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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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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?

'Owing a favor' is a more ambiguous and potentially dangerous sort of prize, and Akechi isn't completely certain he'll be able to win with the proposed handicap. Even so, he doesn't shy away from the idea. Higher stakes are more fun, and while it's a stretch to say that he trusts Akira he also thinks that whatever favor he asks for is likely to be pretty interesting.

"It's a deal, then." Akechi sticks around long enough to make sure they're in agreement about when to start, then parts ways so that they can both focus on preparing. When the time comes to compete Akechi picks the most difficult wall that can be climbed solo. If he were truly concerned with winning he would have picked something he was more confident with, but he feels like both challenging himself and letting himself deal with a real challenge.

Even so, he's doing well and suspects that he'll even win - up until his grip slips on one of the handholds halfway up the wall. It's not much of a setback, but enough to give Akira the edge necessary to reach the top first. It's disappointing to lose, but Akechi doesn't seem upset as he lets himself to be lowered to the ground again. He'd been prepared for it, and losing gracefully is part of his public image. It's easy to keep his cool with that in mind.

"Looks like I underestimated you." That's easier than admitting he'd over-estimated himself. "Go easy on me and try not to ask for any favors that are too extravagant, okay?"

Akira goes into their competition with no expectations. He's had some time to practice, to exercise some of the little tricks he picked up from watching Akechi climb, and by the end of it he feels a lot more confident in his own ability. But between his own attempts, he's caught glimpses of Akechi, and... he's definitely a force to be reckoned with, even with a handicap.

He's so focused on his own task that he doesn't bother to try to check Akechi's progress, so it's a surprise when Akira reaches the top of the wall and glances over to see Akechi only then nearing the end of his own.

"I had a good teacher," he retorts once they're on the ground again. He wouldn't have improved as quickly as he did without Akechi's guidance, that much is certain.

And then there's the matter of the prize. Akira may have been the one to suggest it, but he's been so intent on the competition itself that he has yet to give any thought to what he would actually request of Akechi.

Well, he can think of a few right off the top of his head, but all of them would reveal things he'd rather not, and there's doubt as to whether Akechi would go that far to honor a silly agreement made over a rock climbing race. Still, it feels like something he can make use of, given some time to think about it.

"I'll go easy on you, as long as you don't mind me sleeping on it."

"That won't be a problem." Though really, that might be an understatement. "I'm never sure when my next day off is, so you'll have some time." It could be more than a month, at the rate he expects things to go.

That's actually pretty disappointing to think about. Akechi looks thoughtful as he unclips his harness and loosens it enough for him to step out of it.

"I'm not sure if we'll see each other again before the school year resumes, but I'll be sure to stop by Leblanc next time I have a free moment." Despite wording it as a statement, he says it with a questioning tone. He's hesitant to drop in uninvited, even without realizing how badly the public perception of him is going to change in the next couple weeks.

Akechi raises a good point. He knows the plot against the Thieves has been in motion for a while, but things are about to get truly underway, so it's no surprise that Akechi will be busier soon. Akira himself will have more on his plate, including helping Futaba and the Hawaii trip—

And then he remembers the awful revelation following their return from the school trip last time: Principal Kobayakawa's death. Akira's in the middle of removing his own harness when it occurs to him, and he can't help the sudden flicker of his eyes to Akechi's face, expression open for just a moment. Shit. What is he supposed to do about that when he's not even going to be in the country? He can't just let it play out the way it did before.

As much fun as he's had today, the conundrum weighs on Akira's mind as he gets back to sliding off the harness. He's still got a smile for Akechi, but there's the slightest bit of distraction lacing his tone when he responds, "I'll be expecting it. We still have to finish our chess game."

Akechi doesn't miss the flicker of surprise in Akira's expression, not when Akira looks right at him, but once again he can't place the source. Is he surprised by how little free time Akechi has...? That could be it, but something tells Akechi it isn't. But he has no way of figuring it out now so he files it away as something to consider later.

"That's right. I'm hoping to make up my loss today when we do." Just to let Akira know he's not going to go easy on him.

