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The door closes with an uncharacteristically quiet click, as Goro kicks off his shoes, uncaring about setting them aside on the rack. What was a bit of mess, really?
He really couldn’t find it in himself to care about anything else right now, head swimming with conflicting ideas as it always seemed to, where Ren Amamaiya was concerned. Or maybe it was just the steam, he and Amamiya had spent a ridiculously long time in that bathhouse.
Time always went impossibly quick where the Phantom Thief was concerned, conversation too easy, too real. The words fell out of his mouth before he could stop them, a disgusting pile of self pity that Amamiya just lapped up, an understanding in his gaze that felt so repulsively honest it made him want to run his fingers through that soft-looking mess of hair and pull-
Until Amamiya’s face was forced under the waters of the bath, until he just shut the hell up with his empathy and understanding, and making Goro feel like he gave a damn.
Who the fuck did Amamiya think he was? Making Goro feel a sense of ease he couldn’t remember since being a goddamn child . Sitting there, as he shared the most precious memories he had, affections for his Mother he’d protected from the world so harshly, just for Amamiya to rip them out of him with the tilt of a head, the softest of questions.
Except it was even worse, because Amamiya didn’t even have to try, Goro just volunteered the information, welcomed the other boy into his most personal history, and he hadn’t so much as flinched, never offered Goro pity, only…only understanding.
Pathetic.
Goro hated it. He hated Ren Amamiya.
‘How much longer are you going to continue denying yourself? Your hopelessness is getting dull’
Loki’s interruptions didn’t even come as a surprise anymore, but it certainly made them no less welcome when he was trying to brood.
‘Last I checked, I wasn’t talking to you.’ Even in his thoughts, his tone sounded bitter. He felt the smug amusement of the Trickster God in retaliation, and wished he’d know when to mind his damn business.
‘I am thou, you are always talking to me.’
‘Well maybe don’t always listen .’ Free to roll his eyes in the solitude of his apartment, Goro did as much, throwing his jacket aside as he headed straight for the bedroom.
His laptop sat untouched on the coffee table, he didn’t spare it a glance as he walked past. Damned as he felt to admit it, Goro hadn’t lied when he confessed to Amamaiya that he finally felt relaxed- selfishly, he wanted to indulge in that for some time longer. Embrace the warmth of the bathhouse he hadn’t felt in years, a comfort he’d denied himself, locked behind painful memories he hadn’t the strength to face.
It was strange, the way Ren Amamiya could bring out those feelings in him that he’d refused for so long.
He wondered if it was the same, the other way around.
What secrets had Ren Amamiya revealed to him that only he was privy to? That none of his precious Phantom Thieves knew?
How much of yourself could you truly reveal to a group of fickle-minded followers ? What about Ren Amamiya could they truly understand, when they had so little in common with him?
Their souls were simply flickering matches compared to himself and Amamiya’s burning infernos. How many others could say they were able to wield multiple personas, call upon the various powers of Gods at their own will? Had associates wide-reaching, the knowledge to think so far ahead that they both hide their true cards behind false masks they mutually begin to fracture.
Amamiya was the only one who could match him. Where Goro could unchain someone’s heart, Amamiya’s own was boundless and took the form of whatever creature he deigned to call upon. Where Amamiya collected outcasts to bolster him in his thieving career, Goro manipulated his power and influence to shield him from suspicion. So many similarities, that their differences felt a chasm apart.
Unstoppable forces, together, the chaos they could create….
The pleasing hum of his personas broke Goro from his reverie. From dreams he shouldn’t dare to indulge.
‘And why shouldn’t you indulge yourself, acknowledge the rightful claim you have on one another?’
‘He enjoys your presence too. His smiles are more genuine when you’re around, your souls call for one another.’ Robin, ever the romantic.
Typically, Goro deigned to ignore the usual commentary on his and Amamiya’s relationship, but perhaps tonight the dizziness in his mind was getting to his common sense.
From the heat of the bathhouse, of course.
He found himself hissing out the response, attempting to ignore the pang in his soul as he did so. ‘As valuable as your inputs are, I don’t recall asking for them.’
Was it too much to ask that Goro could be allowed one night, where he wasn’t plagued by reminders of the unjust future that awaited himself and Amamiya? One night, where he could be allowed to indulge in the company of the only person he’d could tolerate, and pretend there was a future ahead of them that wasn’t damned to hell.
The cruel temptation of his personas, to act as though Goro had any other option.
‘Watching you both pine is utterly pathetic.’ As ever, Loki wasn’t deterred by Goro’s snippy attitude, sometimes the ‘thou art I’ bullshit was a real annoyance, ‘ Where is the thrill in victory, when your Sigyn is absent from your side?’
Goro felt himself stilt in his movement, only a few paces from the bedroom, as the echo of Loki’s words vibrated in his skull, which suddenly felt much heavier than three seconds ago.
Sigyn.
Goro Akechi was many things, but he wasn’t fucking ignorant- he had done his homework, he’d studied the mythos of the very God that occupied half of his soul as soon as he had awakened to Loki. He knew that name, he felt the weight it carried.
Sigyn. Goddess of Victory and Fidelity. One of the Aesir and most importantly….Wife of Loki.
He knew the value of Sigyn in Loki’s story, the only one to stay patient and loyal to the Trickster God, who never abandoned his side and, in turn, was never forsaken by her husband. Unwavering faith, ceaseless strength, enduring love-
Your Sigyn.
Goro hated how his mind was able to fill in the blanks immediately, how he didn’t even need to question who it was Loki could be referring to. Self hate pooled in his gut at the image became -
There was an ease to which Loki said it, an honesty that Goro felt as deeply as the half of his soul.
Goro had read about the union of Sigyn and Loki, their devotion that couldn’t be toppled by vengeful Gods or conniving plots, and he had felt a stir of longing in his chest, a desire for someone- anyone - who could care for him half as much as these Gods of myth did. A hope that someday he too would be accepted despite the blood on his hands, the deceit behind his smile, that someone would see all that and still extend to him an open palm, unwavering in conviction.
And then the blood on his hands became a stain, ghosts trailed in his wake, hiding in his shadows with malevolent grins, as he flashed plastic smiles to faceless crowds and tried desperately to ignore the moments when those plastic smiles became real. When he stared back into slate grey eyes and couldn’t stop the outpouring of his soul, into open hands that didn’t shake with the weight, a face that didn’t turn away in revulsion.
Goro would put a bullet in his last wave of hope, and hope it didn’t kill the last part of his soul in return.
Goro found himself hissing out the command, before he could even stop himself, “ Don’t- ” He felt the unrest in his soul at the unexpectedly violent reaction, “Don’t call him that again. Ever.”
Briefcase suddenly feeling like lead in his hand, Goro threw it aside.
He didn’t even care as his aim missed, the clattering of the case hitting hardwood floors echoed around his apartment.
