It was enough to disturb his sleep, for sure, so... he ended up heading outside to watch the sun rise. His legs are drawn up, his arms loosely draped around them...
[ By now Akira has realized that Nico is not an early riser at all, yet today there's no one in bed when he reached out. It was enough to get him to haul his ass out of it and go in search - trying not to panic at the thought that both Akira and Vanitas are gone.
He stumbles out of bed, barely remembering to pull on his coat and after a quick sweep inside to make sure neither are there first, leaves. Nico pauses when he sees what Akira is doing, a strangled sound escaping him before he even manages to get within reach. ]
[ Nico practically falls down next to him at the tug, unable to really stand up in the first place. He leans heavily into Akira, letting his head drop against his arm. ]
I volunteered to do it. At the beginning of the week. Asked Vanitas all these questions on how to make it so both he and Eraqus would be balanced and still allowed to exist.
[ A planned murder. His head tilts down, allowing his hair to cover his eyes. ]
Before I didn't know her very well. We didn't talk much.
[He holds him quietly, gently nestling his face into the black locks. Listening quietly, and without judgement, just as Nico did for him two days before.
His voice is quiet.]
Yeah, neither did I.
[His hand comes up to weave through the black locks.]
[ He's tense against Akira, ready to be pushed away now that the other knows the truth and yet not wanting it at all. A large part of him hopes that the other understands... or maybe he won't at all because no one forced Nico to do it.
It's the touches and hold that keeps him from pulling away. Had Akira been disgusted and horrified, surely he wouldn't be doing this now. ]
She agreed to it when I went into her house. We had until... [ Ah, a tear falls from his face and Nico has to stop talking. ] sunrise so I let her do what she wanted.
[ Right now he doesn't even attempt to stop the tears from falling. Just lets them continue to fall. ]
When we were in the library... Eraqus came in. Gods, it was... he knew but could do nothing to stop it. He loved her. He loved her and he had to let it happen.
[ Nico hadn't been present during that conversation - but it was easy to see. ]
[ That's not what he was expecting to hear. Nico has gotten used to his lot in life as son of Hades. Even his own father said that his children were rarely happy.
Sorry Akira but he's sort of falling into you and letting himself cry. ]
[Akira doesn't want to say that they don't know what happens to people who fall off. In this crazy place, maybe it wasn't a death sentence. But he couldn't be certain enough to give Nico false hope.
[ Whether she's dead or alive, Nico doesn't know. He'd done it to save Vanitas and Eraqus - balance. And now the dam idiot was the one up for execution. Wanted everyone to vote for him.
Which he wants to doubt the plan - whatever it is - but both of them are counting on him to do his part.
He'll just... nod. Rubbing his eyes red to wipe away the tears. ]
At first it was because... your friend had died and you were so shaken up about that. I didn't know much about you, only that you'd been accused of murder by someone from an alternate world. That you were angry at the person who did do it.
[ He shudders and not from the chill. ]
I felt guilty, getting close to you while I planned to do the same thing to others.
[ Like he didn't deserve any of Akira's kindness and acceptance. ]
Then Friday. Gods, I didn't even want to leave the house but at the same time, didn't want to leave you alone. When you told me about your own life... I thought you'd hate me for sure after you found out. You were forced to kill people, I just did it willingly.
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timeasmymeasure
Sunday Morning
Date: 2019-09-13 12:05 am (UTC)It was enough to disturb his sleep, for sure, so... he ended up heading outside to watch the sun rise. His legs are drawn up, his arms loosely draped around them...
His expression is utterly exhausted.]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-13 12:14 am (UTC)He stumbles out of bed, barely remembering to pull on his coat and after a quick sweep inside to make sure neither are there first, leaves. Nico pauses when he sees what Akira is doing, a strangled sound escaping him before he even manages to get within reach. ]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-13 12:25 am (UTC)Nico...
[His heartstrings tug. He looks absolutely awful.]
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Date: 2019-09-13 12:56 am (UTC)This was... it was the last thing she saw...
