#'huh?' 'N-NOTHING GORO!'

[nerdstreak]

i bring more of the He now that im off work and i finished the fire temple yesterday (as well as water!!) so like mega spoilers if you look now but dont wanna see

pausing the barrage of screenshots to scream abt THIS HOLY SHIT HAND COMPARISON AUGH

a vow you say JK JK AJHSKSGGSG

[lake-archive]

Scene 31

AO3 Link

Fandom: Persona 5

Character (main): Anja / Luka (OC), Goro Akechi

Scene 30 - Masterlist - Scene 32

One rumor stops yet another replaces it. Or so their life felt like lately. Just when they thought that they would be free from any more rumors it was Maki who had to turn this around and spread rumors around of a different kind. It was nothing on the levels of what she had spread in the past nor was it intentional but… It was still a bit of an inconvenience. All because she had to shout several things out loud.

“Anja! I found an interview where Akechi–Sama is talking about his ideal woman!”

“Look look! A pretty safe date plan which always works! How about you go to these locations on your next hangout with Akechi–Sama?”

“Say, did you try to be sneaky away from the public eye? Come on, I can help you with some advice maybe~”

“Do you need someone to stay watch so you can enjoy your alone time? I will gladly help out!”

The intentions were… Well, they sensed nothing bad about this anymore but… It was still not great. It really felt overwhelming. Especially when the rumors started. Except this time they were directly asked. Like that one time where a girl approached them on the streets.

“Hey Anja! I heard that there is something going on between you and Akechi–Kun!”

They froze when hearing that, wanting to sink into the ground, They had even forced a smile on their face yet noticed their cheeks basically being lit on fire. “Wh… What? No, nothing is going on between us!” They responded quickly and… Well, that was the truth. There really was nothing going on in that regard. And yet the conversation had not stopped there, not really at least.

“Huh? Really? But you two hang out a lot…”

“I mean friends can hang out, right?”

“I guess… But you always drag him or just show up out of nowhere. So you must like him!”

“I mean if I didn’t I wouldn’t hang out with him.”

“No, I meant that you are in love.”

Silence for a short moment. They were only staring all bewildered… In… Love… There it is again! Why was everyone saying that!? Of course it was towards Anja but… Ah yeesh! This is just— No, keep calm. Don’t yell… Just don’t. “You’re misunderstanding this.”

“Huh? Am I? Aren’t you trying to disguise your dates with him?”

“N… No.”

“And the date plans Watanabe keeps bringing up?”

“She is also misunderstanding things.” Though she did bring up a few good suggestions to try out. “Please, if you want to have your shot, go on ahead. I don’t really care all that much. I have no feelings whatsoever for Akechi–Kun and it won’t happen anytime soon.” They had finished it off while waving their hand in front of their face and it was left at that. This really, really should have been the end of it all. They meant what they said – They didn’t care. If by some chance there was someone else then so what? None of their business.

Then why was it that when they had seen him suddenly surrounded by a crowd of females that they had to dash in out of literal nowhere!? No, really! They had no idea why they had dashed in there and just dragged him away. The excuse? Well, to quote themself directly:

“There you are Akechi–Kun! I was waiting for sometime here! C’mon c’mon! We had plans, right?”

And then they literally just walked off while having grabbed his hand, though unintentionally. Yet knowing that it was bigger than their own… It had their mind racing and their head burning. This was so embarrassing! Especially since it came from literal nowhere, out of left field! They didn’t even know where they were going to begin with! They had no place in mind! Ah what mess were they getting themself into here!? Even worse when he asked after a few more moments…

“Anja? What are you doing?”

The question they didn’t want to hear! Thus they suddenly stopped, a little hesitant to let go of his hand and turn around, forcing their usual smile on their face. Yet it was a little more nervous than usual. “Ah… Er… I just… Saw that the girls were swarming you again!” They responded, having a hard time to come up with an excuse on the spot. In fact they were just stuttering it right out of their own mouth. “So I uh just came up with something, yeah!”

As if he was going to believe that! And he had been looking at them for a moment, his gaze all too clear. Yeah he was not going to buy that excuse at all! But they didn’t know either! Right? But then there it is again… That irritating side of his. Yet it bothered them more than usual? If that made any sense… “You are more observant than I’m giving you credit for sometimes.” He said, as if believing that. They both knew he wasn’t though. So why bother!? “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“Y… Yeah… No problem…” They said almost quietly before turning their head away again. No way they heard that just now. “Uh… You probably gotta be somewhere, right?”

“Hm? Oh, not really. I have some time to spare.”

“A… Aha…” They were trying to keep their composure but it was harder than usual. In fact they could feel their legs shaking. They wanted to run, today of all days… They weren’t helping their case here at all! ‘I don’t like him like that’ then what were they doing just now!? Idiot! That’s what they thought of themself just now! “I… Think I shouldn’t interrupt then… Heh…”

“Are you alright?” Akechi had to ask, probably faking concern. Yeah, that had to be it! No way! Right!? “Usually you’ll take any chance you can get to latch onto me.”

They turned around for a moment, shortly after they felt a volcano interrupt inside their very own head. What was this!? An interrogation!? “Me!? No way! I’d never!” 

“Never? Then explain the last few times.” And he had to say it with that calm, polite face of his! If he wanted to make fun of them he should just look like that already!

“Uh… Just… Er… Wait, am I being interrogated!?”

“Hmm… Not until now.”

“Hah!? Wait, what did I do!? You can’t just—”

Though they heard a sudden snicker coming from his lips, right after they were literally panicking in front of him. A snicker he tried to hold in yet couldn’t. And said snicker was silencing them from one moment to the next, just taking a closer look. It wasn’t like the usual chuckle which was clearly artificial. No, not even close. It had some undertone in it Anja had never heard. Though it sounded as if it just came out of him. Nothing for show, no. It was… An actual snicker. And he was clearly holding something back here, wasn’t he?

“C… Calm down… I was joking.” He said while covering the mouth with one of his hands, as if trying to not burst into laughter right then and there. His body sure was shaking. “I’m not going to actually interrogate you.”

“Ah—” Why were they even taking that seriously? Of course not! “I… I knew that! I was just playing along or something!” Uh… Seriously… Just being close to Akechi in those moments was almost unbearable. But… They didn’t hate it? No, they didn’t. They liked him… Actually, reflecting on everything… Maybe the others do have a point? It was hard to say but— 

“Of course. What else would I expect?” He then added a little calmer. Yet before they could get a word in he would add: “Let me guess. As ‘punishment’ for putting you on the spot I have to treat you, right?”

Anja wasn’t going to say that now! But… He brought it up himself, didn’t he? They planned to run but… Maybe… They could indulge in something a little while longer. Maybe… Perhaps… So they suddenly crossed their arms, pouting. 

“You’re right about that! A punishment for confusing the hell out of me!” They responded. Not an exact lie in the end. Because that much was true. He was confusing them one way or another. They didn’t get it. Could it be that this was— 

Ah, they could dwell on that later. So, before anything could be said they decided to just drop that pouty, nonsensical attitude and grab his hand again out of nowhere, a grin right on their face. “So that means I’ll pick! Better be ready, I’m not gonna let you escape anytime soon!”

Yeah, maybe there was a point to all of this. But there was no need to bring it all up… If Anja wanted Akechi of all people… They were going to do this in their own way! Without raising su—

“But really what has come over you all of a sudden?”

“P… Please don’t ask…” 

They would rather not say it out loud though, at least not right now, not into his face. The time will come eventually but it isn't right now. For the time being just enjoy the moment while it is still possible.

Scene 30 - Masterlist - Scene 32

[a-student-out-of-time]

Kasumi do you have a partner now? And if you do, do you have any children of your own?

Yep, that was another big step I made.

*She holds up her left hand, showing off her wedding ring*

Girl, you got married?! Awesome!

You know it!

His name’s Souta. We met while I was in college, and he always managed to cheer me up when I was having a bad day.

He’s a little...he has his head in the clouds most of the time, but he always tries to make me happy. Him and our son, Hirota.

You have a kid too?

Yep! He turns 19 this year, and he’s about to start college.

Has motherhood been difficult for you?

It’s had its ups and downs, sure, but I’m proud of my son. He’s been doing an amazing job, and I’ve been supporting him in whatever he wants to do.

Honestly...dating in college helped me understand a lot of things about myself. Souta-kun was the man I married, sure, but I had a few other relationships too. I even dated a girl for a while.

Wait, really?

Yep! Her name was Terumi. She was a really sweet girl I met in one of my classes, and we hit it off right away. We used to stay up late, talking about different scientific theories.

She was also a great kisser. Plus, she looked super cute in her swimsuit when we went to the beach that summer.

I see...

Shinji-kun, are you having dirty thoughts about me and her?

Huh!? N-No, nothing like that!

I’m just teasing.

But we had to keep things secret. We couldn’t even hold hands in public.

How come?

I don’t want to sound like an old lady, but...you kids have it way easier than we did. Back then, being in a same-sex relationship was just not seen as acceptable.

It got to be too much for Terumi as well, so we decided to call it quits. She told me she was moving to Sweden not long afterward.

Sorry to hear that, Ouma-san.

It’s okay. We talked it out and there’s no hard feelings on either side. She’s actually teaching anthropology at the University of Lund now. I’m really proud of her.

The important thing is, both of us are happy.

I just wanna say, from someone who’s been there too, I’m glad you met someone who accepts you for who you are.

Thank you, Goro-kun.

[meadowmines]

OC-Tober Day 3: Control

[In which Aoyagi's boss catches him Dealing With Shit in a way that is... not the unhealthiest, but still concerning enough to rate a talking-to.]

"Whatcha doin'?"

It's the same tone of voice you'd use when your four-year-old has been quiet for way too long and you find them fingerpainting the dog. Best not to ask how Aoyagi knows that.

"Scrubbin' the floor," he says, without looking up, like it's obvious. Like it's not three in the morning and the floor he's scrubbing isn't in the Majima Family office bathroom. Like this is a normal thing normal people do at three in the morning. No, Aoyagi might not be an official family man but he's a close enough "friend of the family" that him hanging out here isn't weird. Even if it's three in the morning and the "hanging out" he's doing is aggressively deep cleaning the place.

"Ain't ya got a floor at home?"

"Already scrubbed it."

"Ain't ya got a floor at the cafe?"

"The boys scrubbed it at closing time."

"Huh."

Aoyagi thinks, for a hot second, that's the end of the interrogation. He should know better. He does know better. He doesn't look up. He doesn't have to look up to know what's coming. Those shiny steel-toed shoes, heels clicking across the parts of the floor Aoyagi hasn't scrubbed yet. The creak of leather as Majima-san hunkers down just outside the boundary of his personal space.

"Ya don't drink. Ya don't smoke. Ya don't gamble, other than yer shogi hustlin' shit ya probably think I ain't heard about." Goddammit, nothing gets past him, does it? "And personally, I don't count it as gamblin' if ya know yer gonna win, so there. Ya don't piss all yer money away on fancy shit ya don't need. Ya don't stay out all night manwhorin' it up. The only white powder ya ever get into is flour." Snakeskin and black leather sneak into Aoyagi's carefully cultivated tunnel vision and the scrub brush is ever so gently removed from his hand. "Guess there's worse shit to end up hooked on than scrubbin' the floor at fuckall o'clock in the mornin'. Or do ya think I ain't noticed how much cleaner this place is lately?"

Shit.

"Hey. Get up off the floor n' leave some shit for my boys to scrub in the mornin', huh?"

It's not an order. Again, "friend of the family," Majima-san is only Aoyagi's boss in the sense that he owns the cafe (for now at least, but never mind that). But as far as Aoyagi is concerned, any request that comes from him may as well be a command from the gods themselves. As much as he hates to leave a job half-finished, Aoyagi huffs out a sigh and stands up.

---

"I get it, y'know."

They're sitting out in the main room. Zombie movie on the TV. Beer on a coaster in front of Majima-san. Canned coffee on a coaster in front of Aoyagi.

"Ya go that long not havin' a damn bit of say in anything that's happenin' to ya... course the second it sinks in yer free, yer gonna latch onto the first thing ya see that gives ya some control back." There's the scratch-click of a lighter. The smell of cigarette smoke. "And bein' clean's about the easiest one there is, ain't it? Little soap n' water's all it takes to make dirt yer bitch."

Aoyagi splutters out a helpless laugh. Fucking hell, what he wouldn't give to have half the way with words this guy does.

"Ya think I wear these 'cause they look cool?" Majima-san holds up a hand and wiggles his leather-gloved fingers. "I mean. They do look cool as shit, right?"

"They look cool as shit," Aoyagi confirms, and he tries to keep the smile from creeping in there but it's late and he's tired and he doesn't have the energy to try too hard.

"Hell yeah they do." He's quiet for a while. "Cheaper than the hand soap bill I was rackin' up, too."

Aoyagi tries to imagine the unstoppable force of nature that is Goro Goddamn Majima scrubbing his hands raw every time he even thinks he's touched something dirty or every time his brain is making too awful a racket to let him sleep, in the same way he himself wakes up in a cold sweat with the worst months of his life freshly dredged up to the surface and feels that deep visceral need to spit-polish his surroundings spotless. It's not easy to imagine, but it's easier than he thinks it should be and it makes his blood run cold.

"Like I said. I'd rather see ya up here scrubbin' the shitters at three in the mornin' than out on the street puttin' God knows what up yer nose or in yer veins or whatever. Just make sure it's what you wanna do n' not what some punkass shoulder devil's whisperin' in yer ear."

"How do I tell the difference?" Aoyagi asks.

"Dunno," Majima-san says with a shrug. "I'll let ya know when I figure it out."

[narrators-journal]

could you do kinktober with akeshu with top akiren and bottom goro? breeding overstimulation and cream pie please

I struggled hardcore to come up with a good setup for this one, so I hope it doesn't suffer too much for it.

CW: overstimulation, breeding kink, creampie

          "Come on, Akechi. All you gotta do is ask nicely and I'll give you a break." Akira hummed as he slowly stroked the brunette's aching member. "I'll at least clean you up a bit, maybe turn down the vibrator." 

His offer was met with yet another stubborn growl from the brunette. The celebrity pulling at the handcuffs that kept his hands away from the dark-haired teen. Akira sighed at that, 

 "How can you still be so stubborn after so long? You're acting like I'm trying to pry government secrets out of you. All I want to do is make you feel good."

 "Then do it." The detective spat. "N-nothing is stopping you." Akira shook his head, reaching down to make sure the remote-controlled vibrator he had nestled into Akechi was still nestled where he'd put it. Whirring away against Akechi's g-spot.

  "Akira!" Goro exclaimed. Gritting his teeth through the pain the boy sent through him when he used the toy to thrust into him. 

 "Say it, pretty boy. Ask me nicely and I will stop tormenting you." The phantom thief hummed, smiling down at the sight of his fuck-buddy laid out vulnerable for him. It made a very memorable sight. The way his light brown hair lay splayed out around his pink-tinted cheeks, the way his lips parted in needy pants, and his warm brown eyes were blown wide with arousal. However, the stubborn man refused to cave yet. 

The dried layers of the night's earlier loads and the way he sometimes let out pained whimpers from how sensitive he'd grown didn't seem to convince him. So, Akira once again reached down to use the toy to slowly thrust into him. 

"Akira." The detective snapped, "Quit fucking with me already!" Akira shook his head again at that, 

"Ask. Nicely."

 "God, fucking...please." He finally hissed, making Akira grin.

 "Good boy~"

Now that Akechi had cracked at long last, Akira pulled the toy out of him and shut it off. Yet, before he took its place between the detective's trembling legs, the dark-haired thief got up and began cleaning his partner up. Relishing the dark way his partner watched him wipe away the mess made on Akechi's belly.

Only when the brunette was cleaned up and allowed a bit of time so his body could solidify from its jello-like state did Akira push his partner's legs apart and settle between his thighs. Letting his hands coast down his thighs to settle at his hips. Holding them down when Akechi began to squirm impatiently. Though his squirming did nothing to speed up the dark-haired boy's application of lube or the speed at which he pushed into Akechi.

While the feeling of pushing into the twitching hole made both of them moan, it didn't take long for Akechi to begin trying to move his hips again in a silent order. So, Akira indulged him. Pulling out to thrust back in roughly, grinning at the way Akechi whined under the rough, yet slow pace.

But, he didn't complain. Even though his face contorted in the pain of overstimulation, Akechi still moved his hips in time with Akira's deep thrusts. So, Akira felt no guilt in relishing the pained whimpers and slapping of skin. Not to mention the breathtaking amount of friction that came from the warmth that squeezed him so well. 

  "God, Akechi...you feel great," Akira muttered, the pleasurable buzz in his blood filling his thoughts. "Fuck...I'd breed you in a heartbeat if I could.." 

It was nothing but a thoughtless utterance. Born from the bone-deep pleasure of having the pretty detective's legs draped over his arms and his cock buried in his ass. So, when Akechi ordered 

 "Than breed me! Fill me up with cum!" it took the dark-haired teen by surprise. 

  "Huh? Goro, I-I can't, you don't have a uterus," He chuckled, slowing to a stop so he could lean forward with a mischievous grin. "But who am I to refuse you when you're so cute?~" He hummed. Enjoying the way the detective winced when his hips were picked up and his legs got pushed to his torso. His expression then turning back to a look of pained pleasure when Akira slammed back into him.

The sight made him smile, the brunette encouraging his rough pace with his moans and whines. The noises also fanning the flames in Akira's belly into a rampant blaze. One that burned away any other thought bit by bit until the heat grew to be too much.

  "Akechi!" He gasped a moment before pouring his seed deep into the brunette. Making the detective yank at his restraints again. 

"Don't stop!" The brunette barked when the dark-haired boy began to slow, "I'm not done! Don't you dare stop now!" That order, like the first, seemed to take Akira by surprise. But, in his euphoria-riddled haze, Akira nodded and did his best to keep moving. 

Even when the pleasurable buzz turned to a sting, Akira kept thrusting into the detective. Though, even if he wanted to Akechi wouldn't let him. The brunette's legs locking around his hips made that fact clear, so Akira just clawed into the sheets. Trying to ignore the growing pain of overstimulation creeping in. Going until Akechi gave his final whine and orgasmed one last time.

"Good job," Akechi breathed. Running his fingers through Akira's messy hair after the boy uncuffed him. Letting the quiet, panting boy melt onto his chest to catch his breath. "Wanna go again?~"

[cakers-2000]

~Persona 5 boys when you randomly kiss them~

Yes I call the protagonist Ren I’m sorry I watched the anime before I even knew about the manga and most of the fanbase killing him Akira I’M SORRY

I keep posting things from my Wattpad I’m sorry but a lot of the things I’ll be posting are from my Wattpad until I can get a few more things finished!

But enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ren: Honestly Ren wasn’t a big fan of PDA. Sure he’d hold your hand if requested and he’d occasionally wrap an arm around your shoulders to keep you close when crowds got big but that was about as far as he went.

You, on the other hand, loved PDA, so it was a common occurence to surprise and embarrass him with random kisses. Today you had gone to Leblanc’s to get some help on your Math work but Sojiro had asked Ren to pick up a couple of bags of coffee beans as the store was running low and he wasn’t going to get another shipment in until next week.

And of course Ren agreed.

Now you were standing in the middle of the department store, bored out of your mind as Ren surveyed the shelves.

“Reeeeeen, I want to go baaaaaaccckkkkk.”

He chuckled at you but didn’t even give you a glance. “Just a sec.”

You moved to stand directly behind him and wrapped your arms around his waist, resting your cheek on his back. “Didn’t he give you the name of the coffee beans to grab?”

“Yeah but…” He picked up a bag of beans and you attempted to look over his shoulder though he was too tall for you to see. “This one says that it’s a lot healthier… If Sojiro advertises for both healthy coffee and the regular coffee that’s made Leblanc famous he could really rack up business…”

You sighed and nuzzled your face into his back, trying to get him to hurry along. “Ren, sweetie, you’re mumbling again.”

“Right…”

“Just grab the one Mr. Sakura told you to grab and you can talk with him about the other one later.” You gently grabbed his hands and pushed them back towards the shelf. “You know I can’t spend another night, we have to get back soon so you can help me out.”

The boy nodded, not saying a word and grabbed the correct bag before turning back to face you. He looked a bit disappointed and you couldn’t help but giggle.

“Ren you act like I’m putting you through torture. I told you to just talk about it with Mr. Sakura later.”

“But-”

You laughed more and grabbed the collar of his jacket, pulling him down to your level before placing a sweet kiss on his lips to keep him quiet. You stifled your laughter as you saw the blush on his cheeks, something he rarely ever held and the shocked look in his eyes. You piled a few bags into your cart and smiled at the boy before grabbing his hand. He didn’t say anything more to you, only continuing to hold your hand and push the cart.

You smiled in triumph, knowing that you had won and could return back to his home.

Though you most likely weren’t going to be doing all that much work.

Yusuke: “Yusuke how much longer am I gonna have to stand like this?”

You tried your hardest to remain still and composed for Yusuke as he drew you as he did almost every day (including lots of times when you weren’t even aware). He smiled at the canvas though you knew it was directed at you.

“Maybe a few more hours or so.”

“Yusukkkkkke.” You let out a groan and craned your neck as it was sore and he rested the paintbrush down on the eisel.

“How about we take a little drink break?”

“Yes!” You jumped at the opportunity to finally move and rushed towards the kitchen, stretching out your arms and legs as you prepared two cups of tea as you knew he loved drinking tea while he was working.

You continued to stretch yourself out as best you could before the tea was finished and brought the cups back to Yusuke who was currently staring at his work.

“Here.” You handed him the drink and he smiled before kissing the side of your head.

“Thank you Mon Amour.”

You smiled and nodded before glancing over at his work. You nearly spit out your drink as you saw his work. It was breathtaking. You honestly couldn’t believe that the women in his painting was you.

He noticed you staring and laughed a little sheepishly. “I know, it’s not quite done yet. I still haven’t nailed your features and I have yet to capture your beauty and poise between-”

He hadn’t finished his sentence as you set down your cup of tea and threw yourself at him, attacking him in a hug. He instantly hugged you back and smiled down at your small form.

You stood in content silence for a bit before you squeezed your arms around him.

“Yusuke…”

You moved your head to look up at him and he tilted his head, questioning your sudden interruption, his hair falling into his face as he did so and you laughed. You quickly reached up and put it back where it belonged before grabbing his shirt and pulling him to your level. You lightly kissed his lips, slightly afraid that he wouldn’t reciprocate but when you went to pull away he kept you in place until he was satisfied.

You held a blush on your cheeks and you buried your face in his shirt, not allowing him to see your burning cheeks but he only laughed and rested his head atop your own.

He really had you wrapped around his finger.

Akechi: Lately it had been nothing but busy days for the Detective Prince Goro Akechi. It was interview after interview about the infamous Phantom Thieves and if you had to be honest you rather missed his presence. Because of his busy schedule he had been excused from most classes, you hadn’t seen him in or out of school in several weeks. You had tried setting something up, to study together so that he could still have a chance of succeeding in his education but he always had to cancel on you. It was rather disappointing and you were practically starved. Hell at this point you just missed hearing his voice, he hadn’t even been able to call you as of late the poor boy was exhausted.

But finally, after nearly a month of not seeing him or hearing his voice he was granted a free day to focus on his studies. And you were able to see each other again.

The second you heard the knock on your door you had attacked him in a hug, refusing to let go of him for a good 10 minutes.

And he didn’t even try to fight against your affection. He held you back just as tightly, enjoying your presence. Truth be told he missed you just as much.

And when you were finally forced to pull away from him you got started on your work, helping the boy study all of the lectures and lessons he had missed from his classes.

But after a few hours you were starting to feel the tiredness creep in and knew that you had to grab something to keep yourself awake.

Your hand held onto his free hand as he took notes from your book into his notebook and you squeezed it lightly. “I’m gonna go grab some coffee, you want anything?”

His eyes didn’t move from his paper but you could see the smile on his face. “Some coffee would be nice.”

You nodded and quickly scurried off to the kitchen so you could resume your work quickly. Once it was prepared you slowly walked by, trying your best not to spill the coffee in his mug and set it down in front of him.

He seemed to be completely engrossed in his work. He hadn’t even noticed you put the coffee down in front of him. You smiled to yourself and placed your own cup beside him before draping your arms loosely around his neck. He still had no sort of reaction whatsoever to you and you could only chuckle.

You gently pushed his head to the side much to his confusion before pressing a sweet kiss to his lips.

He may have been confused, but he wasn’t letting the opportunity slide by him. He instantly kissed you back before pulling away from you, a smirk playing on his lips as he rested his cheek in his hand.

“Well now, what was that for?”

You smiled more and sat down in your chair beside him, resting your head on his shoulder. “I’m really proud of all the work you’ve done and how far you’ve come in your career but… I missed you.”

A flash of guilt covered his eyes but it quickly fell as a warm smile fell onto his lips. He grasped your hand in his own and rested his own head on top of yours. “I know, I’m sorry. I missed you too.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s your job. I’m just glad you could come over today for once.”

He stayed in silence for a few seconds before he quickly hopped up out of his seat. You pouted up at him as you had nearly fallen but he only smiled more and held his hand out to you. “Let’s go out.”

“Huh? But we still have so much left to do and I just made coffee…”

“It’ll be here when we get back, please (Y/N). I’ll call the limo so we don’t have to walk.”

“But-”

He grabbed your hand and pulled you rather roughly upwards and squished you against his chest as he hugged you tightly. “Pllleeeaassseee it’ll only take a few minutes.”

Something told you that it wouldn’t take a few minutes, but you knew that there was no winning against Akechi when he was like this and so, with a muffled voice as he still wouldn’t let you move, you gave in. “Fine, okay.”

“Yes!” He drew his phone out of his pocket at hearing you were in agreement before speaking towards you. “We can stop at the bookstore or something before we come home, alright?”

Your eyes were practically shining as you frantically shook your head. He knew fully well about your love of all things literature “You know just what to say don’t you?”

He nuzzled your nose with his own before quickly kissing your forehead. “That’s cause I love you.”

“I love you too Akechi.”

Ryuji: You had been walking through the halls of Shujin Academy, on your way to the art room to work on your project when you heard some whispers coming from the hallway right in front of the art room door. A small crowd was standing there, whispering amongst each other. As you got closer you could make out what a few of them were saying.

“Oh wow I didn’t think he cared about anything, let alone art.”

“Wasn’t he on the track team? I thought that was the only thing he cared about.”

“Isn’t he a delinquent? What’s he doing in front of the art room? Scary…”

You tilted your head in slight confusion as you pushed your way through the students. “Um, excuse me.”

“(Y/N)!”

You smiled when you made it to the front and could clearly see your boyfriend Ryuji waiting there for you.

“Ryuji? What are you doing here? You aren’t hanging out with Ren today?”

You were teasing him but you did partially mean it. Those two boys spent an awful lot of time together.

“Nah, he’s hangin with Ann.”

“So what do you want with me?”

“I wanna do some training in the courtyard. You wanna come with? It helps me focus if I train with someone else.”

“Ryuji I told you, for the next couple weeks I have to dedicate my time to my art project I can’t just-”

He took a step forward, his hands clasping over your own as he mustered up the biggest puppy dog eyes he could.

“Pllleeeaassseeee.”

You couldn’t help the blush on your cheeks due to the close proximity between the two of you but you smiled through it and moved your face so that it was inches from his own.

“Fine, but you better not expect me to do any of your training. I’ll be watching.”

You could still hear the whispers from the crowd, it seemed to be getting louder.

“Are they dating?”

“I thought (Y/N) was a straight A student, why would she wanna get involved with Sakamoto-kun?”

“Is he blackmailing her or something? This doesn’t make sense.”

His smile slightly fell at the accusations of the crowd and you pulled on his hand, attempting to pull him down the staircase not too far from the two of you. “You wanna get started right away yeah?”

His face broke into a smile and he nodded, hurrying his pace so that he could walk beside you.

“Yeah!”

“Holy shit I haven’t run that fast in ages!”

You couldn’t help but giggle as you watched the boy jump and dance around in front of you. He was truly improving and you couldn’t have been more proud of him.

“Good job hun.”

He let out a satisfied hum before placing his hands on either side of your waist, his face inches from your own once more. You were currently sitting on the fence of the walkway, stopwatch in hand as you were timing him. He stared at you, in complete silence and you laughed awkwardly.

“Ryuji? You good?”

“Yeah… No… I don’t think so.”

You slightly tilted your head in confusion and he elaborated more. “I just haven’t been able to stop thinking about what those people said…”

“Ryuji…” You grabbed onto his cheeks with your hands before placing a rather rough kiss to his lips. He didn’t hesitate on kissing you back and you stayed like that for a while until he eventually pulled away from you for air.

“Wow, okay (Y/N).”

He was slightly taken aback by your sudden actions. You could see the small blush on his cheeks.

You giggled more and ran your hands through his hair. “Fuck what they say. That’s what you always told me. Learn to take your own advice.”

You stuck your tongue out at him and he only laughed at your childish antics before his hands wrapped around your waist and he lifted you into the air with ease. “Don’t go gettin all mouthy you little shit.”

“Ryuji put me down! Right now!”

You struggled in his tight grip but that only made him laugh more as he flopped backwards, laying on the cool grass with you on top of him. He nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck and mumbled to you. “Thank you for always being here (Y/N).”

You nodded and placed your hands on top of his own, a content smile on your features. “Of course Ryuji, and I’ll always be here for you whether you like it or not.”

He only chuckled in response. He truly was lucky enough to call you his and he didn’t know what he would do without you by his side.

[isuspectyouhavefantheories]

The Crossroads to the Sun 🌞

Takemura/Female V

Rated: M for mature themes and explicit content NSFW 18s only

Trigger Warnings: Themes of death, suicide, gallows humour

Part 1 of ???? “The Sun Series”

Link to part two :

https://isuspectyouhavefantheories.tumblr.com/post/641314624666468353/search-for-the-sun

Will eventually be posted on my AO3 account when I get this beta’d. 🤟

———

She had decided she wanted to be away from night city when she pulled the plug. If anything, she wanted it to end under the blanket of the starry skies, part of her hoping they would guide her into the next world safely. Driving through the neon jungle felt like a technicolor funeral procession. Or perhaps a walk to the gallows? She was thankful she still had most of her senses as she pulled herself from her morbid reverie just in time to avoid a badly placed bollard on a sharp turn straight down the road heading towards the city limits. She swore under her breath but continued. The pain was dull, but festering in her mind, less so than before, but enough to keep reminding her of the internal ticking clock that was getting louder with each passing hour as it neared to zero. She breathed deeply though her nose and steeled herself. But more doubts began to drift through her, like a slick fog encircling her mind she thought of all the people she would be leaving behind and hoped they wouldn’t hate her after tonight.

Goro’s name flashed up on her biomon and it took her a minute to register. She nearly rear ended a truck at a traffic light before finally answering.

“Yes?”

“Where are you?” His voice was gruff, demanding and her eyebrow crinkled in irritation.

“What’s it to you?”

“Let me help you V. Just take the deal with Hanako, we make this right and you get back your life. If I were you, I would not waste the chance.”

“You mean you get back your life.” She spat, Takemura went quiet on the other end for a moment, his eyes flinching at her tone. “Don’t try and pretend this is concern for my well-being and as far as making this right goes... You really still think you and Arasaka can fix this? Goro I know when I’m beat. Nobody can fix this. I’m done for and it’s time I just fucking faced facts and made my peace. I’m done. I’m calling it.” She hadn’t realised how hard she was gripping the steering wheel until she felt the alloy begin to crunch lightly under her guerrilla cybernetics.

There was a long pause and she thought for a moment he had hung up until she heard the shuffling of erratic, hurried movement on the other end.

“Where are you V?” He demanded, his voice was direct, to the point, no room for nonsense, no room for anything but answers.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve left a data chip with Misty. It contains all the relevant evidence, via brain dance, you need to get the vindication you so desperately require.”

“V, tell me where you are right now. ” It was sharp this time.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help more. Goodbye, Goro. It was a pleasure to have known you.” She hung up and looked down at her phone, closing her eyes a moment only to be jolted by Takemura calling again. She took a deep breath before turning it off and throwing it in the passenger seat and popping into third gear as she trolled though the gates past the city limits to security. She was quickly flagged through with little bother from security. They seemed more interested in what was coming into the city that what was going out.

It took her an hour to get to where she needed to go. The edge of the badlands. The final touch stone before she headed further in, back to all she ever knew. Just another busted down prewar gas station covered in sand, nature already claiming back its land. She parked her car outside and managed to pry open the front door after digging some accumulated sand from the way.

—————

She woke to the whistling of the desert storm on the shutters, the dilapidated old outpost rocked shakily. She almost felt as if she was in the belly of a ship at sea being pulverised, to and fro, by an onslaught or roaring waves.

She sat up, listening to them a while, until eventually the weather died down to a gentle lulling breeze. She stepped outside for a moment and thanked whatever powers that were out there that the sky was clear enough to see the moon and a dim scattering of stars. She climbed from her make shift cot and stepped outside.

“Still think you made the right call? Those Saka assholes might have fixed you up all nice.” Johnny flashed back into her peripheral vision, sitting on a bench under a busted canopy with his guitar slung across his lap.

“I dunno. I guess we’ll see.”

“Val.”

She looked up at him with narrowed eyes.

“They were just going to extract you and dump me the moment it suited them. What, you think I was just gonna put my head in a hungry lions mouth and just hope everything would just sort itself out? For all I know they would have just cut me open the minute they got me up there. I’d rather die out here, on some dusty ass terra firma in the wastes than lose my mind up in some space prison.” She flipped out Evelyn’s cigarette case, only three left in place making her sigh before pulling out one and lighting it up.

Johnny groaned at the sensation of the nicotine flooding her system from her first drag. It had been a while since she’d allowed herself such little pleasures, but for the first time in months she wasn’t on deaths door, bringing death so someone else’s door or trying to kidnap an heiress, so exceptions can be made.

“Weather out here huh? Never notice it in the city but, fuck. Mother nature sure is a feisty broad.”

“You have no idea.” She chuckled.

“Pretty good we got here before the worst of of the storm hit earlier. I would not want to be the sorry sack of shit that had to drive through that.” Johnny chuckled.

—————————

It was about 5am, sun already shining and blistering the ground, she had scavenged a few things from the outpost to keep her and Johnny going long enough to get to the Aldecaldos

Or just long enough. The thought of kicking it just before saying goodbye to Panam and Saul and the others churned uncomfortably down into the pit of her stomach but she attempted to occupy her mind, busying herself with prep work and repairs on her gear. She was going to try at least.

Before she could think of the next task, Johnny materialised again, already on edge.

“Someone’s coming.”

“Raffen? Cops? Arasaka?”

“Can’t be sure. I’d get ready if I were you.” He was gone again, and all she could think to do was get back to the gas station and ready herself for the visitors.

A Herra Outlaw that looked as if the chemical desert had taken a shit on it, genuinely one of the most out of place thing she had ever seen in the badlands and that was saying something, pulled up with a soft screech as the brakes engaged and the engine shuttered off. The pop of the car door made her grip her baseball bat tighter as she edged closer to the door, so as to be on the hidden side when it opened.

The door flung open, nearly ramming her in the face had she not hugged the wall so closely, she held her breath as a darkened figure entered the room, but the rasping baritone that filled the air made her freeze.

“V?” Takemura’s voice cut through her and all she could do was stare in disbelief.

“What the fuck?”

He whipped around like lightening, his wild searching gaze landed on her and his eyebrows all but flew up into his hairline and his eyes widened in disbelief but seemed to relax after a moment, a wave of relief washing over his features as of up until this moment he had been in a panic.

It was all a blur, he pulled the rusted metal door closed, nearly wrenching the door off its screeching hinges before his arms suddenly reached for her. He pulled her forcefully into his chest into an embrace that should have shattered her spine with the implants this man had. The newly back online ones, she noted.

She scrunched her eyebrows incredulously at him when he pulled away, his fingers tracing down the length of her arms until they still rested on her shoulders as he continued to look at her as if he was afraid the moment he took his eyes off her she would disappear into thin air.

“What are you doing here?” She breathed, still struggling for air after the uncharacteristic ribsplitting hug.

He looked down now, almost sheepish in his manner but he did not waiver when he returned his gaze to her.

“Stopping you from making a foolish choice.”

She sighed deeply.

“And since when do you have any right to tell me what I can and can’t do?”

“I do not. But I can try at least to make you see reason.” He wasn’t budging, she wasn’t budging.

“Goro...” she pinched the bridge of her nose and temple in an attempt to quell the newly forming tension migraine.

“You could have your life back. You would be good as new, Arasaka would ensure it if you testify at the board meeting. Arasaka always rewards loyalty.”

“I know that’s some rhetoric you’ve been spoonfed your whole life but unfortunately I have a very different opinion on the subject of ‘who Arasaka serves’ and it most certainly isn’t people who have a history of stealing from them.” She dead panned, making Goro groan.

“If you would just listen to me you would know that is not the case. Hanako-sama has extended this life like to you V do not waste it.”

“I’ve been listening. And watching. From the very start. I’ve seen them from an angle you have yet to even comprehend and part of me fears even then you wouldn’t see the truth.”

