#(sojiro voice) let me explain!

[kastillia]

Could you maybe draw Morgana from Persona in the scenario of this base?

#morgana #mona #akira kurusu #ren amamiya #persona #persona 5 #p5 #(sojiro voice) let me explain! #personally i think mona is too proud to let anyone do this to him (maybe ann as an exception under the right circumstances) #however i do believe wholeheartedly that akira is not above just buying/making(?) a mona plushie just to troll him #like annoying siblings will do :3c #thanks for this anon i had a good laugh sdfhkjfd #my art

[airyravenmaid]

As someone who's been secretly teetering around the SAGAU (that's "Self-Aware Genshin AU" for those who aren't aware 🥁) tag and works while thoroughly enjoying a lot of them, I think today's finally the day I put my own two cents in on it. Particularly, my two cents about how a certain redheaded owl stud would act in that verse. By all means, no hate to anybody who's written him any differently in their SAGAU stuff-- we're all here to have fun and junk; this is just how I personally think he'd be. You are free to disagree with any and everything I have to say under the cut, but I will have no badmouthing or the like.

Being perfectly honest, I haven't really seen much of Diluc in a ton of SAGAU works outside of him either being part of the "get the 'Imposter'" mob or individually attacking us if he comes across us solo and isn't in the know that we the reader are the real deal. Basically, he's more or less just kinda lumped in with the other highly devoted followers of the Creator without really standing out much in the plot. And, nothing particularly wrong with that, no, no, no, but here's where my hee-ho funny hot take comes in:

I don't actually think Diluc would really worship the Creator. In fact, I don't think he'd even like us at first. *Sojiro voice* Let me explain!

Diluc Ragnvindr is, in every sense of the word, a disenchanted young man. Now, we know he wasn't born as such, but we have the Knights of Favonius disgracing Crepus' death while the wound was still fresh and the falling out between Diluc and Kaeya upon the latter's revelation as a Khaenri'ahn spy to blame for that. Blah, blah, blah, that's right, we heard the story, over and over again, so, where does this tie into my personal interpretation of his thoughts on the Creator, you may ask? Well!

In the happier, more idealistic years before all hell broke loose on his 18th birthday, Diluc most likely did worship and revere the Creator per his upbringing since I think Crepus also worshipped them like a good chunk of Mondstadt does. No problems there. But, where was the "all-powerful, ever-benevolent" God of Teyvat when he'd lost his father and brother on that same, horrible night in different ways? What did they do when the Knights of Favonius openly spat on his father's name just to save their undeserved reputation? What did they give him during that four-year suicide mission he spent indiscriminately hunting Fatui agents before promptly getting the ban of a lifetime from the entire Nation of Cryo?

Nowhere, nothing, and radio silence.

Just another unreliable let-down added to the list, and another knife to his back.

(Imposter AU-wise) So, come present day, when the Great Big Phony™ drops and takes a throne that very much does not belong to them, everybody's over the moon and pulling out all the stops for their beloved God... except Diluc. Now, he's not so stupid that he openly badmouths the apparent Creator since that would get him some pretty unpleasant looks and land him in rather hot water, so instead, he shows no open reaction while rolling his eyes and scoffing at them wherever people can't see or hear. And, if we're going with the traditional portrayal of the Imposter being an uncaring tyrant, his already diminished opinion of the Creator's image is only further soured. He does nothing to damper or criticize anybody's faith since it's far from his place to, but they certainly won't see him joining in any day of the week, either.

And then comes the "Imposter", who's actually the true Creator that's been jiffy-popped into Genshin's world from the real one. Now, while he thinks it's beyond ridiculous that the people of Mondstadt and the Knights of Favonius (though, not as much surprise for the latter-- always so inefficient...) find it just to hunt down and torture somebody solely for looking like the Creator especially since nobody in town gives a shit that Venti and Barbatos look disturbingly alike for reasons only he (plus Jean and maybe Kaeya, if his Hangout implies anything) knows without actually presenting themselves as an active threat to humanity like, say, the Abyss Order or the Fatui, Diluc still can't help but secretly hand it to the alleged Imposter for being the first to have the guts to knock that "divine do-nothing" down a peg in some way, even if it is considered quite the risky move.

Should he encounter us while we're running for our lives worse for the wear for the above reason (and truly confirming that we mean no real harm and are just a victim of very unfortunate circumstance), Diluc is open to helping us get away safely under the radar and giving false info to the KoF like he did in his Story Quest since getting caught helping Teyvat's most wanted by the mob would not end well for him, either. And, he's pretty amicable when patching us up... but then he sees the dried gold blood and scars all over our body and realizes exactly who we really are. No, he doesn't do a full 180 and start blastin', but Diluc sure is now a lot colder towards us than he already is in general. Still helps us out, but we can taste the sudden mood drop. At some point, we discover his resent towards us for (from his perspective; can't exactly explain that we didn't actually make any of the characters' backstories since we're not HoYoverse and whatnot bc that wouldn't make sense to anyone in Genshin within the confines of the Creator!Reader AU without us sounding completely crazy) being seemingly nowhere to be seen around his and others' suffering despite being the God of All Gods capable of doing literally anything to help it, but simply choosing not to. Even if the Reader rightfully says they didn't do anything, Diluc's cold rebuttal is something along the lines of "No. You didn't.", and it's not the least bit reassuring.

If he were to stick around with us a bit longer during our escape from Mondstadt/whirlwind journey, then Diluc would come to understand that we really weren't as in control of everything bad happening to him or the world as he initially believed, especially if in his misguided blaming, it causes Reader to develop one HELL of a guilt complex feeling like they are responsible for fixing everything if it means putting an end to all the nonsense and abuse some of their once-beloved characters/acolytes are putting them through. Granted, the actual Imposter does have to be stopped and dethroned for all the shit they're pulling, but that's really all that falls on us as the unfortunate hero.

Other than that condition, though, we basically have someone that's thankfully not looking to hunt us down for absurd reasons and even helps us in our need, but at the same time curses us for letting him and many others down by not acting in some way when it mattered most.

#SAGAU #Genshin SAGAU #SAGAU Diluc #Imposter AU #SAGAU x Reader #(Had to rewrite this bc I accidentally deleted it; gdi) #idk if I should tag this as specific character x reader bc it's rly not #Just me brainstorming and junk for better wording #And again; merely my personal interpretation; it is not meant to discredit or diss any other ones

[roninkairi]

And now for something, completely different...

The Persona 5 Cast Goes To See "The Super Mario Bros. Movie"

(At LeBlanc)

Zenkichi: Hey Ren, thanks for getting tickets for me and Akane! I've been swamped with work, so I hadn't had time to get some.

Akane: Wow, I can't wait! I heard it almost made a billion bucks before it came to Japan!

Ren: No problem. It was Sojiro's idea actually.

Sojiro: Think of it as a thank you for helping out Ren and Futaba last summer. But man...never thought I'd see them try to make a movie out of that game again.

Zenkichi: Yeah tell me about it. If you told the teenage me this was going to happen, I'd thought you were bonkers.

Ryuji: Wait, you guys know about Mario Bros?

Sojiro: Of course we do.

Zenkichi: I still have my original Famicom and a copy of the game stashed in my attic. I used to play the hell out of it after I had finished my studies.

Akane: So that's what's in that box. I thought it was old festival decorations or something. How far can you go in one life?

Zenkichi: Well, I suppose I could go as far as 8-3 now if I tried today...

Sojiro: First or 2nd run?

Zenkichi: Second, definitely second.

Akane: No fair, I barely could make it to World 6 on my first!

Ryuji: I'm kinda lost here, what do you mean 'first run'?

Sojiro: Let me explain...(sips coffee) When you first play the game, your basic enemies are Goombas. After you save the Princess though, the game gets harder. All the Goombas are replaced with Buzzy Beetles.

Ryuji: Buzzy Beetles don't sound so bad.

Zenkichi: No, but they are fireproof and they work in the same way that Koopa Troopas work.

Akane: Plus platforms get shorter and in certain areas, new obstacles are added.

Ren: In short, the game gets harder.

Sojiro: I remember watching Wakaba play that game on her days off. She could clear the game within 45 minutes if she felt inclined.

Zenkichi: Wow. That just kills my own personal record.

Ryuji: Hey, where is Futaba? She would be going nuts talking all about this video game trivia.

Ren: She's been in line with Haru and Morgana since last night for the premiere.

Sojiro: And she brought a tent and everything with her.

Zenkichi: That doesn't sound so bad.

Ren: Uh...

Ryuji: This is FUTABA we're talking about. And knowing her...

Zenkichi: Uh oh.

(At the movie theater, Yusuke and Makoto look at a tent pitched outside the movie theater...which is in the shape of a Toad House. Futaba is sitting in a chair dressed as Mario next to it)

Makoto: I am NOT surprised she is doing this.

Futaba: Hey, glad you made it! Please tell me you brought my camera from Sojiro!

Makoto: I did but I thought it was going to be for entirely different purposes.

Futaba: Yeah, but after the premiere of "Neo Featherman x Masqueraider Ouga", I had to get prepared for a cosplay bonanza!

Yusuke: She's not wrong. There are a lot of dedicated fans on line here dressed as other characters. Some of these are indeed most sketchworthy. By the way, Ren told us Ann and Haru were with you.

Ann's Voice: I'm right here. (Ann steps out of the Toad House tent wearing the Princess Peach riding suit. In her arms is Morgana dressed as Luigi)

Morgana: (staring a hole into Yusuke) NOT. ONE. WORD.

Ann: Oh come on Morgana, you look TOTALLY adorable!

Futaba: (whispering to herself) I'm fairly certain that may actually have killed kitty's ego there. (Haru arrives, dressed in a very accurately detailed Princess Peach dress)

Haru: Oh, you're here! How do I look?

Yusuke: O_O

Makoto: o_O

Morgana: WHOA!!!

Every Other Customer In Line: O_O

Futaba: And if you look to your right, you will see that once again Beauty Thief has stolen the hearts of the fanboys in attendance today. (Instinctively, Haru does her pose upon hearing the words "Beauty Thief")

Ann: ...we're so getting our pictures posted on the internet for this, I just know it.

Makoto: At least your riding suit does not come with spikes.

Yusuke: Such elegance! (pulls out sketchbook and begins to sketch with much passion)

BONUS SCENE-

(As the audience watches the movie, Iwai who is with his son, looks and sees Ren sitting with Haru on his left side. On his right side...is Lavenza, dressed in a blue version of Princess Peach's dress, happily eating popcorn.)

Iwai: Somehow, that kid attracts all types.

#persona 5 #persona 5 strikers #ren amamiya #sojiro sakura #futaba sakura #morgana #ryuji sakamoto #ann takamaki #yusuke kitagawa #makoto niijima #haru okumura #zenkichi hasegawa #akane hasegawa #munehisa iwai #lavenza #lavenza p5 #the super mario bros. movie #and now for something completely different

[haejjoon]

Hi I agree with the mako discussion I have always been neutral to her and this whole discussion articulated why. I feel like there's a big disconnect between the story concepts for p5 and the writers. I.e Ann's themes Vs her treatment in writing

Also I'm a local oc X canon shipper who likes to rewrite stories to insert my oc & Ur fic & blog is giving me inspiration for what I can do because I only recently started p5r after watching rtgame play it so I haven't digested & criticised details in full yet so hearing Ur thoughts really helps articulate vague impressions I've had!!!

That being said, I'm interested what u think of Sumi Because. I low-key don't like her (I DONT HATE HER but I don't love her beyond "she's cute")

Anyway that's all!!!! I love Ur au bye bye ✨

- oc anon

aw. hey anon!! thanks so much for dropping by :)) im glad the discussion helped somewhat

oh boy...... sumi. where do i begin.

i'll be clear from the start: i love fanon sumi. i think shes adorable, i love seeing her in fics, fanart, etc etc. and for the longest time i couldn't figure out why i loved her sm in fandom and hated her in canon? and then i realized:

sumi's character... has no clear purpose.

(sojiro voice) let me explain

each of the phantom thieves have a recurring theme of finding or rediscovering identity.

ryuji with track + his old teammates

ann with her stance on modeling

yusuke with his purpose for creating art (oh boy i also have a lot to say about Him)

makoto with her burnt out but not quite burnt out gifted kid syndrome

futaba with her purpose for living at all (ouch)

and haru with how she wants to define herself without her father's influence.

the only (ONLY) exceptions to this is akechi and the protagonist. akiren is the catalyst to aiding the others discover identity, and akechi already has his purpose in life so ingrained he doesn't need to (or doesn't bother) trying to grow as a person.

now... sumi.

she's first introduced as the brilliant gymnast honor student. over time, it's clear that she struggles with meeting others' (and even her own) expectations for herself.

if we follow the same formula for the other thieves, this would be when she'd start questioning why she does gymnastics at all, or who she does gymnastics for. instead, she double downs on her supposed love for the sport, and only spirals deeper and deeper when simple "hard work" doesn't pay off.

obviously we know why. she thinks she's her dead sister. but thematically, it just clashes with all the rest of the characters already presented, because the player now has no idea where her character's going with this. she suffers from the same thing makoto's character does: tons of payoff, no clear resolution.

by the end of the faith confidant she declares that she'll now be doing gymnastics as sumire, and not kasumi. that doesn't change the expectations stacked upon her to succeed. sumi never says, "it's okay if i don't succeed, because i'm doing my best." she says, "i'm going to succeed as sumire yoshizawa and not kasumi yoshizawa, and everyone will see me shine in my own way."

and don't get me wrong. it's a lovely conclusion on its own and i'm proud of her for it, but narratively it came so out of left field. there was no set up for that specific drive to succeed As Herself, because the entire set up thus far was that she just couldn't succeed at all. this is why the entire confidant felt so stilted to me.

and the reason for such a strange ending note is because of the twist itself. no one expected her to actually be her dead older sister. suddenly, sumi is a completely different person, and you're just supposed to roll with it through her confidant. there's just no time within the confidant itself for the player to digest it.

moving on from that though i just fucking hate how she's marketed. her entire palette is a copy and cut paste from joker's. her outfit is somehow worse than ann's--i get it, leotard for her gymnastic skills, but look up gymnastic leotards when you get the chance. there's no plunging necklines like her costume shows. her coat (again, carbon copy from joker's) is cut in the back in a way that no matter What You Do or How You Look at her, all you see is a flash of ass and thigh. the first thing you see of her the MOMENT YOU OPEN THE GAME is a slow pan up starting from her exposed crotch, for fuck's sake. fuck you atlus, she's fifteen.

also????? she's supposedly a gymnast, but she?? uses a ribbon??????? in her all out attack and in her final performance at the end of her confidant rank? is this just a localization issue? ribbon dancing and gymnastics are two very different sports???? someone explain??

she also pops up in thr story at the most random times, because the writing team over our beloved atlus couldn't figure out how to shoehorn her in to make her relevant to the main plot. why does she get the app in the first place, having nothing to do with the thieves as a whole? why does she awaken to a persona at all in maruki's palace, when all she does is vehemently deny who she really is?

dont argue with me on this, but the reason why she awakens to her persona SPECIFICALLY AT THAT POINT IN THE STORY at all... is so atlus could shove her into the opening cutscene where she "saves" joker. so the players could get hyped seeing her supple fifteen year old Pan Up From Crotch in the first five minutes of the game. joker didn't need saving. fuck off

and if you're gonna follow the rules already set in the p5 universe: how come she can use her persona so effectively in the first place? haru couldn't, even though she awakened. sumi definitely shouldn't be able to, given the whole... denying who she really is situation.

and lastly there's just some aspects of how she's depicted that rly irk me, but those are absolutely just my personal feelings. nothing inherently wrong with them, just annoying to me specifically:

- her over the top polite nature that only hinders her, but she doesn't abandon it to set straight boundaries with those being rude to her because she can't meet their expectation. even makoto told the principal to leave her alone that one time.

- the way she's so clearly shoved towards joker as the Canon Choice like makoto was in vanilla. p4 does this with rise, too, but it's far more bearable because of just how over the top she is with it, at least for me. i had a problem with yukari in p3 for much of the same reason as sumi.

- the fact that her outfit doesn't change after she accepts herself as sumire. i understand that it'd be a lot of work, but narratively, wouldn't it make more sense for it to change? akechi got two outfits (both ugly but i digress) for the two facets in his true self. if her thief outfit is a manifestation of her doubling down on her identity as kasumi, why doesn't it change? why is her hair, a clear indication of who she is as a person, still in a ponytail despite everything??? is she taking on kasumi's confidence in the metaverse?? it just isn't clear.

- her fucking magical girl transformation in her original awakening. sorry. it just wasn't necessary. again this is totally just a me thing but WOW it pissed me off so much first time i watched it, because what purpose was there to include that other than to make the player go "oooooooo shiny girl pretty girl near costume ooooooooo".

i think thats most of it. as a personality i adore sumi. it's why i love seeing her in art and fics. but as a Character made to drive a story's plot, there's so many holes i'm surprised the ship is still chugging along.

obligatory "this is my opinion im not forcing it onto you if you wanna dispute it with me go righr ahead, i love character analysis threads" here. jesus fuck this was long.

love you anon. muah <3

#sumire yoshizawa #read the entire thing before coming for my throat

[theshimadaslovers]

Awkward; The Lady, Part 3

*Already past at least one hour that Genji and Hanzo was talking in the bath and drinking sake; Genji was already kind out of himself, if you know what I mean. You were wating outside because Hanzo asked you to, he was worried if the foogy was making the bathroom too hot for you*

Hanzo- *laughs* You're already drunk?

Genji- Well...I picked up the bottle fully naked in the kitchen...has to worth something! I'm joking, just a little bit.

Hanzo- My goodness...*smirk and sighs* Right, we're here for to long already. *gets up*

Genji- C'mon, bro! We even talk about your... Lady~ *flirty voice*

Hanzo- Not now, Genji... she's outside. *put the towel on the waist*

Genji- She can't hear us.

Hanzo- Yes, she can, the door is literally paper, stupid. *whispers* I'm outside. *drying the hair with a smaller towel*

Genji- I'll stay here with my bestfriend...sake...*whinning* Long live the lonely ninja, Genji Shimada! *rise the bottle*

*Hanzo gaves his final laugh and open the door seeing you still standing there, waiting for him. He looked at you in surprise*

Hanzo- All this time you being standing up? You could have a sit *You didn't reply and he look at you curiously* Lady? Are you ok?

You- Mm? *You moved your eyes from his fancy body* Oh! Yes, I'm so sorry, sir!

Hanzo- *come closer* You said that...the towel was ok, right? If you feel uncomfortable, I can put my clo-? *look at you closely* Are you...blushing? Are you sick?

You- It's ok! I'm ok, sir, I swear! We can go to your room and you can change! *laugh nervously and walk fast out of the room*

Hanzo-.....? What the hell just happened? Did I said something wrong? Wait! Lady! *runs after you*

You- *you turn around already in somewhere else at the palace* Oh my God! Sir!

Hanzo- Did I said something wrong? *worried*

You- Sir! *you look around in panic* Sir! You're naked!

Hanzo- There's no one here, it's ok, right?

Sojiro- Ah...Hanzo?

Hanzo- *paralyzed and slowly turn around and see his father standing behind him holding a tea* Yes...father? *blush*

Sojiro- Why are you...*cleans throat* naked? *look at you* Is everything ok, Lady?

You- Yes, sir...Is just...a little mess...

Sojiro- Hanzo...my son *feeling more embarrassed each second* Can you please go back and put your clothes on?

Hanzo- Yes...father. *Extremely embarrassed and slowly walk back to the bathroom*

You- Oh dear... *looks at Sojiro and bow* I'm so sorry, master! I should have brought to him some clothes!

Sojiro- Well...yeah, but...what was happening?

You- I...I don't know how to explain right now, sir.

Sojiro- Right... ok. *slowly walks away suspicious*

You- * Wait for him disappear on the hallway, then you ran back to the bathroom to check on Hanzo* Sir?! Sir...? *You see Hanzo hiding himself inside the water, you could only see his eyes*

Hanzo-... *extremely embarrassed*

Genji- .... *looking at him confused* What happened?

You- Sir... *you slowly get close to the bath and he looks at you* I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have overreacted and ran away. *bow to him*

Hanzo- *Look away*

You- I'll bring your clothes, sir, be right back. *step out the bathroom kind worry with Hanzo and extremely guilty*

Genji- Isn't she different?

Hanzo- *move the head out of the water* What?

Genji- I mean, all the other girls are like robot, but her? She's totally the opposite.

Hanzo- Aren't you drunk?

Genji- Just a little bit, don't worry. By the way...what the duck happened? *chuckles* You guys meet each other today and already has being have a bunch of adventures together.

Hanzo- That is the...thing. Is being like...7 hours and I'm feeling out of me.