Lost in the never ending tales of Loki’s mischief, his trickery and manipulation, Goro had dug deeper to understand more about his persona and, perhaps, himself. Between flowing prose and paintings of myths and fables, he sought desperately to understand the mirror of his soul, and felt the truth echoed back to him.
Loki had never deserved Sigyn’s devotion.
He should have known better than to think Loki would actually listen to him. Smug bastard always thought he knew best.
It was a small act of mercy that he hadn’t been so blatant about it again, one Goro wasn’t stupid enough to assume Loki heeded out of respect rather than his own sheer amusement at his wielder’s short fuse on the subject.
Like Goro didn’t have enough to be dealing with, now he had Loki’s increasingly smug taunts in his ear everytime he and Amamiya so much as shared the same proximity.
Taunts that were getting increasingly difficult to ignore, when Amamiya turned into Joker, and Akechi into Crow, as he joined the ranks of the Phantom Thieves and pretended he didn’t feel a tug in his chest as shadows disintegrated into dust as their hands, when Joker’s eyes met his own across the battlefield and Loki threatened to burst forth.
Shadows begged for their lives as Joker stared them down from the barrel of his gun, fired warning shots that skimmed the outline of their skin, and did so with a mocking grin as treasure was thrown at his feet. Never enough, ‘you can do better than that’ glinting steel eyes would croon, voice soft as butter but always mocking.
Goro wondered if any of the other Phantom Thieves relished in the grovelling of these shadows the same way Joker did, the same way he always had.
‘You could be his Joy.’
Layers upon layers, masks atop of masks. What would happen, if they peeled each other bare, at complete mercy to the other? Countless nights Goro dreamt of what freedom felt like, wondering if he would taste it on Amamiya’s lips.
‘As he is yours ’
He would then stand to the side as Amamiya’s loyal followers flocked to him in praise, closed their ranks and watched Goro with poorly-veiled hesitance in their eyes. ‘Not one of us’, their gaze seemed to scream.
It didn’t bother Goro, he wasn’t one of them, just another piteously vapid shell that depended on the leader to carry him. No, Goro was better than the Phantom Thieves, and they knew it.
Amamiya knew it.
He didn’t look at any of his teammates over the battlefield like he looked to Crow, no words needed between them as they honed in on their enemy, restrained power burnt at their fingertips as they timed their assaults in perfect unison.
‘This is how it was always meant to be. Destined to fight by each other’s side, his loyalty bound to you.’
The oncoming deadline loomed over his head, Loki’s words tasted like ash on his tongue.
The bulkhead door between them may as well have been a chasm wide, but it felt like nothing compared to the storm of feelings swirling in his chest. How cruel that now would be the time his own denials caught up to him, when it felt all too late to do anything about it.
A part of Goro longed to be able to pay more attention to the hopeless pounding of fists on the bulkhead door, the desperate cries of Ren as he pleaded with Goro- for what, he wasn’t sure. The words themselves became meaningless over the urging tenor, the wobble in his voice Goro hadn’t even heard when he was arrested in Nijima’s Palace. It didn’t suit him, this vulnerability.
He longed to focus on that voice, to selfishly grasp whatever threads of comfort Ren would offer him in his final moments, and yet he allowed his mind to wander, to indulge in truths he hadn’t the strength to accept until now.
As he listened to Ren’s despairing cries, drowning out any possible reasoning his precious Phantom Thieves might be throwing his way, tales of mythos pushed themselves to the front of Goro’s mind.
The tale of two Gods, pushed together by the order of the Divine, a union of two opposing sides who discovered joy in each other's arms. The harbinger of trickery and chaos found balance at his side, a loyalty as unwavering as the victorious swing of her blade.
Together, they endured, awaiting their day of justice.
Goro allowed himself to lean back against the steel divider, where he knew, just inches away, Ren stood, begging him to stay.
Loki, chained to Earth by the weight of his sins, damned to suffer eternity alone under the poison drip of the Gods.
Sigyn, who refused to leave his side, despite the pain he brought unto her life. Her arms remained unwavering as she raised them to shield her beloved from the poison drip, her words of adoration and love unceasing in their passion.
Despite himself, a small smile crept on his face.
‘Joker, his life sign…it’s…’
‘NO! No, it’s not. He can’t be-’
Loki had been right all along, and yet now that Goro was finally admitting it, his persona didn’t even feel smug. Not as his claws wrapped around Goro’s heart, his and Robin’s presence warm in his soul. The wound in his side but a dimming numbness.
‘We need to go. Shadows could come back at any moment.’
‘You guys go ahead. I-I…I can’t leave him.’
He had been so foolish to believe Loki had ever been undeserving of Sigyn’s devotion. To assume their partnership was one of forced allyship. She had chosen him, as he had done her, they had been bound in devotion, trapped down on Earth, not even the Gods could separate them.
He understood now, all too late, that Sigyn’s fidelity had never been one-sided.
The pounding on the door had dimmed to dull thuds, whispers barely permeating the thick steel walls. Goro longed to tear it down, to selfishly indulge in the comfort of Ren’s arms as he took his final breaths, but he was safer on the other side of that bulkhead.
Goro hoped his actions could convey what his words never had.
He remembered the other side of Sigyn’s story too, the one history had forgotten- but not Loki, never Loki, who’d delighted in their rivalry with Ren until the very end. Goro had felt the longing in Loki whenever Joker and Crow unified in battle, the ease with which Joker overcame their enemies and delighted in his winnings. His irritating lack of gloating when he emerged the winner from his duel with Goro in the Metaverse, all those months ago.
The victorious partner .
He only wished he could be there, to watch Shido grovel for forgiveness at the boots of Joker, who would offer foolish mercy no matter how dirty the bastard played. Wished he could be there to make him suffer , grovel for his life and remind Ren that not everyone deserves to be saved.
In another life, they could have done it together.
In this life, he would have to make peace with the steel door between them, the promise binding their souls. It wasn’t Ren’s embrace, but his presence on the other side of the bulkhead, affections whispered to a condemned man, would be enough.
It seems fate would never be done screwing them over.
This false reality was complete bullshit, reeking of the mindlessness of humanity, how desperate they were for an easy way out, to run away from their problems.
Of course, Ren Amamiya was the exception. Goro knew he would be.
He saw the burning rebellion reflected back at him, the same distaste for this new perfect order that had Loki practically hissing in distaste. There was a tenseness in Ren’s posture that Goro wasn’t used to seeing, reminding him viscerally of his days as the Detective Prince, carrying the weight of order on his back.
Somehow, this world was even worse.
’ This world isn’t suited to your natures, as Chaos and Rebellion,’ Robin seemed affectionate as he offered an explanation, ‘I’m happy you’re finally unified, even if it is under such stifling circumstances.’
