When Her Expression Changes To One Of Surprise, Smile Vanishing, Ryuji Can't Help The Pang Of Worry In

When her expression changes to one of surprise, smile vanishing, Ryuji can't help the pang of worry in his stomach that he did something wrong.

Maybe he did, a part of him murmured, you did just make a scene then proceed to ask if she wanted clothing coupons in public, you know? Maybe that'd be embarrassing for her, both in the ways of her disliking such attentions; her efforts to keep her head down royally dashed by sheer virtue of her befriending of him, not to mention the metaverse as a whole; and in the ways of what thoughts it might inspire. ( while Ryuji hadn't first known, hadn't first realized, the concept passed right by him entire until pointed out with pen and paper like an assignment he missed the date for; how many others shared that first unawareness? how many other people would judge her for it? their peers so often tore her apart as it is, a feeling Ryuji was so familiar with. was this feeding the vultures? was it baiting them in? if not appearance in one way, then they would always find another. they would always find something different, they would always find something. )

for a split second, his center of gravity shuddered just enough to make his nerves feel shaken, and he tries not to look too worried. it was just surprise, and if she did turn it down, really turned it down, he could give them to someone else; the sentiment, hopefully, not a bad one. not a lost one. ━ but he hoped she'd take them. he couldn't know what it was like to be who she is trying to outlive who she used to be known by, but he wanted to help, even if he couldn't. wanted her happy, even if it was fleeting. he knew that always, always, she'd deserve that much. ( so he hoped she'd take them. he really hoped she'd take them... )

but Ryuji almost gets blindsided by his own momentary past self as he straightens out properly with his breath regained, not expecting to be caught red-handed in his half-step falter of language; he should've, Akari was quick, quicker than anything, and he finds himself kind of glad for it, but also a little embarrassed at being called out

" Oh! Uh.. " the bleached-blonde falters, not untruthfully, and scratches at the back of his head, openly unexpecting of it, as the other arm he holds the coupons with bends & lowers only slightly in his thought, the offer still blatantly on the table despite the motion " Reason I asked is 'cause, well… I wanted to know if you'd wanna go together! "

might as well be honest! ( double down! )

" I don't really know how to style an outfit like you or the others, a-and I don't know nothin' 'bout girl clothes, " Ryuji bounces his leg by the tip of his shoe, scraping it against the ground, bluntness overpowering the anxiety beneath it " but I like hanging out with you anyways, no matter what we do, and you deserve something nice! "

Ryuji's conviction of the statement is honest, heartfelt, unhesitating. he doesn't even need to think about it to believe it, like it's just a fact to him, like simple truth. he waggles the coupons like it's proving a point, flimsy paper slips shivering in the wind " and if I gave 'em to Ann, I'm pretty damn sure her closet would explode at this point… "

[Plotted Asks!]

@quillheel wrote in… »» " Hey, Akari-! " brazen as ever, like a bull in a china shop, you can hear the blonde before you see him. Ryuji manuevers, almost dance-like ( if not for how ungraceful he is ), around the groups of students departing from the academy. To his benefit, at the very least he's not toppled anyone over… this time. ducking, weaving, before hopping haphazardly on one leg, a backpack of supplies hooked on his arm wild with momentum, to part through a gap of people and at last make it to Akari. He's as bright as ever, though red in the face from the strain & speed of himself, frame shaking with heavy breathing. he hunches, hands on knees, to catch his breath. He seems not to care as people stare, just a little, at the commotion. " H-hey━ sorry about that, I uh- I wanted to ask if you were free today-? Real last second, I-I know, but━ " Well, that explains the seeming bid for attention: it was. like Akari's time would be snatched up if he wasn't fast enough. ( some days, that was true… ). he digs out two slips of paper from his bag, and waves them like evidence, reason to his social crime. " ━ wound up getting coupons for that one clothes place down the way, in Shibuya, and they expire in a couple of days so I-I wanted to ask if- " come on, spit it out! " if you wanted em-! " ━ damn! he meant to ask to go together, even if Ryuji didn't know his head from his feet in fashion, but… ah well, it's the heart that counts, right? as long as Akari had the chance to get something she liked, it was worth it either way.

The moment Akari heard the all-familiar, less-than-inside voice beckon to her, the moment she dared to turn around--she half-expected to witness some poor soul get trampled over by the incoming stampede headed in her immediate direction. However, she would be humbled in her assumption--surprisingly so, don't get her wrong--as she instead caught a showing of Ryuji attempting to hop, skip, and jump his way over to her, somehow avoiding the outcome she'd predicted.

