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If Akira had made a list of things he would have expected to happen on his last day in Tokyo, running into a van full of his friends while the police watched from a distance was definitely not one of them, but if life as a Phantom Thief had taught him anything, it was to take everything the world threw at him in stride. So instead of asking his friends what the hell they were doing here, he just smiled slightly and walked over to the silver van.
“Hey there,” he said.
“Yo,” Ryuji said with a wide grin. “Need a ride to the station?”
“I wouldn’t say no to one,” Akira said. “Were you guys just waiting here for me to show up?”
“Not intentionally,” Makoto said with a sigh from the driver’s seat. “The engine malfunctioned.”
Morgana’s head popped up from behind the opened hood of the van and said, “I think we’re good to go! Makoto?”
Makoto tested the engine; it started up just fine, causing the other ex-Thieves to whoop in victory.
“Come on, nerd!” Futaba shouted. “Let’s get a move on!”
“Futaba-chan!” Haru chastised her, glancing at the police. “We’re trying not to get Akira arrested!”
“I believe even the combined words of all of us would not be enough to teach Futaba the art of subtlety,” Yusuke said.
“Watch it, Inari, I can still dox you!”
Ann just laughed and shook her head at the group’s antics. To Akira, she said, “It’s been like this the whole time we’ve been in the van. I was actually hoping you could calm them down?”
“Pfft. That’s Makoto’s job, not mine.”
As he said it, Akira chanced a look at the police car parked several feet away and found that the two officers inside were having what appeared to be an intense conversation, one of them gesturing furiously at the van full of former Phantom Thieves (minus Goro, for obvious reasons; he now noticed that Sumire, interestingly enough, was also not present).
“Damn it,” Makoto muttered, being the next one to notice the police’s actions. Louder, she said, “Guys, we need to move. We’ve already stayed here too long. Akira---”
“I’ve drawn enough attention to you guys already,” Akira said, raising a hand to stop whatever she was about to say. “The cops definitely suspect you now. I’ll find another ride, try to pull their focus off of you.”
“But we drove all this way....”
He chuckled at Ryuji’s whining. “I know, and I appreciate it, but we need to be careful. I’ve had enough of police custody to last a lifetime.”
“Did you say you needed a ride?”
Akira turned around at the familiar voice and found, to his immense surprise, none other than Maruki Takuto, sitting behind the wheel of a taxi.
“Maruki-sensei?” Haru said.
“Hello, former Thieves,” Maruki said with a small smile. “You’ve certainly caught my attention once again---in a much better way this time. If it would be of assistance to you, I’d be more than happy to drive Kurusu-kun to the station.”
Akira glanced around at his friends, but there was no need; he already knew his answer. The others clearly knew it as well, and Ryuji cracked his knuckles, still grinning widely.
“We’ll draw the police’s attention off ya,” he said. “Keep ’em distracted for a bit, yeah?”
“Sorry this didn’t work out the way we hoped,” Ann added apologetically. “We’ll try to plan it a little better next time.”
“And there will indeed be a next time, when you return to visit us,” Yusuke said.
“Just try to make sure that your visit isn’t caused by anything related to the law,” Makoto cautioned.
“I’ll be keeping tabs on you just in case I need to break into anybody’s offshore bank accounts for you,” Futaba said. “Never underestimate the one and only Alibaba.”
“And remember, if you ever need anything, we’ll always be here for you!” Haru said with a sweet smile.
“Don’t worry, Lady Haru!” Morgana meowed, tail high. “I’ll keep this guy out of trouble!”
Haru laughed lightly. “Thanks, Mona-chan!”
Morgana’s tail twitched with pride as he nudged the van hood shut and jumped easily onto Akira’s shoulders. “You can count on me!”
“Thanks, everybody,” Akira said. His friends’ words filled him with warmth, as was usual. “I’ll really miss you guys, you know. I can’t wait to come back.”
“Better hurry it up, then,” Ryuji replied. “We’ll be waitin’ for ya.”
Akira nodded, then turned to Maruki and said, “Alright, Doc. Let’s go.”
Maruki smiled and said, “Glad to be of assistance.”
Hands back on the wheel, Makoto pulled the van forward just enough to block the police’s view of Akira and Morgana as they entered Maruki’s taxi; once they were safely inside the vehicle, Ryuji shut the van door and shouted, “He’s in! Let’s go!”
Makoto said something in response, a small yet determined smile on her face, then slammed the gas. The van shot off in the opposite direction of the station; the police car started up a moment later to enter hot pursuit. Maruki waited until they were farther away before starting up his own vehicle and beginning the drive to the station.
“You’re looking well, I see,” he said, glancing at Akira via the rearview mirror. “Has life finally been treating you well?”
“For once, yeah,” Akira said. “Well. It’s not perfect, but what’s life without a little imperfection, anyway?”