He didn’t count Yoshizawa, who trailed after them- after Ren , like some lost puppy. It was almost amusing how the younger teen managed to collect vying followers, even in the absence of his precious Phantom Thieves- how unsurprising that they too had fallen for the charade of this world. He wondered what Ren saw when he caught sight of his precious teammates, mere puppets to their own whims and desires- was he disappointed? Hurt, even, by how easily they forwent their wills of rebellion.
Or did it fade to the back of his mind as he walked alongside Goro, feeling a part of his soul settle as they formed an alliance, a settling familiar comfort in his bones.
Were his personas as content as Goro’s were, feeling the presence of the other at his side? The chains of this reality were suffocating, but enduring them would be a task as easy as breathing with Ren at his side.
Ren, who had always brought out the most honest parts of him, dragged them under his light, no matter how determined Goro was to keep them hidden.
And yet, he continued to underestimate his rival.
As the fog of the Metaverse welcomed them in, Goro felt Loki’s chaos wash over him, dark and twisted and all the parts of himself he’d been forced to hide to uphold his perfect image. Tension fell from his shoulders, weight of the false reality gone from his back, replaced by the Trickster God’s heat.
Turning to face Joker, and Yoshizawa, he steeled himself for the inevitable recoil at the sight of the ‘Black Mask’, as Ren would be reminded of exactly who Goro is, what he’s done- what he tried to do.
A grin was the first thing he noticed. Cocked hip and glinting eyes were the next, no sign of wariness as Joker turned to face him, no effort to step back from talons that had once drawn his blood, to eye the sword that had once clashed with his own blade so aggressively.
It was a contrast to Yoshizawa, who he could see from the corner of his eyes, clearly taken aback by his attire. Ignorant to what it symbolises, hell she hadn’t even seen him fight in it- not like Joker had- and yet somehow, she immediately knew to be on edge, to regard his sharpened edges and the chaos lining his claws with caution.
Hesitance laced her tone as her eyes met his, question dying on the tip of her tongue. He itched to hear how she’d phrase it, wondering where the precious self-righteous detective prince had gone. Malicious glee curled in his stomach as he pressed for an answer, feigning cluelessness at her obvious confusion, as she stumbled for a way to phrase it.
Any other time, he would revel in such a response, but all of his attention was on Joker, and the soft curve of his lips as he spoke, knowing grin unwavering, as he eyed Crow from over Yoshizawa’s shoulder, “Going with that one?”
Teasing. He was teasing Crow. Almost as though he was…pleased, by his choice of mask.
How readily he had embraced Goro in all his elements, didn’t flinch from the ugly truths Goro had thrown at him at any given chance, sides of himself so hard fought to control simply bled out in front of the other, and Ren had stood there with a cup, eager to collect it all.
It had once felt like weakness, like fear, wondering how Ren would accept those parts of him. He’d never cared for the opinions of others before, and yet reflections of their every interaction haunted his dreams, his every spare thought, picking them apart for signs of something- rejection, disgust, judgement. Anything that would shut Loki up, shut himself up. But all he ever found was trust, understanding, patience.
He saw it again now. Teasing smile in place of what should have been wariness or caution for the man who once tried to murder him. Easy acceptance for his true self. For every side of himself.
Gone were the days of needing his Personas to point out what he already knew, what he could see so clearly reflected back at him.
Fidelity . Loyalty.
Warmth spread through his chest, he permitted the swell of affection it brought. Loki was practically purring with the open acceptance, moments away from tearing from Goro’s mask.
He got a hold of himself, offering a smug grin back.
Revelling in the thrill of Joker’s acceptance, he gestured widely, allowing the light to catch off the tips of his talons, “Oh, this old thing?” He let pride seep into his tone as he drank in the reaction, Joker’s gaze catching on glinted claws with poorly veiled interest, caught on the adornments of his costume and flushed .
Now that was a reaction.
One he’d love to explore later, when they didn’t have a Palace to explore, nor inquisitive eyes watching them talk.
His gaze remained fixed on Joker, even as he caught the small step back from Yoshizawa, as he lowered his arm, light catching off talons once more. What a predictable response. “Yoshizawa-san aside, there’s no reason for me to uphold the pretence of a righteous, sincere Detective Prince.”
Not when Ren saw through it regardless, who teased and joked and so willingly embraced whatever side of himself Goro felt suitable to display.
When he turned to Yoshizawa, minutes after their first battle as a team, and whispered about him in a tone he didn’t think Goro would hear. Minutes after Goro embraced the anger and bloodlust curling in his stomach, and found his attacks met in strength by Joker at his side, unwavering at the extent of his ire.
Goro feigned interest in the map, as Yoshizawa called him ‘ruthless’. An amusing description, fitting for Loki’s strength, the chaos he brought. And yet, he held his breath, wondering what Joker made of such a choice of words. His precious Phantom Thieves would express distaste for his ‘ruthlessness’, eyed him with clear judgement in their eyes all those months ago in their battle, ran from Loki’s chaos. Would Joker share their sentiments, he wondered?
"Just everyday Akechi.”
Heat pooled in his stomach at the reply, and for a moment he felt grateful his back was turned to the pair. Ren’s tone was nothing like Yoshizawa’s, hesitant and uncertain, instead it sounded almost… fond .
Ren had watched him fight, bloodlust and chaos in his wake, ire on his tongue and embraced it all. Unwavering faith in Goro, to stay at his side and defend him- every part of him.
Flames licked at his mask, and Crow had never fought harder to keep Loki at bay.
Finally, they had uncovered the identity of the Palace Ruler, one that sent Goro’s mind reeling, yet answered so many of the mysterious peculiarities of this Palace at the same time.
Takuto Maruki .
Ren’s school counsellor. A former Cognitive Psientist Researcher, who turned to Shujin Academy in the time after, to work with vulnerable children , a group so easily influenced by the words of a trusted adult. How many had looked to him for help, as he stripped them of their identities, turned them to mindless shells of themselves?
The sorry image of Yoshizawa struck clear in his mind, devoid of her persona, with no true sense of self-
Maruki called it salvation. Goro knew what being controlled looked like.
The Palace Ruler’s spineless pleas turned to Joker, and for a moment, Goro had worried his bleeding heart would be their undoing, that he’d fall for the sad eyes of his former counsellor and let the spider spin its web.
Instead, delight raced down his spine as Joker pulled out his dagger, rebellion burning bright in his eyes.
Under the heat of the spotlight, Goro was aware of two things. The enemy ahead, wielding the power of a God, and Ren, stood unflinchingly at his side. Two souls left burning alone, in a world that had forsaken them.
They didn’t need anybody else. Together, they would burn Maruki’s perfect paradise to the ground, and they’d bathe in the ashes.
“Think about it: You both have dreams, no? I have the power to make them come true.”
“Total waste of my time.”
