[ Maruki watches that moment of shock overtake Akechi's expression with a pang in his gut that's something like sympathy, something like grief. Who knows if Akechi will even live to see Christmas Eve?

He hates that thought. Dismisses it outright. Pulls his jacket tighter around him as the wind whips up, shakes his head. ]

I didn't interrogate him about it up front. It wasn't the time – I have to build up his trust in me again, after all.

[ If a little misery clings to the edges of those words, so be it. ]

I intend to ask him for details once we're settled with one another. It's not–

[ A fat drop of water lands on his upper lip, rolls into his mouth to cut that thought short. A brief second as he looks up, brows drawn down as if the gathered rainclouds are an entirely new sight for him, and then the drops begin to gather on his glasses.

Maruki looks out toward the ocean, high tide and angry, choppy waves. ]

Come on. We should get to higher ground.

[ There's little to be had in the way of shelter, but anything else would be better than getting rained on right at the shore. He stands, motions for Akechi to follow him up the sloped dirt and rocks steadily turning to mud beneath their feet. ]