“They are-.”

“Only in this for themselves. I won’t argue with you about this, there is nothing you can say that will change my mind. I’m not selling my souls to the fucking devil, man, I’m sorry but that’s how this situation feels to me. I know there is nothing anyone can do for me, not you, not Arasaka, not Hellman, not even Alt fucking Cunningham’s AI ghost from beyond the Blackwall knows how to undo this so fuck this. I refuse to spend the last days of my life scrambling for answers only to whither away to nothin and die anyway. I’m leaving this hellhole on my own fucking terms. So just let it go. Just forget about me and go back to your cushty little life as Arasaka’s cheerleader or body guard or whatever the fuck it is you do.”

She couldn’t remember how, but during the course of their verbal spat, he had pushed her against the adjacent wall from the door and upon hearing her retorts he snarled in frustration and slammed his hand into the wall beside her head, denting the already disintegrating plaster, sending a cloud of dust in the air around them. The pluming cloud fluttered and caught the small rays of morning light seeping through the crags and cracks in the windows and walls of the abandoned gas station. She managed to push him off with a forceful shove only to have him lunge back to her. His martial arts clashed with her own brand of badlands fist fighting. She was flexible, contorting her body out of his reach before rounding on him with a left hook followed by a hasty jab aimed for his face. Unfortunately, he had reach, countering her wild strikes with a wave of his arm and tugging her to him. She lifted her knee between them to vault herself from his grasp but lost her footing at the end and it took only a single low sweeping kick to her other leg that sent her off kilter, but Goro followed her to the ground where he pinned again, this time on the floor with both her hands above her in each of his. She struggled against his vice grip, twisting and squirming beneath him to roll him off but he refused to be moved barely even flinching as she thrashed beneath him, awaiting her to finally stop. She roared in frustration but refused to give up. If she couldn’t knock him with her strength then she could knock him with her words.

“Hanako knew!” She spat at him, the intensity of her glare ripping though him.

“Knew what?” He asked with narrowed eyes.

“She knew it was Yorinobu who murdered her father. She knew you were telling the truth, that you were being framed and she still let you go down. Then guess what the kicker here is?” She laughed bitterly. “Saburo’s not even dead. He’s being kept as an engram, he’s been planning something with Hanako this whole time and they were going to let you go down regardless!! They were going to discard you, who served them faithfully your whole life, for their own fucking agenda. So tell me, why you think for one fucking second that they will actually help me?” Takemura was quiet, his hold on her waining enough for her to flip them, her hands balled into his shirt begging him to look at her but it was as if something had been shattered in him. They both were panting from their verbal and martial exchange, but they were far from done.

He suddenly reached up, his hand cupping her cheek gently, tracing the cybernetics of her face with the tips of his fingers before pulling her down to him without warning, his lips finally met hers in a heated kiss.

She gasped into his mouth, giving him the chance to shove his tongue in to explore her. He didn’t know when he would get the chance, if he ever would again after this. But she had yet to bite his face off so he took that as a good sign. In fact she had nearly gone limp from the shock of his sudden advance. He pulled away slowly, his face still inches from hers but his eyes bored into hers with a renewed intensity.

She pulled her hand from his now loosened grip and reached down gently and placed a delicate hand on his cheek, only for him to lean into it with closed eyes. He pressed his own hand over hers and took a deep calming breath.

“Goro, look at me.”

His eyes opened again, staring down at her with so much hope yet one word from her could shatter him into a thousand shards. And fate was a cruel mistress.

“I’m going home.” He looked down at that, his brow tugged in an unreadable expression but she chased after his gaze and held his chin so he had no choice but to stare wordlessly at her.

“I’m going home. To the people I love. To say goodbye. And maybe... maybe, for once in my life just try to do some good in this world, not for eddies or cred or some fucking illusion of grandeur, but just to do something worthwhile. I want have something real. Before I... before I can’t anymore.” She stroked his cheekbone with the back of her knuckle. “I don’t expect you to understand. But it isn’t up for debate.” Not what he had wanted to hear, but the finality in her words left him no room to argue. And so he was then left to stare down the inevitable horribleness of a world with no V.

He rested his face in the crook of her neck, her soft sun kissed skin, slick with sweat from the desert heat.

“Then let me have this at least.” He whispered against her, causing her to shiver under the weight of his words.

He returned his lips to hers, an even more energised passion driving his need and to his surprise she returned it, hands cupping his face gently. She then pushed him back down on his back and dove back to his lips. He began unbuttoning and loosening her clothes as fast as his hands could allow him. He pulled off her tank top and stopped a moment to admire her perky little breasts before pulling her back to him and lavishing her chest adoringly with bites and kisses that made her mewl against him.

“You have been taunting me since the day we met. Not wearing anything but that tight blue netrunner suit.” He growled against her chest, biting at the underside of her breast, his eyes primal and burning hers with an unspoken need to be closer.

“I’m a net runner you gonk, ah-!” He bit a little harsher around her nipple at the comment but lapped at it gently afterwards. “I-it was for practicality’s sake.” She shivered against him.

“It was to torture me.” He chuckled.

He lifted them suddenly, his hands under her thighs again as he deposited her on a near by countertop, her legs wrapping around his hips as he ground himself desperately into her while trailing his lips from her ear lobe to her jugular and back before biting then tugging sharply causing her to yelp softly.

“Maybe a little.” She gasped, casting him a delighted grin which elicited a growl from deep within his chest. He leisurely ran his hands along the hem of her jeans, tugging at them slightly before slipping his hand down underneath to grab a handful of her ass, squeezing it appreciatively before moaning at how soft and pliant her skin was under the extra sensitive touch of his cybernetic hands. He allowed himself to become lost in her for a moment. Mapping her every contour in his mind, committing each breathless sound that fell from her lips to memory, savouring her sweet breath on his tongue and wondering if he would ever again taste something so perfect as her. He felt her pull away lightly, a few centimetres from his face to gasp for a breath and still his lips chased hers. It was as if she could read his mind sometimes, she was looking at him with those confounding purple eyes, her smile faltering as if she could see how banefully torn he was.

“This won’t change anything.” She whispered sadly against his lips .

His brow creased under the weight of his anguish, another growl, not so carnal as before but instead a roar of frustration and he attacked her body with a new found, punishing fervour. He pulled her up effortlessly once again and threw her into the cot, her body’s weight caused the springs to groan and he had managed to discard his shirt fully, then turned to her. She was now only in her underwear, her golden skin glistened in the low orange morning haze. Her body was lithe yet athletic, her skin tantalisingly smooth to the touch yet disturbed by stray scars scattered about her person. Her years of fighting for her survival in this hellscape had shaped her and moulded her into this picturesque model of strength and beauty. He kneeled before her, nipping his way down her navel to the hem of her panties that he then quickly slid off in one fluid motion. He dove between her legs, basking in the sweet gasps she made as he drove her wild with his tongue. Her hands twisted and twined themselves into his ebony and silver locks, pulling his bun loose to let his hair cascade down his shoulders, grazing her nails over his scalp delicately. He introduced a single finger to her and pumped deeply inside her yet at a controlled pace, eliciting another quivering gasp that made him smile against her.

“Goro...” the way her breathless lips formed around his name drove something in him. She was able to bring out the strangest and most wonderful of feelings in him.

He was sure from her cries she was nearing her climax and before she could taste the sweet precipice of her release, he rose up to kiss her. Her taste on his lips had a lewd yet arousing effect on her, but her climax, once so tantalisingly close was now receding and the heat biting and curling in her abdomen made her squirm against him. She pulled away after a moment and gasped a quick breath.

“You ass.” He pressed his face into her neck again and she felt the rumble of his chuckling. He continued to kiss her neck and his hands pinched and rolled her nipples in a torturously teasing manner. She writhed under him, a mewling mess.

“Stop teasing me.” She pleaded, her own hands cupping either side of his face to pull him from his ministrations on her neck that she was almost certain would be bruised to absolute fuck in the morning.

He nudged her legs to open and she obliged eagarly.

He teased her entrance lightly running his tip up and down coating himself in her essence before sliding steadily inside of her. He had to stop half way and swallowed a guttural moan. She was so tight. Like a warm vice pulling him further inside her and dragging him impossibly closer to her. Her legs had wrapped around his hips, her thighs quivering around his girth. He took another moment to make some experimental, shallow thrusts and groaned once more at how deliciously slick she was.

“Oh... V...” his forehead pressed against hers and his grip around her hips tightened.

“Don’t.... stop...” she was barely above a whisper, which made Goro want nothing more than for her to be louder.

He took this as his moment to flip her onto her stomach against the cot.

His right hand held both her arms behind her back, folded and solidly trapped there. His left hand was holding her hip, dragging down to guide her over his girth once again. He rather enjoyed the view of her at this angle, he was so lost in the way she bounced against him, the feeling of her walls rubbing so exquisitely against his length, that he was sure he wouldn’t last long. The thought of having their tryst cut so short however did not appeal to him, the feeling of being fully encased by her was so unequivocally amazing he never wanted it to stop, so he forced himself to slow down to a languid yet laborious pace, favouring drawn out leisurely strokes.

“Jesus Christ...” she gasped, arching her back in a way that made him want to go back to pounding her within an inch of her life but he was controlled, no foolish young man driven by a cardinal need, but a mature and tentative lover who wanted to make his partner see the stars before this was over.

He reached around, dragging his hands from the underside of her bellybutton to glide along her ribs, up and over her breast, giving it an appreciative squeeze before cradling her throat gently and turning her head to look back at him as much as she could in the position which granted wasn’t much. He leaned forward, still thrusting inside her at a restrained pace, and ravaged her neck, suckling the flesh at the junction of her shoulder and neck before trailing his bites to the underside of her jaw, then to her ear where he nibbled her lobe gently.

“Tell me what you want.” He breathed against her, the lewd sound of their bodies meeting in their primal dance and the soft gushes of wind rattling the shutters were all she could hear above their own crescendo of panting and haggard moans.

“Don’t... be a dick...” she gasped, earning her a sharp smack on her ass cheek.

“Tell me.” He thrust inside her, harder but not hard enough to satisfy her fully, leaving her trembling for more.

“Ah... fuck! Please...” she breathed, trying to shove her own hips back into his for more friction but his hand migrated back to her hips, a solid anchor, preventing her from getting her way.

“That’s not what I asked you.” She could hear the underlying cockiness in his tone and it pissed her off almost immediately.

How could this man illicit such polarising reactions from her, she thought. One moment she wanted him to bend her over a desk, the next she wanted to snap him in two. But the sentiment remained, she wanted him.

“Please... Goro... fuck me... harder...” he hummed in satisfaction and released her arms from his vice grip.

“Then I suggest you hold onto something.” He had leaned forward his lips against her ear, the vibrations of his bassy timbre tickled her in an irresistibly tantalising way.

But her inward musings came to a hault when he began his unforgiving pace, she could feel him hitting her cervix with every thrust and she cried out, hands barely holding on to the edge of the cot as her body rocked against the force of his hips.

His hand came down to tease her slit, circling her sensitive nub in a maddeningly delicious way that caused more mewls to erupt from her lips.

Goro stared down at her, enraptured by every twist and twitch she made. Her arching back defining her musculature and he’d be lying if he was doing any better than her right now. He was holding on for dear life, dragging this out for as long as he possibly could. But eventually, the warmth and curling in his abdomen could not be ignored and he quickened his circling around her clit to drive her to her end. She screamed softly into her hand as her release rolled over her in wave after wave, his continuing thrusts helping her ride out her climax to its fullest. He followed her soon after, nearly collapsing on her, his forehead resting between her shoulder blades as he struggled to regain his breathing. She recovered before Goro and pulled him further onto the cot where they crumbled into it. He curled around her, his arms pulling her flush against him as he savoured the feeling of her skin on his. He pressed his nose and lips to the top of her head, inhaling her scent deeply, attempting to sear these details into his mind for a later date. He tried his best to keep his eyes open, but she began to stroke his chest in a soothing circle, and before he knew it he was out like a light.

——————

He woke with a jolt, the room now completely darkened by the night and a sudden anxiety disquieted his mind. He reached for where V had been but his hand grabbed nothing but empty space.

“V?” He called, sitting up and listening for anything, then scanning the area. He could see from his thermal scan she had been gone from his side for nearly two hours.

He pulled himself up, dressing quickly and wrenching the front door open to see that her Thorton was gone, whatever tracks that were left had been swallowed by the desert wind and he stood in silence.

“This isn’t going to change anything.” Her words echoed in his mind and he clenched his hands into fists, a slight shake evident from his barely controlled emotions on the cusp of breaking through to the surface.

“They were going to discard you, who served them faithfully your whole life, for their own fucking agenda.”

He tried to quell his anger, his hurt, his inescapable feeling of betrayal. He fought to keep his composure but the memory of her touch was seared into his mind and body yet it did nothing but only make him ache to have her back in his arms. He would never feel that again, never experience that intense, intrinsic connection to another human being. The thought did nothing to disquiet his mind. Eventually he broke and turned to punch his hand nearly completely though the wall of the garage as he breathed in ragged and strangled chokes. Unshed tears burned in his eyes and he wrenched his arm back to completely break through the wall altogether with the force of his strike. He didn’t stop. He pummelled the wall until his cybernetics were scuffed and cracked. Warning signs flashed in his peripheral vision but he ignored them, slumping to the ground he cradled his head in his hands and roared in futility. He stayed there a moment, still, quiet and thoughtful. He raised his head with a thud against the nearly dilapidated wall and he looked off into the distance. On one path, the further reaches of the badlands, down another was the fluorescent and blinding lights of Night City, beaconing him back with a curled finger.

And not just night city, but the ominous red looming glow of Arasaka Headquarters illuminating the night and further banishing the stars. The only life he had ever known was within Arasaka’s ranks. All he had ever been was a vassal, a loyal one at that. Traded his life and limbs for them. Let them carve him into an instrument of their empire from the moment they had deigned to elevate him from the slums, only after he had skinned his fingers to the near bone scrubbing his clothes in the chemical sickened canals. He had given Arasaka his life.

Yet Hanako knew he was innocent. Not only her but Saburo, his lord tono, his idol. He had known. It stung him to his nucleus, like nothing ever had. He was stilled, inaction gripping him to his core. He found his gaze always defecting back to the badlands. To her lands. He didn’t make a choice so much as follow an instinct.

He rose from his seated position and opened the door to his car, looking back at Night City one last time, not saying goodbye to the city, but farewell to all the possibilities it held. They were not meant for him. A defiant grin stretched over his lips before a determination set in his eyes, looking back to the badlands. He dove into the front seat and revved the engine before backing out to the edge of the main road and quickly pivoting into position then tearing out onto the dusty highway, sending a plume of dust in his wake as he made for the badlands, his spirit lightened and rejuvenated. He undid his top shirt buttons, ripping off the front Arasaka logo to his cybernetic neck plates and throwing it with a quick flick out the car window, then looking down at the Arasaka patch logo on his arm which he also tore from his jacket then sent it too flying out the window. With each metre he put between him and the city, the younger he felt.

“I’m coming V.” He whispered under his breath as he pressed harder on the gas.

[lovelypersona]

I love your fics!....Please could you do a small fic/ with a pregnant s/o with Goro ,Ryuji and Akira ? Like how each of them would treat their s/o when their s/o is pregnant.

A/N: laughs . Reader is GN!

Goro and Pregnant!S/O

Like father like son. Deadbeat dad. Disappears after a week once he said he was gonna get milk from the store

I’m only mildly joking

No, goro would not abandon you or his baby. But he would be the most scared out of the three to receive the news

Please don’t get pregnant until many many years after the main plot where Goro has had the chance to receive therapy

Goro would need a lot of time to get used to the idea of him being a father in the near-future. So, no, he wouldn’t disappear and leave you, but the first few months where you can still do most things on your own and you don’t need to rely on him as much- he’s sort of flighty. Wouldn’t be unusual for him to take off during the weekend, but he’d at least tell you where he’s going and text you when he’s coming back

Just needs a lot of coping and alone time. And then eventually he’ll kick himself in the balls or ask someone to kick him in the balls since he can’t really do it himself

And then he’ll step up and be there for you.

Once he’s ready, he’ll be studying a lot. Reading all the pregnancy books he can and looking at things like the diet you should have and the amount of exercise you should be doing each day and week

If you really want to be a parent with him, and you want to do all of this with him, be prepared for him to be stern and unrelenting. He’s already 80% sure the baby will be mentally fucked up thanks to him so he at least wants the baby to be 100% physically healthy to prepare for that

Of course he can’t actually control the outcome of the birth and how the baby will be. But he likes to think he can

A very protective dad as well. When you’re in labor he definitely doesn’t like the amount of pain you’re in and he’s kind of like “WHY ARE THEY SCREAMING SO MUCH”

Goro you are also screaming. Calm down

But also seeing you in so much pain and all the blood and just all of it during your labor is very uncomfortable for him. He might have to leave the room a few times to catch his breath, but then he’ll come back in and back to your side, holding your hand just as hard as you’re holding his.

I’d talk more on this topic but I have to write for the others so I’m done now

Akira and Pregnant!S/O

When he finds out you’re pregnant, it’s definitely a shocker, but he doesn’t really express it visibly. Kinda just goes still, eventually says “oh. Alright. What do you need?”

Not even sure if he wants to be a dad and if he’s ready, but he’s willing to help you if you need him!

Bad. Smack him. Bad response

Like Akechi, but not at all to a similar extent, he’ll need time to process the information and mull it over. Not because he’s afraid, but because Akira has to assess what he wants

Akira is a people pleaser, a man with many masks. He’s lost sight of himself more than once because at times he’s not even sure who he really is

His wobbling grasp on his own self makes him uncomfortable and doubtful about his ability to be a parent. He’s not sure if he’s the best parental figure for a child

Despite that, though, he loves you, and he wants to help you. He’ll help you throughout the entire pregnancy and either move in with you/have you move in with him.

Your relationship is a bit strained because of the fact that Akira has no idea what he wants, but the two of you make it work and decide not to talk about it for now and just focus on the task at hand. The pregnancy

It’s during the pregnancy that Akira loosens up and slowly gets more comfortable. As your belly grows and the baby starts kicking, it kind of makes him realize twice-over that you really are carrying a kid that’s half-you and half-him

Huh. Funny how that works

Falls asleep with his head on your belly a lot. Hearing the baby is kind of soothing to him

He also tries to participate in your routines and diets as much as he can. But when you’re not looking or he’s out of the house, he’ll drink as much coffee as he possibly can. It’s the one thing he’s lied to you about. He told you he quit coffee for you but it was a lie a bold face LIE

Once the baby is born, that’s the last straw. After being through the terrifying event that is your labor, and hearing the baby cry for the first time, he’s like “oh. That’s my kid. That’s my kid”

Protective dad instincts all of the sudden and doesn’t like the doctors holding his kid at all

He’ll be a fine parent. Akira just doubts himself a lot, but being with you, you’ll help him and you’ll raise your child together.

