Title: Frustration
Description: Akihiko/Mitsuru. Set in the weeks following the first full moon event. Fluff.
Series: Persona 3
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Not mine!

Frustration

"You can't fight. That's final." Mitsuru said, plain and simple, addressing her words to Akihiko who was standing on the other side of the room. Their new recruits in the form of three younger students looked back and forth, nervous to their toes. It was the same old conversation everyday ever since that night the dorm was attacked, and in the end, Mitsuru always got her way.

"Tsch. Fine." Akihiko replied, giving the floor a frustrated glare. He didn't even know why he tried; he never won, even though he insisted that his injury was perfectly okay now and that he was fit to fight. All this pent-up energy was making him go crazy.

The night went on, the five of them sitting quietly in the dorm's lobby. Yukari sometimes shot nervous glances between Akihiko and Mitsuru, who were now not speaking to each other. Once, Akihiko caught her stare and stared back at her, and Yukari quickly avoided his gaze. She then concluded that prior to Akihiko, Mitsuru didn't seem to act like she cared about their spat. She just continued reading her magazine like nothing had happened.

Akihiko soon excused himself and went up to his room, leaving only the four of them behind. Junpei was saying something goofy to Minato, as usual, and Yukari focused her attention to the cover of Mitsuru's magazine. Suddenly, Mitsuru spoke up, surprising Yukari. They rarely had small talk, after all. "He's very immature, isn't he?" Mitsuru said with a tone of annoyance in her voice.

"I… Uh…" Yukari stammered, not really knowing what to reply. Junpei and Minato looked up from the dining table and saw Mitsuru sigh to herself. Leaving her magazine on the coffee table, she bid them all goodnight and went up the stairs. Yukari took the magazine which she left and ignored the dumb comments of Junpei that Mitsuru was probably going to go up to Akihiko's room and apologize. That would be impossible.

Or so they thought.

Akihiko was lying down on his breath, muttering something about being restless when a knock came to his dorm. "What?" He asked impatiently to whoever was behind the door.

"It's me." Mitsuru's voice shot back.

Akihiko's face grimaced and he sat up from his bed and walked towards the door. With a heavy sigh, he reached out and turned the knob, opening the door to see Mitsuru staring back at him expressionless. Without saying anything, she walked right in and sat on his bed.

"What do you want, Mitsuru?" Akihiko asked a bit harshly as he closed the door behind her and just stood there, staring at her.

"You do know why I can't let you fight, am I right?" Mitsuru said to him. "I apologize if it seems like I'm doing this to frustrate you, but you must understand that we can't risk anything. Especially since we lost a lot after Shinjiro decided to leave."

Akihiko's eyes twitched at the mention of that name, to which Mitsuru noticed. He gave another sigh and scratched the back of his head. Approaching the chair near his study table, he moved it a bit so he could be closer to Mitsuru and sat down on it. Akihiko seemed to be placing his words carefully, but he did seem much less bothered now. "Yeah, I get it." He said under his breath.

Misturu closed her eyes and smiled. "Good." She said simply. "I suggest you find something else to direct your energy at for the time being, it will probably do you good."

She stood up and went out the door, living Akihiko staring at the wall, deep in thought.

"Damn it." He said through gritted teeth.

The next time they went to the Tartarus, Akihiko just sat quietly next to Mitsuru as she guided the three youngsters through the first few floors. Now and then, someone seemed to be in critical condition which caused Mitsuru to gasp and yell into her communicator, asking if everything was alright. Akihiko would watch her move her hands vigorously as if the people she were talking to could see her.

When things would settle down, she would give a sigh of relief and wipe some sweat off her brow. She would then catch Akihiko staring at her, chin resting on hand, lips crooked into a frown.

"What?" Mitsuru would ask him.

He would then shrug and then look the other way. It was just rare for him to see Mitsuru panic like that, but maybe he just didn't notice before because he would be the one in the battle, listening to her frantic voice but not being able to pay attention to it.

