Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“First target was a teacher, the second an artist… No clear connection between the two of them, except for them having committed crimes,” a brown-haired boy mused to himself, using magnets to attach two pictures to a whiteboard. “Time that passed between those incidents… about a month. Does that mean anything…? Does stealing a heart require time?” 

He wrote dates above both of the pictures, then stopped in his tracks. He had so little information to work with… Not wanting to trap himself in thinking he had everything figured out, he left wondering about how does exactly one ‘steal’ a heart for later.

That was the way Akechi Goro tried to work. With his mind open to any new clue. It seemed like this case wasn’t going to be easy though, and the clues just didn’t want to come to him.

“The second calling card was sent to the museum, anyone could do that, but the first was hanged out in the school corridors of Shujin Academy… it wouldn’t be easy for anyone who wasn’t a student or part of the staff...” Goro muttered. “Shujin Academy has to be the key…”

The police apparently already questioned the students there and found nothing. This case was too shady to believe the culprits would leave any evidence behind though. Besides… 

“The police cannot be trusted anyway,” he sighed, pushing a strand of hair out of his face. The ponytail he tied it into was coming undone again. 

He doubted they knew much more than the public itself. The Phantom Thieves still seemed like a joke, but joke they weren’t. Goro didn’t have anything that would prove it yet… well, he wasn’t even sure where to start, but for some reason he was sure they did exist. 

Or maybe I just want them to exist, he thought, his gaze wandering to the keychain representing the new logo of the Phantom Thieves that he impulsively bought earlier that day. It wasn’t really expensive, so he didn’t regret it, but… why did he do it, exactly? 

He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that now he was a proud owner of a piece of phan-merch, while also investigating the thieves and trying to catch them. Something didn’t seem right here. 

Finally, he forced himself to check the time. It was definitely too late to be taking care of that now, especially considering his homework that remained ignored until now. 

“If they kick me out of this school because of this, I’ll make the Phantom Thieves pay,” he sighed again, putting the marker away. He had an idea he wanted to try tomorrow, but his investigation had to wait for now if he wanted stay at the top of his class. He couldn’t afford to fail now, in his last year. He was terribly lucky to get that scholarship at Kosei anyway. 

He glanced at the keychain again, before picking it up and attaching to his school bag. It’s not like no one else would have one. A large amount of the students had similar accessories, actually. Nobody would pay attention to Goro having one too. 

Nobody.

*** 

The pupil of that Madarame artist, Kitagawa Yusuke, was attending the same school as Goro, and he was planning on taking advantage of it to ask him some questions, but somehow, whenever he tried to catch him after classes, or even during the lunch break, Kitagawa was gone. Even when he tried to ask his classmates about his whereabouts, they just said that Kitagawa was a weirdo and there was no way of knowing where he was disappearing to. 

So, instead of wasting his time anymore, Goro found himself at the Aoyama-Itchome station, heading towards the Shujin Academy grounds. If he wanted to find any clues, the best way of doing that was visiting the crime scene in person, right? Even if a month had already passed. 

He didn’t have any clear plan in his head, aside from asking around. He couldn’t do much without appearing suspicious after all - that could only get him in trouble. 

He spotted his first potential target upon getting closer to the school gates. A lone black-haired boy was standing there, looking at his phone. Nobody seemed to be paying any attention to him. 

“Excuse me,” Goro spoke up, trying not to startle him. “Do you have a moment?”

The boy raised his gaze to look at him. Even without the big glasses, his long curly bangs would be covering half of his face. For a moment he just stared at Goro, then nodded, slowly. 

“Ah, wonderful. Though considering what my business here is, it might not be so wonderful after all…” He said, hoping the boy wouldn’t be scared off after he explains his reasons. “Maybe I should introduce myself first though. I’m Akechi Goro, third year at Kosei High and an amateur detective.”

“...detective?” The boy finally opened his mouth. His voice was surprisingly deep, but pleasant. He seemed on guard though. 

“You’ve probably figured out why I’m here, right?” Goro smiled, trying to sound reassuring. “Don’t worry though, I’m not associated with the police. I’m an amateur after all. Would you be willing to answer a few questions?”

“...I’m not sure if I’ll be able to help you,” he said hesitantly, glancing at his phone again, as if hoping someone would save him from this situation. “I’m a second year, but I’ve only transferred here in April.” 

“Oh.” Goro’s disappointment was probably clearly visible. “I’m sorry for bothering you then. It looks like I’ll have to find someone else to talk to… If anyone will agree at all. Well, I’m sorry for bothering you.”

“It wasn’t a bother,” the boy replied. “Actually, I’m interested in that investigation of yours. Can you tell me more?” 

That surprised Goro. His impression of him was that he wanted to get away, but now he was asking him questions? It seemed a little strange, but the gray eyes staring at him didn’t waver. 

What an interesting person. 

“I don’t really mind,” he finally said. “But in turn, you’ll tell me everything you know, even if it’s something really minor.” 

“Fine with me.” The boy smiled slightly. “Though maybe we should find some better place for that.” 

“Huh? Oh, right, we’d attract too much attention here… Do you have any suggestions?” 

“”Let’s leave this place first. Shibuya will do…” he muttered, but then a particularly loud meowing interrupted him. The boy quickly poked his bag and whispered: “Not now, Morgana.” 

“Do you… perhaps… keep a cat in your school bag?” Goro asked, a little bewildered. This seemed a little surreal, but with the way the boy’s cheeks turned slightly pink, he could be sure of the answer. 

“In my defense, I’m not his owner,” he muttered, unzipping his bag and taking a black cat out. “I found him and just…”

“I think keeping him afterwards makes you his owner,” Goro laughed. “He’s cute though, so I can’t blame you for that… ehm…”

“Amamiya Ren,” he said. “I forgot to introduce myself.”

The cat meowed again, and to Goro’s surprise again, the boy looked as if he understood him, nodding, then gently placing him on the ground. The cat (Morgana?) ran off as soon as his paws touched the ground.

“So, what did the cat say, Amamiya-kun?” Goro joked, but the other boy's eyes went wide at that, as if he said something weird.

“H-Huh?” 

“Ah, I wasn’t asking seriously, just kidding!” He found himself explaining, like there was a need for that and he was the one acting strange. “It looked almost like you understood him, so I…” 

“He said he’ll leave us alone because he doesn’t appreciate being called cute by a guy,” Amamiya suddenly said, not even blinking, in a completely serious tone. “You’re right, I can understand him. There’s one condition you have to meet to be able to do that.” 

What. He had to be kidding, right? 

The boy raised one hand to tug at his messy bangs in an embarrassed gesture. 

“Just don’t tell anyone. I can’t have anyone know my secret, I wouldn’t be able to smuggle him to help me cheat during tests anymore.”

Not knowing how else to react, Goro laughed again. He met a pretty amusing guy. 

“Trusting a person you have just met might turn against you, Amamiya-kun. But if nothing is stopping us, let’s go.” 

“Sure, Akechi-san. I’ll lead the way.” 

~*~

Ren didn’t expect that day to go this way. He expected himself to go to the gym with Ryuji, not sit across the table of a rather shady stranger at the cafe at which he first talked to Ann.

He messaged his friend to explain himself while they were on the train. Disguised it as gathering information. Well, that was exactly what he intended to do, but… He couldn’t lie to himself.

The boy who introduced himself as Akechi was pretty cute, even when considering his way of talking, which was making him look like someone pretty detached from people his age. His laughter, his dark red eyes looking at him with curiosity from across the table… 

Yep, still cute.

At least he could tell that Akechi wasn’t lying about being a Kosei student, though he was wearing the standard uniform, with a dark-blue blazer. If Ren wanted, he could ask Yusuke to investigate him a little, just in case.

“I guess I should start then, since you asked me about my investigation and I agreed to tell you,” Akechi spoke up first. He actually seemed pretty eager to talk. Maybe he didn’t have anyone else who’d listen to him. “Though I’m afraid… I don’t really have anything interesting to say yet. I’m just beginning to look for clues.” 

“You said you’re a detective,” Ren muttered. 

“Yes, but I also said I’m an amateur, right?” He replied with a sheepish smile. “I helped the police solve a case a few times, but it wasn’t exactly a path to an instant career… You need connections for that, sadly. Well, I’m not giving up, and the case of the Phantom Thieves seems like a good opportunity for me.”

“Why…? This might be dangerous, you know.” 

“If they’re really just, they won’t hurt me, since I’m not a criminal. Shouldn’t it be like that?” Akechi gave him a smirk, and Ren couldn’t help the shiver that ran down his spine. Something seemed off about this guy. “Besides, if I really were so easily scared, I wouldn’t be planning on becoming a detective in the first place.” 

“I guess that makes sense.” Ren lowered his gaze to stare at the table instead. He felt a little uneasy. “But if they really are just, do they deserve to be caught at all?” 

“I’ll be honest with you, Amamiya-kun. Until I’ll figure out what methods they use to force a change of heart, nothing will convince me that what they’re doing isn’t wrong,” Akechi said firmly. “They… definitely have a way of manipulating a person’s behavior, and while so far their targets were actual criminals… what if we fool ourselves into thinking it’ll always be like that, and miss the moment when those Phantom Thieves bend their own rules?” 

Ren looked up again, his eyes wide as he stared at Akechi. He looked so confident about what he was saying… 

“Did I say something wrong?” The brunet asked innocently. 

“N-No, I just… I can actually see your point now. I never actually looked at it this way before,” Ren replied. It’s not like he had to consider it, since he was the one who was deciding about every move of the Phantom Thieves. But… the positive opinions of the general public made him blind to the negative ones, that definitely existed as well. “Can’t say I agree with you, but I can understand where you’re coming from.” 

Akechi’s eyes lit up with excitement as he listened to that reply. 

“Now, that’s interesting,” he said. “It’s hard to find someone with whom you can have a meaningful conversation despite them not sharing your opinion. I’m glad you were the person I ran into, Amamiya-kun.” 

Ren couldn’t identify the feeling that bloomed in his chest when Akechi smiled at him, but it was definitely pleasant. 

“I can understand your point, too. You’re a student of the school where it all started after all, you know what kind of danger the Phantom Thieves freed you from,” the boy continued, bringing his hand to his chin. “I’m not saying removing that… sorry excuse of a teacher was a wrong thing to do, this way I’d be insulting you and all your fellow Shujin students, especially since nobody else did anything about it. There are just… other things on my mind as well.” 

“Do you mind… if I ask what those other things are?” So far Akechi seemed surprisingly straightforward. Maybe he could hear something interesting from him. 

“I don’t really mind but…I didn’t expect you to be so interested in my hobby, to be honest.” Akechi seemed a little taken aback, and it was Ren’s time to smirk at him. 

“You just seem like you could use a listener, and that’s something I’m good at. Besides, I’m genuinely interested, I swear.” 

For a moment he and Akechi just stared at each other, as if trying to figure out if any of those ‘I swear’ was worth anything. 

“That’s… alright, I suppose,” he finally said, still looking hesitant. “I remember you said you’re a transfer student, so I’m not sure how much you know, but… You must have heard about the mental shutdown incidents. This is… the case I actually want to solve, but I lack information. It’s like there’s no evidence for anyone to find. Not anything physical at least. It’s been so long, and I haven’t made any progress.” 

Akechi seemed upset about this. Ren watched him fiddle with the hem of his blazer’s sleeve while absorbing what he’d just heard. Finally, he realized something. 

“Wait… You don’t think there’s any connection between this and the Phantom Thieves?” He asked, feeling as if Akechi accused him of being the culprit. 

Keep it together, Ren, don’t give him any hints. 

“For all I know, both mental shutdowns and a change of heart occur in a way that can’t be logically explained. Is this some sort of mind control? Is something like that even possible? That’s what I’d like to know.” 

“And that’s why you decided to start from investigating Shujin.”

“I’ll take anything I can get, Amamiya-kun. Acting on my own doesn’t offer me a lot of possibilities.” Akechi smiled sadly. “Speaking of which… I think now it’s my turn to ask questions.”

Do your worst, detective. 

Oh, how Ren wished he had Morgana with him. 

“I don’t know how much I’ll be able to help, but go ahead.” 

“Right, I remember,” Akechi laughed that pretty little giggle of his. “It must have been tough for you to transfer here in your second year though. Was there any reason for it?” 

That was a question Ren genuinely didn’t expect and that made his mind go blank for a moment. He didn’t want to think about how Akechi interpreted his reaction, because the boy almost instantly started apologizing. 

“Uhm, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry, you don’t need to reply-”

“It’s alright,” Ren found himself saying, to his own surprise. “It’s no big deal. Though it’s not something that leaves a good first impression either.” 

“Well… I can at least promise not to judge,” Akechi muttered. “I know better than to do that.” 

“Like I said, no big deal.” Ren shrugged. “Got sent here on probation after trying to defend a woman from some drunk pervert and him tripping over his own legs in the process. Turned out he was someone important enough to not have any problems silencing one teenager, using assault charges.” 

Akechi’s eyes went wide, and the hand he kept on the table slowly closed into a fist. Ren kind of expected him to make up some excuse and just leave, but… it didn’t happen. 

“And this is why… the police is not trustworthy,” he said, for the first time dropping the smile completely. “How can we leave anything to them, when they act like pets of those who have the money to buy them?”

Ren didn't know whether this made his wish to catch the Phantom Thieves more believable, or more illogical. This guy was still a mystery.

“It's all old news, Akechi-san. Let's go back to the topic.” 

“Ah, ríght, my apologies.” The boy forced a smile onto his face again. “What should I start with?”

--- 

Amamiya’s replies to his questions weren’t particularly long, but right to the point. Goro soon learned that the boy knew some victims of Kamoshida, but no names were listed. That was understandable, if Amamiya was friends with them, obviously he wouldn’t speak of something like that with a stranger. 

Not that Goro actually knew what was considered fair in a friendship. He wasn’t lucky enough to experience that. 

“Say, Amamiya-kun. Kamoshida taught your class, right? Did you have any problems with him personally?” He asked, more out of curiosity than anything else. 

Amamiya spent a little more time thinking on this one, not even looking at Goro. He tried to read something from his expression, but the black-haired boy was way too good at keeping his face blank.

“Well, he was the one to leak my criminal record to all the other students, so I guess?” Amamiya finally muttered. “Can’t really bring myself to like him after that.” 

Goro felt sorry for him. And somewhat angry at that man, too. He knew what it’s like to have your life story discussed behind your back, and now, despite not being a Shujin student himself, he felt like it was sort of personal. The adults weren’t going to help kids like them. 

“I’m… sorry to hear that,” he said, but the boy just laughed. 

“It’s fine, don’t bother. You gotta get better at interrogating people if you want to be a detective.” 

“I’d like to believe this isn’t an interrogation, just a normal conversation, Amamiya-kun,” Goro sighed. “I don’t want to come off as too forceful…” 

“You’re good, don’t worry. Anyway, if your next question was going to be ‘do you think if Kamoshida was targeted because of a personal grudge’, then my answer would be ‘yes’. But Shujin is full of people like that.” 

“Ah, then you also think a student might’ve been-” 

“Beats me.” Amamiya shrugged. “What connection would it have to Madarame’s case, then? I can promise you that I don’t know anyone at Shujin who’d be particularly interested in art.” 

“That’s where I’m stuck too,” Goro said. “There has to be some.” 

And if he found it, he’d be able to narrow down the list of suspects from the whole Shujin student body to some specific individuals who formed this group. He couldn’t fool himself into suspecting someone without any evidence, after all. That was only leading him back to Kitagawa Yusuke… he really needed to talk to him…

“...kechi-san?” A voice pulled him out of his head.

“H-huh?” 

“A habit of getting lost in thoughts? How cute,” Amamiya said in a teasing tone. 

“That’s not it!” He protested, feeling himself blush anyway. “I’m most likely just tired…” 

“Well, it is getting pretty late. Maybe you should just go home and rest? Don’t want you passing out on me.” 

“I still have a shift at work today, so I there’s no point in going home now,” Goro sighed. He decided to take Amamiya’s words as a way of expressing concern, not trying to get rid of him. He had way too much fun talking to that boy to admit he was being a bother. “I already took too much of your time though. I’m very grateful you agreed to talk to me at all…”

“The pleasure is mine, Akechi-san,” Amamiya replied with a smirk. “I need to get going, but… would you mind exchanging phone numbers? And maybe chat IDs.”

“Why would you want my number?” Goro was genuinely surprised. “I don’t mind, but…” 

“If I learn anything that might be useful to you, I’ll let you know. I’m interested in how things go for you,” he said. 