Maruki watched them, watched Ren, with sympathy in his gaze, hanging his head low with a slump to his shoulders, every picture the dejected honest man- Goro wondered how many times he had shown Ren the same posture, bled kindness from his soul and feasted on undeserved reassurances.
The familiar stirrings of rage stirred in his chest, but it was impossible to tell if they were his own, or Loki’s, he’d long since abandoned trying to tell the difference.
Ren was too forgiving for his own good, and it had nearly been his undoing far too many times. Without someone to remind him of his value, of the cruel reality of the world, Ren would martyr every piece of himself away.
Goro saw what Ren didn’t, the speed with which Maruki’s expression changed from blatant arrogance in his newfound power, to despair, as his attentions changed to his opposers before him, nursed his appearance into one that granted sympathy, a reflection of his former self.
“A shame…but I understand.”
Maruki turned his head, lowered in rejection.
Lies .
And yet, the picture had its desired effect. Goro could feel Ren’s bleeding heart at the sight, practically hearing the ‘let’s reason with him’ tempting the tip of his tongue. Reason and undeserving loyalties played with the scales of his mind, as he swung precariously between them.
Goro set a steady hand unto.
“Well then, we just have to resort to force now, don’t we?” He allowed the malice to poison his tone, Loki’s rage bled into his own as they stared down the Palace Ruler, whose attentions were torn away from Ren, clashing with rageful red.
Try to manipulate him again, see how this ends for you.
He stood firm, unwavering, even at the sound of clicking heels behind him. He didn’t know at what point he’d stepped forward, partially blocking Maruki’s view of Ren, but as Joker strutted forward in his periphery, stopping sharply by Crow’s side, he felt a rush of satisfaction in his chest.
More so as, for the first time in this conversation, Maruki seemed genuinely surprised.
It was obvious what came next, before Maruki even opened his mouth, “Violence is not my thing….” A shadow slugged forward in his place, just another sacrificial puppet for the needs of its all-knowing God.
Coward .
Then again, he wouldn’t want to face himself and Ren either.
Perhaps this was the first sign of logical thought Maruki had displayed yet.
The hulking shadow broke into its true self, a faceless creature with clinically neat tentacles, dredges of distortion clung to its feet. Wind rushed from its shell, pushing them back, away, way away-
They found their feet just as easy, Loki’s flames licked at the corners of his vision, thrill humming in their veins as they met glinting steel eyes beside them, the black of their outfits a sharp contrast to the clinical brightness surrounding them.
The air felt different, charged with energy; Just Joker and Crow, and the battle ahead.
The way it always should have been .
They shared a nod, sharp twists at the ends of matching smirks as they launched into battle.
Fighting next to, no, alongside Joker was different. There were no teammates to direct and lead, no need to carry anybody else or worry about their capabilities. Finally, they had both been relinquished of all their handicaps, free to fight simply as themselves.
The ground shook with the strength of their rage, the shadow scrambling for purchase it never found. Maliciously gleeful laughter echoed across the walls as streaks of scarlet red struck home, the echoes of curse magic felt like a warm glow on the duo’s skin.
No words were exchanged, no insight shared on their battle strategy. Long since they had passed the need for something as simple as words , knowledge of the other’s intention burned deep into the recesses of their souls. Blades arced in perfect unison, their personas magic burned behind their eyes, combined in such a devastating blow it was impossible to say who had called upon them.
Chaos reigned down upon their enemy, Victory followed in his wake.
Together, unstoppable, in ways they could never have achieved apart.
It was no wonder the Gods had tried to keep them apart, forcing them into the roles of enemies, when together they had the power to shake the earth beneath them.
He longed to revel in it further, this feeling of freedom, but the taunts of their foe clouded his thrill, refusing to accept its evident inferiority, even now as it was slumped under the weight of their blows-
‘No,’ A healing glow washed over its hallowed figure, tears in the flesh knitted back together and it drew upright, like a puppet on strings, resolve renewed, ‘Such pathetic attempts won’t be enough .’
“This freak just won’t go down.” Was Maruki so deluded, that not even his shadows knew when to accept they had been bested? For how long would this creature continue to heal itself, enduring the pain of their blows, and call it faithfulness to a ‘caring’ ruler?
Magic pooled above its tentacles, a searing darkness burned into them with such heat they stood no chance of evading. Standing firm, they endured the blinding pain, stared back into the void as it beamed down upon them, but couldn’t control the hiss of pain that crossed Crow’s lips, nor the yelp as Joker fought a flinch.
Even as the attack receded, the burning ache remained, draining them of energy. The shadow wrapped around itself, as if taunting them with its full health, hissing of the futility of fighting further. With exhaustion bleeding at their fingertips, they were one well-aimed strike away from falling down.
And everybody knew it.
Goro’s gaze pushed past the puppet in front of them, latching onto the watchful commander behind; Maruki’s gaze hardened yet reproachful, fixated on Joker’s vulnerable frame.
Anticipatory.
Hopeful.
The shadow raised his tentacles, in the imitation of preparing an attack, ‘Accept his mercy….Give yourselves over to him .’
Rage ran rampant in his veins at the order, more mindless preaching, pathetic simpering for the work of their leader, he couldn’t bear to hear any more.
“Would you quit running your mouth already?”
The weight of Takuto Maruki’s gaze felt dirty on his clothes, whispers rolled around in his mind. Senseless, urging-
Kneel. Obey. Give yourself over. Submit to him.
Loki’s outrage bled into his own, a storm of withheld power urged him to lunge forward, see how quick this shadow truly was. What would happen, they wondered, if you unleashed the chains on the heart of a puppet? How close would Goro get, before Takuto Maruki would drop his sympathetic saviour facade, and reveal his true colours? What thrill they would take in watching his arrogance reveal itself, how Goro would slash and stab and cut the puppeteer down . He didn’t give a shit what became of his victims, those who allowed him to brainwash them would deserve what came next. They could watch the madness unfold, with their ever Loyal at their side-
A flash of scarlet pulled him from the sea of fury, a flash of movement in his vision.
Joker’s hand clenched around the hilt of his dagger, rebellion burning bright in his eyes, determinedly staring down the mindless pawn before them.
Calm, steady- constancy, next to his own unfurling chaos. Balance.
It sent a thrill down Goro’s spine. This wasn’t over, not by a long shot.
“Joker! I’m going to shut that thing up. Give me a hand!” Like he needed to ask, but the words weren’t for Ren, who could read him so well, who felt Loki’s rage wrap around them both in a frenzy.
No, his words were for their enemies. A warning. A chance to delight in their dawning fear, to let it fuel him-
What once felt like a move of desperation, forbidden to him except in the worst of battles, felt like liberating power with Joker at his side. Gone were the days of restraining himself in the name of defence, of strategy, he no longer had to compensate for his own shortcomings. Loki’s Call of Chaos seeped into his veins, sharpened his claws- he urged to rip into this shadow, lose himself in the destruction of his own hand and see just how much Maruki’s precious reality could take before it fell apart before him.
