A/N: I am on the struggle bus with Akechi! Love him to death, but damn is his personality hard to write!
PS: Took the Buzzfeed quiz on Twitter this morning for whose personality I best match up with in Persona 5. I got Akechi. I suddenly feel motivated to write him and eat pancakes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 5. If I did, Shido's palace would have been optional. (I HATE SHIDO'S PALACE!)
She knows she is having a nightmare, but the harder she tries to scream, the weaker she gets.
Makoto can feel her hands slipping off the railing of the ship, the roaring waters waiting to drown her from below. She closes her eyes, knowing that it's all in her head, that she's actually back in bed snuggled up to Ren and he's going to wake her up any minute now…
The longer she waits, the longer she fears that maybe she isn't dreaming.
But, the team would be helping her, not standing on the deck, looking at her like she's a disgrace and useless. She doesn't call out to them, not only afraid that her voice will fail her, but also because hearing her voice will make her desperation real. However, she feels like she's losing strength, and sooner rather than later, she's going to fall.
She opens her eyes when footsteps approach her. She lifts her head as much as she can and meets the steely eyes of Joker.
"You're so weak."
What?
"And stupid." He laughs, but Makoto shakes her head. There is no way this is real. But it fails to make his words sting any less. "You think I love you?" He laughs again and as hard as she tries to stop it, tears form in her eyes. "Your sister was right. I only loved what you gave me. And you gave yourself to me so easily! I didn't even have to ask!"
She watches as he steps up to the railing, but his hands remain in his pockets. "You were fun while it lasted, but I can do so much better."
It's not until he walks away with a grin that the tears fall from her eyes. No. It's not real. Ren would never say such horrible things to her. She shakes her head again, using most of her strength to do so, thinking that if she makes enough movement, she'll alert Ren to her nightmare and he'll jump in to help her.
"You don't need to be so hard on her, Joker."
Another body approaches her, one that chills her to the bone. Crow reaches over the railing of the ship to grab onto her hand, a warm smile on his face under his mask. "Are you okay? You know he's just joking, right?"
She stands rigid once her feet hit the deck's floorboards, wondering what the hell is happening. Had it been a joke? An impressively horrible one, but a joke nonetheless? Her eyes scan the teens standing before her, but they all look so empty. Joker is the only one with some sort of life in his eyes, a grin tugging on his lips, but it just makes her wish he had looked like the others.
"I only asked you back for one thing." Joker then turns and the team follows him towards the palace entrance. "Don't let me down."
Makoto breaths a sigh of relief, even if she's still confused and hurt and hoping she'll wake up. It's not until something cold hits the side of her head that she realizes that Joker had not been talking to her.
He had been talking to Crow.
"My sincerest apologies," he says in a mocking tone, his gun positioned in the exact same spot he had shot her at only days before. "But whatever the leader asks, I carry out."
The pain is instantaneous. She can feel the burning on her skin and the sharp pressure behind her eyes as the bullet strikes her skull. She can feel herself fall back against the railing, the shock of the shot forcing her over the ledge and sending her plummeting into the waters. She screams again, even though she's dead, and water fills her lungs. She's choking. She's drowning. She's panicking.
She's alone.
Her eyes open.
She's surrounded by darkness, but it's the familiar scent of coffee beans, spices, and the boy laying next to her that grounds her. It takes her several minutes to steady her breathing and to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. Ren appears to be fast asleep, and her vivid nightmare paralyzes her with fear. She wants him to hold her, to prove to her that she's not alone, that he does love her and Akechi will never hurt her again…
All she can do in the moment is cry, her voice stuck in the back of her throat and her hands frozen at her side. Maybe if she cries long enough, he'll sense something and wake up. Or maybe she'll find the strength to do so herself.
"Ren?" Her voice cracks, and she doubts he hears her with how weak it sounds. She confirms it when he doesn't stir. She tries again, and a few more times, but they each have the same result.
It's not until she throws her head down into her chest that she realizes how close he is. The top of her head slams into his chin. He makes a soft groan in pain, and she seizes the accidental opportunity before he brushes it off and falls back asleep.
"Ren?"