Still a little baffled, Goro exchanged contact information with the boy he’s only known for a few hours, saving him under his full name despite noticing that Amamiya definitely wrote something else there. What was is. Why did he do it. 

He didn’t really know how to keep a friendly relationship with someone his age, and the fact that Amamiya’s number was the only one that could fall into that category at all was quite telling. 

“I’ll pay for your coffee, since I invited you here,” the boy gave him a warm smile, and before Goro could protest he added: “Though I know a place that serves something way better. Next time, we should go there.” 

Was that… an invitation? He couldn’t tell. It was pretty stressful, if he was being honest, but he had to play along. 

“It sounds like a plan, Amamiya-kun.” 

*** 

After Ren reported what happened (minus some details) to his friends, the Phantom Thieves collectively decided that Akechi was not to be trusted. Especially the fact that he asked about what Morgana said seemed to make him look suspicious. Because what normal person would assume a cat could talk, right? Only metaverse users could hear him, after all. 

There wasn’t really any way of checking if Akechi was one though, so they had to keep their guards up. 

This was very hard to do though, when Ren encountered a very sleepy Akechi at the subway station one morning. He seemed barely awake, clutching at his bag. 

“Why is he even still wearing that blazer? Shujin students are already wearing summer uniforms,” Morgana muttered from his bag. 

“But just yesterday Yusuke still wasn’t, right?” Ren reminded him quietly. “He’s a Kosei student, remember.” 

“Tch.” The cat dived back inside as they came closer to the detective. “Just be careful around him.” 

“Sure, sure.” 

Ren tried to approach him without scaring him, but that seemed easier said than done. He seemed pretty out of it, even in comparison to Ren himself, who definitely wasn’t a morning person. 

“Hello, Akechi-san.” 

The boy jumped in his place, eyes widening as he looked around frantically, looking way more endearing than he should. 

“A-Ah, Amamiya-kun… I apologize, I didn’t expect anyone to try to talk to me right now…” He said, still pretty disoriented. “But I should probably be grateful… I did almost fall asleep standing here.” 

Didn’t expect anyone to talk to him… Does he have no friends? 

“You seem tired. A rough night?” Ren asked. 

“More like a rough week… Sometimes it’s hard to balance studies, multiple part-time jobs and personal interests,” Akechi replied with a sigh. “Ah, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to complain. It just slipped out.” 

Ren thought about this for a moment. It seemed like they actually had a lot in common, in a way. At least when it came to dealing with their time. 

“It’s okay, I can understand that,” he replied. “But to be able to deal with that, you need sleep, you know?” 

He could feel Morgana turning around in his bag. He was going to pay for it later, when he wanted to go out at night. 

“Thank you for your concern, Amamiya-kun, but I’ll be fine.” Akechi gave him a tired smile. “But maybe you’re right and I should work less shifts...” 

“Do you really need money that much?”

“Well, I don’t have anyone who’d support me after all. I was accepted into Kosei High School on scholarship, and that’s the only reason why I’m here,” he said. “Ah, I did it again. I’m sorry, for some reason you’re very easy to talk to.” 

Ren thought that maybe to someone like him anyone willing to listen would be easy to talk to, but he couldn’t say that out loud. Also… this thin thread of understanding between them felt nice. 

“I see you’re working hard, Akechi-san. I’ll be cheering on you,” Ren said, and to his own surprise it didn’t even sound like a joke. He could swear the other boy flushed slightly. 

“Uhm, thank you, I suppose?” Akechi muttered. “Sorry, that’s not something… I hear often.”

“Oh? Then I’ll have to do that more often. Through text, maybe?” He pulled out his phone right away and opened his contact list to find Akechi’s number. 

“What? No, you really don’t have to do tha-” 

“Too late,” Ren interrupted him with a grin, after sending him a quickly typed “good luck”, with a heart emoji he added on a whim. 

If Akechi saw it as flirting… maybe it wouldn’t be so bad actually. 

All of this was only to extract information from him, of course. Of course.

“You keep surprising me, Amamiya-kun,” Akechi said, laughing a little. “I’m sorry though, I don’t have anything new to report to you yet, even though… I might be doing some progress.”

“It’s okay, I can wait. By the way… When do Kosei students change into summer uniforms?” He asked, just out of curiosity, but Akechi froze for a moment, his eyes widening.

“Oh no. It was supposed to be today,” he muttered in a panicked tone, but then just sighed. “If I were to go change now, I’d end up being late. How could I forget though…” 

“You seem to have way too much on your mind,” Ren said sympathetically. “Everyone needs some time to relax. How do you feel about checking out that place I mentioned last time? I’ll send you the address.” 

“To be honest… why not? It would be rude to reject an invitation, so… I’ll gladly accept it.” 

Ren could feel Morgana trying to claw at him through the fabric of the bag, and couldn’t understand why. There was really no reason to worry, even if he and Akechi were getting along… surprisingly well. 

That’s when he noticed something small and red dangling from Akechi’s bag. Something that looked pretty familiar.

“Hey, what is this…?” 

“Huh? This…” Akechi looked panicked for a second again, then instantly became defensive. “I-It’s not mine.”

Ren gave him the worst smug grin he could manage.

“Then how did a keychain with the logo of the Phantom Thieves end up in your possession?”

“I… I found it somewhere?” He replied, not sounding very sure of himself. “I don't even know why I put it on my bag. Maybe I just went with the crowd.”

“Is that so? I didn't take you for someone like that,” Ren teased. 

“W-Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you! Ah, look, it's my train, I need to go. See you some other time, Amamiya-kun!” Akechi exclaimed, dashing off as fast as he could.

What a convenient timing… Ren wouldn't mind watching him squirm for a little longer. Admittedly, it was pretty amusing, catching Akechi with a piece of phan-merch. Especially after everything he'd told him about his views on them so far.

“This guy is so sketchy,” Morgana said from the bag after the detective was gone. “You shouldn’t be so friendly with him.”

“You think so? I find him pretty fun.”

“You have a weird definition of fun, Ren. Also, it’s time for us too.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” 

He just felt like this accidental connection could turn into something interesting, and… he had to find out if his gut feeling was right.

Chapter Text

Amamiya didn’t send Goro the promised address right away, even though he kept on texting him about other very trivial things. Goro wasn’t really sure what his deal was, but… it was nice, actually. To have someone interested in how your day had passed, or sending you random pictures. He quickly found himself waiting for more messages. 

Finally, when he was leaving the school building on Saturday, he received the one he was hoping for. It was a photo of an entrance to a cafe called Leblanc, an address and a single question: “ Are you free today?” 

He was about to answer when someone called out to him. 

“Akechi-senpai?” 

Goro raised his head to meet eyes with the person he was unsuccessfully trying to catch for way too long. It seemed suspicious to him right away, that he’d come to him just like that now, but that’s something he had to keep to himself. 

“Kitagawa-kun...? Can I help you with anything?”  He asked warily. It also seemed strange to him that Kitagawa didn’t seem hesitant when approaching him. Goro wasn’t exactly popular enough for his underclassmen to connect the name with the face. 

“My classmates told me you were looking for me.” Kitagawa gave him a simple answer. 

“I see. It took them a while to do that,” Goro muttered, and he himself could hear the sarcasm in his own voice as he smiled at the boy. “Yes, I indeed was looking for you.”

“Can I ask for the reason?”

Goro wasn’t prepared to have this talk right now. He simply didn’t expect that, and his gaze wandered back to the phone he was holding. But… in the end, he still was a detective. He couldn’t just let go of an opportunity like this, when Kitagawa was standing right there, looking at him with curiosity in his eyes.

“I realize that by asking this question I won’t gain your trust, but… I’m trying to solve the case of the Phantom Thieves.” He decided to be blunt. “It’s probably a delicate topic for you, as Madarame’s former student, but-”

“You want to talk to me in order to obtain some clues?” Kitagawa asked, just as bluntly, and Goro could only nod, a little taken aback. “I don’t mind, Akechi-senpai. If that’s-”

Goro instantly stopped listening when he felt his phone vibrating again. Right. He left Amamiya on ‘read’ without replying, and he tended to just message him until he got something in return, even if only an emoji. What a strange guy. 

“Some emergency?” He heard Kitagawa say. 

“Ah, no, it’s just... Actually…” Actually what? What was he supposed to call Amamiya? He wasn’t sure. “An acquaintance, I suppose.”

“If I’m stopping you from talking to your friend, and it’s something important, maybe we should schedule a conversation for some other day.”

Your friend. Was that who Amamiya was to him? They had only met twice so far, and texted a little afterwards… He wasn't sure if that could be called friendship. Probably no.

"Is it alright if I give you my number and let you decide about the time and date of our meeting?" Kitagawa went on, leaving Goro even more lost. Why were so many people suddenly giving him their number? It was strange. Something seemed very off, and yet, he agreed to his kouhai's suggestion and accepted the phone number. He even made a test call, so Kitagawa got his as well. 

This was surreal. 

He only answered Amamiya after getting on the train.

Amamiya Ren: I’ll be waiting for you there, so i hope you can make it （＾・ω・＾✿）

Amamiya Ren: you okay there? it’s fine if you’re busy but i just thought it would be a good idea

Amamiya Ren: genuinely hoping you’re not ignoring me right now?

Goro smiled a little before typing his reply. 

Me: I’m sorry for worrying you, but no, I’m not ignoring you. Something came up and I couldn’t reply right away. I’ll come to see you, though. 

He realized what he wrote a second too late, after he already pressed the ‘send’ button. I’ll come to see you. What kind of sentence was that? It sounded like he was implying he’d make time for Amamiya even if something urgent came up, when it wasn’t even the truth. He was just lucky he didn’t have a shift at the convenience store today. 

Amamiya Ren: I’m glad to hear that (=｀ω´=) 

Amamiya Ren: See you soon? 

Me: See you :) 

Amamiya Ren:  (=^･ω･^=)

Goro had no idea what those cat faces were supposed to mean, but honestly, it was kind of cute. That thought was pretty unnecessary though. He met Amamiya literally two times. There was no use getting attached to the first person who had shown him some good intentions. 

That’s what he was telling himself when entering the cafe he was supposed to meet Amamiya at, and, to his surprise, finding him behind the counter. A black cat was curled up on one of the chairs, clearly feeling at home there. 

“Uhm, hello?” Goro said hesitantly, suddenly unsure of himself, but Amamiya instantly smiled at him, calming him down. 

“Hey there. You’re here faster than I thought, but that’s fine. You’ll be able to stay longer,” he replied, and as if commenting on that, the cat meowed loudly, startling Goro a little. There was something unnerving about that animal. 

“I don’t think he’s too happy to see me here... What did he say?” 

“That I shouldn’t be hanging out with you while I’m supposed to watch the store, but I don’t think the owner would care, and if Morgana is so disappointed in me, he can always leave,” Amamiya said, and the cat hissed something at him before getting up and directing his steps upstairs. “Problem solved.” 

“You know, this really make you seem like a cat whisperer,” Goro laughed, coming further inside the shop. “I’m a little saddened that he doesn’t seem to like me though.” 

“Does he even like anyone aside from pretty girls…” Amamiya shook his head. “Anyway, are you hungry?” 

“Huh? Well, maybe a little…” 

“This place serves the best curry in the entire Tokyo. I know, because I help making it from time to time,” he said with a grin. “Come on, sit down. It’s on me, since I invited you again.” 

“Right. Again. I can’t allow you to keep paying for me, that’s-” 

“I live here, so it’s technically a home visit, don’t worry about it.” 

Goro realized that there was no point in arguing, so he just chose the chair closest to the door while Amamiya disappeared in the kitchen for a moment, then returned with a plate of curry and placed it in front of Goro. 

“The coffee here also goes great with it, give me a moment, I’ll make you a cup. It’s not as good as what the Boss can make, but I’m learning.”

“You said… you live here,” Goro muttered, obviously curious, but also too tempted by the food in front of him not to pick up the spoon right away. It was slightly embarrassing how Amamiya stared at him the entire time, as if expecting his opinion. “It’s… It’s good. Thank you, Amamiya-kun… To be honest, I haven’t eaten lunch today...” 

“You look pretty worn out, if you ask me, so I’m glad I came up with this idea,” the boy said, smiling even brighter. “But to answer your question, I do live here. In the attic, for the time of my probation. The boss of this place is my temporary guardian, so I sometimes help around the store to repay his kindness.” 

“I see.” Goro looked down, at his plate, not really knowing what to say. He still felt bad for him, and if only he knew who was to blame for his situation… 

No, there was no use thinking about it. He didn’t have that kind of power. 

He didn’t even notice when Amamiya finished preparing the coffee and put one cup next to his plate, holding the other one in his hand. 

“Are you okay, Akechi-san? You really don’t look too well,” he asked in a concerned tone. 

“Uhm, I apologize if I’m not the best conversation partner today. I’m pretty tired,” Goro replied awkwardly, not used to someone expressing worry for him. He decided to take a sip of the coffee that was offered to him, and to his surprise, it was much better than what he’d usually have. “You were right, Amamiya-kun, this coffee definitely outclasses the one at the place where we talked for the first time…” 

“I always say only the truth. What would be the point of lying to a detective?” Amamiya said, bringing his hand to his heart. “Though if you’re tired, I won’t keep you here too long. It seemed like you were busy when I messaged you earlier, too…” 

“Ah, it really wasn’t that urgent, but... “ Goro felt himself smile. “I might be able to find some leads now.” 

---

“Oh? So there is some progress in your investigation?” Ren asked, knowing well what happened. They decided on letting Yusuke approach Akechi together after all. Their intention was to use it as a way of baiting him to reveal something more about himself, but… Ren was just genuinely curious about Akechi, to be honest. No ulterior motives on his side.

Well, for most part at least.

"Not yet, but there might be soon. I finally managed to talk to my kouhai who had connections to Madarame. His name is Kitagawa Yusuke,” Akechi replied. He couldn’t even hide the excitement in his voice, and Ren almost felt bad. 

So he decided to take the risk. 

“Yusuke?” He faked a frown. “Oh, right, he’s a Kosei student too… I forget sometimes.” 

“You know Kitagawa-kun?” Akechi’s eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed in suspicion. “How did that even happen?” 

Ren raised a finger to his face, tapping it against his lips. 

“He’s an artist, you know? And he wanted to paint my friend, Ann. Naked,” he said, exactly pinpointing the moment when Akechi’s doubt turned into embarrassment, as his face became slightly pink. “He followed us and another friend, Ryuji, on the street, and it escalated from there. He’s a good friend now.”

For a moment, Akechi was silent, as if unable to come up with a proper answer. That was Ren’s goal though, and he was satisfied with the result. First give the detective a hint, then throw him off guard. 

“Well… I didn’t expect that,” he finally muttered. 

“I have a talent for making friends in unusual situations,” Ren hummed, smirking at him. “I’m a little jealous of Yusuke though. He gets to call you Akechi-senpai all the time. Isn’t that kind of cute?”

If the other boy was drinking his coffee at that moment, he’d probably choke on it, and Ren could safely assume Akechi wasn’t the best at the whole flirting thing.

“W-What is that supposed to mean, Amamiya-kun?” 

“Sorry, I’ve read too much shoujo manga in my life. Akechi-senpai.” He laughed, seeing the face he made again after he called him that. “That aside, you can call me Ren though.” 

“That’s... I don’t really know…” Akechi seemed a little unsure of how to handle this kind of situation, and it only made Ren more certain about him not really having any friends. He kind of felt… no, it wasn’t feeling bad for him, it would imply pity. But he could sympathize. He knew loneliness, too, after all. 

“It’s what all my friends call me, so please, feel free,” he said. 

“Friends…” Akechi muttered, staring at the half-empty cup, and for a moment Ren worried he went to far. “Well, I do feel like there’s some kind of strange connection between us, something like fate..? Ahm, sorry, that didn’t sound right, I think… Anyway. You can call me Goro, Ren.” 

He said that while nervously pushing a loose strand of brown hair behind his ear, and Ren couldn’t help but think it was cute. He was starting to catch himself hoping that the detective wasn’t actually their enemy, somehow. 

“Of course, Goro,” was all he said, but it earned him another confused, but also pretty adorable expression. “But going back to the topic, I hope Yusuke helps you at least a bit. You know, so you can take some break.” 

