(Persona 5) A Heavy Hollowed Heart

Down for the Count

Akira's touch reminded Akechi of his mother. A gentle touch filled with care, worry, even love. For a moment, Akechi closed his eyes, relaxing to his touch. "You're a part of us because I want you to be. I rather enjoy having you around. I am not the ace detective, but I can read you when you come to me. You're touch-starved." Akira explained in a gentle voice. These words made Akechi open his eyes only to stare directly into Akira's eyes. Akechi was speechless at this point. Touch-starved did not even start explaining how Akechi was. Broken and lost was better fitting for Akechi. "You should change the voices in your head, and make them more like you instead," Akira said. He shot Akechi another carefree smile. How Akira could so carefree in the presence of his future killer was beyond Akechi. However, no matter what Akira ever thought of him, Akechi would always know the truth. He knew he would have to kill Akira. Akechi had to be useful to his father, whatever the cost might be.

"Heh... Perhaps you should be a detective, Akira," Akechi finally said. Akira snickered at Akechi's words and took his hand back. Akechi wished they could have stayed like that forever. In the end, Akechi knew Akira was right. He was touch-staved, but he was mainly starving for Akira's touch. Akira turned around and went over to the stove to check on the curry he was making. "Akira..." Akechi whispered. A calm and collected ace detective who already felt like he had lost a battle to the leader of the Phantom thieves. It took Akechi a moment before he stood up and grabbed his bag. "Well, I'll be heading home now," Akechi, announced looking at the dark-haired male who came back from the stove now. "Already? That was quick" Akira smiled gently, while rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes, I sadly have quite a lot work I need to catch up with" Akechi lied. He watched Akira, "I assume we will be having a group meeting again very soon?" Akechi asked. Akira nodded, "Maybe tomorrow... I will text you" Akira answered. Akira leaned back over the counter once again, where Akechi had been sitting before. Akechi felt the urge to sit down so he could be closer to Akira again, but quickly let the thought go. "I look forward to it," Akechi said before he headed out of the café.

Akechi felt Akira's eyes follow him as he left, but the gaze was gone once Akechi finally stepped out in the alleyway. The cold air hit Akechi hard when he had stepped out, but his body quickly got used to the coldness outside. He tugged up his jacket to keep warmer, before starting to head home. Akechi could not help but to smile a small bit. Akira was truly interesting.

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Akechi stepped into the penthouse owned by his father. Akechi thought of it as a miracle when his father allowed him to live with him. That is, despite the fact that his father did not always find him so useful. His father had taken more contact to Akechi ever since he found Akechi useful. Now Akechi was a mere pawn to his father. His father now found Akechi's hidden persona power to eliminate anyone who stood in his way. The penthouse was silent. If Akechi had dropped a pin at this very moment, he could have heard it land. However, this was nothing new. Akechi concluded that his father was either not home yet, or working in his office. He took off his shoes by the entrance and headed to his own room. His room was nothing as luxurious as the rest of the house. His father had given him the storage room, and it had been up to Akechi himself to clean it. Otherwise, it would not have been liveable. It was small. There was no window in that room, and all he had was a bed and a closet. However, Akechi did not complain. He knew he had no right to do so unless he wanted to be kicked out or worse.

Akechi placed his bag beside his bed and sat down on the bed. For a moment, he let himself dream back to the café with Akira. He placed his own hand on his cheek and closed his eyes as he recalled Akira's touch. That thought then was replaced with his mother. How he wished his mother could see him now. He wished his mother had still been alive right about now. The silence was sometimes so unbearable to Akechi. It was almost impossible for Akechi to ignore all the voices that told him how worthless he was. All the things he could have been if he had lived differently. Akechi sometimes lets these thoughts win. However, not today because right then he heard the front door slam and a loud voice yell out in the penthouse. A loud voice yelling his name. His father was home. Akechi took a deep breath before he stood up and stepped out of his small room. He was greeted with his father and two other men dressed all in black. The two men headed straight for his father's office. "How is that thing we talked about going?" his father crossed his arms over his chest, looking down on Akechi with cold eyes. "It's coming along. However, they have not made a move yet" Akechi explained, trying his best to stand confidently. His father shook his head with a small growling sigh, "What a waste of time. You need to force them to make a move if they do not do it by Monday, got it? Time is money and they are wasting mine" his father grumbled. He than turning on his heels and headed for his office as well. Akechi stood back with a nod he watched his father leave.

As the door to the office closed the whole room fell silent. "I'm glad you had a nice day, father" Akechi murmured to himself. He then turned back and headed to his own room once again.