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rune-writes · 22 days

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Sakura Kaleidoscope

Fandom: Persona 5

Word Count: 4K

Rating: Gen

Pairing: Ren Amamiya/Ann Takamaki

Summary: The day before Ren is set to go flower-viewing with Ann, Sojiro gifts him an old camera he once had. Only, it seems the camera holds more memory than the old coffee master would like to admit.

Notes: it's been so long since i last wrote shuann. so here is a little something for the Week :) written for @shuannweek 2024 Day 2: Photography.

Read on AO3.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ren found a camera tucked in the corner of an old dusty box at the attic. He had been cleaning his room when he decided to look into the cardboard boxes he had left untouched the entire year he was there. A small black bag sat in the depths of one of them. When he took it out, he disturbed the layer of dust that had settled there, prompting him to cough.

“A DSLR?” he said to himself, taking the camera out for inspection. He turned it around and dusted it off. It still looked as pristine as new, as though it hadn’t seen much use before it was shelved inside the box. A shame, he thought. Ren didn’t know much about cameras but it seemed like a good model. He pressed down on the power button. It stayed dead.

Of course.

Rising to his feet, Ren climbed down the stairs into the coffee shop. Business was slow. Only the old couple were present, conversing about nothing in particular. Sojiro sat on the counter as he watched TV, a bored look on his face. He was in the middle of a yawn when Ren approached, eyes widening slightly at the sight of the camera in Ren’s hand.

“Now that’s something I haven’t seen in a while,” he murmured.

“I take it this is yours then?” Ren asked.

Sojiro grunted. “Was mine, I guess.” He took the camera from Ren and fumbled with it for a bit. He tried turning it on, only to chuckle wryly when it refused. “Of course. How many years has it been since I last used it?”

“I didn’t know you used to do photography.”

“I didn’t.” Sojiro huffed. He didn’t offer further elaboration.

“Oh come now!” came the old woman’s voice. Having heard their exchange, she countered, her husband nodding his affirmation. “Didn’t you used to bring a camera all the time whenever you went out with that young lady. What was her name again? Ishi… Ishikawa?”

“Isshiki, I think,” her husband offered.

“Right! Isshiki! She was such a lovely woman. Smart, too.”

Sojiro cleared his throat. “All right, all right! That will do! Any more and you’d expose all my embarrassing secrets.”

“My, So-chan, I would think you’re old enough not to be embarrassed by your own story.”

The old couple giggled, much to Sojiro’s affectionate vexation. Although, when Ren deigned to join in the fun—a little smirk and a half-breathy chuckle—his guardian hit him with an ice-cold glare.��

“Sorry,” Ren mumbled.

“Anyway,” he went on, giving the camera back to Ren, “you can have it if you want. I don’t have much use for it any longer.”

“Really?”

Sojiro shrugged. “Better you than me, in any case. Don’t think she’d like it if it stayed cooped up in a box, collecting dust. I think you’d make a fine new master for it.” The old proprietor gave him a rare grin before his face twisted into consternation. “The problem is I can’t remember where I put the charger. It should be in the box along with the camera. But if not, I’ll take a look at my house.”

It wasn’t in the box, so later that day, Sojiro had Ren mind the shop as he went back to his house. It took a while, but after an hour or so, he returned with the charger, saying, “Sorry, got caught up in cleaning some stuff out.”

Ren brought the charger to his room, where he connected the cable into the camera, then plugged the other end into the socket behind the TV. A red light blinked back at him. Ren didn’t quite know how long it’d stayed dead, but at least the charger still worked. He only hoped that it was still functional.

He left it alone then to help Sojiro at the shop until near closing time. He washed the dishes and swept the floor, and when there was nothing left to do but close for the night, Sojiro let him retire to his room. So he climbed back up, intent upon checking on the camera, when he found Morgana pawing it on the TV table.

“Hey.” He reprimanded the cat, swiping the camera off the wooden surface.

“The light was blinking so I got curious,” the cat said defensively, as though that was reason enough to almost drop it off the table.

“The light was blinking ‘cause it was charging,” he said. It was now blinking green. He unplugged the cable, sat on the couch, and turned it on. The screen blinked to life.

This brought him back. He used to play around with his father’s cameras when he was small. Ren directed the lens to Morgana and, adjusting the lens, snapped a picture. The pupils in Morgana’s eyes slitted at the sudden flash of flight; he snarled and growled then hopped off the table. Ren snickered.

“Let’s see now…”

Maneuvering through the myriad of buttons and menus on the camera, Ren finally found the gallery, which showed him a photo of Morgana’s blank face. He stifled a laugh and asked the cat to come and see. Morgana wrinkled his nose, but came up to the back of the couch and propped himself on Ren’s shoulder. He hissed at his own picture.

“Oh come on, it’s not that bad,” Ren said with a half-smile.

“For you, maybe.” Morgana’s paw came to Ren’s cheek in what he assumed was an attempt at a playful swat, but the soft pads only softened the blow so it felt like a pat instead, albeit a forceful one. Ren chuckled under his breath as his eyes drifted to the number at the top right corner: 83. He cocked his head to the side.

Pressing the next button, a picture of an unfamiliar house suddenly filled the screen, somewhat blurry. “Huh,” came Morgana’s quiet comment. The next several images were of the same house but from different angles, then empty streets—a neighborhood.

“Are they Sojiro’s?” the cat wondered.

“Probably.”

The next photo, however, made him pause. Ren saw a sakura tree in what looked to be a sidewalk, but it was the figure dressed in black that froze him. He shut the camera off so quickly that Morgana meowed in protest. Just then, lights from the floor below disappeared, followed by the sound of a jingling bell and the jangle of keys. Sojiro had exited the store, clicking the lock into place.

Ren sighed in defeat. Perhaps, he could ask Sojiro about it tomorrow.

***

Ann’s message came early the next morning. 9 AM at the station? She asked.

Ren sent a quick reply then got ready. Sojiro had already prepared curry for breakfast by the time Ren came down from his attic.

“Hanami, huh,” he mused. “Where are you going? Inokashira?”

Ren shook his head. “Ueno. We decided to go a little farther.”

An awkward pause fell before Sojiro said, “I see.”

Ren quietly eyed the coffee master, but Sojiro quickly regained his bearing. He hoped Ren would get some pretty views. It wasn’t quite the season yet but the news had reported some already blooming in places. Ren nodded absently—that was the reason why he had proposed the idea to Ann. He only had a few days left in Tokyo before he had to return to his hometown. They might not have a chance to go flower viewing together. Ann had then decided where they would go.

Silence stretched, filled only by soft TV noises. Ren cleared his throat.

“Sojiro, is it really okay for me to have the camera?”

“I already told you. It’ll only collect dust if I keep it.” He hadn’t even missed a beat. As though sensing Ren’s reluctance, he added, “Just think of it as a farewell gift.”

“What about the photos?”

“I doubt there’s much of it.”

Sojiro grunted and shrugged, as though wanting to drive home that the camera really didn’t mean anything to him. But rather than being nonchalant about it, he seemed to be avoiding the subject altogether.

“Can I look at them, then?” Ren tried again.

There, just a quick stilling of his hands before Sojiro returned brewing his coffee, but it was enough. “Suit yourself.”

Ann was already waiting for him by the time he reached Shibuya Station. It was already a bit warm so she wore a simple loose floral shirt with a pair of jeans. Her hair was unusually undone: long luscious blonde flowing freely down her back, kept in place by a couple sakura-patterned pins near her temple. Ren couldn’t help but grin when their eyes met.

“W—what?” Pink tinged her cheeks in fluster, though he suspected she knew what he was thinking.

Still, Ren grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers together. “You look pretty.” It took all his self-control not to break into the biggest, most idiotic grin he would have made because the way Ann’s face went instantly red looked so adorable, it was hard to contain his affections to a bare minimum in such a public space. Instead, he settled with a smirk—albeit somewhat teasing—which apparently did more damage than he’d realized. Ann’s ears went scarlet, then she playfully slapped his arm, which he deftly dodged.

“Stop being sassy!”

“I’m not,” he responded with a laugh. She really was beautiful, now even more so when the hint of a smile slowly revealed itself beneath her pout. He tugged her hand. “Let’s get going.”

The station was unexpectedly crowded for a Sunday morning, though the sakura blooming had reached the news so perhaps Ren should have expected otherwise. As they headed towards the platform, Ann noticed the square black bag Ren was carrying on his shoulder.

“A camera,” she said when he showed it to her. She studied it, fumbled around with it. “Sojiro’s, did you say it was?”

Ren nodded. “He said I could have it.”

“Huh. I didn’t peg him to be into photography.”

“Neither did I—” The sound of a camera shutter cut him off and Ren looked up. Ann had turned the camera on and directed it at him, smirking. He frowned. “Hey. Delete that.”

“Why? You look good.” She giggled.

“Ann—”

She stepped away when he reached out to grab her hand. “Candid is best,” she said, still giggling. He tried to catch her but she stepped away again, and again, and again, always keeping herself just out of reach, until Ren sighed in half-exasperation and made to run for her—

When the intercom announced the arrival of their train.

