#its thinking about akechi hours

[edenfire]

🌸💞 it's not trivial. not to me 🌸💞

happy 2/2 shuake angst enjoyers!!🎉🎉 it's time for me to rewatch this scene over and over while crying my eyes out✌️

im gonna need some fix-it fic after seeing all the beautiful art posted today💗💞🌸

[suzena]

Like making angels out of crows

[logicalbeanie]

Okay. Hear me out. This is gonna be very rambly.

Daredevil Persona AU.

Matt and Foggy in their college years so while its a little late we still kinda have the ‘rebellion against adults, taking justice into your own hands’ theming. The plot points of Fisk and other main arcs of the show are moved up years in advance (because I said so and this is my AU) so it’s during college but with them infiltrating palaces instead of irl vigilanteism.

And instead of having the people with personae on the team just be the other new york vigilantes and have like, foggy and karen be confidants, the team starts with Matt and Foggy, I guess sorta like Akiren and Ryuji. However, other DD characters also show up and meet them early, IE Karen and Claire, maybe Brett.

Josie and her bar is a confidant location.

Note: I have not finished the first daredevil show (i think im on episode 7) i’m 1 episode behind on Born Again cause i’ve been watching the first show, and have only read a bit of the comics. But I do have a good amount of spoilers via reading way too much fanfiction very very quickly.

Basically I don’t want as much focus placed on the other new york vigilantes making up the rest of the group. We’ll see which ones I decide to put in depending on what people say and how I feel as I watch more, this is mostly gonna be show inspired.

In terms of ‘is Matt a wildcard?’ yes and no, I went back and forth on this for hours. He’s not a full wildcard like Akiren is with the dozens of personas and ability to recruit others, but I guess more like Akechi where he had two for each side of himself, the day and night, but unlike robinhood which sort of turned out to be fake, he just has the two right from the get-go and thats about it.

Note 2: I’ve only played P5 and never actually quite finished it but do have all the spoilers as to the rest of the plot, I should go back and finish the game.

Matt would wind up in a palace first and maybe do one or two by himself, getting very beat up in the process, all while lying to Foggy, so we still have that hiding vigilante activities then reveal fight. But instead of the boyfriends breaking up, Foggy finds out by ending up in like, palace 2 or 3 with Matt and awakening his Persona.

On the note of the persona, he has Lucifer and Themis, who do Ei and Kou skills respectively, and no dia skills, cause he’s an idiot and is bad at taking care of himself, as we all know, no idea how he survives the first couple palaces he does alone.

For Foggy, I have no idea which main skill to give him, but he definitely is able to use Dia skills to help take care of Matt and make sure he doesn’t get himself killed. I feel like Karen would be garu though, Marci zio or frei. Elektra is there, but betrays them or dies, I dont know I haven’t gotten enough info on her yet most of what I’ve got is from fanfic but I generally hate her from what I have so far. So she fills like, sort of an Akechi role I guess.

Persona Ideas/ Team List So Far, might be too on the nose, also includes the transformation upgrade:

Agi (fire) Claire

Bufu (ice)

Garu (wind) Karen

Zio (electricity)

Kou (bless) Matt

Ei (curse) Matt Again

Frei (nuclear) Marci

Psi (psychokinesis) Elektra

Matt: Themis - Ichnaea, Lucifer - Satan (not the same as Akirens Satanael design, imma make a new one) | Ei, Kou

Foggy: | ,Dia

Karen: Detective Kate(or Warne) - Katherine Warne |Garu

Claire: Asclepius - Hepius | Agi, Dia (agi cause like, son of apollo, sun, fire, yeah)

Marci: | Frei

Brett |

Elektra: Nemesis - Rhamnousia | Psi (not sure about nemesis for Elektra, if anyone has a better idea let me know)

Gonna be frank I love Kate Warne for Karen, best idea ive had this whole ramble.

I have zero ideas for Foggy, Marci, and Brett’s personae, if anyone has any ideas, please say so.

A part of me is kind of tempted to either A, put this AU in a bubble and ignore most of the rest of the MCU and just kick daredevil and anything too closely associated with it to cut off around, or B, have this AU still exist in the MCU so the ‘regular’ superheros and vigilantes are just like ��what the fuck is going on over there??? metaverse??? human subconcious???? what???’

Also, on top of that, their powers and sick fits are, to some degree, able to exist outside the metaverse, I’d have to find them again, but there were some amazing P5 fics that played with that kind of concept and they were so fun. It’d probably start with accidental skill usage and having to learn how to use those, until theyre able to summon the fits and persona in reality.

Note 3: We are not fucking around with the consequences of nuclear radiation with marci doing shit, I just dont wanna deal with the ramifications of that, so its gonna manifest moreso as like, small explosions, non radioactive explosions, or like, breaking things, shockwaves? I just dont wanna have to consider the ramifications on this one dude.

I am trying to hard to vibe check Foggy to figure out which skill works for him, but im drawing a blank, also Brett but I care less. kou and ei definitively taken by matt, psi definitively taken by elektra, agi definitively taken by claire, if marci is gonna move its gonna definitely be to zio, karen is very moveable from garu, go from there, i am open to ideas.

Should I add a Morgana esque little animal who can give exposition? are there any in the comics that would fit the bill? Cause in P5 they get pretty much all their information from Morgana, how do they know whats happening in this otherwise? Does Matt, in stumbling through the first 2 palaces alone, just pick stuff up overtime from eavesdropping and listening to villain monologues, until by the time foggy joins he sort of knows what’s happening and can explain it?

[fantomevoleur]

((The old brain has been rattling around with ideas of Akira's college years and what he wants to study YET AGAIN!! I haven't come up with anything concrete as of yet, but there are certain things I can say with full confidence he'd study. I'll put this under a Read More because IT'S A LOT!!

One thing is...he wants to double major. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT BOY!! THAT'S GONNA TAKE YOU EXTRA LONG ESPECIALLY WITH THE MAJORS YOU'RE INTERESTED IN!! But he's a smart kid, and he will put in the work and the long hours studying in the library and pulling all nighters to do well with his studies. Makoto taught him well about time management and study habits so he's not too afraid or nervous when it comes to the hefty workload he'll be doing. He's more than prepared.

Secondly, he wants theatre/acting as a minor. That is a must, that is absolutely necessary, you will not be able to sway him with that decision. He loves acting, he misses his time in community theater, and since high school was...what it was he hasn't been involved in a while. On top of the minor, he does want to participate in a community theater near his college, or if the school happens to provide its own theater for the students. Not only is it because he misses acting, but he wants to give back to a community whom helped him during a very rough time in his middle school years. His dad was sick and kept getting worse, his mom...well, she's always been a bitch but it got harder to handle her attitude in middle school, so his escape from all that was community theater. I don't think he'd want to take up a director position, but he wants to be a part of the staff in some way while also getting to audition/act in their plays.

So now for the majors. There are four currently rotating in my mind and his mind.

Business, psychology, law, and criminology.

The first one is...a given for Akira, and I'm definitely leaning towards business being his secondary major. The interest came from Akira's father, how he taught Akira about working a small, independent business and how his father WAS going to leave his little fishing business to Akira once he passed away. Now that didn't come about because THANKS MOTHER, THANKS FOR TRICKING YOUR HUSBAND INTO CHANGING HIS WILL AND TRANSFERING THE BUSINESS OVER TO HER but you know, that can be fixed in time. Hopefully. His father may have taught him the basics, but Akira does want to know more. He wants to know the ins and outs of running a business so he can bring his father's back, and perhaps help Sojiro gain more profit and attract more customers. Helping small businesses and family-owned shops are the real motivation he'd go into studying business, even though he won't have any fun with it. It'll suck for someone as antsy and creative as Akira, but he will put in the work.

Now psychology, I will be entirely honest, was influenced heavily by Maruki's actions. Akira still has a rocky relationship with him, and he doesn't fully trust him anymore nor will he fully trust him ever again, but he understands why Maruki did what he did. It wasn't the best option, Akira literally BEAT THAT SENSE INTO THE GUY, and he's hoping Maruki will find his own way to heal and grow from his mistakes. But it made Akira think about the other counselors and therapists out there who may be suffering in the same way as Maruki. How did it affect their patients? Were they providing any help to them when they needed the help as well? It's very much that classic Akira mindset of 'I need to help others who have been in the same position as me/my friends so they can be better'. He doesn't want to see other kids his age go through the same experience as him, or his friends.

