Title: Your Homecoming
Author: Cat
Fandom: Persona 3 Portable
Rating: PG (Character Death; Spoilers for Good Ending of P3P)
Overall Summary: It's Graduation Day; where are you?
Chapter Summary: Junpei's grown up more than he's realized, and saying goodbye doesn't always have to be painful.
Author's Note: After speeding through P3P, I can only say that I want moar. Somebody write me MShe fic.
Disclaimer: I do not own.
You think it doesn't matter. In those few minutes it takes for the group (plus you, in the lead for once) to reach the school's rooftop, there are a million things going through your head. First is happiness, joy. The Dark Hour is ended, Nyx is gone, and your life can return to normal. Another part of you is somewhat doubtful, a little voice drowned out by the louder ones, but still there: What do I do now? But, the one thing you focus on, the thing that drives you to run up two flights of stairs is the fact that she is waiting there.
Your best friend, though you've always found that phrase corny as all hell. She's probably up there with Aigis right now, waiting for everyone to get there. Or sleeping; she's been sleeping a lot since the Dark Hour was destroyed. And that makes the smile on your lips grow into a shit-eating grin as you yell at Akihiko-senpai not to fall behind. And the guy's supposed to be fit!
You reach the door that leads out onto the rooftop in no time, fumbling with the knob for a few seconds before Yukari manages to get between it and you and opens it herself. Nevertheless, you're still the first one out. And there! There's Aigis and your leader, your pal, your "bro". Aigis is sitting on a bench with your leader laying on it, her head in Aigis's lap and for once those headphones are actually hanging loose around her neck.
"Sleeping on the job?" you sing out, reaching their sides in seconds, everyone spilling out of the door after you and gathering in a semi-circle behind you. It doesn't occur to you at first that something might be wrong. Aigis is smiling (ah, more like a human everyday!) but there are tears in her eyes. Which—is odd, you admit. You brush it aside in your head, though. She's still getting used to being human; she's probably just happy. But then you reach out and shake her shoulder. Her head lolls a bit in Aigis's lap, but, beyond that, she doesn't move.
Behind you, there's a murmur of voices, and your ears pick out Yukari's voice, followed by Akihiko-senpai's and Mitsuru-senpai's. Your brain doesn't register what they're saying, and you barely feel them close in on you, someone discreetly tugging Ken back a few steps. You shake her shoulder again. Laugh, say something about how she's always been a heavy sleeper.
You don't know why, but your throat closes. Something inside you breaks, and the next thing you know, tears are running down your face as well. This is the consequence, you think. Because every action has a consequence, and there is always a price to pay. But, it still hasn't quite sunk in yet. Why are you crying; why are you sad? Each moment that passes (echoed by the beat of your heart, which has somehow jumped into your throat) brings with it another wave of nostalgia and a bittersweet taste lies heavy on your tongue.
And then, it finally registers. Everything snaps into place. To think—you'll become a senior and she won't. And yet, you can't feel angry or upset. You can't find it in yourself to think it is unfair as you did with Chidori and Ryoji. This feeling—in the end, you feel more at peace than anything else. Like a bird ready to soar, but you're unsure of how to take flight. And then, a spring breeze makes its presence known.
You take a deep breath, and the weight (the uncertainty) that was pressing you down no longer feels so heavy. You'll fly. You'll fly for her and for them.
You'll live for them.