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Junpei couldn’t breathe. His throat was closed up as he choked on the rage and grief that fought for dominance over a too-small space in his battered body. His soul burned with the fire of two Personas as he wept. And yet, his legs were weaker than twigs as he desperately tried to get up, to go after those bastards, to make them hurt-!
It was Akihiko’s voice that finally brought him back. “She entrusted you with this life!” he snapped, his own voice breaking. “Don’t just…throw it away.” There was an echo of the fragile tremor that had dominated his demeanor in the weeks following Shinjiro’s injury. An unspoken plea.
Just like that, the fire was extinguished, leaving a cold, creeping sensation behind. Numbly, Junpei stood up, hardly feeling his own legs as he did so, staring blankly at where Takaya and Jin had been standing.
He looked down at Chidori’s motionless form. His cheek still felt the ghost of her soft fingers. His ears still rang with her last words: “I love you, Junpei.”
They had been full of warmth and promise, even though there had been no time left. They had been filled with dreams of days that would never come, experiences they should have been able to look forward to together.
He fell to his knees at her side, vaguely aware of Yukari kneeling beside him. He wanted to reach for Chidori but didn’t know if he could bear to feel the warmth of her life fading away. He felt Yukari shift beside him, watched her move closer to Chidori and-
“Guys!” Yukari’s voice cut through the thick silence. She lurched forward, placing her hand in front of Chidori’s face and becoming stock still.
Junpei watched, utterly frozen, beating down the urge to have hope for the longest second of his life.
“She’s breathing!” Yukari declared as she felt the faintest wisp of air against her palm.
At the same time, Fuuka jumped, eyes widening. “H-Her vitals! I just felt them!”
Immediately, Junpei clutched Chidori’s hand. It was cold, but he could feel the faintest pulse beneath her wrist! “Y-Yuka, hurry!”
Yukari had already taken out her Evoker, as had Ken. They both summoned their Personas and set to work healing Chidori as much as they were able. She didn’t wake, but Fuuka confirmed that there was some strength returning to her body.
“We should get to the hospital!” Fuuka said. “Once the Dark Hour ends, she’ll need proper medical care.”
“Y-Yeah, right!” Junpei reached for Chidori, then paused, glancing at Yukari. “Is it okay to move her?”
“We’ll keep healing her as we go,” Yukari said, nodding. “Fuuka’s right. Making sure she’s at the hospital is the top priority.” She didn’t need to tell him to be gentle while carrying her. Even in his blinding rage at Strega, Junpei had been oh-so-careful in placing Chidori’s still form on the ground before facing Takaya.
Slowly, Junpei lifted Chidori into his arms, inwardly wincing at how light she was, how frail and limp she felt. Once she was all better, he was going to take her to every single restaurant in town! Wherever she wanted!
Just that small thought lit up an ember in his heart as he turned his feet in the direction of the hospital and hurried forward, flanked by Ken and Yukari, the others walking both in front of and behind him, silently reassuring him that any threat that came for Chidori would be faced with a wall of pain. Kala-Nemi and Isis flew overhead, silent angels that poured their all into keeping the fragile human in their people’s care safe.
Chidori… Junpei thought as he walked, going as fast as he could without jostling her. Hang on. Please. When you wake up, I gotta tell you…
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She had thought that was the end, and honestly, it was a better end than anything she could have ever hoped for. Her foolishness hadn’t killed anyone but her. She had managed to save the man she loved, and even got to spend her last moments in his arms. When Medea left her and fused with Hermes, she knew Junpei would be safe. He would recover. He would live.
He had said once that he didn’t want to live in a world without her, but maybe it was better this way. She had been cruel to him, after all, due to the fears that had filled her heart. She had almost harmed his friends. She wasn’t someone who belonged among them or with him. If she could have that last moment in his arms, telling him how she truly felt, then that was enough. Her life was complete.
At least, that was what she tried to tell herself, even as the grief and regret threatened to worm their way in.
She would always be with him, but she couldn’t be with him. Not truly. She wouldn’t get to see his face when she finally plucked up the courage to show him her sketchbook, which had been filled with the images closest to her heart. She wouldn’t be able to walk along the seaside with him, feeling cool sand beneath her feet and his warm arm around her shoulders. She would never look upon that goofy smile or hear that infectious laugh ever again. All that remained was that last memory, becoming all that she was.
