Author's Note: This story came to me in a flash and I can't help but love how it came out. I've never seen an Akira done this way so it'll be a nice exploration of different interactions. It's also going to be a delicate balancing act because P5 contains some pretty dark themes and this Akira is rarely a serious person. I'm extremely tempted to flood the ao3 with tags but I will hold off and try not to spoil things. That said once this story gets going and we meet more characters the relationships and whatnot will be pretty clear. Now, onto the story. Please review and let me know your thoughts.
Criminally Kurusu
Akira Kurusu sighed forlornly at the mangled front wheel of his bicycle.
Wheelie-chan was hurt bad this time.
He had been asked to do a favor for his uncle, who wasn't technically allowed to contact him but he'd been glad to get out of the house and do something, delivering some baking goods to a friend of his (He chose to believe that the leaking powder in the box he was given was flour. Exotic flour.) when on his way back as he practiced tire slides he had been attacked by a wild soccer ball.
He was immediately beset by panic and fear.
Not by the soccer ball, (Though given his deeply hidden trauma and disdain of conventional sports no one could blame him.) but by the little girl trotting behind it with astonishingly wide eyes and an expression of terror.
One fantastically enthusiastic bailout later, his bike had been clipped by a speeding driver who hadn't even bothered to stop when they saw the frame lying on its side halfway across the road.
Dick.
It's not that he wasn't thankful the adorable little girl who now called him 'big bro!' was alright or that he had gotten away with only a few scratches.
But this was the latest in a long line of unavoidable accidents that had tried to hurt his precious Wheelie-chan.
There was the time where the neighborhood stray decided his tires were a scratching post, when one of his friends somehow broke his seat and was sent to the hospital for a colonoscopy, and even that time with his landlord and the tractor.
Wheelie-chan just wasn't meant for this kind of abuse.
"Stop! Stop it! Please just let me go!"
Alright, this had to be some kind of a setup.
Some deity or higher power had to be obsessed with him.
Even from the corner of the street he could clearly view the debacle taking place beneath some flickering street lamps like one of his dad's old criminal justice shows. And of course, those shows always had to spotlight the shittier parts of society that weren't so easy to put cuffs on.
Masayoshi Shido, a scumbag politician for the United Future Party who was petty, influential and just smart enough to use fear-mongering to garner votes.
He was also drunk off his ass and pawing at a woman he held against the nearby building while his driver and security just watched on impassively.
Exactly the kind of person who wasn't supposed to know that he even existed let alone be on the same street of.
Damn it all! He wasn't going to be some tool to balance his family's karmic scale!
He didn't even have the right ID on him, Kurusu Akira was a kind and generous honor student who never stepped out of line in his life and just wanted a quiet and comfortable life. After all, it was rule number eight, never incriminate your civilian life.
Then why was he walking towards him!?
Oh, that's right.
Kurusu Family Rule #1 Follow your heart and live without regret.
He sighed in disappointment.
His dad would be so proud of him right now.
As Akira got closer his eyes narrowed in on the car, examining the dent on the now familiar car.
For some reason, he didn't mind making his old man proud at the moment.
"Hey asshole!"
"So, let me get this straight." The grizzled and weary detective said as he shuffled the papers in his hands tiredly.
This was the third officer to be sent in after the first two had been taken out by a superior. The first for trying to put his hands on Akira and the second who spent five minutes with the teenager and realized he was the one being interrogated.
"Your statement is that the man was assaulting the woman and had intent to rape her. And when you approached, the man confronted you."
Akira was leaned forward on the table as he worked a metal file at his nails. That was the fourth that he somehow produced and started using in front of an officer despite numerous searches and warnings to stop.
Clearly the department had decided to safeguard their sanity and collectively decide that it wasn't worth it to see how many they could take from the boy before he ran out.
"That's right detective. I didn't realize he was so inebriated, I would've tried to help him." Akira smiled innocently.
The detective didn't even deign that with a response as he continued.
"And then he tripped on the sidewalk and tried to catch his fall which broke his wrist."
"Yup."
"And then faceplanted on the asphalt which is where he broke his nose."
"Unfortunately."
"And then he got up, before tripping again and dislocating his knee."
"I was shocked."
"And you're sticking to this story, despite the fact that the man and woman have both testified against you."
"I swear on my grandmother's grave its true."
Kurusu Family Rule #10 Always swear by grandma, she cheated on Pops and then left for the big city with all his money.
"Right."
The detective stood. "Well, I'm sure your hearing will be soon. They're rushing this one in and out fast."
Akira grimaced. "Would I be able to get my phone call?" The detective scowled, looking at the one way mirror. "It's not official, but we're not supposed to let you have contact with anyone." Akira frowned. "Thought so. Guess I'll give my guardian a call from juvie." The older man rolled his eyes. "You're too damned casual about this kid. Here." He tossed the teen his cellphone. Akira raised his brows. "Won't you get in trouble for this?"
The detective shrugged. "It was time for retirement anyways."
"What's your name?"
"Oishi Atsushi, why?"
"I never forget a friendly face detective." Akira smiled gratefully.
The man snorted, a half-smile on his face. "Whatever kid. I'll just be out here. Give me a holler when you're done with your call."
As the man departed, Akira speedily dialed a sadly familiar number.
"Akira, my favorite nephew! What's going on? I swear I was just about to wire you for the favor you did me the other day. I definitely didn't forget."
Akira rolled his eyes. "I'm your only nephew Uncle Masa. The other one disowned you, remember?"
"Ah hehehe, well you know your brother, always dramatic that one. We've even started exchanging letters recently! He said I was going to be his first visit when he gets out!"
