[Akechi doesn't come back to the apartment until several hours after Monika had initially texted him. On a normal day, it's around the time he'd normally come back from a run. Of course, it isn't a normal day, and he'd told her to wait by the door with a gun, so in the interest of not getting shot, he knocks softly first before unlocking the door.]
It's me, [he says bluntly, just in case she's somehow still awake (or awake again). With any luck, she'll have retreated back to her own room, and he'll be able to shower and take a quick nap before heading out again -- without needing to figure out how to stitch his pleasant mask back into place.]
[Monika has been wound too tight with stress to do more than close her eyes for a few fretful minutes at a time as the night passes. She bolts up at the knock on the door, grabbing the gun and the first aid kit at the same time. Hearing Akechi's voice soothes her nerves a little, but only enough to put the gun down on the table nearest to the door as she opens it.]
Akechi! You made it back. [She steps back to let him in in almost the same moment she opens the door to begin with.]
[He sees the first aid kit in her hand and immediately sweeps an appraising gaze over her, searching for the wounds that would have necessitated she have it to hand. He looks like he's been through a paper shredder; his jacket is a lost cause, the shirt beneath cut through and splattered with blood.
He strips the remains of the jacket off, wrinkling his nose somewhat at the damage, and limps across the room to dump it in the closest trash can. That's a problem for later. The only reason he hadn't tossed it earlier was because, even in the United States, it seemed like a bad idea to walk around with a shoulder holster in public. First things first, he needs to at least rinse the blood off his hands in the sink before he can start worrying about the rest of his wounds.]
I still haven't heard anything. [Monika closes and locks the door before following after Akechi with the first aid kit.] Here, do you need this?
[She's asking, but in her opinion he absolutely needs it. It looks like he's gotten clawed up by some animal, and given the what the kelpies are she can't say that's not what happened. That limp isn't great, either.]
I've done some studying on first aid since I got here but you probably have more practical experience. [Unless he was so good back home he never got hurt, anyway.]
[It's not the most eloquent he's ever been as she offers to help him with first aid, but perhaps he can be excused. For all the Phantom Thieves were wasteful with everything from healing magic (a crutch he never was able to rely on himself) to healing items (who the fuck would have guessed a Big Bang Burger could heal wounds?!), he didn't expect to encounter it here of all places. The Phantom Thieves as a unit were an oddly generous bunch, nothing like anyone he'd ever met before. People only ever helped him when they were trying to get something from it.
Well. They are roommates. Maybe she just doesn't want him bleeding all over the floor. Unfortunately, it does lead to him just kind of standing there awkwardly. He never knew how to really accept help when it was offered in the Metaverse, let alone the more lengthy process of actual first aid in the real world.]
You're... offering to help me. [It's phrased as a question, but delivered as a statement, daring her to correct him. How fucking embarrassing if it were wrong.] Why?
[Saying she wants to be friends is way too presumptuous. But she'd want to help even if that wasn't something she'd wanted, and she can explain that part.] I couldn't go out and help you try and find Ren and Mercy, but I can help with this. [Rather, she couldn't go out without just making herself a liability. She's working on that, but at least you can take a first aid course in one (several-hour) day.]
[That does make sense. A brand of survivor's guilt, the need to do something to help while being smart enough to realize that recklessly running out would do more harm than good. It's a level of intelligence and self-awareness that Akechi's not accustomed to finding among people his own age, leaving him blinking for a moment.
Also, he is still bleeding, making it harder to figure out which optics are better. Save his pride and use his own emergency first-aid kit he keeps in his briefcase in his room, or allow her to help him and let her think that she's doing him a favor. Practicality wins out, and after a moment, he sighs and inclines his head.]
Your help would be... appreciated. There are some scratches on my back that would be quite difficult for me to reach myself.
[Monika's serious expression gives way to a small, relieved smile--the kind that suggests if Akechi had said no, she would have hounded him about it. This is much easier. Then, just as quickly, she's back to no-nonsense mode.] Alright. Shirt off, please. What happened to your leg, by the way? Sprained or broken?
[Assuming he can tell, of course. She isn't just going to stare at him taking his shirt off, though--she'll grab a few towels in case they're needed. Of course, as long as they do this in the bathroom, it will probably be easier to just wash any blood off the floor, so she won't drop them on the ground for now.]
I think celebrating something here makes being here feel more real, if that makes sense? So much that's happened feels like it's right out of a horror novel. [But, food... Well, she doesn't want to ask for too much, but also it's her birthday and she wants to have something nice. Being a good person is still something she thinks about near-constantly.] It's almost the end of tomato season. 🤔 Pasta with cherry tomatoes? 🍅
[Why does Monika know about growing seasons? Because eating things when they're in season is good for the environment. She's not totally sure what kind of sauce you'd make with that, but Ren is better at cooking than she is.]
Great! 😀 Hey, your birthday's pretty soon too, you know! [She knows because she made him tell her.] I'll try and make you something to eat on your birthday, too! Even though I'm not as good at cooking, I'll try my best! 💪 [She can recruit her roommates. That'd be an adventure.]
I do want to! And that's a good idea. Nothing too serious is happening right this second.[There's that circus incident hanging over everything, and the mirrors have been acting up, but compared to selkies or people actively putting on performances that mean they get set on fire, this feels like a lull.] We should go somewhere fun with Mercy and Akechi. [...Well.] You can get Akechi to come too, right?
