Akihiko barely reaches the threshold of the second floor, some time after Shinji crawls upstairs with his homemade treats, when Minako gently knocks on the banister to grab his attention. She flashes him a smile from above, whispering.

"There you are. Is the coast clear?"

Feeling like a thief, he looks through the corridor of the boys' wing and signals her to follow; all the doors are closed and Junpei's clearly playing some zombie game a little loud again.

It's either this or he snores, at least it's easy to know where he is.

Slipping in his room and leaving the door ajar, he drops his bag in a corner and kicks off his shoes just as she tiptoes in barefoot, closing behind her. Akihiko instantly frowns with suspicion when he notices the hand she's keeping in her back and the playful expression that goes with it.

"No… You of all people don't have to give me anything, you've-"

She lifts an index to his lips to silence him gently, rubies alight.

"But I want to. Please."

He narrows his eyes and stares at her for a few seconds before relenting. It's not like he could tell her no, even if he tried, especially when she's looking up at him so adorably. Seizing the victory, her smile lifts higher.

"Happy birthday!"

She offers him a very small box with a red bow, and he can't imagine what would be minuscule enough to fit in there, it barely weighs anything too.

"Since you like jumping straight into danger, and because I have a vested interest in your ongoing safety, I thought this was an appropriate little curio."

Minako's nails delicately trace the scarred slash above his ear where the hair never grew back after his last daring stunt, as if to emphasize her explanation.

Well, I wasn't going to take chances…

With sparks bouncing through his head because of her touch, Akihiko slowly opens his present. It contains a milky silver gem glowing like a tiny moon, set in a brooch of the same hue. It's no bigger than the pad of his thumb and there's a strange resonance coming from it.

"What is it exactly?"

The pinpricks of starlight contained within are mesmerizing, and he blinks the hypnosis away as she replies in a soft voice.

"A protective charm. I know it looks a little gaudy, but it's small enough you could pin it out of sight when we go to Tartarus if you're worried about ruining your looks."

Akihiko takes it out to hold it in his palm, and a wave of energy tingles all over his body despite the black leather separating his skin from the jewel. The sensation is very familiar, comforting even, but he can't pinpoint exactly why.

…Wait, you're downplaying this very hard.

He perks an eyebrow and stares silently at Minako until she sighs in annoyance.

"Why are you…?"

Score.

Keeping his gaze steady, he waits, unrelenting, and she finally cracks.

"…Fine! You win. It's a fragment of the Hare of Inaba, it materialized after the last full moon, and it has some of its power… You kicked ass back there, you deserve this."

While it's very flattering to know she admires his fighting prowess, it's not all he deciphers from her words. Akihiko's eyes open very wide when it dawns on him what the gift really is.

I'm the Hare of Inaba, and the Hare is me.

"Wait a second… So, this is a crystalized part of... you?"

Minako blinks before smiling sheepishly, looking away to hide the red blooming on her cheeks.

"…Is it weird that I want to keep you safe that way?"

There are just no words to describe how priceless a treasure this is to him, it's not just an accessory, regardless of its capabilities. It's a little star literally made from her in a roundabout way, and he gets to keep it close forever. Why it feels so familiar finally makes sense: the mere aura of the brooch has the same inexplicable echo of warmth she radiates, and Akihiko swallows with some difficulty.

His hands are shaking when he reverently places the gift on his desk.

"No, it's not weird at all. It's…"

Incredibly touching. How do you repay something like this?

He turns around and delicately brushes the copper bangs from her brow, grabbing her attention so he can turn his gaze to hers, suddenly a little tongue-tied.

"T-thank you, Minako. I don't even…"

A mischievous spark lights in her embers when he falters.

"I know what you're going to say!"

It's the way she phrased her reply that feeds him exactly how he's going to do this, and the opportunity is just too perfect to pass up.

No. I really don't think you do.

If he's not drowning in red this will be easier, so he cloaks the whole of her into himself tenderly.

"That you would give me something so precious, it... means a lot to me…"

He lets his cheek rest in her hair, nose tip barely touching her hairpins, inhaling the floral smell that she always leaves in her wake.

"You're so very precious to me, and…"

Akihiko clearly feels the air intake traveling down her lungs when his lips brush near her ear to whisper.

"I... I love you."

She tenses, frozen in shock for the span of two heartbeats. Her following reaction is immediate and dramatic; she jolts her head back to look at him, lips parted below two giant solar flares.

