phantasmalrift | So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see

So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see

Who: Akira Kurusu and Shido Masayoshi
What: Feelings is hard.
When: Sometime after this thread (mind the CW listed in the warnings)
Where: Kitchen
Warnings: Awkward references to hormonal responses, maybe. Also mention of burn/injury.

[Fucking hell... Shido was still at such a goddamned loss for what to do. The way Aiden had reacted to Shido's reaction to his female form was. . .

He's currently in the kitchen, attempting to make tempura. Attempting being the key word. He couldn't find a deep fryer, however, so he's just using a pot full of oil. And he's... very distracted. Thinking about Aiden, earlier. The look on his face had... torn Shido up inside, and now he couldn't stop thinking about it.

What the hell is wrong with him? Fucking hell, it's not like he has that reaction to any other women here... And he's over fifty for fuck's sake, not some prepubescent teen—

He isn't minding his environment, and he knocks into the handle of the pot, tipping it a bit. The oil falls out and splatters and splashes on the electric stovetop— and on him.]

—Shit!

[He manages to shut turn the stove top off without getting more than a small splatter of oil on him before he reels away, hand curled painfully and hovering over the arm that got splashed.

He's such a fucking idiot...]

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[ The sound of the swear has Akira stopping dead in his tracks before turning and heading the rest of the way into the kitchen. When he sees Shido bent over like that, his eyes widen, and then he quickly makes his way over. ]

Dad-... hey! [ brow tense, he rests a hand on the older man's shoulder, attempting to calm his own voice ] Here... Let me see.

[ He's reaching out, gently tugging at the respective arm. ]

[Well, it stings like hell, to be honest, but at this point he's... already experienced much, much worse a few times over. It's definitely not enough to completely capture his attention, at least no more than his usual self-loathing thoughts are...

He recognizes Akira's voice first. The request, second, to which he acquiesces— judging by the darkness of the wound, it may well be third-degree.

And then the third realization comes. It's enough to actually give him pause and successfully and completely derail his thoughts from his injury. His gaze slides up to the teenager, openly confused and more than a little bewildered.]

... what did you call me?

Uh...

[ There's a moment of staring, and then he glances away. He's turning a couple of shades darker, his words coming out quiet. ]

... What? Hearing getting bad already?

[Yeah Shido is just.

Staring in confusion.

??????? ??? ? ?????

?]

[ After a momentary pause, he releases a soft sigh. ]

Sorry... if it was weird. [ scratching the back of his head ] I normally catch myself.

[He quickly reassures him:]

No, no, it's not weird at all. It's just... [He gives a bit of a laugh that's slightly bewildered.] It just always comes as a surprise to me, when you...

[He trails off, brow furrowing for a moment, before he continues softly:]

Show me how important I've become to you.

A-...

[ His expression softens considerably, and then he looks to the floor... before he takes a moment to heal that injury with a quick spell - have a Mediarahan, old man.

Shido isn't the only one surprised, even now; Akira still has moments where he feels surprised that the older man has become important to him - someone he trusts, cares about, wants to protect. He spent so long feeling pissed at the Shido from his timeline, horrified by his actions and his beliefs. But this Shido isn't that Shido... Not anymore.

This Shido has grown, developed, and found love for Goro Akechi. It doesn't - it can't - take away from everything he's done, but then Akira's done some growing of his own. He no longer clings to that spite. He's not the same Akira Kurusu that tore down Shido's Palace, and he... doesn't want to be.

He thinks... he's okay being a different Akira. Because he's the Akira that got to grow past all those painfully angry feelings. He's the Akira with two amazing fiances and one (1) amazing Minato Arisato in his life. He's... him.

And he's... more than okay with that. He gives Shido a somewhat sheepish grin. ]

Heh... [ rubbing back of neck now, lightly punching Shido's chest ] That makes the two of us...

[ There's a pause. ]

Want a hand in finishing this up?

