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thepancakeboi · 3 years

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The First Night

ShuAke Week 2021

Day 7: Road Trip / Animals / Nature

On their “road trip” summer vacation / investigate the Jails that have started popping up in this new Metaverse, the newly-reinstated Phantom Thieves have decided to stop for the night. Goro has some contemplating to do about the situation he finds himself in, and one thing plagues his thoughts...

Why did they let me come?

That was the only question on my mind as I sat on the ground, back against the camper behind me. Of all the things I expected to do this summer, going on a road trip with the former...well, reinstated Phantom Thieves would have never been one of my guesses. It was tense. Even so, we were trying to get along, for Ren’s sake. Haru, understandably, didn’t say a word to me since we left that day. Sophia had been persistent in her attempts to have me open up and talk. But I was not going to force any of them to like me.

We had stopped for the night. The girls were sleeping in the camper, and the guys were up in a tent on the roof. I didn’t want to become a problem, so there I was. Sleeping outside on a hot day. Better that than the tent with the guys...and Ren.

Ren. He was the reason they let me come with. That look of disbelief and elation on his face when he realized I was truly alive...they all saw it as clearly as I did. Morgana had told me in secret how Ren had not been himself when he thought I was gone. No wonder he’d been so close to me since that day-

“Is it hot out here, or is it you?”

Speak of the devil. Of course, that teasing voice could only be Ren. I watched as he dropped the pile of blankets and pillows he had been carrying. “What are you doing?” I asked, deciding to ignore his earlier remark for now.

“What do you think?” He started to lay out the blankets, staring at me the entire time. “Figure it out, detective.”

It didn’t take a detective to connect the dots here. He and I both knew that. “Why don’t you sleep with your friends?”

“I wanna be with you,” he replied like it was the most obvious statement in the world.

“Fine. Do what you want. I don’t care.”

He gave a toothy grin, somehow satisfied by my disinterested response. He finished setting up the blankets and laid down, patting the spot next to him. I obliged, silently grateful. We laid there in comfortable silence for a few minutes. And then he slips his hand into mine. For the second time that night, I asked, “What are you doing?”

“Holding your hand.” Again, he said it like it was obvious. Which it was, I suppose. “You don’t wear gloves anymore.”

Truth be told, I had been surprised it took him this long to bring that up. “So?”

At that, Ren pulled something out of his pocket. It was the glove I had ‘given’ him after our duel last November. “I kept it,” he said before I could say anything, “because it’s from you.”

“You sentimental idiot.”

“Thank you.”

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

Ren laughed, shaking his head as he pocketed the glove again. But something about that laugh seemed...hollow. Forced. Did I do something wrong? No, I did. I could tell that much. “Ren-?”

“I’m okay,” he said without prompting, a little too quickly.

I knew what he was thinking. “You’re not going to lose me again.”

“Wha?” he asked with slightly exaggerated confusion. “Where’s this coming from?”

“Don’t play dumb. You’re worried that you’ll wake up and I won’t be around. I’m not leaving. Not now, and not ever.”

Ren didn’t say anything at first. We both were surprised at my words. Several seconds passed before he pulled me into a tight hug. “I won’t let you go,” he mumbled.

I gently wrapped my arms around him, trying to be reassuring with my embrace. “I know. I know... Goodnight, Ren.”

“Goodnight, Akeppi~”

No, I’m not commenting on how we had slept in each other’s arms, cuddling despite the heat. Nor am I going to say anything about how we had enjoyed each other’s company.

But, when I had woken up to him still fast asleep, he had been smiling.

#shuakeweek2021 #akeshu #shuake #p5 strikers #but with goro because ahhh #this idea originally spawned months ago when my sleep-deprived brain thought of it #this is admittedly short but it's been forever and a half since i played strikers #akeppi writes

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

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Gloved Elegy

I’ve never seen you cry except for me Sometimes I wonder why you even care For someone like me, heart black and ugly

Do you just show your love, emotions bare? Is it because I haunt your every thought? Or is it pity from how life’s unfair?

Why’d you even keep it, that glove you got? It causes pain and grief. What do you do When even seeing it makes you distraught?

All these hidden meanings that you construe For a rival, a friend, an enemy Empty, meaningless words that leave you blue

Alive and with you I will never be And grief for a glove is all you will see

7/28. Day 3: Glove / Grief / Dreams

#shuakeweek2021 #akeshu #shuake #akeppi writes #poetry #the potential angst is so strong with this day's prompts #angst is fun lol #listen if you get hurt by my angsty stuff i felt it just as much (if not more so) than you

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

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13. “You’re talking too much, just shut up and hold me.”

I am going to tell you the biggest fight Ren and I have ever had as a couple.

Well, perhaps “fight” is a bit of an exaggeration. Despite my volatile emotions, it’s been impossible for me to get Ren upset. Sad, perhaps, but never angry. I’m not even sure if he knows how to be enraged outside of the Metaverse. If not a fight, then...polarizing conversation? No, that’s not quite right. For simplicity’s sake, let’s just continue to call it a fight.

It all started when Ren asked, “So you know how I’m a silent protagonist?”

“You, silent?” I scoffed. “You’re about as silent as Sakamoto.”

“Hey, I can be silent.”

“Around strangers, perhaps. But when you’re around me, you never shut up.”

“I have to make sure you know I love you.”

“Fine, but that doesn’t make you a silent protagonist.” He didn’t say anything to that. I turned to look at him. He was just staring at me, though why I had no idea. “Are you even paying attention?” All he did was nod in silent confirmation.

What was he even doing? Did he think that, by being silent at that moment, he was proving his earlier claim of being a “silent protagonist”? I tried to ignore him in his taciturnity. If he wanted to stop talking, then I was more than happy to indulge. I was only able to ignore him for so long. Even without saying a word, Ren was still able to make his presence known. It was nerve-wracking. “All right, Ren. That’s enough. You made your point.” Still, he said nothing. How long did he plan to keep this up? Trying to think of something that would get him to respond, I blurted, “Silent protagonists don’t get cuddles.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, Ren abruptly stood up and walked away. What was that about? Confused, I trailed behind him as he went inside our bedroom and closed the door between us. I turned the doorknob. It’s locked. As if prompted by the sounds of my attempted entrance, he said, “You don’t get cuddles, either.”

I sighed, a bit fed up with this game. “Ren, this is ridiculous. What do you want?”

“An apology.”

“I’m not apologizing for that.”

“Then no cuddles for you.” I could hear him walk away from the door as he finished.

“Whatever. I don’t need them anyway, unlike you,” I added as I turned around and went back to the couch. I figured I could wait it out. He’s a physically affectionate person, and he constantly loves to show that affection to me. I was certain he wouldn’t even last ten minutes before he came back wanting cuddles.

But then ten minutes passed. Soon, those ten minutes became twenty, then thirty, and then nearly an hour. Ren had not left our bedroom the entire time. I started to worry that he was truly pissed at me. There’s no other explanation I could think of for why he hadn’t come back yet. And I know I said that I didn’t need Ren cuddling me, but not having the option was getting to me. I hadn’t known I was so addicted to his touch until I was being denied it. Normally, I was fine being away from him, but at that moment I craved his attention. I couldn’t stand it. I went over to the bedroom and gently knocked on the door. “Ren?” No response. I knocked a little louder. “Ren, can we talk?” He didn’t even acknowledge my question. I tried to turn the doorknob again, but it was still locked. Sighing, I grabbed a lockpick from the stash Ren keeps “just in case”. I don’t have Ren’s finesse when it comes to lockpicking, but he’d taught me enough that I could do it before it inevitably broke from use. It took me a couple of minutes, but I managed to get the door unlocked without needing another lockpick. I opened the door, starting to say, “Okay, this is what you get for teaching me how-”

I fell silent the moment I saw that Ren was in the bed, fast asleep. He apparently decided to cuddle my pillow instead of the blankets this time. So, that’s how he did it, I thought to myself. No wonder he never came back.

I stared at him for a few moments, thinking about what I should do. Walking over to him, I gently moved the pillow back to where it’s supposed to be before inserting myself where the pillow had been. I could feel him shift behind me as he unconsciously accommodated for the change in mass. “I still want an apology,” he mumbled. I must have woken him up.

“Fine. I’m sorry for implying you wouldn’t get cuddles. Happy?”

“Yeah, now that you’re here.” He pulled me closer. I was content as I laid there curled up in his arms. I could almost hear the smirk that was likely on his face as he asked, “Were you wanting me to cuddle you?”

“What? No.”

“You needed me, didn’t you?”

“I did not need your cuddling in the slightest.”

“Then why did you break in and lay down in my arms?”

“I...was concerned that you were angry.” It wasn’t a complete lie. That had been a concern of mine, although it was only the reason for my entering the room.

“Why would I be angry at you? I think you just wanted cuddles.”

“You’re talking too much, just shut up and hold me.”

He chuckled a bit as he replied, “I thought you said I wasn’t a silent protagonist?”

“That doesn’t mean you need to keep talking.”

“Okay, but you know I’m right. You wanted me to cuddle you. How cute~”

“Shut up,” I grumbled, unable to refute it anymore. “I wanted your cuddles, not your gibber jabbering.”

“Gibber jabbering,” he repeated, snorting at my word choice.

“Yes. Now can we just cuddle in silence?”

“Okay, Akeppi~” He buried his face in my hair. Hmm. Maybe that was why he was cuddling my pillow earlier. It probably had my scent.

Normally, I would roll my eyes at the stupidity of the idea. But if I’m being honest with myself...it was kind of cute seeing him sleeping like that. Not that I’ll ever tell him that. That’s a secret best left to these memories.

Prompt source

#akeppi writes #p5 #persona 5 #p5r #persona 5 royal #goro akechi #akechi #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #akeshu #shuake #writing prompts #it may be short but it was fun to write #also this was a legit conversation #my friend was talking about how ren joked about being a silent protagonist #and i ended up responding 'silent protagonists don't get hugs'#and it went from there #these grumpy affectionate starters give me life #i'd use all of them if i could

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

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Fateful Love

Fate has always been fickle as can be It left my life in such a disarray But fate is more than sorrow and dismay Because fate is what brought you, my beauty Somehow despite everything you love me Even with all my misdeeds on display There to guide me back when I’ve gone astray You are my world, the only one I see

But if we would have met as children I think we could have been great together If only I hadn’t drowned in my sin Can we still be friends, rivals, something more? Because you make me light as a feather And release my love for you deep within

7/27. Day 2: Childhood / Family / Fate

#shuakeweek2021 #akeshu #shuake #akeppi writes #poetry #i am posting this less than 10 minutes before the day changes what a time

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

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Hidding True Colours

ShuAke Week 2021

Day 5: Fairytale / Velvet Room / AU

After a harrowing escape from their worst monster yet, Ren and Goro have some time for a reprieve. They’ve saved each other from near-death situations time and time again. Yet Goro has never seen his companion’s face under the paper bag covering his head. Goro decides it’s time to see what Ren is hiding.