Law and criminology were, surprise surprise, heavily influenced by Sae and Akechi. He's now seen what the government can really do to its own people via Sae's palace, and even to their own family via Akechi's situation. He wouldn't be going in to become a lawyer or a prosecutor or anything like that, it doesn't fit him and honestly he doesn't want to be working under some law firm that could abuse his talents and background. Plus WITH his background already, his chances wouldn't be so good. No, if he goes down this path he wants to come out being an investigator or a private eye. Someone who can work for themselves, someone not tied down or stringed to any police unit, but someone able to help people who can't trust the legal system or police. Akechi gets more of an influence on Akira's decision in this part because...well despite Akechi's cases being setup up BY him to make him look good for the public, Akechi is still a very intelligent person. And I wouldn't be surprised if he asked for Akechi's and probably Sae's assistance with a case he wants to open up. That being, the death of his father by his mother's hands. That's the main reason, the driving factor in choosing law or criminology as his major. The law aspect of it is so Akira knows the inner workings of the country's legal system, so his mother doesn't try to rat her way out or play the victim again. Criminology is to find the conclusive evidence in her being guilty of the crime. That's also why he'd never, ever, ever change her heart. He wants her to admit to her crime by the doing of his own hard earned work.))

[raven]

As someone who plays persona I feel you’re a good person to ask: should I play a persona game

you know a game is a real one when the answer is "if you do, please dont think im stupid for liking it". the first persona game anyone should ever play is persona 5 royal and that game is. well. the best part isnt until 70-90 hours in on average. tries really hard to be a social commentary but fumbles basically every aspect. can barely keep a cohesive character arc for most main characters. "the gameplay is really good though" -karl marx. so like short answer, do you have a hundred hours or so and want an excuse to hate on something's story and politics while also having a good time in the actual gameplay, sure... i feel like i can recommend this to any general person but i feel less confident recommending it to you specifically as i feel you are a woman of taste. but you're also someone who loves the slop at times. and what is this game if not slop. i put the rest under a read more because i said too much. My bad for being loquacious

like storywise i do like it... Mostly. and i do like the characters. and i think akechi is genuinely a great character, well written, well acted, yaoibait, knocked everything out of the park with him. he is what kept me going, but if you dont like characters whose main flaw is that theyre a teenager and therefore stupid, he might not click with you. like yeah, everything he does is poorly thought out... it's consistent. it's in character. and he does it with such swag, too. everything in the game's story seems designed around him, including the phantom thieves themselves. but i dont know whats in it for people who dont like him. not that you'll really get to know him for a good chunk of the game. which is the biggest thing... i could say "keep going, it gets better" but... does it? for everyone? it did for me, but it was made in a lab for me.

the game can understand that violence against women is wrong, but it doesnt understand what violence against women is. it can understand that the current system isnt working, but is too weak to actually take a stance on how to fix it. it's too obsessed with giving the player a power fantasy than to give them any challenges at all, or to make them think for a second. which i like in a game. i like it when games fuck up hard because theres more to discuss. and one of my biggest issues was discussed in the very last part. not necessarily to the depth i would have preferred, but it lets you draw your own conclusions. it also really shocked me at one point near the end there, which really colored my view in a positive way. i had grown complacent. i stopped thinking. i didnt think the game could do anything interesting... and then it did. but that level of shock was only because of my specific proclivities... i dunno. like it's hard to defend.. oh also theres a massive climax that builds up to a twist and reveal which is genuinely one of the worst ive seen a story ever do it, especially with such a strong set up. like genuinely laughable. but once you reach that part you're about 3/4 of the way through so you cant really stop there just have a laugh and know it's almost done.

the gameplay IS good though. like it's not only flashy, it's fun. i think the only issue is that it can be too easy, and the merciless mode is famously easier than hard. but as persona games go, it really is the best. it's just fun! the social sim elements are... well lets just say the majority of character writing in this game is stupid. otherwise, it can be fun to try to balance everything. it's possible to do it all on your first playthrough even if you don't know the perfect strategy, but if you fuck up too much you really wont be able to finish them all.

but heres the thing: metaphor refantazio just came out, which, aside from the time aspect (you have so much time lol) almost improves on persona 5 in every way. it's slightly less misogynistic. the social commentary... well, its fantasy racism, but it's a little more well thought out than p5's. but the main thing is the gameplay. and like, the gameplay in p5 was already good! metaphor is much more balanced for difficulty than p5's, but if you really get a hang of character building you can really take control. the slight differences in battle systems really take it for me. press turn system every day. i adore it. basically you get turns if you hit a weakness but if you miss you lose two turns. same goes for the enemies, so you can really get destroyed, but you can dodge every attack and they wont be able to do shit. but the story is, well, it's okay. there were some really good moments, and i liked it mostly because its kind of.. the least bad anyone could ever do it? it's pretty idealistic but just seemed like, nice in a way that i really cant describe. like, i have my issues with it that i could go into detail, but i still generally liked it. beautiful presentation as well-- and is that not all that matters? give me literally anything with a beautiful cutscene and I'll be tearing up. and the words "election magic" are so potent to me. its also shorter than p5r. but will it stick with me as much? no. would it have caused me to play the rest of the persona games? unsure. have i listened to the soundtrack so often while falling asleep that atlus is my number 5 artist on my spotify wrapped, not because the soundtrack is so calming or because i especially like it, but because i was trying to conjure a character in my dreams? NO. and persona 5 was a resounding yes on all fronts.

in terms of the other persona games, i dont recommend 4 unless you want to feel like, actually bad? i dunno it just put me in a foul mood. it was like radiation emanating from my switch for several weeks. incredibly homophobic with a side of (possibly slightly unintentional) transphobia. as well as some very fatphobic jokes (what game from this time period doesnt, but.. well it's bad every time!) and of course our classic misogyny. all this and the gameplay is worse than every other (new) persona game, and the story is fine. it thinks its twin peaks at the beginning. it is not twin peaks. LMFAO. 3 is better than 4 but theres not really a definitive edition even though it just got remade. each version has its ups and downs. if you look it up and any of it compels you i can give you more info on that one. the aesthetics alone are enough to be compelling , I'll admit. if you like boring and repetitive gameplay this ones for you! Im being serious. the story's pretty good though, and the characters are probably the best in the persona series. 2 (which is a duology, but the gameplay is the same and the second is well, a sequel) is pretty bad gameplay wise that i would only recommend if you're really into the series. i really liked the story but yeah i dunno. eh, it's fun. hard to recommend. 1 is okay. underwhelming. nothing much.

[andtheyreonfire]

at the end of every tether

Ao3

WC: 3070

AN: hbd @sizediscount !!!! i got you a serial killer <3 for G/t July, Day 19: Out of reach.

~

Ren’s never actually seen what cognitive rulers do when he’s not fighting them.

He’d assume they’d despawn, like a boss they haven’t hit the cutscene trigger for yet. But Futaba points out their constant presence during every infiltration. They seem more like puppets, than anything. A mouthpiece regurgitating their owner’s fucked-up ideals. A chipped piece of grey matter that wandered around, aimlessly, until it decided to kick the Thieves’ ass.

It was a consideration, that they would just sit on their fancy little throne like the ruler they were, seemingly alone in their corrupted little corner of heart. Ren didn’t think he’d be right.

Ren also didn’t think he’d confirm this by being locked in a massive, golden birdcage, eye-level with the absolutely oversized ruler of Akechi Goro’s palace.

Akechi’s palace seemed a maze of sharp corners and dead ends. Ren’s third eye was only good for uncovering the non-lethal, annoying traps, and Futaba’s Persona was only good for leading them around in a circle. It was a long, tense few hours until they found their way into something that seemed like a next room—

Before it was revealed that their hours of struggle took place in a literal rat maze, located near in the middle of an absolutely titanic castle. And, while the majority of Shadows were normal-sized and scurrying around like rats, there was one, massive problem they could hear stomping in the background.

Ren didn’t realize Akechi’s cognition was stalking them until it was too late. Until his current party was downed, him included. Until genuine fear was singing through his veins, watching the cognition shrug off his remaining teammates like mosquitoes. Until his mouth was already forming the words, wait, please, don’t hurt them, take me instead—

“I’m not one for consolation prizes,” Akechi’s cognition had boomed, Ren craning his neck up, up, up, just to see past his crouched knees. Before he could even flinch, a massive, gloved hand filled his vision, Akechi’s warped face regarding him with a possession he’s never seen on him in his life. “Though, who am I to deny ownership of a new toy?”

Really, Ren should’ve known something was up the second they confirmed Akechi’s third keyword as beanstalk.

And now, Ren sits, cross-legged and cross-armed in a birdcage larger than his room. He is, by all accounts, the human thief from Jack’s fairy tale, and Akechi’s brain is going to grind his bones to make his bread. Perfect. Just perfect.

At least his teammates are safe, with plans and plans to rescue Ren and reunite. And, considering the way Ren screamed after the cognition had tossed him up into the air like a pebble, probably planning a cognitive shutdown upon their return.

