15strangers | (no subject)

WEEK 2

[The unfortunate death, and subsequent execution, has no doubt weighed on everyone's minds since. The dam has burst, and now, the idea that someone may kill another in this place is not just a possibility anymore. It is reality, and a very terrifying reality at that.

Yet, there is a strange side effect to the murder's aftermath. When the Titled go to sleep on Saturday evening, they will dream, even if they don't normally do so. When they wake up, their dream stays with them, and a thought comes to everyone. A realization.

Their dream had been a memory they lost. Now, they have it back, as if they had never lost it.

Nor is that the only change. They also feel just a little more confident in their power. Confident enough that they find that their ability has evolved to become stronger. Whether that's a good or a bad thing, well...

Soon enough, too, the Titled's phones start pinging, and when they open up their LIME app, they receive a simple message:]

Your Mall Map has been updated!

[And indeed, those who go to check the Food Court will find an elevator on the eastern end which leads to a brand new wing that had previously been obscured by the barrier.

Dio and Wake's information is also slightly different from before on the LIME app, but...maybe it's best not to think about it. Last week had been...disheartening.

Hopefully, this week will be better, right? Surely, this week, temptation won't win out again....right?

Well.

There's only one way to find out.

Welcome to Week 2, Titled.

There are thirteen strangers in this place.

This week's crab is Dungeness.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Considering him and Nagisa were now on non-honorific name bases after their fight against each other? No, it definitely wasn't impossible for close friends to do that but this was different and he knew it. ]

I'm well aware of that. Though I doubt close friends act as cozy as you two did at the afterparty on Sunday.

[ Not taking out his phone to show him, thankfully. He kinda promised Akira in a way that he wouldn't. ]

All rather admirable traits. [ See? Karma can take some things seriously here for once. ] I can see why you'd like her. She's older than you, I take it?

[Just going to ignore the bit about the afterparty.]

By six years, yes. She is young for such a competent prosecutor, but being in her position at my age would be even more remarkable than my having become a detective at fifteen.

I see. That is still rather impressive, though.

[ A nod of his head. There's no judgment here, Akechi. ]

However. Let's stop beating around the bush here. [ Gonna cut the games short here, head tilting to the side. ] Do you love Akira-san?

[And now he's turning bright red. Before their talk about his behavior toward the end of the trial, he might have been able to get away with saying love might have been too strong of a word...but after sharing the whole truth, and Akira accepting him anyway...]

I...ah...

[He knew this was the risk. If he refuses to answer, then it'll be as good as saying the answer he doesn't want to give is true.]

Y...yes.

[ Totally resisting the urge to snap a picture of that incredibly flustered face. Kinda makes the normally calm detective cute, in his own way. ]

Considering i'm absolutely positive he feels the same toward you? It's good to finally hear you say it aloud.

[ There's surprisingly nothing mocking or condescending about his words as he says them this time, seeming rather calm for the most part. ]

Are you two boyfriends now?

[ Just say it. That's all he wants to hear. ]

[Sigh. No point in trying to deflect anymore...he does seem oddly nervous, though, compared to his usual confident composure.]

We have been for the past week, actually.

Ah! Knew it.

[ Karma nodded his head, something akin to an almost genuine smile on his face now in contrast to Akechi's nervousness. ]

No need to seem so nervous about this. Why hide it? I seriously doubt anyone here's going to judge you for being in a relationship with another guy.

[He's silent for a moment, fidgeting with his coffee cup.]

Where we come from, we would actually be judged quite harshly. Same sex relationships are looked down upon for a number of reasons, and I have enough celebrity there that I've had to develop a habit of being aware of anything that might damage my reputation.

[ A sigh. Rolling his eyes a bit. Really, he does get where you're coming from but that still prompts him to say the next part without hesitating. ]

You're not AT home though. Why not just accept it while you're here? There's no reputation here that you have to worry about.

I've been worried about the opinions of the people here. I don't know most of you very well, so it's felt safest to keep to the image I put forth at home.

Why? It's your life, so live it however you want to.

[ A nod of his head follows that and puts his hands into his pockets as if it's a total matter of fact thing he's saying here. ]

There's no need to have an image here. Do what makes you happy and don't worry what other people think.

[He goes quiet again, thinking about the moments where he's slipped. He's faced teasing, but...no loss of respect. He feels genuine bonds with a number of the people here, enough so that he feels like the only obstacle to being able to relax like he does at Leblanc is the threat of murder...or of publicly revealed secrets. But...if opening up and showing his true self turns out to be a mistake, there's no going back.]

I'm not the sort of person who can make peace with being looked down on. I don't want the others to think less of me for who I am when I'm not playing the part of the Detective Prince.

Who's going to look down on you or think less of you?

[ Karma's brows drew into an almost irritated frown at this, exhaling a sigh. ]

Just be you. Be Akechi-san. Nobody else.

[ Then his grin comes back. ]

If anyone wants to give you crap about it? I'm sure me, Akira-san and a few others would back you up.

[He blinks a couple times, then a slow smile spreads across his face.]

...Ursula-san said something similar to that, too. Thank you, Akabane-san. You've given me something important to think about.

[He has friends now. Real ones. Thinking about it in that context...why would he need to cling to the image he created to appeal to people who only care about him as far as he is what they want him to be?]