You know that moment when you have so many ideas but none of them are complete ideas? Yeah, me with this series.

BUT! I'm here now!

This one takes place in Persona Q2 when P5 meets P4, but Yu and Rise are in a relationship, so light spoilers for that.

Also timeline wise, the Investigation Team were pulled into the theatre after discovering the culprit.

Enjoy!

Hold Me Close

He's almost lost too many of the people he loves already. She wasn't going to be the first one.

"Something's coming this way!"

Yu resisted the swear threatening to leave his lips and instead motioned to his team to quiet down and huddle together.

This day has been one thing after another. Waking up to a jungle and not the TV World, realising Yosuke was missing, getting chased by a dinosaur ten times stronger than them, nearly pummelled by said dinosaur, poisoned by mystery plants that they have no cure to, and now this.

They couldn't catch a break could they?

"Can you tell what it is, Ted?"

"Not really, just that it's beary strong."

"Do you think it's one of those dinosaurs again?" Chie, ready to attack at a moment's notice, wonders.

"It smells nothing like it, but I still can't tell what it is!"

"If it ain't as strong as those dinos, then we can ram right through them, yeah?!"

Naoto shook her head, "While Kanji's idea has merit, the opposite could very well be true as well and we'd be in more danger than before."

"But staying here won't be any better would it?" Yukiko asks.

"No, it wouldn't."

…

"Argh!" Chie looked about ready to pull her hair, "Then what are we supposed to do?!"

A groan leaves the group in silence, reminding them what's at stake.

Every minute they waste is a minute closer to losing Rise.

He can't let that happen.

He won't.

Yu knows what he'll have to do.

"I'll distract whatever's coming our way." He starts, "You guys take that chance to run."

Nervous looks but determined nods fill the group, recognising a final decision when it's forced upon them.

He'll take what he can get.

Carefully, Yu slides Rise down his back and into Yukiko's arms, the girl protesting at the movement.

"It's going to be alright." He reassures her, readying his katana.

With their navigator out of commission, they had to rely on Teddie's less accurate nose. That something could have been anything. He's not going to let another friend go missing or get hurt.

Yukiko gently sits her down before looking at him, "Be careful."

He nods and moves forward, hoping to get the upper hand over what, or who, ever that would want to hurt them.

He'll get them out of here. He has to. Especially for her.

So the plan didn't go as well as they hoped.

They didn't consider if there were more than one person that could stop his friends from going any further; they certainly didn't consider that the one attacking him would have been skillful enough to lead Yu into a stalemate.

But a truce was made and the two groups made their way to a movie theatre, where Yu was promised that someone there could cure Rise.

The realisation that they were in a movie aside, it was a weight off his shoulders to know that there was a safe haven to reside in for their duration there and not the shadow infested hell hole they were in not so long ago.

It lifted more at the sight of Margaret and Marie. Two people he knew were trustable.

He'll admit, he was still wary of the masked wearing team throughout the trip there despite the rest of his friends easily getting along with them, but he's already been duped by someone he thought he could trust… So until they make good on their promise to help Rise, he's not going to allow himself to make the same mistake.

It's also the second time he's been held at gunpoint, not that anyone needs to know that, so the anxiety of being near these strangers is very, very high.

Fortunately, his friends understand, even if they don't really get why, and let him dote on them a little more than usual: walking closer by Chie and Naoto's side, ensuring the pale-faced Rise on his back wasn't in any more discomfort than she already is, making sure Yukiko and Teddie wasn't tired after their attempts to heal said girl, glaring at anyone who dared to look at Kanji funny.

None of these would actually help them if they were backstabbed, but it gave him a sense of stability.

But they're here safe, these thieves have given their word and Yu can rest a little easier now.

Rise was safe.

That's what was most important.

Well, there's also Yosuke.

They'll find him as soon as Rise was in the clear.

It almost hurt to leave Rise to his Velvet Room attendant, but deep down, he knew she'll be fine with her.

He trusts Margaret. Rise will be safe.

Now if only he can let himself believe that.

Kanji gives a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder as they all exit the theatre hall and he calms down, just a bit.

He won't relax until his team is whole again.

For now though, introductions.

Seeing Rise come into the main hall looking like her usual perky self was a relief for all of them. For Yu especially.

She quickly stands next to Yu, unsurprisingly to the Investigation Team.

Yet even though she is right beside him, he wants to swing her around and hold her tight in his arms and shower her in kisses and never let go. He's almost lost too many of the people he loves already. She wasn't going to be the first one.

And… well he needs that confirmation.

But they have reasons to keep their relationship a secret and they weren't planning to break it just because they're now trapped in a movie theatre and the people here won't mind at all that an idol has a boyfriend despite the taboo of it in the outside world; it might be okay now, but when they get out?

That'll mean over 10 people who'll know their secret, and while he trusts them (some of them anyways) to keep quiet about it, others aren't so very… good at that.

Not naming names or anything.

Point is… he loves Rise, and he'll do anything to keep her happy. If he has to hide his love in order for her to continue idol work, so be it.

Even if it means he'll have to wait for who knows how long for a hug.

The two exchange glances and he knows they're thinking of the same thing.

They're going to save Yosuke now, but they'll talk later.

"You ok?"

No he wasn't, but that's why they were here.

Not like she didn't already know. He knew as much as her it was an attempt to ask him to open up.

Still, he tried his best to keep his voice from cracking, "Yeah… we found Yosuke, right?"

