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Akiren stares at Goro Akechi. Just stares, nothing more.
Akechi gives him a smile that says more clearly than words how much he is befuddled but desperate not to show it. "Is something wrong?"
"You kind of look like Light Yagami from Death Note," Akiren observes with a deadpan expression.
Akechi blinks at him. "Is that a compliment? I'm afraid I haven't seen the show."
"He's the main character, a very talented and smart detective... Guess you have that in common too."
Akechi chuckles amicably. "I'm flattered."
"We should hang out whenever you have time and watch it together."
"I..." Akechi looks caught off guard. "May I inquire what the purpose would be?"
Akiren grins at him. "I thought it might be fun to discuss the similarities and differences between him and you. He's got a rather unique view of justice, after all."
After a bit of reluctance carefully tempered with courtesy, Akechi yields to Akiren's insistence. How could he know that this is the start of a time traveler's very carefully crafted plan to save his life? They only met yesterday, and this is the first time they've had any meaningful conversation.
Goro knows it is snowing outside. A lot. Maybe even a full-on blizzard, as it's difficult to even see the buildings on the other side of the street, but all the wind could be lifting some snow back up from the ground. But he doesn't realize how bad the storm really is until Leblanc's lights go out and silence envelopes the cafe.
Sojiro had gone home earlier and left Akiren to run the counter, and Goro is the only customer left.
He laughs nervously. "Seems I've overstayed my welcome... I guess I should head out now."
"Or you could have a sleepover with me," Akiren offers quickly. "If the power's out, the trains won't be running. You might not be able to find a taxi either, with all this snow, and you shouldn't have to walk home in such nasty weather."
"Awfully eager to convince me, aren't you?" Goro teases.
Akiren fidgets hard enough that Goro can make it out even in the darkness. "Well, you don't have to... Full disclosure, I've only got a small space heater in the attic, and- Drat."
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Goro prompts him to finish.
"Nothing, it just hit me - even that won't work without power. Maybe you'd be better off going home after all..."
Goro's first thought is incredulity that Akiren would invite him to stay in an unheated attic, before he remembers that Akiren will be sleeping in that attic regardless. "Ah... if you don't mind, I think I'll stay here."
"Really?" The barista's face is still practically invisible, but his tone conveys surprise and confusion, almost drowning out the small hint of happiness.
"It seems like the best course of action for both of us," Goro explains. "I can't say I'll enjoy spending the night without heat, but it's still preferable to trudging through snowdrifts and leaving you here to freeze to death alone."
"Well, Morgana's here too, but-" A choking noise escapes Akiren at the end of his sentence. "Wait, you're going to stay... for my benefit?"
"As I said before, if you don't mind. I know it might be uncomfortable to share the bed..."
Just then Morgana comes pelting down the stairs, yowling with too much pitch, panic, and speed for Goro to make out any of the words.
Akiren gets the cat calmed down, then says to Goro, "I don't mind if you don't, so I guess it's settled then."
There's not much to do except go straight to bed, unless they want to crowd their heads together to try watching another episode of Death Note on one or the other of their phones, which they don't. Akiren leads Goro upstairs and digs out some of his own clothes so the older boy has something more comfortable to sleep in, then trots back down to lock up while Goro changes into them.
Morgana mumbles some complaints about how crowded they're going to be, but he knows perfectly well that the only other option is braving the cold on his own.
When Akiren returns, he's already in his own sleepwear, having taken them with him to change in the bathroom. He quickly crawls into bed and beckons Goro in after him. Goro stiffly lies down facing away from Akiren and tries not to flinch too much when the younger boy immediately snuggles up to Goro's back and wraps his arms around his waist. It's all for the warmth, of course. Morgana squirms under the covers by their feet, adding his own body heat where they have the least.
"G'night, you two," comes the cat's muffled voice.
"Goodnight, Mona," Akiren replies. After a near-silent giggle because he can feel his socks being kneaded, he adds, "Goodnight, Akechi."
"...Goodnight," Goro says, intentionally not specifying who he is addressing. Somehow he feels like he would be being rude if he only responded to Akiren, but he certainly doesn't want to give away that he actually understands the cat, and talking to a cat that you don't understand is the sweetly childish sort of thing Akiren would do, not Goro.