He can't stop trembling at the sight, liquid silver boring into flames as she keeps staring his way in awed wonder, blushing as much as he is. He knows, but it doesn't count unless she says it for real, and he's getting a little nervous. The fans of black framing her irises eventually drop very low a lifetime later, and she murmurs shyly.

"Can we... lock the door?"

There's a spark of anticipation pinching the base of his neck and he nods absently. As if it knows something he consciously doesn't, the pulse of that inner nova is slowly waking up to life, and he licks his lips absently to soothe his frayed nerves.

It's striking how not wearing his usual red vest, currently hanging near the sink to dry, turns the leisured slide of her fingers up his dress shirt into a never-ending shiver that persists when they melt into his hair. And then each magical word she croons softly tickles his eardrums to dreamlike numbness.

"I've been… madly in love with you since forever ago."

The way she yanks him down to crash on her before her voice dissolves in the air makes his toes curl and Akihiko almost stumbles off balance, his heart bursting.

Despite knowing where everything in his room is located, even with his eyes closed in the dead of night, he keeps bumping into all the furniture when she coaxes him toward the door. Then again, he's somewhat spatially oblivious; they're clutching each other tightly, and she won't stop broiling all his thoughts the same way she steals the air from his lungs.

Lock the door, just… lock the door…

He finds himself with his back to the wall, closing the light switch with his shoulder and blindly groping for the latch somewhere to the left, his other hand tilting her head to get a better angle at kissing her back.

As soon as he hears the click of the bolt sliding shut, his now free glove circles around her waist, Akihiko mumbles against her mouth because this is taking way too long, and giddiness is making him slightly irrational.

"Hold on to me."

It's not the most graceful way to do this but that frilly white skirt is quite short and he's not going to take chances with that. He's more than strong enough to lift her off the floor one handed while keeping her lips linked to his with the other, and Minako chains her arms tight around his neck, the delighted chuckle bubbling in her throat as delicious as the taste of her.

How they even make it blindly to his bed without tripping he'll never know, they sure make a few things wobble dangerously on the way because she's very distracting, but it takes less than twenty seconds to sit on it with her on his lap and it's all he cares about. The hand in her hair moves to her cheek and he slows down their flurry of kisses, there's a lot he wants to say.

"You have no idea how much..."

Her eyes sparkle bright, and she playfully grazes his lower lip with her teeth.

"Keep talking... maybe I will..."

The glove around her waist rises higher up her back so he can bring her closer to him.

"I'll talk to you, alright..."

He can feel her quavering breath vibrating through the leather covering his palm, prickling his tongue like so many cinders when he tangles it with hers and time slows down. The ebb and flow of that eloquent declaration of love stretches on, and somewhere along the way she makes him sink back in the covers so she can crawl on top of him, her skirt a crumpled lily blending with the white of his shirt.

The whole of it is a patchwork of languid lip brushes, dizzying entwines of warmth and lashes parting and closing like wings in flight over locked stares when they're desperate for breaths. They have absolutely nowhere else to be right now, it's just the two of them with all the time in the world to savor how everything now feels different, and Akihiko wouldn't have it any other way.

The feelings they're discussing at length together are completely enrapturing him and the sudden urge to run his fingers through her loose hair pushes him to gasp a question, lightly tugging on the coppery strands that tickle his wrist.

"Can you…"

Nodding, she pushes herself up and raises her arms to her head, angling herself back and sideways to undo her hairstyle. His hands fall to her waist since she's too far, right where her top is revealing a few inches of skin because of her stretch, and he becomes very much aware that he's ogling a little hard at everything she has on display from his point of view.

Don't get weird… She… uh… it's not on purpose.

It's really so he can run his bare fingers through her silky tresses that Akihiko tugs at his leather gloves to remove them, it's absolutely not caused by the need to disengage his fingers from that creamy hip curve begging to be palmed at the bottom of her shirt, or because he craves a distraction from certain non-linear outlines above that.

Stop staring before she notices.

Despite being unusually clumsy for once, one of them finally flies off a few feet from him just as a cascade of hair falls prettily around her. His blunder occurs when she leans back toward him for a kiss, her curves barely grazing against his chest make his ribs bruise from the inside with a jolt, and he throws the second one a little hard against the opposing wall with a loud smack.

Amazingly subtle. For fuck's sake…

There's a light chuckle as she lets her hair accessories trickle to the floor, and he slams his eyes shut to chase off the blush of embarrassment.

"S-sorry, I…"

Nails caressing his prickling cheek, her smile closes the distance with a whisper.