She sounds much stronger this time, but her head remains tucked into her own body. He shifts beside her, then one of his hands comes to rest on the side of her neck, his fingers playing with the edges of her hair.
"Is that how you're going to start waking me up?"
She says nothing, can't say anything, her words catching in her throat. The tears fall faster, and after a minute or two, she feels Ren sit up in the bed.
"A-are you okay?"
He's confused, or probably worried that she had hurt herself in the collision. His hand moves to her chin as he forces her to look up at him. His eyes widen when he notices the tears.
"Oh, hell, Makoto, I'm so sorry. I didn't think I-,"
"I had a nightmare."
He stares at her for a moment, then realizes what he is doing and shakes his head. He pulls her into his arms and wraps the covers over her as she buries her face into his shoulder.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
She opens her mouth to tell him about it, but stops. What good will telling him do? If anything, he's going to be upset with her that she had thought it could be real. He would never say anything like that to her, and he will say she is stupid to think that and…
"It's okay," he says as his fingers stroke her hair. "It was a nightmare, and whatever you saw will never happen. I promise."
His voice is soft, but powerful at the same time. While she's terrified of what awaits her in her dreams, she's exhausted. His actions aren't helping. But she doesn't want to sleep. She needs to hear him tell her how much he loves her right now. That his voice in her head from her nightmare had been a ruse conjured up from the deepest recesses of her heart.
But asking him to say it, or even telling him of his callous self in her dream, will only pull it out of him for the wrong reasons.
She looks up at him and waits until he lowers his gaze to meet her eyes. "I love you, Ren."
While a small smile forms on his face, his eyes express a heartbreaking level of sorrow. He hugs her tightly, to the point where he almost hurts her, but he pulls back. He rests his head against hers, his hands cup her face, and his eyes stare directly into her own.
"I love you. I always will. And I will do anything to keep you safe." Then, "You'll never be alone again."
The conviction in his tone, the determination in his eyes, and his firm, yet gentle hold on her face, brings forth a new wave of tears. He does not let her pull away from him as she remains locked in his hold.
"I promise."
She believes him.
-.-.-
It's hard to describe what he is feeling when he meets the Phantom Thieves outside the Diet Building.
Most of them are eyeing him with suspicion, and he gives credit to Ryuji for not jumping him as he waves a hello to the group. However, what grinds his gears the most is that Ren, in his superb charismatic glory, comes between him and the rest of the group to address him like he's one of them.
"Are you ready?"
Akechi only smiles his answer, his phone already out and opening the app before Ren or anyone else does.
"I wouldn't come unprepared." Gods does he hate that smug arrogance about Ren. But, he's about to beat the hell out of some of Shido's henchmen, so for now, he will allow him to get under his skin. The more he can show the team his willingness to follow them, the more they will let him fight, and the more they will trust him in battle.
Fools. All of them.
He ignores the idle chitchat, even if he's pretty sure his name (followed by several expletives) is dropped more than once by Ryuji and Futaba. The conversation completely shifts from him to the palace once they appear on a cruise liner's deck. He has to say, he's never been inside this man's palace before, but the sight does not impress him as much as it humors him. The others are spouting their righteous bullshit, of how angry and disgusted they are that Shido would see the nation he vows to save from demise as nothing more than a stepping stone.
He fights back the urge to throw them all overboard, but instead, he shrugs his shoulders and sighs. "I'm afraid that's exactly how he views the world. So long as he can attain his personal agenda, everyone is merely a means to an end."
He regrets trying to join the conversation. Not because of the snarls and heated glances he receives, but because of the look of pity in Ren's eyes. Like he can sympathize with him, because a good friend always will.
He almost throws himself off the ship.
Akechi clears his throat to rid himself of the image, then turns his back on the gang. "The palace will not explore itself. We should head in."
"That ain't your call to make!"
Oh, he really wants to punch Ryuji in the face. He bites his tongue and walks towards the doors in front of him.
"It's alright," Ren says in his perfectly calm and collected voice. It makes him sick. "Let's go."
From there, he remains quiet in the background, but attentive to the people around him. He pays attention to how Ren leads the group, how Ryuji and Morgana constantly have something witty to say to the other, they way Yusuke and Haru talk about the fine details of their surroundings, and how Makoto plays babysitter to Ann and Futaba, who seem to get a little too excited over treasure.