Notes: Excerpt from a project of mine combining the plot of Little Nightmares 2 (great game imo) with Ren and Goro as the main characters (Mono and Six, respectively). As such, characterization won’t be quite the same as usual.

Ren grabbed Goro’s outstretched hand by the wrist, gray eyes full of mirth as he asked, “What are you doing?”

You’re still hiding your face under there, Goro thought but didn’t say aloud. He reached for the bag with his other hand, but Ren caught that one too. Goro refused to give up. He kept attempting to grab the bag. His hand touched the paper bag after several seconds. There! At that moment, Ren realized exactly what Goro was trying to do. Ren lurched back. His grip on Goro’s wrists tightened, arms rigid as he kept Goro from removing the paper bag from his head. Ren’s adverse reaction shocked Goro. But that wasn’t what truly confused him. It was Ren’s expression, or what little he could see of the other boy’s face. Ren’s eyes were wide, pupils barely visible as he stared at Goro.

Ren was terrified.

Ren’s voice shook a little as he once again asked, “What are you doing?”

This time, Goro decided he should probably verbally answer that question. “I want to see your face.”

“No,” Ren responded, shaking his head.

“Why not?”

“Because.”

“Because,” Goro repeated with an annoyed sigh. “Because what?”

“Because.”

“Oh, for god’s sake. Just take the damn bag off. You’ve seen my face, so it’s only fair.”

“No, I haven’t! Your face is covered by hair,” Ren retorted, letting go of one of Goro’s arms for a brief moment to twirl a lock of his brown hair. “And you have a hood now!”

“Still more than I’ve seen of yours. All I have seen are your eyes. Do you even have a reason for keeping your face hidden under that paper bag all the time?”

Ren would’ve responded, but the words got caught in his throat. He withdrew from Goro. Why did he hide? He’d never put it into words before, and now that he was being confronted about it by Goro, he wasn’t sure where to begin. Goro patiently waited. Ren was grateful for at least that much. “The world hates me,” he finally murmured.

“The world doesn’t hate just you,” Goro responded, not thinking through his words. “It hates everyone.”

“You’re wrong.” Ren drew his legs toward himself, hugging his knees as he continued. “I keep trying to help people, but no one wants it. Everyone rejects me. And the people I do manage to help...they’ve all died. The world keeps me alive and alone, laughing at my misery. No one cares about me, so why bother showing myself? But I just want to help everyone...”

“Ren...” Goro didn’t know how to respond. So, he said the only thing that came to mind. “You’re not alone. Not anymore. I’m here.”

“You didn’t want my help either.”

“No, I didn’t,” Goro acquiesced, “but I trusted no one. I...I was scared. Every day, I thought it would be my last, but it never was. I had learned to trust only myself. The idea of having to rely on someone else...was abhorrent to me. But you made me realize how foolish that was. The world doesn’t hate you-”

“Yes, it does, just like everyone else-”

“That’s not true! I care about you, damnit!”

They both went silent. All they could do was look at each other, surprised by Goro’s sudden outburst. Ren wasn’t sure he could believe what he was hearing, even with everything they’d been through together. Today should have been more than enough to prove that there was something special between them. Yet, someone...actually cared about him? No, it was too good to be true...right? Ren hesitantly broke the silence as he asked, “Do you...really mean that?”

“Of course, I do,” Goro responded instantly, no longer filtering his words. There was no point in hiding from Ren anymore. They couldn’t keep hiding like this. “I trust you with my life. Don’t you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Why not show me your face then?”

“No.”

“What? What’s stopping you?”

“It’s just...”

Ren didn’t seem like he was going to finish that thought. It was up to Goro to prompt Ren’s thinking. “You can tell me.”

“Okay, then why the gloves?”

That startled Goro. “Huh?”

“I told you why I hide my face under this,” Ren explained, pointing at the bag still covering his head, “so now it’s your turn. Why do you wear those gloves all the time?”

“...I don’t know.”

That was a lie. Goro knew exactly why he wore them.

He also knew that Ren was seeing right through his excuse. Goro expected Ren to call him out on it, yet the other boy stayed silent. Ren was waiting, patient. Goro fixed his gaze on his hands, eyes boring into the black fabric that covered them. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Ren right now. His voice shook as he said, “I...don’t want to talk about it. But if I...if I show you, will you let me see your face?”

No response.

“Actually, you don’t have to.” Goro steeled himself for what he was about to do next. He could do this. Clutching the glove covering his right hand, he yanked it off before he changed his mind.

Pale, bony hands. Skin marred by scar after scar. Fingers disfigured and joints misaligned.

These were the hands Goro hid from view from everyone, especially himself. He almost expected Ren to scream or freak out. But that didn’t happen. Instead, Ren reached out and grabbed the gloved hand. Goro didn’t resist as Ren pulled it off. His left hand was a similar sight, although it was less disjointed. To his surprise, Ren took Goro’s hand in his, gently caressing his fingers. Shivers ran down Goro’s spine.

Goro decided to try and remove the bag from Ren’s face again. This time, when Goro grabbed it, Ren didn’t flinch. Was Ren...allowing Goro to do this? They stayed still for a couple of seconds, gauging the other’s reaction. Ren...was all right with this. Off went the bag, and what greeted Goro sent his heart racing. Not for a bad reason, far from it. Ren’s black hair was messy and unkempt. It looked soft and fluffy, a fact that Goro quickly confirmed when he ran his hand through it. With the bag gone, those silvery-gray eyes of his were brilliant. A fire burned in those eyes, and now Goro could see one thing clearly:

Ren was beautiful.

#shuakeweek2021 #akeshu #shuake #more like a crossover than an au but that's still au right?#persona 5 x little nightmares 2 #akeppi writes

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

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Meeting Sae’s Cognitive Goro

Admin here to yeet this 3-day mess of “how does one write lol” based on this amazing idea (click that for the link, seriously, click it) from @ofhualiians (please let this tag work) that I reblogged and immediately knew I had to write something after having not written for months. Anyways, um...hope you enjoy? Or something? Okay, I’m going to stop rambling now.

In the two years I have traversed the world of the Metaverse, I thought I had seen everything this world had to offer. The glitzy casino we are currently in is only the tip of the iceberg. This is a world where banks can fly in the sky and fighting mythological beings is a constant occurrence. One of the Palaces had even been a spaceport, complete with UFOs and having to go through sections of outer space. Nothing should be able to surprise me anymore.

That is, until Sae’s Palace. Ever since I had started working with the Phantom Thieves, with Joker, I have been surprised time and time again. But now that we have secured the route to the treasure, there shouldn’t be anything more to surprise me.

How foolish I am to think that is the case.

We have just crossed the Bridge of Judgment to head out of the Palace when we are greeted by the sight of a...very familiar brunet. This must be Sae’s cognition of me. Seeing for myself how someone else sees me is jarring. It’s like looking into a distorted mirror: staring at yourself yet it’s not your actual reflection meeting your gaze. Everyone else tenses up as if they’re anticipating a fight. Well, everyone except Joker. He decides to approach the cognition without a second thought...or perhaps even a first thought.

Upon noticing the raven-haired thief, the cognition grins, giving that picture-perfect smile I use so often while in public. I slowly move away from the group to observe since it’s clear this won’t end in a fight. This cognition is so innocent and soft that I doubt it would even put up a fight if we attacked. It makes me want to puke. “Oh, hello, Amamiya-kun. I was hoping to see you, actually,” the cognition adds, a pink tinge dusting its cheeks.

Wait. Is that thing...blushing?

Joker tilts his head as he stops a few feet away from the cognition. He moves his mask off his face, but I can’t make out his expression at this angle. “Oh? What is it, Akeppi?”

My eyes narrow at that damn nickname. Why is Joker even bothering to speak to it, as if it’s me? That thing is nothing like me. It’s just a cognition. It isn’t worth our time, though I don’t say this out loud. I’m too busy trying to keep myself from showing my outrage as the cognition’s blush becomes more obvious. Its voice is barely louder than a whisper as it speaks. “Wow, you’re hot.”

What.

I freeze up, unable to hide my shock at the cognition’s comment. Why is it even saying something so...so absurd? Why is it even acting like this?

And...how the hell does it know!?

Wait, no. I don’t have a crush on Ren Amamiya. I don’t. Sure, I spend a lot of what little free time I get with him. I can acknowledge that he is charming and captivating. I also suppose he would be considered attractive by many. But I do not have a crush on him. I can’t have a crush on him.

The only good thing about any of this is that even Joker’s slightly surprised; it’s barely noticeable and only for a split second, but it’s still there. His lips twist into a sly smirk as he recovers so easily. He’s facing the cognition, but it’s almost as if Joker is staring right at me as he asks, “Is that what you think?”

The cognition nods, much to my annoyance. “I’m always talking about you to Sae-san when we aren’t discussing a case we’re working on. She likely knows that I have a crush on you.”

I have to fight the urge to shoot the cognition right between its stupid wide eyes before it goes spilling any more nonsense. Oh, how I want it to just shut up. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be very becoming of the detective prince. I’ve worked so hard to build up this charade and I can’t let it shatter now. “Joker, we should leave,” I interject, trying to keep my irritation out of my voice. “We’ve secured the route to the treasure already. There’s no point in talking to Sae’s cognition of me.”

“We can get some insight into Sae’s views,” Joker replies. Oh, now he comes up with some valid reasoning. It’s infuriating. “And how could I ignore such a pretty face?” he adds, giving the smuggest grin imaginable, even going so far as to wink.

New plan: let’s just shoot Joker now.

The cognition’s blush deepens, looking embarrassed as it replies, “If you see me as pretty, then you must be gorgeous. I...may have called you that to Sae-san once.”

Great. I had wanted to forget about that. It had been a rare slip of the tongue, nothing more. Joker, however, seems to think otherwise. He chuckles as he wraps an arm around the cognition, his grin widening as the cognition reciprocates the action. My stomach clenches, and I shove the surge of intense jealousy deep in the recesses of my mind. I refuse to feel anything about this. Even as he gently caresses the cognition’s cheek. “That’s so cute. Is there anything else you’ve told her?”

