i could never rescue you.

The chances of him squealing are exactly zilch. He isn’t a snitch and never has been, preferring to deal with his problems in his own, occasionally questionable, ways, but the good doctor doesn’t need to know that. It’s the only real bit of leverage Dirk has in the situation, and he is loath to give it up.

The question seems silly to him, and his answer reflects his disdainful view of the inquiry, but it is completely truthful regardless. “When I say that, I mean as long as you’re not causing harm to me, anything or anyone I care about or have the intent to cause any of those things harm, we’re cool. I’m an enthusiast, not a psychopath with a blade.”

❝That’s... understandable.❞ 

That doesn’t really make him feel any better but Akihiro decides to keep that to himself as he takes a long, deep drag from his cigarette in an attempt to ease himself. He couldn’t imagine how Strider even managed to carry that blade with him around the campus but perhaps that’s another question for another day.

There was an audible noise that accompanied Octavio’s eye roll as his family’s business was brought up. He didn’t even bother responding to the comment other than that. He was here, at Blackwood, to make a bigger name for himself. Not for his family. Not the company.

Thankfully, Octavio didn’t have to change the subject himself. He stuck out one leg directly in front of him, perpendicular to his body.

❝ Take a look, doctor. Fully functional, fully healed! ❞ He dropped his leg back to the floor to bounce a bit, then do a little jog in place to prove his point. Considering the redness around the prosthetic connection, he probably should have been feeling a good deal of pain still, and yet he didn’t seem to notice.

❝ I’m not avoiding anything. I just find doctors…Well! Boring! ❞

❝Boring, you say?❞ A twitch of annoyance pricks Akihiro’s skin despite the well-practiced smile gracing his lips. The very urge to tell this kid off— to remind him that a doctor is responsible for the fact that he could still walk right now; so he should probably learn a little thing called appreciation— is starting to look very inviting to him but he bites it down. 

The student is still a Silva after all and Akihiro knows better than to get to his family’s bad side.

“No no, it’s fine - I’m fine, it’s all fine!” This really wasn’t the ideal way to meet someone new and despite Lili’s attempts to reassure the other that everything was alright, it was pretty clear that it wasn’t. Whatever concentrated state she had gone into to try to make stove top popcorn was gone now and the reality that she could have gotten into a bit of a trouble with fire was dawning on her. Oh god, what if she had burned her apartment down? What if she had burned the whole building down? There was no way she would be able to live it down, not to mention all of the damages and such that would have to be covered!

“Huh? A-Ah, right! Excuse me for a second then!” Maybe there wasn’t a need for her to run off immediately to air out the room, but it was the fastest way to leave the situation so that she could gain her bearings. Wait, wasn’t leaving someone at your door like that rude? And a little dangerous, even if the other looked pretty unassuming for the most part. Better hurry back!

“I’m not always like this, I swear! Um, for starters, thank you for your help. I’m Lili, Lili Lee. I just started at the nearby university this semester – a-anyway, do you live a few doors down?” 

Akihiro could only blink dumbfoundedly when the young lady suddenly leaves him at the door to air out the smoke. Definitely not the best thing to do with a stranger, he believes, but who is he to lecture her? He’s just her neighbor after all. It would have been just as rude to slam the door to his face anyway.

Once the girl makes her hasty return, the physician offers her a warm, friendly smile. Feigned, but still friendly. ❝Easy mistake to make— don’t worry about it.❞ He brushes off her excuse for her recklessness. It’s not something he asked for and frankly, he finds it hard to believe that she isn’t always like this. He could already tell from her failed attempt of making dinner for herself that she isn’t fit for the independent life. She was probably born with a silver spoon in her mouth and grew up with everything handed to her until the very slight inconvenience that comes her way pushes her to the brink of her patience.

They’re the worst kind of rich kids.

