[open] someone once said burn my dread, babe

[simulatio]

Who: Goro Akechi + y'all 👀
What: early December prompts + future catch-all
Where: Throughout the Void
When: "December"ish
Content Warnings: N/A (yet)



A. Wall Market Bathhouse

[Whilst in the Mementos-that-wasn't-Mementos, Goro Akechi died.

He's no stranger to death; people die all the time. In his experience, rarely do they come back. He'd spent the time after his death with the other Phantom Thieves, doing his best to pretend that everything was normal. If he'd been more withdrawn, less prone to smile his princely smile and converse pleasantly, perhaps he could be excused. The deepest, darkest parts of his soul had been wandering around without him for a time, after all.

But he certainly can't hide forever, and the lack of showers in the apartment he shares with Ren drives him to the bathhouse. It's one of the most comfortable places for him, especially now that there aren't fish swimming in the bath. He sinks up to his chin in the warm water and closes his eyes, as relaxed as he can be in a public space.]

B. Mortis Lake

Stop following me!

[Akechi is trying his very best to sound as pleasant as possible, even as he waves his arms in an attempt to frighten off the winged giraffe-like creature that's taken to following him through the forest of trees. It's almost comical how annoyed he's getting as the animal continues to follow him, large doe-like eyes wide with interest as it pads along behind him. Every now and then, it flaps its wings to glide awkwardly over the ground to make sure it keeps up, plaintively letting out a mournful cry whenever Akechi gets too far away from it.]

Would you go find the rest of your herd already? [he snaps as it catches up and tries for a friendly nibble at the back of his hair.] What the fu-

[He freezes upon realizing that he has an audience nearby and clears his throat with a cough, correcting his tone to a more pleasant,] Pardon me. Could you give me a hand?

C. Heavenly Blanc

[Some time ago, Ren had sat outside the bar/café working on a shogi board. Now it's Akechi's turn with the same piece of wood, though he's taken over one of the tables inside. He's working on the other side of the shogi board to create a grid with fewer squares, tracing thin lines with one of the large knives from Heavenly Blanc's kitchen while using his cell phone as a guide.

Once he's done outlining the board with the knife, he goes back over the 8x8 grid with a marker, the cap held between his teeth as he concentrates. Beside him are gemstones from the Academy's store, separated into two sets of what look like clear diamonds and deep red rubies, marked with English letters: several marked with the letter "P," two each labeled "R, B, Kn," and one each "Ki" and "Q."]

A chessboard, [he'll explain to anyone who happens to glance over curiously, though he doesn't stop working.]

D. Gymnasium

[Akechi's never really been one for team sports, but the cycling machines attract special attention. Dressed in a spare gym uniform from the Academy (washed beforehand, of course), he's currently working through a rather challenging-looking course on one of the bikes. Loose strands of his hair, the parts that escaped being drawn back into the small ponytail at the base of his neck, stick to his cheeks as he huffs for air, pursuing an invisible finish line that only he can see.

It's only once he's finished that course and is taking a drink of water from a water bottle that he notices he has company, and offers an easy smile.]

Care for a race? They may be stationary machines, but we could always compare times.

E. Wildcard!

[I'll be adding additional prompts in comments as needed throughout the month, but feel free to use this post for just about anything involving Akechi! Feel free to chat with me @jaderhade if you want to do anything with this nasty man. As always, I have a screened spoiler opt-out page for anyone looking to avoid Persona 5 or Persona 5 Royal spoilers!]

Comments

[bazooker]

[Looking at his moves, she really needed to figure what to play next. Instead, she moves one of the pawn pieces forward. Looking back at him, she wasn't sure what to say next.

Try as she may to be confident, she wasn't.]

I wanted to be sure. [She said before giving a pause. She knew after her first visit in the apartment but she wanted to hear it from him.] Then I presume you are happy with him?

[simulatio]

What an odd question.

[He moves his pawn to again mirror her move, opening up the front line a little more to enable his bishop to escape the back row later.]

But to be blunt: yes. Neither of us would tolerate anything less at this stage.