“I’m sorry, but… Why are you so concerned about me? We haven’t known each other for too long. There’s literally no reason for you to-” 

“I don’t really know, Goro, but in your own words… maybe it’s fate? Like, we were fated to meet,” Ren said jokingly, watching his new friend’s face twitch. He was way too fun to tease.

“I’m so glad you came to like that phrasing,” he replied, clearly not amused, but then his face softened. “But… thank you. No one really does that for me. I got used to being unwanted anywhere I go. I’m really sorry, I don’t know why I’m telling you this…”

Ren couldn’t answer that either, since he in turn wasn’t really open about himself. On the other hand, he did tell Goro the story of his arrest during their first meeting, and it’s not like it was a bother to him. Actually, it made Ren a tiny bit happy, to be trusted by him.

“Now I just want to ask you out more often,” Ren said, smiling at him. “Only if you’re not busy, that is.” 

“Right… Sadly, lately it’s just getting more busy,” Goro sighed. “Aside from looking for clues about the Phantom Thieves, there’s also the case of the blackmailing of students going on at Shibuya… I’ve been looking into that lately, but I’m not really sure if I can do anything about it. The police seems to be turning a blind eye to it…” 

Now, that was something of interest to Ren as well. If he had to be honest, meeting Goro was supposed to be a way of relaxing for him as well, since with Niijima’s ultimatum hanging over them it was hard to be distracted from their problems even for a moment. 

He didn’t expect Goro to bring him information about the case they were having troubles with.

“I know what you’re talking about, sadly,” he muttered. “It’s happening with Shujin students as well, and the student council doesn’t really…” 

“...care much?” Goro gave him a pretty tired smile. “It’s similar over here. I… I can’t stand to just watch, but at the same time… I feel like this is far beyond my capabilities.” 

Ren thought about it for a moment. It felt like Goro was genuinely upset about people their age being used by some criminal. Maybe he really wasn’t doing anything shady and they were just overly cautious, especially after Niijima got involved… 

How much would he risk right now, if he continued that conversation? 

“If it’s something really dangerous, then maybe you shouldn’t get involved?” He suggested, hoping that would be enough of a bait. 

“A literal mafia boss is involved, of course it’s dangerous,” Goro replied, letting out a bitter laugh. “I’m not sure I should be even talking to you about this, since you’re just a regular student, and you’re probably smart enough not to get involved, but I’m just… a little desperate for any options. Solving a case doesn’t matter until it’s closed after all, and I can’t do it. And if I won’t do anything… who will?” 

The lack of faith he had in anyone’s good will, and the barely masked anger in his voice… seemed familiar. Way too familiar. He, and all his friends… knew it too well. 

“...what about the Phantom Thieves? Maybe they could do it?” He asked hesitantly. 

“I’m sorry, but I still don’t want to entrust anything to them, especially Kaneshiro,” Goro said, not even noticing he slipped the name Ren was fishing for into the sentence. Kaneshiro. “If I knew they’re trustworthy it would be a different case, but so far they’re still another target on my list.”

“You sound very determined for someone who has a keychain with their logo on your bag.” Ren tried to smile anyway, even though Goro’s words stung a little. The shift of mood happened instantly after this. 

“I-I already told you it’s not mine! I don’t even have it on my bag anymore!” He protested, his flushed face hinting something else. 

“Are you sure you’re being honest? I wouldn’t judge you if you owned a t-shirt with their logo that you use as pajamas, because you can’t wear it in public,” Ren teased, and Goro’s face turned even redder. 

Oh. Does he really have one? 

“Of course I don’t own anything like that!” He said, way too fast to be innocent. “I already said I do not support them in any way, Ren…” 

It smelled like a lie, for some reason. But what would be the point of hiding it? 

“I wasn’t being serious. Your reactions are just really fun.”

“O-Oh… I’m sorry… Seems like I made a fool out of myself again.” Goro sighed, resting his cheek against his hand in a defeated gesture. “And there probably isn’t anything I can do to repair my image in your eyes at this point.”

There wasn’t really anything to repair. Maybe Goro was giving off some nerdy vibes, but he was cute, interesting and really determined. Also, if the name he accidentally dropped was the one they needed… he was definitely better at investigating than their group, and his ‘amateur detective’ thing wasn’t just an act. Ren was looking forward to checking it later, but also… he could become a real danger to them. 

Did Ren enjoy playing with fire though? 

Hell yes.

“You’re fine the way you are. I mean... I enjoy spending time with you, so…” Ren trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence. His hand went up to play with his hair, a little nervous habit of his. It was a little embarrassing for him, too. “You don’t have to worry about stuff like that, you know? Your image or reputation… I don’t really care. I just like you, even if you’re somewhat dorky.” 

“I feel like I should feel insulted by that last part,” Goro laughed awkwardly. “But for some reason, I don’t care. Well, thank you. I’ll at least try to not make you change your mind.” 

As if I could change it now, Ren thought, catching the gaze of the dark red eyes for a second, noticing how uncertain he seemed. 

“We’ll see which one of us will sooner have enough of the other. More coffee?” He asked, just to make Goro stay longer, and couldn’t help but smile when he nodded. 

“If it’s not a problem…” 

“Of course not.”

~*~

Goro looked skeptically at the red and black t-shirt that caused him so much embarrassment a while ago. Of course Ren was only joking back then, but he hit the nail on the head. The only function it could serve was being a pajama, and a pretty comfy one in addition, but… Why did he buy it? 

It was a harsh blow to his pride, but maybe… just maybe… somewhere in his heart, he supported the Phantom Thieves. Maybe. He still wasn’t completely sure.

He talked to Kitagawa soon after the boy approached him for the first time, but if he was to be honest, he didn’t learn much from him. The only link to the Shujin Academy that was present there was Kitagawa’s friendship with Ren, and other two students, Sakamoto and Takamaki, but… it would be absurd to assume he should follow that track, right? Especially after Ren willingly told him they knew each other. Or maybe that was a bait…? There was literally nothing else that could point at him… 

No. There was one thing. Kamoshida personally ruined Ren’s reputation at Shujin, so he could have a motive, even if it seemed like Goro was reaching too far. Kitagawa had one too, obviously. What about the other two? Sakamoto Ryuji and Takamaki Ann? Should he try to investigate them? 

Or would he risk losing Ren’s trust by doing it? Was is worth it? 

He really wasn’t sure, especially after the Phantom Thieves took down their third target. Kaneshiro Junya. Someone he had his eyes on, but couldn’t find any way to actually threaten him. Interesting was the fact that the calling card for him was sent out not long after he accidentally handed his name to Ren. They hadn’t spent much time together since then. Ren was still texting him a lot, but apparently he was too busy to find time for a longer meeting. Goro was busy as well, they both also had midterms along the way, so he couldn’t really complain about feeling lonely. The messages were already nice, and more than he ever had before… 

Back to the topic though. Kaneshiro Junya confessed his crimes, and the poor students who got involved with him in any way could breathe out in relief. The Phantom Thieves proved they were just once again. At least… it really seemed like they were. Goro knew enough about their target to be sure that everything he confessed was true. 

And that lead him back to staring at the poor oversized t-shirt he was holding, and wondering what kind of irony brought him there. He never expected himself to be… pretty much cheering on some urban myth like this, still without knowing their methods. It was sort of upsetting, but… the satisfaction he felt when Kaneshiro confessed, just like the calling card promised… it was a feeling he’d never known before. It felt like justice was finally being served. Finally, after he spent most of his life wishing for it to happen. 

Honestly, his morality was being tested by all of this, and while he was having a crisis over a t-shirt, his phone signaled a new message. Goro quickly reached for it, knowing there was only one person who'd text him so late into the evening.

Ren: midterms finally over, i can already smell the summer break（=´∇｀=）

Ren: how did you do on yours? want to meet up sometime this week?

Goro smiled to himself while reading the short messages. Ren suggested a meeting pretty much as soon as his exams were over. It did make him a little happy. 

Me: I think I did well enough, all things considered. Since the summer vacation starts soon, it should be alright :)

He realized how dry he sounded over the texts, but Ren didn't seem to mind.

Ren: great (˵Φ ω Φ˵) when it finally starts, I'm dragging you to get crepes with me

Ren: but if you want to drop by leblanc sooner than that, it would be nice too 

Ren: i kinda miss you 

Okay, Goro didn’t expect that last message. 

He also wasn’t naive enough to immediately believe it was true and Ren wasn’t just joking, and he’d sooner be caught dead than admitting he hoped Ren wasn’t joking. 

But he sure hoped, and the heat rushing to his cheeks was a dead giveaway of that.

Me: I’ll consider it, since the coffee you served me last time was way better than anything I can get around here.

For a moment he just stared at the screen, and when it showed that Ren saw the message but didn’t start typing a reply, Goro forced himself to swallow his pride and add another one. 

Me: I sort of miss you, too. 

Ren: (＾º◡º＾❁)

This was ridiculous. It shouldn’t be making him so… strangely happy. Then again, he had no experience to compare his relationship with Ren to. Maybe this was normal. Maybe. 

Something was telling him that this weird feeling in his chest wasn’t normal. 

Ren: i won’t bother you anymore today, it’s getting late. get some rest, goro <3

What was he supposed to do? Send a heart emoji back? Why were his hands sweating? All of this was so new to him that he didn’t know what to do. Ren probably thought he was weird. And maybe he was. 

Ren: i feel like i can hear you overthinking. just go to sleep and stop worrying so much (≗ᆽ≗)ﾉ

Goro almost laughed to himself. This guy understood him way too well. If he really was behaving as awkwardly as he thought he was, Ren definitely noticed it a long time ago, but still noticed to stick around. It was fine. 

Me: Alright. Goodnight then <3

He was just a little scared of ending up taking steps backwards instead of forward. He didn’t want to lose what they had right now. 

Goro’s heart was beating way too fast as he put his phone away and pulled the forgotten t-shirt over his head. He was supposed to go through the options he had and ideas how to progress his investigation, but somehow between his moral dilemma and texting his crush it slipped off his mind. 

…

Oh well, he could as well admit it, at least to himself. He could tell himself not to get attached to the first person who actually treated him decently, but was he going to listen to his own advice? 

Absolutely no. 

He did have a crush on Amamiya Ren, and couldn’t do anything about it. Well, that would be a problem future Goro would have to deal with. Right now, he had something else he had to take care of.

For some reason, he had a feeling that things were about to become much more complicated for him. 

~*~

"You keep looking at your phone the entire time we were looking for clues about Sakura Futaba… get it together, Ren,” Morgana sighed from his bag when they were on their way back to Leblanc, after finding nothing. “Who are you even texting in a situation like this?”

“Ah, uhm, it’s just Goro,” he replied, already typing his answer. “I can’t really ignore him if he’s onto us, right?”

“We both know well that’s not why you always text him back right away,” the cat grumbled, but didn’t complain further. 

new detective prince <3: Do you mind if I stop by Leblanc today? I have time, and I could use some good coffee. 

Me: i’ll be happy to see you, you know that 

Me: i’m not home yet actually, so maybe i’ll just pick you up from the station?

new detective prince <3: You really don’t have to, but… it’d be nice. See you there? 

Me: i suggested, so of course. see you soon <3

At first Goro’s contact name was supposed to be a joke, and it didn’t include the heart, but something changed with time and Ren came to genuinely like him. He even found that awkward way of texting (proper grammar, full sentences, who types like that?) kind of endearing. Goro was sort of awkward in general, but Ren didn’t think there was anything wrong with that. It was probably… because he didn’t have much experience with relationships. 

Oh, how Ren wished to change that. 

“You’re smiling at your phone like an idiot.” Morgana decided to point out. 

“It just looks like we’re having a guest tonight.”

Morgana just groaned. “Do we really have the time for this?”

“We don’t, but staying on good terms with him is important, right?” 

“You’re not thinking about that, you just like the guy!”

“Maybe you’re right.” Ren laughed quietly, directing his steps towards the station. “But remember, last time he accidentally told us something really useful. Who knows what happens today?”

“That’s… fair, I guess,” Morgana admitted with a sigh. “You should be more careful around him though!”

“Sometimes you have to risk a little to gain something in return, Mona.”

When they reached their destination, they didn’t have to wait long for Goro to emerge from the subway. Upon noticing Ren, his expression brightened instantly, a smile appearing on his face. A really pretty smile.

“You got here rather quickly,” Ren said. 

“Well, I…” Goro started, looking away in an embarrassed manner. “I was already on the train when I texted you, actually. I was hoping you wouldn’t say no.”

Every time he did something like that Ren was becoming more sure that he was already in too deep, and Morgana’s warnings were completely useless. He didn’t take himself for someone who’d fall for a person as awkward as Goro, who was currently restlessly fiddling with a strand of his hair, but it seemed like he didn’t have much to say in this case… Especially not when the older boy was so endearing while smiling at him shyly. 

This was way too cute for him to handle, and Morgana seemed to notice it, as he peeked out of the bag. 

“Gross. I thought you have better taste, Ren,” he said. Which was a bold move, because if Goro could actually hear him, then… 

“It seems that he still doesn’t like me,” Goro muttered, his expression turning a little hurt. “I’m sorry for stealing your owner’s time, Morgana.” 

“You don’t look sorry at all!” The cat retaliated right away, as if ignoring that Goro’s answer was much too fitting to be random. Ren couldn’t ignore it though. It was unnerving. He’d prefer it if Goro really didn’t have anything to do with the metaverse, and if he did… Ren wished Goro would tell him about it. If he was hiding it, then…

“What did he say?” The other boy’s voice interrupted his thoughts, so he instantly recollected himself. 

“That you don’t look sorry at all, but he’ll tolerate you, since you’re my friend.”

“I didn’t say that!” 

“That’s rather nice of him,” Goro laughed softly. God. What a pretty sound. “Shall we go then?” 

Ren nodded, deciding to lead the way so the blush on his face wasn’t visible. If Ann saw him right now, he’d never be free from the teasing. Well, if he was to ever actually ask Goro out, she’d probably learn about it anyway… 

The moment they entered Leblanc his unrealistic dreams were cut off instantly. 

He certainly didn’t expect to see Niijima Sae today. The woman only spared then a glance before going back to talking to Sojiro. 

“Back to the matter at hand. Your parental authority will have to be suspended. I take it you’re fine with that outcome?” 

“What!?” She didn’t even give Sojiro the time to say anything more than that. 

“Considering the state of your daughter and your family overall, there are no points in your favor. Would you like to take this to domestic court? Your chances of victory are rather low.” 

Ren could sense Goro shifting restlessly behind his back, so he blindly reached out and grabbed his wrist. Whether it was to make him stay, or to reassure him, he wasn’t sure. 

Though… daughter? Was the daughter the Futaba Sakura they were looking for?

“With these suspicions of abuse… there’s no way you could avoid having your custody revoked.”

“You’re going that far?! I told you, I don’t know a damn thing about it!” Sojiro replied, clearly frustrated with Niijima’s insistence. 

“We’re extremely serious about it. As long as there’s a possibility that cognitive psience can be linked to psychotic breakdowns…” 

“I think you should stop here, Sae-san.” 

For a moment Ren was so surprised that he automatically let go of Goro’s hand when he stepped forward. 

“I’ve heard enough to determine that your words just a moment ago were threats,” the detective said firmly, his voice dropping lower than Ren ever heard it drop before, as he watched Niijima’s eyes go wide. “Towards a single parent in addition. I’m a little disappointed, to be honest. No matter how important this case might seem… I have a lot of respect for you, so I never expected you to fall as low as this.” 

“Akechi-kun-” 

“Maybe it would be better if you left now, and took a moment to think this through. I’m not picking a fight,” Goro continued, his tone softer now. “I’m telling you this because I want you to open your eyes, Sae-san.” 

The woman stared at him wordlessly, then sent Sojiro a glare before passing Ren and Goro in the entrance door and leaving, just like she was advised. Though before she could disappear completely, Goro turned around and ran out of the cafe after her. 

“I’ll be right back, don’t worry,” he whispered to Ren before leaving. 

The doorbell made a pretty sad sound after the door closed.

“So… what just happened here? And who’s that kid who was with you?” Sojiro asked, looking almost as confused as Ren felt.

“He’s a friend, but… I don’t really know.” 

It was kind of impressive, how he stood up against Makoto’s sister when Sojiro could do nothing, and he himself couldn’t afford to stand out… but Ren definitely needed some answers now. 

Before Sojiro managed to ask more questions, the door opened again and Goro entered Leblanc again. He gave Ren an apologetic smile before turning to Sojiro. 

