Chapter Text
Akechi had always woken up to a blaring alarm clock in a tiny grey and white apartment.
He had always made a cup of cheap instant coffee before a shower and getting dressed for school.
He had always absorbedly checked his phone on the commute via the subway, checking his public image, taking a picture or two with the high school girls that would recognize him.
He had always eaten a single apple at school for lunch, and another for dinner at work, the exciting days consisted of cups of instant noodles.
He had always trudged home after the train ride and laid awake in bed for hours scrolling through posts.
Akechi wouldn’t say he had a repetitive lifestyle, he had the occasional crepe, a cup of cafe coffee, conveyor belt sushi with Nijima. In the recent year, he had significantly more Mementos and Metaverse escapades, as well as run ins with one Akira Kurusu, and a gang called the Phantom Thieves.
Small changes were welcome to this lifestyle that was Goro Akechi’s. March though, was a month of change.
The gray and colorless apartment became the worn mature brown of an attic. Every morning would greet his nostrils with the scent of coffee beans, jostling him from his tired stupor. The first sensation he could feel waking up was the shape of his phone in his hand, which he gripped tightly before opening his eyes, still heavy with crust.
With his groggy, blurry field of vision, Akechi found the unlock button on his phone and checked the notifications to find he’s received nothing but spam emails, once he’d scrolled through the messages.
An exasperated sigh escaped his throat as he willed up the small amount of energy he had to sit up in his bed.
The coffee smell was strong and present in the attic, which told Akechi that the owner of the store, Sojiro Sakura, had opened the place for business. With a guttural groan and a drawn out yawn, he forced his legs to spur to life and stand upright on the old wooden floor and walk himself to his wardrobe, a silver generic rolling suitcase piled high with unfolded, freshly laundered clothes.
Snatching a pair of black dress pants and a generic white T shirt, he dressed himself in a daze and absentmindedly grabbed his phone from it’s charger.
The java fumes hit his sense of smell like a truck after descending the staircase. The regular that Sojiro casually complained of being a poetic fool had his arm up on one of the three booths, brown fancy wristwatch and annoying aura as usual. Along with that man was Sojiro of course, Akechi could barely see the back of his pink dress shirt poke around the corner, walking closer would reveal the spicy scent of Sakura cooking curry was dancing in the air along with the coffee aroma. In the middle of the two booths, was an elderly couple that Akechi observed as enjoying coming to this cafe on Tuesdays and Fridays for breakfast. The third patron had bright orange silky hair and a fragile, toothpick thin build, her face in a laptop as both hands lightly balanced a boiling hot cup of coffee.
“Futaba, wait for it to cool down.” Came a mature voice from the owner who revealed himself from the corner, oven mitts on and carrying a steaming pot of what Akechi assumes to be the treasured dish of choice from every patron in the establishment.
Futaba didn’t utter a word aside from a simple “hmph”, before setting the mug on the counter and going back to her work.
Sojiro’s eye just so happened to catch sight of Akechi reaching for the bathroom door, as he put the curry pot down on the counter.
“Oh? Is sleeping beauty awake?” Sojiro quipped. Futaba’s gaze followed her adoptive father’s line of sight and the two teenagers’ eyes met. Akechi slapped on a smile and let out a small giggle.
“I hope I haven’t been a bother, Sakura-san.” Akechi retorted with utmost politeness, before slipping into the bathroom, the conversation now cut short.
Futaba found herself staring at the bathroom door from her seat at he counter, thinking.
He was bumming out here for a month and that’s all he has to say?
“Enough with the stink eye Futaba.” Sojiro scolded his daughter in a tart, playful manner, as Futaba simply huffed.
“It’s not a stink eye! Meanie Sojiro...” she paused to check if her coffee had cooled, now taking a still hot sip.
“It’s just... he doesn’t come downstairs for anything other than bathroom breaks, or when you yell at him to come down. I think he sleeps all day up there.” Futaba confided in the elderly man, to which Sojiro simply gave a trademark smirk, slathering a plate of rice with curry and shoving the dish to his daughter.
“Huh...now where have I heard that before?” He teased, getting a puffed cheek from the younger Sakura, nothing short of playful father daughter humor in Futaba’s eyes. She gave a playful “kek”, chuckling with a mouth full of curry that she had no idea of how it even got to her mouth to begin with.
