Humans are incredibly talented when it comes to hurting each other. There are other species who attack their own, but it's usually for the good of the group whereas humans do it just because. And humans have such a skill for it. Both things that Akihito can attest to. There was no real reason for Akihito to be attacked tonight as far as he can tell, except that he looked like an easy target. Small and unassuming, being in a place where no one would see what was happening. This wasn't to protect the pack, this was just people acting on dark urges. This was just people who wanted to hurt someone. Who are good at hurting others and wanting to prove it.
When Atreyun makes no move to shoo the little human away, Akihito leans against him just a little more, trying to not overstep his bounds but attempting to take a little more pressure off of his injured body.
"Atreyun," he repeats to himself, testing how the name sounds and feels, committing it to memory. If this all turns out to be the real deal, Atreyun's is a name he never wants to forget (even if Atreyun ends up being nothing more than a regular man looking to help him out, he still wants to remember who it was who helped).
"Akihito is fine. Please just call me Akihito. If you'd like."
Such a polite little one. A human worthy of speaking face to face with the god. There have been times in the past when humans, greedy in their wants and needs have forgotten their place in his presence. Atreyun is all too happy to remind them why his name makes nations tremble in fear.
Well. Maybe less so now. Once upon a time.
"Akihito, then," he agrees. "Tell me where we are going, Akihito. I will see you safely to your destination." And remain because he has nowhere else to be.
Nations may no longer tremble in fear at the mere utterance of his name, but a few people will. Maybe even an entire neighbourhood. Akihito can't promise Atreyun cities or countries, but he's sure the group of people surrounding his attackers or their neighbourhood is within reach. Sorry Atreyun, but attaching yourself to a nobody like Akihito can't really get you any more than that.
"I just want to go home." There, he can start tending to his injuries, whether with his first aid supplies or simply rest. There, he can properly access the damage that was done to him tonight. There, he can start to process what happened here tonight and what almost happened. At home is where he can finally feel relatively safe. "It's a few blocks from here."
There is a very long future in which he can make nations tremble again. Atreyun is basically starting over and, well, that means starting small. One believer is better than no believers. Atreyun isn't greedy.
"Show me the way." If Akihito can't make it steadily the whole way, Atreyun will assist further. Whether it be in the form of an arm around the boy to support him or flat out carrying him. No matter what, Akihito will reach his destination.
One believer is better than no believers. One believer is the difference between proper existence and obscurity. One believer is the start of gathering more, he's the first brick in a long road. One believer, especially when the only other option is none, is everything, isn't it?
Akihito nods, clutching Atreyun's hand and arm all the tighter (it hurts him, but so does everything else. But the fact that he can grip Atreyun's arm at all means his wrist probably isn't broken, right?) as he starts to walk toward the front of the bookshop. It's not without some struggles, though. Soft sounds of effort accompany the shuffling limp. He stops once they're just outside of the bookshop, looking up the street and down. The way he came from and the way he was running. The way he came from is actually the quickest, most direct way for him to get home. He turns his back on that direction, gesturing up the street. "Let's go this way." Even with Atreyun by his side, he doesn't feel good about the other direction right now. He doesn't like the idea of walking in the direction where he last saw his attackers.
One believe is everything. The torpor in which Atreyun's existed for millennia was the worst form of torture. Akihito saved him from languishing in that impotent existence. For that alone, the boy deserves to be rewarded. And so he shall, as the first and foremost of all his future followers. All shall know and be grateful for Akihito's grain of faith.
While he is quiet as they leave the bookshop, the actual noise of the outside world hits him like a strong gust of wind. Atreyun has been outside the world, only vaguely conscious of its many, many great changes. Touching Akihito initially allowed him to absorb more information: this modern language, a very basic understanding of modern technology (yes, he knows what a TV is and what a phone if for. Can he use them without help? Absolutely not!). What he wasn't prepared for were the onslaught of sounds as traffic speeds by, the sheer number of people talking on the street... and the smells? Like metal and oil and... so many things he can't even begin to identify. It prompts him to take a staggering half-step back and screw up his face in visible disgust.
But only for a few seconds. Akihito's safety is this priority here.
"You can walk?" He'll carry you, but he's not about to offer it.
Perhaps if he'd been standing under his own power, walking without the help of Atreyun, he wouldn't have noticed the half step back that Atreyun takes once they get outside. It's easy enough to notice, isn't it, when the man you're clinging to is no longer keeping stride with your slow, shuffling steps. For the moment, Atreyun's question goes unanswered. Akihito looks up at him, singular good eye wide with surprise and filled with concern.