“I’m really sorry for sticking my nose where is doesn’t belong,” he said. “I didn’t even have the chance to introduce myself yet… I’m Akechi Goro, and I’m Ren’s friend. I’m also an amateur detective… and I happen to know Niijima Sae. This… didn’t seem like her though, that’s why I couldn’t stop myself from reacting. I apologize.”

“You don’t need to apologize, kid. In the end, you still defended me from that woman. She’s really good at pissing people off, that Niijima…”

“That’s not how I remembered her…” Goro muttered, his voice trailing off. “The case she’s working on right now, something’s fishy about it… Is she on the case of the mental shutdowns…?” 

“That’s not something a kid like you should get involved in, especially if you’re friends with this one.” Sojiro pointed at Ren. “Don’t bring him any trouble.”

Ren couldn’t lie, he was a little touched. And also felt a bit guilty for being the trouble-bringer himself. 

“I won’t, I promise. But also… I only decided to step in because from what Ren has told me, you seem to be a kind man. It’s hard to believe that what Sae-san said is true,” Goro said with a slight frown. “I don’t know your family situation, and I’m not going to ask about it. But I genuinely hope your daughter is safe, and Sae-san’s accusations were false.” 

Still watching Sojiro’s expression closely, Ren could swear it softened for a second. 

“Futaba’s none of your business, kid,” he finally replied. “I’m going home. You two can hang out in here, but don’t forget to lock the door later.” 

Futaba. Here goes the name. It was almost unbelievable how every time he was having a problem with something, hanging out with Goro seemed to bring him the solution. Even Morgana shifted in the bag after hearing this. 

“Sure thing, boss.” Ren still forced himself to reply before the door closed after Sojiro, but he wasn’t sure if he was heard. He put his bag on the floor and let Morgana out, and the cat quickly jumped onto one of the chairs. He probably wanted to listen to them. “Well, all of this was unexpected.” 

“I’m really sorry for the trouble,” Goro muttered, looking at the floor. “It’s just… well… uhm, nevermind.”

“It’s okay, it turned out for the better, I’d say. You can tell me what’s on your mind though, while I make you some coffee,” he said, picking up his apron and taking his spot behind the counter. “Whatever it is, I won’t laugh.”

“I’m not worried about that. It’s just a bit embarrassing.” Goro sighed, choosing the same chair as last time. “I’m just… glad I’m welcome here and don’t want to change that fact, since I… know what it’s like, to not be wanted anywhere.” 

Ren froze for a second. Goro said it in a casual tone, but he could sense there was sadness behind it. And he still didn’t know much about his circumstances… He wanted to ask, but wasn’t sure how to do it without sounding insensitive. 

“You don’t have any family…?” He tried hesitantly. 

“No, not really,” Goro laughed half-heartedly, then looked away again. “My mom… died when I was still a child, and we were never really a happy family. My father abandoned her before I was even born, and since then her life was probably only getting worse, having to raise a child she didn’t want with no support… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get all gloomy on you.”

“Goro, look at me,” Ren said, immediately deciding not to let him apologize further. He reached out and gently placed his hand over Goro’s, gaining his attention and making him look up. “It’s fine, I don’t mind listening. But… I want you to know that you’re wanted here. By me, I mean.”

The older boy’s face instantly flushed pink as he stared at him, visibly taken aback. Ren didn’t regret saying what he said, but this reaction was a little unnerving. He simply wanted to comfort him. There was nothing wrong with that, right?

Morgana turned to the other side on his chair, as if trying to say he didn’t want to look at this.

“I’m sorry if I come off as too forceful, I-”

“No, no, thank you. Thank you for saying this, even if you do-” 

“I mean it, Goro. I really do.” Ren squeezed his hand a little before pulling away, quickly coming to miss the warmth. “I kind of know what being unwanted feels like. You don't deserve that."

"...maybe I do. I'm not really sure," Goro said, sounding more tired than ever, and Ren could feel his heart sink. "I…"

"You're not a bad person," he found himself protest. “You even worried for that Futaba girl, even though you only just heard about her.” 

“Only because of my own bad experiences. I know what it’s like to be moved around like a broken piece of furniture and I wouldn’t wish that for any other child.” 

“Our experiences is how we learn to be kind, Goro. You’re worried about Sakura Futaba because you’re kind.” 

The detective’s eyes widened at this, and a moment later a shy smile appeared on his face. 

“I don’t know about it, but… for my own peace of mind, I might check on this girl. Do you want to stay updated?” He asked, and… again, Ren couldn’t believe his luck. “Since it sort of concerns you too, as someone who stays under Sakura-san’s roof…” 

“If you don’t mind. I trust Sojiro, but I’m a little worried too… Only if you’re not too busy though. With what’s happening right now…” 

“Ah, you mean the whole Medjed deal?” When Ren confirmed with a hum, Goro continued. “I’m not really sure how to go about all of this. Solving digital crimes is not my forte, since I lack the skills to do it. I have some connections, but I also don’t trust them enough.”

“Understandable. Still, if you want to share any thoughts…” 

“Hm, I do have some things that require brainstorming. I don’t really have anyone I could discuss my detective work with,” he said, giving Ren a grateful smile. 

“Are you even a detective? You’re way too shady!” Morgana let out his first sound since that conversation began, and Goro almost jumped on his chair, clearly not expecting the cat to interrupt him. 

A glance at Morgana, then back at Ren. A quiet, shaky laughter of surprise. 

Way too cute.

“It almost feels like he’s mocking me…” He muttered. “I admit it though, I don’t have much experience. It’s hard for a teenager like me to actually get involved in anything, so I mostly do things on my own and hope it’ll pay off if I stay persistent.” 

Ah, there he goes. Doing it again and responding to Morgana’s words well too accurately. 

“This can’t be a coincidence,” the cat hissed, getting up and jumping off the chair, only to stop by the stairs and sit there, staring at Goro with open distrust.

“Not giving up is a good trait to have,” Ren said, ignoring him. "Wait, was that why…"

"I went outside after Sae-san? Mhm, you're quick to catch on details," Goro finished his sentence, smiling at him. "I asked her to meet me once she calms down. She could've refused, of course, but… I'm going to assume she's very desperate for information, like we could see a little while ago. I suspect her goal is the same as mine, since we heard her mention psychotic breakdowns… so I’m intending on getting as much information out of her as I can.” 

His determination was admirable, but at the same time Ren wondered where it was going to lead him. 

Chapter Text

“You don’t mind sharing what you already have with her?” Ren asked him while sliding him a cup of coffee. He seemed surprised, and… Goro couldn’t blame him. He probably came off as an extreme loner, considering everything he had already revealed about himself. 

“I want to hear what she has to say first, then I’ll judge which of my deductions I can share with her,” he replied. He wasn’t even sure how much of what he suspected he knew would be useful to Sae, and also… if he wanted her to know that at all…

...since Ren being involved was still a possible option. 

“Care to share those deductions with me, detective?” The boy in question gave him a curious look, leaning closer towards him. Goro kind of wished he’d hold his hand again. Silently scolding himself for that thought, he tried to figure out what would be the sensible thing to do now. 

Sharing his thoughts with Ren could mean giving information right to his target, but at the same time he could watch and analyze his reactions and try to determine if he was right. This could work, if Ren wasn’t so good at keeping his face free of any emotion. 

And yet, he decided to risk it. It was a little exciting, actually - the possibility of being so close to the flames that he could easily get burned. 

“Why not?” He said, reaching for the cup and taking a sip. The coffee was just as good as last time. No, even better. Some selfish voice inside his head whispered to him that maybe Ren practiced because he wanted to impress him… Ah, it was so easy to dream. “Frankly, I think this case might be a challenge to the Phantom Thieves. Maybe even one that they can’t beat.” 

“Oh? Why so?” 

“Because,” he began, “their enemy has no form. You know what Medjed is, right? The hackers of justice. It’s a group consisting of countless nameless members. How do you even target something like this?” 

Ren just shrugged.

“Dunno, the Phantom Thieves seem to have some mysterious powers, right? Maybe they have some way.” 

“But… all of their targets until now were single persons.” If he said the next sentence, there would be no going back. “My assumption is that… the calling cards they send are necessary for a change of heart. Their target needs to see it. It would be impossible to deliver them to all members of Medjed, right?” 

This time, Ren’s expression twitched. There was some slight reaction. 

“Y-Yeah, that’s a fair point…” 

“It’s impossible, because it’s impossible to know the identity of every single one of them,” Goro continued, watching him closely. “All the previous calling cards had a name on them. I think it’s because the target needs to know it’s specifically addressed to them, but maybe also… because the thieves can’t steal a heart without knowing whose heart they’re stealing.” 

This time, there definitely was a reaction. Ren’s eyes widened a little before he could control it, and he shot a nervous glance in the direction of his cat. Well, it was no definitive proof of anything, but… 

“That’s an interesting theory. So… do you think this is a game over for them?” The boy asked, something gloomy making its way into his tone. “With Medjed’s ultimatum… it’s would probably be the best for everyone…”

“If they revealed themselves? Is that what you wanted to say?” 

For a moment Ren stared at him with a confused face.

“So… you don’t think it’s in the best interest of the society if they gave up.” 

“Who know? I don’t really care,” Goro stated, his next words surprising even himself. It felt sort of liberating. “Frankly speaking, I don’t really give a damn about the society, or this country. Is a country like this really worth giving up your goal for? I don’t think it is. If I were a part of the Phantom Thieves… I wouldn’t even consider giving up now.” 

Ren seemed genuinely dumbfounded after this. Goro almost wanted to laugh, seeing him look so taken off guard. 

“I… don’t think I follow,” the boy admitted. “I remember you being so concerned about their methods… and about Kaneshiro’s victims…” 

“Oh, I’m sorry for not making much sense.” Goro couldn’t help but let out a short giggle. “What I’m saying is not that I don’t care about people’s misery. I do. But I don’t care for this rotten system when I know how corrupted it is. The Phantom Thieves act for the sake of others right? Those who are in need. It’s not hard to choose to cheer on them, instead of wanting them to lose against a threat to something abstract like the society. And to be honest, between the Phantom Thieves and Medjed… there’s only one definitely immoral organisation, and it’s not the thieves.” 

Ren blinked. Once, twice, thrice, as if what Goro said now made even less sense. And then… He simply covered his mouth with his hand and started laughing. 

It was a quiet and muffled sound, but oh, so charming. 

“S-So… b-basically…” Ren finally choked out. “You were converted, and now you’re a fan of the thieves.”

“What?! Absolutely not!” Goro protested. “It’s just choosing the lesser evil here, Ren-” 

“No, no, that’s really not it. The passion in your voice tells me something different. Also, you just admitted you don’t want them to lose.” 

“You’re forgetting one important detail. I still want to catch them myself, so them losing to some small fries like this… would not be welcome,” he said, trying to put as much venom into these words as he could. 

And it seemed like he succeeded. His friend’s smirk quickly disappeared from his face, giving place to something more serious. More determined.  

“Let’s see how far this will take you.” 

It was a challenge. It was definitely a challenge. Goro could easily recognize one when he saw it. What Ren was saying was… Prove that you can do it. Prove that it’s me who you’re chasing. 

Not only Goro was right, but Ren knew that he knew. It couldn’t have possibly gotten more exciting than this. Befriending a phantom thief, or as least someone involved in their business, by accident, wasn’t something he expected to achieve and yet, there he was. So close, and yet so far, with no idea what to do with this case now. 

“Like I said, I don’t give up easily, Ren.” 

His suspect laughed softly, then reached out to take Goro’s hand again, instantly making him forget about anything thieves-related. 

“I hope it won’t keep you busy enough not to have time for me, though. That crépe date invitation still stands, you know,” he said, smiling widely when Goro squeezed his hand back. “So, what will it be?”

Date. Date. He really said that. It could be just a joke, of course, but he was also still holding his hand. Was it to distract him? It could be, and Goro wouldn’t be surprised by that. How many criminals were attempting this tactic? And… Goro was pretty used to people only wanting to take advantage of him, after all…

“Hey, if you’re not comfortable with that, it doesn’t have to be a date,” Ren said gently, with a smile that melted Goro’s doubts. Even if he really was involved with the thieves, it didn’t have to mean anything for them. “I do wish to hang out with you more though…”

“No, it’s alright,” he replied, instantly feeling stupid. “What I meant to say is, I don’t mind making it a date. Actually, I’d like that.” 

“That’s great. I-I mean, I’m glad?” Ren muttered, and Goro could swear he blushed a little. “Uhm, sorry, I’m just… not used to asking people out. But I wanted to make it obvious, where we stand…” 

Wait, where do we stand then? What do you even mean?

“That’s… very considerate of you.” 

“Proper communication is the base for every good friendship, or other type of relationship, I suppose," he laughed sheepishly, and Goro had difficulty processing his words at all. He never really got to this point with anyone else. It felt surreal.

The warmth of Ren’s hand was very much real though. 

“Then… I’m looking forward to this date, Ren.”

Morgana just let a very loud, and very undignified hiss in the background.

*** 

“What makes you think it’s okay to date him!?” Morgana asked, still clearly disgruntled while watching Ren get ready. Ren, who even discreetly asked Ann for advice, trying not to make it obvious that he was asking about a date outfit. There was a chance she realized the truth and just chose not to say anything until he was ready to tell her. “Especially now, when we’re in the middle of infiltrating Futaba’s palace!”

“Calm down, we're very close to being done, and we all need a little break, before sending the calling card and all,” he said, trying to do something about his hair, but apparently it wasn’t going to listen to him. 

“And you’re using that break to date a potential enemy? You’re already giving him way too many hints,” the cat grumbled, and Ren couldn’t stop himself from sighing. He walked up to the bed and sat next to Morgana, to be closer to his eye level. 

“Listen, Morgana. Today isn’t going to be about the Phantom Thieves at all, I’m just meeting him because I really like him. Please, try to understand it…” 

“I’m just thinking about the best interest of the team, since you don’t seem to be doing that.” 

Well, that did hurt a little. It’d be nice to have someone who would believe in his blooming relationship, but it seemed like that someone wasn’t going to be Morgana.

“We still haven’t confirmed anything about Goro, and… he’s important to me too, Mona. I wish you’d give both him and me a little more credit,” he tried again. “Well, I’ll be leaving now. I’m meeting Goro as the Shibuya station, I have to go if I don’t want to be late.” 

“Do what you want. Of course, you wouldn’t listen to me.” 

Ren just picked up his bag and did exactly what he had said. Morgana would have to finally accept it. If only he could find a way of confirming Goro’s innocence… Even if he was a metaverse user, it didn’t have to mean anything… 

He momentarily forgot about those worries the second he spotted Goro, waiting for him near that bakery they agreed on as a meeting spot. Every time they’d met before Goro was wearing his school uniform. It was the first time Ren saw him wearing casual clothes, and… 

Well, he didn’t expect a sweater vest. It was so surprising that he didn’t even feel like laughing at how nerdy he looked. Actually, did he found that cute? Maybe a little. Well, if he stopped thinking about how they were in the middle of a heatwave… 

“What are you looking at?” He said as a greeting, making Goro jump a little. 

“Ah, sorry, I didn’t notice you! I wasn’t looking at anything in particular, just killing time…” The boy replied, pushing a strand of hair behind his ear and laughing awkwardly. “I actually got here too early. I didn't want to make you wait, so I ended up being the one to wait...”

Screw anything Morgana said, Goro was cute. Extremely cute. There was no way Ren was staying away from him, he lost this battle before he even started fighting it. 

“Couldn’t wait to see me?” He asked teasingly before he could stop himself. 

“Actually… yes, I suppose. I was pretty excited for today, since I rarely go out with anyone,” Goro replied, smiling, and Ren kind of felt like he’d do anything to keep that smile on his face. 

Wow. That escalated quickly. He took a moment to look around, and when he was sure nobody was paying attention to two teenage boy, he reached for Goro’s hand and squeezed it gently. 

“Shall we go then? Let’s not waste time, so we can do more fun things together,” Ren said, watching Goro’s eyes lit up. Oh god.

“So, do you have a plan?”

“First, I promised you crepes, right? Then… There’s a few things I was thinking about, but I wanted to consult you first. You know, so you enjoy yourself too.” 

“I think I’ll trust you with that… but let’s go.”

They obviously couldn’t hold hands on their way there, but watching Goro’s excited face as he was handed his crepe almost made up for it, even if Ren wasn’t really big on them himself. He already knew Goro had a sweet tooth, that’s why he invited him there to begin with, but seeing his childish enthusiasm was endearing. He even mustered the courage to wipe away the cream that stayed on Goro’s cheek, getting to watch him all flustered. 

