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Akira hadn't thought seeing him in person would affect him as much as it does. After all, he's had two months to mentally prepare himself for this moment.

And yet, the sight of Goro Akechi, alive and in the flesh, perfectly put-together and looking like he was made to sit under the studio lighting, makes him feel... some kind of way. Unsettled, for sure, knowing what he knows now. Then again, there's a part of him that hasn't stopped feeling unsettled since he first (well, perhaps first isn't accurate) jolted awake to find himself on the train to Yongen-Jaya again. In one piece. Not bleeding out on the ground with a megalomaniacal pseudo-god bearing down on him. And, most importantly, as the only one with any recollection of all they'd been through.

It doesn't take Akira long to come to the most logical conclusion: That somewhere along the line, he screwed up. Somehow, it hadn't been enough, and now he has an opportunity to fix it—which would be a lot easier if he were to have some notion of what, specifically, he needs to fix, or even if this is a one-time deal.

At first, he tries copying his previous motions as closely as possible. People always talk about their regrets like they would change them in a heartbeat, given the chance, but the thought of altering the timeline as he knows it is overwhelming. The more Akira steps away from his previous path, the less accurate his existing knowledge may become, the bigger the chance that he may miss something important from the first time around.

That reasoning goes out the window pretty quickly. Akira finds that he can't watch Shiho Suzui jump off that building again, can't go through hearing that agony in Ann's voice a second time when he can so easily prevent it. So he stops her. It's what the Phantom Thieves would do. And things change... but not in a way that affects the flow of events in any profound way. Ann still stumbles after them into the Metaverse and finds the conviction to awaken her persona, somehow. He's not sure how it works out, but it does. What Akira does know is that fate is what you make of it. If he believes in his teammates, they'll end up where they need to be.

But for all of that, he still wavers as they're leaving the recording area. Up until now, the decisions to change things have been easy. Akechi, on the other hand... where to start? Is it even salvageable? Akira's not certain, but when he thinks of their last meeting in Shido's palace, Akechi's remark about the possibility of them meeting a few years earlier, the sounds of gunshots echoing from the other side of the bulkhead—he can't not try. It's not years, but maybe this handful of months will be enough.

Akira lets Ann go ahead with a nod, sliding his hands into his pockets as he tries to maintain his usual casual demeanor. Any moment now...

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Well, that's unexpected. Who would've thought that Akechi's favorite dessert would be the thing that originally ruined all of his carefully laid plans? Akira, for one, has a newfound appreciation for pancakes. A smile peeks out alongside his fingers. "All right, I won't make you pick."

When the question is turned back at him, Akira doesn't have an answer on hand the way Akechi does. Dessert has never really been a focus for him, and so often does he just go with the flow set by others rather than seeking out the things he likes himself. So it takes a moment of deliberation before he comes up with a response.

"Probably tiramisu." It's boring and predictable—Akira, who spends so much time around coffee, enjoying a coffee-flavored dessert. Nonetheless...

"Hmm..."

Boring and predictable is right, honestly, but Akechi doesn't find himself disappointed. He think he'll be surprised if Akira ever manages to disappoint him, at this point. That's a dangerous pedestal to put someone on, though, so he shakes off the thought.

"That's the most shocking thing I've learned about you yet." Unlike with his usual jokes he doesn't lean very much into a light tone this time. He almost sounds and looks serious, aside from his smile. "I know a place that has tiramisu pancakes. Maybe we can go there, next time."

"I'll be sure to keep the surprises coming," Akira replies, though there's more of a humorous tinge to his voice than there was to Akechi's. There's still one surprise in store, and it's most certainly going to top the list, whenever Akechi realizes his secret identity.

But the thought of that impending discovery is a little bit unnerving, so Akira shoves it to the back of his mind, instead focusing on the suggestion being thrown out. "Sure," he agrees without needing to think twice. The fact that Akechi is already talking about a next time is encouraging. "Best of both worlds."

Even without a solid suspicion that Akira is one of the Phantom Thieves (the possibility has more than just occurred to Akechi, of course, but at the moment he's doesn't view it as an especially likely possibility) he doesn't expect Akira to morph into a boring person any time soon. So to both the upcoming surprises and the promise of another lunch date...

