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weloveakechi · 3 months ago

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Chapters: 9/? Fandom: Persona 5 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Akechi Goro & Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira Characters: Akechi Goro, Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Persona 5 Protagonist Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Trauma, Third Semester (Persona 5), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, questionable medical practices, Akechi Goro Needs a Hug, Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi Goro is Bad at Feelings, Putting Akechi through the horrors for fun and profit, POV Yoshizawa Kasumi | Yoshizawa Sumire, POV Akechi Goro, Royal Trio - Freeform, chalk one up to my SumiGoro besties agenda, Two Goro Akechis means two times the angst, POV akira kurusu Summary:

Sumire frowns, and steps closer before kneeling before the tank. There is something inside, obscured by murky green liquid. Once she’s level with the figure she can at last see them.

Or rather him.

Her breath leaves her chest in a rush. Surprise and shock crash into her. Because floating in the tank, hidden from direct view from the door by tables, is an unconscious Akechi-senpai. Or someone who looks exactly like him.

It becomes immediately obvious that Maruki isn’t done messing with them as they step out of the room and into a hallway that looks nothing like Akechi remembers it being. There are branching paths everywhere. In each place there could be a door there are stairs leading down, openings high in the walls, and even some above their heads in the ceiling.

They’ve gone from mad science laboratory to wonderland all in the span of a few moments.

“Well, Joker?” Goro asks.

Joker taps his heel, considering the paths, “Give me a second.”

“It’s simply another trap of the doctor’s. There's little to think about,” Akechi points out.

Violet takes a step away from them, roughly back in the direction the path back to the entrance should be, also taking in the bizarre scene, “Sure, but can’t we use an item to teleport back?”

“I doubt it will work,” Akechi finds his voice doubled, eyes flicking to catch Goro still beside him from where they’d stepped out together. His twin merely shrugs at the synchronous answer.

He's beginning to realize that the two of them are far more alike than Akechi cares to dwell on. He’d thought that Maruki would have gotten something wrong. Some vital piece of Goro that Akechi will never be. If not that, then surely the difference created by spending the month in distinctly different situations should have grown some gap between them. However, even this short time spent together has proven those beliefs false. Without Yoshizawa’s intervention, it’s likely no one would have ever noticed. Not even Goro or Akechi themselves.

He’s not sure what that says about himself. Goro is the original, but Akechi? He’s little more than a figment of imagination, a boy’s dream, a doctor’s will. A puppet brought to life with a wish and a flutter of magic.

Or so he’d thought.

Joker finds a goho-m and activates it. It scatters smoke around them, the haze rising for a moment before dissipating with no effect other than slightly irritating Akechi’s lungs.

“Wander aimlessly it is,” He huffs.

Akechi can’t help but stare at Goro’s back as they pick their way through Maruki’s maze of hallways and twisting rooms. He let the others move ahead of him, claiming he’d guard the rear as they explored, even though they haven’t run into a single shadow so far. He doesn't like the fact that they've been left mostly alone so far. It’s like Maruki is trying to drag this exploration out for some unnamed reason, rather than confront them yet. It’s frustrating.

But it does give him time to think. He hopes Goro is using his time as wisely, hopes his other self is seriously considering their conversation.

He’s well aware of how easy it would be for this reality to vanish and Goro’s chance of happiness along with it. He’ll wake up somewhere else, far away from Akira and the others and then what? Run? Akechi knows that's what he'd have done if he hadn’t stared death in the face all this time. But there’s this tiny part of himself that feels so much like Robin Hood it’s scary, that wants to think this is a sign he should take this second chance.

If they could just push past the burning shame, nagging fury at failure, and their own damned pride, they could build something. Everything isn’t as scorched as they’d once thought it was. A little time away has added some clarity to a mind so blinded by thoughts of, 'I failed, I failed, it was all for nothing, I can never look back' that Akechi can begin to consider the idea of a future. He hadn't been lying when he'd told Goro that the others would welcome him back. It's been deeply uncomfortable, how they do seem willing to fold him into their group. Not completely, that would be foolish, but he hasn't received the cold shoulder he'd expected to. Some, like Takamaki, have even surprised him with the occasional invitation to spend time together. He'd refused, of course, but it didn't change the fact that the hand was held out to him.

Then there is Akira. He more than any of them, seems to genuinely enjoy Akechi's presence, despite every red flag that should tell him to run. There have been no hesitations in his invitations, words, or looks. He's quite simply been delighted to have Akechi around. He hopes Goro can see it too, he'd be blind not to with how obvious Akira's wish has become. He just hopes Goro understands what that means.

“Oh! Here,” Violet doesn't rush forward like she obviously wants to, instead she bounces on the balls of her feet, pointing down a path, “That looks familiar!”

