[ The job seemed easy enough—watch the area around Smugha and defend this Witches inside, should the need arise. With some luck, it would be an uneventful night. Would the shades that lurked within the icy depths make an appearance here on the surface? Hopefully not.
It made sense to ask Akira to come with her; they may not be Bonded, but he was someone she could trust to watch her back.
Waiting outside the wall of the city, the hood of her dark-colored cloak drawn over her head, Lux looks up when she hears someone approach. A quiet smile quirks her lips. Right on time. ]
[ Lux's invitation is met with an easy acceptance. It's been a couple of months since the cave, and since then, most of his time has been spent drifting along day-to-day. Akira is getting restless and, quite frankly, feels that he's overdue for some excitement.
Is this job guaranteed to deliver? No, but even if he doesn't, he'll spend a night hanging out with Lux, which seems like a fair break from the monotony as well. Besides, he thinks he's rather qualified—Akira might not be able to see in the dark as requested, but staying up all night is a skill in any high school student's arsenal.
The sun has only just dropped below the horizon when he arrives at their designated meeting area. The Bright Wall, massive as it is, casts a shadow that swallows much of the slums within sight. Akira's cloak blends right in as he makes his way over. This form of stealth is new to him—it's not quite like the social camouflage afforded by glasses and a quiet demeanor, nor like sneaking from corner to corner in a flashy jacket and fine shoes.
Lux is a bit harder to locate without that bright hair on display, but he spots her figure nonetheless, making his approach. ]
I had three cups of coffee. [ Throughout the day, but still, it suits the purpose of the joke. ] I've never been more ready.
[ There's a reason why Lux has gone to great lengths to keep herself busy. It gives her less time to dwell on the amount of time that they have spent in this world, and still did not have a single lead on how to return. There was also the elephant in the room that she wasn't sure if she wanted to face—how comfortable she felt here, knowing that that might never be the case back home.
Honestly, something like this was much needed for the both of them, even if the night ended up being uneventful.
Closing the space between them, Lux pauses, pressing her lips together to keep from giggling. ]
Isn't that a bit excessive? You won't pass out on me, will you?
[ Look at that, she knows what a caffeine crash is. Definitely not from experience.
Adjusting her pack, she begins to make her way past the Wall, glancing back at Akira to make sure that he's following. ]
I take it this is your first time on an operation like this.
[ Inwardly, Akira puts a hand over his chest. It feels like just yesterday that he was giving her her first cup of coffee. They grow up so fast. ]
You don't have to worry about that. I'm no rookie.
[ A couple of long strides puts him into step beside her. He may not have his hood up, but the darkness accepts him all the same, hair and ears as pitch as the shadows all around them. ]
Yeah.
[ Something as passive as guard duty is new to him. His missions tend to involve things like canvasing an area for information and securing routes to treasure through traps and security systems. Sitting out in the wilderness at night is nothing like a heist.
Granted, that may be more specific than Lux meant, but it's not as if she'll realize the distinction.
Akira tucks his hands into his pockets beneath the cloak, shoulders tucking into a customary slouch as he looks over. ]
[ Tilting her head to look at him fully, the look of amusement she wears shines through even in the dark. Without missing a beat, Lux shrugs faintly, shoulders rising and falling as she attempts to look relieved. ]
That's good, I don't think I could carry you back to town if you did. I might have to drag you by your ankles.
[ Because if he's going to do his part to keep the atmosphere light, then who is she to deny him of that? This would be a long night otherwise, and it's rare for her to have a partner for a job like this. It's nice.
Drawing her attention back to the path in front of them, her expression smooths into something more even and measured. She nods briefly. ]
There were times when I would be asked to support surveillance groups near the border, or look into reports of various strange events around Demacia. [ She's purposely keeping the details vague. ] But usually they would only send one of us.
Sounds like a good opportunity to practice a levitation spell. [ Given that testing magic on a live subject is a rather risky endeavor, he's clearly joking.
... Or is he? That's for you to decide, Lux.
His eyes skip from the path to her and then back, staying invested in the conversation without losing sight of what's coming. (What little he can see, anyway.) The three months since their arrival has led to a significant change in some of his features, leaving him with ears that are far enough into their transformation that they give small twitches and shifts towards the various, distant sounds of the night. ]
What kind of strange events? [ She may be skirting around the details, but he's curious. Worst that can happen is she'll refuse to expand upon it. ]
I thought you were going to try to avoid any unnecessary experiments after the last time. You really are a glutton for punishment, aren't you?
