towerofanimus

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Characters: Akihiko and you!
Setting: Cafeteria.
Format: Whatever floats your boat.
Summary: Loss of depth perception + hands full of food = disastrous results?
Warnings: Akihiko's missing an eyeball, but it's been wrapped over at the infirmary.

[Life is always bringing forth new challenges. Most people get depressed and experience hopelessness when something 'big' happens to their health. An incurable disease and broken bones can crush spirits simply by mention.

Akihiko is a bit different. Sure, the pain made him scream and pass out. But he wasn't dead. Mitsuru had unintentionally taken sight from him; to the right of his field of vision, nothing but darkness.

It was a new challenge. And he intended to overcome it. But he doesn't like to take baby steps. That simply won't do. He would be needed soon, and he needed to learn to adjust to this handicap.

The weather had calmed down, and Akihiko was hungry. It was a two tray day. But maybe it wasn't the smartest move to take both at once.]

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...let me help you with that.

[Akihiko will probably hear Mitsuru's voice before he sees her, seeing as she's on his right side. But he'll also feel it as she reaches for his tray to take it from him.

Neither her voice nor her expression are altogether cheerful. How can they be? She's the one who did this to him, after all.]

[Akihiko freezes in place; a natural reaction at the moment, but one that sends an extra chill down his back since its Mitsuru's voice that he hears. His tension doesn't last too long; the music player was reversed, and no--...little harm was done.

He knows she's fine. The rest of him has to realize that too.]

Thanks. When did you get here?

[The reaction is to be expected, but it still hurts to see that. The fact of the matter is that she hurt Akihiko, and that shouldn't have happened. If she'd been in better control of herself, if she'd somehow been able to resist the music's effects...

But there was no use dwelling on what-ifs. She couldn't change the fact that she'd hurt him; what she could do was attempt to make amends for it.]

Not too long ago. And yourself?

Just a little bit ago. [He should have seen her, coming into the room. Hopefully she won't take offense if he appeared to have brushed her off.]

Are you holding up okay? That weird weather indoors was pretty bizarre.

I should be asking you that.

[There's concern evident in her features. She'd managed to survive winter, thanks largely in part to her Persona's affinity; summer had been awful but livable, as well. And while the constant rain in spring was a headache and autumn had been interesting enough in and of itself, neither one had posed too much of a problem for her.

But Akihiko... he didn't have the same elemental affinities, and he'd already lost an eye. She's relieved to see that he did survive the weather, though.]

Is there anything I can do about... [Her voice trails off, and her gaze lingers on his missing eye for a moment before she looks away.]

[Akihiko's fascination with fighting bears thankfully left him with enough fur that someone was kind enough to make into a coat for him some time ago, which was ridiculously warm. His sinuses are proof that the cold did strike however, as he snuffles slightly when they reach a table.

He turns his head to look at her. While there's hesitation on his face, he doesn't dance around the situation.]

...I was thinking about asking to have it fixed.

[When they arrive at the table she sets the tray down before looking up to meet his gaze.]

Who would you ask? [She thinks it's a good idea; it's dangerous for him to not be able to see as well as he normally can in this place. That being said, while her Persona does have healing capabilities... what could it do for a wound like this, she wondered? Somehow she doesn't think it would just grow back the eye, though it would be wonderful if it did.]

[He pauses. There's probably only one group of people with those capabilities. He doesn't know how they'll take the request, though.]

I was going to ask the admins.

...

[It's the Admins who were responsible for the music players in the first place, and it's the Admins who have been so cruel as to dispose of one of their own. But it's also true that at this point, it's only the Admins who could restore Akihiko's sight...]

Are you sure that's safe?

I've overheard a lot about them. Some people get tricked, or hurt. But some of the requests actually get filled. There must be something to it.

[He stares at the childish fare on his plate for a moment, then at Mitsuru.]

I don't want to be useless in a place like this. If you'd have-- [No. While she performed the act, it wasn't her fault.] ...if I lost both eyes, I wonder if I'd be approaching this the same way.

[Mitsuru is silent; she can't bring herself to look at Akihiko, not when he mentions what she'd done.

Because, in the end, she had done it. Influence of the music or no, it had still been her hands that-- ...she doesn't want to think about that now. She's been mulling it over quite a lot already.]

...I don't see any other alternatives. [Death isn't an option. Perhaps it would be if he'd lost both eyes, but if it's possible for him to have his eyesight restored without dying, so much the better.] You're far from useless even with your eyesight impaired, but it's risky to let it stay as it is. Perhaps even riskier than asking them for assistance.

Mitsuru?

[Something's wrong.]

You think I should do it?

I think you should have your eyesight returned to you.

[If asking the Administrators for their aid is what it takes... but still, she doesn't like it, and it's written all over her face.]

I just wish it were possible to fix this without relying on them. I don't think Diarahan would be enough, however... which doesn't leave many options.

...I think it's worth a shot. I have my Evoker if you don't.

I have mine, as well. ...if you'll still allow me to back you up after...

[Akihiko shook his head.]

It wasn't your fault. It may have seemed like it at the time, but it's the fault of whoever planted those music players in the tower.

[The admins...he thinks over his ideas again. Was it smart to request from them after at least one of them had entertainment at their expense? It felt...stupid; similar to if he would ask Takaya or Jin for help back home after what they'd done to SEES over the weeks.]

I trust you, Mitsuru. You're one of the only people I can say that to.

I'm... glad to hear that you can still say that. I won't betray your trust in me, Akihiko.

And of course, I trust you with my life. That was true before we came here and it is still true now.

[That, at least, hadn't changed, and Mitsuru was grateful for it - this Tower would be much more foreboding without people she knew she could trust.]

I know they'll try to mess with us more, especially after what's gone down recently. All I can do is try to keep everyone safe.

[They won't die forever, he's been told. But it's still an experience he doesn't want people to go through endlessly. Hearing the troll girl speak of it was enlightening. Rather than ease his mind, it made him want to fight harder. Death isn't permanent, but everyone will have to remember the pain of it.]

Maybe your Diarahan will help.

It might. [Of course, it also might not - but Mitsuru would prefer to be optimistic.] I suppose doing our best is all we can do.

...when all is said and done, that's all anyone can ask of us.

[Maybe a change of subject is in order. Well, it's not too far off the subject.]

I need to apologize to you. For all those...terrible... [Flirts. If they can even be called that.]

They... could have been worse.

[Well, no, not really. They were so cheesy that even the memory of them now brings a faint flush to her cheeks.]

It was that music making you say such things. You have no reason to apologize.

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