He comes to attention only when they all come to a stop by the closed doors to the main hall. Of course Shido would have a blockade. Of course it wouldn't be as easy as slipping in and taking some pleasure out of beating up his shadow.
He can't help the smile that comes to his face while the others try and discover how to get in. The longer he has to be around this team, the more time he can sit back and study them. He had a general idea to each one of their personalities from Sae's palace, but he had been blinded by his own pride to thoroughly examine them. Sure, they don't trust him, and they aren't about to let their guards down, but he knows that it will only be a matter of time. With their oh-so-trusting leader willing to believe him, they will all be soon to follow.
"You wouldn't happen to know of the five individuals needed to enter the hall, would you, Crow?"
He half expects Ren to be the only person to ask him questions, but he is extremely impressed that Makoto has spoken to him. Feeling all eyes on him, he shakes his head. "Unfortunately, I do not. I can tell you that people here would know of them." He turns to Ren. "We should ask around."
The teen nods his head in agreement, then they all scatter down different hallways and talk to a variety of guests. Akechi is irritated that Ren is the one stuck looking after him, but he doesn't let it show. He understands that the trust building is a process, and that Ren is likely only with him to put his fellow teammates at ease.
"My apologies for having to task you with watching over me," Akechi whispers. "I highly doubt your team will ever trust me."
Ren says nothing for the longest time, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall. "You have a ways to go to prove yourself." He sighs. "Just because I want to trust you doesn't mean that they will."
That ends that conversation. The team returns to the front of the chamber with the information they all need within the hour. Their first target: Ooe. As they make their way through the corridors of the ship and into the leisure halls, Akechi has to stop himself from summoning Loki and destroying every single being inside. While he didn't personally know any of the five VIPs, he knew what most of them had done. Used him. Took advantage of his powers. Turned a blind eye to him for their own selfish desires.
His blood is boiling by the time they step foot into the restaurant for the second time. Ren shows the attendant the card pass to allow them to enter, then they slowly make their way towards the marked table of the politician.
Good thing the bastard hadn't been there, or Akechi might have come undone. However, he's not about to pass up a chance to meet the man face to face.
"Allow me to accompany you."
Oh.
He had been so involved in his anger and had not thought about who had asked for someone to sit with them. Ren immediately walks up to him, his eyes containing a rage he had not witnessed in over a week.
"No." He half expects the boy to attack him. His shoulders are tense and Akechi can tell he's biting his tongue to keep attention to their group to a minimum. Akechi holds up his hands, trying to keep a grin from forming on his face.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think about-,"
"I-It's okay."
The way Ren's rage disappears instantly makes Akechi's smile darken. How cute. Ren is perfectly fine with trusting him and letting him tag along, but will still act as Makoto's knight in shining armor in front of everyone else. It takes a great deal of strength to keep his laughter contained, but he does roll his eyes when everyone's attention focuses on the girl who had spoken.
"But-,"
"It's fine, Joker," Makoto says, holding up her hands to silence Ren. Akechi can see the boy's shoulders tighten as his hands close into fists, seemingly very displeased about this decision. Akechi gives Makoto a lot of credit. She looks like she's the one in charge, like she's the one who's okay with him being around, and he has to remind himself that she's not quite like the rest of them. She's extremely intelligent and quick to think up a plan, so he needs to be cautious. She could very well be up to something.
Ren heaves a sigh, then turns to Akechi. He stares at him for a second, then he takes a step closer. "You can go with her. But we will be sitting right here, ready to intervene if we have to."
He nods, expecting no less from the boy. He steps around Ren, even though he feels his eyes continue to bore into him, and stands in front of Makoto. "Shall we?"
She doesn't offer a smile or a nod or anything, just turns and walks towards the table next to where their 'guest' will be sitting. She takes her seat, then he sits down across the table. There's enough distance to where she appears to be comfortable, but he can talk to her without the rest of the group hearing them. If she wants to say something to him that has nothing to do with their current situation, now's her chance.