"I'm looking forward to it." He's suddenly very glad the waitress didn't say much despite recognizing him. They might not be that lucky in the future. Right now, however, he's happy to enjoy the relative privacy provided by this particular restaurant. He doesn't hesitate to dig in once their food arrives, but even though he takes his time with it and makes plenty of idle conversation in between bites he still can't help but feel that time is passing too quickly. He doesn't usually mind parting ways with someone quickly, but it's a bit disappointing today.

On the other hand, it's not like he has anything urgent he has to take care of. So maybe...

"... This is a little abrupt, but did you have anything else planned for today?"

Akira, similarly, is going through his parfait at a leisurely rate, savoring each bite and the conversation between. It's really more of his default—an unhurried pace, the kind that's completely at odds with his history of slamming burgers twice the size of his head in thirty minutes.

"Not really." He'd been thinking about picking up a shift at the bar, but that wouldn't be until later tonight. Plus, if Akechi is interested in extending their encounter, he's completely on board. It's... actually been pretty fun, he realizes, and things like sides and lies have barely crossed his mind throughout their lunch.

Whether that's a good thing is still up in the air. Akira knows, in the back of his head, that Akechi is still extremely dangerous, and he should be staying alert at all times.

"What are you thinking?" he asks, scraping the bottom of the glass for the remaining bits of food.

A spike of actual, genuine excitement goes through Akechi when Akira agrees. He doesn't dwell on it or even have too obvious a reaction, but his expression brightens when Akira not only says he's free but also asks when Akechi has in mind.

"Well, we could always go right to pancakes after this." That's definitely a joke; not even Akechi is ready to get dessert again this soon. "But I was actually planning on going to the rock climbing gym later this afternoon. Today isn't usually busy, even during the summer, so it'd be a good time for a beginner to join me."

His tone is calm, but he's a bit more intent than he'd normally be in this situation. He's already come up with a list of reasons why Akira might decline - not feeling well, thinking it's boring, not wanting to deal with going back home to change into appropriate clothes - but he's really hoping he won't.

He doesn't really have any expectations (this "hanging out with Akechi" thing is still foreign territory, after all), so the suggestion of rock climbing is a pleasant surprise, an old passing exchange that he wasn't sure would ever come up again.

"Alright." Akira doesn't have to dig deep to see that he really does want to tag along. Not only will it prolong their time together, but he'll also get to put all of the exercise he's been doing to use somewhere other than the Metaverse for once. "I'll need to swing by Leblanc to change. Do you want to just meet there?"

Akechi manages to avoid looking like a complete dork when Akira agrees, but there's no hiding the way his expression lights up. He'd already half convinced himself that Akira was about to say no.

"That'll be easiest. I need to stop by my apartment, too." And while Akira could probably borrow clothes from Akechi in a pinch, Leblanc isn't that far away and Akechi's not entirely sure if he's okay with Akira knowing where he lives just yet. He's happy to spend time with Akira, but that's something else entirely. So he gives Akira the gym's address and some simple advice: "You'll want something loose and easy to move in." Akechi's pretty sure he's seen people show up in their pajamas.

That's not how he dresses, but it's still pretty uncommon to see him in something like track pants and a t-shirt, and with a gym bag instead of a briefcase. Once again, he's not really worried about it and is just happy to lift his hand to wave Akira over once he sees him approaching.

Akira doesn't quite dress down to the point of pajamas. Instead, he opts for the usual black track pants and shirt that he does for his regular visits to the gym—an outfit similar to Akechi's, though he images the casual nature of it is much less surprising on him than it is on Akechi. He actually wasn't sure until this point if Akechi even owned a t-shirt. The thought has his lips just barely quirking upwards as he approaches, offering a nod to meet the wave.

"Sorry if you were waiting long," he speaks up, mirroring Akechi's greeting earlier this afternoon. "Had to buy cat food on the way home." Which is code for stopping to buy Morgana a sushi set from the convenience store so that he wouldn't be too miffed about being ditched for a second outing in one day.

Immediately, Akechi finds it a little strange that Akira would go get cat food now instead of waiting until the final trip back - but he can immediately think of a few reasons why he might. Maybe whatever store he uses might close early before he expects to return, or maybe Akira really does spoil his cat as much as he seems to. Still, he looks thoughtful for a brief moment before he shakes his head at the apology.

