May 27, 2014 (Tuesday)

Yusuke had designed the most beautiful calling card, and it really was a shame that its artistic value would go right over Madarame's head.

The message was the most important thing, of course—"The Phantom Thieves will steal Ichiryusai Madarame's rotten heart" and so on, name courtesy of Morgana—but the design would only heighten the devastating impact of the words, in Yusuke's opinion. Perhaps if his life completely fell apart after today's operation, he could make some living from graphic design. It seemed like a lucrative enough field.

The card radiated a nervous energy from Yusuke's bag throughout the school day, taking his regular undercurrent of anxiety to a new level. He hadn't dared leave it at home in case Madarame went through his possessions; there was very little room for error in this plan, and Yusuke wasn't about to ruin his chance at freedom with careless mistakes. If that meant he had to spend the day in a state of paranoia, fine.

He arrived home, slipped the card under the front door to the shack, and went to the living room. Goro, Morgana, and Makoto soon arrived at the scheduled time, and they all hid outside to wait.

Madarame arrived home, found the card, and read the words aloud. Morgana's sensitive ears could pick up the individual words, but even Yusuke could hear the tone of contempt from his position. It was a tone that Madarame would never allow himself to show in front of anyone, as it would rupture the public persona he had spent so many years building. Yusuke allowed himself a moment of grim satisfaction; his work had elicited a powerful emotional reaction, and wasn't that the point of art?

"Akechi, hit the app icon," Morgana whispered, and they were standing before the museum, red lights blaring. "We'll go straight to the Treasure room, but we have to stay out of sight. Security's at maximum."

They proceeded without a hitch and finally saw the Treasure, in tangible form but covered by a sheet. Morgana's eyes lit up when he saw it, and the others almost had to hold him back from making a mad dash to it. "Who was the one who warned us to stay out of sight?" Goro pointed out, irritation seeping into his voice. "We're not about to let your impulses ruin everything."

But the plan was thoroughly ruined within the next few minutes, anyway, and again they had to face Madarame's sneering Shadow. Again Yusuke had to watch that hateful face distort into four separate portraits, and again he had to bite back his nausea.

As objective and rational as Goro and Yusuke tried to be, Makoto and Morgana were clearly the ones holding the team together for this battle. They had briefed Makoto on the Shadow's attack style beforehand, and Makoto had helped them devise a strategy. As long as they stuck to that strategy, they should pull through.

After a decade of forcing himself to become numb, Yusuke allowed himself to put his cold fury to a good use. He had learned from his blunder in Kobayakawa's Palace last week, and he complied with the plan, attacking when commanded and providing support when necessary. Part of him still longed to hack away at each portrait until he reduced the Shadow to a pile of rubbish, but he had tried that last time. It had not gone well.

Then Morgana had the idea to splatter paint on the canvas, and Yusuke got his chance. Madarame's Shadow crouched before them, helpless, and Yusuke showed no mercy.

It was nearly impossible for him to dial back once the portraits formed again, but Goro's hand on his shoulder helped, as did Morgana's level-headed narration of the battle. They continued until another opportunity presented itself, and that was it.

"Please don't kill me," Madarame's Shadow gasped. Yusuke and Goro didn't have much sympathy, but killing was not part of the plan. Yusuke claimed the Treasure that had been discarded on the ground during their battle and unveiled it: an image of the Sayuri holding a baby, looking at it with a maternal love he could barely remember receiving.

Yusuke swallowed the lump in his throat, then turned the canvas to Madarame. "This was worth ruining so many lives over?"

Madarame looked up from his place on the tile floor, then lowered his head, eyes teary. "I… I thought so, but…"

"You should have thought harder." Yusuke took the canvas and held it to his chest. "It would belong with my mother if she was still alive, but you certainly made sure that was not the case. I'm taking it from you in her stead."

Madarame didn't respond. His hands trembled against the Palace floor.

"You disgust me," Yusuke concluded, "and I'm through letting you control me. You were never a proper guardian."

He turned and walked away, and he heard three sets of footsteps follow after a moment's pause.

They returned to the real world, but the Sayuri didn't disappear. Yusuke stared, running his fingers over its sides, not daring to touch the paint.

"You did it," Goro whispered.

Yusuke again covered the portrait, again held it to his chest. "Thank you all," he said. His voice shook as he looked up at the sky, and his eyes widened as he noted the position of the sun. "What… time is it?"

Goro checked his phone, then swallowed. "It's just after six o'clock. We were in there much longer than anticipated."