          THE BURDEN OF THE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT HIM ! It wasn’t a surprise to hear he was already known by his spectator, his music had reached even those from the other side of the world. ❝ Heeeh? So you already heard from me before?❞ Carefully, he bends down, putting the instrument inside its case, listening to the words of his guest. A permanent smile on his face, real or fake, it belonged as a part of him. ❝ Hahah! ❞ He lets out a a loud chuckle. Proud? Were they? They were satisfied, but not proud, music wasn’t anything special for his family; no matter the recognition or the impact his art had on everyone else. ❝ They are just content I will have a degree, that’s fine for me though, as long as I can keep playing.❞ 

❝I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t heard your music.❞ Okay, perhaps he knows a few students who haven’t heard of Murata but a majority of his friends have definitely heard of the musical prodigy. They’ve asked him before what the kid is like even though Akihiro couldn’t exactly give them an answer considering he had still yet to meet the musician at the time. 

Today must be his lucky day. 

Precautionary Action

@exitibus​

Waiting. Oh, oof waiting was awful. Octavio stood off to one side of the waiting room, shifting his weight back and forth. He looked at the crumpled paper in his hand. He looked at the pattern on the wall. Counted the chairs in the room for the sixtieth time. Tried to amuse himself by focusing on the quiet “whir whir whir whir whir” of his joints as he bounced slightly. Glancing at his phone to check the time, he was sorely disappointed to discover it had only been three minutes and change. This was excruciating.

Finally, finally, he was summoned into the back office to be seen by the school physician. After a short chat with the nurse who took him in, he was left…to wait some more. As soon as the door was shut he was going through everything that he could. Reading the posters, testing the scale, stealing a cotton ball from one of the jars only to shred it in moments and have to throw it away.

Octavio started trying to build something with the tongue depressors from the jar, but the tremor in his hands kept him from getting far before they collapsed into a heap again. He was on his third attempt when the door finally opened, which caused him to startle, and the little wooden bits went all over the floor. In an instant, he’d forgotten about them and was already shoving his crumpled and stained paper in the direction of who he presumed to be the campus doctor.

❝ Was told to give this to you. Something about managing my prescriptions and ‘routine check-ups.’ But we reeeeally don’t got to do those, I’m not in Pee Tee anymore. ❞  The last comment was more hopeful than factual. The less time he had to sit around getting prodded at, the better. He was fine, and full healed as far as he was concerned.

❝Sorry for the wait, I was—❞ Akihiro pauses when he sees a good number of tongue depressors plummeting down to the floor in a cluttered heap. Ah, what a waste. ❝...getting coffee.❞ He finishes anyway before putting his cup of coffee down on his desk and taking the piece of crumpled paper offered to him from his patient. As he gives it a quick read, his eyes immediately zero in on the name Silva and instant recognition brightens his expression.

❝Oh, you’re Octavio Silva from Silva Pharmaceutical! I was hoping to meet you today!❞ He had been told that he’ll be meeting the potential heir of the pharmaceutical company and just as he had read, the young man is sporting a pair of prosthetic legs. But Akihiro knows better than to stare unless he’s examining so instead, he settles himself down on his seat behind his desk and gives the paper another read.

He then places it down on his desk and gently slides his palm over it in an attempt to smoothen its crumpled surface. Judging by its poor state, Akihiro could see that the student holds little concern for his own well-being and he simply couldn’t let that fly. 

His lips move silently as he does some mental math. Based on when he was Beatrix Kiddo for Halloween, it gives him a rough idea of when the movies came out. “Yeah. Give or take a year.” The doctor’s age hardly concerns him though. The movie’s age is simply a metric for a throwaway comment in answer to the joke. “Pretty sure it’s not, but the measurement of it is relative, and therefore of little importance.”

He cocks his head in a shrug. “If you confiscate it, I’ll just get it back. No one’s been able to keep it for more than two days, but hey, you can always try to be the first. I’m just up here to work out, run some kata. The usual. I’ve never hurt someone with this who didn’t deserve it, and I’m not about to start now. Your honor is appreciated though, Doc.”