Joker, Goro, and Akechi all crowd behind and beside her to look. Sure enough a huge open room waits for them. Goro doesn’t seem to recognize it, but it’s clear enough to Akechi and Joker just what it is: The huge amphitheater-like room where Maruki revealed Violet’s actual past to her back when this all started.

“No,” Akechi pulls back to cross his arms, “Those screens might as well be flashing the words ‘this is a trap’ in bold letters.”

She pouts, “It’s the first recognizable place we’ve found! Don’t you want to leave?”

“I don’t want to stroll into Maruki’s hands,” Akechi deadpans.

“I take it that room holds some significance?” Goro turns to face them, wincing as he shifts.

Akechi thinks he’s probably the only one to notice the pained look. He’s been tracking Goro’s tiny movements and micro expressions since he learned his true self has had continued issues with their dual existence. Goro's posture has shifted gradually from comfortable to showing signs of tension. He's also been doing his best to hide what Akechi guesses is a mounting headache. It bothers him that Goro is the one in pain, rather than himself. It should be the other way around, he isn’t supposed to exist after all.

It also bothers him that he had almost slipped away, only to be yanked back. More of Maruki’s doing he assumes, but to what end? He’s lost the upper hand he had when they all believed Akechi to be a walking ghost, why drag any of this out in such a way?

“He’s trying to buy time,” Goro says, from beside him.

Akechi starts, staring at his other self, but Goro’s not looking at him. The answer wasn’t to his own questions, but a musing on their situation at large.

Goro waves a hand at the room, then the hall, “Our options are clear: We keep wandering in a maze or walk into something worse. Either is obviously designed to keep us busy rather than have us escape or face the doctor himself. Why he needs that time is an important question.”

They all look at each other, searching, but the answer is as hazy as all the others they’ve been faced with so far.

“I’d rather wander. I don’t want to face whatever he’s cooked up for us in there,” Akechi reminds the others. He’s made his point, but it doesn’t hurt to repeat it.

Joker nods his own agreement, while Goro gives a non-committal shrug. Only Violet seems hesitant, but at last gives a single small nod as well.

The hallway and associated maze of rooms drag on for what seems like forever, almost repeating themselves with how similar everything is, no matter what direction they turn, which door they take, or if they decide to go all the way to the end of a path. In the end, their wandering simply leads them right back to that room.

Akechi turns with a huff and retraces part of their steps, turning sharply when he feels like they’ve gone far enough. He knows the others have followed him from the shuffling behind him.

Again they end up at the room.

And again.

“This isn’t funny,” Akechi growls to the air. Not that Maruki cares what he thinks.

A hand rests on his shoulder prompting Akechi to look up at Joker. He looks as frustrated as Akechi feels but tries a smile anyway, “We should probably just head in.”

Akechi shakes off the hand, “I don’t want to play his games.”

It’s Violet that surprises him with, “If we don’t play, we can’t win.”

Goro gives her the surprised look Akechi only just manages to hold back.

She bites her lower lip before continuing, “I don’t think we have to go in yet though.”

“How come?” Joker asks.

Akechi’s just as curious to hear the answer as Joker is. It takes Violet a minute, as she plots out how to answer, but at last she speaks, “Every so often we passed a door that was a little different than the others. I think, maybe we should try those.”

Goro frowns, “I hadn’t noticed that at all.”

“It’s not obvious. I just kept thinking there had to be an actual way out of this maze, so I started looking at everything closer as we moved,” She gives a light laugh, “It’s not like we’ve had to worry about shadows.”

“Lead the way for us, Violet,” Joker says, his smile this time brighter than the one he’d given Akechi, a little more filled with hope, rather than an attempt at mollifying him.

It takes about three doors for Akechi to catch onto what is so different about them. There is the smallest of notches below each knob on the doors Violet leads them through.

“I see,” Joker says as he too catches on.

Akechi glances at Goro, but his other self isn’t even facing the door. He’s turned away from them, for all intents and purposes looking down a different hallway, his shoulders tight. Akechi presses his lips together, dread pooling in his stomach like sour milk.

He steps away from the other two as they talk about the path forward to stand beside Goro.

“Are you okay, or do I need to drag you along with us?” He keeps his voice quiet, so the others can’t hear.

Red eyes flick over to him even as Goro keeps his gaze resolutely forward, “It’s nothing.”

Akechi raises an eyebrow, then realizes his companion can’t see it through his lenses, “It’s pointless to lie to me,” He points out, instead.

Goro scowls, then his face falls, “I’m tired,” The admission is almost so quiet Akechi can’t hear it, “And my head is killing me.”