What was it that drove him to issue this challenge in the Metaverse? The thoughts are long past now, submerged beneath tides of adrenaline. He'd meant to hold back, gracefully accept the loss if it turned out he couldn't best his opponent with Robin Hood. But Joker matches him strike for strike, intensity slowly rising with each attack. They are equal in determination, and so close in skill that anything could tip the balance. Perfectly matched opposing rivals like Light and L, neither able to gain the slightest advantage over the other.
Perhaps it's frustration that pushes him over the edge, that muddles his priorities and tangles his rationality until he summons Loki. Joker's cautious step back almost brings him to his senses, but he's already using Call of Chaos on himself. Any second thoughts disappear along with whatever emotions brought him to this point, engulfed in mindless rage.
Joker switches to another Persona as well. This one must be stronger, because he's still keeping up, which only adds to the fury.
Their battle continues until the berserk spell wears off, and Joker lands a hit on Akechi's cranium just as it does. He staggers and tries to shake off the dizziness, expecting at any moment to feel blade or magic biting at his flesh. But nothing happens. When his vision finally rights itself, all he sees is Joker standing a short distance away, hands in his pockets.
Beneath his inquiring gaze, the black coat and red gloves burn away, leaving Joker in his school uniform. The boy removes his glasses, tucking them into his currently cat-less bag, which he then sets on the ground.
"Your clothes..." There is no more rage in his tone, only puzzlement. "What happened?"
"Mona says they represent our will of rebellion," Akiren states, and then falls silent as if that's all the answer the question needs.
And it is. One implication leads to another, forming a trail of sentiments too deep to be revealed in words. Crow can only make vague guesses at the concept of them, but it's enough.
I have nothing to rebel against.
I don't want to fight you.
I trust you enough.
No matter what you decide to do.
He can't presume he knows Akiren's feelings for him exactly, but the general idea is unmistakably clear.
"Are you an idiot?"
"Perhaps. Where is the line where bravery becomes stupidity?"
"How much do you know?"
"Enough that nothing you can say will change my mind."
Akechi Crow Goro walks up to Akiren, gauntlet reaching out to cradle his face. His serrated sword hangs loosely in his other hand, a distant threat.
Akiren can't contain a shudder at the touch, but it doesn't seem to be from fear. He meets Goro's eyes unwaveringly, raising his chin slightly as if to expose his throat even more.
Goro doesn't get the feeling that Akiren is pleased with how things are going, which would make him inclined to spitefully take them another direction. Instead, there's only a flash of anticipation in Akiren's eyes. He's eager rather than apprehensive, as if he's thinking, 'I can't wait to see what happens next.' As if whatever it is will be an exciting surprise, just like Goro's reactions while watching Death Note for the first time.
Perhaps that's what makes Goro quickly shift his visor to the top of his helmet and lean forward to meld his lips with Akiren's, inhaling the resulting gasp. He moves his hand around the back of Akiren's head to capture him, though he's not trying to escape, despite Goro's sharp gorget scratching a faint red line across his neck.
He pulls back after a moment to evaluate Akiren's expression, but it's just as open and willing as before. "I could still kill you," he points out.
"I know," Akiren replies, unperturbed. "But you don't have to." Then he waits patiently for Goro to make another move. To kill him, to kiss him again, to choose.
And that's when Goro realizes that by surrendering, Akiren has outmaneuvered him. No matter what Goro chooses to do, he can't win. Even if he copies Light and gets rid of his rival, nothing can save him now. "You really are..." But he doesn't finish his sentence, instead closing the distance between them again to mouth at Akiren's jaw.
Akiren gives a nervous sort of giggle and flinches from the chin guard digging into his shoulder, but judging from his squirming as he wraps his arms tenderly around Goro's back, he doesn't really mind.
This isn't the end, of course. Goro has crimes to pay for, even if there might be a way to avoid dying. And Shido has to pay too, for his part in Goro's crimes, for his crimes against Goro, and for so many more. But Goro won't be alone. He has his rival.
