For all his guilt and self-doubt, Maruki couldn't quite suppress the tiny flicker of satisfaction that bloomed in his chest. So, in some way, he had helped. Even if it hadn’t been him entirely—just the mere fact that Akira had woken up looking brighter, feeling better, that alone felt like some small victory. A quiet, guilty pleasure he refused to examine too closely.
Instead, he took another sip of coffee, using it as an excuse to school his expression into something more neutral.
And then—
"Not gonna lie... I couldn't find a clean mug when I came in here this morning. I couldn't find a clean anything."
Maruki stiffened slightly.
"...Ah."
A beat of silence.
He cleared his throat, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, before offering the most dignified excuse he could muster.
"I, uh—well, you see... assignments. Lab reports. That sort of thing." He gestured vaguely in the direction of his study, as if the sheer weight of academia could excuse the state of his kitchen. "Takes up a lot of time."
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branchandroot
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Date: 2025-01-30 01:30 am (UTC)Instead, he took another sip of coffee, using it as an excuse to school his expression into something more neutral.
And then—
"Not gonna lie... I couldn't find a clean mug when I came in here this morning. I couldn't find a clean anything."
Maruki stiffened slightly.
"...Ah."
A beat of silence.
He cleared his throat, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, before offering the most dignified excuse he could muster.
"I, uh—well, you see... assignments. Lab reports. That sort of thing." He gestured vaguely in the direction of his study, as if the sheer weight of academia could excuse the state of his kitchen. "Takes up a lot of time."