It was probably the first time they were hanging out without it being all about the Phantom Thieves, and it felt strangely freeing. Not everything in his life had to be about it. Sometimes he just wanted to do thing like any other teenager would. 

Like get a crepe. Or fall in love, maybe.

“Hey, Goro,” Ren said to gain his attention. “When was the last time you went to an arcade?” 

The other boy’s eyes widened at the question, then he simply looked away. 

“The last time… would be never, I suppose,” he laughed. “I don’t really have time for that. Though I can’t say I’m not a little curious about it.” 

“Let’s go now, then.” Ren crumpled the paper that was left after he finished his crepe and threw it into a nearby trash can. “Let’s do things you usually wouldn’t do, how about it?” 

“Well… that’s… It sounds tempting, but I’m not sure I’d even know what to do…” 

“I’m sure you’ll pick it up quickly, you’re the smartest person I know,” he said, with satisfaction watching Goro’s cheeks turn slightly pink. So he liked compliments, huh. “I’ll explain everything to you the best I can, I promise.”

“Then… I suppose it’s alright. Don’t be mad if it turns out I’m naturally better than you, though,” he replied, giving him a smirk. 

“If you want to try your skills against mine, I accept the challenge. You can be sure though that I’ll put up a fight. Come on, let’s go.”

The walk to the arcade wasn’t long, and surprisingly, there wasn’t a lot of people inside. Maybe it’s because of the heatwave, they probably preferred to just stay inside instead of running around the city. Ren couldn’t say he didn’t understand that, but… if it meant hanging out with Goro, he could handle it for a while. 

Also, he quickly learned that Goro wasn’t lying about having no experience with arcades. 

“How do I even hold this…” The boy muttered under his breath as he tried to grasp the controller gun properly. He really seemed out of his element. 

“You know, it’s just like a real gun,” Ren replied without thinking much, in response to what Goro gave him a puzzled look. 

“What makes you think I know how to hold a real gun?” He asked, the confusion on his face way too genuine to be an act. That’s when Ren realized the mistake he made because of his experience with using Iwai’s models in the metaverse. 

"...never held an air-soft gun?" He tried, because well, it wasn't a lie to say that's what he was using. 

"Oh. No, I haven't… The only gun I've ever held would be a toy raygun, when I was little…” Goro replied, sounding a little embarrassed. 

But… if he had no idea how to properly hold a weapon, or even an imitation of it, there was no way he was an active metaverse user, right? He wouldn’t have survived like that, a persona wasn’t enough when fighting the shadows. That thought calmed Ren down a little, as he moved closer to Goro. 

“Come here, I’ll show you,” he said, reaching out to take his hands and guide them until he positioned the controller properly. 

“Like this…?” 

“Mhmm. Exactly,” Ren hummed, keeping his hands in place for a little longer than necessary. “Then you just take aim and try to be fast enough.”

“Makes sense…” Goro muttered, not protesting against Ren’s actions at all, which was a good sign. 

Oh, how Ren hoped it was. Everything was pointing at Goro liking him back, but still… he wasn’t as sure of himself as he tried to appear. Spending time with Goro was different from hanging out with any of his teammates, the bridge of trust seemed so fragile, since it wasn’t supposed to be there to begin with. And yet, it was there, and there were them - on their awkward first date, with Ren teaching Goro the art of video games. 

“Let’s see if you have any natural talent then, detective,” he teased, finally stepping to the side. “Should I go easy on you?”

“Absolutely not. That wouldn’t teach me anything,” Goro said firmly. “So… first attempt?”

“As you wish.”

It quickly turned out that Goro was a fast learner, so fast that Ren couldn’t allow himself to ‘go easy on him’. If he tried, there was a real chance he could lose. Goro had great aim, was fast and very clearly wanted to win. Maybe it was childish of him, but if someone was trying to compete against him, even Ren’s competitive streak would activate.

“Still not giving up?” He asked after a while, when Goro still hasn’t won even once. 

“You wish,” the other boy muttered, still clutching at the controller. “But… maybe I’ll attempt to defeat you next time.” 

“Not having fun anymore, after losing so many times?” 

“No, that’s not it.” Goro raised his gaze to look at him. “I’m having fun. So much fun that it’s difficult to just stop here. But… we were supposed to do other things today too, right? I feel like whatever we’ll do, I’ll still have fun...” 

Ren kind of wished he could kiss him right there. 

“Right. Right,” he said, a little sad he couldn’t do just that. Only a little. “What about going to the Inokashira park?” 

“Relaxing after the competition? Sounds nice,” Goro replied. “It’s been a while since I’ve last went there, too… I’ll gladly go with you.” 

Ren felt like this day was only beginning to be truly great, even though that feeling was following him since the start. 

---

They only took one break on their way to the station, when Goro stopped by a convenience store after noticing the just released magazine with an article about the Phantom Thieves. He knew it’s not the time for that, but he couldn’t stop himself. 

Also, he was curious about Ren’s reaction. 

"I didn't expect you to read that kind of stuff," the boy only commented, without much change in his tone. 

"I usually don't, since it's mostly lies made up for the purpose of entertainment," Goro said. "There's one journalist in whose work I recently became interested though. Her name is Ohya Ichiko."

There it was. A slight twitch in his expression, which Goro recognized as a sign that he was on the good track. He wasn’t going to press the matter though. Not today. 

It was supposed to be a day just for the two of them after all. 

Even thinking about it that way was making Goro feel all giddy. It was a date, so… Everything was pointing at Ren returning his feelings. It would be stranger if he didn’t, right? The way he held his hand while explaining how to hold that controller, the way he smiled at him… 

“I’ve never heard of her.” Ren shrugged, then moved closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “I’d rather have you tell me about the Phantom Thieves than read about them, you know? I like listening to you. To your voice.”

Goro felt a blush spreading on his cheeks. The implications were loud and clear, even if still hard to believe. This… This was real. He couldn't be interpreting the signs wrongly, there was no way. 

That's what he wanted to believe.

“Flattery won’t get you anywhere,” he muttered, failing to sound confident. 

“Flattery? Oh no, I’m speaking only truth,” Ren let out a low laugh that sent a shiver down his spine. “Maybe we should change location though. This place isn’t very conversation friendly.”

Goro could only nod, wondering how on earth he ended up like that. 

He didn’t protest when Ren discreetly held his hand during the train ride. He had no reason to, when this one simple gesture made him feel safer and more relaxed than he felt in... he didn’t even know how long. 

And at the same time, he was still nervous. Scared that he’d mess this up somehow.

The Inokashira park was as peaceful as he could expect.

“We should come here earlier on some other day, so we can rent one of the boats. It’s actually pretty fun,” Ren said, pointing at the pond with his chin. 

“Huh? Isn’t that considered an activity reserved for couples?” 

The boy just grinned upon hearing that answer.

“So? I don’t see any issues.”

He… kind of hoped for a reply like that. With hardly any people around he felt brave enough to reach for that hand again, hoping Ren wouldn’t comment on how sweaty Goro’s own hand was. 

Of course, nothing could go his way. 

“You seem… a little tense,” Ren said, leaning towards him as they walked between the trees. “Did I…”

“I’m sorry if this is the impression you got,” he said. “It’s… not your fault. You’re not doing anything wrong, it’s…”

The other boy stopped, making Goro do that as well, since he was still clutching at his hand. Ren gently coerced him to turn to the side to face him, taking his other hand as well. 

“You were going to say ‘it’s about me’, right?” He asked, his voice soft and quiet.  “Whatever it is, I don’t mind.” 

“You say this, but I’m not sure that if you actually learned more about me you’s still say the same thing. That you’d still want… whatever this is.” Goro squeezed his hands to signal what he meant. He didn’t want to let go, but if this conversation went wrong, he could as well-

“So, you don’t know what this is?” Ren asked another question, but there was no impatience in his tone. It was still soft, comforting. 

“I’m… not really sure. I know you said you wanted to make it obvious, where we stand and all, but I honestly don’t know… how relationships work,” he confessed, looking away, unable to hold Ren’s gaze. “I don’t know what this is.”

It was embarrassing. Especially when taking the fact that they were in public into consideration. But there was nobody around, only him and this unfairly charming boy who walked into his life due to a total accident… and who didn’t seem to mind his awkwardness, for some reason. 

“Do you know what you want it to be, though?” 

“Huh?” 

“I really don’t mind taking this slow,” Ren said, smiling when Goro looked back at him again. “I just really like you, so I want you to get used to being appreciated.”

To Goro’s surprise, Ren raised their joined hands to his face and turned them around, then… gently pressed his lips against Goro’s wrist. 

His mind went blank in an instant, one tender gesture rendering him speechless. Some part of him wanted to run away, some wanted to cry, and some just wished for another kiss. For those lips to touch his skin again.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop myself,” Ren laughed quietly. “I hope that my intentions are more clear now. Can you put some trust in me?”

Goro nodded, unable to utter a word. He wanted to protest, say that it’s unfair towards Ren if he doesn’t explain everything about himself, that it wasn’t going to work, but… 

“I want to learn more about you, but give it time, so we can both be true with each other,” he said, reminding Goro about one important thing. I’m not the only one who’s hiding something. “We’ll figure it out, somehow. Come on, let’s sit down.” 

Ren pulled him towards the wooden fence near the water, sitting down so close to him than their shoulders touched. That seemed to be the purpose though.

Quick. Think about some conversation topic. Anything. Normally he could talk about trivial matters, but for some reason, right now it just wouldn’t come to him as easily as he wished. 

“Uhm, this probably isn’t something I should talk about now…” Goro finally muttered. “But I did research Sakura Futaba, just like I promised.”

It wasn’t easy. He got a little out of the meeting with Niijima Sae, some through his police connections, some information needed to be paid for. But if he went that far for it… he could as well tell Ren about it, fight?

“So you really did it…” The black-haired boy smiled. “What did you find?” 

“Is it really alright, right now…?” 

“I told you before, I love listening to your voice. Whatever you want to talk about, I’ll listen.” he said, resting his head on Goro’s shoulder. His touch shouldn’t be this pleasant. It really shouldn’t. “Besides, isn’t it important?”

“O-Of course. But… it’s not exactly a pleasant topic. Well, at least I can tell you that Sakura-san most likely isn’t to blame,” he started, and upon receiving a hum of acknowledgement from Ren, he continued. “Futaba-chan’s mother supposedly committed suicide two years ago, leaving her with no guardian. I said ‘supposedly’, because that’s what it was deemed to be… but the circumstances were really suspicious. This is unrelated though.” 

He took a deep breath before continuing, and could feel Ren’s hold onto his hand tightening. 

“She was passed around from a relative to a relative… who weren’t treating her well, as you can guess. Classic case of domestic abuse. Finally, she was taken in by Sakura Sojiro, who was her mother’s friend. 

“But there are still issues, right?” 

“Well… she’d be a first year student in high school, if she was attending school at all... what she’s not doing. I don’t think it’s Sakura-san’s fault though. Futaba-chan is most likely… not doing well, emotionally,” Goro said, his voice becoming quieter against his will. “She lost her mother, and then went through so much… I wouldn’t blame her for not being able to handle this. Especially since… children can be cruel sometimes, even if you’re already suffering because of something else.”

“Goro, are you… speaking from experience?” Ren asked hesitantly, and Goro could feel himself lean more into Ren and the comfort he was offering him.

Was he speaking from experience? Well, yeah, but he didn’t exactly want to talk about that right now. Not about how badly he handled his mother’s death. Not about how other children treated him. Not about the foster homes. 

Maybe one day he’d feel strong enough to laugh at that, and trust someone enough to open up. Maybe that someone would be Ren. Actually, Goro hoped it would be him. 

“Like I said… Futaba-chan’s situation reminds me of myself a little bit,” he muttered in the end. “I didn’t have much of a childhood, I suppose.”

“Hmm. We should try to fix it, then.”

“And how do you intend to do that?” Goro laughed. Ren was endearing, he couldn’t lie to himself.

“Oh, you know, doing things like today. The ones you missed out on. I know you’re a proper student and hardworking detective, but sometimes you just need to go wild,” Ren said, and suddenly got up, letting go of Goro. He quickly came to miss the touch, but at the same time watched what the other was planning with obvious curiosity. “Like this.”

The younger boy easily climbed onto the fence, balancing on it like a child would. He took one step away from Goro, extending a hand to him, as if trying to encourage him to join him up there. 

“Come on.” He grinned at him. “Just for a moment.”

“No way,” Goro shut him down immediately. “We’re right next to water, we’d fall in.”

“So? Would it be so bad? Take the risk.”

“No. I’m not going back home in wet clothes.” He shrugged, trying to hide an amused smile and standing up to at least be ready to prevent a disaster. “And you shouldn’t either.”

“You’re no fun. I have good intentions.” Ren pouted, making him giggle. 

“I know. Here, take my hand. Safety measures, let’s say.”

He didn’t waste time, taking the offer immediately, but… be it coincidence, or maybe he did it on purpose, it was also the moment when Ren lost his balance. Not thinking much, Goro pulled him forward, towards himself. Instinctively, Ren wrapped his free arm around Goro’s neck as they staggered back, eventually tripping and ending up on the ground. 

“Ouch… this wasn’t a part of my plan,” the boy muttered. “Are you okay? I’m sorry…”

“This is exactly why I didn’t join you,” Goro sighed. They were sitting so close it was hard to tell which leg belonged to whom, but there was no visible injuries. “You should be more worried about yours-”

He didn’t even manage to finish that sentence before he felt Ren’s arms circle around his neck again, closing him in an embrace. One hand sneaked into his hair, brushing through it gently, and the other grasped at the fabric of his clothes.

...

Goro didn’t remember the last time someone gave him a hug. He couldn’t recall that feeling. 

Right now, with Ren clinging to him despite the summer heat… he felt so strangely happy. Happy enough to cry, but instead of doing that, after a moment of initial shock, he only buried his face in Ren’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around him too, returning the embrace and holding onto him as tightly as he could.

“I’m sorry, I probably shouldn’t do it in public,” Ren whispered, still running his hand through his hair, as if petting him. “But nobody’s here, and I’ve been wanting to do this the whole time.” 

“It...It’s f-fine,” Goro stuttered out. He was more than fine, really. Just a little overwhelmed, but also probably way too relaxed, considering the situation. 

He didn’t even like being touched. Not by anyone else. Somehow, this was different.

“I just want you to know that I mean every single thing I say,” Ren continued talking to him softly. “About wanting you around, or wanting to help you catch up for the lost time. Whatever you want, we can do. A marathon of Disney movies? Sure. A sleepover with building a pillow fort? Just say a word. I just… really like you, Goro.”

“I… Ren…I...” 

“Shh. I’m not expecting an answer. Like I said, let’s take this slow,” he said, pulling away a little and smiling. “Come on, I don’t want to make you cry.” 

“H-Huh? I’m sorry…” Goro moved one hand to frantically wipe at his eyes, but Ren caught his wrist before he could do it. 

“No apologizing for something like this. It’s alright,” Ren replied. “Is there anything more you want to do today? Like, going somewhere?” 

Goro thought for a moment. He didn’t want to part ways with him yet. He didn’t want to go back to his empty room at the dorms, the unsolved cases, the everyday problems and the loneliness of his daily life… but he also didn’t feel like getting up from the ground and actually doing something. Sitting there, being held by Ren… felt nice. It allowed his mind to go blissfully blank, to not think, to not worry. 

As if reading his thoughts, Ren smiled and pulled him closer again, his fingers finding their way back into Goro’s hair, the comforting touch making him melt into the embrace. 

“We can also stay like this for a little longer,” Ren hummed, resting his cheek against the side of Goro’s head.. “Just for a moment.” 

He didn’t question his clinginess, didn’t mock Goro for being obviously touch starved, simply giving him what he wanted. He felt a little pathetic, to be honest. They didn’t even know each other for so long, and yet he was almost ready to tell Ren about his worst fears, deepest insecurities, and maybe… maybe even plans for the future. He let Ren far closer than he expected himself to, and he wished to keep it like this. Slowly closing the distance that still remained between them. 

“So, can I hope for a second date?” Ren asked jokingly, getting a shaky laughter out of him. 

“You should better start planning it.” 

“I’ll take that for a yes.” 

“Well, it certainly wasn’t a no.” 

“Good one, smartass. You better make time for me in your schedule, because I’m not giving up.” 