Proposes to you like 6 months after your baby is born

Ryuji and Pregnant!S/O

You both absolutely got pregnant during your last year of high school wdym lol

Irresponsible SHIT of course he becomes a dad at the ripe age of 19

You tell him about your pregnancy right away, and when you do, he’s definitely in shock as much as you are

Freaks out a lot and yells very loudly and has a meltdown because he’s not at all ready to be a dad and you’re right there with him

Both of you seriously consider giving the baby up or something like that. But eventually you’ll agree to raising the child together

Probably puts a halt on Ryuji’s running career, but that’s fine. You and his new family is much more important to him than his love for athletics

Eventually he’ll get back into it, because you promised him that he would. You also want to see him thrive and you know that track is his passion. But for now, focus on the baby

Because of his knowledge of athletics, though, you’ve officially scored yourself a supportive trainer during your pregnancy! You WILL be walking at least a mile every day. At Least

Ryuji isn’t as fucked up as Akira and Akechi okay lmao he’s very sweet and loving

He also tries to get a handle on his yelling and swearing while you’re pregnant because he doesn’t want to have those habits once the baby is born

His mother is also very supportive and willing to have you live in her house once you become bigger and the baby is born

Ryuji will also start working more seriously to save up money so the two of you can live at your own place eventually, too

Just a lot of part-time jobs, but it’s better than nothing

Also never allows alcohol in the house and says once the baby is born, you can drink if you want, but just don’t do it in the house with the baby around for the sake of his comfort

Not that he doesn’t trust you, it’s just a comfort thing.

He also immediately told all of the thieves that he’s going to be a dad and he was immediately bombarded with shouting and questioning- especially from makoto- but BESIDES the initial reaction, he has all the support in the world from his friends and you guys get a lot of baby clothes and essentials from them. Mainly haru, bc she’s loaded and she loves you and Ryuji very much

Akira is officially the Uncle and Ann is the Aunt. No further questions

[themusingsofafangirl]

Eye Contact (A Majima Goro Imagine)

A/N: Hey guys, I’m back with another piece here. I’m not sure if you like it. I just felt the need to write this piece since I’m so hooked into this Yakuza/RGG fandom (And I’m not even disappointed about it! IT’S ONAST TO BE IN THIS FANDOM). This one-shot does not adhere to any of the Yakuza/RGG canon timeline and obviously, as a work of fanfiction this is just my idea of what I want in my story. 

Prompt: So basically, as the daughter of Masaru Sera, named Miharu, you were with Madam Dojima having tea in the garden when the Mad Dog of Shimano caught your attention… Fandom: Yakuza / Ryu Ga Gotoku Pairing: (Fem) Reader X Majima

Type: One-Shot, SFW.

Word count: 1115

“It’s nice to have you back home Miharu,” said Madam Dojima as she sets her cup of tea on the table.

“Yes, a lot of things have changed while I’ve been gone, I see.” Miharu replies.

     Though deep down, nothing beats the feeling of relief and serenity breathing in the air of one’s own home country after living abroad for 7 years. The mother tongue you spoke that was foreign in the ears of your newfound friends overseas suddenly sounded normal amongst the crowd in the bustling streets of Harajuku the night your former high school friends decided to throw you a ‘Welcome Home’ party. Despite all this, you were also saddened at the fact that the vendor of your favourite Takoyaki stall has passed on and that it is no more. Even the club you used to snuck into as a teenager with your friends to party has closed down – rumoured to have been wrecked by loan-sharks and the owner has never been seen since.

       Bittersweet at all the newfound facts of your birthplace learned over the span of the few days after you’ve landed, your father, Masaru Sera asked you to accompany him to the Tojo headquarters which you just accepted because you really wanted to spend time with your father and learning a thing or two about the trade your family is in. While you would never attend the meetings, you usually stroll around the place and that was when you bumped into Madam Yayoi Dojima, widow of the infamous Sohei Dojima and invited you over to the gardens for a tea session.

      Whenever Madam Dojima was around, she always manages to leave you in awe with her poise and elegance – not to mention how beautifully she dons shimada hairstyle with the kimono. You respected her and she takes a liking towards you as well since you and her son Daigo have been childhood friends. Not much is known of Daigo’s whereabouts, which leaves Madam Dojima completely disheartened. You then diverted the conversation into more light-hearted topics such as your stay abroad.

“You know, there are days when I absolutely crave a warm bowl of homemade Gyudon just like the ones you used to make. While I could make them myself, there’s just missing ingredients that I can’t find there unlike here.” you said.

Madam Dojima smiled at the remark and said, “Well then, why not stop over my home one day and I’ll have it made specially for you. You know, just like those days when Daigo and you were still children.”

    Realising how the topic went back to Daigo, you pinched yourself beneath the table for your stupidity only to get startled by someone’s howling laughter from across the gardens you and Madam Dojima were at. Madam Dojima, startled yet still collected placed a hand over her chest after hearing such howl. There were voices of people not far from where the both of you are.

     You turned to try and locate the owner who made such ruckus in a peaceful place (but you also noted that being a daughter whose father is involve in the Yakuza; the leaders can come in all sorts of whack personalities. The weirdest one for you was Awano. But sadly, he died.)

     “Hmmph,” Madam Dojima said shaking her head and sighed displeasingly.

     “Who was that Madam?” you asked scrutinising your face showing discontent at the sudden disruption of tranquillity.

     “That, my child, is the patriarch to a family whom if the Tojo Clan is without, will not survive against the Omi Alliance. You should know who” She replied coyly.

      You were still trying to see who the man was and why on Earth would he crack a maniacal laughter like that. You only saw the top of head of the little crowd behind the bushes from where the both of you sat but once they came into view as they were about to exit the headquarters’ entrance, you noticed who the family Madam Dojima was talking about.

      Amidst the crowd of scrawny men – whom you assumed was the patriarch’s members, stood the patriarch himself in snakeskin designed jacket and leather pants.

      You only heard about him through your father and the stories he would sometimes share with you regarding the time he nearly died after being shot trying to save a blind lady who was hunted by the entire yakuza organisation like hungry vultures; yet you have never seen the man in person yourself.

Perhaps, today is my lucky day? You thought to yourself about finally getting to see the legendary Shimano no Kyoken in the flesh. Not that you want to ever interact with him, but you would prefer to just know how he looks like.

      The man in the snakeskin jacket stopped his tracks and then turned his gaze towards the gazebo where you both sat – as if he noticed the presence people besides his own men. You were surprised to see that he wore an eyepatch on his left eye. He bowed to the both of you and you saw that Madam Dojima did the same. You returned the formality and the next thing you know, you made eye contact with the Goro Majima himself. Rendered taken aback and nervous a bit, you turned to look elsewhere immediately and then to Madam Dojima again, pretending not to be affected by the accidental occurrence. You sure felt a chill in your bones and a slight shiver down your spine but you know that you will not being seeing him again. And you made sure of that deep down in yourself.

      You continued conversing with Madam Dojima as the Majima Family walked out of the headquarters. Hoping your father will be done with the meeting as well.

 ***

The drive back from the Tojo Headquarters was silent as he stared blankly at the view of the city. While he was proud of what he did today during the meeting, he was burning with curiosity; not that he usually cared. But there was something about the lady that sat beside Yayoi Dojima that makes him wonder.

      “Oi, Nishida,” he says.

      “A-ah, yes, Oyaji?” the driver behind the wheel timidly replied.

      “Say, did ya notice that there’s a woman sitting next to Mrs. Dojima just now?”

      “Y-yes, yes I noticed.” Nishida replied.

      “D’ya know who she is?” Majima asked as he scooted and prodded his head forward.

      “If I’m not wrong myself… she’s the 3rd Chairman’s daughter.”

      “Sera’s daughter huh?” Majima asked again.

      “Yup, Oyaji” Nishida replied.

      “’Aight. Shut yer trap and keep drivin’.” Majima said as he slumpped back against the car seat and continued pondering on that woman he saw in the garden.

****

Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it. I don’t know if I should just keep this as a one-shot or series xD. Anyways, my questions box is always open so feel free to submit ideas and questions~ Stay safe and stay hydrated friends!

[ms-a-z-u-l]

All Over Again (Goro Akechi x Reader)

Summary: Every time, you wake up in April 9. Nothing works and you’re beginning to think you and him are going to keep dying until fate gets tired of punishing you. Until Akira finds the most cruel solution to break the cycle that keeps causing Goro pain, and you have to decide if you want to follow or stay.

Categories: Angst

Warnings: Character death

****************************************

A/N: This is the last one I’ve written. I honestly don’t know why I took so long in posting in when it was done some time ago but I sorta got my motivation back (my college essays have been killing me) I hope I can start writing more and post more quickly and get more ideas on more characters. Thank you for reading!

****************************************

Over and over, the same events repeated until either or both of you ended up death, blood pooling from your bodies as your eyes went dull and everything faded.

The next thing you know, you wake up once again in bed with groggy eyes, as if what happened last time was just a nightmare.

Every time, you would go to the living room to find Goro sitting in the couch, staring at nothing. Sitting beside him, you stared at your hands, verifying that, yes, you were alive once again and that, no, the cycle that’s been going on for who knows how long now is still taking you back in time to April 9. The day He arrived.

From changing routines, a significant action, a specific response, to the tiniest of details, nothing seem to change what happens in the end. Even letting both of you be killed together, that was the latest tactic and yet you managed to see the repeated light of day. There was silence for minutes, wondering and grasping at possibilities of what could break the torturous cycle, something missing in the equation. Goro’s knee started to bounce, seeming at his wits end.

“I’m beginning to think this is punishment” he chuckled dryly, clearly tired and restless. “If it is, then they went all out, huh?” You replied sarcastically. “It should only be me to be pulled into this bullshit” hearing him whisper that made you turn your head to look at him. His head was down now, looking defeated, or perhaps guilty, you never knew with him. Even though you’ve been living in the same apartment, Goro never really told you anything about himself or his past, and you didn’t pry in fear of appearing nosy. It wasn’t until the first time reset after he almost got shot, but you took the hit and woke up in April 9 that he told you more than he did in almost two years of knowing him. After all, the others had already found out about his father and the shit he got put through in the engine room, might as well tell his assistant and what he could call a friend everything he bottled up.

You didn’t show shock or fear despite knowing his deeds as a hit man for Shido, instead trying to change his actions this time around. None of the Phantom Thieves seemed to notice the reset in time, except for of course the leader himself. Akira didn’t notice right away, it took him the second reset to feel like something was amiss, going to Shujin for the first time again, meeting Ann and Ryuji, feeling like the conversation already happened. You both managed to notice his awareness the moment you “met” his eyes narrowing at Goro, not because of his betrayal, but because he was alive. Revealing your awareness  and explaining more in detail, Akira tried to contain his shock and most of all confusion, but agreed to help find a way out.

However, nothing worked and even he was getting desperate as each reset happened. This might be punishment, but what Goro wonders is why it wasn’t only for him, but for you and Akira as well. You sighed, slowly reading your hand to lay it on his shoulder, “Maybe because I was willing to take it with you. You don’t have to be alone, even in this- whatever you wanna call it, a punishment, curse-“

“You don’t get it!!” He pushed your hand away angrily, “The least I wanted was to pull you into this!! From the moment I stepped foot out of the apartment to go after them in Shido’s palace and told you not to follow, that was the goddamn moment you should of bolted and escaped from me!! But no, you decided it was best not to listen and be stupid by following me. You ruined yourself and for what? For a petty concept such as care and friendship” He sounded harsh, and yet you didn’t dare flinch, you weren’t going to give him the satisfaction.

“Hah, it’s for the same thing that you’re saying this now, idiot” you huffed, looking at him as if he was ludicrous. “What did you-“

“You didn’t want to involve me for the same reason, Goro. Because you cared, because you believed that if I saw you like that, I would be hurt, but guess fucking what, I didn’t. And I didn’t because for once I saw you, not the “look at me, I’m so charming” facade you mastered over time, and I wanted- “ you paused as you were building your resolve and stared directly at his eyes, “I wanted to see more of you, no matter how terrifying it could be, because at the end I’ll see my friend, not a monster. And I’m not justifying you. Yes, I was furious at what you did, but that didn’t mean giving up on you was the best thing to do, or leaving you to die. You will carry on your sins, and turn them into resolve to destroy this shitty system. Now we might died just a few more times-“ you narrowed your eyes and pinched your thumb and index finger close together while he wore a dumbfounded face.

“Buuut, that’s the price I took even if it meant spending all my Aprils and Mays and Junes just to get to spend more time with you” you quickly added, “even if you can be an asshole sometimes” at that, he actually slapped his hand over your mouth to shut you up, trying to keep your laughing at bay, “Keep it up and I just might be the biggest asshole and throw you out-“ you laughed harder at those words, getting him more irked. He let out a long sigh and removed his hand from your mouth, “You’re impossible”

——————————————————————

Akira was finally able to find you in the park, alone since Goro still had his work going on again. He looked disturbed in a way and serious, as if he was anxious to speak. You looked at him worryingly and with furrowed brows, “You do still remember, right? It took you quite some time now call us” you heard him hold in a breath and after a few seconds, released and began to speak, “This time when I woke up it was different, it’s going to sound weird but I kept hearing a voice”

“A voice? Did it sound familiar? Or what did it tell you?” You were brimming with curiosity now, this time it wasn’t him telling you of those dreams where he was in a cell. If something different happened, it must mean something.

“I could only hear it saying... “you have to let go” and I didn’t know what it meant. I kept hearing it this week, what I could pick from it was “loop” “break” “let” and yesterday at night it said.. “Akechi”” and after that she appeared and showed me. Her name was Lavenza, she explained everything, why she couldn’t reach me, why time keeps resetting... what caused it, and.. she told me how to stop it too” Akira stayed silent, scared of your reaction if you had already figured out what he meant, but he continued, “She told me to let Akechi- that we were supposed to let Akechi die back in Shido’s palace” he looked down, dark hair obscuring his eyes. He didn’t hear and he was getting scared that perhaps he made you in snap, but when he felt a hand harshly grab him by the collar of his uniform, he saw the judgmental look in your eyes and tears of anger starting to brim. You hands were shaking but the hold was tight, wanting him to stay still in order to listen to her words, “How..could you think..that we should just stand there.. and.. watch him die DAMMIT!!” You bursted out, “You what me to just stand there and look as they shoot him when we could something??!! I thought you all of people had at least a little regard for him” you tell him with disappointment in your voice.

“It’s not that I want him to die either!! It’s that if we keep trying to save him, he’s going to keep dying and dying, hurting him more and more!! Don’t you get it we changed something that was supposed to happen and now it’s like fate itself is getting back at us for it! We disrupted the order, even with you we-“ He suddenly kept quiet and you looked up at him, frowning, “What about me?”

....

“Akira! What about me?!” You shake him in your grasp, trying to the answer out of him, “You were never supposed to meet him either. Before what you thought was the first reset, well it was already the second. Lavenza showed me what happened the first time.. and there beside him there was no one” your eyes widened and you slowly let go of him stiffly. He tentatively continued, “The first reset was because of me, I took the shot for him and even though I didn’t die I had already changed something. That time, no one noticed that we went back in time, not even Akechi. But for some odd reason, you appeared on his way home and stumbled upon him, and for another more weird reason you became involved in his life and work, not even Lavenza can really explain but she says she has a wild guess.” Either way, the truth of the matter is, that we have to let everything run its course, y/n, even if none of us want it, I prefer letting him go than having Akechi suffer thousands of deaths. If you care for him, please you’ll know what you have to do that day, for everyone and him” he hesitantly put a hand on your shoulder and silently retreated back to Leblanc, leaving you dumbfounded and lost.

What was right? Letting the person you cared about more than anyone die in front of your eyes one last time and ending up alone? Or keep trying to find a solution while making him feel pain countless times? With those thoughts going rampage, tears started to flow freely to the ground and tiny sobs bubbled up in your throat.

You knew the answer, and yet you kept imagining a reality in where both of you could actually exist.

——————————————————————

It happened in the blink of an eye, the last thing from him a simple message that made you cry uncontrollably in the couch. This time you didn’t get to follow, he left without warning. Of course, he had found out as well, what he needed to do, he certainly wasn’t dumb. Wether it was your longing stares, your sad tone after a day with him without work in the way, or the words “this time we’ll make it right” by Akira and the far away looks he gave whenever Goro went for a cup of coffee, you even dared think there was also a hint of longing in his eyes just like yours.

You kept wailing and sobbing, your mind full of memories, of feelings, of words you can never say now, hand tightly clutching your phone. The screen was still brightly showing his message, and it was the only comfort you had that he didn’t feel pain anymore.

From Goro:

Thank you for being the best living pain in the ass in my life.

Because I care too much, I want you to live as if everything started all over again and you took another route from mine that day.

Goodbye, y/n, and thank you for the last months of letting me forget the pain and put a tiny smile in my face.

—————————————————————

December 24, a supposedly jolly day. But as you unusual rain pouring down and bones protruding form the ground, you couldn’t help but say to yourself with a resigned smile, “What a shitty and unfair world we happened to live in huh, Goro”

[elenaoftheturks]

Dawn of a new era (Takemura/Reader)

Chapter 4: Coffee for two

Goros PoV:

Having nothing to do until the man called V wakes up I decided to follow her.

Maybe she knows where to get something to eat in this city forsaken by the gods.

A cheap place to stay would be great as well since I can’t sleep in the Van all the time.

After walking what felt like an eternity she stopped in a back alley I wouldn’t even set foot in if one placed a gun to my head, in front of a place called ‘Books n Coffee’, from the name I figured it’s a coffee shop.

As she walked inside I asked myself Who would place a coffee shop here of all places?, while looking around.

Well, seems like I’ll stay hungry. I thought I might get something good to eat but obviously Nightcity only has plastic and sawdust.

How utterly disappointing.

Shaking my head to get rid of my thoughts, I decided to go inside.

“Welcome! A table for one?”,the waiter approached, greeted me kindly and with a smile.

“No, the woman who walked in before, I’d like to talk to her.”

“Oh? I am sure I musn’t inform you that stalking women is a very bad habit. Especially in her case it could go very wrong, very fast…”,he said with a sly grin on his face.

“Can I just talk to her? All I want is---”

I couldn’t even finish my sentence when I heard her voice right behind me saying “He may, Thomas. Thank you.”.

The waiter, Thomas smiled at her while he walked past me and whispered “Try anything and you’re dead”.

She walked around me and her eyes flared red.

