[long, halting inhale, interspersed by a yawn that came and went. his head remained at a low hang, though life steadily trickled back into his downcast eyes. vertigo took more than a moment to fight off - eventually, however, he managed it, just in time to catch and process Akam'e sad chuckle and glance back.]
[he kept up. didn't look like he knew where they were going, let alone that they were still on Macha, but he catches the added lines to her expression that hadn't been there before.]
[there's a few things one could say to that, he thinks. he starts with, feet hopping an extra step for their arms to brush one another:]
Why?
[the night cast an eerie glow. the more aware he became, the stronger it grew. a forest alive; a forest silent in the wake of eradication, surreal as a nightmare and twice as terrifying as a dream. familiar faces back at camp, familiar faces dead in the field, and sure, he'd stick close to Akame's side for as long as he could. any company was better than none, even if this company seemed held together by despair and a world-weariness that hadn't shown itself since she'd been a heap in a hallway.]
[regret. what a word.]
[there was a charred toy in his pocket and a charred neraki screaming with her last breath in his mind. he'd like to go back to sleep (he'd like if Akame could, too, and ease the crease between her brow).]
no subject
[he kept up. didn't look like he knew where they were going, let alone that they were still on Macha, but he catches the added lines to her expression that hadn't been there before.]
[there's a few things one could say to that, he thinks. he starts with, feet hopping an extra step for their arms to brush one another:]
Why?
[the night cast an eerie glow. the more aware he became, the stronger it grew. a forest alive; a forest silent in the wake of eradication, surreal as a nightmare and twice as terrifying as a dream. familiar faces back at camp, familiar faces dead in the field, and sure, he'd stick close to Akame's side for as long as he could. any company was better than none, even if this company seemed held together by despair and a world-weariness that hadn't shown itself since she'd been a heap in a hallway.]
[regret. what a word.]
[there was a charred toy in his pocket and a charred neraki screaming with her last breath in his mind. he'd like to go back to sleep (he'd like if Akame could, too, and ease the crease between her brow).]