Goro was already trying to recall how much time he could reserve for Ren only, forgetting that it wasn’t supposed to be his priority, and after they go their own ways, he should go back to looking for evidence to prove that he had ties to the Phantom Thieves.

But… maybe… just maybe. If Ren was a phantom thief himself, maybe Goro could give up on exposing their identities to the world. 

Maybe he could make an exception for the boy he fell in love with. 

Chapter Text

Everything was going too well. 

The Phantom Thieves managed to change Sakura Futaba’s heart, turn her into their ally and with her help, defeat Medjed without even moving a finger. Their popularity was at its peak, and almost nobody dared to doubt them anymore.

Ren’s relationship with Akechi Goro was going smoothly, despite the detective’s lack of time. He was still trying to track down their group… or more like, find a way to prove it was them. The conflict between detective Akechi and Joker didn’t affect what was between Goro and Ren though… and that ‘what’ was apparently blooming love, still very uncertain, but growing stronger with each day. 

Or at least Ren hoped it was the case, since he was head over heels for him. Futaba kept teasing him about it at every opportunity, especially after one day she met Goro in person and watched them for a moment. She didn’t seem to appreciate how concerned the boy was about her well being, but... later she asked him if she was invited to the wedding. 

Summer ended, school started again, and soon the time for the Hawaii trip came. Ren wasn’t particularly excited about leaving Japan, but.. 

Oh well. I’ll at least bring him some souvenir, he thought. He knew from Yusuke that the Kosei students were supposed to go to Los Angeles, but Goro was a third year, so he wasn’t going anywhere… Nineteen hours of time difference.

And then Yusuke ended up in Hawaii anyway, but that's another story. 

Goro <3: Why aren’t you asleep yet? Isn’t it pretty late over there? 

Me: it is, but my roommate disappeared somewhere

Me: and Ann and Ryuji are crashing at our room. Ann stole my bed

There was a moment of waiting, as if Goro had to process what Ren just said. 

Goro <3: Excuse me, but… what?

Me: i’m sleeping on the couch because of her, can you believe  /ᐠ –ꞈ –ᐟ\

Me: Ryuji is sleeping on the floor tho. she’s asking him about his type of girl rn 

“Just who the hell are you texting this entire time?! You could help your bro out a little!” Ryuji interrupted their message exchange.  

“Sorry,” Ren muttered, cracking an apologetic smile. He was only listening to the conversation with one ear. “Just someone stuck in Japan…” 

“What, a girlfriend? You have one and didn’t even tell us?” His friend asked, and Ann’s muffled giggle could be heard. 

“No, that’s not really-” 

“If I had to answer this question, you should too! So, what kind of girl is your type?” 

Ren was caught a little off guard, not knowing how to reply. It’s not like he couldn’t list some traits as an answer, but… it’d feel off, considering that he, in fact, wouldn't be talking about some hypothetical girl, but just Goro. He didn’t really have a type to begin with… 

“Come on, Ryuji, do you not realize he’s already taken? Asking Ren questions like this kinda misses the point,” Ann sighed. 

“Oh… Wait, he’s what?! So he really has a girlfriend!?” 

“Ann, it’s really not-” 

“Nope, not girlfriend. Boyfriend,” she said, ignoring his weak protests. “You’re dating the detective guy, right? Akechi-kun. You’re pretty obvious about it.” 

Everyone in the room fell quiet for a moment, and only the buzz of Ren’s phone getting new notifications interrupted the silence. 

“He’s the one texting you right now, is he?” Ann asked with a smirk. He didn’t even have to look at her to be sure of what kind of expression she was wearing. 

“Holy crap… Are you really dating him of all people?! Is that why you didn’t tell us?” Ryuji sat up on the floor. “Ren, say something-” 

“I guess that’s true.” He let out a sigh, hoping it wouldn’t go in the direction it could go into. “I am dating him, I suppose.” 

“Man, that’s… This shady guy? Really?” 

“I like him. I think that’s enough,” he mumbled. 

He didn’t get a reply immediately. 

“I don’t know, man... I don’t really want to get between you two, that would be a terrible thing to do to a friend,” Ryuji finally sighed. “And you’re our leader, I trust your judgement better than I trust my own… Wait, how did you even realize that, Ann!?” 

“Oh, that was simple,” the girl replied, her tone light and not worried at all, unlike Ryuji’s. “At some point he switched from calling him ‘Akechi-san’ to just ‘Goro’. I also noticed there’s a heart beside his contact name in Ren's phone, and one time he asked me for a date outfit advice. He blushes when texting him… There’s a lot.” 

“There’s no way I’m this obvious, Ryuji didn’t notice anything…” 

“But Ryuji is a dumbass. Futaba knows too… I doubt Makoto does, but Yusuke probably at least suspects something.” 

“I… please, don’t tell them anything,” Ren said quietly, staring at the screen of his phone. Even if he didn’t reply now, Goro would probably think he just fell asleep. It was late after all. “I know what I’m getting into. And… I’ll find a way to prove Goro isn’t an enemy. He’s really smart, but I doubt he… you know… is an active metaverse user.”

“Still, Mona seems to believe he can hear him… Also, isn’t he trying to sell us to the cops? He’s a detective, man,” Ryuji replied, lying back down. “Wait, you think you can like, seduce our way out of this? Maybe if you-” 

“Don’t be an idiot, Ryuji! Ren isn’t going to risk his relationship like this! What if Akechi-kun comes to think Ren is only using him?” Ann almost hissed at him. 

“What? No! That’s not what I was thinking about!”

Using whatever he and Goro had to make him stop investigating them… was out of the question. Their bond felt way too fragile to risk it for anything, Goro was just too distrustful for that. Ren was aware he still wasn't telling him everything, but he was slowly getting him to open up… if he ruined it somehow, he wouldn't forgive himself. Hurting Goro like that was simply unacceptable. 

He wasn't very vocal about it, but Ren could just sense now badly Goro craved the acceptance and affection he was giving him. Someone so lonely didn't deserve a betrayal like that. 

Ren recalled all the times they held hands while spending time together, and the time when Goro fell asleep with his head on Ren’s chest while watching a movie on his bed, and the shy kiss on the cheek he was given when parting ways before the trip. It wasn’t the first time he was dating someone, but... it was a first for him to be so serious, so determined to make it work, and the first time that the simplest of things mattered so much to him. 

He was so in love it felt surreal. 

“Of course we’re not going to tell them, Ren.” Ann’s voice brought him back to reality. “But you know… You should at least introduce him to us? Everyone seems to have met him already, except for me and Ryuji… Maybe we should've taken him to the beach trip?”

“Scratch that, you should’ve hired him to help us with the summer homework… Wait, no, Makoto would be pissed, probably,” Ryuji sighed. 

“Right, didn’t she mention he placed above her on the college mock exam? He must really be smart,” Ann commented, and Ren grinned unwillingly. 

“He’s brilliant, despite being a dork.” 

“Uh oh, someone sounds a little too proud of that fact,” the girl giggled. “I hope… everything will turn out alright between you two. It’s good to see you so happy.” 

“Huh?” 

“Oh, I noticed that too. Man, and here I was, wondering what you’re in such a good mood for,” Ryuji said. “Wait, but if you’re both dudes… how do you even-” 

“One more word and you’re not sleeping on the floor, but in the corridor,” Ann interrupted him, thank god. 

Though… It was nice, knowing that they weren't against him and Goro. After all the hissing Morgana subjected him to, it made him feel relief he didn't expect to feel.

“Huh? What did I do?!”

“Nothing, yet. Better go check on Mishima before you make a fool out of yourself.” 

Ryuji grumbled a little before getting up and doing what Ann asked him to do, and meanwhile Ren unlocked his phone again, smiling at the few unread messages. Just like he suspected, Goro assumed Ren fell asleep and wished him goodnight. A moment after that, he texted him again to announce that Futaba told him to come to Leblanc, even if his boyfriend wasn’t there. Ren was honestly grateful to her, not too long ago something like that would’ve been out of the question, and now she was forcing others to socialize…

Me : i think you should take the invitation  (=^-ω-^=)

Me: she got attached to us pretty quickly and she’s probably lonely over there while we’re on the trip 

Me: if you’re not sure what to talk to her about, just watch a few episodes of featherman r 

Goro <3 : I see… I’ll take that into consideration. Now, go to sleep. 

Me : suuure. goodnight, honey 

Goro <3 : ...you’re impossible sometimes.

Goro <3 : Come back already. I miss you.

Ren hugged the phone to his chest, smiling widely as he rolled over to face the back of the couch. 

He really was in too deep. 

***

Once again, Goro decided to go over what he’d gathered. 

Amamiya Ren. Falsely accused of assault by someone in power. Sakura Sojiro took him in for the time of his probation. Later rumours about his situation were spread around his new school.

Sakamoto Ryuji. Formerly a track team member, he quit after another teacher took over it. The details were unknown to him, but he most likely suffered from abuse by said teacher's hand. 

Takamaki Ann. A model, one of the victims of the same teacher. The best friend of the Shujin student who tried to commit suicide not too long ago. 

Kitagawa Yusuke. A former pupil of a famous painter, his works were plagiarized by said ‘artist’. Also an abuse survivor. 

Niijima Makoto. The sister of prosecutor Niijima Sae. In Goro's eyes, she always was not much more than a pushover, but lately… 

Sakura Futaba. Adoptive daughter of Sakura Sojiro. Before dying in mysterious circumstances, her mother was a scientist involved in researching cognitive psience. Futaba was also an abuse survivor, and from Goro's brief observation.... she was abnormally brilliant. 

Morgana. Well… a talking cat, apparently. He still couldn't confirm that part, not knowing what kind of ‘condition’ he needed to meet in order to be able to hear him.

It was... quite a team that Ren had gathered himself. Almost everyone had a solid motive. At first Goro was reluctant to investigating Ren's friends, but… he wasn't going to back off from a challenge. It was fine, right?

Neither Futaba nor Niijima or Kitagawa could be the leaders of this group. The Phantom Thieves originated from Shujin Academy after all, and Niijima started hanging around Ren and his other friends way later. It was it was a choice between Ren himself, Sakamoto and Takamaki.. 

Goro didn't personally know those two, but… his bet was on Ren. He had everything a good leader needed. 

Moving on. 

First target, Kamoshida Suguru. A teacher at Shujin. Exposed for sexual harassment and abuse of students. Who out of this group could have a reason to go against him? 

Ren, Sakamoto and Takamaki. The original thieves. 

Second target, Madarame Ichiryuusai. A fake artist, exposed for plagiarism and abuse of his apprentices. Who suffered by his hand?

Kitagawa Yusuke. 

Third target, Kaneshiro Junya. A mafia boss ruling over Shibuya from the shadows. At this point the Phantom Thieves were expected to react, so looking for a personal grudge wasn't necessary. 

Though he remembered Ren saying that their school council president didn't care much. That person was Niijima Makoto. 

Fourth target, Medjed. What happened was hard to comprehend, but they seemed to use different methods to get rid of this nuisance. They had to have someone particularly skilled in the virtual world to get here. 

Goro stopped drawing lines on his whiteboard for a moment, gathering his hair into a ponytail again, after the hair tie became too loose. Earlier he told Ren to go to sleep, but here he was, staying up himself. Ren was worrying about him way too much though. 

He felt a little guilty for doing all of this, wanting to prove that Ren is a Phantom Thief and all… But he didn't have any bad intentions. He just wanted to uncover the truth, gaining anything from it stopped being on his mind a long time ago. If he was right about their identities (and he definitely was), the Phantom Thieves were just. 

Goro felt strangely happy just thinking about it. He still couldn't stop himself from buying some pieces of phan-merch every now and again. A notebook he'd only use in private, a pen, some limited edition sweets… it wasn't much, but he caught himself finding joy in those little things. It's… It's been a while since he allowed himself something like that. 

And then, there was Ren, who probably started all of this. Ren, who smiled at him so brightly that Goro felt like crying. Ren, who held him close whenever he had the chance to. Who offered him kind words without wanting anything in return. 

Ren, who made him feel loved for the first time in forever. 

He still didn't know what kind of power they needed to have in order to change hearts, but he suspected it had something to do with the cognitive psience Futaba's mother was researching. That cat… Morgana… could have something to do with it as well. 

Actually, the deal with Morgana was sometimes making him feel like he was losing his mind. It constantly seemed like the cat was judging him and he couldn't even understand it. Ren seemed to get him though, sometimes answering, when Morgana was going overboard. Goro would prefer to be liked by his boyfriend's pet, but it couldn't be helped. 

Boyfriend's. Just thinking that was making his face grow hotter, but well, that's who Ren was to him… right? They were dating. 

He sure hoped confronting him about the Phantom Thieves business wasn't going to change anything.

***

If he had any doubts about the thieves' innocence regarding the mental shutdowns, the death of Shujin Academy's principal while Ren was still out of the country got rid of them all. 

After the second years returned from their trip, Kitagawa called out to him in the morning. 

"Ren met me at the station today and told me to give it to you, Akechi-senpai," the boy said, handing him a neatly wrapped lunchbox. "He said he probably won't have the time to meet you today, but he at least wanted to prepare some surprise for you, as you don't seem to be doing a good job at feeding yourself."

"Huh?" Goro found himself blushing while accepting the gift. "Didn't you just return from your trip yesterday? I imagine it's not easy to switch back to our timezone and Ren would prefer to sleep in…" 

"Ren is very good at looking after the people he cares about," Kitagawa replied with a fond smile. "A little worse at looking after himself. He prepared lunch for me a few times too, when I wasn't able to afford my own."

An unwanted sting of jealousy flashed through his mind. So it wasn't something just for him…

"O-Oh… I see…"

"His face certainly doesn't turn red when he gives it to me though, like today," his underclassman added with a knowing look, and Goro felt his face turn even hotter. It looked like either they were too obvious, or Ren didn’t have a problem with telling his friends about them. “Akechi-senpai? Would you like to spend the lunch break together today?”

“Huh? But why?” Goro asked, his eyes widening in surprise. 

“The friends of my friends are my friends. I believe we’d get along if we talked about things other than the Phantom Thieves,” the boy stated. “Sharing a meal is a good bonding opportunity.”

“W-Well, that’s a good point…” He didn’t really have any reason to reject this invitation. He already ended up hanging out with Futaba, who once enabled to talk about her interests wouldn’t stop easily. Spending time with Kitagawa couldn’t be worse. 

Besides… those were people Ren cared about. And also possibly the Phantom Thieves. 

“Alright. I’ll see you later then, Kitagawa-kun,” Goro said, his smile turning out more genuine than he intended it to be. But it was alright. 

Maybe… maybe things were finally going to be fine like this. 

*** 

A few hours later, Goro could say with certainty that it really wasn’t too bad. Kitagawa… no, Yusuke, was genuinely an interesting person to be around. Goro had some basic knowledge about art, nothing extensive enough to rival Yusuke’s, but just the right amount for a pleasant chat over food. 

Speaking of food, he needed to thank Ren for the lunch he prepared for him. But… a simple ‘thank you’ didn’t seem to be enough for a gesture like this. He still wasn’t used to anyone caring for him enough to make sure he was eating right… 

Well. When Yusuke said Ren wouldn’t have the time to meet him today, Goro wasn’t surprised. After the death of Shujin’s principal, the thieves probably needed to meet up and think about what they should do. This could be his chance to confront them while they were all together, but… he decided to let go for today. Instead, he decided to plan ahead of them. 

Checking the Phan-site and following the polls and requests was Goro’s duty both as a detective and a fan of the thieves. Lately, the person the public wanted to have a change of heart the most was Okumura Kunikazu, the CEO of Okumura Foods. So far the Phantom Thieves were listening to the voices of the people, so Goro was relatively certain they were going to do so this time as well. Especially if they wanted to prove their innocence after Kobayakawa’s death. Though Goro was beginning to suspect that whoever was behind the mental shutdowns, they could be trying to shift the blame onto the innocent thieves instead. So, if they did the predictable thing… 

It could not end well for them.  

Maybe he should’ve channeled the energy he put into investigating the thieves into finding the actual villain here, but somewhere along the road he let himself become distracted by the dream of justice being served, and just believing the heroes would make it all alright. But they weren’t going to do so, when they probably also didn’t know much. 

He needed to gather more evidence… and most importantly, finally talk to Ren about his suspicions, but… He was afraid, in the end. Not only he uncovered their identities, but also tried to meddle with their business? That didn’t really sound good. 