"I wasn't. My apartment is near, but I still have to walk." So he hasn't had to linger outside for long, but he's still happy to step inside and get started.

Though the gym is clean and spacious it's as quiet as Akechi had promised, with only a few other people in the gym itself. The girl working the front desk seems familiar with Akechi and a bit surprised to see him with another person, though she doesn't say anything about it out loud. Instead she greets them both and, upon hearing that Akira is new, starts walking him through the process of checking in. Luckily the actual usage fee is waived since it's his first time and he's here with a current member, and the rental fee for shoes isn't bad. Once that's taken care of, though, Akechi has a slightly odd question.

"How much do you weigh?" Probably right around what Akechi does, but it's always best to be certain.

The clerk's mild surprise isn't lost on Akira, and it only takes him a moment to make the connection that his presence is the source. Before, he would've thought that Akechi would have no shortage of people eager to spend time with him. That may still be true, but now Akira has seen things that lead him to believe Akechi isn't particularly the "hanging out" type. Which makes this outing all the more meaningful.

Check-in is quick and smooth, and soon enough, Akira is changing into the rented shoes. He glances up at the question, taken off-guard at first, though he comes to the obvious conclusion that it has to do with climbing.

"Around 64." Probably. Takemi keeps track of his weight for her trials, so it's not like he doesn't get weighed often enough, but Akira rarely pays attention to it.

Akehci had just enough of a social life to not seem off-putting, but outings like today are rare enough to be unheard of for him. Which he's aware of, of course, but he's not really thinking about what it means.

"Perfect." And just like he suspected. It feels good to be right. "Some of the walls have auto-belays, but for a few of them you need a partner. It's best if the person on the ground is about your weight or a little heavier." So 64 is a good range to be in. More teasing, he adds: "Though if you're not a fan of height, we can skip right to bouldering - but that doesn't use harnesses at all."

The teasing suggestion earns a grin from Akira. "I like heights, so this is fine." Although, the idea of climbing without a harness feels more up his alley—more like the sort he does in the Metaverse.

But, at the same time, he knows the safer route is the way to go. Certain friends already look at Akechi with distaste every time he badmouths the Phantom Thieves. Akira can only imagine how they'd react if he got injured hanging out with Akechi.

Shoes snugly on his feet, he stands up straight, waiting for the next bit of instruction.

Even with having only met them a few times, and even without knowing the extent of their distaste, Akechi is aware that at least some of Akira's friends don't care for him. It's not like Ryuji is subtle about it, or like Makoto was ever anything but coolly polite to him.

They're the furthest thing from his mind right now, however. He's focused on walking Akira through the basics, explaining the safety features, and showing him how to clip in to the auto-belay. It's definitely strange to be here and working with another person but he's quickly finding he actually enjoys it. He wouldn't have believed if even a week ago, but he supposes that's just the effect Akira has on him.

"One you get to the top, just let go and the belay will lower you to the ground." He doesn't even think that Akira might not make it, even as a beginner. "It's more of a solo activity from here on out, but I can still give you advice or pointers if you need." Honestly, he could probably just go do his own thing while Akira climbs, but he doesn't actually want to.

Not for the first time, Akira's attention drifts, more caught up in observing Akechi than completely absorbing what he's saying. Watching him demonstrate attaching to the auto-belay triggers the thought that he actually has pretty nice hands—a thought the sensible part of his brain immediately counters with a reminder that those same hands would've shot him, given the chance. It only sends a thrill through him, and Akira thinks he'd rather throw himself from the top of the rock climbing wall than try to read into that reaction.

"... Thanks," he says, a little belated, once the tutorial has wrapped up. Even distracted, Akira's sure he's got the important points down. All of that texting in class at least taught him how to successfully divide his attention. "I'd say let me know if you see me doing anything wrong, but I'll probably know when I slip."

All that's left is to climb. With a small nod to himself, Akira sets off, fairly quick at first, though he slows down as he gains some height, mentally mapping out his path a few holds ahead.

"You'll be halfway to the ground before I can help." And with that slightly ominous warning, Akechi steps back and lets Akira get to work.