"Oh, no." Morgana's ears drooped. "What's going to happen with your foster parents?"

Yusuke didn't miss the tremor in Goro's hand as he put his phone away. "I'm sure I'll be able to talk my way out of it," Goro said. He offered Yusuke a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I can just say that orchestra was rehearsing for a concert and I forgot to tell them."

"You really think that'll cut it?" Morgana asked.

"There will be consequences, but I'm prepared to deal with them." Goro cleared his throat. "More importantly, how are you feeling, Yusuke? Will you be able to monitor Madarame's condition?"

"You can always move in with my sister and I earlier if you need to," Makoto added. "I certainly wouldn't blame you for not wanting to live here longer, and I could convince Sae to let you stay earlier."

Yusuke shook his head. "Thank you for your generous offer, but I feel an obligation to see this through. I will keep you updated on any changes."

"Please do." Goro hesitated a moment, then clasped Yusuke's shoulder. "I'm proud of you. This must have been an incredibly difficult month, but we seem to have made it through to the other side."

"It would seem so," Yusuke echoed, smiling softly. He rested his free hand over Goro's and squeezed. "Thank you for everything, from the bottom of my heart." He looked to Morgana, then Makoto. "I will repay your kindness to me, I promise."

"I admit that I'm a bit hesitant to leave you here alone after today's events, but you seem confident," Makoto said, smiling back. "Please call if you need anything, even if it's at a late hour. Your safety is most important."

They stood there a few moments longer. Yusuke felt the need to say something else, but he had no idea how to express his gratitude. How could one even begin to thank the people who took so much time and effort to change his life?

He settled for another smile and bade his friends farewell for the night, then steeled himself before going inside.

The house seemed colder and darker than the street outside, and Yusuke shivered. He hugged the Sayuri closer, scanning the house for Madarame. All the lights were off, and the door to his room was shut. Yusuke hid the Sayuri in his room, then knocked on Madarame's bedroom door.

"Sensei?" he called. It felt wrong to use that term, but Yusuke told himself it was just for a short while longer. "Are you well?"

Rustling. "I'm well, Yusuke," Madarame replied. "Just retiring early for the night. You should get some rest, too."

"Do let me know if you need anything," Yusuke said. Madarame thanked him, and he headed back upstairs.

The rest of the evening seemed to slip away; Yusuke alternated between staring at the Sayuri and reflecting on the day's events. After some time, the ringing in his ears grew nearly deafening. Had the house always been this quiet?

Yusuke turned on the radio to drown out the silence, then let the music fade to background noise as he continued his contemplation. The news caught his attention in spurts, listing names that had nothing to do with him. It was nice to feel like a small part of the world again.

The moon rose, and Yusuke wrapped the Sayuri back up. He checked on Madarame once more, but the older man seemed to be asleep. Yusuke let him alone and returned to his room, staring at the ceiling until he drifted off.

May 28, 2014 (Wednesday)

Another school day spent in thought, another afternoon of monitoring Madarame. Madarame ate briefly once he returned home, then immediately went to his room. Yusuke lost track of time, was pulled back by the ringing of the phone.

"Ichiryusai Madarame's residence," he answered automatically, and he'd be happy if he never had to say that again. "With whom am I speaking?"

"This is Makoto. How are things?"

"Well, I believe." Yusuke glanced at Madarame's shut door, then lowered his voice. "He has mostly been staying in his room and resting. He seems subdued and will not speak with me for any length of time."

"Interesting." Makoto paused, and the silence felt heavy. "There's a bit of a complicated situation on my end. I don't really know how to—"

A familiar voice interjected in the background, and Makoto sighed. "You're already here," she said. "Why not tell him yourself?"

"Hello, Yusuke?"

Yusuke breath hitched. "Goro? What's going on?"

Goro laughed, sounding strained over the phone. "Nothing you should worry yourself over. You certainly have enough on your plate already. I'll just be staying with the Nijima sisters for a few days."

"What? Why?"

Pause. "After I arrived home late last night, I was kicked out. I—"

"What?" Yusuke repeated, this time in horror. "Why didn't you tell me immediately?"

Another pause, then the sound of scuffling as the phone changed hands. "It seems like he spent the night on the street," Makoto said. "Morgana came to me at Shujin after school—"

"—don't tell him this, he shouldn't concern himself with—"

"Quiet. Morgana found me at Shujin and led me to him, and now he's here. Sae hasn't come home yet, but I'm sure she'll let him stay while matters get sorted out."

