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Here's to Never Growing Up

Friday—June 19, 2021

Goro curled his lip back at the image of himself smiling at the camera, hating the way he looked. It was hard to see him back in the light of the public eye after he had gotten so comfortable being himself. It was hard to see someone so fake look so much like him. He put his hands in his hair and gripped them at the roots, tugging hard enough to bring pain. He hated the way he smiled, the way his face gave off the impression of pleasantries, formalities, and professionalism. He hated the way it was exactly what he looked like as Shido's puppet. He hated the way his father pulled the strings attached to the corners of his mouth….forcing him into a smile….forcing him into someone he had worked so hard to distance himself from.

Goro slammed his hand against the table and gripped the news article so tightly, he tore away at the pages. Blindly, his hands searched frantically for his knife, slashing away at the picture in a red haze. Nothing really registered, but he just wanted to get rid of that image that burned his eyes. He hissed as he dragged the knife across his portrait and tore it in half, doubled over on his desk. He drew in a ragged breath, coughing and sputtering as he choked on his anger.

He did not even hear the person knocking on his door; only when Ren came barging in with a phone in one hand and a glass of milk in the other did Goro finally snap out of it. He jumped a foot in the air at the sight of the other and immediately positioned his body in front of the desk to hide the damage he had done to the piece of furniture. Ren stared at him in concern, but Goro had no intention of talking about his childish outburst. Morgana was, without doubt, right. He was simply a child throwing a tantrum….he would never grow up….shed the shadow of his father….

"Goro," Ren said softly and slowly walked towards him as if waiting for permission. When Goro said nothing, he took it upon himself to close the distance completely. "What happened?"

"Nothing," he replied shortly and gave him a tight-lipped smile, running his hands through his hair and wincing. His scalp was sore from all the hair-gripping, which he did not even know how severely he was doing it. "Sorry. I'll be ready in a bit."

Ren shook his head and gazed at him with a sad expression. "I know you're lying. But, I won't ask if you aren't comfortable telling me."

Goro closed his eyes and ran a hand down his face; if only Ren knew he was really the only one he felt safe telling. However, words refused to come and he could only stare at him as his mind struggled to think of a single word let alone a sentence. When Ren turned away, however, his hand shot out to grab him by the arm.

"Don't go," he said and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Ren said softly and held up a hand as he offered him a ghost of a smile. "Just….I'm here….you know that."

He did know this; he knew he could rely on the ravenette for anything, regardless of the context. He hoped the feeling was mutual, but Goro may not have done enough to prove it yet. The detective ran a hand over his mouth and finally turned to stare at himself in the mirror, pleased to see his expression was far from the happy one in the newspaper.

He fixed his hair before finally turning away and smoothing down the tie of his school uniform, steeling himself away from his personal feelings in favor of adopting a more professional demeanor.

"You look nice," Ren commented casually but gestured to him with something that more closely resembled a smile.

"You, too," Goro said and lifted his eyebrow. "For someone in a school uniform."

"True," Ren said with a click of his tongue.

The pair emerged from Goro's room and silently sneaked out of the townhouse, pulling up the navigation app and putting in their destination. Goro let out a breath of relief when he only counted three blocks worth of walking. He had no desire to walk long distances in this heat and the humidity made it feel worse. Goro set off at his usual pace, but Ren seemed to be dragging his feet. He was having too much trouble keeping up and thus would continuously fall back, apologizing hastily before quickening his pace only to repeat the cycle.

Evidently, Goro was not the only one having a difficult morning. Formalities aside, the detective began to pry as subtly as he could.

"I age waiting for you."

"Sorry," he said and shrugged a shoulder. "But I am the one with the map, making sure we don't take a wrong turn."

"Noble," Goro jested and frowned lightly. "Why are you moving without a purpose?"

Ren scowled at that and resumed his gaze back on his phone screen, scrolling and zooming as he tried to look at the satellite view. Goro put his hand on the strap of his book bag and walked over to his friend's side.

"What is it?"

"Just checking."