Makoto picks up the menu instead. Akechi wants to strike up a light conversation, but he really doesn't know what to talk about. It's strange, since he feels he can shoot the breeze with most people, but this girl gives him pause. The more he thinks about it in the silence, the more he starts to realize why.
Remorse. He regrets threatening her, hurting her, scaring her. She may have been the perfect bait to lure Ren into his trap, but he didn't expect things to play out like they had. She's a good kid, one that he may secretly wish has a great future, and secretly hates because of the way she makes him feel bad.
"Have you decided what you're going to order?" he asks to break the insecurity welling up within him. His question works to his advantage; she lowers the menu and her dangerous red eyes meet his.
"I thought you wouldn't have acted like Skull."
He's slightly humored by her comment and offers a small smile in return. "You were just studying that menu so intently, I thought something caught your eye."
She's quiet for a few seconds, then she glances over to where the rest of the team is standing out of sight. Before Akechi can tell her not to draw attention to them, she snaps her head back to face him with an intimidating glare he knows all too well.
"If you're trying to kill him, I suggest you leave this group upon our arrival back home."
Akechi almost laughs, but she's so serious that he finds it quite impressive. "If you're implying I'm going to kill Shido-san, you can-,"
"I will never let you kill Ren."
At this, he leans back in awe. The intensity of her gaze and the conviction in her tone make him do a double take. Not only does she not beat around the bush, she's not afraid of him. Hell, he will not be surprised if she stabs him in the back the second he leers at Ren the wrong way.
He still has a long way to go to earn the group's trust as a whole, but now he's realizing just what he's up against. Ren may be naïve and accepting, but Makoto will always be skeptical. A wonderful combination for a future, if not already, couple.
"I know you don't trust me, with good reasons, of course." He sighs as she leans back in her chair, her eyes narrowing even more behind her mask. "But Ren truly is something else. After everything I did to you, to him, he still wishes to help. It's a strange feeling, having wanted to be accepted for so long, and now to be faced with that chance…I may still need some time to embrace it."
"He's a kind person, but I think he's too forgiving."
He expects this from her, but he also knows he's talking to someone with a completely different personality than Ren. He needs to be careful about what he says and how he says it. What he can say to Ren will not work with Makoto. "I agree." He chuckles to himself when she appears startled by his words. "I'm not going to lie to you. You're too smart for that. And I personally dislike the way he's opened his arms and allowed me to join your team with little hesitation. However, I also feel that's what draws people to him, what makes him so special, and why he was granted these powers in the first place."
He continues on in her silence, amused by her baffled expression. "None of you will ever know how I feel, no matter what you say. I thought that gaining popularity and recognition from the public would fill that void in my heart, but it's fake. It's meaningless. But your admiration for Ren as a leader and as a friend is real. He sets a wonderful example, one in which I personally wish to follow. So, if I were to kill him, like you think I'm planning to do, what will continue to motivate me to become a better person?"
The glare returns to her eyes. "You tried to kill me to prove what to him exactly?"
Her question causes him to stumble. He thinks his words out in his mind before he says them. "I wanted to see how far I could push him. Perhaps he could have understood my plight to kill Shido if he had such a strong enough desire to kill me."
"Ren would never cross that line because he's not you."
It's his turn to narrow his eyes. "You may have been too preoccupied to notice the way he looked when he threatened me. There's not a doubt in my mind that he would have killed me had I actually killed you." There's a look of pain that crosses over her face, so he holds up his hands and offers a warmer expression. "But if it's any consolation, I never meant to harm you. I'm sure the two of you discussed my return, and I imagine you were not thrilled by the prospect of fighting along side me again."
She slams her palms on the table. "That's exactly what you wanted to do! If not me, then you wanted to hurt him! And that's what I tried to tell him! But he's so adamant that you only need a friend, so he's overlooking your past ways to give you a better future!"
"And that's why this is so conflicting for me," he admits quietly, leaning onto his hands resting on the table. "He was able to put aside his anger, to prepare for any backlash he would receive from you, your sister, and you friends, just to give me that opportunity. I've only known the life of using, being used, and revenge, but seeing Ren find the courage to fight to better others instead wallowing in self pity strikes something inside me."