“Hey.” Sojiro looked Futaba in the eye with an aura of levelheadedness.
“I’m sure your friends wouldn’t mind taking him out to do something, right? That is, if you’re comfortable with it.”
“You’re just saying that so he doesn’t mess with your customer inflow, right?” Futaba grinned, clearly making a joke that Sojiro deflected with shake of the head.
“It’s not that. I think that he needs to stay out of the limelight, sure... but you’re right that he’s barely left that room in days.”
“Weeks.” Futaba corrected.
“And besides, I’m staying home today, the others went shopping. He probably wouldn’t wanna leave anyway.”
Sojiro frowned a bit.
“Hm, I see. What about another day then? It doesn’t even have to be outside, maybe you kids could have a study session or something.”
“You’re really pushing for it huh Sojiro?” Futaba gulped another slosh of coffee over her laptop.
“Let’s just say... I want to be more active this time around.” Futaba flinched a bit, but didn’t dare to delve further into it after seeing Sojiro’s face scrunch up.
“I’m... sorry by the way, Futaba.” Sojiro gently pushed, careful not to prod too much at his daughter. “About... making this decision without asking you. Taking in the boy the other week, and-“
“It doesn’t bother me that much. About...y’know.” She paused before continuing as Sojiro visibly tried to contain his wince.
The two sat in silence, Futaba swirling around curry and rice with her spoon and lightly tapping the spacebar on the computer, whilst Sojiro simply adjusted his glasses before taking a few steps back to fetch more plates for the other customers.
Futaba broke from her daze after hearing the toilet make a muffled flush from behind the bathroom door. She found herself looking away by swiveling the counter chair in the opposite direction of the bathroom and checking her phone, now seeing the bright red of the Phantom Thieves’ chatroom light up with Yusuke and Ann’s icons.
Ann: Hey, where did you guys go? Haru and I are still at the food court.
Yusuke: Apologies. I think Ryuji ate too much of that orange chicken. He rushed off to the restroom in a hurry.
Yusuke: I am currently purveying the art supplies at the store next door to the restrooms.
Ann: You mean the kid’s school supply store?
Yusuke: So it would seem.
“Freaking Inari.” Futaba chuckled to herself as she texted a response.
Futaba: you could probably use that kid’s stuff for your next piece right Inari?
Futaba: what would it be....
Futaba: the simplicity of children... the simple brush strokes...the cheap paint...crayon drawings!!!
Futaba: Yusuke!!! Do a crayon drawing!!!
Ann: that’s a bit...
Yusuke: No no, go on.
Yusuke: I will admit I am liking where you are going
Futaba: Omg Inari you’re a legend, get that in a museum please!!!
As Futaba happily texted, she couldn’t help but see Akechi’s icon pop up in the upper right corner of the chat window, indicating he’d been reading the conversation. If he wasn’t gonna bring attention to himself, she definitely wouldn’t. She discarded the information in favor of reading what Yusuke had to say about crayons in the art world. With that, her attention drifted away.
“Hey, you.”
Akechi was stopped from climbing back up the stairs by one Sojiro Sakura, tray in hand.
“Not to sound like a parent, but I don’t want you staying in bed all day again. Got it?” Sojiro grumbled, as Akechi simply gave a TV smile and a tiny polite nod.
“You won’t have any issues from me, Sakura-san.” Akechi spoke as Sojiro simply sighed.
“That wasn’t what I was asking of you.” The elder man took a moment to drop the tray on the counter with a bang. The clatter shook Futaba from her chatroom trance as her eyes darted up to Sojiro and Akechi.
“We can save this for later, but all I’ll say now is that this sleeping until the afternoon thing is gonna stop. One way or another.” Akechi’s grin faltered for but a moment before grinning softly once again. He nodded, to which Sojiro answered with his own nod and slid back to the space behind the bar, with Akechi now climbing the stairs in what sounded like a hurry to Futaba.
“Can’t wait for the reckoning of Goro Akechi tonight.” Futaba chuckled to herself in a low voice.
“I want you to open up shop for me.”
Akechi merely blinked. His clothes remained the same as that morning, despite it being the end of the day.