It’s not like they hadn’t discussed it, between questions of why, why, why. Why here? Why now? Why Akechi? Why was Ren so quiet as they discussed the very valid option of letting his mind decay—

A massive, cold shadow blocks out the light. Without seeing its owner, Ren scrambles back, his spine hitting the gold bars of the cage. A part of him doesn’t want to look, doesn’t want to see the face of the boy he played billiards with looming above him like a skyscraper. So, Ren doesn’t. It’s a perfect, fool-proof strategy—

Up until the cognition’s voice crackles through the air like distant thunder, “Hm. Bored, now.”

Ren’s eyes snap up, just in time to see a massive, stupidly fast hand reach in the cage. Ren doesn’t even have time to get his feet under him before it wraps around his body, and yanks him out like a child’s doll.

Ren isn’t thinking about the fact that there’s nothing between him in the floor except the cognition’s hand, it squeezing his arms to his side and curling a pinkie under his legs. Ren isn’t thinking about his face looming above him, nor that the eyes locked onto his body are larger than his head. He certainly isn’t thinking about all the things the giant could do to him, nor the realization that, after everything, this might be the first time Ren would need a revival bead—

The cognition flops back against his throne, kicking his feet up against a building-sized ottoman. As if remembering the thief in his grip, he brings Ren to his face. Ren stalwartly refuses to look at him, squeezing his eyes shut, even as this Akechi chuckles and brushes a thumb against his head. There have been many palaces Ren disliked but this one he thinks he truly hates—

“I know I’m a lot to take in,” The cognition purrs—that’s not right, some part of Ren’s brain manages, only stopping himself from panicking by a thread. “But you don’t have to hide. It’s not like you haven’t seen more than my face.”

The soft pad of a glove prods against Ren’s face. He sputters, squirms, but eventually the cognition pins his head between his thumb and the side of his finger. Ren can only shudder as it pushes his mask right off his face.

Ren’s pulse spikes. He creaks his eyes open, only to squeeze them shut as the cognition’s finger fills his vision. It hovers too close for his eyes to focus, a padded glove brushing against his forehead and—brushing the hair out of his eyes?

Because he’s always been an idiot when it came to Akechi, Ren opens his eyes.

The cognition stares back. “There we are.” He smiles, and the stretch of his face is one too many things to focus on, because— “There’s that pretty face of yours.”

Ren’s cheeks burn, heart hammering in his chest. Instead of addressing anything, he takes in the—expanse of the cognition’s body. He appears to be nothing more than an oversized facsimile of Loki. He wears a striped, band-like jacket. The patterns fade and curve in a way Ren can’t follow, not against the length of his massive arm. Minus the searing bright gold of his eyes, the cognition looks human—aside, of course, from the red horns jutting from his forehead like streetlamps, his absurd height, and—are those fangs—?

Akechi’s cognition is grinning down at Ren with fangs longer than his hand. Ren is utterly trapped, probably barely bigger than the thumb of the giant holding him. Ren is trying not to process the last sentence the cognition breathed into this world. After everything, he barely catches his low murmur, “I thought you’d be more entertaining than the shadows scurrying around here. I wonder, would you scream as well as them?”

Every ounce of blood drains out of Ren’s body. The cognition’s eyes crinkle in delight. Latching onto the conversation topic—and knowing that he probably would, and every bit of Akechi’s psyche would love it—Ren says, “Do the shadows here not worship you?”

The cognition hums, the sound reverberating through Ren’s chest like a bass. “Oh, they should—but, no. I’m the only thing that deserves power, around here. They’re nothing more than distractions.”

Ren fights the urge to shudder, remembering peeking into a room with the cognition in it, watching him idly dispose of a group that would overwhelm the thieves with just a few, white-hot blasts of energy.

He’s distracted enough he almost doesn’t register the words vibrating through his core. “Goro-kun’s cognition only allows for one person in power, I’m afraid.”

Ren blinks. His mouth feels, suddenly, dry. He tries to read the cognition’s face, even just the few feet in front of him, but all he can read is the same, vague satisfaction. “You know?”

“Everything, yes,” The cognition says, and he says it so assuredly Ren feels the urge to believe him.

“That you’re not real?”

The cognition seems to start, at that. He pulls Ren closer, higher, holding him above his towering face. And, without even a twitch as warning, he lets go.

Ren falls, wind whipping through his coat and his hair and, suddenly, the surface of not-Akechi’s lap seems more like it’ll break his legs than anything. And, suddenly, Ren’s voice is escaping him in an involuntarily scream, Akechi’s body shooting past him and the ground rushing closer and—

Idly, lazily, the cognition’s other hand catches him. Ren lands with an oof in the massive palm, less than a couple meters away from a bone-breaking fall. Instinctively, to assess the threat before him, Ren looks up.

He has to crane his neck back to see the cognition’s face, the way his fangs gleam in the light of his throne room as he asks, “Does this seem fake to you?”

Ren can barely form words, more focused on taking shallow, even breaths. Thankfully, the cognition beats him to the chase. “Goro-kun’s known the rules of the Metaverse since he was fifteen. If he hadn’t already awakened, I’m what would be his Persona. Since he’s awakened several, was a Cognitive Pscience guinea pig, this that and the third, I’ve known I’m a cognition since the moment these palace walls formed.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Ren croaks.

The cognition shrugs, bringing Ren up a closer to the billboard of his face. “We have a compulsion to tell the truth. Besides, you’ve always been a great listener.” He smiles, a little less sharp. “I’m sure you have more questions. Ask away.”

Ren figures he doesn’t have much to lose, so he tries, “Can you let me go?”

The shadow laughs, a sharp, painful bark that leaves Ren clutching his ears. He says, in the same tone Akechi would use when Ren would risk everything to do a ridiculous trick shot, “Be serious. You’re trying to steal my heart, are you not?”

Wary of the shadow’s fingers hovering around him, Ren tries, “Does Akechi not want us to change his heart?”

“Every ruler wants someone to change their heart.” The cognition rests his head on his hand, eyes flicking up to the ceiling. “It’s why there’s always a route to the treasure—or a route to a bullet in their head. Subconsciously, humans will always desire help. Goro-kun will scream and cry and bite once you send him that calling card, but, in the end, he’ll be a changed man and everything will work out fine.”

He draws out the final syllable. His fingers twitch towards Ren, and Ren hasn’t missed a warning since Kamoshida’s castle. “Do you have anything more interesting to ask?”

Ren swallows. Well, he has time, and if the cognition’s being honest... “Are you going to hurt me?”

The cognition peers down at him, the glow of his eyes nearly blinding, “Hasn’t Goro-kun already done enough?”

Ren remembers February, December, November. Ren can also see what’s looming within arm’s reach, “Then why am I in the palm of your hand?”

“Why change the heart of every person you come across? Why surround yourself with friends willing to die for you? Why use my life as a bargaining chip during that February?” The cognition pokes him in the side. Ren flinches. “Do you know how easy it would be to take advantage of your size? Goro-kun’s never truly had power over you, but I do. And what can you do about it?”

“Stop you,” Ren breathes, like a mantra, “We’re going to fix this, we’re going to save you—“

“You’re so cute,” The cognition says, like he’s baby-talking a kitten. “I could hurt you, if I want to state the obvious. But, I think it’d only break Goro-kun’s distorted heart if I killed the boy he loves.”

The air in Ren’s lungs goes cold. A beat passes. Two. Eventually, he manages to stutter out, “I’m sorry?”

The cognition searches his face, eyes gleaming like a spotlight, before fanged lips curl into a smile. “Aw, you didn’t know? It really didn’t take a detective. You were his only companion, why wouldn’t he develop a puppy crush?” Ren can’t quite convince himself he’s lying, can’t quite pull air into his lungs before he rumbles, “You weren’t there for the dozens of unsent date invites, the Wikipedia pages he read just to impress you, and, oh, the way he threw up that curry you made for him when he killed you—“

“Stop it—“ Ren tries, tries, tries. “Let me go—“

“He needed you, and he couldn’t stand it.” The cognition lifted him up, running a finger down his side, his touch gentle. “He had to push you away, you see? Push himself into nothingness, find the magic beans that would help him repent, but also forget you.” Ren squirms, grunts, but massive fingers press against him back, hold him still as the cognition pets him. “He failed, if it wasn’t obvious. He thought of you every night, until his heart became corrupted, and his desires swelled his perception of himself into me. Don’t flatter yourself, truly, it wasn’t only because of you—with everything that’s happened to him, it’s a miracle it didn’t distort sooner.”