Genji- In fact she has a different vibe comparing to you, like, you're grumpy. *Hanzo dead stare* Let me finish first; you stay nervous around women, Hanzo, just accept that!

Hanzo- No! I don't, Genji! *stands up* Why everything is happening so fast?! I mean...! *shake his head* Why! Why I'm acting like a stupid kid?! I met her today! This is so immature! Grr! *grab his hair and Genji keep looking at him suspiciously* I'm serious, brother... I think her presence is doing something bad to me. I should talk with dad. This morning she try to give me the tea and I was shaking like a idiot! I'm not myself around her, this...! This woman! Is look like a fuc- stupid spell!

Genji- Daamn... *smirk*

Hanzo- ...? What? What did I said?

Genji- Did you heard yourself, man? *smiling getting bigger*

Hanzo- Why are you smiling, Genji? *sighs* Don't start! You're drunk!

Genji- Look, I'm going to explain to you first. *stands up* I'm young, ok? You're young too; I'm 20 and you're about to make 24, 25, I don't know. You're young after all.

Hanzo- So what?

Genji- Hehe...you have a little crush on her.

Hanzo- A what?

Genji- Crush...are you stupid or what?

You- *knock the door* Sir, can I come in? I have your clothes.

Hanzo- Aah...just a minute! I'm...you can let the clothes in front of the door, thank you!

You- No problem, I'll be helping the other Ladies with the lunch. *you left*

Hanzo- *immediately get close to Genji* What the HELL does that mean?!

Genji- You know those awkward moments you have with her? *Hanzo nods* Explains everything! You really look like a fool, no offense *laughs* You're feeling shy, overreacted, nervous, you feel something that you don't know if is good or bad, right? *Hanzo thinks...and nods* Cause you don't have any fucking experience with girls...you dumb, so you're completely confuse!

Hanzo- Wait...you're...you're saying that I'm in LOVE?!

Genji- Not loooove love...not yet! You know...you both have a great energy exchange. What we know about her personality until now as a Shimada Lady?

Hanzo- You just made up that name?

Genji- Yes, and I love it. She's kind, cute, very helpful and she's worry about you!

Hanzo- About what? I'm ok!

Genji- Yeah, but she wants to make sure that you're well 24 hours. Is her job anyway. You get what I mean?

Hanzo- I met her...Today... *facepalm* This is so stupid! Love at first sight is not real! And I can't fall in love!

Genji- But is not love, you dumbass! *laughs* Is a crush! It may just go away, you don't know. I believe that people can feel the others type of energy and she's a good energy for you. And you can't control it.

Hanzo- *sighs* Crush... *laughs* Stupid. I'm out.

Genji- Wait, really?! I made all this cute speech for you to say "I'm OUT"?!

Hanzo- Yes! I'll not be a stupid kid again with her! I'll be who I really am! A warrior, not afraid of anything, a future leader and older brother! I'll be the real grumpy! *keep talking while pick his clothes at the door* And I'll not...! *smell something* Wait, what... *smell the clothes* She...she put perfume on my clothes? *Genji come to smell too*

Genji- Uu wow, that's a comfortable smell. Yo, she's cute, man! *Laughs at him* You're a lucky bitch! *punch his arm* I think she's into you, no joke.

Hanzo- *sighs and close his eyes* Whatever. *Starts to put his clothes on*

Genji- Wha...? Hey, don't be a asshole with her, ok? This is the only thing a beg you, brother.

Hanzo- I know what I'm doing. I need to finish my arrows, don't let her come into my room again. *put the pants on and step out the bathroom*

Genji- Me...?! Why me? Really?! *look around* What a asshole...where's my sake?

Continue...

#overwatch #she/her #hanzo shimada #hanzo x you #genji x reader #young hanzo #overwatch hanzo #genji shimada #fanfiction #overwatch fanfiction

[narrators-journal]

Homecoming

I’m gonna keep my asks closed still, but I’m actually really proud of this bit of writing I did! It really boosted my confidence in my writing again, so I MIGHT open asks again soon, but I’m not sure...still on the fence.

For now, just enjoy me indulging in a fandom I am currently in the throws of being a fan of!

Now, on the topic of what to expect from this fic in particular. Creative liberties with the canon is a given. Akechi’s revealed to be alive, he is likely out of character in some fashion, and Akira is aged up so that he came to Tokyo at 17 and left it at 18. This story is just for fun, so please don’t come for me about these changes.

The day had come. In the blink of an eye, Akira had spent an entire year with Sojiro, attending Shujin academy, and making friends with the kids who had become the phantom thieves with him. And now, there he was. Waiting for a train with a suitcase in one hand and Morgana's weight pulling at the school bag on his shoulder.        "Man, do you have to leave? Can't you just continue to live at LeBlanc?" Ryuji asked with the best kicked-puppy look in his brown eyes, standing with the dark-haired teen while he waited, but Akira shook his head, making his friend sigh heavily, "Can't you stay with me? Maybe Haru?" He tried again, I wish I could, Akira thought, but instead of voicing the words, he simply continued to mournfully shake his head,        "My parents would miss me," He explained instead, watching the blonde's expression fall further and giving him a tight hug to communicate all of the regret and dread he didn't have the strength to say. Letting the ex-track star try to hug the breath out of him in return.        "Maybe I can hide in your suitcase. Come back with you," That suggestion got a small laugh from the teen, patting Ryuji's back comfortingly before the rumbling of his train arriving signaled it was time to separate. "At least keep in contact, okay?" The blonde sniffed, his brown eyes glistening, but any threatening tears were stubbornly kept from falling, much the same case as Akira's own eyes, he was sure.

With a nod, and one final, quick-yet-tight hug, Akira boarded.

Once on board, finding a seat was easy enough. The true challenge was finding ways to maintain his composure so that he wasn't sitting, curled up into a ball in the uncomfortable seat, shaking with anger, dread-ladden, and regretful sobs in front of the other passengers. 

Really, why AM I so attached to going home? I'm already eighteen, I don't technically need to go. He reminded himself, but the nagging sense of unfinished business chewing at his stomach gave the answer. However, he was pulled from further thoughts when someone gently tapped his shoulder,        "Excuse me, do you think I could sit there?" A gut-wrenchingly familiar voice asked, making the teen snap his head up to the brunette detective standing in the walkway, waiting for him to move his bag with a small, warm smile.

All of a sudden, it felt like time had slammed to a halt. Taking Akira's breath with it, and leaving the teen to silently gawk at his rival.           "May I sit down, Akira?" He asked again, obviously repressing a chuckle at the way the teen shook while snatching his school bag up to clear the seat, ignoring Morgana's startled complaints at being moved.

However, the detective sitting beside him didn't open any conversation branches. Akira was too busy being consumed by the tsunami of melancholy emotions that followed the brief yet blissful moment of shock, so, Akechi was the first to talk as time finally seemed to progress once more.         "Sorry for vanishing for so long, I needed to heal." He explained, running his fingers along the inside seam of his tan coat as he spoke, but Akira simply looked out the window silently, fighting against the tide of the ever-growing emotions that had been pulling at him all day.

However, he couldn't bring himself to ignore the brunette entirely. So, despite how raw he felt on the inside, he eventually turned himself just enough to be looking at the seat in front of him, still fearing looking directly at Akechi would break him, but moving so he could just glimpse him out of the corner of his eye.          "I thought...I thought you were dead." He muttered thoughtlessly, nearly choking on the words, but Akechi didn't acknowledge it if he noticed the heavy emotion in Akira's voice,         "I...admittedly don't know if I was," He shrugged, "I don't remember much after our last conversation until I came to in reality again." He paused to look at Akira, the teen feeling his gaze burrowing under his skin the longer he chewed on his explanation. "Sorry to disappoint."

Those words hit Akira like a punch to the gut. Did I want Akechi dead? He did try to kill me and backstabbed the entire group, he asked himself, and some shred of realism did seem to agree, but that small voice of reason didn't stop the dark-haired phantom thief from looking at his rival in horror and vigorously shaking his head, making the detective raise an eyebrow,         "Oh? So, did you miss me?" Akechi asked, Akira hearing the teasing smirk in his voice despite how Akechi's face remained only slightly intrigued and felt his cheeks begin to warm a bit.

Now, Akira wasn't exactly shy, he could admit he had a bit of a crush on his rival. However, Akechi had always been very polite and purely friendly when they'd interacted before. His being so playful and relaxed, had Akira returning his gaze to the back of the seat in front of him while his insides twisted into knots like a nervous school girl attempting a confession. That feeling wasn't helped when his silence earned a chuckle from the brunette, but after that, another stretch of silence fell between them, giving the teen a chance to reign in his warring emotions before getting up the nerve to ask,       "Why are you here?" Which made Akechi blink a bit,       "You mean on the train?" The detective skewed his mouth to the side as he thought of how to word his next few lines, "Well, I could lie and say it's for a case, but I followed you." He admitted, getting eyed quizzically by the phantom thief until he smiled more, "Maybe I'm going to kill you properly this time, I haven't decided."

That time it was his turn to shake his head and wave his hand dismissively as he laughed at the way Akira straightened in his seat and glared at him,        "I'm joking! I don't plan on trying a second time. I have no actual reason to now." He promised, but when the dark-haired teen's storm-cloud-colored eyes didn't lose their lightning, his humor faded and he just sighed, "Yes, I was- am, jealous of how you handle your circumstances, and how you have a family to go back to." He admitted with a momentarily dark look cast to the floor of the train before he continued in his casual tone again, unaware of how Akira had to bite back a physical cringe at his words, "But I've been given an out for my crimes. I don't wish to risk jail again by another attempt at ending you."

For a tense moment, Akira and Akechi stared at one another. With how easily the brunette had lied and manipulated him before, Akira made sure to scrutinize every small shift in the man's body language or glint in his eyes, but when he found nothing new in the darkness his companion's eyes held, he sighed and sat back in the uncomfortable train seat. Leaving the conversation there.

Instead, the duo simply spent the rest of the ride in silence. Akira stared out the window at the passing plant life and buildings, mulling over the bombshell that now sat beside him. Akechi simply read or played on his phone for the duration of the trip, oblivious to the battle of anguish and relief that waged an arm rest's width away from him.

What do I do now? The teen asked himself as buildings blurred by outside. He doesn't have the same venom he had when we last met, but I still can't say he's actually turned over a new leaf. What if this is still some facade? Flopping his head against the warm glass of the window, Akira sighed. Even after all of his agonizing over what to do, his heart hadn't changed, still, a brick sitting stubbornly in his ribcage. However, as if the maelstrom of emotions swirling inside of him needed a fresh dose of steroids, a new thought came to him. Oh god, Akechi's following me home. He's going to see where I come from and likely meet my parents.

Akira felt his spit sour in his mouth at the realization, almost certain the color had visibly drained from his face, but he tried his best to will it back before Akechi could question him. Judging by the sparks of embarrassment that were intermingling with his fear and dread, Akira couldn't take having to explain why his stomach churned at the thought of revealing his home issues to his crush.

Regardless of Akira's wishing though, the train slowed to a stop at the only train station his hometown claimed.        "Well, this looks like a quaint little town," Akechi hummed as the train pulled to a stop at the platform, "Do you mind if I get off with you?"

Even with Akira having already realized this possibility, the question still sent a bolt of confusion through his core, earning the brunette a bewildered look that likely read more you want to get off here?! rather than the Are you trying to kill me?! message it really had. So, Akechi simply rolled his mahogany-colored eyes,         "I'm not up to anything, or stupid. I'm just...trying to get to know my rival." He shrugged as he got up.

Akira sighed, but also didn't say no. In too deep at this point. So, when he gathered his bags to leave, Akechi wasn't far behind. Which made stepping out onto the familiar, empty platform feel even odder than the glasses-clad phantom thief with his ex-dead rival behind him had assumed returning home would feel after his year.         "It's weird how quiet this station is compared to the other. Very peaceful," Akechi noted, "Do I get to meet your parents next?" He asked, his words and smile almost sending butterflies swirling in Akira's stomach, but they were frozen solid before they could take off at the thought of his parents.          "Oh yeah! I wanna meet your mom and dad too!" Morgana chirped, poking his head out of the boy's bag as if the conversation had summoned him from his nap.

At first, Akira wanted to lie and say his parents were dead, or away on business, but he knew that wouldn't work. His hometown was far too small, everyone and their dogs were going to recognize him, and they'd either ask about his parents or try to warn Akechi about hanging around him. 

So, with a heavy heart, Akira called his mother.

#Persona #Persona 5 Royal #Akeshu #Akira x Akechi #I'll leave it up to you on whether or not they're platonic or romantic here #Might get a second part? Haven't decided #for fun

[vgckwb]

P5R: Rebel Girl (A FeMC Story/P5R Rework) Chapter 169: 5 Targets (And Revelation)

Sunday morning, Futaba was making her way to Leblanc. When she got to the door, she nearly bumped into Haru. “Oh!” they both said, surprised.

“Sorry,” Haru added.

“No, it’s..it’s alright,” Futaba added awkwardly. There was a bit of silence. “So, what are you doing here so early?”

“Oh, well, I was feeling a little listless,” Haru explained. “I felt that since we’re meeting up anyway, I may as well get a head start, you know?”

“I see,” Futaba said.

“Oh, but it doesn’t look like Leblanc is open yet,” Haru noted. “Perhaps we’re a bit too early.”

“Nah, that’s just for customers,” Futaba said. “We can go in.” She opened the door. And walked in. Haru was so puzzled by Futaba’s bravado that she couldn’t say anything. After a split second, she followed Futaba in. When they entered, they saw Ren eating breakfast and Sojiro standing at the counter. “Sojiro, I’m hungry!” Futaba belted out.

“OK, OK,’ Sojiro said. He looked up and was surprised to see Haru here as well. “Oh, um hello.”

“Hello,” Haru replied.

“You’re here early,” Ren remarked.

“I just wanted to get out of my head a little bit,” Haru said. “Father is having lawyers over to discuss his confession.”

“Woah,” Futaba remarked. “Sounds like it’s getting serious.”

Haru nodded. “Very much so. I decided to come down and just…hang out before we head out.”

“I see,” Ren said. “Want some breakfast?”

“Oh, um, well, I ate before coming here,” Haru said.

“Still, this’ll be your first time in Mementos,” Ren replied. “It might be better to fill up while you can.”

“Well, if you insist,” Haru said. She sat down next to Ren.

Futaba took a seat next to Haru. “I’m hungry too!”

“Alright, alright, settle down,” Sojiro said. “I’m on it.” He cooked up some curry for Futaba and Haru.

A little while later, the rest of the Phantom Thieves showed up. They were all a little surprised to see Haru there already, but Hau explained herself to them.

They began meeting about what targets they have. “Is everyone ready?” Morgana asked. They all nodded. “Good. Now let’s go over our targets.”

Ren nodded. “First on our list: Shinpei Honjo, He’s an editor for a newspaper who is currently working to cover up at least one news story, and potentially many others.”

“Man what an asshole!” Ryuji said. “He’s supposed to give us the truth, but he’s feeding us lies? Eff that!”

“While I might not have said it in the way Ryuji just did, I agree,” Makoto said. “Something has to be done!”

“Alright,” Ren said. “Next up: Mitsuyo Togo.”

“She’s Hifumi’s mother, correct?” Yusuke asked.

Ren nodded. “She’s pressuring her daughter to do things she doesn’t want to do: Become a model. Throw her next shogi match. She’s not even listening to reason.”

“Well then, we must stop her!” Yusuke said, determined. “As someone who knows what it’s like to have a parental figure abuse the art you create, I am 100% in favor of intervening here!”

“Well said,” Ren responded. “Next up: Chikara Hada. He’s my parole officer.”

“Um,” Haru interjected, “would that be a little suspect on your part?”

“Maybe not,” Futaba said. “I’m looking into this guy right now. ‘Aggressive’ is too light of a word to describe him.”

“Oh my!” Haru said.

“Plus, Boss asked me to,” Ren explained. “He said that when he stopped by and heard Futaba’s voice that  must be involved in a smuggling ring.”

“WHAT?!” Futaba shouted. “That’s ludicrous!”

“I’ll say,” Ren said. So, I take it we’re onboard then?” Everyone nodded. “OK, next up, we have Yohei Kiritani. He’s been posing as a homeless guy, but has been going around killing people ‘to help The Phantom Thieves.’”

“WHAT?!” Ann shouted. “That’s insane!”

“I agree,” Jose said. “We HAVE to put a stop to this!”

“I take it no objections then,” Ren said. “So then, lastly we have Katsuo Otani and Hachio Tanimoto: A pair of delinquents who are getting out of hand. They lend money to people and demand a lot more than they gave out. And if you don’t pay up, they harass you, violently.”

“Sounds a lot like Kaneshiro,” Sumire remarked.

“And they don’t mind dragging others into it,” Ren explained. “I came across them attacking the boyfriend of someone who needed a loan.”

“What jerks!” Lena said. “We should put a stop to this!”

“Very well then,” Ren said. “It seems like we agree. So let’s head out!” The team nodded.

They started getting up, when Sojiro interrupted. “Hold it!” They looked at him. He approached Haru. “Tomorrow’s a holiday, meaning you don’t have school. I was planning on taking Ren shopping for some furniture for her room, but if you still need some space from your home, you can come along if you’d like.”

“Oh, uh, are you sure?” Haru asked.

Sojiro nodded. “I insist.”

“Well then, thank you,” Haru said.

“Don’t mention it,” Sojiro replied. He went back behind the counter.

“Well then, let’s head out for real,” Ren instructed. Again, everyone nodded, and they left.

Once In Memenots, Haru was awestruck. “Wow! This is certainly different than what I was expecting.”

“What were you expecting?” Yusuke asked.

“Well…I’m not sure…” Haru answered. “But this wasn’t it.”

“Fair,” Yusuke replied.

“It didn’t used to look like this,” Jose said.

Everyone looked at him. “What?!” Makoto said.

“But when we came down here the first time, it looked like this, didn’t it?” Ryuji said.

Jose nodded. “That was when we met. But I’ve been down here before you guys showed up.”

“I…guess that makes sense,” Ann said. “We did find you down here.”

“So, what was it like beforehand?” Futaba asked.

“It was more reminiscent of a subway system,” Jose explained. “Although it was more…warped, I guess is how you could put it.”

“Why did it change?” Makoto asked.

“And when?” Lena added.

“It changed with the emergence of Eris,” Morgana said.

“Wait, you knew this too?!” Ryuji asked. “Why didn’t you say anything?!”

“I figured it wasn’t that important,” Morgana said. “I was only created after Eris emerged, so I don’t know what it used to look like. Besides, it doesn’t change much. Our target is at the bottom of this place. What it looks like is mostly irrelevant.”

The others were a little confused, but Ren interjected “Don’t be mad at him. I knew as well.”

“WHAT?!” Ryuji shrieked.

“Huh?!” Ann yelped.

“How?” Jose wondered.

Ren paused. “When I first came to Tokyo, Eris pulled me into a dream. Well, it was more like a vision. It was her confronting Yaldabaoth, and when she destroyed him, I saw a bunch of things. They were…visions of the palaces and how they’d change. Except for your mom’s palace Cupid, but I think that’s because her palace didn’t fully form.”

“Huh,” Lena replied.

“Anyway,” Ren said, picking it back up, “the last thing I saw was the train system turning into this garden. I didn’t say anything because, well, a lot was happening, and by the time I thought to, it didn’t quite matter as much. Because Mona’s right, it doesn’t really matter what this place looks like, just what it is.”

There was a silence among the team. They were unsure how to react. Until Sumire walked over to her girlfriend and gave her a hug. “It’s OK. I think we understand. All of this is a lot to take in.”

Ren blushed, smiled, and hugged Sumire back “Thanks Violet.” She nested her head on Sumire’s. Eventually, they let go.

“So…what now?” Yusuke asked.

“Well…with that out of the way, I think we should proceed,” Makoto said.

“I agree,” Haru replied. “But this place looks fairly big. Going through it might be tough.”

“Nyeh heh heh,” Morgana chuckled. “Not to worry! I have just the thing. TRANSFORM!” He transformed into a car.

“Oh how WONDERFUL!” Haru said.

“Nyeh heh!” Morgana cheered. “You like?”

“I do like!” Haru cheered.

“Wait till you see the inside!” Jose said.

“Although it might be a bit crammed with all of us…” Yusuke noted.

“Only if you think that way,” Ren said. “Let’s roll!” The thieves entered Morgana and started driving through Mementos.

Once they made it to a portal, they got out. Ren recognized Ohya’s boss. “That’s Shinpei Honjo.”

“The new editor?” Ann wondered. “The guy who’s covering up stories?”

“That’s the one,” Ren said. “Let’s go.” They approached.

Honjo took notice of them. “Hm? Who are you?”

Ren grew determined. “We’re The Phantom Thieves!”

