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There had been a cat-shaped helicopter.
'Beep!'
And Joker hanging down by his hook.
'Beep!'
The fool had jumped down after the madman instead of escaping with them.
'Beep!'
How annoying.
Akechi Goro's slumbering mind soon sobered up from his memories, upon waking up to blurry, glaring lights on a February evening.
Alive.
It was beyond a miracle how many times he should have folded. After everything - his mother, his father, his crimes, the engine room, Maruki's deal, the promise to return to their true reality - Goro really thought it was it. It should have been, but the unmistakable 'beep!' coming from the electrocardiograph by his side with each of his tired heartbeat confirmed to him that he was alive.
Tired to the bones and without purpose, but alive.
Maruki Takuto had been wrong.
With a burst of self-satisfied sense of superiority, Goro extended his aching arm to grab his phone on the bedside table and text his partner in the crime of ridding the world from false happiness.
Akechi Goro [February 3rd, 17:36]: He was wrong
The message sent without hesitation, he quickly closed his phone. Dizzy, he closed his rusty-red eyes; they felt like sand even if he had looked at the screen for only 30 seconds. But he was satisfied, and only needed to wait for an answer. Goro felt himself rapidly relax back to sleep, his body needing to heal from this winter's ordeal.
As long as hope lasted, even Goro's tired heart wanted to keep beating, and slowly heal.
Waking up in the darkness of his cell on February 3rd had been quite the whiplash for Amamiya Ren.
Two sets of memories, the ones he lived - witnessing Maruki's changed world - and the ones society witnessed him live - surrendering to the police on Christmas Eve to testify against Shido. Yet, the facts stayed the same.
Ren had won.
And as the lonely days passed, it slowly dawned on him: it was over.
He had managed to save the world - twice - from controlling gods, gotten his criminal case absolved, and was now welcomed by the friends that had helped him along the way. Never mind the void in his heart and bitter taste in his mouth ever since he had been told by Lavenza that everything - Akechi included - had gone back to how they belonged.
Where he belongs? It can't be…
Ren should be happy to return to his normal daily life at Leblanc.
He was happy to see all of his friends - there is one missing - to smell the coffee and curry of what had been his foster home - he liked coffee too - feel their worry and love for him - does someone worry he disappeared? - yes, Ren really was happy.
Until he could charge the phone police officers had confiscated from him upon incarceration and saw a text that, like a punch in the gut, cut his breath short and twisted his stomach.
Akechi Goro [February 3rd, 17:36]: He was wrong
'Ding! Ding!'
An unread message from February 3rd
Steps on a creaking wooden floor.
What does it mean?
Ren's reeling mind sprinted to make sense of the rogue message. The text was old, about 9 days ago. They had gone to infiltrate the Garden right after school that day. Had Maruki been wrong about Akechi's fate? … or had it been Akechi's unnecessary reminder that Maruki's reality was wrong, and they had to put an end to it? That made sense, too much sense…
"I had promised." Ren sighed bitterly, throwing the phone on the futon perched on crates that served as his bed.
"I know," A low, but familiar, honeyed, tenor answered back, making Ren's still heart jump. "And I thank you for that. Not that I expected anything less, you always were trustworthy."
Ren couldn't believe his eyes, seeing that tall young man - was he thinner again? Didn't he eat properly? - with long chestnut-coloured hair and a small, tentative, almost nervous smile. But those red eyes…
It's him! …right?
"Akechi," Ren greeted him, his voice low as if to not scare him away.
Or scare himself with false hope?
"I see you just saw the text." Akechi looked down at Ren's phone, a hand instinctively scratching his chin, the motion nostalgic. "I had wondered, when you didn't answer, if I had been wrong about our bond. That perhaps it was just an illusion. Luckily enough, your friends are loud. The protest to get you out of jail was all over the news."
"You're here."
" I am. I have a debt to repay, the least I could do was to warn you directly, Amamiya-kun." Akechi's red eyes staring at him, gauging Ren's reaction, a little bit hesitant as if he wasn't sure he could be here.
"Call me Ren," He told him, taking a few steps forward. At this point Ren craved for all proximity. Physically. Socially. Emotionally. "I'm so glad to see you."
"You really are?" Akechi whispered, incredulous, but his shoulders relaxed slightly. "You're the only one that ever gave a damn. It's beyond me, after everything I did, Ren…"
More of an action guy than a word guy anyway, Ren decided to reduce the distance between them to nothing, and reached for Akechi's hand. Still cold from outside. Uncovered skin against his. And surprisingly soft, strong fingers that laced through his own.
Out of the two hands, it had been Akechi's right hand, the ungloved one, he had caught.