He turns to face Akechi, eyes searching him, “You?”

Akechi shakes his head, “I’m fine, have been since my little slip.”

“At least one of us is functional then,” Goro sighs, before his eyes narrow, “Slip?”

“Ah. I forgot to mention that in all the fuss,” Akechi says, “There was a brief moment earlier today when I was certain Kurusu had realized I was not actually alive. Everything began to fade, including myself. However, in a moment it snapped back into place.”

“That’s odd,” A frown creases Goro’s brow further.

He’d be remiss if he didn’t add, “It is the only side effect I’ve felt so far.”

Goro hums at that, gaze distant now as he contemplates the implications. Akechi almost wants to stand there and study him, to pick away at just what he looks like to another’s eyes. Is this what Joker sees when he looks at them? How he can seem to read Akechi like a book? Or is it that he knows himself so well that Goro can’t hide anything?

After a long moment Goro opens his mouth to say something but closes it and shakes his head. Instead his eyes turn to the other two, still discussing the notches and hallways, before he draws in a deep breath and locks eyes with Akechi, “Let’s just keep going.”

“If you say so.”

They make real progress now that they’ve found the trick to the halls, not that Akechi’s really paying attention. He’s too busy trying to figure out what Goro was going to say. Had he put together pieces Akechi couldn’t? Or does he have more information? He would, he’d presumably seen Maruki before all of this happened. But why wouldn’t he speak up then?

The answer is obvious: he has a theory, but doesn’t have enough evidence to share just yet. Fine. Akechi can wait. They’ll learn the truth eventually. Maruki’s not likely to let them out of here without some kind of confrontation.

He’s jolted out of his reverie when Joker suddenly yells, “Look out!”

His attention goes to the room at large, they’re in a bigger area, some kind of back storage room with a variety of exits instead of the stark white they’d been met with for so long. What’s more pressing than that, is the trio of shadows who have sprung up, and are lunging at them. Seeing them is almost a relief, Akechi had been waiting on the other shoe to drop and now it has.

“Shit,” Goro hisses.

The two of them dive to the left as one of the shadows veers towards them, a Baal from what Akechi caught of it before he moved.

As one, he and Goro right themselves, and call, “Loki!”

Akechi feels the Persona come alive, and the hit on his energy that he takes as Loki sends a curse flying towards the Baal. It lands, sending the shadow staggering back to Akechi’s delight.

He spares a glance at Goro who looks shocked as he stares down at his hands. He turns his attention up to Akechi, “I can’t access either of them.”

Oh.

It makes sense, he hasn’t been in his Metaverse uniform this whole time. But Akechi had still thought that when the time came–No he hadn’t thought. Hadn’t spared any consideration for the idea that only one of them might have access to their Persona’s. He hadn’t needed to, they are a part of their soul after all. They should be there.

Baal roars and hurls a garu attack their way, the wind slicing through the air in a vicious arc that leaves Akechi only enough time to toss his gun at Goro before they dive out of the way. This time they go in opposite directions as the attack spins harmlessly past them.

“Keep back, I’ll handle close combat,” Akechi directs.

Goro’s face twists in an angry scowl, but he gives a sharp nod without arguing. Neither of them know what would happen to him if he’s hit by the full force of an attack unprotected as he is. Akechi really doesn’t want to find out.

He throws himself into the fight, hoping that Joker and Violet have the other two shadows handled. His blade is useless against Baal, so he sticks to Loki’s skills while Goro backs him up. They make a viciously effective team, even with his other self keeping back, and soon the Baal bursts into little more than wisps of shadow.

The room goes quiet with the dissipation of the Baal, the other two shadows fading out at roughly the same time.

“Everyone okay?” Joker asks, taking stock of the group.

“Fine!” Violet says.

Akechi shrugs, “Yeah.”

Goro doesn’t answer, prompting attention from them all. Akechi turns to find him shaking, hands tight around the gun. His face is white as a sheet, the color drained as he stares down.

“Senpai?” Violet is the first to speak, hurrying over, Joker hot on her heels.

Akechi’s got less distance to cover, and still doesn’t make it to his other self before Violet does. She stops just before him, hands held out like she wants to take his but she stops short, looking lost.

This close, Akechi can see the rapid rise and fall of Goro’s chest, and hear the ragged timber of his breathing.

“I–” He seems to realize he’s lost himself as he looks up at them all, eyes wide, “I can’t even feel them.”

“What?” Violet asks.

“Explain,” Akechi demands, tone firm.

He’s rarely been so out of sorts like this, but he knows what it’ll take to snap Goro out of it, or at least get him closer to normal again. The shock of losing his Persona’s is a lot. Akechi can’t imagine it. Not having access sure, but being unable to feel them? He shudders just imagining it.