[Well, Ren is enough of a glutton for punishment that he might only be with Akechi because he thinks it will make Akechi happy. The concept that someone actually likes him and wants to spend time with him, and won't simply tire of him and toss him aside, is still novel enough that he has reason to doubt it.

He meets Haru's eyes again, schooling his features into impassiveness and resting his chin on his hand. When something is going well, he inevitably has to disrupt it, so he adds,]

Does it bother you? Knowing exactly who your dear leader is sleeping with?

[Her father's murderer, and the man who tried to kill their dear leader himself, not to mention the rest of their little band of thieves.]

[bazooker]

[At this point, Haru didn't know how she could focus on playing the game. IT felt like she was playing another one with him. As she gave a small pause, she looked back at the board and then back at him.

She was nervous. She didn't know how to approach this topic without being so forward. It was against her nature to be so blunt and yet, it felt like it was the only way to get across what she wanted to say.

Placing her chin on the top of her hands, she remained silent before speaking up.]

No, I'm just glad you are happy with him. That is all I can ask for.

[Despite her mixed feelings about the two of them dating, there really wasn't anything she could do. If they were both happy with one another, then so be it. That being said, she moved her bishop forward in mimic his actions]

It seems like you have made your peace in this place. [She said with a small smile]

[simulatio]

[For a long moment, Akechi says nothing. His eyes narrow, gaze flitting across her face as if searching for any hint of duplicity. Haru's like Ren and the rest of the Thieves, infuriating in their honesty. In their willingness to forgive. Yoshizawa he'd understood; she'd never been as deep into the inner circle of the Thieves as the rest. Ren he knew to be a fool from the start, and Ann, well. While her intelligence might be bounded, her kindness is not.

But Haru? He stares at her with a disbelief he can't quite hide behind years of practice, his hand once again hovering over the board, though all thoughts of chess strategy have fled his mind.]

I don't need to be handled with velvet gloves, Okumura-san, [he says finally with a frown, meeting her eyes.] Working together to take down a common enemy is one thing, but I don't need your pity.

[bazooker]

It isn't pity. I truly am happy for you and Ren-kun.

[She should have known this discussion would turn out terribly. He wasn't willing to accept their forgiveness the first time around, why would it be any different. She might not forgive him for murdering her father or countless other people but she could understand.

It was a shame he didn't see it the same way. As she waited for his turn, she felt there was something she should say. Should she go for the kill and flat out say it?]

I'll say this once more, I don't forgive you what you've done. You've hurt countless people and done many terrible things. [Pause] That being said, that doesn't mean you don't deserve a chance to be happy.

[Can he hear how she was losing the confidence she once had? It was difficult for her to say but she needed to get her words across to him.]

[simulatio]

...

[It's rare to see Akechi truly speechless. This little spiel smacks of the same kind of genuine concern the Phantom Thieves had displayed back in the bowels of Shido's Palace. It's unfathomable. Haru's extending a kind hand, and like a dog that's been hit too many times, Akechi wants to bite it to keep himself safe.

If she can say such things to him, perhaps that's why she can see her father as the man he used to be, instead of the twisted, corrupt piece of shit Akechi had executed in much the same manner as he'd done to many of Okumura's rivals. Haru isn't like Ann, who'd admitted to wanting to keep Kamoshida alive just to force him to suffer for the rest of his life. She says she doesn't forgive him, but allowing him to continue without even a passing attempt at revenge is more than he could have ever expected.]

Well, [he says finally, returning his attention to the chess board and moving his bishop forward.] If we're repeating ourselves, allow me to reiterate: I will never understand you and your friends. You specifically have more reason than most to want me dead, or at the very least, miserable.

[bazooker]

[Haru didn't know how respond back to his reply at first. She kept looking at the chess board wondering where to move. This conversation was a lot like this game, they had to be careful about what they said. Any wrong move and it could spell danger.

However, she hoped things would turn out well as she truly wanted Akechi to be happy.]

What good would that bring? If I wanted you dead, I would have said so long ago. [That and she had seen how everyone mentioned how they could have saved him. If they had a choice, they would go back and help him.

