Maruki blinks, his mouth parting just slightly at the sheer venom in Akechi’s words.
Oh dear. He’s certainly struck a nerve, hasn’t he?
For all his initial surprise, he recovers quickly, smoothing down the front of his coat as he offers a small, sheepish chuckle. “Ah—my apologies, I wasn’t expecting quite that level of, er...passion.”
Still, his gaze flickers downward, watching as Akechi’s talons flex, the way his muscles tense beneath his coat. Predatory. That smile—those teeth—Maruki has a sudden, unpleasant realization that if he were to push the wrong button here, really dig in…
Akechi could very easily tear him apart.
His fingers twitch slightly at his sides, but outwardly, his friendly, amicable demeanor remains intact. He tilts his head just so, his expression softening into something carefully neutral. “Now, now, Akechi-san,” he soothes, lifting his hands just a bit in a placating gesture. “I do try to respect my patients’ privacy, you know. Even if you work with the law enforcement, it wouldn’t be very professional of me to discuss the specifics of Yoshizawa-san’s treatment in detail, now would it?”
There’s no outright denial in his tone—no defense, no justification—just a carefully measured response, mild and unassuming.
His fingers curl lightly around the key fob in his palm, the smooth surface grounding him as he offers a small, good-natured laugh but it teeters off into something meek. “Besides, I wouldn’t exactly say that’s how I see it, but... well, perception is a funny thing, isn’t it? Two people can look at the same situation and come away with entirely different conclusions. Unless it is something pertaining to the future which I will be honest- it's a little unfair, ha- um.”
He lets the words settle, watching Akechi’s expression closely, as if gauging how much further he can tread before those talons stop merely flexing and start acting.
“I do appreciate the feedback, though,” he adds lightly.
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Oh dear. He’s certainly struck a nerve, hasn’t he?
For all his initial surprise, he recovers quickly, smoothing down the front of his coat as he offers a small, sheepish chuckle. “Ah—my apologies, I wasn’t expecting quite that level of, er...passion.”
Still, his gaze flickers downward, watching as Akechi’s talons flex, the way his muscles tense beneath his coat. Predatory. That smile—those teeth—Maruki has a sudden, unpleasant realization that if he were to push the wrong button here, really dig in…
Akechi could very easily tear him apart.
His fingers twitch slightly at his sides, but outwardly, his friendly, amicable demeanor remains intact. He tilts his head just so, his expression softening into something carefully neutral. “Now, now, Akechi-san,” he soothes, lifting his hands just a bit in a placating gesture. “I do try to respect my patients’ privacy, you know. Even if you work with the law enforcement, it wouldn’t be very professional of me to discuss the specifics of Yoshizawa-san’s treatment in detail, now would it?”
There’s no outright denial in his tone—no defense, no justification—just a carefully measured response, mild and unassuming.
His fingers curl lightly around the key fob in his palm, the smooth surface grounding him as he offers a small, good-natured laugh but it teeters off into something meek. “Besides, I wouldn’t exactly say that’s how I see it, but... well, perception is a funny thing, isn’t it? Two people can look at the same situation and come away with entirely different conclusions. Unless it is something pertaining to the future which I will be honest- it's a little unfair, ha- um.”
He lets the words settle, watching Akechi’s expression closely, as if gauging how much further he can tread before those talons stop merely flexing and start acting.
“I do appreciate the feedback, though,” he adds lightly.