But then, if that was the last memory, how was she still thinking of it? Was this death? Floating in a haze of thought and regret, not quite seeing or feeling anything except…warm, scratchy blankets?
Waking up felt like being trapped in a frozen lake, clawing desperately at a thick layer of ice above. When it cracked, however, it was instantaneous. There was a swooping feeling, like her spirit violently falling back into her own body, and Chidori was lying in a familiar hospital bed.
Her eyelids felt like lead as she stirred, groaning as she turned her head. She could hear someone moving nearby. “Jun…pei…?” she rasped.
“Not quite,” a vaguely familiar voice answered. “I made him go home. He was losing sleep guarding you.”
Chidori forced her eyes open. It was nighttime. Only a faint light from a nearby lamp lit the hospital room. Sitting in a chair between the bed and the door was Makoto Yuki, the Leader of S.E.E.S. He stood up as their gazes met.
“It’s been a week,” he told her without preamble. “We agreed to have someone guard you day and night, in case Strega returned. They haven’t. Your condition has been stable, though I should probably get the nurses in here to check on you.”
“Jun-” Abruptly, Chidori turned away, coughing violently. Her throat was too dry to get words out.
Makoto hurried to her side, pressing the nearby button to alert the nurses. “Don’t try to talk.” He glanced at the glass of water on the nearby table. There was a straw and a spoon on the tray next to it. Remembering what the doctors had told him, he took the water and dipped the spoon in. “Here. If you can swallow this much, I can give you the glass.”
Chidori’s throat felt like it was burning. She opened her mouth eagerly for the spoon and managed to swallow. The trickle that went down over the parched skin felt like pure ambrosia. She gratefully accepted the glass from Makoto, drinking the water through a straw in eager sips.
“Slowly,” Makoto cautioned. At that moment, the nurses opened the door and hurried in, turning on the lights in a blinding flash. He took a few steps back. “I’ll call Junpei. He’ll be here as soon as he can.”
“Wait!” Chidori called after him, sputtering a little as she swallowed another sip of water. She waved away the nurses as she met the blue eyes of the Leader of S.E.E.S. The one whose friend she had almost gotten killed. The one she had fought on the steps of Tartarus as her mind broke.
“I-I’m sorry,” she managed to say.
Makoto paused in the act of taking out his phone, fixing her with a long look. “Junpei is my friend,” he finally said. “You almost died saving him. All is forgiven.”
With that, the door closed and Chidori was able to relax. The nurses’ words washed over her. She picked up snippets of phrases like “severe malnutrition” and “extreme fatigue,” as they tried to explain her condition to her. It wasn’t necessary, of course. She already knew. She had given nearly all of her lifeforce away. She had even given up her Persona, for she couldn’t feel Medea’s presence within her anymore.
It was funny. The thought of losing Medea had once been the most terrifying one in the world. Now, here she was, without her but not at all bereft.
She nodded at the instructions to keep sipping water and to not move too much right away. Her eyes stayed fixed on the door. Eventually, the nurses left, and Makoto returned.
“He was running out the door when I hung up,” he said simply as he sat down next to her.
Of course, he was… Chidori felt her expression softening into something she didn’t have a name for. Later, she would learn it was called “fondness.”
The two sat in silence, neither one much for idle chatter. Makoto kept his gaze fixed on the door, though he occasionally glanced at the windows, eyes narrow and focused. Whenever it had been his turn to watch over Chidori, he had been fully alert, ready for even the slightest hint of something amiss. During the Dark Hour, at least half of the team, Junpei always among them, guarded the hospital. Though Chidori now transmogrified along with the other civilians during this time, there was no such thing as being too careful.
Strega would not get another chance to try getting into Chidori’s head. They would not hurt Junpei again. Makoto would make sure of it, even if he had to kill that gun-slinging bastard with his bare hands.
The sound of heavy, rapid footsteps pounding down the hallway signaled Junpei’s approach. Makoto stood silently and moved around the bed, standing to the side as the door burst open and Junpei stumbled in, hat askew, shirt untucked, face red with the exertion of someone who had sprinted all the way from the bus stop.
