"Woah, the inside is just as nice!" Ryuji's hands were braced against both sides of the camper doorframe as he leaned inside.
"Stop blockin' the door!" Futaba was right behind him. She had bedding from her room under each of her arms. Sojiro had parked the vehicle on the main street right outside their house.
Yusuke was waiting behind her and Haru behind him.
It was going to be a while.
Ren placed his bag on the ground and climbed into the front seat instead. Makoto was already in behind the wheel, fingers tracing over the buttons on the panel like she was searching for one in particular.
"Hey," she looked up at him with a smile.
"Hey," he returned it. "Need any help?"
"No, I'm just making sure I know where everything is."
Ren glanced over the panel where her fingers had just rested. "Looks more complicated than Mona."
She responded with a light laugh. "In some ways."
Before he could continue their banter, Ryuji's natural volume filled the confined space.
"Just how much did you pack?!"
Ren and Makoto turned, looking over their seat backs to see Ann struggling to stuff one of her bags in the hanging cabinets.
"Gimme a break, these things are smaller than they look!" Ann spoke through grit teeth as she shoved the final bulging bits of her bag into the storage space.
"Naw, you just overpacked," Ryuji shook his head. "You don't need all that. I just took a few shirts an' an extra pair of shorts."
"Pfft, easy to pack light when you're just gonna make Makoto wash them for you." Futaba's voice came from above. It was no surprise she had already made the over-the-cab space her home.
"I help my mom with laundry sometimes!" Ryuji looked up in Futaba's direction. "I think you're givin' yourself away."
"Th-that's not true!" Futaba stammered. Her next phrase came out in a lowered voice. "I was gonna make Ren do it..."
Ren turned to Makoto. She was making the same face he assumed he was. Neither of them liked this plan.
"Um," Haru held four fingers in front of her mouth, eyebrows raised high, like she was concerned. The curving tips of her lips hinted otherwise. "Even your underwear?"
Ryuji's eyes opened wide and then scanned side to side as he started chuckling nervously. "Oh, uh..."
Ann folded her arms in front of her. "You forgot to pack any, didn't you?"
"Uhhh, I gotta run home real quick." Ryuji was out the door before anyone could respond.
"He really did!" Futaba laughed, no, guffawed. The rest of the team had their giggles as well. By the time it died down, Futaba's voice had become small again. "And uh, I guess I'll have Makoto do mine."
Ren looked over at Makoto again, his head dipping and his eyebrows raising.
"It's fine," she said quietly. "I wouldn't have a full load with just mine anyway."
"You spoil her," he said.
"So do you," she replied.
Ren's eyes raised to the ceiling of the cab. Futaba was somewhere right above them. "Think she'll be okay?"
It was only a year ago that taking Futaba on a day trip to the beach was a risky move. It would take several days to get to Sapporo, during which they would probably have to deal with unfamiliar people and places. Making her feel comfortable where they could was something both he and Makoto understood.
"She's navigating school well," said Makoto before letting her chin dip down into her hand. "Though this trip won't have the benefit of familiarity or structure... Still, we'll all be here for her."
Ren responded with a simple nod.
"Oi! Inari! Pass me my bags!"
They watched as Yusuke lifted two duffels bags, one after the other, to the loft.
Ann didn't say anything out loud, but she looked rather vexed, like she realized it was much more than she had packed.
"There's still room!" Futaba called down. "I think we can stick Ann's games up here too!"
Ann blinked a couple times as her mouth formed a small circle. A tinge of pink came to her cheeks. They might all dote on Futaba, but she'd never take advantage of them.
"Don't we want to keep some down here during the ride?" asked Haru.
"We can at least move Jonga up," said Futaba.
"Let's not. I want to try playing in a moving vehicle," said Ann. She held up a fist at chest height. "Think of the challenge!"
Makoto looked like she was about to say something, but stopped herself.
Ren put a hand over hers as he spoke, ignoring the continuing conversation behind them. "It's fine to ask them not to."