Goro took the phone again. "This will be convenient for me, really. I've been compiling all the evidence we have against Madarame, and living with a prosecutor will give me a connection to the legal system. I can pass the evidence on to her and work with her from there."

Yusuke stuttered for a moment. "What is the long-term plan? You won't go back to the orphanage, will you?"

"We haven't quite figured that out yet," Goro said. "Perhaps Nijima will help us with a solution to that, as well."

"I would certainly hope so," Yusuke said, a familiar anger causing his fingers to tighten around the phone. "Foster parents who throw minors onto the street should face repercussions. This type of behavior is completely uncalled for and undeserved, especially directly after the endeavors of yesterday." He grabbed a pencil and paper. "I'm coming over. Makoto, what is your address?"

"That really won't be necessary, Yusuke, I'll be fine—"

"I'm sorry," Makoto interjected, "but I can't overwhelm my older sister. She's already so busy at work, and I don't think she'll take well to having two strangers in the house when she comes home."

"Makoto, I am prepared to wander the streets until I can find your apartment and confirm that all three of you are safe and well. What is your address?"

A long pause. Makoto sighed again, then gave him the address and directions from Madarame's house. Yusuke hung up without another word and headed out the door.

Makoto had estimated that the walk would take about forty-five minutes, but Yusuke made it in thirty. He climbed the stairs to the apartment and knocked on the appropriate door. Makoto opened it, her expression conflicted.

"My sister should be home in about an hour," she said. "Will you be able to leave before then? I can introduce you two in a few days, once this mess settles down."

"If my departure will increase the likelihood of her taking Goro and Morgana in, then of course I will make myself scarce." Yusuke looked over her shoulder into the living room. "Where are they?"

Makoto stepped aside to let him in, and he took a few steps in to see Goro and Morgana sitting on the couch. Goro had his school bag on the cushion next to him and a larger bag at his feet.

"You didn't have to come over, really," Goro said. "Although I do appreciate that you're here now."

Yusuke sat next to him, draping an arm protectively over the couch behind him. "How are you?" he demanded. Without waiting for an answer, he took Goro's chin in one hand and examined his face for marks. Finding none, he retracted his hand but stayed just as close. "Why did you sleep on the street? You know that I have space on my floor."

"I assumed that you needed an evening alone to process what happened," Goro stuttered. "I couldn't intrude."

"You have caused me far more emotional distress by endangering yourself. What did you do before you came here?"

"It was a bit of an adventure, really." Goro was obviously trying not to worry him, but the bags under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion. "I actually found Kyo yesterday, and we slept near each other as a form of security. I'm sure it could have been worse if I hadn't found him, but he was in the same spot as always." He forced a smile, not quite looking at Yusuke. "I was able to get some more information out of him, too, so the investigation benefited from this experience."

"What about this morning? Were you just wandering the city with all your worldly possessions until Morgana forced you to get help?" Yusuke turned to Morgana, who had been unusually silent during this exchange. "And why didn't you get help earlier?"

The fur on Morgana's back bristled. "I didn't know where Makoto lived, and Akechi refused to take the subway to your place! It's not like I could find a phone that I could dial by myself, so I was stuck outside." He burrowed further into the couch. "Don't get mad at me; he's the stubborn one. He said he'd done it before."

Yusuke whirled on Goro again. "You've slept on the street before? When?"

"Only a few times," Goro defended, "and quite a few years ago. Someone always brought me back to the orphanage."

Yusuke tightened his arm around Goro's shoulders, feeling the anger leave him. He brought his other arm around to fully embrace him, and Goro patted his hand. "I'm fine, really," he insisted. He swallowed. "I went to school as normal, but Morgana slipped off at some point to get Makoto, and here we are in one piece."

At some point, Makoto had seated herself across from the other three. "I do feel bad that you had to sleep on the street," she murmured. "You could have called me, as well."

"I didn't want to be a bother."

"You wouldn't have been a bother, you idiot," Morgana interjected, none of the usual playfulness in his voice. "They're your friends. We all care about you." He sniffed. "Don't forget that I'm tied to your living situation, too. I refuse to sleep near all those smokers again."

Yusuke held Goro for a few moments longer, then sat back, leaving his arm draped over the back of the couch. "Have you eaten? Showered?"

"Yes," Goro said. He nodded to Makoto. "You've been a generous host, Makoto. You truly did not have to do this, especially after the way I've been treating you."

Makoto shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not letting you sleep on the street."

Goro lowered his gaze to his lap, gripping his knees. His hands shook slightly. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Of course."