Goro hummed and narrowed his eyes at him with suspicion. Perhaps Ren knew what he was attempting.

"It seems to be straightforward from here, Amamiya. What wrong turns are you talking about?"

"Any," Ren retorted a bit too quickly to go unnoticed. He put away his phone and stuck his hands in his pockets to appear nonchalant.

"I don't know when you'll understand, but lying to a detective is hard—especially when you're a poor one at that."

Ren huffed in mild annoyance and sent a fleeting glare at him. Unfazed, Goro merely glared back, wanting to take this stubborn boy by the shoulders and shake him. Would he ever learn?

"I told you," Ren insisted, folding his arms over his chest. "I am nervous."

"About this? I hardly doubt that—there is something more."

The bespectacled boy sighed in defeat and gestured to himself up and down. "The past."

Provided with a much more plausible answer, Goro finally felt content. "Was that so hard? Telling the truth gets you farther than a lie."

The two stared at each other before Ren scowled. "And this morning?"

"I didn't say I wouldn't tell you," he replied casually, eyeing the time on his watch. "But, we have to go, so it's a story for another time."

"Don't bother," Ren said in a gentler tone, putting a hand on Goro's shoulder before he could walk away. "You'll tell me what I know."

Goro just stood there, mouth agape as the ravenette walked inside with his hands back inside those pockets, wearing a look of total innocence; once again, he was left speechless. The detective shook himself from his stupor and followed his friend into the district, only to be greeted with cameras in the face.

Immediately, his hand went up to shield his face from the flashing lights, grunting as he was bombarded with a crowd of people all craning to catch a glimpse of the international star. Goro's hands blindly felt for something to hold on, only to find thin air. Just as he was about to start shouting, there was a pair of hands touching his waist. He recognized the size and pressure of them almost immediately and gasped when he saw Ren standing behind him. He let the teen pull him behind as Ren blocked him from their view.

"That's enough, damn it!"

Both Ren and Goro looked up to see a woman shooing the crowd away with a blazing glare on her face. She barked out her last retort before the crowd finally melted away, leaving them standing before an older woman, who was now smiling at them. Goro could feel Ren squared his shoulders beside him though he was not sure why.

"Mr. Amamiya?

Goro watched Ren wince subtly at the name butchering, but he let out a shaky breath and bowed. However, he jerked awkwardly and straightened up with haste, blushing in embarrassment.

"Maureen Manick," the woman said and held out a hand, which he shook. "Public relations manager and journalist. Why don't you follow me?"

Goro wanted to somehow express his gratitude for helping him, but Ren was already walking away. The brunette was left standing in the middle of the lobby, back to enduring the whispering behind his back and the finger-pointing alone. He sighed and kept his head bowed to hide his face, wishing his supervisor would hurry. He waited in the lobby for another ten minutes before someone finally came out and beckoned him back.

"Goro Akechi?"

"Yes," Goro replied and held out his hand, eyeing the same woman who summoned Ren back.

"Detective, yes?" Maureen Manick said and smiled warmly in the same manner as before. She took his hand and gave him a firm nod. "Pleasure to meet you. I am excited to work with you as well. I heard you are licensed in Japan?"

Goro nodded. "Yes, miss."

"We'll have you working alongside case managers and our investigation team," Maureen said and eyed him up and down as if analyzing him on the spot. "I think you will fit in nicely."

"Of course," Goro said, trying hard to put on his public front once more, although it was a bit worn down.

"I had a word with our other intern," she continued, gesturing over her shoulder. "So I apologize for my lack of punctuality. However, I know we talked over the phone about wages and you already signed the contract, but I wanted to confirm your starting date."

"Additionally, you are working on a student visa, so what you are able to do legally is….limited," Maureen said slowly and tapped her fingers to her chin. "Things such as your hours are limited, decisions must be accepted by the board before we can take any legal action."

"Understood," Goro replied, already aware of the legalities.

"Excellent," Maureen said with newfound vigor, clapping her hands. "I am glad to find someone as well-versed as yourself. I have read your achievements; they are very impressive."