“Ah! It's here!” Ann shut off the camera and took his hand. “C’mon, we don’t wanna miss it.”

They slipped into the crowd and managed to grab a seat inside the train. Ann returned the camera back to Ren, who turned it on again at the first chance he had. You look good, she’d said, when all the pictures she had taken were either in an odd angle, blurry, or even downright bad. What was even this shot of his close-up skin that he could almost see his pores? Ann giggled softly again when she noticed what he was frowning at.

“You know I’ll get back at you ten fold, right?” he said.

“You know I’ll be ready for it.”

She grinned, and he resisted the urge to bop her head or even kiss her cheek. Instead, he sighed, turned the camera off, then stashed it back inside his bag. He spotted her hand on her lap and inadvertently intertwined his fingers through hers.

“Ren—” She made to pull away, but he locked their hands together.

“That’s what you get for teasing me,” he said.

Her face twisted in such a way that usually bespoke of an upcoming counter, but eventually, Ann settled into his hand and into her seat.

“You started it,” came her quiet mumble.

This time Ren did bop her head. Albeit fondly.

***

Their destination was Ueno Park. It took only a few minutes to walk from the station. The news reported that the sakura blooms had been spotted in the park as early as two days ago. Indeed, as early as it was, a crowd was already trickling into the park. Not as much as peak season but already a hefty amount, according to Ann. They entered the gates, then followed the crowd, letting the sea of people carry them to where the heart of sakura blooms gathered.

Ren took out his camera again. Letting Ann walk ahead of him, he called Ann to a stop once she reached some distance away. He had already put his eye behind the camera by the time Ann half-turned towards him, and then he snapped the picture. Ann exclaimed in surprise when she realized what he’d just done. Ren, meanwhile, was half-smiling to himself as he checked the result of his work.

“Not bad,” he mused—it wasn't blurred at least—just as Ann stomped back towards him and said, “Don’t just take my picture like that.”

“Candid is best, as you said so yourself.” Ann fumed, made to snatch the camera away, but Ren held it out of reach. “I told you I’d get back at you ten fold.”

He grinned, to which Ann scowled. “Fine. But I’m taking your share of the crepe.” Because apparently that was where Ann had been heading: a crepe stall erected on the side of the wide central path flanked on each side by tall sakura trees now in bloom. Yes, it wasn’t peak season yet—not all the flowers had blossomed—but pretty dots of pink and white had decorated the boughs on either side, giving off a sweet scent that only came around once a year.

Ren could only chuckle and acquiesce at her request.

He followed behind her, capturing moments left and right: a family of three, the father carrying his little girl on his shoulders; the flowers on the trees, going as close as he could to capture the delicate petals in his camera; the tranquil moat, the crowded stalls, then a wide shot of the sakura-lined path leading deeper into the park.

Ann was still queuing at the crepe stall when Ren returned. Putting his eye to the camera, he zoomed in. He took a picture of her back, at the way she slipped a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, of how she noticed his presence not far behind her, then her frown at the realization of being photographed silently again, and finally her small smile, and a full-on grin. He often thought that Ann’s features were dynamic—expressive. He swore he’d seen her cry, get mad, and laugh all in the span of one minute. Seeing the pictures he’d just taken, Ren knew it wasn’t just his feelings.

Ren was just stashing his camera back inside his bag and meant to wait in the queue with Ann when Ann appeared behind him. She gave him a crepe—Banana and Lemon. He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Let’s find somewhere to sit,” she said instead, then added with a glance, “and I’m gonna take a look at the pictures you've taken.” She didn’t leave any room to say no. Not that Ren would want to .

So they walked down the path, enjoying their crepes—hers was Double Chocolate & Almond. Farther into the park, they found a rather empty spot beneath a tree on the bank of the moat. Ann took a picnic mat from her bag and spread it out for them.

It was nice, he thought. The air was slightly warmer now, the sakura—while still early—was beautiful. Out on the still water, people rowed boats languidly.

Ren showed Ann the camera gallery after they finished their crepes. They started with the ultra-close skin-pore photo Ann had taken before, which made her laugh and him frown again. Then it cut into the park, and they saw pictures of families, children, and friends—all engaged in different forms of activities.

“You’re pretty good at this,” Ann said at the image of the general crowd amidst pink trees. “Have you ever learned photography before?”

“My father was a journalist so we had a camera at home,” Ren replied. “I used to mess around with it.”

Ann made a non-committal comment. Then she pressed next, and she paused. Ren looked over her shoulder and found that she had arrived at the first picture of her: her body half-turned, face set in inquiry, framed by the pink sakura blossoms on each side. The crowd almost drowned her, but her blonde hair and floral shirt was enough to make her stand out—at least to him.

He glanced at her, waited for her response, but Ann only clicked next, then next, and next again.

“You really meant it when you said you’d get back at me ten fold,” she said at last, but her voice was quiet. She’d arrived at her grinning face, zoomed in and angled. The sun almost made her gleam blindingly bright. Ren wouldn’t tell her but he planned to print that shot and slip it in his wallet.

“Aren’t I good?” he said in a forced smugness because Ann had become speechless.

“Really.”

Her honesty made him pause. She cleared her throat, shook herself, then clicked next again. Except, they’d gotten to the last of his pictures and were now back at the beginning. A shot of a house front looked back at them.

“Ah,” Ren said, reaching out to take the camera from her, “I think this is Sojiro’s. I haven’t taken much of a look.” A small lie, but it didn’t feel right to pry into another person’s memories.

Ann looked at him. “Sojiro gave it to you knowing he still had some photos in it?”

“He didn’t seem too keen about it. But…”

“But?”

He glanced at Ann, who was searching his face inquiringly. The camera was technically his now, and Sojiro did allow him to look through the gallery. He decided to show her the source of his hesitancy, skipped the next several images until they came to the one that had frozen him.

“Is that Futaba?” Ann said with a soft gasp.

A younger Futaba, barely twelve, they guessed. Her hair was still black, but there were no mistaking the big round eyes and glasses. Then the woman behind her could only be Wakaba Isshiki. They recognized the sleek black hair, sharp features, and neat dress.

Knowing the history between Sojiro and the Isshiki mother and daughter, there was no doubt the contents of the gallery would be private territory between Sojiro and his heart. And yet, the old coffee master had given him free rein on what to do with the camera as he saw fit.

“Did you tell Sojiro about this?” Ann asked.

“Couldn’t. He was avoiding it; wouldn’t even let his regulars tease him about it.”

Yet Ren was curious; he couldn’t deny that. Perhaps they really were nothing much, as Sojiro had claimed. He pressed the next button, then the next, and again.

What followed were a series of pictures of Wakaba and Futaba, sometimes together, other times alone. Feeding a stray cat, making curry, a trip to the park. The images felt warm, sincere. Even though Sojiro had claimed his feelings were one-sided, Ren could see how much the old man had meant to Wakaba. He doubted she would have been able to make such a bright smile had it been another person behind the camera.

Ren clicked next, and it seemed they arrived at a video.

“It’s so pretty!” A young Futaba ran across the screen; the camera desperately tried to follow her.

“Be careful, Futaba! You’ll trip!” a familiar voice appeared—Sojiro.

They spotted lanterns strung between sakura trees in full bloom. It was evening and the lanterns emitted a mesmerizing glow amidst the sea of flowers. Music echoed from the distance—drums. Laughter sounded nearby and the camera swiveled to the source.

“You’re such a worrywart, Sojiro. Futaba will be all right,” Wakaba said. “It’s not often she gets to have fun like this.”

“Yes, but—” The camera shifted again. Ren scowled inwardly at the haphazard movements.

Just then, Futaba fell, and Sojiro yelped. But Wakaba only laughed beside him. She rushed to the scene and helped her daughter stand up, murmured something to her, before both of them turned to the camera and Futaba called out with the biggest grin on her face, “Thanks for taking me here, Sojiro!”

They watched her run, watched as the camera trembled as it slowly, shakily, zoomed into Wakaba’s profile. She was watching her daughter frolic with the softest expression on her face. Then, as though she had just noticed the camera on her, she looked to her side and smiled.

The video ended, and silence fell.

Neither Ren nor Ann knew quite what to say. It felt like they had just glimpsed into the old man’s diary. Perhaps it was wrong of him to take the camera, but Sojiro clearly didn’t want it anymore.

A million things popped to Ren’s mind—things he would like to say to his guardian—but the words died before they could reach his mouth.

“This camera clearly holds important memories for Sojiro.” Ann broke the silence. “How could he throw it away?”

“He said that he doesn’t want it to collect dust.” Ren recalled what Sojiro had told him the night before. “That ‘she’ wouldn’t want it cooped up in a storage box.”

“She?” It clicked with her. “Did Wakaba give Sojiro this camera?”

“If that’s true, I can see why he doesn’t use it any longer.”

Ann pursed her lips in consternation. “Should you give it back?”