Goro didn’t really know how he ended up in the area surrounding the main quarters of Okumura Foods. He knew coming there in person wasn’t going to help, but… at this point, he didn’t really know what else to do. Finding evidence about something that dealt with the supernatural wasn’t a thing he initially expected, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find anything concerning cognitive psience. 

So, he ended up in front of said building. 

It was a relatively late evening, and the place seemed pretty much empty, no soul in sight. Nothing suspicious. Goro would probably be the one looking suspicious if anyone spotted him. He was starting to think he should go back, but then.. 

He noticed a small black cat with a yellow collar.

“Morgana…?” He said before he could stop himself, making the creature stop in his tracks and turn his head in his direction. 

Goro quickly looked around, searching for Ren. They were usually together, even in unusual situations, but… this time, Ren as nowhere to be found. Strange. Slowly, he approached Morgana and crouched down in a safe distance, not wanting the cat to run away. 

“Are you alone here?” The only answer he got was a movement of Morgana’s tail. “Just like me, it seems.”  

No answer, just staring. 

“There’s no use asking if you’re lost, I know you’re smart enough for it not to happen,” he sighed. “So something is probably up. You don’t have to answer me. I know you don’t like me.” 

A short meow. Goro almost wanted to laugh. Of course he didn’t understand what the cat wanted to tell him. 

“Say, Morgana,” he hummed quietly. “Are you a phantom thief? Can you change hearts?” 

A louder, more aggressive meow. Pretty much a hiss. 

“I’m sorry.” Goro just smiled apologetically. “I can’t understand you. I wish I could talk to you like Ren can, but all I hear is you angry meowing at me.” 

Morgana’s expression seemed to be saying that he’s surprised, and maybe still suspicious. Goro didn’t know how to interpret that. It was a cat, after all.

Everything was so complicated. 

“You think I should give up?” He asked the cat, not even knowing why he was doing that. Morgana clearly hated him. “I must be a pretty useless detective, still not being able to figure this out. How does one change hearts in the end? Can you change mine, so the things I do finally have some meaning?” 

Morgana just stared at him, not even meowing anymore. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I said this,” Goro muttered, closing his eyes for a moment. “Just… feeling helpless, I suppose. Useless. I want to help Ren, but… what if…” 

Suddenly he felt something soft bumping into his knees, almost making him lean backwards. Opening his eyes, he saw Morgana pushing him with his head in a cat-like manner. 

Was that… supposed to be comforting? Before Goro could react in any way, Morgana turned around and ran off… but this was the most considerate thing he'd ever done for him. 

Goro watched him run for a few seconds, wondering where he was going, but then, suddenly… 

Mogana vanished into thin air. The boy blinked, looking around, but there was no place where the cat could had hidden in. He just disappeared, right there, in the middle of the pavement. 

"...I guess I should go home," he muttered to himself, getting back to his feet.

Whatever Morgana's solitary trip was about, in a way, meeting him was what Goro needed to find his resolve. He'd talk to Ren. 

Tomorrow.

***

For the first time, Ren wasn't really sure where they were heading as the Phantom Thieves. 

Coming back from the Hawaii trip at all seemed like a mistake now, because what they returned to was a total mess. With Kobayakawa dead, the public opinion shifting and the Phan-site being bombarded with requests to change Okumura’s heart, Ren found himself incredibly tired, and more stressed out than ever. 

The night on the day when Morgana ran away felt terribly lonely. He got used to someone taking about half of his bed, talking his ear off and then threatening him into going to sleep. Without him, the room felt sort of empty. 

Without knowing what to do, he just lay there, checking his phone constantly. He knew that none of the thieves probably had anything new to say, but he hoped at least Goro would text him about something silly. It’d ease his loneliness… 

And yet, the phone stayed silent. Ren knew that Goro would probably respond if he messaged him first, but he couldn’t really gather his thoughts at the moment. Maybe it was better that he was alone after all. 

Especially with how suspicious of him everyone turned after coming back. All of them, except for Futaba and Morgana, were on the trip, and Goro was still in Tokyo the entire time. He could had been doing anything. “Are you sure Akechi-kun isn’t an enemy, Ren?”. “I bet Akechi was involved”. “Morgana claims he’s a metaverse user, right?”. 

Ren didn’t want to listen to any of that. 

The next day, Morgana was still not back. Futaba seemed worried as well. She even told him to go straight back home after school, so they could wait together, in case he came back. 

He didn’t. Something else happened though. When the news about Okumura came up, Futaba instantly messaged him. 

gremlin: hey, this is that okumura 

“Other damages have also been reported, including the destruction of the statue depicting Mr. Okumura,” the voice on the tv spoke. “ However, there were no signs of a break-in, identifying the culprit is expected to be difficult.” 

gremlin: you think mona charged in there by himself? 

A chill ran down Ren’s spine. Morgana couldn’t be that stupid… right? Nobody was strong enough to take on a palace on their own. Well, maybe except for that mysterious person with the black mask, killing people behind their backs. 

Not Goro. Definitely not Goro.

Me: i’m worried about him 

gremlin: yeah… he might not seem like it sometimes, but he’s totally a capable cat when he wants to be

gremlin: either way, let’s go to okumura’s palace tomorrow. i’ll contact everyone

They exchanged nods, and it looked like Sojiro saw it as something suspicious, but before he could react, the entrance door opened, and the person who stuck his head inside was…

“Good evening, Sakura-san, Ren, Futaba-chan,” Goro said, smiling at the gloomy trio. “You don’t look too happy… Did something happen?” 

“Mona…” Futaba muttered, before leaning forward and resting her forehead against the counter. “Where the heck did he go…” 

“Their cat ran away yesterday and still hasn’t come back,” Sojiro sighed. “Tell them not to worry so much. It’s a cat, for god’s sake, he’ll be fine.” 

“Are you saying Morgana…?” Goro asked, only to receive a grim nod from both Ren and Futaba. “Oh, but I’ve seen him yesterday in the evening…” 

“What?!” 

“Really?! Did you see Mona? What did he say?” Futaba almost leaped forward, getting to her feet and sprinting towards Goro, whose eyes widened in surprise.

“I don’t know, I’m not a cat whisperer like Ren after all…” He replied. “I’m relatively certain it was Morgana though, I remember that collar… Uhm, I saw him near the Okumura Foods corporate headquarters, if that helps?” 

“Okumura Foods? What were you doing there?” Ren asked immediately. This was too much of a coincidence. Why there…? Why now? They still haven’t announced him as the target of the Phantom Thieves… 

“Ah, that’s… something I actually wanted to talk to you about. Alone, if that’s okay....” Goro muttered, eyeing Futaba and Sojiro. The man just sighed, while the girl wiggled her eyebrows. 

“Sure, take him upstairs for whatever business you have on your mind, mister detective,” she said, the mockery so clear in her voice that Ren instantly flushed. Goro didn’t look much better though. 

“W-Well, if that’s alright…” He stuttered out. “Ren…?”

“Hmm, let’s go.” When Goro came closer he grabbed his hand, sending Futaba a glare over his shoulder. 

When they were finally in the attic, a silence fell between them, making it possible to hear Futaba saying ‘see ya later’ to Sojiro, and then leaving. Ren felt like wasn’t really ready for the conversation that was about to take place. He sat down on the couch and waited for Goro to join him, but the other boy chose the bed instead.

"So… about the reason why I was in the area of Okumura Foods headquarters at all…” He began hesitantly. “I… follow the Phan-site, as you can probably guess. I think he’s the potential new target, with how frequently his change of heart is requested.” 

Oh . That made sense, actually. Of course Goro would keep track of that as well. 

“But… I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think the Phantom Thieves should target Okumura.” 

…

“W-Wait, why?” Ren asked, and if he had any ideas about what Goro was getting at, he didn’t have them anymore. 

“Well, while it’s not unusual for people to just jump onto the bandwagon and chant the same thing… something seems off about these polls, and comments on the website. I’m not saying Okumura doesn’t deserve to become a target, he definitely does. If I were one of the thieves though... I’d find a way to check if the polls weren’t rigged by someone.” 

Futaba could do it. Futaba definitely could check it. But… could Mishima not see that? Why…? 

“Why would anyone do something like this…?” He asked quietly.

“I’m afraid… someone might be trying to use the Phantom Thieves to their advantage. It’s possible that it has something to do with the mental shutdowns, but… that might be reaching to far for now. In any case,” Goro said firmly, looking him right in the eyes. “I think they shouldn’t target him just yet. Not unless they find a way to confirm this isn’t a trap.”

There was something about his gaze that left Ren at loss for words. 

“Why does it seem like you’re expecting something from me…?” He forced out. It seemed like Goro’s resolve wavered for a moment, before… 

“You… You’re the leader, right? Of the Phantom Thieves. No matter what I do, everything is pointing at you.”

Ren could swear he heard a windows shutting down noise inside his head at that moment. 

With Goro putting it like that, everything he could say seemed useless. There was no way he was going to believe any excuses. 

What was going to happen now…?

“Well, I guess,” he muttered weakly. “You got me.”

To his surprise, Goro only covered his mouth with his hand, looking away, flustered.

“Holy shit,” the boy mumbled, surprising Ren even further. Goro cursing was something new. “To be honest, I didn’t expect to get this far.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t expect you to just admit it. I’m… not sure what to do now.”

Ren blinked, completely dumbfounded. But the moment Goro spent wondering about his next move was the one he needed to recollect himself. 

“But… can you prove it?”

“What?”

“Anyone can say ‘yes, I’m the leader of the Phantom Thieves’, you know?” Ren gave him a smirk, leaning forward to appear more confident. He felt more like Joker than his usual self. “Even if I’m the real one, do you have any evidence? If not, you can’t really take it anywhere.”

Goro’s eyes widened, his expression then turning unreadable. 

“That’s… that’s not…”

“You’re brilliant, but can you really find the proof for something so ridiculous? Or maybe you already have it?” He asked, watching Goro’s confidence slowly disappear. He felt awful for doing this, but he needed to consider his team’s safety first. 

...that’s what he should had been doing from the beginning, right? And yet, he ended up chasing after the boy in front of him out of fascination and a silly crush. 

No, that was wrong. He really… His feelings for Goro were… 

“I do not have any proof, but… If that’s what you wish to see, I’ll bring it to you,” the detective stated after taking a deep breath. If he was angry, he didn’t let this show on his face, as he smiled at Ren. “Maybe then you’ll start treating me seriously.”

“I’m not-”

“You are. If I mean anything to you, you can’t keep on hiding this from me,” Goro interrupted him sharply, getting up from the bed. Ren heard this tone only once, when he spoke to Sae at Leblanc a while ago. It being directed at him… hurt him a little. 

“...I’m sorry,” he whispered uselessly, staring somewhere at the ground. It’s not like he didn’t want to tell him. This wasn’t only his decision though. “I’m not-” 

“I know.” This time, it sounded softer. “But I’ll do what I said. I’ll bring you the proof you asked for.”

There was no use stopping him, he’d do his thing anyway. And he already had it all figured out, just… 

Wait. He didn’t seem to know about the metaverse. If he did, he’d be able to prove that manipulating cognition was possible, but it seemed to be the one thing he was stuck on. Only this could lift Ren’s mood right now.

“I’ll be going now, but… One last thing,” Goro said, already making his way to the stairs. “It’s about Morgana. It might sounds silly, but… is it possible for him to just vanish into nothingness? As if entering another dimension.”

He… definitely knew about the metaverse. 

“Well, that doesn’t really matter. See you soon, Ren,” he added before disappearing. 

And when he was gone, Ren just buried his face in his hands. Great. Now both Morgana  and Goro left because he couldn’t deal with an unexpected issue. What kind of leader was he even? 

He wished he could just mope around for the rest of the evening, but a new text message interrupted him. 

gremlin: cheer up, i don’t think he broke up with you yet

gremlin: this isn’t good tho. even if he wasn’t lying and just trying to make you think he doesn’t know of the metaverse, it’s only a matter of time before he figures out the rest

gremlin: i’m not gonna tell the others, do whatever you think is right. your boyfriend, you deal with him 

gremlin: or maybe pick a dumber one next time

Ren laughed to himself quietly, both at Futaba’s messages and at his own stupidity. He didn’t even know which problem he should take care of first, Morgana, Goro, or… 

Me: Futaba? did you hear what he said about the phan-site polls being rigged? 

gremlin: i sure did. i’ll look into it, so don’t worry

gremlin: this also makes me think that he’s not really the bad guy... like, what would he gain from helping us? can’t think of a reason

gremlin: anyway, i’m on it 

Me: thank you, you’re the best 

gremlin: you’d die without me. now, go to sleep, since mona won’t tell you to 

Me: you get some rest too 

gremlin: i’ll be fine, i’m just telling you to sleep so you don’t get too depressed 

Ren was pretty sure sleep wouldn’t come easily to him that night. 

Again.

Chapter Text

Well, this certainly wasn’t a smart move. 

Goro could at least admit that much, and he came to understand that pretty fast. Specifically, when Ren didn’t send him a goodnight message. 

He must had made him pretty upset with the things he said… Though he looked more apologetic than angry. After seeing Ren’s expression Goro instantly regretted some of his words, but no taking it back now. He did feel like a hypocrite though. With all the things he didn’t tell Ren just because he didn’t feel ready, or because he felt that it would scare him away… he expected Ren to explain everything he was hiding from him. That didn’t sound fair at all.

He promised he’d bring him a proof, and he was going to do so. Then he could apologize and fix their relationship. He really hoped Ren would understand and let him explain this time, because if not… then all of it wouldn’t be worth it in the end. 

Goro really didn’t want to lose him. The fear of ending up being abandoned and thrown away again was still somewhere at the back of his mind, no matter what, even though he knew Ren cared. Especially right how, the uncertainty was almost painful. 

Ren seemed to react to the mention of Morgana disappearing, so it had to mean something. It sounded ridiculous, but… perhaps all of them could to it. For what reason, and how it worked… that’s what he needed to find out. 

His plan was to follow Yusuke around and try to find a moment when the group gathered together and try to get anything unusual on a photo. It seemed like a decent plan, really. 

At least until he realized he kept losing Yusuke somewhere in the crowd at the Shibuya station. One moment he was there, the other he wasn’t. He even started suspecting that his kouhai might’ve realized he was being followed, but that seemed unlikely, since just going to the Shibuya station after school seemed like a perfectly normal activity. 

It went on for a few days, before he finally managed to follow him for long enough to witness him meet up with Sakamoto, Takamaki and Niijima. Goro was still pretty far away when Ren walked up to them, with Futaba trailing behind him like a chick with its mother hen. They talked for a moment, then Ren pulled out his phone.

A moment later, before Goro could even get out his own phone, they all began to vanish one by one. No one else seemed to notice that, so against any logic and without thinking much, he rushed forward, as if wanting to stop them from getting out of his reach… 

And that’s how he ended up like this. In a place that looked like the underground of the Shibuya station, yet a lot different. The atmosphere was sending chills down his spine, and the red light was annoying his eyes as he tried to look around. There was a broken escalator leading down nearby… 

Where the hell was he? Where the hell was anyone else?

The only options were to go back or walk down the escalator. Goro decided on the second one, cautiously making his way down. Ren and the others had to be somewhere down there, right? Everything looked even worse there… Were those roots…?

He had to be either stupid or insane, but soon he was standing on the tracks, taking one hesitant step after another, into the creepy tunnel where he could barely see anything. Using his phone as a source of light was pretty useless, too… He quickly began to think about going back, but then he realized. 

He wasn’t alone there. 

What the hell is this thing…?

He saw the black, not even human-shaped creature before it noticed him, thankfully. Worse thing, he managed to trip over the rails the moment he started attempting to back out of this, making enough noise for it to notice him. 

And that thing was fast. 

There wasn’t enough time for him to get up and run, and it also didn’t look like he could fight back. It somewhat felt as if his mind simply shut down, not seeing any possible options of surviving this. 

Come on, Goro, think.

Move. Do something.

Am I really going to die here, like this…?

He didn’t want to die, but hoping to get saved really wasn’t his style. There was never really someone who’d come to his rescue after all. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the pain, but…

 It didn’t come. 

“Arsene!” 

Instead of the attack, something soft surrounded him. For a moment the fear didn’t let Goro open his eyes, but upon hearing a gunshot, it happened automatically. His field of vision was still limited by… something that looked, and felt like wings. 

A moment later, they were gone, and a very worried person dropped to his knees before grabbing him by the shoulders. He was wearing a mask, and a black leather coat...