Such thrill ripped its way out his chest, the echo of his own laughter rang through the rising tension, and Goro cared for none of it. He’d rip, tear, decimate anything in his path and watch what chaos unravelled at his hand.
He tore ahead, destruction in his wake and madness at his hand. The shadow was tense, whether preparing to guard or attack it was impossible to tell, and it’s hardly as though it mattered. Goro didn’t give a shit about the sting of battle, not when it came with the reward of drawing blood.
Besides, the shadow would never get the chance to land a hit, or even defend itself. Lost in the wave of chaos heading its way, the Shadow failed to spot a far more immediate threat.
Above them, Ren zipped ahead. A silent blur of lithe agility, fixed on their target he descended with a graceful arc of his blade. Slashing deep and precise, he allowed himself the small twitch of his lips as the blood poured, cripping enough to distract their enemy from drawing on any attempt to defend himself.
Goro was closer now, second away, in perfect timing, “Crow!” Effortlessly, he flipped back, felt the rush of psychosis brush against him, protective and strong, and waited.
Opening created, Crow lunged. An onslaught of serrated blades, he slashed and stabbed and revelled in the blood of the shadow as it painted sharpened claws, how it fell to its knees under the power of his strikes, finally silencing its mindless drivel.
With their enemy weakened, protests dead on its tongue, disorientation threatened to topple Goro over, chaos receding in its hold over him, causing a momentary wave of exhaustion he never typically allowed himself. Not when their enemy is still breathing, could still fight back. So lost in the delight of battle, he hadn’t made sure to finish it off-
Yet, Loki’s voice rang in his soul, a dim amusement at his panic Goro found frankly offensive given the situation. He urged Goro to allow the chaos to settle.
‘We have done our part, little wolf.’
Heels clicked against the floor to his side, the ringing of a single perfectly-aimed shot filled the air.
‘Trust in your Balance. He is your other half, both on and off the battlefield.’
Victory was theirs.
Standing at one another's side, the heat of their devastating blow at their heels, the call of chaos finally cleared from Goro’s mind and yet never had he felt such clarity . The ease with which they hailed down upon their opponent, left no room for error, the unity of their attack pattern, finally free to act solely upon their strengths and not have to worry about exposing any weaknesses, not when they acted together.
It was then that Loki’s thrill matched his own, pushing a memory to the forefront of his mind. A detail Goro had failed to note, lost in his own rage, as he called upon Loki, drew on the Call of Chaos. Ren should have hesitated, recoiled at the memory of the last time he had witnessed Goro draw on such power- anybody else would have. But not Ren. Never Ren, with his infuriatingly unwavering trust in Goro.
Ren had smiled, before racing ahead, creating the exact opening Goro needed.
“Not bad for an improvised technique.” Smugness painted his tone, with the knowledge nobody could match what they had.
The perfect synthesis.
His Sigyn.
A week. One whole damned week spent separated, haunted with the awareness of Maruki’s Palace yet hapless to do anything about it, except gather intel and wait. The extent of Maruki’s influence was alarming, especially coupled with the extent of his delusions.
Were he alone, or working with anybody else, Goro would be doubtful about their chances of success against such a foe.
Selfish pleasure welled within him when the week was finally up and Ren joined him by the Palace entrance, completely alone, unable to convince his precious teammates to snap out of it, to liberate themselves from Maruki’s brainwashing. He doubted they had even tried.
Goro had never understood why Ren chose to surround himself with such dependent, small-minded followers. He couldn’t help but draw pleasure from the look of disappointment in Ren’s eyes as Goro questioned him on their absence, arms folded as if that would convince him of all people that Ren was fine with the situation.
Some people weren’t worth the energy of saving, were undeserving of selflessly granted faith, he wondered if Ren would ever figure that out for himself.
Then again, Sigyn had been unwilling to condemn her Godly family even after they killed her children, so perhaps some people just didn’t know how to stop caring.
Perhaps that was a blessing in disguise, otherwise Ren would have left him long ago.
‘I used to feel the same way, little bird’. Loki had once murmured to him, months ago, when Goro had that exact same thought, lost in the throes of denial, vehement to ignore their bond. His personas never took those episodes so well, but at least Robin had patience, unlike Loki ‘ Have you considered that your thief is free to make his own choices? It is not your place to fell him to abandon you. Choosing to stay by your side is not his decision for you to try and control.’
He had recoiled at the insinuation at the time, the shred of hope that, if given the choice, Ren would choose him- “It’s not like you to try and sound so emotional, Loki.’
It had meant to be an insult, but instead his Persona had responded with fondness, a longing seeping into Goro’s own soul, ‘They are not my words, little bird.’
Even now, Ren stood with Goro at the openings to Maruki’s Palace, Metaverse app ready on his phone. He chose to leave his teammates behind, deny their passivity, and fight alongside Goro instead. He chose to be with Goro.
Fuck, Loki needed to stop being right. It would do nothing but go to the Trickster God’s overinflated sense of arrogance.
“So, we ready to go?” Ren waved the app in his face, one hand on a cocked hip, as if Goro had been the one to keep him waiting.
“Considering how long it took you to get here, I should be asking you that.” He rolled his eyes, reaching over to activate the other boy’s phone, “Let’s go then, I don’t want to waste any more time.”
Ren’s eyes glinted with something that promised Goro a sassy reply, one that was fortunately interrupted as the Metaverse warped into tangibility around them. The weight of their masks settling on their face, accompanied by the familiar comfort of his personas, now louder in the cognitive world. Loki’s smugness about their current battle situation now even harder to ignore.
Joker adjusted his gloves, eyeing the far corner of the entryway thoughtfully. He wondered what Joker felt, carrying around so many Personas all the time- were they all so chatty as his own? It was difficult to imagine such a cacophony occupying your headspace, how did he focus?
Perhaps he’d get the chance to ask soon. Goro doubted that Ren had been able to talk to any of his Phantom Thieves about carrying multiple Personas, given they could never understand. Goro though- he could, even if it was only two- he understood how it felt to be torn between masks, to mediate different parts of yourself and settle agitated souls. Just another experience that set them apart from the rest, that only they could understand.
“I’m not used to Palaces feeling so peaceful.” Smooth baritone broke Goro from his thoughts, it seems whatever had distracted Ren was gone, his attention back to the matter at hand, “I think I prefer it the other way around.”
“It’s likely only because Maruki is expecting us to take his deal.” How utterly clueless of him, “Still, I don’t doubt there will be shadows up ahead. We’re lacking in manpower, so I hope you’re ready.”
It was infuriating, how well Ren could pull off something as petulant as a pout , “Aww, you doubting me, Detective ?”
“Just making sure you can keep up.”
