[That feeling only twists harder. It doesn't make any logical sense. And yet...
...
Her tears don't stop. But she's nodding, a hesitant motion at first, then repeated as she screws her eyes shut, pressing her free hand to her eyes.
She shudders for breath... but there's a smile on her face, fighting against the tears, even as she nods once more. He trusts her. He trusts her. Even if it should matter for her... for him, it doesn't. And her heart feels full to bursting trying to accept it.]
[better, he thinks. her smile is so much brighter than her tears]
[there isn't really much else he can say. Akira has never been great with words, although he always tries. and when he doesn't have the words, he has always been the type to allow his actions to speak for him]
[and so. . . with that, he drops his hand from her cheek, leans forward, and draws her into a warm, encompassing hug]
[She won't hug back, considering both her hands are working on trying to clean off her face, quietly apologizing for the mess. But she easily leans into his hold once she realizes what he's doing. There's a nervous sort of laugh as she accepts the embrace, a sigh on the release of breath.]
T-that... that was such horrible timing during something so important... I... [She swallows, wiping her eyes once more.]
M-maybe I... I can hope you won't steal my heart for the oversight...
[It's weak, but still an attempt at a segue, the corners of her mouth tired but still lifted, an apology in its delicacy.]
[. . . the timing was bad, yeah. and it was a heavy conversation, one that still leaves some lingering discontent in Akira's gut every time he thinks about that woman and how she had treated Luna as less than a person. but her commentary lightens his heart a bit, and he can't help but let out a breathless laugh, body shaking slightly with each chortle]
[his response is light, and he isn't yet pulling away from the hug]
[Mmm. This feels... nice. She wouldn't mind this for a little longer. But she doesn't want to keep him from what he was trying to explain, especially over something so important.]
...Could... you tell me more about what happened? About the hearts?
I... I would like to understand why you did what you did.
[he lets out a breathless noise, something that almost sounds like a laugh]
It is metaphorical. Sort of.
[SORT OF]
Where I come from, there's a world that runs parallel to our own. We call that world the "Metaverse," and it's built from the cognitions and perceptions of society at large.
[he stops there to let her absorb that information, because it's the basis for everything he is about to say next]
[Luna is better at quickly understanding strange concepts than Akira is!1]
Ah. . . yeah, that's exactly right.
[he's getting serious Makoto vibes here]
Let's say that someone in the real world had extremely distorted desires, like they believe they were the king of a castle, with the castle being the school at which they taught. They treated everyone within the school like their personal slaves and were all around an extremely shitty person.
["hypothetically speaking"]
In the Metaverse, the school building would instead appear as a castle because the entire location would be distorted by the real world person's perceptions.
I think so. Would it only be certain people whose perceptions changed an entire building like that? A school contains so many people... in that example, would the, um... "king" have been someone in notable standing in the real world?
[. . . dang, she's really good at this. but hey, she is a doctor! so that's fair]
That's right. He was a highly respected and well-known teacher at the school. And that was probably the source of his distorted desires in the first place.
[fame goes to people's heads. . . and all that jazz]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
...
Her tears don't stop. But she's nodding, a hesitant motion at first, then repeated as she screws her eyes shut, pressing her free hand to her eyes.
She shudders for breath... but there's a smile on her face, fighting against the tears, even as she nods once more. He trusts her. He trusts her. Even if it should matter for her... for him, it doesn't. And her heart feels full to bursting trying to accept it.]
no subject
[there isn't really much else he can say. Akira has never been great with words, although he always tries. and when he doesn't have the words, he has always been the type to allow his actions to speak for him]
[and so. . . with that, he drops his hand from her cheek, leans forward, and draws her into a warm, encompassing hug]
no subject
T-that... that was such horrible timing during something so important... I... [She swallows, wiping her eyes once more.]
M-maybe I... I can hope you won't steal my heart for the oversight...
[It's weak, but still an attempt at a segue, the corners of her mouth tired but still lifted, an apology in its delicacy.]
no subject
[. . . the timing was bad, yeah. and it was a heavy conversation, one that still leaves some lingering discontent in Akira's gut every time he thinks about that woman and how she had treated Luna as less than a person. but her commentary lightens his heart a bit, and he can't help but let out a breathless laugh, body shaking slightly with each chortle]
[his response is light, and he isn't yet pulling away from the hug]
No promises.
no subject
...Could... you tell me more about what happened? About the hearts?
I... I would like to understand why you did what you did.
no subject
[. . .]
I guess I haven't told you about that yet, have I?
[he doesn't stiffen or close himself off from her when she asks, but there is-- perhaps-- a touch of apprehension in his expression]
The "professional thief" thing on my plaque is the truth. I am a thief.
I steal the hearts of corrupt criminals to make them confess their crimes to the public.
no subject
Could... you explain what that involves? It sounds very, um... metaphorical.
no subject
It is metaphorical. Sort of.
[SORT OF]
Where I come from, there's a world that runs parallel to our own. We call that world the "Metaverse," and it's built from the cognitions and perceptions of society at large.
[he stops there to let her absorb that information, because it's the basis for everything he is about to say next]
no subject
So... a world defined more by the consciousness of people, rather than their direct actions. Would that be close?
no subject
Ah. . . yeah, that's exactly right.
[he's getting serious Makoto vibes here]
Let's say that someone in the real world had extremely distorted desires, like they believe they were the king of a castle, with the castle being the school at which they taught. They treated everyone within the school like their personal slaves and were all around an extremely shitty person.
["hypothetically speaking"]
In the Metaverse, the school building would instead appear as a castle because the entire location would be distorted by the real world person's perceptions.
Are you with me so far?
no subject
no subject
That's right. He was a highly respected and well-known teacher at the school. And that was probably the source of his distorted desires in the first place.
[fame goes to people's heads. . . and all that jazz]
no subject
I imagine another person wouldn't just be able to affect that unless they, in turn, had some sort of strong impact on the real-life influencer...
How would you even enter a place like that? You're... you're not an esper, are you?
no subject
No, I'm not.
I used a phone app.
[yeah. that'st he answer. he uses a phone app]
no subject
How... how does that work?
no subject
Have no idea.
[I'M SORRY HE CAN'T ANSWER THAT AAAAH]
We enter a Palace's keywords and then it takes us to the Metaverse. The mechanics are something completely beyond me.
no subject
I... I'll have to accept that for now, won't I? Anyway, um... I assume a Palace is a specific place?
And when you say "we"... who do you mean?
no subject
[as for her second question. . .]
"We."
I mean myself and my team.
[his team of highly trained (lol) phantom thieves]
no subject
I guess it makes sense. You're very kind and charismatic. I... I could see you leading others to a cause.
no subject
It's true that they all voted me to be their leader, and I did my best to guide them towards victory after victory.
[his expression is a little distant now, like he's reminiscing, and the fondness and love in his eyes is unmistakable]
They stood by me when I needed people to the most. They are. . . my most important people.