I’m almost grateful as the cognition frowns. “We haven’t spoken much. She doesn’t trust me, not since she accused me of stealing data off her laptop.”

“You, steal data?” Joker asks, not missing a beat as he adds, “You’re too pretty to be a criminal.”

“You’re pretty, though-”

I’ve had enough of this. With a small huff of annoyance, I say, “Joker, it’s clear we aren’t going to get anything out of this. Let us leave.”

This time, Joker does relent, moving away from the cognition. “I’ll see you later,” Joker says to it, blowing it a kiss as he walks away. I follow him and the rest of the thieves, who have been watching in absolute confusion. I am already dreading our next conversation.

We leave the Palace with very little fanfare. Everyone says their goodbyes, and we all split off. Before I can leave, Ren grabs a hold of my wrist, looking quite smug as my own face heats up. “What is it, Ren?” I ask curtly, hoping he’ll take the hint and leave.

He doesn’t, of course. He has that cocky smirk he usually only gets as Joker as he pulls me close. “So...you like me?” he asks in that low, sexy tone-

You did not hear that from me.

“No, I don’t like you in the way you think.”

“Sure about that?” Ren is right in my face, those gray eyes of his seeing right through my statement. I can’t help but notice how beautiful his eyes are. “The cognition said it, Akeppi.”

There he goes again with that stupid nickname. “That wasn’t the real me. It doesn’t count.”

“Does too.”

“How so?”

“Because Sae must have a reason to think that you do.”

“Am I not allowed to talk about you on occasion?”

“On occasion?” Ren snickers as he repeats my words. “You liar. It sounds like you talk about me all the time.”

“I do no such thing. The cognition was clearly exaggerating.”

“I don’t believe you,” he nearly whispers. His breath is hot against my ear. Damn is he such a beautiful, distracting menace. Wait, no. He’s little more than an inconvenience. Distracting, yes, but decidedly an inconvenient part of my life as of this moment. “I think the detective’s fallen in love with the thief he’s trying to catch.”

I’m tempted to back up and put some distance between us, but I refuse to let him see that he’s getting to me. It would only prove him right. “You’re wrong, Ren. I do not ramble incessantly about you, nor do I-”

“No,” he interrupts, pressing his index finger on my lips to silence me, “you’re wrong.”

It’s only now that I finally pull away. “This is getting us nowhere. Perhaps we should call it a night.”

“Okay,” he says, sounding a little saddened at my statement.

“Well, I’ll see you later.”

“Goodnight, honey,” he hums, smirking as my face flushes. He is so infuriating, god damnit. I can hear his laughter behind me as I turn around and briskly walk away, not letting him have another moment of satisfaction from teasing me.

#akeppi writes #p5 #persona 5 #p5r #persona 5 royal #goro akechi #akechi #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #akeshu #shuake #how does one write #ahhhhhhh #ren is a menace #always has been and always will be #god i love writing these dumb interactions between these two #it gives me life

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

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129. “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

AO3 link here

I used to despise Valentine’s Day.

Up until this year, all it had been was a painful reminder of something I both would never have nor deserved to have. The day was little more than an inconvenience when my sole focus was bringing ruin to Shido’s life.

Then Ren happened, and everything changed. Despite feeling unworthy of love, he gave it to me in spades. Now that we can spend it together, I find myself surprisingly looking forward to today. I have been planning this for a month now. Well, that’s not exactly true. Despite normally being too stubborn to seek the help of anyone else, I knew that this wasn’t something I was good at. I had approached Ann, figuring she would be the best person to go to. She had listened to my ideas, telling me what was good and giving suggestions of her own. I want it to be perfect, just like the one who stole my heart nearly two years ago. All I can do now is wait for his arri-

“Hi, honey~”

I nearly jump, whirling around to see Ren sitting cross-legged on my bed, a huge grin plastered on his face. Speak of the devil. I immediately notice the red rose between his teeth, but that is not what needs addressing first. “How...How did you get in here?”

“Your love summoned me.” Ren grabs the rose from his mouth as he speaks, idly twirling it with deft fingers.

“Love cannot summon anyone through a wall.”

“Yet here I am,” he replies with an extremely overdramatic shrug.

I am not fooled for a second. “Don’t tell me you picked the lock again.”

“Nope. Climbed through the window.”

He sounds extremely proud of this later achievement. “Do I have to start barricading the window too?”

“You know I’ll just find another way in.” I know Ren well enough to realize he’s likely correct. He chuckles at my nonverbal agreement. In one fluid motion, he stands up and presents the rose to me. A blush blooms across my cheeks as he plants a quick kiss on my lips. “A beautiful rose for the precious love of my life~”

“I...thank you,” I stammer as I tenderly hold the proffered rose, much to Ren’s amusement. “It’s perfect.”

“Not as perfect as you~” he hums, chuckling as my blush deepens. “I also have this for you.”

He reaches into his surprisingly feline-absent bag and hands me a black heart-shaped box. The top is emblazoned with his phantom thief mask that appears intricately painted, and a red ribbon is expertly tied into a bow. I can only guess at how long this must have taken him. Knowing him, he probably spent weeks on the box alone. “I love it. It’s...I don’t know what to say.”

“Oh? Did I manage to surprise the great detective prince himself?”

“You’re always surprising me at every turn,” I reply, admiring Ren’s handiwork. “I almost don’t want to tamper with it.”

“I think the chocolate will make it worth it.”

“I’m sure it will be.” I reluctantly move away from him to place the rose and the box on the bedside table, opening a drawer as I do so. As I reach to grab something, Ren comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. I chuckle as I remark, “Can you not keep your hands off me?”

“Nope.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

“Because you love me.” He gently kisses my neck, snickering as I instinctively tense up. We both know the first neck kiss usually turns into either tickles or hickeys. To my surprise, he doesn’t do either. “So what are we doing today?”

“You’ll see.”

“Keeping it a surprise?” he asks teasingly. “Are you going to be giving me chocolates too, my darling Akeppi?”

“Actually, I...did try to make this for you,” I say hesitantly as I turn in his hold to show him the object in my hands: a small white box with a gold ribbon.

He lets go of me to take the box in his hands. It’s almost like he didn’t expect me to actually give him chocolates. “Goro...?”

“I may have almost burnt the chocolate, and I’m sure you’ve received some that are much more delicious than mi-”

“You made these for me?” he asks, sounding so shocked since we both know my cooking and baking skills are...definitely not exemplary.

“Well, Ann explicitly told me homemade chocolate would be more meaningful and heartfelt, but yes. I made them, just for you.” He doesn’t say a word as he just stares at the box, a melancholy look crossing his face. His reaction concerns me. I had tried to do everything just right, so why has he gone so silent? “Ren, are you alright? I didn’t do something wrong, did I?”

He snaps out of it immediately, smiling happily. It...somehow feels forced. “Oh, no! I love it.”

“Ren, are you sure?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You looked like you were lost in thought, and not in a good way.” Ren doesn’t respond to that. His left hand moves to cover his mouth, a gesture he normally makes only when he’s uncomfortable. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Come on, I wanna try these,” he adds, pulling me along to sit next to him on the bed. He’s about to unwrap the ribbon, but I grab his hand in both of mine before he can do so. “Hey-”

“Please. I know something is plaguing your thoughts. You know you can confide in me, yes?”

“I know,” he says after a moment of quiet deliberation.

“Then can you at least stop evading the issue and tell me what is troubling you?”

He doesn’t answer at first. We simply sit there, my hands holding one of his as his free hand holds the small box of chocolates. It doesn’t matter how long the silence lasts. I will stay here with him until he answers me, even if it takes the entire day. Eventually, he briefly says, “Last year.”

“Last year?” I repeat, hoping this would prompt him to elaborate.

Luckily, it does. “Last Valentine’s Day. After...you know. It kinda sucked.”

“How so?”

“It just...well, I did act normal. I got a lot of chocolates from my friends, and they thought I was fine. But when I was alone, I...”

“Ren...?”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I was eating the chocolates, imagining what we would’ve done. It probably sounds dumb, but I was wishing you were there. And I wanted to see you again, maybe give you some chocolates. I wondered if...you would’ve given me some too, and... Even if I thought I never would, I...I just wanted to hear your voice. To see you again, and to hold you in my arms. I just...” I gently take the box from him, setting it aside before pulling him close. He tightly wraps his arms around me, clinging onto me as if he is worried I might vanish. For once, I don’t mind his cloying personality. I can’t blame him for his fears. I’ve disappeared on him too many times, claimed by deaths that refused to stick. His voice chokes up as he finishes, “I missed you so much, Goro.”

“I’m here now,” I murmur. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know, but back then...”

I let the conversation fade into silence. Right now, all I can do is try to comfort him. Absentmindedly rubbing his back with slow, circular strokes, I start to hum a tune he usually hums to me when I am not in a good state of mind. He recognizes it immediately. His own baritone joins in as he hums along. I can feel him relaxing in my embrace. After a bit of time has passed, I break the quiet ambiance. “Ren?”

“Yeah?” He at least sounds like he’s doing better.

“You said you imagined what we would do,” I start, standing up and holding out a hand to him. “Would you want to find out?”

The grin he gives me as he takes my hand is so purely heartwarming that it sends my own heart aflutter. “I would love that,” Ren replies, giggling a little when I bring his hand to my lips and kiss his knuckles.

“Why are you laughing for?”

“I didn’t think you could be this affectionate...not that you can top me,” he adds, his tone more than enough to indicate that he’s challenging me.

“Well, maybe I should prove you wrong today.”

“You won’t~”

I laugh, helping him to his feet. If he truly wants to play this game, I am more than happy to indulge him. “Very well. Let us go.”

Prompt list

#akeppi writes #p5 #persona 5 #p5r #persona 5 royal #goro akechi #akechi #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #akeshu #shuake #writing prompt #valentine's day #this one did not want to write itself until like 2am the day of #the mood whiplash is just a thing with me #oops

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

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124. “You seem like a friendly face, mind if I sit with you?”

When I had walked into one of the many cafes in Shibuya for lunch, I had not expected the visit to be anything noteworthy. I was going to get something quick to eat and leave just as quickly. That is until I looked around the place. It’s never been a very crowded cafe, even at its busiest. It’s one of the hidden little gems Ann had shown me a few months ago that I’ve started frequenting somewhat regularly. But, at one of the tables closest to me, I see Ann herself sitting with someone. The other person, probably a friend of Ann’s, is unfamiliar to me. I decide to approach them, greeting them as I say, “Hello, Ann.”

