Work Text:
Akechi thinks this is a total waste of time.
If he has to cavort with the Phantom Thieves, he’d rather not see them act like children.
But Akira seemed to think the best way to welcome him into the group was to let him join in on one of their group regression days.
Now, Akechi isn’t regressor class. He’s a baseline. And since there’s no one alive that can prove otherwise, that’s the story he’s sticking with.
And there’s no worse way he can think to spend an evening than with a bunch of unchaperoned regressors.
The rules, which are written with a crude hand in purple crayon, hang above him on the wall.
Rule 1: Listen to Ann and Ryuji. They’re the oldest.
Rule 2: You are not worthless, useless, or in the way. You are deserving of affection, love, and a support system. You do not need to serve a purpose. What rotten adults have told you does not matter. You are here, you are safe, you are loved.
Rule 3: Be nice to Baby Kira. He’s littler than all of us.
It’s all so laughably juvenile.
Ann and Akira met him at the station and took him to Leblanc, where the attic will serve as their playroom for the day. They all take turns hosting, or so he’s been told, but it’s important that they don’t mention it. Yusuke, living in the Kosei dorms, doesn’t have the ability to host, and apparently he feels rather self-conscious about it.
The others trickle in one by one, all wearing comfy clothes. Futaba’s wearing a hoodie with sleeves that go down to her knees, while Haru is wearing a cozy sweater and leggings, with fuzzy socks to match.
While Akechi sits at Akira’s workbench, trying not to note all the very illegal contraptions sitting out in plain sight, Ann sits beside him and chatters away.
“I’m seven, and Ryuji’s eight. Makoto and Haru are both five, and Yusuke’s three! Futaba’s six, and Baby Kira is usually one or two. He’s really little so we all have to be super nice to him.”
“Quite the range of ages,” Akechi agrees. They’re all so young. Should they really be allowed to self-govern, especially when all of them are regressed?
But Ann just nods, smiling like it’s normal, like it’s a good thing. “Mhm!”
“Ryu, can we play Portal?” Futaba asks, rolling up one of her massive sleeves to tug at the back of his shirt.
“I did promise we would, didn’t I?” Ryuji looks to Ann. “Will you be okay with Kira?”
Ann gives him a giant thumbs up. “As long as you jump in if Mako and Ru need anything.”
Makoto and Haru have already set up a dollhouse in the corner. They’re speaking in low tones, but from what Akechi can put together, it sounds like they’re playing two entirely different games, with Haru playing a game of house and Makoto conducting a crime scene investigation.
Ryuji scoffs. “No worries.” He ruffles Futaba’s hair. “Go get the Xbox set up, okay?”
Futaba bounces on her tiptoes, excited about being given a task. “Yeah!” She scurries over to the old television set, leaving the two eldest in the room to converse among themselves.
The two huddle close, speaking loud enough that Akechi can just barely overhear.
“Okay, but are you okay?” Ryuji asks.
“I had a good day today, I’m fine. What about you? It’s been a while.”
Akechi spares them a glance, trying not to give away how piqued his interest is. So not only are they watching out for the younger ones, but for each other as well.
Ryuji shakes his head. “Video games with Futaba always helps. I should be fine.”
“Okay.” Ann bumps his fist with her own. “We’ve got this.”
“We always do.” But before he can say anything else, Futaba tugs his sleeve again, and he has no choice but to snuggle on the couch with her as the game boots up.
With a frown, Ann does a headcount. “One, two, three, four, five…” She grins as Akira comes up the stairs, wearing basketball shorts and a hoodie. “Six!” She opens her arms, which he gladly steps into.
Akechi notes that this is the first time he’s seen Akira so shy, his eyes downcast and his cheeks glowing red. Is it because Akechi is here? Or is it because he’s unused to his own headspace? Come to think of it, Akechi has never once seen him small, and if it weren’t for what he’s overheard in the Metaverse, he wouldn’t have known Akira was a Little to begin with.
“This lil guy is all mine,” Ann tells Akechi. “He hasn’t regressed allll week!” She tickles his sides, trying to elicit some sort of reaction out of him. To her credit, he does giggle and squirm, even if he does hide his face in his collar immediately after.
“Not very vocal,” Akechi comments.
“Not even on a good day,” Ann agrees. Something in her tone indicates that this for whatever reason wasn’t a good day, but she doesn’t elaborate on why. She holds Akira close and sways. “What should we do, huh? Should we… go mountain climbing?”