“Ch-Chi…” He half ran, half lurched to the bedside, falling to his knees next to it. “Chidori!” he finally gasped.
She was alive! She was really and truly alive and awake and looking at him and- His brain short-circuited as she reached for him, gently taking his hands in hers.
Chidori held those large, warm, calloused hands reverently. She would never shake them off again, no matter what fears or doubts plagued her mind. She would die before being the reason for Junpei’s pain ever again. She met his watery eyes and squeezed his hands, smiling when he returned the grip.
“I’m so sorry, Junpei,” she breathed.
“Huh?” Junpei blinked. “Hey, no! You’ve got nothin’ to be sorry for!” He held her hands tightly, but not too tightly. The last thing he wanted was to bruise her.
Chidori shook her head sadly. “I do, though,” she insisted. “I said before that you brought me pain, but… I did the same to you. I hurt you because…because I was scared to love you. I pulled away when being close to you was all I wanted. I made you sad because I was afraid. Then, I attacked your friends. If I hadn’t been able to heal you…you might have died.”
She looked at his face and saw nothing but devotion there, just like before. It stung in the sweetest of ways, like having bees in her chest. “I don’t know why you still came here, after everything I did. You deserve more.” She almost choked on those words, but she knew she had to say them, even if him leaving would destroy her.
“Chidori!” Junpei let go of one of her hands, lifting his to her face, though he stopped short of actually touching her. “I-Is this okay?” he asked, not wanting to overstep any boundaries again.
Chidori lifted her free hand, placing it on the back of Junpei’s, gently pressing it to her cheek. She closed her eyes with a sigh, nuzzling against his palm as she felt his stunned, staccato breaths against her face.
Junpei’s heart melted as Chidori leaned into his touch as if she had been craving it. He brushed his thumb gently against her cheekbone as he summoned the words he had vowed to say.
“Chidori, I came here because…because I love you.” He felt more than heard her gasp as she opened her eyes to look at him. He could see fear there, but also hope, joy, anticipation, and a slew of other things he wanted to feel together with her in the years to come. “I didn’t get to tell you before, but it’s the truth. I want to be with you, Chidori! Forever, if you’ll have me. And I forgive you. For everything! So, don’t go talking about how I can do better, because there’s no such thing for me. You’re the one, Chidori! Only you!”
Chidori felt tears threatening to fall, but she refused to close her eyes and look away from Junpei’s tender, loving smile. “I love you too, Junpei,” she replied. She turned her head slightly, touching a kiss to his palm, laughing softly when this caused him to swoon.
Neither of them had ever been happier.
Outside the room, Makoto sat in a chair, glancing back and forth down the hallway. Though he had been assured that he could go home, he wasn’t ready to leave yet. He would not let down his guard.
He thought back to seeing Shinjiro bleeding out in Akihiko’s arms. He thought about Mitsuru’s hollow eyes as she waited for news from the hospital of her father’s condition. He thought about the deafening bang of that gun and seeing Junpei fall. He thought of his friend’s wail of grief when Chidori had given her own lifeforce to save him.
Makoto was the Leader of S.E.E.S. and he would protect his friends, no matter what. This would not happen again.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Yukari and Fuuka had wanted to throw a welcome party for Chidori when she moved to the dorm a few days later, but Junpei shot the idea down. “She gets real overwhelmed by that kinda stuff,” he had explained. “Just treat her like any other new kid in the dorm. She’s worried some of you hate her, even though I said you don’t, so just be nice, yeah?”
Shinjiro had prepared some chicken soup, and had it sitting on the stove, ready to warm up. “Something easy on the stomach, so she can eat whenever she’s hungry,” he explained before retiring to his room.
So, Chidori arrived with Junpei at the dorm with minimal fanfare. She was gripping his hand a little tightly as she entered the new space, staring at the floor rather than any of the faces nearby. Coincidentally, that meant Koromaru was able to meet her gaze instantly when he trotted up to her. She flinched back in surprise.
Junpei held up his hand. “Hang on, Koromaru,” he said before turning to Chidori. “I should’ve asked. You’re not scared of dogs, right? He’s real friendly, I promise!”
“Not scared,” Chidori murmured. “Just haven’t been near one before.” She took a hesitant step forward, holding out her hand for the dog to sniff.
