[ A tight, choking heat rushes up the back of Maruki's throat.
He doesn't doubt that Akira is right, but god, all he wants is to be able to confirm it with the Akira that he knows best. Maruki mourns him even as he smiles at him.
A deep breath, a sharp exhale. He lets it go. There will be time to fall apart later. For now–
Beyond the walls of the garden, the town spills out before them. Maruki turns his attention away from Akira and winces at it. Distinctly medieval, like nothing he'd seen outside of movies before arriving here. The cottages and treehouses are closest, winding dirt and stone paths through them and what passes for a main road leading toward the town center. ]
It's a shock compared to Tokyo, huh? I would say you get used to it, but...
[ He hates it as much as he did the first day, scrambling through a dusty marketplace until his rescue by the Detective Prince.
Which, well.
That's the next step. ]
I can walk through the town with you. If you want to go your own way then, I'll understand.
[ Maruki rubs at the back of his neck. ]
I have a home farther outside of town. I can offer you a room there. All housing here is free, so you don't have to, of course. You can think about it.
no subject
[ A tight, choking heat rushes up the back of Maruki's throat.
He doesn't doubt that Akira is right, but god, all he wants is to be able to confirm it with the Akira that he knows best. Maruki mourns him even as he smiles at him.
A deep breath, a sharp exhale. He lets it go. There will be time to fall apart later. For now–
Beyond the walls of the garden, the town spills out before them. Maruki turns his attention away from Akira and winces at it. Distinctly medieval, like nothing he'd seen outside of movies before arriving here. The cottages and treehouses are closest, winding dirt and stone paths through them and what passes for a main road leading toward the town center. ]
It's a shock compared to Tokyo, huh? I would say you get used to it, but...
[ He hates it as much as he did the first day, scrambling through a dusty marketplace until his rescue by the Detective Prince.
Which, well.
That's the next step. ]
I can walk through the town with you. If you want to go your own way then, I'll understand.
[ Maruki rubs at the back of his neck. ]
I have a home farther outside of town. I can offer you a room there. All housing here is free, so you don't have to, of course. You can think about it.