“Oh? Here for an interview?” Honjo asked.

“No, but we have your front page for tomorrow,” Ren answered. “You confessing to covering up stories and letting Ohya investigate!”

“Grr,” Honjo hissed. “So, you’re on HER side, huh. I KNEW she had more dirt! Well, I guess I’ll just have to take you in myself. That’ll show her!”

“Someone’s jealous,” Sumire remarked.

“Of that alcoholic, pathetic, desperate excuse of a writer?!” Honjo shot back. “I’m more a journalist than she’ll ever be!” He transformed into Take-Minakata. “Here’s tomorrow’s REAL headline: Phantom Thieves Found Dead!”

“Now you’re spreading fake news too,” Morgana said. “Pathetic!” They battled Honjo, and beat him hand over fist. “Man, we're getting good!”

“Well, there are eleven of us now,” Yusuke remarked.

Honjo reverted to his human form and looked defeated. Ren noticed something in his expression. “What’s wrong?”

“I…I really am jealous…” Honjo said. “Ohya has such passion, such a drive for her work…I lost it somewhere along the way.”

“Why are you covering up stories?” Makoto asked.

“I’m getting paid to,” Honjo admitted. “Before you ask, I don’t know by who or why. Whoever’s doing it pays the board, and the board pays me. I’ve got a family, and raising kids isn’t easy. Especially with the transitions we need to make to accommodate today’s technological shift.”

“Still, that’s no excuse,” Sumire said.

“You’re right,” Honjo said. “I’ll make things right. Thank you.” He disappeared. Ren grabbed the treasure, and they left.

As they continued further, Sumire asked “Say, do you think that the people paying that guy are involved with the person Kobayakawa mentioned?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Ryuji answered.

“I’m almost certain they are,” Yusuke added.

“Oh,” Sumire said. “I’m a little worried then. If these people go after that guy like they did with Kobayakawa.”

“I doubt it,” Ren said.

“What makes you so sure?” Lena asked.

“For the sound of it, it sounds like a simple exchange,” Ren said. “They get money for saying or not saying things. I don’t think you need anyone high enough on that ladder to do that.”

“I can look into it too, just in case,” Futaba said.

“I think Ohya can look into things as well,” Ren said.

“I think she might even if you didn’t ask her too,” Morgana replied.

“True,” Ren said. “Like her boss said, she has a knack for this.” They continued on.

They got to another portal and entered it. On the other side, they found a woman. “That’s Hifumi’s mother, correct?” Jose added.

“Yup, that’s her,” Ren answered.

“We should put a stop to her abuse,” Yusuke said.

“Agreed,” Ren replied. They approached her.

“Oh, what’s this?!?” Hifumi’s mom. “Paparazzi?”

“Not quite,” Ann said.

“We’re here to free Hifumi from your clutches!” Ren declared.

“WHAT?!” Hifumi’s mom said. “You can’t be serious.”

“As a heart attack,” Ren countered.

“What you’re doing to her is nothing short of abuse!” Yusuke added. “You WILL stop your meddlesome behavior at ONCE!”

“Well, I hate to disappoint a crowd, but no,” Hifumi’s mom countered.

“I’m afraid we aren’t asking,” Yusuke said.

“GrrrrrrrRAGH!” Hifumi’s mom growled. She transformed into Lilim. “Hifumi’s MINE! I can do what I want with her!”

“Pathetic,” Yusuke said. They engaged in a battle, and again despite Mitsuyo’s underhanded tactics, The Phantom Thieves won.

Mitsuyo reverted back. “Why?...Why can’t I have anything? My husband is sick, and I don’t know what else to do to help make ends meet besides making Hifumi an overnight sensation…”

“She’s really good at shogi, right?” Jose said. “I’m sure she’d do enough to help.”

There was some hesitancy on the part of Mitsuyo. “I’ve…I’ve been rigging her games.”

“WHAT?!” Yusuke said, shocked.

“Why?” Morgana asked.

“It helped the narrative,” Mitsuyo said.

“And that’s also why you were pulling her away from it?” Ren inquired.

Mitsuyo nodded. “She really is good at shogi. But I thought if she could face tougher opponents, she’d become more of a household name. But I guess she wasn’t ready for it.”

“She was,” Ren said. “What she wasn’t ready for was this scheme of yours. She enjoys playing shogi, and uses what she can to help out. Win, lose, or draw, she would fight against even the greatest shogi player of all time. Because unlike you, she knows when to admit defeat.”

Mitsuyo looked at the thieves. “Well, I guess I’ll start learning. Thank you.” She disappeared, and Ren grabbed her treasure.

“Very well put, Joker,” Yusuke said.

“But this’ll surely rock the shogi world,” Makoto said.

“Yeah, but didn't you hear Joker?” Jose said. “Hifumi can weather it.”

Makoto nodded. “You’re right Sunshine.” They continued onward.

They got to the floor with the next door they needed to open, and in the way stood a man. “I believe that’s Yohei Kiritani: the guy who pretends to be homeless but then goes and kills people. Be on your guard!” The others nodded as they approached him.

“Eh heh heh!” Yohei chuckled. “Well if it isn’t The Phantom Thieves!”

“What’s with the cheerful attitude?” Ryuji asked.

“Yeah, we’re here to make you confess,” Lena said

“Me? Confess?!” Yohei said, stunned. “But I did nothing wrong!”

“You’ve killed people,” Futaba countered.

“I’ve killed people in the name of JUSTICE!” Yohei said. “You and I are two sides of the same coin!”

“DON’T LUMP THE TWO OF US TOGETHER!” Makoto shouted. “We’d NEVER stoop so low as to kill anyone!”

“Besides, you’re giving homeless people a bad name!” Sumire said. “They already have it hard enough as is.”

“Well, it seems like we’re at an impasse,” Yohei said. “I guess I just have to kill you and take the mantle for myself.”

“I’d like to see you try!” Morgana dared.

“Oh yeah?” Yohei said. He transformed into Rakshasa. “Bring it on!” This fight was a little tougher than the previous two had been, but in the end The Phantom Thieves and their justice prevailed.

He transformed back. “So, you’ll turn yourself in?” Makoto said.

“I guess I have to,” Yohei said. “But just know, there may come a time when you can’t take the pacifist route anymore.”

“That’s for us to decide,” Ren retorted.

“Hm,” Yohei chuckled. “You know, I pray you hold to it.” He disappeared.

Ren grabbed the treasure, and then opened up the door. “Let’s keep moving,” she instructed. The others nodded, and they continued down.

They found the fourth portal and entered. In it, they saw two mean-looking kids. “So that’s Katsuo Otani and Hachio Tanimoto,” Lena remarked. “If I recall, these two are extortionists.”

“Correct,” Ren said.

“Well then, let’s put an end to their reign of terror!” Sumire shouted. They nodded and approached.

The two boys looked at the oncoming thieves. “Who are you?” one of them asked.

“C’mon Hachio,” Katsuo said. “Don’t you know? They’re The Phantom Thieves!”

“Oh yeah, the guys that took down bossman Kaneshiro,” Hachio said.

“You WORKED for Kaneshiro?!” Makoto said.

“Course,” Katsuo answered. “We had a good thing going.”

“But weren’t you blackmailed?” Sumire asked.

“Psh, only if we disobeyed,” Katsuo said.

“Yeah, we were THRIVING,” Hachio said. “But then it all fell apart because of you!”

“Luckily, we’ll rise from the ashes and take his place,” Katsuo said, “one sucker at a time!”

“Like HELL you will!” Makoto declared.

“Aren’t you somethin’?” Katsuo said. Katsuo transformed into Ganesha, and Hachio transformed into Jatayu. “Well, we’ll just have to claim our vengeance!” They proceeded to fight. The duo’s penchant for fighting and cruel tactics made things hard, but just like everyone else, they lost.

The two reverted back and were breathing heavily. “Had enough?” Makoto said, menacingly.

“Or are you thirsty for more?” Lena added.

“GAH!” Katsuo shouted.

“What do we do?” Hachio said.

“You turn yourselves in,” Makoto instructed. “Understood?”

“Yes ma’am!” they both said. They disappeared, and Ren took their treasure.

“Woah!” Ryuji said.

“You’re really cool Queen-senpai,” Sumire said.

Lena nodded. “You really know how to command power.”

“Oh, uh, well…” Makoto said, embarrassed.

Ren giggled. “Let’s keep moving.” They left the portal and continued through Mementos.

They found their last portal and entered it. They spotted a police officer. “That guy’s your parole officer?!” Ryuji remarked. “He seems…uh…a little unhinged…”

“From what I’ve read, he’s a lot unhinged,” Futaba said.

“From what we’ve been told, I don’t doubt it,” Yusuke said.

“Well then, let’s stop him!” Haru said. They approached him.

Officer Hada looked at them. “Well well well, if it isn’t the Phantom Thieves! Come to turn yourselves in to the most brilliant detective mind in Japan?”

“Not in particular,” Yusuke said.

“We’re here to change your heart!” Futaba shouted.

“WHAT?!” Hada said. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. Criminal scum such as yourselves don’t go quietly.”

“What makes you think you’re the best detective mind in Japan?” Ann asked.

“Yeah, that title belongs to Akechi,” Lena chimed in.

“PAH! That UPSTART?!” Hada said. “I’m a better detective than he’ll ever be! I’m better than ANY detective will ever be! And I’ll PROVE it by taking you in!” He transformed into Byakhee. “DIE!” This fight was the hardest they’ve had today, but just like everyone else, Hada too fell to The Phantom Thieves.

He transformed back. “...It’s not fair…”

“What’s not fair?” Ren asked.

“I’ve only made a couple of mistakes!” Hada pleaded, crying his eyes out. “And yet everyone on the force treats me as some kind of outcast. I just wanted recognition!”

“So that’s why he’s so aggressive,” Sumire said.

“I’ve heard them talking about some kind of grand plan,” Hada said. “I wanted to be part of it, but they kept me away, saying ‘Oh, you’ll just ruin it like everything else.’”

“I see,” Ryuji said. “Wait, WHAT?!”

“But I guess I’m not that good,” Hada said. “But know this: As long as you stand on the side of injustice, justice will always prevail! But I guess I was on the side of injustice too.” He faded, and Ren took his treasure. Everyone was stunned, and just left silently.

As they were traveling, Lena asked “That thing he mentioned…you think it’s the same as…?”

“Most assuredly,” Yusuke said.

“I don’t doubt it,” Futaba said.

“Still, I can’t help but feel a little sorry for him,” Ryuji said. “He just wanted a place to belong. Even if he’s a piece of shit, anyone can understand that.”

“I agree,” Lena said. “While he may have been going about it the wrong way, I can’t say I don’t understand.”

They got to the next door. Ren approached it, and just like clockwork, it didn’t open. “Oh my,” Haru said.

“We can’t open it yet,” Ren said. “I’m guessing this’ll unlock when your father confesses Noir.

“So, what do we do in the meantime?” Haru asked.

“We go back,” Ren said. “We bide our time, get more requests, and hopefully find another true blue palace to raid.” Makoto flinched a little at the prospect of finding another palace, knowing her sister is on that list somewhere.

“Actually,” Futaba interjected, “before we leave, can we do something else?”

“What is it Oracle?” Ann asked.

“Well, after what happened last time, I’ve decided to scan a few things,” Futaba explained.

“You mean with Kobayakawa?” Ryuji asked.

Futaba nodded. “When we come into Mementos, the station goes from bustling to empty, but the station layout remains the same. But from my readings, outside the station has some major readings that feel at least somewhat similar to Kobayakawa’s.”

Everyone was shocked. “Well let’s check it out then,” Ren said. The thieves headed back all the way up Mementos. Once at the top of Mementos, they headed up the stairs but still remained in the metaverse. After they entered the barren station, Ren instructed, “Alright, let’s have a look around.” The thieves nodded and started looking.

During their search, Haru approached one of the entrances and found something that shook her to her core. “Uh guys?! I think I found it!” Everyone else came rushing to her position, and were equally stunned.

In front of them was a wall of water. Beyond the wall was the Tokyo they knew, but it looked ruinous. “WHAT THE SHIT?!” Ryuji yelped.

“Wha-what’s going on?!” Makoto shrieked.

“How peculiar,” Yusuke said.

“That’s a mild way of putting it,” Ann said.

“Should one of us…go out there?” Lena asked.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Sumire said. “I don’t know if we can even survive out there for starters.”

“Kobayakawa did have a diving suit,” Morgana pointed out.

“Besides, we’ve done a lot today,” Jose said. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I feel tired.”

“Not to mention, this is Noir’s first trip down here,” Ren added.

“Still, THIS IS CRAZY!” Futaba exclaimed. “But I agree, going in there now is a mistake.”

“Well, maybe we can make a plan to try and explore it further when we come back,” Haru suggested.

“Good thinking Noir,” Ren said. “In the meantime, I think we should head out for real. Good job everyone!” Everyone nodded once more, and they headed back to the real world, and to their homes for the evening.

#female ren #femc #p5 #p5 femc #p5r #persona 5 #persona fanfiction #p5r rework #ren amamiya #p5 rework #haru okumaru #futaba #sojiro sakura #morgana #ryuji sakamoto #ann takamaki #jose #sumire yoshizawa #yusuke kitagawa #makoto niijima #Lena Minamoto

[oraclememehacker]

M!Anon your persona is now humanish and is at your house.

"I wonder...let's see..." Futaba was currently working on designs and concepts for a new game, one that would be a basic platformer and puzzle game where one would control a cat going through various levels to get to the end. It would have appropriate cat themed obstacles to deal with and the cat would of course be based on Morgana but not be exactly him so the not a cat cat would yell at her. As she was working on that this is when she would hear a knocking from the front door.

She wasn't expecting any visitors today and she was pretty sure Sojiro wasn't as well, or Wakaba and Sophia, all of which were at the cafe. This was giving her bad Deja vu flashbacks to when she was attacked and nearly killed, so she decided to look out her window but couldn't see them. So, she went out of her room and had something in hand as a self-defense weapon just in case. As soon as she got to the front door and opened it, she saw someone who looked...odd.

They were human...ish, with what looked to be a ufo for a head and tentacles for arms. Something about the design looked familiar and as it tried to speak, saying "Futaba..." The voice instantly became recognizable. Her persona?! How? It wrapped its tentacles around her, and she was suddenly too close to it and was squirming to get out of its grasp. "P-Please...l-let me go...Necro, I know it's you, I hope anyways...what is going on now? And how am I going to explain this to the others?"

Well, this was certainly an unexpected thing...

#Email Reply (Inbox Ask) #Anonymous #Musing #The Oracle Navi (Futaba Sakura IC) #M!Anon Necrohuman

[personalitynexus]

JOKER, do you have the dokis for ryuji

“Ryuji is my best friend and, aside from Morgana, my closest confidant. I love him in a way that isn’t romantic, but platonic and often mistaken for romantic. Does that make any sense?”

#Phantom Thief {Joker} #-in his best Sojiro voice- LET ME EXPLAIN #Anonymous

[mypunkpansexualtwin]

Noticing the Little Things

-shows up a week late to Kiss Ryuji Day with Starbucks- I’ve contributed to a fandom event! mo you didn’t contribute shit I’ve contributed! Took a break from Misguided Wingman, so instead of a WIP Wednesday, y’all are getting 6.6k words of fluff instead!

Under a cut cause that’s a little much, and link to AO3 in the reblogs cause tumblr does terrible things to posts with links in them.

Hey, come meet my mom!

Ryuji had sprung the offer on him last minute via dead of the night text. It wasn’t as though he’d been trying to catch Ren off guard intentionally; it was more a matter of this being her first full day off in nearly a month that hadn’t fallen through for one reason or another. Ren had quickly learned that those sorts of days were few and far between, and notoriously difficult to plan around because of it. Even rarer were the days where both Sakamotos’ schedules lined up for a full day of quality time, especially now with the addition of Phantom Thievery. And Ryuji had offered to share this once in a blue moon opportunity with his best friend. Naturally, even as tired as he’d been when the message came through, Ren had jumped at the chance. For once it (mostly) didn’t have anything to do with his crush on his best friend that could have been viewed from space, Ren was just excited to finally meet the woman whose praises Ryuji’d been singing since they met.

The next morning, Ryuji had texted him again uncharacteristically bright and early--especially for a Sunday--hoping to put their heads together for something nice to do for her. He didn’t want her to do a bunch of work on one of her rare days off and Ren didn’t blame him one bit. He pitched the idea of takeout; no effort to cook, no dishes to wash, only trash to take out after. Ryuji shot it down, hesitant to admit that they couldn’t quite afford enough takeout for all three of them this late in the month and even less willing to ask Ren to cover the whole thing. Which meant going out to eat somewhere was probably also a no-go. And then Ren was struck by divine inspiration.

Or rather, he looked down at the breakfast that Sojiro had so kindly prepared for him before Leblanc opened. And then he texted Ryuji.

What if I made curry?

And that was how he ended up spending the rest of his morning at the grocery store, picking through produce with such a critical eye that it would have brought a tear to Sojiro’s. He’d assured Ryuji several times over that it was no trouble, he needed the practice anyway and he’d gotten some sizable bonuses from a couple of his jobs, so the shopping was no issue. Ren sent the list of what he needed and, after a little more convincing, Ryuji had sent back a list of what they didn’t already have in the apartment, as well as a promise to have the kitchen ready when he arrived and to do dishes after all of his friend’s hard work. On top of the rest of his list, Ren added a nice tuna filet for Morgana, who’d be stuck in Yongen all day rather than risk getting anyone in trouble for bringing the not-a-cat to the Sakamoto apartment.

Ren double checked his bags and tried to shake off the feeling that he was missing something while Morgana halfheartedly berated him between bites of fish for being left behind. Halfway down the stairs to the cafe, it hit Ren and he couldn’t help but feel a little dumb for forgetting. His thumbs skated over his phone screen to ask Ryuji a question, only to get a question himself from Sojiro.

“Got everything you need to impress your mother-in-law, kid?” His tone was teasing as he looked over the boy’s armful of groceries. Ren sputtered an objection that was less actual coherent words and more disconnected, indignant noises, red as the bell peppers he’d selected as his caretaker chuckled. His phone buzzed as Ryuji’s answer came in.

“Actually…” Ren managed after the worst of the heat faded from his cheeks. “I was wondering if I could borrow a couple of things?”

-----

“Out.” Ren commanded, brandishing a freshly washed carrot like a dagger and flicking the water off of it at his friend.

“Hey! It’s my kitchen!” Ryuji argued but stepped back anyways with his hands up in a vain attempt to shield himself from the droplets.

“They’re my groceries. Go sit, I’m cooking.” Ren retorted and turned back to the cutting board. Sakamoto-san’s laugh could be heard from the living room, not that that was very far. It was a small apartment and the kitchen and living room weren’t so much two separate rooms as they were one room about the size of Leblanc’s attic interrupted by a short stretch of countertop. When he’d first come in, Sakamoto-san had scooped up the groceries from Ren’s arms before he’d gotten half a word of greeting out, Ryuji had dragged him off for a quick tour of the apartment, and he’d come back to everything he’d need laid out in a neat array next to the stove in the five minutes he’d been distracted.

“He fusses if he doesn’t get to help.” She explained while Ren worked. “He does it to me, too, y’know.” He couldn’t help but wonder with a roll of his eyes where ever could his best friend have gotten that habit from?

“Oh I fuss if I don’t get to help?” The blond asked dryly and then helpfully voiced Ren’s inner sarcastic inquiry: “Wonder where I picked that up?” A smile found its way onto Ren’s face as they continued bantering back and forth while he worked, Sakamoto-san sipping on tea in front of the television and Ryuji leaning on the counter from the living room side to watch his best friend cook.

It was comfortable, but not quite in the same way Leblanc had become; the cafe was a place to rest, to breathe, to hide. His attic bedroom felt undeniably safe, but was somehow paradoxically isolated from the world around it and almost entirely devoid of privacy. The apartment, though… With the sound of the tv providing soft background noise to Ryuji and his mother’s easy conversation and the smell of curry spices filling every corner of the small space, it felt safe in a way that felt like home, in a way the attic hadn’t quite managed yet, in a way his own home hadn’t really felt since he was a little kid. Something tense in Ren’s chest unwound and he hadn’t realized he was humming until Ryuji and Sakamoto-san had stopped talking to listen. It wasn’t even particularly good, at least as far as he was concerned, but it was the only way to get rid of the Velvet Room’s mysterious song when it got stuck in his head like it lived there. The silence stretched for an uncomfortable beat when he realized he had an audience.

“Um.” He glanced up from the frying pan for a moment, then quickly back down to it to hide his blush after meeting two matching sets of wide, brown eyes watching him. Nothing like an unblinking stare to make one self-conscious. “S-sorry. Did I interrupt you two?”