Koromaru, sensing Chidori’s nervousness, sniffed her hand and whined quietly, tail wagging back and forth as his tongue lolled out. He cocked his head, trying to look as adorable and nonthreatening as possible.
Chidori smiled a little at that, feeling the tension in her chest loosening slightly as she looked at those innocent eyes and smiling canine face. Slowly, she placed her hand on Koromaru’s head and patted him softly. “Nice dog.”
“Arf!” Koromaru yipped, still keeping his volume down as he happily leaned into the tentative pets.
“Koromaru says ‘I hope you’re happy here,’” Aigis supplied. “I share his sentiment. I am available for any assistance you may require with moving in.”
“That goes for us too,” Yukari called over. “Just let us know if you need anything!”
“Thank you.” Chidori bowed her head, still not quite meeting anyone’s eyes. “Could you…show me where my room is, Junpei?” she asked.
“Sure thing! Right this way!” Junpei led her toward the stairs, glad that the others weren’t attempting to follow or start a conversation.
Of course, Yukari couldn’t resist calling after them: “Just don’t do anything funny up there!”
“Hey!” Junpei snapped. “When have I ever been anything but a total gentleman?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?”
Junpei hurried Chidori along, forcing a grin in response to her quizzical look. “Y-Yuka-tan likes to mess with me, that’s all!”
“I see…” The interactions between Junpei and the others were, admittedly, a bit baffling for Chidori. Having only spent time with Takaya and Jin previously, it was strange for her to see things like casual teasing.
It was also odd how…relaxed everyone seemed. With Strega, their bond had been formed by shared trauma, but there was little to no affection between them. The closest thing was probably Jin’s near-hero worship of Takaya. With Takaya, it was known that any incorrect action or word from either of the other two invited disgusted scrutiny at best, and at worst…
She thought back to the crack of the revolver and the sight of Junpei falling to the ground…
“Chidori?” Junpei paused on the landing of the second floor, noticing that she was starting to space out. “You good?”
Chidori started a little, then shook her head to clear it. Junpei was here. He was alive. There was no point in thinking back to that night. “I’m fine,” she assured him.
They entered the room that had been cleared out for her and she placed the shoulder bag she had been using for her sketchpad on the desk. With that, she was completely moved in.
“The girls bought some clothes for you,” Junpei explained. “They weren’t sure what you liked, so they stuck with simple, comfy stuff. Pajamas should be there too. I’ll take you shopping if you want anything else. Or you could go with the girls. I know they really wanna get to know-”
“Junpei?” Chidori interrupted, her voice soft but clear. Ever since she awoke, there had been an ache filling her and surrounding her. Initially, she hadn’t had a name for it. By the time they left the hospital together, hand in hand, she had figured out that it was a need to be in his arms again. She wanted to hear whatever he had to say, but she also knew she’d go crazy if she had to wait another moment.
Junpei immediately cut himself off, looking at Chidori in concern. She was staring at the wall instead of him, and a pink flush decorated her cheeks. “Yeah?” he asked, keeping his voice soft and neutral. “What’s up?”
“I…I want you to hold me again,” Chidori finally admitted as she met his eyes. “Like before.”
Junpei felt a surge of protectiveness as he looked at her hopeful face. Immediately, he held his arms open and flashed a bright, inviting smile. “C’mere, then.”
Chidori stepped readily into Junpei’s embrace, wrapping her arms snugly around his middle. As she buried her face in his chest and felt his arms close around her, she finally felt at peace. The clenching sensation in her chest came totally loose and the longing ache that had permeated every inch of her body finally faded. She sighed deeply, satisfaction overcoming everything else as she was utterly enfolded in Junpei’s warmth, his strength, his scent. His heart thudded against her ear.
“I can hear you…” she whispered, nuzzling against his pounding chest. “Ba-dum…ba-dum…”
Junpei whimpered as a tidal wave of emotion threatened to barrel him over. He hugged Chidori even tighter, reminding himself that they weren’t on the steps of Tartarus with those two bastards looming over them. She was alive and in his arms and she was going to stay alive, dammit!
“I love you, Chidori,” he murmured into her hair, his voice cracking. “I love you so much!” He knew he would never grow tired of how right it felt to have her nestled against him, safe and warm and close to his heart.