Goro shoots him a glare, “I said I can’t feel them. There’s a hole where they should be.”

Violet looks between them, brow furrowed, “What are you talking about?”

“His Personas,” Joker supplies, “Are you sure that your abilities aren’t just suppressed?”

Goro spins on him, stalking forward, a finger jabbing into his chest, “Don’t make me repeat myself again. They’re gone.”

Within himself, Akechi feels both Robin Hood and Loki stir, as if they want to reach out. He presses a question towards them, then swallows at the answer he knows is true before either can respond.

“Maruki didn’t bother to duplicate them,” He pauses, “It’s highly possible he couldn’t.”

“So he took them, and gave them to Crow?” Violet’s voice pitches up in an almost squeal as both her hands go to her mouth, “But why didn’t you know before now?”

Goro lets his hand drop only to run it through his hair, frustration ebbing off him in waves, “When have I had time to reach for either Persona? Until now we haven’t been attacked, and when I woke up my mind was too foggy. I assumed it would be fine when we returned to the Metaverse.”

“Why were we attacked now?” Akechi asks, tossing a glance at the room, “Because we’re making progress towards leaving?”

Joker crosses his arms, “It’s likely. It’s also possible it’s just another part of Dr. Maruki’s plan. He couldn’t attack us where he wanted to, so he switched things up.”

“But why?” Violet’s distress is reflected in how her voice hasn’t returned to normal, pitching up another octave, “He said he’d give us answers, that he could help.”

In an uncharacteristic show of support Goro puts a hand on her shoulder, “I doubt it’s for nothing. We’ve strayed off his path thanks to you,” His face twists into a wry smile, “This could be a new way to push us back to that room. It’s his stage, for his grand show.”

She presses her lips together, the tension in her shoulders easing, “I guess,” She looks over at Akechi, “Does this mean we should turn back? The shadows probably won’t stop from here on.”

“I say we press forward,” Joker says, “I still don’t think our only option is to let him help. It’s possible he’s manipulated everything to get everyone involved back here so he can ‘fix things’,” He adds the last bit with a twist of his face, his distaste at the thought obvious.

He turns to Goro, “I know you can handle yourself, but let us do most of the fighting. I don’t want you to get hurt because we’re being stubborn.”

Goro huffs, “I won’t stay away if you need me, but I will also not hold you back,” His face pinches, “I am little more than a liability without my Personas. In the meantime, I believe we can trust my other self to make up the slack.”

Akechi rolls his eyes, “Just don’t get yourself killed. It’d be a pity to do all this and lose you anyway.”

#akechi goro #joker persona 5 #akira kurusu #sumire yoshizawa #3rd semester #persona 5 royal #Localized Lobotomy #my fic

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weloveakechi · 5 months ago

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Chapters: 5/? Fandom: Persona 5 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Akechi Goro & Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira Characters: Akechi Goro, Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Persona 5 Protagonist Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Trauma, Third Semester (Persona 5), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, questionable medical practices, Akechi Goro Needs a Hug, Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi Goro is Bad at Feelings, Putting Akechi through the horrors for fun and profit, POV Yoshizawa Kasumi | Yoshizawa Sumire, POV Akechi Goro, Royal Trio - Freeform, chalk one up to my SumiGoro besties agenda, Two Goro Akechis means two times the angst Summary: Sumire frowns, and steps closer before kneeling before the tank. There is something inside, obscured by murky green liquid. Once she’s level with the figure she can at last see them.

Or rather him.

Her breath leaves her chest in a rush. Surprise and shock crash into her like a freezing attack. Because floating in the tank, hidden from direct view from the door by tables, is an unconscious Akechi-senpai. Or someone who looks exactly like him.

Akira isn’t sure what to think. He tries to sort out the jumble that is his thoughts and heart as he sits next to Akechi and Sumire on the train, wheels taking them further out of Tokyo than he’s been in a while, but he can’t.

It’s too much.

He’d just seen Akechi that morning. He’d been—so real. So alive. The same old grumpy withdrawn Akechi that Akira has already come to adore. That Akechi, has always simply been Akechi. Akira just assumed anything odd was because he’d finally decided to shed the mask he’d worn so long and let his own self shine through.

Nothing about this situation makes any sense. How was he supposed to look at his friend and think he was anything but real and alive? But he should have, a quiet voice whispers. Should have pushed harder to learn how he’d survived. Should have taken a good, hard, look at what Futaba and Haru had been going through and realized.

Denial is a heady drug, he supposes.

He glances over at Akechi. Still, he’d been kind of right.