"Thank you," Goro said, adopting his customary feigned smile and humble demeanor. "The work of a detective is ambiguous and never a guarantee. I am fortunate these cases turned out the way they did."

Ren emerged moments later with his hand gripping his bag tightly, looking slightly more relaxed, but still tense. He dipped his head to Maureen as she grasped his shoulder and combed her fingers through his hair, looking thoughtful.

"I believe that's it," Maureen said and gave them all a friendly wave. "I will see you in July!"

It was a subtle dismissal, but Goro had no desire to stay here anymore today. He was still getting looks from over office cubicles and phone cameras aimed at him. The moment they stepped outside, Ren took off his glasses to wipe them clean, revealing the fatigue in his eyes.

"How was it?" Goro asked softly, already guessing the answer.

"I doubt anyone trusts me there," Ren said with dejection, shrugging his shoulders and readjusting the strap of his book bag on his shoulder. "But I signed and got the offer."

Goro congratulated him, but there was something still on his mind he wanted to address. "What did you mean earlier?"

Ren stopped in his tracks and cracked a grin, seemingly glad to have the subject off him. "I know you've always hated seeing yourself in the media. Come on, Detective, how long have I known you?"

He waved a hand in feigned disappointment and shot a look over his shoulder as Goro's pace faltered. For some inexplicable reason, he could not stop smiling the entire way home.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"I wasn't trying to."

"Preposterous! You always had a habit of minding others' business!" Yusuke said and pointed an accusing finger at Ren.

"I couldn't—"

"Are you jealous?"

"Of what?" Ren snorted caustically, his eyebrows drawn together and his expression pinched.

Goro came out of Ren's room, looking for the teen after he was going to come back with something to eat while they talked. However, he now found himself staring at Ren and Yusuke arguing in the living room.

"Nothing," Yusuke said harshly and looked away.

"Why does everyone insist on hiding things from me?" Ren finally snapped, taking a step forward. Despite being shorter than Yusuke, his intimidation was far more severe. "Christ….and you! Why are you always in a mood?"

"I beg your pardon?" Yusuke gasped, taking a step back as the other teen's temper flared up like a fire fueled by gasoline.

"Fucking around with me. What did I do wrong?" Ren hissed and curled his hands into fists; while his face, now, was mostly obscured from Goro's view, he could hear the anger in his shaking voice.

The brunette decided to intervene before it escalated, stepping in front of Ren and pushing him back by the chest. The ravenette growled in frustration, but he deflated and stepped away. He rubbed his mouth as he became fluent in curse words. Ren finally put his hands to his face in a prayer and inhaled deeply.

"I'm sorry," he said through his teeth and swallowed, gaze cast downward. "I shouldn't have stopped to listen."

"I apologize for treating you so poorly as of late," Yusuke said with a bit of a sigh, looking contrite as he hung his head. "I know that is no excuse and perhaps I can provide a more eloquent explanation. However, I need to go."

Ren let out a long exhalation and watched Yusuke brush past him and head up the stairs. He rubbed his nose and sniffed, breathing still heavily, but at least calmed down. He turned to Goro then gave him a bit of a sheepish look.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me," Goro said and threw his hands up carelessly. "You did nothing wrong to me. But what on Earth was that about?"

"Whoever he talks to on the phone is….really not doing him any good," Ren said a bit sharply though Goro knew it was not meant for him. "I dunno why he insists on calling them all the time. It's the second or third time I've caught him crying over a conversation."

Goro hummed as tried to imagine who Yusuke could be talking to; when his mind came up blank, he shook his head and put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "You say he has no family?"

"Besides us? No," Ren said with a shake of his head.

"Dude," Ryuji said as he emerged from the top of the stairs, stampeding down them with his eyes wide. "You good?"

"Fine," Ren said and gave him an apologetic look. "I know we were being loud. I'm sorry."

"I don't care about that," Ryuji said with a wave of his hand, waltzing up to his friend to grab him by the shoulder. "I came down to make sure you're okay."