“Are you okay?! Is everything alright?!” He asked, nearly panicking. Goro wouldn’t mistake that voice for anyone else. 

“Ren…?” 

“It doesn’t look like you’re hurt… Thank god,” he muttered, pulling Goro into an embrace. “You’re shaking… It’s fine, it’s fine, you’re safe…” 

Oh. He didn’t even realize how scared he was for that short moment. Wrapping his trembling arms around Ren’s back, he closed his eyes again. 

“I’m sorry… I followed Yusuke, and then ended up here… I don’t know w-where…” 

“It’s okay, don’t worry,” Ren replied, running his gloved fingers through Goro’s hair. “First calming down, then talking…” 

“Mhm…” 

“Thank god we were still close, otherwise Futaba-chan wouldn’t be able to sense anything…” A familiar voice in the background spoke. Niijima…? “You were really lucky, Akechi-kun.” 

“Wait, guys... “ Another one, this time one Goro didn’t recognize. “His clothes didn’t change. Also, he was about to get his butt kicked by a really weak shadow. That means…” 

“...he’s not a persona user.” This time, it was Futaba. “I don’t sense anything from him.” 

“So… he’s innocent!” A girl’s voice stated happily. “Isn’t that great, Ren?” 

Innocent..? What are they talking about…?

“Not now,” Ren said. “First, let’s at least go back to the entrance. Can you stand up, Goro?” 

“I-I think so…” 

“Great, let’s go, then.” 

--- 

“Here you go, Akechi-kun.” 

Ren watched Ann hand Goro a cup of coffee they kept in a thermos, in case this mementos trip took them longer than they planned. They ended up sitting on the floor by the entrance, with Goro cuddled into his side. He’d calmed down, but still looked confused and uncomfortable, which wasn’t surprising, if he was being honest. This whole situation had to be stressful for him. 

“Don’t worry, Ren was the one to make it,” Ann added, encouraging Goro to take it. Only then he did. “It’s nice to finally meet you! Ren might not be talking a lot, but he’s head over heels for y-” 

“Ann, shh. It’s not time for this,” he muttered, resting his chin on Goro’s shoulder. It was only partly supposed to be a comforting gesture. He could admit that he was simply feeling clingy and overprotective. “He must have a lot of questions…” 

“Well, for starters… Why are you dressed like this?” Goro said, pointing at their outfits. “You definitely didn’t have the time to change…” 

“Ah, this?” Ryuji spoke up. “It’s already like this when we enter this place. I mean, it’s only like this for persona users, that’s how we knew you aren’t one…” 

“Persona…?” 

“The thing Ren used to protect you,” Futaba said. “It’s gonna be funky to explain, but for now just accept this as a supernatural thing and move on.” 

Goro didn’t look like he wanted to move on. 

“You called me… innocent, when you figured out I don’t have that persona thing. What were you suspecting me of?” He asked.

The answer he got was an uncomfortable silence. Nobody exactly knew how to break that to him, because who’d react well to being told they were suspected of being a murderer? Ren simply moved even closer to him, even though it was barely possible. 

“Well,” Yusuke started, saving them, “we are certainly not the ones behind the mental shutdowns, and we know for a fact that it’s the work of another metaverse user.” 

“And you suspected that I…?” 

Yusuke nodded.

“Ren was definitely against even considering that, but we needed to stay cautious. There’s no telling when someone you trusted could backstab you after all.” 

“Oh…” Goro’s gaze dropped to the floor as he squeezed the cup tightly. “I can’t even blame you for this, to be honest…”

“W-Well, now we can put it behind us!” Ann exclaimed. “Right? You can get mad for it at us, but don’t blame Ren, I’ve had enough of watching him sulk…” 

“Ann-” 

“She has a point, he’s been impossible for the past few days,” Futaba added, and Ren could feel his face heat up. “I feel like this situation will fix the problem you were having, so I suggest for Ren to take Akechi back to Leblanc and do the explaining stuff.” 

“That could work, I suppose,” Makoto said. “But our initial plan was to take care of some shadows, because Ren needed money for something, and wait for Morgana and Okumura-san here…” 

“We can do that some other day,” Ryuji replied. “Hopefully, the cat won’t go anywhere, and I’d feel sorry for Akechi if we involved him in this shit without explaining it first.” 

“Then… are you all fine with me knowing?” Goro sounded hesitant, his gaze traveling from one thief to another. Futaba answered with a shrug. 

“I mean, if you ain’t the enemy, then you’re just Ren’s boyfriend to us. And it’s not like we can make you unsee what you already saw. So, I think we should leave for today and let you two sort out your business.” 

“Wait, Ren’s boyfriend…?” 

“Makoto, I swear to god, look at the way they’re sitting…” 

Ren stopped paying attention to them. He was already thinking of what he should tell Goro, and in what way. Preferably everything, but that would take way too long… His mind was also already jumping to what was lying ahead of them, now that he didn’t need to hide his identity anymore. Would it-

“Overthinking much?” Goro interrupted his thoughts, reaching out to put his hand into Ren’s hair. “There’s no school tomorrow. We have a lot of time.” 

Did it mean he wasn’t mad anymore? Ren wasn’t sure. 

He was about to find out though. 

*** 

“Are you really telling me all of this was possible because of some unknown… phone app? Accessing the metaverse, determining who has distorted desires, entering… palaces, as you called it… All because of a phone app?” Goro asked, disbelief clear in his voice, as they sat on Ren’s bed, facing each other. 

“I know it might seem crazy, but that’s literally it,” the other boy said. He pulled out his phone, and a moment later he turned it towards Goro. “See this weird eye icon here? It’s this app. It appeared on my phone the day I arrived in Tokyo, and I couldn’t delete it no matter how many times I tried…” 

Goro stared at the familiar-looking icon for a moment, his disbelief becoming even deeper.

“I know it’s hard to-” 

“No, no, I believe you. It’s just... not the first time I’m seeing this icon.” 

“...what?” 

“Something similar happened to me. It was a long time ago, so I forgot about it, but now that you bring it up…” 

“Wait wait wait, do you mean you still have this app?” Ren interrupted him, looking strangely distressed. “How long ago was a long time ago? Did you-”

“You’re not making any sense,” Goro laughed, putting his hands on Ren’s cheeks to stop him from rambling. “Long ago was over two years ago. I was fifteen, I think. Though I had never figured out what was that all about, because… Soon after it happened, I broke my phone by dropping it onto the street. When I got it repaired, the app was already gone.” 

The other boy still looked disturbed though. 

“Over two years ago… Isn’t that when… the mental shutdowns started…?” 

“Well, they started a little after that, I suppose… What are you implying, Ren?”

“That you might’ve been given the app because you were supposed to take that place, but by some twist of fate, you avoided that, Goro.”

“What…? There’s no way I’d…” He wanted to say, but stumbled. 

At the back of his mind, there was a whole storage of dark feelings that could lead him to a very bad place. A lot of regret, anger, the desire for things he couldn’t have. If he was given a power like that as a fifteen year old, with nobody to explain it to him… 

He could easily fuck himself over. 

“Actually, scratch that… I don’t know what I’d do,” he said, suddenly feeling defeated. He slid his hands down, from Ren’s cheeks to his shoulders, then leaned forward, resting his forehead there too. “I’m sorry. This must seem like a disappointing answer. I can’t even say for sure that I wouldn’t kill anyone...”

“It’s not. It’s only human, to not know,” Ren muttered into his hair, wrapping his arms around him. “In the end, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I feel like I keep doing things wrong. Even when I tried to confront you about everything I knew, I…”

“That was my fault, for trying to delay the inevitable. I’m sorry for that.”

“What are you…” Goro mumbled, not even finishing the sentence. “...aside from me, did you have any other suspects when it comes to the person with the black mask?”

“...not really. It could be anyone.”

“I need to think about this first, and I’ll need more details, but… with the information I have from you… I’ll find them. Before they can even become a serious threat to you.”

“Of course,” Ren laughed gently, pressing his lips against the side of Goro’s head. “With you on my side, I feel like we can do anything.”

He wasn’t sure if this was a joke, or if Ren was being serious. 

They sat like that for a moment, not wanting to let go. Goro still felt like he didn’t say everything that he should, that there was so much more that he had to share with Ren, but… didn’t even know where to begin. 

“It’s getting late,” he whispered. “I should go if I want to catch the last train.”

“I should’ve told Yusuke to wait for you so I don’t have to send you back alone…”

“I know I made a fool out of myself today, but I’m not a child.”

“That’s not it.” Ren pulled away to look him in the eyes. He seemed more hesitant than Goro would like. “I… That would probably calm the others down more, I think…”

The realization about what Ren meant dawned on him after a few seconds. 

“You… still don’t trust me. Or you’re scared they don’t,” Goro said. Even he himself could hear that he sounded hurt. “I have no intentions of doing that, but… do you really want me to sell you out so badly?”

He was met with a frown.

“What? No! Obviously I don’t want that! Just thinking that… it was possible that you were our enemy was ruining me for months,” Ren said, looking away, flustered. 

“And yet, you decided to get closer to me. Why?”

“You’re doing this to tease me, I swear.”

“No, I’m being completely serious. Answer me.”

“I didn’t really have much of a choice, okay?” He replied, his face flushed pink. “I liked you no matter what. I couldn’t just sto-”

Goro also couldn’t stop himself. Not after a confession like this. Placing his hand at the back of Ren’s neck, he pulled him closer, kissing him on the lips. 

Well, that definitely made him stop talking. The tiny surprised sound he made was even better than his words. 

“You were willing to risk dating an enemy? You-” He starter after pulling away, but was interrupted as well. 

“I love you.”

There was no time to react or even think of a response, not when Ren took his face in his hands and pressed their lips back together. It was longer than the first kiss, not as gentle, more desperate, more everything. Goro closed his eyes, letting himself melt into the touch. His heart was beating so fast as if it was trying to leap out of his chest, but… 

He could get used to this. He wanted to get used to the taste of Ren’s lips on his, to be held, to feel… 

Loved.

“I mean it,” Ren whispered against his mouth. “I love you. I really love you. So much. I wish I didn’t wait with telling you this for so long…”

Goro felt like crying again. That was not the appropriate response to being told he was loved, right? And yet, he couldn’t stop himself. 

Ren didn’t comment on the tears that rolled down his cheeks, just held him tighter. 

“I… I feel the same. I love you, too.” 

“Thank you.” 

“What the hell are you thanking me for…?” 

“Making me the happiest guy in love on Earth.” He was smiling when saying that. Goro didn’t need to see him to know.  “Hey. It’s late. Stay the night. We’ll fit on the bed together if we cuddle.” 

Goro laughed through the tears. It sounded just like an offer Ren would make, and he didn’t mind. Going back now seemed unrealistic, with him crying his eyes out on the shoulder of someone he just confessed to. It all felt too intimate, too safe, for Goro to be able to force himself to leave. 

“Of course. I’ll stay.” 

*** 

Seeing his boyfriend wear sleeping clothes borrowed from him certainly wasn’t a turn-off for Ren. He’d have to bring that up some other time, when they weren’t exhausted because of everything that happened that day… Maybe he could take him to the bathhouse in the morning though. With him staying over, there were so many possibilities. 

“Hey… What’s going to happen now?” Goro asked when they were already in bed, facing each other, with Ren running his fingers though Goro’s hair. He seemed to like it a lot, as he instantly relaxed under his touch, leaning into his hand like a cat. Adorable.

“Well… we’ll have you talk to the rest of the team, too,” he replied. “But I was thinking… Of course, it’ll all depend on you, but… Even if you don’t have a persona, we could really use your help. Not in the fighting department, but intellectual.” 

“You think so…”

“Mhm. You already saved us once. The Phan-site really was being manipulated with, Futaba checked it. We all agreed we’re not going to take on Okumura’s palace if we don’t find more information.” 

“And that’s where… I could help.” 

“Only if you want to. You’d become somewhat of a honorary phantom thief, I suppose,” Ren laughed, watching Goro’s eyes lit up. Cute. Really cute. “We’d have to come up with a codename for you.” 

“You use codenames?” He asked, excitement written on his face. 

“Mhm. We’re the real Phantom Thieves after all. Mine is Joker, Futaba's is Navi, Yusuke's is Fox… We'll come up with something cool for you too." 

"But… unless I awaken to a persona, I won't have that metaverse outfit, like you do?" Goro sounded a little disappointed… but even though Ren didn’t want to say it out loud, he felt like the other boy had everything necessary to awaken a persona. He just needed the right circumstances. Maybe...

"I don't think so, honey." The use of the pet name made him smile instead, though the next question turned him flustered. "Do you really want one?"

"Well, it seems like a part of being a phantom thief…"

"You could always design yourself one. Your thiefsona, like Futaba would put it."

"That makes it sound like I'm a middle school kid!"

"A very charming one. I bet your outfit would be very princely."

"I'm going to kick you off this bed for making fun of me. I don't care that it belongs to you." 

"Lovely." Ren leaned a little forward, giving him a short kiss. He couldn't get enough of this. "Welcome to the team, Goro."

A sleepy silence fell between them as the older boy scooted closed to him and hid his face in the crook of Ren's neck. He was beginning to drift away, but Goro spoke up just before it was to happen. 

"If I'm a phantom thief too now… can I make a suggestion about the next target?” He asked quietly. Ren wasn't sure just if the strain in his voice was because he was embarrassed to ask, or because he was uncomfortable. 

"Is there someone you want us to target in particular…?"

"One person. A politician... Shido Masayoshi."

Oh. Ren felt as if he heard that name before, but he was going to think about it harder when his brain was more awake. The contempt was clear in Goro's voice though. 

"After everything I told you… do you think he has a palace?"

"He definitely has one. I've spent enough time trying to gather dirt on him to know that he’s rotten to the core. I… I'm actually trying to become a real detective so I can take him down in the future... but it'd take too much time. There's a lot I could prove him to be guilty of, but he has too much power for me to even reach him."

Ren thought about it for a moment. They'd still have to discuss this with the whole team, but for now, he didn't see any reason to reject that request. And Goro seemed to really want it.

“...who exactly is that man?” He asked hesitantly, feeling Goro take a deep breath against his neck.

“He’s… my biological father. Though I refuse to call him my family,” he whispered. 

“Do you want to talk about it? Just to get it out?” Goro most likely spent his entire life keeping it in, not even having a shoulder to cry on, and Ren knew enough about his life to be sure that it wasn’t kind to him… He wanted Goro to come to rely on him a little more.

“...I do, actually. I feel like if I’m not honest with you after all of this, I’m just stopping myself from moving forward,” Goro replied, and Ren could recognize he was slowly drifting off to sleep, his tone becoming softer and less focused. “I don’t want to be stuck in the past forever… It’s all because I met you, you know? Because I want to be with you. I want to be better for you… I’m sorry if I don’t make much sense…”

Well, he indeed wasn’t making much sense, because Ren already found him perfect the way he was. Now it was him who felt like crying, but instead he shifted their position so he could pull Goro into a slow, lazy kiss. The little content sigh he let out felt like music to his ears.  

“You’re already the best boyfriend I could dream of,” Ren whispered after they pulled away, bringing Goro’s hand to his lips instead, kissing his palm, his wrist… He was going to kiss all of him, one of these days. 

“You keep doing this… touching me, kissing me… Why?”

“Huh? Do you want me to stop?” Ren asked, confused, but Goro just smiled sleepily. 

“No. I like it. A lot. Please, keep doing it,” he muttered. “When it’s you, it’s okay…”

When it’s me. Just me. It sounded like there was a lot to unpack there, but for now, he was going to let it go. Step by step, they’d learn more about each other. Right now, it was okay to just lie in bed together, cuddled into each other. Warm, content, safe. 

"We'll get you the best air-soft gun we can find,” he muttered. "So if we try to change that asshole’s heart, you'll be able to fight too. I promise you that. We’re a team now."

"...thank you, Ren."

"Anything for you."

He wasn't sure if Goro even still heard him before falling asleep, but… it looked like some of his problems were just solving themselves. With Goro in his arms, and a potential target on his mind, everything seemed a lot brighter. There was still the problem with Morgana, and also Okumura Haru, and the metaverse user with the black mask...but he was going to deal with it, somehow. 

There were things that seemed almost funny to him. Like fifteen year old Goro breaking his phone and never realizing what that mysterious app could be used for, for starters. But at the same time, some force brought them back together anyway. It even seemed like destiny, a little bit like fate.

And while Ren was all about defying his fate…this one time, he was grateful.