"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Perhaps he should focus more on himself and his own situation, but he can't help it. He can't help but worry about the man who's been decent to him. It hasn't been long, no, but given that Akihito's most recent previous experience with people left him battered and broken, it's been impactful.
The question earns a quick series of blinks. Why would he not be 'okay'? Oh, Akihito definitely couldn't help but notice his movement. That must have prompted the boy's question.
"I was not prepared for... It is like war out here." The sounds, the smells. "Now, can you calk the distance we must go?"
Now it's Akihito's turn to blink up at Atreyun. He glances up and down the street before his attention returns to the deity. It's pretty late. A lot of shops are closed and traffic has gotten rather light. There are still people around, but not nearly as many as there would be earlier in the day. "It's actually really quiet out tonight." Which is probably what helped to embolden his attackers. Though considering where it happened, maybe a loud and busy afternoon would've worked just as well. "It's a lot... more during the day."
Akihito grows quiet for a moment as he pictures their route in his head. The longer route. The shorter one is back the way he came, where he was cornered. The way he's already decided he doesn't want to go. "I don't think I can walk the whole way."
It may be relatively quite for a modern human who is accustomed to a lifetime of such sounds — such a person will have little trouble acclimating to the assault on the senses. If one grew up with this noise, they would hardly register it. In the same way as one who has only lived in green pastures doesn't notice the lush greenery that shocks the one who spent their entire life in the desert.
Atreyun will adapt. All gods must if they hope to remain relevant. It may take time — and assistance from his one believer — but he will adapt to this strange, modern world. He must.
"Put your arm behind my neck." That and a handful of seconds are all Akihito's given to comply. After that handful of seconds, Atreyun's arm loops around Akihito, beneath his arms, behind the shoulders. There's one additional beat in which he stoops to slip the other arm behind the young man's knees to sweep him off the ground bridal style.
Akihito's always lived in the city. The harsh smells are a comfort to him and the sounds of traffic (both vehicular and foot) are like his white noise. He's long since grown accustomed to the bright streetlight that shines in his bedroom window just behind his blinds. So accustomed that he can't sleep when it's too dark. He grows anxious when it's too quiet. He'd never survive in the countryside.
Based on Atreyun's reaction to walking out of the bookstore, this isn't the kind of place he's used to. So Akihito's words serve as a warning. This is considered quiet around here. It'll get worse before it gets better.
Akihito delicately, gingerly reaches across the back of Atreyun's neck, hooking his other hand over the deity's shoulder as he's swept up off of his feet. His first thought is that this feels a little awkward, but it's quickly brushed aside in favour of how much of a relief it is to no longer be on his feet. Relief from pressure, temporary easing of some of his pain. Not awkward. Necessary.
"Okay. Um, go up that way-" His hand temporarily leaves Atreyun's shoulder to point up the street. "-past three traffic lights and then turn right." He pauses and then shifts a little to look up at the deity. "The traffic lights are the green ones up the street. They turn red and yellow too." He pauses briefly before adding, "I'm sorry if you knew that already."
“I did not,” he affirms as he turns to head in the indicated direction. It’s easy to glean their purpose as a few vehicles drive by. They are to control their movements in a given direction. For their safety and those walking. What an interesting world Atreyun has found himself in! He has much to learn.
Three traffic lights and a right. And carrying Akihito as if he weighs as much as a sack of feathers. Even recently awoken and in this very human form he retains inhuman strength.
“Do your people no longer use the sun and stars and cardinal directions to orient yourselves?” Sheer curiosity. He can navigate with lefts and rights. The old god is simply curious if that’s what’s common now.
Akihito lays his head against Atreyun's shoulder and closes his eyes. The consistent rhythm of Atreyun's steps is nice. It's a comfortable rhythm and one he could easily fall asleep to if he didn't need to guide Atreyun to his home. It's been a long, stressful evening, and Akihito finally feels like he can relax a little. He finally feels like he's no longer in immediate danger. He feels... safe. Alas, he can't sleep yet. There's still a lot that has to be done before that can happen.
"No one really uses the sun and stars anymore, no. A lot of people still use cardinal directions but I've never been really good with them. I find them kind of confusing," he admits with a soft chuckle, opening his eyes again (well, one eye) and tipping his head back a bit to look up at the man carrying him. "I like lefts and rights a lot more. They're easier for me. Speaking of which, after you turn right, it's two more traffic lights and then another right."