"I am," he insisted.

Ryuji looked unconvinced. "He's been jumping down your throat a lot lately….now that I think about it."

As unobservant and clueless as the blonde was, Goro had to admit there was definite truth behind that. Yusuke had been short with Ren for the past week, and it was unprovoked for the most part. As apparent and frequent as it was, Goro could not understand why that was.

"Well," Ryuji said and pulled out his phone, shoving it under their noses, grinning impishly. "I found a good club that we're hittin' up tonight. Futaba's fakes will definitely get us through. They barely check."

"What is it?" Goro inquired, unable to see due to the close proximity.

"Two bars and a club in one building," Ryuji said, voice rising in pitch and volume from excitement. "It's gonna be awesome! Just think about all the hot American girls that'll be dancin' like crazy in New York City! We'll leave at 22:00."

Goro hated the way Ren's cheeks turned red.

"It'll be the lot of us, but Yusuke said he's busy."

The ravenette gave Ryuji a look before he broke off from the trio and made his way to his room. "I've got something to do before we go then."

.oOo.

Yusuke had most definitely lost track of time; he had taken the longest shower and once his body could no longer handle the hot water, he emerged from the bathroom. He ran a towel over his hair, taking a look at the clock on his phone. He knew his friend would be leaving soon and while he wished he could join them, his guilt made him think he did not deserve to spend this night with them.

He slipped inside his room and closed the door behind him, finding a seat on his bed as he hung up his wet towel. Yusuke had changed into more comfortable clothing with the intention of relaxing tonight. But as he stared out the window at the city lights, he felt more isolated than anything and this room never felt more suffocating. How was he going to draw when he felt like this place was a jail cell?

Yusuke started at the sound of a few knocks on his door. He had a feeling it was Ryuji looking for something to do, but then again, he was the one who just walked in without bothering to knock.

He walked over to the door and pulled it open slowly, even more surprised to see Ren standing on the other end, looking quite different. Firstly, Yusuke rarely saw him in an outfit this formal and it was a strange choice for a club in New York City; however, he could hardly complain, for it suited his friend quite well. The red on black reminded him strongly of Joker. The second thing Yusuke took note of were the bright red gloves to match the red on his blazer and tie. Thirdly, tonight, he had chosen to go without his spectacles, which was a very strange sight to see. In all his time of being friends with the shorter boy, Yusuke could hardly remember seeing Ren without his glasses.

"A curious choice of attire. I hope you enjoy your night."

Ren chuckled and pulled a hand out of his pocket to gesture between the two of them. "You and I are going for a walk before we all leave."

He sounded so sure, Yusuke had to wonder if Ren had mapped out this entire conversation beforehand.

"Pardon?" the artist asked.

"Yeah…" Ren grinned and winked, tilting his chin over his shoulder. "Meet you outside."

Yusuke stood there, dumbstruck, having completely lost control of the conversation. However, it was an invitation and if Ren was willing to spend time with him, it was an opportunity he would not miss. Yusuke leaped into action, choosing clothes as formal as Ren's though accented with blue. He adjusted his tie and tightened the knot around his neck albeit keeping the top buttons of his dress shirt undone.

Drawing up his hood, he came out of his room minutes later and ventured around the townhouse in search of the black-haired teen, eventually spotting the backdoor that was slightly ajar. Yusuke tiptoed over and pushed it open the rest of the way; there, he could see Ren smoking a cigarette, leaning against the side of the building. He looked over his shoulder at his approaching footsteps with a long breath in and held out the cigarette pack.

"Thank you," Yusuke said and took one for himself, picking out a second and placing it behind his ear. "I must extend my compliments to your choice of crimson gloves."

Ren pulled out his hand from his pocket again and flexed his fingers, a small smile flitting on his angled features before disappearing. Yusuke bummed off Ren's cigarette and took a long drag to get it burning.

"Thanks, but do you think I wouldn't notice?" Ren snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "What have I done wrong? And don't say 'nothing'."