Akira tilts his head at her. She’s teasing him, but he doesn’t quite seem to understand that.
Still, Ann pretends like that’s an answer. “You’re right! Where would we find a mountain at this hour? We should just snuggle instead.” Ann guides him to his bed, since he’s kind of just standing there in a daze, and lies on her side, propped up on her elbow.
Akira tucks himself against her, curling up impossibly small for such a lanky guy, and Ann coos in response, methodically carding her fingers through his curls.
“Sissy?” Yusuke asks, padding over to the bed. God, they all have nicknames for one another when regressed, don’t they? It might be cute if it weren’t so nauseatingly saccharine. Still, Yusuke’s interjection doesn’t come as a surprise. He’s been watching Akira closely since he came upstairs. “Do you think Kira would like a story?”
“Oh, Yu-Yu, I’m sorry,” Ann says. There must be an unspoken request there, based on how guilty she looks. “I think Kira needs someone’s full attention today.”
“Oh…” Yusuke tries not to let his disappointment show, but he’s not nearly that good of an actor.
“I can read you a story,” Akechi offers, but he can tell from the way that Yusuke’s pout deepens that he won’t be accepting substitutes. Is Ann his favorite or does he just not like strangers?
“No thank you…” He casts a forlorn look back at Haru and Makoto at the dollhouse. Is he planning to join them instead?
“I know, mister,” Ann croons. She reaches up and pats his cheek, a touch that he heavily leans into. “It’s hard being the second littlest.”
Akechi tries not to scoff. As if being catered to slightly less than one other person is anything to be complaining about. But Ryuji seems to agree, since he pauses the game he and Futaba are playing.
“I can take Kira,” Ryuji offers. And while Futaba looks miffed, she offers no complaint, her concern also fixed on Akira.
“I can join Futaba in her game,” Akechi offers.
“We couldn’t ask you to do that,” Ryuji says.
But Akechi just smiles. “Please, I’m your guest.” And the only one here acting their age.
“Actually, would you mind taking Kira, Mr. Akechi?” Ann asks. “He isn’t too much trouble, I swear. He just wants cuddles.”
“I’d be happy to.” Honestly, he’d be happy to prevent a bout of whining, but that’s neither here nor there.
Ann taps Akira’s forehead to get his attention, and he uncoils just enough to look up at her. “Is that okay with you, Kira? If Mr. Akechi takes you instead?”
Akira nods, stretching a lazy arm out in Akechi’s direction.
The relief in the air is palpable. “Okay. Just one second, Yu-Yu. We’re gonna get Kira settled and then we’ll read your story, okay?”
Yusuke nods. “I’m good at waiting.”
“Yes, you are!” Ann coos. “Kira, baby, can you stand?”
Just barely it seems. Akechi meets him halfway on the other end of his bed—it’d probably be more comfortable for him there anyway—as Akira manages only a few shaky steps.
“Good job, baby.” Ann helps him sit back down, his head on Akechi’s shoulder and his legs over Akechi’s lap.
Akechi automatically moves to support Akira’s head, knowing how hard it is for a Little that young and this regressed to keep their head up. People are always so surprised to find out he’s good with Littles, and frankly he prefers it that way. Rather them be shocked than suspect the alternative.
“Does he always have mobility issues?” Akechi asks. Akira’s already made himself comfortable snuggled against Akechi’s shoulder, looking only a few seconds from falling asleep completely.
“Only when he drops little little.”
“As he is right now,” Akechi guesses.
Ann nods. “He doesn’t regress much, so it’s like he’s using all his littleness for the month at once!” She tickles Akira’s side, as if the touch and light voice she speaks with could diminish how bad that is. He giggles and squirms, but his eyes are drifting shut in a matter of seconds.
It’s hard to place Littles who regress that young, so frankly it’s a surprise that even Boss would take him in. Akechi wonders if he was somehow able to disguise his headspace needs. Or if neglectful adults were just too busy to notice how much care he requires. It wouldn’t be the first time Akechi has seen that happen, and it’s no surprise seeing how quiet the little brat is.
“I don’t think he’s regressed since what happened to Mr. Okumura,” Ann tells him in a hushed voice.
“Rules,” Ryuji reminds her.
