Will You Forgive Me? (Akechi x Akira)

Chapter 7- New Trust

Akechi's POV-

Akechi blinked against the light. Morning already? He hadn't even remembered falling asleep the previous night. He absentmindedly glanced over to where the other boy had been laying and found the bed already deserted. He frowned. What time was it? It wasn't like him to sleep in. He pushed himself into a sitting position and swung his legs groggily over the side of the bed. Just as he was about to make a move for the stairs, a slinking black figure came bounding up to him from some shadowy corner of the room.

"Hey, no!" It was a cat. Morgana stopped in front of him, tail stirring behind him menacingly.
"What's the matter?" Akechi questioned, trying to hide his shock of seeing the cat appear out of what seemed to be thin air. Morgana cleared his throat and spoke in an important tone.
"I have been sent to keep you up here for as long as the meeting is going on."
"A meeting? What about?" He knew what it was about and he didn't need Morgana to tell him. It would have to be about the palace. It was obvious none of the phantom thieves trusted him enough to include in such matters, they had far too much history to just blow over in a couple days.
"Shido." Morgana said shortly and sprung up next to Akechi, curling up in the sheets and making himself look like a fluffy burrito, "it might be a while, so get comfy."

Akechi nodded, but his insides were screaming in protest. How was he supposed to gain their trust when they weren't giving him the opportunity?
The two sat in silence for a long while until Morgana finally broke it, in a very accusing manner.
"What are you planning? You're still working for Shido aren't you?" Akechi blinked.
"What?"
"Don't play dumb, there's no way you could have survived in the boiler room if you hadn't been working with Shido." Morgana's green eyes were fixed on him, unblinkingly. Akechi took a deep breath.
"I'm not working with Shido..." at least this part was truthful. Akechi had no interest in ever being in cahoots with Shido again, pretending or not. "about how I got out of the boiler room..." he paused. Like hell he was going to tell the truth to this cat, or any of the phantom thieves. He had no intention of spilling any details on the velvet room, the twins or his little deal with them. "I still have no idea... and I do get how that is suspicious, but it's the truth."

He heard the cat make a throaty noise, fixing him with a harder stare,
"You're right. It does sound suspicious." They were left in silence again. This time more awkward than the last. Akechi cleared his throat, in a feeble attempt to catch the cat's attention. The least he could do was try to start gaining trust in the cat.
"How can I prove it." Morgana didn't move a muscle,
"Prove it...?"
"How can I prove to everyone I've changed? I don't want it to be like this anymore." He responded, keeping his face set.

"Oh... I thought it might be that... Well, it'll take time for anyone to trust you after everything you pulled, but you've definitely swayed a few opinions since you've come back." There was an obvious bitter undertone to his last words and Akechi was taken aback. Some were on his side? Or at least partly? If he could focus on the people that were inclined to believe him, they might be of help to convince the more troublesome members.
"Who believes me?" He asked, trying to keep the urgency out of his voice, but not sure he achieved it perfectly. Morgana dropped his head lower into his paws and answered,
"I don't know what you've done to Akira, but you've done a good job on him. He's always saying you're not that bad, which I disagree with mind you." Kurusu... he's really on my side?

"Speak of the devil." A scruff of fluffy black hair emerged from the stairwell, poking out over the landing. How did he manage hair like that? Kurusu caught his eye for a split moment until his attention diverted to the cat next to him.
"Morgana we're switching, they want to talk to you." The cat nodded and bounded off Akechi's bed, causing the mattress to rise at its loss of the cat. Kurusu watched as the cat left and approached him. Subconsciously Akechi stiffened his posture.