It was a testament to how much Maruki’s change of heart had affected the man that he responded, “Not much of a life at all. You were the one who helped me realize that, Kurusu-kun---you and your group of former Phantom Thieves.”
“How about you? Are you doing okay after...well, after everything?”
“I’ve been keeping a low profile as much as possible,” Maruki said. “I was hired as a taxi driver about three weeks ago. I actually have today off, and I was just passing through the area when I spotted your group of friends. It seems fate has drawn me to you once again.”
Akira half-smiled. “Fate’s funny like that.”
“It’s a good thing you saw us, too!” Morgana said. “The police had me worried for a second there.”
Maruki visibly grimaced and said, “I admit I’ve never liked them either. Especially after I heard about what they did to you.”
“You know about that?” Akira said, surprised.
“Niijima-san filled me in on it. The elder one, I mean. Is that your phone?”
There was a buzzing noise coming from Akira’s bag. Akira withdrew his phone to find that it was, in fact, the source of the noise.
Phantom Thieves of Hearts
Oracle: well if we weren’t already on the verge of being arrested we sure as hell are now
Panther: @Joker translation: you’re in the clear, but we may have broken a few traffic laws in the process
Skull: dude u better hurry tf up before we’re all in deep shit
Akira stifled a laugh at his friends’ messages.
Joker: we should be at the station soon
Joker: try not to get into too much trouble until then
Fox: I must say, Queen has done a remarkably excellent job of keeping the police distracted.
Noir: Hopefully we can shake them off soon!
Joker: i appreciate it guys
Oracle: yeah yeah just get outta here before queen gets us all fuckin arrested
Fortunately, right as Futaba sent the last message, they reached the station. Maruki brought the car to a halt, then turned to face Akira and Morgana, something sorrowful crossing his gaze.
“Thank you again for everything you’ve done for me,” he said quietly. “You saved me from my distorted worldview, and for that, I will always be in your debt.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Akira said just as quietly. “It’s our duty---and our passion---to help those in need.”
Maruki gave the tiniest of wistful sighs, which Akira was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to hear.
“For what it’s worth,” Maruki said, “I truly am sorry about what I did to your group---and to you in particular, Kurusu-kun.”
Had Maruki said that back in Leblanc on February second, Akira would not have believed him. Now, with a changed heart and a brand-new shot at life, he knew Maruki was being sincere.
Akira hesitated, then admitted, “You know, if it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I ever would have confessed my true feelings to Goro, much less gotten to kiss him. It was a shitty situation, sure, but at least one good thing came of it. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that I can’t really hold it against you when it helped me show the truth to the man I love.”
“I’m glad you see it that way,” Maruki said, although he still looked a bit sad. “Well, we’re here. You have a train to catch. Goodbye, Kurusu-kun. I hope we meet again someday.”
“We will,” Akira said. “I’m certain of it.”
He exited the taxi with a smile, bag over his shoulder. Morgana had entered the bag at some point, and his head stuck out somewhat adorably, watching the station crowd over Akira’s shoulder. Akira heard Maruki drive away; straightening his posture, Akira started walking in the general direction of the platform where his train would be waiting.
He’d only been walking for a few minutes before he found another familiar face.
“Hello, Akira-senpai,” Sumire said with a gentle smile. “I thought I might find you here. You’re leaving today, right?”
“Yeah,” Akira said. “I was wondering why you weren’t with the other Thieves.”
Sumire’s smile turned mysterious. “Someone wanted to meet up with me. They were looking for you.”
Akira blinked in surprise. “Looking for me? Why?”
“I have to go. I’ve still got practice today,” Sumire said, completely ignoring his question. “I wish you a safe journey back, senpai---and Morgana too, of course.”
“Lady Sumire---” Morgana started, but Sumire was already walking away, throwing Akira and Morgana a small wave over her shoulder as she did so.
Well, that was strange.
“Let’s go,” he said aloud. “We should get a seat on the train.”
Morgana watched Sumire’s retreating form for another moment, then shook his head and said, “Yeah, we’d better hurry.”
There were a fair number of people boarding the train, but aided by Morgana’s feline eyesight, the pair found a train car that was only about half full. Akira claimed a seat by one of the windows, gently setting the Mona-bag on the seat next to him.
His phone buzzed again; Morgana climbed halfway out of the bag to read the messages alongside Akira.
Phantom Thieves of Hearts
Noir: @Joker We’ve successfully lost the police!
Oracle: in a way that was def less than legal but w/e
Joker: mona and i are on the train
Queen: That’s certainly a relief. We’re glad you’re safe.
Skull: dude u better be drivin when u come back bc i dont think i wanna be in a car w/ queen ever again
Joker: i don’t have a license
Skull: then get a fuckin license
Queen: I suppose asking you to watch your language would be pointless?