“He was right tho. Stalking people isn’t nice, especially not if they saved your life before.”

Within a second I couldn’t even move an inch before her eyes returned back to normal.

“I see.. You are a Netrunner. But I mean no harm. I only wish to talk to you. ”

She looked a bit confused but mentioned to follow her as she walked behind a thick red curtain and down some stairs before she sat down on a huge brown fake-leather couch.

I glanced around the room, everything looked antique.

The brown-leather couch with a small wooden table placed on each side, the chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a few candle shaped lamps on the walls.

Somehow her and her outfit fits in this place quite nicely, “She looks like a doll on the huge leather couch”,I thought as she mentioned for me to sit beside her.

“So? What is it what you wanted to ask?”

“I was wondering if you might know where to get some good food around here and … A cheap place to stay at since my pockets are almost empty.”

“Food? Y-You...Ahahaha~ ”,she looked shocked and burst out laughing.

I scratched my neck, even though I knew it is useless because of my cyberware, but it’s a habit I have had since childhood.

I only wished this conversation would be less awkward and less embarrassing.

Your PoV/Third person PoV:

As he looked around the room, clearly not used to such interior you pointed to the unoccupied side of the couch and hoped he’d take the hint.

It took a few seconds but he sat down next to you.

“So?”, you asked, What is it what you wanted of me?”

He shifted a little and with a serious face asked “I was wondering if you might know where to get some good food around here and … A cheap place to stay at since my pockets are almost empty.”

I couldn’t stop laughing.

A full grown man stalking a woman to find food.

That was the most hilarious thing that ever happened but, from the look in his eyes, you could see that he wasn’t lying.

“Well, since this is a coffee shop where you can relax and read, this isn’t the place.”

“I figured as much.”,Goro said while shifting uncomfortably on the couch.

“The Tacos at Mama Welles are really good but she’d shot you on sight and I couldn’t even blame her since your people killed her beloved son.“

Thinking of Jackie made you feel sorry for Mama Welles and Misty alike and it hurt you too.

Just when you felt like crying again, Thomas appeared with two cups of Coffee. Yours included two spoons of sugar and more milk than coffee, just as you liked.

You never understood why people liked coffee so much, you only come here for the books but just reading without buying something just doesn’t feel right, so you started ordering your coffee that way.

“Here’s your regular ____. As for our new guest”,Thomas said while eyeing Goro, “I don’t know your preference, so I hope a black coffee will suffice.” and just like that he put the coffee down, gave a light bow and left.

“So…” you started as you took a sip of your coffee “I can’t help you much with your food-problem however”,you put your coffee down on the small table beside you, “..I might be able to help you with your other problem. The apartment right next to mine is currently unoccupied but... I’m afraid it doesn’t match the standards you are used to.”

Goros PoV:

I didn’t expect it but she is actually quite easy to talk to and willing to help me.

After Rogue turned me down I didn’t think there would be anyone willing to lend me a hand.

The apartment next to her, huh? Might come in handy at some point.

As I took a sip of the coffee the waiter called Thomas brought me I noticed that it wasn’t as awful in taste as I had thought.

“As you can see, I have little to offer. My pockets are almost empty so I can’t complain about anything. Anything will do, truly.”

“Great.” She smiled and took her phone out, called a number and after a quick talk with Granny she turned around grabbed her cup and emptied it on one gulp before offering another kind smile.

“Very well. Let’s go see your new home.”

“This Granny of yours… Is she really okay to have me living there?”, I dared to ask.

“Uh, yes.”,she gave s light nod and placed a few coins next to her empty cup on the table as did I, “As long as you pay your bills and don’t blow the whole place or me up, you should be fine.”

“Fine...Let’s take my Van. Please tell me the directions.”

As we drove to Megabuilding H8, I curiously asked if she lives with her Grandmother but she declined and told me she got adopted by her. After nine sons she was happy to have a girl for a change. I didn’t dare to ask any further questions.

__________________________________

Not sure if anybody is actually reading this but it's a bit slow paced so I could add some character development.

The story will follow the game storyline most of the time but I will add a few dialogues and scenes here and there.

Hope you like it so far. Since I am working full time I barely get time to write and update besides the weekends 😅

[p5youllneverseeitcoming]

Jealous headcanons for Goro, Akira, and Yusuke please! I love your writing

Awhhh I’m really glad that you do Anon! Here you are, have the good boysssss

Goro Akechi, Akira Kurusu & Yusuke Kitagawa jealous HCs

Goro Akechi:

> He wasn’t jealous

> He really wasn’t

> He just so happened to…. Be going to the same places as you

> … Like a lot

> But that was a pure coincidence he swears!

> You noticed him lurking behind a magazine stand so you decided to question him about it

> “Oh… What a surprise to see you here.” You say, sarcasm present in your voice

> “Wow S/O! I did not expect to see you here!… What are you up to?” He asks with a bright smile as he quickly glances over your shoulder to see who you’re with

> “I’m just buying books with Kurusu - kun, he has some really good recommendations.”

> “Oh really?”

> This is the second time this week that you’ve been out with Kurusu

> Uh, not that he made a note of it or anything

> “Yeah. He’s really nice.” 

> Goro’s smile widens

> “Y-Yeah. Yeah he’s… He’s great.”

> You tilt your head at that before raising your eyebrow

> “Are you… Jealous?”

> “What? Of course not!”

> “Well, I’m not the detective here but I’m pretty sure you’re lying.”

> He quickly opens his mouth to argue but a moment later he closes it

> You roll your eyes at that before wrapping your arms around him

> “Silly Goro, you could of just asked if you wanted to join us.”

> You feel his arms wrap around you softly

> “Yeah that was kind of… Childish of me huh?”

> “Doesn’t mean I love you any less.” You say with a cheesy grin

> After a minute you break the hug but quickly take hold of his hand and start dragging him towards Akira

> “Come on, we have books to buy!”

> He only laughs and nods in reply

Akira Kurusu:

> He noticed that you had a lot more plans recently

> And honestly he was happy for you, he’s glad you’re having fun with friends

> … But still you could maybe spend a little more time with him…

> Morgana noticed that he was a lot less energetic 

> So naturally he curled up on Akira’s lap and asked what’s up

> “I uh, it’s stupid.”

> “Half the thing you say are.” Morgana replies as he winks

> Akira just sighs as he begins to stroke Morgana

> “S/O is spending a lot of time with other people but… Not with me? Like, we still see each other a lot, as you know, but I don’t know I just feel like they’ve been a bit… Distant?”

> Morgana purrs as he listens to Akira and once he’s done talking he gently rubs his head against Akira’s palm

> “I see. I’m sure it’s nothing serious but I’ll help you out.”

> “Help me out?”

