thefoundation | What happens now?

[. . . 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.

[Niijima's.]

[. . . Akira's eyes slip shut as his jaw sets, his expression flickering but not letting on how distressed the idea of them not finishing Niijima's Palace makes him]

[. . .]

What happened after we failed to finish?

[after all, Akechi's plan to kill him had hinged on them at least stealing the treasure, didn't it?]

Dunno... Last thing I remember before being taken to the Foundation was that we let the deadline for finishing it pass.

[ taking a quick second to look Akira over ]

Look, I know Ann is gonna get on me for saying this, after kickin' my butt enough about it during the island, but I gotta. Akira, I'm sorry.

Ryuji.

[ she cuts in, knowing exactly where he's going with that. ]

It wasn't your fault.

It wasn't your fault.

[Akira echoes right after Ann, and while he wasn't there, while he hadn't experienced the failure like Ryuji had. . . he knows it to be true. because if anyone is responsible for something as important as a missed deadline, it would be--]

I'm the leader. The me that you know is the one responsible for keeping track of deadlines and planning Palace infiltrations.

It is not your fault.

What happens now?

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