After a moment, Ren dared to look back up and meet Akechi's gaze, uncharacteristically unguarded and surprised. There was a childlike innocence shining there. Ren knew Akechi understood almost everything Ren wanted to say most of the time, and it wasn't different right now.
"It's a mutual feeling, you know?" Akechi said, not letting go of Ren's hand.
Ren's heart raced hearing that, and part of him wondered of a possible future together. He had to know. "So, what is next for you? You're free to do what you want."
"I don't know, Ren. I'm tired. I never actually thought beyond this point. Didn't need to…" Akechi interrupted himself, looking away for a second before he asked: "What about you?"
And just like that, reality sank in again, bursting his bubble. "I have to go back to my hometown in a month, my probation is up."
"Of course." Akechi let out a bitter scoff, the hand holding Ren's clutched tighter. "I suppose it isn't a bad thing. Did you notice we are being followed?"
"Shido's men?"
"Policemen. The remnant peons of the Special Investigation Department seeking to understand how the almighty phantom thieves and the terrible psychotic breakdowns plaguing Tokyo came to be." Goro said, his thought about these people neither charitable nor subtle.
"Are they after you too?" Ren asked, trying to hide the anger he felt.
The police stole so many things from him already. The life he could have had without an unwarranted criminal case. Or the time he could have spent with his found-family on Christmas and New Year.
"I like how angry you are. But you have to go back to your hometown. You can hide and lie low while there." Akechi nodded to himself, as if solving an enigma. "In the meantime, I'll go to the refuge my mother used to go, whenever she felt down about life. It's a nice rehabilitation sanctuary, just outside Tokyo. It should be safe there."
"So, you're leaving too?"
"It's only logical. I need to lie low too, so we can finally put all this behind us. I need…" Akechi paused, looking down, "…help. I need time to get over everything, Ren. To be better. To rest."
Ren wanted to protest, but he couldn't. It probably costed a lot of Akechi's good faith to even admit he needed help. He wanted to deal with his mental health, let the past be the past and move on. Who was Ren to keep his crow in a cage like all the adults in their lives had tried to?
"Okay I get it." Ren sighed, and leaned forward, resting his forehead against Akechi so he was only a breathe away. He looked surprised, but didn't move away from him. "You'll keep in touch, right?"
"O-Of course." Akechi whispered, as a gloved hand rose to slowly - hesitantly - caress Ren's cheeks. "All my life, I wanted someone to want me around, and you wished that of me. You wished me back in your life. I… I won't throw that away so easily... I'll come back for you, and never leave."
Pupils dilated with want, searching the other for reassurance, the right to hope.
Hopeful, Ren nuzzled in Akechi's hand, letting his guard down. "You better. You owe me a rematch."
"I promise." Akechi agreed, before his lips met Ren's, sealing the promise with more than words.
* * *
On the day Ren left Tokyo, he was indeed chased by some strangers in suits. But with his friends, and an all-too familiar taxi driver's help, he managed to catch the bullet train. From his window seat, he caught the glimpse of Akechi Goro, leaving for the sanctuary just as planned. Ren smiled confidently his way, a shadow already lost in the crowd, believing it wouldn't be the last he saw of him.
A Fool whose rehabilitation was of righteous retribution had to hope his Justice would reunite with him again.
They had promised.
Akechi Goro [August 8th, 13:36]: Are you in danger of being arrested again?
Amamiya Ren[August 8th, 13:36]: Is that concern I am sensing, Akechi Goro?
Akechi Goro [August 8th, 13:37]: Its a legitimate question, everyone reading the news would wonder
Akechi Goro [August 8th, 13:37]: Just going camping wasn't fun enough for you guys?
Amamiya Ren [August 8th, 13:38]: I'm fine, the 8 founding members of the Phantom Thieves can handle it
Akechi Goro [August 8th, 13:38]: I don't trust this, trying to pin whatever the fuck is happening here on you again
Amamiya Ren [August 8th, 13:38]: Haru also said ACAB
Akechi Goro [August 8th, 13:38]: Haha
Akechi Goro [August 8th, 13:38]: Okumura-san said that? She has more gut than I thought
Amamiya Ren [August 8th, 13:59]: Hey
Amamiya Ren [August 8th, 13:59]: Are you really here?
Akechi Goro [August 8th, 13:59]: A legitimate question too, considering the Metaverse is back… I believe so, yes
Akechi Goro [August 8th, 14:00]: We will meet again
* * *
Amamiya Ren [August 24th, 22:36]: When are you coming back to Tokyo?
Akechi Goro [August 24th, 22:36]: When are you coming back to Tokyo for good?
On a Sunday morning, a soft early summer breeze carrying the smell of blooming blossoms woke Goro up. He always woke up early, as if the years of living from stress and fresh air had permanently marked his own internal alarm to wake up at sunrise. But that was in the past. Nowadays, he was allowed to just… relax in a half-asleep daze.