Chidori choked on a sob as she heard Junpei’s words and felt them in blissful vibrations all around her body. “I love you too, Junpei!” She swore she could hear his heart skip a beat as she said it, which made her feel giddy in an entirely new and wonderful way.
They stood together for several minutes, just holding onto each other and savoring the fact that they could. Their breaths and heartbeats eventually synced perfectly with each other, as if they had become one being just as their Personas had.
Eventually, Chidori spoke up. “Can we sit on the bed? I’m getting tired, but I don’t want you to leave yet.”
“Sure!” Junpei didn’t want to leave either.
After all, the only times they had spent somewhat alone had been while she was in the hospital. While he definitely wasn’t going to try anything funny, the thought of being close to Chidori for as long as he wanted, without worrying about any interruptions, made him feel a bit lightheaded.
He was ready to blame that when he abruptly blurted: “Hey, Chidori. I-Is it okay if I kiss you?”
Chidori’s face flushed, but she recovered from her surprise quickly. That was something else she had been craving, after all. “Please,” she breathed.
The fact that Junpei didn’t faint dead away at the sound of that soft, sweet, adorable plea was something he was incredibly proud of. He might have made an involuntary noise in his throat, but no one needed that to be confirmed!
He placed a hand on her cheek, his smile softening further when she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes and pressing her cheek into his palm. Even now, he wasn’t sure what forces were at work that had allowed him to, after everything that had happened, hold the woman he had grown to love so deeply. They had spent only a little time together, and that time had almost been cut short. It had taken mere weeks to develop such life-changing feelings, feelings that would remain forever.
Time, he decided, was a gift. It wasn’t guaranteed yet was so often wasted by those who couldn’t see what a precious thing they had.
Well, Junpei would never take it for granted again. He would live each second to the fullest, so he wouldn’t have any regrets. He would savor every moment he had with Chidori and do everything in his power to make sure she always knew just how loved she was.
His eyes closed of their own accord as he leaned down, bridging the already-short distance between them. The first brush of lips was quick and gentle, but it felt like an ember was ignited where they touched, spreading like a bonfire throughout his body. His breaths became shallow as he pressed forward again, just a little firmer, but still so tender.
Chidori sighed against Junpei’s mouth, returning his kiss tentatively. She had never done this before, had never expected that she would even want to! Now, she couldn’t imagine living without the promise of Junpei’s chapped, burning lips carefully kissing hers. She placed a hand on Junpei’s cheek, mirroring his loving gesture. She tilted her head as he leaned in again, humming quietly as the second kiss went just a bit longer.
Junpei pulled back, eyes hazy, lips tasting faintly of lavender. He gazed at Chidori as her pale brown eyes fluttered open to look up at him. She smiled and it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
Chidori ran her thumb slowly back and forth, feeling the stubble at the base of Junpei’s chin. This time, she was the first to lean in, pressing another kiss to his lips, which she felt him return eagerly. She could tell that he was holding back, not wanting to hurt her. Smiling into the kiss, she wrapped her other arm around his back, pressing her palm just between his shoulder blades.
Letting out a muffled groan, Junpei felt his hand move to Chidori’s waist, tugging her still closer. She gasped against his mouth, gripping the back of his shirt while the hand on his cheek slowly moved down his neck, fingertips tracing his collarbone. It felt good. So, so good!
He wanted-
She wanted-
BEEP BEEP BEEP!
The two sprang apart as Junpei’s phone alarm went off. He took it from his pocket with an apologetic grimace. “Dark Hour’s in five minutes,” he explained, his voice feeling like he was plucking it from someplace faraway.
“Ah…” Chidori blinked a few times. Her head felt odd, like her thoughts had been scattered to the winds like a deck of playing cards. She heard Junpei’s words, but it was taking a few extra seconds for them to register. Was the fatigue coming back?
Junpei couldn’t think of anything to say, so he just gazed at Chidori for a few seconds. He felt a slight grin coming to his face when he realized that she was still dazed. Dazed because they had just freaking kissed!
The Junpei of a few months ago would have likely been feeling some form of pride, and definitely would have gloated to Makoto, Aki, and Shinji about his obviously-incredible kissing skills.