“You’re—“ Hurting him, except he wasn’t. The cognition was just petting him and talking to him and Ren wanted to crawl out of his skin. “Stop—“

“And now, I’m here.” Goro hums, finally flipping Ren onto his back, pinning him down with his index finger. Ren struggles against the weight, and only feels the cognition’s breath wash over him in a silent laugh. “I’m here to do what he was too helpless, to small to do. He never wanted to let you go? Then I won’t. He wanted to lock you in a cage, away from anyone else but him? Then I will. He wanted your entire world to narrow to his hands, to pull your life on a string guided by his fingers?” The cognition leans in. Smirks, wide. “Who am I to deny him the privilege?”

Here, an arm’s reach away from his massive face, Ren can tell the cognition is telling the truth. His organs feel too large for his body. He fights the urge to shield himself, to claw out his heart, to plead and beg and ask why didn’t he just tell me—?

It’s not like he wasn’t fond of Akechi, but even if he could make his lips form the word love, he’s sure neither of them would want their relationship to progress like this.

Though, what is this cognition, but twisted desires made real?

“Don’t worry about anything else, okay?” The cognition continues, after Ren’s almost caught his breath. “I’ll take care of everything. If your thieves are smart enough, they won’t come back to us. If not—what’s a few more pests to squash?”

The cognition peers down at him, lips turning up as Ren writhes under his finger. It’s impossibly heavy, crushing the air out of his lungs, the weight of the cognition's words flutter around Ren’s head. His blood-red gloves look so small against the cognition’s digit, and for all of Ren’s Metaverse strength, he doesn’t budge an inch. He probably won’t even be able to save his friends.

“You’re so cute when you squirm,” The cognition says, with a tone like dark chocolate. “Maybe I will keep you around. I have all the treasure I need, right here—“

“I’m sorry,” is the only thing Ren can think to say.

The cognition blinks at him, like a cat watching their prey. Ren licks his lips, wills himself to breathe under the weight of his finger. “I’m sorry we let it get this bad. I’m sorry I didn’t know you were alive until a week ago, that I didn’t do anything to help you. I’m sorry I didn’t realize you lo—your feelings until it was too late.”

The finger’s weight lessens, a little. Ren continues, peering up, trying to see if he can pierce through those golden eyes. “I’m going to fix this, Goro. We’re going to save you, I promise.”

The cognition stares at him. Ren recognizes the poker face as the one he’s leveraged to Goro countless times. Gradually, he lifts his finger off Ren’s chest. Ren doesn’t move, lying on his side, waiting for the cognition’s next play.

With the force of a runaway train, the cognition’s fingers snap to Ren’s collar. The surface of the massive palm vanishes. Ren’s legs flail, his hands trying, in vain, to stop his coat from choking him. The cognition pulls him up, until all he can see is his eyes, staring him down like speeding headlights.

“Don’t pretend like this isn’t a game to you and your group of Phantom Thieves, like I haven’t ruined every—“ The cognition cuts himself off, barks out a laugh. “You don’t care about him, you never did. That’s why I’m here, to give him what he’s too cowardly to take.”

“That’s why I’m, here, too,” Ren grunts. He debates kicking out, clipping the edge of the cognition’s nose with his boot, but considering how far off the ground he is—and how close he is to the cognition’s mouth—he thinks better of it. “You think I wouldn’t come all this way if I didn’t care—?”

The cognition stands up in one, fluid movement. Ren can’t help the scream he gives, nor the way his hands claw for purchase against massive fingers. Genuine sweat beads on his forehead. The ground’s so far away—

“I wonder, how your thieves would react to seeing you reduced to a stain?” The cognition stomps forward, fingers steel around Ren’s scruff, even as he kicks and sways. “You seem to forget your place, little thing—“

Static electricity sings through Ren’s veins, adrenaline keeping him struggling, even as the cognition dangles him over a skyscraper-sized drop. “Goro—“

The slam of the cognition opening the cage is the only thing Ren can register, before he sends him flying through the air. His side hits the gilded floor, sliding across it like an abandoned toy.

“Fe, fi, fo, fum. I smell the blood of a lying thief.” Ren cranes his neck up just in time to see the cognition slam the door closed. He glares down at him, his shadow blocking out the light, and Ren’s never quite felt so small. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

With that, the cognition stomps away. He settles down into that massive throne, ignoring Ren like he truly is just some pet in a cage. Ren’s hands swelter. This sucks. This sucks, and yet…

All he can do is sit back, wait for his thieves, and hope that, after they change Goro’s heart, making things right isn’t too out of reach..

[narrators-journal]

Hiiii me again. Gonna yoink a lil sign thing at this point.

I actually want you to pick the kinktober prompt. We've been asking you to do themes, but I wanna see one u want with my blorbos, so. Any number, yandere akechi, with maybe yandere joker.

🐦‍⬛(this looks like a crow for me)

This one was another one that I flip flopped on. There’ve been a few kinks on this list that I wanted to try, like used panties, sensory play, and crossdressing so I picked a FEW prompts here lololol. But, for this one, I ended up struggling to capture the yandere energy u requested, so I had to widdle down which ones I really wanted to try. Which, I hope didn’t negatively impact this little ditty at all, bc I think I did pretty well with some light experimentation and variety again lmao. I also decided to swap the yandere focus here, tho whether Akechi is one too, is up to the reader. I hope you enjoy! Thanks for asking so much, btw, I’m glad you like my works so much.

Kinktober prompt list: Here

Kinktober masterlist: Here

CW: Voyeurism, stripping, and temperature play are the more overt kinks here. Masturbation is the main bit of spice here, Yandere behaviors as well, tho only stalking mostly. No direct violence this time.

The cold bit at Akira’s fair skin like a dozen needles while he sat under the shadowy cover of one of the trees in Goro Akechi’s sideyard. But, he bit down the powerful shivers that may have shaken the branch he perched on and simply watched the shadowy bedroom through the window he’d found. Until the light of the detective prince’s bedroom flick on so that the brunette could see go about his usual routine.

Okay, so it’s nine o’ clock now, and his nightly shower should be done within the hour. With any luck he’ll be asleep by midni- oh? The stalker’s thoughts about slammed to a halt midway. Because, as he thought them, Goro Akechi stepped into the view of his window. The only window that didn’t have the curtains pulled shut to keep the bitter cold that attacked Akira out. Wait...so, does he know I’m out here? I knew it was odd that only one of his windows didn’t have the blinds down… The ravenette thought with a bit of a grimace, even though the possibility already had his cock pressed to the fabric of his pants.

Though, Akechi didn’t do much, even as he stood within his line of sight. He cleaned the dirt out from under his nails, examined them for any signs of blood, and began to empty his pockets to prepare for his shower. Not a glance nor a smirk tossed out to the phantom thief that sat out in the cold with his pants now undone and his semi-hard cock in his palm. Meanwhile, the dark-haired stalker mused, Surely he doesn’t know. I mean, he’s a cop, he wouldn’t let me just stalk him, would he? He’d frame me for something to get rid of me. To himself, even as he began to slowly stroke himself just to keep his dick warm, some spit applied so that the friction was a bit smoother.

Yet, with each loosened button of the detective’s crisp, white shirt, Akira’s grip on himself grew tighter and his strokes a bit faster. The ease granted by his own spit swift to dissipate beneath the heat of his palm. Even if the winter air around him should’ve countered the warmth beneath his skin. But, even if it didn’t, the contrast of the cold air on his achey cock against the warmth of the rest of his body did something all on its own to the ravenette.

Which, mingled and mixed with the thrum of electricity that zipped into his veins when Akechi finally let the expensive button-up fall to the floor of his room. The detective’s well-muscled, lightly tanned chest exposed to the stalker as if to purposely feed into the fantasies that swirled through the ravenette’s head. Together, the two sensations seemed to co-conspire to draw out a lewd moan and give the phantom thief away to the brunette. Yet, that didn’t stop the show. Regardless of Akira’s state, Akechi continued to undress with the unzip of his pants and the slow, careful fiddling of the button of his pants.

Oh come on, how do you not know how to undo your own pants? Akira thought at the brunette while he watched him struggle so helplessly to get the metal button through the small opening. His hand’s steady strokes firm and slow as he waited, only sped up when the detective finally got his pants loose and let them slip ever so slightly down his hips to reveal the waistband of his boxers.

However, before he could drop them entirely like he had his shirt, Akechi must’ve remembered something, because he left the view of the window to head towards his closet with nothing for the eager ravenette to cling to but the few centimeters more of boxer that he could glimpse before his darling left his sight. And, for a long, painful moment, Akira feared that he’d opt to change out of sight so that the stalker would be stuck with a chilled hard-on and the flu. But, thankfully, Akechi did return, and while he was missing his pants, the ravenette could still milk his anticipation just a bit longer because his boxers were still on.