“I know, dummy!” she snaps. “I was just sayin’ so he knew!”
Akechi glances up at the rule sheet. “Which rule does that fall under?”
Ann’s gaze goes steely, and for a second, her adult headspace shines through, even if her speech is still stilted and childish. “It’s an unofficial rule. Those are up there because they’re stuff that everyone should remember. But there’s stuff that some of us need to remember that others wanna forget.”
And while Akechi would love to inquire further, that’s all Ann cares to say before she turns her attention back to Yusuke, who’s been waiting patiently with his book.
“Bear hug!” Ann cries. She grabs Yusuke around the shoulders and tugs him back against the mattress. “Thank you for being patient! Do you have your paci?”
Yusuke nods, pulling said object from his pocket. Akechi can’t help finding it odd that he could find a store for customizable pacifiers at just about every major shopping center, and all Yusuke has is a plain blue one. Even convenience stores sell more than that, offering ones with patterns on the shields.
Yusuke notices him staring. “Papa thought pacis were icky,” he explains. “I bought this one myself!”
Now Akechi’s accomplishments as a great detective might be… exaggerated, but he knows physical tells when he sees them. The way Yusuke glances around the room, as if making sure it’s safe before putting the pacifier in his mouth, one hand preemptively cupped over his cheek… well, it doesn’t take a detective to figure out how Madarame reacted if he caught Yusuke with a pacifier.
As everyone gets settled, the group falls into a lull. Futaba and Ryuji quietly talk through their game, laughing and whispering and encouraging each other as they figure out the portal puzzles. Makoto and Haru continue their game, but it’s more collaborative than when last Akechi tuned in. Now Makoto’s policewoman doll is investigating a murder at Haru’s family of dolls. Ann is reading to Yusuke, and it’s plain to see why Yusuke wanted her specifically. She breathes life into the story, speaking in hushed, excited tones at just the right times, doing voices for each character, and giving little asides to keep Yusuke involved.
Akechi casts a glance down at the Little in his arms. Akira hasn’t made a single sound since Akechi arrived, and he doesn’t show any signs of doing so anytime soon. He just sits curled comfortably on Akechi’s shoulder, his teeth absently working at his lower lip.
“Are you sure he doesn’t need anything?” Akechi mutters. He’s mostly speaking to himself, knowing from personal experience that younger Littles need activities as much as the older ones. You can’t just stick them in an empty crib and pretend you’ve done your job as a caregiver, as if doing so little owes you their undying loyalty.
Akechi takes a page from Ann’s book, lightly swaying the two of them. After all, if Akira needs someone’s full attention like Ann claimed, he might as well give it his all.
Slowly but surely, Akira melts, his fingers absently winding into Akechi’s tie. Akechi has half a mind to pry his grubby little fingers free, but doesn’t see the need, so long as the little brat doesn’t start pulling. He seems perfectly content to just have something in his hands, though that does call to question why he doesn’t have a stuffie of some kind.
“About time for a nap, huh?” Ann asks Yusuke, and Akechi glances over to see Yusuke in a similar state.
He can barely keep his eyes open, so the most he can manage is a nod in response. His fingers knot in the sleeve of her hoodie, silently begging her not to go.
But instead of looking to Ryuji for help, she looks to the girls at the dollhouse.
“Mako?” Ann asks. She waits a beat, letting the girls break from their game, where it seems like the wife was trying to frame one of her own kids for the murder, before continuing. “Can you get a baba for Kira and a sippy for Yu-Yu?”
“Downstairs?” Makoto’s eyes go wide. “But there’s people…”
Haru pops up onto her feet before she can even finish her thought. “I’ll go! I’m good at people!”
Ann beams. “Thank you, Miss Ru!”
Akechi has to marvel at how well they work together. He was almost certain this entire operation would be nothing short of a disaster, but he’s really, truly impressed at the sheer amount of cooperation and understanding they all have for each other.
How nice it must be to know that there’s always a group that has your back and—
No. He refuses to get jealous at a bunch of simpering brats. Simpering criminal brats even.
Haru comes trotting up the stairs with a sucker in her mouth and a bottle and sippy cup in each hand, with extra suckers laced between her fingers.
“Boss said hi!” she says, moving between Ryuji, Futaba, and Makoto in turn. She gives Ann her sucker last, and finally hands the sippy cup over to Yusuke. “And for Kira!” She hands Akira the bottle instead of Akechi, crouching down to Akira’s level to say, “Boss says it’s okay if you don’t finish, okay?”