"Uncle. You forgot his court date and he went to prison because he had to represent himself. It wasn't even a violent case that time, it was for tax fraud, you know, the thing you regularly get people out of for a job. He's definitely threatening you."
"That uh, that sounds awful serious. I suppose the new set of kitchen knives he said he was going to give me aren't real either then? Hmm. Well, I suppose it was time to move anyways. The client list really seems to be drying out here."
There was the sound of frantic movement on the other end of the call.
"So forgetting all of that dreadful business, what did you call me for?"
"Well, unless you want another disowned nephew, you need to make it to my court date."
"I'm so sorry Akira, I really tried! This Shido guy has fingers everywhere though!
Akira sighed, sitting on the empty bus as he clutched a burner phone.
"It's okay Uncle Masa. I had a feeling something like this would happen. You got me down to a couple months and probation though. That's pretty impressive even for you."
"Ha, well I did my best. I love you kid, you know that?"
"Dad threatened you didn't he?"
"God I was so terrified. He sent me a link to this book on western medieval torture techniques and said he could be on a private jet in an hour."
"That's not as bad as I imagined honestly."
"So he could watch my funeral! Ever since he met your mother he's been so much more frightening! Do you know how many hitmen he knows because of her?"
Akira shrugged. "A lot? Mom did used to have a pretty large network."
"All of them! He even said he had a friend who lives in my city who makes fireworks! Fireworks Akira! I haven't used my car since he called me!"
"Alright, alright I get it. Speaking of Mom and Dad, how are they feeling about this?"
"Oh. Well, your dad seemed proud but worried and your mom just said she was going to start on a new target list."
Akira shivered as he suddenly broke out into cold sweats. "S-She's not coming out of retirement is she?"
"Oh! Hell no! It's for her hobby I'm pretty sure. Your dad might be more scary now but that goes both ways you know? She's turned over a new leaf and all that. Besides Pops would have her hide for that kind of shit. Too much heat."
"Good." Akira sighed in relief. "That's good. What about Pops? And Amaya? They're not gonna kill me when I get out right?"
"Akira, if Pops wanted you dead, you'd be dead. You know how he is about staying true to yourself. He's been kept informed and actually he's decided that for the period of your probation, the ban's lifted. He wasn't too happy I broke code but he was glad I was in touch to help you so it evens out I guess. So you'll be seeing a lot more of us when you get out! Your mom's been missing you a lot."
"Are we sure that's a good idea? It might be better if I just keep my head down."
"Kid, this Shido is a piece of work. And you really pissed him off. He's gonna be engineering you to fail. You'll need the help if you wanna make it out in one piece. Especially if you decide to pull something like this again."
"... Right. Oh yeah, what about Amaya? You guys told her right?"
"Um... Oops?"
"Shit."
"Good Morning World!"
"Shut the fuck up Kurusu."
Akira grinned, pearly whites sparkling as he stretched his lithe frame.
"You love me Shoji, admit it."
The teen shouldered a bag, just recently released back into his possession.
"Today's the day!"
Shoji rolled his eyes. "Thank heavens, I didn't think you'd ever leave."
Mikio Shoji was a 17 year old yakuza member with more brains than muscle. Which was surprising considering the teen was nearly 6'5 of solid muscle. It wasn't exactly rare for entry level yakuza to be that young. It was rare that they would be given a position that could give them serious time behind bars much less something like the position of Kyodai.
Akira was lucky he had Shoji to watch his back in the system.
Let it be said that if Akira put his mind to it, he could have this entire facility bending over for him simply through carefully applied force and whispered words. But that was something that would be the work of weeks, if not months.
He had much better things to do than knocking around some heads or bribing officials.
Like reading his newest cookbook, learning the newest trends in the latest issue of Housewife International or even practicing his knitting.
And so a quick call to his most distant relative, Uncle Haru, turned into a chain of events which involved Akira's older brother, the negotiation of some baked goods and a promise to spend time together, all ending with Shoji's Shateigashira paying him a visit and putting Akira under his wing.
Of course, Akira wasn't just going to treat Shoji like some brick with muscles. While their interests didn't exactly coincide, Akira was always happy to entertain conversation and provide advice.
Shoji was a nice guy too. Entirely too nice to sit on his ass in juvie for the next five months.
"Try not to make too much of a fuss for about a week. I've got a feeling somebody's bound to notice your good behavior." Akira advised as he patted the taller man on his back genially.
To his credit, Shoji only widened his eyes at the news before smiling genuinely back at him. "Thanks Akira. I'll owe you one."
Akira tutted. "Be careful with those words Shoji. You're lucky I'm not an unreasonable guy."
"Kurusu, Akira. Front Office." The loudspeakers buzzed out.
Akira smiled nervously as he got in the backseat.
"Hey big sis-"
"Don't you 'big sis' me Akira. Do you know how much trouble you've caused?"
Amaya Kurusu glared at him through the mirror, burnt orange sunglasses framed by neck length raven black hair. Her refined features and no-nonsense demeanor was intimidating, that is if you didn't realize she had the absolute worst fashion sense out of anyone he had ever met.
Currently, her attire consisted of a loose, eye-watering Hawaiian shirt and bright jean shorts with stripes and sparkles.
But other than that his older sister was terrifying.
She was the worst kind of control freak and those tendencies extended into her job.
Amaya was the information broker for the Kurusu family. She was the kind of person who could walk across a street in Tokyo and have dossiers on everyone she passed typed up by the end of the day.
Her homeroom teacher once tried to suspend her for not following dress code.
The next day her husband began filing for divorce and she was put on suspension without pay due to evidence on her illicit relationships with several underage students.
"You were caught. No, worse than that, you were arrested in your civilian identity." She fumed as she drove.