The boy next to him looks like he’s been dragged through hell and back. Akira aches to brush away the lines of exhaustion across his brow, and smooth out the violent deep circles under his eyes. To do something, anything really, to add some color to cheeks that barely hold any, sunken and shallow from his ordeal. The longer they are together, the more Akechi winces or presses a hand to his temple, fighting pain he won’t admit to feeling. He wonders if Akechi knows he’s trembling. Akira had seen it start as they’d been talking about the reality of the situation, and felt it when he’d grabbed his hand. He can still see the little trembles in his fingers, and arms as they sit.

He should be resting, not dragging them out to who-knows-where in an attempt to prove his existence. All he wants to do is bundle up his friend and make sure he gets the rest he so obviously needs. Sleep in a warm, safe place. Food to bring life back into him. Company so he knows he’s not alone.

But Akechi won’t accept any of that. He won’t stop pressing forward until Dr. Maruki is dealt with. Especially after all this. Akira can try his best to trick, cajole, and fool him into getting slivers of rest and recovery, but it won’t be enough.

He’s been trying with little luck for a while now with the other Akechi, Crow, as Sumire wants to call him. But Akira can’t get behind that. They’re both Akechi. He doesn't understand everything about how Maruki made it happen, but he knows the person he’s been with is alive, and as real as the boy next to him.

He feels like a man split in two.

“You said Dr. Maruki was in your head.” Akira starts, knowing he shouldn’t be pressing, but he wants to understand. To knit the pieces of himself and his friend back together, “What did he want?”

Akechi scowls, staring ahead, through the window at the scenery going by, “I told you, he wanted to make Crow more real.”

Akira reaches up, fiddling with a curl, “I get that, I mean. What did he take from you, or what was he looking for or gah–I’m not explaining this right.”

His friend’s expression softens just the tiniest amount, gaze flickering over to Akira, “I don’t think he ever intended to let anyone know there were two of me running around. He wanted your Crow to be as close to who I am as possible. And I believe he intended to make me as close to the other as possible when the time came. Blend us perhaps.”

Akechi glances down at his hands, resting in his lap. Akira can see how dry they are, the skin beside some of his fingernails picked at and broken, a little scabbed blood coloring one, “If I had to guess, he copied my memories and transferred them over to Crow. They’re still intact, but–” He sucks in air, fingers curling into fists, “I relieved them. More than I can count. All while he stood by and I don’t know, took fucking notes or used that tank,” the word is said with such disdain, “to catalog them.”

He shakes his head, “I can’t tell you when it happened, I was unconscious most of the time I was at his palace. I just remember being put in the tank, and the few times he came in to take what he needed.”

Akira finds he can’t think too hard about the implications of that. Of any of it. Sumire is right, he hadn’t seen Akechi when she found him, and he doesn’t know if he’d want to. It’s painful to consider, worse to linger on.

It must have been terrifying.

“Akechi-senpai.” Sumire reaches a hand out and takes one of his, squeezing, “We won’t let him do it again. I promise.”

Akechi pulls his hand away, scowling, “Do not make promises you can’t keep.”

Akira wishes he could be the one giving comfort. Wishes Akechi would accept it from him. But he’s been holding himself distant from Akira all this time. Even now, his body language is so tight, titled away from Akira, shifting a little further any time he even leans close. It’s Akira’s fault, he knows that, it still doesn’t stop the sting.

His words make sense. Akira can accept that he had let many things slip upon his initial meeting with Akechi, and then again when they’d teamed back up. He’s sure his giddy joy at seeing his friend alive and breathing was more than enough to wash away doubts about how accurate he might be. And considering the time frame, well Maruki had plenty of time to polish him, with no one being any wiser.

He’d proven himself adept at messing with perception and memories more times than Akira cares to count. Whether that be through his actualization powers or his persona, or just his skill as a therapist.

“I still don’t get why he didn’t just make the switch when he realized you were fine.” That earns him a glare from Sumire.

She’s become quite protective of Akechi through all this. In any other situation Akira would be overjoyed. He wants to see them forming those kinds of bonds. But right now, he needs them to understand he’s not trying to be hurtful.

“Don’t you?” Akechi asks, raising an eyebrow.

He doesn’t. It makes no sense. Dr. Maruki had wanted to make everyone’s wishes real, tangible, things. He understands bringing Akechi back if he had actually died, he’d done it for the others after all. But Akechi is here, had been the whole time. Even working off of incomplete information, there’s no reason to keep up a farce when he doesn’t have to.

Unless it wasn’t really about giving Akira what he wanted to make him happy.

“Oh.” He whispers.

“Oh, indeed.” Akechi sneers.