So, while he’d missed the slow reveal of his darling’s lightly scarred skin, he could still edge himself just a bit longer in the time it took for Akechi to talk on his phone. He could still take the time to study the subtle, mesmerizing curves of the muscles in his arms, or the many, many scars that the detective had earned from his job and his hobby. Or, maybe he could just admire the vague outline of his darling’s cock in the fabric of his cliché, boring ass blue boxers, the way that the breathable fabric hugged his asscheeks. All the while, his hand never stopped its movements.

It was almost enough to make Akira dizzy. The restless thrum of need, the tight squeeze of his fingers around his twitchy cock, the near sadistic chill that swept in to wash away whatever warmth his palm gave, it made the dark-haired phantom thief’s breath quicken like a dog’s. All while Akechi did little more than sway from foot to foot with his back to the stalker, completely oblivious to the man’s lewd game while he talked away on his cellphone.

God damn it, will you hang up already, motherfucker? Before I orgasm? Akira thought with a glare to the brunette. Who seemed to hear the impatient thought, because not a moment after he’d strung the words together, he did finally hang up the call and tossed his phone back towards his fancy bed. Once he had, his thumbs hooked into the elastic band of his boxers.

In that instant, Akira’s heart leapt into his throat. His hand forced to a stop so that he didn’t orgasm at something as slight as a mere inch more of Akechi’s flesh. That way, the stalker could thoroughly drink in the slow, teasing reveal of the man’s well-defined ass and the way that the fabric slid down the detective’s lightly tanned legs, even if that left his erection to freeze in the winter night. After that though, he let himself return to a slower pace with a gentler grip on himself. Something just firm enough to return some warmth to his twitching cock, but not enough for the sudden shift in temperature to instantly shove him over the edge before he even got a glimpse of Akechi’s dick.

Which, the detective, again, took his sweet time to reveal. Which, again, made the ravenette debate if his darling knew he was being watched, because it wasn’t normal for him to linger so long in front of an uncovered window without so much as turning around. Come on, please, please, please hurry up. I can’t wait much longer. Especially if you know I’m fucking out here, Akechi! The phantom thief plead, a small shiver seemingly a confirmation of that thought. Yet, this time, the brunette must’ve ignored his psychic signals, because all he seemed to do was fiddle with his shoulder-length hair or something that Akira couldn’t see on his face.

So, it wasn’t the view of his darling’s cock that shoved Akira over the edge, it was the continued tug-o-war between the temperature of his erection. The warmth of his strokes, then the sadism of the winter’s chill, then the returned salve of warmth on such tender, engorged flesh until the next tidal wave of heat to zip up his length was his orgasm instead of his hand.

While the dark-haired man managed to swallow down his moans, the sheer force of the release? The rush of oxytocin and seratonin that seemed to wash reality away? He had a harder time against that onslaught. So, when he came down from the high to find himself in the snow between the roots of the tree with Akechi giving him a smug wave and grin from his window, Akira wasn’t entirely surprised. Still gonna kill that bastard one of these days, though…

[hildannette]

You are literally so real hello that. phenomenon annoys me a lot.. i like thinking of ryuji and ann Trying to become somewhat friends with goro, but its cool just thinking what they could talk about on their own . (Like just ann and goro, without mentioning joker, or just ryuji and goro) And of course, ann is perfectly awesome on her own, not only with another character(s)

Also gonna be real im not a super sumihead (lol) but i do like her and she has a lot going on..like. guys theres a lot to unpack here where all the sumiheads at. Ok they're probably there HSHSHD but its true you see her more in the bg of stuff u_u

YESSSSSSSSS YOU GET IT

i honestly don't inherently hate ann and goro friendship. i truly don't. i used to think it was a cute concept actually, if anyone were to have patience and kindness with him after Everything i think it'd be her. but now i see it and i immediately get defensive bc the way they are portrayed is just... bad. i especially really hate how people seem to have turned them into the stereotypical "gay man and his girl best friend" dynamic in all of the content for them bc they simply... aren't like that. it's not their personalities. and i think if people wanna do sh//uake while making ann friends with akechi they need to be not misogynistic about it. make her an important character instead of just having her pop up when akechi wants to go to the mall and go #GirlShopping and talk about love advice. like people in general need to do a way better job of checking themselves with the whole "yaoi and their girl best friend" thing bc so often it's just misogyny and acting like women are nothing but side characters

AND THE SUMI THING... jesus christ idk if you saw that one clip from persona 5 tactica promo material where it's sumi, joker, and akechi and the camera is on sumi for like 0.2 seconds before it switches to joker and akechi for several seconds and she is just like. no joke in the background. and i was SO MAD when i saw that. and i thought the general reaction would be outrage. bc she is just as much a part of the game as akechi is, so whyyyyy would they do that, give my girl some goddamn screentime. but no. the sh//uakers made so much art of this exact moment. sticking her in the background. it was a whole trend. and it's like. that's so fucking annoying!!!!!! she's not a background character of sh//uake. her ties to them account for like. maybe 1 hour total of the 150 hour game that is p5r, and many of the other hours of the game have moments that distinguish her and make her an interesting character in her own right. but i legit don't see content of her that's not primarily sh//uake content anymore, and when she is in ship content of them, she is often metaphorically or even literally shoved in the background

and it's like. that's misogyny. this is misogynistic. you do realize that right.

there is a right way to both ship men and include women in your content, but the p5 fandom certainly hasn't figured it out. please. i am begging you guys to do better

[aria-keplr]

Goro Akechi fluff ?

its been so long since I’ve consumed or made any media of P5, will try my best here 🤞

For the purposes of the story and my bad memory, Akechi is going to a private school.

Not fluff but pancake boy being caring :3

Being in the same high school with the detective prince really wasn’t all that special. Not many people cared , it was a private school after all. Fortunately or unfortunately, the choice is yours, you shared a few classes with him. Now obviously it’s not like you cared much. I mean it was cool you attend a school with this boy genius detective and what not. Albeit the only thing that was concerning is that he was falling behind. Of course being a detective and a high school student could be awfully stressful. You would always find that he would ask others for notes. Some teachers reprimanded him, some were lenient.

No matter what he had done, you now landed in a two period AP Literature class with him, doing an analysis project. The class is scattered around while the teacher does god knows what at her desk. You and Akechi opt for the small corner near the bookshelf. You and him never really interact outside of school matters. Despite not showing it, you could tell he’s frustrated. Small huffs and rubbing his face up and down as he reads the god awful 40 pages you two were assigned. Sure you have like two weeks left to finish this, but he seemed so stressed about it. You don’t really address it, probably something on his mind.

You open your mouth, thinking for a split second before speaking, “I can take care of the note taking… All you have to do is just write the essay”

It was a weak attempt at trying to relieve the workload he had.

“I’m almost done with the notes, its fine but thank you” He replies, still absorbed into the work.

You exhale softly, he had a tendency to do this, “Just share the document with me, we can work on it together Akechi,” Your tone isn’t demanding but stern.

He nods and types in your email, sending it to you and allowing you to edit it. Once you open it, it’s nothing less of what you expected. You smile slightly at this, “You know, you’re a good note writer”

You swear you left a crack in him, his eyes no longer a void, but not showing much. He nods, “Thank you”

You smile softly back and continue to work on the notes with one hour left, you won't see him again till lunch in like two periods. Your notes aren't as concise, neat, and arranged as Akechi’s is, but they’re something. As the bell rings, you both narrowly finish up the notes. You definitely lost a few brain cells. You lean back in your chair before closing your chromebook and gather your stuff to leave.

Before you could leave, Akechi clears his throat. You turn to him, looking slightly confused.

“Here’s my.. contact info I shouldn't be busy around 11 PM most days” He says while handing you a piece of paper. You almost find it strange that hes giving you his information.

“Why? Is there something you want to talk about outside of school?”

Not that you know it but he’s trying his best to play it normal, “Ah.. just in case you have any questions or concerns really”

The answer is weird, but you deem it acceptable, “Oh, alright, see you!” You turn on your heels and speed walk out the class, being a little behind schedule from the interaction between you and Akechi.

.

Shortly after school ends, you contact the number,

‘This is Akechi right?’

The reply is almost instantaneous, a buzzing from your phone is heard.

‘Yes this is’

It's a little strange, you thought he would’ve been more busy but it’s really none of your concern is it. Walking a little more, you sit down at a bus stop, waiting for it to arrive. You set your bag down next to you and reply back, only to find out he sent a second message.

‘Don't plan on taking a bus, there's been more reports of harassment and muggings on the bus’

You sigh and get up, I mean it would be foolish to not listen to a detective’s advice.Yet you find it weird that he somehow or it felt like he knew you would take the bus. You reply back finally,

‘Thanks for the heads up, I was about to take the bus lol’

Quickly you see the three bubbles as you get up and start to walk. Another buzz rattles your phone.