"Do you know how much of a risk that is for us? Your civilian identity is tied to all of our identities. We have to keep those clean to operate safely. Even that brain-dead idiot Aki knew not to get arrested with that on him. "
Akira frowned. "Is it really that bad? They couldn't possibly start investigating the entire family just because of one teenager."
Amaya scowled. "You've been away three years Akira. A lot has changed."
An uncomfortable silence filled the car.
Just because his family supported his decision didn't mean that he hadn't caused any hurt when he left.
Amaya took it the worst out of all of them though.
While her and Akihiko got along like cats and dogs(not at all), he was always attached to the hip with Amaya growing up. She was the one who would babysit him when the rest of the family was out doing business or causing trouble. She was the one who encouraged him to find hobbies, drove him to gymnastics class and even bought him his first bike.
While his dad taught him how to set up cons, his mother showed him how to fight and even his older brother showed him how to thrive in the underworld, his sister was the one who gave him a taste of normalcy.
And he took that and ran with it, swearing off crime and all the excitement that came with the danger so he could live a peaceful life.
Akira may have been an adrenaline junkie but even he knew that wasn't something that brought him contentment. He wanted to settle down in a comfortable house, get a couple degrees, marry a beautiful woman and have a couple of kids at home. He wanted to be househusband dammit, not a criminal.
Was that so wrong?
Yet even he felt the ache that came from seeing Amaya after so long. For the first time in a long time, he was feeling eager to see his family in the coming months.
"I missed you Amaya."
His older sister sighed and gave him a sad smile. "You brat. How am I supposed to stay mad at you now?"
Akira chuckled and turned to unzip the duffel bag in the seat next to him. "So what do you have for me?"
He began to get dressed as Amaya spoke.
"Your temporary guardian is going to be one Sojiro Sakura. He's a former government official of the DOE. Currently though, he owns a cafe and lives with his adopted daughter. From what I know he seems to be something of a strict and serious personality. As long as you don't get caught doing anything you're not supposed to, you should be fine."
A prim, neat school uniform found itself fitting snug against his skin and he grinned upon feeling the appropriate hidden pockets and tools.
"You'll be attending Shujin High School in Aoyama-Itchome. It's run by Susumu Kobayakawa. Keep your eyes open and don't be afraid to ask for help. Masayoshi's representative pushed for you to attend this school and when I looked into it, low and behold, Kobayakawa happens to be former classmates with the current director of the SIU. On top of that he's received an anonymous payment recently that coincided with when your place of schooling was decided. And I've known for some time that the director has been in Masayoshi's pocket. That scumbag is an exceptionally ambitious and petty man. Kobayakawa was most likely paid to look for a reason to expel you."
Akira rolled his eyes. "Sounds like a blast. Wait, why are there glasses in here?"
Amaya smiled sweetly back at him. "You're going for polite and subdued. Not for carefree delinquent. It lends itself to the image. There's a hair tie in there too."
A childish pout grew on his face as he donned the glasses and tied his hair up. Looking in the mirror, it was impossible to say he didn't look good(he always looked good) but it just wasn't something he was used to.
"The dossiers are in your backpack and you've got two secure phones in there, don't lose them." She finished as they pulled up to the train station.
They got out silently, Amaya stubbornly looking away from him and Akira awkwardly shifting his backpack.
Akira sighed. Why was he the most emotionally mature member of his family?
"Thanks sis." He hugged her even as she shifted wordlessly in discomfort. "I'll talk to you later but I've got to go now. Love you."
Amaya rolled her eyes and finally returned the hug. "Just stay out of trouble. Make sure you look out for yourself first. You don't need to go back to juvie for playing the part of some girl's hero."
Akira skipped away with mirth in his eyes. "No promises!"
Damn, he had not missed Tokyo.
Within minutes of arriving he had been inundated by hundreds of people walking through the square, each of them doubtless having some kind of urgent task as they walked faster than most people jogged.
Don't get him wrong, big cities have their benefits. Good food, lots of shopping centers and there was always something exciting to do.
But no one stopped. For anything. How could you enjoy life if you never stopped to smell the roses?
Akira rolled his eyes as he took out one of the secure phones, beginning the set-up process. He had been reading too much in juvie.
Within a few harried minutes of trying to stand his ground, he had the navigation app pulled up.
As he typed in the address of Sojiro Sakura's cafe, a quick internet search had revealed that they were open today, an icon for an application suddenly overlaid itself on the screen. And Amaya told him that this was a secure phone. He sighed as he jabbed at the app, intending to trash it.
The instant he did so a sudden sharp pulse of pain caused him to wince.
He closed his eyes at the throbbing of his head, wondering at why the migraine had struck him at such an inopportune time. Like hell Sakura would be lenient with him if he told him he had a 'headache'.
"C'mon Akira, not now. You're in the middle of-"
It was silent.
Akira's eyes opened quickly in shock. Tokyo was never silent.
To his disbelief, it was. The world around him was completely still as if the city had simply been frozen in time. Bystanders, motionless in mid-step as they spoke on the phone or conversed with others.
Akira laughed a bit hysterically. "This is not what I meant by stopping to smell the roses."
It's nice to finally stretch my wings...
Akira felt frozen himself as his eyes widened at the owner of the unearthly, crackling voice.
A blazing conflagration of cobalt blue flames stretched into the sky some distance away, its form shifting and writhing as a face made itself known. An unhinged grin and glaring eyes of contrasting bright crimson opened in twisted delight and looked into him. Brightly flaring wings separated themselves from the being's center mass loosely enough to resemble a cape and its arms stretched boldly outwards.
I am thou and thou art I.
And suddenly, without warning the world moved again.
