hands ( very sensitive ) and considers giving up the idea. But Eini looks at him, down at his outstretched hand, and very slowly pulls off one of his own gloves too.
When Eini presses his palm against Eito's own, it feels... odd. The sensation of skin against his hand is- well, it's not totally foreign to him, but it's jarring and frankly just unfamiliar enough that he zeroes in on it. Eini's hand is warm. He shifts, slips his fingers in between Eito's own, and that feels very strange indeed. A strange kind of shiver runs down his spine at the contact. He's so very focused on the feeling, on the way the tips of Eini's fingers press against his knuckles. Concentrates on the points where he can feel Eini's hands against his bare skin, the points of contact between the two, and it makes him feel a... a way he can't quite put a name to...
A dull sense of longing drops in his stomach like a rock. If only this was how it always felt to touch another human being. If only they weren't so utterly disgusting and repulsive, even the briefest of their touches making him want to claw his own skin off. He wishes it was like this instead. Whatever this is.
He wonders if he should say something. But he looks at Eini, who has his gaze lowered and fixed on where their hands meet. And he finds he doesn't mind the silence that drops over them, heavy and comfortable like a weighted blanket. He has nothing to explain, nothing to clarify. No threat of incorrect intentions, of being misinterpreted. He brushes his thumb gently across Eini's skin, watching as his expression pinches ever so slightly. He says nothing, because he knows Eini is likely thinking the same thing. Something in his heart clenches a bit, a flickering desire to get closer - to feel even more, to wonder what it's like if he were to put his arms around him and hold him against his chest. Would it feel just as nice? Holding onto something warm, something solid enough not to give under pressure like pulpy, mushy flesh?
... The thought is more than a little overwhelming.
By the time Eini draws his hand back, slips his glove back on and leaves without a word exchanged between the two, Eito doesn't bother to get back into his bed. He doubts he would be able to sleep well anyway.
Eito stays in his cage, quiet and obedient like a good little prisoner. He doesn't get many visitors, but Takumi drops by every now and then. While he clearly harbours his suspicions, it seems as though he took Eito's words about being the perfect confidant at least a little seriously.
Takumi steps up closer to Eito's cage than usual, his eyes flitting down and towards the lock on the door. He grabs it, flips it around and examines it closely. Of course, there's nothing wrong with it.
"Is something the matter, Takumi? You look awfully on edge right now." Eito is busying himself by fixing his bed, straightening out the sheets and fluffing the one pillow Takumi had given him after he'd complained about his neck a few too many times. Takumi lets the lock drop from his hand and hit the cage bars with a clang . For a few moments, he looks conflicted. But he answers Eito's question regardless.
"... Yeah. Weird things have been happening around the school. I thought it might be your doing, but..." Takumi trails off, gesturing to the lock.
"Oh suspicion, thy name is Takumi." He folds the blanket and places it on the bed. Eito turns around, steps right up to the front of the cage. He's standing eye-to-eye with Takumi like this. "You've locked me away oh-so cruelly in this cage, and yet I'm still on your mind... I'd be flattered, if the mere thought of your attention didn't disgust me greatly." He ignores the way Takumi bristles like a particularly angry critter. "Oh, but... I did say I could be of use to you, right? Why don't you tell me all about these strange occurrences." Eito raises his hand, places it over his chest. "Who knows? Maybe there'll be something I can help you with."
His grin widens as Takumi, despite his suspicions, relents.
At first... It sounds like a lot of nonsense. Looming shadows around the corner of hallways, objects clattering to the ground. Paranoia , he reasons. The potions in the Bio Lab seem less potent, as if they'd been diluted. Takumi insists he doesn't keep track of what everyone does with their stockpile of materials, but it's been dropping lower than usual. The Gift-O-Matic keeps having its history wiped - most people Takumi had asked didn't even know there was a Gift-O-Matic history. Kurara kicked up a huge fuss in the cafeteria one morning, when the curry she'd left in the fridge vanished overnight. Takemaru checked the fridge, discovered his pudding went missing, and also raised hell. All of that, and then some more, and Eito merely smiles and nods along.
Eito only speaks up when Takumi's done talking. "Wow, Takumi... Honestly, I'm starting to worry about you. Are you sure you aren't going crazy?" He presses his forehead against the bars, smiling widely. "I'm afraid I don't have a clue what that's all about, though. I've been in my cage this whole time! You checked the lock yourself."