> “Yeah. Can’t have our leader being sad and distracted!”

~~~

> Akira soon finds out that ‘helping out’ meant Morgana following you

> He had to admit, that was rather smart and he honestly appreciated it… Even if he did feel a bit bad about technically following you around

> Akira was busily working on some lock picks when he heard the quiet sound of paws hitting the wooden floor

> “Mona?” Akira said as he turned his head towards the stairs

> “I’m back.” He meowed in response before making his way over to the desk and jumping on top

> “So uh…”

> “They’re not cheating on you if that’s what you want to know.”

> “What? Well, I mean I gathered but…”

> The cat gives him a long look before snickering

> “F/n is trying to find you the perfect present for your anniversary. The reason they’re going out with so many people is so that you don’t figure it out!”

> Akira can only blink in response

> It seems like he was worrying for no reason whatsoever

> Now that he thinks about it, it was kinda childish of him to get jealous

> A few moments pass before Morgana prods him with one of his paws

> “Hey I helped you out so how about you repay the favour?”

> “How?”

> “I want sushi! Especially fatty tuna and salmon and…”

Yusuke Kitagawa:

> To be perfectly honest he didn’t even realise he’s jealous at first

> He just... Didn’t really like the fact that you were so busy lately

> You told him you were just hanging out with some of your friends

> And one day, his curiosity got the best of him so he decided to ask said friend what the two of you did

> “Huh? What do you mean? I didn’t see F/n yesterday.” 

> “You... Didn’t?”

> They shake their head

> “But... F/n said that they’re meeting you...”

> “Um, no. I’m pretty sure F/n just went to work.”

> “Work?” 

>  “Oh didn’t you know? They work in the flower shop!”

> Yusuke quickly thanks your friend before sprinting off towards the flower shop

> He trusted you, he really did

> But... You did technically lie to him so he was just a bit suspicious of what you were actually doing

> Once he finally made it to the underground mall, he found you sorting flowers into two separate piles

> “Oh hello! Would you like to buy a bouquet?” A woman standing at the front of the store asks with a smile

> “Um, not really. I actually came to speak with F/n.” Yusuke answers as he tilts his head in your direction

> You lift your head when you hear your name

> “Oh, of course.” The lady replies as she steps aside

> “Um, heya Yusuke...” You say quietly

> Yusuke squints at you slightly

> Are you... Embarrassed?

> “I didn’t know your friend was a bundle of roses.” Yusuke says as a small smile appears on his lips

> “Ah, well...” You begin as you start playing with your hair

> “Why did you say you were spending time with your friends instead of telling me that you work? There’s nothing wrong with having a part time job.”

> “If I told you then you might of figured out what I wanted to do.”

> “... What you wanted to do?”

> Yusuke looks at you with genuine confusion and you can’t help but smile at that

> “Well, I might as well tell you. I got a part time job just so that by the end of the month I’d be able to treat you to a fancy meal considering you live off of beans and.. Possibly paint water.”

> Yusuke looks surprised at that

> “You went to work just for me?”

> “Yeah, I did tell you that I’d take care of you didn’t I?” You answer with a warm smile

[saorintranslations]

Thank You♪ (2019-3-3)

🍋 She who wants to eat ice cream、I’m Saori♪

  Ncha(*´꒳`*)

     Yesterday’s blog comments、I read them all！

  For the loーーts of comments、thank you very much😊

  There were more than 130 comments、so I’m super happy✨

  Since Saori wrote she wanted to read a book or something、for writing even more comments than usual for me、thank you very much🥰

    So our stage playーit’s really surprising huh。

  But、you all seem curious about it、

  And since lots of you are looking forward to it、I want to do my best！

  Aーnーdー

  What do you think、about Saori、I tried writing this but、

  Everyone’s answers were interesting笑笑lollol

  But they were nothing but happy things so I’m glad✨

  And And

  Our café、no matter how many times you go it’s funー！

  Footage from our tours are playing！！

  Saori、found it a bit embarrassing笑笑lollol

  Y’know、I feel like I’ve grown！

  It was fun before but、right now I’m living fully so I’m happy。

  Everyone、I don’t have anything fun to doーif you think this at all、

  Immediately

  Come and play at a Tsubaki event okay！！

  Anywayーーーーーー

  Again、comment neーn📝

       Today、in Gifu we had、Hello Con and a release commemoration event！

  Those of you who came、thank you very much😊

  Firstly Hello Con。

  It was the last performance of YOU &I！

  In this pattern、with Takagi Sayuki-san the 2 of us、

  Were able to sing 「Daite HOLD ON ME!、、、

Y’know、I never thought I’d be able to sing a duet with such an amazing singer as Takagi-san so、I was super nervous。

But、Saori’s glad she could sing together with Takagi-san！

But y’know、I didn’t get to talk with her much、、、

Saori isn’t very good at singing so、I wonder if she matched my way of singing、I thought about this。

  And before we sang she met my eyes so I’m happy！！！

  If we have another chance to sing together、Saori will do her best so that she’s improved by then♪

  Like thisーーーーー

  This time Hello Con、was packed full of interesting things✨

  Those of you who came to play、what did you thinkー？？

  Next is、Hina Fes so、if you come and play there too I’d be happy😆

      Aーnーdー

  Our release commemoration event！

  This too、was our final event today、、、

  We still have individual events though！！！！

  Ah、I’m excited😏

  And、as our last song we were able to sing 「Icchoume Rock！」。

  At our release commemoration events、lots of people could hear the songs from our 5th single、

  And everyone came to love Tsubaki even more rightー I think this！！！

  What did you thinkー？？

  And so、since our release commemoration events have ended、my chances to meet everyone have decreased a bit but、

  At our tour and so on、if you come and play Saori would be happy、、、

  Anyway、

  We were able to have a good closing day♪

  From here on too、please watch over Tsubaki Factory warmly😌

        Today is、「Hina Matsuri」ーーー

  When you think of Hina Matsuri、there’s the Hina dolls！

  Saori、together with Sawayaka Goro-san went to Shizoーka to do an on-location recording about Hina dolls、

  At my house we display them every year！！！！

  And、we eat Hina Arare and Chirashizushi。

  But、I couldn’t do that this year(T ^ T)

  Girls、did you enjoy Hina Matsuriー？？

  I wanna eat Hina Araーーーre。

  That’s all笑lol

       Today too、are Saori selfies♪

  She who’s lonely because her chances to meet you all have decreased I'm Saori、、

   A notice〜♡

💙Tsubaki Factory Live Tour 2019 Spring ・Ranman

   💕 3/4（Mon）6:00〜8:00

Me〜TV「Dodesuka！」

 3/4（Mon）18:15〜18:53

Gifu Chan「Station!」 

  ↑Today we were able to do an interview for these！

We were able to do lots of Tsubaki appeal so、for sure please kindly check them out🥺

  I wanna plaーーーーーy

 I wanna go to the land of dreams。

 Someone go together with mーeー

Bye bye♡

#saori#ilove#thehinamatsuri#event♪

Original - https://ameblo.jp/tsubaki-factory/entry-12444187002.html

[vgckwb]

P5R: Rebel Girl (A FeMC Story/P5R Rework) Capter 111: Looking Up

The next morning, as Ren was getting ready, she noticed her phone was lighting up with messages from the group chat. She picked up her phone.

Lena: Hey everyone.

Lena: I know we did something yesterday, but, well, I still want to do something today too.

Lena: I mean, I haven’t really been allowed out much, and there’s so much I want to do!

Ann: Sorry. I’d love to, but I’m having family over soon, and we need to prepare.

Ryuji: Yeah, I’m working on somethin’ of my own too.

Yusuke: I’d go, but Makoto has asked me to do something with her.

Lena: Oh. Are you two going out as well?

Yusuke: Strictly speaking, no.

Makoto: I just needed help with something, and he seemed like the best available option.

Yusuke: Makoto is quite crafty; matched only by her particularity.

Sumire: I can’t either.

Sumire: I have to practice my gymnastics.

Ren: Right, what day is that again?

Sumire: It’s the 30th.

Ren: Great! I can’t wait.

Ren: In the meantime though, I can keep you company, Lena.

Lena: Really?

Ren: Yeah. I got nothing better to do.

Lena: Yippie!

Ren: Are you up for joining us, Jose?

Yusuke: I think he might still be sleeping.

Jose: No, I just got up.

Yusuke: Oh…

Jose: I’m still a little tired though.

Jose: You can go without me.

Ren: Maybe next time.

Lena: I’ll just meet you at Leblanc then, I guess.

Ren: Sounds good.

A little while later, Lena showed up. “Welcome,” Ren said. Lena waved back. “So, where do you want to go?”

Lena thought about it for a moment. “I’m not sure. There’s so many places I’d love to go. I can’t decide.

Ren thought about it a bit too. She smiled. “I know what we should do.” “Really?” Lena asked.

Ren nodded. “We should go on a SHOPPING TRIP!”

“Eh?” Lena said, confused.

Ren chuckled. “C’mon! It’ll be fun. Besides, I think since you can go out now, you should do it in style!”

Lena welled up. “You…you don’t think I’m stylish now?”

“No, sorry, sorry,” Ren said. “I didn’t mean that. You’re very stylish. I just-” Lena chuckled. Ren caught on to what Lena was doing. “Hm. Man you’re good at that.”

“Thanks,” Lena said, playfully.

Ren shook her head. “So, do you want to, or…?”

“Huh?” Lena said. “Oh yeah, that sounds really fun!”

Ren nodded. “Alright then. Let’s go!” The two girls headed out. Ren led Lena to where Ann usually likes to shop. “Well, here we are.”

Lena was surprised. “Woah.”

“Let’s head in, shall we?” Ren invited.

Lena nodded her head. “Let’s.” Together, they entered. They perused the store, looking through several racks of clothes.

Lena soon found a flowy purple dress with a yellow floral and vine pattern on it and was taken in. Ren noticed this, and walked up to her. “You find something you like?”

“Huh?” Lena said, snapping back to reality. “Oh, yeah, I really love it. But…”

Ren was confused. “But what?”

“Well…” Lena said. “Purple is my favorite color, but Goro says his favorite color is blue. So I’m wondering if I should get something blue…”

“Hm, is that all?” Ren said. “Listen, I might not know a whole lot about your relationship specifically, but I do know this: if you like someone, it’s not because they are you, it’s because they are them.” Ren paused. “Wow, sorry, that was a little confusing.”

Lena chuckled. “No, I think I get it. You’re saying I should be myself.”

“Exactly,” Ren said, relieved she understood.

Lena looked at the dress again. She smiled. “Alright, I’m gonna get it!” She folded it in her arms, and the two continued shopping.

Once they finished, they looked over what the other had gotten. “I don’t know what you’re so worried about,” Ren said. “You practically bought an outfit every color of the rainbow.”

Lena chuckled. “I guess you're right. But you on the other hand… Your selection is a little more muted.”

“Well, what can I say?” Ren said. “I like wearing darker clothes.”

“It just feels a little contrarian,” Lena said. “Er, what I mean is, you just have this huge positive aura, and black, well…”

Ren giggled. “I get it. But I think that’s part of it. I’ve always been sort of an outsider. I’ve never fit in with the crowd. But I don’t need to. So long as I do what I can to make me happy, then the people that make me happy will see past the darkness into the light.”

Lena was shook. “Woah.”

“Eh, heh,” Ren chuckled. “Sorry. Was that a bit too much for you?”

Lena shook her head. “It’s fine. I get it. It’s sort of like how some animals will sometimes make themselves appear to be something dangerous to dissuade predators.”

Ren chuckled. “Someone’s been paying attention in class.”

“Well, I mean, I doubt Goro would like me if I was failing…” Lena said. She realized she said that. “Oh, I did it again, didn’t I?”

Ren noticed they were still in front of the shops. “We should probably find somewhere else to speak.” Lena nodded. They left the shop.

Soon after, as Lena was looking around, she found a crepe stand. “Ooo!” she said. “Let’s go there!”

Ren looked over. “Hm. You and Ann would get along swimmingly.”

“Huh?” Lena wondered.

Ren giggled. “She has an insatiable sweet tooth.”

“Oh,” Lena said. “Well, I guess that’s something we have in common.” They giggled and headed over together. Once they had their crepes, Lena took a bite. “Delicious!” Ren giggled. Lena frowned somewhat. “About what I said earlier…”

“It’s fine,” Ren said. “You were just trying to make a joke.”

“But between all that, what happened with my host mom, and me being an exchange student in general…” Lena trailed. She sighed. “I guess I’m more worried about fitting in than I thought.”

“Well I mean, you already have us,” Ren said. “Plus there’s also Akechi, and I assume your mom’s gotten better.” Lena nodded. “The point is, you have people in your corner.”

“Yeah…” Lena said. “But… It's just a lot, you know?”

“Yeah,” Ren admitted. “Like I said I was never the most popular person. However, there’s no sense in worrying about things you can’t control.”

Lena smiled. “You’re right. But I do want to be more sure of myself. I mean, despite everything, I’m still here, right? I didn’t accept Eris’s offer to betray who I am, and I didn’t let my mom squeeze out my happiness despite her best efforts.”

“That’s the spirit,” Ren said.

Lena sighed. “I’m still a little worried though. Despite having been here for months, it feels like I finally just arrived, and the emotional jet lag has kicked in.”

“Well, I’m sure as time marches on, you’ll fit right in,” Ren said. “Besides, you have us.” Ren smiled. “You know, I only know about those stores because of Ann.”

“Really?” Lena said.

Ren nodded. “When I first got here, I felt alone too. But I soon made friends with Ann, and, well, we’ve been giving each other strength since. It’s not just her though, everyone I’ve met here who I consider my friend has helped me just as much as I’ve helped them. So, what I’m saying is, I know it can be troubling at first, but pretty soon, you’ll shine as brightly as me. Maybe even more so.”

Lena was slightly embarrassed. She smiled and said. “Thanks.”

I am thou... Thou art I… Thou hast acquired a new vow...

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Adjustment Persona I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.

Adjustment-Lena Minamoto: Rank 1

The girls finished their crepes and headed their separate ways.

Later that evening, Ren got a message from Yoshida.

Yoshida: How did your family’s trip go?

Ren: It went really well.

Yoshida: Splendid.

Yoshida: Are you available tonight?

Ren: Yeah.

Yoshida: Very well.

Yoshida: See you soon.

Ren: Seeya!

Ren put her phone away, and headed out to meet Yoshida.

Once she arrived, Yoshida greeted her with a hearty “Ah, Amamiya-chan! Wonderful to see you.”

“Likewise,” Ren responded.

Yoshida grew a little serious. “Apparently, something’s happening after my speech tonight.”

“Oh?” Ren wondered.

Yoshida nodded. “Remember when Matsushita told me that Kuramoto’s grandson was going to contact me?” Ren nodded. “Well, he made good on that promise and wants to meet with me tonight. I was wondering if you would accompany me.”

Ren smiled. “Of course.”

“Splendid,” Yoshida said. “Well then, let’s get started, shall we?

 Ren nodded. Ren went to pick up the sign. “Tonight’s Topic: The Social Healing Process.” Ren was intrigued. “Hm.”

“People of Tokyo!” Yoshida began. “The Phantom Thieves are still embroiled in their war with Medjed. However, while we wait to see what happens, let us reflect on what they have taught us.

The Phantom Thieves have uncovered evils dwelling within our society, both large and small. These evils had been with us for quite some time now. However, once the Phantom Thieves uncovered them, actions were taken to make sure that those who were responsible were punished justly. But the battle doesn’t end there.

In truth, once said evils have been exposed, we can begin to heal. For some of the smaller targets, the healing process can be done quickly However, for the larger targets, some of the damage done is lasting, and healing can take a long time. In fact, some of the wounds inflicted might never fully heal.

However, this is where we come in! We as citizens must be able to help our victimized population in the face of such grotesque evils! It might seem like the victims themselves are the only ones involved in the healing process, but that is simply not true. We must be there to help our fellow citizenry in times of crisis and comfort. Otherwise, healing will take a lot longer than it needs to.”

Yoshida looked at Ren. Ren was a little tuned. Yoshida nodded and turned back to the crowd. “Recently, I’ve been able to overcome my own pain through the assistance of a new confidant. Alone, I knew I was hurt but recovering, but with someone else to confide in, it makes the process easier.

However, none of the healing done by some of the recent victims could have been done if the Phantom Thieves didn’t expose the evils they have!” The crowd was shocked. “And THAT is what the Thieves have taught us. If we wish to heal what is broken, we must identify what is broken in the first place. Otherwise, we can never truly heal.

I promise you, as your voice in the National Diet, that I will not only expose what evils have befallen you, but also work to heal them! Thank you!”

The crowd was really excited. The applause was louder than it had been, but Yoshida’s speeches were getting better as well. So while Ren was a little shaken by the applause, she wasn’t entirely surprised.

After the speech, she and Yoshida met back up. “How did you enjoy the speech?” Yoshida asked.

Ren smiled. “It was brilliant.”

“Thank you,” Yoshida said. “Sorry for the brief mention of you. I forgot to mention it before.”

“It’s alright,” Ren said. “I’m honestly flattered.”

“I see,” Yoshida said. “Well, we shouldn’t keep Kuramoto waiting.”

“Do you know where we’re meeting?” Ren asked.

“He told me the location,” Yoshida said. “It’s a restaurant not too far away from here.” Ren nodded, and the two were off.

As they were walking, Ren was a bit nervous, but voiced a concern. “Um, not to say your speech wasn’t good, but I do think the Phantom Thieves would want to make sure everyone is OK after the fact, but given their nature…”

Yoshida chuckled. “I don’t doubt it for a second. I know that not everyone is on board with them yet, and a lot of people would like to see them arrested, so I know that keeping to the shadows is beneficial for them for now. I’ve always maintained that they aren’t perfect., but are doing good things.”

Ren nodded. “Right.” They kept walking.

They soon arrived at the restaurant, and were greeted by Kuramoto, the grandson. “Hello,” he said.

“Good evening,” Yoshida said. “You must be Benzo, correct?”

“Yes,” he answered. He noticed Ren. “And I see you brought your little protege with you as well.”

Yoshida got a little tense. “So, you are aware of her.”

Beno nodded. “I’ve been attending your speeches for quite some time. They’re really intriguing.”

“I see,” Yoshida said. “Shall we sit down?”

“Let’s,” Benzo said.

They sat down, ordered, and were soon served. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Yoshida asked.

Benzo looked at him intently. “I’ve seen Matusita stop by your events, so I can assume he at least partially filled you in.”

Yoshida nodded. “I do wish to hear what you have to say.”

“Very well,” Benzo said. “Put simply, my father wishes to bury the hatchet with you.”

“I see…” Yoshida said. “Well, I am all for making amends. But is that really it?”

Benzo shook his head. “We are splitting up from the ruling coalition to form our own. And we wish you to join us.”

“You’re splitting?” Yoshida said, surprised.

Benzo nodded. “You’ve seen what’s been happening. The writing is on the wall. The ruling coalition’s position has become untenable. Cabinet members are resigning left and right. A big change is coming, and we need to position ourselves to be at the forefront of it.”

He looked intently at Yoshida. “I know you wish to be at the heart of the greatest change Japan has ever seen. We want you to be there too.”

Yoshida stared Benzo down. “As tempting as that sounds, I have to decline.”

“WHAT?!” Benzo said.

“Don’t get me wrong, everything you’re saying is true,” Yoshida said, “and I will gladly bury the hatchet with your grandfather, but I need to stay true to my convictions. As a politician yourself, you should know that.”

“You’re just gonna pass up this opportunity?” Benzo said. “Your only chance to shake off the name of ‘No-Good Tora’ and join what will probably become the greatest political coalition this country has ever seen?”

“I don’t doubt your ambition, nor your ability,” Yoshida said. “But in order for me to cast off the shell of ‘No-Good Tora’, I have to do it on my own terms.”

“What about what you said tonight?” Benzo asked. “What about healing together?”

“As I’ve stated, I will gladly make amends with your grandfather,” Yoshida answered. “However, I have been hurt by him once before. I simply do not wish to be hurt again.”

“Hm, you make it sound like it was my grandfather who made you the ‘No-Good Tora’,” Benzo snapped. “When in reality, it was your own shortcomings.”

Yoshida sighed. “I grant you that I was responsible for some of what earned me the name ‘No-Good Tora’. However, I am not wholly responsible either.”

Benzo was incensed. “Are you implying something?”

Yoshida smiled. “As I keep saying, I am willing to forgive and forget.”

Benzo got a little upset. He turned to Ren. “What about you?” Ren was a little surprised. “What do you think of this deal? Is it not everything he wants and more?”

Ren was a little on edge. Seeing two politicians talking like this is something she has rarely seen this close. It was a little intense, but Ren managed to hold steady. “Well, I’ve never known him as ‘No-Good Tora’, so in a sense that label has been at least slightly shaken off at this point.”

“Ignoring that then,” Benzo continued, “this is an opportunity to do what he wishes to do. Is that not a good deal?”

“He wishes to maintain his independence,” Ren explained. “Accepting your offer wouldn’t do him any good on that front, would it?”

Beno was not pleased. “Very well.” He sighed. “The invitation is open, should you see the light. And as a courtesy, I will pay for your dinner.”

“Thank you,” Yoshida said. “However, as I’ve been saying, I am willing to meet with your grandfather about making amends.”

“I shall talk to him about tonight’s meeting, and message you as soon as I have a reply,” Beno said. He paid the bill, got up, and left.

Yoshid sighed. “Are you doing alright, Amamiya-chan?”

“I think so…” Ren said.

Yoshida chuckled slightly. “I apologize. Talks among politicians can get heated in ways that most people aren’t used to.”

“I can tell,” Ren said.

“Still, you managed to hold your own,” Yoshida said. “And against the grandson of a very notable politician who is also notable in his own right at that.”

“Well, what can I say?” Ren said. “I learned from the best.”

“Ah ha ha,” Yoshida laughed. He smiled. “You know, ever since I was labeled with ‘No-Good Tora’ I haven’t felt entirely confident in myself. However, after getting to know you, I feel much more confident than before. I feel like I am more than just my mistakes.”

Ren smiled back. “The feeling is mutual.”

Sun-Toranosuke Yoshida: Rank 7

“We should be heading home soon,” Yoshida said. Ren nodded. They finished what they were eating, and headed home.

Meanwhile, at Leblanc, Sojiro was about to get ready to close when he heard the door open. He thought it was Ren. “Oh, you’re ba-” He looked up. It wasn’t Ren. It was Tamako. Both of them were stunned. “Tamako…”

“Sojiro…” Tamako said. “So, this is where you’ve been.”

“Yeah,” Sojiro said. “I’m just here in my own little corner of Tokyo.”

Tamako sat at the counter. “Well, it seems like you’re doing well. I don’t think I’ve seen you since…”

“That sounds about right…” Sojiro said. “What brings you here?”

“Well,” Tamako said, “I heard from someone that this is a pretty good place to get coffee. I was a little surprised to see it also served curry, but seeing you behind the counter, it makes sense. I take it it’s her recipe?”

Sojiro nodded. “That’s right.”

“Well then, I’d like a curry and coffee,” Tamako said.

Sojiro smiled. “Coming right up.” He prepared her order. “Order up.”

“Thanks,” Tamako said. She took a bite of curry and a sip of coffee. “Tastes as good as I remember it.”

“Glad to hear that,” Sojiro said. “So, how are you doing?”

Tamako was a little surprised. “Well, it hasn’t been easy, but I think I’m doing better than before.”

“That’s good,” Sojiro said.

Tamako nodded. “And you?”

“Hm. I could probably say the same,” Sojiro said.

“Well that’s good as well,” Tamako said. She finished her curry and coffee, and paid. “Thanks for the meal.”

“No problem,” Sojiro said. As Tamako was about to leave, Sojiro added “If you need help with anything, you know where to find me again.”

Tamako nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.” She left.

Sojiro smirked. “Hm.” His old friend was finding her way again, and he knew he was finding his. “That kid. I’ll tell ya.”

[selenecrown]

Take Your Time for a Vacation - A Phantom Thieves x Female!Reader - [Part 1: A Week in a Hot Springs Town of Summer Break]

Author's Note: Holy Crap I wrote this whole fanfiction while listening to the Persona 5 soundtrack and a little bit of Kiss Me Thru the Phone, but shush! That's not important right now. And, that soundtrack an interesting soundtrack. But if you guys haven't listened to it, I would recommend it.