‘Be careful while walking too’

You raise your eyebrows and look around, wondering if he's watching you or something. You quickly shrug it off as paranoia and type back.

‘…’

‘So how tf am I supposed to get home safely 🧍’

It was a genuine question, you can't walk or take public transportation safely it seems. It's still a surprise at how quickly he responds as well.

‘I could walk you home, safer that way’

…

Then how is he supposed to be safe..?

You shrug and decide it's the best option, not like you have the money to call a cab right now, you spent it on snacks earlier. You take slow steps, sending a text back as you walk.

‘Sure, meet me outside of the Shinu Coffee shop’

He likes the message in response.

You take the short walk there, and shortly spot him there outside, almost looking stressed. I mean, it’s probably because of the public snapping photos of him. He spots you and quickly walks over, motioning his eyes to keep walking. You let out a blow of air before turning on your heels and speed walk, hoping to avoid the paparazzi. As you walk, you feel a small buzz in your phone again,

‘Uh, just meet me here, in a bit that is…’

He shortly sends a location, and within a good 20 minutes, he enters the cafe that he sent you. It was a warm small town cafe, simple yet cozy.

He smiles, lines under his eyes crease and his smile lines become apparent, “Sorry about all that,” he waves his hand as to excuse himself.

“No worries,” You reply.

You hum as you start to open your bag, opening up the small zipped up pocket taking out a thousand yen bill.

Although it seems like Akechi had the same idea.

He stares at you before you both give an awkward smile, “No I insist it's okay, I dragged you all the way here”

“You’re tired after all of it, it's quite alright,” you claim and smile.

On a normal occasion you would have let him pay, but he truly seemed exhausted.

“You like caramel lattes?”

Before you could even shake, nod and shrug, he stands up and heads to the counter to place his order. You’re taken aback by the absurdity of the prince detective actively offering you a drink. You slightly smile before he sits back down with the two drinks in hand. The smell of his coffee is strong, but he smells like pancakes nonetheless. His hair shines under the yellow light of the coffee shop, with his soft content after sipping from the paper cup, he closes his eyes.

What a charming young man he is.

[frauleinandry]

saw a poll about the persona 5 arcs, and it's got me thinking about how i'd rate each of them.

kamoshida - 10/10, no notes. brilliant set-up, the best villain in the entire game, and high stakes in an extremely mundane way. i think it's a bit hamfisted with the exposition/tutorials at times, but then again i know people who were still confused about things come kaneshiro, so i can't detract points for it.

madarame - 6.5/10. except for the nude modelling stuff, there's nothing particularly awful about it, but the kamoshida arc is a hard act to follow and madarame/yusuke's general plot irrelevance once the arc is over doesn't help.

kaneshiro - 8/10. this arc is absolutely overhated in my opinion. sure, kaneshiro is a nothing villain, but the arc isn't about him - it's about makoto's internal strife and the crushing pressure the system makes the people who can even fit into it feel. makoto's development here is great, and therefore the arc is great, even if it could have gone a bit further with some things.

futaba - 8/10. its calm, introspective nature compared to the other arcs is really interesting, especially how it explores an entirely different sort of distorted desire. i think it can be a bit tooo calm though (that long deadline is a killer), but i've got no serious gripes with it.

okumura - 3/10. the only part of the game that is consistently Bad. the specific trigger for morgana leaving the team is contrived, haru is completely neglected, the phantom thieves are barely on the ego trip the game acts like they're having, okumura is too much of an asshole for the role he's meant to play in the narrative, and the palace itself is grating.

sae - 6/10. don't get me wrong, the conclusion is great, but the rest of it is mid. akechi is in full faker mode the whole time so his presence is barely interesting, makoto doesn't get nearly enough screentime considering it's her sister's palace, and the palace itself doesn't delve deep enough into sae's character. the arc is hard carried by the fact that the palace is one of the best ones in the game.

shido - 7.5/10. it's good! sure, shido lapses into generic symbolic villain territory a bit too often for my personal tastes, but the akechi content here is so good it makes up for it. the mouse puzzles are also overhated, even if they're not exactly fun.

mementos - 5/10. sigh. honestly, there really isn't anywhere near enough build-up for yaldabaoth for him to feel anything other than contrived. the depths is fun to play at least?

maruki - 6/10. my most controversial rating yet lmao. anyway, there are a lot of great ideas here that don't get anywhere near enough time to breathe because they're far too complex to deal with in a 20-hour pseudo-DLC. the palace is fun though, and maruki as a character is good. i wish akechi had more to do outside of 2/2 however and sumire's arc wasn't condensed into 10 minutes of gameplay.

[siderealscribblings]

Devil Summoner Akechi Goro vs the Phantom Thieves

Canto III: Devils in the Details

S.E.E.S. Kyoto - Training Hall Kyoto, Japan 5:05 a.m. 

The sound of steel thwacking against wood could be heard from across the base and Sanada Akihiko knew there was no other place his commander could be at such an ungodly hour.

The traditional design of S.E.E.S.' master headquarters had changed little in the two hundred years since the Order of Yatagarasu was founded. Tokugawa Ietsugu had surpassed his legendary ancestor by uniting hundreds of secretive demon hunting clans under the banner of the Shogunate. While S.E.E.S. had long since outgrown the humble devil hunter roots and rebranded itself as a modern paramilitary organization, its history was on full display in the old capitol building.

“Akihiko-senpai?” Akihiko’s head turned as a young brown-haired man jogged up behind him, still dressed in a sweatshirt and warmup joggers from his morning run. A pale shiba inu nipped at his heels, jogging ahead and nuzzling Akihiko’s hand as he reached out to pet him. 

“Have we heard from Tokyo yet?” Amada Ken panted, tugging his earbuds out and stowing them in his pocket. 

“Just heard from Shirogane; looks like things went as smoothly as could be expected,” Akihiko said, scratching Koromaru behind the ears. 

“Niijima-san is alive then?” Ken asked. “What about-” 

“Yoshizawa is fine,” Akihiko said with a crooked smile. “Akechi too but I guess you don’t care that much about him .” 

“C’mon, don’t make me sound heartless,” Ken sighed, looking around and dropping his voice to a whisper as he leaned closer to Akihiko. “ Is it true that we had Fiends break through the barrier last night?” 

“Still trying to sort that out; I wouldn’t put too much stock in the reports coming out of Tokyo until we can get down there and figure out what the hell Narukami's people are doing,” Akihiko sighed, leading Ken towards the training hall at the far side of the base. 

Cold morning dew hung on the trees lining the open courtyard, breath coming in clouds from Kirijo Mitsuru’s mouth as her Polish saber thwacked against wooden training dummies, cutting deep grooves in the battered oak. Her hair was bound in a tight bun, scarred arms left bare as her sword glinted in the morning sunlight. If the chill bothered her, she made no complaint; Mitsuru darkly joked that she got all her crying out when she was ten. 

Given all that she had endured when she was ten (and all that she had endured��since ), Akihiko wouldn’t begrudge her the odd tear every now and then. 

The only other figure in the courtyard sat perched on a wooden railing along the side, a cup of coffee in one hand and beanie shoved over an unruly mop of brown hair. His eyebrows raised in greeting as Akihiko and Ken slid on each side of him, tearing a chunk off a bun croissant and tossing it to the dog at Ken’s feet. 

“What a fucking mess…” Aragaki Shinjiro grumbled, sipping his caramel latte with a wince. “Way too early to deal with these unholy monsters.” 

“The Phantom Thieves or the Board of Directors?” Akihiko chuckled. 

“It’s never too early to take a bite out of a demon but it’s cruel to make us deal with Chairman Shithead before the sun’s even warm,” Shinjiro sighed, breath clouding in front of his face. 

“He called?” Akihiko asked. 

“Called, texted, emailed; the geezer even sent us a fucking fax when we weren’t prompt enough with our replies,” Shinjiro grumbled. “Of course, Mitsuru ain’t tripping over herself to indulge his curiosity which has only got his non-existent hair in a knot.” 

“The Board can wait until I’ve finished my workout,” Mitsuru called from across the courtyard, saber biting into the dummy’s wooden neck. “The way things are going, I don’t think the Chairman will begrudge me brushing up on my swordwork.” 

Read More...

Start from the beginning...

[akechi-stole-my-heart]

Ooh Akechi Goro in a christmas carol 2.0 sounds kind of fun

Thanks! It's essentially what it says on the tin. I thought of the idea two Christmases ago but the first draft wasn't working well at all, so last year I started over with a new tactic of essentially copying Dickens' style for the fic. That worked wayyyyy better and made the silliness of the fic idea feel charming instead of stupid. However, I wasn't fast enough and only got through the Ghost of Christmas Past by the time Christmas rolled around, so it got put off until this year. I plan to start working on it a lot earlier so I can get it out on time this year. It's going to be about as long as the original which means a lot of work, but I think it's going to turn out great! Hopefully people will like the idea as much as I do. I love Goro and I love A Christmas Carol, it's my favorite Christmas story, so I thought, why not combine the two? xD

Under the cut is a snippet!