Akechi is distracted by Akira himself, but the nature of it is quite different. Sure, he definitely admires the simple physical prowess that lets Akira throw himself right into a new activity, and how easy he makes it look. But mixed in with the admiration is a sudden undercurrent of simmering jealousy. Akechi's been having fun with these outings - more fun that he's had in years, as a matter of fact - but it suddenly feels both completely incomprehensible and completely natural that people gather around Akira despite all his unrefined edges.

Why wouldn't people be drawn to someone that everything seems to come easily to?

And yet, why is Akira the one that can make everything seem so natural?

It doesn't take Akechi long to chase away the dark thoughts and the gloomy expression they brought, already telling himself there's no real reason to be jealous. Still, it takes a moment for him to stop zoning out loud enough to realizes Akira has slowed down. Right, he's supposed to be teaching him.

"You were more right than you realized when you said this was as much about strategy and technique as about strength." Which isn't really advice, but still encouragement that Akira is on the right track and that slowing down isn't a bad thing.

"I'm seeing that," Akira grunts out, though he's not sure if Akechi can catch it below him.

Strength is definitely still a feature, and Akira is more grateful than ever for all of those pull-ups he's done from the rafters of his bedroom. It's what keeps his grip steady as he paces himself slowly up the wall. All of the scampering and slinking around Palaces has given him a decent gauge of what would be a good grip and what would be too far out of his reach, so he does manage to reach the top without any unfortunate incidents.

At the top, he takes a moment to glance down, surveying the gym from his current height—it definitely felt like he'd climbed higher than that. Still, Akira flashes a grin when his eyes land on Akechi, and there's no hesitation when he lets go of his current holds. As promised, the belay lowers him safely until his feet touch down on the ground. "That was fun."

Now that the earlier surge of jealousy has passed, it's easy for Akechi to just stand back and observe Akira as he works - though by now it's more like admiring him. Now that the surge of jealousy has receded it's much easier to appreciate the simple confidence he moves with. Akechi is able to give him a genuine smile when he returns to the ground.

"You make it look like you're meant to be up there." He reaches into his pocket, withdrawing a black elastic band. He works on pulling his hair back into a ponytail as he speaks, though he leaves the parts that frame his face loose. "You can skip right to one of the more advanced walls if you're interested, but there's other walls with auto-belays if you still want to feel things out."

"Maybe I've found a new calling," he suggests, half-joking. It is pretty fun, though, and seems like an effective form of exercise. Maybe he'll get a membership here; it would be a spin on the current script if he started showing up at one of Akechi's hangs-outs.

The motion of Akechi's hands draws Akira's attention at first, idly wondering if his hair is as soft as it always looks. That thought is quickly banished as Akechi offers him different options. There's one, unlisted, that he's interested in.

"Are you going to climb?" Akechi can only assume, if Akechi is tying back his hair. "I wouldn't mind watching someone experienced." There's a lightly teasing edge to his voice, but he really could pick up a thing or two from simply observing. Granted, there are other people climbing, but he'd much prefer to see how Akechi goes about it.

It might be a joke, but Akechi doesn't let the opportunity pass.

"The memberships here aren't very expensive, and it makes it easy to bring a friend." Though as soon as Akechi says the second part, he catches himself wondering why. It's not like any of Akira friends like him, or vice versa. Running into them in one of his few 'unknown' hangouts would be pretty annoying.

He doesn't try to retract the statement, however. The question he's just been asked is more interesting to focus on.

"I am. I usually use that--" He points to a different wall on the other side of the gym; it's shorter and has no space for a belay, but the holds are more varied and the assorted planes are tilted forward at different angles. "--but I prefer to warm up on one of these walls." And since Akira just plainly stated he's interested in watching, Akechi shows him how to unclip himself from the belay line, though he tells him to leave his harness on until he's done.

The wall Akechi chooses is a little more advanced than the wall for total beginners, but still not too complicated. He's not showing off (for once) but he still scales it with ease that speaks more of experience with this particular course than anything else. Even so he does a few things that might stand out, like testing his footing on each hold before he puts his weight on it and hanging with his arms straight whenever he pauses to calculate his next move. Despite the care he takes it's clearly not difficult for him in simple physical terms; he's stronger than he looks.

