Week 5, Friday: Yusuke]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . if there's anyone who deserves to see Akira's lowered guards, his wounds-- as raw and tender and painful as they are-- it's Yusuke]

[this time, Akira doesn't disappear. he doesn't give himself space to think, time to grieve. he looks for Yusuke immediately, because if there's one thing that's true about the Phantom Thieves?]

[they never leave each other alone in times of great pain]

Comments

[wantsnudes]

[Yusuke isn't too hard to find, considering he's milling around listlessly, Makoto's mask still clutched in his hands, like he can't quite bring himself to let it go. He's trying to keep his composure around the others, but...

When he spots Akira, he won't even try to hide the grief in his expression, heading right over to speak with him.]

Akira...

[purrtagonist]

[there are no words]

[he knows Yusuke is a bit jumpy about physical affection. but nevertheless, as soon as he's close enough, Akira leans far into his teammate's personal space. he wraps his arms tightly around Yusuke's shoulders, drawing him close, holding him tightly]

[it's both for Yusuke. . . and for himself]

[wantsnudes]

[For once Yusuke doesn't seem to mind, leaning into the hug, even slowly wrapping his arms around Akira in return. He can feel a tightness in his throat, and his eyes are burning. Even if he wanted to, he can't trust himself to speak.]

[purrtagonist]

[neither can Akira, but. he tries anyway, words tight, spoken through whispered restraint]

. . . I'm going to tear him apart. Piece by piece.

["him." a very specific "him."]

[wantsnudes]

[there's a soft, distressed noise in Yusuke's throat, at the possibility that Akira already has a culprit in mind. his grip tightens on the back of his shirt--]

Who? Who did this to them?!

[purrtagonist]

Shin.

[he's positive. no one else in this Game has it out for him like Shin does. no one else would go to such great lengths to send him a message]

. . . it has to be him.

[wantsnudes]

Why?

[He pulls back a bit, to try to see Akira's expression.]

What did you do for him to do something so... [So staged? To kill both Akira's partner and the Thieves' strategist, even Yusuke can tell the setup is clearly intended to mean something.]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . what Yusuke catches is fire, a burning blaze lighting up the backs of his irises, like a storm. he tilts his chin up, hands squeezing Yusuke's shoulders tightly. it's a good thing Akira is excellent at restraining himself, because if he wasn't. . .?]

[this would be something of which to be terrified]

I'm a Reaper, Yusuke. Part of the group that's responsible for the deaths of at least four people.

[Clarke, Eleanor, Lion, Chuuya. he won't beat around that bush, even if he didn't directly kill any of them]

What other reason does he need?

[wantsnudes]

But to take revenge on you by hurting others-- he's nothing but a hypocrite! No, worse... If he killed out of a desire for revenge, not because he was forced against his will...

[Yusuke is shaking with anger, colder but no less potent.]

We have to stop him, before anyone else gets hurt.

[purrtagonist]

We will stop him.

[before his thirst for vengeance hurts anyone else]

For Makoto and Ichigo's sake, we have to.