[ At this point, it's obvious who he's talking about. ]
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Date: 2019-09-13 01:17 am (UTC)Heh. It makes sense. Too much sense...
There's a moment where he holds a blink and swallows. And then... he reaches up, gently tugging Nico down to sit next to him.]
C'mere...
[His voice is quiet as he draws the other dark-haired boy into his arms.]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-13 01:42 am (UTC)I volunteered to do it. At the beginning of the week. Asked Vanitas all these questions on how to make it so both he and Eraqus would be balanced and still allowed to exist.
[ A planned murder. His head tilts down, allowing his hair to cover his eyes. ]
Before I didn't know her very well. We didn't talk much.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-13 02:20 am (UTC)His voice is quiet.]
Yeah, neither did I.
[His hand comes up to weave through the black locks.]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-13 02:53 am (UTC)It's the touches and hold that keeps him from pulling away. Had Akira been disgusted and horrified, surely he wouldn't be doing this now. ]
She agreed to it when I went into her house. We had until... [ Ah, a tear falls from his face and Nico has to stop talking. ] sunrise so I let her do what she wanted.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-13 02:58 am (UTC)It sounds like you tried to make the best of an awful situation.
[He can feel that tension, but Nico isn't pushing away, so he isn't pulling away.]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-13 06:17 am (UTC)When we were in the library... Eraqus came in. Gods, it was... he knew but could do nothing to stop it. He loved her. He loved her and he had to let it happen.
[ Nico hadn't been present during that conversation - but it was easy to see. ]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-13 03:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-13 06:52 pm (UTC)When she was finished with her letters, we went out to watch the sunrise together. I told her about my sisters and she told me about her brother.
[ Nico doesn't go into too much detail on that. What Mira shared with him is Mira's story. ]
She was able to forgive herself of some things, I think. I'm really glad for that.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 01:06 am (UTC)Know what I think...?
no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 01:40 am (UTC)What?
no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 01:49 am (UTC)[He presses a gentle kiss to his forehead.]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 01:55 am (UTC)[ That's not what he was expecting to hear. Nico has gotten used to his lot in life as son of Hades. Even his own father said that his children were rarely happy.
Sorry Akira but he's sort of falling into you and letting himself cry. ]
no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 02:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 02:20 am (UTC)Akira doesn't know everything... not yet. ]
After Mira and Vanitas talked, she listened to this song Eraqus had for her. As the sun rose, I put her into a deep sleep and....
[ His gaze goes to the edge of the island. ] Watched her fall, still alive.
It was the second time I watched someone I cared about fall into an abyss I wasn't sure they'd survived. Unable to save them the way I wanted to.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 02:28 am (UTC)[Akira doesn't want to say that they don't know what happens to people who fall off. In this crazy place, maybe it wasn't a death sentence. But he couldn't be certain enough to give Nico false hope.
He rubs his back.]
... we should go to the bathhouse later.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 02:46 am (UTC)Which he wants to doubt the plan - whatever it is - but both of them are counting on him to do his part.
He'll just... nod. Rubbing his eyes red to wipe away the tears. ]
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Date: 2019-09-14 08:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-14 11:54 pm (UTC)I thought you'd be... disgusted. Want nothing to do with me.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-15 12:10 am (UTC)[He holds up two fingers.]
Your or Vanitas' lives at stake.
That's all it'd take for me.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-15 12:19 am (UTC)[ He shudders and not from the chill. ]
I felt guilty, getting close to you while I planned to do the same thing to others.
[ Like he didn't deserve any of Akira's kindness and acceptance. ]
Then Friday. Gods, I didn't even want to leave the house but at the same time, didn't want to leave you alone. When you told me about your own life... I thought you'd hate me for sure after you found out. You were forced to kill people, I just did it willingly.
no subject
Date: 2019-09-15 01:02 am (UTC)You still don't get it.
I don't care if you're the biggest damn hypocrite in the world, Nico. Because you're mine.
[His hand comes around to rest on the back of Nico's head.]
And I'll let you get away with murder a thousand times over.
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