“You’re staying here and doing nothing but studying and sleeping, and while I appreciate that you’ve stayed out of sight from customers for the most part...”
“You would prefer I make myself more useful?” Akechi answered before Sojiro could find the words.
“I wouldn’t exactly say that.” Sojiro said.
“I understand that you can’t go out and do much. Nijima already informed me that you need to at least make an attempt to lay low to keep media attention away. But...even so, you haven’t been outside in the daylight for a week or so, correct?”
Futaba was in the booth closest to the door, her back facing the two boys. She nodded absentmindedly, knowing in full that her adoptive father couldn’t see her. It was true, she’d purposely been hanging out at Leblanc, working on her laptop the past month to keep an eye on their new guest. Only today did Futaba think to bring up the issue of their technical new recruit to the rest of her friends.
Makoto: He hasn’t been getting into any trouble, has he?
Futaba: the only trouble he’s getting into is being a lazy bum all day >:(
Haru: Does it bother you, Futaba?
Futaba: kinda! He’s just laying around and doing nothing!
Ann: isn’t that a good thing though? I mean, Makoto’s sister said he shouldn’t be in the public eye because of the Shido news...
Futaba: He only leaves to go to the bathhouse! And even then it’s in the dead of night when nobody is there!
Yusuke: He’s probably being cautious about his being outside. I hardly see any issue with it.
Makoto: Is it really that big an issue Futaba?
Futaba: no, but still! He never leaves, he’s always in the attic, I don’t think he’s had a haircut in forever, his hair is super long and messy all the time like a hobo!
Futaba: I just... feel bad.
Ann: feel bad? Why?
Futaba: well I mean I’ve been there
Futaba: the way he is just reminds me of... yknow.
Yusuke: I suppose I see the similarities.
Makoto: Yes, I think I see what you mean.
Makoto: Though, whenever I deliver paperwork or schoolwork to him from my sister, he has that smile on his face.
Ryuji: you mean the plastic shitty grin he gives us
Makoto: I wouldn’t call it that but...
Futaba: Ryuji knows what’s going on
Futaba: sooooo I wanted to ask a favor from everybody
Haru: what is the favor?
Futaba: can we do that thing that you guys did for me?
Ann: the thing we did for you?
Ann: Oh! When we split up days between us to hang out with you?
Futaba: yeah!!! That!!!
Makoto: I don’t know... would that work?
Futaba: sure it would!!! Oh!!! And we didn’t throw him a welcome party yet either!
Ann: Oh yeah, I forgot about that.
Yusuke: you intend to have a Phantom Thieves welcome party when the Phantom Thieves are no longer in business?
Haru: I don’t believe that it will be a problem, it seems like a good idea.
Makoto: I suppose we could do that. So then a welcome party followed by hanging out in groups?
Haru: What should we do for the party though? Futaba-chan made it seem like Akechi-kun wouldn’t be willing to leave Leblanc.
Yusuke: Then we will ease him into it. The party will be in Leblanc.
Ann: alright! I’ll go shopping for food tomorrow! Do you know what he likes Futaba?
Futaba: no idea.
Futaba: though I think Sojiro caught him making instant noodles one morning.
Ryuji: oof.
Ann: hm... maybe hot pot again?
Ryuji: we already did that for Yusuke’s party, it should be different for everyone shouldn’t it?
Ann: geez, then what do you wanna get him Ryuji?
Ryuji: i don’t know a pizza?
Ryuji: I don’t know what the hell he likes
Haru: I believe he said he likes sweets, did he not?
Ryuji: you think he meant it when he said that?
Makoto: We have no way of knowing. Why don’t we just get a pizza then? It’s the safe bet.
Yusuke: I propose we also get garlic knots.
“Futaba.” The girl jumped at hearing her name from her surrogate father. Sojiro gently laid a hand on her shoulder and grinned.
“Let’s head home and get you to bed. You’re going to school in a month, right?” said Sojiro, who already had his foot halfway out the door before turning back to the staircase. Futaba now noticed Akechi was gone, assuredly upstairs and getting ready for bed.
“Remember, start going to bed earlier!” Sojiro briskly shouted to Akechi, careful not to disrupt any neighbors.