Maybe his injury did some good, then.

There was one night where Minato almost died, when nobody realized that a couple of strong enemies were behind them. The three of them were exhausted by then, and Yukari was screeching at the top of her lungs, but it seemed that she was out of spiritual energy and her Dia just wouldn't work anymore. Akihiko twitched at the pitch of Mitsuru's voice and he realized that, maybe this time, they wouldn't make it out. They finally managed to escape from that certain enemy and were just staggering around, looking for the escape portal. Junpei was complaining about how they should have packed more healing items, and Yukari told him to shut up.

Akihiko could see that Mitsuru was much more nervous now. He shook her out of her reverie and said, "I'll go after them."

Mitsuru glanced at him, and her lips parted a bit, as if ready to say something. Akihiko knew she was probably going to say no again, but she wasn't able to reply when Yukari suddenly screamed. At that moment, Akihiko saw the fright in Mitsuru's face and he knew he wanted to go after them. His fists were starting to ache. He just needed the signal. Anything to get rid of that expression on Mitsuru's face.

"Yuka-tan, I didn't mean it!" Junpei said apologetically as they suddenly appeared in front of the first floor portal. He said he was sorry, but his face looked enthusiastic. Minato stared at Junpei with an annoyed look as Yukari continued to stomp her way towards Mitsuru and Akihiko. Yukari was complaining about how Junpei had grabbed her bottom, and Junpei kept repeating that he panicked and thought they weren't going to make it to the portal on time. So he pushed her.

"You pushed me away from the portal, Stupei!" Yukari yelled. With all that yelling, it was like they weren't even injured.

Akihiko blinked as a cold hand suddenly held his wrist, and he shot Mitsuru a look. She clearly looked annoyed, but she told him, "Cast Dia on them."

Akihiko did as he was told, wearing the same exasperated look that Mitsuru had.

On their way back to the dorm, Akihiko and Mitsuru walked ahead. Junpei and Yukari were still arguing.

"I'm glad you were able to stop yourself." Mitsuru said to Akihiko in a hushed tone. "You looked like you were about to hit me if I told you that there was no way I'd let you follow them."

"Hit you?" Akihiko replied, trying to stop himself from chuckling. "No, but I would have ignored you completely and went in anyway, if they hadn't come out a few moments after."

Mitsuru smiled. "Understandable. But you still need to learn how to control your frustration." They didn't notice, but they had stopped walking in front of the dorm entrance. The three younger ones had entered by now, leaving them behind.

'You're one to talk.' Akihiko wanted to say, but he stopped himself.

"I think I've realized a way to do that." He said instead. Akihiko absentmindedly took a step closer to her, and by instinct, she stepped back, hitting her back on the concrete wall.

Mitsuru shrugged. "I already told you how. Direct it at something else." She failed to understand why he was standing so close, or why he had one hand on the wall, right beside her face, as if immobilizing her from movement.

"Exactly." He replied.

Then he kissed her.

It wasn't like one of those gentle and shy kisses that were exchanged on the first try. He did it with much vigour that he almost slammed the back of her head against the wall, if he hadn't thought ahead and used his arm as her pillow. Mitsuru seemed surprised at first. She couldn't explain why her hands went against her will and held at his shoulders tightly as she kissed him back. She tasted like the spices that he liked so much.

They set apart for a while, both gasping for air. Mitsuru's hands let loose it's tight clutch on his shoulders and trailed down to the fabric of the vest he wore, just laying there. "W-what was that for, Akihiko?" She whispered, her breath hot on his lips.

"Like I said. I'm focusing on something else." He mumbled against her neck, nibbling at the sensitive skin there. He had heard Mitsuru gasp before, but never in such a manner. He decided that he liked this version more.

"I suppose I won't mind in helping a hand." Mitsuru replied with a soft chuckle.

End.