A/N: [Based on the "Persona 3: The Weird Masquerade" musicals. Spoilers for "Persona 3: The Weird Masquerade ~ Ao no Kakusei ~".] From the tips of his hair that was never ruffled, never out of place, no matter how many shadows they had fought to his unflappable demeanour which, like his hair, was never ruffled, never wrecked, no matter the challenge they faced, Iori Junpei hated Shiomi Sakuya.
Hate to Lose
Iori Junpei hated Shiomi Sakuya.
Even as Junpei himself had burst on the scene, all ready to be the hero he was born to be, Shiomi Sakuya had strolled in, hands in his pockets, eyes blind to the changing world of coffins and shadows brought about by the Dark Hour, ears deaf to everything except the beat of his music.
Effortlessly, he had seized everything that Junpei had tried so hard to grasp, and Junpei hated him for it; hated the other boy for being the strength to Junpei's weaknesses, hated him for being someone Junpei could admire.
Junpei hated everything about Sakuya; from the tips of his hair that was never ruffled, never out of place, no matter how many shadows they had fought to his unflappable demeanour which, like his hair, was never ruffled, never wrecked, no matter the challenge they faced.
If Junpei were being completely honest with himself, he hated Sakuya's flippancy, not because the other boy was cool sensibility to Junpei's heated passion, but because Junpei could feel the undeniable pull towards him, the desire to befriend him, and Sakuya did not care, about Junpei, about anyone in S.E.E.S, about anyone at all.
Even as resentment bubbled and built within him – resentment at Sakuya and resentment at himself, which he refused to admit to and buried in the deepest, darkest corner of his heart and consciousness – Junpei was fully prepared for their status quo to remain the same for the rest of their war against the Dark Hour.
Until Sakuya had come back for them, swooping in to their rescue when it seemed like all hope was lost for them.
Until Junpei had realized that Sakuya did care, about Junpei, about everyone at S.E.E.S, about everyone whom he had tried so hard to distance himself from.
Until Sakuya had placed himself bodily between them and their enemies; until he had drained himself dry summoning his Persona.
Until Junpei realized that there was really only one person that Sakuya had no care for – Shiomi Sakuya himself.
Bruised and beaten, again and again, Sakuya had stood his ground even when he had no strength left to stand.
The ground was cold and hard, punishing against his already bruised body, but nothing registered in Junpei's mind except the desperate need to stop Sakuya, to stop him from pushing himself any more than he already had. The other boy's entire being trembled under Junpei's arm, hitching with the painful aftereffects of the forced summonings.
Because Sakuya had truly believed that he had nothing to live for; because Sakuya had truly believed he had nothing left to lose.
'Please hurry up and go!'
Because before Junpei had even realized it, his entire being had already revolved around Sakuya and everything that he had done had been about Sakuya – to beat him, to prove his worth to him, to prove himself worthy of him, to earn his acknowledgement, to earn his friendship.
Because before Junpei had even realized it, his resentment, his hate had vanished, and in its place, all that was left was the very thing that Junpei had tried so hard to deny – his pull towards Sakuya, his desire to befriend him.
'Don't be stupid!'
And Junpei, Junpei would not lose him, not now, not like this.
'SAKUYA!'
Not before Junpei had beaten him, not before Junpei had proven his worth to him, not before Junpei had proven himself worthy of him, not before Junpei had earned his acknowledgement.
Not before Junpei had earned the honour of being able to call Sakuya friend, not before he had earned the honour of being called Sakuya's friend.
Because Iori Junpei might have hated Shiomi Sakuya.
Junpei had been fully prepared for status quo to remain the same.
But things had changed now; things were different.
'We're going home, with everyone.'
And, more than anything, more than the hate that Junpei had ever had for the other boy.
Junpei wanted to prove to Sakuya that the other boy did have something to lose, just as Junpei was beginning to realize that he too had something he didn't want to lose.
Someone he didn't want to lose.
Junpei hated the thought of losing Shiomi Sakuya.