[ It's grief, isn't it? As fresh as he's ever known. Every day he wakes up and remembers all over again that the Akira he knows is lost to the vagaries of time and reality, that the one here first looked at him as if he were a stranger, and that great chasm in the pit of his heart yawns open.
Every day, though, it's the tiniest bit narrower.
Maruki has lived with this before. It ruined him, and he ran from it. He's a different man now, though.
Sometimes he wonders how the Maruki who stumbled into the Enchanted Garden in May would have dealt with this. In six months, Akira will be different too.
Still, though– he sets it aside. For the sake of their nascent friendship, and for the sake of Akira alone. Especially today.
He'd let Akira know to come back to the machiya for lunch. After so much time hermiting, Akechi is back to being gone for most of the day to go about his little routines, so he knows they'll have privacy.
He's working on the dashi when Akira returns, turns around from the stove to wave at him. ]
Hey there. Come have a seat.
[ There's a long bar counter overlooking the kitchen that they eat their meals at, nine times out of ten. Maruki will wait until he's sat at it to smile, wide and warm. ]
Happy birthday. I hope you don't mind this being part of your gift.
11/16 but you can ignore this until you're ready
Every day, though, it's the tiniest bit narrower.
Maruki has lived with this before. It ruined him, and he ran from it. He's a different man now, though.
Sometimes he wonders how the Maruki who stumbled into the Enchanted Garden in May would have dealt with this. In six months, Akira will be different too.
Still, though– he sets it aside. For the sake of their nascent friendship, and for the sake of Akira alone. Especially today.
He'd let Akira know to come back to the machiya for lunch. After so much time hermiting, Akechi is back to being gone for most of the day to go about his little routines, so he knows they'll have privacy.
He's working on the dashi when Akira returns, turns around from the stove to wave at him. ]
Hey there. Come have a seat.
[ There's a long bar counter overlooking the kitchen that they eat their meals at, nine times out of ten. Maruki will wait until he's sat at it to smile, wide and warm. ]
Happy birthday. I hope you don't mind this being part of your gift.