Goro allowed the silence to continue for a few moments, then swallowed. "How have you been, Yusuke?"

"Pensive," Yusuke answered. "I am not quite sure how to feel yet. There is relief, of course, but we are not entirely free of Madarame yet."

"I know. I'll do my best to work on it, I promise." Goro looked at Morgana. "How long should the change of heart take?"

"I don't know," Morgana huffed. "Less than a month, definitely, but I don't have a clue besides that."

"And what will happen? Do you have a more concrete idea?"

Morgana shrugged as best as he could. "He should feel and think differently. Maybe he'll apologize to Yusuke and try to right his wrongs." He tucked his chin between his front paws. "We'll just have to wait and see at this point."

They lapsed into another period of quiet, everyone deep in thought. The physical closeness between Yusuke and Goro was grounding; Yusuke could feel his shoulders rising and falling gently with his breaths, could almost hear the rush of air as he exhaled. He smelled of soap and detergent.

He was here. They were safe for now. Yusuke allowed his head to loll back and his eyes to close.

After some time, Makoto checked the time with a start. "Sae should be home in less than fifteen minutes. Yusuke, I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to leave. You can come back tomorrow, and then I can properly introduce you two in a couple days."

Yusuke sighed, prying his eyes open. Sitting like this was the most relaxed he had felt in days; he wished he could stay. He squeezed Goro closer to him for just a moment in one last hug, then stood. "Please take care of yourselves," he said. He scratched the space between Morgana's ears, eliciting a purr. "I will be back tomorrow as soon as I can."

Morgana perked up a bit. "We should celebrate soon," he suggested. "We all worked really well together, all things considered, and we accomplished our goal. That definitely deserves a night out!"

Yusuke smiled down at him. "I will keep you updated on Madarame's condition. Perhaps we can do something after this change of heart takes effect."

"We should go to a sushi bar," Morgana said, "like one of those conveyor belt places they're always advertising! They look so fun."

Goro laughed. "I'm not sure if they would let you in."

"Yeah, but they'll let your bag in, no problem. You can just slip me some."

Yusuke's smile stayed in place as he turned to Makoto. "You have my deepest thanks for keeping Goro and Morgana safe, and for your help with Madarame. As a complete stranger, you were never under any obligation to assist us in any way, yet you have been an invaluable ally. I am truly glad you're with us."

Makoto smiled back. "Glad to be on board."

Yusuke shot a last look back, then took his leave. At the apartment, he felt like he could have finally fallen into a peaceful sleep, but with each step he took closer to Madarame's, he felt his anxiety mounting. He wouldn't sleep well tonight, either.

May 30, 2014 (Friday)

Yusuke stood in the middle of the crosswalk, feeling numb as he watched Madarame sob on national news.

A tug at his sleeve prompted him along, and he followed, stepping onto the sidewalk just as the streetlight turned green. His eyes remained on the screen in the square, and he strained to listen. The broadcast ended shortly after Madarame's breakdown, and the news anchor summarized the events.

Moments later, Goro's cell phone rang. He had used the money from their Palace excursions to finally purchase a phone plan; the fact that he hadn't used some of that money to stay in a hotel instead of sleeping on the street was frustrating to Yusuke. He watched Goro's mouth as it moved, not processing much of anything.

How did he feel right now? Taking stock of his emotions, he did feel some grim satisfaction, some amount of schadenfreude upon seeing Madarame in such distress, but he was mostly still worried. The change of heart occurred earlier than they anticipated; where would Yusuke live now? Could he continue living in the shack for the night, or would the police lock it down for evidence? He still hadn't met Makoto's sister; would she let him stay at their apartment if Goro and Morgana were already there?

There were too many unknowns. It was enough to make Yusuke feel nauseated.

"Yusuke."

He startled, vision snapping into focus and centering on Goro's face. "Yes?"

"That was Nijima," Goro said. "She wants me to report to the police headquarters with the evidence we've compiled. Would you like to come along?"

He nodded and walked between Makoto and Goro. The four of them—Morgana was in Goro's bag as usual—had been on their way to discuss matters at the apartment, but that would have to wait. Goro had been working with Sae Nijima over the past couple days to compile their evidence against Madarame and find Goro a place to live, and their efforts had already produced fruit. All Yusuke had to do at this point was follow along. Though he hated feeling helpless, he could allow himself to follow his friends' lead for some time. He could trust them.