Before he could open his eyes, Goro felt the warm sleeping lump in his arms gently stirring. After a short while, he finally fully awakened, and he was met with cloudy grey eyes greeting him.
"Morning, Goro."
The way Ren's even lower voice half-asleep said his name sent a small pleasant shiver in Goro's chest.
"Good morning," He replied, hiding his satisfied smile in the crook of Ren's neck.
Ren laughed softly, as he turned to lie on his back and more easily kiss Goro's left temple. "Feeling cuddly?"
"Cuddly? " Goro tried to protest, but it didn't have the bite he had hoped. "If you want to put it that way, I'll show you 'cuddly'."
He seized the opening to sprawl himself over Ren's chest, entwining their legs together, a hand on his collarbone, right over his heart. Every possible inch of skin touching. It was much more comfortable, and anyway, Ren always felt cold whenever they left the window open for the night, this would warm him up too.
Win-win.
Not saying a word, Ren passed a hand in Goro's messy hair, scratching his scalp in a way that calmed him.
Feeling somewhat reassured, Goro whispered. "I missed you."
"Didn't move all night." Ren answered with a smile. "Even if I wanted to, I'm currently kind of stuck under you."
"Poor you." Goro teased back, before continuing on his train of thoughts. "I'm talking about my dream. It was odd, more like a memory than a random hallucination."
"What was your dream about?"
"When I woke up at the hospital. After everything. I texted you I was alive, and you didn't reply."
"That is so not what you texted." Ren's hand stopped scratching, nervously playing with a lock instead. "And I would have replied if I could."
"You would have." Akechi grumbled, as he pulled Ren's nervous hand to his lips and placed a reassuring kiss on the back of it, before placing it back in his hair. "I know you would have tried to understand what I meant. You would have figured it out."
Smiling again, Ren thankfully continued to playfully caress Goro's hair. "It's funny, I dreamed about that time too. It was our first kiss."
"What a sentimental retelling." Goro couldn't help the bitter smile.
I also left you, his mind couldn't help to add.
"You came to see me as soon as I was out of jail."
Somehow, Goro felt his face and neck warming up in embarrassment. "You weren't answering your text, I had to warn you somehow."
Ren's arms circled Goro's shoulders in a hug. "I wanted to see you too."
You always understood what I meant, rose to the challenge, figured out any enigma I gave you. Instead of saying anything that would incriminate him more, he returned the hug, avaricious for any acknowledgement Ren would give him. He hungered every day for more of him, and enjoyed the shared warmth of their embrace, shared comforting smell of their laundry detergent, shared time together-
'grrrrwl!'
"I'm figuring that you are hungry." Ren laughed, bending his head to lightly kiss Goro's lips, almost teasing him. "Breakfast?"
Chasing his lips for one more kiss, Goro started to sit up. Well, time lazying together in bed had come to an end. Goro found he didn't mind too much, as Ren's cooking made for highlights in his days. Who knew homemade cooking was that nice?
"Crêpes?" Goro asked, warm breath tickling his lips, smiling in his kiss.
"As you wish, my prince," Ren sounded smitten, passing a distracted hand in his messy luscious black curls. "I think I don't have eggs anymore though."
"I'll go get some, the market isn't far." Goro volunteered, swinging his legs down the bed to get ready.
"I'll go with you." Ren quickly said, getting up on his feet.
That was unusual. Goro wasn't the cook of this house, but he always helped anyway he could. Grocery shopping or washing the dishes was his way to be useful around here, and he prided himself on doing it.
They really didn't need two for such a short trip.
But before he could protest in indignation, it clicked.
'I dreamed about that time too.'
As shameful as it was to admit, if Goro had felt the need to reassure himself that Ren was there, and still wanted him around, it stood to reason that Ren felt similarly. He didn't want to be left behind. And Goro had made him a promise - to never leave him behind again.
"Lovely.” He simply agreed, grabbing jeans for them.
'Po~! Po~!'
Pigeons sang in the quiet streets, the city barely awake yet. The pink petals paved the road to the market, barely a five minutes walk from their place. Even so early, Goro and Ren could feel the sun warming them against the chilly breeze, omen of a good day.
But even on good days unsightly pests could be spotted.
Right there, by the corner they had to turn on, a police car.
It wasn't for them, that time had passed. Yet, still today, Ren hated the police - not that Goro carried them in his heart either - which was understandable, with everything he had been through. There was no judgment here from Goro. He had his own demons too.
Before it could ruin Ren's mood, feeling protective of his joy, Goro brushed his hands against Ren's to catch his attention and nodded toward the back alley.