"You're not going to change."
He chuckles. "But you trust him, yes?"
She responds with silence, but the look in her eyes makes him wonder if she really does.
It catches him off guard, so he clears his throat. "With all due respect, I didn't accept his offer to express my condolences for your situation, or to ask for forgiveness for my actions against you or your friends. I fully intend on you hating me until the day I die." He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest. "I'm doing this because I want to know how it feels to be respected and cared about, to have a bond with someone who expects nothing from me, the same way that Ren appears to be."
She opens her mouth to say something, but she closes it quickly. As she continues to mull over his statement, he adds, "I do hope you keep your eyes on me and keep me focused on my growth." He smiles his fake little smile because he feels the conversation is tipping in his favor. "Perhaps a progress report after every infiltration?"
She gives off an exasperated sigh. "I still don't trust you."
His smile widens. "I'm not asking you to trust me. I'm asking you to watch me."
Her gaze is still hardened by anger and doubt, but it softens considerably as she shakes her head. "I'm not afraid to use force if you do anything to warrant it, but I'll at least consider your request. But know that I'm not Ren, and I won't let the smallest thing go unnoticed. You so much as look at someone the wrong way, I won't let it slide."
He gives off a small chuckle as their "server" finally approaches their table. As Makoto plays her part as customer, Akechi picks up his own menu, determined to let his actions speak for themselves.
He wonders what Ren would order.
-.-.-
Makoto is quiet, almost too quiet as Ren sits beside her on the train back Leblanc. They had a successful day at Shido's palace, acquiring two of the five letters needed to breach the door to face Shido's shadow. Ryuji may have been more temperamental and constantly berating Akechi, but to Ren's surprise, the detective teen had taken it in stride. Deep down, he had been relieved that Ryuji had been the only one to still hold such open animosity towards Akechi (he's sure the others hold the same distrust, just never vocalize it), but Ryuji had always been loud and not afraid to speak his mind.
Ren needs to give the group more time to be around Akechi. They had all been surprised, perhaps even a little displeased with him, but he knows they can see the positive in tense situations. They've sympathized with enemies in the past, to an extent, and he really believes that Akechi can change with the right people in his life. It's not going to be easy, but it will be a challenge that will leave a greater impact on each one of them. That makes it worth it.
But right now, he has another matter to tend to: the awkward silence he is sharing with Makoto.
He has no idea where it is coming from. He assumes it's because she is still not pleased that Akechi is a part of the group again, which he has to learn to accept. So, he continues to sit and tap his foot on the floor because he's uncomfortable and doesn't know what else to do.
It's not until she stands from her seat that he snaps back to attention. He overhears the announcement that they are arriving at Shibuya Station, so he rises to his feet and follows her to the train's double doors. He looks at her from the corner of his eyes and her body language is screaminganger. But, what more can he say to her to put her at ease? He had thought she had accepted his decision to allow Akechi to join the team again, even if she really wasn't okay with it, but…
The doors open and he has to grab her wrist to keep her from storming off. "Okay, I know you're not happy with him being back, and I'm sorry. But I need you to trust me when I tell you I won't let him harm you, or anyone else."
Makoto never replies to him and he has to tighten his grip so she doesn't wander off. He realizes exactly how upset she really is when he walks towards the transfer to get to Leblanc and she pulls him towards her transfer.
"Do you want me to take you home?" He can tell she wants her space, but he also wants to talk and help her calm down. At least she hasn't turned on him and screamed at him yet, but he knows it's likely to come.
"No, I'll be fine." There is little anger in her tone. In fact, he hears more sadness than anything. It hurts, especially since it seems that she wants her space, but if he has learned anything from his last few months with her, it's that bottling up thoughts and feelings will only make things worse. She may not be a talker, but he really wants to know why she's so upset.
"Hey." He pulls on her hand to effectively stop her. "I'm okay with you wanting to go home, but if it's because you're mad at me, I want you to tell me."
To his surprise, she doesn't run away from him. Her shoulders drop and that only makes him grow more curious as to where all of this is coming from. She's not too angry (thankfully), but she is very upset. With him? With someone else? Is her sister causing more problems because she has been staying with him for a few days?