Akira nods distantly, the relief palpable in his face. Littles that go really young—not that Akechi would know, from personal experience or otherwise—sometimes have decreased appetites, and it can be hard to regulate their diets when they’re regressed.
Akechi glances down at the Little in his arms, tipping the bottle up with his index finger. He could tell at a glance that Akira’s arms were getting tired from holding the bottle on his own.
“You’re getting sleepy, Ryu,” Futaba says. She gently pries the controller out of Ryuji’s hands and turns off the game. “We’ll finish the puzzle next time, okay?” She pads over to her backpack and pulls out a 3DS.
Yusuke immediately perks up, like he hadn’t been half-asleep a few seconds previous. “Mons?”
Akechi looks to Ryuji for an explanation.
“He really likes watchin’ Futaba play Pokemon,” Ryuji explains with a little yawn. “He can’t fall asleep without it.”
Ann slips out of her spot, and Futaba curls up around Yusuke, resting her 3DS against his chest so he can watch her play Pokemon. They probably have a good ten minutes before the two of them are out like lights.
“You look sleepy,” Ryuji says to Ann, even though he looks just as tired. He makes room for Ann on the couch.
Ann whines. “Maybe a bit.”
“Did you not sleep well last night?”
“No, I did. Just… long day.”
“Long day,” Ryuji agrees.
Suddenly two pairs of eyes are blinking up at him.
“Will you wake us up if anything happens, Mr. Akechi?” Ann asks.
Do they really trust him enough to fall asleep around him? No, never. It’s that they trust each other, so much that it doesn’t matter if Akechi is trustworthy or not. Still, he smiles like the trust is aimed at him. “You have my word.”
Apparently that’s enough for the two of them, because they wind around each other like baby pandas and almost immediately drift off.
Yusuke isn’t too far behind them, if the way he’s slowly blinking at the screen is any indication. And Akira isn’t drinking from his bottle so much as he is chewing on the nipple. Akechi absently takes the bottle away, setting it on the workbench for later. Akira’s only response is a heavy blink, so he isn’t too upset about losing his meal.
There’s a tug on his sleeve. Haru takes a small step back when he turns to her, her hands poised close to her chest.
“Excuse me, Mr. Akechi,” Haru says softly. “Um, I can take care of Baby Kira from here, if you’d like.” She averts her eyes, goes red. ‘Good at people,’ huh? “It’s nothing against you, he just has a very particular way he needs to be held, and I think it’s about everyone’s naptime anyway in case you wanted to leave…”
But Akechi just smiles at her too, trying his best to be off-putting. “Well, I promised I’d keep watch, but if you’d like to snuggle with him, you’re most certainly welcome to.”
He slips out from under Akira, earning a little grumble from Akira in return. However, any grumpiness dissolves when he feels Haru sidle up next to him.
Akira’s arms and legs wind around her tiny frame, all joints and lanky limbs. Haru cradles his head close to her chest, her fingers winding through his hair. Akechi tries not to cringe, thinking of how awful it would be boxed in on all sides like that, but Akira doesn’t seem to mind. He gives a small hum of contentment and falls right asleep, opening his eyes only when Makoto curls up on his other side. Frankly, it’s amazing that five of them can fit on such a small bed, but they all curl up so tightly. As if they’re trying to take up as little space as possible.
The children nap. One hour turns to two, with no sound but the soft snores and heavy breathing. Akechi would almost dare to call them cute. Certainly low-maintenance, even if it’s a result of neglect.
Akechi amuses himself with reading while he waits for them to wake. For whatever reason, he feels the need to stick around, but it’s probably just a way to solidify their trust. Definitely not because of a sense of concern for the little brats. They were up against the same system that failed him, but that didn’t mean he wanted to defend them when they couldn’t defend themselves. And while he was at it, them all referring to him as “Mr. Akechi” was the least endearing thing they could come up with.
Akira lets out a small whine, his brow furrowing in discomfort. A nightmare, perhaps? But before the bad thoughts can take root, he nuzzles into Haru’s arm and instantly relaxes. Akechi wonders if that’s why he needs to be held a particular way, if the way she’s cradling his head grounds him even in sleep.