Akira's mind raced and he took slow calming breaths. "What. The. Fuck."
With all the grace of a man burning alive Akira dumped his phone and pulled out the spare really, really hoping that he hadn't just somehow summoned a demon with a fucking smartphone.
"Is that right? Past the tobacco shop, I got it. Thanks."
Yongen-Jaya seemed to be more to his taste than the rest of Tokyo. He hadn't been to this particular district before but it looked to be a microcosm of Tokyo of the past. Brick buildings, small yards and much quieter than the crossing.
The contrast helped calm his nerves at least. He was most definitely going to at least lightly question Amaya about his phone. It just couldn't be a coincidence, right? A strange app without a label appears on his phone without his permission and then a demon shows up?
Akira sighed as he stopped in front of the cafe. He needed to stop thinking about this, it was going to drive him crazy.
The outside of the coffee shop seemed quaint and inviting. The plants weren't doing the best sadly, he'd have to find a way to convince Sakura to let him take care of them at some point... But the sign was simple and inviting. Cafe Leblanc.
Alright, game face.
Akira plastered a polite but nervous smile on his face as he entered the shop to a jingle.
Definitely quaint.
Leblanc was small but he had expected that. It was clean though and had neat displays of different coffee beans on the shelves and even a small flatscreen hung up in the corner. A bit dark but certainly the kind of place that would serve well for a small business owner.
"Oh, those poor people. Could you imagine getting on the bus and the driver does something like that?" An elderly woman gasped at a booth against the wall. The similarly aged man across from her scoffed. "Not the first time something like that's happened either. But good luck getting someone to actually do something about it."
Akira looked away from the couple, spying what must be Sakura Sojiro, his guardian for the time being. Sakura was a middle-aged man with a stern face and smart glasses that hung low on his nose. Despite his serious countenance, his salmon colored shirt seemed to light up the bar as he concentrated on his crossword puzzle.
"Excuse me, sir?"
Sakura looked up at him almost lazily before his eyes sharpened in recognition. "Ah, that was today." His newspaper was set down and Akira politely stood aside as the elderly couple gave their thanks and left.
Sakura's gaze seemed to linger on them as they left before he sighed. "...Four hours for a single cup of coffee."
Akira's smile quirked up a tad. "Slow day?"
Sakura blinked and looked back at him. "Never mind that. So you're the kid they've sent me huh? Kurusu Akira right?"
He nodded and crafted a sad smile on his face as if remembering why he was there. "Yes sir. Thank you for taking me in Mr. Sakura."
Sakura grunted in acknowledgement. "Don't mention it, it's just a favor I'm doing for a friend. I knew your uncle back in the day."
Akira blinked. "Masa?" Because he really doubted that uncle would've left such a good impression.
The older man shook his head. "Haruhiko. He's a piece of work but he came through in the past for me more than once. Anyways, you're not quite what I expected from a sixteen year-old fresh from juvie."
The raven-haired teen smiled. "It was mostly just boring. I did a lot of reading."
Sakura snorted. "Well, that's enough of that. Your room is this way." Wait, was he living in the cafe? That's... actually kind of perfect.
His opinion was revised as they finished the trek up the stairs and reached the attic.
"This is where you'll be sleeping from now on. It's a bit cluttered but hey, all it needs is some love. Builds character or something like that." Sakura watched him closely as if appraising his response.
Akira had to tone down his reaction. "It's beyond perfect. I actually enjoy cleaning and this'll give me something to do for the rest of the day."
The room was in all honesty, a complete mess. Trash bags, boxes, spare furniture and other miscellaneous items seemed to litter the room. it was surprisingly spacious though and the windows were right up against the bed which was convenient. Sakura raised an eyebrow. "A teenager that enjoys cleaning. How about that? Well, if I have time I can see if I have space at the garage and you can take some of this down there. You'll need sheets as well, I'll pick some up."
"Thank you, I'll go out and grab cleaning supplies. I know exactly what I'll need." A bit of passion entered Akira's voice and Sakura blinked awkwardly at him.
"Um, no need for thanks kid. Just know if you cause any trouble, you'll have to find somebody else to take you in. I don't humor repeat offenders." Sakura said seriously as he stared him down.
"Of course-"
Sakura interrupted him. "I know enough about your situation to make some assumptions. There was a lady in trouble, getting harassed by some big shot and you just couldn't stand for it. The other guy was hurt pretty bad and made a fuss and so here you are. Juvie for a few months and now on probation for the year. That's what happens when you stick out kid. It's reality. So keep your head down for both our sakes okay?"
Acid rose up in his throat as he nodded in a subdued manner.
He actually feels a bit bad for the guy. Keeping his head down was easy. But doing the right thing was never a choice.
To be fair, he knew the older man was just trying to keep him safe. He was definitely a gruff sort but not nearly as strict as he had assumed. Guess there were two bleeding hearts in the room.
"Unfortunately for my free time, we'll be heading to Shujin tomorrow. I want you to make a good impression on those folks, there aren't a lot of schools that would take in someone like you."
"That sounds good sir." Akira smiled politely. How convenient.
"I'll leave you to it kid. Your stuff is in the corner there."
Akira's hands twitched as Sakura passed him and as he left the attic the teenager carefully folded away his glasses and stuffed his hair band in a pocket.
Rolling up his sleeves he grinned dangerously at the dust littering the floor. "Your end is nigh."
Cleaning and reorganizing his new room had made for hard work. Hard but invigorating.
He had made good progress on moving some of the junk in the room but there still was a portion left that he'd moved into a corner of the room.
Currently, he was fiddling with the 'demon' app or as it apparently called itself the, Metaverse Navigator. He had been none too pleased to realize that it had once more installed itself without his input. Thankfully, this time when he tapped on it, no demon appeared. He was even able to delete it. Temporarily at least.