Ann’s face lights up as she replies, “Oh, hey Goro!”

It’s days like these when I’m glad I have her as a friend. She was the first of Ren’s friends to accept me for who I am. Once she found out that I did, in fact, have a sweet tooth despite saying otherwise, she constantly dragged me with her to have whatever dessert she fancied that day. I’ve grown to genuinely enjoy her company. Even if I already know the answer, I ask, “What are you doing here?”

“We’re gonna get some cake! Can you believe she hasn’t had the cake here? If I had known you weren’t busy, I would’ve asked you to come too!”

“That’s all right.” I turn my head to look at the person Ann’s with. She has short black hair that fluffs out a bit. The rest of her face is obscured, her head turned as if to avoid making eye contact with me. Compared to Ann’s vibrant outfit, this girl’s is much more subdued. Even so, her long-sleeved gray top that exposes her shoulders and the black skirt seem to suit her, for some reason. I wonder why I haven’t met this girl until now. I look back to Ann as I remark, “I don’t think you’ve introduced me to your friend. What’s her name?”

“Ah! The name. Um...it’s Akira! Akira Kurusu.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet, Kurusu-san. You seem like a friendly face, mind if I sit with you?” The girl only shakes her head in response, not even looking up at me. Her reticent attitude gives me pause. I didn’t mean to offend her. “My apologies. Did I say something wrong?”

“No no! Sit down,” Ann says reassuringly. I sit down in a chair between the two girls as Ann stammers, trying to explain Akira’s behavior. “Uh, it’s just...that...she...she’s a huge fan of yours! Yeah. And we didn’t think we’d be seeing you.” She laughs awkwardly as she finishes, twirling a lock of hair in her fingers.

“Oh? I’m honored,” I reply, pulling out my typical TV-perfect smile that’s as fake as the personality it belongs to. Even if Ann knows that I’m very much unlike my detective prince facade, Akira likely doesn’t know that. I figure it’s best to keep up that pretense around her. “Most people seemed to forget my name after the Phantom Thieves incident ended. So, how do you two know each other?”

“I, uh, met her at one of my photoshoots! She’s wanted to be a model for a loooong time.”

“A model? I’m certain you’ll do well in the industry. You have the looks befitting a model.” Akira still doesn’t look at me, her gaze glued to her hands in her lap. Her nails are painted black, and I think I can see her blushing? Or perhaps it’s makeup. Either is possible, all things considered. She is rather flat-chested for a model, but there is nothing wrong with th-okay, why am I even noticing this? I really hope she didn’t catch me looking. After a few seconds of silence, I turn to Ann, who didn’t seem to notice my earlier gaze. My voice is hushed as I gently ask, “Are you sure she’s okay?”

“Yeah, she’s fine. She’s really shy at first.” Ann doesn’t seem too surprised at her friend’s behavior. Maybe it’s normal for Akira. Ann seems to remember something as she quickly adds, “But she does talk about you a lot!”

“Is that so?”

“Mhmm! I don’t think she’d be able to stop talking about you. She goes on and on about how great you are.”

The laugh I give, while mostly fake, is a somewhat genuine one. “Surely, you exaggerate.”

“Nope. We went to get crepes, and once she found out you were my friend, she talked about you the whole time.”

“I see. Well, a friend of Ann’s is a friend of mine,” I say, looking over at Akira. She’s still staring at her hands as she fiddles nervously with the chain attached to her skirt. Hold on, why am I still noticing these little details? That thought gets shoved aside. Right now, I need to find out what exactly is making Akira act so quiet around me. Is she perhaps intimidated due to my former popularity? If that’s what the problem is, I need to try and get her to open up to me somehow, get her to see that I’m not as unapproachable as she thinks. Well, not unapproachable due to being the detective prince, that is. I doubt someone like her would be comfortable around my true self. “It’s all right. You don’t have to be shy around me. You and Ann are probably much more popular than me.”

“Oh, don’t say that! You’re the second detective prince. Even she knew about you after being in Tokyo for only a couple of months.”

“You’re not from here?” Akira shakes her head, starting to play with the chain hanging off her black choker. I can’t see much of her face, but I think I see a smile starting to form. At least she seems to be more at ease, even if she hasn’t said a word thus far. “Are you enjoying Tokyo so far?” A nod this time. “How long have you lived here? Or are you just visiting?”

“She’s been here for about two years now,” Ann says for Akira. “Likes it so much better than home.”

“In that case, perhaps I know the area where you’re living? I’ve been to a lot of places in Tokyo.” As I finish my comment, Akira’s chest starts to heave. Is she...laughing? What a strange girl. It’s clear she’s trying to hold her laughter in as if she doesn’t want anyone to hear it. I don’t understand. What’s so funny about what I just said? “Kurusu-san? Are you all right?”

Akira finally looks up at me with brilliant gray eyes accentuated by a lot of makeup: eyeliner, pink eyeshadow, and even a little black heart under her left eye. Her gaze is sharp, and it feels like she’s staring right into my soul. It almost reminds me of- Wait a minute. I get a closer look at the person sitting next to me. I recognize those eyes. My own eyes narrow instantly as I drop the detective prince act entirely.

“You.”

“Akira” gives me a lopsided smile, their identity finally revealed to me. I know exactly who this person is. “Hi, Akeppi~” the “girl” who is none other than my boyfriend, Ren Amamiya, says before quickly kissing me. His lips, I notice, are covered with lipstick, and the blush I had noticed earlier was indeed a lot of makeup. Now that I know exactly who this is, I understand why I was so drawn to the mysterious person next to me. I allow myself to notice that he’s wearing black thigh highs over fishnet tights. Well, I suppose this being Ren explains the flat-chestedness observation from earlier. “Are you enjoying yourself, staring at me?”

My eyes dart up upon hearing his question, seeing the devious look in his eyes. Damn it, did he notice earlier then...? I groan, “Shut up. Just...explain. Now.”

“We didn’t mean to trick you!” Ann says, trying not to giggle now that the charade is done. “I just wanted to see if Ren could pass off as a girl, and he let me dress him up.”

“It must’ve worked if even Akeppi didn’t notice,” Ren says as he scoots his chair closer so that he can hug me. So much for that reserved personality from before. “You should’ve seen the look on your face when you realized it was me.”

“You are a menace,” I snap, trying to pry his arms off of me with no success.

“Yup! But I’m your menace.”

“Damn you both.”

Ann and Ren both laugh at that. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had been trying to hold it in during the entire conversation. How they made it so long without laughing, I have no idea. Despite how annoyed I am that I fell for their spur-of-the-moment prank, I can’t help but join in, chuckling under my breath. Their laughter is infectious. Well, at least they’re enjoying themselves.

“This was fun, Ann,” Ren comments after he’s had his fill of laughing at my expense. “We should do this again.”

“For sure!” she replies. “We could try another style and see how it looks.”

“Wait, I have an idea. You should do Akeppi next time,” Ren suggests, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Oh, that would be amazing!” Ann immediately looks at me, her excitement at the prospect all too obvious. “Can I? Please?”

“Not a chance,” I snap, refusing to entertain this latest scheme of theirs. “Ren may have agreed to it, but I’m not Ren.”

“Come on, please?” Ann looks at me, doe-eyed, pleading with me to allow her request. “At least let me do your hair and paint your nails.”

“Fine,” I groan. I can put up with that much, I suppose. They both grin simultaneously, sharing a quick glance. Something tells me I should be concerned about what they’re plotting, but I can deal with that later. “So, are you both actually planning on having cake, or was that as much a lie as Ren being a girl named Akira Kurusu?”

“Oh, yeah! That was true. Do you want some too, Goro?”

“I don’t think I’ll have much of a choice, considering someone probably won’t let go of me.” I pointedly look at Ren as I say this, who is still hugging me, might I add.

“No~” he hums as he tightens his hold, confirming that much for me.

“Well, in that case, I suppose I’ll have some cake. If it’s as delicious as it was last time, then I look forward to it.”

We talk for a while longer while eating cake, Ann having more than enough pieces for the both of us. How she can eat so many sweets with no problem, I have no idea. Eventually, we part ways with Ann, Ren holding onto me the entire way home like a cute, clingy girlfriend head-over-heels in love with me. That is a mental image I never thought I would apply to my own life. I can’t help but affectionately ruffle Ren’s hair, the action earning me a jubilant grin. I truly am blessed to have both Ren and Ann in my life.

Prompt source

#akeppi writes #p5 #persona 5 #p5r #persona 5 royal #goro akechi #akechi #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #ann takamaki #akeshu #shuake #writing prompt #I HAVE CREATED SEROTONIN #happy april fools day everyone

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

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20. “You’re so cute when you’re half asleep like this...”

First, let me preface this by saying I have a tendency to work myself to exhaustion when focusing on a particularly difficult task.

It’s simply how I am. Right now, I find myself working on a particularly stubborn embezzlement case. All I have are a few potential leads, but with no hard evidence, I can’t exactly get a warrant. I have to solve this case now. I’m...likely on my 30th hour without sleep. Or is it 35 now...? It doesn’t matter. I can’t rest now.

I feel something bump against my leg. I look down to see Morgana as he meows, “Akechi, go to sleep.”

“I can’t,” I reply, turning my attention away from him. “I have work.”

“It’s been over 40 hours!” Oh. I guess my estimate was lower than reality. “You need to sleep. Have you even eaten anything recently?”

“I had some curry earlier. I’m fine.”

“That was almost 9 hours ago.”

“Whatever,” I mutter. “I’ll eat something later.”

“No. You’re going to sleep. Now.”

I jolt as the black-and-white feline hops up and sits on my desk, blue eyes judging me. Damn this cat. “Leave me alone, Morgana.”

“Either go to sleep or I’ll make you sleep.”

“I’m not Ren. You can’t make me sleep.” I huff as I grab Morgana and move him off my work.

I groan as he leaps onto my desk yet again. “I mean it, Akechi. Go to sleep!”

“Get off, you stupid cat!” With a little more force than last time, I push Morgana back onto the floor.

“I’m not a cat!” he protests.

“You’re sure acting like one. Now, leave me be.”

He mumbles something that sounds like “you leave me no choice” before I hear the sound of small paws padding on the floor, signifying his departure. Good. I wasted enough time on his presence as it is. I need to focus on my work.

I maybe get ten minutes of peace before I hear something come into the room. Can’t this cat leave me in peace? “Morgana, go away.”