The next couple weeks aren't a great time for Akechi, however. The Phantom Thieves' victory over Medjed gives their popularity a considerable boost, while his previous comments criticizing them put even more downward pressure on his own popularity. Even if he was expecting it, it's still a bitter reminder of the situation he's in. His state of being wanted and needed is tenuous at best, and dependent entirely on his ability to be right. Just a couple of missteps is all it's taken for 'loyal fans' to start abandoning him.

But there's one person he's pretty sure won't abandon him, even if he doesn't quite consciously think of him that way. Regardless, Akira has been on Akechi's mind for quite some time now. As usual when he's feeling low he finds himself making his way towards Leblanc. It's become a relaxing retreat for him lately, to the extent that he's all but forgotten his original plan of checking it out to keep an eye on Wakaba Isshiki's daughter.

Like always he lets himself in without any fanfare, and like always he immediately looks around for Akira before doing anything else. He can just sit and get a cup of coffee if he needs, but he is hoping for something more.

With Futaba's return to the fold, Akira feels like another piece of him is restored. It's not easy, realizing that he has to build up that relationship again, the same as it was with the others, but he's just grateful to have her back. The time they spend working with Futaba is enough to shift his thoughts of Akechi firmly to the backseat. They're still there, though, simmering, something he doesn't want to examine just as much as he knows he needs to.

August 28th. He's forgotten what today is until he's in the middle of washing dishes, sudsy hands faltering when it hits him. Today is the day Akechi visited Leblanc for the first time, the day he spilled his background, the day he showed that first sliver of sadness and insecurity that Akira now knows wasn't just a ploy.

Except it wouldn't be his first visit this time around. Will he show up, or have things diverged too much? Even after months, Akira doesn't really have any sort of comprehension of how his actions effect things in the long-term. Sometimes things still happen when he thinks they might not; sometimes events are completely absent.

This seems to fall into the former category. Not too long after, the chime of the bell has Futaba darting around the counter to hide behind him, and the sense of deja vu kicks in, a familiar phenomenon that's become useful for filling in the gaps his memories don't quiet reach.

"Hey," he greets Akechi. Sojiro's already getting to work on his usual, so Akira simply holds his ground as Futaba's shield, offering a smile from his position behind the counter.

Akechi's politely neutral expression morphs into one of genuine cheer as he spots Akira. Oh good, he's here.

"Hello." He's here with company, though...? Akechi gives Futaba a curious look before recognition clicks. "You must be--"

But unlike 'last' time, he stops short of actually mentioning Wakaba Isshiki by name. He's had more time to adjust to the idea of running into the daughter of his first victim, especially since Sojiro has long since been made aware of his connection to Sae. But more than that, the prospect of blatantly probing for information right in front of Akira strikes him as an odd combination of tasteless and careless. His suspcions about Akira's connection to the Phantom Thieves have waned somewhat, but not totally dissipated.

So he looks to Akira himself, expression amused.

"Seems like you've found another interesting companion for yourself." That's not at all surprising, but the narrow degree of separation between himself and Futaba is suddenly quite uncomfortable to consider. If Akira were to find out that would be the end of their friendship, not to mention a risk to his attempt at revenge.

He feels Futaba shrink behind him when the attention turns to her, and Akira shifts his weight from one foot to the other, angling himself just a bit more between them. Even knowing that Akechi is being manipulated himself, he still feels a flash of something unpleasant, hearing Akechi politely address her while completely aware of who she is. At least he keeps her mother's name out of the conversation—something this time around has given him a better sense of tact.

The unsavory feelings are easy enough to mask with a smile. Akira is genuinely happy to see Akechi, situation aside. There were times, in the midst of everything else going on, that he sorely missed the calm of their conversations at the counter, moments where he'd spot Akechi's forced smile in an interview and feel a sharp pang of desire for the real ones that sometimes come out when they're together.

"It's more that they find me," he says with an undertone of humor.

It's not like it's a huge, dramatic gesture, but the combination of Futaba sliding a little further behind Akira and Akira shifting a little further in front of Fubataba is impossible to miss - and Akechi isn't in the right mood to not take it a little personally. His reaction isn't dramatic, either, but his warm expression dims and his smile becomes less casual and more calculated.