"Right." Takumi sighs, his eyes fluttering closed. "I don't know what I expected to get out of telling you this. But the lock's fine, so... I guess it really isn't your doing." He shifts his weight, sliding his hands into his pockets. It's an attempt at looking casual, but Eito sees right through it. Sees the tension in the lines of his body. Despite his words, the look in his eyes shows that Takumi clearly hasn't removed Eito from his list of suspects. Which is hilarious, because Eito seriously could not do any of that in his current position even if he really wanted to. He has to wonder just how deeply his supposed betrayal must have wounded this boy. By the time Takumi leaves, looking more rattled than when he'd entered, all Eito can do is sit on his bed and laugh quietly to himself. Thinks about Takumi, the brave leader of the Special Defense Unit, jumping at shadows.
None of that was Eito's fault. At least, not the Eito that Takumi knows about. And while it is completely against their initial plan... well, he figures a certain somebody just couldn't help themselves. As long as Eini doesn't completely blow their cover, watching Takumi squirm and be scrutinized like the others was a perfectly fun alternative.
... Besides, Eito is used to his plans going awry at this point.
On his next visit to the courtyard, Eini holds up a set of keys in one hand. He shakes them slightly, the light jingling of metal against metal echoing through the room.
"Hello, Eini." Eito closes the book currently nestled in his lap, sliding it underneath his pillow. "I didn't know you wanted to leave the academy so soon. I thought we agreed to... "lay low" for a while?" Whatever Eini is doing certainly does not constitute as laying low.
"Oh, don't get me wrong... I don't plan on leaving just yet. I'm having a lot of fun messing with those hideous freaks at this academy, you know." Eini approaches the door, fumbling with the lock until it opens with a satisfying click . "I'd just thought we'd do away with these bars." He gives it a small push, and the door swings open, creaking loudly on its hinges. It's just as well that everyone is asleep at this time, and the rooftop is far enough away that the sound is out of earshot. He opens it just enough to step inside. He turns his head, eyeing the mechanism for a few seconds... before closing the door behind him.
Eito raises an eyebrow, regards his doppelganger with an inquisitive look. The latter approaches him quickly, only needing a few short strides before he's standing in front of him. He steps to the side, and Eito feels the mattress dip as he sits down next to him on the bed. He braces himself, purely on instinct, expecting to be hit with a foul, repulsive stench. Like spoiled milk. Curdled and sour. Because that always comes - without fail - when he's in close proximity with another person. That nauseous feeling that bubbles in his stomach, makes the back of his throat close up.
But it's Eini, so nothing of the sort happens.
Eini shuffles closer, until their shoulders are touching. And even that feels... remarkably okay…? He feels the way he presses against him, the way an affectionate cat might. The fabric of Eito's jacket rustles at the contact, rustles again when he lifts his arm and, gingerly, wraps it around his double's body.
A hand reaches up, grasps at the front of Eito's jacket. Tugs at the fabric, hesitant but curious. "It's strange, but I keep thinking about this." Eini says. He shuffles himself closer, pulling Eito by the jacket closer , and Eito frankly gives in at that point. He wraps both of his arms around Eini, pulling him in until he's flush against his chest, hearing Eini's yelp stifled against the fabric of his clothes. He feels Eini's hands scramble for purchase, before wrapping around his midsection and settling awkwardly on his back. It's a rather tense ordeal, because neither of them really know what they're doing - but it feels nice, the pressure of Eini's arms around him feels good , like he's being swaddled in a weighted blanket. Even the feeling of his chest rising and falling against his is bearable, the sound of his breath ghosting against his ear.
He shifts around, manoeuvring his legs until he’s comfortable. It’s an odd tangle of limbs, but it’s not bad. He feels as Eini relaxes, feeling his weight lean heavier against him. He smells… clean. Fresh. His clothing is soft. The imagery of Eini sneaking off with a large basket of his clothes, running across the academy for a late night laundry run makes him laugh, a low rumble that reverberates through him.
Eini’s hand reaches up, fingertips brushing cautiously at the back of Eito’s head. His hands slip through his hair, carding softly through the locks.