Somehow, Strider’s attempt to reassure him that he has never hurt anybody with his sword before isn’t working. If something were to happen involving the blond’s weapon, Akihiro is certain that he will also get in trouble for having the opportunity to confiscate it but still decided to sit it out. Perhaps he should take it away later, but what are the chances of Strider squealing to the dean that the school’s physician smokes on campus?

Akihiro unfortunately doesn’t know the kid that well so there’s no telling.

        A MASTERPIECE IN THE SHADOWS ! A violin resting on the musician collarbone, the bow drifting back and forth creating a mystic and hypnotic melody which resonated in the deepest corners of the auditorium. The beam of light from the reflector only reached him, murk remained in his surroundings. One he was satisfied with his rehearsal, he stopped to greet the unexpected guest. ❝ Ah? I didn’t know I had public.❞ Truth was, he had already noticed from the beginning, though he still wanted to play innocent a little longer. How couldn’t he had noticed, when the steps walking in irrupted his notes, the breathing interfering wit his tune, Ugetsu could listen all of it, only a prodigy like himself could.

♬ / ; @exitibus​

❝Can you blame me?❞ This isn’t the first time Akihiro had the honor of listening to Ugetsu  Murata‘s captivating music considering he’s watched some of his performances before, but this is the first time he had coincidentally stepped into his rehearsal. He had merely been on his way back home when he had noticed that the doors to the auditorium have been left ajar and the exquisite melody caught his interest. He takes a few steps closer to the student, his eyes fixated on the violin before redirecting them back to the younger male.

ok so im gonna have to go tend to my other roleplay blogs. i think i’ve replied to every thread i owe for both aki and hitoshi but if i havent, feel free to give me a nudge! im also thinking of replying to those meme drabbles you guys have posted for both of my muses but i dunno if you’re okay with that so just let me know if you are and i’ll make it into a thread (in a separate post ofc)!

also feel free to bother me on discord if you want: cheshire#9612 :D

@exitibus​

“Howdy, doc. Think you can give me a check up? I think I might’ve busted my lungs, ‘cause you take my breath away.”

It is absolutely a sword. Never leave home without it. Except for all the times he does, because you can’t bring that sort of thing to class, as they will in fact confiscate it. He may have learned this the hard way some time ago. He promptly stole it back at the end of the day and determined never to repeat the error.

Fortunately, the good doctor with questionable self care habits doesn’t seem to be attempting to repeat the mistake of instructors past. Good for him, because Dirk isn’t out to get into a dispute. He wasn’t kidding about that.

A couple beats go by, wherein he is going through a mental Rolodex of potential Bills before it hits him what the reference is. He snorts, amused. “Nah. Pretty sure Bill isn’t up here, considering he’s been dead about fifteen years. If you’ve seen him around, I think we got bigger problems to worry about.” Like a zombie apocalypse.

❝That movie was fifteen years ago...?!❞ Akihiro asks in sheer bewilderment and shock. Damn, now he feels really old. He remembers being so excited to watch that film in the theaters with— well, it’s not good to dwell on things especially when one of those things happens to be his age. He shudders at the thought of aging and takes an almost desperate drag of his cigarette, turning to exhale the smoke out away from the young man’s direction.

❝Well, time is an illusion.❞ He dismisses the topic right away with a shrug as he leans back against the railings, his gaze still warily eyeing the katana in the student’s hand. 

@exitibus​

❛   oh dear, i’m very sorry. are you alright?   ❜   despite nearly falling over himself, he held a firm grip on the head of his cane as he leaned down to extend his hand out. his smile is calm, reassuring, and most definitely kind as the large dog stood at his side, sitting in a patient manner.   ❛   oh, also do not mind her. she’s a very good girl, now … were you harmed in the fall?   ❜   as if the bag of goods he just purchased weren’t of importance, ( they were and they were probably damaged … oh well … )  haurchefant helped him up with ease and placed his hand on him arm to steady him.   ❛   there we go. much better.   ❜

