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."
Not much further, indeed. The whole trip wasn’t long to make on foot (not by Atreyun’s estimation). A few of these city blocks in one direction. A few more in another direction. Turn left at the blue building, three buildings up on the right. Easy enough. And with Atreyun’s brisk pace and long strides it isn’t long at all until they’re at the door. Unfamiliar with the concept of house keys, he waits staring, while Akihito opens the door and then proceeds to carry him inside. He maneuvers through the darkened apartment to lay the boy for rest on the couch.
It’s all very strange to him. He understands it all on a very surface level thanks to his initial connection with the boy. When Akihito’s feeling stronger, Atreyun has many questions. Now, he has only one.
Though it wasn't a terribly long trip as it was, it would've been shorter had Akihito been willing to go back the way he came. Specifically the direction he ran from. Even with Atreyun here, he couldn't do it. This also just goes to show how close he got to home before he was attacked. Does that mean they live near him? What if they're in his building? There's a sense of dread that comes over him at that thought.
No more than a handful of seconds after Atreyun lays Akihito on the couch, he's climbing back to his feet with a not insignificant amount of effort. He shuffles across the room to flip the light switch, lighting up the living room. The space is quaint. Cozy. There's a bookshelf on one wall, filled with a mix of novels and picture books, trinkets and cute stuffed animals. There's a small television in one corner, and a tall snake plant in the other. There are photos on the walls alongside art and other hanging wall decor. Quaint. Cozy.
"Fetch water? Oh! Oh no, you don't have to do that." And not in the brushing it off 'you've already done enough for me' sort of way. He gestures for Atreyun to follow as he slowly limps his way to a door next to the living room. "The water comes to us," he explains as he flips on the bathroom light and points to the sink before turning on the cold water. "See?"
A frown pulls his features down when Akihito instantly rises from where he’s been placed to rest. Atreyun’s dismay is short lived, replaced by some level of surprise and awe when the room is bathed instantly and fully in light. He physically jolts, blinking around the room to find the light sources that lit like magic. (Is electricity not magic to someone who knows no such thing?) A few seconds pass before Atreyun takes in the whole of the room. As expected, it’s very unlike what he knows. The homes of people thousands of years ago are alien in comparison to this.
Without a word more, he follows Akihito to another room (partitioned rooms! What a novelty!). Once more he jerks his head up when the lights come on. He’s much quicker this time to look at his surroundings. Very foreign to him, indeed. But the way he audibly gasps when Akihito turns the tap and the water pours forth. But the basin it spills into is fixed and not large enough to get a pail under…
Sorry Atreyun, but there are some things that are easier to show than explain. Which means he has to get up so he can show them. Besides, he can make his way around his apartment well enough. Oh, everything is still horribly painful (a little more so, even, since he hasn't really moved much since leaving the book store) but he can get around well enough. It's not like his apartment is too big that he has to do a lot of walking to get from one place to another.
"That one isn't for bathing." Akihito shuts the water off and moves to the opposite side of the bathroom where the bathtub sits against the wall. He sits on the edge of it (he can get around, but standing and walking are both incredibly exhausting) before leaning down to put the stopper in the drain. "I have a bathtub for bathing. It has the same taps at the sink does," he explains, pointing to the silver fixtures on the tub that match those on the sink.
A tiny, awed oh escapes him as the water flows on a slightly larger scale than from the sink. It's a moment before Atreyun moves closer, reaching out to move his fingers through the running water. This time, upon feeling that it's already growing warm, he gasps.
"It's done with electricity, like how the lights are powered. Or with fire? I'm not sure exactly how they do it in this building. But anyway, there's, like, a really big thank downstairs in the basement that is filled with water and the water is heated up in the tank with electricity or fire. Then it just sits there, nice and preheated, waiting until someone needs it. I think? I'm not super sure about how hot water heaters work. I can find a better explanation for it later if you want." He's sure there's somehow around a million youtube videos to choose from to explain water heaters. A video that will explain it much better than he can, given he knows very little about these sorts of things. He lives in an apartment so he doesn't need to know this stuff.
