Summary: A series of character studies and looking at the different aspects of Investigation Team's personalities. (Chapter 1: Sometimes it was hard to get out of bed.)

Unbeta'd

Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4.

Sometimes it was hard to get out of bed.

Just the thought of it was making him tired, the feeling weighing him down and making his bones feel like they were made of lead. Like gravity was pulling him down, down until he could no longer get up.

Sometimes his mind wouldn't stop thinking.

His mind kept worrying about the future, about the endless number of things he needed to get done, about the responsibilities that were on his shoulders. All of the thoughts were spinning around in his head, making hard for him to focus on anything. An endless wave of pressure and stress that washed away any motivation or energy he had for the day.

Sometimes he woke up and he was alone.

He glanced over to the empty side of the bed, blankets ruffled and pillow still indented as if someone was just there. There was a lingering warmth coming from the blankets and, with some effort, he reached out to grab the pillow and hugged it tight.

Sometimes he was not alright.

A tear slid down his face onto the pillow. He released a shuddering breath, feeling cold despite the blanket wrapped around him. The apartment was quiet, too quiet for his liking and the sun was just barely peeking through the curtains. He couldn't have slept more than a few hours and his body was complaining about the lack of rest.

His eyes slid shut as another tear trailed down the side of his face, allowing darkness to draw him into an uneasy sleep once more.

He woke to a warm presence next to him and a hand running through his hair. With some effort, he opened his eyes to stare into calm gray eyes. Yu was sitting where the bed was previously empty, smiling gently at Yosuke. Yu's hand felt slightly cold to touch and he was no longer in his pajamas. Instead, Yu was dressed in a casual t-shirt and jeans, prompting a slight head tilt from Yosuke.

"Hey. I noticed that we didn't have any eggs and went to get some. Want to make some with me?" Yosuke couldn't find the energy to respond, instead allowing his gaze to wander around the room. Sunlight was filtering through the blinds, providing the room with light and warmth. Yosuke's jacket was draped on a chair across the room; Yu probably used it when he went to the market. "Yosuke?" There was a hint of concern skillfully hidden in Yu's tone; Yosuke wouldn't have picked it up if he hadn't known Yu for so long. "Is it one of those days?"

Yosuke flinched slightly, squeezing the pillow tightly as he looked down at the bedsheets to not meet Yu's gaze. If he were to be completely honest, all he wanted was to be as carefree as the birds that fly by their window, to wake up every morning and feel ready to tackle the world, to have energy to go through the day and experience life to the fullest.

To not feel… ready to become one with the bed. Ready to never move again despite his stomach complaining of hunger and his arm asleep under him.

Ready to disappear.

He felt rather than saw Yu stand up and his heart sank slightly. But before his thoughts could drag him back down, there was a rustle beside him and the blankets shift. Yosuke raised his gaze and there was Yu, getting back under the covers and gently prying the pillow from his grasp before pulling him close. He instantly felt warm, safe, protected.

Content.

"Better?"

Yosuke's response was to close his eyes and curl up closer to the warmth. Yu's presence was grounding and helped to keep his thoughts at bay. He closed his eyes briefly, feeling the energy coming back to him slowly.

Sometimes, it was alright to not be ok.

A/N: This will be an ongoing series of character studies. Not sure how many characters I will touch on yet. Let me know your thoughts as I continue this series.

Ciao ciao~

Pikachu

Published 27 September 2017