"Ryuji, you know that you could have just said my name and I would have waited for you... right?" There's a shake of her head, but she did have to stiff a small huff of laughter. There was no reason to make such a showing, but in a twisted way, she was glad he did.

Embarrassing? Oh, yes--everyone within the vicinity was now staring into their very souls. Weirdly amusing and worth watching? Also yes.

However, when he'd expressed his intentions further, Akari's little grin had faded for an immediate reaction of surprise. She blinked a few times under her glasses, both at the invitation, and, of course, at the two tiny sheets within the blonde's grip. Coupons... for a clothing store? And, judging by his own language, he acquired these at his own leisure, and not by any sort of random chance.

Yes, extremely unlike Ryuji. To the point where she's still wearing that expression by the time she spoke again. Her thumb and index slowly trailed downward over the strap of her bag; Morgana must have jumped out at some point, maybe when he heard Ryuji coming...? He definitely would have said something less-than-ideal by now if he were present.

"A... are you sure you wouldn't want to give these to Ann?" Ann was the actual fashionista of the group, after all--surely she was the better candidate. And yet... here he was, offering them to her instead.

She... wasn't quite sure if she should be the one accepting these, out of all people... and not merely due to her lack of fashion. So, she would not extend her hand to accept them just yet.

"...You asked if I was free?" Surely it wasn't related to this, right? Ryuji didn't quite strike her as the type to enjoy that kind of shopping.

“I would die for you.”

“Yeah, but you won’t shut up for me, will you?”

🔥 // Throwing this back at you, for Akechi's opinion of Yusuke. :) Or even, Ralsei's opinion of Kris!

send me a 🔥 and i'll tell you one thing my muse finds attractive about yours // always accepting!

" Oh! " ━ the brief flicker of being caught off guard, charitable; good natured, as though it was an unexpected but not disliked surprise. spinning the wheel in a teenage game & watching the tinted bottle land on you, abruptly asking just how well they could do; trivia, kissing, something else; always something else; it didn't matter. ( it masks a brief, insufferable bolt of panic that glimmers like lightning from his heart down to his stomach. it's just a game, but still, a tv-ready feeling takes over, the polish of someone who must live off of how well they can dance around the unexpected, and dance well. )

" You're asking me? Well, I'm sure there'd be plenty of girls quite interested in Yusuke-san's features, but alright! hmm... " a laugh, shifting into pondering, think on it, act as though you haven't thought about it before, an invasive thought curled around the brainstem far more descriptive than what is being asked. run the list in your mind again, ignore the fact you have a list at all, again, again. check the time. 30 seconds is appropriate. get it right. get it right.

" Ah, his eyes perhaps? he's very attentive to other people in his own way, which as a detective, I have to appreciate! " ━ as a detective, of course, only that. nothing more. nothing further. something shivers inside him and keels over in the cold apathy to his inner self as a trained dog jumps through hoops. poodle; greyhound; akita. ( 'his hands,' offers a different, quiet part of him that could never be shared, never be heard. 'dexterity along the length of fingers, brutality along the backs of knuckles : the way he uses both to make something beautiful.' )