“Oh no, not at all! You have a lovely voice, Ren. Don’t let us stop you.” Sakamoto-san insisted with a kind smile that turned a little too knowing as she glanced over at her son.

“Yeah, man, you ain’t gotta quit ‘cause of us.” Ryuji affirmed, still watching him with a grin and a warm, wide-eyed look that the other boy couldn’t quite put a name to. “And she’s right, you’re pretty good. Hell, maybe we shoulda gone to that karaoke place for real the one time so you could show off.” Heat rose to Ren’s face that had nothing to do with the food he was cooking.

“Well, we could always go back, make that our next celebration after-- uh,” Ren quickly changed course before he accidentally blurted out ‘after the next change of heart’ in front of Sakamoto-san, “after exams. Get everyone together, take turns picking songs, that sort of thing.” Ren suggested. “Of course, that means you’d have to sing, too.”

“No way--!” The blond tried to object before his mother cut him off in her own excitement.

“Oh that sounds so fun!” She grinned more widely, with a mischievous gleam in her eye. Ren had seen an identical look on her son’s face enough times to slightly dread whatever she was about to say. “Maybe you boys could do a duet? I know a few songs that’d--”

“Mommmm!” Ryuji groaned indignantly while Ren smothered a laugh and prayed any color in his cheeks could be written off as a result of leaning over the hot stove.

-----

Ren watched a flurry of movement from where he’d gotten up to stir the curry and break out the pour-over setup. Boss had only let him borrow this one because it had been chipped a few years prior--still functional, but no longer restaurant quality--and because Ren had laid the flattery on especially thick when he begged to use it.

“Ooh, you’re gonna make coffee? I’ll be right back, I know what else’ll go perfect with it!” Ryuji had jumped up and all but bolted for the door. “Be right back!”

“Wait, I was just--” He tried to tell the blond, but the door had already snapped shut before he could finish, “--setting it up.” He sighed and offered a helpless shrug to Sakamoto-san. “It’s supposed to go with the curry, but that’s going to be simmering for a while.”

Sakamoto-san chuckled and smiled fondly in the direction her son had disappeared. “You know how excitable he can be, and he’s been looking forward to introducing us for a couple of months now.” She stood and stretched with a groan, then walked over and leaned on the counter. Ren could practically feel her gaze on him as he worked; even with as warm and casual as the look on her face was, something in her eyes felt scrutinizing. He was being sized up with no idea as to why. Sakamoto-san’s smile stayed in place, as gentle as before when she asked, “why not brew us each a cup anyway? Ryuji’s been raving about the one you made him and how well it’d go with old lady Ueda’s ginger peach danishes since the beginning of summer. And since he’s even less of a coffee drinker than I am, I’m eager to see the master at work.”

“If you want to see the master at work, you’ll have to come by Leblanc and meet So-- um, Sakura-san.” He explained with a nervous, slightly forced chuckle of his own. After a moment of internal debate, Ren nodded. “But I did bring enough for everyone to have a couple of cups. Couldn’t hurt to see if you like it as much as Ryuji does. Maybe I’ll impress you just as much, Sakamoto-san.” That had been exactly why he was doing this, why he had worked so hard to convince Boss to part with even a little of his cafe equipment.

She barked a laugh at that and startled Ren enough that he nearly knocked over the bag of coffee he’d traded away a full week of work for. “Two things. Three, actually. One, please just call me Hana. Because, two, I’ve been impressed with you for months, kid. And, three, don’t beat yourself up if you can’t impress me as much as Ryuji ‘cause that’s gonna be an awfully high bar to clear. I don’t know exactly what you did to do it, but you pulled him out of…” Hana-san trailed off with a sigh, and then continued with a slightly thick edge to her voice, “out of a pretty dark place, y’know. My boy adores you.”

With that and the overwhelming warmth in her eyes, Ren could feel his own throat tightening, but he managed to choke out a weak, “O-okay.” And then he couldn’t force anything else out. How were you supposed to react to hearing your probably-unrequited-crush’s mom tell you that said crush adored you? As if she could read the question on his face, she reached over to clap him on the shoulder encouragingly.

“Don’t worry about sayin’ anything, My sunshine’s told me you’re not much of a talker. Just make sure you keep showin’ him how much he means to you too, alright?”

“I will. Thank you, Hana-san.” He finally replied and got the same annoyed frown he’d gotten from Ryuji two days into their friendship, when he’d met his new nickname with Ryuji’s family name. Although responding to Renren with Sakamoto back then had been an attempt at teasing on Ren’s part, calling Sakamoto-san by just her given name felt like too much.

The door creaked open and pulled her attention off of Ren as Ryuji came bouncing through, nearly forgetting to kick off his shoes in his excitement to deliver the prized pastries.

“You weren’t kidding when you said this one was formal, sunshine.” She sighed. “And damn, I’ve never seen you make that trip so fast. You that excited to show off to your Renren? ” Ryuji squawked in offense and Ren could feel his face flame at how she’d emphasized his nickname.

“N-nah, he could probably sense that I was just about to ask about embarrassing baby pictures is all.” Ren deflected as he went back to prepping their coffee.

The only thing better than the look of utter betrayal Ryuji gave him was the one of unbridled delight on Hana-san’s face.

-----

Dinner had passed cheerfully, if somewhat raucously, as Hana-san and Ryuji regaled their guest with stories about Ryuji’s childhood, and the boys entertained her with stories about their time together since the beginning of the school year. Ren felt himself opening up more and more easily as the meal had gone by and even shared a few stories from his time working at Leblanc, as well as the specifics behind balancing the night’s coffee and curry. As per usual, Ryuji didn’t really seem to be absorbing the specifics, but seemed more than happy to watch his friend talk about something he was enthusiastic about. Ren was even openly laughing by the end of dinner while he and Ryuji recounted the time they had met up for lunch after separately incurring Ushimaru’s wrath by falling asleep in class, then bursting out laughing at each other’s identical chalk bruises on their foreheads. They didn’t mention that each of them still had the other’s half of the subsequent selfie set as their phone’s home screen.

Afterwards, the atmosphere in the apartment settled a little when Ryuji shooed both his mother and his best friend out of the kitchen to sort out leftovers and wash dishes. In the meantime, Ren and Hana-san sat in comfortable quiet in the living room while half-watching the talk show on tv and enjoying the last of the coffee and danishes. Ryuji had been spot-on, Ren noted, the flavor paired beautifully with what he’d been secretly calling the Kidd Blend since he first got his right hand man’s seal of approval. As per usual, even if Ryuji didn’t have a head for the specifics, his instincts were unparalleled.

“He’s got good taste, right?” Hana-san remarked as she watched Ren’s thoughtful chewing. He nodded. Again with that uncanny ability to read him; it would have been unsettling if he hadn’t already been used to it from Ryuji and just figured that she was where he got it from. She cracked a smile after taking another sip from her coffee and said, “I gotta admit, I was skeptical when he said it was good enough to go with our favorite dessert. Figured he was just talking you up again ‘cause I’ve never had a cup of coffee I actually liked. I only drink it if I need the caffeine fix. But this? This is damn good.” Hana-san drained the cup and let out a satisfied sigh before she settled back a little further into her seat.

At that point Ren had been keeping a running tally of how many little gestures and features Hana-san and her son had in common. Despite their differences physically--where Ryuji was tall and all lean, hard lines, Hana-san was considerably shorter than her son and built soft and sturdy--there was no denying they were mother and son with as many quirks and features as they had in common. The same warm, brown eyes that tilted upwards just a little at the outer corners; the same bright smile that lit up their entire faces and laughter that filled every corner of the room; the same animated manner of speaking, all open expression and wild gestures to tell a story; the same bright quality to their voices, loud and boisterous without being overwhelming. The same way of making him feel like he’d known them all his life within the span of a few hours. That last one was about when he’d lost count, and therefore couldn’t say where he was when he noted that even with the difference in their specific posture, the two even relaxed the same way when they sat. Ryuji tended to sprawl out and Hana-san seemed more comfortable curling up when she sat, but they both had something loose and open about the way they sat, something oddly approachable.

“You’re always welcome to come by Leblanc, Hana-san.” Ren said with a smile, then added somewhat proudly, “Although I’ll have to direct Boss since Ryuji only gets coffee when I make it.”

“We’ll see if I get some time. And seriously, kid, just Hana is fine. I’ve heard enough about you from Ryuji that I feel like I already know you.” She insisted.

“Wh- really?” His head snapped up from his drink. He knew that he and Ryuji were best friends, probably the closest friends that either of them had ever had. But he hadn’t actually thought about the fact that that meant Ryuji talked about him to other people. It was probably silly the way something that obvious could warm him from the inside and fill his chest with butterflies, but it did.

“Oh yeah. Honestly, I knew I liked you before he ever even said your name. It was like out of nowhere his grades started picking back up, I wasn’t getting any more calls about him skipping classes, he seemed motivated again, like he hadn’t been since…” Hana-san looked over at Ryuji, busy and oblivious in the kitchen, as her face darkened and her voice dropped before she continued, “since before that sonofabitch broke my boy’s leg.” The bitterness passed after a moment and she fixed Ren with a gaze brimming with that same overwhelming warmth and kindness from before. “I knew that whoever it was that brought my boy’s smile back… that was someone I wanted to meet, y’know? That was someone I wanted to thank. So, thanks Ren. You brought my sunshine back.”

“I… You’re welcome.” Ren mumbled. “It’s not…” He stopped himself from saying it wasn’t a big deal because that definitely wasn’t true. “I mean, he did just as much for me.” Then he took a sip from his coffee, at a loss for what else to say.

“I’m sure he did, he’s a good boy. But this is me thanking you, not him.” She shrugged as she watched him drink and her smile went crooked as her voice took on a teasing lilt. “Still, I guess if Hana is too informal for you, you could always just call me Mom. Might as well get in the habit now, right?”

So. Hot coffee coming out of one’s nose was very painful. That was the immediate sensation that momentarily distracted Ren from the shock of Hana-san’s statement. She jumped up in surprise as he choked on his drink, then quickly grabbed a dish towel from the nearby counter and handed it to him. He coughed a few times and wiped at the surprisingly little amount of coffee that he’d gotten on himself, before finally clearing his throat and wheezing out, “Excuse me?”

Hana-san was very clearly trying not to laugh at him while she gave him another of those warm smiles that just confused him this time. “I know you two are dating, I’m not blind, kid.” Ren’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Hard. It prompted another coughing fit and Hana-san couldn’t hold back from laughing this time. “Even if I was, I still would’ve picked up on it. You two are too obvious. It’s sweet, really. The way you light up when you’re watchin’ him? And the first time I finally got your name out of him, you were suddenly the only thing he wanted to talk about. ‘ Hey mom, I’m hanging out with Ren today, don’t worry ‘bout dinner for me, we’re gonna get ramen. Man, can’t believe Ren’s never been to a real arcade before. His hometown didn’t really have one, so I’m gonna show him my favorite tomorrow. Hey mom, me and Ren are going to the gym today, yeah we’re gonna be running, yeah I’m running again, didn’t I tell you? Nah, I don’t need anything for my birthday, I know money’s tight this week and Renren’s taking me fishing so it’s all good. Hey, did you know Ren hung the moon? Ain’t that sweet of him? I should do somethin’ to say thanks.’ Like I said, kid. Ryuji adores you.” Hana finished softly. Almost ruefully, but he missed that part. Ren’s head was spinning, out of sheer confusion and excitement and terror and hope that he’d been aggressively stomping down for months, as well as the fact that all the blood in his body seemed determined to rush to his face all at once.

“He… told you we’re dating?” He managed hoarsely, eyes flicking to Ryuji still washing dishes and still completely oblivious to their conversation with the water running. Did… Had Ryuji confessed to him without Ren realizing? Had those moments he’d dismissed as wishful thinking, bein’ free and my place is next to you, actually been what he hadn’t dared even hope for?

Had he been dating Ryuji Sakamoto this entire goddamn time without even realizing it?

“Well, no. At first I thought it was because he was nervous about coming out to me. I did what I could to let him know it wasn’t an issue, and since he never really changed how he talked about you, I figured he must have just been so excited to have such a wonderful boyfriend that he just... forgot to tell me.”

Ren barked out a rough laugh and then winced at the way it grated on his scalded sinuses. “Then that would make two of us, Hana-san. If I had realized this was that kind of ‘come meet my mom,’ I would’ve convinced Sojiro to let me bring one of the top-shelf blends.” A hollow laugh escaped him as Hana-san’s face fell.

“Oh. Oh… Ah shit, I’m so sorry! I went and made things awkward with him now, haven’t I?” She winced apologetically and looked down at the dishtowel when Ren handed it back. “And wasted that fantastic coffee on top of it, too. You’re sure you’re okay?” Ren waved the apology off.

“It’s fine, please don’t worry about it, Hana-san.” She frowned at him and he finally relented. “Hana. I just... have a couple questions for him now. That I have no idea how I’m gonna ask.” He ran a hand through his hair and glanced back at Ryuji again, who was nearly done cleaning up the kitchen.

“Well, good luck when you do. But I don’t think you’re gonna need it.” She assured him with a wink and a gentle clap on the shoulder. “So, if that wasn’t the top shelf stuff, what was it? Besides still pretty damn killer, obviously.”

“Huh? Oh. Second from the top. Still took some serious convincing and I’ll be working behind the counter at Leblanc all week to make up for it.” Ren flashed Hana a tired smile. “Worth it, though. Every non-coffee-drinker I impress is a win in my book.”

Her laugh in response took the sting out of his embarrassment. And his slightly burnt throat. “Well then, guess I will have to find a minute to come by, enjoy me some coffee, curry, and a captive audience.” Hana grinned and Ren couldn’t help but return it.

“I’ll look forward to the company.”

-----

Rather than walk straight to the closest station, Ren and Ryuji had decided to take the scenic route and loop through a nearby park once first. Ren stuck close to the blond, given that he was a lot more familiar with the area as one of his go-to running practice routes. That and, while it was refreshingly cool for Ryuji outside the apartment, Ren ran colder than his friend and was starting to get uncomfortably chilly. As if on cue, Ryuji fell into step right next to him and threw an arm around his shoulder, and Ren felt himself immediately relax into the touch to leech his right hand man’s body heat.

“I’m really glad you finally got to meet my mom. Glad you hit it off with her, gotta admit I was kinda nervous at first.” Ryuji finally said.

“Really? Why?”

“Well you know after my old man took off, it was just me ‘n her, yeah?” Ren nodded. “Even when I had other friends before… everything, Mom was always my best friend. Lame, right?” Ryuji gave a halfhearted, self-deprecating laugh. Ren nudged his shoulder a little more firmly against the blond, not willing to let the disparagement pass uncontested.

“Not at all, she’s pretty great. Wish I was half as close with my folks as you two are.”

“Right. Yeah, she is. Anyways, yeah, mom was always my best friend. So when you turned up--and it’s not like she said anything so I could be wrong--but when you turned up I think she was a little jealous? Not like tellin’ me not to hang out with you or anythin’, she’s been real glad to see me with friends again! But I was kinda worried she felt…” The blond trailed off, waving his free hand vaguely as he tried to come up with the right word.

“Pushed aside?” Ren supplied.

“Exactly! So even after I knew she’d warmed up to you after hearin’ about you so much, I was kinda nervous that she wouldn’t get along with you. So yeah, I’m glad you guys hit it off.”

“I’m glad, too.” He couldn’t help but wonder if Hana had told Ryuji what she’d told him, how she knew she liked Ren as soon as Ryuji started getting back on his feet again. There was no way she’d told him she was certain they were dating, although that probably would have made bringing it up easier for Ren, if no less awkward. It wasn’t as though he could just blurt out ‘hey are we dating, your mom was pretty convinced I’m your boyfriend and I’m really hoping she was right’. Well okay, he could if he could work up the nerve, but that was a pretty big ‘if.’

“Hey.” Ren could hear the frown in Ryuji’s voice and didn’t have time to react before his glasses were being tugged off his face and tucked into the collar of the other boy’s shirt. “You’re doin’ that thing again, where you’re overthinkin’ somethin’ and you disappear behind your damn glasses. What’s up?”

Ren blinked up at Ryuji a few times, barely registering that, huh, that was a habit of his wasn’t it, before the words “Why sunshine?” fell out of his mouth.

“Huh?” Ryuji fixed him with a puzzled look that shifted into one of flushed embarrassment as the question registered. “Oh, right, the nickname. Uh, my hair, mostly.”

“Makes sense. This is gonna sound dumb, but even though I know you bleach it, I was still surprised that your mom’s brunette.” Ren admitted. “I guess part of me was expecting her to be blonde, too.”

“I was actually aimin’ for her color the first time we bleached mine.” Ryuji admitted, then frowned like he hadn’t meant to say anything.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I didn’t… I wasn’t always so gung-ho about the whole ‘fine, you’re gonna call me a punk, I’ll give you an effin’ punk’ thing, y’know? That didn’t really click all the way into place ‘til I got Kidd.” The blond took a slightly shaky breath and exhaled deeply before shooting his friend a questioning glance. Ren nodded for him to continue. He wasn’t going to push and Ryuji knew that, but he was definitely curious. “Right. So, this was back when my leg was still healin’ last year. Had a rough day on it, came home feelin’ like ten kindsa shit, like bad enough I went straight to the bathroom and threw up I hurt so damn bad. And as I’m washin’ my face after, I catch how my face looks in the mirror and… and I look like just as much shit as I feel.” Ren could feel how sharply Ryuji spat the hollow, bitter laugh before he continued, “specifically, I looked just like my old man whenever he was hungover. Effin’ hated it, seein’ a face I had damn near blocked out ‘cause it’d been so long since I saw it just starin’ back at me from the mirror.” Ren wrapped his arm around his best friend’s shoulders the same way Ryuji’s was draped across his, then gave his best shot at a comforting squeeze.

Ryuji shot him a crooked smile and brightened as he kept talking. “Anyways, I told Mom what happened and asked if we could dye it the same color as hers. And she was totally down for it. So she went out, got a bleach kit, annnnnd when we used it, we totally overshot it. I lost track of time and turned my hair bright freakin’ yellow and patchy as hell, too,” he laughed. “And man, we laughed harder than we had in months at that. She spent the rest of the night callin’ me sunshine to mess with me, but it was nice seein’ her really smile again, y’know? So when she asked me the next day what kind of dye I wanted to cover it up with, I told her to grab more bleach and we’d try and even it out cause the blond grew on me. And honestly? The name did, too.” Ryuji shook Ren’s shoulder in warning. “But don’t tell her I said that.”

“My lips are sealed. It suits you, though. The name,” Ren affirmed and ruffled his hand through the shock of surprisingly soft, blond hair, “and the look.” Ryuji swatted his hand away with a laugh and let it settle back on his shoulder.

“Yeah. Long as I can get away with it, I’m keepin’ it.” Ryuji stretched and fixed Ren with a look. “Aight, now what were you actually thinkin’ about?”

“Uh, w-well.” Shit. Nothing else came to mind through the haze of mild panic that struck Ren. No excuses, no delays, no deflections. Oh, to hell with it, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Time to just rip the bandage off. “Your mom thinks we’re dating and you just forgot to tell her because you got caught up in being excited about it.”

“WHAT?!” Ryuji yelped and jumped back like he’d been burned. Not the best reaction, but Ren was already determined to just get it all out.

“Yeah. And as soon as she put it like that, I suddenly wasn’t sure that I just… hadn’t realized I’d accepted a confession at some point.” He explained, eyes fixed on the path in front of them. Ryuji laughed, high and nervous, bordering on slightly hysterical.

“Wh-when would I have even--”

“My place is next to you.” Ren’s heart was hammering in his chest hard enough that he was worried it might crack a rib or five.

“...oh. Right. Okay, yeah, that’s… that’s fair.” Ryuji had stopped walking and was frowning at the concrete as he scuffed the toe of his shoe at it. “So you been tryin’ to let me down easy or somethin? Don’t worry about it, dude, that wasn’t…” He trailed off and Ren finally turned to face him. The pang that squeezed his heart left him breathless when he saw the look of utter disappointment on Ryuji’s face. Ren was frozen, even as something in the back of his head screamed at him to fix it before Ryuji got the wrong idea. The blond straightened up with a laugh that sounded more like a scoff and ran a hand through his hair. “Man, that explains all the ‘you know you can tell me anything’ conversations she’s been tryin’ to have lately. I was worried she’d caught on about the Phantom Thief stuff, but she just… God, do I even wanna know what you told her?”

Ren practically jumped at the opening. “I told her if I’d known it was that kind of ‘hey come meet my mom’ that I would have brought better coffee.” He tried to look his best friend in the eye as he confessed, but just… couldn’t. Better to focus on getting the words out however he could. “I haven’t been trying to figure out how to let you down easy, kind of the opposite, actually.” He did his best to ignore the quiet intake of breath that got, or the way Ryuji tensed in his peripheral vision. “I’ve been working up the courage to ask and bracing myself for when you shot me down. I… I really like you.”