“Honestly, I’ve thought about it but I think he gave it to me as a way to respect Wakaba’s memory. So that the camera can be put to good use.” Sojiro might not remember just what this little box of memories contained, but from what Ren had seen, it was clearly important. The video dated five years ago. He could transfer them, save them somewhere, then give them to him before he left.

There were still several photos left before they’d reach his picture of Morgana from the night before, but Ren decided it was enough prying. He was about to shut it off when Ann spoke:

“That’s Ueno Park—those lanterns. It’s the Sakura Festival.”

Ann told him of the Sakura Festival that Ueno Park would hold every year in its grounds. They’d have lanterns strung between the trees and music to decorate the day. Sometimes parades would come down the central path. But it seemed right now the festival wouldn’t be until a few days yet when the sakura had fully blossomed.

She looked downcast, and Ren noted the melancholy in her tone as she said, “You would’ve been gone by then.” Now he knew why she had asked to visit Ueno Park today.

“It’s really pretty—” Ann perked up, “—especially at night when the lanterns are all lit up. We may not be able to see it today but I guess now you’ve seen how it would’ve looked like.”

Her smile was tight; her eyes hollow. She really was bad at hiding her emotions. He looked at his camera. Sojiro’s video was still displayed on the screen. A warm, eerie glow painted the trees; the lanterns all frozen in time. Beautiful, and alluring.

“Maybe we can see it someday.”

She looked up.

“I mean, we’ll be third-years next term,” he went on. “If I can get into a good uni in Tokyo next year, I should think we’ll be able to meet like this again. And perhaps hold a proper hanami, too.”

Her eyes lit up. She held up her pinky finger. “Promise?”

At that, Ren laughed. “What are we—kids?”

“I want you to promise me that we’ll go flower-viewing together again.”

She looked quite adamant, though the blue of her eyes glinted with delight. Seeing no other recourse, Ren chuckled under his breath, then twined his little finger with hers, locking the promise into place.

~ END ~

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A/N: the part about his father being a journalist is an old hc I had that I kinda explored in another fic of mine

#shuannweek2k24 #shuann #shuannweek #ann takamaki #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #persona #persona 5 #p5 #fanfiction #persona fanfic #p5 fanfic

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nemaliwrites · 28 days

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Persona 5 Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann, Suzui Shiho/Takamaki Ann, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira/Suzui Shiho, Sakamoto Ryuji & Takamaki Ann Characters: Sakamoto Ryuji, Takamaki Ann, Suzui Shiho, Kurusu Akira Additional Tags: Drabble Sequence, Angst, Friends With Benefits, Unrequited Love, Pining, Bisexual Sakamoto Ryuji, Bisexual Takamaki Ann, Non-Linear Narrative, Jealousy, Snapshots Series: Part 3 of Angstpril 2024 Summary:

con·tat·in·ho noun a slang term used in Brazil to refer to a casual relationship or a person with whom one has occasional romantic or sexual encounters. it is often used to describe a connection that is not fully committed or serious.

Akira and Shiho get together. Ryuji and Ann deal the only way they know how.

Written for Day 3 of @chaos-company‘s Angstpril - prompt: broken-hearted

#angstpril2024 #persona 5 #fanfiction #day3 #broken hearted #persona fanfic #p5 fanfic #pegoryu #ryuann #annshiho #shihoann #akira kurusu #ren amamiya #ryuji sakamoto #ann takamaki #shiho suzui #angstpril #my fics

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teddiesbestestpal · 5 months

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“Another day in Marie’s palace..” Toshiro Kasukabe sighed to himself at least he’s safe and.. a shadow popped up behind him.

“ Ah!” Toshiro says shocked as all of a sudden he heard.

“ Hey look out at least!” A voice said as Toshiro looked around.

He saw a small and short slightly humanoid Metaverse dumbo octopus creation with long bright orangish yellow tentacle tendril hair creamy light orangish yellow skin with pointy ears, bright reddish pink octopus eyes, frilly light pastel reddish pink gloves, wearing a golden masquerade mask with a trident theme as he’s wearing a white collared shirt with a light pastel reddish pink frilly tie wrapped around the shirt underneath his grey trenchcoat with lots of golden buttons gold colored Epaulette on his shoulders with a skull & crossbones shaped badge in the center as well as him wearing white with black stripes boots with gold buttons on them.

“ I know you… you always hang close to that black cat right?” Toshiro says as Tiefsee blushes.

“ I-It’s because I love him!” Tiefsee sternly says taking off his mask to summon his main Persons Blackbeard, a teal skinned merman with light teal extremely long hair with a grayish teal blue crown shaped mask obscuring his face as his tail scales are glistening and teal, Blackbeard is floating on a seashell with several fancy looking darts floating around him as with a couple shots from his darts and a Aquary Tide the shadows were quickly dispatched of, Blackbeard disappeared.

“ That was incredible!” Toshiro says praising Tiefsee as Tiefsee gave him a knowing smiling.

“ Yeah Yeah… just call me Squire…” Tiefsee said processing algorithm code in his eyes telling him how to adjust to the situation.

“ I hope that we’re able to defeat Marie…” Toshiro says as Tiefsee sighs.

“ Toshiro.. I was once manipulated and under a person’s demands as well, I was treated like a slave in large parts due to the god being my creator… he tried to lock me into a choice.. since I am technically a algorithm he tried to lock my algorithm into a choice of giving him supreme power over the world… luckily I was able to break free with the help of the thieves and make my own Destiny… and I’m sure you could do that as well Toshiro…” Tiefsee warmly smiles.

“ I understand… Squire you are truly wise above my years…” Toshiro says as Tiefsee gives a smile back.

“ But I doubt I could do that… not in my current situation…” Toshiro sighs as Tiefsee looks up back at him.

“ We’ll defeat the shadow version of Marie together!” Tiefsee says with confidence as Toshiro looks back at him with a new-found confidence.

“ You’re right… onwards!” Toshiro says as he and Tiefsee marched towards the next area.

#p5 #persona 5 #p5 tactica #p5 tactics #persona tactica #persona 5 tactica #p5 Tiefsee #persona Tiefsee #persona 5 Tiefsee #p5 Toshiro #persona Toshiro #toshiro kasukabe #p5 fanfic #persona fanfic #persona 5 fanfiction #p5t fanfic #persona 5 tactica fanfiction

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kosmicposum · 1 year

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Who all would be interested in a Persona fanific? I've got an itch to write and a hell of an idea if anyone wants to keep up with it

#persona #persona games #persona 3 portable #persona 3 #persona 4 #persona 4 golden #shin megami tensai persona #persona fanfic #persona fanfiction #persona 3 dark hour meets persona 4 fog meets spirit plane #tbh ill probably post it anyway even if no one cares

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braxien12 · 2 years

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YuRise - Aristocrat AU

After all the sophisticated dancing, stuffy suits and fancy finger foods, Yu Narukami’s overall conclusion is that the only good thing about this princess ball was the food.

And the drinks of course. He absently remembers that this was his third flute.

Rise turns eighteen today. The Kujikawas and Inoue decided to throw her a birthday ball, celebrating her grand entry into womanhood and society.

Or as Yosuke worded it: “an auction to sell their daughter off to the highest bidder. (He’s always been the bravest of their little team, or maybe the most clueless.) Yu couldn’t say he disagreed, but he wouldn’t have worded it like that or said it at all.

“Yo, Yu!”

Kanji was walking towards him with Yosuke in tow, the latter trailing behind him like he wished the ground would just swallow him whole because of the scadelized looks being sent their way by the other guests; the former appearing not to be fazed by it in the least. Both looked spectacular in their suits.

When they had first got the invitations to the ball, Kanji and Yosuke didn’t have a suit to wear and they definitely didn’t have enough money to buy themselves one. Yu had offered to buy one for the both of them, but they both declined. Yosuke didn’t want to burden him, which was absolutely ridiculous to think, and Kanji decided to make his own. He had offered to make Yosuke a suit too but the brunette said that he’d borrow one from his dad. The suit was a tad big on him, but it suited him well, and Kanji’s suit turned out pretty well.

“Would you quiet down,” Yosuke whispered, his head ducked in embarrassment as he discreetly looked over his shoulder at all the leering eyeballs. “Everyone’s staring at us.”

“Who cares. They’re going to talk anyway.” Kanji ignored the looks, even turning to glare at one of the onlookers, who shamefully turned away and started nibbling on their hor d'oeuvres. “Why are ya standing over here, Senpai?”

“I got tired from all the dancing.”

“Wait, dancing? Girls actually asked you to dance? What the hell, dude! I couldn’t even get a girl to accept a drink!”

“Wow, Yosuke-senpai. That’s pretty pathetic,” Kanji said.

“Shut up! Maybe I would’ve had better luck if I wasn’t babysitting Teddie all night.”

Yu looked around for the blonde. He remembered coming in with Teddie. The blonde had come wearing his same white tux with the red rose pin. He had split off with Yosuke earlier when Teddie saw the sparkly champagne glasses. “Where is Teddie?”