Yusuke sighed, wanting to tell him the truth, but he could not bring himself to admit his feelings for Futaba.

"Yusuke?"

Yusuke tapped his leg with his other hand, mind spinning. "I am unsure how to address these….roiled thoughts. But first, I must apologize for my unruly behavior earlier."

Ren hummed and took a drag of his own, smoke curling around his lips as he spoke. "Don't worry; I know you had your reasons."

Yusuke shook his head. "That is no excuse."

They stood in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the quietness without the feeling of tension. Yusuke had missed this and the closeness the two of them currently shared. It had been quite some time since they had last spent time together.

"What do you do when you experience emotions you feel are unbearable?" Yusuke found himself asking before could stop himself.

"Honestly, I don't handle them as well as you think," Ren said with a small chuckle, taking a puff and blowing it from his nose. "But it helps to talk."

"You're right," Yusuke said as he hung his head, feeling shameful and guilty. He wanted to talk to him, but he still lacked the courage. "Well….communication is key in any relationship."

"Yeah," he said in agreement and lingered on that for a moment before moving on. "We've got all night."

Ren stamped out his cigarette and tossed it away before migrating back inside, grabbing his keys. Yusuke could hear Ryuji wolf-whistling (and a "Ren-ren!") as Ren entered and that must have been the first time Ryuji saw him; he followed his friend back inside and nearly snorted in amusement at the sight of Goro's slightly hanging jaw. The other two were dressed smart, although the best Ryuji could come up with was a purple button down and a white jacket with a pair of black jeans.

"He convinced ya, huh?" Ryuji said and grinned at Yusuke. "I was gonna drag your ass out here anyway, so I'm glad you're coming on your own."

Yusuke rolled his eyes fondly and watched Goro fold his arms over his chest, eyes having never left Ren—however, the ravenette seemed a bit oblivious to the staring.

"We're meeting the girls at their flat and Ann'll flip if we're late so….hold down the fort, Monamona."

The feline stretched lazily and opened his eyes tiredly. "You're just lucky you left me in a food coma!"

Yusuke found his heart and mood lightening as he followed the other boys out the door. They headed down the blocks until they reached the apartment complex and it finally dawned on him that he had never seen their flat since it was last empty. Curious, he hurried forward and wrapped his knuckles on the door, eager to take a look inside.

But the moment the door opened, all his attention focused on the girl standing before him. Sumire stood in a dress bluer than any color he could ever dream of creating. It was shorter and thus revealed her long legs that were toned from her time as a gymnast. Her heels made him feel shorter now that she came up to his shoulders when she usually didn't. He took a step back, eyes wide.

"Hi!' Sumire said a bit breathlessly and pointed behind her. "Sophia and Ann are still getting ready. They're almost done."

She trailed off when she noticed Ryuji openly staring at her and frowned as she crossed her arms in front of herself.

"We'll wait outside," Goro grunted as he nudged Ryuji hard in the ribs.

"Nonsense," Sumire said, looking a bit more relieved. She grabbed Goro by the hand and dragged him inside their flat with a chuckle. "You're all welcome."

She smoothed down the slight wrinkles in Goro's shirt and flattened the black tie against his chest. "You look so different, senpai! All of you do, but it's nice!"

"Just wait till you see Ren," Ryuji said as Ren finally walked in.

Sumire let out a ringing laugh as she squealed, running over and throwing herself in his arms. Prepared for the bombardment, he caught her with grace as her arms wrapped themselves around his neck.

"I almost didn't recognize you without the glasses!" Sumire shrieked and beamed up at him with the happiest look. "You look amazing, Ren-senpai!"

"You, too," Ren said as his hands settled neatly on her hips, holding her back so he could take a look at her. "Blue is a good color on you."

"That's what I said!"

"Holy shit," Ryuji breathed, unable to find his voice.