invincible (show) starters

❝ you’re awful calm about it. ❞ ❝ don’t pretend you do this because you care. ❞ ❝ you take bullets like a champ and don’t whine about it. ❞ ❝ don’t beat yourself up. i would’ve done the same thing. ❞ ❝ i wanna do what you do. i wanna be just like you. ❞ ❝ listen to what i’m saying. you know in your heart i’m right. ❞ ❝ you stared down your demons, and you…you conquered them. ❞ ❝ you’re incredible, and you make me want to be a better person. ❞ ❝ i’m strong enough, and i can do this! ❞ ❝ i should have prepared you better. your life has been soft and painless. ❞ ❝ that’s the tricky part of the job, balancing what you wanna do, with what you need to do. ❞ ❝ i’m still working on my one-liners, but that one is really bad. ❞ ❝ do you want to talk about yesterday?     you look like you need to talk about yesterday. ❞ ❝ i didn’t…i didn’t mean to hit you so hard. i’m sorry. ❞ ❝ hey, don’t walk away from me. ❞ ❝ no, i don’t trust you. not anymore. you broke that. ❞ ❝ it’s natural to doubt yourself, but if you can push through that, and do what needs to be done, you’ll do just fine. ❞ ❝ what the hell has gotten into you? ❞ ❝ what’s dumb is how long i’ve been putting up with your bullshit. ❞ ❝ i’m actually getting used to this a little. ❞ ❝ okay. i guess that still counts as a landing. ❞ ❝ don’t try to change the subject. ❞ ❝ everyone else is fine. concerned about you, but fine. ❞ ❝ i feel gross. i’m taking a shower. ❞ ❝ don’t try to talk. you’re going to be okay. you’re safe now. ❞ ❝ if you don’t have anything else to say, you need to leave. ❞ ❝ you think you might have bitten off more than you can chew? ❞ ❝ this is the beginning of a long journey for you and me. ❞ ❝ i don’t think you’re ready. ❞ ❝ i thought it might have been a dream…i wish it were. ❞ ❝ i wouldn’t be able to live with myself if i didn’t make things as right as they can be. ❞ ❝ look, if this is too much, just say so. ❞ ❝ i can’t begin to explain the devastation, the pain…the loss. ❞ ❝ this is what i want. you and me, here. together. ❞ ❝ you don’t still have a concussion or something you haven’t told me about, do you? ❞ ❝ pathetic. this battle is beneath me. there is no honor in killing insects. ❞ ❝ you’re just gonna keep prying if i’m evasive at all, so, um…i’m scared. ❞ ❝ does that make you feel strong?     to know i can’t physically make you do something? ❞ ❝ honey, it’s the middle of the night. ❞ ❝ sometimes, i forget how beautiful this planet can be. ❞ ❝ my apologies. didn’t mean to scare. ❞ ❝ how could someone who promised to keep us safe, to protect us against any threat, become that threat? ❞ ❝ a little trust goes a long way. actions go further. ❞ ❝ can we do that again? start over? ❞ ❝ i haven’t figured out anything. i don’t know who i am, who i’m supposed to be… ❞ ❝ i didn’t want to do it…but it had to be done. ❞ ❝ i love you, man, but i need someone else to talk to. ❞ ❝ i came out here because i needed to start over, but that doesn’t mean ignoring the world when it needs me. ❞ ❝ it’s like i’m hollow inside. nothing seems real. ❞ ❝ i know you’re not okay, but do you want to talk about it? ❞ ❝ okay, stop. enough with the sulking, you big baby. ❞ ❝ i got everything i ever wanted, and i messed it all up. ❞ ❝ you have no idea how much i needed to hear you say that. ❞ ❝ you still feel something’s wrong. don’t you? ❞ ❝ from the sounds of it, i’m the one who should be apologizing. ❞ ❝ who do you think they’re gonna believe? me or you? ❞ ❝ demons know evil when they see it. ❞ ❝ you’re ruining my childhood, and that’s hard because it already sucked. ❞ ❝ if we can die and any time, we can drink at any time. ❞ ❝ can we…talk about something else? ❞ ❝ fly away, or take the stairs. i really don’t give a shit. ❞ ❝ i’ve been an asshole, and i’m sorry i didn’t realize that sooner, but that all stops today. ❞ ❝ huh. that is a strangely non-specific story. ❞ ❝ mistakes were made, but everything’s back on track. ❞ ❝ i feel like i’m standing on the edge of a cliff, and i’m the only one of us who can’t fly. ❞ ❝ you’ve been talking about home. you never talk about home. ❞ ❝ i don’t know if i could do that. leave everything behind. ❞ ❝ and what if the greatest me isn’t enough? ❞ ❝ you’re hiding something from me, and it hurts. ❞ ❝ i’ve heard so much about you. ❞ ❝ you expect me to worship you because of it. ❞ ❝ you’ve been distant, annoyed at everything, and you’ve been mean. ❞ ❝ along the way, you’re gonna need to do things you don’t want to do, or might not think you can do. ❞ ❝ first thing: stay out of sight unless something goes wrong. ❞ ❝ as much as i’d love to help with your very special crisis, i’ve got my own crap to deal with now. ❞ ❝ look, i screwed up. i know i did, i just…i just, i don’t know why i keep doing this. ❞ ❝ i take back everything i said about you before, and i said a lot. ❞ ❝ or what? are you threatening me? ❞ ❝ we have…responsibilities that normal humans don’t. ❞ ❝ try to hit me. ❞ ❝ after everything they’ve done, how can i possibly live up to all that? ❞ ❝ i’m more like you. i’m nothing special. ❞ ❝ you barely remember anything you don’t see in the mirror every morning. ❞ ❝ if you really wanna do what i do, you have to be prepared for anything. ❞ ❝ don’t look down…stop looking down! ❞ ❝ if you’re up for it, i’ll make some time tomorrow for training. ❞ ❝ i…had a pretty interesting day. ❞ ❝ no, you don’t! i know you think i can’t do this! ❞ ❝ it wasn’t too much, i could take the pain. ❞ ❝ how’s everyone else? or was i the only loser who got the shit kicked out of them? ❞ ❝ i thought you two hated each other with the burning fury of a thousand suns. ❞ ❝ every time i try to be a hero, i just make things worse. ❞ ❝ you said that you wanted to start over. you said that. you promised. ❞ ❝ i know it’s hard to love someone when they don’t seem to love you back. ❞ ❝ make the world you wanna live in. ❞ ❝ i’m not here to help. just here to make sure you don’t get hurt. ❞ ❝ shut it! i feel dirty even talking to you. ❞ ❝ i’ve faced death more times than i can count, but i’ll be damned if that didn’t put my balls in my throat. ❞ ❝ make sure you get a good night’s sleep. ❞ ❝ i’ve never done anything that hard in my life. ❞ ❝ you’ve had it rough, you know, but you’ve really pulled yourself together. ❞ ❝ you got a problem with a demon? i thought you were an atheist. ❞ ❝ don’t make me get the spray bottle. ❞ ❝ the world was fine before i came along. it’ll be fine without my help. ❞ ❝ i wasn’t ready before. now i am. ❞ ❝ i covered for you. told them you got hit by a bus which, by the looks of you, isn’t far off. ❞ ❝ forget this. we did our best, and we won. ❞ ❝ i’m twenty minutes late, but there’s no way you’re gonna be mad at me. ❞ ❝ one nightmare scenario is enough to worry about right now. ❞ ❝ that’s not blood on you, is it? ❞ ❝ do you need a replay on what happened last time, ass? ❞ ❝ i never thought i would have a family, and then you came along, and i love you so much. ❞ ❝ oh, ‘out’. every woman’s favourite destination for a romantic evening. ❞ ❝ hell, last time you sprained your back. ❞ ❝ one day, it seems like you have all the time in the world,     and then the next…it’s gone. ❞ ❝ kill that one and move on! ❞ ❝ i’m happy you’re awake. your recovery was…tenuous at times. ❞ ❝ just got…a lot on my mind, i guess. ❞ ❝ what are you thinking? you look ridiculous. ❞ ❝ i need something to punch. ❞ ❝ iit changed my life. i know it changed yours, too. ❞ ❝ you make me sound like a monster. ❞ ❝ it may not look like much, but you did far more damage there than you needed. ❞ ❝ you are big and strong, aren’t you? ❞ ❝ i know you’re crazy about me. ❞ ❝ i can take it from here. too dangerous for you. ❞ ❝ we’re gonna be fine. we’ll get out of this. ❞ ❝ please, you couldn’t just sit this one out? ❞ ❝ you just take all the time you need. ❞ ❝ i don’t know what just happened, but i think i speak for everyone here when i say i never want it to happen ever again! ❞ ❝ um…thanks for saving my butt back there. ❞ ❝ i’m here for you. whatever you need. you wanna talk, i’ll listen. ❞ ❝ i don’t know who you are, but it’s time to go. ❞ ❝ we’re keeping this all hush-hush for now, but news will break. ❞ ❝ please, don’t waste any more of my time. ❞ ❝ i said, no. you’re still injured. ❞ ❝ trust you? how could i possibly trust you now? ❞ ❝ every date should feel like a first date. ❞ ❝ i understand what it’s like for the world to look at you and see one thing, never knowing the truth of what’s inside. ❞ ❝ look what they need to mimic a fraction of our power. ❞ ❝ this isn’t your world. it’s theirs. ❞ ❝ you saved him…so much effort, for what? ❞ ❝ there’s a lot of things i thought i knew about you. ❞ ❝ you’re