✽ / akechi : rousseaucrow
she didn’t flinch at his sharp tongue, nor the refusal of the clothing article. having grown used to being blocked by the high walls that safeguarded him. the same walls that she herself once held up before the fateful meeting with morgana. she did, however, grow nervous when he rose from the bench, but nerves soothing when watching him pace in place. thinking no doubt, as he always seemed to do. the distant look that even asked for some higher power to help. but he didn’t leave … this is a big step, her thoughts resounded. perhaps, she’s finally been shown a crack in his walls.
the empress stood as well, slowly approaching the detective like one would a frightened animal. ‘ it’s alright to not know where to start. ’ closer, step by step. ‘ but you know that there is something that you want to let out, which i’m proud of you for. ’
finally, she stood before him. her petite frame being dwarfed by his tall build, but not to the point that she couldn’t reach his neck.
‘ … sugimura wasn’t the first suitor my father tried to sell me too. ’ she carefully rose the scarf.
‘ there were many that he set me up with, and he was furious each time i denied their advances or they weren’t interested. ’ haru slowly looped the scarf over his neck with the utmost care.
‘ she’s too stubborn, she could lose some weight, you’ve raised a brat. i’ve heard it all and more … my father said the worst of insults after each failed date … sugimura was the only one who didn’t care, as long as he had a teenage wife. ’ done. the scarf neatly tied around his neck. enough to grant him warm but loose enough in case he truly wanted to remove it and embrace the frigid night.
stepping away, bronze eyes looked towards his own with a woeful smile. it was a story she hadn’t told any of her newfound friends. not even their fearless leader who she seemingly told everything too. it was an experience that left her fearful of judgment and to avoid political relationships like the plague. until now, now when she wanted to reach out to akechi so desperately. laying out her own pain to try and appeal the hurt she knows he bears.
‘ … would you like to sit and have some tea? it might help you a tad or at the very least warm you up. ’
“A teenage wife?” Akechi barked out, taking a seat next to her. “That’s disgusting, what a twisted bastard! None of that’s even remotely true. I can’t believe your own father would do--” He paused to take a breath, twisting the cap off the thermos.
“Sorry, I know you loved him but it doesn’t make it any less detestable,” he said, pouring himself some tea and handing the flask back to her, “I just can’t wrap my head around it either. How you can be so forgiving. I’ve never known anything but hatred for my father. I doubt that’s ever going to change, either.”
He buried his face into the scarf, shrinking himself down. Proud of him? That was... perplexing. Haru had more reason than almost anyone else to despise him. He who was so hateful, so filled with rage at the heavens and earth. There was no room for pride.
“Even if I could forgive him, I would never allow myself to,” he started again, inhaling the steam and letting it warm him through, “I-- I don’t mean that as a judgement against you. It’s just that... anything other than resenting his very existence feels like a betrayal of my mother.”
Goro looked at her, over the soft cotton scarf that felt like a shield. It felt like the first time he’d really taken the time to look at her. Haru Okumura was petite, her features soft and graceful but her eyes shone with resolve, with a strength that was mysterious and elusive - simultaneously terrifying and comforting. It felt like she could see right through him.
He lowered the scarf to take a drink. Even the tea was lovely. Slowly, he was also lowering his own walls; brick by brick but she’d convinced him, somehow.
“My mother never deserved any of it. Any of this world’s brutality and ugliness.” his voice rang hollow and strained, as if trying to restrain a caged beast.
“She certainly didn’t deserve a son like me. I destroyed her.”