"I know," Makoto responded in kind. "But if it's not that, they'll just find something else. There's a divider, so any spilled pieces won't get in the way... probably."
Ren imagined the many ways in which some Jonga pieces might become airborne. Makoto nodded, like she could see his figurative thought bubble.
Well, he'd just have to keep his awareness up while they were driving.
Even with whatever the team might be up to in the back, it was nice that he'd have some semi-private time with Makoto up in the front. Ren glanced down at his hand atop hers on the open seat cushion between them. With the height of the camper and its dashboard, their hands were hidden from view. Even when she had to hold the wheel, they could still have their own conversations, he could still reach over to her from time to time, maybe pass her a water bottle, let his fingertips graze her...
His gaze followed their linked hands up Makoto's arm. When his eyes reached her face, he found her looking at him with a relaxed smile. There was no tension around her eyes, just warmth. He took in that inviting expression, marveling once again at how pretty she was, the elegant line of her nose, the color of her eyes in the light, her-
"Hmmm," Yusuke leaned over, his head crossing from the back into the cab. His pupils darted around. After an uncomfortable minute of being visually dissected while being too confused to object, Yusuke pulled himself out of their space. Standing upright again, he took out a small sketchbook and started rapidly moving a pen across the page.
"What-" Makoto started.
"It's the two of you," Haru was up on the balls of her feet, looking around Yusuke's arm at his work.
Makoto withdrew her hand from Ren's. He turned to find her looking away, her shoulders pulled in. Ren twisted to face the back of the camper, his arm landing across the seat back. "Yusuke. We've talked about this."
"Not cool Inari." Strands of orange hair dangled into view.
"Oh." Yusuke stopped for a moment. Then, his pen doubled in speed. He finished whatever he was sketching and stuck the book into his pocket before folding his hands together. "My apologies."
He said it was the utmost sincerity... only after he was done sketching though.
Haru giggled into her hand, like she realized it as well. "You shouldn't tempt him."
"That's not-"
Ann cut Ren off. "Drawings aside, if Yusuke is noticing, couldn't anyone else?"
Her hands were on her hips. She let them fall and took two steps over to the front seats, raising one hand with her finger pointed squarely at his nose. Her eyes narrowed. "You're too obvious."
Ren turned away, taking a quick peek at Makoto. Again her expression mirrored his feelings. Ann was right. They were acting foolish. Having the most experience, she had warned them about this when they first decided to conceal their relationship. The way they were acting... they were going to get caught.
By the time he was facing the front of the camper, his head was drooping and his own fists were balled up at his sides.
"Oh, they're like sad puppies!" Haru's voice carried from further back in the vehicle. "Yusuke! Draw that too!"
The camper went quiet for a few seconds. Ren was tempted to look back, see what was happening during the awkward silence, but-
"Oooooh, Ann's in a mood," Futaba teased.
He wondered just what face she had made at them.
"This is serious," Ann said after a sharp exhale. Ren turned to find her leaning her forehead into the bottom of her hand.
"Sorry, Ann," Makoto looked over her shoulder to their teammate. "You don't have to feel responsible for us."
"Hmph," Ann crossed her hands in front of her. "Really? From you? We're a team, aren't we?"
Ann's acting might have improved over the time he knew her, but as stern as she might want to portray, she couldn't hide an affectionate smile.
It seemed to catch Makoto off guard. "R-right. Thanks for having our backs."
Ann made a self-satisfied nod. "Anyway, I don't think you two should sit together."
Ren's opened his mouth to protest-
"Oooooh, punished." The orange locks waved back and forth. She must have been quite a ways over the railing.
"It's not a punishment," said Ann.
It felt like a punishment.
"It's the safest option," she explained.
Ren hated that she was right. Even if he protested, Makoto would surely agree with her.
"I'll sit up front with Makoto." Ann lifted the Jonga box, presumably passing it to Futaba. "So none of us will be tempted."
––––– ––––– –––––
Zenkichi locked Alice's phone in its proper evidence drawer.