Once he's done he lets go of the wall and lets himself to be lowered to the ground, just like Akira had. He's a little chattier on his way down, however.

"Pick up anything new?" Akechi is sure he did, which is part confidence in himself and part confidence in Akira.

He knows Akechi is strong. He's fought alongside him, been on the receiving end of his pure, unmitigated rage—so it's not surprising to see how easily he turns his prim image on its head and makes the climb look completely effortless.

Still, it's a simple display of power and intelligence that's hard not to appreciate. Akira does so, but it's as much analysis as it is admiration, sharp eyes noting the little details and filing them away to be tried on his next go. Even without being able to see his own attempt, he can tell there's a huge difference in experience between himself and Akechi.

"A couple of things," Akira replies, watching as Akechi lowers back to his level. His first try had been fun, but Akira is itching to give it another shot now that he has an example to strive to match. "I thought you'd be good at this," he says, like he doesn't have an unfair amount of knowledge to make that call, "but that was impressive." And Akira has no trouble admitting that, paying Akechi a well-deserved compliment. Even as much as he's ready to go again, he definitely wants to see Akechi take on the more advanced wall.

Being called impressive, especially by someone like Akira, is a nice boost to Akechi's ego. He's visibly pleased with himself as he touches down, though not so much that he stops to preen.

"It's a matter of practice. Give it a year or two and you might be just as good." Though really, Akechi doesn't think there's a 'might' involved. If Akira puts the effort in then reaching that level is a certainty.

Akechi suddenly wishes he'd picked a different activity, though. It's not like it isn't enjoyable or like he thinks Akira isn't having fun, but he sudden'y can't ignore just how much of a solo activity this really is. He's not exactly self-conscious, buthe does feel a bit short-sighted.

But maybe there's a way he can keep it from being solo. He suddenly looks thoughtful.

"We may only have a few hours to work with, but would you be up for a challenge?"

It's strange that the thought is triggered by Akechi of all people, but the honesty is refreshing. He doesn't try to inflate Akira's performance, nor does he downplay his own. "I'll have to work twice as hard to catch up."

Really, though, if Akira can manage to live to see the end of the year this time, much less Akechi's projected one or two, he'll go climb an actual mountain out of joy. And, if he plays his cards right, Akechi could be around and might even be interested in joining him? He's probably getting ahead of himself; Akechi hasn't even figured out his identity as leader of the Phantom Thieves yet. There are still plenty of hurdles to cross.

That thought doesn't stop him from perking up slightly when a challenge is proposed. Akira figured they were just going to climb for a while and that Akechi would give him tips where necessary, but this seems like it could be an interesting spin on things.

"Like what?"

"A race." Which he's aware might sound like an odd challenge, so he doesn't hesitate to explain further. "Spend the rest of the day getting the feel for things. Before we leave, we'll both climb the most advanced wall we're comfortable with and see who reaches the top first."

It's a little silly, maybe, but that's not something Akechi is really worried about. He and Akira don't share any other hobbies or interests, and they aren't even in the same grade. This might be the closest they get to a fair competition for a while.

"As for the prize... maybe whoever loses pays for our next outing?" He knows that's not a very interesting thing to put on the line, but it's also the part he's least interested in. He'll happily hear any alternate suggestions.

"Alright." For as much as he's trying to change the outcome of things, to shift the fate they've been dealt of being pitted against each other, Akira can allow for a little friendly competition. Indulge in it, even. He may be quiet and easygoing, but there's still a competitive streak buried underneath all of that, and it seems to rear its head around Akechi more than anyone else.

The suggestion of a prize, though... It's entirely incidental for Akira, seeing as he's not angling to win for the sake of getting something from Akechi, but it's still uninspired, as far as stakes go. He takes a thoughtful moment before speaking up with another idea.

"How about owing a favor in general?" The sensible part of him knows that he should take the easy out, especially after seeing his opponent climb. Even if he has a few hours to practice, it still wouldn't be the least bit surprising if he got thoroughly trounced, and Akechi has no way of knowing that his time in the Metaverse has padded his pockets more than any high school student's should be. But isn't it more fun when the stakes might actually matter?

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