“Mind if we pass through here? It’s a little bit of a detour, but the weather is nice. The walk would open up our appetite.” He said, already walking that way, softly pulling Ren too.
“Sure.” Grey eyes shone with confusion, but he quickly shrugged it off. “Was that a ploy because you wanted to hold-hands in public?”
Oh, right. Goro wasn't a big fan of PDA, but the back-alley was empty, and he had been holding Ren's hand already. “Sure.”
Ren shook his head, a small conniving smile on his lips.“Thanks, Goro.”
He noticed.
He had noticed, but it hadn't rained on his smile. How could it, when they weren't alone anymore to face the ghosts of their pain.
“I always thought the first crêpe was doomed to be a failure. Isn't that how the old saying goes?” Goro mused, carefully watching Ren in action.
Even as a teen loitering in Leblanc to observe the illustrious leader of the phantom thieves he had always admired his rival's cooking skills.
“That’s because people are impatient.” Ren answered, a hand hovering over the pan, focused on the melting butter. “Just have to wait until it's warm enough.”
"Of course, only patience, no other skill." Goro scoffed, sipping his coffee. "Only you can dismiss this as easily."
Ren smirked, pouring a fourth of a cup of batter in the sizzling pan. "Mind cutting some apples while it's cooking? Apple, maple and cheese crêpes sounds good, yeah?"
Goro scowled at the knives, but he knew he had to break free of this fear one day. He grabbed a knife, the sight of his hands holding a weapon again phasing him a little. But he was up for the challenge. "Alright."
It took time for Goro to believe his hands could actually be soft. But Ren repetitively holding them had slowly broken down the idea that his hands were meant to hurt. And him trusting him to help him cut fruits or vegetables, trusting him, also reinforced his own confidence toward his own demon.
Carefully, he cut shards of apples, removing a thin triangle on each slice.
"That's cute."
The apples sliced were shaped in simple bunnies, the small triangle had carved out rabbit-ears.
"Mama used to prepare them that way. She didn't always do it, but I remember wondering how she did it. It was like magic." Goro explained, as he kept cutting more bunny-apple slices. "Until I went to the sanctuary."
"You learned there?"
"At the café there, the same lady was present, though much older than in my memories. She prepared apples shaped like rabbits every morning." Goro rose a piece to eye level, showing Ren. "I'm now convinced Mama learned it there."
Goro approached the slice near Ren's lips so he could taste it. He delicately bit the apple off Goro's hand with a pleased look.
"Here, your turn." Ren cut a part of one of the crêpes with his chopsticks and raising it to make Goro taste it.
With a sharp bite, Goro seized the chopstick, the sweet taste already melting on his tongue. "Delicious. Apple and crêpes will mix well."
"I'm 'hop-py' to share a piece of your past." Ren smiled, pleased with himself.
Goro took a bite and rolled his eyes at that poor pun. "Don't get your tail in a twist, honey bun, they're only apples."
Whether it was the stupid nickname or the pun, Goro wasn't sure, but Ren's laughter made him proud.
"I bet you can't make them hop in my mouth." Ren declared, opening his mouth, looking like a goof.
"Oh, if that's what you think..!" Goro answered his rival, ready to throw a second slice Ren's way and rise victorious to this ridiculous challenge.
No matter how hard their teenage years had been, how at odds they had been; now, they have someone to support them. Someone to be with, hand in hand, for any detours. Someone to make crêpe for, and feed each other with sweet affections.
One morning at a time, they had the rest of their lives to heal together; with each promises between them, a love declaration.
Extra:
The sweet perfume of fresh crêpes was appetizing, but Morgana was a gentleman.
He didn't need to impose himself on this private moment. Oh no! It wasn't in his character to intrude like that, nor scream his hunger at the two young men in the kitchen. They weren't ungrateful humans who had forgotten about him, right? It was basically him that made sure these two met!
No, really, Morgana was a gentleman. He was not going to burst in the kitchen meowing. He was not forgotten. He was not-
The door opened, interrupting his angry spiraling. Tail thumping on the ground, he raised a blue eye toward Akechi, who placed a bowl on the floor.
A bowl of exquisite, gravy covered tuna!
"I grabbed this at the market, as part of our deal." Akechi sighed.
"Yes! I knew you wouldn't forget!" Morgana exclaimed, jumping down the bed, trotting toward the dish.
"We do this everyday, how little faith you have in me." Akechi mumbled.
"You better never forget it! You should be grateful, had I not unlocked Leblanc's door that day, you maybe wouldn't have spoken to him at all." Morgana proudly purred, admiring his plate. "Everyday, you hear?"
"A deal is a deal." Akechi said, as he quickly returned to the kitchen with Ren.
The hope of humanity was quite content to let them to their breakfast while he enjoyed his well-deserved tuna.