The UI was simple, too simple.
There wasn't any text on the screen, only three blank input boxes that used text-to-speech and his keyboard to input characters. Three 'keywords' apparently by the fact that it told him 'Incorrect keyword' when he had sworn at it. But that was only surface level.
He was most definitely not Amaya, who could probably hack everything smarter than a toaster but he could at least peek at the code using his laptop. To his dismay, the code here wasn't even slightly recognizable from the impromptu C++ lesson his sister had given him more than three years ago.
Akira scoffed. Like an app that could summon a demon and stop the world dead in its tracks would be that easy to decipher.
That said, if this really was something akin to the supernatural, the code could be just what it looked like, gibberish. He wasn't a big conspiracy guy but he knew that what he saw today was real.
Akira sighed as he unplugged the phone and scrolled to Amaya's contact.
Akira-How do you feel about demons?
-39.9MP
-39.9MP
AD_abo_
The teenager sighed as he lay back on the creaky mattress.
Eyes unfocused as he stared up, only one thing ran through his mind.
"I am thou..."
Akira's eyes opened blearily as he shifted uncomfortably.
Since when was his bed so damn cold and hard?
The jingle of chains caused him to sit up suddenly, alert and just a little bit panicked.
A pair of strange handcuffs chained his wrists together, strange because there was absolutely no key hole to take them off. Unless they were somehow welded or bolted shut in his sleep he was finding a hard time believing this was real. Yet Akira's senses told him this was very much his reality right now.
He wore a set of clothing that he had only seen in old movies, tattered, threadbare, white and striped with gray. Like he was a damn cartoon criminal. He lay on a rigid metal bench inside of a cool dark cell. A toilet stood across from him on the cement flooring and the walls were padded in an admiral blue velvet material that clashed horribly with the spartan features of the room.
Alright, calm down Akira. He thought. You've been drugged, kidnapped and stripped before being put in prisoner clothing in a cell. His family would realize... Eventually.
Oh god, they saw him naked.
He hoped this wasn't a sex thing. He thought as he saw the chain and iron ball.
With a shuffle of his body, he stood and looked out towards the bars.
A childish giggle had him alert as he looked through the bars, chains wrapping around certain sections of them. A bit overkill wasn't it?
Two girls stepped out in front of his cell, quite obviously twins from their features and clothing.
There was a frown on his face as he examined them. They could only be six or seven.
He really hoped this wasn't a sex thing.
Jokes aside, who dressed up a pair of children to play 'prison warden' with the teenager they've kidnapped?
"Inmate. Welcome to my Velvet Room."
A deep, guttural voice uttered and Akira's gaze was drawn beyond the bars, beyond the twins to a truly comical looking man. Don't get him wrong, there's definitely some uncanny valley in the way the being's eyes were set too wide on his face and his ears were pointed. But that nose.
"Ah, this makes so much more sense now."
There's a glint of curiosity in the thing's eyes now and Akira, the generous person he was, decided to indulge him.
"Well, I was wondering what kind of person makes children roleplay for him during a crime but you answered my question as soon as I saw you."
"Silence, impudent inmate!"
The twin with the baton fiercely scowled as she moved to rattle the bars with her baton. Or she tried to at least. It really just made him think of a grumpy cat swinging at an overindulgent owner.
That was, until the baton lit up unnaturally and he felt a shock burning down into his bones.
After he was done grinding his teeth, he smiled. It was the kind of smile that promised violence and the enjoyment of said violence.
It was also pointed at the thing sitting leisurely at its desk.
Because Akira didn't know what his life was at the moment but he didn't want reality to be a place where that smile was directed towards little girls.
"You took your time coming to, inmate."
Akira softened his face as he looked at the other twin, distinct by the letters in her cap, the position of her eyepatch and the braided hair running down her neck. "I need my beauty sleep." He shrugged carelessly.
The twin seemed to digest his words slowly opening her mouth before closing it abruptly. How curious.
"You are experiencing this as a dream. The you of reality is still asleep."
The being at the desk folded its hands. "Despite your misgivings, I am delighted to make your acquaintance." The look of malice on his expression was only mirrored in his eyes and Akira had doubts.
"This realm exists between what you know as dream and reality, betwixt mind and matter. Only those bound to a contract are allowed to be guests of the Velvet Room. Finally, Akira Kurusu, I am Igor, the master of the Velvet Room. Take care to remember that."
Every bad guy radar that Akira had was screaming its head off and had been since this thing opened its mouth. He admitted that it might just be the dynamic this place was painting, that of prisoner and warden, of servant and master. Not to mention how he practically purred that word and the twin girls simply stood there silent and stoic.
"Well, Igor," He's tempted to rack his head for a hunchback joke or reference but reluctantly silenced that impulse. "I admit I don't have the best memory all the time. But I swear that I haven't signed anything recently."
Igor simply laughed inhumanly through its teeth. "How amusing. You don't even realize what you've done? That said, it seems like you're still incomplete. This room reflects the state of your heart. How... fitting that it resembles a prison."
A prison? He thought while clenching down on the bars tightly. He didn't feel trapped. Well, outside of this cell at least. Sure, being sent to Tokyo was not his idea of a good time but he would make the most of it. He wouldn't forget what Shido had done either. Someday that man would face real punishment, whether it be him or someone from his family or even the justice system if they stopped eating out of his hand. It was just a matter of time.
Could Igor mean how he had acted since he got to Tokyo? But that was just a persona! He wasn't normally subdued and quiet like that, he just had to imagine that he'd just been scolded by his mother and all the adults looking for a depressed and quiet teen would get what they wanted.