A moment later, the lamp was on, lit by trembling fingers. Akechi had hoped to find the room empty, the illumination casting away any illusions brought on by sheer exhaustion and paranoia. But there, lit by the dim glow of the lamp, stood the Shadow with golden, glowing eyes. He wore prisoner’s garb. The chains were tied to his waist and wrists. It was him. Shido Masayoshi.

“What more could you want from me?” demanded Akechi, at long last finding his voice to speak.

“Not much. I know I have no right to demand anything from you.”

“Then why have you come? How dare you appear before me now?” He would not ask how—Akechi knew full well the impossibilities made possible by the Metaverse, and he was now beyond questioning whether it had returned. All he could do was endure until it had gone again and left him in peace.

“I come with warning,” said the Shadow. 

“I'd rather you not come at all!” exclaimed Akechi, rising to his feet. “What gave you the idea I might like to see your face now?” Thinking better of losing himself over a Shadow, he held himself back from saying more.

“I thought I owed you it,” said the Shadow. “After all I did to you, the least I could give is warning of your fate.”

“Fate?” mocked Akechi. “I've had enough of fate.”

“Then heed my words: you will be haunted by three Shadows. Without their visits, you cannot hope to shun the path I tread.” The Shadow lifted his chains at the words. “You carry this same coil yourself, though you may not feel its weight now.”

Akechi cursed the Shadow, and it shook its head ruefully. “I will leave you now, but be warned. Expect the first visitor at the first hour. A light will foreshadow its coming. For your own sake, pay them heed, or pay the price that afflicts me!”

With that, Shido Masayoshi’s Shadow departed. Akechi tried to curse his father again, but the words caught, and did not meet the air. Though he did not like to admit it, he had been shaken by his father’s visit, and trembled at the thought of being visited by three others. Would they come all at once, or one at a time? He could not be sure; he did not know which he preferred.

Finally, he lay back down on his bed and tried to forget all that had passed. And being from the emotion he had undergone, or the fatigues of the day, or the conversation with the Shadow, or the lateness of the hour much in need of repose, he fell asleep upon the instant.

[heartsaplenty]

Ren woke in a cold sweat, sitting up in a panic- grabbing at his chest. It hurt. Everything was dark, but a small amount of light came from his phone. He blinked, and then blinked again, clearing the blur from his eyes- or trying his best to. It was harder than it should have been, he felt what he could only assume was blood trying its best to drip down into them.

In front of him stood.. Something. It was too hard to see, and when his visions finally cleared a bit, whatever it was.. Was gone. He felt so cold. It took him a few tries to unlock his phone. The crack in the screen sure didn't help. Neither did the glitching, but he still managed to open his messages, after getting bombarded with a metric ton of notification buzzes. The clock on it read 4am.

4 hours..

He sent a quick message to Akechi, ignoring the pain. There was just no time for backreading.

REN: Hello? Am I here? Can you get this..

He was too tired to work on getting kanji to work on the keyboard.

AKECHI: You. Where have you been?

AKECHI: Why are you talking like a five year old? Are you drunk?

REN: What. No. Something happened. Injured.

AKECHI: You didn't think to message earlier? No alarm bells in your brain to report this when it actually happened?

REN: No.. Passed out. Just woke up. At the university.

AKECHI: ... You idiot. I'll be right there. If you so much as protest my help again, I won't hesitate to knock you out myself. Do you understand?

REN: ...Yes.

Really, Akechi didn't have to worry about that, because whatever had caused the spike of adrenaline, it was wearing off fast.

He at least scooted himself back against the hallway wall for something to lean on, wiping at his forehear with a sleeve. Things were getting dark again. It wasn't going to hurt to close his eyes..

-----------

When they opened again, he was staring up at a set of flourescent lights. He squinted against them, once again sitting up-

Or.. Tried to. This time, he was stopped by the tip of an umbrella. He looked down at it, then over to it's owner. Akechi stared him down with hard, red eyes. His hair was pulled back into a little ponytail. It looked nice on him.

"What do you think you're trying to do?"

"... Sit up?"

The umbrella tip jabbed at his chest, forcing him back down. Ren raised his hands in surrender.

"Fine.."

"That's what I thought. Are you going to tell me why you were passed out in a pool of your own blood? Or am I going to have to make you?"

Joker met his eyes. He didn't have his glasses on. Those steely grey met red and held the gaze.

"Spoiler alert, I won't be nice about it."

Ren's gaze finally slipped, giving in first. At this point, his mind was sharpened enough to realize that he was at a hospital. More specifically, he was a patient at a hospital. His eyes gazed down to his arm. No fuzz..

From beside him, another voice spoke. It startled him so bad, he jumped just a tiny bit.

"As much as I do agree in my anger at his actions, I'm really not sure how much an interrogation is going to get you answers from a sick man faster."

His head turned, it was Yusuke. On a monday..

"I don't hear you coming up with any better ideas." Akechi scoffed back, pulling the umbrella once more over to his side.

"He's so stuck in his own head, I'm not even sure anything but an interrogation will get it out of him."

"Nonsense," Fox scoffed, sliding forward a bit in his chair. Ren was still staring at him, and now he stared back. "Come now, Ren. Will you tell us why you were at your school in a puddle of blood?"

Ren continued to stay silent. Akechi laughed.

"What did I tell you."

Why did they need to know so badly now? His head was pounding. Chest still hurt. While the two bickered, Ren looked around for his phone.

"Looking for this?" Akechi asked, and Ren looked over to see him dangling his phone from his fingertips. In this lighting, it was easy to see how damaged the device had gotten.

"I'll give it back.. If you start talking."

"Fine. Stayed late to check on a ghost story.. Something hit me hard some time past midnight. Woke up and messaged you. All I really remember."

"A ghost story? In a university? Hm.. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but yet I still am. I have to wonder if it was the theatrics students who spread such a thing."

Ren stayed quiet. Normally, he loved to goad Fox on in his thoughts. Not right now though.

Neither did Akechi, but that one wasn't new.

"A ghost story. Are you trying to tell me you got injured chasing after ghosts?"

Ren nodded. Crow wasn't wrong.

"Then is it safe to assume you found one?"

Ren's head turned a bit back to Yusuke.

"Yes. Found something. Not crazy.. Could exist. Like us.."

Akechi leaned a bit on the umbrella. His eyes were still a little more on the callous side. Ren had a lot of apologizing to do later. He walked over, closer to the bedside, and took one of Joker's hands in his own.

"Your daftness pisses me off, Ren. You went into that which would have taken a team of misfits in the past to be safe. All the while, your friends and I had no idea at all."

"Teamwork is something you strive for in every aspect of your life. Yet, apparently, when it comes to something that could get you hurt, you now run away from asking for help like a flea-ridden puppy with its tail between its legs."

Ren winced away from that.

"Sorry... Had a fever. Wasn't thinking straight."

"It looks like he still does have one, so I think that's enough of this for tonight."

Fox stood up, crossing his arms. "There are easier ways to say that you were worried. Better ones, even. You still lack a bit of empathy when you speak."

Now it was Fox and Crow's turn to glare at each other. Ren found himself nodding off again, without even realizing it.

------

When he woke up, Akechi was gone. Ren could feel his heart wrenching. He would have a lot to talk to him about later.

As mad as he was, he deserved to be. Joker really didn't know what he had been doing. More than that, he had been so sure of himself that nothing bad was going to happen from chasing after what was probably a rumor started by a student or two.

"Awake again, I see. Are you feeling any better?"

He was feeling worse. He hadn't even been awake that long and he felt like his was burning up.

"Ren.."

Ren looked over again, actually able to sit up this time. Next to him, his phone. Akechi had left it after all.

"Do you feel well enough to talk? We have a bit of time to ourself. Akechi and Morgana went to get you some better food than what they tried to bring you. He threw a fit large enough that you could have thrown it all at an entire large canvas and it would still hit the wall behind it."

[lavendersiic]

thoughts on persona 5 bc if I didn't write them down i'd explode

After 250+ hours I feel such a mix of emotions, the ending was bittersweet, inspiring, and heartbreaking. I’ve been feeling it especially today, almost an emptiness and sadness knowing that I’ll never experience the game for the first time again. I have to say goodbye to the characters and story I’ve spent time with almost daily since November. I’m feeling especially reflective and tender with all of the thoughts and questions that the game has left me with, from thoughts about how I can be a better friend and community member, to Big Thoughts™ about free will, happiness, and the nature of reality - this game has left a lasting impression and is something I’ll carry with me for a long time.