“I’m not Morgana,” someone who is clearly not Morgana but might as well be a cat as well whispers in my ear. I turn my head just as Ren gently holds me from behind. “Hi, Akeppi.”

“Oh, it’s you.”

“What’cha doing?”

“I’m trying to work on a case, but someone is being a goddamn distraction.”

He chuckles at that, giving a cat-like smirk. “I’m distracting?”

“Yes, you are,” I reply with a hint of annoyance. “I need to finish this, so if you could leave, that would be great.”

“Weren’t you working on this earlier?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re still working on it?”

“Yes.”

“Can’t you work on it later?”

“No.”

“I wanna cuddle.”

“Not now, Ren,” I say, finally breaking away from my one-word answers.

“But Akeppi, I’m lonely.”

“If you’re so desperate to cuddle something, go cuddle your blankets or a pillow or whatnot.”

“I already cuddled the blankets last night. It’s not the same as cuddling you.”

“Well, too bad. Go away, Ren. I have work to do.” Ren whimpers softly and, in my tired state, I make the fatal mistake of looking at him. He looks so upset, the hints of a pout visible in his frown. Shit. I’ve never been able to stand against his pout, to begin with, and being as worn out as I am isn’t helping. “Alright, you win! Just stop pouting, Ren.”

The sad expression immediately disappears. “Yay!” He grins, elated that he’s getting his cuddles.

I don’t even get the chance to stand up before he somehow manages to pick me up out of my chair and carry me bridal style to our bedroom. “I could have walked myself,” I grumble.

“I wanted to carry you.” His grin turns mischievous as he sits on the bed, still holding onto me. “And we both know you like this.”

I roll my eyes, annoyed that he would even suggest such an inane idea. I can’t refute it, though. Instead of denying his words, I ask, “Are we going to cuddle or not?”

“If you insist.” Of course, he’s acting like I’m the one who wanted to cuddle in the first place. He lays down, shifting so that we’re in a better position to cuddle. With one arm wrapped around me, he runs his other hand through my hair. I close my eyes, enjoying this moment. “Tired?”

“No-” I start to say, but I’m interrupted by a yawn. I refuse to admit it. “I’m not tired.”

“I dunno. You seem tired.”

“Well, I’m not. As soon as you’re satisfied, I am going to continue my work.”

“No, you aren’t.”

“Wh-”

Ren doesn’t even give me a chance to get out a word before he’s scratching in my hair. Damn, does it feel good... “Morgana told me you haven’t slept for two days.”

Again, damn that cat. He just had to get Ren to help him. “You dirty cheat. Is that...” I pause for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts while Ren is being thoroughly distracting with my hair. “Is that what this about?”

“Not really. I did want to cuddle.” I open my eyes long enough to see Ren looking at me with an adoring smile. “You’re so cute when you’re half asleep like this...”

“I’m not half-asleep,” I immediately retort, but it’s almost as quickly invalidated by another involuntary yawn.

“Yeah, you are.” He continues to play with my hair, chuckling at my attempts to stay awake. “Do I have to sing to get you to sleep?”

“Don’t you dare-”

His smile is nothing short of cheeky as he ignores my threat. “♪ Where have you been? Been searching all along~♪”

The rest is muffled by my hand over his mouth. “Shut up.” Ren blinks, going silent as he contemplates his options. I have no warning as he decides the best way to get my hand away is to lick it. I immediately pull my hand away. “Ren!”

“♪ Came facing twilight on and on, without a clue~♪” he finishes, grinning mischievously. “Do you want me to go on?”

“Goodnight,” I mutter, rolling over to face away from him.

I can feel his chest shudder as he tries not to laugh at my reaction. Pulling me closer to him, he nearly whispers in my ear. “Goodnight, my beautiful detective. I love you~”

“I love you too...” And within a few minutes, I’m fast asleep in Ren’s arms.

Prompt list

#akeppi writes #p5 #persona 5 #p5r #persona 5 royal #goro akechi #akechi #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #morgana #akeshu #shuake #writing prompt #this is not what i was planning to work on #but it's what my brain decided #morgana screaming to go to sleep #ren is a menace

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

Text

2. “I love you, but please stop whatever it is that you’re doing.”

Also on AO3 if that’s more your thing

“Ah, it’s so good to be home.”

About time, too. Ren has probably been waiting for me to come home for the past several hours. Wait, no. He likely was waiting from the moment I left. I had been needed for a case outside of Tokyo for a few days. I’ve grown to genuinely enjoy my work now that all my cases are not ones I fabricated. Even so, I can’t help but miss being home with the love of my life. The apartment itself is nothing special. Surprisingly, I had been the one to suggest the arrangement. Sojiro didn’t need the hassle of housing us and Morgana in Leblanc’s attic and Futaba in his home. Ren, of course, fervently agreed to the idea. It may not be much, but it’s ours. That’s what matters.

Opening the door, I find the lights out. I turn them on, seeing neither the cat-not-a-cat nor the cat-like boy who long ago stole my heart. Strange...there doesn’t seem to be anyone here. “Honey, I’m home,” I call out to the empty room. If anything is going to draw attention, that phrase will do it.

At that moment, I can hear frenzied movements from the other room. I can guess the source of the noise. Sure enough, Ren comes barreling around the corner and nearly tackles me with his hug. So much for being home alone...not that I really wanted that. “Akeppi!” Ren says, beaming. He’s clearly ecstatic that I’m home. He’s never been the type who could wait patiently for my return home from these trips. There have even been times where he would impulsively come find me, if only just to see me again. “I missed you.”

“It was only three days,” I chide.

“I missed you,” he repeats emphatically. He leans on his tippy toes, pushing my bangs to the side so that he can kiss the top of my forehead. That kiss is soon followed by another. And another. He moves so that he’s back to having his feet entirely grounded before kissing the skin between my eyebrows. More kisses quickly join that one as he leaves a trail of them down my nose. I cover his mouth with my hands before he can keep going with whatever this is. Instead of letting go of me to push my hands away from his face, he keeps holding on. Priorities, I suppose. He says something into my hands that vaguely sounds like, “Hi, Akeppi.”

“What are you doing?”

Another muffled response. “Loving you.”

“Look. I love you, but please stop whatever it is that you’re doing.��

“Aww...” He tries to say more, but this time I cannot make it out. Reluctantly, I move my hands away from his mouth to let him speak freely. At least he doesn’t attempt to resume his actions. “But I wasn’t done, Gowo.”

“Goro.”

“Gowo!”

“Gor-oh, forget it,” I sigh, knowing he’s stubborn enough to keep this up for hours. He once spent an hour meowing at me because he wanted a kiss that I had refused to give him. This, in comparison, would pose little challenge to his persistence. “What do you mean you weren’t done? Done with what, may I ask?”

“Kissing you.”

“You’ve been kissing me.”

“I wanted to kiss you more. I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“You’re being so overdramatic,” I say while rolling my eyes, but the effect is ruined by the smile trying to break through my outward annoyance. He’s clearly exaggerating. It’s endearing. And I suppose it wouldn’t be Ren if he wasn’t being as dramatic as he possibly can. “As I said, it’s been three days.”

“That’s basically forever! Come on, please?”

I ponder his request for a few moments. It’s clear that he really wants to kiss me. Even his eyes plead with me to let him keep going so that he can make up for three days of lost affection. I just can’t say no. “All right, fine.”

“Yay!” The huge grin now on his face makes my acceptance more than worth it.

He wastes no time as he gives my nose one final kiss. I expect him to go for my lips next, but instead, he starts to leave at least half a dozen kisses on my cheek. One comes quite close, but then he moves on to the other cheek. Why? Is he...teasing me? I know he wants to kiss me there, and I surprisingly want him to as well. Just kiss me on the lips, damnit! “Ren, that tickles,” I say as he starts kissing my neck instead.

He pulls away to look at me, shifting his embrace so that my arms are caught in his hold. The mischievous glint in his eyes is what makes me realize the mistake I just made by telling him that. His face is back at my neck in an instant, leaving a trail of quick, little kisses. I try to push him away, but there’s only so much I can do with my arms pinned to my sides. Once he reaches my throat, I can’t hold out anymore. My chest heaves as I start to laugh. I can feel Ren’s lips quirk into a hidden smile. “I think I’ll stick around here for a bit.”

“Ren, don’t-”

He doesn’t give me a chance to finish. He’s back to assaulting my throat with his affection. His gentle kisses coerce my laughter once again, rising to hysterical giggles as he continues. “Aww, look at you,” he coos between kisses, “being so cute.” Tears spring to my eyes. He notices, of course. “You’re crying. And your laugh? It’s adorable. Just like you.”

“Stohohop!”

He surprisingly does just that, although he doesn’t let go. It gives me a chance to catch my breath. “Why don’t you laugh like this all the time? I could listen to it all day.” I only shake my head in response, still too out of breath to give a comprehensible answer. “I love your laugh. And you’re smiling too!”

“Hey, I smile,” I retort.

“Not like this.” His doting smile has my heart skipping a beat or two. He’s so beautiful. That smile alone makes me feel like I’m falling in love with him all over again. “If I won’t see it again, then-”

He doesn’t even finish his sentence, going right back to covering my neck with kiss after ticklish kiss. It doesn’t take long for the giggling to return with a vengeance. I can feel more than hear him laughing as well, though his laughter is much more controlled. Even if I’m still trying to shove him off of me with no success, I find myself...wanting him to keep going?

Yes, I’m enjoying this.

I don’t know how much time has passed before he finally lets up. At some point, I stopped trying to push him away; my arms wrapped around Ren and his embrace are the only ways I’m still standing. Something tells me it’s the same for him. We stand there for a few minutes, simply enjoying the other’s company. Ren is the first to break the silence, saying, “I love you, Akeppi~”

“I love you too.” I don’t often say it in words, but I mean it every single time. Ren allows my arms to be free, opting to put his own around my waist. And now he finally decides to kiss me where I wanted him to earlier. “About time.”

“Hmm?” Shit, I hadn’t meant to say that aloud. “What was that? I didn’t catch that.”

“Nothing.”

“Did you want me to kiss you?”

“You have no proof one way or the other.”

“No, I don’t,” he admits a little too easily. He has some trick up his sleeve if the coy smile on his face is any indication. “I...guess I just won’t kiss you again.”

I stare at Ren in stunned silence. Surely, he’s bluffing. However, when I search his face for any deception, I find nothing. He fully intends to do exactly as he said. Normally, I could just wait it out until his constant need for affection wins out. I can already tell my normal plan won’t work this time. It’s been three days. I would never admit that I’m just as touch-starved as he is. My resolve likely won’t last even an hour.