Ann emerged from the hallway bathroom with Sophia in tow. Yusuke had to admit he stared, too. He was used to seeing her astonishing amount of hair flying everywhere, getting caught on this or that. Now, it was twisted up in an elegant bun at the base of her neck. Yusuke might even go home without finding her hair on every piece of clothing he owned for once.

She scowled a bit and turned to Sophia, squeezing her hand before letting it go. The only one not gaping happened to be Ren, who merely pulled out his phone with indifference and checked the route.

"Trinity, yes?" Ren inquired.

"Huh?" Ryuji asked blankly.

Ann grunted impatiently and elbowed Ryuji out of the way so she could peer over Ren's arm, narrowing her eyes as she zoomed in on the screen.

"Fifteen minute walk from here?" Ann hummed and tapped her fingers on her lips. "No wonder they don't check IDs well. It's so close to student living."

"Times Square is not far from there—about a block or so away," Ren replied as he looked around the satellite view. "I am surprised they don't check more frequently."

"W-who cares?" Ryuji stuttered, still not looking away from Ann. "Let's get going!"

The party of seven took to the streets of New York, which was alive and thrumming. The night life here, especially on the weekends, was thriving. Ann hooked her arm around Ren's and poked him playfully in the stomach.

"You look so different! But I like the look!" the blonde said and bounced in front of him, walking backwards to get a better view. "No glasses?"

"Not tonight," Ren replied and grabbed her by the waist before she ran into a post. "Careful."

Ann resumed walking normally and threw Ren a wink. "You look great, Ren. You should dress like this more often. I promise you'll get attention."

Sumire walked beside Goro, who wore a mildly sour face. The redhead was talking with her hands, while all he did was nod. Yusuke would have found the scene amusing, but he was curious to know why Goro had turned so somber.

It did not take long for them to stumble across Trinity. As predicted, they looked at the IDs but hardly gave them much more than a glance before they shoved them inside. Yusuke was immediately introduced to the music and the cold air. He shivered slightly as he tried digging his hands deeper in his pockets when Ren nudged him over.

"What?"

"I said we had all night," he said and gestured to the bar.

"I cannot—"

"It's on me," Ren said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

The pair went for the bar while Sumire dragged Goro to the dancefloor by the arm, Ann and Ryuji close behind. Yusuke pulled out his spare cigarette and lit up, taking a seat at the bar where others smoked and drank merrily and boisterously.

Ren took a seat beside Yusuke, ordering his and Yusuke's favorite drink. He was shocked his friend remembered.

"Truly….thank you," Yusuke said gratefully and decided he would try a different route to the same end goal. "I see chivalry is not dead. Surely, the women in your life appreciate you—or woman."

Ren's hands stopped what they were doing but only for a fraction of a second. He stared at Yusuke one moment longer than usual, but he pulled out his pack and grabbed a cigarette to appear indifferent.

Yusuke played it off. "Purely a saying."

"Ah," Ren said slowly, unsure. "I haven't really felt the need to give it much thought, especially now."

Yusuke's chest seized. Was there a possibility Ren and Futaba were already dating? He frowned. "Why now?"

"This has to do with whatever I did wrong," Ren said, taking a swig of his drink as he tapped the bottom of his glass to the table to break apart the ice. "I just need to know the why."

"Ren….there truly is nothing you did wrong," Yusuke said with a grumble of defeat, downing the rest of his drink in one fell swoop. "And that is just the issue."

Ren's expression, which was one of surprise at his actions, now melted into innocent confusion. Instead of pressing, however, Ren invited Yusuke to have as many drinks as he wanted, which the former took as a challenge more than anything.

"You truly are a mystery," Yusuke said as he raised his glass to his friend.

He blew out the smoke and watched it fade. His eyes scanned the crowds around them, before finally landing on the rest of the Phantom Thieves. They had joined a larger group of dancers in a circle, all taking turns being in the center. The only one who stood there stiffly was Goro—looking out of place, especially when an American girl kept hanging off him. Yusuke stole a glance at Ren, who kept his face impassive. But somewhere in the cracks of his facade, he could see his friend's unhappiness.