“Probably off trying to score with one of the ladies here. He was so adamant about it and when the orchestra started playing the Waltz he was gone. I swear that bear is becoming more trouble than he’s worth.” Yosuke said, rubbing the back of his head in exasperation. “Anyway, where’s Yukiko and Chie?”

Yu nodded towards one of the banquet tables. The two brunettes were standing beside each other at one of the many tables filled with food. Although the ball offered many tables crowded with sandwiches, soups, and sweets, true to Chie’s nature she was stuffing her plate full of every selection of meat she could fit on her plate and more. Yukiko as the heir of the Amagi Inn took every chance she could to better the inn and it’s menu, hence why she was admiring the various meats and paying close attention to the ingredients and their presentation.

“Seriously! We’re at a party surrounded by all different kinds of food and she just wants to stuff her plate with meat!”

“Is it really surprising that Chie-san would go straight for the meat table?” A new voice spoke up. Naoto walked up beside them. She had dressed up, forgoing her uniform and platforms for a strapless cobalt blue dress that ended just below her knees and low heels. From the corner of his eye Yu could see Kanji blush and avert his eyes in another direction.

“Yeah, well. I guess you’re right.” Yosuke sighed.

“You look good, Naoto.” Yu complimented.

“Ah. T-thank you, Senpai,” she bashfully thanked him, her face glowing a light pink. “Rise helped me pick it out.”

“Didn’t she help all the girls pick out their dresses?” Kanji asked.

“Yep,” Chie and Yukiko walked over to them. Chie’s plate was stacked with meat and she was already eating from her plate while Yukiko was snacking on an assortment of different food from different tables.

“After we got the invitation, Rise took us all out shopping. We must’ve gone to at least five different stores,” Yukiko said.

“I swear I’ve never seen that many dresses in my life!” Chie huffed then the brunette looked around.

“Speaking of, where is that girl? It’s not like her to skip out on a party.” Yukiko blinked, her eyes looking up and pressed her fork to her lips as she thought.

“Now that I think about it, no one’s seen her since her parents made that big announcement.”

When the last guest had arrived, the Kujikawas called everyone’s attention. They wished their daughter a wonderful birthday but the words after seemed more for the bachelors of the audience than for the praise of their daughter. Rise all but ran away after the speech was over.

“She looked so sad up there. Inoue-san was the only one up there who actually noticed or even cared.”

“It’s so weird though. She had looked so excited for the party when she first gave us the invites,” Yosuke pondered.

“Yeah, until you opened your big mouth and compared it to an auction.” Chie yelled and jabbed him in his side.

“Ow! Hey, I said I was sorry.” Yosuke yelped, rubbing his sore ribs. “And how was I supposed to know she’d heard me?”

“It still shouldn’t have been said, partner.” Yu interjected. He knew Rise was sensitive about her parents. She barely spoke about them until one day she broke down and spilled it all. It gave him a new perspective and even made him a little grateful for his parents. They’re barely around but at least they don’t try to sell him every chance they get.

“Yeah, I know. I already feel bad.” They all fell quiet thinking of how their friend was feeling now.

“Hey! I know! What if we all just have a party at Junes? That’ll be sure to cheer her up!” Chie suggested.

“That’s a great idea, Chie.” Yu said.

“Yeah! We still haven’t given her our presents yet so we can just give them to her at the party!”

“And Chie and I can make the cake,” Yukiko said.

“No! Uh, I mean. We have plenty of cakes at Junes already. I’m sure we can find one that’s big enough for all of us.” Yosuke hurried to say.

“Sensei! This party is bear-tastic!” Teddie ran in out of nowhere, a plate in his hand compiled of what looked like something from every table and somehow balancing the mountain of food in one hand with a fork dangling from his mouth.

“Teddie! Where were you?” Yosuke asked, his anger clear as he stepped in front of the bear with his hands on his hips.

“The second floor bathroom. They had this fancy fountain that shoots out water! I must’ve drunk at least a gallon ton.”

“Fountain in the bathroom?” Kanji asked.

“Uh, Teddie. You weren’t supposed to drink from that.” Naoto said.

“Huh? Why? If it shoots out water you’re supposed to drink it. That’s the number one rule of drinking water!”

“That’s the most dangerous rule about water I’ve ever heard!” Yosuke yelled.

“Are there any rules about drinking water? I mean, I’ve been drinking water the normal way, but is there really a correct way to drink water?” Yukiko pondered.

“Teddie, have you seen Rise?” Yu asked. He needed to nip this conversation in the bud before it got too out of hand.

“Rise-chan? Last I saw she was on the second floor. She looked sad, too. Did something happen to Rise-chan?”

“Nothing bad. I think she just needs a change of space. We’re throwing a party for her at Junes.”

“Really. Ooh, how fun. I’ll go get Rise-chan.”

“No, I’ll go get Rise.” Yu stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “You go help Yosuke and the others set up.”

“We’ll leave her to you, partner.”

The second floor was quieter than the floor below. While the first floor was for the guests to eat and drink and chat merrily, the second floor was more for the honored guests or the stragglers who wandered off from the busy scene to look around.

Among the dark mahogany, red paisley, and cream he was looking for a flash of blue. He had already searched around the great hall, the dining room, the lounge, the library, her parents’ office, the music room, the indoor movie theater…

Just how many rooms can a house have anyway? Don’t they run out of purposes and names at some point?

Yu was about to walk back downstairs when he heard a different sound besides the guests talking.

“Humming?” It sounds like it’s coming from the balcony.

The light melody led him back down the hall to a small balcony above the inground pool. Leaning on the wrought iron and twirling the petals of the pink peonies braided along it was Rise.

Her hair was loose from the tight bun it was first done up in and now tumbled down her back in a wild array of curls. Her stiff posture from on stage was gone and now all that was left was a tired girl trying to hold on for a bit longer.

“You certainly found a good hiding spot. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Rise jolted by the new voice as Yu walked up to join her on the balcony.

“Oh, Senpai!” Her posture immediately straightened and she started to brush off her dress even though there wasn’t a spec of dust or dirt on it. “I thought you and the others were downstairs.”

“We were, but it was getting boring without the main star in attendance. Good food and drink can only do so much for so long.”

“Haha. Inoue will be glad. He was so worried over the menu choices.” Rise covered her giggle behind her hand. Yu frowned at the white sparkling glove that covered it, remembering just where they were and as beautiful as the dress was, how stuffy it must have felt to wear it.

“Rise, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she answered immediately, but then faltered. “Well, maybe.”

“Rise.”

She sighed. “I’m just overreacting. I’m used to this by now.”

“You shouldn’t be used to it.” His voice caught a firmer tone before he caught himself. He calmed himself down before he started to speak again. “If it’s what Yosuke said-”

“No, it wasn’t that. I mean, yeah it stung, but it wasn’t something I didn’t already know.” Her fingers dropped from the braided stems of the peonies and moved to clutched the side of the wide railing, leaning her body even more over the edge. “It’s just hard to keep trying to meet their expectations. I know they want the best for me, but they never take my feelings into consideration. It’s always: “This will better our family” or “Listen to us and you’ll be set by the time you're thirty”. They never listen to what I want.”

“And what do you want, Rise?”

“I want y-” she turned around to look at him only to find him looking back at her, that small smile on his face that radiated so much comfort and patience. She could feel her cheeks pink a little at the sight. She quickly turned her head away, a small pout on her lips. “I want…freedom.”

What’s wrong with you, Rise? You’re over blushing by now. She gasped as fingers pulled hers away from the railing and intertwined with hers. She looked back up to find Yu smiling.

“We’re throwing a party for you at Junes. Wanna ditch this place?”

A smile slowly grew on the young woman’s face. She started pulling Yu back into the mansion. “Let’s go, Senpai!”

Yu let her pull him along, glad that his Rise was back.

#persona 4 #persona fanfic #persona 4 golden #yurise #yu narukami and rise kujikawa #fanfic #yu narukami #souji seta #writing #fluff #fanfiction #persona series

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fundashnee-rott · 1 month

Text

Fandom: persona 5

Chapter: prologue

Confirm tags: female pairing, fluff, polyamory, aged up characters, girlfriend trio

Possible tags: domestic fluff, slow burn

Pairing: Niijima Makoto / Takamaki Ann / Okumura Haru

#fanfiction #fanfic #persona fanfic #persona 5 fanfic #p5 fanfic #persona fanfiction #persona 5 fanfiction #p5 fanfiction #ann takamaki #makoto niijima #haru okumura #p5 makoto #p5 haru #p5 Ann #persona Niijima #persona Okumura #persona takamaki

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superbat-love · 5 months

Text

After Batman revealed his identity as Bruce Wayne to the Justice League, several members were seen scrolling through their social media feeds and watching videos of Bruce Wayne dancing to popular trends with horrified fascination and disbelief. Not Clark though, he’s busy filming Bruce (nobody knows Bruce’s good camera angles better than him and he’s also smoother than any drone) then sending those videos to Barbara who’s helping to curate Bruce’s social media accounts.