[ She matches a grin for a grin. Clearly she isn't being serious here, but that isn't going to stop her from getting a dig in on him. Roast him, Lux.
If she was bothered by the prospect of him asking, she wouldn't have offered the situation; although she does pause briefly, waiting until they have gotten far enough away from the city for her to feel comfortable. She trusts him, but even if Lux feels more and more at-ease in Aefenglom as the days go by, there are some things that are best only spoken about in whispers.
Old habits die hard. ]
It varies, depending on where they happen. Strange disappearances, sudden aggression among the people or livestock; things that can't easily be explained that could cause wide-spread panic if they aren't addressed. The church will often send someone to investigate, if they feel it's necessary.
[ Is she calling him a masochist? He thinks she might actually be doing that right now. Akira at least has the sense to feel a bit scolded by how otherwise on-point her jab is, but it doesn't stop him from tipping his chin up. ]
Maybe I'm just a thrill-seeker.
[ He glances over once more when her response finally comes at a delay, once more noting the differences in their worlds. ]
This job must seem boring in comparison. [ On the other hand, it must be less worrying as well. Whatever caused instances like those couldn't have been good. At least with this, they know what they're likely to encounter, if anything at all. ] At least it isn't solo.
[ She might be calling him a masochist. But he has a history of signing up for very questionable experiments, so Lux feels justified—evwn if she's mostly joking. ]
Oh, is that what you call it?
[ She's clearly having fun with this.
Akira's observation has her humming in response. One would think that, wouldn't they? ]
I don't think so. You never know what you might find in the dead of night, or what might find you. [ Ominous. ] Besides, good company always makes time go by faster. I doubt we'll have time to be bored.
That's what the research I've done about pucas says. [ Clearly this is just a byproduct of his newfound biology and not some months-long trend. Clearly.
(It's really not, and he knows it.)
He has to hold back a laugh, though, expression remaining placid. Does Lux realize how ominous she sounds sometimes? She must. ]
Nothing we can't deal with. [ Shades, wild animals, and whatever else might be lurking in the Wilde between here and the cave? They're equipped to handle that much. ] And if nothing turns up, there are ways to stay entertained while still keeping watch.
[ Oh, she's aware of how she sounds—after all, the brightest light breeds the darkest shadows. ]
Huh, I had no idea...
[ And yet somehow his clearly researched scientific analysis convinces her. Mostly. She's willing to believe that this is partially true, if only because he hasn't given her reason to think otherwise. Not yet, anyway.
But she still thinks that he's at least a bit of a glutton for punishment. Sorry, Akira. ]
I should hope not, since you seem to have some experience as well. [ "Not a rookie," he says. ] You've got me curious. Care to elaborate?
[ The sudden request for details has him cutting into silence, golden eyes blinking at the ghost of her profile under the hood. Did he say something that would give her that impression? Akira's grown to be careful about what he says on instinct alone, but this comfortable feeling he sinks into around Lux edges on reminding him of his friends at home, so... ]
And ruin my sense of mystery and intrigue?
[ He rolls right into a response as soon as his shoulders tuck down again, that falter amounting to nothing put a singular moment. There's only a beat of silence before he does offer something further. ]
I've taken on a few jobs out here, past the Wall. [ It's not where he learned to fight, but it's not a lie, either. ]
[ Why does that feel like only part of the story? Sure, she could believe that taking a few jobs here and there might bolster his confidence, but the air he exudes and the answer he supplies don't completely match up.
Is he hiding something..? ]
You're just full of surprises, aren't you? A real man of mystery.
[ That isn't her conceding defeat, but giving him an opportunity to elaborate. After all, she's been (mostly) forthright with him, even if it is very selectively.
Lux smirks quietly, tilting her head to look up at him. ]
Is that all? That's kind of disappointing. [ Gentle, light teasing. Something to get a reaction. ] Well, don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I'll be sure to make you sound a lot cooler than that, if anyone asks.
[ That's how you use that word, right? Is she cool now? ]
[ Would it be so bad to be open with her? There's a little voice in the back of his head that presses the question, spurred by the subtle prompting he can sense in the spaces between her words. Lux has shared things with him, hasn't she? About being a mage in her home world, about her doubts in being able to control her powers...