"Um, I'm going to get undressed now so if you could wait out in the living room for me... It's where you put me down when we got inside." Taking a few deep breaths to prepare himself, Akihito climbs back to his feet. There, he takes a few more breaths. Everything hurts and it makes everything feel like so much effort. It makes him have to think out every move before he makes it. No room for anything extra. So it's a full minute of standing there before he tugs on the zipper of his sweater, trying to shrug off the garment without too much effort. That the one place the sweater isn't full stretched out is around his injured wrist just feels cruel. Moving his arm enough to reach the sweater with his other hand feels like more than he's capable of right now, so he just stands, looking down at the sweater hanging from his wrist.
"Magic," he whispers softly, to himself. He's not trying to correct Akihito, but so little of that makes sense to him where magic does.
For a moment Atreyun doesn't move. He doesn't look away from the water. "Can you manage on your own?" There's nothing suggestive in his tone. When he does rise up and look at Akihito, it's with nothing but concern. However, he bows his hand and slips out the door to afford him his privacy. No argument on this matter. Which isn't do say Atreyun doesn't have his concerns.
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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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It’s all very strange to him. He understands it all on a very surface level thanks to his initial connection with the boy. When Akihito’s feeling stronger, Atreyun has many questions. Now, he has only one.
“Where may I fetch water for you?”
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No more than a handful of seconds after Atreyun lays Akihito on the couch, he's climbing back to his feet with a not insignificant amount of effort. He shuffles across the room to flip the light switch, lighting up the living room. The space is quaint. Cozy. There's a bookshelf on one wall, filled with a mix of novels and picture books, trinkets and cute stuffed animals. There's a small television in one corner, and a tall snake plant in the other. There are photos on the walls alongside art and other hanging wall decor. Quaint. Cozy.
"Fetch water? Oh! Oh no, you don't have to do that." And not in the brushing it off 'you've already done enough for me' sort of way. He gestures for Atreyun to follow as he slowly limps his way to a door next to the living room. "The water comes to us," he explains as he flips on the bathroom light and points to the sink before turning on the cold water. "See?"
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Without a word more, he follows Akihito to another room (partitioned rooms! What a novelty!). Once more he jerks his head up when the lights come on. He’s much quicker this time to look at his surroundings. Very foreign to him, indeed. But the way he audibly gasps when Akihito turns the tap and the water pours forth. But the basin it spills into is fixed and not large enough to get a pail under…
“How do you use this to bathe?”
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"That one isn't for bathing." Akihito shuts the water off and moves to the opposite side of the bathroom where the bathtub sits against the wall. He sits on the edge of it (he can get around, but standing and walking are both incredibly exhausting) before leaning down to put the stopper in the drain. "I have a bathtub for bathing. It has the same taps at the sink does," he explains, pointing to the silver fixtures on the tub that match those on the sink.
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"What magic is used to heat this?"
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"Um, I'm going to get undressed now so if you could wait out in the living room for me... It's where you put me down when we got inside." Taking a few deep breaths to prepare himself, Akihito climbs back to his feet. There, he takes a few more breaths. Everything hurts and it makes everything feel like so much effort. It makes him have to think out every move before he makes it. No room for anything extra. So it's a full minute of standing there before he tugs on the zipper of his sweater, trying to shrug off the garment without too much effort. That the one place the sweater isn't full stretched out is around his injured wrist just feels cruel. Moving his arm enough to reach the sweater with his other hand feels like more than he's capable of right now, so he just stands, looking down at the sweater hanging from his wrist.
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For a moment Atreyun doesn't move. He doesn't look away from the water. "Can you manage on your own?" There's nothing suggestive in his tone. When he does rise up and look at Akihito, it's with nothing but concern. However, he bows his hand and slips out the door to afford him his privacy. No argument on this matter. Which isn't do say Atreyun doesn't have his concerns.
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