He should have realized the Phantom Thieves would have a tech expert within their ranks rather than contracting out for one. Apparently the time Sakura had spent as a shut-in wasn't exactly wasted.
What else might they be doing in-house?
Signing out of the evidence room, he headed back to his desk. It was still half an hour before he could meet with Commissioner Kaburagi. Time to catalogue his observations.
Sitting down, he took his pencil and notebook from his pocket. The last entry described what he could gather about their travel plans. He hadn't expected a camper. A mixed group of teens, sleeping together in a tiny RV still bother-
He put a stop to that thought.
He wasn't going to feel guilty.
He couldn't fall into the trap of thinking of them as kids. They were the Phantom Thieves. Vigilantes. And he was going to use them to solve the case. Pure and simple.
Plus, they were healthy teens. For all he knew, there might already be something going on between some of them anyway. It would be strange if they didn't.
Zenkichi put down his pencil.
In fact, it would be much more strange if they didn't.
None of the agents had noted anything like that. Not within the team nor with any external parties. What was the likelihood of that?
Not high.
He leaned back in his chair, trying to remember all of his encounters so far. The Phantom Thieves were on edge when he was around, but even in the brief periods before he made his presence known, he couldn't recall any signs.
The thing about observations is it's all too easy to miss obvious things when you're looking for something else. Had he been slipping into bad habits?
Well, now he had something to watch more closely for.
––––– ––––– –––––
Makoto shielded her eyes from the sun, using her hand like a visor. The team was having a bit of a late lunch, having gotten a slow start out of Yongen-Jaya. The riverbank Sophia had found for them didn't have a skyscraper in sight, only trees and mountains in the horizon.
She glanced over the others. Ann and Haru were carrying out folding chairs. Ryuji and Yusuke were positioning the folding table. Ren was setting up the grill. Futaba was the designated 'extra pair of hands' when needed. The team had insisted Makoto leave it to them as she had been the one driving.
Watching over them, it was hard not to stare too long at Ren. His thick, haphazard locks caught the sun in so many different ways. His stature seemed taller, freer, now that they were away from the weight of the city and the threats from the officers within it. He seemed so light right now, as if carried by the fresh air.
If only overnight parking was allowed here. They could just stop early for the day. They wouldn't have made much progress, but maybe that was okay.
"So what are we s'posed to do here?" Ryuji was running his hands along the break in the camper's siding.
"There should be a latch on both sides," said Sophia. Ren had set his phone in its stand once the table was placed. "After undoing those, use the awning rod to pull it out."
"Awning rod?" Ryuji scratched his head.
"I think I saw something like that in the closet," said Haru.
"I'll get it," said Ren.
As he stepped into the camper, Morgana returned, hopping up onto one of the recently set chairs.
"I didn't find any place for someone to hide nearby," the cat reported. "But you can definitely make us out from the road."
"In other words, we have to be careful, but not too careful?" Futaba was in the chair next to his.
"Exactly," said Morgana.
The door to the camper opened again. Ren held out the awning rod. Once Ryuji took it, he turned his head to make eye contact with Makoto. "Did you want to help with the vegetables?"
"Eh?" Makoto wondered if there were enough knives... or enough vegetables. Ren was quite proficient on his own when it came to prepping curry.
"Weren't you worried about having enough?" he followed up.
She had said something to that effect, back when they were originally planning a camping trip rather than an extended mission.
"That's right," she said. She supposed she could help with portioning.
Makoto walked over to the camper and stepped inside.
Ren caught the door behind her, his arm grazing her side in the close quarters as he reached for the handle. After closing it, rather than retreating, his other arm caught her back, and he drew in closer.
"Missed you," he whispered.
Oh.
She smiled and brought her hand up to his cheek. He leaned into her touch, his eyes closing. A low murmur escaped his lips. His free hand came up to cup hers.
The hand on her back pressed harder, as if he might lift her to him. She shifted her feet, allowing the two of them to get closer still. As they repositioned, his hand slipped from her back, running along her side and eventually up her arm. His chest rose and fell. He made an approving hum when his hand met her bare skin.