“...forreal?” Ryuji’s voice was soft with disbelief.

“Yeah.” Ren’s voice cracked, nerves finally getting the better of him. But he could at least answer, even if he still couldn’t look the other boy in the eye.

“You… You like me? Like, like-like me?”

“Yes. Have for a while, now. I might... “ Ren cleared his throat and tried again. “I might be a little past just like at this point, honestly.”

A breathless, disbelieving chuckle followed by, “Seriously?”

“Mhm.” A stiff nod.

“Why?” Ryuji’s tone had escalated from disbelief to full-on incredulity, sapping away all of Ren’s nerves in favor of sheer indignance when he whipped around to his best friend.

“How could I not?!” Ren nearly shouted, just self-aware enough to be glad they were alone. “You’re brave, so goddamn brave and so goddamn kind, protecting people--total strangers, sometimes--and expecting nothing back! You’re ridiculously good-looking and have an amazing smile and the best laugh I’ve ever heard, not to mention you’re just so damn compassionate? Quick to help people and even quicker to apologize when you mess up, even with just the little mistakes, and you always mean it and try to do better. And I’ve never in my life met someone as loyal as you, never had someone that I could rely on the way I rely on you!” Ren ranted, slightly light-headed from how quickly the words just poured out of him. “For fuck’s sake, you saved my life when I was just some guy off the street! The Phantom Thieves wouldn’t exist at all without you, and I… I would have spent the rest of the year, maybe even the rest of my life hiding if I hadn’t met you--”

“Hey.”

“Huh?” When had Ryuji stepped so close? How had Ren not noticed those warm, calloused hands cupping his jaw and tipping his head back up to look back at a face that wore an achingly-sweet expression of pure admiration, tempered only by the hint of apprehension at the corners of those warm, brown eyes Ren was such a sucker for?

“I’m gonna kiss you now. Izzat okay?”

“Please.” Ren whispered as his heart jumped up into his throat and Ryuji’s flushed face drew closer.

Both boys’ eyes fluttered shut at the first brush of lips, soft and deliberate. The second was just as gentle, just as careful, even as Ryuji’s fingers twitched against Ren’s jaw like it was taking all of his self control not to just dive in. Like he’d been thinking about how to do it right, planning it for a while, and that thought made Ren’s stomach flip. He slid one hand up the nape of Ryuji’s neck and buried his fingers in his hair at the third kiss, and wrapped his free arm around the blond’s waist to pull him closer partway through the fourth. From there, he lost count. It was the seventh or eighth kiss that found him pressed up against a nearby tree, and something like the thirteenth before nerves gave way to excitement and one of them deepened the kiss. He stopped counting entirely after the cautious sweep of Ryuji’s tongue over his lower lip temporarily shorted out his higher brain functions and pulled an embarrassingly needy sound from the back of his throat. Somewhere in the distantly coherent part of his brain, Ren made a mental note to start buying gum or mints because coffee-and-curry breath was… not great for kissing. It still took the two of them several minutes to break apart because kissing Ryuji, finally actually kissing him, was so much better than he’d imagined, even after months of daydreaming.

“So…” Ren sighed against the corner of Ryuji’s mouth, their foreheads resting against each other as they caught their breath. “Just to make sure we’re on the same page, no room for confusion--”

“Oh my god Renren, seriously?!” The words didn’t have any bite, being equal parts incredulity and laughter as Ryuji shoved gently at Ren’s shoulder.

“I just wanna be sure!” Ren laughed right back.

“Are you effin’ serious, how can you not be-- fine.” Ryuji pulled him into a tight hug, peppering his face with kisses as he spoke. “Ren Amamiya,” kiss, “will,” kiss, “you be,” kiss, “my,” kiss, “boyfriend?”

“Yes.” Ren turned his head to catch another kiss that Ryuji had aimed at his temple, sliding his tongue into the blond’s mouth and kissing him hard enough that his best friend was scarlet when he pulled away. “I would love to.”

Then he kissed Ryuji again. And again. And again.

-----

Eventually, Ren and Ryuji had broken apart long enough to return his glasses and get him on a train back to the cafe. He had been grinning like a dork for the entire ride and practically floated back into Leblanc when he got back, earning a weird look from Morgana on the counter. Sojiro was too busy to notice, nearly done cleaning up with most of the dishes already put away and the next day’s curry prepped and simmering. Ren stepped in, grabbed the washcloth off the side of the sink and started wiping down the counter.

“I can finish cleaning, you go ahead and get home to Futaba.” He insisted.

“Well you’re in a good mood. I take it you impressed the mother-in-law?” Boss teased.

“Yep, I think I did!” Ren chirped from behind the counter, then tried not to laugh. Sojiro did a double take and his face flickered through several expressions at once--sly and teasing, smug triumph, confusion, recognition, and further confusion--as he realized his ribbing hadn’t landed like it had just that afternoon.

Eventually he let out a “hmph” before probably deciding not to ask. “Don’t forget to lock up, and put back everything you borrowed, alright? I’ll see you in the morning.”

Ren waved as the door jangled shut behind him and hummed cheerfully as he worked.

“I take it you two idiots finally figured it out?” Morgana asked and Ren only grinned. At that point his face was starting to hurt from smiling so much. “Blech, glad I missed out.” The cat stretched languidly before hopping down and trotting up the stairs. “Congratulations, though. Taste notwithstanding, I’m happy for you two.”

“So you don’t want the play-by-play?” Ren called after him.

“I will steal your bed and make you sleep in a booth!”

#my writing #kiss ryuji day #persona 5 #pegoryu #akiryu #how obvious is it that I never write kissing like. ever. #no beta we die like [December spoilers] #which is to say. ambiguously. #oh my god I actually finished a wip it's a christmas miracle

[stupid-sloot-headcanons]

Asano/F!Darling: Unconventional Methods (I)

TW: Manipulation, implied dubcon at the end, boss/employee dynamic, teacher/student dynamic (both characters 18+)

Being called into Asano's office left every faculty member on pins and needles. Not just them, to be honest: students, delivery workers, even the military personnel meeting to talk about the E-Class felt on edge when alone in his territory. When ____ had been interviewed fresh out of her own schooling for a coveted assistant teacher position, she was so excited. She'd gotten her first job at one of the best schools in the world!

But after she'd started, ____ had come to feel a sense of strange unease when he was with her. He was always polite, cordial even; he trusted her to take care of all of his administrative affairs whenever she wasn't on-duty with another teacher's classroom, and he had even told her that she was the best assistant he could have asked for. "I could ask for a cup of tea and before I finish, there you are with a tray in hand," he'd say with a smile. "You're so earnest, ____--an essential quality as a student AND a teacher."

She had heard from the other faculty members gossiping that his authoritarian style didn't just end with the students; she'd heard rumors that some teachers had been harshly disciplined or even fired on the spot if their work wasn't up to the school's standard. The thought of falling behind and disappointing her boss after he'd been generous enough to give her her first job just pushed ____ to do her absolute best every day. It was stressful, but with how well she did at work she couldn't deny the results.

That fear of disappointing her boss and mentor had left ____ more than a little panicked when one of the English teachers had told her that Asano wanted to see her in his office immediately. "Did he say why?"

The teacher shrugged. "When he tells me to do something, I don't ask too many questions. He didn't sound angry, but...with him it's hard to gauge how he's feeling." They gave ____ a sympathetic look as she hurriedly made her way to his office. She was a sweet girl and a hard worker, but if Asano was going to chew her out she probably wouldn't make it out in one piece.

____ took a deep breath and smoothed the hem of her blouse before finding the courage to knock on the door.

His response was immediate. "Come in."

____ slowly opened the door and stepped inside. Principal Asano was at his desk, immaculate as usual just like the man himself. It was strange how he could be so intimidating while being so soft-spoken. ____ stood anxiously at the door, already wanting to apologize for interrupting his work by doing something she needed to be lectured about.

Asano raised an eyebrow as she waited in place on the other side of the room. "You can come in a bit further than that," he said with an amused tone. ____ nodded and continued to walk with her gaze toward the ground as she made her way to the other side of his desk next to a chair. "Sit down, please."

____ lowered herself into the chair and folded her hands in her lap, lacing her fingers over and over to try and steady her nerves. "Ah...S-Sojiro-san said you needed me to come immediately," she said. She looked up at him and desperately tried to search for any sign on his face that could tell her what she'd done to warrant this meeting. "Is everything alright, sir?"

"Oh, did you think this was a disciplinary meeting? I'm sorry," Asano said with a small apologetic smile. "Your work is as impeccable as ever. I called you here for something related, but...not, at the same time." He paused for a moment and looked at her face as she waited expectantly. "Let me explain."

"You've done well as an assistant here, but I know that someone as ambitious as you wouldn't rest on your laurels. And while I believed you've learned much from your coworkers on how to educate young minds, I think you would benefit from my direct guidance as well."

____ raised her eyebrows. He wanted to teach her personally? This was amazing! Even if she thought his teaching style was a bit harsh at times, she'd always pushed her thoughts aside since she thought criticizing and asking questions about his methods would be a waste of time. But now she could pick his brain and not worry about that. It would be like having the chance to do a five-sta work study program without the ridiculously high tuition!

"Thank you, sir," she replied brightly. "I'd love the chance to learn even more from you about how to best educate students. But what did you have in mind, exactly?"

Asano was silent for a moment. "I have an unconventional method for teaching you that I've never tried before," he said carefully. "I wouldn't have approached you with this idea if I didn't think you could handle it. But it may be a bit uncomfortable and stressful since it's based on improving your weaker areas while focusing on your strengths."

____ nodded thoughtfully. "I wouldn't have tried to work here if I was afraid of a challenge," she reassured him. "And I don't expect you to coddle me, I promise." She hesitated and tilted her head slightly. "What weaknesses do I need to work on, sir?"

Asano rose from his chair and walked out from his desk. "It's likely due to inexperience, but you're much softer on your pupils than you should be," he said directly. "As their teacher you need to establish firmer boundaries and your authority inside and outside the classroom."

____ couldn't deny that she was seen by some of the students as a pushover and "too nice" to be a teacher at Kunugigaoka. "I do tend to avoid confrontation," she said sheepishly. "That's definitely not consistent with your teaching style."

Asano nodded. "I want to introduce you to a similar kind of discomfort that confrontation in the classroom may cause you," he explained. "The more you're exposed to stress, the better prepared you'll be for it whenever you need to discipline your students properly." He placed one hand on the arm of her chair and looked at her; the intense look in his eyes instinctively made ____ hold her breath. "No matter how uncomfortable it gets, I need you to trust me for this to work. Do you understand?"

____ swallowed nervously but nodded again. "Yes sir," she replied. "If it's so I can learn what I need to, I want you to teach me."

Asano smiled and moved his hand to touch her arm directly. "Obedient and earnest as always," he mused. "I knew you would understand." He placed his other hand under her chin and tilted it up towards him. She flinched and let out a small surprised noise when he touched her, and the way he looked down at her now sent a wave of fear and confusion over her chest.

"S-sir...?"

"Don't speak unless you're spoken to," he ordered. "As my pupil, your role is to listen and follow my guidance." His voice was still soft but so firm with a natural authoritative weight behind it. ____ immediately snapped her mouth shut and awkwardly stayed still and silent. "Good." He caressed her arm with his thumb and his gaze darkened. "Now...Kiss me."

#.asano #yandere asano #.assassination classroom #yandere assassination classroom #fem darling #tw: manipulation #tw: dubcon #.myshit #asano's darling

[nengojo]

Could we please get some relationship headcanons for Ann, Makoto, Futaba and Haru?

i kinda went overboard and wrote more than I expected... but i am a sap for relationship hcs!! also saw that 4/23 is makoto’s bday, which is very cool and convenient for me hehe ,, hope you like this <33

word count: 1.549 warnings: SLIGHT STORY SPOILER IN HARU'S PART tags/genre: fluff, just all of it

requests are open!

Takamaki Ann

She loves to pamper you. Be it buying you stuff, treating you her favorite desserts, or staying over at your place and dressing you up with cute outfits. You try to do the same for her and she enjoys it as well.

A LOT of PDA, though it’s not over the top. She’d pepper kisses all over your face whenever she’s excited. Or always bury her face in your neck whenever she needs to be closer to you.

Even though Ann hasn’t dated anyone before you, she definitely learned and read up on how to be the best girlfriend. Probably read those relationships magazines (she denies it though)

Ann prefers simpler dates at the park or karaoke, but she wouldn’t mind making reservations for fancier restaurants if there’s an occasion. Would definitely choose buffets over the 5-star restaurant though.

Speaking of occasions, she’s the type to have celebrations for every little thing you guys do together as a couple. It can range from monthsaries, your first beach date, or your first night together. Ann keeps trinkets with her from every date you two go on.

Ann always has you on her mind. If she sees a new cheesecake shop, she buys it thinking that you would enjoy sharing it with her. When she saw cute phone charms, she bought a pair so you and her would have a “couple-y” item.

Would be into double dates, she doesn’t say it, but it definitely comes from her competitive side of showing off. Ann wants everyone to know she’s dating the best person ever. 💕

Introduces you to her parents through Skype. Ann says she couldn’t wait till her parents come back from their trips, so you could properly meet them. She quells your nervousness by saying that they already approved of you.

Petnames are minimal, but it’s very sweet when she does use them with you. You think it’s because she enjoys the flustered expression on your face when she calls you “baby” or “sweetie”.

Ann’s just a proud girlfriend! Be ready to be treated like the royalty you are, as you made her feel her worth once more.

Niijima Makoto

Similar to Ann, she values your relationship and you greatly. Makoto would be careful as possible around you. Always tending to your needs, mindful of what she says and does around you. There’s constant communication between you and her.

Probably would overheat out of embarrassment if she tries to cling onto you when in public, so hand-holding and touching knees while sitting together is enough for her.

Makoto DEFINITELY researched every possible tip and ‘guide’ on how to be the perfect girlfriend. You insist that she doesn’t need to incorporate all those into your relationship, saying that she’s perfect as the way she is.

With all that studying though, she actually sets up the best dates for you two. She always invites you to a newly-opened restaurant or gets the best seats whenever there’s a film showing nearby.

That said, she still prefers dates in secluded areas, places similar to Leblanc. She has this favorite nature trail that she found out about in dating forums and would take you there on nightly walks, talking about everything and nothing.

Makoto doesn’t announce your relationship to others, thinking that it’s better if people found out naturally. She likes the look on people’s faces when she admits to having a significant other while she acts all innocent and pure about it.

Her sister would openly confront her about your relationship, but Sae is lowkey super supportive of you and her. She says it’s good that someone is at Makoto’s side when she isn’t there.

She acts composed around others, but you’re the only one she lets see her vulnerable side. You tell her it’s adorable that you can easily tease her. (please don’t tease her too much or she’ll implode from being too flustered)

Makoto would think she’s too mature for petnames, but you don’t hold it against her, especially when she says your name with so much love in her voice every time.

Makoto is an observant girlfriend! She says it’s because she wants you to know that she genuinely cares and that she’s grateful to be yours.

Sakura Futaba

Futaba’s relationship with you feels natural from the start, despite her insistence that she would suck being a girlfriend. You reassure her at the start that she would do great with little to no effort, and she does :)

Wouldn’t even think twice about PDA, She feels safe and secure when she’s closer to you, so the more contact, the better. If she could, Futaba would shamelessly cling onto your back like a koala. (and you’d let her)

She says that experience is the best teacher, so she went into your relationship completely blind. The whole thing had its setbacks; she tried to kiss you out of nowhere one time, since “that’s what couples do, right?” You told her that there was no rush, and she was grateful for that.

She’s a fast learner though, and it manifests in her innocent but sincere gestures. When she thinks that you’re sad, she tells you jokes or shows you a meme she liked on her phone. Futaba thinks that whatever makes her happy, might cheer you up too.

Absolutely loves talking about her interests to you, because she knows that you would never judge her or question what she likes. You enjoy being on the listening side, since the way Futaba lights up is enough for you.

Alternatively, she’s a very active listener whenever you would talk about your day or share something about your interests. Futaba encourages you to tell her more about it, and on her own time, she learns about your said interests so she can participate in the conversations better.

In terms of interests, she convinced you to play video games with her (if you don’t already play) and it’s already a date for the two of you. Dates always involve either trips to Akihabara, arcade hopping, or the park when she wants quiet times with you.

Sojiro enjoys seeing you two interact whenever you guys stop by at Leblanc. When Futaba was in the restroom, he whispered to you saying that he hasn’t seen Futaba this energetic ever since she was a kid. That meant a lot to you.

She started calling you exaggerated names like “my lovely sweetheart babycakes” or “little fluffball whiskers”. Other than that, her favorite petname for you was “bub”, since she said the funny word fit you well. You love hearing it from her too.

Futaba is a heartfelt girlfriend! Your bond with each other has always been close, and now you get the chance to be closer.

Okumura Haru

Haru would be reserved from openly showing affection at the start, but you give her all the time and space she needs. She appreciates it greatly and reciprocates the effort in kind.

PDA is a no-no, although she does unknowingly flirt with you in the sweetest way. She has a way with words that makes the simplest compliment seem like the highest praise, and it’s enough to make you feel loved.

With her training for marriage, she obviously knows the basic aspects of a relationship. Taking care of you comes naturally to her, yet you were there to show her that she can receive the same amount of love that she readily gives to you.

You teased her about how she acts more like a mother to you, and she misunderstood and profusely apologized (poor sweetheart). Haru explains that she loves seeing you thrive and be happy, which in turn makes her happy.

It started as an innocent suggestion, but Haru wanted to write love letters to you from time to time. In most instances she would pass it onto you after a date, saying that you should read it when you get home. Other times she would quietly slip it in your bag as a surprise for you to find.

You’ve come to appreciate the craft that Haru puts into the letters. She always chooses the delicate papers, sometimes scented. And other letters had pressed flowers in the envelope. The most precious thing in the letter though was her confessions and affirmations.

Haru lets you choose your date locations since she wants to be more accustomed to city life. You once brought her to a conveyor belt sushi place, and you couldn’t handle the joy in your eyes when you saw her be fascinated about it. “It just moves in little trains! It’s so innovative and cute,” she says.

When you were closer with her, she opened up more about her father to you, even inviting you to visit the shrine dedicated to him in the mansion. That was the first time you saw her cry, and you promised yourself to do your best so you never have to see her like that again.

Romantic petnames suit her well, but she only uses them when you two are alone. Hearing Haru call you “my lily” or “my light” always caught you off-guard no matter how many times you have heard it.

Haru is a compassionate girlfriend! She treats you as delicately as she acts and you know that you’re in good hands with her, as she is with your own.

#persona 5 x reader #persona 5 imagines #ann takamaki #ann takamaki x reader #makoto niijima #makoto niijima x reader #futaba sakura #futaba sakura x reader #haru okumura #haru okumura x reader #persona 5 x you #phantom thieves x reader #nenshcs #request #HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAKOTO!! ur the best girl in my heart

[nitewrighter]

I just finished reading the pre-fall Gency argument fic that you made in response to an ask/prompt about another fic, and it’s amazing! Do Genji and Mercy make up after their argument, though? Does Genji tell Mercy more about what really happened with Moira in the Pining/Flight fic, and does he manage to explain to her why he felt he should still be stopping the Shimada clan (the part where he started to trip over his words during the pre-fall argument)? I’m so sorry for all the questions, but I loved this fic so much and would love to see them resolve their argument!

Yeah they make up, but more importantly have you ever gone, “OH FUCK I FIGURED OUT HOW TO WORK THIS FIC INTO A MAJOR CANON PLOT POINT?” Anyone?

Continuing off of this ficlet.

----

Genji lay on his narrow bed, staring at the too-high ceiling of his quarters and replaying the argument between himself and Mercy in his head as he had done so for the past few days.

I messed up.

A part of him felt like he should be used to it, after years of Hanzo telling him he was an embarrassment, but this stung differently and deeper. It wasn’t not meeting the draconian standards of the clan, it was realizing he had a perspective on death that was fundamentally incompatible with the morals of someone he cared for deeply. He glared at the ceiling as he remembered Moira’s words.

You’re finally understanding the difference between those up there, and those of us down here.

But McCree had spoken up against what Reyes had done. He wouldn’t shut up about it the whole mission. 

Well he and Angela were close so... Genji’s thoughts trailed off then, wondering if Ziegler and McCree would talk about how he and Reyes were monsters.

