Like its going to be easy, to tell her anything, when it counts he barely keeps himself afloat. Akihiko, laying back in his room after his meeting with Shinji, is very conscious of the fact that he's not very forward socially with girls to begin with.

The female part of the population was always just people, he could watch his fellow classmates turn giddy because of some skirts or idol and not bat an eye, because why was this important, or relevant to anything? People are people and they are who they are, it's just that girls make less sense and run in circles with their half-truths and moods, never straightforward with anything.

And then there was her…

He's well aware of where the comfort zones are where she's concerned and he tries to stick to them, because the opposite makes his spine itch and his head fill with sparks in a two second span and then he's just an insomniac mess. Except she keeps cheating, just by existing really if he's being honest to himself about it, and he's addicted to the feel of her.

Sometimes he wonders how she does it, being so forward and bold. She's rarely nervous, she wears her heart on her sleeve and she's just so expressive. Just thinking about all the different ways her eyes can light up and convey her thoughts, he can already name a few favorites, and quite a few that he can't identify at all yet.

She made him fold in her bed in five seconds with a sultry red look from above and a lip bite and he never even resisted. She'll never need little paper favors; clearly, she can get anything she ever wants from him with half-lidded glances full of fire and he's actually okay with that.

I wonder what that says about me.

Akihiko has to admit to himself that he's been observing her for a long time now, and his fascination runs way farther back than he expected, he simply couldn't put any sort of loose label on what it was that was gnawing at his brain all this time. There's been hairpins and burning red eyes in his mind since forever ago.

And then we go on one vacation and that opens Pandora's box.

Just thinking it, he knows it's a lie, the keystone moments were before that. Even before that, although it did put aspects into focus he never expected to discover about himself, nor her. Adding more padlocks, Akihiko sighs, ruffling his hair. All his thoughts are jumbled sideways and backward and even his train of thought is a mess.

At least, when it involves shadows, Tartarus or anything fighting related, he's coherent enough. None of that nightmare scares him and combat is exciting, perhaps that's why he's more relaxed around her in there.

Akihiko looks at the clock, the whole day has been strange, and the Dark Hour isn't coming soon enough.

To say he's eager to step into the Tower of Demise again is an understatement; they spent almost all their nights here since the beach vacation, but the short lull when she left for Inaba makes it feel like it was a thousand years ago. Minako seems to be in the same high spirits as of this morning, coasting from one team member to another to chat them up on the way to Gekkoukan, sharing her joie de vivre to cheer them on. Everyone except him that is, and Akihiko wonders if it's because he never needs any incentive to fight, especially with her.

She ends her rounds with her twin, just bumping into his side until Minato drapes an arm around her shoulders and they walk for a bit, silent and mingling their hair in closeness. Eventually she relents, smacks her brother on the backside and chuckles when he slowly makes his way up the column to hover between Yukari and Mitsuru.

Minako then turns her blazing gaze back his way and stops walking, waiting for him to catch up to her.

"So, it's my turn for a morale boost?"

Akihiko is slightly amused and he injects it in his tone; he really doesn't need one, but he'll take any occasion to slip in some subtle alone time with her despite the crowd. She smirks, something almost wicked dancing in her eyes.

"What can I say, I like saving the best for last."

Why does this feel like this morning suddenly ?

Clamping down on the flustering is only partially working and he bites down on his smile; she's disarming when she gets cheeky. Minako falls into step next to him, hands clasped in her lower back and looking forward, so close he can feel her sleeve skimming the air next to him. There's a rising tide of static filling his mind but despite it, he moves one of his arms behind her to brush her open palm with an exposed phalange.

Being taller and looking down toward her at his side, he clearly sees her eyes glimmer when he touches her, and he smirks slightly. Maybe he's starting to get the hang of the unspoken invitations. Then the red glint changes form to something he can't label, and she clasps his hand between her two own, careful to avoid the gauntlet's dangerous insert, running her nails on his uncovered skin like ghostly paintbrushes.

"Eager to put these through a test run? Because I'm curious too."

Akihiko flexes the fingers of his unoccupied hand to crack his knuckles in reply, shivering with the sensations. Is she anxious about her gift?

"I don't have any doubt whatsoever, I can tell they'll be more than just effective."

The Dark Hour falls on the world like a curtain, its filter jarring for a few seconds. They both blink through the transition, like this is just a break in the clouds on a sunny afternoon, and keep walking close while Tartarus constructs itself above them like a nightmarish beanstalk.

They're catching on to the others, so Minako squeezes his hand hard before releasing her grip on it, and Akihiko clasps her fingertips to stroke them with some pressure before opening his hold as well to free her. Like they're imprinting the sensation before stepping in the mouth of hell to face death and it's an unspoken rule that it's a private partake. He's smiling her way when Mitsuru looks back on them, everyone else already inside Tartarus.

"Good pep talk, leader."

She smiles at him impishly and takes a deep breath.

"Alright, let's do this."

Minako is somber, a strange determination in her eyes as she looks over at the members of SEES from near the stairs of Tartarus, leaning her head on her weapon's shaft pensively. They just came back from half of their planned expedition of the night to swap people around groups, and she's been oddly focused while watching Aigis recharge her ammo.

A sharp contrast to the bubbly violence she was displaying earlier, totally running circles around the latest guardian with him and Junpei. He had missed this; the unspoken dance of death where they're so attuned to each other that it feels effortless.

"Admiring the results of your daring training schedule? Because it's impressive."

Akihiko's standing near her, rolling his shoulders to shake out the kinks and tension in them. His new gloves are amazing, but they ring like thunderclaps on impact, and it will get him a little bit to get used to the backlash. Absolutely worth it though, he never pummuled so many shadows to dust so quick. Minako smiles pensively at him with a side glance.

"I just hope it'll be enough… We don't know what we're gonna face this full moon."

"I can't see how we could be more ready. Now, if you want to go check that passage, we should get going before the Dark Hour ends."

"Don't threaten me with a good time, you just want to put your toys to the test again."

Well, that's kind of true…

Minako nods, standing straight, her voice very soft and not looking at him.

"Hey, do you… Are we still on for tomorrow morning?"

"Uh?"

Oh, the daybreak alarm.

He frowns, this might be complicated to explain truthfully.

"Yes! I'm sorry I did that, I just…"

She just cocks her head to the side, eyes still far away but he can tell from his spot that they're full of understanding.

"I get it… I just wanted to know if you… needed more space."

Still as perceptive as ever.

Akihiko waits a bit before answering, mulling the words over. It's not a lie, but he'll have to work on it to make it true.

"No, I'm good."