His gaze slides over, lands on the parts of Eini’s hair that he can see from this angle. His hair seems… wilder. Sort of unruly, like he’s run a hand through the top like he’s slicking it back with hair gel, and it just… stayed that way. He can’t smell any product in his hair. “How strange.” Eito says. “I’ve thought about it, too.”
Eini draws back the slightest bit, tilts his head enough that he can look him in the eye. And it’s only now, when they’re this close to each other, where Eito can see that Eini’s eyes are different too. They’re a lighter shade of purple. His irises are speckled with darker lines, like a subtle sort of spiral.
He's almost nauseous with how it makes his head spin. And there's an overarching melancholy to it, because the nagging voice in the back of his head tells him this is what you could have had, if only humanity wasn't so putrid. So ugly, so filthy, so rotten and hideous and terrible, terrible, awful.
…
Still. It’s a bittersweet sort of happiness, that he gets to experience it like this anyway.
One of the times Eini visits him, he brings a small cling-wrapped package with him. It's a sandwich, because it's Eito's favourite food, in the exact same way he likes to make it. Which is obvious, because Eini is him, so of course they'd like the same things. But it makes him happy regardless. He joins Eito inside his cage, and they sit down together on his bed, and Eito nibbles on the sandwich while listening dutifully about that one truly infuriating situation involving acquainting Takumi's head with a metal pipe. When Eito finishes the sandwich, Eini plucks the plastic wrap from his hands without missing a beat - sticks it into his own pockets to dispose of it later. He shoves his way into Eito's lap, nestles there until he’s comfortable, and continues talking as if nothing happened at all.
It’s nice. He likes their little routine, even if it’s made him rather nocturnal these days. It’s interesting to hear about the future Takumi had come from, what sort of events spiralled and shaped him. The wonderful things Eini had been able to subject him to. It sparks a glimmer in his heart that, when the time was right, the both of them would be able to lead this timeline’s Takumi down a similar path of ruin.
His delightful reverie is interrupted by the pitter-patter of footsteps, resounding from down the hallway. Eito's whole body tenses up - he freezes, straining to hear-
"Eito, someone's coming this way." Eini's hushed whisper finishes that thought for him. He detaches himself from Eito in a near instant, standing and looking around the courtyard for somewhere to hide. His eyes land on the bushes, but the cage door is loud . If Eini swings it open, it'll creak like it always does. And whoever is in the hallway is certainly, undoubtedly, close enough to hear the noise. He'll have to hide him somewhere in the cage. And the best place for that would have to be...!
Eito stands up, reaches out and grabs onto Eini's shoulders. He tries to ignore the way the harshness of the touch makes the latter flinch, because there are more pressing matters to deal with here.
"Come on, quick-" Eito says. He shoves Eini, who goes down with a quiet yelp, and pushes him until he finally catches on and crawls underneath the bed.
Eito barely has time to fix the blanket, pull it out so it drapes over the bed and covers all sides so Eini isn't visible underneath, when the door to the courtyard swings open. Light from the hallway filters in, and Takumi, of course it's Takumi , slinks through the doorway. He scans the courtyard, his gaze locking onto the very-awake Eito, very much standing in his cage doing nothing in particular. And then - curse him, why does he pick now to come and visit - Takumi starts to head towards his cage.
Okay, it's fine. Takumi doesn't seem to be perturbed by Eito being awake, and his body language looks... less tense than usual. It seems that Takumi has really started to believe that Eito is under his control. If he could have escaped his cage, he surely would have done so by now. Locked up in here, with his hemoanima restricted, Eito poses no threat. He's stuck in here, as he has been for the past several days, and he has no way to-
The lock is open.
The cage door is closed, but Eini left the lock open behind him - not wanting to risk getting trapped inside, even with the key in his possession.
This is... not good.
"Well hello, Takumi." Eito greets as usual. Don't panic, Eito. It's just Takumi. He won't notice a hair out of place. "Come for a late night stroll? You've picked a great place to come and relax." You've picked the worst time and the worst place imaginable, you insufferable ogre. Get out. Get out. Get out.
Takumi does not get out. He meanders over like the annoying insect he is, scratching at his cheek. "Hey, Eito." The grating sound of his voice against Eito's ears makes him want to puke. He observes Eito with an intense expression, folding his arms over his chest. "Actually... I came to ask you something."