“Remind me again who won our duel?” Oh that cheeky fucker . But before Goro could reply with something that would have been equally as snarky, Joker’s pout melted away into a sly grin, the peace-offering of a wink, “Besides, we managed that last battle just fine on our own, right? I’m not worried.”
He tried to ignore the pool of warmth in his chest. Such unwavering conviction, affections that threatened to spill over into something they’d be forced to acknowledge. All of it directed at Goro, and only Goro.
‘He’s got faith in you. In your partnership,’ Robin was practically preening, something he only seemed to do when Goro was in Ren’s presence, ‘I had hoped that now you accepted that the two of you shared a special bond, you would have finally confessed your feelings.’
Robin’s words caught up to him, and Goro had to fight the hacking cough in his throat, catching Ren eye him from the corner of his eye with unveiled worry.
Not that he got the chance to snap at Robin, when Loki’s presence reached out, eager and unpredictable in his soul.
‘Like he has the balls,’ He wouldn’t rise to the bait, he wouldn’t- ‘Sigyn and I’, Oh not again, would he just shut the fuck up with that-, ‘Would revel in the heat of our victories, so many of our offspring were the result of a post-battle fuck.”
It struck Goro that this was the first time he had been alone with Ren in the Metaverse since revealing his true intentions. Unfortunately, Loki seemed to have come to the same realisation.
‘Well, since it’s finally just us- ’
Goro couldn’t fight the yelp of shock as his mask burnt away, not even giving him a chance to reign in whatever whim Loki had decided to indulge in next, as his Persona floated by his side, eyes glinting with mischief and something unidentifiable as he stared down at Joker.
It wasn’t unusual for their Personas to occasionally manifest on their own; Robin had delighted in the opportunity several times throughout the duration Goro’s infiltration of the Phantom Thieves, making friends with the others as though it would somehow rub off on his wielder.
But not Loki, who’d stayed fixed as Goro’s mask the entire time they’d last entered Maruki’s Palace, even as Cendrillon and Ren’s carousel of Personas made their appearance in the comfort of safe rooms, yet somehow raced to the opportunity the moment it was Goro and Ren alone.
Could he be any more obvious?
For a God known for his cunning, this was just embarrassing.
And had Goro desperately on edge. ‘You little shit get back here-’
“Hello little magpie~”
“Loki.” To his credit, Ren showed no sign of alarm at Loki’s sudden appearance, instead his gaze flickered between the Trickster God and Goro in thinly-veiled confusion, question dying on his lips as the affectionate nickname caught up to him, “Ah…magpie?”
Goro felt hapless to stop him as Loki leaned down, closer to Joker, whose grin only stretched further as he didn’t lean away, no signs of rejection for the Persona capable of causing so much harm.
Wait. Was that a blush -
“Flighty, clever, likes shiny things,” His tone became lighter, something which didn’t fool Goro for a second, he knew a set-up when he heard one, “Your codename for my wielder is a bird, magpies are meant to be in pairs. It seemed only fitting.” Loki’s voice edged on a purr, “You and he are a pair, are you not?”
“I-W-We’re-”
Goro needed to intervene, fast .
Then again, he’d never seen Ren get so flustered before-
No. Not the time.
“What are you doing?” He fought to keep his tone cool, even, but he knew it wouldn’t fool Loki, who seemed only incensed by his reaction. Loki’s mischief was only entertaining when it wasn’t directed at him.
“Introducing myself,” The God of Mischief didn’t even waste effort trying to come across as innocent, “You had no qualms when Boy Scout did it.” He spotted the quirk of Ren’s lips, glittering amusement as he watched the two bicker. All signs of his previous fluster gone, a pity.
‘Because Robin knows how to behave himself’, He felt the persona in question preen with the praise, felt Loki’s amusement grow, “That’s because Robin Hood knows there’s a time and a place. You couldn’t have done so the last time we were here?”
If Loki could roll his eyes, Goro was sure he would have done. “I don’t care for the tagalongs.” He and Goro both, “Your little thief on the other hand, is much more worthy of my attention.”
‘I’m going to run you through the second his back is turned.’
‘Save your flirting for your mate, it’s the closest thing to action either of you have gotten.’
As if sensing a chink in their armour, Joker reinserts himself into the conversation, mask of the charismatic leader who talked to Personas on the regular back on his face.
“Aw, are you saying I’m your favourite?” Joker grinned, sharp and veering on cheeky, back to default Joker settings.
Well, just about. The lingering pink across his face wouldn’t fool anybody, let alone Goro.
“Favourite implies I hold attention for anyone else, little magpie,” Loki crooned, not falling for the bait, “Your very presence draws the attention of all in a room. How could I ignore such a creature, who complements my master’s soul so?”
“O-oh, well,” His gaze danced through the room, flickered between Loki and the ground, the lights, anywhere but at Goro, “That’s-ah, not just me. Ake- Crow i s pretty standout too-”
Joker, who always knew exactly what to say to please any entity he encountered, who so effortlessly kept control of countless masks, always having the upperhand in every conversation with monsters and deities alike, was stumbling over his every other sentence under Loki’s attention.
It wasn’t the flirting. Crow had seen Joker be the subject of some more…amorous attentions from his personas, watched as Joker brushed them off with some degree of ease.
How delightful , watching the suave leader melt apart. And under the attentions of Goro’s own persona, nonetheless.
Only under Goro’s own persona.
Oh .
“My wielder is fortunate to have you. The resonance of your souls on the battlefield, crushing our foes into dust, it is enviable- even to Gods.” Energy thrummed in Goro’s veins at the scene Loki painted, one he had fixated on so frequently for months.
Joker shuffled his weight slightly, but made no effort to shy away from the God looming over him, “We make a good team.” His heart threatened to burst out of his chest, how could Ren get away with saying something like that so casually, with such conviction?
But such an admittance wasn’t enough for his persona.
“ Team , you say.” Loki leaned ever closer, a single claw raised to brush lightly against Ren’s jaw, eased the underline of his mask, “I am the God of Lies, young Trickster, I know self denial when I see it. I never considered you to be one to deny his own desires.”
“I’m not-”
“What an enrapturing flush on your skin, would you fluster like this, if all you felt was teamwork-”
“Loki, enough.” If not for Joker, who frankly Goro would watch struggle for composure against Loki’s unravelling for days , but for himself. It wouldn’t do to revel in the flush of Joker’s face, when a familiar heat had spread across his own. “Leave him be . ”
Loki’s grin only spread wider, because when had he ever listened to Goro. “Don’t be so selfish, birdie. What is it you humans say- ‘sharing is caring’?” Goro grit his teeth, the audacity of his persona today, “I am thou, what’s yours is mine-”
Goro reached forward, pulling Joker out of his Persona’s grasp, trying to ignore the fact that Joker had seemed to be in no rush to remove himself from the situation. Even now, he watched Crow with wide eyes, no sign of rejection or disgust in his persona’s forward behaviour.