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dcxdpdabbles · 4 months

Note

Nice how about to give you one of my old DC DP crossover prompts

Danny is a big fanfic writer for Batman, most of the time doing Tim joins the bat family early and Alternate attack on Titan's Tower. After his accident he decides to write a Jason Todd is a halfa straight out of the grave fic. Just to get his emotions out there and to vent and it gets incredibly popular.

As Time evolves the fic itself evolves from a vent fic to a under the table way to reanalyze his ghost fights and do better by transplanting his ghosts into the fic for Jason to fight. This happens generally okay until Penelope Spectra of unlike the other ghosts she was known by the rest of the world and was actually tracked by Reddit. Making the fans realize hey this is actual going on maybe not by Jason Todd but someone is using this to reanalyze their fights under the veneer of being fiction.

Danny starts to get famous for his fanfictions when he introduces the idea of halfas for the second Robin. He's not sure what happened to the second Robbin, but there are rumors he didn't die; he just retired, and the fans all accept that as the truth.

At first, Danny writes the second Robin struggling with his double life, as alive and dead, forced to hide his existence from Batman as a secret helper at night. He uses the second Robin to freely speak about his struggles with his powers in the early days, using fiction to cover his venting.

He even gave Robin a secret identity- with a disclosure that it was all made up and he did not know anything about the Bats because fans can be crazy- with the name Noir.

He made Noir a loser in school- consistently bullied, his grades were low without Batman's help, and he even had Noir live on the streets for a while before getting flung into the Ghost Zone.

Danny didn't realize it, but his writing made Noir a loveable character to his fans, who all loved "how flawed but kind-hearted" Noir, the halfa Robin. One of Danny's best commenters always claimed that Danny captured the second Robin's character.

He quickly develops Noir into someone who grows comfortable in his role after defeating the old Ghost King and getting discovered by Batman. He made the series with Noir, focusing more on the threats of the other ghosts that came to challenge the Ghost King.

Each ghost was based on his own rouges- all fighting the same way but with different names. Danny switched his main focus from Noir being confused by his powers to Noir getting stronger and stronger through all his fights.

Instead of venting on what life had done to him, Danny used his fanfiction to analyze his fights. He often wrote about what he could have done better, only after writing the actual scene and using that in a fight later on.

He even threw in there some questions that Noir started having about boys- which in high sight he should have known Jazz would have quickly picked up on because she took him to Pride "just to experience new things, Danny!"

He confirmed Noir was bi two updates later and sat back with a smirk when all the comments started rolling in.

Noir's Double Life was his pride and joy. He thought people had to search for his fic, and no one besides his sister would ever read it. Then he made the mistake of writing in a new ghost- Penny Spectra- using her exact powers, thinking no one would recognize her.

What he forgot was that back before Danny kicked her ass into the ghost zone, was that she was a well-known school counselor. A miracle worker, they called her.

Because she always found the teenagers about to fall apart and "saved" them. She had made her way clear across the country, bringing to light issues parents and guardians had no idea their children were going through and getting them the help they needed.

Mr. Lancer had been proud of getting her to come to the school for good reason.

Most adults also didn't know that teenagers talk to each other or, like Danny, post online to vent. Her past victims- for they were victims as some had not been able to pull themselves from the darkness she plunged them into- had started a riddle trend about her.

People began to piece together that whenever she went young people became more and more depressed. They had no proof of course, so she became an urban legend, a demon that appeared as a woman in schools.

Like when a celebrity is turned into a meme for being a secret serial killer, no one takes it seriously, but they think about it in the back of their minds.

Danny just wrote about her with a far too honest retelling of what she had done and how he had found out she was a ghost. He hadn't realized that one of his readers would be one of the original responders for the old Reddit thread about the fact he was a past victim.

That same reader would later link his work for the thread- especially the chapter where she appeared- and everyone would agree that the real Penelope Spectra was a ghost.

And that would be read by Tim Drake, a young member of Riddit who always took mysteries to heart and knew what was real and what wasn't.

This sane Tim Drake would later present Jason to the fanfiction in an effort to tease him about someone adoring him so much they wrote a fic about it and Jason would surprise him with claiming to have already been following the story. \

Their bickering would grab the attention of Bruce, Zatanna, and Constantine, who were in the room next door talking about protection against the dead.

John will be alarmed to see how accurate the fanfiction writer's description of ghosts and King Phantom is, then even more alarmed to find that the writer knows about halfas.

Two days after he posted the newest chapter, Danny is hunted down by Batman to find the human with an insane amount of knowledge about the Infinite Realms and his second son's condition.

Danny would be busy trying to decide if he should give in to the idea of giving Noir a ship and who it should be with while his friendlier ghosts beta-read his work.

"Honestly, I'm a little flatter about how hot you made me sound. Noir definitely has a crush on James the ghost biker." Johnny says flouting to read over Danny's shoulder.

Kitty nods eagerly from where she is lounging on the couch. "I agree, James and Noir are meant to be Danny!"

#dcxdpdabbles #dc x dp crossover #Danny's Online persona #Danny is a fanfic writter #and epople find out he not making shit up #His ghost rouges sometimes show up with notes #Jason died but didn't go crazy on Tim #so they argue like normal brotthers

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cookiecomics · 26 days

Text

"Let's Play A Game Inside Your Heart."

A Tale of Two Tricksters cover art by the lovely @mafuwara thank you so much

Why have one champion when you can have them both? A bet between gods that decides humanity's fate. Yaldy knows that the outcome is certain, now with both tricksters under his grasp. Yet Humanity's sponsor is confident. The ‘god’ of the velvet room does not sway. It’s incomprehensible. Everything is going according to plan. Isn’t it? Akechi is certain that these upstart Phantom thieves' rumors are of far greater consequence. He realizes this when the castle that once loomed over Shujin Academy is gone post-Kamoshida’s confession. Gone yet replaced, by something larger. Darker. He is certain it holds the final piece he needs for his plans. All he has to do is recruit one lonely boy to his side. One misunderstanding later and Ren finds himself isolated at school. Burdened by the rumors of his own past and present actions. He takes the hand of someone unexpected. - Akechi and Ren team up against the PTs and Shido. || Act 1: The Colosseum of Treachery Arc: Chapters 1 - 23] - Complete || || Act 2: Detriments to Society Arc: Chapters 24 - 44] - Complete || || Act 3: Chains of Fate Arc: Chapters 45 - Ongoing ||

#p5 #atott #ART #this is gorgeous #am i foreshadowing or is it symbolism #good question #p5r #persona 5 fanfic #persona 5 royal #akeshu #shuake #accomplice au

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manias-wordcount · 4 months

Note

How about an Akira Kurusu x shadow!reader? I think that could be very interesting

Shadow! Reader HCs (Akira Kurusu)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆!

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

So obviously he’d be more into the real thing rather than your shadow because shadows are kind of pathetic creatures at heart and are really hard to tolerate LMAO

But since your shadow has the same face and voice (almost anyways), the line gets a little blurry when it comes time to approach either one of you

So fighting your shadow in mementos is probably a conflicting moment for him

On one hand, he knows how hard you’ve had it personally- even though you’ve done everything in your power to hide it from him

It was also through Morgana’s and Akira’s combined snooping powers that he was even able to find enough information to find your shadow

And only then did you really spill your guts about everything (even though it wasn’t actually you)

But on the other hand, he knows that defeating the shadow version of you is the first step to

So expect the battle to drag out longer than it should because he really doesn’t want to fight you

But also expect him to be very gentle with your shadow when the fight is over and he goes to talk to your shadow one last time

He might even slip a few words in there about relying more on your friends *cough* him *cough*

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rune-writes · 1 year

Text

A Place Like Home

Fandom: Persona 5

Word count: 2937

Rating: G

Summary: Ren takes Ann to his hometown where she spends a day learning about him and his family.

Note: written for @thezinearcana's Shuann wedding zine: With the Stars & Us.

Read on AO3.

~*~*~*~*~

A home-made meal. That was something Ann rarely had in her twenty-something years of life. Her parents were rarely home. In the few times they were, their meals were still prepared by the housekeeper. Maybe there had been a time when her mother had cooked her a simple omelet before school, but that had been years before work took most of her time.

Such were the thoughts going through Ann’s mind when she beheld the lavish meal being prepared at the Amamiya household that morning. “Lavish” might be over-exaggerating it as there was only miso bubbling in a pot and pieces of mackerel grilling on a pan. But still lavish nonetheless when all Ann remembered of her breakfasts were only toasts and orange juice on a quiet table.

“Ah! Ann, you’re awake.” Flipping the mackerel to grill the other side, Yuko Amamiya broke into a bright smile. “Good morning. Did you get a good night’s sleep?”

Ann nodded, mumbling half-groggily as she moved closer to the stove. Spices distinctly Japanese wafted up from the pan.

“Do you always make such elaborate breakfasts?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“This is hardly elaborate,” Yuko said with a chuckle. “You just throw in a couple side dishes with your rice and voila, breakfast is served.”