Making popcorn was supposed to be easy! You just bought some kernels, put them in a pot with oil, and just waited for it to magically become popcorn, right? Sure, nowadays it was just easy to buy one of those microwavable bags, but she was a new and free young adult! Conquering how to make stove top popcorn was just the first step in trying to conquer the kitchen as a whole! Except… Lili didn’t come anywhere close to conquering anything, besides learning how to pull her smoke detector off the ceiling to reset it each and every time those golden kernels just turned into a smoking, burning mess in the pot. What was she doing wrong? Was she not turning the stove on hot enough? Maybe not enough oil? She was in the middle of lamenting over her latest batch when an urgent knock and voice came from her apartment door.

Oh god, she bothered one of her neighbors! Now that she was (finally) taking a look around, there really was a lot of smoke around. This person was worried enough to check in on her too – rushing to the door and opening it immediately to try and clear this up. “No! I-I mean, I’m fine! You don’t have to call anyone, I was just-!” Burning popcorn – like she could actually say that! “I was… uh, just trying to make dinner! Haha! It didn’t work out, but i-it’s fine now!” Please ignore the smell of burning popcorn, kind sir. 

❝O-Oh...!❞ Akihiro nearly jumps at the sight of his neighbor, her frantic state influencing his own reaction as the immediate sharp odor of burnt popcorn hits him. So it was just popcorn all this time? A part of Akihiro is relieved that the cause of the smoke isn’t anything serious, but another part of him is bewildered by the thought of someone burning something as simple as popcorn. Don’t those things come in microwaveable packs now so as to avoid these kinds of situations? Anyone can follow the instructions printed on the back after all. 

Also, popcorn for dinner? Kids truly live on the edge these days.

rin was never a fan of going to the infirmary, yet she allowed it to happen so often. how was she supposed to see the plastic bucket she had just toppled over? and the physician would always scold her for that, even though it wasn’t her fault someone left a knocked over bucket in her path. ❛ why is it always rin’s fault, hmm? ❜ she grumbles to herself, crossing her arms as she lay there with ice pressed against her leg. there was a small sigh before the idol sits up to look at akihiro, leaning back on her hands.

❛ sorry, doc aki - i’ll be more careful next time, promise! ❜ rin pauses shortly and tiltes her head, ❛ so… what made you want to become a doctor? all the times i’ve been here and seen you, i don’t think i’ve really asked you anything. ❜

❝Once is a mistake. Twice is a coincidence. Thrice is a pattern.❞ Akihiro counts, bringing three fingers up for emphasis. But he knows pointing that out is futile when Hoshizora will undoubtedly make another return in a day or two with another physical injury. He likes the company though, he just wishes the reason for the visit isn’t because of another accident. 

He smiles at the girl’s promise anyway. ❝That’s good. I’ll hold you to that promise.❞ He adjusts the ice pack a bit before looking back up at the student again upon being questioned about his choice of career. He couldn’t help but let out a light laugh at her sudden interest, wondering what even compelled her to suddenly ask him that.

He pauses, right arm falling behind his trailing right leg, at the sight of the doctor on the roof. It’s not the first time he has run into someone up here, but it’s been a while. He specifically scouted out when the least amount of activity occurred and chose those times for his rooftop training. Well shit. That really puts a damper on things. Quirking an eyebrow at the offer, he brings his right hand forward, along with it comes the katana he was concealing behind his leg. “Pretty sure I got a sight deal more leverage than you do here. But I’m not fancying a trip to county over the right to a few square feet of elevated real estate, so you got yourself a deal.”

Is... Is that a sword?

This university certainly has a lot of unique individuals. Sure, smoking on campus isn’t good but to bring an actual katana is undoubtedly excessive. He knows that he should say something. Confiscate the weapon before the wrong person catches sight of it. But somehow, another side of Akihiro is telling him that the kid isn’t that much of a threat. It may be hard to determine the gears shifting in Strider’s mind but hey, as long as he keeps his eyes on the blond for now, no harm will be done.