"You're really seeking me out like this? How sweet of you, Takumi." Eito presses his hand over his heart, smiling warmly at this rather intrusive guest. "Well, ask away."
"When we... fought, on the second day." When you killed me , hangs unspoken in the air. Takumi shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "... Do you remember what colour my Class Weapon was?"
"Ah...?" The strangeness of this question surprises Eito, and he doesn't bother to hide the shock on his face. "The... colour of your katana?" He raises his hand to his chin, furrows his brows in contemplation. Not because he was trying to recall the colour. Obviously, it was a bright blue - bold, like the rings inside of Takumi's bulbous, ugly eyes. That was rather unforgettable. No, he was curious about why Takumi would ask such a question. His eyes flit upwards, searching Takumi's expression. Was this some kind of test?
Eito shakes his head. "... I'm dreadfully sorry, Takumi. But I can't quite remember." He presses his hand to his forehead, tilting his head down slightly to feign a regretful expression. "I don't know what Sirei did to me after I killed you... but the exact details of our fight are all a bit blurry to me."
The suspicion is clear on Takumi's face, so Eito keeps talking. "Speaking of Sirei... How about you go and ask him? He was right there, and I'm sure his memory will be better than mine."
Takumi shakes his head. "No, that won't work. He ran out of the building as soon as the fight started to... to go bad for me. To get-" Regrettably, Takumi realizes he's slipped up and revealed too much, and he clamps his mouth shut before he can say any more. But Eito doesn't react with a grin, or a knowing look. He just nods his head.
Also regrettably, this doesn't seem to do anything to soothe Takumi's suspicion, which started raising the moment Eito said he didn't remember the colour. Maybe he should have given an actual answer. He could have lied and said red, the same colour that his scythe was. He could have just said blue. Don't look at the lock , he thinks. From a brief glance, it looks closed - but if Takumi observes it any closer... Well. He might have to throw the door open and try to knock Takumi out. Who knows how that’s going to go. Eito looks towards the courtyard's exit, then looks back at Takumi, then follows Takumi's gaze to where it's set... on his bed.
Oh. So he's noticed the ... setup. His usual habits of keeping the blanket off the cage floor are now coming back to bite him. Because this does look odd, in the context of Eito Aotsuki .
Eito looks back at Takumi, who is making a rather weird expression. He looks... nervous? He's wringing his hands together, his eyes darting to the space underneath the bed. His body is tensed up, losing all of his casual pretense. Eini is completely covered with the blanket, so Eito has no clue why Takumi is looking there . Or why he looks so freaked out about it, for that matter.
…
… Can Takumi detect his hemoanima?
"Takumi? My eyes are up here, you know." Eito keeps his breathing even, his voice level. He waves his hand in front of Takumi's face, and that's enough to make him snap out of it. His eyes dart back to Eito. He takes advantage of this, blurts out the first thing he can think of, to try and keep Takumi's attention on him. "Why are you looking so intently at my bed...? Oh, don't tell me..." He places a hand over his mouth, bashfully batting his eyelashes. "... You aren't thinking of joining me in here, are you? Oh, Takumi ... What will your teammates say, when they hear about your little rendezvous with me? The traitor you keep in a cage?"
Takumi's face flushes as bright as his hair.
"Wh-What- No! It's not like that!" He raises his hands, rapidly shaking his head. But he averts his eyes from that space underneath Eito's bed, which is a good sign. "Sorry. I... I just... I just remembered something kind of scary. It’s late. I think I'm just tired. Just... Don't worry about it." Takumi blurts out a few vaguely strung together excuses, mumbles a thanks anyway , and nearly sprints out the door. Eito does his absolute best not to laugh, in case it provokes Takumi enough that he'd come back. But thankfully, the door to the courtyard swings shut behind the retreating team leader.
As soon as Eito hears his footsteps scramble down the hallway, pitter-pattering into silence, he walks back over to the bed. He grabs the covers and lifts them up. Eito ducks down to check on Eini, who stares at him, his eyes wide and his lips curled into a smile. It is a little unnerving, actually. “What an impressive save! I didn't think I'd be eavesdropping from under any beds again this soon."
Again? Eito raises an eyebrow, silently asking.
Eini scrambles out from underneath the bed, dusting himself off. “I’ll tell you about it next time.”