[Akira's halfway through his body tensing up and sweeping his leg out to protect himself from the perpetrator when the voice finally clicks into place in his memory.
Who else here would sneak up on him like that?]
...Amagi-san. [The tension remains and stretches for just another moment before Akira breathes out, reminds himself Amagi isn't an enemy.] You should be more careful about sneaking up on people.
[His brain catches up with the rest, and it's- that's a reference, isn't it? He's probably just joking around, but... That's the kind of thing Akira has to be careful about. Or at least he used to have to, a lifetime away from the resort when unknowing people around him were speculating about his secret on the daily.]
Anyway, that's pretty surprising considering we didn't meet until the winter.
[He noticed the way he tensed up, but since he hadn't reacted violently, making sure not to touch him had been the right call. He might have, if he felt threatened, but Rinne did enjoy toeing that dangerous line at times.]
It's always summer in my dreams, clearly you should haunt it more often.
[Akira arches an eyebrow at him. The "more often" feels like a bit of bait, so he neatly sidesteps that.]
Are you admitting to your other claim being false, or does that mean you dreamt up the whole thing?
[He pushes his glasses up his nose, watching Amagi watching him. Akira's pretty sure he's being observed as well, and it's an odd feeling to be on the other end of it for a change. He doesn't think he's let any of his tells slip, but he should be careful just in case.
Sometimes it puts Akira on edge, but that's what makes Amagi both perplexing and fun, too.]
Kyaha~ Who knows. Hey, yer lookin' so shifty today, Specs. Why don't you get some artificially fresh air with me in the gardens?
[As though that was more appealing or something, but Rinne is at least not addressing the edge much. Focusing more on the action to take, rather than the reason he's tense.]
And maybe you can lend me some chips! Feeling lucky today, so I wanna take my chances at the pachinko.
[The real reason reveals itself, he thinks, but Akira also knows better than to assume it's that simple.]
I don't have so many chips that I can give them out freely. [He doesn't comply with this place even half as much as he should, and that means he has to budget every single chip he has.] What will you give me in return?
[The "shifty" sticks though, makes him loosen just a little. That's not what Akira wants to be, too close to what others have called him in the past, so he makes an attempt to move away from it and relax. He needs to work towards being more polite and approachable with Amagi, but that may prove to be a challenge in itself. He's so unpredictable that Akira's still trying to figure out what mask to show him.]
[He tilts his head, observing him for a moment, before pulling back and bounding away, just enough to give him some breathing space while walking to the gardens.]
What would you want for 'em? Yer all mysterious to me.
This and that. You never know when it'll be a rainy day, after all.
[There it is again - that feeling of being watched, been seen like he isn't the one being the observer for once. He doesn't flinch away from it. Instead, he simply pushes his glasses up his nose without breaking eye contact.
What does Amagi witness, staring at the mirror that only wishes to reflect back what the looker wants to see?
There's something between relief and disappointment in his chest as Rinne turns and bounds away, but Akira follows him with looser limbs. He keeps his voice purposefully light.]
[Whatever else he does, he isn't planning on telling Rinne why his chips are so low. He can keep dodging all day.]
Suppose I could. But if I did, then I'd be acting careless with my resources. [He shrugs when he's in Rinne's view, loose and relaxed again.] There's nothing special about it. It's exactly like I told you - I save my chips and budget them carefully.
[His eyes flicker, something bright and curious and piercing.]
That includes not spending it on just anything.
[Meaning that he absolutely noticed that Amagi didn't answer his question, either.]
[He has to laugh at that a little; is he really that serious? Probably. At least, he is when it counts. Rinne has barely seen him be anything but that, after all, excluding the first time that they met.]
Luck is a fickle thing. Even the longest winning streak has a chance of coming to an end. If you lose, how will you pay me back?
[There's a hint of challenge in his voice, but an even greater curiosity; Akira genuinely wants to know if he has a plan up his sleeves if things should go poorly.]
I might take an answer that isn't currency, too... but you'll have to find the right thing to sway me.
Edited (switches a word around bc it's 4 am) 2024-07-16 10:59 (UTC)
He really was asking me without any intention to pay me back, wasn't he...]
I'm a cat person for what it's worth, but what do dogs have to do with it?
[It's in part his idle curiosity, and in part a delay tactic. What does he even want...? The list is short, and not the sort of thing that Rinne can fulfill. None of them can leave here, after all, nor has he ever seen anyone send communication to the outside or receive it.]
That aside, it depends on what sort of things you're offering. I don't intend to ask you for anything you don't want to give, but I'd like to know some of my options.
[He has a feeling Amagi is too slippery to give him a straight answer, but he'd like to try anyway.]
I can walk yer dog if ya had one. I don't plan on moochin' off ya without payback~
[Even if he did basically kind of tried that, but he had every intention of winning and paying back what he should! It's just... a matter of winning first.]