The Experience: 

Persona 5 Royal is incredibly successful in delivering a captivating and emotionally resonant story. I felt immersed in the world, empowered with meaningful choices, and continuously engaged through its meticulously crafted game loop. The narrative was so engaging and evocative, through the combination of art, music, writing made for a special first-time experience. There is room for improvement in accessibility, but overall this game is kind of a masterpiece. 

On my second playthrough, I did feel a bit of repetitiveness in some of the palaces. Many of the palace rulers were painted as purely evil villains. Madarame gains some nuance as we go through Yusuke’s confidant, see him grappling with the conflict between the truth of Madarame’s vanity and the fact that he did care for him. This clear cut moral view of the first few antagonists is an indication of the way the Thieves’ view the world. As teenagers, it is understandable that they would have a more simple view of morality, but you can see that evolving throughout the game. By the time we get to Maruki's palace, we are given a deeper exploration of his character and the morality of his motivations and actions are treated with more nuance. I think a big part of this is the fact that Maruki is more of an antagonist than a villain, though I think it also hints at the Phantom Thieves' maturing perspective on morality.

Friendship and Forgiveness:

There’s something about the nature of a social sim that really brings into focus how straightforward it can be to show up for those I care about. It can be as simple as investing time, listening and validating their experiences, and making memories together. It can be easy for me to overcomplicate things, to feel like I need to be doing more for the people in my life - but in reality just making time and space for people can be enough. 

I couldn’t talk about this game without talking about Akechi (best boy). He was instantly one of my favorite characters. It was just nice to hear someone with a different opinion at first, up until that point it felt like we were in a bit of a Phantom Thieves echo chamber. I believe that it’s important to have people around you who support you, but there is also value in having people who challenge the way you think. Before the reveal, he really is a breath of fresh air, he’s charming and goofy and even though you can tell he’s not being 100% honest, there’s something really special in the growth of your relationship as he slowly lets his mask go. 

After the reveal, I felt so heartbroken and confused - and mostly I just wanted to hug him. I just wanted him to be free and happy. In the moments where we reach rank 9 and 10, I remember just wanting him to join us - I was quick (maybe too quick) to forgive all he had done. I spent two in-game days mourning his death, revisiting the places we spent time together, and reflecting on our relationship. 

At the beginning of Third Semester, I was overjoyed to see him alive, even if it meant he would be in prison for his crimes. I was so happy that he was alive and that we had a chance (even outside of the game world) to continue growing our relationship. As third semester continued I just enjoyed having him around, his chaotic one-liners made me smile and it was nice to see him being authentic to his darker side. His evil laugh brought me so much joy. 

When we meet with Maruki and it’s revealed that Akechi actually did die in Shido’s palace, and that he was brought back by Maruki because we essentially wished it to be, I lost my marbles. Akechi’s willingness to die in order to be the master of his own fate was equally heartbreaking and inspiring. I wanted to accept Maruki’s deal in that moment just to have a happy life with Akechi, but I wanted even more to respect his wishes. 

When I think about what drew me to Akechi’s character, I definitely related to his experience of feeling like he always had to present a pleasant mask to the world, otherwise risking rejection. I related to his desire to feel needed, something I still struggle with now. I think that believing what I do now - that everyone deserves to be loved in their wholeness, their dark along with their light - I felt compelled to offer that same love and forgiveness both as Joker and as myself. 

Seeing Akechi’s struggles to find acceptance, and hopefully giving him at least a small sense of that in the time we spent with him was one of the biggest emotional payoffs of the game for me. 

Free Will

The question of free will was a throughline throughout the story, and we are challenged to consider the morality of taking desires, even with good intentions. With many of the other themes and moral questions raised in the game, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. As the player, taking on the role of Joker - unwavering in his view of justice - is exciting, but the game encourages us to still consider the moral implications of their actions, especially with the addition of Maruki’s palace.

The third semester brings up this conflict between the allure of a pain-free, comfortable reality and the chaotic freedom of choice in the real world. Ultimately, I agree with the decision to fight for reality - for personal agency and free will even with the guarantee of chaos and pain. It is a tempting test, even more so than Yaldaboath’s offer to return the world to it’s previous state. It was a easy to decline Yaldaboath, but sitting across from Maruki in Leblanc, I felt truly conflicted for a few moments. I knew in my heart that the right choice was to stop him, but at the same time - it was tempting to accept that world free from pain and suffering.

After watching both endings, I ached for Maruki’s reality. I wish that life could be that simple, but there was an underlying sense of unease at the almost sickly sweetness of it all. It felt like everything we had struggled through was empty. The true ending was bittersweet and heartwarming, and seeing all of the characters moving forward towards the lives they wanted held so much more meaning.

Conclusion

While my sleep schedule might be temporarily wrecked, I don’t regret the hours I invested into this game. It was a really beautiful and thought provoking story, and what I want now is to apply what I felt and learned to my reality, so that I can live a full, free, and connected life. While I'm reluctant to let the world and characters go, I'm excited to turn my focus towards my goals, nurturing connections with my friends and family, and prioritizing self-care and rest.

[whump-in-the-coffee-cup]

Takuto Maruki, but he is more aware of his Actualization and its effects

ORIGINAL POST

i’ve been playing P5R for a while now, and the realization that i wasn’t entirely sure how aware Maruki was throughout P5R crossed my mind. and so here i am, a few hours later since i’ve been thinking about it, gonna share a few things i thought of.

might add more as time goes on, since Maruki’s still got lot of potential

CONTENT WARNINGS: whumper-turned-whumpee (Maruki), emotional whump involving a minor (Futaba), magic whump; leads to emotional / physical consequences

Maruki has some pent up anger on a few people, and sometimes his control on his anger slips so he, intentionally or not, projects thinly veiled threats into someone’s mind

He’s done it lots throughout 3rd semester, but he just puts on a nice smile in some weak effort to control himself. Lots of people don’t call him out on it as he rewrites reality as he pleases

Maybe his control fully slips, and he punishes some people for being defiant; I’ve been thinking that he did this (from least to most) to the Thieves, Akechi during the early days of 3rd semester, and especially Sumire

Poor girl got the brunt of the punishments because of how unstable her control was of Cendrillon, while Akechi was able to “defend” himself so to speak thanks to Loki

The punishment of the Thieves were more for security purposes, Maruki got paranoid on January 8th and gave himself some insurance. Though amongst themselves, Akiren and Morgana got the worst of it (while the least varied between Futaba, Haru, and Makoto).

And after all of 3rd semester, there’s going to be prolonged damage both on Maruki and all he inflicted these slips of anger on (Thieves, Akechi, Sumire, etc) and its similar to sound torture, but way worse

And post-3rd semester damage is focused on Maruki since he struggles to heal, being on his own and without a good support group

(Shibusawa and Akiren sometimes visit Maruki, but the two aren’t able to help him because of conflicts on their schedules. That leaves Maruki to be alone more often.)

There’s some days that feel like Maruki’s Actualization backfires on him

Like, he gets to have all of his fights played back to him from the perspective of the Thieves, and he realizes how far gone his grief and anger took him

Or maybe he still feels Azathoth’s presence, and as some messed up coping mechanism, he uses the fading power he once wielded to alter his own memories or create new ones where he felt “happy” or “free”

But this also backfires, like a harsh form of self-harm; Every time he rewrites any part of his memories, its like jamming a blade down his skull and carving letters into his brain

It’s enough to get him to stop, but sometimes he keeps going. But it all ends up with him keeping most of his memories from the past to replay in his head in the future. As a reminder of where he came from, of what he was supposed to be doing now.

[latteatnight]

thing that i am telling you on anon even though i dont even know you personally but i think its just a thing

an au where akechi is in that maid service and yusuke calls it because of ryuji blah blah yusuke meets akechi through that but akechi is faking being a girl so theres lots of confusion akechi gives yusuke his number under a pseudonym

yusuke is trans if you wanted to know

idk if you are okay with random anons just telling you a concept but i just wanted to tell someone about this akekita au (other than my partner)

so uh you don't know me goodbye💥

Oh, i certainly love when people tell me their Yusuke related stuff to me I go insane for Yusuke related stuff

I had seem something similar but with Yusuke being the one on the maid service, yknow since like he's always starving and it would seem like the maid service thing has really flexible hours, plus the idea of Akekita power dynamics to me at least it's always 10/10

However... the idea of Akechi, pissed off as hell about a costumer or something, in a maid outfit, walking into the next house and it's yusuke's place, covered in paint everywhere, it's not only hilarious but it's doing things to me lol dsjaklhgjkahg

I'll do you one better though hehe what if they meet at the agency after working there for a while and never crossing paths, or just bumping into eachother but like, out of costume, near the agency