Ann nodded, though it still looked elaborate to her. A sort of normal elaborate. One she would find in a normal household with a normal family having a normal meal. Ann couldn’t say she’d had a lot of those growing up.

“Is there something I can help with?” she asked then. She’d never had much opportunity to cook for Ren. If she could, maybe, pitch in with whatever Yuko needed to cook next, she’d kill two birds with one stone by having Yuko teach her all of Ren’s favorite childhood dishes.

But the cooking was almost done. Yuko asked if she would like to set the table. Ann tried not to let her dejection show, but despite her best efforts, her face might have betrayed her feelings, because then Yuko called and said:

“Or would you like to grill the next one?”

Ren’s mother was all smiles when she offered Ann to take the spatula.

***

“See? It’s not as hard as you think.”

Ann placed the last two quarters of mackerel into the waiting plate, feeling a sort of pride burning in her chest. Nothing burned. No smoke rising from the stove. She smiled at her accomplishment, more so when Yuko nodded her approval.

“The key is in the sake,” the older woman went on. She ladled the soup into bowls as Ann set the fish and side dishes on the dining table. “And salt. You can forgo the sake but not the salt. Coat the mackerels in sake first, then sprinkle salt over the sides. Wait twenty minutes, not too long, not too short. Then once all the water’s drawn out, pat the excess with a paper towel, and all you need to do is grill it—or fry it, whichever you choose—‘til it’s a nice crisp brown.”

Ann nodded and made a mental note of it. With the last dish set, they only needed to wait for Ren to wake up.

“Want to make breakfast together tomorrow?” Yuko added before Ren arrived. “I’m sure I can pass on some other easy-to-make family recipes which Ren would definitely love.”

Was it really that obvious? When Ann met her gaze and saw her wink, it was all she could do not to laugh.

***

Mackerels were a favorite of Ren’s. On the couple times Ann had tried grilling them for him, something had always gone wrong, whether it’d be the seasoning or accidentally burning it. With Yuko’s help, however, she’d learned just how Ren liked them. And now seeing the most blissful beam Ann had ever seen bloom across his face, her own lips spread into a smile as her cheeks burned bright with delight.

“So, how do you like them?” Yuko nonchalantly asked.

All Ren could do was nod and mumble, “The best,” through a mouthful of fish and rice.

Yuko grinned. “I didn’t make it, though.”

Ren blinked, then swallowed, tilting his head to the side to ask, “What—” but he couldn’t even finish before Ann cut him off:

“I did.”

His gaze found hers. He blinked a couple more times. “You did?”

“Yep. How does it taste?”

The way Ren blinked again as though he couldn’t believe what he was hearing… Her grin stretched wider.

“Is it really so good it made you speechless?”

She’d meant it as a joke—half a joke—but Ren’s eyes widened with wonder. She did not expect him to answer so honestly.

“To think I’d mistake your cooking with mom’s.” His gray eyes crinkled with delight. “Since when did you know how to cook?”

Heat crept up her neck. Ann cleared her throat as she brought a rolled egg to her plate. “It’s nothing much, though. Your mom did most of the prep work.”

“But Ann did all the cooking herself,” Yuko chimed in.

“Just the one you ate,” Ann pointed out to Ren, “which I could only have accomplished thanks to your mom’s guidance.”

Yuko laughed. “Please, Ann, you could’ve still overcooked or undercooked it, but you didn’t.”

“That’s because—”

“What is this friendly mother-daughter banter?” Ren said with a chuckle. “Did I miss something?”

His interruption prompted Ann and Yuko to share a glance, and both broke into snorts and laughter.

“A daughter, huh?” Yuko said afterwards. She played around with the last piece of her mackerel. When she lifted her gaze to Ann, the warmth Ann felt would have lasted her for an entire winter. “It’d be nice if I could call you my daughter someday.”

Maybe it was a given, seeing how long she and Ren had been together. But to hear his mother say it…

A future with Ren and the Amamiya household…

Beneath the table, Ren’s hand found hers, intertwining their fingers together.

Someday.

She looked at him and smiled.

***

When Ren had invited her to visit his mother, it had come without preamble, she couldn’t help asking if his mother was alright.

“My mother’s quite fine, I assure you,” he’d said with a light laugh. “I just thought it’s been a while since you two last met.”

He was right in that regard. It’d probably been a year or two since Ren invited his mother to Tokyo. He’d had a sudden assignment then that it’d fallen to her to keep Yuko company.

“Such a hard worker, isn’t he?” Yuko had said while they’d been out shopping.

For others, the fact that their son was a hard worker should have been a source of pride. Yuko, however, seemed to think otherwise with the way her brows had drawn back when she’d spoken about it. “He’s very much like his father,” was all she’d said. But Ren had always been proud of his father. Yuko hadn’t elaborated further.

Now they stood side by side by the sink with Yuko washing the dishes and Ann setting them on the rack to dry. Ren had left to take a call from his boss.

“What are your plans for today?” Yuko asked.

“Just a walk around town,” Ann said. “Ren’s keeping our itinerary confidential for some reason.”

“Ah.”

A nod of understanding. Ann glanced at the older woman.

“Do you know something?”

“Oh, you know how he is. He likes his surprises.”

Like a certain someone, Ann thought, shooting Yuko with a playful smirk. Yuko might have read her mind, because she looked at Ann and snickered.

Footsteps approached the kitchen, announcing Ren’s return even before he appeared at the door. Judging from the frown murking his countenance, that phone call had probably not held any good news, as evident by the words that followed when he opened his mouth:

“I’m really sorry about this, but could we push our plans a bit until the afternoon? My boss just doesn’t know when to leave me alone.”

Well, there was nothing they could do about that, especially not when Ren looked so apologetic. “Sure,” Ann said with a nod. God knew how many times he’d had to compromise when her work suddenly called her away, even back before they’d started dating, which had only grown more frequent once she became a full-time model. “I can keep your mother company in the meantime.”

The relief pouring out of him was almost palpable. “I’ll try to finish this as soon as I can.” He was gone not a moment later, and Ann heard the distant closing of a door shortly after.

“Still working hard, isn’t he,” Yuko mused, “even on his day off.”

Again, that quiet concern. The grayness of Yuko's eyes looked dim and distant; the plate she'd been washing lay forgotten in her grasp.

“Yuko-san,” Ann began. “Did something happen to Ren’s father?”

Yuko blinked before slowly meeting Ann’s gaze. Her lips pulled to a little dismissive smile, but Ann refused to break her stare. After a few silent moments, the older woman conceded, sighing through her nose and turning off the tap water.

“Have Ren told you about his father?”

He had. His father had died when Ren was fourteen. An upstanding and respectable man—he’d been a journalist, too, and was one of the reasons Ren decided to pursue the same career. Yuko listened in silence with occasional nods. When Ann finished her recount, Yuko smiled.

“Ren did have the most respect for his father,” she said.

“Is that wrong?”

“No, no, not wrong. His father was a man worthy of respect. Kind, gentle, but also passionate and strong. Trusted by his peers and neighbors alike.” Yuko's lips pursed thin. “He was framed while investigating a case.”

Ten years Ann had known Ren, and this was the first time she had heard about this.

“An accident, they said. Silenced, more like it. He was an adamant sort. He would not rest until his targets were brought to justice.” The older woman glanced at Ann, whose mouth had hung slightly open in shocked silence. “Much like someone we know, don’t you think?”

Very much so. Relentless, resolute, unyielding. And yet, it was that steadfast presence that had drawn her to him in the first place. Like a moth to a flame, captivated and spellbound, until she realized how deep she had fallen for him.

The tap water ran for a couple more minutes, their hands working efficiently even as their minds wandered. Once all the dishes were washed and the kitchen was clean, Yuko leaned against the sink, exhaling a long, breathy sigh.

“Like father, like son,” the older woman went on quietly. “That’s what they said when they convicted him of assault.” One corner of her lips curled in disdain, her face a picture of contempt. But the anger quickly dissipated, leaving her with nothing but weak resignation. “It is precisely because he is his father’s son that he worries me at times.”

***

Birds cawed in the distance, their silhouettes stark black against the light. A rush of wind brought a faint smell of fish intermingled with the scent of trees and generally fresh air. Beside her, Ren tugged at their intertwined hands, breaking their long, yet tranquil, silence.

“What did you talk about with my mom?”

She glanced at him, noting the curiosity gleaming in his eyes. He looked so much like his mother. The same jet-black hair. The same deep gray eyes. And while Ren’s face might be sharper on certain angles, there was a distinct softness to it, like the crinkle of his eyes whenever he smiled, the way his mother had looked when Ann promised she would look after her son.

Don’t tell him about this, Yuko had said. He knows I worry, but I’d rather not have him sacrifice his dreams just to appease my concerns.

Her lips tugged into a smirk. “A secret.”

“Cheeky,” he said, pinching her cheeks. Ann’s shoulders trembled with quiet laughter as she softly slapped his hand away.

