Catch-All for Minato

[specialdog]

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Week 0 | Post Trial

[specialdog]

[ Akane finds Minato... Where ever he is, I forgot to ask, oops. She seems exhausted from the day, but not super emotional about it, at least...? ]

You're gaining accessories at an alarming rate.

[ she's probably just trying to lighten the mood? probably? sure. ]

[compendiem]

[ Minato's still hanging out in the hall long after everybody's left, taking Sol's seat after the entire hall has vacated. He's exhausted, and had fallen quiet towards the end of the trial following apt advice from some of his peers, but he looks up and gives Akane a weak smile when she approaches him. ]

Yeah. They were gifts.

[ ...The paper flower crown and the sunglasses were, at least. The cat ears were a promise. He can't take any of them off, now. ]

[specialdog]

[ she returns the smile, then hesitates for a moment. ]

... If you get enough, it'll practically be a disguise.

[compendiem]

[ The sunglasses were pushed up onto his forehead since he's sitting indoors, but at that comment, Minato pulls it back down to cover his eyes again, pushing his bangs out of the way so they wouldn't stab him in the eye. ]

What do you think? Can I pass as not being me?

week 1 | Friday

[compendiem]

[ He's exhausted. He'd finally gotten a full night's sleep after running on 14 (consecutive) hours of sleep over the last four days, but they were restful hours and he's just exhausted waking up that morning, finding his way out of the casino and into the hall to be met with a continuing nightmare.

He means to speak to Akane, but he's groggy and doesn't quite make it before she leaves the building first, so he's left trudging after her, hands in his pocket and his terrible slouch a little more pronounced, following her as she makes her way towards the shrine. ]

Akane. Hey.

[specialdog]

[ Oh. Akane startles and turns around. She would probably usually notice someone following her, but...? Well, she's spacy after the announcement, too. Isn't that natural?

When she sees who it is she walks back towards him to be closer. He's not exactly moving quick... She's quiet for a long moment, because she doesn't really know what to say, at first. ]

Hey.

[compendiem]

[ He's grateful that she stops and bridges the gap between them, legs stiff and achy from the lack of use in the past few days, though he tries to stand up a little straighter once they're facing each other. ]

I'm glad you're okay... It's... [ What is there to say? Nothing comforting comes to mind. ]

Excessive.

[specialdog]

I'm glad you're alright, too...

[ She reaches out with one hand to grab hold of the edge of his sleeve. That's all she wants, for now. ]

I was just with Nana. We were just together, and we made it through an escape room...

Week 1 | Saturday (post trial)

[compendiem]

[ Another week, and Minato has gained another accessory... He sets the sign to his side, sitting on the ground with his back against the wall with Akane's hoodie over his knees like a blanket.

If she doesn't ask, she's never getting it back. ]

[specialdog]

[ No, she wants it back. In fact, she is just... Holding her hand out for it, expectantly . ]

[compendiem]

[ ...? Minato looks up, slides his arm out from underneath the fabric and mirrors the gesture, unsure if Akane is here to help him up or asking for a steady hand so she can sit or what? She does not get the jacket. ]

[specialdog]

[ ... she'll take his hand and gently tug him up. He shouldn't just hang out here forever. ]

I wanted my hoodie back. Silly.

Week 2 | Wednesday

[compendiem]

[ Deathday is a couple days too early??? Even after the war had been settled, Minato's mind couldn't stop racing; he's exhausted and his head won't stop spinning from the blood loss and the dull pain all along the right side of his body has just become background noise in light of the panic that takes root in his chest.

He's got to find people he knows, make sure they're okay, feel guilty about everything regardless. ]

Akane—

[ whenever he sees her, though his voice dips and drops after just her name. ]

...Sorry. I wasn't there to protect you this time either.

[specialdog]

I'm not angry with you for that.

[ After all, she really can't expect him to be there all the time. If she wanted him to protect her, she wouldn't have volunteered to run off with Shirasu; she could have sought him out. ]

I don't think it's realistic to think we can rely on each other in a place like this. The best we can do is meet up after something happens and check in with each other...

[ She says it like she's accepting something sad, like she wants him to think that too, and to feel sad about it. Manipulative... ]

[compendiem]

[ People keep telling him that, that he shouldn't hold onto the belief that people can rely on one another here, but Minato still wants to believe they can. They'd gotten through the war together, hadn't they? Without losing anyone? It was still scarily close, and he doesn't look convinced, a frown working on his lips as he wonders what to say and how to say it. ]

I don't want to try to meet up later and find out that I've lost you. That something happened and I could've done something if only I were there. At the very least, I don't want to lose the people who are important to me.

[specialdog]

[ Somehow, it's a really touching thought--that she could disappear, and would be missed. Even if she's sure that Minato only likes her because she's always toying with him, tricking him into it, it's nice to believe for a second that someone could actually mean it.

... But she focuses on the part she wants to focus on, the part she can use, and the part that isn't somehow... depressing, despite the kind sentiments behind it. He's already said as much, but she still asks. ]

I'm important to you?

Week 2 | Announcement Day

[specialdog]

[ Waking up from a vision of someone dying makes their absence impossible to ignore. When they had gone to bed, Kazuaki had been right there. And now...

Akane just stares at Minato for a long moment. She had said she would wake him up and make him face the day, but it's harder when it was his own partner. Her mind is immediately set on making sure Minato gets a new partner, above all else, but she doubts he'll be thinking so pragmatically. ]

... It's morning.

[compendiem]

[ It's morning and Minato keeps his eyes squeezed tight, still on his side, still facing inward towards Akane, a slight frown deepening on his face that betrays the fact that he's awake- can't fall back asleep, because the darkness just becomes a canvas for his thoughts.

Failure. Fear. Guilt.

He opens his eyes, and looks to Akane. ]

...morning.

[ It sure is morning. Not a good morning. Just... a morning. ]

[specialdog]

[ There's no point drawing his attention to it; she knows by now that they all see the dreams. And she knows this is going to be hitting him hard...

She holds her arms open for a hug, if he wants to scoot forward? ]

... We'll do our best tomorrow.

Week 2 | Post Trial

[specialdog]

[ Are the hot springs gender-segregated? Because Akane doesn't care, she's here to visit the hot springs with Minato so she's going to stick with him. ]

We should come here after every trial. It's probably good stress relief.

[compendiem]

[ Who knows about hot springs, it's probably segregated by when Hisoka is here and when he isn't. ]

Yeah... Kinda feel like I need it every day of the week, sometimes. Stress relief.

[specialdog]

[ segregated into Clowns and Not Clowns... ]

I think it's bad for your skin if you're in hot water that often... So you'd probably want to find a back-up form of stress relief for during the week.

week 5 | monday

[specialdog]

[ Minato! Akane falls into step beside him, wherever he's wandering, and slips her hand into his. ]

You smell nice.

[ That would be a weirder greeting but, listen....... it's Minato...... ]

[compendiem]

Thanks, Akane.

[ That's fair, considering it's Minato, and he gives her a warm smile when she takes his hand. He'd just left the hall, to get away from the noise a bit, but planned to go back later too. ]

It's my birthday.

[ He learned this ten minutes ago and that is not why he showered, but it's a good enough reason as any to smell nice. ]

[specialdog]

[ She's so startled that she stops walking so. Hope he stopped too or he's getting yanked back. ]

What--really?!