pullmeoutalive | P5 Voicetest; Makoto Niijima, Ann Takamaki

[he might have pushed himself a wee bit too hard the last time they went into mementos.

it wasn't really intentional—he'd just expended a little too much energy as they approached the next barrier. wanting everyone else to conserve what they had left after taking out a couple of targets mishima had provided them with, it meant that akira took a bit much on his shoulders. the tactics shifted so that they were fighting conservatively; physical attacks, guarding, debuffs with futaba patching in buffs every so often. but that left joker handling a lot of the elemental spells. and even when he saw other people's energy getting low, he made sure they had some of the coffee he brought in a thermos for them all...

and neglected any for himself, because it was more important that they were prepared. his stamina was good, good enough to get them where they had to go. but by the time they left mementos, he was completely exhausted. even morgana didn't have to tell him that he should go to bed as soon as he walked in leblanc's door. it wasn't quite enough though—

he awoke at sunrise for school, wishing so desperately he could stay in bed. his head was foggy, face almost sallow, throat sore and nose somehow both stuffy and runnng all at once.

miserable.

colds are always miserable.

but he's not one to stop, even when he should. though he tries to not let it show to sojiro as he eats his breakfast (the curry does, at least, clear his sinuses briefly), but when he shuffles through shibuya station to get his transfer to aoyama-ichtome...

he's kind of like a zombie. and he's hoping, quietly and miserably that none of his friends run into him here, because he probably needs to conserve all is energy in pretending he's not feeling so terrible for being in class with ann.

(who's he kidding, he's going to nap in kawakami's class for sure.)

...he's standing at the platform, kind of spacing out enough that a train leaves and he's still... just standing there. it's a good thing the trains run fast and often, but he's definitely going to be a bit in another world, between sniffles and coughs as he waits for the next train.

whoops.]

[ ... Oh boy. Not that he was doing such a great job at hiding how obviously unwell he feels, but even if he was, Makoto's perceptiveness isn't about to be thwarted. She'd thought Joker was handling the elemental spectrum more so than any of them, but his orders had been clear: conservation first, with Makoto joining in on the more physical attacks.

Clearly straining himself had brought him to this point, and Makoto stands there for a full ten seconds behind him, watching his shoulders tense with each cough-- before she sighs, managing to give disappointment a sound without words and reaches out to clasp his shoulder. ]

You shouldn't be here.

[busted.

he's definitely not expecting makoto to come up behind him like that, and though he avoids her gaze directly... he can see the disappointment in her expression.

it's not like there's much hiding it from her, even if he wants to. not when she can see him coughing. but still, akira is.

shrugging it off.

it's just a little cold? it's an anime cold, it's not even real.]

Can't afford to miss a day. [he's got too many eyes on him at all times with the administration at school thanks to his record and all.] It's just a tickle in my throat, anyway.

[akira.]

You're the first person to insist any one of us take a break when we start getting tired. If Ann or Ryuji were this bad, you'd also likely be the first to encourage them to go home. If you're ill, I'd be more than willing to explain matters to your homeroom teacher and have Ann bring back notes for you.

Let me feel your forehead.

[ Well. At least Makoto's polite enough to... calmly demand. ]

Ann and Ryuji don't have a probation officer to answer to.

[he sounds almost... exasperated, as he responds. akira's not really one to get snappy, but rather than calm deadpan snark, it seems like he really don't have it in him to think too cleverly for the moment.

either way, it's true. it's not that he can't miss a day of school, but he'd already gotten his warning about being egregiously late on day one—he has absolutely no leeway to speak of within shujin's wall.

even if kawakami would cover a bit for him, the adminstration is definitely in touch with the probation officer and making sure he's attending properly. missing school means going to the doctor. going to the doctor means making takemi fuss.

though it doesn't seem like he's refusing to lean down to let makoto feel his forehead, even if he's going to insist:] It's nothing I can't sleep off tonight.