Even after having his body destroyed and reconstructed to this patchwork of flesh and metal, it had at least given him focus and purpose: vengeance. It was a relief from all the pain to commit himself to the destruction of the Shimada clan, to killing Hanzo, and he could have done that through Blackwatch, but now one death of someone who definitely had it coming had blocked the path. He had no way of knowing what was ahead, and he had just alienated one of the few people at the Watchpoint he actually liked talking to. But she didn’t get it, the Shimada clan had to be stopped. Hanzo had to die. What kind of world did she think she was living in? He raised his prosthetic hand and ran the thumb of his organic hand along the lines of its plates.

You’re not a weapon. I can’t let everything Overwatch touches become a weapon...  he remembered her words from the garden on a night that felt so long ago.

So what am I? Shimada Ninja? Blackwatch Agent? Assassin by another name?  Machine? his eyes trailed to his organic hand, Man?

He let his hands drop, hanging over the sides of the bed, I guess I’ve managed to screw up as every single one of those.

His morning alarm started beeping and he sighed. Cybernetics always woke him up a little too early.

After freshening up in the dormitory washrooms and dressing , Genji stepped out of his quarters and walked down the hall to the main body of the Blackwatch facilities. There were fewer bodies moving between the offices today. A significant number of office workers and agents had been either suspended or relocated to other Overwatch operations, and the remaining faces looked exhausted and grim.

It’s not just Angela dealing with the fallout of Venice... thought Genji as he walked through. He needed to talk to McCree, he decided. He wasn’t quite ready to talk to Angela yet. A part of him knew he needed to apologize, but another part of him knew an apology was worthless without a clear adjustment in behavior and perspective--and with the path before him so obscured now, he wasn’t sure what that shift would entail. Plus if anyone knew how to smooth things over between people, especially someone also from Blackwatch...

Genji’s thoughts were interrupted as he heard muffled shouting from Reyes’s office.  He looked around and saw what few agents were down in the Blackwatch offices had all chosen to give Reyes’s office a massively wide berth. One intern lingered close to the glass with wide eyes before being quickly escorted away by a more seasoned-looking clerk. The glass walls around Reyes’s office had been tinted opaque, but he made out Morrison’s muffled voice.

“---can assure you our agents and local law enforcement are doing everything they can, Gérard--”

“Don’t give me that!” Gérard was the shouter, something that sounded unnatural to Genji given how polite Gérard had always been in his previous brushes with the UN Attaché. “None of this would have happened if you had kept Reyes and his team where they needed to be!”

“We don’t have enough intel on Talon movements to know the timeframe on---”

“We have even less intel because of the shit you pulled in Rialto! Do you know how many active files I had to surrender to the UN Inquiry to keep Blackwatch from being completely gutted?!” Gérard snapped, “Talon took my wife and thanks to you I have to deal with that with both hands tied behind my back!”

“You’re not dealing with it alone--” Morrison was trying to reassure him.

“Morrison I cannot tell you how sick I am of covering for you covering for Reyes--And the fact that covering for Reyes is largely my job speaks to how much control you’ve ceded--” Gérard snarled.

“Chewing us out won’t get her back,” Reyes’s voice cut in bitterly.

“No, but you should both understand it’s one more product of your mistakes,” Gérard’s voice was thick.

Genji hadn’t realized how close he was leaning to the tinted glass of the office and started briskly walking down the hall, trying to put as much distance between himself and whatever was going down between Reyes, Morrison and LaCroix.  He heard the door slide open and shut and picked up the pace of his walk. He heard bitter muttering in French a ways behind him before hearing, “Agent Shimada?”

Genji pretended not to hear and started walking a bit faster down the hall.

“Agent Shimada!” there was a rapid clacking slap of expensive oxfords on the cement floor and Gerard suddenly caught up with him. Fast, was all Genji thought at first, I guess he was a field agent at some point-- But that trail of thought cut off as Genji took in the disheveled appearance of the usually suave and stylish Gérard Lacroix. Licks of dark hair were shrouding one side of his forehead, broken free of their usual glossy black coif. He wasn’t wearing a suit jacket or tie, his sleeves rolled and rumpled up to his elbows and his usually paper-crisp collar rumpled and wilting, his suspenders emphasizing all the wrinkles of his usually immaculate shirts. He smelled like cigarettes. Genji didn’t even know he smoked. 

“I need to talk to you--it’s paramount importance--Your dossier said Talon tried to recruit Sojiro once--Yes?”

“Um... yes?” said Genji.

“Do you remember any names from that time?” Gérard gripped Genji’s shoulders and Genji’s arms tightened at his sides at the touch, Gérard’s eyes were wide, pleading.

“Er...” Genji hesitated.

“Anything. Any name at all. Even aliases are a lead. Code names are a cypher. I can figure this out. We can get her back--we have to--there should have been demands--there have to be demands--we can’t negotiate but we can buy time--isolate the signal--” Gérard’s fingers were drumming on Genji’s prosthetic shoulder as if punching out sums on an invisible calculator. He wasn’t even looking at Genji.

“I... wish I could help,” Genji’s words came slowly to him. They felt strange, soft, helpless. He really couldn’t remember any names from that time, at least none that he could be sure he actually remembered and hadn’t just pulled out of nowhere that would only lead Gérard on a wild goose chase. For Genji, the only really memorable part of that meeting had been Hanzo had taken a shine to some Talon lieutenant and refused to tell Genji about it when he asked.  

So much for specialized Shimada intel... Genji thought a little bitterly. But Gérard stared straight into Genji’s eyes and Genji saw a flicker of heartbreaking realization in Gérard’s expression.

“....listen to me,” Gérard’s voice dropped slightly as his hands dropped from Genji’s shoulders, “I....I’m talking to a suspended agent hoping for nearly decade-old leads...” Gérard made a sound that was between a chuckle and stuffing down a sob as he pushed those dark licks of hair from his face, “I’m a mess without her.”

Genji’s stomach stung a little at the words ‘suspended agent.’ It had felt so temporary but hearing it from Gérard made it sink in as a reality with no visible end, but just as affecting was Gérard’s distress, the fact that the charming, if a little litigious, agent was suddenly up to his neck in paralyzing fear and helplessness when he wasn’t the one in danger. Genji studied Gérard for a few seconds.  

“Without.... who?” said Genji. He knew it was Gérard’s wife but wasn’t about to let Gérard know he had heard the whole exchange between him, Reyes, and Morrison.

“Amélie,” Gérard seemed to be looking through Genji then, his brow crinkled, “Talon they--I mean we’re not positive yet but--well you aren’t cleared for this yet. I shouldn’t...”

“Suspended,” Genji shrugged, “And... looking like this, I can’t exactly get off-site to talk about it.”

Gérard huffed “And... I’ve heard you’re not exactly the talkative type,” Gérard smiled a little.

“Ninja,” Genji shrugged.

“I-I think she’d like you...” His shoulders sagged, “Practical... steady... if she were here she’d probably tell me I’m making a fool of myself.”

You are and I have no idea how to help you so please let me go, thought Genji, but the smile on Gérard’s face eased him a bit. Genji wasn’t sure what to do with this feeling--helping and yet not helping. He remembered certain looks in Mercy’s face when he would talk about the Shimada clan, those hints of wanting to do something but feeling the ability to do so just beyond his reach. How often did she feel that with all of his fury? With all his grief?

“I wish I understood what was going through Reyes’s mind in Rialto...” Gérard spoke and startled Genji from his own thoughts. 

“...Antonio told him his associates would get him out within the week, Reyes... responded... practically,” said Genji.

“Practically,” a huff fell out of Gérard, “Just like in the debriefs.”

Genji’s brow crinkled. “The point of Blackwatch is to operate from the shadows. It was never about how it would be seen because it... wasn’t meant to be seen.”

“But it still has effects,” Gérard murmured, “And you still have to live with yourself afterwards.”

You still have to live with yourself.

The image of Zhihong Peh gurgling on his own blood on the end of Genji’s sword flashed to his mind. The thwack of his father hitting a fish on a rock in Shirakami-sanchi.

Make it clean. Make it quick.

“Would Amélie still have been taken if...?” Gérard’s voice pulled Genji from his memories again, but Gérard just lowered his head and furrowed his brow. “It doesn’t matter now.  have to find a new angle. I have to... she...” he lifted his chin slightly, “Monsieur Shimada. I appreciate you putting up with the ravings of a madman. I must go. Thank you.”

“....you’re welcome?”  said Genji, but Gérard was already walking past him.

Genji stood there in the hallway a few minutes longer. Amélie LaCroix had been taken. Whether or not that had happened in response to killing Antonio remained to be seen... but it was clear that the fallout from Rialto had not helped. He looked at his hands. For so long ‘practical’ had been a straight line, but now it seemed that the path he had been carving out was caving in on him. What was practical now?

Whatever you can do to help.

And where do you start?

With the people who you know always help.

----

It was late at night in the lab and Mercy was nodding off slightly, her chin in her hand at her monitor when a coffee mug gently clacked down on the desk beside her. She flinched awake and her head swung around to see Genji slowly withdrawing one hand, holding his own coffee cup in the other.

“Peace offering,” said Genji, “...if you don’t want to deal with me right now, you don’t have to. Say the word and I’ll leave you alone.”

Mercy tentatively picked up the mug and sipped at it, glaring at Genji slightly through her eyebrows before lowering the cup into her lap.

“What do you want?” she said, her voice clipped. 

“I wanted to say... I’m sorry for storming off like that and...You were right,” Genji said quietly, “Killing Antonio creates far more problems than it solves.”

There was some hope in Mercy’s eyes, but she also gave him a sort of uneasy, puzzled look.

“And...” Genji’s voice was a bit more tight, “On a... lawful and ethical level, it... was wrong.” He dropped his voice to a low mutter, “Even if he would have wormed his way out of the law.”

Mercy huffed and smiled a little. “I... I know the law also needs reforms so that doesn’t happen, so that justice can be done... but in the meantime...”

“In the meantime we shouldn’t shoot people in the face,” Genji conceded with a shrug.

“Right,” said Mercy. Her smile was a little crooked. There was a long silence then, tentative, and a little anxious. Genji leaned against the desk, wrapping his organic hand around the mug, taking some comfort in its warmth.

“Angela—I need you to understand something about me,” Genji said, not looking at her.

“Please don’t—“ Mercy started.

“Just listen. The first time the clan made me kill someone, I was 14 years old,” Mercy’s eyes widened and Genji’s knuckles rolled tight on the coffee mug, “And that wasn’t the only person I killed for them.

Mercy’s shoulders shrank inward, her eyes not meeting his.

“The clan,” Genji paused and took a steadying breath before continuing, “Worked to make me into something… no one should be. It…cultivated a way for me to see the world that very much affected my concepts of what is acceptable. What is good.” He gave a short huff. “But I don’t… I don’t want to be them. I don’t want to cause the same hurts they have caused.”

She looked at him then. That same searching look. That same ‘I want to help but I don’t know how’ look, and Genji’s stomach stung with the strange helplessness he felt when Gérard was gripping his shoulders earlier that day.

“But Blackwatch never asked me to question what the clan taught me. It just… saw I was angry, saw I was hurt, and pointed me in a certain direction,”  he huffed, “And now I’m stuck here. And I can’t do anything. And... ” he took a steadying breath, “I care about you. I care about our friendship. And I care about what you think of me. I don’t know... if I will ever be fully rid of what the Shimada clan cultivated in me... it... it feels like it only got sharper after what Hanzo did to me. It feels rooted in my very survival instincts. But I know I don’t want to be Reyes, and I don’t want to lose you, and... if what Blackwatch did caused all this hurt to all these people who had nothing to do with what happened in Rialto.. it’s true that it should be suspended.”

Mercy blinked a few times. “Do you really mean that?”

“Well... to an extent...” said Genji, “If Blackwatch still had its intel networks up...”

“Maybe we could help Gérard find Amélie,” Mercy said quietly.

“You know about Gérard?” Genji looked over at her.

“I only got the briefing a few hours ago,” said Mercy. She was quiet for a few seconds. “Genji... I... I don’t think you’re a bad person for what the Shimada clan conditioned you to do. You do scare me sometimes, but I genuinely believe, deep down, you want to do good.” 

“I scare you?” Genji lifted his prosthetic hand and looked down at it.

“Not because of that...” Mercy touched the metal of his knuckles and he let his hand drop as his eyes raised to hers, “I--I’m scared for you. I don’t want you to think you’re alone. And--and I want you to be able to have a life outside of Overwatch.” She huffed. “That’s what it does. It takes in people who have nowhere else to go and who just want to help and it takes everything they can give and you never know if it’s being used to help or to...” her voice trailed off and she was staring forward. Genji touched her shoulder gently.

“For what it’s worth... without Overwatch I would have never met you,” said Genji.

“I’m glad I’ve met you too,” said Mercy, smiling a little, “Silver linings right?” 

“Right...” said Genji.

A long pause passed between them. 

“...so where do we go from here?” said Genji, quietly.

“Well... I still have my work... I suppose this means we can spend more time together?” Mercy shrugged, “And... with Blackwatch suspended... maybe you can take some time to figure out what you want. Outside of Overwatch. Outside of taking down the Shimada clan.”

I don’t know how ready I am to deal with that, thought Genji, but he just nodded.

“So...” Genji swirled his coffee in its mug, “What are you working on tonight?”

“Well... apparently there’s been this incident at Watchpoint Pembrey,” said Mercy, glancing back to her monitor, “But it’s very confusing on, well... a physics level?”

“Something is confusing the genius Angela Ziegler?” Genji pulled up a chair, “Tell me more.”

Mercy snickered a little. Then started telling him.

#gency #gerard lacroix

[thatsadbietch]

A War Hero’s Cry (Persona 5/Royal)

Warning for some possible spoilers.  Nothing super important to the main plot but still, here’s the warning!

A/N: This is my very first P5 piece, I’m excited to share it! I love writing and want to get better at it, so I’m very open to suggestions or comments!

Warning for mild cursing.

Ships: None

Word count: 2,455

---

These were the types of mornings that kept him going.  The mornings where he didn’t have to shuttle into a cramped subway, only to arrive at his destination and listen to lectures about various topics on which he’d studied before.  It was also a time between targets, to play it safe and just wait for another shitty adult to show their true colors so their Palace and Treasure can be claimed by the Phantom Thieves.

These mornings, where Ren could enjoy the peace and tranquility that came with a skillfully made cup of coffee, the smell of curry preparation for the day’s customers, and the sound of Sojiro humming while he worked.  These mornings are where he draws that cool and collected mentality required to be the leader of such a talented group of thieves.

He inhaled, taking in all the sensations around him, but was slightly startled by the sound of the bell’s chime, signaling a customer.  Perplexed, as the store hadn’t opened yet, he turned to find Futaba wondering into the café.  He exhaled and grinned, able to tell right away she’d just woken up: her amber-orange hair was still disheveled from sleep and her eyes were still drowsy looking. Not to mention she strolled in with her slippers and a pair of plush-looking pajama pants, black with green stars printed on them.  They suited her.

She slumped up on the stool next to Ren and yawned in place of her usual loud and energetic “Good Morning!” while she rested her head on the bar.

“Well,” Sojiro started, not bothering to hold back a chuckle at the scene, “Look who’s decided to join us among the living.” Though teasing, there was a type of sincerity there that gave away the warmness he felt for his adopted daughter.  She groaned groggily in response, pulling her hood up over her head and face.

“Long night?” Ren asked casually.  He enjoyed Futaba’s company regardless; he’d grown fond of her quirks and eccentric nature, and became something of an older brother figure to her.  But he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t grateful that she was still calm and quiet at the moment.

“Mmmhmm…” she groaned in response.  Ren nodded and took a sip of his coffee, counting down mentally, “Three…two…one…” Sure enough, on “one” Futaba lifted her head, hood still lazily hanging onto the top, and she began to explain.

“Well last night I got bored, so I started browsing the Phan-site and looking around for potential targets and was trying to find out more about the mental shutdowns, but then I got a Discuss app notification from my Herd of Heroes team asking if I wanted to help them in a tournament.  Of course, I couldn’t just leave them, my strategy and expertise are the backbone of the team! So…”

Ren and Sojiro shared a knowing smirk.  Classic Futaba.  Sojiro shook his head in mock exasperation.

“Staying up all night isn’t healthy, you know,” Ren began, “You ought to think about fixing your sleep schedule.  For your sake and for your teammates, both on and offline.  Are you listening?” He asked, poking her side to make sure he had her attention.  But now she had his and Sojiro’s, as neither expected the high-pitched squeak she made.

Ren chuckled and raised an eyebrow.  “What was that?”

Futaba looked a lot more awake, now that her eyes were widened, almost panicked.  “N-Nothing! You just startled me, that’s all.  Don’t you know its rude to pick on people, especially when they’ve just conquered ten different Herds of Heroes? I’m a war hero!”

“You’re also a pain sometimes,” Ren teased, poking at her again and eliciting the same sound.

“Ren, quit it!” Futaba whined, wrapping her arms around her sides for protection.  But she was so preoccupied dealing with Ren’s antics, she didn’t notice Sojiro make his way around the bar and behind her stool, placing his hands threateningly on her sides.  She was already trying to hold back the titters that began bubbling up.

“Futaba, you’ve been kept up in your room so long, I forgot you were ticklish,” Sojiro started, swiftly willing his wiggling fingers up and down her sides. She couldn’t offer much resistance as she immediately burst out in giggles and tried to grab for his wrists.

“NOOHOHO, SOHOHJIROOHOHO!” Futaba whined, not being able to say much else. She helplessly cackled and tried to push his hands away, doing an awful lot of squirming in the process.

“I remember your mom telling me she’d chase you around the house sometimes,” he recalled.  While telling his story he wrapped his arms around her middle and held her back against is chest, both to better trap her in his ticklish hold and to ensure she didn’t fall off the stool.  Using this new leverage, he scurried lightly over her small belly and belly button, causing a shriek, another noise neither had heard from her.  Ren figured his peaceful morning was over at this point and just embraced the silly nature the room had adopted.

“SOHOOHOJIEHEROOHOO DOOHOHON’T!! BWAHAHA!” She continued to cackle and writhe while he nonchalantly continued his story. Ren could tell Sojiro was rather enjoying his position right now.

“You’d ask her to play so many times in a day, and when you wouldn’t let up she’d run around the house with you until she finally caught you. Then… she’d get you!” he finished, adopting a slightly more sinister tone for emphasis as he quickly shot his fingers up to the poor child’s underarms, switching rapidly from fluttering teasingly and vibrating his fingertips there. She jumped and squealed, but was unable to do much else in his hold.

“NOHAHAT THEERAAHEHEHAA! SOJIEHEEHAHA!” Futaba couldn’t even beg properly anymore as she threw her head back onto his shoulder, trying desperately to squirm her way out of his grip. “D’you have a strategy for getting out of this one, war hero?” Sojiro teased, causing a deeper blush on Futaba’s already reddened face.

“SOOOHOHOJEEEOROO, I CAHAHN’T!!” Not long after that did Sojiro let up, but held her still for a beat or two.  Again, to make sure she didn’t fall.  Futaba breathed rapidly and leaned back on Sojiro, who will never admit how much his heart swelled at the act. He chuckled again and released the child, ruffling her already messy hair.

Ren wasn’t quite sure what to do besides sit on the sidelines and watch the commotion unfold.  His own parents, while supportive and caring, were never really physically affectionate toward him. He couldn’t recall if he even was ticklish.  But he chuckled contently.  “So, about being a war hero…”

“YOU! Don’t even say anything! YOU started it and DIDN’T BOTHER TO HELP ME! Some leader you are!” Futaba exclaimed, clearly regaining her energy as she stood quickly and drilled quick and relentless pokes to his sides.  She’d only expected to get her point across but was so much more pleased when Ren sharply inhaled and flailed to keep her hands away from him.  Well, that answered his question.

“Mwehehehe… Perfect!” She snickered evilly.  Ren jumped back from his stool and realized he was cornered: Futaba stood between him and the front door, and the increasingly mischievous glare from Sojiro wasn’t at all comforting—it was clear he had no intention of helping Ren out of this.

Suddenly, the Phantom Thief leader did the unexpected: turned and fled up the stairs.

“HEY! Get back here, coward!” Futaba called after him, but wasn’t as fast, especially since Ren could easily climb two stairs at a time.

“I might be able to maneuver my way back down the stairs and out the door,” he thought, being sure to give himself some space as Futaba reached his room. Though he had the upper hand in skill, Futaba looked determined, almost as much as when she’s in a Palace.

“I’ll show you a war hero!” she declared, and lunged for the teen, who dodged her with relative ease. But it happened quickly: one minute he had a clear path to the stairs, and the next he was turned around with his arms pinned to his back.  Sojiro chuckled.