Feeling the boy relax is a good sign. As long as he doesn't nod off and leave Atreyun stranded in this unfamiliar place. Well, he'd wake Akihito if that happened. It seems that people still navigate visually (wait until he learns about GPS!), albeit with perhaps more stationary points of reference than the sun and stars. It doesn't seem as if these traffic lights move or shift by the hour.
Lefts and rights are fine. Traffic lights are fine. Those references will get them where they're going and that's ultimately what matters.
"What were you doing?" Before he was attacked. What was he out for, Atreyun wonders.
As much as he wants to, and as easy as it would be to let it happen, Akihito won't fall asleep. He has to get home (he could just punch his address into his phone and let it guide Atreyun back to the apartment, but he'd prefer to do it this way). He has to clean and wrap his wounds. There are still things that need to be done before he can sleep.
"I was on my way home after a date." One would think that the date, given that he had a vehicle, might've at least offered to drive Akihito home afterwards but it didn't come up. They ate, they went outside where things started to get a little hot out in the parking lot, Akihito shut it down (it started getting a little spicier than he would've liked in a public place), date got in his car and left. Akihito is seeing him again next week. "We went out to dinner. I was walking home afterwards."
Um no. Akihito will not be seeing him against next week. At least, not if Atreyun hears about it. What kind of suitor simply leaves the one they're courting? Unacceptable! If he had any respect, he would hold himself accountable for what happened to Akihito tonight.
"They did not escort you home?" So much unmasked judgment in the question. Atreyun's ancient and therefore still a little old-fashioned.
"He had somewhere else he needed to be after our dinner." Now that he's starting to say it out loud, it sounds not great. Not taking Akihito home to make sure he got there safe. Not even a- Akihito shifts in Atreyun's arms a little to dig his cell phone out of his pocket. He turns on the screen and there are no notifications. He unlocks the phone and navigates to his texts with the guy. Nothing new since several days ago, when he sent Aki the name of the restaurant where they'd be meeting. Not even a text, asking if he made it home okay. And on top of that, he didn't exactly carve out a lot of time for Akihito. Had one of those things gone even slightly different, he might not have been attacked tonight.
"I'm sure whatever he left for was really important."
"Is this how modern people treat their marriage prospects? Why would you consider the hand of his person who cannot take time to ensure you get home safely?"
This is the 'you could do better' speech from an ancient god who's been back in the world a whole thirty minutes, give or take. Please get used to this kind of behavior, Akihito. You'll be seeing a lot of it.
"Marriage prospect? What? No, I wasn't thinking about marrying him or anything. It was just a date." Which quickly turned into not such a nice time. Truthfully, the dinner itself wasn't anything spectacular either, but it was okay. And his date was fine, if you don't count the making Akihito walk home part. He's been on worse dates.
Akihito looks up at Atreyun with a series of confused blinks. "Unworthy?"
A crease forms between his brows. "Is a date not a part of a larger courtship ritual for determining one's mate?" Things were so very different in Atreyun's heyday. "You should have been seen home properly and safely. It is the least a potential marriage partner should do."
Akihito gives his head a small shake. "It can be. Some people date in the hope of finding someone to marry, but a lot of us date just to date. Like, courtship where the courtship is the only point. If I find someone I want to marry along the way, then great, but that's not really what I'm looking for. I'm not really ready to get married yet. I'm just looking for someone to not be alone with for a little while." And he highly doubts his date was looking at him as a potential marriage candidate.
"If he drove me home, you might not be here," he says softly, meant more for himself than for Atreyun. He wouldn't have gotten attacked, but that means he also wouldn't have prayed to Atreyun for help. It's possible that it would've just happened another time instead, or that someone else would've stumbled across his name, but it's also possible that he would've gone on being completely forgotten.
Stop being sensible about if Atreyun would be here or not! This isn't about Atreyun. This is about an unworthy marria— date.
A slight frown tugs at his lips. There is much nuance he still needs to learn about the ways and customs of Akihito and his people. By Atreyun's estimation, Akihito is certainly old enough to be married. "I don't understand," he grumbles softly. "You're not alone now."
Well sorry but he's making it about Atreyun now too. Because when it's just about him, it's really awkward. When it's about just him and his dating life, as well as his maybe questionable dating choices, it's really awkward. It's a little less awkward when he can drag someone else into the fray with him.
Akihito shakes his head, glancing up at Atreyun and then forward toward where they're going, pointing down a side street with a quiet 'this way'. They're finally starting to put some distance between Akihito and where he was attacked. It makes him relax just a little more in Atreyun's arms. "It's okay. You don't have to understand." It's probably going to take time and patience to help Atreyun through the things he doesn't understand about the modern world. Akihito doesn't expect him to get things immediately. "No, I'm not alone now. But I was."
