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Ryuji was in the convenience store for a late night snack and to pick up some things he realized were missing.
He wasn't in the best mood because he was exhausted and frustrated that he hadn't reminded his mom what he needed to refuel after his physical therapy to make sure they had it in the house.
At least they had the money for it so he didn't have to feel guilty about eating a lot, but it was still frustrating.
Ryuji covered a yawn as he grabbed the last thing he needed.
As he turned he bumped into someone.
"Oh, not you," the person muttered.
Ryuji must be more tired than he thought because there was no way he had just bumped into Akechi.
No. Way.
But when he rubbed his eyes, Akechi was still standing there, looking exhausted, skinny, and all around not put together at all, but he was there.
"So you are alive." Ryuji didn't even have the energy to be loud.
"Yes. Now if you excuse me..." Akechi put down what he was looking at and walked right out of the store.
Ryuji looked down at it, shrugged and picked it up.
He paid and left the store, spotting Akechi sitting on a bench not far away.
He headed over and dropped the food in Akechi's lap.
Akechi stared at it then looked up at Ryuji. "Why would you buy me this?" he asked rudely.
"Because you looked like you needed it. Need a shower or something? You could come back to my place."
"Why are you being nice?"
"Because I feel like it." Ryuji started walking.
Akechi sighed and followed him.
"Besides, Ren will appreciate hearing that you're actually alive,” Ryuji added, knowing it would likely irritate Akechi.
Akechi groaned. "Must you?"
"Yes. We owe you a lot. I may not like you, you may have sucked and betrayed us, but we still owe you because in the end you did help us out of a tight spot in Shido's palace, and then with Maruki. So let's go."
"Fine." Akechi followed, not looking happy about it.
Ryuji glanced at Akechi but didn't comment.
He expected more of a fight out of Akechi than that. So something was very clearly wrong for Akechi to actually be okay with following him.
Ren would hopefully get it out of him. Ryuji was no good at others' emotions, despite Ren's best efforts at teaching him.
Ryuji brought him inside the apartment.
"What about your mom?" Akechi asked after a moment.
"Night shift tonight. She won't be home until I'm heading off to school."
"Very well." Akechi watched Ryuji move through the apartment with a wary look.
Ryuji got settled with his snacks and waited until Akechi had opened his own food and started to eat to start his video call with Ren.
Akechi shot him a look at the sound of a call.
Ryuji ignored him.
"Hey, Ryuji," Ren greeted. "I thought we weren't going to have a video call tonight."
"We weren't," Ryuji confirmed. "But look who I bumped into at the convenience store." He turned the camera to Akechi who was glaring at him without nearly as much heat as he used to.
"Akechi? Oh you're alive! Are you okay? You don't really look okay, anything I can help with?"
Akechi looked a combination of grateful and annoyed. "I am fine."
"He didn't buy anything at the store," Ryuji told Ren helpfully.
Akechi sighed, slumping and glancing off to the side resentfully.
"With Shido arrested, I have nothing. Especially since he did admit to using me. Nothing good would come out of me reappearing."
"So why not come up with a fake identity?"
"You know it's not that simple, and even if it was, I still need to find a job to get money."
"True. Do you even want to stay in Tokyo? There are other options. I live in Inaba. There's job openings around here. Not so easy to go to college, but I imagine that's not on your mind right now."
"...it's not." Akechi sighed. "You really think I can get away with creating a new identity?"
"I think that if you talked to the right people they would help you."
"What makes you think I want help?"
"You followed Ryuji of all people to his apartment. You'd follow basically any one else on the team before him. Except maybe Ann."
Akechi ducked his head. "Fine, I'm a bit... I'm lonely," he bit out, glaring at Ryuji.
Ryuji, though, just looked at him sympathetically. "Dude, that sucks."
"What would you know of loneliness?"
"What do you think happens when you get branded a troublemaker and everyone, including friends, ostracizes you at school for standing up to a bully teacher?"
Akechi blinked, startled. "You... were lonely?"
"Yeah. I didn't act like it, but I was. Just didn't want anyone to know, only I was never like you, so I took a different route that wouldn't worry my mom after all the trouble I gave her."
"Oh, I see." Akechi stared at him, studying him for a moment as he thought about everything he knew about Ryuji. "It seems I underestimated you."
"Didn't you already know that?"
"Oh, I underestimated your skills in palaces, this is me underestimating you as a person. You're not really stupid, are you?"
"I mean I am forgetful and struggle to make easy connections but I also have ADHD so a lot of the stuff that makes me look stupid is actually the ADHD."
"Oh, yes, that would do it." Akechi nodded thoughtfully.
Ren grinned. Akechi was thinking again, that was good. It meant there was still some fight in him.
"So what are you going to od?" he asked.
"I suppose I shall have to ask for help. Who am I talking to?"
"Sae. Maybe Iwai."
"Oh, the dude with the prop guns, yeah, he probably would know how to hide."
"What, is he in the yakuza?"
"He used to be," Ren responded cheerfully. "And he owes me."
Akechi stared at Ren. "You make friends with the strangest of people. Fine. I'll start with them, and I'll only come to Inaba if I'm out of options. I do want to go to university as soon as I can after all."
"Fair enough. Now let Ryuji be nice to you so you're not so lonely. I really need to hang up and go to sleep before Morgana gets on me about going to bed."
Akechi groaned. "You're setting him on me?"
"You admitted to being lonely, and if I know Ryuji he will try to help. Just be patient. He has trouble understanding other people if they don't spell out. Bye!" Ren hung up.
Ryuji shrugged. Ren wasn't wrong. "So, what will it be?"
Akechi groaned.