"I'll take it as a compliment."

It is, you're very…

He can't even manage a reply before she burns it off by slipping her tongue through his lips, and she molds the whole of her against him. Both his hands travel up her back until he's gently clawing through the tousled curls, cradling the back of her head as he rolls them to their sides, facing each other instead.

Minako won't stop humming in abandon as he dances his fingers through her hair the same way their mouths glide on each other, and she returns the favor until it's a duet. Eventually drawing some air, he touches his forehead to hers and murmurs a question.

"If you felt this way before, why…?"

She traces his brow with the barest touch of her fingertips like he could shatter, and he can't help leaning into her caress as he often does, until the whole of her palm lies on his cheek.

Your hands are always so warm.

"I was quite content… with what you felt like giving me."

Her rubies are so vividly burning with affection that Akihiko bemoans how oblivious he's been to his feelings, and what she'd been silently trying to tell him for a long time. That her love is directed at him with such intensity tempers his resolve to ensure she gets all she deserves, because nothing less will do to be worthy of it.

"Then I'll give you everything."

And he pours all that promise in his kiss, gently cupping her face in his hands as he meets her with a featherlight brush that hits like static shock. She yields to his touch, drawing on the edge of his jaw with her thumb when he dips sideways to drink molten fire. He can feel it pool under his ribs to overflowing, burning scars and soothing their sting all at once, her fingers scratching behind his ear making his heartbeat hit the notes all out of order.

Catching her breath, Minako throws him one of those hooded red stares full of flames that always make his nerves twitch, a gentle smile of tenderness all for him just beneath.

"I don't need everything, Akihiko... Just you."

The sizzling of her lips tracing those words on his own does nothing to alleviate how warm he feels, but he'll be damned if it's not one of the most bewitching thoughts she ever shared with him. He's never been so closely bonded to anyone before, so completely himself as in her presence, and knowing now the depth of those feelings they share…

"Would you mind calling me just… Aki?"

A grin blooms on her face at his request, and she narrows her eyes mischievously.

"Only if you call me Mina."

The nails she gently rakes through his scalp make the fingers he's dancing along her brow tremble.

"Let me hear you say it... please… Mina."

She brushes her cheek against his to hum directly in his ear and blood rushes up his neck at the touch.

"Aki…"

It's not so much a whisper, but a drip of warm honey full of affection that tilts gravity sideways, and he shudders, nuzzling into the curls framing her throat. The smallest of her inflections have a way to flay deep sometimes, and he tightens his grip, cuddling her close.

"I love how it sounds when it's coming from you…"

Minako's pulse is pounding on his jaw, warm and insistent, and it becomes a crimson resonance that dictates the same rhythm to the rush of boiling blood in his veins. She smells so good, that flowery perfume infuses his mind with flashes of memories, and her words about trust come back at the forefront. Very carefully, Akihiko drops kisses on her skin in passing, scouring the whole of her neck to drink the sighs it births when he runs his palms down her spine to the small of her back.

"That's a bit unfair, isn't it?"

The hushed words are full of amusement, and he looks up to her, eyes glazed. Her arms drape around his shoulders just as she lowers her mouth to meet his, the rest of her body sliding against him until he's not facing upward anymore. It takes some effort to breathe thoughts out, she sears the very air out of him.

"Mina… What are you doing…"

Her lips dip lower, along his jaw, blooming hot velvety flowers all over his throat languidly. His shivers just chain into each other, and he finds himself gasping when her teeth lightly skim along, her breath very warm on his skin.

"I mean… It's your birthday, and I want to shower you with love… Do you mind?"

Her words coil around his bones like a caress, as delicate as the way she's kissing him all over. Her fingers are lighting fires along his back, and he lets his own gently run in the unruly strands of her hair.

It's not like this is the first time they make out in his bed late at night, but it's been a few weeks since the last occurrence and everything feels a little… different today. More intense, very tactile somehow, the colors brighter, and Akihiko's nerves are quite frayed too but that might just be because he'd been itching to share some heartfelt thoughts with her.

She loves me.

It can't be that bad to let himself sink further into the plushy red spell of tenderness she's weaving all around him, it's not like he needs to be coherent in the near future.

"N-no, that's actually... all kinds of amazing."

And your lips feel like a dream.

"That's what I thought last Friday, too…"

He can understand her knees buckling back then when she runs a wet lazy lip against the side of his neck, his fingers twitch into claws and his spine tingles fiercely when her whole body seems to slither against him as well.