Instead, what he felt in that moment was pure affection. He touched a kiss to her cheek. “You good, babe?” he whispered into her ear.
Chidori’s cheeks flushed even deeper at the unexpected pet name, and she abruptly moved back, staring at the ground. “I…” She shook her head, searching for the right words when she saw Junpei’s smile slip into a worried frown. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was pulling away again. “It’s… This is…”
“Hey,” Junpei whispered, resisting the urge to put a hand on her shoulder. “If I’m going too fast, you can tell me. I won’t do anything you don’t like. It’s cool if you need a minute.”
Chidori felt herself calming down as Junpei spoke. He wasn’t sad. That was good. She took a breath, then let it out, allowing herself to think properly.
“New,” she finally managed. “This is new. But yes. I’m good. I know that much. Just…I don’t know much else.”
“That’s cool too,” Junpei assured her. He glanced at his phone. “I’ll be here once the Dark Hour’s up.”
“Be careful,” she said. It was so strange not experiencing the Dark Hour anymore. What had once been an entire hour of time was now a mere blink. She was still waiting to feel the loss, but it still hadn’t happened yet. She wondered if it ever would.
She blinked, and Junpei was still at her side, as promised.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Chidori transmogrified, Junpei stood up. He cast a lingering look toward the black coffin that housed her, then walked over to the door. He emerged just in time to see Fuuka coming down from the control room. She stopped and smiled when she saw him.
“How is Chidori-san doing?” she asked.
“Good,” Junpei replied with a grateful nod. “Listen, I’m gonna pass on Tartarus tonight, okay?”
Fuuka nodded. “Understandable. I don’t think Makoto wanted to go anyway. He mentioned something about wanting to keep the dorm safe.”
“The dorm?” Junpei tilted his head. “Is there something he’s worried about?”
“He didn’t say. You should ask him,” Fuuka replied. “I think it has something to do with you and Chidori-san.”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t you notice? He was always the one to take your place when you were too exhausted to stay at the hospital,” Fuuka pointed out. “I think he’s worried.”
“I didn’t think he got worried,” Junpei muttered. While he and Makoto had definitely become close friends despite their rough start, the leader of S.E.E.S. was still a bit of an enigma. He almost never showed emotion, reacting with a similar expression of calm to most scenarios.
Recently, Makoto had confided in Junpei that he had been to therapists in the past who said he had trouble feeling empathy and expressing emotions externally. It definitely made a lot of things make sense in retrospect, but it also made Junpei wonder whether Makoto truly considered him a friend or if he was just following a series of steps because it was something he was supposed to do.
“He does,” Fuuka insisted, her expression becoming shadowed. “He has a lot to worry about, after all.” She walked past Junpei to her room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
After a moment’s consideration, Junpei went into the lounge. He saw Makoto sitting in the chair closest to the door. He was turned in its direction, staring fixedly at it as if it was about to spring to life.
“Stare at it long enough, it may catch on fire,” Junpei quipped as he strode over, throwing himself onto the nearby couch.
Makoto glanced at Junpei, noticing his easy posture. “I take it Chidori settled in okay.”
“Yeah,” Junpei said, his expression softening. “She’s probably gonna be shy with you and the others at first, but she talked more since coming here than I think I’ve heard her talk the whole time I’ve known her!”
Makoto nodded. “Good.” He turned back to the door. “I’m not taking us to Tartarus tonight. You should stay close to her.”
“I’m gonna,” Junpei assured him. “Just figured I’d change into something a bit comfier. And check on our fearless leader, since Fuuka thinks you’re worried about the dorm.”
“I’m not worried,” Makoto replied quickly. “I’m cautious. There’s a difference.”
“Right, right.” Junpei leaned back, eying his friend’s inscrutable face. “What are you, uh, cautious about?”
“Strega caught us off guard twice now,” Makoto said, narrowing his eyes slightly. “They almost killed Shinjiro and Ken. They did kill you.” His eyebrow twitched slightly as he felt a sharp pang in his chest. “Chidori almost died saving you. I won’t give them a chance to do more, especially now that you and Chidori are finally together. They shouldn’t be allowed to ruin that.”
