For one of the badbadbathhouse prompts. Done in under an hour, little/no proofreading, but fun.
Romance hinted at, but none mentioned. If you care, fill in the name of your favorite boy/girl/androgynous teddy bear. Freak.
Do not own, etc. etc. etc., Persona 4 is still a good game to start even this generation of games, etc. etc. again...
Moving Away
Four months out everyone knew, but didn't want to talk about it. To spoil the mood, the feeling of victory and triumph, just after the case had been solved... there would be time for sweet goodbyes later.
Only one person does, either late Christmas Eve or oh so early Christmas Day. There's a hold, and a few tears, as a voice holding so much back whispers 'I will miss you so much.'
Souji returns the embrace even stronger. 'Part of me will always be with you,' he whispers, and is rewarded by a not too gentle hit in the stomach.
'That's sweet, but not what I meant, and you know it,' but there's a smile. There are still some tears on the eyes, and so he kisses them away and makes even happier memories instead.
Three months out, school starts again. More than talk of winter break, the arrival of his friends on the first day back brings the attention back on him.
'Ah, it's hard to believe this is your last semester before you move,' Daisuke says, breaking the ice everyone is treading isn't the only person to whack him, and so he defends himself. 'What's it's true!'
It's Ai, of all people, who plays insightful peacemaker. 'Well, I suppose we'll have to make this semester the best one of all, won't we?' she asks.
Everyone nods. Tears can come later. Be happy now.
Two months out, and Teddy is trying to come to terms. It's... hard.
'Why can't we fix whatever's making him move?' Teddy asks. 'Isn't there some bad guy we could beat up? I'll fight anyone for my Sensei!'
The Investigation Team looks around awkwardly.
'It's not a... bad man,' Chie tries to explain. 'It's just that his parents are coming back to Japan with their job. That was why he came here in the first place.'
'Why can't they stay over there?' Teddy asks. 'I don't want Sensei to go. I... I...'
'Don't you dare cry!' Kanji snaps, but his voice is different, as if trying to hold something back. Yosuke doesn't agree, only because he's trying not to sniffle.
It's dangerously close. If Teddy starts, all of them might burst out. Naoto, trying to be the mature one, changes the topic.
'Sensei, where will you be moving to?' she asks. Everyone looks up, and at the focus of their group.
He looks a bit surprised, and then tries to recall. 'Some little country town in the middle of nowhere,' he said, a sad smile. 'If you didn't live or have relatives there, you'd never even hear of it.' He let his head fall to the table, hiding his eyes, and everyone looked away to give him space. 'Total exile, compared to the city,' he muttered.
'Sounds a bit like here,' Yosuke said, trying to look at the bright side, and then remembering how he felt about the town before the murders, ignoring Teddie as the bear-boy began asking if they could use the Midnight Channel world to visit.
Three weeks out, and they're having a group party at the Dojima residence. Even the father himself is there, though he's doing paperwork in the corner, looking up every once in a while when Nonako speaks his name.
They've just finished a movie, and are basking in the emotions of the happy ending.
Then Chie decides to put her foot in her mouth. Or maybe her leg.
'I'm going to miss times like this,' she confesses, causing Nonako to look at her in confusion.
'What do you mean? Why can't we keep doing this?' the younger girl asks, and everyone startles. Chie doesn't even snap back when Yosuke gives a none-too-gentle kick in the spine.
'Smart move, Chie!' he whispers, but she's too busy trying to recover.
'Nothing!' she yelps. 'I mean, we'll be glad to still come over and hang out with you anytime, Nanoko-chan,' she back peddles. 'It just won't be the same without Souji here and-' she yelps louder this time when it's Yukiko, of all people, who kicks her.
Nonako's eyes open, and she immediately begins looking around in confusion. 'Big Brother's leaving?' she asks, wide eyed and confused. 'But-'
The first clue anyone had that Dojima had gotten up is when he lifted Nanoko up and began carrying her upstairs to his room. 'I'll handle this,' he said to Souji, and there was a quiet silence.
'Hadn't told her yet, huh?' Yosuke guessed.
'We, ah, might want to-' Souji began, but was cut off by the sound of a pitiful, sad wail, and then the sound of crying.
The hangout moved to Yosuke's place rather than break up, but on a much lower note for some time. Even Yukiko gives Chie a dirty look for the rest of the night.
A week out, the entire class throws Souji a farewell party. No one minds when a few first-years play hookie and take part, and no one has a sad expression.
Every one involved is pleased with how it turned out.