But wouldn't that knowledge just endanger her, should he start sticking his nose where it doesn't belong?
It's too long of a story for even this walk, anyway.
Akira makes sure to keep his shoulders low as he looks down to meet her gaze, all loose and casual despite the torrent of thoughts. When he speaks, it's without inflection, as if delivering a joke. ]
You can tell them how I've been arrested twice.
[ It's only because of how ridiculous and off-the-wall it sounds that he's able to drop that piece of information. He doesn't rush on from it, but Akira doesn't linger either. In the following moments, his expression softens once again. ]
[ Ah, unflappable as always. She should have figured as much. From what she can tell, he's a reasonably private person, so that very well could be the reason why his words and demeanor seem inconsistent. Not everyone has something that they're trying to hide, and she would do well to remember that. There's certainly more to him than meets the eye, but it's rude to act so disappointed when expectations and reality don't align.
Or maybe there were some things that he was unwilling to talk about with just anyone. Sometime the pieces don't fit quite how you think they will.
When he throws that line out nonchalantly, at first Lux doesn't react; she continues to smile, despite being stunned into silence. Akira, that isn't something that you joke about. After that probably feels like one of the longest moments in history, she lets out a huffed laugh. Incredulously— ]
[ Then her smile begins to falter, falling away as she slows her pace. Her brows furrowing, Lux hesitates before giving him her full attention. It's too oddly specific, too off-the-wall to be something he pulled out to get a laugh.
And it reminds her of something that she might do. Maybe there were some things that he was unwilling to talk about with just anyone... but she would be a fool to ignore a piece that didn't quite fit. Especially if he's trying to tell her something. ]
...Arrested for what?
[ Speaking quietly, her words coming out slow and measured, she gives the question time to settle. If he is joking, she'll let him say he put one over on her just this once. ]
[ Lux seems to find it as unbelievable as he figured she would—or so Akira thinks, until he notices her falling behind. His own steps slow to a crawl as he looks back.
He really didn't expect her to take it seriously. Who would? But maybe there was something in his voice or in his body language that gave away the truth in it. Maybe there's a part of him that wanted her to see it, something isolated and lonely that betrayed his instinct to maintain a gap between them.
Well, he put it out there. Now, how does he even begin to answer that question? ]
... Something I didn't do. [ Akira looks away, hands burrowing deeper into his pockets. It wasn't a night too unlike tonight that he heard that woman shouting for help, quiet and deceptively peaceful. ] And then for things that I did, but for good reasons.
[ Lux always did have a problem with asking too many questions. For drawing conclusions that others shied away from or vehemently denied, either out of ignorance or a desire to maintain the status quo. She's learned how to be more measured in her approach, to ask the right (safe) questions in order to avoid suspicion. But standing on the edge of something like this, feeling in her gut like there's something there—she had to take that risk. Maybe there was a part of him that hoped that she would.
But oh, she hates being right. Seeing him look away, she wishes she had been dead wrong. Especially when he frames it like that. Punished for something he didn't do; then again when he did something "for good reasons..."
Her gaze slips away as she slowly catches up to him, focusing on the trail ahead and giving him space in the mutual silence. When she finally reaches him the smile she paints across her lips is sympathetic, but tired. ]
...It's difficult to convince people to listen to reason when they refuse to, or if it goes against what they believe is true. [ ... ] You could be acting in their best interest, but no matter what you do or why you do it, some people will only see things in black and white.
[ ...Perhaps their worlds aren't as different as she thought they were after all. ]
[ Part of him knows that he doesn't need to defend himself to her, that she won't just make assumptions about him like so many others have in the past, but he can't help clarifying that last part.
But it seems that she understands more than he expected, maybe. His gaze traces sidelong briefly enough to glimpse that worn-out smile. It's the look of someone who has to reinforce their convictions with those words whenever things get rough. Pressing the issue with Kamoshida even when the volleyball players refused to spill any information, trying to convince Yusuke to go against Madarame, spinning his long and winding tale for Sae to see the truth in things—Akira's been there a fair number of times.
The arrests, on the other hand... He couldn't have convinced those people even if he'd tried. For those involved in that plot, he was nothing more than an expendable piece to be tossed away to facilitate bigger, more important plays. His death was meant to be part of a narrative and nothing more. ]
I wasn't acting in the best interest of the people who had me arrested. [ Perhaps he's revealing too much, but it's weighing on Akira's chest, dragging his gaze down to the path. Something creeps into his voice, hot like long-repressed anger. ] They knew what they were doing was wrong, gaming the system to benefit themselves at the expense of others. We were just a thorn in their sides.