terrified of me, aren’t you? ❞ ❝ this is my home and i won’t let you destroy it. ❞ ❝ we can finally do what we were meant to do. be who we were meant to be. ❞ ❝ this isn’t how i wanted to do this, but i don’t have a choice. ❞ ❝ someone’s controlling you! tell me how to stop them! ❞ ❝ what happens out there, the mistakes, even the victories, you can’t bring it home. ❞ ❝ didn’t mean to offend. nuance of human conversation is difficult for me. ❞ ❝ never get invited. show up anyway. ❞ ❝ it’s a rare, lucky few of us who find someone who understands our path, even rarer if they accept it. ❞ ❝ no matter what threat i faced, i knew i wasn’t facing it alone. ❞ ❝ get out! before i send you back to hell myself. ❞ ❝ you don’t seem to understand. earth isn’t yours to conquer. ❞ ❝ i love you, but, man, sometimes, you’ve got a screw loose. ❞ ❝ i already told you everything i remember. ❞ ❝ this is why i have always hated you. ❞ ❝ everyone you know and love will be gone before you even look 30. ❞ ❝ hold on, i just wanna…i wanna talk! ❞ ❝ sometimes people aren’t who they appear to be. ❞ ❝ this is your life now. this is what you do. ❞ ❝ could you define ‘not that tough’? ❞ ❝ admirable intention, but i am not positive we can handle this. ❞ ❝ it’s okay. it’s okay, i’m here. are you hurt? ❞ ❝ i’d say i’d see you in hell, but there’s a worse place waiting for you. ❞ ❝ we gave people time to escape. that’s what matters. ❞ ❝ your voice is like music. i hang on every word. ❞ ❝ your stubborness against the inevitable killed those people. ❞ ❝ you tread on dangerous ground, my friend. ❞ ❝ did seeing that man lose his life disturb you? ❞ ❝ how does it feel to save the world? ❞ ❝ stop, please. i’m not here to fight. ❞ ❝ you don’t understand the choices i have to make. ❞ ❝ i’m not an idiot. i know when someone’s lying. ❞ ❝ oh…you’re…you’re out for revenge. ❞ ❝ how many more need to die? it’s up to you. ❞ ❝ you can’t do this hero bullshit on your own. ❞ ❝ am i important to you? it really doesn’t feel like it. ❞ ❝ you only see good and evil. black and white. ❞ ❝ ithat was amazing, but also the scariest thing i’ve ever seen. ❞ ❝ it’s kind of like peeing your pants on purpose. ❞ ❝ i did actually help people. not sure how grateful they were, but whatever. ❞ ❝ please don’t lose interest in me while i’m gone. ❞ ❝ when you start a sentence with ‘i think’, you murder 90% of the romance in it. ❞ ❝ it’s all i ever wanted for as long as i remember. ❞ ❝ you wanna be a hero, right? fame, glory, get the pretty gal? ❞ ❝ kids your age think they’re invincible and it holds them back, makes them careless. ❞ ❝ don’t you do enough for the world? ❞ ❝ i can’t imagine what you’re going through. ❞ ❝ it’ll be worth the wait to see me on my best behavior. ❞ ❝ i’m wasting my potential here. i could so so much more. ❞ ❝ you said you wanted to tell me months ago, but you’re still not telling me now. ❞ ❝ oh, i know. you’re confused, but you’re used to that. ❞ ❝ no, no, what about you? ❞ ❝ all human failings are simply engineering challenges crying out to be solved. we’re machines, and the sooner we recognize that, the sooner we’ll reach our true potential. ❞ ❝ once again, it seems you have an opinion to share? ❞ ❝ you can’t save the world. it’s gonna get you killed. ❞ ❝ huh. i thought you’d try and talk me out of it. ❞ ❝ i don’t want to lie to you, but i don’t want to tell you the truth either. ❞ ❝ lots of people are going to tell you how to use your powers, but it’s up to you to make these decisions. ❞ ❝ if i didn’t know better, i’d say you’re trying to get rid of me. ❞ ❝ that…sounds like a commitment to a second date? ❞ ❝ i’m a little jumpy. maybe you can understand that. ❞ ❝ don’t you dare shush me. ❞ ❝ i’m sorry. i must have pinched a nerve. i forget how soft humans are. ❞ ❝ never seen anything like this. ❞ ❝ it’s impressive, but, like, who needs that many rooms? ❞ ❝ when in doubt, throw them into space. ❞ ❝ i want to see fear in your eyes. ❞ ❝ i think you might have skipped a few steps. ❞ ❝ i mean, can a person even have an eight pack? ❞ ❝ you make it sound like i am obsessed or something. ❞ ❝ haven’t you earned a day off? ❞

This is still the prettiest thing I've ever written

// @leuvspell dyn. tag!

━ ♔ Girls like you; they dont come with guarantees / so if you've gotta spend your time; wont you spend it with me? ━ RYUJI&AKARI: leuvspell