BERTOLT

[bloodread]

Comments

WEEK 0 after trial

[bloodread]

[ Trial was...something.

Akira has a lot of thoughts on it and a non-insubstantial amount of feelings, both of which he needs to blow off. He heads up to the room he shares with Yuri and changes his clothes into workout gear (all black with the slightest accent of red), hood now up over his face. He'd pass as a boxer in a neighborhood gym if you discount all the edge.

Once he hits the lobby he tries to make a beeline to avoid anyone else who may be lingering around, but he stands out despite his dark attire. ]

[perspire]

[ it certainly was something.

bertolt normally has a lot of nervous energy, but there's more than usual because of what just happened. he's spent some time wandering around the city following the trial trying to calm himself down before he makes it back to the hotel. it's by luck that he enters the lobby around the same time as akira. ]

Oh, Kijima. Are you heading out somewhere?

[bloodread]

[ Oh, it's Bertolt. He's really not up for much company but this is different. He stops with a nod. ]

Somewhere I can punch things. Interested?

[perspire]

... Actually, yeah. I am.

[ a beat ] Do you mind waiting a moment so I can change?

[bloodread]

I'll be outside. [ And he actually will be, leaning up against the facade of the building, staring up at the sky. ]

week 1, monday

[perspire]

[ bertolt tries to make it a point to look around and see what's around now, with how things can change. there's a lot that's different about this new place, namely being underwater, but there's got to be something else.

that's when he comes across the cave. he looks at it from a distance. ]

Oh wow, I wasn't expecting this...

[bloodread]

[ Akira is also exploring, though he's considerably less cautious than Bertolt. He looked like he was about go into the cave even, but he stops when he recognizes who it is. ]

You think there's treasure inside? [ That might be a joke. ]

[perspire]

Would there be treasure inside? [ jokingly considers it ]

[bloodread]

It'd probably be cursed.

[perspire]

Something dangerous to go after then.

Week 1 after trial

[bloodread]

[ Ain't this dejavu from last week with a completely different vibe. It's not immediately, but Akira show's up just like he said he would. His footsteps on the worn planks are heavy, Nagako in pit viper form slithering in behind him rather than on his shoulders like she usually is when she's like this.

Once Akira reaches Bertolt he just stares him down, every muscle in his body tense and read to snap. Words come after, forced out through gritted teeth. ]

Don't you dare fucking say you're sorry again.

[ We're off to a great start. ]

[perspire]

[ unlike for everyone else, bertolt stands up when akira approaches and walks towards the bars of the cell. idi raises his head from where she's curled up and looks towards them. but bertolt raises a hand back to her to calm her down ]

Do you want to keep hitting me?

[bloodread]

Is that even fucking an option? [ These metal bars are the second rudest thing he's dealt with tonight. ]

[perspire]

[ well he gets up to the bars, which the mods have graciously allowed to be fisting size ]

Then go for it.

[bloodread]

[ Mods??? OK well he is....not going to turn down this option and goes for the swing. He stops at one this time and doesn't look any happier for it. ]

There. Now talk.

week 4, masquerade

[perspire]

[ after whatever happens at the ball because i'm impatient like that, akira and bertolt are now somewhere else. there's so much that bertolt wants to catch up on, but not being able to speak or write anything makes that so hard.

so right now, he's just going to smile at him, which could be seen under his mask. his deer ears twitch happily, glad he can actually spend this time with him. ]

[bloodread]

[ timelines are fake anyway.

Akira's relaxed a little now that they're away from the heart of the party; he's really not a party person in any shape of the word and having to dress up for it just makes it that much worse. A few seconds are spent fiddling with the collar but as soon as he sees the smile he's back to playing with it again. ]

The spirits I've met couldn't really talk either, so I should be used to this. [ read: he's not. ]

[perspire]

[ they really are.

likewise, he's not much of a party person, being someone who would rather wallflower then being out with everyone else. he figured that this would be a good exception. but he shrugs at him. it's not like he was much of a talker either, but they got along just fine.

but he raises his hands at him, gesturing towards him, wanting him to take the lead ]

[bloodread]

[ A heavy sigh and a soft curse under his breath later, Akira finally meets his eyes. This is a lot to ask of a hot topic tsun especially when he's not drinking (maybe he should fix that), but he'll push through anyway. Not being a tactile person is hard. ]

So you can't talk or write on paper... [ He saw the wishing tree. ] Try this out for me first, before I talk myself hoarse.

[ He steps closer and holds out his left hand, still gloved even in this ensemble, palm up. ] ...wait. [ Takes his glove off actually for once in his life. ]

What about writing on me?

[perspire]

[ he looks at akira's hand for a moment, biting his lip nervously, before he reaches out. he extends a finger, tracing a hand across the palm of akira's skin, trying to write something, tracing letter after letter.

the sensations running across akira's skin are too much for him to get a clear read of what's being written. it's all jumbled together. ]

week 7; post deda land arrival

[perspire]

[ after quite a show in getting everyone to the land of the dead safely, bertolt feels good about himself and everything going on. he's going to wait until everything and everybody has settled down before looking to find akira.

he finds him and speaks to him quickly and quietly, asking for him to follow him someplace private. it's... their first time being together in quite sometime and he doesn't want this to be out in the open for everyone to see. he's had enough of everyone seeing what's going on here.

once they're away, he'll finally speak up ]

Kijima. Hey.

[bloodread]

[ Giving him space is appreciated, honestly. Sometimes you need to turn your goth off and then on again, and this is one of those times. By the time Bertolt approaches him he's...ready? Not quite, but in a better mindset than before and it's not like he would turn him down even if he wasn't. That's just not how Akira is.

Wherever they've wound up, he's going to lean against a wall, it's a familiar spot even if the surroundings aren't, and even if the company is both. Somehow. ]

Hey, Bertl. [ He doesn't have a hood to use for cover given the whole bushcycle incident, but it seems for now even if he did, he wouldn't be hiding. ]

[perspire]

[ oh. hearing that name gets a smile out of him. he didn't realize how nice it would be to hear akira call him by that name ]

I'm... glad we can actually talk now. Charades is hard, isn't it?

[bloodread]

Charades is fucking annoying. [ He kinda sighs a bit, but it's a soft one. ]

I'm still bad at talking, you know.

[perspire]

It's fine, so am I. We can fight again later, if you want. After you've rested a bit more. [ sounds pretty firm about that

but then he walks towards him, stopping a short distance away from him ]

Do you... want to talk about when I came back first?