[ She doesn't expect the intensity behind his words. It's the sort of heat that comes about only after someone has been so thoroughly betrayed by something they once believed in. It's jarring coming from him, and for a second time this evening, Lux is at a loss for words. They were going to make an example out of him, to let him serve as a warning to any who dared to step out of line.
Knowing what she knows about him, she can't help but feel furious on his behalf. Someone like him doesn't deserve a fate like that.
It's difficult to convince people to listen to reason when they refuse to, if it goes against what they believe is true—or if reason wouldn't directly benefit them. That last point is something she doesn't want to admit out loud, as if giving voice and form to something she knows exists would mean that she could never see the world the same way again. She couldn't bring herself to fight in order to protect the people of her country if she accepted that fact.
And if she couldn't do that, then what would be left for her to fight for?
Looking up at him, an odd intensity burns in her eyes. If they were going to make an example of him, she wants to know why. ]
Then whose interests were you trying to uphold? Who were you fighting for?
[ And would they have protected him, if they knew? Or would they have seen him cut down where he stood, in the name of justice? ]
[ There's something in her voice, a note that commands his full attention. When Akira looks over, he finds a ferocity, laser focused, maybe not intended for him but aimed his way nonetheless. ]
Myself. [ He can't even begin to pretend that it wasn't personally motivated on some level, some way of lashing out. ] My friends. [ Even if they were nothing more than acquaintances at the time they experienced their awakenings.
But more than anything: ]
For the people who don't have the courage to. So they see that it's possible to fight back. [ So that maybe one less person will have to experience the kinds of things that they did. ]
[ She gives him credit for admitting to somewhat selfish motives. But it's the last part that Lux focuses on. Fighting for those without the courage or means to fight back, championing for a better future for them...
It's almost eerie how similar they are in that regard. But where he believes that he can change minds, she knows that any effort she made would be met with hostility on all sides.
Lux had come to this conclusion the day that they met, but this only reenforces it. He's a good person—much better than she could ever be, even if his record doesn't show it. ]
Have they tried to fight back?
[ Her fervor dying down, she isn't any less engaged in what he has to say. Quite the opposite, in fact. ]
Some. [ But in the worst of those situations, one voice wasn't enough. He thinks of Ryuji, track career ended for trying to fight back against Kamoshida's abuse. Those were the situations where the Phantom Thieves were needed. ] But most are too afraid to.
[ It's frustrating, but there's also a part of him that understands that feeling of hopelessness. Sitting in a court room and listening to someone he tried to help testify against him for a crime he didn't commit was one of the lowest points of his life. Akira might as well have not had a voice at all. ]
People with power use that fear to keep those without it under control. Those were our targets.
[ And from things Lux has said before, it seems like a concept she might be familiar with. Even in the dark, he's able to focus the sharp gold of his eyes onto hers. ]
[ The situation sounds reminiscent of the rebellious whispers heard in parts of Demacia City, mostly within the slums, from those who were sick of being treated like second-class citizens. Mages who were deemed "safe", or who had been "cured" by an annuller, or those who fell on hard times found their way there; and that was where they stayed. The fear of suffering that fate (or worse) kept them complacent, kept them in their place—and Lux was hardly immune.
She keeps her eyes focused on him, even if his intensity is a bit intimidating. Where was he hiding this until now? ]
That's brazen.
[ For once, Lux doesn't sound like she's being critical of his choices. She almost sounds impressed. ]
But people like that need to be brought to justice. [ The passion begins to trickle back into her voice, even as it drops to a whisper. ] No one should be allowed to wield fear as a weapon, or use it to turn people against each other. It's unconscionable.
[ Just as he expected, her response doesn't hold any of the scolding that she sometimes carries for his more questionable choices. If anything, the way her volume softens even out here, so far away from either of their homes, speaks of someone who's used to harboring these thoughts in secret. ]
Yeah. But they're usually above the law.
[ In his world, that sort of immunity can be bought, and Akira imagines it's not so different in hers. Even across realities, human nature seems to be a constant—both the good and, unfortunately for them, the bad.
