[he sees it flash before his vision in an instant. a bright smile, so soft, so inviting, with its edges so faded that it might vanish if he dared blink. Akira's heart catches in his throat, ice suddenly coursing through his veins as he remembers. that smile. . . that warmth against his side. . . the echo of the Fool, of the Universe, pulsing with every beat of his heart]
[that. . .]
[that had all. . . been real, right?]
-- I have to go.
[he says quickly, breathlessly, to the arcade workers who are attempting to offer him prizes for his successful completion of the game. before he can register their bemused expressions, he yanks himself away, immediately bolting for the arcade entrance. that smile. . . those features that he had so determinedly decided that he wanted to protect. . . he can already feel it fading from his memory, no matter how hard he tries to hold on]
[it's like grasping at smoke, something impermeable flitting through his fingers. the harder he tries, the faster it disappears]
[jesus fuck]
[it had to be real. it just had to be. there was no way the resort had managed to conjure up someone like Minato just to fuck with him, right?? there is no way this place knew that he would be so damn weak to something as simple as that smile]
[he doesn't know what he is looking for, but once he is out of the arcade, Akira skids to a halt, gaze flickering across his surroundings in open panic. it had to be real. and if it was real, then Minato-- that person with whom he had forged a surprisingly impactful emotional connection-- he has to be out here somewhere too, right?]
OKAY I'M DONE
[that's. . .]
[that's right]
[he sees it flash before his vision in an instant. a bright smile, so soft, so inviting, with its edges so faded that it might vanish if he dared blink. Akira's heart catches in his throat, ice suddenly coursing through his veins as he remembers. that smile. . . that warmth against his side. . . the echo of the Fool, of the Universe, pulsing with every beat of his heart]
[that. . .]
[that had all. . . been real, right?]
-- I have to go.
[he says quickly, breathlessly, to the arcade workers who are attempting to offer him prizes for his successful completion of the game. before he can register their bemused expressions, he yanks himself away, immediately bolting for the arcade entrance. that smile. . . those features that he had so determinedly decided that he wanted to protect. . . he can already feel it fading from his memory, no matter how hard he tries to hold on]
[it's like grasping at smoke, something impermeable flitting through his fingers. the harder he tries, the faster it disappears]
[jesus fuck]
[it had to be real. it just had to be. there was no way the resort had managed to conjure up someone like Minato just to fuck with him, right?? there is no way this place knew that he would be so damn weak to something as simple as that smile]
[he doesn't know what he is looking for, but once he is out of the arcade, Akira skids to a halt, gaze flickering across his surroundings in open panic. it had to be real. and if it was real, then Minato-- that person with whom he had forged a surprisingly impactful emotional connection-- he has to be out here somewhere too, right?]
[. . . right?]