He opened his eyes and began leaning in, moving his hand again to nudge just beneath her jawline. If the intention wasn't clear from his motions, it was communicated in his unwavering gaze.
It was more than welcome.
Just the anticipation prompted pleasant sensations throughout her body. She teetered forward to meet him. Her mind raced ahead. She made a small gasp right before her mouth met his.
The heat of his breath...
The tenderness of his lips...
The urgency of his tongue...
The raw, wet sounds...
It was thrilling.
Makoto felt it far beyond where they touched. Each rejoinder fulfilled an unmet want and yet also increased the sparks, the yearnings across the rest of her. She felt it from him too, a mix of affection and desperation, cultivated by having to hold back so much despite finally being together again.
Her breath hitched when she went for more air.
His did too.
Her arms found their way around him, planting her hands on his back, as if holding him would somehow make him all the more hers.
He too embraced her more fully, more greedily. She felt his fingers in her hair, his other hand once again coaxing from her back.
This was the limit however. They couldn't go further, not with the time they had, so if this could just last a little longer...
Just a little longer...
Just a little more...
If she could be in the moment but also capture it, keep it with her...
...
It was Ren who pulled back first. He lingered, slowly becoming shallower until they were no longer connected, and even then planting a few final kisses until he was too far away to justify them.
His hands gripped her shoulders as his eyes regained focus on her face.
She nodded.
They both understood.
His gaze moved to the lone onion that sat on the small counter next to the hotplate. It was clear what to do, but they both hesitated. Makoto wondered if, like her, he was calculating whether they really had to start. The chatter from outside remained somewhere in the background. She knew they were bordering on being in there too long, and yet...
Ren affected a cough into his hands. "So, the vegetables..."
"R-right."
––––– ––––– –––––
Having finished setting up the rooftop tent, Ren entered the RV. Makoto and Ann were stuffing down cushions in the conversion of the dinette into a bed. It wasn't as big as a normal two-person mattress, but-
"You could totally fit another person on that!" Ryuji spoke, rather shouted, Ren's thoughts. Then he added, "Give us the back bunks and share."
Makoto and Ann turned to look at him, but before they could respond, he grinned, continuing, "Or better yet, let's the four of us pair up and then Haru and Futaba can have the back bunks."
The girls both paused, like they were considering it.
Ren was most certainly considering it. Sure, it might be tight, but he and Makoto had made the single mattress in Leblanc's attic work for short periods of time. If they had to fall asleep in each other's arms, that was a sacrifice he'd be more than willing to-
"Stop making those icky faces! All of you!" Futaba exclaimed from her perch above the cab, waving her arms in front of her. "This area is mine!"
Her outburst snapped them back to the conversation.
"R-right..." said Makoto. A soft blush came to her cheeks. "And I don't think it's fair to Haru and Futaba, if we were to, um, be like that."
"I ain't sayin' we'd do anything," Ryuji rubbed the back of his neck, which was also turning red.
Makoto cleared her throat. "Also, this park is pretty busy. We have to be mindful of who's watching."
"They can't tell who's with who from outside," Ryuji nodded towards the screens in the windows.
"Maybe," Makoto was nearly back to her normal level of composure. "But I think most of us were comfortable the way we planned it."
"It's a road trip," Ryuji turned back to her. "It ain't always gonna be comfortable."
"Yeah and that's why boys go on the roof!" Futaba sat with her legs crossed, hands on her hips.
Ryuji frowned. "Why's it gotta be-"
"Ryuji's right. We could be more accommodating," Haru's eyes were open extra large. Getting up from one of the alcoves in the back, she walked over to them. "We should let Boss know we've decided to mix sleeping arrangements in case the camper's owner has any advice on the change. Do you want to tell him, Ryuji?"
Haru smiled sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes.
Ryuji gulped. Whatever color had come to his face before drained completely. His response came in a higher pitch than normal. "Uhhh, y'know. Maybe the original plan ain't so bad after all."
