Disclaimer: Persona 3 Portable is owned by ATLUS.

A/N: This was excruciatingly painful to write. This particular chapter had undergone so many revisions and finally I was able to finish it. It contains various dates and events, which are adjusted, because I need those two months after defeating Nyx. I hope you all like it.

Longest chapter I've ever written yet. 2,507 words! I couldn't believe.

To my gracious reviewers: I can't use the reply link the email provides so I'm going to use this space. Thank you for your reviews, they keep me going and give me inspiration. I hope you keep on reviewing too.

namine23: I did want to go after fluffy, but I wasn't sure if the amount of sweets in the last chapter was just enough or too much. But I'm glad you liked it.

becoafamu: Yeah, I had "the incredulous look" too when Aki suddenly blurts out things like that. But instead of cringing I laugh. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it though.

You're lying on the outside…

Vulnerable

-extremely susceptible/open to physical or emotional harm

Tell me what makes you think that you are invincible

I can see it in your eyes that you're so sure

December 2, 2009

Junpei starts shouting accusations at her but he couldn't dare look at her nor have enough resolve to defend her. Everyone remains silent. They must have been thinking the same. It's Yukari who berates Junpei and sticks up for her.

Akihiko can't say Junpei doesn't have a point, he isn't right either. The fact that Minako coming to Port Island and leading them towards those twelve powerful Shadows had been all to the Appraiser's favor, but it's unknown to her, so it isn't her fault. But does she really have no clue at all? He doesn't want to think or consider what if Minako never had come to Port Island because her being there with him is something he would ever want to undo.

Akihiko can feel her steady stare, he had long been memorized how it felt when her eyes are set upon him, and it is mostly what puts him on edge. However, he hangs his head low; he is afraid to see what she holds in those crimson eyes of hers at the moment. Akihiko realizes he had failed Minako.

He hears her resigned sigh.

Minako, like in any other situation does what she do best, take it on herself and accept what the other person casts to her. Absorb it like a sponge. And appease them with beautiful abjection.

She apologizes.

He doesn't hear anything else after that. The sound of their voices turned into a blur. A fire in his chest and throat burned. She needn't have to apologize. It's not her fault. She didn't know. Didn't do it on purpose. Surely, she never wanted for this to happen either.

He should do something, say something for her. But he doesn't know what. He is conflicted with his fear of what a part of her soul has caused and with his genuine concern for her.

He is brought back by Fuuka's faint comment. "I know how you feel, Junpei. I'm scared too."

Words stumble out of his lips. Words he didn't need to think of. "We're all scared."

Mitsuru wraps it up, declaring they all call it a night and decide only after everyone has calmed down and thought thoroughly, which is until Ryoji shows up again to receive their decision.

And you're slow shaking fingertips show that you're scared like me

So let's pretend we're alone

And I know you may be scared, and I know we're unprepared

But I don't care

December 14, 2009

Ryoji bids his farewell and walks out of the door. He walks out of their lives, out of his human life, out of the world that soon he will destroy. They won't be seeing him until the Promised Day. Minako runs frantically from upstairs trying to catch up to Ryoji. But he isn't there anymore. As soon as the door closed he had vanished.

Akihiko notices the wild look in Minako's face. How she is heaving too hard that he fears her chest might cave in from the pressure. Her mouth opens and closes, a half formed plea of Ryoji's name easing its way out, but it never comes. Akihiko had never seen her cry, even on the day Shinji was shot Minako controlled herself because Shinji hadn't wanted to see her crying, but he is certain right now she is on the verge of tears. Minako clenches her fists tightly, which leaves him with the impression that any harder would make it draw blood. Her gaze is still fixed on the door, as if stubbornly refusing to peel it away would change the fact that Ryoji has left her. She looks torn between fainting and throwing a fit. To Akihiko's mind's eye, Minako seem so dejected as if she had lost something, like she has become only half of herself now, as if the world took away her center of gravity and now she's just floating in free space. In some way maybe that is how Minako is at the moment. Ryoji had been a part of her after all.

Akihiko doesn't understand, might never understand, how Minako feels. How it would feel like for a person that has been literally a part of you leave you. That is why maybe he feels beside himself with seeing Minako act like this. He admits to himself, that he is jealous; it wasn't even the right time and event to be. There are more important things to think about like the end of the world.