The city is but lights in the distance at their backs now, too far to offer any illumination as his lips curve into something of a smile, the intensity still present. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Early August; Nighttime
It made sense to ask Akira to come with her; they may not be Bonded, but he was someone she could trust to watch her back.
Waiting outside the wall of the city, the hood of her dark-colored cloak drawn over her head, Lux looks up when she hears someone approach. A quiet smile quirks her lips. Right on time. ]
Are you ready?
no subject
Is this job guaranteed to deliver? No, but even if he doesn't, he'll spend a night hanging out with Lux, which seems like a fair break from the monotony as well. Besides, he thinks he's rather qualified—Akira might not be able to see in the dark as requested, but staying up all night is a skill in any high school student's arsenal.
The sun has only just dropped below the horizon when he arrives at their designated meeting area. The Bright Wall, massive as it is, casts a shadow that swallows much of the slums within sight. Akira's cloak blends right in as he makes his way over. This form of stealth is new to him—it's not quite like the social camouflage afforded by glasses and a quiet demeanor, nor like sneaking from corner to corner in a flashy jacket and fine shoes.
Lux is a bit harder to locate without that bright hair on display, but he spots her figure nonetheless, making his approach. ]
I had three cups of coffee. [ Throughout the day, but still, it suits the purpose of the joke. ] I've never been more ready.
no subject
Honestly, something like this was much needed for the both of them, even if the night ended up being uneventful.
Closing the space between them, Lux pauses, pressing her lips together to keep from giggling. ]
Isn't that a bit excessive? You won't pass out on me, will you?
[ Look at that, she knows what a caffeine crash is. Definitely not from experience.
Adjusting her pack, she begins to make her way past the Wall, glancing back at Akira to make sure that he's following. ]
I take it this is your first time on an operation like this.
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You don't have to worry about that. I'm no rookie.
[ A couple of long strides puts him into step beside her. He may not have his hood up, but the darkness accepts him all the same, hair and ears as pitch as the shadows all around them. ]
Yeah.
[ Something as passive as guard duty is new to him. His missions tend to involve things like canvasing an area for information and securing routes to treasure through traps and security systems. Sitting out in the wilderness at night is nothing like a heist.
Granted, that may be more specific than Lux meant, but it's not as if she'll realize the distinction.
Akira tucks his hands into his pockets beneath the cloak, shoulders tucking into a customary slouch as he looks over. ]
I take it this isn't yours?
no subject
That's good, I don't think I could carry you back to town if you did. I might have to drag you by your ankles.
[ Because if he's going to do his part to keep the atmosphere light, then who is she to deny him of that? This would be a long night otherwise, and it's rare for her to have a partner for a job like this. It's nice.
Drawing her attention back to the path in front of them, her expression smooths into something more even and measured. She nods briefly. ]
There were times when I would be asked to support surveillance groups near the border, or look into reports of various strange events around Demacia. [ She's purposely keeping the details vague. ] But usually they would only send one of us.
no subject
Sounds like a good opportunity to practice a levitation spell. [ Given that testing magic on a live subject is a rather risky endeavor, he's clearly joking.
... Or is he? That's for you to decide, Lux.
His eyes skip from the path to her and then back, staying invested in the conversation without losing sight of what's coming. (What little he can see, anyway.) The three months since their arrival has led to a significant change in some of his features, leaving him with ears that are far enough into their transformation that they give small twitches and shifts towards the various, distant sounds of the night. ]
What kind of strange events? [ She may be skirting around the details, but he's curious. Worst that can happen is she'll refuse to expand upon it. ]
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[ She matches a grin for a grin. Clearly she isn't being serious here, but that isn't going to stop her from getting a dig in on him. Roast him, Lux.
If she was bothered by the prospect of him asking, she wouldn't have offered the situation; although she does pause briefly, waiting until they have gotten far enough away from the city for her to feel comfortable. She trusts him, but even if Lux feels more and more at-ease in Aefenglom as the days go by, there are some things that are best only spoken about in whispers.
Old habits die hard. ]
It varies, depending on where they happen. Strange disappearances, sudden aggression among the people or livestock; things that can't easily be explained that could cause wide-spread panic if they aren't addressed. The church will often send someone to investigate, if they feel it's necessary.
no subject
Maybe I'm just a thrill-seeker.
