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"You'll have to show us sometime." Ren idly follows Crow's lead, stroking Magpie's hair and squeezing his hand gently. "The Diet could use some redecorating."

"We keep putting off our fun with the Diet to a point where Rose ended up carrying the torch in some respects..." Crow's voice is soft, hopefully soothing. "But how did it go?"

It's clear that Magpie is going somewhere with this.

"Seriously? You're interested in my preteen rebellion?" He turns a little, not enough to face Ren. That had been such a strange encounter.

"I suppose... I suppose I was mixed up. It was somewhere we went together when I was younger. Robbed the place. And he looked...."

Like her. Like his mother. Pale, haunted, fading.

"He did. I... saw him around that time as well." Crow takes a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before letting it free. "But Magpie... I don't think this is entirely your fault, no matter how I came across before. I was the one who started all of this. If I hadn't burdened you with my pain after that conversation with Drake, you wouldn't have felt the need to act on my behalf. I dragged you into this, and you've suffered because of it."

Joker is...he's tired, he's decided. Tired of the self-blame, tired of the...well. Self-blame sums up all of it, really.

He takes the hand that is not holding Magpie's and sticks it horizontally across Crow's mouth. "Shut," he says, lowly, tiredly but with force and understanding. Firm, but kind. "Everything sucked for everyone and nobody's perfect. I was an asshole too. No blaming yourself unfairly. We think about it in the morning. None of us have clear minds."

Really? Magpie turns a little more, like a Twister champion, to see Ren. "That's remarkably clear-minded of you."

Tee hee.

"Thank you," Ren deadpans, picking up Magpie's hand and covering Magpie's mouth with it in the same fashion. "Your input has been recorded."

For a moment, it looks like he might struggle. Then he lowers his own hand with a sigh. "Hiro," he says quietly—because he's so tired. "How about that tea you mentioned?"

See, he was listening.

"You're so thoughtful, Ren." Mwah. Have a little peck on the cheek from Boyfriend Number Two. "I believe we've all had a difficult day, and due to the lingering distress and frustrations, it simply caused unfortunate hardship and hurt."

He glances at Crow. "You acknowledged your missteps and have made it clear to Magpie that you value him for who he is and don't expect him to change." His attention shifts to Magpie. "And you communicated your frustrations. In the future, we can try to work on them and try to minimize future misunderstandings."

And now, since Magpie asked: "I'd be happy to make tea for all of us, so we can try to settle in. Just let me know what you'd like."

One more peck for Ren before Crow's Shadow rises to his feet.

Edited 2024-07-15 21:52 (UTC)

Just to spite him, Ren forces the kiss with Hiro to get pretty deep before he lets him part for air and tea.

He only has two hands...a miscalculation with three Akechis in the room.

With difficulty, Magpie refrains from commenting on the kiss, turning back to Crow to let them get on with it, giving his tea order instead. "Koucha's fine. Thank you."

He's not clinging to Crow like a burr. He's just sitting. Leaning and sitting.

"Koucha it is!" Crow's Shadow says in an almost singsong voice, and then he trots off to the kitchen to get to work.

As he does that, Crow gently lifts Ren's hand away from his mouth. "In all seriousness, let me know if there's anything else I can do to make up for earlier. Otherwise... I suppose we should just brace ourselves and hope for the best."

"And we sleep." Ren grumpily drops his hands and goes back to petting Magpie.

Magpie, for his part, has returned to staring past the TV, much as when they sat down. He's gone through outrage, to anger, to—what?—and now there's nothing left.

He doesn't stop Ren petting him.

The kettle's on, and Crow's Shadow has the teabags and teacups at the ready. He casts occasional glances back at the couch, but lets them have their space.

Crow, like Ren, continues (hopefully) soothing Magpie with little touches.

"And if there's anything else you need to get off your chest, that's fine too. I've, heh... been scolded quite a bit today as it is."

"No." What would be the point, after all? "I think we've said quite enough for one evening."

His hand creeps sideways, though, seeking Crow's.

"I agree." Ren closes his eyes and leans on Magpie.

Before too long, the kettle whistles, and Crow's Shadow returns with a tray of teacups. "Here we are!"

Crow, meanwhile, accepts Magpie's hand and gives it a supportive squeeze, A tad reluctantly, he accepts the tea with his other hand.

It's a fair bit later. Magpie has absented himself to his room, like he does. He's meant to be asleep, but actually he's lying in the dark, fully clothed on the bed staring into space, and everyone knows it. Well, fuck them. He's fine.

Crow's Shadow... tried to sleep, he really did. Perhaps by virtue of being a sponge for Crow's emotions, he's simply having a harder time.

But he suspects he's not the only one, and so he takes a chance and knocks lightly on Magpie's door. "Do you have a moment?"

Suppressing the urge to jump, like he does, he squints at the shadowed door. Crow, he thinks, first of all. But no; the voice is wrong. It's the other one. What does he want?

He clears his throat, but doesn't move to open the door. "What is it?"

"I just thought you might enjoy the company, if we're both struggling to sleep." He blows a little sigh. "But it's all right if you'd prefer your privacy. I don't want to impose."

Has an Akechi ever sounded so pitiful? Good question.

It is a good question. Crow's Shadow does alternate between annoyingly perky and irritatingly glum, but still. "No. You might as well come in."

He resettles crossly on the bed, folding his arm back beneath his head, in his shirtsleeves.

"Thank you." He very carefully opens the door, then slips in just as cautiously. He'll close it slowly, so as not to alert the others.

Worth noting is that he's dressed in a Featherman T-shirt and sweats rather than his more typical princely attire. If it weren't for his glowing eyes, it'd be easy to mistake him for Crow.

He'll just... lean against the wall for now, as a precaution.

"I'm sorry that things were so tense earlier. I know that Crow already apologized, but I also know that wounds take time to heal. Regardless of his intentions, you were still hurt."

The eyes are eerie, yes. They light up the whole room like a candle flame. Magpie wonders if those clothes are part of him or not; they look borrowed from Crow. "Are you here to apologise again for Crow? Really?"

Whether he was hurt or not, he leaves unaddressed.

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