They arrived at the station, and Makoto and Yusuke waited with Morgana as Goro went to meet with Sae. His friends had been checking in on his condition, but he still wasn't sure how to respond when they asked how he was doing.

Makoto asked again after half an hour of waiting, and Yusuke decided he was tired.

May 31, 2014 (Saturday)

Goro had been called to the police station with Sae again, and Yusuke, Morgana, and Makoto waited for him in front of the building. Horizontal strips of sunlight cut across the city, and one of them warmed the top of Yusuke's head with its glow. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, focusing on the feeling of warmth. He had been allowed to sleep in Madarame's drafty house overnight, but he didn't know how long that arrangement could stay in place.

His anxieties remained, but Yusuke had quickly grown to loathe the melancholy atmosphere that followed him in the days after their successful infiltration. He attempted to break the silence.

"Has your sister told you anything about what happened yesterday?"

"Not much," Makoto replied. "She seemed determined, though, which could mean that they're making good progress." Yusuke opened his eyes to look at her encouraging smile. "You and Akechi did a great job of compiling the evidence, and a direct confession from the culprit is definitely a solid foundation for the case. It's looking hopeful."

"But why would they need Goro to come to the station two days in a row?" Yusuke asked. "That seems unusual. If the purpose of the meeting is to collect evidence, I would expect that they would want my testimony."

"Would you be willing to give it?"

"Of course." Yusuke set his jaw. "It would be difficult to separate what we learned in the Metaverse from what we learned in reality, but even the latter is incriminating enough, not to mention my first-hand experiences." He paused to think. "Of course it would be exhausting, but certainly worthwhile if it builds our case."

"You're a very strong person, Yusuke."

He didn't know what to say to that. He settled for a nod.

They waited, idly watching passerby until Morgana spoke up. "I hope you all haven't forgotten about the celebration we were planning," he said. "I've been eating Akechi's scraps for almost two months now! I deserve some proper food."

Yusuke patted his head. "You do," he echoed. "We'll get to it once matters settle."

Morgana pouted the best his cat face would allow him to, then ducked back into Goro's bag when the door to the police station opened. Goro emerged alone and approached their bench, expression unreadable.

"What happened?" Morgana asked, popping his head back out.

Goro stared for a moment, then laughed. "They offered me a job."

The other three rose to their feet at once, their questions overlapping. Goro raised his hands with another chuckle. "It's just a junior detective position, which I didn't really know existed. Of course there's Naoto Shirogane, but the Shirogane family is a special case."

"Did you take it?" Morgana asked.

"I need a day or two to think it over. It should be a large responsibility, but the benefits are hard to turn down."

"That's amazing," Yusuke breathed. "And what of the Madarame investigation?"

"It's progressing quickly." Goro flushed slightly. "They claimed to be impressed with the evidence that we compiled and presented, so that is certainly helping the progress, as well."

Yusuke beamed. "Those efforts were mostly yours. You deserve the recognition."

Goro's flush deepened. "Thank you, but you all were an enormous help, as well. I'm hoping that we can get justice for all the pupils that Madarame slighted; now that the police have all their names, they should receive some compensation when Madarame is found guilty."

Yusuke pulled him into a hug, and he heard Goro's breath stutter next to his ear before he hugged back. "I'm proud of you," Yusuke said.

"And I of you," Goro whispered back.

They lingered a moment before Goro pulled away, and they waited for Sae to emerge in contemplative silence.

June 1, 2014 (Sunday)

Ordinarily, Yusuke was loathe to sleep in, but, after the tumult of the past few months, he was finally able to fall into a deep sleep. He awoke just before noon to the sound of the phone ringing. He shuffled downstairs, then paused before picking up the receiver.

"Ichiryusai Madarame's former residence. This is Yusuke Kitagawa speaking."

"Yusuke," Goro said, his voice breathless and breathtaking in its excitement, "I just agreed to the position today, and they gave me a signing bonus of sorts. My salary will be enough to rent one of the apartments Nijima found for me." He paused to inhale, voice shaky. "I want you to come live with me."

That afternoon, in an office high above the city, another phone conversation took place.

"Yes, he's signed on. We're putting him under the supervision of Sae Nijima."

…

"Yes, sir. We'll be keeping an eye on him. We're assuming that it's only a coincidence at this point, but, as you said, it's best to take precautions."

…

"Of course. I'll keep you updated."

Click.

AN: It's kind of hard to write a slow burn when I interpret Yusuke as being super physically affectionate with people he really cares about, but im def doing my best! These chapters were lots of fun to write – hope you enjoyed!