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[youngestdawn]

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[fogboundcrow]

[He's wary of texting late at night, but it's only fair, so Akira knows what's going on.]

I stepped out to take care of something. I'm okay, but sorry if I worried you.

Staying with Magpie. Too tired to come home. Will be back as soon as I can.

[youngestdawn]

Okay, Akechi-kun!
Is Hawk okay with you being gone? Should I go check on him?

[fogboundcrow]

I think Crow is in there, but if you want to keep them company, it might not be a bad idea.

He's probably 'spying' on me, so a distraction may be good.

[youngestdawn]

How can he spy on you when you're not there?
Or is it the 'spying' adults do?

[fogboundcrow]

My memories are absorbed into him in real time.

Sometimes he doesn't really acknowledge it, but then there are times where suddenly it's very clear that he knows what I'm doing.

[youngestdawn]

Oh...and you can't do it back? That's not fair!

[fogboundcrow]

It's because he's older and I'm younger. So I guess because we exist simultaneously, everything I experience here gets funneled back into him.

Which is why I snuck out to do my top secret mission, but alas. He caught onto me.

But Magpie gave me soup, so I will take that as a win. He's not the one getting soup.

[youngestdawn]

But if you exist
silutaneousy
simuntaniously
similtaineusly
at the same time, then that means you should be able to read his mind, too!
Or at least block him out somehow, like I block out nightmares!
It's not fair!

[fogboundcrow]

It's not fair, but I think most of the time he doesn't weaponize it.

It's mostly when he's not preoccupied that he zeroes in, I think. I snuck out while he was sleeping to make it work, but now he's mad.

He means well, but I'm fine and I learned many helpful things for him and Magpie.

[youngestdawn]

If you waited until he was asleep, but he knows your every thought...didn't you think that he'd know you were going to sneak out and pretend to be asleep?

[fogboundcrow]

I think he was actually asleep because he didn't text me until I had finished my mission. So I out tricked a trickster.

[youngestdawn]

I...don't think you could do that...
You are very cool but his brain has had more time to develop

[fogboundcrow]

True, he may have a larger brain, but it took him a while to react to my disappearance. I still had an edge.

I'm glad he's there for Hawk while I'm out, though. I just wish he wouldn't snoop on me while I was trying to have a conversation with Magpie.

And then they started being very weird in texts. A very silly dare of sorts. Adults can be so strange...

[youngestdawn]

Just because it took him a while to react doesn't mean he didn't know!
Card-san taught me that!
It's a good skill to have in card games.
Adults are weird, but they're not adults yet. What kind of dare?

[fogboundcrow]

It was like flirting but neither one of them was serious about it and they were waiting to see who would give up first.

It was very, very stupid. I suppose Crow "won," though. I convinced Magpie to stop engaging.

It's not like Crow was serious anyway because he misses Ren, who he likes the same way you like dinosaurs.

[youngestdawn]

His Ren is a dinosaur?!
Oh. I can see why you'd think it was stupid.
Aki-chan is typing...
Adult feelings are stupid.

[fogboundcrow]

Ren isn't a dinosaur, but Crow's very positive about Ren like you are about dinosaurs. He'd probably be cooler if he was a dinosaur, though.

But yes, adult feelings are weird.

Sometimes adults are really soft and caring for each other, like the way they are in movies. I think that's what he has with Ren. But then there are people like my mother, who was hurt by a very bad man who abandoned her when I came into the picture. I don't think he would be like that with Ren, and I don't think Crow would put up with that from Ren. So they're probably more like Dojima-san was with his wife before she passed.

He's my foster father, and he misses her every day. He took me in because it's what she would have wanted, and he's been very kind to me, even though I'm not "really" his son.

My "real" father never cared. But Dojima-san gave me my phone and has been very patient. I wish he was here. I think he'd like you...

[youngestdawn]

Several minutes pass. Aki-chan spends them curled up, blanket around his shoulders, trying to scare his nightmares and fears of not having an Akechi of his own away with his nightlight.

I'm gonna check on Hawk-kun now. Good night, Akechi-san.

[fogboundcrow]

Ah.

I'm sorry, Akira-kun. I'm not feeling well and I didn't think and


Please be okay.

Crow, you know I'm typing this. You had better make sure he's okay.

[When Akira goes into the room, he'll find a very alarmed Crow wide-eyed on the couch. Then, very quietly, he'll move over to make sure Akira is okay.]

[youngestdawn]

[ Aki-chan takes a few deep breaths to calm himself down, and then opens the door to his room, quietly as he can. Crow is sitting on the couch, looking at him...Aki-chan slowly steps back into his bedroom to curl back up in his bed. Crow is looking after Hawk, of course he is. Everything's okay. This'll all just be a bad dream he can shake off when he wakes up... ]

[fogbornphantom]

[Except Crow knows it's not that simple. He'll follow Akira back into his room, trying to be quiet.]

Hey. Do you want to stay with us tonight? I don't mind.

[He pauses.]

I'm sorry I-- we- Raven's very sorry. Tonight was very stressful for him, and he has a very bad headache. But I don't want you to be alone if you're unhappy.

I can keep you safe from the nightmares tonight.

[youngestdawn]

Aki-chan doesn't respond for a moment. He wants to snuggle with Hawk (he always does), but whatever's happened tonight is obviously Akechi Business that Aki-chan is too small and too not-Akechi to understand...

You didn't do anything wrong he texts the chat between himself, Rock-Akechi-san, and Rock-Akechi-kun. I'm just sleepy now

[fogbornphantom]

[He sees the text, but even so...]

It's okay. I can carry you in there. If you want to be close to Hawk, I can place you beside him. Or I can keep you close, too. I'm very strong, and I can chase all the bad dreams away.

[youngestdawn]

Card-san taught me how to eat bad dreams
He said I'm still a beginner at it though

Aki-chan pokes his head out of his room.

May I sleep next to Hawk-kun?

[fogbornphantom]

[He reaches down to ruffle Akira's hair.]

Of course. I think he'd feel extra safe with a trickster like you by his side.

[youngestdawn]

Akira-kun steps out of his room, PJs on and blanket wrapped around his shoulder, ready for a mini-sleepover with Hawk-kun.

Stop thinking too much Raven
Brains don't work after midnight

[fogbornphantom]

[Pffft. That earns a very soft snicker from him as he follows Akira back into the room.]

It's the curse of being an Akechi. Our brains are always working in overdrive.

[youngestdawn]

Right. If Akira-kun was an Akechi, he'd know that already...Akira-kun keeps his thoughts to himself as he opens the door to Hawk's room.

[fogbornphantom]

[With Raven's futon unoccupied, Crow makes his way over. He'll slide under the covers. It's big enough, even though he's taller now.]

Just let me know if you need anything, Akira-kun. I'll be right here.

[youngestdawn]

Akira-kun slots into the small futon and curls up right next to Goro-kun. He's asleep before long, something about his friend being nearby making his mind less itchy.