"Come back and stay with me, please? We can talk and you can feel better and then you can help me with my homework because I may have forgotten about it until just now…"
She at least smiles at him, but his moment is short lived as she shakes her head. "I just want to go home."
Determined to not let her walk away with her feeling like this, he steps in front of her and smiles. "Can I at least take you to dinner?" It's still fairly early in the evening, so if she declines him, he'll know the severity of the situation. Or maybe he has been too clingy and she just wants a day to herself.
So many possibilities, but none he will confirm unless she speaks to him.
"I'm not hungry."
He wants to roll his eyes and pull out his hair and yell his frustrations because he doesn't know how to make things right with her. "Please, Makoto, I just-,"
"But I could use some coffee if you want me to help you with your assignment."
He almost stumbles back, but he squeezes her hand and smiles and laughs because she's getting a little too good at surprising him. "I'll make you your favorite."
His chest swells in amusement and joy when a light blush spreads across her face. She follows behind him as he leads her through the crowd to their train. Once on board, he slides one arm around her, his hand resting against her hip. She leans against him, but a part of him wants to see her face. He wants to know if she's as happy as he is right now, standing beside her, thankful for another moment to spend with her.
If what he can make out in the glass's reflection is any indicator, she's far from happy.
His grip tightens around her, but he chooses to say nothing. The train isn't packed, but it's not a place to really have an in-depth conversation. He knows the longer he continues to think of all the reasons that she could be upset, the more frustrated he is going to become, which leads him to do stupid things…
He bites his tongue, chews his lip, plays with his phone to keep quiet on their way to Leblanc. However, after a cordial encounter with Sojiro and Futaba, he ushers her up the stairs. She looks confused, maybe a little hurt that he had been a bit forceful in dragging her to his room, but he can't contain it any longer.
"Why are you mad at me?"
His blunt question causes her to lower her gaze to the floor and clasp her hands in front of her. She shifts her weight around on her feet, but Ren grows impatient. She's nervous, he can tell, but she would feel so much better if she would just say what's on her mind.
"I'm not perfect, Makoto, and I know I'm probably going to do some things that will hurt you or upset you. But I want to know when I do. So please, even if it's hard, or over something stupid, I want you to tell me."
She considers his words for a moment, then she takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. "I'm not mad at you."
It's not the answer he expects to hear. "Be honest with me."
"I'm not. It's more…actually…" She trails off and he waits not-so-patiently for her to continue. "I'm thinking too much is all."
He offers a chuckle at that because when is she not, and he takes a step closer to her. "Well, whatever you're thinking about is upsetting you. So I want you to talk to me."
She turns away from him, almost as if she's embarrassed. "I-it's n-nothing, really."
"Please?"
She grimaces at his plea, but it works in his favor. "I-I just…" Another pause, then her words come flying almost too fast out of her mouth. "I just got jealous of Ann at the pool today because she's got a great body and it makes me worry that you don't like the way I look and I start thinking about why you would even love me when someone as beautiful as Ann is around you and…"
He laughs as she catches her breath. She finally looks up at him while he leans back against the bookshelf. "I'm sorry," he says between bouts of laughter. "I just, gods you're so cute!"
She drops her eyes to the floor as he calms down. He takes two steps to stand directly in front of her, lifts her chin, and swoops down and kisses her. His smile stretches from ear to ear. "You have nothing to be worried about."
The familiar tint of red colors her cheeks. "B-but Ann is so-,"
He cuts her off with another kiss. "While Ann may be a good-looking girl, she's not my type." He grows warm inside when a smile forms on her face.
"I guess I got a little self-conscious. I'm sorry."
"Then let me tell you a little secret. When you and the girls went off to talk to that creepy guy, Ryuji had been telling me some story. But I was too busy looking at you. Even though I've seen you in a bathing suit before, hell, I've seen all of you before," he adds with a smirk and her hands cover her face to hide her growing blush. "But I couldn't help but think damn, I have a smokin' hot girlfriend!"
He can only hope she's smiling behind her hands, because it's a few degrees warmer standing in front of her. He keeps adding on to it. "You might be the most beautiful woman on the planet, but it's not the only thing I love about you."