No matter how Akira thought of it, he just couldn't admit that what Igor said was the truth.
"Worry not, even if the state of your heart inspires such despair, there is a way to avoid the Ruin you are fated to meet. You must be rehabilitated. If you grasp freedom, only then you might avoid Ruin."
Ruin? Fate? Rehabilitation? This thing had a hard on for vague buzzwords that was irritating as it was puzzling.
"Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?"
Ruin or rehabilitation huh? He didn't have a clue what distortion might mean but if he took this thing's words at face value, he was backed into a corner.
Fuck it. He would agree and play along for now. But sooner or later he would pry some real answers out of this being even if he had to tear them past those monstrous teeth.
"Rehabilitation sounds a lot better than ruin. Count me in."
Igor's dead, unblinking eyes seemed to look through him and he nodded. "Excellent, I will be your observer on the path to rehabilitation. Your wardens shall be Caroline, on your right and Justine on your left.
Caroline cocked her baton on her shoulder and turned her nose up at him. "Try anything and I'll put you in your place inmate."
Justine straightened under his gaze, clutching a clipboard. "A warden's duty is the safety of their prisoner and their continued rehabilitation. We shall collaborate with you on your path. You shall learn to be obedient or suffer the consequences."
Akira had started to wonder at their humanity or lack of it. Their limpid golden eyes and the feeling of their presence seemed to demonstrate a lack of it. But Akira wouldn't be himself if he didn't try to see the best in people. (He didn't consider Igor a person.)
Instead he wondered if their behavior was a result of conditioning, if they knew anything other than their current circumstances. He questioned what kind of life a pair of six year old twins could live that they would be so comfortable wearing eyepatches and doing harm to others.
"Consider me compliant girls. I look forward to getting to know you." Akira smiled gently.
Caroline sniffed imperiously. "Doubtful."
Justine nodded stoically. "Acceptable."
Igor tapped his too-long fingers on his desk in a disjointed manner as he spoke. "It seems that our time is up for the night. Return to the waking world and ponder on the events that happened here to truly understand what it is you seek."
Caroline glared up at him. "Yeah, hurry up and leave inmate! It's not like we want you here or anything."
Akira shrugged helplessly and looked around at his cell mockingly. "I would, but it's not like there's a do-"
Akira woke suddenly, transitioning from dream to wakefulness in the time it took him to blink.
"Huh."
By the time Akira had processed enough to do more than blankly stare at nothing, he was aware of Sakura coming through the door.
The older man was dressed to the nines, looking like he woke up ready to kill at a blackjack table.
He wasn't sure if it was the dream, the four hours of sleep or the shock of seeing his guardian in something his dad might wear but the Akira Kurusu filter had not been turned on when he opened his mouth.
"Well shit Sakura, no wonder you used to roll with Uncle Haru. You got any cards around here? I've got a mean poker face."
There was a moment where the barista's eyes widened behind his glasses and Akira likewise realized how much of his foot he had just shoved in his mouth.
Akira coughed awkwardly. "I mean, Good morning sir, I guess it's about time to go to Shujin. I'll go ahead and get ready."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Uhuh. You do that."
The man left without ceremony and Akira rubbed at his forehead in frustration. "Damn it."
The drive to Shujin was painfully quiet.
it was starkly clear that Sakura wasn't sure what to make of him now.
Before, he was an old friend's nephew and just a kid with a big heart who couldn't stop himself from trying to help someone. He'd been to juvie but it was clear that he had a good head on his shoulders and just wanted to get by and put this all behind him.
Now, Akira was sure that Sakura was finding some startling comparisons between him and his old friend. This wouldn't seem so bad until you realized that Haruhiko Kurusu was and still is involved in dangerous shit that even Akihiko wouldn't touch.
He had a few options here. He could double down on his act, never mention what happened again and hope that Sakura wouldn't monitor him even more strictly or throw more rules at him. Or he could lean into it. Akira could speak out a bit more and act in a manner that he was more used to. But he had to demonstrate to Sakura that he was the innocent and fun kind of delinquent. Not the dangerous and greedy kind.
(Akira found it mildly hilarious that only now that he had someone he's being held accountable to that he considered himself a delinquent.)
He needed to demonstrate that he's the kind of person who skipped class to go to the arcade, not the kind who skipped to hang around alleys and mug people.
Without you know, actually skipping class.
(He kind of hated that he knew that one will be so much more fun than the other meaning there's really only one choice he has.)
Sojiro Sakura was irritated, grouchy and frustrated.
No those weren't the same things.
He's irritated that he's chose to spend his time off to attend this shit, grouchy because he knew that afternoon traffic was going to be hell and frustrated because now he really didn't know what he was in for with the kid.
At first he was pleasantly surprised. Akira seemed nice and polite if not a bit subdued, no doubt from the harsh treatment that turned his life upside down. He felt for the kid, he really did. There was no end to the amount of vindictive scumbags out there who were waiting to punish you if you stepped out of line. His time in the government may have been relatively free of politics but he still knew the kind of damage those people were willing to dole out.
He stepped in to help someone and got a bit carried away. Not something Sojiro felt deserved time behind bars. Some strikes on his record and a fine? Sure. He was young. As long as he kept his head down he could still go places.
But four months in juvie and a year on probation?
Someone was really out to hurt this kid.
He actually felt a bit bad that Akira ended up in that ratty attic. Not that he should, no way would he have let a stranger in the house with his daughter even if he had a spare bedroom.
There was actually a point when he wondered if the teenager was actually related to Haruhiko. Haru was everything the kid wasn't. A realist who couldn't open his mouth without swearing and was always ready to throw hands if somebody even looked at him wrong. Yet the man had a kindness that drove him to give him advice in a few dark parts of his life and helped him navigate his career during his tenure with the government. (Sojiro had never stopped to think why Haru knew so much about the ins and outs of the government.)