[ He glances over once more when her response finally comes at a delay, once more noting the differences in their worlds. ]
This job must seem boring in comparison. [ On the other hand, it must be less worrying as well. Whatever caused instances like those couldn't have been good. At least with this, they know what they're likely to encounter, if anything at all. ] At least it isn't solo.
no subject
Oh, is that what you call it?
[ She's clearly having fun with this.
Akira's observation has her humming in response. One would think that, wouldn't they? ]
I don't think so. You never know what you might find in the dead of night, or what might find you. [ Ominous. ] Besides, good company always makes time go by faster. I doubt we'll have time to be bored.
no subject
(It's really not, and he knows it.)
He has to hold back a laugh, though, expression remaining placid. Does Lux realize how ominous she sounds sometimes? She must. ]
Nothing we can't deal with. [ Shades, wild animals, and whatever else might be lurking in the Wilde between here and the cave? They're equipped to handle that much. ] And if nothing turns up, there are ways to stay entertained while still keeping watch.
no subject
Huh, I had no idea...
[ And yet somehow his clearly researched scientific analysis convinces her. Mostly. She's willing to believe that this is partially true, if only because he hasn't given her reason to think otherwise. Not yet, anyway.
But she still thinks that he's at least a bit of a glutton for punishment. Sorry, Akira. ]
I should hope not, since you seem to have some experience as well. [ "Not a rookie," he says. ] You've got me curious. Care to elaborate?
no subject
And ruin my sense of mystery and intrigue?
[ He rolls right into a response as soon as his shoulders tuck down again, that falter amounting to nothing put a singular moment. There's only a beat of silence before he does offer something further. ]
I've taken on a few jobs out here, past the Wall. [ It's not where he learned to fight, but it's not a lie, either. ]
no subject
Is he hiding something..? ]
You're just full of surprises, aren't you? A real man of mystery.
[ That isn't her conceding defeat, but giving him an opportunity to elaborate. After all, she's been (mostly) forthright with him, even if it is very selectively.
Lux smirks quietly, tilting her head to look up at him. ]
Is that all? That's kind of disappointing. [ Gentle, light teasing. Something to get a reaction. ] Well, don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I'll be sure to make you sound a lot cooler than that, if anyone asks.
[ That's how you use that word, right? Is she cool now? ]
no subject
But wouldn't that knowledge just endanger her, should he start sticking his nose where it doesn't belong?
It's too long of a story for even this walk, anyway.
Akira makes sure to keep his shoulders low as he looks down to meet her gaze, all loose and casual despite the torrent of thoughts. When he speaks, it's without inflection, as if delivering a joke. ]
You can tell them how I've been arrested twice.
[ It's only because of how ridiculous and off-the-wall it sounds that he's able to drop that piece of information. He doesn't rush on from it, but Akira doesn't linger either. In the following moments, his expression softens once again. ]
And look at you, learning some slang.
[1/2]
Or maybe there were some things that he was unwilling to talk about with just anyone. Sometime the pieces don't fit quite how you think they will.
When he throws that line out nonchalantly, at first Lux doesn't react; she continues to smile, despite being stunned into silence. Akira, that isn't something that you joke about. After that probably feels like one of the longest moments in history, she lets out a huffed laugh. Incredulously— ]
What?
[2/2]
[ Then her smile begins to falter, falling away as she slows her pace. Her brows furrowing, Lux hesitates before giving him her full attention. It's too oddly specific, too off-the-wall to be something he pulled out to get a laugh.
And it reminds her of something that she might do. Maybe there were some things that he was unwilling to talk about with just anyone... but she would be a fool to ignore a piece that didn't quite fit. Especially if he's trying to tell her something. ]
...Arrested for what?
[ Speaking quietly, her words coming out slow and measured, she gives the question time to settle. If he is joking, she'll let him say he put one over on her just this once. ]
no subject
He really didn't expect her to take it seriously. Who would? But maybe there was something in his voice or in his body language that gave away the truth in it. Maybe there's a part of him that wanted her to see it, something isolated and lonely that betrayed his instinct to maintain a gap between them.
Well, he put it out there. Now, how does he even begin to answer that question? ]
... Something I didn't do. [ Akira looks away, hands burrowing deeper into his pockets. It wasn't a night too unlike tonight that he heard that woman shouting for help, quiet and deceptively peaceful. ] And then for things that I did, but for good reasons.
no subject
But oh, she hates being right. Seeing him look away, she wishes she had been dead wrong. Especially when he frames it like that. Punished for something he didn't do; then again when he did something "for good reasons..."
