the boy in the belfry

[pancakeboy]

In the end, Akechi comes out of Mementos into the Shibuya night, walks past the people still making for the station, and sits in the shadows, on a bench under the trees. Nobody notices him; a lot of the people passing are drunk, and couldn't see a metre in front of their face.

Shido had dragged him out for a psychotic breakdown, of course. And it was fun, they're always fun, they're funny. Except for this one he'd also been really fucking angry; even getting to the target had almost killed him. That thing inside him that's not Loki, exactly, but is like Loki; the thing that's always in chains, and can't quite spread its wings. Akechi gives it a little prod every time he fights, to see what it will do.

And it's him, of course, just like Loki is him, deep down. Why shouldn't he hurt things? Shadows aren't fucking real. Even a person's shadow isn't them. And yet there's always that chain on his neck, fine gold rather than a prison shackle, whispering control.

For the first time, he consciously thinks about Ren, reaching for his phone. This time it's the gold chain that tightens on his neck, as he types from memory.

"In the moment a captive lion steps out of his cage, he possesses a wider world than the lion who has known only the wilds. While he was in captivity, there were only two worlds to him; the world of the cage, and the world outside the cage. Now he is free. He roars. He attacks people. He eats them. yet he is not satisfied, for there is no third world that is neither the world of the cage nor the world outside the cage."

Comments

[pancakeboy]

[Nobody ever gets the monogram, though he's seen a few foreigners staring at it. Imagine that, though—just sitting on the beach with his hair tied back.]

Don't start about my underwear, Ren. I saw you staring at it. Or maybe that's not so much what you were staring at?

I guess, if I went to the beach, I'd just sit and read. Not too good company.

[poesmasquerade]

oh i was staring at the whole package
as it were

[ He couldn't resist, okay. ]

and chilling on the beach is a time-honored activity
we could both read. or i could sleep in the sun
imagine if we went to the beach and i got a tan. id be a different person

[pancakeboy]

[... he turns a little bit pink. Plus, the beach thing is a weird thought. Like, if Akechi wasn't Akechi, and Ren wasn't Joker, and the two of them could just go to the beach and ... hang out. Not entirely unpleasing.]

That sounds right. Blisters from the tip of your nose to anywhere you left uncovered. I burn easily enough, so you must have some stories.

That's one of the worst parts of the celebrity business, you know. I have to worry about that shit. [And yet, he doesn't want to give it up.]

[poesmasquerade]

i fell asleep in my backyard when i was seven
middle of the afternoon
blisters everywhere. horrible cream all over my skin every few hours for days
i wasnt even tan afterwards i went right back to being pasty

[pancakeboy]

[He stares at the message. When he was seven he'd still been living with his first aunt, still been puzzling things out in silence. Nobody would have noticed if he fell asleep in the yard, either.]

I suppose I could put sunblock on you. That might solve a good many of your problems.

It could take a while, if you want to run about without your shirt.

[A pair of police officers walk past and look at him. Akechi gives them an unfocused pleasant-boy smile, and they move on.]

[poesmasquerade]

if u started putting lotion on me wed never make it to the beach

[ Like. That's just a fact. ]

[pancakeboy]

[There are worse things to talk and think about, after all.]

That doesn't sound so bad. We have unfinished business, after all.

Two policemen just walked past and stared at me. Not sure if they recognised me, or thought I was up to something.

[poesmasquerade]

[ God, don't remind him. He was so close to being fucked. Tied up and everything. ]

did u give them ur detective prince smile
like this
°˖✧◝(⌒‿⌒)◜✧˖°

[pancakeboy]

I'd say that's missing some glitter.

[He thinks for a moment, then cuts and pastes with a grin.]

°♥*♡∞:✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*｡.｡◝(⌒‿⌒)◜｡.｡*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧:∞♡*♥

[poesmasquerade]

im impressed theyre still standing after an assault from such a powerful detective prince smile

[pancakeboy]

There you have it. My secret path to world domination.

Of course, it didn't work on you. Or maybe it worked too well.

[Because Ren always made him feel a little... watched, a little on guard, right from the start when Akechi had questioned him across the studio. But that's just Ren's nature.]

