thefoundation | What happens now?

Oh— thank god ...!

[her eyes water and she immediately closes the gap between them, hugging him so tight. Sorry.

But also, not sorry.

It was just such a relief to have one of her most important people back, that she could trust. And that got her. After weeks of feeing alone and then BEING alone, to not be.]

I missed you so much... I’m so, so sorry— it’s not you, it’s just—

[there we go]

[he goes to her immediately, crossing the distance between them and clinging to her as tightly as he can, arms wrapped around her back and fingers curled into her shirt. his nose goes immediately to her shoulder as he breathes her in, warm and alive and okay-- at least physically-- and he feels as though he's never been more happy to see Ann Takamaki than he is in this very moment]

I know.

[he mutters, voice low, as he clings]

I know. It's okay. I've got you.

I'm here.

[he's here and he ain't going anywhere else]

[dont make her cry like this. Though, honestly, she feels a little cathartic. She’s cried so many times, and yet she’s held so much in. She doesn’t know how to express what happened. She doesn’t want to explain, she doesn’t want to believe that “I know.” She sniffles.]

I’m... so, so, so sorry. W-we need a way f-for you to identify yourself. I... I can’t take looking at you and not knowing if it’s you.

I have so much to tell you.

I watched the whole thing.

[for the second time, Akira Kurusu watched a series of murders play on television, helpless to do anything to stop it from his side of things. saying he saw the whole thing isn't quite right-- he had to step away a few times, and there are details he's missing-- but he saw the important parts]

[he saw week three]

[his grip on her tightens]

. . . don't push yourself. When you're ready to talk, I'm here.

Until then, Panther-- [a breath] You deserve to rest.

You saw... the whole thing?

[she pulls back just a bit, to look up at him]

I'm so glad I have you, and that no matter what, they can't take that from me. You saw the letters I wrote? They were for you. I didn't know what to do, and you weren't there for me to ask...

And then...

[week 3.]

Hey. You did fine, even without me.

[he pulls back, hands resting on her shoulders, squeezing gently]

You're tough, Ann. And that's another thing they can't take from you, no matter what.

I cried.

Nasty cried. A lot.

[she looks so relaxed, though.]

You're lucky I'm not getting snot all over your shirt right now.

[just]

[huffs a laugh at that, and it's genuine despite everything]

You're beautiful even when you nasty cry, Ann.

[and that's genuine, too]

And I guarantee you that my shirt is 100% Panther snot proof.

You're so smooth. And what a convenient thing to fool proof, Akira Kurusu.

[she flicks a piece of his hair out of his face at that.]

And you're lucky I'd rather hug you than test that.

[she wipes her eyes with the back of her hand]

If you change your mind, my shoulder is always free real estate.

[brushes a strand of hair from her face as well, fingertips tracing the curve of her cheek and jaw]

The break room of site two has a new coffee maker.

. . . want some?

Uh-huh. I missed your coffee so much... I even started trying to imitate it?

Umm... Don't think I quite got there, but you can try it some time, if you want?

[yeah ok, she's leaning on him.]

And you know... we should invite Ryuji, too.

Absolutely.

[he's agreeing to that without hesitation, his arm wrapping around her shoulders to pull her close as he leads her towards the break room]

I want to talk to him, too. To make sure he's okay.

He's not.

There's no way. Not after how things ended in his world.

[she looks a little guilty at this.]

... I've still got a lot to tell you.

[ ryuji get's ann text to meet her and akira in the break room and he hesitates for a good minute before responding that he's on his way. and even then, he spends some time hovering outside of the break room, out of sight, before he walks in. it's fine, it's cool, it's ann's akira... nothing bad can happen.

deep breaths, act natural ]

Hey guys--

[. . . yeah. Ann is right. there's no way Ryuji would be okay after how things ended on that island. that said. . . Akira is much less knowledgeable about the timeline from which Ryuji hails]

[Akira frowns as he enters the break room, beelining straight for the coffee when he does so. he stays silent, mulling over his response as he collects the beans and other coffee making supplies. and when he finally opens his mouth to speak--]

[Ryuji is there]

[Akira stiffens when he hears that voice, whirling around to face the new arrival, expression slack]

Ryuji--

[like Ann, his instinct is to bolt towards him. but after his encounter with Ann, he is at least a little more mindful not to, uh. do that]

Hey, Ryuji!

... You don't need to put up a tough front, if you don't want to, you know.

[ he doesn't look at akira for that reassurance, he looks right at ann and slowly nods. he lets out that breath he didn't know he was holding and sags. he walks over and sits right next to ann, stretching out on top of the table ]

It's good to finally be out. I thought I was gonna go crazy if I was gonna spend another week in containment.

[. . . that stings, too. even if this Ryuji isn't the one he knew from home. Akira sucks in a deep breath, jaw set and chin tilted up as he sets the coffee making supplies aside to sit at the table across from Skull]

Ryuji—

[he starts, then stops. words have never been his strong point, but there are times where he knows he has to choose them carefully. his fingers curl into fists against his pants as he speaks]

When I first moved to Tokyo, everything was dark. I was by myself, without anyone to have my back, without anyone to believe me, without any place to belong.

[. . .]

Do you know who saved me from all of that? Do you know who provided that little bit of light I needed to illuminate my world again?

That was you. [. . .] And I'm sure. . . your Akira feels the same way.

[Ann pauses, and while Ryuji isn't looking, gives Akira the smallest, smallest of headshakes, her eyes slightly wide. She mouthes, "Don't."

she should have told him, but she wanted Ryuji to do it. She wanted Ryuji to walk him through what had happened back home, but she wasn't going to let Akira go this way without at least that much warning.

As she does that, though, she reaches out to rub ryuji’s back.]

Hey. This has been the shittiest of weeks. But... I really wanted to see my favorite two guys.

Edited 2019-05-15 17:14 (UTC)

[ ryuji stiffens when he hears akira speak. it's a lot to take in, to say the least. given everything that's happened to him, he doesn't know where to start with everything. ann's hand on his back is a soothing, calming presence and it's enough to get him to stay relaxed.

he tilts his head up slightly to look at akira. his expression is still slightly guarded, but ann wouldn't ask him to come here if she didn't trust this one. ]

Soooo, how much do you know... about everything?

[Akira catches the way Ann looks at him, and his brows furrow in a bit of confusion. wrinkles that just increase in their intensity when Ryuji doesn't even react to what he said]

[. . .]

[there's so much he doesn't understand, here. and he doesn't like it one bit]

. . . I watched the entire game on television.

[he mutters quietly]

I didn't see everything, though. Just. . . the important stuff.

[she considers this. She wants to give Akira a warning, but also... really, it's Ryuji's place to tell Akira his backstory. It's Ryuji's place to tell him everything he wants. So, Ann will focus on what she can say.]

Ryuji, me and Akira... we're from the same place.

[to give added context.]

Just... trust me, when I say you can trust him. I wouldn't vouch for anyone else.

[even if it doesn't entirely work, she hopes it helps that she's said it out loud.]

[ he looks between the two of them and nods, slowly ]

So, for starters I come from a different timeline. One where things didn't work out so great.

[ and he looks away from akira, can't face him as he gets these next few words out. ]

One where we didn't finish a palace in time.

[. . . ah. . . of course. different timelines aren't anything new to Akira, at least. so that part of things he takes in with a deep breath and in complete stride]

Which Palace?

[that is, of course, the first question he asks. because if Ryuji can tell him that much, then Akira can glean for himself what might've happened to them in Ryuji's timeline]

[ a pause before he says the name ]

Nijima's.

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