[He just always seems to serious, Monika isn't sure he'd want to go out if she asked him.]
[Monika tries to imagine Akechi at a club. Of course, she's never been to one either... But it could be fun. Dancing with her new friends, having fun on her birthday... She wishes Sayori and Yuri and Natsuki were here, too. But they probably wouldn't want to hang out with her anymore. Not if they know what she did. (But still, it would be better if they were here.)] As long as it's a place that lets people under 21 in. No fake IDs on my birthday! [Monika has no club to be president of here, but responsible habits die hard.] I'll ask Akechi too, but you've been his friend a lot longer. [Or his something. Wink wink. No really Monika is not totally sure what's going on with them.]
I believe in you! 🤞🤞🤞 But if he doesn't want to go it's okay. I'll just make him go out to coffee with me tomorrow! 😉 [She will make Akechi have fun Or Else.]
[There's a pause as Monika looks over the website, though it doesn't take too long.] That looks great!😁 I wonder if Mercy has any outfits for this... Well, I can let her borrow something from me.
[It's like she's a normal eight--nineteen-year-old having a normal birthday. She's more than willing to forcefully push all thoughts of the circumstances of life here out of her mind for that, at least for today.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action; midway through the for-sport event
It's me, [he says bluntly, just in case she's somehow still awake (or awake again). With any luck, she'll have retreated back to her own room, and he'll be able to shower and take a quick nap before heading out again -- without needing to figure out how to stitch his pleasant mask back into place.]
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Akechi! You made it back. [She steps back to let him in in almost the same moment she opens the door to begin with.]
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[He sees the first aid kit in her hand and immediately sweeps an appraising gaze over her, searching for the wounds that would have necessitated she have it to hand. He looks like he's been through a paper shredder; his jacket is a lost cause, the shirt beneath cut through and splattered with blood.
He strips the remains of the jacket off, wrinkling his nose somewhat at the damage, and limps across the room to dump it in the closest trash can. That's a problem for later. The only reason he hadn't tossed it earlier was because, even in the United States, it seemed like a bad idea to walk around with a shoulder holster in public. First things first, he needs to at least rinse the blood off his hands in the sink before he can start worrying about the rest of his wounds.]
Sister Mercy?
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[She's asking, but in her opinion he absolutely needs it. It looks like he's gotten clawed up by some animal, and given the what the kelpies are she can't say that's not what happened. That limp isn't great, either.]
I've done some studying on first aid since I got here but you probably have more practical experience. [Unless he was so good back home he never got hurt, anyway.]
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[It's not the most eloquent he's ever been as she offers to help him with first aid, but perhaps he can be excused. For all the Phantom Thieves were wasteful with everything from healing magic (a crutch he never was able to rely on himself) to healing items (who the fuck would have guessed a Big Bang Burger could heal wounds?!), he didn't expect to encounter it here of all places. The Phantom Thieves as a unit were an oddly generous bunch, nothing like anyone he'd ever met before. People only ever helped him when they were trying to get something from it.
Well. They are roommates. Maybe she just doesn't want him bleeding all over the floor. Unfortunately, it does lead to him just kind of standing there awkwardly. He never knew how to really accept help when it was offered in the Metaverse, let alone the more lengthy process of actual first aid in the real world.]
You're... offering to help me. [It's phrased as a question, but delivered as a statement, daring her to correct him. How fucking embarrassing if it were wrong.] Why?
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[That does make sense. A brand of survivor's guilt, the need to do something to help while being smart enough to realize that recklessly running out would do more harm than good. It's a level of intelligence and self-awareness that Akechi's not accustomed to finding among people his own age, leaving him blinking for a moment.
Also, he is still bleeding, making it harder to figure out which optics are better. Save his pride and use his own emergency first-aid kit he keeps in his briefcase in his room, or allow her to help him and let her think that she's doing him a favor. Practicality wins out, and after a moment, he sighs and inclines his head.]
Your help would be... appreciated. There are some scratches on my back that would be quite difficult for me to reach myself.
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[Assuming he can tell, of course. She isn't just going to stare at him taking his shirt off, though--she'll grab a few towels in case they're needed. Of course, as long as they do this in the bathroom, it will probably be easier to just wash any blood off the floor, so she won't drop them on the ground for now.]
@ren
@lilmonix3
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What do you want to eat?
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[Why does Monika know about growing seasons? Because eating things when they're in season is good for the environment. She's not totally sure what kind of sauce you'd make with that, but Ren is better at cooking than she is.]
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I know. We should focus on it being a good one, though.
I'll be there later.
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(Smart boy looks at the calendar, squints, goes back to the text.)
Only if you want to.
I was thinking we could go somewhere for your birthday.
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[He just always seems to serious, Monika isn't sure he'd want to go out if she asked him.]
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(Ren's feeding on criminals, vigilante justice style. Something is happening to him, at least.)
We should go clubbing. I don't think it's his scene, but I can try.
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(They can enter, dance, just not drink, right? Like having a different color wristband. He'll look into it.)
I'll see what I can do. No promises, though...
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(Attached, is a club website that accepts their age group.)
What do you think?
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[It's like she's a normal eight--nineteen-year-old having a normal birthday. She's more than willing to forcefully push all thoughts of the circumstances of life here out of her mind for that, at least for today.]
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(That would ALSO be very fun. There has to be something good amidst the chaos.)
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