Oh god.

"…A-are you staying over?"

"I'd love to, everyone's going to hibernate late just to survive all that food…"

Her thoughts spoken directly on his pulse are warm and his arms tighten around her possessively.

"You're never leaving."

I'm selfish and I don't care, I want you all for myself tonight.

Minako just chuckles affectionately, nuzzling his throat.

"How you tell it the same way every time is absolutely adorable."

Befuddled, Akihiko looks at her until their gazes meet.

"…When did I say this before?"

Red embers sparkle with cheekiness and her wrists chain together behind his neck, the tip of her nails barely tickling his hair.

"That night your face had a close encounter with a pile of debris… You were very cuddly, it was fun."

I wish I could remember that last part more clearly…

Minako's expression turns impish before her lips brush the left underside of his jaw in remembrance and he closes his eyes, enjoying the feel.

"Although I was a little jealous of that rubble kissing that handsome face of yours like that… I'd rather be the only one with that privilege."

You are, only you.

Just like most times she compliments him, his complexion throws a fit and he tries to clamp that down by changing the subject slightly.

"It was the first time you summoned the hare now that I think about it, right?"

"Yes, I feel particularly bonded to it after so long. Maybe it decided to part with some of its essence because of that."

I never heard of a Persona actualizing its power in a physical manner like this before, and I had mine for years.

Her little shooting star is going to stay very close to his heart at all times, Tartarus or no, and the deeper implications behind it makes him wish he could reciprocate the gesture.

"That's a bit unfair, I wish I could give you a piece of me, too..."

There's a pregnant pause of absolute silence, then a muffled chuckle in his neck, and Akihiko's chin drops in mortified shock when it finally hits him.

Oh no no no no no… What the hell did I just say?

Even his ears are burning bright red when he stutters a few words to salvage his blunder, blinking furiously.

"I, uh... well, I didn't mean it… like that, I..."

Minako is clearly trying to repress a laugh, the crimson in her eyes furiously bleeding across her face when he throws her a look. He can't help his wide-open gaze of panic, so he turns away, mind going places despite it all.

Good job. And now I can't think about anything else.

"C'mon, please don't tease me…"

The mirth is all gone from her voice when she answers.

"I'm not. I love you… and..."

Her words abruptly falter into silence, the last one so barely audible he can't be sure he heard it, and his hands won't stop shaking. Something keeps somersaulting inside his chest, his blush comes back in a rush, and he can't even say why.

… And what?

Akihiko realizes he blurted that out loud when she shuffles a bit in his arms, and he looks down at her. Her cheeks are prettily tinged with pink, and she smirks playfully, flapping her lashes.

"And nothing. A girl is entitled to her secrets, after all."

You're starting to run quite a tab on those.

He's not quite sure why that makes him feel cheeky all of a sudden, but she has a knack to play the mysterious card to wiggle out of anything and this time, he has leverage of his own.

Two can play that game.

"I know, you babbled a few very good ones during your fever…"

He just runs his fingers across her back, watching the rubies waver until her brows furrow just a bit.

"I did what?"

Score.

Her voice has the smallest tinge of uncertainty despite the nonchalant façade.

"What did I say?"

If you knew… You…

The static in his ears is unbearable and he's pretty sure he's blushing again.

"A-all sorts of things… mostly adorable."

"…Like what?"

Her apprehension is very subtle, just a little waver in the words she whispers back, and he trails his eyes to the window's curtains where the faintest traces of light shines through. Just thinking about what she said back then, especially with her right here, is making him feverish.

"Ah, that… You can't force me to tell you unless you talk first…"

He expects a comeback of some sort, these little games usually work this way with her, but he doesn't get one this time. Hoping he didn't mess anything, Akihiko turns his gaze back to her face, and his nervousness melts into something very different.

Minako is biting her lip in mischief, and her darkened cinders are going to haunt his sleep, they're already enflaming the whirlwind of thoughts running free in his mind.

"Aki… I'm not a good girl. Don't tempt me into making you tell me; I wouldn't even need two minutes to make you crack."

He can't seem to swallow anymore, the inner nova that was pulsing to life earlier that night is waking again, and it's crushing him from the inside, taking all the space, squeezing his thoughts out before he can think this through.

"Tch... D-don't think I'm gonna lose control or anything that easily..."

I can survive two minutes of you.

It's the way she sounds so sure of herself that makes him wonder how much of a hypocrite he is.

"You wanna bet?"