He knew that Haru wasn't a bad person. But that didn't change the fact that he was definitely a criminal who had his hands in some dubious shit.
Sojiro wasn't saying that he suddenly felt that Akira was some kind of dangerous criminal because of a single thoughtless sentence that just revealed an appreciation for finer clothing and card games. It just really made him start to revise his thoughts on the kid. He could even understand a bit of what was probably going through his head.
But he still didn't appreciate the fact that he had been fed an act.
That said, he hoped the kid was as smart as he seemed. He really didn't need to spend money on an ankle monitor right now.
Sojiro gazed over his shoulder as they made their way up the steps of Shujin. "Just don't do anything stupid."
Akira returned the gaze with a cheeky grin. "Sorry sir, it's a bad habit."
He sighed. Maybe Futaba could find him a discount somewhere on the internet.
Like he thought, the meeting was a waste of time.
Just not in the way he expected.
He's really not sure who made the decision to let Akira in this school because it definitely wasn't the principal. If Sojiro was unkind then he might say that Kobayakawa resembled a peeled potato set at a slow boil because as time goes on the man just gets redder and redder as he digs into Akira like the kid personally killed his mother.
"To reiterate, just so we're clear, you will immediately be expelled if you cause any problems. You might have done whatever you wanted hiding in your little hometown but this is my school, you will obey my rules. Keep in mind that I am the only thing keeping you from enjoying a longer stay in a juvenile detention center."
As if on a cue, Akira gasped. And then Sojiro turned towards him with concern as he kept gasping.
The atmosphere in the room changed as Akira struggled for breath and started to rummage through a pocket.
"Kid, you okay?" He asked uselessly because this was the sum total of his experience with whatever this is. The closest thing Futaba has had to an emergency was when she screamed at him to go buy her tampons.
There was something that he pulled out and a fumble of movement sent the item clattering across the floor. The remaining occupant of the room who'd been waiting bored and impatient during Kobayakawa's rant seemed to lose some of her apathy as she scrambled to hand the item to Akira.
Sojiro finally recognized the device as Akira held it and sucked at the inhaler. "You have asthma?"
They waited patiently as the boy calmed down and regained his breath.
Akira wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead. "Yeah, the doctor said it's because of my anxiety. It's become a lot worse since j-juvie though." Sojiro stilled for a moment imagining the cruel things that adolescents do to each other for amusement before a thought struck him.
Wait, they spent hours last night carting heavy boxes and furniture out of his attic. Akira never once ran out of breath.
There's a bit of confusion as he tried to parse out the truth but it's Kobayakawa and the woman's reaction that had him bite his tongue to keep from laughing.
"W-Well you best behave then." Kobayakawa stammered out and even the lady seemed to shoot him a mean glare.
She faced Akira and gave him a tired but sincere smile. "Hi, I'm Sadayo Kawakami. I'll be your homeroom teacher. If you'd like, I could speak to the nurse for you? It might be boring but it's probably best you don't participate in P.E."
The brat was playing them!
"Are you sure?" Akira asked, lip subtly trembling.
Right in front of him too! All it would take was a quick look at his medical records or Sojiro saying something and this kid would be gone. And yet, he's obviously putting trust in Sojiro for whatever that's worth. Or he could just be stupid enough that he didn't think Sojiro read his records. But with how smart and award-worthy this performance was, this kid had a brain.
"I wouldn't want to cause any problems."
And that's really all Sojiro cared about. He's not actually all that invested in the brat yet, he'd only known him for a day after all. But if he's smart, he can at least get himself out of stupid situations and keep out of danger when he wanted to. (Sojiro hoped the kid wanted to.)
Kawakami shook her head. "It's all right Kurusu. It's no trouble. Oh, and here's your school ID. Make sure to read your handbook carefully, any violations of the rules wouldn't be good for you.
"I'll make sure I do that, thank you." Akira had such a grateful and sincere expression on his face and it was increasingly becoming hard not to laugh.
Before Sojiro could either burst out laughing or drag out this performance even longer he excused the two of them.
The walk back to the car was silent.
He smirked a little bit. He'd let the kid stew in that fear for a bit. That's the least he deserved for pulling such a shameless act.
As they got into the car, Sojiro turned to him with a sly smile and a raised eyebrow. "You considering a career in acting kid? Cause that was flawless."
Akira practically preened at the praise, the only sign of his discomfort being the negligible sigh of relief that escaped. "No, I haven't decided anything yet. I've been thinking about interior decorating lately though."
Sojiro snorted because of course. He's not sure he'd ever met a teenager quite like Akira.
"I didn't realize juvie was so traumatizing for you." He joked absently as he caught Akira handling the inhaler.
The brat frowned before turning to him. "It wasn't. I was telling the truth when I said all I basically did was read. I-uh I'm sorry about all the mind games. It's just easier for me to fly under the radar when I use an act. I can't give them a reason right?"
Sojiro nodded in understanding and sighed. "Yeah, I know kid. That's life though. You mess up once and they'll always be waiting to see you fail."
Sojiro thought of Wakaba's death, a little girl who hid herself in closets to cry and a bottle that seemed like the answer to all of his problems.
Futaba's hateful relatives had visited shortly after he had taken in Futaba. And he didn't exactly give them reason to think he was fit to raise the girl.
Without that visit from Haruhiko, it's entirely possible that he could've lost Futaba for good.
And he's not sure where he'd be without that girl.
Sojiro owed him.
This was just him paying that back, that's all.