Edited 2018-11-23 08:03 (UTC)

[The Mediarahan is refreshing, and the pain on his arm easily melts away, as does the injury. He gently flexes it, then gives a little blink at that gentle punch... to which he gives an amused smile.

At the question, he glances over at the pot, inhaling and then letting out a terse breath.]

I don't know. I'm not sure I'm in the mindset for cooking.

[He moves away from Akira so he can get the supplies to clean up the spill...]

[ His expression softens with more concern... ]

Then... I can cook for you while you tell me what's up.

[Shido's quiet for a long moment as he kneels down and cleans the spill. After a bit, he finally says:]

Earlier today, I was with Aiden. He... has a female form, and... [He chuckles a bit helplessly. He sounds a bit lost???] I'm attracted even though I well know I shouldn't be... [Holding a blink as he finishes cleaning the spill...]

[ He's getting to work!!!

As he does, he's quietly listening to every word. There's a long pause between the last part and his response. ]

Oh...

[ In all honesty, he hasn't really taken the time to get to know Aiden. They seem to always miss one another, and... well, they're both busy people. Doesn't help Aiden always seems a bit... uncomfortable around him, so he hasn't really gone out of his way to find him.

ANYWAY. ]

Why shouldn't you be?

[the woes of playing two muses who have the same close cr]

... it's tempura.

[Since Akira seems to be determined to take over what he's making!! After he throws away the used-up paper towels...]

Isn't it obvious? Aiden's a man. Not a woman.

[ He could already tell, so he was already On It. ]

Really?

[ It's that kind of question where it's obvious he's being a smartass tho. ]

... Yeah, I know. I was in Japan not all that long ago. I remember the kind of society we have, as well as how we're taught to see anything that isn't a typical relationship between a man and woman.

[A bit of a sigh.] I admit I'm a product of my culture, but I've never been attracted to a man like that. [His gaze falls to the food.] Of that much, I'm certain.

[ He shakes his head. ]

Just because something's never happened before, doesn't mean it couldn't happen in the future. But, that's... not all there is when it comes to how the laws of attraction work, you know. There's everything from pansexual to asexual out there.

[ Giving a thoughtful hum. ]

Sometimes... a person could be attracted to someone else for only their personality. Maybe that's how it is for you, with him.

[From the way Shido looks at Akira when he says the words "pansexual" and "asexual", he might as well be talking in a foreign language.

... but... to be attracted to Aiden's personality... That gets a look of surprise, followed by something deeply contemplative.

. . .

It isn't as though he's a stranger to love, though... one tends to bury those memories and feelings when they're followed by... heh. Tragedy... Especially tragedy that was self-induced. He'd... never considered it before, because he was so used to being— ... his society's definition of normal.

There's... a few moments of silence...

And then his eyebrows slowly raise...

...

.........

Shido.exe has encountered a critical error and must reboot.]

Uh... Dad?

[

Reaching out to... gently poke his face... ]

[He gives a small start when he's poked, snapping back to reality as he looks at Akira, gaze a little... caught?

He blinks a couple of times.]

Ah...

[He draws in a breath, hand coming up to drag down his face lightly and then rest on his chin.]

Hmmm.

[good talk shido]

... Yeah?

[ Just... staring with lifted eyebrows, here. ]

Figure something out?

I...

[His hand comes up to rest on his forehead.]

... I suppose in hindsight, it's obvious...

[He shakes his head.]

I'd just— never considered it, because he's a man, and yet...

[ His expression softens a little... ]

It doesn't change anything about you, as a person, you know - when you find a special someone, it's supposed to be a good thing. A happy thing. So, when your head's clearer, I say you should talk to him. See what he feels.

Just remember that it isn't about what society wanted for you; it's about what the two of you want.

[He's quiet as he soaks in Akira's words. It's... definitely going to take some time to process this, so ultimately, he nods in agreement.]

Thank you, Akira. I don't know if I'd had ever considered the possibility, were it not for you.

[A warm smile...]

And, how about you? How were you doing before you had to come in and rescue me? [A slight, teasing tone...]

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So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see

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