𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔, weaving its threads through the fabric of his memories, leaving gaps and frayed edges. the sensation of Akira's hand around his own was both foreign and achingly familiar, like a song he had once known by heart but had forgotten the melody to. the warmth of his touch grounded him in a reality he still struggled to accept.
akechi's breath hitched as he listened to Akira's words, the sincerity and pain in his voice cutting through the fog of confusion. the name 'akira' echoed in his mind, stirring fragmented memories that refused to take a coherent shape. yet, despite the haze, one thing was clear — the man before him was important, a beacon in the darkness he had wandered for so long.
❛ akira, ❜ he tested the name on his tongue, feeling its weight. his voice was hoarse, as though it hadn't been used in years. ❛ how...? ❜
the question trailed off, unfinished, as a torrent of emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Relief, disbelief, fear — they all mingled together, making it difficult to find the right words. he glanced down at the glove in akira's lap, and a lump formed in his throat.
akechi's fingers tightened slightly around akira's, drawing strength from the physical connection. He could see the raw emotion in akira's eyes, the tears he was desperately trying to hold back, and it stirred something deep within him.
the realization that someone had cared enough to search for him, to never give up, was almost too much to bear.
❛ you kept it... ❜ he whispered. ❛ all this time... ❜
he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
❛ i don't remember everything, ❜ he admitted, his gaze dropping to their hands. ❛ maybe a little? the metaverse stuff is still hazy, but… ❜ he paused briefly, ❛ but i remember y o u. i can't forget you. never. ❜
the words felt inadequate, but they were all he had. He wanted to say so much more, to ask a thousand questions, but the weight of the moment held him back.
he looked up, meeting akira's eyes. ❛ what i said back then… i was so angry, distraught with everything. it all felt like things were crumbling down on me. ❜
inside, however, akechi's thoughts were still a chaotic storm. the facade he so carefully maintained was cracking, and beneath it lay a torrent of emotions he could barely contain. he had always prided himself on his composure, his ability to analyze every situation with cold precision.
he'd seen firsthand what the looming threat of a mental shutdown did to others—the vacant stares, the complete loss of self. The thought of succumbing to that fate terrified him more than death itself. He could feel the edges of his sanity fraying, the pressure mounting as he walked the tightrope between his true self and the mask he presented to the world.
❛ you embodied everything i wished to be. my envy quickly morphed into a deep-seated anger—anger at the world, at my biological parents, my adoptive father, at... myself. i'd been used, manipulated, and i've been teetering on the edge of oblivion. i took everything out on you. i'm truly sorry, akira. from the bottom of my heart, i never meant what i said to you years ago. please forgive me… or at least give me a chance to earn your forgiveness. ❜
for the first time in what felt like an eternity, a small, tentative smile tugged at the corners of his lips. his thumb brushed against the back of akira's hand, a small gesture of reassurance. ❛ i'm glad you found me. ❜