I wanna take the chance while lady luck's smilin' down on me.
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no subject
Who else here would sneak up on him like that?]
...Amagi-san. [The tension remains and stretches for just another moment before Akira breathes out, reminds himself Amagi isn't an enemy.] You should be more careful about sneaking up on people.
[His brain catches up with the rest, and it's- that's a reference, isn't it? He's probably just joking around, but... That's the kind of thing Akira has to be careful about. Or at least he used to have to, a lifetime away from the resort when unknowing people around him were speculating about his secret on the daily.]
Anyway, that's pretty surprising considering we didn't meet until the winter.
no subject
[He noticed the way he tensed up, but since he hadn't reacted violently, making sure not to touch him had been the right call. He might have, if he felt threatened, but Rinne did enjoy toeing that dangerous line at times.]
It's always summer in my dreams, clearly you should haunt it more often.
no subject
Are you admitting to your other claim being false, or does that mean you dreamt up the whole thing?
[He pushes his glasses up his nose, watching Amagi watching him. Akira's pretty sure he's being observed as well, and it's an odd feeling to be on the other end of it for a change. He doesn't think he's let any of his tells slip, but he should be careful just in case.
Sometimes it puts Akira on edge, but that's what makes Amagi both perplexing and fun, too.]
no subject
[As though that was more appealing or something, but Rinne is at least not addressing the edge much. Focusing more on the action to take, rather than the reason he's tense.]
And maybe you can lend me some chips! Feeling lucky today, so I wanna take my chances at the pachinko.
no subject
I don't have so many chips that I can give them out freely. [He doesn't comply with this place even half as much as he should, and that means he has to budget every single chip he has.] What will you give me in return?
[The "shifty" sticks though, makes him loosen just a little. That's not what Akira wants to be, too close to what others have called him in the past, so he makes an attempt to move away from it and relax. He needs to work towards being more polite and approachable with Amagi, but that may prove to be a challenge in itself. He's so unpredictable that Akira's still trying to figure out what mask to show him.]
Maybe we can discuss our options in the garden.
no subject
[He tilts his head, observing him for a moment, before pulling back and bounding away, just enough to give him some breathing space while walking to the gardens.]
What would you want for 'em? Yer all mysterious to me.
no subject
[There it is again - that feeling of being watched, been seen like he isn't the one being the observer for once. He doesn't flinch away from it. Instead, he simply pushes his glasses up his nose without breaking eye contact.
What does Amagi witness, staring at the mirror that only wishes to reflect back what the looker wants to see?
There's something between relief and disappointment in his chest as Rinne turns and bounds away, but Akira follows him with looser limbs. He keeps his voice purposefully light.]
What about you? Any big plans for yours?
no subject
[He says in a cheerful manner, looking back at him and ignoring the question, a sly grin on his face.]
What are you so wary for? It's just a few chips, you could ask for anything ya want for it.
no subject
Suppose I could. But if I did, then I'd be acting careless with my resources. [He shrugs when he's in Rinne's view, loose and relaxed again.] There's nothing special about it. It's exactly like I told you - I save my chips and budget them carefully.
[His eyes flicker, something bright and curious and piercing.]
That includes not spending it on just anything.
[Meaning that he absolutely noticed that Amagi didn't answer his question, either.]
no subject
[He sighs, dramatic and loud, that it was hard to tell if he was mocking him or genuinely exasperated at the idea. Either way...]
I know! Lend me some chips, and I'll double 'em up with the pachinko machines. I feel really lucky today~ I betcha I'd get a large payout easy.
no subject
Luck is a fickle thing. Even the longest winning streak has a chance of coming to an end. If you lose, how will you pay me back?
[There's a hint of challenge in his voice, but an even greater curiosity; Akira genuinely wants to know if he has a plan up his sleeves if things should go poorly.]
I might take an answer that isn't currency, too... but you'll have to find the right thing to sway me.
no subject
[You know. If he wanted him to walk his dog or something.]
If it's something I can do, I'll do it if it seems reasonable.
no subject
...
He really was asking me without any intention to pay me back, wasn't he...]
I'm a cat person for what it's worth, but what do dogs have to do with it?
[It's in part his idle curiosity, and in part a delay tactic. What does he even want...? The list is short, and not the sort of thing that Rinne can fulfill. None of them can leave here, after all, nor has he ever seen anyone send communication to the outside or receive it.]
That aside, it depends on what sort of things you're offering. I don't intend to ask you for anything you don't want to give, but I'd like to know some of my options.
[He has a feeling Amagi is too slippery to give him a straight answer, but he'd like to try anyway.]
no subject
[Even if he did basically kind of tried that, but he had every intention of winning and paying back what he should! It's just... a matter of winning first.]
I wanna take the chance while lady luck's smilin' down on me.