Her gaze slips away as she slowly catches up to him, focusing on the trail ahead and giving him space in the mutual silence. When she finally reaches him the smile she paints across her lips is sympathetic, but tired. ]
...It's difficult to convince people to listen to reason when they refuse to, or if it goes against what they believe is true. [ ... ] You could be acting in their best interest, but no matter what you do or why you do it, some people will only see things in black and white.
[ ...Perhaps their worlds aren't as different as she thought they were after all. ]
no subject
But it seems that she understands more than he expected, maybe. His gaze traces sidelong briefly enough to glimpse that worn-out smile. It's the look of someone who has to reinforce their convictions with those words whenever things get rough. Pressing the issue with Kamoshida even when the volleyball players refused to spill any information, trying to convince Yusuke to go against Madarame, spinning his long and winding tale for Sae to see the truth in things—Akira's been there a fair number of times.
The arrests, on the other hand... He couldn't have convinced those people even if he'd tried. For those involved in that plot, he was nothing more than an expendable piece to be tossed away to facilitate bigger, more important plays. His death was meant to be part of a narrative and nothing more. ]
I wasn't acting in the best interest of the people who had me arrested. [ Perhaps he's revealing too much, but it's weighing on Akira's chest, dragging his gaze down to the path. Something creeps into his voice, hot like long-repressed anger. ] They knew what they were doing was wrong, gaming the system to benefit themselves at the expense of others. We were just a thorn in their sides.
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Knowing what she knows about him, she can't help but feel furious on his behalf. Someone like him doesn't deserve a fate like that.
It's difficult to convince people to listen to reason when they refuse to, if it goes against what they believe is true—or if reason wouldn't directly benefit them. That last point is something she doesn't want to admit out loud, as if giving voice and form to something she knows exists would mean that she could never see the world the same way again. She couldn't bring herself to fight in order to protect the people of her country if she accepted that fact.
And if she couldn't do that, then what would be left for her to fight for?
Looking up at him, an odd intensity burns in her eyes. If they were going to make an example of him, she wants to know why. ]
Then whose interests were you trying to uphold? Who were you fighting for?
[ And would they have protected him, if they knew? Or would they have seen him cut down where he stood, in the name of justice? ]
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Myself. [ He can't even begin to pretend that it wasn't personally motivated on some level, some way of lashing out. ] My friends. [ Even if they were nothing more than acquaintances at the time they experienced their awakenings.
But more than anything: ]
For the people who don't have the courage to. So they see that it's possible to fight back. [ So that maybe one less person will have to experience the kinds of things that they did. ]
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It's almost eerie how similar they are in that regard. But where he believes that he can change minds, she knows that any effort she made would be met with hostility on all sides.
Lux had come to this conclusion the day that they met, but this only reenforces it. He's a good person—much better than she could ever be, even if his record doesn't show it. ]
Have they tried to fight back?
[ Her fervor dying down, she isn't any less engaged in what he has to say. Quite the opposite, in fact. ]
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[ It's frustrating, but there's also a part of him that understands that feeling of hopelessness. Sitting in a court room and listening to someone he tried to help testify against him for a crime he didn't commit was one of the lowest points of his life. Akira might as well have not had a voice at all. ]
People with power use that fear to keep those without it under control. Those were our targets.
[ And from things Lux has said before, it seems like a concept she might be familiar with. Even in the dark, he's able to focus the sharp gold of his eyes onto hers. ]
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She keeps her eyes focused on him, even if his intensity is a bit intimidating. Where was he hiding this until now? ]
That's brazen.
[ For once, Lux doesn't sound like she's being critical of his choices. She almost sounds impressed. ]
But people like that need to be brought to justice. [ The passion begins to trickle back into her voice, even as it drops to a whisper. ] No one should be allowed to wield fear as a weapon, or use it to turn people against each other. It's unconscionable.
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Yeah. But they're usually above the law.
[ In his world, that sort of immunity can be bought, and Akira imagines it's not so different in hers. Even across realities, human nature seems to be a constant—both the good and, unfortunately for them, the bad.
The city is but lights in the distance at their backs now, too far to offer any illumination as his lips curve into something of a smile, the intensity still present. ]
That's why sometimes you've got to go around it.
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