Warning! This will contain dark themes of suicide, severe depression, very dramatic panic attacks, and implied self-harm and drug use (If you have played Persona 3, that is). I wrote this to be a much lighter and cheerful, but apperantly all I got was angst. So, sorry about that guys. If you want to skip this, sure. It's basically just how you got to the place you will be staying. So, It's nothing hugely important.

[ Introduction in case you missed it ] 

[ Part 1: You Are Here! ] 

[ Part 2: WIP ]

"A trip to a hot springs town in the mountains?" You asked the cheerful person on the other side of the line.

"Yeah! Come on, Summer Break starts next week and our break aligns with Akira's Summer Break and he said he wanted to spend so time with all of us!" Ann Takamaki said. 

You sighed as you lifted your hand not holding the phone towards the ceiling of your room unconsciously and then dropped into your hand on your head. Which hurt a little, but was nothing compared to how hot it was in the apartment. The hand currently unused at the moment covered your eyes from the burning sun rays coming through your window. You were laying down on your bed about to take a nap after you had finished an research paper that would be due the next day, when you received a phone from Ann Takamaki.

She asked you a question about how available you would be during summer break. 

You said you weren't sure due to your job and then asked why she wanted to know. 

She explained that Akira proposed the idea of your whole group of friends going to a hot springs town for a week because everyone had summer break at the same time. Everyone else had accepted, even Akechi had accepted Akira's proposal, you were the last person they needed to talk to. 

But, since your schedule seemed occupied by your part time job working at famous restaurant as a waitress, it would be hard convincing your boss to give you a week off because they would lose a valuable asset and the job paid really well for a student like you.

You said to Ann, getting up from your bed and standing up, "I will try my best to convince my boss to give me a week off, Ann." 

"Wait, but what if your boss doesn't let you have a week off?" Ann worryingly asked.

"Then you guys can have fun without me. All I will ask is you bring me some souvenirs or take me there some time." You said, plainly. Honestly, you were tired at the time, so that was affecting your ability to think properly. 

"But, Akira said he wanted everyone to come! And plus, you'd feel left out when we come back! I don't want you to feel like you aren't part of our group! It's either we all go, or we don't go at all! That's what Akira said!" Ann pouted to you.

"Alright. If Akira says it's all or nothing." You sighed. Even if Ann was lying about either all of us going or all of us don't go, this was going to be a challenge. You looked at the time, and saw you had to go to work soon. 

You wouldn't be so lucky with a nap today.

So, you told Ann you needed to go. When you got there, you did ask your boss about having a week off.

He said, "A week? For what?"

You instantly knew you needed a really good excuse, and fast. "Family issues. My uncle got into the hospital for driving drunk, and someone needs to take care of my cousins. Please, sir!" You begged him.

"Family issues, huh? Alright. I will give you next week off. But that's it, you are a good worker, (Your/Name), and we do need you here because you work so well." Your boss told you.

You nodded. "Thank you." 

You did work overtime mainly because you wanted to impress you boss a little bit. But after your shift was over, you went home and told Ann the news.

"Yes! So, we can go! Yay!" Ann jumped for joy over the phone. After other small talk, Ann hung up, and went into the chat room and told everyone the good news. 

"That's a relief. I was scared for a moment we wouldn't make it." Yusuke typed.

"So, do we know where we are going?" Makoto asked. 

"Oh! What about Kurokawa Onsen?" Ryuji asked. 

"I don't think we can afford that, Ryuji." Ann pointed out.

"Then, what about local hot spring towns? Does anyone know of any?" Futuba asked.

"Well, there is one I know of." Haru answered.

"Okay, which one?" Makoto asked.

"Well, I don't remember the name of the town right now, but I do know it isn't super far from us. But, it is still far from the city." Haru stated.

"Hey, if it will get us away from the city, I will go anywhere." You commented.

"You seem a little more flexible about for this, as long as we get away from the city, huh (Y/N)?" Goro added.

"Hey, I'm getting off of work. That's a huge plus for me. I finally have more free time!" You said to Akechi, who probably knew what that was like more than anyone else in the chat room.

"Then, we will talk about it when Haru remembers there the town is, I guess." Ryuji said. 

Everyone agreed to wait for Haru to remember. It was only Monday, after all. 

We had time. 

Akira did read the chats, which he missed because he was eating dinner with his family, but he repiled nothing back to the chatroom, since there was not much to comment about.

Haru remembered the name of the hot springs town, which was apparently was named Golden Fog and everyone agreed to go there. You all had made a plan to pick up Akira from his hometown, mainly because he said he couldn't just drive to the hot springs town by himself. So, everyone agreed to pick Akira up and all of you would drive there, since you couldn't get a plane there and you definitely couldn't just walk there. So, you guys were going to have a road trip to the hot springs town in the mountains. The day that all of you were going to leave Sibuya was fast approaching. 

And soon, the Sunday before summer break had finally come upon you. This was the day that everyone agreed to to pick up Akira and go to the hot springs town. 

The drive most likely would take the whole day. 

But, nevertheless, the day of the road trip had come upon you. You ready for this day. 

Or so you thought you were.

Nothing could have prepared you for the fun day ahead of you, even though most of it was purely because people got bored.

You had finished packing up your suitcase and then looked at the time. You had packed some food for yourself during the trip, since you had somewhat of an idea of what a whole day road trip would be like. And you realized it would be a while before everyone came to pick up, since you were the closest to the outskirts of town.

But waiting was the hardest part to do on this trip.

"'Patience is a virtue', my ass." Is what Ryuji said about situations like this. And he wasn't wrong.

You decided to distract yourself by watching TV. When you turned on the TV, a TV show you haven't watched since before high school came on. You remembered your time before even becoming a Phantom Thief, or even Shujin High School. You rememered when you were little and didn't have to worry about things like the things you do now. The feeling gave you nostalgia, but also, a little bit of pain as well. You wished you could go back then, were you didn't have to worry about all that crap you do now. 

Then, you heard a knock on the door in the middle of an episode of that show.

"Coming!" You yelled as you turned off the TV in your apartment. When you answered it, there stood Ann Takamaki, who seemed very energetic today.

"(Y/N)! You ready? Come on, everyone is dying to see you and Akira! Futuba is getting impatient!" Ann smiled and grabbed one of your hands, as you grabbed your suitcase from where you hid it behind the door.

"Okay, okay! I'm coming!" You laughed as Ann tried to pull you out of your apartment before you could make sure everything in your house was going to be okay. After you did a check to turn everything off so your bills wouldn't go up when you weren't home, you closed and locked everything and then Ann escourted you down to the apartment parking lot. When you got down there, a familiar silver Citroën H van appeared before your eyes. It was the same sliver van that you brought Akira home in. Outside of the van standing there was Ryuji, arms crossed and had a scowl on his face. When he spotted you, he waved and his scowl changed to a smile. 

"Hey, you ready to pick up Akira?" Ryuji asked you.

You nodded. "Yeah. Let's go." 

You put your suitcase with everyone else's in the back of the car. In the back of the car was Haru and Futuba. Akechi was sitting next to Yusuke in the middle seat, where Ryuji got in as well. Ann sat next to Makoto, who was driving the car. You got into the backseat with Futuba and Haru, and after everyone had made the preperations to start the car, Morgana came out from the front seat and jumped back to where you were. 

Morgana jumped unto your lap, "Alright. That's everyone. Let's go."

Makoto started the car, and the nine former members of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts went off to go find their leader in his home town.  

But, as soon as everyone got on the toll road after getting lunch, everyone seemed tired.

Futuba and Haru fell asleep an hour after lunch was served. Yusuke said he was going to take a quick nap before he sees Akira, and Ryuji agreed to do so as well. Leaving you, Makoto, Ann, and Akechi in each other's presence. 

Akechi turned to you.  "Hey, Makoto doesn't look so good. Can you drive? I can if needed." 

"Yes. I can drive. Hey, Makoto, Ann, do you guys want to take nap before you see Akira?" You asked the other girls in the car, leaning up against the seat you where in.

Ann nodded. "Yeah. I woke up super early because I was one of the first to be picked up by Makoto. So, I'm going to try and take a nap. Thanks, (Y/N)." 

Makoto nodded in agreement. 

You moved Morgana unto Futuba's lap until such time as you could put him on Ann's lap, because you didn't want him bothering you. Morgana had decided to stay on your lap for the rest of the car ride until Akira comes and Morgana, being a cat, decided to fall asleep on you as well. Makoto pulled into a gas station to check the car and see how it was doing, and to switch places with Akechi. Ann said she wanted to sit in the back with the other two girls, while Makoto didn't seem to care where she sat, as long as she could take a nap. When Makoto and Ann fell asleep, you placed Morgana on Ann's lap. Akechi went into the convenience store to get some water for himself and you incase the two of you needed it. But, you got into the driver's seat and then waited for Akechi to come back. He came back with a whole package of medium-sized water bottles. Akechi got into the shotgun seat, and after making sure you had paid for the gas, the two of you buckled your seatbelts, and drove off. While it was just you and Akechi, he brought up an interesting topic. 

"Do you think it is possible that I could have been different when the two of first met?"

"What do mean by that?" You asked him, trying not taking your eyes off the road, but still smirking at Goro.

"If I was different, you think we could have been teammates? By which I mean, maybe we could have started out our own group before the Phantom Thieves of Hearts? And maybe have been a rival to the Phantom Thieves?" Akechi asked, as he put his arms and head on the dashboard looking at you. 

Even though you didn't take your eyes off the road, you did let a small laugh escape you. You said to Akechi, 

"Probably. I'm still not competely sure why I was suppose to find my powers, but I still did. If that truly were the case, I suppose it could have been possible. I'm not sure, Akechi. I would have prefer that then being enemies, but it is what it is." 

You and Akechi did talk more about what could have happened, or what life could have been like if none of us had known each other. You know, normal teenager stuff.

While doing so, you did take note of the nice scenery, which Akechi did make comments like, "Impressive." Or "Akira is used to this scenery? I envy him." and an area of somewhat familiarity came into your view after who knows how long of other sights of wonder. 

Your car had gotten closer to to your destination, and soon enough, the sliver van had pulled up the entrance of Akira's hometown. 

"Here we go!" Futuba exclaimed, as she pumped her fist in the air, and hit the roof of the car. Futuba seemed to retract her arm and grumbled in pain a little. Futuba and the others woke up about the time you and Akechi started commenting on the scenery all of you saw on your way to Akira's hometown. Well, if Futuba's fist pump didn't get people's attention, then that Phantom Thief sure must love being put to sleep in battle.

"Ah. Yes, we are finally here." Yusuke agreed with Futuba. 

"Yes!" Ann and Ryuji said at the same time. 

"Finally!" Ann smiled.

"It is about time!" Ryuji smiled too.

"We are so close! Who is going to go pick Akira up?" Makoto asked the group. 

"Well, both Akechi and (Y/N) haven't gotten their turn. And, they drove almost all the way there. So, they should do it." Ann commented.

"Yes. Let's leave it to them." Haru nodded. Everyone seemed in agreement that you and Akechi were to pick Akira up.

"Well then, let's get this over with." Akechi said to you. 

You nodded. 

As you pulled up to Akira's house, Akechi got out of the car and said, "Let us both go to his house in case one of us cannot talk to his family." 

"Funny. Because all you have to do is charm them into finding out where their son is. You can do that, right, Detective Prince?" 

Akechi laughed. "I will try my best." 

The two of you walked up to Akira's house, or where you remembered it to be the last time you came here. When you knocked on the house door, a feminine voice yelled, "I'll be right there!" But the door opened right as someone had said that. A man appeared, who you had assumed to be Mr. Kurusu, and said, "Are you the people Akira mentioned was coming to pick him up?" 

You nodded. "Yes. Is he home?" 

The man shook his head. "No. Akira went to the store to get something."

"Is that so? I suppose it cannot be helped then." Akechi sighed.

"How do you know Akira, anyways? Did he go to your school? Or you his friends he keeps talking about?" Akira's father asked as he leaned against the doorway oh his home.

"We became friends when Akira was on probation. We went to the same school." Akechi stepped in as you going to say something.

"Alright, then-" 

"Hey. You guys are earlier than I thought you would be." You heard a voice from behind you, and there stood Akira. With his cocky smile and all. 

 He did talk with his father for a second and then he and his father went inside. After a little while, Akira came out with his grey suitcase you remember when you went to Hawaii.

"Well, sorry for keeping you all waiting." Akira jokingly said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Don't be. We still have some time." Akechi said.

You nodded.

"As long as we get there tommorrow." You said as you and the boys walked to the car. As the three of you walked to the car, Akira did talk with both of you about everyone else and when the three of you got into the car, everyone greeted Akira very warmly. After all the greeting and happiness of your leader being back, Makoto asked you and Akechi, 

"Are the two of you okay?" 

"Yeah, why?" You answered for the two of you. Even though Akechi felt differently then you.

"I mean, everyone else in the car got a nice nap. Do you guys want one?" Ann cut in on Makoto, who was about to say the exact same thing.

"I will take you up on your offer. A nap is a good opportunity for getting energy." Akechi informed you.

You sighed. "Sure. Why not take a nap? You guys have fun." You waved at your teammates as you stretched out your arms and put your head against the window of the van. The boys were all squished in the middle seat, while the girls had plenty of space. As you stared out the window hoping to drift off into sleep, you noticed scenery of the town start to fade away, and in its place a view of mountains came in. But slowly, that scenery faded to black. 

While you and Akechi about taking a nap before everyone was to meet at the town in the mountains, everyone else seemed to be bored out of their minds.

"Darn it! My computer died! Argh! Now what am I suppose to do?!" Futuba growled.

"Um, read a book?" Ann offered from the front seat.

"Akechi mentioned brought something didn't he? What did he bring is the question." Yusuke said.

"Wait, are we going to go through a sleeping person's stuff? Hell no! Who knows what he will do if we get caught!" Ryuji said. 

"He won't know if we don't tell him." Akira pointed out. 

"But we are driving. We are not pulling over on the side of the road." Makoto said, she had this look in her eyes she really didn't want to do that. Like, at all. 

"Mona!" Futuba said. "Go to the back and get me a source of entertainment!" 

"Why me?!" Morgana said. 

"Because, you are smaller then us and can sneak past the sleeping (Y/N)!" Futuba said. 

"Fine. But I don't expect much from either Akechi or (Y/N)." Morgana said, as he jumped back to the suitcases. When he looked at the everyone's suitcases, your suitcase was easy to open. Akechi's suitcase, however, was being guarded by Akira's, which was on top of it. 

"Good news, (Y/N)'s suitcase is completely unguarded. Bad news, Akira's suitcase is covering Akechi's. Should we open (Y/N)'s first?" 

"Yeah," Futuba said, leaning over the seat to watch Morgana do his work. "Why not?"

And, so, Morgana opened it. 

"Clothes . . . Towels . . . Toiletries . . . Aha!" Morgana excliamed as he had found your snacks. "What is this? Maybe she's loaded with food!" 

"What?!" 4/5ths of the car exclaimed. Even Makoto took her eyes off the road to look back and see Morgana had your bag of snacks. Then, realizing she took her eyes off the road, she immediately turned her focus back on the road. The rest of the car watched as Morgana open the bag. When he did, the treats you packed for yourself revealed itself to the rest of your team. 

"She's got food! She has pretzels, apple and watermelon slices, a large pack of mixed nuts, and popcorn! She also has dressings to go with it! She's got cheese and chocolate!" Morgana told the rest of the van.

"Hell yeah!" Ryuji said. "We scored big time!" 

"And, they didn't drink all of water bottles while they were driving! Double big time!" Ann cheered. 

"Alright!" Futuba said, "Let's split the loot!" 

When you and Akechi woke up, all your snacks had been completely devoured, and the water bottles where gone. They also threw away all the evidence, except the bag you brought your snacks in, of course, since it looked like it was reuseble so they put it back in.

Also when the two of you woke up, the van had arrived at the springs town. And, now you were looking for a place to park a car. 

The town itself was beautiful. The mountain that looked like it was watching over the town. Below the mountains was a forest that seemed to surround the mountain, almost like a barrier in between the mountain and the town. Most of the buildings looked new, or at least modern. There were shops and places to eat scattered everywhere. But all the shops seemed to be pointing to this huge traditional castle which the group learned was actually the hotel. The hotel, looked huge compared to the rest of the buildings. It was mostly red, green, and white. There were roads, but it was more used for streets then roads since so many people were walking on it. But, thankfully one of the locals told them of a back road to the hotel with no people. 

It was getting somewhat dark, and by then, almost everyone felt guilty about invading your suitcase and eating your stash, when most likely, you would have happily shared it with them if they asked. Well, everyone but Morgana and Futuba. 

"Hey, (Y/N)? You awake?" You heard Haru say to you as you were half-awake. Futuba, looked over at you to see if you had woken up. At this point, all of you were getting closer to the parking lot.

You and Akechi had been sleeping for three whole hours. And only once, had you woken up because you smelled chocolate and cheese. After a small amount of panicking from the car, minus the driver Makoto, Haru and Akira were able to put you back to sleep without too much trouble. 

You sat up from the window and rubbed your eyes. "Mmm . . . Yeah, I'm awake." 

"Good. We're almost there." She informed you. 

"Nnn . . . Is Akechi up?" You asked, looking for Akechi.

Haru shook her head. "No, the boys can't seem to wake him up. You've known him for a while, can you try?" She asked. That explains why all the boys were looking at you. When you saw Akechi, you saw Akechi still sleeping. 

You nodded at everyone, as you reached your hand to Akechi and had to lean over Haru to get to where Akechi was, and then you said,

"Hey~, Hey~ Akechi. Wake the hell up before I get over there and beat your ass." You said sternly, poking Akechi's face not-so-gently, but it didn't work. The boys, minus Akechi, seemed to flinch at the way you said "beat your ass." 

Plan B.

"Are you dead yet~? Heeeeeey, Death Metal~! Are you dead yet~? I'm gonna go steal all your shiiiiiit~!" You sing-songed Akechi. Then Akechi grabbed your hand, which scared the hell out of everyone watching. This was, kinda new for everyone. They knew the two of you had fought for many years, but they didn't know exactly what kind of people the two of you were once like.

"Shut the hell up," Akechi growled at you. His face of anger was enough to scare everyone watching but you. "Why you little piece of---Wait a moment. I thought he agreed not to call each other that in front of them." He protested, as he had now somewhat regained his composure in front of the other Phantom Thieves. 

"Well, we tried everything else." You said, retracting your hand when Akechi let you of it.

"Ah. And that is what makes you an Airheaded Pigeon." Akechi threw back the insult he gave you years ago.

Okay, now you were pissed at Akechi. Even though normally you would stop with teasing him, it seemed like he really wanted pick to fight. Or, was that just your muscle memory speaking for you? "You wanna fight? You wanna fight me punk?" 

"I would, but you're the one who started it." Akechi said. "And we both know that I'm going to be the one to beat the shit out of you."

"Hahaha! How funny! We both know I'm going to beat your ass into the ground even if you win or not!" You laughed as everyone else was starting to get concerned about the two of you. 

Then, Morgana stepped in and hit the two of you on the head by jumping on the both of your heads, twice. 

"Ow!" You cried as Morgana had knocked you off balance and you fell down by Haru's and Futuba's feet.

"Ow!" Akechi cried as well, as he tumbled back unto the window. Luckily, the window didn't break.

"The two of you need to chill out. We aren't here to watch the two of you destroy a town." Morgana growled at Akechi and you. Morgana didn't speak because he knew how the two of you used to fight but he said what he felt like saying. "At least try to act to mentally sound people." 

Akechi and you responded nothing to that. While, Morgana jumping on your head was painful, you knew he had a point. 

"Fine." Akechi said. Then, he looked down at you in concern. "Are you alright?" 

"My heads hurts. But other than that, I'm little dizzy." You said, as you tried to get up by yourself, but Haru and Futuba saw you struggling to keep balance and helped you get up. Man, Morgana knew how to beat you into submission.

Makoto had found the hotel all of you were ment to be staying in. Luckily, they had a place to park a car. Everyone got out of the car, and Akechi helped you walk to where the lobby was.

The lobby was more modernized than the outside of the building. It was a mostly light brown and white room, with the front desk being black and the floor being made of tile. There was mostly windows around the lobby, but since it was getting dark lamps placed around tbe lobby had lighten up. The front desk had a single bamboo plant on the right, and with a women standing behind the desk looking absolutey bored doing paper work. There was also a huge window behind her. The lobby also had an area with four light brown couches, with a table in the center decorated with grey stones and pens and fake plants in a bowl. While to the left and right of the front desk was stairs, seeming to go up. There didn't seem to be an elevator in sight. The lobby smelled like a mix of chlorine and lavender. 

Akechi and you sat down next to each other, with you sitting down and laying your head on one of the armrests of the couch for support. Morgana didn't hit you that hard, right? Makoto and Akira went up to the front desk to ask about rooms, while everyone else was in the waiting area. Either talking to one other, or not doing anything.

"Sorry about earlier, Akechi." You told him, as you put one of your hands over your forehead. "We really couldn't wake you up." 

Akechi shook his head. "No. I shouldn't have pushed that much to tease you." 

"Apology accepted. Where on earth is a drinking fountain?" You asked him.

"I do not know. But shouldn't we wait until Makoto and Akira are done asking about room arragements?"

"Fair enough." You said, leaning your head against the armrests. But, Morgana came up to you by sitting in your lap.

"Hey. Hey, (First/Name)! What's wrong? I didn't hit you that hard but---"

"It's not that, Morgana." You said plainly.  "It's just my head. I need some space, I'm not mad, it's just my head hurts."

That, right there, was a big fat lie.

It wasn't a headache that was bothering you.

It was memories of the past trying to come back and haunt you. Something about Morgana knocking you down and sassing you must have hit you harder than you thought it would.

Memories of when you and Akechi were enemies, and Palaces of people when the two of you would fight in.

And. . . People Akechi killed that you couldn't save.

"But, you're shaking, and breathing really fast." Morgana commented. And, he was right.

It wasn't enough to notice without intensely staring at you, but you definitely were having problems.

And it was getting worse. 