Damn menace.

“All right, fine. I did want you to kiss me.”

I can tell he’s trying to hold back a cheeky grin as he asks, “Do you want me to kiss you again?”

“If you want to-”

“No no,” he interrupts, refusing to let me evade the question. He’s determined to get a direct answer out of me. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

I sigh. This will get me nowhere. “Yes,” I mutter.

“Huh? Did you say something?”

“Yes,” I repeat louder even if I know he heard me the first time, “I do.”

“Okay. Why don’t we cuddle? Then I can give you all the kisses you want~” he adds, already leading me to our bed. I gladly follow behind him. It’ll be nice falling asleep in his arms tonight. I’m more than happy to be back here with Ren...my home.

Prompt source

#akeppi writes #p5 #persona 5 #p5r #persona 5 royal #goro akechi #akechi #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #akeshu #shuake #writing prompts #serotonin #just pure serotonin #this is likely the only time I will ever be able to write pure fluff

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

Text

63. “Is this how little you think of me?”

Note: spoilers for today’s (2/2) ingame date in Persona 5 Royal, including final palace details. Especially under the cut.

“I will carve my own path for myself.”

Why do I have to be telling Ren this? Well, when I had decided to come to Leblanc the evening before our deadline, I had expected a calm evening with Ren going over the plan for tomorrow, probably with some coffee. Or maybe we’d go somewhere else. The jazz club comes to mind, or even Penguin Sniper for darts or billiards.

What I hadn’t anticipated was for Ren to be in the middle of a conversation with our target upon my arrival.

I had to speak with Ren immediately before he did something foolish. Sure, the calling card had been given and the plan’s in motion, but I can still see the hesitance in his face. All this time, he had been as steadfast as the rest of us in breaking free from this fake mirage. He had been the one person who had seemed unaffected and knew something was amiss.

Until now, that is.

To hear Maruki confirm my suspicions, that I could be dead in the real world and that Ren’s wish is to “have a fresh start” with me...it’s exasperating. This is nothing more than a setback. Can’t Ren see that this is a trap meant to coerce him to Maruki’s side?

When Ren doesn’t say anything to my words, I continue to assert my position on the matter. “I refuse to accept a reality concocted by someone else, stuck under their control for the rest of my days.”

Ren finally speaks up, sounding distraught as he says, “But then, you’ll...”

Die. I know. It’s better than the alternative: living a life without agency. “So what? That’s the path I chose.” It’s simple. I would rather be dead than controlled again. Once was enough. “All you have to do is stick to your guns and challenge Maruki. Or are you really so spineless that you’d fold over some bullshit, trivial threat on my life?”

He looks stunned that I’d talk so callously about my own life as if it doesn’t matter. Frankly, it doesn’t matter. If I can’t live my life the way I want, then it’s simply not worth living. “Trivi-Goro, this isn’t small potatoes!”

“It is!” I snap, looking away from him. My life is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. It would probably be better if I wasn’t around. I’ve caused enough misery to everyone who was unfortunate enough to meet me in these eighteen years, yet here’s Ren being decidedly stubborn about it. He’s the only reason I’m still alive, even though my disappearance from this reality would be better for everyone else. I clearly don’t deserve this blissful happiness, but Ren thinks otherwise. And it’s infuriating. “Do you really think I’d be happy with this? Being shown mercy now, of all times? I don’t want to be pitied.”

“I’m not-”

“This isn’t something I’m debating with you!”

“Goro...?” Ren hesitantly asks as I shift my gaze to the ground. “Please-”

“Your indecisiveness on the matter is essentially a betrayal of my wishes.”

“I...I’m not...”

I look back up at Ren as he trails off, unable to answer. I’m going to have to press him for one, it seems. If he won’t give me an answer by himself, then I’ll just have to pry it from him. “I want to hear you say it aloud. What do you intend to do?”

After a few seconds of agonizing silence, he finally responds, “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“I don’t know what I should do.”

I scoff. “You really are that spineless, aren’t you?”

“No!” The only reason I don’t interrupt him is that he looks completely vulnerable right now. “It’s just...Maruki was right. When I thought you had died in...his Palace, I...wasn’t okay. After we stole the treasure, I just wanted to sleep. Everything hurt. I couldn’t stop when we had to defeat Yaldabaoth, but...I wanted to stop. I had to force myself to keep moving. And now that I have you back...I can’t bear the thought of losing you again.”

This is not good if Ren is admitting all of this to me. He’s not the type to tell others about his problems as he doesn’t want to burden his friends. I know how that is, being the same way myself around everyone except him. It’s the only reason I know that about him; it’s yet another similarity between us. The fact that he is sharing this information now...worries me. It means he might be seriously considering Maruki’s offer. I refuse to be the reason Ren falters, after everything we’ve done. We’ve come so far that folding now over something as worthless as my own life would be inane. “Is this how little you think of me? If you truly cared, you wouldn’t even consider accepting Maruki’s offer.”

“I do care!”

“Then why the hesitation? How can you possibly be so indecisive when the answer should be so blatantly obvious?”

“I love you.” Well, that unexpected confession stuns me into silence. Part of me is wondering why he would ever love someone like me, someone who is undeserving of anyone’s love, let alone his. At the same time, I’m hopeful that it’s true. Wait, no. This isn’t the time nor the place for these thoughts. All this could ever be is detrimental, a temptation that I’m afraid Ren can’t resist. “You’re not like the others. Everyone else just sees what they want to see. I can’t be myself around them, so I just wear a mask and show them what they believe I am. You’re the only one who understands me and accepts me for who I really am.”

“Ren, you’re in love with a fake version of me living in some sweet fairytale kingdom full of false happiness.”

“That’s not true,” he immediately refutes. “I love you for you, Goro, flaws and all. I don’t want to give up on you, but if I go back to reality, I...I can’t let you go.”

I jolt as he tightly embraces me as if he’ll lose me as soon as he lets go. He can’t be doing this. It’s only going to make my possible death much more painful. I shove him off of me. “Don’t you get it, Ren? You can’t save me.”

“At least let me try. Maruki’s not evil. He just wants to make everyone happy. Is that really so bad?”

“What the hell’s gotten into you!? He’s the same as Shido!” I snarl. It takes immense mental restraint to stop myself from lashing out at Ren. “His intentions may seem ‘pure’ to you, but a gilded cage is still a prison. He wants to take control of the world and everyone’s lives. And I don’t want to be controlled again.”

“I...”

I’ve had enough of his indecisiveness. He has to make a choice now before he becomes too bogged down by the “what ifs” to decide. “What do you intend to do?” I ask him again. “I won’t wait a moment longer. Answer me.”

“I’m...I’m sorry. We’re taking his offer.”

I stare at him in disbelief, not believing what I’m hearing. Sure, I knew it was possible that he would take Maruki’s offer after what we have learned tonight, but I had been denying that he would be so foolishly sentimental. “Are you serious?”

“I am.”

I search his expression, shocked to find that he’s...he’s actually being serious. He fully intends to accept Maruki’s reality as the truth. And it doesn’t seem like he’ll change his mind. He’s...going against my wishes. I’ve dealt with backstabbing and insincere people in the past, but this? Being betrayed by the one person I’ve come to trust...it hurts. It hurts so much. I’d rather Ren just stab me in the heart with a rusty, serrated knife and let me bleed out. I sigh, not even bothering to keep up false pretenses regarding my feelings. “...Well, I have your answer.”

“Goro-”

I slap Ren’s reaching hand away, turning my back to him so that he doesn’t see the tears starting to form of their own volition. It pisses me off that I can’t even fight against him. His friends don’t have the backbone to refuse him if Morgana’s earlier comment of leaving the decision to Ren is any indication. And, despite my own strength, I know I’m not capable of bringing down Maruki on my own. The only thing I can do now is to accept Ren’s decision. I want him to be happy, I do. Even so, I’m furious with him and his choice. At this moment, I don’t want to see his face ever again. Not that it’ll matter. Starting tomorrow, I won’t have a choice. I’ll be nothing more than a puppet, stuck under another’s whims with no chance to escape. “There’s nothing left I can say. Our deal’s off.”

I stop with my hand on the door. I expect Ren to try and say something, attempting to convince me he’s doing what he thinks is best. Instead, there’s only silence. I turn my head to stare him down. His steadfast, stubborn determination is what pushes me over the edge. If he’s going to hurt me like this, then I have no regrets about driving my own metaphorical knife through his treacherous heart. I won’t get another chance to be myself, so I might as well make the most of it. “I hope you’re happy, Ren. Happy you’re living a lie that you know is wrong. I want you to remember that you’re forcing me into a situation that I don’t desire. I’ve explicitly told you that I refuse to be controlled by another, and what do you do? You stab me in the back with your betrayal because you say you love me. You may call it love, but you don’t love me at all, do you?”

I don’t give him a chance to respond, to deny my accusation and claim that he loves me with all his heart. I’m already out the door, tears streaming down my face as I try to get as far away from Yongen-Jaya as I can. I ignore the door slamming open, Ren desperately calling out to me as he tries to follow. He isn’t able to keep up, and I manage to lose him in the night crowd. There’s no destination in mind. I just want away from here, away from him for whatever length of time I have left before I’m no longer me.

Leaving Leblanc, and Ren, tonight...is the last action I will ever take with my own free will.

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

Text

An Unexpected Growth Spurt

So it barely took five minutes before this idea by @hetyra sent me down the rabbit hole of getting ideas and hyperfocusing on it rather than my current stuff. Whoops? No regrets. These types of fun reactions, where Ren is being such a goddamn menace towards Goro, are among my favorite to write. I will disclose this right now: I know very little about the storyline of Persona 5 Strikers outside of “sequel set in the summer after Persona 5 events″. As a result, it’s only there as a timing thing and a reference, but it’s fine. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this writing that gave me dopamine and serotonin in spades!

01/01/2018, 10:39 AM > Ren: Meiji Shrine it is! I can’t wait to see you.

I keep looking at that last text over and over as I stand here by the torii, awaiting Ren’s arrival. It’s been over a year since I last saw him. I’m lucky I was even able to get in touch with him, but...was coming here a mistake?

I’m not the type to get nervous, but I never thought I would see him again. With everything that happened between us, he shouldn’t even want to meet up with me. That and he probably assumed I was dead. The last time I saw him was in the engine room of Shido’s Palace. That place should have been my grave, yet somehow I had survived. I hadn’t told anyone. Truth be told, I hadn’t wanted anyone to know I was alive.