[ Thanks for dipping your head just enough, Akira, she's just going to make sure that along with the sniffling and the coughing that there's no accompanying fever. Because maybe she'll be lenient if it's just the former two, but the latter? That's a much bigger problem. ]

So what happens if you feel worse tomorrow? If you really want to go to school, I won't stop you [ just fuss incessantly ] and I know you're concerned about your record, but there are ways to work around it.

[ For starters: He's got Madam President vouching for him, and the administration loves her. ]

[at least he's probably not feverish. he's a bit warm, but it could just be because he's been moving about and the subway station is crowded and also kind of warm.

or maybe it's just the faintest hint of a fever.

he's not telling.

instead, he stifles a bit of a cough—makoto is too formidable a foe.]

...I'll go see the nurse when we get there. [he doesn't really want to just turn around and go back home, he should at least show his face before committing to it, right?]

[ ... It's hard to tell. But if he's planning on seeing the nurse, it's a guaranteed method to ascertain just what kind of shape he's in. ]

All right. I'll accompany you.

[ She'd rather he just go home, but this is a decent compromise. ]

I was going to ask if you're sure...

[but let's be real, it's makoto.]

But I kind of think you'd drag me there anyway once we got to school.

Not... drag, precisely. Just... firmly encourage.

[ So yes, drag. ]

[he's definitely giving her a look.]

I wouldn't get a say in the matter, would I.

[ Look, she is totally smiling serenely okay. ]

I'd say I'm granting you plenty of say by allowing you to get on the train in the first place, Akira-kun. I'm taking your concerns into consideration, aren't I?

I'm starting to think you're just humoring me by not dragging me back to Leblanc by my ear.

[there may or may not have been another thought here, but it gets a bit lost in him turning his head away to cough into his sleeve.

he definitely overdid it in the metaverse like a dummy.]

Perhaps so. But instead of worrying about that, please do your best to make this day easier on yourself.

[ He so overdid it. ]

[he did, even if he's living in denial. he sighs as at the train pulls in—at least makoto is here to ensure he doesn't just space out and miss the train.

but he's also cautiously avoiding eye contact too. what a punk.]

You don't have to make a big deal about it. We all get colds sometimes...

[ You can't escape now, Akira. Makoto's making sure he steps onto the train and finds a seat, and he'll find a steadying hand at his back if he dawdles at all. ]

And when we do, we do what we can to minimize the amount of time we have to spend having them. I'm only lending a hand on that front.

[makoto is a blessing, even if akira is being fussy about it. he needs it, and when he's seated, his head just sort of sinks a bit.

your leader is a mess, makoto, sorry.]

I'm sure it'll be fine by tomorrow. We weren't going to go in today anyway. [since he really does try to avoid dragging everyone into the metaverse on consecutive day just for how tiring it is to be in that world.]

[ It's fine, she's not about to hold it against him. As she settles in beside him, Makoto simply shakes her head. ]

Please let me know if you're still feeling bad by then.

[ ... if not, she might enlist Sojiro's help. ]

You'll be the first person I report to, Nurse Niijima.

[well, it's obviously not too severe, since akira still clearly has it in him to sass makoto.]

That's President Niijima for now, Akira-kun. I do believe our actual nurse will more than suffice.

[ but she still expects him to report to her, of course she does. ]

...And here I thought you were going to take care of me. I'm disappointed.

[why is he like this.]

You know if I took charge, you'd be complaining about me a lot more, don't you?

[ why is he like this. ]

...Do you think so? It doesn't sound so bad to me.

[he's gonna be this way.]

I might be willing to give myself up for an examination. [yeah, he's being a punk.]

If I had enough say in this, you wouldn't be on the train at all. But I suppose if you'd like me to be a little more persuasive...

[ She's too polite to knuckle-crack. ]

[sorry that your leader is kind of a masochist sometimes.]

Hm. [hold on, he needs a second to stifle a cough.]

Are we talking "persuasive" with a nurse act or "persuasive" with brass knuckles?

FOR MAKOTO...

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