"Hey girls, we finally have---(Y/N)? Hey, are you okay?" Makoto asked you when she went to announce to the girls where their room was. 

But, you couldn't hear the room number at all. 

Everything was spinning and you couldn't hear what they were saying. 

And, you didn't notice it at the time, but you were starting to cry.

"(Y/N)! Hey, what's wrong?!" Ann called to you, as you started mumbling about someone was after you. Your paranoia was already on the scene, huh?

"No . . . ! I can't die here. . . ! If I do he's gonna . . . ! Gah!" You let out a small scream, and saying other things like, "No, nonononononono! Stay away!" 

"Hey, what's gonna on over there? Keep it---What the---?" The employee said as she saw you. 

"What is going on here?!" Yusuke asked, 

By this point, almost everyone wasn't sure what the hell was going on. That is, until Makoto said something.

"She's having a panic attack. Something must have triggered it, but whatever it was, now she's having flashbacks." Makoto explained. "We need to calm her down before we can do anything else. Can you get some wet towels or clothes ma'am?" 

The employee ran to do just that, hopefully.

Makoto took you off the couch, and into the open floor next to the couches. The others rushed around you, most were unsure of what to say. Makoto had an idea of where to start. 

"(Y/N)? Listen to me! You're having a panic attack!" She said.

You didn't respond. You kept crying and covering your face.

"Look! The Man in the Black Mask isn't here! You are in the real world! Look! Look around you!" 

"No!" You said, moving your arms from your face to your ears. "He's, he's here! He's-he's gonna kill me!" You shook your head.

"No! It's only Akechi! The Metaverse is gone now, he can't hurt you! Look! Look around you!" Futuba said, she once had hallucinations and was trying to do what Sojiro had done for her back then.

You refused to listen to them. But, soon enough, other hotel staff came in, one of them claiming he could help, since his mother went through panic attacks as well.

The man, with help from your teammates, was able to talk you through the attack.

When you had regained your composure, basically the hotel staff didn't think it was safe for you to walk up stairs especially by yourself. So, they showed the team to an elevator and asked someone to go with you. Haru decided to go with you. 

The elevator ride itself wasn't all to bad, and most the time Haru tried to keep your mind off of the Metaverse instead talking about coffee and random trivia about it Akira had shared with her. When the doors opened, there was a business man waiting in front of it, seeming a little ticked off. You and Haru were able to find the room the girls would stay in, room 330. The boys had the room across the hallway, room 329. You were on the third to the top floor of the hotel. You did ask Haru and see if you could open a door, and you were able to unlock the door without too much of an issue. 

When you opened the door, you noticed the room was very spacious. The room looked more modern compared to what you had seen in flyers about hot springs rooms. When you first walked in, to your right was a closet. To the left was a kitchen, with small dining room in front of it. While next to the dining room was a TV, and a single long couch, and a long window with the curtains drawn. There was a door a few inches from the couch, which you assumed was where the bedroom was going to be. 

"Wow." You said. "This is a lot bigger than I expected."

Haru nodded in agreement. "It is big, isn't it?"

"Hey Haru, how did you know about this town, anyway?" You asked Haru. It had been on your mind for a while, but you didn't get the chance to ask the question.

"My father and some of his associates loved this place. It was a small, rural town and the hotel we stayed at was pretty nice." She explained to you.

"Wait a minute, did you pay for the trip all by yourself?" You asked without thinking your thought through.

Haru looked shocked for a second and blushed, "Actually, no. Akira insisted he pay for it. Then, Makoto asked everyone else to chip in, but she forgot about asking you."

"Eh?" You now had a face of confusion as you sat down on the couch.

"Yes. Makoto didn't ask for too much from me, but she asked a decent amount from everyone."

"So, I have to find and pay her sometime during the trip, right?" You asked. 

"Or whenever she remembers, she'll probably ask." Haru said. 

The room got quiet as Haru sat down next to you. She opened her mouth but closed it again. She turned to you. She looked nervous. 

"I'm sorry, I scared you earlier didn't I?" You said to Haru. "I didn't mean to scare everyone like that."

"It's alright. Have you always had panic attacks like that?" She asked. 

And there's the question you didn't want to answer.

Because along with it, comes other questions about your past.

"No. When I was first fighting Akechi I was fine. But, we fought for years. And, slowly, things started to make itself known. Like, how I was becoming passively suicidal because I couldn't beat Akechi. I gained anxiety because I couldn't stop thinking of him or how to beat him. Akechi became the one thing I actually cared about because everything else around me was pretty much crumbling. My parents died, and none of my family cared too much for me. So, I had to get a part-time job just to pay for a place to live. And school in and of itself was pretty horrible to balance on top of all that, I had to fend for myself in a world like this. And it took a huge toll on my self-esteem amd mental health. I do remember this though: Shiho, Ann's friend who tried to commit suicide, gave me a huge wake up call. I remember the day she did. Shiho made me reconsider everything, after I had seen what was going to be my fate if I kept up what I was doing. Even though me and Akechi fought less and less, it still heavily worried me about what he was going to do next. And, I really didn't want anyone to have deal with my problem. I hadn't done anything to help everyone with Kamoshida, and I only met Akira, Ryuji, Ann and Morgana by chance." You told Haru.

"I see." Was all she could say to you. Haru seemed to be a little sympathic with you, but she just wasn't sure what to say to you. 

But, luckily, she didn't have to. As the rest of the girls came in with worry written all over their faces. Namely, Ann seemed to be the most worried. 

"(Y/N), are you okay?" She asked as she sat down next to you. 

You smiled at Ann. To Ann, you had the exact same smile has what Shiho had when she was recovering from her suicide attempt. "I'm okay. Sorry to worry you." 

She sat down next to you and leaned on you shoulder. While Ann seemed a little less worried, she seemed like she didn't want to move.

Makoto set down the luggage that they brought with them and walked right in front of you. "How long?"

"What?" You said confused. It was Makoto's turn to bombard you with questions.

"How long have you had panic attack like those?" She asked you.

"Longer than the Phantom Thieves of Hearts have been around." You answered bluntly.

"When? When did those start? You told the school you had no history of mental illnesses."

"Yeah? The school doesn't need to know everything about me. And really, since Kamoshida was around, I didn't really trust most of the staff at the time. So, I didn't find it necessary to tell the school anything." You answered. You knew you were being mean to the student counsel president, but it wasn't a lie.

"You do have a point. So, what was it like? To fight with Akechi, I mean."

"Well, I have panic attacks, so that says something about it." You made the comment to try and lighten up the mood, but that didn't work. ". . . It was the same as how you fought him in Shido's Palace. But, you saw how the two of us fought. It's like that." 

"That, you call the fighting you and Akechi did normal?!" Futuba said.

"I have fought him for years, Futuba. Yes, a fight like that is normal to me." You said.

"So, you fought for so many years just like that? Because the way you fight with the Phantom Thieves is much differently." Futuba commented.

"Because I suppress most of my abilities. After all, I did need to hide my identity from Palace rulers since rumors spread fast in the Metaverse." You answered.

"Wait, if you were suppressing your powers then---" Makoto said.

"That's right. I never fought at my true strength when I was with the Phantom Thieves." You admitted.

"What?! Why?! Why not?!" Futuba growled at you. As the former navigator of the team, she was indeed angry you hide your true power from her. 

"Because I'm a monster!" You yelled as you started to cry. As soon as you realized you had yelled at Futuba, you had buried your face in your hands in both shame and sorrow. At that moment, you were breaking down. 

"You saw me when I fought Akechi that day! I'm not the girl you think I am! I just wanted to fix a mistake I made, but it's unfixable! I'm just as big of a monster as Akechi! I didn't want any of you to suffer because of a mistake I made!" You cried into your hands. 

Now, you had broken. All those years of your hidden feelings and desires had been let free and shown to your female teammates.

But because of your true power being hidden from your group, you thought you were protecting the rest of the group of the true horrors a Persona User can do to themselves. 

You had spent years using unsafe and dangerous methods to gain more power as a Persona User just to beat Akechi.

But, it seemed the more power you gained, Akechi gained equal power. 

All the methods your friends had used were healthy, normal methods to gain strength. You originally used those methods, but they didn't work for you after a while. So, you turned to more dangerous methods to try and gain more power. 

But, the more power you gained, the less stable you became. 

But when you were given a wake up call, you realized something. Your power, unless it was suppressed or gotten rid of, would kill you. So, you choose to suppress it by using a drug used to help you suppress unwanted memories. 

But, that had now failed you. Because of the most recent panic attack you had, all of your memories of the past had returned. 

But what you didn't know at that time was, you had hope.

Because your former teammates now understood your hidden suffering. And, there was someone else who needed healing just like you. 

You didn't understand at the time, but your broken, scarred self was on its way to be put back together by your dear friends.

Ann was the first to respond. She wrapped her arms around you and pulled you into her chest for a hug. While she said nothing to you at first, the message she made was clear: 

I care about you, (Y/N). 

Haru was the next to join in on the hug. She didn't say anything either, but she was crying, too. Even enough she didn't understand your past, she understood your pain. For, she had felt the same thing when her father died.

She felt alone, and she felt it might never be happy again.

But, now she had been proven wrong, as now, she had hope.

Futuba joined in next, and she, out of everyone else in that room, knew how you felt the most. Since, she went through something very similar in her lifetime.

Makoto joined in last. She was crying too. Though she probably didn't understand exactly what was going on, she understood a part of the pain you felt, and the feeling of how hard it was trying to let those feelings go.

Even though all of the girls spent most of the night hugging and comforting you, it had been a healing experience for you.

And so, the night fell onto the small town of Golden Fog. 

After all that crying, most of the girls had fallen asleep from physical and emotional exhaustion. Not in the futons you had been given, but mainly on the floor in living room. 

You were surrounded by your female teammates, all hugging one another with you in the middle of the group cuddle. Makoto and Futuba were hugging one another in their sleep on your left, while Haru was on the far right sleeping by herself. Ann had cuddled unto you, as if she was being somewhat clingy.

You woke up to the sound of knocking on the door. You untangled yourself from the mess of girls to answer the knocks. When you opened the door, there stood Akechi, in his summer outfit. 

"Ah. You are awake. If I maybe a bit of a nosy person, did you happen to come with a bag of treats?" Akechi asked. 

"Uh, yes, why?" You asked him.

"Akira mentioned something about them having a bag of treats, and that he would count that as dinner today. But, he seemed to not what to tell you about it." Goro said.

"He---What?!" You said. "So that's why my snacks were all gone when I checked my bag! Go figure. Then, should we get dinner then?" 

"Huh?" Akechi said. He was somewhat shocked on how you took your situation so lightly. Also, because you were offering food.

"Well, Mister Detective. Do you really think just Akira was in on this? Most likely, everyone else had apart to play, too. They most likely ate when the two of us were asleep. But we haven't eaten anything. I'm offering you food." You said.

Akechi got into his normal thinking pose, with his hand on his chin and everything, and thought about your theory. And, it was probably what had happened from what Akechi could assume. 

"I'll take you up on that offer, (Y/N)." Akechi said, putting his hand down from his chin. 

"Then let's hurry. We don't know where any shops are, or even when they close for that matter." You said to Akechi. "Anything in particular you want? Pancakes?" You teased him.

Akechi nodded at your comment about the shops closing times, but then frowned at the pancakes offer. "Are you guys going to tease me about that? That one comment I made a long time ago?" 

"At least, I will." You said. "Everyone else is up for debate."

Akechi laughed at that. 

While wandering the town, you noticed they were pretty diverse. You had many options as where to eat, and the two of you decided on a sushi place. Since it seemed decent in both cost and food quality. 

Or, so you thought. 

They gave you sushi bigger than your fist. And they had a lot of choices for dessert. It was pretty cheap to!

Aw hell yeah! Now that's the kinda stuff I'm talking about!

Freaking they stole your snacks, but you got a whole bunch of sushi and sweets in exchange. 

Now that, was a great way to start off your summer vacation!

[velvetroom--imagines]

Can I request a thing where s/o is relatively new on a job at a food place (You an choose depending on which character) and they're really nervous but the phantom thieves and Akechi Maybe Mishima (You can choose who or how many all I ask is Akira is one of them) and they just have an asshole of a customer making a fuss for no good reason

Thank you for requesting!

Rude Customer

Akira Kurusu

At first, you were looking for a aprt time job. It was time when you decided to try and find a job to save up. Akira blinked before pointing to the door behind him. “What about Leblanc?” He suggested.

Thankfully, Sojiro thought you were a nice girl and a good influence on Akira. Knowing Akira wouldn’t put an idiot in board, he agreed and let you work with Akira on some nights. 

It wasn’t bad during the nights. Most of the time, you’d be serving that elderly couple who liked to drop in on a regular basis, or that tired office worker who needs that extra boost. Akira would always help you out of you needed help though.

It was on one night when a man came in. Nothing bad had happened, he had only asked for a cup of coffee. You served him with little conversation, but it gets weird. He becomes chatty, complimenting you and asking personal questions like your name and age. 

Once the bill comes, he looks at you with a sly smile. “Instead of a tip, would you like to go on a date?” It was clear that the guy was years older than you, and the ring on his finger was another red flag. You shook your head.

“No thank you. Will you please pay the bill?” You ask in a the sweetest tone you can manage. However, he continued to ask. “Sweetheart, it’s not too much to ask. Don’t you want to see what it’s like to be with a man?”

His advances were getting out of hand, and you decided to speak up for yourself. “Sir, please leave. This isn’t funny.”

“You know you want it, why don’t you just--”

“Why don’t you just leave her alone?” A new voice speaks up, coming from behind you. Tilting your head upwards, you saw Akira towering over you like a guard. His glasses glinted in the light, while his gaze was overpowering.

All that time watching horror movies and visiting Dr. Takemi seemed to have paid off his guts, at least.

Threatened by the boy behind you, the man scowled and threw dollar bills onto the table in annoyance. Standing up from his seat, he exited the cafe. Once he had disappeared from view, you looked at Akira in wonder.

“You didn’t have to do that for me...” You said quietly, slipping your hand into his. He simply shrugged and gave you a small smile. “Don’t mention it. I’m not into sharing my girlfriend anyways.”

From afar, you could see Sojiro wiping a tear of joy away from his eye. He was just too proud of his boy.

Ryuji Sakomoto

When you told Ryuji that you got a job at a nice little tea house, he had no problems with it. No one goes there but the elderly and it was a family friendly place, what could go wrong?

You suggested him to go and study there, it’s a quiet place where his mind can be put to peace. After multiple attempts of failed study hours, he decided to go along with your suggestion.

You happily greet him by the door, guiding him along to a table. You weren’t kidding when you said the place was calming and peaceful. After telling him to stop flirting with you, he got to work and began to read.

“Please stop it...” “C’mon, just a little peak!” Ryuji’s ears twitched in confusion, eyes glancing towards the side to see you glaring at customer. He looked posh, probably from an upper class family.

You turned around with the intentions of leaving, you were pulled back by the man. “You think you can get away, huh?” Running his hands through your exposed arm, the man grinned with amusement, knowing very well that you were uncomfortable. 

Before you knew it, a flash of gold hair came into view and the hand that latched onto your wrist had let you go. “What a disgusting bastard.” 

Ryuji stood betwen you and the man, eyes flaring with fury. The man hissed, a hand resting on his nose. The delinquent had left a painful blow on his face, along with the nosebleed that would soon follow. “What do you think you’re doing? Hiding behind a thug, huh?!”

“What’s your problem?!” Ryuji growled out, his voice growing louder. The man grins at him before locking eyes in with you. “You think you can get away with this? Did you forget that I’m the owner’s son? I’ll have you fired for this!” 

Angrier than before, Ryuji recalled the multiple times he had been taken advantage of by Kamoshida. He remembers how he had to bow down to that guy, all to save himself from getting expelled. 

And then he remembered how Mishima was trapped under that, and how he couldn’t do a thing until someone came to save him. You may yell at him for this later, but Ryuji snorted at the man. “Owner’s son? That’s no excuse for you to touch her when she doesn’t want you to!”

Grabbing your hand, Ryuji dragged you outside without a care. “We’re leaving, you don’t scare me.”

When both of you were finally alone, Ryuji sighed. “Sorry, babe but you should probably quit that place. That guy sickens me!” He cursed out before scratching the back of his head. “I’m really sorry.”

Ryuji felt much better when you decided to quit. If someone were to harass you at a work place, and take advantage of their authority, he knows that you’d be better off somewhere else.

Goro Akechi

Ahh, Akechi. This can’t end well.

Akechi can handle rude people very well. He’s stood through all the hate thrown at him after dissing the Phantom Thieves and handled all that backlash without a word. He is a very p a t i e n t man.

When it came to you though, he has no tolerance. You are something precious to him, and he isn’t going to let anything harm you. Don’t worry, he isn’t going to lash out and hold a knife against the guy’s throat or something like that.

Akechi knew you worked at a restaurant, but he didn’t look into it too much. As long as you were happy with your job, he’s got nothing to argue with. It would be his fifth time in the restaurant when he saw you getting pushed over by a customer.

He had entered the place, feeling tense as he heard a clash of voices. Following violent slurs and curses, he heard your voice in the midst of it. “I’m sorry ma’am, it was an acci--”

“Accident!!” From the corner of the room, he saw an older woman glaring at you, itching to dig her nicely polished red nails into your distressed expression. 

Moments before Akechi entered,you had tripped over a crack in the flooring, spilling black coffee in front of the woman nearby. It was a shame since she wore a nice white blouse, a very expensive one at that. 

Kindness can only go so far, especially after five minutes of being yelled at. “This shirt cost more than your house! I’ll sue you if you don’t let me get my hands on that girl!”

“Please, calm down!” Akechi couldn’t stand how desperate you appeared, how stressed you were when the woman did not comply. Tears were pricking out from the corner of your eyes, supposedly from shame.

“You dare tell me calm down!?” The lady screeched, raising her hand. You were certain that you were going to be hit, but you were going to take it. You weren’t going to fight back, you had to be calm. You flinched, shutting your eyes to stand the blow, but it never came.

You opened your eyes. From above, Akechi held the woman’s hand, preventing the strike. It was then when you saw a look in his eyes that seemed so cold, unfamiliar. 

“Ma’am, I suggest you leave. You can get arrested for hitting someone, it’s called assault.” He said in an icy tone that sent shivers down your spine.

The lady hissed before cursing him, glaring at you before stomping out of the place. It was evident that she was angry, but was she willing to get arrested over it? Probably not.

Immediately, Akechi turned over to you and grabbed your hands. “Love, did she hurt you?” His tone was the same as before, and there was no doubt he was furious. Terrified, you shook your head wildly.

“No.” For a moment, he had an expression of distrust before an exhale left his lips. Regaining his composure, he looked away with a much more softer face.

“Forgive me, I was worried something bad had happened to you.” Releasing your hands, he musters up a smile. “Well then, I suppose I should have my lunch now.”

After his meal, Akechi would contemplate of tracking that lady down and giving her a mental shutdown. This boy goes lengths to make sure the unjust gets punished.

Yuuki Mishima

Mishima is not one to step up in situations like these. We all remember how we first met him during Kamoshida’s time, how he struggled to stand up for himself and Suzui. 

Ever since Akira had completed his Confidant Link, Mishima had been trying to change that part of him. He wants to stand up for others who get beaten down mercilessly, to help those in need.

He didn’t expect the first person he would protect would be you, though.

It was your third day working at the restaurant, a classy area where the rich come and dine. Feeling bad about how he slept on a scheduled date a week ago, Mishima decided to visit you at work. 

He was in line for a reservation, captivated by the lights and aesthetics of the area. It suited you to be working in a place like this. You were a waitress, ready to seat you next customer. Your eyes met his, widening in surprise as he stepped up to claim a seat. “Mishima?”

He smiles. “Hello, S/O. I believe I have a reservation–”

“Step aside.” A gruff voice growled from the side, hastily pushing Mishima out of the line and taking his place. Taken aback by the rough movement, Mishima watched as an adult male looked at you with annoyance.

“Where’s Yachi?” Your eyes widened in shock, immediately growing pale with uneasiness. The man in front of you must be the ex-boyfriend of a fellow waitress, a controlling and forceful man. Not wanting to give away your friend’s location, you shook your head.

“Sir, please leave. This is a—”

“Where’s that bitch?! She’s here, isn’t she?” He hissed, proceeding to spit out all sorts of profanity and curses. You only attempted to reason, afraid of what he would do if you were to tell him to leave once again.

Mishima watched with a horrified expression, struck with fear as the man grew more aggressive with you, from insulting the waitress to cursing you. Clenching his fists, Mishima’s knuckles turned white.

Remember when Kamoshida always pushed Mishima and Suzui around? Everything starts flashing back to him. All the names and insults thrown at him, the way he was pushed around back then, Mishima didn’t want that to befall onto you. 

Suddenly, he just snaps his head towards the customer in annoyance. “If you’re going to complain, do it outside. You’re holding up business.” He hissed before immediately regretting his words. Would he get in trouble for this? Most likely. Will he get beat up in an alleyway and disappear? Possibly.

Awaiting a yell and a hit to the face, Mishima’s face stiffened, ready to be punished until he realized that the hit never came. The Rude Customer blinked before scowling, glaring at the two of you before walking away. 

At the end of your shift, Mishima clung onto your arm protectively. “Sorry if I created a scene there, I couldn’t stand it when I watched that guy walk all over you.” He said in an apologetic tone.

He didn’t expect for your lips to come in contact with his cheek, following a soft charming smile. “Thank you, Mishima. You saved me.” 

At least, he was very happy to know he was your Knight in Shining Armor that day.