Now it’s Akira’s turn to curl his hands into angry fists. He’d been played like the fool he is, and taken for a ride. He can see it now, Maruki coming to him in the final stretch of their infiltration and revealing his trump card: 'If you beat me, you lose what you care most about'. And Akechi would have been there confirming the truth, more than happy to march to his own death for a second time. Happier still if no one ever knew it was coming. He’s smart enough to have figured things out. Hell, that’s probably why it’s been like pulling teeth to get him to spend time together.

“Good.” Akechi nods, “Get mad.”

Akira’s head snaps up from where he’d let it drop, eyes locking on the other boy’s face. It’s placid, far too calm for something like this. Does he not–

“It’s you I’m angry for. You and Crow.” Akira says, the feeling simmering, a boiling pot ready to overflow, “He had no right to put either of you through any of this.”

Through more, undeserved, pain and agony, Akira doesn’t say. Even so, that’s what it is. Crow has spent all this time in a kind of limbo, understanding just what is waiting for him at the end of the Palace, while Akechi–he’s had to deal with the fact that all his autonomy was stripped away again, and it would have only gotten worse if Sumire hadn’t found him.

“It’s needlessly cruel. He forced one of you to live a life he thought was going to end again in a month, and–” His voice breaks, he’s so angry, “I’m sorry. I hurt you far worse than I thought.”

It makes Akira sick to think about his own role in all this. He is not above condemnation. In fact, he might be the most deserving of it. He is little more than an unrepentant sinner, one who was so enamored with his wish being granted he let such things go on under his nose. Akira’s own desperate selfishness had caused agony, twice over.

That same selfishness made him initially reject the boy beside him in favor of the comfort he knew. The same that kept him from really understanding the gravity of his return. And the self same that had him sobbing in his bed, unable to answer Morgana, voice choked with regret over the one person he hadn’t been able to save.

“Stop apologizing.” Akechi snaps, “That’s all either of you have done.”

Akira huffs, attempting to corral his anger, “Someone has to get angry on your behalf, you won’t.”

Red eyes sharpen, “Do not misunderstand, I am furious.”

“Because he jerked you around like he did me. Not because you don’t deserve it.”

Akira immediately knows he’s hit on a sore spot. Akechi looks struck. His body is coiled, a spring ready to snap. If he could leap away from them he would, but they’re stuck on this train and there’s nowhere to go.

He leans closer, “You don’t deserve to be treated that way.” Akira repeats, for emphasis, “You don’t deserve being used as a tool to manipulate someone else.”

“I know that.” The words are spit, “I will carve out my own path for myself. No one else gets a say in it.” His arms cross as he looks thunderous, “I am sure he understands the sentiment as well.”

Akira lets himself smile, “That’s exactly why he’s fought so hard against Dr. Maruki. I’m glad you get to, you know. That you’re free at last to choose.”

Akechi huffs, “Only once Maruki has been dealt with. I doubt he’ll let go of this plan of his so easily.”

A chuckle slips out of Akira, “Come to think of it, the moment we tell Crow about this he’ll be on even more of a warpath than he is now. Dr. Maruki has no idea what he’s in for.”

“Are we going to tell Crow?” Sumire asks.

“We have to.” Akira says, “He deserves to know.”

Goro nods, “As little as I care to deal with it, if my other self still exists then yes, he will need to be looped in.” He frowns, “If he is not already aware there is something awry.”

Akira settles back against his seat, “Why would he know that?” Then he sits up straight, “If?”

As he speaks, the loudspeaker over the train announces their arrival at the station Akechi had told them would be their stop. Akira doesn’t really need the train to stop right now, not when he once again has too many questions and no answers. That’s been far too common a situation all day.

He looks at Akechi, begging him to answer both questions right then and there, but his silent plea goes ignored. Akechi, along with Sumire stand. Akira follows, a little too hasty and stumbles. He rights himself to chase the other two out before the doors can close on him.

Thankfully, he doesn’t have to wait long for an answer. Akechi speaks as they move through the station, towards whatever destination he has in mind. He’s described the location in only the most general of terms so far, still Akira’s not worried.

“Yoshizawa mentioned that perhaps your being aware of the duplication might make the other me disappear.” Akechi says, as they slip through the crowd.

Akira hurries to catch up to him, eyes wide. He’d forgotten about that. He doesn’t–it would be too soon. He wants to be able to say goodbye. It’s stupid. But Akechi, no matter who he is, deserves the grace of knowing what’s happening, and the kindness of someone who will miss him. Akira owes him that much. He can’t lose him now.

Akechi waves a hand, dismissive, “I however, don’t think that is the case. If I had to guess, Maruki has plans for us.” He glowers, “I’m sure if he had his way things would simply go back to the way they were before Yoshizawa found me.”

