A/n: This is my first Persona 3 fic. I just played P3 over the Christmas break, and boy, it was FUN! Too bad I had to go back to our dorm for the rest of term. I guess I have to wait for another break so that I can finish it… Maybe in the summer break… but maybe not, I dunno. I stay at the dorm too for summer sometimes. Anyway, let's proceed to our story. Akihiko X Mitsuru! Oneshot.

The Perfect Excuse

By Withering Princess

It was the seventh of July and it was full moon. They were in a hotel, the Fleurs de Champs, in Shirakawa Boulevard. Sighs of relief were breathed for they have just defeated the shadow.

"Good job, everyone." said Fuuka. "You can all go back now."

Mitsuru sheathed her sword. "Roger that. Let us go back now." With that, Minato nodded inertly and led the party to the door. He grasped its handle and pulled, but it did not even bulge.

Fuuka's voice sounded from their communication gear. "Wait, I can sense another strong shadow, and it's in there as well! Its force is holding the door shut. It is the source of the mind manipulation." She sounded quite surprised that she failed to detect the other shadow earlier.

"Another shadow, eh?" said Akihiko coolly, cracking his knuckles. "Let's get it then." He thumped his gloved fists together in a somewhat boxing taunt.

Mitsuru shot him a stern look. "This is not a game, Akihiko." she reprimanded. Akihiko looked at her and shrugged. "Arisato, let us find the shadow and neutralize it ASAP."

Minato nodded and took the lead and the others followed. They scanned the room until the found themselves standing before a large, round mirror. The group stood motionless and stared at it.

"I… I feel something strange about this mirror." said Yukari, her voice faltering. The mirror seemed to be lulling them into a strange state if mind and they all felt weak to move.

Akihiko would like to respond to what Yukari said, but his strength left him. And suddenly, all things faded into black.

"My Persona is weak against ice. I wonder what it says about me."

Akihiko woke up with a slight headache. He felt weak and confused, as though he just received a blow from one of his many boxing matches. He brought his hand to his temples and massaged it.

"Where am I?" he asked himself as he scanned his surroundings. He was in a room of reddish walls and floors of pink carpet. He was lying on a large round bed that was utterly comfortable. Then he remembered—he was at Champs de Fleurs and they were to fight a shadow. He tried to push himself up but a weight pinned him down. When he gaze down to see what it was, he found out that it was Mitsuru, either asleep or unconscious, that was sprawled across his chest. Akihiko flushed crimson as his hand automatically found its way to Mitsuru's shoulders.

"Relish the moment." said a voice in his head. Akihiko's thoughts were confused. It seemed that the voice was enticing him to do something.

"Enjoy the present. It is all we have." It was the voice again. He tried to purge the voice out of his mind. As he was about to succeed, he felt Mitsuru stir from his chest. Akihiko panicked. What if she woke up and saw their awkward position? She would surely lash out at him. Just as Mitsuru lifted her head to gaze at him, he finally drove the voice away from his head.

"I… Mitsuru…" he stammered as he tried to explain to the lady, but was caught in surprise when she touched his cheek with her hands tenderly. "Mitsuru…" he murmured as he lifted his hand to meet hers.

Mitsuru's gaze was on him. However, it was not the usual composed look that the Kirijo always had on her face. It was not the Mitsuru on her cool façade. It was the real Mitsuru, without her mask of untouchable poise.

Akihiko was surprised when she suddenly lowered his face to his. She must be under the shadow's control, he thought as he remembered the voice that plagued him earlier. He must bring her t her senses. However, it was too late, for Mitsuru's lips were already against his. A warm feeling gushed forth his body as he tried to resist the urge to give in. He fought hard, but he was a man, still, and his feelings for Mitsuru were of no help.

The next moment, he was returning the kiss. Perhaps Mitsuru would not blame him—he could just pretend that he was under the shadows control and he did not know what he was doing. Yes, that would be it. It would be the perfect excuse.

Suddenly, he felt Mitsuru drawing away from him. Was that it? Had she overcome the shadow's influence? Akihiko looked at her as the poised façade resurfaced once again on her face. The moment was over, he thought.

Mitsuru sat up and gazed at him blankly. She looked at him and his disheveled hair and slowly brought her hands up to her head to fix hers. She became red as a tomato. "I… Akihiko… I was controlled by the shadow. I didn't mean… I'm sorry." she stumbled on her words as she stumbled on her feet as she tried to get up and walk to the other side of the room, away from the lad.

Akihiko composed himself as well. "Well, I was, too. It's not our fault, really."

"Not a word of this to the others." said Mitsuru with a glare as she exited the room, leaving Akihiko inside.

"Yes ma'am." said Akihiko. Deep inside, he wished another mind controlling shadow would appear.

Mitsuru leaned against the wall outside the room. A smile crept to her lips as she touched them. Truly, to pretend to be controlled by a shadow was the perfect excuse, she thought.

End

A/n: Yay fluff. Haha! Reviews would be very much appreciated!