He scowled at the pair of them, “We are on a deadline.”
Loki’s grin only widened, braids swaying in the nonexistent wind around them, “There is time yet to burn this Palace to the ground, might you not delight in the company of your other?” His attention turned again to Joker, now free from Crow’s grasp and glancing between the two with thinly-veiled amusement, “If you must, however, I know my little birdie has so plans for this evening. There is no greater reprieve than your company, dear thief.”
‘Are you…flirting with Ren, for me?’
‘Just doing what needs to be done, since you’re too cowardly to do so.’
‘That’s ridiculous / genius!’ Goro grit his teeth as Robin finally decided to chime in. He could stay silent if he wasn’t going to be of any help.
Goro rolled his eyes, retort ready on the tip of his tongue, but hesitated as grey eyes met his own. Ren toyed at the buttons on his jacket, as if nervous- “He’s got a point, Palaces are pretty exhausting. Do you want to maybe…visit the bathhouse afterwards? It helps with the soreness.”
“I don’t see why not.” Goro hopes the shrug of his shoulders looks uncaring, as he peers over the edge of his collar, “I’ll be in dire need of a rest this evening after enduring whatever bullshit Maruki has planned for us….you too- if you can keep up with me, that is.”
Joker’s grin turned sharp, “What about a competition? Whoever knocks down the most shadows wins, loser has to pay.”
Thrill of rivalry hummed in his veins, “You have multiple personas, that’s cheating. Make it whoever kills the most, and you’ve got yourself a deal.”
“You’re on.”
‘You both flirt in such an unorthodox manner.’ Robin’s exasperation cut through the excitement in Goro’s mind, matched only by Loki’s smugness.
‘You’re welcome, little birdie.’ Oh what a bastard, ‘Don’t waste having him alone and naked for a second time, it’s embarrassing .’
Before they could leave, and begin their infiltration, Loki reached forward, cradling Ren’s face in one hand. Ren made no movement to stop him, even as those claws came so close to the skin, he only leaned closer as they danced over delicate pale skin. Goro toyed with his gauntlets, pretending not to hear.
“I owe you my gratitude, little magpie, for staying by my wielder, for not abandoning him.”
Scarlet-covered fingertips danced over sharpened claws, wrapped around the same talons that had summoned chaos and unchained hearts, that had dripped with blood and destruction, now held by hands so clean of violence, that had only known being extended in offerance, now intertwined with that of destruction. His grip was firm, unwavering, “I would never .”
Breath knocked from his lungs, Goro fought the urge to push his persona aside, to take his place, delight as Ren would accept his affections, feel that same tug in his soul Goro did. Instead, he stayed put, back turned to hide his delighted flush, waiting for his Persona to return.
Goro didn’t think he had ever heard Loki sound so content, yet so desolate, a sharp hum of pining shot through his soul, “I know.”
Tearing through Maruki’s Palace, with only Joker at his side, felt right .
Seamless, even. As though they had been doing this for a lifetime, no words passed between them as they fought in sync. As Joker descended upon their targets, silent and swift, Crow struck with the first move and together they tore free from their masks, raised sharp blades and exchanged quips over missed shots, bullets that didn’t strike right. Enemies fell to their knees under the weight of their power, pleaded for their lives and shook in fear as the pair lunged to attack.
It felt like a glimpse into an impossibly hopeful future, a thousand choices never taken. Would it be too late, Goro wondered, to take them now? To act on unspoken truths, liberate them both from their self-enforced chains, the only kind they had left.
‘He has chosen you, and you him. It baffles me that you both fail to acknowledge this.’ Robin’s petulant huff still rang in the corners of his mind, playing heavy on his soul everytime grey eyes met his own, the victory of battle washing over them both.
Goro Akechi was alone in the world, without attachment or sentiment. So used to operating alone, free from the weight of dependence, he has always been responsible only to himself, had no sentiments to distract him from his goals, no distractions.
But Ren Amamiya was different. His loyalties were torn in countless different directions, draining parts of himself to fuel their joy, support their needs. He had a wealth of people to choose between, all of their comforts in Maruki’s false reality to incentivise him, that begged him ‘ choose us, stay with us’ .
And yet, he had chosen to stand by Goro. Even if that meant being completely alone. He would forgo his friends, his precious Phantom Thieves, deny them their wishes if it meant staying by Goro’s side, enduring the pain of this hellish false reality together.
Goro wondered if Sigyn had carried the same burdens. Forsaking her family, her brethren, to stay by Loki’s side and endure the punishment on Midgard with him, the burden of her fidelity heavy upon her arms.
Ren shared such similar weight, he couldn’t hide as much from Goro. Despite the new weightlessness Joker carried in battle, the freedom in his grin as he struck down shadows and made way for Goro’s blade, there was a sadness to his eyes when he had mentioned the Phantom Thieves, a stinging disappointment for their choice to bow to Maruki’s false reality, to turn against the values Ren so vehemently stood for.
It wasn’t enough to sway Ren, his fidelity held strongest and unswaying in Goro’s arms- he’d realise soon enough he didn’t need the support of his supposed ‘teammates’ anyway, not when he had Goro by his side.
Loki brought the weight of magic down with a notably heavier relish, the ease with which they brought enemies to their knees felt all the more satisfying with Joker’s unyielding support beside him, the thrum of power as their hands collided, sharp grins shared between them. Bloodlust. Impending victory.
They could bathe in it.
Confronting Maruki had been a headache, the man was so blinded by his delusions he’d refused to see reason- frankly, Goro doubted their chances of changing his heart. For what he’d done to humanity, tried to do to them , life was too kind a gift to bestow.
And yet, Ren was convinced he could change. That he deserved a second chance.
A courtesy wasted on anybody else, Ren’s faith in people would get him hurt someday- it was only because of Goro that it hadn’t already. But, for Ren, he would tolerate planning for a change of heart instead of a well deserved mental shutdown.
Tolerating the presence of the re-awakened Phantom Thieves, on the other hand, was a more reluctant acceptance.
He could appreciate the benefits of increased manpower, even admit that sometimes it was actually kind of nice to feel like he was a part of some group, to be around people his own age.
The benefits didn’t outweigh the frustration of having to share Joker, however.
Now burdened with the responsibility of leadership once again, Goro had tried not to let his hesitation show as their first battle as a formed team began, new dynamics thrown into the forefront of combat, wavering distrust watching carefully as Loki burst forth from his mask.
It was fortunate the high collar covered his smirk as the Phantom Thieves had recoiled at the sight, momentary but very obvious in their upset. He revelled in the clear divide it created, as Joker sent his own dark magic right after Loki’s, his position at Goro’s side firm and unaffected by the hesitation of his teammates.