“That’s not possible though.” Sumire says, “I mean, too many people already know.”

Akechi’s face pinches in, like he’d licked a lemon, “Not that many people know.”

That makes Akira wonder just what Dr. Maruki’s real plan might be. The possibilities of what he might try are, to put it simply, frightening.

It’s not until they’ve hailed a car and taken it to a rather out of the way building, tucked into a quiet spot of trees and far away from the bustle of people, that Akira has a better idea of where they’re at. He’s heard of such rehab facilities, places that help shield people from various dangers and allow themselves a safe place to get back on their feet. Somehow he’s not surprised Akechi had found his way here, even if he’d have never thought of looking in such a place himself.

It’s quite lovely, with a tree lined path and a large variety of plants populating the area towards the front. Spread out around them is soft grass and various places to sit and take in the day, benches and flowers. The building itself reminds Akira of older, historical buildings. Almost shrine or abbey like in its appearance, and just as peaceful. Water trickles somewhere beyond them, just loud enough to add to the soundscape rather than distract.

“You said Crow might be aware of the issue?” He voices his remaining question.

Akechi nods, he hasn’t moved from where they’ve stepped out of the car, eyes locked on the building before them.

“This is only a guess, but I suspect he is feeling some of the same—” Akechi hesitates, considering his words, “side effects I am. If he is, he will at least be aware something within this ‘reality’ has changed.”

“Like how you collapsed earlier?” Sumire asks.

Akira wants to take his arm, the reminder stark. It had been terrifying to see him suddenly stop, then collapse against a wall. He’d been fine one moment, the next insensible, shaking so hard Akira had been sure he might fall apart.

There is a slight delay in Akechi’s response. It’s not enough Sumire might notice, but Akira does. Then Akechi shakes his head, “I was thinking about the dreams I had.”

“You never explained what happened earlier.” It’s not a question.

“It doesn’t matter.” Akechi’s tone is almost forcefully unaffected, “After effects of spending so long in the Metaverse I’d suspect.”

Something about those words don’t ring right to Akira, the whole tone of his answers to Akira’s current line of questioning in fact. He’s hiding something, but Akria’s not sure how to drag it out of him. Since they’re so close to the building, Akira decides to table further questioning for now.

“Hang back a moment, I’ll let them know I’m bringing guests.” Akechi says.

Akira and Sumire pause where they are, letting Akechi move ahead. Akira’s not sure what to do in a situation like this, so he opts to let Akechi lead rather than risk messing anything up. From a glance at Sumire, the girl seems to agree with his own thoughts.

The entry to the center is up a short set of stairs, with welcoming wooden doors waiting at the top. Akechi makes it to the top of the stairs to the front entryway in good time. The next moment, he gasps, stumbling. A hand goes to his head, the other flaring out like he’s asking them not to come forward, or reaching out for support. After a long beat, Akira’s feet itching to rush to him, Akechi turns around.

Even from this distance, Akira can see how white Akechi’s face has gone. He opens his mouth a moment before his eyes roll back and he crumples, body going limp as a rag before he hits the ground of the front entry with a crash.

It’s almost identical to what happened earlier. Akira curses himself for not staying by Akechi’s side this whole time. He’s obviously far more affected by whatever happened than he’s willing to relay to them, but Akira should have known. He’d seen the signs after all. And chose to ignore them again.

“Akechi!” Sumire yells, as Akira’s heart claws at his own throat.

They are in tandem as they bolt forward, only to be stopped by the door swinging inward as Dr. Maruki steps out. Maruki looks at Akechi, face turned down with a frown as he says, “I’d hoped to be a few seconds faster.”

He leans down, helping Akechi stand as he tugs and arm over his shoulders to lean the boy into his side. Akechi either doesn’t realize who’s helped him up, or can’t do anything about it as he sags, gasping for air, eyes unfocused.

Both Akira and Sumire stop at the stairs, unsure what their next move should be. Maruki hasn’t made a threatening move yet, but everything about this situation feels dangerous. A disaster happening in slow motion.

“Dr. Maruki–” Sumire says, tone pleading.

“Leave him alone.” Akira warns, opting for offense.

Brown eyes widen with shock before melting into gentle patience, “I’m afraid I can’t do that. Akechi-kun needs my help.”

Anger crests, clouding Akira’s mind, “Only because of your attempts to manipulate him.” He needs to keep it together, he knows that. Not go off about things that don’t matter right now, but seeing Dr. Maruki after such a trying day has Akira not quite thinking straight.

“What’s wrong with him?” Sumire asks, shifting slightly, like she wants to step forward, “What did you do?”