Futaba reluctantly stood up to follow her adoptive father, before looking back to the staircase.
“Lazy bum.” Futaba muttered to herself before sticking her nose back into her phone and leaving the cafe.
—-
There was a chilling draft brushing against the back of Akechi’s neck, unlike the usual sunlight filtering in from the window. All that reached his ears was a silent aura, only breaking with a jingle of something cold lingering on his arms.
As his field of vision focused at the opening of his eyes, he made out the sight of a bundle of dark silver and white chains around his hands.
Twitching his feet in an attempt to stand, he felt another bundle of chains tied to his right ankle. Abandoning any attempts with his right leg due to the restraint, he pushed himself up with the left, putting effort towards sitting up rather than standing. With his new height, Akechi could see his surroundings.
He had been laid down on a wooden bench against a wall, and to the farther side of the room was an identical bench to his. He could quickly see the room was adorned in pale blues and gold, rather than brown or white. Seated at the bench opposite his was a blonde haired woman garbed in blue much like the courtroom itself.
“Are we awake now...?”
Akechi took a while to respond to her question, only glancing at her before bending over and staring at his lap, chained wrists resting on his legs.
“So.” Akechi started.
“I’m here again?”
It took a lot from Akechi not to let out a frown, or any form of displeasure at the repetitive times he’d been in this room in his dreams. It was a dream, nothing that was ever said to him in these visions meant anything.
The woman let out a small giggle after covering her mouth with one hand.
“Apologies, my master wishes to speak to you again.” She spoke in her usual calm manner, her golden yellow eyes gleaming.
He’d thought many times over if the pleading golden gazes of the shadows he had executed over the years of causing mental shutdowns had amalgamated into this woman.
She seemed fairly innocent and kind, much more favorable to look at than the other denizen of this room.
Akechi turned his gaze over to the Judge’s bench, which harbored a hobbled over old looking man with wide eyes and a long nose. All the psychology guide books he could find online said nothing about this kind of dream, nothing about golden eyed blonde girls or long nosed men nor dreams that occurred in continuity about 3 times a week.
“Welcome... to the Velvet Room.” The same phrase as always from the hunchback almost made Akechi groan. His straight-laced posture undid itself as he slumped up against the wall, chains rattling.
“We have seen each other many a time now have we not, holder of the Justice arcana?” The hunchback man spoke, his voice bouncing off the huge walls and gold etchings of the courthouse.
“I believe that soon the time will be upon us... to begin your rehabilitation.”
Akechi did jump a bit at that, hearing the word rehabilitation while chained to one spot behind a defense attorney’s bench.
Igor flashed a grin at Akechi, huge eyes staring right through him as a chill ran up his spine.
Akechi turned to meet eyes with the blonde haired woman across the room from him. He stared in contemplation for a while before she gave small chuckle. The woman’s name was Margaret if Akechi remembered correctly.
She whipped out a deck of cards, and wiped them across her table so they all formed an arch.
“I believe by now that you should know you are a special case for I and my master.” She snatched a card without even looking down at the array. She held up the card, with Akechi fidgeting in his bench at the sight of the Justice card. She grinned, snatching another, this time it was the Fool.
“Goro Akechi.” Igor’s voice echoed off the large ceiling. “...holder of the Justice arcana, and gifted with the power of the wild card.” He let out an ominous laugh that made Akechi's arms bunch up into goosebumps.
“The wild card... the ability to wield more than one mask, more than one Persona, is ordinarily reserved just for the Fool arcana. Through trifling by the God of Control, we are now left with a wild card Justice...” he rubbed his chin in thought, Akechi didn’t like the situation, dream or no.
The Personas were gone, the Phantom Thieves made sure of that. No more Metaverse, no more Personas, no more powers, no more cognitive assassinations.
“As unorthodox as this is, it is the duty of this Velvet Room to oversee your journey.” Igor boomed, gesturing to Margaret with a wave of the hand. She tapped her desk with long manicured nails, before chuckling with a warm glow.
“We look forward to seeing you back when you are in need of assistance.” Margaret bowed, posture polite and refined.
Akechi felt a wave of drowsiness come over him, and his eyesight became black. Before he could realize what was happening, he felt his body collide with the bench as his consciousness faded.