“I didn’t think the leader would be so predictable, but Futaba read you like a book.  I bet her team would be lost without her,” he commented.  “And don’t look so surprised.  I used to be with the Feds, remember? Catching runners just comes with the territory.” Ren swore there was some giddiness in Sojiro’s voice, he must be having fun with this. But the boy didn’t struggle against him.  In wit and leadership, Ren might have the upper hand. And he was strong, too, from all the training with Ryuji and previous missions. But in pure manpower, and given the position we was in, he hadn’t a chance against Sojiro.

“Hey, you’re being awful quiet for someone who just got captured,” Futaba remarked, getting Ren out of his head and back to the moment; the moment Sojiro lightheartedly pushed the boy onto his couch so Futaba could pounce and begin her ticklish assault, starting strong by pushing up the hem of his shirt and scurrying her fingers on his bare stomach.  Ren gritted his teeth, trying not to let out the giggles that were bubbling up. He went to grab at her wrists, only for Sojiro to grab his first and pin them over his head, allowing the redheaded tech-wiz full access to his torso.

“Damnhihit!” Ren muttered, trying to break Sojiro’s grip.

“Was that a laugh, mighty leader?” Futaba teased, sticking one wiggling finger in his belly button.  Ren inhaled sharply again and arched his back reflexively, ironically giving Futaba better access to the sensitive area.  But he shook his head violently and groaned to cover any indication of escaped giggles.

“Yeah, THAT’S convincing,” Futaba said with an eye roll, changing tactics by pinching along his sides until she reached his ribs.  The moment her fingers swiped along his bottom ribs, he twisted and struggled, trying desperately to throw her off of him.  But with her straddling his thighs and Sojiro holding his arms, that was not going to be an easy feat.  

“Well? Was it a laugh? Is the feared leader of the Phantom Thieves ticklish?”

“Doohoohn’t Futaba!” He muttered, unable to keep his giggling completely at bay anymore while he felt his face heat up in forming a blush.

“Now I think that was a laugh,” Sojiro teased, encouraging Futaba to go in for the kill.

“Dahahamit, let mehehe go, old maahan!”  Ren said.  Out loud. He did not mean to say that out loud.  He was trying so hard not to laugh that he didn’t (or rather, couldn’t) think, and the words just fell out.  Futaba stopped tickling and both children looked to Sojiro.  He just looked blankly at Ren, and took both his wrists into one hand.

“Oh ho, you’re about to get wrecked!” Futaba exclaimed giddily, waiting for Sojiro’s move.

“Sir, I didn’t mean that, I’m sorrEHEHEEHHEE! NOOHOHHOHAAHAHA!!”  With his free hand, Sojiro curled and wriggled his fingers into the teen’s rib cage, and the dam holding back Ren’s giggles burst into a loud, unhindered belly laugh. Neither Futaba nor Sojiro had ever heard their quiet and composed LeBlanc tenant laugh, not like this, and they both chuckled: it seemed it was contagious.

“S-STOOHOHOP LAHAHUGHING AT M-MMEEEHEHE! AHH! HAHAHA!” He begged, and screeched in surprise when he felt Futaba pinch and scratch his bottommost ribs on the side that Sojiro wasn’t absolutely tormenting.  

Sojiro switched up his methods a bit, now vibrating his fingertips in the space between Ren’s ribs and underarms, earning another shriek. “I can’t believe this guy is the one everyone’s fussing over.  He looks pretty harmless to me!” The caregiver taunted.  Ren shook his head, as if fighting the ever-darkening redness from appearing on his cheeks.

“So our fearless leader can be taken down with a couple good tickles, I see. Mwehehe, wait until I tell the others~” Futaba teased, and raked her nails from his ribs down his sides, and scurried them haphazardly all over his bare belly. Ren threw his head back in renewed cackles, his heels digging into the couch behind the sadistic girl.

“NOOHOO, DOHOHOHON’T T-TELL TH-THEEHEHEM! AHAHACK! SOJIHEHERO, I CAAHAHN’T AHAHA!” Ren begged as his guardian released his wrists, only to quickly attack the hollows of his underarms, kneading and vibrating in the region, and making the raven-haired boy go into hysterics, if he wasn’t already. He clamped his arms down quickly, trapping Sojiro’s hands.

“Well now my hands are stuck here.  I guess I’d better make the most of it,” he taunted further, snickering at the continuous stream of boyish laugher he was eliciting from the usually stoic kid.

“DOHOHN’T TEHEHEASE MEEHEEHE, PLEEHEEASE, NOOHOHOHO!”

“Oh, now he’s learned some manners!” Sojiro responded spiritedly. Futaba relented finally, figuring her request for revenge had been satisfied. Plus, Ren looked like he could use a little mercy right now.

“Ya know, you look kinda cute like this! Maybe if I can get a picture, or a video!-”

“DOHON’T YOU DAHAHARE!”

“I know they would enjoy this dirt I’ve got on you!”

“IHEHE’LL EHEHEND YOOHOHOU!”

“Ya know,” Sojiro started, “you aren’t in any place to be making threats. Or to be calling me old, only I can do that.”

“I SAIHEHED I’M SORRYEHEHE!” Ren spat out, his laughter starting to go silent. Sojiro chuckled again and finally released the teen from his grip.  They watched as Ren greedily gasped for air and rubbed his eyes to find he’d been crying mirthful tears.

“I guess I’m sorry too, I think I got carried away there.  You all right?” Sojiro asked, motioning for Futaba to get off of his legs.  He nodded, still breathing heavily, but starting steadying.

“Futaba was right, you are kinda cute like that,” Sojiro teased, and the teen covered his faced and groaned, followed by a muffled “I am NOT.”

“Don’t go pouting, you’re still in a pretty vulnerable position,” Sojiro replied, offering a quick poke to his side, causing a jolt and a lighter giggle. The guardian looked at his watch and sighed.

“Great, Ren, you made me late for opening up shop,” he muttered, but there was no malice behind it.

“Oh yeah, gotta open the doors for your daily swarm of customers,” Futaba commented half-heartedly.

“Hey! I have my morning regulars, young lady.” Sojiro retorted. “You need to watch your tone.  You saw what happened to the last guy that had something smart to say.”  Ren groaned, and finally sat up, looking at the other two people occupying his room.  He watched them continue their argument as he shook his head in exasperation with a grin.

#persona 5 #ren amamiya #akira kusuru #futaba sakura #tickle fic #fluff #sojiro sakura #sojiro is best dad #lee!amamiya #phantom thieves #tickling

[lets-just-daydream]

Hiiii! I'm so so so sorry if you have a lot on your inbox, but I know you'll write this whenever you find the time! So please! Can I request a collage a!u where Hanzo&fem reader are like enemies? She is top of the class and of course Sojiro wants Hanzo to be top of the class, so Hanzo and reader always fight for the top spot, he gets really annoyed by her presence or whatever, but he secretly has a crush on her? And she has a crush on him as well so win win? I'm sorry I just want pure fluff!❤️

hhhhhhhhhh enemies to lovers is my KINK lmao. Thanks so much for your request!

Sidenote: I apologise for my absence - life's been super busy; ya girl just bought her first house so it's all been pretty wild moving in and unpacking, I've also been working on some Jojo character x character stuff which I never thought I'd do but I'm LOVING it. Anyway, enough about me!

*

There he goes again, walking around like he owns the school. He acted like he was the top of every class but you knew he wasn't - because you were top of every class! And you knew it drove him nuts; Hanzo Shimada. He was perfect in just about every single way. He was athletic, smart, good-looking and had great social skills.

In spite of all of this, you hated his guts and he hated yours. Who could blame you? You always vied for the top spot and you always came out ahead. Much to his chagrin.

You had tried many times to befriend him and every attempt was shot down with a "you're already acing every class, why do you need my help? Go away." So you gave up and continued your solo studies.

That was until one day, you sat in the library, studying for an upcoming exam. It was a really tough one even you had to admit and you were racking your brain trying to retain all of the information you needed.

You groaned in frustration and pulled at your hair. "This is impossible."

"Well, struggling are we? A rare sight to behold," Hanzo's smug voice came from nearby.

You looked up to see Hanzo entering the library and finding a seat nearby, setting up to study.

"What's it to you?" You shot back. "I'd like to see how you go with this stuff," you challenged.

Hanzo said nothing, only exhaling a 'hmph,' as he set up his things to study. You noticed how his brow furrowed when he came across a particularly difficult question and how his lips drew into a thin line when he was scribbling notes down. You figured it would be kind of cute if he wasn't such an asshole.

You tried to go back to your studies but you struggled to focus. You bit your lip and looked up at Hanzo, about to ask a question when you noticed he was already looking at you. At the sudden eye contact, Hanzo blushed and looked down at his study materials again, averting his gaze.

'Oh?' You pondered, wondering what his deal was.

"Hey, Hanzo…" you tested, certain that he was just going to ignore you.

"What?"

"What did you get for question five? I'm not convinced I got it right…" you asked, wondering if maybe this time in this circumstance, he might be open to being study buddies.

Hanzo glared at you for a moment before standing up and walking over to you, peering over your shoulder.

"Ah… my answer is completely different. How did you get this answer?" He asked.

"Umm," you hesitated before explaining your logic.

Hanzo listened intently as you explained how you arrived at the answer, mentally correcting you every time you got something wrong.

"I see," he finally hummed. "Well, it seems you might benefit from some help," Hanzo said with a smirk.

"If this is just you being an ass to me again…"

"It's not!" Hanzo said quickly, rounding up his stuff and setting up to sit next to you.

As he took the seat next to you, his leg brushed against yours and butterflies fluttered in your stomach at the brief contact.

"Let's work on this together. As much as my pride screams at me not to help you, I'm struggling too," Hanzo explained.

"I don't understand why you'd help me…" you hesitated, not sure what his deal was. His switch in attitude almost gave you whiplash.

"I…" Hanzo started, gulping before continuing. "Never mind, it isn't important. Shall we begin?"

You both worked from the same book, doing separate questions before turning back to each other to compare your notes and answers. After working on the problems together, you thought Hanzo seemed… kinda nice. You were enjoying his company and the mood had shifted as you bantered together.

"You know," you said with a chuckle. "I always thought you were kind of a dick… but you're actually pretty cool."

"Excuse me?"

You rolled your eyes and stared at him. "Oh come on. You've always been so mean to me! But today you're being nice… which is nice," you said with a shaky breath.

"O-oh," Hanzo stammered.

You were enjoying his company? This was an unexpected but nice change of pace.

"You okay?" You asked, your attention now solely Hanzo as you ignored your books and turned to face him.

"I'm fine," Hanzo said, glancing at you while he was working through his sheets.

You noticed the slight blush on his cheeks as he felt your gaze on him.

"Are you sure there's nothing on your mind?" You quizzed, teasing him. You knew something was up.

"I… I like you! Okay? Now drop it," he stewed, still not quite meeting your gaze.

That was unexpected.

"Oh," was all you said, your heart hammering in your chest.

Hanzo took this entirely the wrong way and stood to leave, gathering his things. "I shouldn't have said anything, my apologies."

"No, wait!" You said quickly, grabbing his wrist.

Hanzo looked at you questioningly, an eyebrow raised as he looked at your hand wrapped around his wrist.

"You don't have to leave," you breathed.

All Hanzo could focus on was the sound of his heart beating in his ears and your touch on his skin.

"Stay with me," you continued, rubbing his skin gently with your thumb. "Please."

Hanzo resumed his seat, tentatively taking your hand in his. "How could I refuse such a request from you?"

"I prefer you being nice to me than mean to me," you said with a shaky laugh, staring into his eyes.

"Me too," Hanzo replies with a rare smile. "Would you like to get some lunch together?"

"How could I refuse such a request?" You parroted back, sharing a laugh together.

#overwatch imagines #overwatch x reader #hanzo x reader #hanzo shimada x reader #overwatch fanfic #overwatch fanfiction #overwatch fic #red writes

[vgckwb]

P5R: Rebel Girl (A FeMC Story/P5R Rework) Chapter 126: Halcyon Days

On Monday, Ren and Futaba were getting ready to head to the beach. Sojiro was seeing them off. He looked intently at Ren. “Look, you’re going to be in charge of Futaba all day. Make sure nothing bad happens to her.”

“Got it,” Ren replied.

“Oh, and make sure that no random guys hit on her, you hear me?”

“Question.”

“Shoot.”

“Do I also need to make sure no random girls hit on her either?” Ren asked.

Sojiro was stone faced for a few seconds before letting out a long sigh. “You know what I mean…”

“I think it’s a fair question,” Ren said. “I mean, look who you’re talking to.”

Sojiro sighed again. “I know, but some men are really messed up and weird.” Ren nodded in agreement. “That said, yeah, try not to let any stanger hit on Futaba. That’d be great.”

Ren smiled. “Will do.”

“Thanks,” Sojiro said.

“Can we go now?” Futaba asked.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” Sojiro replied.

“It’s just a day trip!” Futaba countered. “I’ll be fine.”

“Heh heh, right,” Sojiro chuckled. “I just can’t help but worry sometimes. Take care!” Ren and Futaba nodded, and they were off to the beach.

Later, at the beach, Ryuji, Yusuke, and Jose were already in their swimsuits and were waiting for the girls to change. Ren left Morgana with them. Ryuji was wearing a pair of red swim trunks with a skull pattern on the right side along with some black and white patterns. Yusuke was wearing a pair of blue swim trunks with white polka dots, as well as a thin zip-up hoodie.

“We’re ready!” Ann called out in her usual bubbly voice. Ann, Makoto, Sumire, and Lena emerged. Lena was wearing the suit she bought. Ann was wearing a bikini with a floral print. Makoto was wearing a white two-piece with a frilly skirt-like bottom half. Sumire was wearing a puffy pink two-piece, again with a frilly skirt on the bottom half, as well as these puffy sleeve poms.

Ryuji was focused on his girlfriend. “Woah!”

Ann noticed this and giggled. She posed. “You like?”

“Uh, yeah,” Ryuji said, face red.

Ann put Ryuji in a headlock. “Aw, come on. We’re dating now. You can relax.”

“Well, yeah but…” Ryuji said. That doesn’t make you any less magical.”

Ann was surprised by that response. She blushed and released Ryuji from his headlock, instead holding his hand. “Oh you.” The two shared a kiss.

“Where’s Futaba?” Yusuke wondered.

“And Ren?” Morgana added.

“They should be out shortly,” Lena informed them.

“I think Futaba needs to get psyched up,” Makoto explained.

In the changing room, Ren had finished changing. “Futaba, are you ready?”

“Yeah,” she replied, though it sounded a bit muffled.

Ren looked over and saw that Futaba had wrapped her head in a towel. “Hm,” Ren chuckled. “Come on. Let’s get this thing off of you.” She started to unwrap the towel.

“But…but…but-”

“No ‘buts’ Futaba,” Ren instructed. “We came here for you, and I’m not going to let you miss it.”

Futaba was stunned. “...OK,” she resigned.

“It’ll be fine,” Ren assured her. “I promise.”

Futaba was impressed. She nodded and said “Yeah!”

“Hm hm,” Ren chuckled. “Now the…” She finished unwrapping Futaba’s towel.

The pair exited the changing room. Ren stepped out first, and the others could see she was wearing a black two-piece with white edges. The top was akin to a sports bra, and the bottom looked like short shorts. The swimsuit also had a slew of white lines that gave the swimsuit a hexagonal pattern.

Everyone was simultaneously in awe and anticipation. Ren smiled. She stepped aside as Futaba emerged in the swimsuit she bought. She was a little flustered as everyone else was looking on. They started smiling, cheering for her. Futaba relaxed and smiled. She walked among the rest of the group. “Heh heh.”

“Well, now that the gang’s all here, wanna grab some lunch?” Sumire offered. They agreed, and they went off to grab some food and find a spot for them.

As they were sorting out what they were eating, Yusuke asked “So Futaba, what will you be eating?” Futaba took out a portable bowl of instant yakisoba. “You brought that with you?!” Yusuke wondered.

“Baby steps,” Futaba countered.

“Very well,” Yusuke said.

“Yeah, you really shouldn't be too worried,” Ryuji said. “As long as she’s eating something.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Yusuke said.

Jose looked up at Makoto. “Why aren’t you eating anything?”

“Oh!” Makoto said, caught unaware. “Well….” Jose gave her a confused but earnest look.

“Allow me to explain,” Morgana said. “You see Jose, when a woman is in a swimsuit, she wants to look as slim as possible.”

“Huh,” Jose said.

“Mona lacks tact,” Futaba said.

“Eh,” Morgana gasped.

“Yeah, um, don’t repeat that Jose,” Ann said.

“Lady Ann?” Morgana said in shock.

“Yeah, as true as that may be, some things are better left unsaid,” Lena said.

“But how do I know not to say something until I’ve said it?” Jose wondered.

“Well, you don’t know better,” Ren said. “So we would essentially excuse you and explain what’s happening, like now.”

“Gotcha,” Jose said.

“Morgana really should have known better though…” Makoto said.

“Mmmm,” Morgana pouted.

“I was wondering the same thing, but I decided not to say anything,” Ryuji admitted.

“Ryuji…” Ann said with a negative tone.

“What?” Ryuji asked, apparently clueless.

“You really need to learn to quit when you’re ahead,” Yusuke said.

“Well, I’m not really ahead often in these kinds of conversations,” Ryuji said. “So I guess I don’t know what to do when I’m in that position.”

“That’s why I said ‘learn’,” Yusuke retorted.

“Shuddup!” Ryuji replied.

“Ugh,” Makoto sighed.

“You know,” Sumire interjected, “I understand all this, but you really should eat something while you can. I mean, we’ll be at the beach all day. We’re going to be doing all sorts of things.”

Makoto sighed. “You’re right I mean, I practice Aikido, and I know all of this, but…I guess the superficial stuff just kind of got the better of me.”

Sumire smiled. “It’s OK. It can get the better of anyone.”

Makoto nodded. “Yeah.”

They finished up having lunch. “So, what should we do now?” Ryuji asked.

“Well, uhhhh,” Sumire stammered.

“I kind of promised to take Futaba out on a banana boat,” Ren explained.

“And they only had one for three people,” Sumire continued. “So I promised to go with them.”

“I see,” Ryuji said.

“But we’ll be back soon,” Sumire said. “Then we can do stuff together.”

“C’mon,” Ren said. “We don’t want to be late.”

“K,” Futaba said. The three of them headed to the dock.

“So, what do we do in the meantime?” Ryuji asked.

“Well…” Makoto said. “Yusuke?” Yusuke looked at her. “Do you mind helping me with something?”

“Uh, sure?” Yusuke said.

“Great, let’s go,” Makoto said in a hurried tone. She got up and started dragging Yusuke.

“Hold up,” Yusuke said. “I can walk by myself.” They left.

“And that leaves five,” Lena noted.

“Well…” Ann said. “I know it’s kind of a slap in the face since Akechi isn’t here, BUUUUUUUUUUT walking the beach as a couple is something I've wanted to do since I was a little girl.”

“Uh, we met in middle school,” Ryuji pointed out.

“I meant in general,” Ann said angrily.

“Sorry…” Ryuji apologized. Ann sighed.

“It’s fine,” Lena said. “You can walk the beach for a bit.”

“Unless you don’t want to anymore,” Morgana said, cheekily.

“You little…” Ryuji remarked.

“No, I still want to,” Ann said. “Partially to get Ryuji more accustomed to couples things.”

“Well, since everyone else left,” Jose said.

“We’ll keep down the fort,” Lena said.

“And keep an eye on your stuff,” Morgana said. “I mean, it’d be pretty embarrassing if someone stole from us.”

“Thanks,” Ann said. She got up and grabbed Ryuji’s arm. “Let’s go sweetie.”

Ryuji smiled. “OK.” They left as well.

Once they were out of range, Jose turned and asked “So Lena, you’re from America, right?”

“Uh, well, yeah,” Lena answered.

“What are the differences between America and Japan?” Jose asked.

Lena was surprised. “You know, I’m kind of wondering myself,” Morgana added.

“Um, well, that’s…kind of a complicated question.” Lena said. “Um, well, there are a lot of differences.”

“Such as?” Jose wondered.

“Well, I think going over them all is a Herculean task,” Lena informed him. “Heck, I’m not even sure I know all of them.”

“I see,” Jose said.

“But I will say, I think there’s more that unites us as humans than divides us,” Lena said. “So while there are a lot of differences, the human experience is pretty similar.”

“Fascinating,” Jose said.

“Um, maybe take that with a grain of salt,” Morgana said. Jose and Lena were surprised. “I mean, I agree to some extent, but knowing other cultures is important too.”

“Hm hm,” Lena chuckled. “You’re right. But there’s just so much that’s different, I don’t even know where to begin.”

“I guess that’s fair,” Morgana said.

“For now, I just want to live, you know,” Lena said.

“I guess I can put it off for now,” Jose said. “So, you want to be a singer, right?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Lena answered.

“Can we hear you sing?” Jose asked.

“Hm hm, sure, Lena responded. “Now let’s see…” Lena treated them to a wonderful little mini-concert.