Don't feel awkward, Aki! Atreyun is with you.... WAIT! Oh no!
Akihito's relaxing. It's equal parts relief and concern as Atreyun has no way to know if it's just time and distance from the boy's attack or if he's very slowly losing consciousness. Well, as long as he gets them to their destination,the can address any injuries there.
Understanding of these strange customs can come later, too.
"Is it much further?" Not because he's tired. He wants Akihito to be able to rest comfortably. The sooner the better.
Akihito's relaxing, but he's conscious. He's conscious. He's awake. He's determined to stay that way until he gets home. It's be so easy to fall asleep right now or just give in to unconsciousness. It's been a long night. It's been stressful. He suffered physical abuse. Physical and emotional trauma. It's been exhausting. But with Atreyun, he feels safe. Safer. It would be so easy to let himself pass out right here in this man's arms. But this is also a man he doesn't know. A deity, maybe. A stranger, definitely. Someone who's been kind and helpful to Akihito, yes. Someone who may use that to their advantage, maybe.
"Not much further." He digs his apartment keys out of his pocket then slips the keyring around his index finger so he doesn't drop them. "See that blue building just ahead? You turn left there, then it's just three buildings up on the right."
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When Atreyun makes no move to shoo the little human away, Akihito leans against him just a little more, trying to not overstep his bounds but attempting to take a little more pressure off of his injured body.
"Atreyun," he repeats to himself, testing how the name sounds and feels, committing it to memory. If this all turns out to be the real deal, Atreyun's is a name he never wants to forget (even if Atreyun ends up being nothing more than a regular man looking to help him out, he still wants to remember who it was who helped).
"Akihito is fine. Please just call me Akihito. If you'd like."
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Well. Maybe less so now. Once upon a time.
"Akihito, then," he agrees. "Tell me where we are going, Akihito. I will see you safely to your destination." And remain because he has nowhere else to be.
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"I just want to go home." There, he can start tending to his injuries, whether with his first aid supplies or simply rest. There, he can properly access the damage that was done to him tonight. There, he can start to process what happened here tonight and what almost happened. At home is where he can finally feel relatively safe. "It's a few blocks from here."
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"Show me the way." If Akihito can't make it steadily the whole way, Atreyun will assist further. Whether it be in the form of an arm around the boy to support him or flat out carrying him. No matter what, Akihito will reach his destination.
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Akihito nods, clutching Atreyun's hand and arm all the tighter (it hurts him, but so does everything else. But the fact that he can grip Atreyun's arm at all means his wrist probably isn't broken, right?) as he starts to walk toward the front of the bookshop. It's not without some struggles, though. Soft sounds of effort accompany the shuffling limp. He stops once they're just outside of the bookshop, looking up the street and down. The way he came from and the way he was running. The way he came from is actually the quickest, most direct way for him to get home. He turns his back on that direction, gesturing up the street. "Let's go this way." Even with Atreyun by his side, he doesn't feel good about the other direction right now. He doesn't like the idea of walking in the direction where he last saw his attackers.
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While he is quiet as they leave the bookshop, the actual noise of the outside world hits him like a strong gust of wind. Atreyun has been outside the world, only vaguely conscious of its many, many great changes. Touching Akihito initially allowed him to absorb more information: this modern language, a very basic understanding of modern technology (yes, he knows what a TV is and what a phone if for. Can he use them without help? Absolutely not!). What he wasn't prepared for were the onslaught of sounds as traffic speeds by, the sheer number of people talking on the street... and the smells? Like metal and oil and... so many things he can't even begin to identify. It prompts him to take a staggering half-step back and screw up his face in visible disgust.
But only for a few seconds. Akihito's safety is this priority here.
"You can walk?" He'll carry you, but he's not about to offer it.
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"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Perhaps he should focus more on himself and his own situation, but he can't help it. He can't help but worry about the man who's been decent to him. It hasn't been long, no, but given that Akihito's most recent previous experience with people left him battered and broken, it's been impactful.
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"I was not prepared for... It is like war out here." The sounds, the smells. "Now, can you calk the distance we must go?"
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Akihito grows quiet for a moment as he pictures their route in his head. The longer route. The shorter one is back the way he came, where he was cornered. The way he's already decided he doesn't want to go. "I don't think I can walk the whole way."
