doublecrows | [Week 6, Sunday: Rebecca]

[Week 6, Sunday: Rebecca]

[he pulls himself to his feet and walks Eichi back to their room. he dries himself off and changes, flops onto the bed he shares with Eichi, and just. . . stays there for the rest of the day]

[Eichi is probably out PCing with someone, but Akechi is here by himself when Rebecca comes knocking. feel free to say hello to your fellow Historian!1]

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[This is it... they're all that's left. But at least both of them are still standing. For now.

She pulls him hint a hug as soon as the door opens.]

Don't- Don't do that again. Please?

[well he barely has time to process that before she draws him close, arms wrapped tightly around him]

Bu-- [he's stunned into silence, but after a moment of awkwardness, he loops his arms around her shoulders to return that hug]

[She was so scared she was going to be alone in the Crafter's room tomorrow morning. The hug is tight and she doesn't let go.]

Don't leave me... Don't do anything like that again.

[aaaaah]

[aaaaaah]

[this feeling of being wanted. of someone who isn't Eichi also wanting him to live, when even Akechi himself thinks he should have died. his grip on her tightens, almost desperately]

. . . of course. I won't.

[Rebecca's thoughts are a mess, but she's latched onto Akechi hard over this weekend. Having him die now spells her own death sentence. Even if nobody else would do it then she could take matters into her own hands.

Being alone and not understood is the scariest feeling. She doesn't want to live like that.]

You promise?

[There's something that feels heavier than normal in her chest. At home she never would have asked straight out like this, too afraid of what the answer would be.

But it's important now, isn't it? As they're drawing to the end of the game.]

I... Do you want me to stay? A-alive I mean.

[a few weeks ago, Akechi wouldn't have cared to answer. a few weeks ago, he was in this for himself and only himself. a few weeks ago. . .]

[feels like ten lifetimes ago at this point. how things have changed in such a short, short period]

I do.

[he means that]

As much as you didn't want to do this alone, I don't, either. Please, stay alive.

[Just a few weeks ago-- just a few days ago, they were nothing more than co-workers. Losing important people changes perspective.

It's not an answer she was expecting, but she's glad to have it. Glad to know she's cared for by anybody.]

Then... Okay. I'll stay alive for you. But...

[She pulls away, though it's reluctant and slow. In her pockets are two bottles of pills. If he looks at them carefully enough he'll find they're for anxiety and depression.

They're held out for him to take.]

You can't trust me with these. I-I can't trust me with these. Things are- they're getting harder. If you want me to live... I can't have these anywhere near me.

[wh]

[a moment of shock, and then Akechi wastes no time in taking those bottles from her, in curling them into his hands and then slipping them into his pockets]

I'll take care of these.

[and by take care of he means, flush them down the toilet]

[Well, Rebecca.
You've done it now.
You've lost everything you wished for.
So take a moment and take a breath.
After today, you'll start fresh and finally you'll be...
loved in actuality.

As soon as they're out of her hands, she sags in relief. The easiest out is far from her hands and she doesn't think she's ever going to be brave enough to stab herself with a sword or anything along those lines.]

Thank you, Akechi.

I... I won't leave you to do this alone.

Thank you.

[there's something sagging on his shoulders. something akin to. . . relief]

We are the only two left. We are. . . the only two who understand what it's like to have done this twice.

[to have lived through this twice.]

[nobody else in the castle will get that. just. . . them]

[Maybe they don't have all the memories of the previous games, but they're here now. From the original five, to four, to two.

Their numbers were cut so swiftly.]

We're all we've got left when it comes to that. I'm... relying on you. So rely on me if you need to.

Do you think... we'll still keep getting memories on Monday?

[wwway too swiftly. it was a bit terrifying. but things have stabilized now, and that's okay]

I don't see why we wouldn't.

Not that there's much point to it anymore. There are others who have everything under control. All we can do. . . is follow their lead.

[She's still terrified of ending up alone. But at least he's here for a the moment.]

If we find out anything useful, we'll tell Belph... Though it feels like he's been ahead of us this whole time.

He has been. Everyone has been.

[THEY DID THEIR BEST, AND YET. . .]

. . . he has a "plan." Hikage-san spoke of it to me when he visited me in the dungeon. Steph-san is likely included in it, too.

I don't know who else might be a part of their alliance, but. . .

[whatever their plan is, he is pretty sure it'll be to bring things to a preferable end]

[Are they really doing their best when they're constantly behind?]

Veronica... spoke to me on Saturday night. She was part of it, she knew all of the Historians for a long time. Steph is probably included because she's Hikage's partner. Okita's definitely part of it.

[. . . lol]

They knew who we were and didn't include us in on it?

[there's no bitterness in his tone at all (narrator: there is bitterness)]

We are. . . constantly behind, because no one saw fit to bring us into their loop. Hahaha! That's what I get for trying to be fucking open with them? What a cheap fucking joke.

[While she doesn't sound bitter, she sounds tired. She's not even surprised. She's not effective. Dragon shouldn't have picked her for this job.]

Why would they? They were handling it just fine without us. We weren't as useful as the others.

[Dragon should've picked way different people for the job]

[Akechi's shoulders sag, because as bitter as he is, he just doesn't have the energy to maintain that anger]

. . . whatever.

They can do what they want. I don't care anymore.

[At least they got some people to do their objectives- though it seems like plenty of them went around doing it without any of their help. RE: 9 villain objectives done.

Why weren't they just left on the Other Side? They'd probably be as useful there as they are here.]

We're almost at the end.

[But if she dies because of somebody else's hand this week, well, she won't be complaining.]

[honestly, hard same, Rebecca. HARD SAME]

I am ready for that ending.

So am I.

[Please, somebody, let her rest.]

For now... at least we have each other.

And only each other.

[and, well. . . he has Eichi. but this isn't about Eichi. this is about a camaraderie, a place of belonging, that only he and Rebecca share. isn't it?]

[She reaches out and grabs his hands. They have their partners, and they care about them.

But when it comes to the unique circumstances of them being here, they're all they've got.]

I won't leave you here alone.

[As scary as living is.]

[he clutches her fingers tightly, squeezing them in his palm. he can't believe it took so long for them to truly be on the same page]

I'll hold you to that, as long as you hold me to my own promise.

[A vulnerability they both have trouble admitting, but they share. It's funny, isn't it? How similar they were from the beginning, but only realizing it now.]

Of course I will.

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[Week 6, Sunday: Rebecca]

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