I...simply wanted to disappear.

Even now, I have the urge to leave before I can potentially reunite with Ren. Whatever had come over me last night, in that spur of the moment decision to text Ren after a year of silence, is gone. This whole idea is a mistake. He has much better ways to spend his time than wasting it on me. He’s probably been with his precious friends doing who knows what. There’s no way he needs someone like me in his life. He’s got all the people he could ever want. That’s it. I’m leaving now, before-

“Goro? Is that you?”

I freeze. His voice is a little deeper than I remember, but I would know it anywhere. I turn around, my heart leaping in my chest at seeing Ren. Although he’s not wearing his glasses this time, he hasn’t changed a bit. Even his hair is as unkempt as ever. It’s almost like I went back in time, to days where I wasn’t his (attempted) murderer. There are so many things I want to say, but all I can manage is a simple, “Hey, Ren.”

And he grins. Yet another thing that hasn’t changed: that beautiful smile. I can tell he’s barely stopping himself from running and pulling me into a hug as he approaches. I’m thankful for his restraint. There’s no telling what my reaction would have been. “Hi, Akeppi.”

I huff, shaking my head. “I was hoping you forgot that damn nickname.” And me as well, some small part of me silently adds.

“You know you like it.” Smug as ever, the menace. “I missed you. Where have you been? You never told me.”

Straight to the point, I see. I had very purposefully avoided the dogged questions about how I was alive or where I’d been. It didn’t seem like the type of thing to discuss through instant messages. This needed to be a face-to-face conversation. “I was at a rehab center, believe it or not.”

“You were?”

Nodding, I force myself to continue. He deserves to know what happened. “It’s outside of Tokyo...and it’s where my mother would go. I went there on Christmas Eve without an appointment, but they accepted me anyway. The only time I had left between then and now was when I heard word that you were being detained.”

“Oh?”

“I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. After all, you did change Shido’s heart for me. So, I helped your friends track down the woman in your assault case.”

“Wait, did they know you were alive and didn’t tell me?”

“No, nothing like that,” I reassure him, letting Ren know that his friends hadn’t kept my survival a secret from him. “I gave them what information I could find, anonymously, of course. They probably wouldn’t have accepted it if they knew who it came from.”

“Come on, give them a little more credit than that.”

I don’t think I can, especially when two of my victims had been Futaba Sakura’s mother and Haru Okumura’s father. “Either way, what about you? You’re a third-year now, yes?”

“Yeah. A lot’s happened since...” He stops for a moment. Something tells me the reason he stopped isn’t pleasant. Could it be he was about to say “since our last fight”, or something of that caliber? He quickly snaps out of it, though, beaming once again as he continues. “Oh, I saved Christmas by summoning satan to shoot god in the face!”

If he were any other person, I might have figured him insane. Even so, I can’t hide my surprise as I stammer, “You...what?”

“We went into the depths of Mementos to find its treasure. Never want to go there again. And then we fought the holy grail, which was really a god who was controlling everyone. I summoned this huge Persona, Satanael, and we shot god in the face!”

I chuckle at that. It all sounds so impossible, yet anything’s possible in the Metaverse. “If only I could have seen such a sight.” Upon seeing Ren’s melancholy look, I quickly add, “What else happened after that?”

“I went back home in March.” He doesn’t seem too thrilled about that detail. I know he preferred living at Leblanc over with his own parents, who never seemed to contact him while he was on probation. “And then I came back for summer vacation with the rest of the Phantom Thieves. But then the Metaverse came back, and these places called Jails were showing up, and...well, it’s a long story.”

“Perhaps for another time. Your life certainly has been interesting.”

“I wish you could’ve been there, but I’m happy you’re still alive. I...didn’t know what happened to you. Everyone else thought you were dead, but I just couldn’t believe it. I kept hoping that you weren’t. I really did miss you, Goro.” And I believe it, somehow.

“I apologize for not contacting you until yesterday. I know I should have. I cannot imagine what you must have gone through, and-”

“It’s okay!” he replies, a little too quickly. It makes me wonder how he handled my supposed death. I won’t pry. If he wants to tell me one day, it’ll be when he wants. He finally pulls me into the hug he’s likely been waiting for this whole time, gently running his fingers through my hair. “Your hair’s shorter than before.”

“Is that a problem?” I know it’s only a simple observation, but I can’t help but assume he doesn’t like it.

“No. I just noticed. That’s all. You look cute with short hair.”

“I’m not cute,” I immediately retort.

“Are too.”

“Well, you haven’t changed a-” I pause. Some small detail is pulling at my attention, but what is it? “Wait a minute. Did you...?”

“Did I what?” he asks, clearly as confused as I am.

I move out of his embrace to back up a few steps, looking at his footwear. He isn’t wearing heels, which means... “Have you...grown since we last saw each other?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, a little. Why?”

“How much?”

“I dunno, five centimeters?”

“Damnit,” I hiss. “Who said you were allowed to have a growth spurt!?”

Clarity lights up his face as he realizes the reason for my irritable reaction. “Oh, right. You hated when I was taller as Joker. Does it bother you that I’m taller than you now?”

“Shut up.”

He laughs. “I love it. It’s nice seeing you as the smaller one.”

“Oh, fuck you.”

He fake gasps. “He swore! Are you angy, my adorable little detective?” he asks, his voice sounding all cutesy. Goddamn menace.

“What do you think!?”

He is obviously smug that he’s now taller than me by two centimeters. His grin only widens as he pats my head. I try to smack his hand away, but he moves it away before I can. “You’re cute when you’re angry.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Even more so since I’m taller than you.”

“Infuriating as ever,” I snarl, my patience running thin. He’s being so cocky that I want to fucking strangle him. “I should wear heels just to be the taller one.”

“I don’t think you could.”

“Is that a challenge, Ren?”

“I dunno.” He shrugs, but I see right through the gesture. He knows exactly what he’s doing. “You tell me, detective. Is it a challenge?”

“I think it is, and I don’t intend to lose. I can and will wear heels. Watch me.”

“Even if you did, I could just wear heels as well,” he replies with a shit-eating grin to match his tone, “and run in them, too.”

I sigh in frustration, crossing my arms. I hate that I know he’s right. The Metaverse is enough indication of that. “You little shit.”

“You’re the little one, not me.”

“Shut up, Ren.”

“Make me,” he says as he gets right in my face, smirking as I instinctively lean back. “You could always kiss me into silence.”

There’s no hiding my flushed reaction to his suggestion. “You fucking wish, you idiot,” I snap, trying to ignore just how hot my face feels.

“Yeah, I do, my little tsundere pancake.”

Oh, of course, he had to mention the pancakes. Of fucking course. “I hate you so much.”

“I still don’t believe you. We both know that’s a lie.”

“Damn you and your two centimeters,” I say right before I recklessly kiss him on the lips.

I can see the ever so slight surprise on Ren’s face. He hides it well. His mirth at the unexpected kiss is clear as he asks, “Now, was that really so bad?”

“Yes.” No.

“Why’d you do it, then?”

“To get you to shut up.” I’ve been wanting to for a while now.

“Sure, sure,” he laughs. “Hey, would you want to get some lunch together? My treat.”

I’m glad he asked first. Truth be told, I wanted an excuse to spend more time with him. I’ve missed Ren more than I care to admit. “Sounds delightful. You can choose the location, but I’m paying.”

“Hey, no. I’m buying lunch, and you can’t stop me.”

“I’m paying, and that’s final.”

“Okay, how about we leave it up to chance? Whoever ends up with the bill pays. Deal?”

“Very well. You have a deal.” I’m still not letting him pay, though, even if it means resorting to more...underhanded methods.

He takes my hand in his, the small gesture of affection almost causing me to tear up. No one’s cared about me like Ren has. I don’t deserve it, but I doubt arguing that with him would get anywhere. It would be fruitless. All I can hope is that he’ll be happy around me.

And, for the first time in a year...I smile.

#akeppi writes #p5 #persona 5 #p5s #persona 5 scramble #persona 5 strikers #persona 5 spoilers #p5 spoilers #goro akechi #akechi #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #akeshu #shuake #ren is a menace #i also kind of worked the unused rehab thing from royal into this #i just really needed a reason why goro wasn't around in strikers/scramble #plus i just have a soft spot for that unused event

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thepancakeboi · 3 years

Text

99. “Do it. I dare you.”

I don’t normally make a note on these writing prompt stuff outside of tags but I feel I have to warn that this one does get very dark and angsty, up to including the potential of character death (no one dies though, I promise). Now, on with the show!

“Let’s go,” Joker’s voice rings out, echoing against the walls of the Mementos station.

Mona jumps onto the tracks, transforming into his car form in midair. The rest of the thieves sans Joker starts to get in. Not everyone had been able to come today. Haru had business involving Big Bang Burger that she had to attend to, leaving it down to the nine of us to finish our Mementos requests. She had apologized profusely in the group chat, but the others reassured her that everything was alright.

I go to get in the back of the vehicle but am stopped by a hand grabbing my arm. I give Joker an unamused look as I ask, “What do you want?”

“You know where you sit,” he replies with a cocky grin to match. I sigh in frustration as I get in the front row after Joker. Every single time, he always wants me to sit right next to him. He refuses to take no for an answer on that. No matter how much outward annoyance I show, I secretly am content with this seating arrangement. I’m fairly certain that he is aware of this as well. It’s even more apparent today since, with Noir not here today, Violet ends up deciding to sit with Panther and Queen in the middle row. Joker echoes my thoughts as he remarks, “Hey, look at that. It’s just the two of us. Anything can happen~”

“Joker, if you try anything, you’re going to lose a limb or two.”

“Sounds fun,” he hums, laughing as I sulk and look away from him. I can’t even threaten him without his goddamn danger kink making its existence known.

“God, get a room, you two!” Oracle yells from the back.

Joker laughs even harder at this. “I might do just that.”

“No,” I say, refusing to entertain this idea any further.

“But Akeppi-”

“I said no.”

He looks disheartened for a brief moment before he smirks. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t Joker starting to sing, “♪ I want your love, and I want your revenge. You and me could write a bad romance~♪”

I whirl around as I hear Panther join in with, “♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!♪”

Joker apparently has no intentions of stopping. “♪ I want your love, and all your lover’s revenge. You and me could write a bad romance~♪”

At that point, Oracle decides it’s her turn, “♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh! Caught in a bad romance!♪”

“Would you three shut up already?” I yell, turning so I can glare at all of them at once.