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Atreyun will adapt. All gods must if they hope to remain relevant. It may take time — and assistance from his one believer — but he will adapt to this strange, modern world. He must.
"Put your arm behind my neck." That and a handful of seconds are all Akihito's given to comply. After that handful of seconds, Atreyun's arm loops around Akihito, beneath his arms, behind the shoulders. There's one additional beat in which he stoops to slip the other arm behind the young man's knees to sweep him off the ground bridal style.
"Guide me."
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Based on Atreyun's reaction to walking out of the bookstore, this isn't the kind of place he's used to. So Akihito's words serve as a warning. This is considered quiet around here. It'll get worse before it gets better.
Akihito delicately, gingerly reaches across the back of Atreyun's neck, hooking his other hand over the deity's shoulder as he's swept up off of his feet. His first thought is that this feels a little awkward, but it's quickly brushed aside in favour of how much of a relief it is to no longer be on his feet. Relief from pressure, temporary easing of some of his pain. Not awkward. Necessary.
"Okay. Um, go up that way-" His hand temporarily leaves Atreyun's shoulder to point up the street. "-past three traffic lights and then turn right." He pauses and then shifts a little to look up at the deity. "The traffic lights are the green ones up the street. They turn red and yellow too." He pauses briefly before adding, "I'm sorry if you knew that already."
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Three traffic lights and a right. And carrying Akihito as if he weighs as much as a sack of feathers. Even recently awoken and in this very human form he retains inhuman strength.
“Do your people no longer use the sun and stars and cardinal directions to orient yourselves?” Sheer curiosity. He can navigate with lefts and rights. The old god is simply curious if that’s what’s common now.
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"No one really uses the sun and stars anymore, no. A lot of people still use cardinal directions but I've never been really good with them. I find them kind of confusing," he admits with a soft chuckle, opening his eyes again (well, one eye) and tipping his head back a bit to look up at the man carrying him. "I like lefts and rights a lot more. They're easier for me. Speaking of which, after you turn right, it's two more traffic lights and then another right."
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Lefts and rights are fine. Traffic lights are fine. Those references will get them where they're going and that's ultimately what matters.
"What were you doing?" Before he was attacked. What was he out for, Atreyun wonders.
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"I was on my way home after a date." One would think that the date, given that he had a vehicle, might've at least offered to drive Akihito home afterwards but it didn't come up. They ate, they went outside where things started to get a little hot out in the parking lot, Akihito shut it down (it started getting a little spicier than he would've liked in a public place), date got in his car and left. Akihito is seeing him again next week. "We went out to dinner. I was walking home afterwards."
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"They did not escort you home?" So much unmasked judgment in the question. Atreyun's ancient and therefore still a little old-fashioned.
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"I'm sure whatever he left for was really important."
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"Is this how modern people treat their marriage prospects? Why would you consider the hand of his person who cannot take time to ensure you get home safely?"
This is the 'you could do better' speech from an ancient god who's been back in the world a whole thirty minutes, give or take. Please get used to this kind of behavior, Akihito. You'll be seeing a lot of it.
"He is unworthy."
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Akihito looks up at Atreyun with a series of confused blinks. "Unworthy?"
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"If he drove me home, you might not be here," he says softly, meant more for himself than for Atreyun. He wouldn't have gotten attacked, but that means he also wouldn't have prayed to Atreyun for help. It's possible that it would've just happened another time instead, or that someone else would've stumbled across his name, but it's also possible that he would've gone on being completely forgotten.
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A slight frown tugs at his lips. There is much nuance he still needs to learn about the ways and customs of Akihito and his people. By Atreyun's estimation, Akihito is certainly old enough to be married. "I don't understand," he grumbles softly. "You're not alone now."
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Akihito shakes his head, glancing up at Atreyun and then forward toward where they're going, pointing down a side street with a quiet 'this way'. They're finally starting to put some distance between Akihito and where he was attacked. It makes him relax just a little more in Atreyun's arms. "It's okay. You don't have to understand." It's probably going to take time and patience to help Atreyun through the things he doesn't understand about the modern world. Akihito doesn't expect him to get things immediately. "No, I'm not alone now. But I was."
Don't feel awkward, Aki! Atreyun is with you.... WAIT! Oh no!
Understanding of these strange customs can come later, too.
"Is it much further?" Not because he's tired. He wants Akihito to be able to rest comfortably. The sooner the better.
LMFAO!
"Not much further." He digs his apartment keys out of his pocket then slips the keyring around his index finger so he doesn't drop them. "See that blue building just ahead? You turn left there, then it's just three buildings up on the right."
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