Panther: Yeah that’s a good bet
Fox: We wish you a safe journey home, Joker.
Joker: i’m not going home
Joker: tokyo’s my home now
Joker: i’m just leaving for a little bit
Joker: you bet mona and i are coming back the moment we can
“We’ll be back before they know it!” Morgana said.
Joker: mona says we’ll be back before you know it
Oracle: damn right
Oracle: we’ll come kidnap you if we have to
Noir: Please don’t!
“Excuse me. Is this seat taken?”
Akira dropped his phone in shock at the familiar voice, elegant despite its slight sharpness. Morgana, who had startled as well, fell off the seat. Akira let his phone fall in favor of whirling towards the aisle.
There he was.
Warm chestnut hair framing his face, gorgeous ruby eyes, and his signature serrated smirk that had often graced his face as the Black Mask. The same tan peacoat and black pants that served as his detective uniform. A single black leather glove on his right hand. Even the silver attaché case with the black “A” painted on the side.
“Tadaima, Joker,” Akechi Goro said.
Akira leaped up and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. With a quiet chuckle, Goro set his case down and lifted his own arms to return the embrace.
“Okaeri, Crow,” Akira whispered, and tears began escaping his eyes. “You’re alive...I can’t believe it. You’re alive, for real this time....”
“For real this time,” Goro confirmed, voice turning more gentle. He didn’t seem to mind that Akira was crying all over his fancy jacket. “Come on, now. After all we’ve been through together, did you really expect me to just give up? I can’t let you have all the fun, you know.”
“You absolute asshole. How long have you been alive? Why didn’t you reach out to me?”
“Wow, I’m offended. I’ve been alive the whole time. I, ah---I was rather indisposed until yesterday, though,” Goro admitted.
Akira drew back suddenly, a thought occurring to him. “It was you! Sumire said someone wanted to meet up with her, and that they were looking for me. That was you, wasn’t it?”
Goro laughed again. “Guilty as charged.”
Morgana, who had respectfully remained extremely quiet while Akira and Goro exchanged their first conversation since early February, jumped up to Akira’s shoulders, then carefully hopped over to Goro’s shoulders instead, rubbing his face against Goro’s cheek. Goro, clearly surprised by Morgana’s sudden affection, slowly started scratching Morgana behind the ear.
“It’s good to see you again, Akechi,” Morgana meowed, flicking Goro’s ear with his tail.
“Good to see you as well, Morgana,” Goro said.
“Sit down,” Akira said, wiping some of his tears off his face and moving the Mona-bag to the floor.
Goro gingerly sat; Morgana jumped down to his lap and allowed him to begin running his fingers through his fur. Akira hesitated, then leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Goro’s forehead.
“Alright,” Akira said, reclaiming his own seat. “Tell me what happened.”
Goro nodded.
“I woke up in the hospital two weeks ago,” he started, staring off into some middle distance. “The hospital staff told me that Niijima Sae had found me next to the Diet Building, unconscious. I’d been shot in the shoulder. Interestingly enough, they said that the wound had somehow already started healing when Sae-san brought me in; they had to reopen it to get the bullet out, and in the process I went from just unconscious to a full-on coma. I also learned that after his confession and arrest, Shido transferred all authority regarding medical decisions for me to Sae-san, claiming---correctly---that I would respond much better to Sae-san than to him. How he knew I was still alive was a mystery that I decided I didn’t care to solve. But I digress. After waking up, it took a while to get discharged from the hospital, but they finally let me go, so I returned to my apartment. It appeared that Shido didn’t even ransack it or anything; everything was exactly as I’d left it. I stayed there until yesterday, keeping my head down as best as possible. However, it appears that I’ve been erased from the cognition of the masses---no one seems to remember me anymore, other than the Thieves. What’s up with that?”
“Right, you weren’t---you’d have no way of knowing. Neither did we, at first,” Morgana said. “When that happened, somebody---I think it was Makoto---speculated that since your real self had ‘died’ in the cognitive world, rather than your Shadow self, you had been removed from people’s cognition after your ‘death’ in Shido’s Palace.”
“Does it bother you?” Akira asked Goro carefully. “Not being remembered?”
Goro sighed. “If you’d asked me in August, I would have said yes without hesitation. Now, I think, the answer is no. In a way it’s relieving, actually. By the time November came around, I had started to realize that I didn’t like all the attention as much as I’d originally thought. It wasn’t until January, when I no longer had to hide my true self, that I finally realized I liked being in the shadows. For the first time in my life, I had absolutely no expectations to uphold---absolutely no people left to disappoint.”
“Hey,” Akira said, frowning at the wording of the last sentence. “You were never a disappointment to me. To us. We value you no matter what.”
