deep down, it's not like he doesn't know that his friends are perceptive about some things. he's sure makoto and futaba knew especially, thanks to their observant ways, and that maybe the others picked up on a bit too. but nobody said anything, and he didn't see many worried glances being exchanged (or maybe they did, and he's too exhausted to catch it).
he'd hoped, in all honesty, that he'd be in the clear.
being in this state, his own senses slip enough that it doesn't even occur to him that ann had been through this with shiho already, that she'd recognize the signs because of what happened all those months ago.
which is exactly why he looks at her, surprised when she re-enters leblanc... and even more surprised when she offers her hand. for a moment, akira seems legitimately dumbfounded by this. part of him wants to refuse because he's the leader of the phantom thieves and he should be strong enough to fight through this without having to use his friends as crutches. they depend on him—
(and though they always tell him he can lean on them too, he never seems to be able to find it in him to burden them when he has so much more on his shoulders to try and manage. it feels wrong, even if that's what led him to this very situation.)
but of course, that other part of him knows that ann is stubborn, that she's feisty, that she's probably not going to take "no" for an answer. yet still, he shakes his head, letting it dip a little and letting out a humorless laugh.]
I hope you're not going to try and princess-carry me up the stairs. [yeah, this is akira, throwing out his dumb sense of humor to deflect from how bad it really is. even though he's clearly tired and uncomfortable, even though he's not doing a great job at masking it now that he's torn away that mask.
(and maybe he's trying to delay actually accepting her help for a minute, because... it's odd to him to try and do.)]
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deep down, it's not like he doesn't know that his friends are perceptive about some things. he's sure makoto and futaba knew especially, thanks to their observant ways, and that maybe the others picked up on a bit too. but nobody said anything, and he didn't see many worried glances being exchanged (or maybe they did, and he's too exhausted to catch it).
he'd hoped, in all honesty, that he'd be in the clear.
being in this state, his own senses slip enough that it doesn't even occur to him that ann had been through this with shiho already, that she'd recognize the signs because of what happened all those months ago.
which is exactly why he looks at her, surprised when she re-enters leblanc... and even more surprised when she offers her hand. for a moment, akira seems legitimately dumbfounded by this. part of him wants to refuse because he's the leader of the phantom thieves and he should be strong enough to fight through this without having to use his friends as crutches. they depend on him—
(and though they always tell him he can lean on them too, he never seems to be able to find it in him to burden them when he has so much more on his shoulders to try and manage. it feels wrong, even if that's what led him to this very situation.)
but of course, that other part of him knows that ann is stubborn, that she's feisty, that she's probably not going to take "no" for an answer. yet still, he shakes his head, letting it dip a little and letting out a humorless laugh.]
I hope you're not going to try and princess-carry me up the stairs. [yeah, this is akira, throwing out his dumb sense of humor to deflect from how bad it really is. even though he's clearly tired and uncomfortable, even though he's not doing a great job at masking it now that he's torn away that mask.
(and maybe he's trying to delay actually accepting her help for a minute, because... it's odd to him to try and do.)]