"Listen kid, I think you're alright. Just stay out of my house, do not mess with my business and don't get into trouble-" He cuts himself off as he sees Akira's face. "Don't get caught." He corrects because this was what he's dealing with now. "And I'll give you your space and freedom."
Akira grinned, bright and happy. He noticed that the kid's glasses were taken off at some point and his hair was no longer tied up. There's something in that expression that invoked mischief and answers to questions he didn't want to ask. "That sounds good Mr. Sakura, I'll make sure to do that."
Sojiro shook his head in exasperation. "Just call me Sojiro. Or Boss, that's what the customers call me." He explained as he saw the curious look on Akira's face.
"There's a journal I'll need you to write in. It's so I can report on what you're doing, mandatory check-ins." He looked at Akira seriously. "I'm not even gonna pretend that anything you write in there actually happened so just make it believable when you lie."
Akira gazed back at Sojiro with a similarly solemn expression. "Boss, you're the best probation officer I've ever had."
Sakura chuckled. This kid.
"I'm the only probation officer you've ever had."
"I don't know, if you ever meet my sister she might disagree."
The rest of Akira's day was practically idyllic.
Now that he could let his hair down around Sojiro, actually and metaphorically, he's much more relaxed. It's true that acting came naturally to him, in a way that's unique to the rest of his family, but that didn't mean he liked doing it all the time. It's exhausting.
But because 'Boss' was such an understanding guy, he could be himself.
He's the kind of guy that his dad might bring home for drinks if the workaholic ever made any friends. Gruff and serious but he knew how to take a joke and was more of a softie than he would ever admit.
Despite the heavy traffic, Sojiro managed to get them back to Leblanc at a reasonable time. For such a small business it seemed like the man had a dedicated group of regulars. To Akira's delight, the man had let him help behind the counter.
While he didn't know anything about making coffee, (For some odd reason his family were determined to never let him touch the stuff when he lived with them.) but he was a pretty good cook if he had to say.
Living on his own had made preparing and making his own food essential. And his dream made it important as well. How could he be a good househusband if he didn't know how to cook?
Sojiro declared his curry 'decent'. At first, Akira was disappointed, he had worked really hard on this recipe in particular. But then he realized that Sojiro's dish was sitting in the sink, picked completely clean.
Hiding his grin after the fact was hard. Especially when Sojiro kept comparing curry recipes with him.
Eventually. Sojiro dismissed him and Akira spent time cleaning the rest of his room and planning designs for his room. Surely, Sojiro wouldn't mind if he moved some new furniture in here. Or gave it a new coat of paint. Or installed a bath. (The public bathouse was okay but it was not the same as being able to relax in private.)
He's sure it'll be fine.
And then Amaya texted him back.
Amaya- bro... what the fuck is this? are you messing with me?
Akira- I wish. This app just showed up on my 'secure' phone when I got off the train. When I deleted it... I saw some freaky demon shit and got rid of the phone after. And when I booted up the SECOND 'secure' phone the same app showed up. I haven't summoned anymore demons but the app comes back every time I delete it. The code is just gibberish to me so I thought of you and here we are.
Amaya- dude.
Amaya- okay, first of all, stop putting secure in quotes, i take that shit seriously and when i said they're secure, i meant it. you'd have to have the phone taken apart and plugged into a supercomputer to crack my protections.
Amaya- and demons? what the fuck akira, i swear if you got hooked on drugs in tokyo the second i turned my back...
Akira- So?
Amaya- alright, this is just a mess. i'm not even sure what this is supposed to be. you said it's an app? yeah, the reason the code looks like gibberish is because it is gibberish. it's like someone watched a 'how to code' video and just mixed together a bunch of different program languages together. it doesn't make sense.
Akira- Demons it is then. How much does an exorcism cost?
Amaya- slow down there, little bro you can put down the holy water. there are some strings of txt that i can try to decipher. i'll run it through one of my programs and hopefully figure out why it can't be deleted.
Akira- Alright alright. That's good at least. Thanks sis.
Amaya- oh you don't need to thank me bro. i'd do this for free just so I can wipe the bastard that messed with my shit.
Akira- Jealous?
Amaya- Ha.
Amaya- whoever this person is, i'd be glad to shake their hand
Akira- Huh.
Amaya- and then strangle them with my keyboard.
Akira- There it is.
Amaya- this was fun. don't summon anymore demons. and no caffeine or drugs or getting into shit that sounds like trouble.
Akira- I'll try my best.
Amaya- alright now fuk off i have work to do
Akira- Love you too Big Sis!
Akira was really not sure what to make of all this. It's kind of jarring that Amaya didn't know what this was or what it meant. Amaya's the kind of person who knew everything.
He'd never been the type of person to dwell on things he can't change however so when he went to bed the only thing he's worried about was the dream. It's some mix of anticipation and dread that mixed within him when he thought about it. On one hand, he was just dying to know what was up with Caroline and Justine. On the other hand, Igor. He couldn't help but feel apprehension towards the being. It's creepy as hell and didn't seem to even pretend to try and be human.
Akira was sure that the dream was related to the demon in some way but despite how candid he was about that, he's sure if he told his sister about a crazy dream she just might tell his family that he's actually doing drugs.
And the last thing he needs was all of his family to come to Tokyo, worried and pissed.
He shuddered.
Even Pops might come down if he heard that.
Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this. The yakuza terms were just what I found online so it might be wildly inaccurate. Put a lot of work into this and I hope it comes off somewhat lighthearted and funny without ruining the darker themes. I have a lot of fun playing around with this akira and writing the dynamics between him and other characters. I'm a little worried I won't be able to nail down the Kamoshida arc with the same balance but I guess we'll see. Please review and let me know your thoughts.