They reached a hilltop park, where families were still having picnics even though the sun had gone past its zenith. A man stood hunched, taking a picture of his wife and children sitting on their picnic blanket. On the other side, a woman and her daughter were having a meal on a bench.

“I’ve always wondered why people make such a big deal about ‘mom’s cooking,’” Ann began. The little girl at the bench laughed when her mother pointed at a stray cream sauce on her cheek. Ann smiled. “I know now.” A warm and lively atmosphere—watching his mother fuss over him had been enough to fill her heart with joy. It had felt like home.

Ann watched the little girl dash from her mother’s seat, her face split into an ear-to-ear grin. Could she ever give her child a beautiful memory, she wondered, devoid of the loneliness she had felt during her childhood? Like Yuko, who had raised Ren to be the man he was now despite all the hardships she had had to face alone.

“You have such a strong mother, Ren,” she whispered. “I wonder if I could be strong like her.”

She felt his glance, felt the tightening of his fingers around hers. “You’re already plenty strong yourself, Ann,” came his murmur. When her eyes flitted upward, they were greeted by the most tender smile that made her heart flutter. “But you can. And you will."

Wordlessly, he led away, past the father taking pictures and mother watching her daughter play. She asked where they were going, but Ren refused to give a straight answer. “You’ll see,” he said, accompanied by occasional grins that always meant she was in for a surprise. “You'll love it.”

A secluded set of winding stairs waited for them at the other side of the park, littered with the thin remaining frost of the thawing winter. Up and up they climbed, her curiosity quickly escalating when a red torii gate came into view.

A gasp escaped her lips unbidden when she beheld the small garden nestled at the top. A lone plum tree stood at the center of a stone pavement, its branches adorned by various shades of pink and white in full bloom.

“It’s beautiful,” she said.

The chill of the late winter air and the silence that permeated the ground gave the place a serene, magical feeling. She was wondering why Ren had brought her there when his tug prompted her to follow his line of sight. Ann turned around, then found that she couldn’t breathe.

Standing at the very top of a hill, the town spread beneath her like a lady’s skirt. Brown rooftops jutted out of the ground among the greens and grays with no skyscrapers to be seen, and far on the water bank, boats are docked on a pier.

They were so high, so far from the hustle and bustle of human activity. Her heart expanded and soared as tears stung her eyes.

“This was where my father proposed.” The wind carried his soft, pensive voice to her ears. “Right here. Twenty-seven years ago.”

The realization hit her like a van.

Do you know something? She’d asked his mother.

Oh, you know how he is. He likes his surprises.

Of all the surprises she would have guessed, this was not one of them.

Her head snapped up. What sorrow had colored his features was now replaced by a firmness in his jaws and certainty in his eyes. Ann swallowed her nervousness and begged her heart to settle.

Ren adjusted his grip on her hand. “I know how much I’ve worried my mother,” he began, “how much I’ve worried you.” His thumb lightly grazed her knuckles. “But we’ve stayed by each other’s side through thick and thin, and if you’re willing, I’d like to ask you to stick with me ‘til the end.”

Her breath hitched when he withdrew a small red box coming out of his pocket. He opened the lid and glittering little diamonds flashed before her eyes.

“We’ll make the family you’ve always wanted, the home you deserve.”

Ren plucked the heart-shaped ring from its cushion before slipping it to her finger. The way it fit so perfectly, so snugly, almost made her cry.

“So, what do you say, Ann?” Ren went on, his hand never leaving hers. The smile he wore almost broke her heart with how precious it was. “Will you marry me?”

She’d always wanted this—always dreamed of it. A proposal on a candle-lit dinner or beneath the Eiffel Tower during one of her modeling gigs. But she’d never expected something as personal as this.

And yet… it suited him. It suited them. The setting sun painted his profile a golden hue.

“I promised your mother I’ll look after you,” she said. Her ring gleamed under the light. “I mean to keep that promise.” Her breath shuddered; a tear rolled down her face. She met his eyes and gave him the best smile she could muster. “I’ll marry you, Ren Amamiya, if you’ll have me.”

The way joy exploded across his features was something she could not describe. Pure, unadulterated elation as he shouted and laughed, pulling her off the ground and swinging her around. Her cry of surprise was cut short when his mouth covered hers.

“I love you, Ann,” he whispered.

Like father, like son. Ann wondered how Yuko would react when she learned where his son had just proposed to her.

Ann threw her arms around him, her face a picture of rapture.

I love you, too.

~ END ~

#ren amamiya #akira kurusu #ann takamaki #shuann #persona 5 #p5 #persona #fanfiction #persona fanfic #p5 fanfic #zine piece #persona fanzine #p5 fanzine #with the stars and us

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nemaliwrites · 4 months

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Persona 4 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Amagi Yukiko & Tatsumi Kanji, Amagi Yukiko & Satonaka Chie Characters: Amagi Yukiko, Tatsumi Kanji, Satonaka Chie, Amagi Yukiko's Mother, Tatsumi Kanji's Mother Additional Tags: Male-Female Friendship, Childhood Friends, Friendship, Attempted Sexual Assault, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rumors, i ignore canon in favor of Vibes Summary:

Your first friend is one you never forget. Yukiko and Kanji know this better than anyone.

#persona 4 #persona 4 fanfic #p4g #p4g fanfic #persona fanfiction #persona fanfic #yukiko amagi #kanji tatsumi #chie satonaka #my fics

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teddiesbestestpal · 4 months

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In the Naganaki Shrine Koromaru, the grayish blonde silver furred eared and tailed Shiba Inu with red eyes rests on the ground sighing to himself.

“ At least that damn bird won’t be pestering me!” Koromaru thought to himself as speak of the devil the deep blackish blue & bright indigo blue streaked bird with blue eyes looks Koromaru’s way.

“ Azarath go Ahhhh!” Koromaru says running away as Azarath chases after them.

“ Leave me alone!” Koromaru says sweating as Azarath flies after him.

“ Wait! I love you!” Azarath replies flying after Koromaru hopelessly in love.

#p3 #persona 3 #p3 azarath #persona azarath #persona 3 azarath #p3 koromaru #persona koromaru #persona 3 koromaru #koromaru x azarath #Kororath #Azamaru #oc x canon #yumejoshi #p3 fanfic #persona fanfic #persona 3 fanfiction

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kosmicposum · 1 year

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Insanity is Relative: Two (Fanfic WIP)

Tags: Darkfic, Persona AU, Persona Series AU, SA mention, familial trauma, generational trauma, child abuse mention, Hurt with Comfort, predator mention, mental hospital mention, mental illness mention, DD:DNE, Exactly What It Says On The Tin

Genre: Dark Persona Fanfic

Words: 2,348

(A/N: A softer chapter than I was expecting. Hopefully things will start picking up soon. For anyone confused, I tag this story as Persona 3 & 4 because it draws inspiration from both games. Don't forget to leave feedback if you enjoyed it!)

The train ride was thankfully uneventful. I felt the wary stares of several other passengers, but they weren’t the ones that bothered me. It was whenever Toichi turned his gaze on me that my stomach twisted and my hairs raised. I knew what he was planning, I knew what he was hoping would happen when we arrived at the school.

But apparently someone was looking out for me. Another silent thanks was sent to the skies above when our cab pulled up to the dreary gray walls of the school; several adults and two girls my age were waiting for us at the black iron gates. As I got out two of the adults went after my bags while the oldest woman there stepped forward, lifting her hand to signal Toichi to stay in the cab.

“We’ll take it from here,” she tells him, her voice curt and emotionless. I already like her.

“But wasn’t I supposed to sign somewhere or take her to my place until her room was ready?” Toichi sounds almost desperate, borderline whining. I like the woman even more.

“All the necessary paperwork has already been filled out, and her room has been ready for almost a week, Mr…?”

“Narukami. Toichi Narukami.” He’s eyeing the woman now, almost like he’s sizing her up.

While they’re locking into the staring match I see the woman’s left hand twitch lightly, motioning for me to get behind her. I hurriedly move with the two men carrying my meager bags of belongings, and the girls nearly yank me off my feet in an attempt to put more distance between us and Toichi. The looks on their faces tell me I’m not the only one he’s set his sights on.

“Well Mr. Narukami, you don’t have anything else to worry about here. Miss Akami is in good hands here, and we will get her settled into her dorm room.” There’s no room for argument in the woman’s tone, which has grown a slight edge. I notice the longer she stands before Toichi the more tense her shoulders become.

“What about visitation and day passes?” Toichi’s voice has taken on a hopeful tone, and I can’t help but liken him to a lost puppy. A creepy, predatory puppy.

“Visitation is for parents only, and day passes are currently restricted until the criminal has been caught.” Toichi visibly deflates, dropping his head slightly with a nod.

He doesn’t give the woman a chance to continue, instead turning his gaze back on me. I can feel the girl’s hands on my arms tighten almost painfully, but I steeled my eyes and hardened my face- doing my best to give the impression of intimidation and fearlessness as our eyes met. He takes one look at me and the girls before hanging his head once more with a sigh.

“Take care, Ayaka. Maybe we’ll see each other around town when things get better?”