By the first anniversary of the meeting at the TV station, Goro is being dragged along to conventions as the Light to Akiren's L, with Ann as their very supportive Misa. Makoto and Ryuji are usually somewhere in the same venue dressed as characters from Makoto's latest yakuza media obsession. Yusuke amuses himself by dabbling in the arts of photography and editing software. Haru and Futaba respectively supply everyone with funds and reputable sources for quality cosplay materials and equipment.
In other news, the Phantom Thieves had endured the brief scandal of Kunikazu Okumura's death, revealed Shido as the true culprit, defeated the deity ultimately responsible for everything, and ended up more popular than ever.
Oracle: looklooklook!
phantomprince made it to the finals in this poll for best fictional yaoi couple! [link]
Skull: wats phantomprince?
Noir: I believe it's the ship name the fans came up with for Joker x Crow.
Panther: oh wow, congrats!
Fox: Ah, because they are only known as the leader of the Phantom Thieves and the Detective Prince, not their codenames. I see.
Queen: Oracle, you said that usually the first part of a ship name tells you who... er, leads the relationship? Is that the case here?
Oracle: public got no reason to believe the sassy thief wouldnt top pleasant boy, so probs
not like we could spread the truth even if we knew...
>:P always turning their phones off right when it gets juicy
Noir: I don't think there's a way to be ambiguous about it though, is there? Someone's name has to come first.
Queen: Well, Joker is our leader...
Panther: yeah, it just feels natural to put him first in the ship name
Fox: I concur. Not that I assume Crow would ever let himself be dominated without a struggle, of course.
Skull: dude dont say it like that!
Oracle: mark my words, I will catch you raging homosexuals someday!
Queen: Futaba... please don't invade their privacy...
Skull: cmon, u know tryna stop her is like tryna keep ann away from cake
Panther: did someone say cake? ;D
Noir: Or like keeping Mona-chan away from treasure!
Fox: While I feel that these days our feline friend is perhaps more likely to come in contact with expensive sushi, I concur with the sentiment Haru-san has expressed.
Goro scowls at his phone.
"What are you mad about now, beautiful?"
Now Goro scowls at Akiren. "Only a third of the votes are for us. That means twice as many people like the other couple more than us, even if they like us too! Who even are those guys?! I've never heard of them!"
"Shh, shh," Akiren soothes him, gently pulling Goro into an embrace. "They're just a fictional couple. They don't have any basis in reality."
"Then why're we bein' compared to 'em?" Goro grumbles, his face half smothered in Akiren's shirt.
"Because people don't know that Joker and Goro Akechi are actually dating, not a fan-made ship. It's our little Phantom Thief secret."
Goro huffs and lets himself be calmed. It isn't like he was really that upset. After all, a lot of the options in the poll weren't even canon inside their fictional universes, such as Light and L. Goro is certainly glad he'd chosen not to kill his own rival, as being boyfriends is by far superior in every single way.
"I'm coming down there, so if you guys are being disgusting, you better stop quick!" a high-pitched voice yowls from above.
"He's making violent love to me, Mona," Akiren loudly and cheerfully calls up to their small chaperone.
"I am not!" Goro yelps indignantly, face burning.
The sound of a cat in resigned distress floats down the stairs. "Please tell me that you've now gotten the urge to use that line out of your system and I'll never have to hear it again."
"Line?" Goro warily repeats.
"You've never seen It's a Wonderful Life?" The teasing note in Akiren's voice is gentle, like he doesn't mean it in mockery of Goro.
"Is that so surprising? If I recall correctly, it's a very old American film." Goro pauses. "Which makes it somewhat unbelievable that it would be the actual source for that particular line."
Akiren smirks. "Well, the young lady in question was speaking to her mother, but other than that it was word for word. I swear on my honor as a thief."
"Hmmm... While I trust you, I feel obligated to verify this for myself."
"Movie night!" Akiren exclaims, his silver eyes sparkling with irresistible excitement.
Morgana, who had just reached the ground floor of the cafe, groans. "I'm out then. Can you let Haru know I'm on my way?"
"Sure." Akiren pulls out his phone to send the requested message. Since Goro wants all Akiren's attention to himself in a mildly distracting way, the task is only completed with much effort and copious kisses.