He’d been foolish to worry this would affect their partnership.
Now aware of the unstoppable force they were working together, reverting back to being just ‘Crow’ and ‘Joker’ within the Phantom Thieves would feel like a betrayal to their truth, a denial of such an integral part of themselves, their souls.
Sigyn had chosen Loki over her Godly family, had solidified her place at his side for eternity- of course Ren and Goro were no different.
Together, they tear through Maruki’s Palace, with the Phantom Thieves following after them.
Goro tries not to look so smug, as Joker takes his place at Crow’s side, doesn’t even need to think about choosing to have him in the leading party. Ren prefers Goro, has chosen him over Joker’s precious Phantom Thieves, the righteous and loyal followers he had amassed. Instead he stood by the side of chaos, by the side of Goro.
Better yet, was the berth the Phantom Thieves provided them, the deference to the couple in front of them. Without words or instruction, the Phantom Thieves understood that Goro and Ren were in a league completely different to their own.
They recognise the power in their partnership, an ease of battle the Thieves had never known, a partnership they could only fantasise of having.
They floundered in the sight of Ren’s unwavering loyalty to Goro, for how could they ever begin to understand something so complex as what they had. The wordless understanding that passed between them, that always had , even when they had been to blind to see it.
The passion and conviction that Ren had spoke with, as he defended Goro to his thieves, even when Goro hadn’t been in the room to hear it. How quickly they had backed down in the face of such unwavering loyalty, belief in Goro .
“Dude, I just….Akechi, seriously?” Sakamoto. Ever like a loud, overprotective mutt. “After all the stuff he’s done, you team up with him, just like that? He tried to kill us, kill you- ”
“I know what he’s done, Ryuji.” Goro wishes he could see into Leblanc, but instead suffices for hiding around the corner and listening in, wondering if Ren looks as tired as he sounds, “I trust him.”
“After everything he’s done?” Nijima sounds hesitant, like she’s aware she’s treading on a live wire, Goro’s heart races with the knowledge he is the one that invokes such a strong emotion in Ren, “I mean, even his persona-”
“I’ve carried personas with really complicated backgrounds, worse than Loki’s, and you’ve never had a problem with it before.” Ren snaps, “He’s a God of Mischief, you can’t judge him for his nature, we’re not going there.”
His heartbeat pounds in Goro’s ear, threatening to drown out what Ren says next with the wave of euphoria threatening to overwhelm him. Ren was defending him, defending Loki, valuing him over the opinions of the Phantom Thieves, Ren’s closest confidants.
Well, except him.
A sigh, then Ren continues to speak. “I appreciate the worry, you guys, really,” He sounds less tired now, less frustrated. Voice soft, barely above a whisper, Goro has to strain to hear it, a whispered confession among thieves, “But I made my decision long before any of you even woke up from Maruki’s influence. Goro’s doing this, and so am I. If you’ve got doubts I won’t force you to join us- but we made a promise and I’m not breaking that, it’s both of us or nothing. I’m not leaving him.”
The words burned into his mind like a brand, firm and unwavering.
Loyal Sigyn, who never damned her husband’s actions. Who fought his corner when nobody else cared to.
Commitment. Fidelity. It felt like a promise. Just him and Ren, with eternity before them, so like his persona and his faithful partner that came before.
And yet, Maruki’s Palace is drawing to an end, the time to send the calling card is nigh, and Goro worries for when Ren will do.
It was the mystery of Ragnarok. Every God, Giant, Monster, Deity and Other of Norse Mythology chose a side as the end of it all, when they faced death and destruction of all they knew, history documented it well. When Loki broke free from his chains, returning to Asgard to reign chaos unto all who had wronged him, they all chose a side,
Everyone, except Sigyn.
On one side, the Aesir. The Gods. Her family. The object of her husband’s ire. The murderers of her children, the cruel hand that had condemned her husband, and by extension herself, to a tortured fate. But the same people who claimed to want to protect humanity, who should have cared for one of their own.
On the other side, Loki. Her husband. Her other half. They Joy of her life, yet the Burden of her Arms. Had it not been Loki’s fault, that the Aesir sought to hurt them so, and now sought to hurt her own brethren.
In the middle of it all, the Goddess of Loyalty stood, facing an impossible choice.
Nobody knows whose side she chose, and yet as Goro looks to Joker from the corner of his eye, the sob story of Takuto Maruki playing on an old tape before them all, it’s not the mystery of Sigyn’s allegiance that worries him most.
It was instead, the theory that Sigyn had never chosen a side at all.
Too torn between the people she loved most in the world, devastated at the thought of betraying any of them, that she had instead turned away from the battle entirely, unable to face it.
With the Bringer of Victory torn, how could either side possibly have hoped to win? Had it been Sigyn, with her torn loyalties and inability to forsake anyone she cared about, that was to blame for the endless war of Ragnarok? A battle fated to end with no victor, Sigyn’s back turned to it all, the burden of such an impossible choice crushing her spirit.
It was impossible to miss the way Maruki’s gaze pleaded with Ren, weaponized pathetic attempts to lure him in with promises of his Phantom Thieves’ happiness, of his and Goro’s peace. There was no such thing as a benevolent God, but Ren was never one to forsake the chance to save people, even when it wasn’t his responsibility.
Goro took the space at Ren’s other ear, sought to tear down the very world that had chained them and forced them into obedience.
He saw the way Joker wavered, his love for his thieves battling against his own desire for freedom- someone shouldered with too much burden, for far too long. An impossible choice presented to him, the burden of victory his alone to carry.
For the first time in months, Goro damned the similarities between Ren Amamiya and the Goddess Sigyn, wished for once Loki would just say something on the subject. Anything would be better than this sudden silence, a refusal to even broach the topic.
The Goddess of Fidelity and Victory. Torn between her loyalties to her other half or her family, her burden consumed her, damning their fate to a victor-less battle.
Goro watched Ren as he listened to his friends speak of their ‘ideal reality’, saw the dejection Ren could hide from anyone except Goro as he saw smiles bloom on their faces at the mention of their hopes and dreams, his face flickering between the group before him, and Goro who stood to the side, observing it all in thinly-veiled disgust.
Wordlessly, Goro walked over to Ren, brushing his arm against the other, pleasing clash of Red Leather and Black Claws that lingered for moments too long. Goro took his place at Ren’s side, but said nothing- behind his mask, Loki was silent.
Joker and Crow stood for minutes longer, the familiar weight of the other at their side.
Goro remembered one final piece of Norse Mythology, what happened when Ragnarok ended, victorless and littered with bodies of the fighters. The world destroyed, their deities dead, in loss there was much to be gained. A new world bloomed, the spirit of the gods lived on.
Reincarnation .
One thing he knew was whatever happened to them, no matter what choice Ren made next, there would always be a Goro and Ren. Loki and Sigyn.