"I'll drink to that," Ren muttered and ordered more for themselves.

Before long, Yusuke loosened up considerably as the amount of glasses on the table slowly grew in numbers; both were a bit red in the face as they finished their second drink and second shot.

"All right, boys?"

Yusuke and Ren both looked surprised at being addressed. They found themselves staying at two girls, both wearing matching smirks.

"What's up with your gloves, you?" the taller of the two asked as she grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers together. "I like it. You've got the dark and mysterious thing going on. Don't you look cool."

Ren flinched oddly as the girl raised a hand to tug at the knot of his tie. She pressed herself against him as he tried leaning back. Yusuke felt something wedge itself between his knees, parting his legs. Just as that happened, the shorter girl slid between his legs where he sat and smiled suggestively.

"Let's go," Ren huffed and rose to his feet. "Excuse us."

"What? You're not interested in us?" the girl snorted, raising her eyebrow.

"No," Ren said as he threw her a sly grin. "I'm too interested."

Yusuke laughed behind his hand as the girl's jaw dropped and snagged his cheeky friend by the hand, leading him to the dancefloor where their other friends gathered. The other teen lifted his hands and stepped over to Ann and Sophia, who was doing her best to dance, before he beckoned him over with a finger.

Yusuke pressed his back against Ren's, matching the rhythm of their Leader's gyrating hips, throwing his head back as laughter erupted from his chest. This was the first time he had felt liberated, free from the formalities and troubles of caring. Ren's body felt hot against his, but he welcomed the closeness. He grabbed his friend by the arm and turned him around; Ren spun with a snap of his fingers, hands taking Ann by the waist and pulling her close. Their hips ground against each other as Ren's red-gloved hands tangled in her blonde hair, stark against those golden locks.

Ren buried his face in the crook of her neck as her arms came to rest on his shoulders. He grabbed Ann's hand and twirled her with a warm laugh, eyes crinkling as he wore the brightest smile. Ann returned the favor and Ren ducked his head to spin under her arm. Yusuke jumped when he heard Ryuji groan.

"What is it?"

"She's never danced with me like that," he grumbled.

"You are often wandering into the hold of another woman," Yusuke grunted, shaking his head as he looked at his blonde friends.

"Girls dancin'—it's hot," Ryuji said after a long pause, eyes still trained on them. "It's not like I wanna be with her like that."

Yusuke's eyes widened before he chuckled. "You are absurd, friend. I refuse to dwell on sullenness. Let's enjoy the levity!"

Sophia was jerking awkwardly, face screwed up in concentration as she tried to copy Ann. When people were beginning to stare, Ren stepped forward and grabbed her by the hips. She gasped as Ren pulled her back against his chest and used his hands to guide her movements.

"What are you doing, Joker?" Sophia asked in a rather monotone, tilting her head to the side.

"Dancing with you," Ren replied obviously, relinquishing his grip and taking a step back, pulling out a cigarette and cupping the flame. "Did you forget my name?"

"Of course not," Sophia said, looking at him. "You are Amamiya Ren, also called Joker."

Ren nodded approvingly. "Very good."

Sophia eyed him curiously then pointed at the cigarette. "May I try?"

"No...no," Ren said with a shake of his head, turning his face away to exhale, rubbing his nose. "It won't make you a better companion—trust me."

Sophia tried not to look dejected as she pointed to Yusuke and frowned. "You shared with him and he is your companion."

"No, no, no," Ren said with a wave of his hand, chuckling as he tried to best explain the situation to the AI.

"Let it serve not as an example but a lesson," Yusuke said as he let Ren rest his elbow on his shoulder. "While we may be friends, we do not always make the best decisions."

"True," Ren said with a hiccup.

The music continued to blare; Yusuke could feel the bass in his chest, ears, and head. It was invigorating to be surrounded by people who had such energy, coming for the music and the frivolity. He could find the beauty in dancing with strangers yet feeling a sense of closeness as they all shared the rhythm and music. They cheered as Ren jumped and kicked the air as the bass hit; Yusuke had found himself in the company of a nice girl, who enjoyed dancing as much as he. Yet, despite his alcohol-muddled mind, he could not help but see Futaba every time he looked at the woman. Yusuke unbuttoned his blazer, feeling warm all over.

