survivaltricks | [Reverie Inbox]

[-- ah]

[for a moment, Akira freezes like a deer caught in the headlights, before he waves off his verbal misstep with a scoff]

Nothing. Don't worry about it.

[TIME TO TAKE A BIG SLURP OF HIS MILKSHAKE]

[ ... he frowns a tiny but persistent frown.

!!!! ]

You don't want to tell me...?

[khhhhh]

I--

[hrrrrrrrgh]

[. . . sips at his milkshake some more]

. . . I forgot you didn't know.

[ And almost at the same time, the moment Akira takes a sip at his milkshake: ]

S-sorry--I didn't mean to try to pressure you into telling me or anything if you're not comfortable talking about it.

[. . . . . . . .]

[a deep exhale, his gaze affixed on a spot on the countertop, purposefully averted from Minato's expression]

It's okay.

[said a bit quietly]

I haven't told anyone here yet. [. . .] And maybe you're the only one who would really understand.

[ Something only he would understand...? When he considers that, then all he can really think of is-- ]

... Does it have something to do with the Velvet Room?

[nods in response, not saying a single word as he waits to see if Minato can put together the pieces]

... Your Velvet Room... it was a prison?

[there's a pause as Akira slurps at his milkshake again, before he nods, expression stony]

. . . it was.

[ Minato knows the symbolism, of course. He's quiet for a long moment as he processes that, before his brow furrows. ]

I don't...

... Wait, was that because of your probation?

[props his chin against his palm, elbow on the counter. surprisingly, he finds himself. . . a little less tense about this than he thought he'd be. maybe since he had long since thrown the shackles of his imprisonment aside. . .?]

Did your attendant-- Elizabeth-- tell you about the nature of the Velvet Room? How the guest can shape its appearance?

[ Minato settles a bit, though there's still a faint, concerned furrow to his brow. ]

She did. The Velvet Room is a reflection of its guest's heart, she said.

[presses a hand against his cheat]

. . . my heart. . .

It was being held captive. A reflection of how trapped I felt.

[ ..... Minato's expression grows a little softer, and much sadder, at that. ]

... Oh. Because of what happened to you...?

[ The probation. The way everyone turned their back on him and decided he was a prisoner... ]

[a quiet nod]

Yes. And some-- other things, but. . . mostly the false charges against me.

[ He's quiet for a moment, processing that. And then he thinks about a stopped elevator and-- ]

... Did it change? The form of it--did it change at all?

[a rueful smile]

Not entirely.

But. . . the doors opened.

[the cell doors, he means]

[ And... something in Minato's expression eases at that, as he reaches for Akira's hand to squeeze in his own. ]

... That sounds pretty good, actually.

In the end... no matter what it looks like, your heart really is free, huh?

[despite the gravity of the conversation, when Akira looks up again, his expression is bright]

If anything good came out of my Journey, it was learning how to cast off the chains that had held be back.

So-- yeah. [he gives Minato's hand a tiny squeeze!] It's as free as it can be.

I see...

[ ... A deep breath in, and he lets it out again. ]

You're... really impressive, you know that?

[a breathless little huff, half-sheepish, half-amused]

Every time you say that, my instinct is to argue with you.

[but only because he's SO bad at taking compliments]