It’s quiet for all of one second before Oracle and Joker both, of course, decide to ignore me like the menaces they are, simultaneously singing, “♪ Ra-ra-ah-ah-ah! Roma-roma-ma! Gaga, ‘Ooh la-la’! Want your bad romance~♪”

I groan at their antics. It’s the one annoyance that comes from sitting next to Joker. It’s not the first time something like this has happened. The chances of it being the last are minuscule at best.

The banter between the rest of the thieves continues as we continue to drive through Mementos. At some point, Joker took one of his hands off the steering wheel so that he could hold me close. He still has his arm around me when we run right into a Shadow that decides not to immediately disintegrate upon impact.

“Get ready, everyone!” Mona says in car form. “This one wants a fight.”

“Oh, hell yeah!” Skull shouts. “We’re gonna kick its ass!”

We quickly exit the vehicle while the Shadow is still stunned from being hit head-on by a cat-turned-vehicle. Almost as soon as Mona transforms back into a cat, the Shadow bursts into a black liquid, revealing itself as a Forneus.

I had been hoping for this fight to be done quickly, but this Shadow is decidedly stubborn. We’ve managed to knock it down a couple of times, but it simply refuses to die. After the third such time, it fires a Mapsiodyne that manages to hit all of us. “Queen!” Fox calls out as she collapses.

No communication is needed. Joker and I pull back to tend to her while the rest keep fighting. I bend down so that I can drag her out of harm’s way. However, I pause, sensing Joker’s eyes on me. Not this again. “Joker,” I start, moving Queen as I speak, “maybe you should be a little more concerned about Queen lying unconscious on the floor rather than staring at my ass.”

“Oh. Yeah. Right.”

He quickly summons Sandalphon to revive her. Queen’s eyes flutter open, surprisingly unalarmed that she had been knocked out. It’s such a common occurrence with this group. How they’ve survived for so long, I have no idea. “She’s awake,” I say, turning back to Joker. “We should get back to the fight.”

He nods. “Let’s go-”

“Joker, look out!” Panther calls out just as he is engulfed in a magenta aura.

He tries to move out of the way, but it’s too late. There’s nothing any of us can do without Noir and her Persona’s Amrita Shower. The aura clears. Joker stands there, his eyes closed. “Joker?” Queen asks from behind me, having gotten herself to her feet.

A sinister grin creeps across his face as he opens his eyes, his attention focused on the two of us. His eyes glow with an unnatural purple light as he rushes at us. “It’s not him!” I yell, blocking his dagger with my sword. His grin only widens, a frenzied look in his eyes. “He’s been brainwashed by that damn Shadow!”

“We gotta do something!” Mona calls out from the frontlines, where he’s working with Skull and Fox to keep the Shadow occupied. “He’ll keep attacking us if we do nothing!”

In an instant, I make my decision. “Keep attacking it, all of you. Oracle, make sure they don’t die doing it.”

“It’ll be easy peasy!” Oracle replies from above in Al Azif.

“I’ll keep Joker occupied while you do that until he snaps out of this brainwashing.”

“Got it,” Panther responds, her Persona pelting the Shadow with fiery strikes as Makoto charges forward on Agnes.

With Joker’s next strike, I grab ahold of his wrist, fully intending on pulling him away from the fight. However, I’m distracted by Violet tentatively asking, “Is senpai gonna be okay?”

“Damnit,” I hiss as Joker escapes my grasp, his dagger slicing my wrist. “Quit your worrying. He’ll be fine.”

Ignoring Violet, for the time being, I regain a hold of Joker and manage to get the bloody dagger out of his hand. I drag him away, leaving the others to take care of that pesky Shadow. The moment we’re out of its vision, I turn to Joker, sheathing my sword for now. “Pull yourself together, idiot!” I snap, resisting the urge to slap him across the face. “We’re your friends.”

“Friends?” he asks, the first words he’s said in his current state.

“Yes, friends. You have those, remember?”

“No. You’re my enemy!”

He throws himself at me with little regard to the fact that he’s currently unarmed and I have a sword at my side. I struggle against him, trying not to hurt him. My sword stays sheathed. I can’t bring myself to cause him harm, even when he has me backed against the wall. “Joker, listen to yourself! I know you’re still there. You’re brainwashed. The Phantom Thieves are your friends. Don’t you understand? They’re not the enemy.”

“You’re right...it’s just you.” Nothing could have prepared me for what comes next. In one swift motion, he pulls out his pistol, pointing it at my face. His grin becomes wicked and full of malice as he sees my eyes widen in shock. “How does it feel, traitor? Knowing you’re about to die.”

“You won’t shoot me. You can’t.”

Despite how confident I try to sound, my heart pounds in my chest. Chills run down my spine. It takes a considerable amount of effort to hide any possible sign of trembling. I refuse to show any vulnerability to him. I don’t care that he could kill me. Even brainwashed, there’s no way he’s capable of shooting me. This isn’t him. Joker would never do this...would he? “Are you afraid?” he mocks. “Are you going to beg for me to spare your life?”

I look Joker dead in the eye...and laugh.

I am aware of the situation I am in, that Joker has a gun pointed at my head and could shoot me dead at any moment. At the same time, the irony doesn’t elude me. The tables have turned, and now it’s me on the receiving end of the gun. “Do you really think I would stoop so low? I know you’re brainwashed, but I think you’re bluffing.”

“Someone’s eager to die. What was it you said? ‘Case closed. This is where your justice ends.’ But it’s not my justice ending, detective: it’s yours.”

“Then, by all means, pull the trigger. Do it. I dare you.” When he doesn’t immediately react, I add, “Here. How about I make it easier for you?” With slow, deliberate movements, I remove my mask with one hand and push my bangs aside with the other as I tilt my head forward. He has a clear shot now, the cold metal of the barrel pressed against my forehead. Yes, this is reckless. I know that...but he deserves this chance. An opportunity to enact swift judgment on me for my crimes. I’m not worthy of a quick death like this, even with it mirroring my actions in the interrogation room. It doesn’t matter, though. If this is how it ends, then so be it. I couldn’t ask for a better executioner.

I stand there, eyes closed, waiting for death to take me. But the gunshot never comes. I open my eyes, staring past the pistol to the boy currently holding me at gunpoint. His grin isn’t quite as wide as before. He’s faltering. “What’s the matter, Joker? I didn’t hesitate when the situation was reversed. Go ahead,” I say as I close my eyes once again, my voice slowly rising in volume as I continue to berate him, “put a bullet through my skull. It’s only fair, isn’t it? I’ve murdered countless people. I even tried to kill you twice. I don’t deserve to be alive, so get on with it and fucking shoot me already!”

All I hear is a gasp, the gun clattering against the ground. I look up to see Joker, no longer brainwashed. It’s clear that he’s shaken. His lips are parted as he stares at me in wide-eyed horror. “A-Akeppi?” he hesitantly says, voice trembling. His mask isn’t able to completely hide the tears threatening to spill. He’s trying so desperately to pull himself together, but for once, it’s not working. I’ve never seen him so visibly distressed, and it hurts.

“You were brainwashed.” It’s the only thing I can offer as reassurance that I don’t blame him, that it wasn’t his fault.

“You’re...not hurt, are you?”

Figures, he’d ask that question. As always, he’s more concerned about my own well being than his own. “No, of course not,” I lie, hiding the blood on my wrist.

He isn’t fooled. He sees right through my response, as observant as ever. His touch is gentle as he moves my arm into his line of sight. The corners of his lips twitch when he sees the cut. “You are. I didn’t hurt you anywhere else, did I? Tell me the truth.”

“You didn’t.”

We stand there in silence, neither one of us sure how to proceed. I personally want to ignore it and move on, but I can sense that Joker won’t. His inner guilt is eating at him, I can tell. Meanwhile, something tells me he knows I’m hiding something from him. I just don’t want him to know that I had believed he was capable of killing me, even for a second. It’d be too much for him, I’m sure. Joker’s the one to break the silence. “Akeppi, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” I instantly respond.

He shakes his head. “No, it’s not. I could have killed you.”

“You didn’t kill me, tho-”

“But I could have,” he interjects before starting to ramble. “I could have killed you. I had my hand on the trigger, and you were willing to just die. What if I had actually shot you...and you had died? Akeppi, I don’t want to lose you again.”

“I’m still here. You wouldn’t have fired the gun.”

“But what if-”

He abruptly goes silent, likely shocked that I’ve pulled him into my embrace, dropping my mask in the process. “Ren, trust me,” I say in a slow, hushed tone, dropping the codenames for now so I can get through to him. “It’s okay. I’m here for you, and I will continue to love you as much as before. Nothing will change that.”

“Goro...” His voice hitches as he returns the hug, desperately holding onto me as if he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he doesn’t. I can hear his ragged breathing as he finally breaks down and cries. Taking cues from what he would do if the situation were reversed, I pull off one of my gauntlets and gently stroke his hair with my ungloved hand. My own tears run down my face, but I refuse to acknowledge them. I have to be strong, for Ren’s sake. He’s always been that way for me, and it’s about time I return the favor.

A few minutes pass before he starts to calm down. As he pulls back to look at me, I move his mask up so I can wipe the remaining tears from his face. “Even crying, you’re still beautiful,” I muse to myself, not meaning to say the words aloud.

“Shouldn’t I be the one saying that?” he asks with a little chuckle. “You look like you were crying, too.”

I shake my head, refusing to confirm or deny his statement. His chuckling continues as he replicates my actions, although his hand lingers on my cheek longer than I had. I turn my head as I hear Skull’s voice. They must have brought down the Shadow without us. I reach down, grabbing my mask from behind Joker and putting my glove back on my hand. “We’ll keep this between us, alright?”

“Okay.” He moves his own mask back into its proper position. Even up close, it’s hard to see that he had just finished crying. “Hey, Akeppi?”

“Yes?”

“Can we cuddle when we get back home?”

The request is not exactly unexpected. We both know he loves to cuddle and that it helps improve his mood. He already should know my answer. After all, how could I refuse him after what happened? “Of course. Come on. Let’s meet up with the others.”

Prompt list

#akeppi writes #p5 #persona 5 #goro akechi #akechi #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #phantom thieves #except haru sorry i couldn't give her screentime #akeshu #shuake #writing prompt #this is the darkest writing i've done yet #this has been an idea months in the making #this one HURT to write #it hurt my soul #writing joker so vulnerable hurts #if it isn't clear i am hurt lol

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