That last weekend, they go to the Amagi Inn for their own party. The shenanigans that occur surpass even the Culture Festival. The exact happenings, both known to all and then known to only one other besides Souji, could be their own stories. Well, some of them at least: Nanoko would have to be a bit older before she could hear all of them.
'We're helping you pack, and we aren't taking no for an answer,' Yosuke explains two days before. Everyone's behind him. Souji tries to insist that they needn't bother.
When everyone tries to fit inside Souji's room, they realize why. There isn't much to do, and it takes far longer than if they had left it just to him, but he can't bear to mind.
He stops, realizing the pun, and groans even before Kanji begins apologizing for running into him with a box. Teddie's been rubbing off on him too much today. Everyone has, in that crowded room.
He groans, in a slightly different way, at that thought, and no one minds when he lies down on the futon a little flushed.
The last day before, there's dinner at the Dojima's. Everyone comes, and everyone gives a farewell gift. Souji promises to treasure them, and put them in a place of pride once he's moved.
There was supposed to be a group photo, everyone standing with him, but that was foiled at the last minute when Teddie, being Teddie, intervened. Instead, everyone's piled on Souji, at the bottom of the bear pile, and surprise and grimaces of pain actually look like laughter. It's probably an improvement.
The last box from Souji's room is loaded, and the trailer door slams shut. Souji's father gives a holler and walks around to the driver's side of the truck, Souji's mother already inside. By prior agreement, they're giving Souji his last goodbyes.
'I promised I wouldn't cry, for Sensei's sake,' Teddie repeats, and indeed he doesn't. 'I'm going to grow up and be a King! And when I do, I'll make a law that Sensei has to come back instead!' And he laughs.
'I guess this is it, Partner,' Yosuke says, holding out his hand for a shake. 'Take care.' It would be a lot more cool if he weren't wiping away tears from the corner of his eyes.
'Don't go forgetting about us!' Chie demands after a quick hug, cheeks flushing a little bit before backing up and beginning a familiar jumping pattern. 'If I find you have, then POW! Galactic Punt!'
'You're always have a place to sleep in our town,' Yukiko assures with a sincere smile. 'Don't hesitate to bring your new friends either.'
'Sempai,' Kanji says awkwardly, trying to think of the words. 'Thanks. For everything.' Even though no one teases his gentle tone, he still reacts, but this time in good humor. 'And if anyone gives you trouble, let me know and I'll beat their faces right off of them!'
'Be a good boy and see us soon, 'k Sempai?' Rise bids. 'And a goodbye present before you go,' and before anyone can react she pops to her tiptoes and gives a peck on the cheek and leaving a hint of lipstick, and is utterly unashamed of being in good cheer.
Naoto is the most unsure of herself, and begins babbling in her characteristic way, talking about how while they're all adults and would separate anyways it doesn't mean that they won't see eachother again and she doesn't want to make it sound like she hasn't appreciated everything and- and Souji reaches out, ruffles her hair, and says 'you're welcome', putting everything she meant to say into context.
Nanoko is sweetest. 'We'll see each other soon, right Big Bro?' she asks with heartwrenching innocence. Souji doesn't just promise: he pinky promises.
Dojima is last, but shortest. 'Go on,' he says, not afraid to smile. 'Get out of here.'
And with a final goodbye, Souji boards the truck with his parents, the engine starts, and the van and moving trailer leave and turn around the corner to the cheers and yells of the Investigation Team.
The van is barely out of sight and the cheer dissipates. 'It's... hard to believe he's gone,' Yosuke says at last, summing it all up for them.
There's a moment of silence, and Nanoko fidgets.
'I suppose it's time we head our separate ways,' Naoto says at last. 'Meet tomorrow at Junes?' she asks. They won't simply disband at this point, Sempai or no.
'No!' Nanoko bursts, and Dojima puts a restraining hand on the girl. 'Are you sure you don't want to stay a little while with Nanoko?' he invites.
'Well,' Chie begins, as everyone no doubt wanted a little time of their own to reflect, but any future words were cutoff by the sound of an approaching engine, and soon after the sight of a familiar moving van.
Souji, they recognize. 'Think he forgot something?' Kanji asks, but no one's leaving now.
But the van doesn't drive to the house. Instead it turns early, into the drive way of the next house over, and opens the garage. They see Souji's father step out, walk to the back of the trailer, and open it, while Souji's mother takes out a key and begins opening the front door. Souji himself is carrying the box filled with the precious going away gifts, waiting to be carried into his new home.
He turns to them as they run up, and gives them a smile as devilish as the persona he had been wearing when he had come up with the idea.
'Never said I was moving far,' he teased.