Day 17 - WHODUNNIT?

[pandatrash]

[It's that time again! The Great Detective has been killed, so put those little grey cells to work and find the culprit!]

[Most of the flooding has been stopped as well, though it's uncomfortably damp just about everywhere. Looks like the raccoons only half-assed their cleanup.]

[Speaking of half-assed, where's Tycoon? I mean, broken ones, sure, but has anybody seen him up and about? Looks like you guys might be flying blind this time around...]

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[truthstranger]

Ah.

[ That hindsight does put some weight on one side. But... ]

...I tried to find her too. I looked as long as I could, but the raccoons sent me back to my room.

[purrtagonist]

[ah. . .]

[his frown deepens, the lines of his face harsh and sharp]

Why. . .? If I couldn't meet up with her, the least they could've done is let you.

[truthstranger]

Something happened. I mean... other than just... the obvious.

...Or, that's what I think, anyway.

[purrtagonist]

[a pause]

Well. . . you're obviously not wrong about that.

[considering. dead Erika. another hesitation, before he asks]

. . . are you okay?

[truthstranger]

[ Why do people keep asking him that. He chokes back a short hysterical noise. ]

No?

...She—she translated a mystery novel for me, you know. Read it to me aloud and talked me through solving it. We both had fun, she wanted to do it again. "Assuming we're both still alive," she said. She wasn't...

[ he's not sure what he wants to say there. ]

...How am I supposed to stop any of this?

[purrtagonist]

[jesus christ, now that's a familiar feeling. for a moment, Akira's frozen in place, as Shuichi's choked noise yanks tightly at his heart]

[he opens his mouth to say something. shuts it again, looking a little pained]

. . . I don't know.

[gestures. vaguely. at his injured leg]

And I've tried.

[truthstranger]

[ He stares at Akira’s leg for a few moments too long, like he’s not quite seeing it, before he sighs. ]

I hate whoever’s doing this.

[ An understatement, and it comes out almost flat, but the feeling behind it is probably obvious. ]

[purrtagonist]

I do, too.

[his voice is hard and cold, like ice]

. . . I want to tear them down, piece by piece.

[truthstranger]

I...

[ Does he also want that?? ]

...I don't know. I just... I just want it to stop.

[ His voice breaks a little now. ]

[purrtagonist]

[reaches out with his good hand, placing it against Shuichi's arm, and squeezing gently]

I do too.

[quietly]

It's been. . . a very long two weeks.

[truthstranger]

[ There are definitely tears running down his face despite his best efforts. ]

It's been a long... as long as I can remember.

[ There's that choked noise again. ]

B-But... for now, we have to figure out what happened. Right?

[purrtagonist]

[hell]

[he leans in, sliding his arm around Shuichi's shoulders in a tight hug]

Yeah.

[his voice is firm]

We do. Solving the mystery of her death is what she would've wanted.

[truthstranger]

[ He shudders slightly and leans against him before wiping at his eyes with his sleeve. ]

Y-Yeah.

[purrtagonist]

[he lingers in the hug until Shuichi is the one to pull away, and even then, he leaves his hand resting on his shoulder]

Don't push yourself too hard. Take it easy.

[truthstranger]

[ By the time he pulls away he's slightly more composed, though he still looks a little shaky, like he's just barely managed to rein himself in. ]

I can't take it easy right now.

[purrtagonist]

[offers Shuichi a sympathetic, albeit tired, smile. because. . . yeah. he understands that]

Just remember we're all in this together, yeah?

[truthstranger]

...Yeah. Thank you.

[ He manages a weak smile back. ]

[purrtagonist]

[claps his shoulder one more time, smile widening, before he pulls away]

[truthstranger]

[ He feels a little warmer, and he takes a deep breath, a little more steady. ]

Then, let's all solve this together.