She lowers her hands slightly and peaks up at him over her fingertips. "R-really?"
He wraps her in an embrace, placing his head on the top of hers. "It's hard to put into words, but…" His voice fades, his mind growing blank as he scrambles to find the right thing to say to her. He prides himself on being good with words and being good with them at the right time, but she has an effect on his ability to think, especially when she's with him, more so when she's propped up against him.
It's one of the few times he feels he actually speaks with his heart. "When I first came to Tokyo, I was terrified. Sojiro hated me, the principal threatened me before I could even say hello, and I had no idea how to navigate the trains, the maps, anything. I've never felt so lost and alone in my life."
He closes his eyes and hugs her closer to him because he can tell she's trying to pull away and say something to interrupt him. "That first day of school was a nightmare. Ryuji had been nice enough to show me the way to school, but had we not shown up in Kamoshida's castle, a part of me wonders if he would have ignored me like the rest of the school."
He hears her whisper, "I doubt that," against him, and he softly smiles. He continues before his thoughts lose their meaning.
"Every day was a different sort of hell. Teachers enjoyed calling on me and the class always loved when I didn't know the answer. Even when I did, it was luck, or that I had somehow cheated. I was told to stay away from Ryuji, the one person who had been kind enough to speak with me. I can still feel everyone's eyes when I would walk down the hall after school. I can even hear their whispers sometimes in my sleep. I knew I was going to have a hard time adjusting…but after the first week, I honestly felt like I would be better off in jail."
"But," he says when she tries to push him back. "But then I went to the library to check out a book for one of my classes, and the girl freaked out. Pretty sure she thought I was going to hold her up and rob her for all the books in the place," he adds with a light laughter. "I was so frustrated when she told me she couldn't help me, and even though I wanted to tell her how irritated I was, I didn't. The room was watching me, as if expecting me to become violent and go on a killing spree, so I grabbed my bag and turned away."
A smile forms on his lips. "That was when I first met you, well, bumped into you really. I didn't know anything about you, but I thought you were another one of the students operating the rumor mill, so I didn't say anything at the time. And by some strange twist of fate, I ran into you as I was leaving that day. I tried to ignore you, thinking you were going to say something about what happened back in the library. But then you held out that library pass, told me that everyone should have a right to learn without restrictions, and walked away. You even apologized to me."
He kisses the top of her head. "I may have formed a slight crush on you because you looked so cute and adorable, but if I'm going to be honest, I'm pretty sure I fell in love with you. The way you strived to do what was right, even if it went against the popular belief. You kept fighting to find the truth, though sometimes I felt you may have fought a little too hard. You put yourself in danger to help the students at school because no one else would. You put yourself in danger to help a friend who was furious with you because you knew she deserved better."
He finally pulls away from her and lifts her head to look into her eyes. "That is what I love about you: your unyielding selflessness and desire to do what's right, no matter who it's for or what stands in your way."
That's why I'm helping Akechi.
She immediately throws her face back into his chest, which causes him to stumble back with a laugh. "But I can also tell you this."
She turns in his arms to look up at him, her face still an adorable shade of pink. "W-what's that?"
"I really, really like the way you look in a bathing suit."
She groans, but before she can hide her reddening cheeks, he leans in and kisses her.
"But," he adds, his lips hovering over her ear as his hands stroke the skin around her hips. "I love the way you look even more when you wear nothing at all."
Her cheeks darken as her arms wrap themselves around his neck. He slowly begins to lift her sweater by his wrists, his fingertips tracing patterns along the skin of her hips, up her sides, and to her shoulders. She only separates from him so he can pull it off of her, but she throws herself at him the next second. He chuckles, because she's usually this shy at first, but he hopes it never fades away.
"And I hope I'm the only person to ever say that to you," he adds, raising his hands to rest against her shoulders. When she leans back, he can't keep his eyes from wandering over her body.
"I promise that you will be."
He smiles and seals their promise with a kiss.
I hope to be back on track, seeing as that I may only have one final chapter to actually write (a few to post...so don't be too upset). But Akechi likes to keep me guessing...so...?
Thanks for reading!
龍の神様