When he looks at Akira, the only thing he can feel is scorn. To be so weak, so dependent, feels like nothing short of a death sentence. And the fact that he has friends he’d let see him like that, that he trusted them… well, the betrayal was inevitable.
It’s not like Akechi could blame him. Craving that vulnerability was natural for anyone, but for Littles especially. Suppressing your headspace could lead to mental and physical health issues, a need to be loved that ran so deep it ached, an itch clawing just underneath your skin, unable to be satisfied…
Akechi shakes his head, absently scratching at the back of his neck, and turns his attention back to his book. It’s an easy thought to banish, especially when the children barely make it fifteen minutes before rousing.
Ann wakes up first, poking her head up like a prairie dog. Ryuji’s arms are tight around her shoulders, so she isn’t able to sit up like she clearly wants to.
“Headspace check?” Ann calls out.
Ryuji groans, finally letting go to rub at his eyes. He has no reservations at how openly he’s pouting. “I don’t wanna, but I got homework. I’m big.”
Futaba sits up and stretches, waking Yusuke in the process. “I’m big too.”
Yusuke yawns. “Little.” He rolls away from Futaba and pulls the covers over his head.
Haru lifts her head. Her hair is sticking up on one side, her floof intensified from sleep. “I’m somewhere in the middle.”
Makoto doesn’t even open her eyes. “Small.”
Ann nods. “Akira?”
A pause, no answer.
Ann tries again. “Akira?”
Akechi peers over at the unmoving lump beside Haru. “I believe the littlest one might still be asleep.”
Ryuji yawns widely, stretching so wide that something pops. “Let him sleep. He doesn’t sleep like he should anyway.”
Haru untangles herself from Akira, pouting as well. From the way she keeps casting glances back at Akira, the last thing she wants to do is let go. “I have to get up,” she mutters, mostly to herself. “Kira cuddles always make it hard to be big.”
Akechi snickers. “Well, I hope you don’t change your mind.”
“Huh?”
Akechi gestures to the empty space she left, now occupied. Yusuke has crawled his way over to Akira’s side of the bed, and the two of them are currently tangled together like baby octopi.
“Nawww, look at the babies,” Futaba coos.
“I wanna get Yu-Yu something special,” Ann murmurs. She’s speaking mostly to Ryuji, but she doesn’t seem to care that everyone else is listening in. “For being so good with Kira.”
Ryuji nods his agreement. “We’ll think of something. Ya know how he is with presents…”
“Might I suggest stuffed animals for both of them?” Akechi says. “Based on how he took to my tie, Kira is very fond of grabbing things, and they might accept the gifts easier if there’s one for each of them.”
“That might just work,” Ann mutters.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Ryuji decides. “When everyone is big.”
Ann yawns from behind her hand, looking like she might just be ready to join the littler ones in naptime. “Okay.”
“Would it be too much trouble to ask someone to walk me home?” Haru asks.
“I’ve gotcha,” Ryuji says, getting up from the couch. With a smirk, he tousles Ann’s hair, snickering at how vocally she protests. “You stay here where Futaba can watch you.”
That’s right. While she initiated the check, she didn’t answer for herself. Is Ryuji really able to tell as much at a single glance?
“You need to hold my hand, Ru?” Ryuji asks.
Haru nods, her cheeks reddening. “If that’s okay…”
“’Course it is!” He tousles her hair too, but she doesn’t protest, only giggles.
“I should get going myself,” Akechi says, rising from his spot. The last thing he wants is to miss an opportunity to escape. Any longer and the sickly sweet vibes of all these Littles might just make him break out in hives. “Thank you for a lovely afternoon.”
He gives Ann a little wave, but just when he thinks he’s going to make a clean break, Akira lifts his head, ignoring how both Yusuke and Makoto grumble their discontent. He gives Akechi a sleepy smile. “Buh-bye.”
It’s odd to be on the other side of this scenario, to be the one caught sneaking away instead of the one doing the catching. It must be stupid muscle memory, an aversion to his own past that forces him to offer well-wishes.
It’s the thought of Shido, eyeing him coldly, walking away from the crib without so much as a goodnight, that guides his hand. He can’t remind himself of Shido, no matter how much he hates the person in front of him.
Akechi gives a little wave, grinning as Akira, satisfied with the response, burrows back into the warmth of his friends. “Goodnight, little one.”
Even if he can’t be good, he has to be better than Shido.