“Don’t count on it.” My voice is sharp and venomous, to the surprise of the girls beside me and myself. I can feel their bewildered stares on me as Toichi struggles to keep himself from catching flies.

“Mr. Narukami, I think it’s time for you to leave,” the woman interjects, gesturing for him to close the door. When he does she taps the cabbie’s window once, and the vehicle pulls away, taking one of the last horrors away from me.

Too bad he lives in this city too. Even worse is he works at one of the hospitals here that often refers girls to Takayama City’s school for the unwell. Or, as the pamphlets call it, ‘Shadowveil High School for the Unadapted’. My thoughts are interrupted when the woman turns to face us, ushering us into the gates with the men trailing behind us. The walk up to the front doors is about the same as the walk to the entrance of my last school, but the trees here are gnarled and black, and the grass looks to be sickly greenish-brown. I glance quickly at my two companions, who are still clinging to my arms.

On my left is a mousy girl with a mess of pale brown hair hastily pulled into a ponytail. Her face is slightly pinched behind her thick, round glasses and her dark brown eyes are still brimming with fear and discomfort. She’s thin and tall, most of her frame hidden behind oversized pajamas that seem to match the dreary gray stone of the fence and school walls. On my left is a shorter girl, rounded with a healthy weight. Her plump face is framed in wild red hair, her vivid green eyes somewhat dulled with a myriad of emotions with the foremost being resigned discomfort. She’s wearing the same kind of pajamas as the other girl. Both of them are still gripping my arms painfully.

“If you’re cutting off my circulation because you are scared of him, I’d much appreciate it if you loosened your grip some; I bruise easily.” They look at me, almost terrified before the mousy girl looks at the old woman behind us. I quickly follow up with, “If you’re clinging to me in an attempt to keep me from running, you have nothing to worry about there, either. I have nowhere else I’d rather be.”

We walk in silence for a few seconds, both girls throwing glances between themselves and the woman before I feel their grips loosen considerably. I stifle a sigh of relief when we finally enter the school, throwing a cursory glance around the shoeboxes- the whole entrance looks just as dismal as the outside. We keep walking, the woman now taking the lead and taking us up the left set of stairs while the men disappear down the right hall, slipping into a door at the end and vanishing from sight. Three flights of stairs later the woman leads us down the hall to a large set of double doors in the middle with the sign ‘Headmistress’ set above the door frame.

Once inside the girls finally release me, the red-haired one shutting the door behind us as the mousy girl gestures for me to come sit on the couch in front of the headmistress’ desk. The redhead joins us a moment later, and I once more find myself between the two of them while the headmistress sits with a heavy sigh. In the light of the office I can see her drawn, wrinkled face and the loose strands of silver hair flying about her head like a halo. Her gray eyes are tired, filled with remorse and a strange sort of pain. I hear the girls on either side of me simultaneously inhale, but the headmistress speaks up first.

“I apologize girls, He wasn’t the one who was supposed to bring her,” she sighs, pulling off her wire glasses and pinching her nose. “Mr. Itachi was supposed to bring Miss Akami to us tonight. Care to explain what happened?”

Suddenly all three sets of eyes are on me, and I find myself cowing before the intense, accusatory glares of the girls. But the headmistress- Ms. Idagowa- looks at me with concern, with a deep, pained kind of remorse. It’s her look that makes me curl in on myself. Fidgeting with my fingers- my anxious tic that I curse to this day- I take a staggering breath.

“Father….Mr. Itachi refused to take me at the last minute and employed Narukami to take me instead.” I pray that for once my voice betrays me, and the quiver does indeed betray the maelstrom of emotions I’ve fought so long to hide. “I understand Narukami works at one of the local hospitals and often refers patients to this school. He… He’s the one who encouraged that Mr. Itachi sent me here.”

“Has he hurt you?”

“Why did he want to stay so close to you?”

“How long has he been after you?”

“Why does he act like you’re betrothed?”

“Did he act untoward on the way here?”

“Do you need a drink?”

“Are you hungry?”

The girl’s voices overlap, their questions swirling around me dizzyingly. I can’t help but curl in on myself more, covering my ears against the tidal wave of questions as tears burn in my eyes, threatening to overflow while their voices continue. Then there is a sudden, blessed silence. I turn my eyes up to see Ms. Idagowa had lifted her hands to the girls, indicating quiet was necessary. I give her a small, grateful smile and she winks at me before speaking once more.

“Imiko? Kirie? Why don’t you two make sure her things made it to her room and get some snacks and drinks? I’ll bring Miss Akami down shortly, I still need to do her intake.” She smiles kindly at us, and starts speaking once more when the girls open their mouths to argue. “Girls, you didn’t want anyone else in here when you two did your intakes, now did you?

“No ma’am.”

“Exactly. I know you have a million questions for Miss Akami, but they can wait. Give us fifteen minutes and I’ll send her down.” She smiles again, and it’s like the warm beams of the summer sun. When the girls stall, she adds on, “You can get your favorite snacks and take them to your common room~.”

Both girls immediately perk up, their faces breaking out in excited smiles. The redhead- Imiko- turns to me with one final question. “What snack do you like? We have everything.”

I give a weak smile back, my shoulders starting to relax as I respond, “Spicy bean buns, please. And some jasmine tea, i-if it’s not too much of a bother.”

Kirie makes a psshht noise, waving her hand dismissively. “That’s nothing. Come on Imiko, let's get the common room ready and let them get business out of the way.”

Imiko nods and the two hurry from the room, shutting the door softly behind them. I slowly turn to face Ms. Idagowa once more, and the concern on her face tells me my terror was not as well-hidden as I had hoped.

“You’re safe here, Ayaka.” Her voice is soft, gentle, and the kindness with which she speaks my name and the strange familiarity that accompanies it brings me to tears. I can’t hide it anymore, and I can’t hold it in. I devolve into sobs within seconds, covering my face in shame as the tears flood down my cheeks. The weight that joins me on the couch tells me Ms. Idagowa had joined me, and her soft, warm hand on my arm encouraged me to put my hands down. “There, there dear, let it out. There are tissues right here.”

I eagerly grab one from the box she offers me, wiping furiously at my face. Ms. Idagowa rubs my back gently, her presence strangely comforting as I sob, finally letting out all of the painful emotions I had been carrying for years. She sits with me, allowing me to have a moment to compose myself in gentle, warm silence. Once I get my breathing somewhat back to normal, I nod to her that I’m ready.

“Do you know why you were sent here?”

I hiccup as I inhale to respond. “Because my father thinks I’m a monster.”

“You understand that I know everything that has happened to you? That I’ve been given access to all of your files?”

I nod.

“You understand the, shall we say, reputation that Mrr. Narukami has?”

Another nod.

“Understand that I won’t let him on the grounds for anything. He’s only allowed as far as the outside of the gate. I’ve tried repeatedly to get the Hospital to use someone else for transports at least, but it’s been an uphill battle ever since he got his position.” She pauses as I sniffle again, her face drawn and somber. “You’re safe here, though. He’s hurt many of the girls here, and I won’t allow him to hurt them once the Hospital places them in my care. He’s also why the day passes are suspended indefinitely.”

“I-I thought it had to do with a criminal?” I ask, confused.

“Well, the fact that there is an actual criminal on the loose helps that excuse,” she drops her gaze briefly, taking one of my hands gently into hers. Meeting my eyes once more, she then asks, “But, he’s a criminal too, wouldn’t you say?”

“Without a doubt.” My answer is swift and firm. “He’s a monster.”

Ms. Idagowa nods, more to herself than me it seems. She then nods again, rising from the couch to grab a file and thin book from her desk. She hands me the book- a student’s handbook- and sits back down while opening the file. Silence reigns over us while I study the handbook and Ms. Idagowa flips through the file almost leisurely.

Handing me a few sheets of paper, she tells me, “You start your classes on Monday, that gives you all of tomorrow to get familiarized with the school and your new roommates. You’ll be in the same dorm as Imiko and Kirie, along with another student named Ayano. I hope you can all get along, Ayano can be a bit abrasive sometimes.”

I nod quietly, my eyes scanning over my new class schedule. Several of them give me pause, and I look up at Ms. Idagowa with confusion. “There’s an awful lot of classes on spirituality and the occult on here…”

Mr. Idagowa chuckles softly, patting my leg as she responds, “Remember, I know all about you, dear. I’ve been well familiarized with the Akami Legends- since even before I began working here. I promise it’s to help you.”

I nod, thought an uneasy feeling starts to grow inside me. Something is off about this place. Ms. Idagowa is sweet as can be, but this isn’t just any old school. Schools don’t tailor these kinds of classes or schedules for individual students.

“Now, let’s get you to your dorm. The girls are probably pacing trenches into the floor waiting for you.”

#persona #persona 3 #persona 4 #persona series #persona series AU #shin megami tensei persona #shin megami tensei persona fic #fanfic #fanfiction #darkfic #darkfiction #persona fanfiction #persona fanfic #original characters #dark fanfiction #trauma fiction

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