Sophia, Ann and Sumire were dancing with Ryuji while Goro and Ren stood a ways off to the side, a drink in their hands and heads bent low together as they conversed. After his fourth shot, Yusuke's vision began to blur and he was becoming bolder. He let the nice girl gyrate against him, letting the warmth spread from his face to his chest and abdomen, the alcohol making it feel like his stomach was dropping. He rolled his shoulders and began dancing with the girl, but since Ren had given up on trying to convince Goro to join him on the floor, Yusuke had resumed his dance partnership with the ravenette.

Ren tipped his head up and took a long draw from his bottle of beer, adjusting his glove. He pushed Yusuke back by the chest and took control of their moves; most of it became nothing but a blur but the atmosphere was absolutely intoxicating….

At some point, Yusuke must have let the girl join them because his hands were gripping her waist as she had her back against his chest and his face buried in her hair. Whatever was going through his mind, something told him to just lean in. But, before he could commit, someone grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away.

"We're getting ready to go home," Ren said over the music, his voice uncharacteristically serious.

It took a moment for him to comprehend the statement, but he finally nodded and followed his friends through the dancing crowd, through the party of drinkers, and out of the bar. The streets never seemed to be empty; there were people bar hopping and stumbling around enjoying their night as much as they were. Yusuke with Ryuji with Ren and Goro taking the lead and having the three girls walk in the middle.

Unsurprisingly, Ryuji did not hold back; he was as boisterous and hyper as he was sober, but with the alcohol in his system, his enthusiasm for everything increased tenfold. The loud-mouth tipped his head to the sky and let out a loud cheer, fist thrusting into the air.

"Here's to never growing up!" he exclaimed and grabbed Yusuke by the shoulders to give them a light shake. "We deserved this night out, right?"

"Of course," Yusuke said, watching Sophia turn to Sumire after she exchanged a few words with Ren.

"What is it I smell on his breath?" the AI asked curiously.

"Probably alcohol," Sumire said with a giggle, smoothing down the folds of her dress. She was, besides Sophia, the one who was completely sober and therefore the one with the most reliable answers.

"We'll walk you back to your flat," Ren said, looking over his shoulder to address the girls.

"We're better off than you guys," Ann stated factually, loose strands of hair falling from her bun. "I only had half a beer that Ryuji spilled…."

"You said you wouldn't hold it against me," Ryuji groaned mournfully. "Stop bringin' it up."

Ann chuckled and clicked her tongue.

Yusuke definitely felt the effects of the last two bottles settle in the pit of his stomach; even walking became a challenge as he had to think about putting one foot in front of the other.

"Stairs here are a bitch," Ryuji complained.

"Yeah, but s'just a few," Goro slurred.

"Damn," Ren murmured under his breath as he stumbled to their door.

The moment Ann unlocked it, they all staggered inside and collapsed in varying places and positions in their living area. Ann sighed and threw her hands up, evidently deciding it was not worth kicking them out when it was so late.

"Oi," she said and gave Ren a particularly hard nudge, effectively rousing him from his stupor.

"Don't fall asleep yet, we need to talk."

Ren hummed and slowly rose to his feet, shedding his blazer and slinging it over his arm. "About?"

"Let's talk in my room," Ann said with a resigned sigh, beckoning him forward. "Better let them sleep."

Yusuke watched Ren and Ann disappear from sight, unable to bring himself to overthink it tonight. He closed his eyes, his body feeling heavier than times in the Metaverse. He let his head fall back as he sprawled out on the floor, listening to the sound of his friends' breathing before drifting off to sleep himself.

Nothing wrong with letting loose once and a while, right?

This chapter was a struggle and a half to write (as I had to start over a fair few times after 1,000+ words in). I hope you enjoy!