Junpei’s brows went up. “I…huh.” He stared at the door, then back at Makoto. His face was as smooth and passive as ever, but Junpei thought he saw a slight tightening around the eyes and at the corner of his mouth.
Moments flashed through Junpei’s mind: Makoto standing vigil outside Shinjiro’s room, clutching re-enrollment paperwork in his hand. Makoto unable to sit still when Ken disappeared. Makoto hovering near Mitsuru as she stared blankly at the same book page for hours. Makoto shoving a bouquet of white lilies into Junpei’s hands and telling him to get off his ass and go to the hospital already.
A slight smile came to Junpei’s face. He stood up and clapped a hand on Makoto’s shoulder, grinning when that stoic face looked up at him. “Thanks, man,” he said. “I’ll be watching your back too. What are buddies for, right?”
Makoto tilted his head, then nodded. He felt the corner of his mouth quirk upward just a little. “Right.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Junpei changed into his pajamas and was back in Chidori’s room, sitting on the bed next to her as the Dark Hour drew to an end. The air lost its greenish tinge and the black coffin faded, revealing Chidori, sitting with her hands folded, head turned in Junpei’s direction.
“Hey,” he greeted, though he knew no time had passed for her.
Chidori felt a moment of disorientation when she opened her eyes to see Junpei out of his day clothes and instead clad in simple gray sweatpants and a baggy black t-shirt. He didn’t look like he had been injured in any way. “Did you not go to Tartarus?”
“Nah, thought I’d stick around. Makoto’s been acting like a one-man guard, so I kept him company for a bit.” He shook his head a little, smiling to himself. “That guy keeps surprising me.”
“He’s nothing like Takaya,” Chidori said. “You don’t fear him, and he doesn’t treat you like an annoyance or a failure if you make a mistake.” She glanced at her hands. “Or hurt people to make a point.”
Junpei felt a flush of rage at the thought of that shirtless bastard. His hands clenched into fists. “When you were unconscious,” he muttered. “When we thought you were dead, he said your sacrifice was meaningless. He didn’t even act like he was sorry, even though you were teammates. I think that’s what pissed me off the most. He acted like pointing his gun and shooting someone didn’t matter. It was like swatting a mosquito to him. But he couldn’t even feel anything for his friend.”
He took a shuddering breath, clenching his eyes shut. “I wanted to kill him. Part of me still does.”
Chidori touched Junpei’s shaking hand, holding it tenderly as he opened his eyes to look at her. Slowly, his fist opened, allowing her to weave their fingers together.
“Takaya was never my friend,” she said. “I never had a friend before you, at least not that I can remember. You may have to kill him before this is over, and I won’t shed a tear for him.” Her eyes hardened as she squeezed Junpei’s hand. “After all, he tried to kill the man I love. He deserves whatever he gets.”
Junpei’s heart did a flip. He knew it was not the time to be thinking so, but damn Chidori looked hot when she was feeling fierce! He forced the thought from his mind as he smiled at her. “Damn right, he does!” He touched a kiss to the top of her head just as she let out a yawn. “Sleepy?”
“A bit,” Chidori admitted, though she didn’t let go of Junpei’s hand. “Will you stay?”
Junpei kissed her again. “Sure. Need me to step out while you change?”
Chidori shook her head. “I’m fine. This is my first time wearing my dress in a few days. It’s more comfortable than new clothes would be.” She took off her headband, placing it to the side.
Junpei removed his hat and pulled back the covers, joining Chidori in the small dorm bed. After a bit of moving about, they were able to find a comfortable position, Junpei lying on his side with one arm pillowing Chidori’s head, the other draped over her middle. Chidori tucked her arms into her chest and nestled against Junpei’s front, trying to make herself as small as possible so that he could more easily engulf her. His heart warmed as he nuzzled slow, sleepy kisses into her hair and felt her returning them at the base of his neck.
“Night, Chidori,” he whispered as he closed his eyes, feeling happier and more at peace than he had ever felt before. “Love you.” Within seconds, he was fast asleep, snoring softly.
Chidori remained awake for another minute, committing every detail to memory: Junpei’s arms wrapped snugly around her, his soothing snores, his breaths, his heartbeat. For the first time in her life, she was able to fall asleep quickly, slipping into truly pleasant dreams.
“I love you too, Junpei.”