"That can be considered a talent, too, you know." Akechi sets his briefcase down and takes his customary seat, though he's suddenly wondering if he should really be here right now. "Plenty of people don't know how to be more than casual acquaintances with someone they don't have a great deal in common with." And Akechi seriously doubts Akira somehow has a lot in common with a high school detective, an artistic genius, a student council president, and a middle school girl all at the same time.

The subtle shift in Akechi's expression isn't lost on him. They've spent enough time together that Akira has developed a keen eye for the undercurrents of emotion on Akechi's face, and this has the plastic edges of that made-for-TV smile that he's grown to dislike.

And here it looked like maybe Akechi would be in higher spirits this time. Akira kicks himself internally. Good going.

"Maybe we have more in common than you think," Akira responds, and it comes out a bit more quiet, a bit more serious than intended. He doesn't quite clarify who's included in that "we," but his gaze is locked on Akechi as he speaks.

The comment is probably meant to be reassuring, and in a way it is. But Akechi's smile fades entirely when he hears it.

"I sincerely hope that's not the case." Akechi doesn't stop to think how that might sound like he's insulting Akira, but he also doesn't hesitate to explain further. "I might do well for myself now, but until recently I was still being passed from foster home to foster home." His tact has improved somewhat this time around, but not so much that revealing this information suddenly feels awkward. "And before that, despair over being abandoned after she fell pregnant is what lead to my mother's death." His gaze, already a bit unfocused, crosses into 'completely spaced out' territory. His tone is similarly distant and soft. "I'm not especially wanted no matter where I go."

So he means it both earnestly and in a non-insulting way: he hopes he and Akira are very dissimilar, at least in that regard.

At first, it does register as an insult, but only for a moment, right up until the familiarity of the look in Akechi's eyes clicks.

While what follows is far from news for Akira, he can feel Futaba freeze up behind him. Yeah, understandable—a sudden tragic monologue probably falls squarely into the category of "social situations she's not yet prepared for." Even Akira can distinctly recall groping for an appropriate response the last time he was standing here, hearing this.

Right now, though, the words come without a thought. "I want you," he points out, and where others would be embarrassed by the honesty of the phrase, Akira is matter-of-fact. If there's ever been a time to avoid beating around the bush, it's right now. "And you're always welcome at Leblanc."

The awkwardness of the situation is, once again, lost on Akechi. No matter how well he can play at being friendly and charming, his experience when it comes to subjects with more depth than a puddle is still still limited, to put it mildly.

And to put it mildly, Akira's bluntly honest response catches Akechi totally off guard. He shoots him a startled, even somewhat suspicious look. But it doesn't take long for that expression to melt into a smile. Now Akechi does look embarrassed, though mostly he seems both confused and relieved.

"Is that so..." He doesn't sound like he thinks Akira is lying, but more like he can't quite believe his luck. This is certainly a strange twist of fate. "Sometime I think there must be thousands of things you aren't telling me, and other times I'm certain you wouldn't hide anything even if you wanted." The truth, he's sure, lies somewhere in between. "I believe you, though." And though Akechi usually uses 'Kurusu-kun', if he uses his name at all... "Thank you, Akira."

And that, in turn, throws Akira for a loop. It's not exactly common for Akechi to address him by name, even formally, so to hear his given name is new and jarring in an entirely pleasant way. Akira, always cool as a cucumber, so rarely one to get flustered, actually feels slight warmth in his cheeks.

It takes a beat for his brain to catch up enough to form a reply. "... No problem." A small smile has fitted itself to his face. "Just setting the record straight." As he's finishing off the sentence, Akira wonders: Is this where he responds in kind? Would it be weird to call him Goro? Is it too late now?

Luckily, Sojiro swoops in and saves him from his internal debate by setting Akechi's coffee before him, effectively ending the moment. Akira lets his shoulders return to their usual slouch as he tucks his hands into his pockets beneath his apron.