One hand holding the book attracting the majority of his attention , his other rested haphazardly on his thigh . Concentrated pupils sure to assimilate any beneficial information provided by the rows of neat print . Adrian could quite contentedly occupy his time this way for hours , alas , it was not to be . As the page he was currently on became obscured in shadow , golden eyes raised in acknowledgement of the one casting it . Sighing , he replied , tone ripe with sarcasm .

❝ Yes teacher . ❞

❝ The other kids are terribly mean to me , whatever should I do ? ❞ 

❝I’d recommend sharing your toys with them but I have a feeling you’re not that type of kid.❞ Akihiro returns but compared to the blond’s tone, his own comes off light and friendly. It doesn’t take a genius to know when his presence isn’t wanted and he knows better than to push, especially when the other party appears to be very focused on whatever it is they’re studying. But it wouldn’t feel right to just leave after determining why not a lot of students hang out with this guy. He can’t blame them though. 

   “See, I would, buuuut–….I already have eight cats at home, I don’t know if I can bring in another!”

   The student’s voice trails with a lilt of embarrassment, cheeks aglow with simmering crimson; flickering eyes of pale yellow now  shifting away from the physician and back down to the tiny, white fluffball of a kitten.

   “–And! Everyone could use a cat, they’re great companions! All warm and soft, and they make these cute little noises all the time! I think you’d love ‘em.”

   Erengyl practically coos the feline’s praise, but with a sudden thought forming, he’s shifting about to remove his purple-hued backpack and begin to dig away into the contents. An absolute clattering fills the air, and with a few items removed, he seems to finally have found what he was searching for. Removing his hands from the bag there is a moment of pause for triumph as a crinkled pouch of fish-flavored cat treats are gripped between his fingers.

   “Here, give ‘em a treat, it’ll make ‘em love you!”

Eight cats?! Wow, this kid is something.

As much as he would like to have a little companion in his apartment, he heard that cats aren’t very easy to take care of. If he takes this one in, he will have to buy a little box, a food bowl, and all those other feline necessities and he’s not sure if he even has the time for that! He wonders how Erengyl does it seeing that he’s a busy student but still manages to take good care of eight cats.

His place must be a mess if that’s the case. It probably smells too. But Akihiro knows better than to bring that up. He looks down at the small pouch of cat treats and sees the kitten reacting instinctively to the faint scent of fish, its little pink nose sniffing around in search for it. 

❝All right then. But I can’t promise anything yet.❞ He decides to humor the kid as he reaches over and takes a piece of treat from the pouch before carefully presenting it to the kitten. The kitten gives it a wary sniff before immediately picking it up with its teeth and munching it down. Akihiro couldn’t help but smile at the endearing sight.

Right. She forgot to say something about that or maybe; she had been putting it off. “Oh… It’s you know.” She made a vague gesture with her hand as she laughs forcefully. He didn’t know despite how nagged she had been to guarantee she delivered this. It was predicted that she’d end up staying in the infirmary from time to time — Okay… maybe most of the time. “I don’t always come!  I wonder... Are you getting tired of the potato chips? I could bring in something else, you know?”

She could keep this going in loops but judging by how the mood of the room shifted and even for her own sake she better come out with it. “I was involved in an accident before coming to Blackwood and it had lasting effects. The main thing being my memory isn’t fully clear so as a result I get dizzy spells, or sometimes I get a confused! I haven’t experienced it too bad yet, just for a few moments at least…” This is where her voice trailed off because she knew she spoke too much but she was nervous so she couldn’t help but ramble. 

❝Ehh? Really? That’s pretty serious!❞ That doesn’t sound like something one should delay speaking about to the university’s physician and he’s quite glad that he even asked. In fact, he should have been provided a copy of her medical history so he could take her current state into consideration every time she comes over. Her frequent visits to the infirmary make perfect sense now. He had initially believed her moments of lightheadedness were just the cause of school-related stress but it appears to be more severe than he thought. Mild amnesia. That must be a pain to live with.