Meanwhile, on the banana boat, Sumire exclaimed “Isn’t this fun?”

“Yeah,” Futaba said with not a lot of energy.

Ren took notice. “Are you doing OK?”

“Well, it’s just…” Futaba said. She got a little embarrassed. “Am…Am I third wheeling you?” Ren and Sumire were surprised. “It’s just, you’re a couple. Would you not rather do something like this alone? Without me.”

“Futaba…” Sumire said.

“Hey,” Ren said. “Like I told you, today is about you. We’re here for you. So don’t worry about that for now.”

“Besides, I think this might be too public a place for a date,” Sumire said.

“Yeah, I hear ya,” Ren said.

“So it’s not just me that fears crowds,” Futaba noted.

“I mean, they can be overwhelming,” Sumire admitted.

“Let’s just go back to having fun, OK?” Ren said. Futaba nodded. The three of them continued their banana boat ride.

Makoto and Yusuke were walking the beach. “Pardon me,” Yusuke said. “But we;ve been walking for a while, and I still have no idea what on Earth we’re doing.”

“Oh, um, well, just this…” Makoto stammered. Yusuke was confused. “I…just wanted to act like a couple again in case Eiko or her boyfriend sees us.”

“Hm,” Yusuke responded. “Well, I doubt he’s one to come to the beach. And wouldn’t Eiko have told you she was coming if she wasn’t here with him?”

“I guess you’re right,” Makoto said. She sighed. “What am I doing?”

“You just want to look out for your friend,” Yusuke said. “I find that very admirable.”

“Yeah, but I feel like I’m losing myself, you know,” Makoto said. “I used to be more on top of things, and now…”

Yusuke gave her a look. “You know, sometimes you need to lose yourself in order to find yourself again. For too long, I thought I was just Madarame’s lone star pupil. But I had to lose that to find myself anew. And even now I have struggles, but I think it’s worth it.”

Makoto calmed down. “You’re right. I had to give up who I was for another shot at getting others to trust me again. And while I’m still in that fog, I think it was for the better.”

Yusuke smiled. “Glad I could help.”

Makoto nodded. “Let’s head back.” They started heading back to their spot on the beach.

Meanwhile, Ann and Ryuji were walking the beach. Ann rested her head on Ryuji’s shoulder. “Isn’t this lovely?”

Ryuji smiled. “It is pretty nice. I can see why you’d want to do it.”

They looked out at the ocean. Ann took a deep breath. “Do you think we could do a beach wedding?”

Ryuji froze. “Uh, say what now?”

“I mean, not here,” Ann said. “But like a private beach.”

“Ummmmmm,” Ryuji said.

“Is something the matter?”

“Well, it’s just, that’s kind of a ways off, isn’t it?”

“I’m just thinking out loud,” Ann replied. “Why are you so defensive?”

“Well, uhhhhhh,” Ryuji said. He sighed. “Ugh.”

“You feeling alright?” Ann asked. “This doesn’t seem like you.”

“Well, it’s just…” Ryuji answered.

Ann took his hand. “It’s OK. You can trust me.”

Ryuji settled down. “Right. So, like, I know your parents are super cool and all that, but my parents got married out of high school, and look how that turned out. I’m just scared, you know? When Kamoshida brought up my dad, I punched him. Not because he and I are different, but because I was worried that I’d be just like him. And on that day, I was.”

Ann was shocked but not surprised by Ryuji’s admission. She pulled him in and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “It’s OK Ryuji. We don’t have to do this kind of thing if you don’t want to.”

“I mean, I want to,” Ryuji said. “But…I just want to be more sure of myself, you know?”

Ann smiled. “I think you’re more sure of yourself than you give yourself credit for.” She looked over Ryuji’s shoulder and grew worried.

Ryuji noticed this. “Something the matter?”

“These two odd-looking guys are coming over,” Ann informed him. “They started coming over as soon as they saw us.”

“Heh, well, just leave it to me,” Ryuji said. He turned around. “Back off! She's wiiiiiiiii…” Ryuji ran out of steam as he recognized Julian and Angel. “Oh.”

“See? I told you it was him,” Angel said.

“Of course,” Julian said. “You have quite the discerning eye.”

“Hi…” Ryuji said.

Ann was surprised. “Do you know each other?”

Ryuji turned towards Ann. “Remember those photos?”

It took Ann a bit, but she remembered. “Oh, where you were dressed in drag?”

“Yeah…” Ryuji said. “These two were the ones that helped Ren get me in them.”

“And we’ve been missing you ever since,” Angel said.

“You haven’t shown up all summer,” Julian said. “You missed the entire summer fashion season.”

“Well…” Ryuji said.

“He’s been busy,” Ann interjected.

“And who are you?” Julian asked.

Ann wrapped herself around Ryuji. “I’m his girlfriend!”

Julian and Angel were now shocked. “Girlfriend?” Julian said.

Ann nodded. “That’s right!”

“I can’t believe it!” Angel said.

“Another one lost,” Julian said. “Well, still, if you’re ever feeling up to it, you know where to find us.”

“R-right,” Ryuji said.

Julian and Angel started waking off. “I was so sure we’d help him find himself,” Angel moaned.

“Well, look at the bright side,” Julian said. “She said she saw the pictures and still wanted to go out with him. In a way, we did.”

Angel smiled. “I guess you’re right.”

“That was…something…” Ryuji said.

“So, do you think you’ll be heading back there?” Ann teased.

“Uhhhhhh…” Ryuji let out.

“Hm hm, I’m just kidding,” Ann said.

“Right,” Ryuji replied.

“Let’s head back,” Ann said.

“Right.” They started heading back.

“Still, you looked really good,” Ann said. “If not for them, how ‘bout a show just for me?”

Ryuji was hesitant. “Maybe…”

“Great!” Ann said. “I have all sorts of things I want you to try on.”

“Ugh,” Ryuji moaned. “I regret this alright.

“Hm hm. No going back,” Ann said. They looked at each other and shared another kiss.

As Ren, Sumire, and Futaba were returning from their banana boat ride, Futaba exclaimed “MAN that was fun!

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Sumire said.

“Heh heh, yeah,” Futaba chuckled.

“Well well well,” a man’s voice said. The girls turned to see a group of three men surrounding them. “Look what we have here.”

“Hey babes,” another one said. “How about you join us for some fun on the beach?”

“It'll be fun,” the third one added.

“We’re here with friends,” Ren explained calmly, but firmly.  “Sorry.”

Ren tried to usher the group away, but the men blocked her. “Eh, you can leave them.”

“Yeah. We won’t take very long.”

“We just wanna have some fun.”

Sumire got mad. “We told you no. Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

“C'mon.”

“What do we gotta do to get you to come with us?”

“We’ll be gentle.”

Ren was ready and willing to throw down with these slimeballs. But it was a very public place, and Ren didn’t want to risk getting arrested again. This, however, did not stop Futaba. She walked up to one of them and shouted “We. Said. NO!” and kicked them in the balls with all her might. It was enough to cause him to immediately fall to the sand.

“Well? Feisty, ain’t ya?” another guy said, apparently undeterred. Suddenly, the sound of a huge impact was heard. Seconds later, the second guy fell to the ground.

As he did, the others noticed that Makoto had used her Aikido to take him down. Makoto sighed. “What a creep.”

“You BITCH!” the last guy standing said. He went to slap Makoto.

Before he could, Yusuke called out “GO!” and threw two lobsters that he had.

One grabbed the guy by his nose, and the other grabbed the guy by his left nipple. “AHHHHHHHHH!” the guy yelped in pain. In his panic, he managed to pry the lobsters off of him, but it still hurt like the dickens.

The other two guys started to get up, but were significantly weakened. “Let’s get out of here,” the leader of the pack said.

“Crazy bitchs,” another said. They left as fast as they could, tails between their legs.

Ren sighed, relieved. “Thanks.”

“Are you alright?” Makoto asked.

“I think so,” Sumire said. “Luckily, they didn’t get very far.”

“We showed them!” Futaba said, excited.

Yusuke went to pick up the lobsters. He looked them over. “Good. They didn’t hurt you.”

“Uh, we’re fine too, Inari,” Futaba remared.

“Hm?” Yusuke said. “Oh, right. My apologies. I’m glad you’re safe too.”

“Hm. Stupid Inari,” Futaba said.

“By the way, why do you have two lobsters?” Ren asked.

“Oh, well, I saw they were on sale,” Yusuke said. “I was so taken in by their appearance that I just had to buy them. I mean, just look at them! So artistic! So beautiful!”

Everyone was slightly confused. “Yeah, just go with it,” Makoto said.

They did. “Well then, shall we head back?” Ren said. Everyone agreed, and they went to meet up with everyone else.

When they got there, Ann and Ryuji were already back. “Oh hey,” Ryuji said.

“How was your boat ride?” Ann asked.

“The boat ride was fantastic,” Ren reported.

“What happened after wasn’t,” Sumire explained.

“I dunno,” Futaba said. “I got to kick someone in the balls.”

“WHAT?!” Ryuji said.

“They wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” Ren explained.

“Gotcha,” Morgana said.

“Ugh,” Ann sneared.

“Tell me about it,” Makoto said.

“Well, I’m glad you’re alright,” Lena said.

“I’m sorry that it happened,” Jose said.

“It's fine,” Ren said. “Now, who’s up for some beach fun?!”

“YEAH!” everyone cheered. They spent the remainder of the day playing beach volleyball, making sand castles, and playing in the ocean. Overall, it was a delightful day.

As the sun was setting, everyone was getting ready to go. “Man, today was pretty fun,” Ryuji said.

“I agree,” Sumire said. “Despite the slight hiccup.”

“Oh. Yeah,” Ryuji reacted.

“Well, the worst was avoided,” Yusuke said. “Besides, I got these lobsters. Aren’t they majestic?”

“Uh, sure,” Ryuji answered.

“Helpful too,” Sumire chuckled.

“Well, I think today was great too,” Jose said. “I got to hear Lena sing earlier.”

“Really?” Makoto said.

“Me too,” Morgana himed in.

“How was it?” Ren asked.

“It was great!” Jose said.

“She has a beautiful voice,” Morgana said.

“Oh, stop you two,” Lena said, embarrassed.

“Wow,” Ann said. “Can we hear you sing?”

“Uh, maybe later…” Lena said.

“Be careful,” Ryuji said. “She’ll hold ya to it.”

“Wha?” Lena said.

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Ann said.

“Well, it looks like we’re all set,” Makoto said.

Ren turned to Futaba. “You ready to go, Futaba?” Ren noticed that Futaba was staring out at the sunset. She looked almost frozen. Ren nodded, and walked over to her. The others followed her.

When they arrived, Futaba felt their presence and turned around. She had tears in her eyes. “Sorry,” she said. She wiped them. “I was just thinking about a time when my mom took me to the beach. There was a sunset just like this.” She turned to look at it again. “I can’t believe it’s been two years already.”

She turned back to everyone else. “I want to join the Phantom Thieves. I want to avenge mom. And I want to help people too. The pain I went through is unbearable. I don’t want anyone else to feel that pain again. Especially if someone is actively trying to cause it.”

“It’s REALLY disgusting that that was intentional,” Ann said.

“Whoever is pulling the strings is truly a piece of inhumane garbage,” Yusuke added.

“Well, I don’t think we need much convincing,” Ren said. “Welcome aboard.”

“Huh?” Futaba said. “Just like that?”

“Of course,” Sumire said.

“You really think we wouldn’t?” Morgana asked.

“Well…” Futaba said.

“I understand where she’s coming from,” Makoto said. “If you remember, you kept me at arm’s length for a bit. But when it came down to it, they let me join.”

“I was a little nervous too,” Lena said. “Considering how spontaneous everything was for me. But they welcomed me too.”

“Don’t worry Futaba,” Jose said. “They’re really good people who will put their trust in you.”

“C’mon, Jose,” Ryuji said. “You say that like you’re not one of us.”

“Yeah,” Ann added. “You’re definitely a Phantom Thief through and through. Anyways…” She walked over and gave Futaba a hug. “Welcome aboard!”

“Uh, thanks,” Futaba said, slightly uncomfortable.

“Oops,” Ann said, letting go. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Futaba said. “Just give a bit of a warning next time.”

“Hm hm, OK,” Ann said.

“Oh! Now we gotta think of a codename!” Ryuji said.

“Yeah!” Lena said. “This oughta be fun!”

“Why not just go with Alibaba?” Yusuke suggested.

“Pass,” Futaba said. “If we need to hack potential targets, I’d rather leave the Alibaba name open.”

“That’s actually really smart,” Morgana remarked.

“Well, I guess that means Medjed is also out of the picture,” Ryuji said.

“Why would she choose the name Medjed?” Makoto asked.

“Well, I mean, it was her’s originally,” Ryuji explained. “Then some jerks hijacked it, and then after she took them out, she could reclaim it. You know, like a trophy.”

“Meh, I don’t want the Medjed name back,” Futaba said. “I’m trying to look forward, not back.”

“Fair,” Ryuji said.

“Ooo!” Ann said, excitedly. “What about Pharaoh?!”

“I’ll curse you!” Futaba sniped back.

“Is that a yes?” Jose asked.

“That’s a no,” Futaba explained.

“I figured,” Ann said. “But you did look adorable in that outfit.”

“Urgh,” Futaba groaned, embarrassed.

“What about Toucan?” Lena said. Everyone looked at her confused. “Well, I just started watching Featherman upon Futaba’s recommendation, and…”

“You think I’m most like Toucan?!” Futaba asked.

“Well, I just started watching…” Lena answered meekly

“Well…hmmm…I actually need to think about that one,” Futaba responded.

“What about Navi?” Sumire offered.

“Hmmm,” Futaba said. “Navi is good. But I want something a little more.”

“Well, what do you want your codename to be?” Ren asked.

Futaba thought for a second. “Oracle.”

“Oracle?” Ryuji reacted.

“Hm. I quite like it,” Makoto said.

“As do I,” Yusuke added.

“I think we have a winner,” Lena said.

Ren smirked. “Welcome to the team, Oracle.” Futaba smiled.

Fool-The Phantom Thieves: Rank 7

“Well then,” Ren said, “with all that decided, let’s get going. We don’t want to be here when the sun sets completely.” The others nodded, and they started heading out.

Futaba took one last look at the sunset. For a brief moment, Futaba faintly saw her mom in the sun. She nodded and whispered “Thank you.” She hurried up and met back up with everyone else. They got changed and went home for the night.

The next day, Ren and Futaba were meeting up before heading out to Sumire’s gymnastics performance. “Alright! Let’s go!” Futaba cheered.

“Just a moment,” Ren said. “Um, I maybe should have told you earlier, but there’ll be a few more people joining us.”

“What?” Futaba wondered.

“It’s just two more people from my school, and someone from Yusuke’s school,” Ren explained. “It’ll be fine. We’re just there to watch. I’ll be next to you the entire time.”

“Well, if you’re fine with them, then so am I,” Futaba said, determined.

Ren smiled. “That’s the spirit.” She turned to Morgana. “How about you? Are you ready?”

“Yeah…” Morgana said. “It stinks that I have to stay silent for this.”

“Well, it’s either that, or don’t come at all,” Futaba pointed out.

“I know, but it still stinks,” Morgana said.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll still have fun,” Ren said. Morgana got in the bag, Ren picked it up, and they were off.

Once they arrived at the station, Ann waved them down. The rest of the Phantom Thieves were there aside from Sumire, along with Shiho, Mishima, and Hifumi. “Hey!” They rushed over.

“Oh? Who’s this?” Mishima asked.

“This is Futaba,” Ryuji explained.

“Oooooh,” Mishima said. “She’s the one you mentioned.”

“Good things, I hope,” Ren said

“What do you take us for?” Ryuji asked.

“Hi there Futaba,” Shiho said.

“H-Hi,” Futaba said, nervously.

“Oh my,” Shiho replied.

“Just give her some time,” Ann instructed.

Hifumi emerged from the woodwork, bowed, and said “Thanks for inviting me again.”

“My pleasure,” Ren said.

Hifumi turned to Futaba. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Futaba didn’t answer for a few seconds. When she did, she only said “Likewise.”

“Well, we should head out,” Ren said. “We don’t want to be late.” They all nodded, and proceeded to head to the stadium.

As they were taking their seats, Makoto looked up. She saw a V.I.P seat, and in there was a man in a black suit and glasses, as well as a girl wearing a mint green dress and orange hair. “Is something the matter?” Lena asked.

“Huh?” Makoto said. “Oh. No. It’s fine.”

“Well, if you say so,” Lena replied. They took their seats, and the show began.

When Sumire was up to perform, her friends started cheering for her. This gave her all the motivation she needed, as she began. She performed her hardest, and the crowd was really taken in. Truly, it was a spectacle.

Once she finished, her friends were the first ones to applaud, but soon the whole stadium was in an uproar. Sumire was impressed. She bowed, smiled, and waved before taking her exit.

In the crowd, Ren was in awe. She couldn’t help but smile.. She turned to Futaba. “So, what did you think?”

“That was AMAZING!” Futaba said.

Ren nodded. “Glad you liked it.”

After the competition was over, everyone went out to wait for Sumire. Once she found them, she called out “REN!” and rushed over. Ren turned to meet her, and she leapt into a hug. “What did you think?”

Ren had a smile ear-to-ear. “You were amazing, as always.”

“He he,” Sumire chuckled. The two shared a kiss. “Thanks.”

It was a few seconds before Futaba interrupted to say “I thought it was really good too!”

“Oh,” Sumire said, letting go of Ren. “Thank you.”

“We all thought you did exceptional,” Makoto said.

“Yeah, you really nailed it,” Shiho said.

“I thought it was better than last time,” Mishima added. Shiho elbowed him. “Ow!”

Sumire chuckled. “It’s alright,” she said. “It means I’m improving.”

“Well then, I must agree,” Hifumi said.

Sumire was surprised. “Oh. Um, forgive me, but have we met?”

“Oh!” Hifumi said, equally alarmed. “Forgive me. I attended your last performance, but I couldn’t stay to met you afterwards.”

“I see,” Sumire said.

“My name is Hifumi Togo,” she said, introducing herself.

“Hm hm. Pleased to meet you,” Sumire said. “I’m Sumire Yoshizawa.”

“Pleased to meet you as well,” Hifumi replied.

“Well, I think this is the perfect time to celebrate,” Yusuke said. “Where should we eat?”

“Actually,” Sumire interrupted, “I’m a bit too tired. I’d rather just eat at home and go to sleep.”

“I agree,” Ann said. “Taking it easy tonight and tomorrow will help us get ready for school the day after.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Ryuji said.

“Yeah, I don’t want to think about it,” Mishima said.

“Look, I’m not looking forward to it either,” Ann responded.

“Well, I’m looking forward to it,” Lena said. “It’ll be my first time at school where I can make friends with more people.”

“Oh, right,” Ryuji said.

“I could use some rest too,” Futaba said.

“Same,” Makto agreed. “Once school starts again, I’m back to being leader of the student council.”

“And I need to get back to figuring out the future of the volleyball team,” Shiho said. “But I’m more determined than ever!”

“Way to go, Shiho!” Ann cheered.

“Hmmm,” Yusuke said, disappointed. “I was hoping to go out with one last hoorah!”

“Well, I’m up to getting some food,” Jose said. “We could get some together.”

Yusuke smiled. “I’d like that.”

Sumire got a message. “Oh. My parents are here.” She gave Ren a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks for coming, everyone!” she said, rushing out the door.

Ren smiled and waved. “Seeya!”

Hifumi got a message. “That’s my mother. I should get going as well.” Ren nodded, and Hifumi left.

“I think we should all head out,” Ryuji said. Everyone nodded, and they went their separate ways for the evening. Ann and Ryuji walked home together, as did Shiho and Mishima. Yusuke and Jose headed to a restaurant before heading back to the Kosei dorms. Hifumi was hurriedly on her way home. Makoto and Lena were walking slower to their homes.

As Ren and Futaba were on their way to Yongen-Jaya, Morgana popped out and said “I didn’t even get a chance to congratulate her.

Ren smiled. “I’ll fix that for you now.” She got out her phone.

Ren: Morgana said you did really well too.

Sumire: Thanks!

Sumire: Give him a scratch behind the ears for me.

Ren: Will do!

Ren looked at Morgana. “You heard the lady.”

She started scratching behind Morgana’s ears. As much as he wanted to deny it at first, he was sent into a euphoric state, and even purred.

“Hm hm,” Futaba chuckled. “I think being a cat suits you.”

This snapped Morgana out of his trance. “I am NOT a cat!” he protested. “But, I guess it’s not so bad.”

Ren smiled. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Once they got to Yongen-Jaya, Ren took Morgana back to Leblanc, while Futaba headed to her house for the night.

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