Wow, did Akechi throw Akira off his game for once? The realization gives Akechi's smile a bit of an amused edge, though not near enough to overpower the embarrassed sincerity from a moment ago.

Sojiro's arrival does, indeed, end the moment, but it feels more like a natural segue than a rude interruption. Akechi thanks him and focuses on his coffee for a moment, giving himself a moment to compose himself again before he jumps to the next (and apparently his favorite) subject.

"It looks like you were right, by the way. It seems that the Phantom Thieves solved the incident with Medjed without any trouble at all." Akechi had been pretty sure that particular ploy would flop, but there's something weird gratifying about being correct, even if it's to the conspiracy's detriment.

The conversation, predictably, turns to the Phantom Thieves. Akira's not the least bit surprised to hear the case come up—really, Akechi's been dealing with more fallout from this one than the Thieves themselves have.

Akira may have found some satisfaction in watching the shift in public approval before, may have felt like they were getting the positive recognition they deserved, but now the feeling is completely absent. He knows how important Akechi's image is to him now. He knows that his mood earlier was probably spurred by all of the hate being thrown his way. And he knows that this hit to Akechi's psyche is all just another part of Shido's plan, the kind of pain he wouldn't think twice about causing if it benefits him. It makes him feel kind of ill, or angry, or both, but Akira can save that energy for later.

"Mm," he hums in agreement. "They did cut it close, though." That's more of a playful jab directed at Futaba than anything, earning him a barely-there grumble from behind. Before, he had faith that she would pull through in time, but even so, the last few days ended up being stressful. It wasn't nearly as harrowing an experience this time.

"Maybe that's just their flair for the dramatic at play." He's certain they do absolutely everything in the flashiest manner possible, which is an interesting contrast to their proclivity for working in the shadows.

He doesn't miss Futaba's grumble at Akira's comment, but he's completely off-base in his assumption about the motivations behind it.

"You're Futaba-chan, right?" She has to be. What other girl her age would be hanging around Sojiro Sakura's cafe? "The Phantom Thieves are pretty popular with your demographic. Are you a fan, too?" He thinks that must be it. Why else would she be grumbling about their close call?

It's a little weird to talk to her while she's hiding behind Akira, but Akira seems to attract weird people effortlessly. Akechi decides to just roll with it.

Flair for the dramatic... Well, he can't argue that one. They certainly do know how to make a statement. Akechi doesn't need to know that this time was just a coincidence.

Akira isn't quite caught off-guard when Akechi shifts the conversation to Futaba, but it does give him pause. She huffs out a quiet hmph at the question, and he has to restrain himself from verbally stepping in to divert the attention away from her. Protective instincts aside, he knows that Futaba is more than capable of handling herself, even now.

And... she's not interested in engaging him, judging by how fast that conversations hut down. That's not much of a surprise, though, so he can shrug it off much more easily than he handled Futaba and Akira's chilly reactions earlier. His improved mood stays right where it is.

"Well, I'm sure it won't be long before we see them make their next big move. Their activity is growing right along with their popularity." And that, of course, is meant to be their downfall. Akechi's not about to spoil that part, but there is something else he's curious about. His gaze returns to Akira. "Where do you think they'll go from here? Each of their calling cards has been addressed to someone with more influence than the last. It almost seems like they're running out of bigger targets to pursue."

And that's that. He's glad that Akechi is considerate enough not to probe, and—also kind of glad to have this question directed at him. As tiring as it can sometimes be to watch himself around Akechi, carefully measuring out how much information he can utilize before it becomes suspicious, there's also something thrilling about seeing what kind of responses he can elicit with his supposed guesses.

"I don't think they've run out just yet." Akira knows where they're going next, and he thinks that Akechi must, too. But dropping "a CEO" as speculation might be a little too close for comfort right now. Instead... "Maybe a politician. There are plenty of corrupt ones out there." And if Akechi does try to pry into that opinion, he can fall back on the fact that he's seen it in his time with Yoshida. "They've been getting more spotlight with the election coming up, so it could be a flashy target."

And then he shrugs a shoulder, off-hand, like it's all just conjecture anyway. "What do you think?"

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