Akihiko takes his gaze away from Minako and chooses to glare at the carpet. He couldn't look at her anymore, couldn't take how much stricken she looks with the loss of another man in her life. Akihiko scolds himself for harboring unreasonable scorn on Minako's suffering. He reminds himself that Ryoji is different, that he lived inside her for ten years. Ryoji might also have been the reason why Minako hadn't felt all alone for the past years.

He remembers that once he asked her what Ryoji was to her. And she said that Ryoji was a special friend, not like Junpei or Yukari or Fuuka or anyone, not like Shinjiro and not like him either. Ryoji was someone different all together. She could have said that Ryoji was irreplaceable because he was a part of her. But of course, by that time Akihiko wouldn't have understood.

Everyone bristles with Minako's sudden act of instability. They haven't seen her not calm and collected. But everyone is determined with their decision, believing it to be what they must do. Minako also believes in that decision, just that whatever choice she makes Ryoji will have to go.

Minako assures them with a forced smile that it'll be alright. They can all do it, together. Akihiko wants to comfort her. Tell her that she doesn't need to pretend, doesn't need to look strong, even though she's hurting inside because they will understand. She is human too. But he can't because there is something caught in his throat.

Everyone retires silently to their rooms. Only the two of them are left in the lounge, with Koromaru sleeping in a corner. Akihiko waits for Minako to approach him or to start going upstairs. She did the latter. And he followed.

He was about to call for her attention when he sees a ring on her finger. One that wasn't there before. Akihiko stops in his tracks. It's from Ryoji, he's sure, but still he wants to ask.

Akihiko shakes his head, and instead of following Minako up to the third floor, he walks towards his room.

It's not like that, he tells himself.

'It's not like that.'

Please don't tell me that I'm the only one that's vulnerable

Impossible…

December 18, 2009 / Monday / After School

Akihiko has made up his mind. He will finally confront Minako and mend the yawning gap in their relationship.

After the bell had rung, Akihiko wasted no time in making his way to the junior classes' hallway to apprehend Minako. He plans to ask her out, maybe take a bite at Hagakure or even in that sweet shop she likes so that he could talk to her seriously without getting distracted. And at last tell her without fault the words he had been practicing in his head ever since the stunt with Ryoji.

He spots Minako amidst the throng of her classmates, bidding farewell to Junpei. Yukari must have gone to archery practice since he doesn't see her around. He walks up to her blocking her path.

"Hey…" He greets unsurely.

"Senpai" She acknowledges him, but not in the way he likes. She may not call him Aki at school but still she addresses him as Akihiko-senpai. Not just senpai.

"Uhm…do you need to be somewhere? If not, will you go with me today? You can pick the place…ah, I know. The sweet shop would be nice."

He knew it's going to be harder than he had expected. But this is just awful.

Minako rolls her shoulders and fiddles with the pins in her hair before she responds.

"I'm sorry, senpai. I need to attend student council meeting right now. Maybe next time."

She doesn't even offer him a small smile but only a perfunctory bow.

"O-okay."

Then she leaves.

He doesn't tell her that there is no student council meeting today. Mitsuru had left early and adjourned any assembly, and members, as far as he knows, were notified promptly since lunch.

He also doesn't tell her that she is going the wrong way. Because the student council room is just across the hallway. Not downstairs.

Just because you were hurt

Doesn't mean you shouldn't bleed

I can be anyone, anything

I promise I can be what you need

December 21, 2009

Akihiko trudges tiredly towards his room. The new training regime his coach gave him for the preparation of his upcoming interschool match had doubled in difficulty, which is why his muscles feel sore and tense. Added with the stress of the coming ordeal on New Year's Eve and the strain in his relationship with Minako, Akihiko is too exhausted to even think of dinner. Instead he looks forward in taking a long deep sleep, since there is no possibility they will be going to Tartarus that night.

Akihiko is in the middle of removing his vest when his bedroom door opens. He twists his body to see who it was. Minako stands there consciously in front of him, biting her lip and looking at anywhere but him. She is doing that habit of hers, tapping her toes behind her. She grips the ends of her skirt making it bunch upwards, allowing Akihiko to see a flash of her legs.