“Yes, well, I know that now, but I didn’t at the time,” Goro said. He placed a quick kiss on Akira’s cheek, then continued. “With my new anonymity came a new freedom, which I used to locate and purchase a property in your hometown and apply for a job in the area. Then I obtained the date and time of your train ride out of Tokyo from Sumire and immediately bought a ticket myself. Just yesterday, I finished the paperwork to sell my old apartment, and I spent the night in a hotel. After checking out of the hotel this morning, I came to the station to talk to Sumire in person, then waited for you to arrive, and here we are.”
“Here we are,” Akira agreed.
“I’m sorry I didn’t reach out to you sooner,” Goro said. “I wanted to surprise you. I didn’t expect you to start crying when I showed up.”
“It’s okay. It was a nice surprise,” Akira said, taking Goro’s bare left hand into both of his own and threading their fingers together. Then he grinned and said, “I missed you, honey~~”
Goro blushed deeply but didn’t pull his hand away.
“I’ll give you two some time to catch up,” Morgana said, jumping down to the Mona-bag and curling up inside. “Wake me up when we arrive.”
“Thanks, Mona,” Akira said.
“Don’t mention it. Have fun, you two!”
Goro laughed quietly. “Thank you, Morgana.”
The train finally started moving; Akira and Goro sat in silence for several minutes, watching the scenery change through the window as Morgana’s cute cat snores filled the air.
“I missed you too,” Goro eventually murmured. “A lot, actually. After fighting Maruki, you were sent to jail?”
Akira nodded. “Yeah. Not for long, though. The other Thieves cleared my name and got me released not too long after defeating Maruki.”
“I’m assuming you testified against Shido.”
“Of course. Futaba did too, actually. Once she talked about the stolen cognitive psience research, it was all over for Shido and his accomplices,” Akira said. “She exposed so many people involved in the cover-up that there was no way Shido’s lawyers could defend them all. She also submitted a shit ton of evidence to the court under her Alibaba alias to back herself up without the court realizing that teenage girl Sakura Futaba and world-renowned hacker Alibaba were the same person.”
Goro hesitated, then said, “Did he...did my name come up?”
Akira shook his head. “Shido said in his confession that he had knowingly forced a minor to cause several psychotic breaks and mental shutdowns on his behalf, and that he had paid the minor for his work. He also said that his actions had resulted in the death of an innocent woman who had borne him a son. But he never mentioned your name, and Futaba and I saw no reason to reveal you after you’d already been wiped from the masses’ cognition. We wanted to protect you the way you protected me back in December, when you took my place in jail.”
Goro nodded, although he looked very weary. Akira started rubbing circles on the back of Goro’s hand.
“I’m really happy you’re back,” he said. “And that you’re coming with me. It would have been lonely with just me and Morgana.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Goro said. “I’ll take every chance I can get to stay near the man I love.”
It was Akira’s turn to blush deeply. “You’re embarrassing me, honey---I thought I was supposed to be the one who’s good at smooth lines?”
“And I thought you’d remember what I told you back in November,” Goro said with a smirk. “You’re the one person to whom I refuse to lose, of course.”
“The way I remember it, you then proceeded to throw your glove at me and start going on about dueling and traditions in the West, at which point I’ll admit I started tuning you out because you’re hot when you’re angry.”
“As I recall, you kept the glove because you’re an overly sentimental fool. But then again, that same sentimentality has saved my life on more than one occasion, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain.”
“I still have the glove, actually,” Akira said. “It’s in my pocket. I carry it everywhere. Do you want it back?”
Goro’s eyes widened. Then he laughed quietly and shook his head. “No, you dumbass, keep it. I’m supposed to win it back. And besides, I still have something of yours that I’ve been holding on to as well.”
“Something of---oh. The black king chess piece? I didn’t think you’d actually keep that thing.”
“Why wouldn’t I? It’s a mark of my rival’s word, after all,” Goro said.
Akira grinned. “True. Although I think we can both agree that we’re way past the ‘rivals’ stage now. As Futaba would say, we fit the ‘rivals to lovers’ trope perfectly.”
“Futaba would be correct, then. Besides, how better to forge a new path than to forge it side by side with the person I care most about?”
“I was about to say the same thing.”
The pair shared a laugh, then fell into a comfortable conversation about all the places Goro absolutely had to visit once they arrived in Akira’s hometown. At some point, Goro leaned over and kissed Akira on the lips, shutting him up midsentence. Akira closed his eyes and kissed him right back, and it felt so right that he realized it felt like something he knew his journey back would never have been.
It felt like coming home.
★ ☆ ★
Phantom Thieves of Hearts
Joker: so i have a surprise
-- Joker added Crow to the chat --
Crow: Hello again, everyone.
Oracle: what the fuck