[poesmasquerade]

[ Hm... He thinks back to the first couple of times he saw the smile in question. ]

its not that it didnt work on me exactly
it made me wonder what was underneath it. thats why it was compelling
being bludgeoned by the mystery instead of by ur radiant charisma

[ Akechi-kun, you have the most radiant charisma. Or whatever it was that host said, with so much goddamn enthusiasm. He doesn't know how Akechi kept a straight face. ]

[pancakeboy]

Don't. I hear that so often. I don't know how I keep a straight face for it.

[Or rather—he does; he knows exactly. It's almost the opposite of what he's doing now. And it makes him feel strangely warm from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.]

A serious question, though. Aren't you shocked by what's underneath it?

[Because there's a lot more that he could show, and won't. But seriously, he doesn't think Ren can have expected what he's seen.]

[poesmasquerade]

[ Well, the answer to that question is no, Ren kind of saw it coming. But the reason for that is not to be spoken of. And so: ]

not really
maybe surprised but shocked has such a bad connotation
and i kind of thought you had a side like that
like.. i was trying to figure out who you are when you arent detective princing, u know? and i saw hints

[ All of that is true. Akechi can trust him; he promised. ]

[pancakeboy]

[Almost, he sends you did not see hints. Almost.]

You thought I had a side like the one you saw that first time? Before we did anything?

If that's true, I'm going to need an image consultant.

[poesmasquerade]

[ He grins. ]

no need to hire anyone
ill tell u what gave u away for the low low price of one (1) kiss
IOUs accepted

[pancakeboy]

[Akechi thinks about this for all of ten seconds. Sunday's the next time he expects to see Ren, but it shouldn't be too difficult....]

You're on. The next time I see you. No matter the time, no matter the place.

[poesmasquerade]

not convincing me i shouldnt get a taxi
but ok
firstly the smile is so blinding idk why more ppl dont wonder why ur trying to blind everyone but anyway

[ That may be an experience unique to people who are extremely attracted to Akechi. ]

u were *real* upset whenever i had a good turn in billiards. like. u hid it but
u were so upset lol. i was worried u were going to snap ur cue stick at one point
and u were so pleased when u talked abt coming at me with everything u have
honestly a lot of things abt competing w/ u were enough to make me wonder
but what really gave u away was when u called me and talked to me abt how u wanted to dress me up and control me. idk what else u expected me to think
like ... honestly i wasnt sure even after that. but it was enough to make it worth testing the waters u know

[pancakeboy]

[It drips over him, one thing after the next, one little thing after another that Ren has not only seen, but remembered. I see you, I see you. I always saw you. He feels like someone's lifted his mask to stare in at him, but he also feels a weird exaltation: he was watching me from the start, like I was watching him.]

You're right. Most of that isn't much of a giveaway. Anyone in my homeroom could tell you I'm competitive. Not that any of them are worth the effort.

I couldn't believe you touched me like that. [Really. Nobody touched him, other than to drag him along or hit him or to be a fucking creep, since... when, exactly?]

[poesmasquerade]

u seemed so sad that those girls were going to chase u out
& also i wanted to see what u looked like w/ messy hair
two birds one stone

[pancakeboy]

I'd say you've got your wish by now.

I admit, that phone call wasn't the best-judged thing I've done. Not my finest hour - I was a little embarrassed, though it seems to have worked out. [No, he'd been mad as hell, he'd tingled all over his body for hours.] I wanted you to know I could do the same to you. Make you into whatever I wanted you to be.

I still think my clothes would suit you. We'd have to comb your hair.

[poesmasquerade]

[ A little embarrassed. Sure. ]

ill wear whatever u want just bring it over
everyone acts like i dont comb my hair tho
this is what it looks like when i comb it

[pancakeboy]

Really? *Anything* I want? That's quite the blank cheque.

I can't imagine you fixing your hair in front of the mirror, so I won't suggest it.

[poesmasquerade]

[ Well, he can't back down now. ]

i said what i said
& i did that once. put stuff in my hair and everything
it was like wearing a greasy helmet and it didnt even work that well

[pancakeboy]

I know the feeling. They fix mine for TV. It's not my favourite thing about it.

I should call that taxi. But I'm quite enjoying sitting here alone.

[It's closer to two than one now, and the square really is desolate. Only him, in all the world.]