He didn't feel the usual reaction within him, instead he feels worried. This Minako in front of him looks so distraught that she seems like a stranger.

"Minako…" He says cautiously.

"I…"

Minako snickers.

"I'm so pathetic."

He is going to tell her that no, she isn't pathetic. She is wonderful and a thousand more of brilliant things. But when he opens his mouth to speak Minako stops his would be monologue of her perfectness by assaulting him.

Minako grabs him harshly on the collar and smashes her lips with his. She kisses him feverishly with an urgency of a crazed woman, which makes him stumble backwards. He almost loses his footing, fortunately he manages to balance the both of them and break their fall.

Minako pushes him towards the bed, and he lands on his back, so she is hovering above him. The kiss unbroken. Minako attacks him with so much need and aggravation and ferocity that his mind begins to get clouded up with the sensations he is feeling. She nibbles and sucks, on his lower lip then on his tongue, as she withdraw she pulls the skin on his lower lip making it bleed. Akihiko tastes copper.

Minako takes his shirt off, pulling on the buttons fiercely and impatiently, making one pop and roll on the floor. Akihiko shifts to roll the sleeves off his arms. With his clothing removed Minako takes this chance to rake her fingers across his chest creating angry vertical lines on his skin. Minako grabs his wrists and pins his arms above him. She licks his Adam's apple, and then goes for the spot where tendon strained against skin and bite, her teeth scraping ruthlessly. A groan escapes from his lips.

Minako starts to lick lower, from his collarbone down to his abdomen. She stops just below his navel, only to kiss her way upwards to the underside of his left nipple, and then eventually kissing the bud itself. She takes it inside her mouth, licks it, and sucks it, then let goes. He moans out her name.

In any other situation, Akihiko would have enjoyed this. There have been times that Minako showed her streak of dominatrix in bed, and he liked it, a lot, but this just isn't right. He doesn't want to take advantage of her weakness, even though she is the one who is attacking him. He has to help her and know what's happening to her.

Akihiko sits up when Minako starts to fumble for her own clothes, disregarding them aside like they were nothing. Before she could press herself against him Akihiko clasps her hands in between his, kissing her knuckles with a soft caress. He catches her gaze and stare through, drowning himself in red pools, and searches into the depths of her soul.

"What's wrong, Minako? Tell me." He asks tenderly, as if approaching a wounded animal.

Minako stiffens and her eyes clear out. Her expression changes, something in between like a deer caught in the headlights and someone who was drenched with cold freezing water.

"It's just that…I don't know what to do." She says it too softly he only hears it because of their close proximity.

Akihiko brushes the hair away from her face and envelopes her in his arms.

Minako in turn wraps her arms around his shoulders, burying her face in the crook of his neck. He kisses her hair and rubs her back soothingly.

"Lean on me, Minako. Please, let me help you."

Share with me the blankets that you're wrapped in, cause it's cold outside

Share with me the secrets that you've kept in, cause it's cold inside

"I…I…" She heaves a sigh. "Everyone is counting on me. What if I do something wrong? What if I become the reason we fail? I know I have to…"

She starts shaking in his arms, and that's when he hears it, the sobs, almost inaudible at first then distinctly.

"I feel so numb all over, my hands won't stop trembling. I've never felt so scared so much like this, as if there's a snake slithering inside my chest, choking me inside. It's not that I want to quit but…sometimes, I wish it wasn't all up to me."

"It's okay…I'm here for you, always." He holds her tighter.

"I'm tired Aki…so tired of always having to know what to say and do."

Akihiko is clumsy with speech, he is never one for words, and he fumbles and stumbles upon them. Thinking of what to say, and telling them makes him cautious, doubtful. So in that moment, he chooses the words that he wouldn't have to think of. The words that remains true and unblemished in his heart and in his mind. Because it is the most sincere way he knows how to reach her.

"Always remember, I love you. Whatever happens."

He gathers his blanket and covers them from the cold, creating a makeshift barrier from her fears unknown. And so he let her weep in his arms until she falls asleep.

It's the least he could do to share her burdens.

A/N: The song is Vulnerable by Secondhand Serenade.

I hope the main events from the game didn't feel rushed. Please read and review.