Dr. Maruki’s brow furrows, “I haven’t done anything to him. He is simply experiencing some unavoidable side effects from being in reality so long. The best thing I can do for him right now is take him back into the Metaverse.”

Like hell he is, Akira steps forward, starting up the steps only for Dr. Maruki to hold out his free hand and shake his head.

“Please don’t, Akechi-kun really should not linger here much longer. I’d rather not fight right now.”

Again, Akira hesitates, uncertainty twisting his insides into knots. He has no idea what that means, but Dr. Maruki sounds so sincere, not at all like he’s lying for time. Only, Akira doesn’t know what to think. He can’t lose Akechi again, and that truth makes him freeze. Will he kill Akechi by forcing him away from Maruki? Or damn him to something worse by allowing him to leave?

“I can see you’re still confused, and I understand.” Dr. Maruki soothes, “I swear, he will come to no harm.”

“Then let him go.” Sumire’s tone is tight, fraught with concern, “You can’t take him away again.”

Dr. Maruki’s expression softens, “I am not trying to take him away from you. In fact, I urge you to follow me back. We can continue this discussion at my Palace, without putting him at further risk.”

“Whatever he’s dealing with, it has to do with Crow right?” Her hands clasp together, “Shouldn’t it be fine now that Senpai knows?”

Akira’s attention snaps to her, then back to Dr. Maruki, his chest rattling with new panic. He still hasn’t figured out what to do with Crow. Only that he’s as sure as Akechi that the other boy is still around, hopefully in better condition than his alternate self. He can’t lose either of them, not yet.

Akechi shudders, body seizing before he lets out a strangled cry. It’s all Akira can do not to take the rest of the stairs up to snatch him from Dr. Maruki’s hold. One that only tightens through Akechi’s distress.

Dr. Maruki’s eyes darken with concern, “I am afraid I don’t have much more time. I’d like to see Crow –as you call him– as well. Perhaps you can bring him along?” He looks Akira in the eye, “Haven’t you wondered why your phone rang earlier?”

His phone? It’s been silent since he met with Sumire and Akechi, hasn’t it?

Akira tugs it out of his pocket to see a missed call from Akechi, and a list of messages received from the same number. Shit. Now he’s torn between so many different avenues.

“I’d suggest you look into that.” Dr. Maruki says, “Once you’re ready, I’ll explain everything.”

Then before either Akira or Sumire can move, he takes a step backwards and it’s like he was never even standing there at all. The space empty of either Akechi or the doctor. Akira’s head swims for a moment, the ‘actualization’ of reality changing in an instant never quite so potent as seeing it first hand.

“We have to go, now.” Sumire says, spinning to start down the path.

“Hold on.” Akira calls, “Sumire!”

She turns, hair whipping out behind her, “We don’t have time! If we don’t hurry he might do something to Akechi, or lock him away again or–” Her chest hitches, eyes wet even as her tone carries anger.

“Dr. Maruki promised he’d be fine.” Akira steps closer to her, “He hasn’t broken a promise to us yet, I doubt he’ll start now.”

“That doesn’t mean he won’t do something to him.” Her voice cracks, “What if he puts him back in one of those tanks?”

“Then we’ll fix it.” Akira promises, “I’m not going to let him use Akechi again, I meant it when I said he doesn’t deserve any of this.”

He shifts, holding a hand out in peace, “But I think we need Crow with us. He’s just as important to all of this. Wouldn’t it be better if he understood the situation too?”

He can see the frustration mounting on Sumire’s shoulders. Her chin set in a pout, lip wobbling against the tide of emotions they’re both struggling to maintain. She’s as close to breaking as Akira feels, and one of them needs to keep it together.

“Please, Sumire. I want to help him as much as you do. But we can’t charge into what is obviously a trap.”

“Dr. Maruki said he wanted Crow too. If we bring him, isn’t that walking further into the trap?” She asks.

It’s a fair question. But Akira doesn't see an alternative. He has a sneaking suspicion that both boys' problems center around the fact that they exist simultaneously. If they leave Crow lost and confused in reality it’s less likely they can help either of them. They need to be together. He’s not sure how he knows it, but something in his gut is telling him the guess is right on the money.

“Would you rather Dr. Maruki lie to him about all of this?” Akira deflects, “Or sway him against Akechi?”

She shakes her head, “No–I, I don’t think he’d be against Akechi or us. But if Dr. Maruki makes him believe he’s real, I can see it being a problem.” She sighs, Akira can see the defeat in her eyes even before he hears her next words, “Let's go find him.”

#akechi goro #akira kurusu #sumire yoshizawa #persona 5 royal #royal trio #3rd semester #my fic #localized lobotomy

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