That being said, she decided to move her knight forward.] And it wouldn't be fair when we get to live our lives and you didn't.

[simulatio]

"Fair," [he repeats, a note of irritated incredulity filtering into his voice as he moves another piece to counter. It exposes his knight to be taken by her own, but he can then take hers with his pawn if need be.] Okumura-san, I hope you're not still operating under the naïve assumption that life is "fair."

[It sounds particularly rich coming from the heiress, when compared to the circumstances of his own upbringing. Not that he doubts her life was miserable, even so: he can't speak for her childhood, but his own dealings with the elder Okumura had made it quite clear how he'd only seen his employees, and even his own daughter, as a means to catapult himself to greater heights.]

[bazooker]

It isn't and I never assumed it would be. [She hoped he didn't assume things would be. It was her way of saying how he deserve some form of happiness and it should be fair for his sake.

She didn't do anything at first. She stared at the board thinking what move she should make next.] I meant you have an opportunity to live your life here however you wish. There is nothing holding you back anymore.

[She then decided to go for his knight. She was aware he would take her pawn but she'll allow it.]

[simulatio]

...

[There's an odd feeling in his chest as she speaks, an unfamiliar tightness like someone's squeezing a vice around it. It's the same feeling as when Ren tells him he likes spending time with him, the same feeling as when Ann said she wanted to be friends in spite of it all. In spite of everything he'd done, to Japan and to them personally.

He still doesn't know what to call that feeling, afraid to embrace it for fear that it'll be taken away as quickly and easily as it was granted. He swallows hard and looks to the chess board, watches her move her pawn forward.]

You're leaving yourself quite open, [he observes finally. Instead of taking the obvious move of seizing her pawn, he lets it go for now, sliding his bishop further across the board to ward her knight away.] In return, I'll simply say this: I have no intention of harming Ren, or any of the rest of your band of friends. No matter what... opportunities we have here, I won't let them distract me from finding a way to return home and destroy Maruki and his twisted reality.

[bazooker]

[She wasn't surprised by his unwillingness to speak up. He rejected their invitation for a second chance, why would this be any different? As much as she wanted to say something, it would be better for him to do so first.

Although, she was surprised to see him not taking her pawn.] You make it seem like it's a bad thing. There no reason leave yourself guarded all the time. [That she should know after spending year being by herself with no one to call a friend. With that, she moved her pawn forward as she wondered what his next move will be.]

But I wouldn't have it any other way. In the meantime, I want you to relax until we do. [If Akechi looked closely, under Haru's smile, there may or may not be a vague threat to it.]

[simulatio]

Perhaps.

[It's a neutral statement, neither agreement or disagreement. He watches her pawn, then castles his king with his rook, further hiding the most critical piece and opening up another front in their board-game battle. He would be the first to argue that no, actually, leaving oneself guarded is the better thing to do. His desperate need for attention, for his peers to look at him and notice him and want to be around him, had ultimately been his undoing. Pancakes.

But then, what he has now, however brief and fragile it might be, would never have come to pass if he hadn't let Ren in.

He doesn't say any of that aloud. He likely doesn't have to, considering the embarrassing mental breakdown he'd had in front of all of them in that damned engine room. Instead, he just quirks an eyebrow at her smile, a hint of a smirk threatening the corners of his lips.]

"Or else?" [he says with no small amount of amusement.] Noted.

[bazooker]

[Haru didn't make a move as she looked at the board before her. Right now, she couldn't focus on playing the game as her attention was more on their conversation. It was true he killed her father, there was no mistake she would never forgive him. However, there was a part of her that wanted him to start over. Try as she might, he was going to remain guarded around her no matter what.

While the offer was still there, she hoped this was the beginning of a new friendship. Or at least, an attempt at one.

She didn't know what the future may hold for everyone here in the Void but perhaps it might be a blessing in disguise. Right now, all she wanted was a chance to get to know everyone better.]

Or else. [She said with a smile before moving her knight forward.] But I'm glad you're having fun right now.