Too long. It took way too long before they actually found him, hurt and a little worse for wear, but fine (he and the rest of the Investigation Team forced him to get a check up from the Velvet Room attendants immediately once they returned to the theatre just to be sure).

The other group, bless their hearts, were considerate enough to let them rest up before going back into the movie, giving Yu and Rise time alone.

Finally.

It also meant that in the confines of the storage room, Rise's more than willing to go wild, be it emotionally or physically.

This time it was leaning towards the emotional side.

It was a blessing and a curse.

She frowned, trying to look him in the eye, "You know that's not what I meant."

He desperately tries to avoid it, they both know he'll break if doesn't.

It's stupid.

Waited all day for a chance to be with his girlfriend, away from prying eyes and now that they're here…

Why was he so scared?

The idol sighs, "Alright then. If you won't talk, I'll start."

She makes herself comfortable next to him and takes a moment to gather her thoughts.

"You know, when you ran off to hold back that dinosaur, I was terrified."

Bad idea on his part, but he'll do it all over again to protect his friends.

His significant other knew that too, but it didn't mean she had to like it.

She laughs a broken laugh, "If it weren't for Ren rushing to help you; if you guys didn't pull off that crazy attack, I really thought you were done for."

He knows he's falling for her trap (It wasn't really; there was a fine line between her acting and genuine feelings), but it's a trap he chooses to fall for anyways.

They wouldn't be where they were now if he didn't want to.

So when he raises his hand to wipe her tears, his eyes lock with hers, so full of understanding and patience, prepared to wait till he's willing to speak.

An expression that tells him that it's alright to have weaknesses, that he doesn't have to act as a leader in front of her.

An expression he'd never want to disappoint that lets him talk.

"I thought I was going to lose you."

Almost immediately, her arms are around his neck, on her tiptoes, trying to be as close to his face as possible. He bends his knees a little to help her out.

"I'm right here," She whispers into his ear, "And I'll be here till you're ready."

Once again, the need to hold her close was overwhelming. This time, he surrendered to that desire, wrapping an arm around her, combing his fingers through her hair, never letting go until the need fades away.

Rise in return, squeezes tighter, knowing how badly he needs it.

And in those few seconds, everything was alright.

"THERE YOU GUYS ARE! WE'RE GOING T-"

THUNK*

Yu blinked at Rise who had grabbed the closest thing near her (It was an old movie projector) and threw it to the blond boy who dared to interrupt their closet time.

The surprised redhead breathed deep breaths, hand at the ready to throw another item if needed.

Only when she was sure the intruder wasn't waking up, did she calm down.

"Well…" She sighed, returning to her position in his arms, "He ruined the moment."

Yu chuckled at the uncanny scene, wiping the last of his tears and planting a kiss on her forehead, "That's my girl."

"Ryuji?" Ren, the leader of the other group stuck in the cinema with them, stuck his head into the room, looked down where his fellow friend was knocked out and looked back up where the couple was standing at, "Oh hey guys. We're going to continue the movie," The boy continued as if his teammate wasn't unconscious on the ground, "Thought we should let you know."

Yu nodded in understanding, hoping he'd leave quickly (and drag his friend out) despite his calm outwardly demeanour. They couldn't be alone for more than two minutes here could they?

As if to prove him right, Yosuke popped out above Ren right then and there, "Oh, there you guys are."

Then like a chain reaction, the rest of the Investigation Team pops up on either side of the door, smiling Cheshire cat smiles like the dorks they are. Naoto's was more subtle, but it's there.

"You took so long making out we got worried."

Their smiles grew wider and in less than three seconds did he realise the implications to that sentence.

Oh.

Oh.

He didn't bother whining when Rise quickly pushed herself off of him, both stammering some sort of excuse for their arrangement.

"T-that wasn't…"

"W-we weren't…"

"You KNEW?!"

"Rise-san, none of you were being the least bit quiet about it." Naoto sighs.

Yosuke grins wider, "I'm surprised none of you didn't think we knew."

"It was obvious." Ren quipped.

The rest say their words of agreement, though Yu couldn't make out anything that they're saying over their overlapping voices.

Not that it mattered, the blush that's been forming since they were caught was pretty much the only thing he could think about now.

His friends he gets, they'd have found out eventually.

(They were planning to tell them, probably, but it looks like they didn't have to.)

The fact that Ren knew, a friend who they've just met, made him wonder just how direct they were being.

"Wait what?! I didn't know you two were dating!"

Or maybe they're doing a decent job and Ren was just observant that way.

The rest of Ren's group decides to intrude too.

Futaba, he thinks that was her name, practically crashes through those at the door, obviously having heard of the conversation, "Are you still a thing in our time!?"

"I don't think they'll know that, Futaba-chan." Haru reminds her.

Behind her, Kanji shouts at being pushed, Makoto is trying (and failing) to get everyone to leave the couple alone, Yusuke wants to draw them, Yosuke starts his dirty jokes, Chie kicks him in annoyance, Minako checks on the unconscious Ryuji, Ann eventually helps her drag him out of the room, Teddie asks him for scoring tips and Yukiko somehow finds all this hilarious and is in one of her laughing fits.

And at the sheer normality of the situation, Yu smiles.

They were worried over nothing, weren't they?

Silently, over the chaos of their friends, He gives Rise a one arm hug over her shoulder and she leans into the touch.

They'll be alright.

Not shown in story: Akechi not giving a damn

I forgot to cameo him.

Whoops