Morgana, who was curled up on the dinette bed, snickered. "See you in the morning Ryuji."
"Uh uh, no way, you're leaving too." Ryuji went to grab for Morgana's midsection, but the cat hopped away, taking a long leap up onto the loft.
"Boss has no problem with me sleeping here." Morgana strutted slowly along the loft railing. "I stayed with Futaba the entire time you guys were in Hawaii."
Ren normally wouldn't be bothered leaving Morgana with the girls, but Ann looked like she was about to suck her lips in through her teeth.
"Come on Morgana," he motioned to his long-time roommate.
The cat made an exaggerated sigh, rolling his eyes. "Fine."
––––– ––––– –––––
"Tch. I can't believe how loud they are," Ann huffed.
While inside the camper, they seemed to have settled into a privacy-preserving volume to their speech, the same was not true for the other half of their team. At least they apologized when Ann told them off.
"I hope they don't keep us up all night," she added.
"They won't," Makoto smiled. "Morgana is with them."
The cat would see to it.
Hopefully she could find rest as well.
Makoto laid on her back, her hands resting on her torso, just below her chest. The discontinuities in the cushions of the dinette bed were a little bothersome at first, but quickly forgotten. The noises and sights however...
It was fairly dark inside the camper with the shades. Even after her eyes had adjusted, the unfamiliar shapes and the unidentified creaks of the camper (and possibly activities of strangers outside) kept distracting her, encouraging her imagination in the worst ways possible.
Her normal routine after getting into bed was to mentally plan for the next day. However, between her unease in the new space and the unknowns ahead of them, she couldn't seem to keep on task. Nor could she just fall asleep. The best she could do was ruminate on the loose ends of the past few hours.
Finding another Jail so soon... it was hard not to be disappointed. Couldn't they have just a little more down time? She had been hoping for a leisurely trip to Sapporo, one where they could sneak more time for themselves, but now they had something pressing. Manipulating people's cognitions through the other world was dangerous and whoever was behind it was doing so on a massive scale. They had to save them before any more damage was done.
Was Ren disheartened as well? He hadn't said anything, but there hadn't been any time for just the two of them since lunch.
Maybe they could find some time tomorrow...
Makoto wondered if Sophia subconsciously led them to a restaurant near the Jail's Monarch. While they hadn't yet confirmed it, the evidence so far was quite convincing.
Could an AI do things subconsciously? Sophia operated mysteriously after all, by 'smell' she had said... and she had something like a persona too.
Then again, it might be a coincidence. It was a popular area for a reason.
Still, to just happen to run into that author...
It seemed like creepy older guys were drawn to Haru. It was as if they could sense the remnants of Sugimura's influence on her, making her apt prey for men who behaved similarly.
Makoto's fingers curled, but before fully forming fists, Ann spoke.
"But, Ryuji was pretty cool earlier today, wasn't he?"
Perhaps Ann had also been reflecting on their busy evening.
"He really was," said Haru.
"I think so too," said Makoto.
The last reply was a near-inaudible snore from the loft. Despite Futaba's boasting that she would be online all night, she had passed out quickly. It seemed all the new places, people, experiences... they had taken a lot out of her.
Makoto exhaled slowly. Her hands had relaxed and the rest of her body was following suit. Whatever happened, the team could take it on. Where she laid now was safely surrounded by all of them.
She reached her arm up. The tips of her fingers, illuminated by the faint light that made it around the shades, were far from the camper's ceiling. She focused beyond them. Ren was up there.
The shadows and sounds didn't seem quite so worrisome anymore.
A/N: I have now watched so many camper how-to's on Youtube that I'm surprised I see ads for anything else.
Thanks all for reading! While work remains the biggest factor in the update schedule, I worry some of the delay is due to being too completionist. I wanted this fic to be lightweight. Maybe I need a drabble/ficlet collection without the constraints of temporal order so I don't feel too concerned with not skipping things in the timeline.