Real & the Ideal: A Persona 5R Dark Sun Sequel (Goro Akechi x Amamiya Ren)

12: Because of You

This...is the desire I hold dearest...

(Akechi's P.O.V, flashback)

Why couldn't I have just been left alone?

I had spent years prepping for Shido's death. For the inevitable revenge I'd wanted to taste on my tongue. I'd conjured up a criminal record just to get close to him, and every waking second of my life was wound tightly around his eventual death; a noose that slowly took his life with every step he made.

I'm hurting myself...

I'm hurting the one I love...

And the only way to stop that is...

...........

"You're still having those traumatic flashbacks...."

I'd finally fallen asleep, curled up on the old, springy single bed of the hospital. The air inside the room smelt like a mix of sanitizer and paper masks, but the warm, resolute body of Ren that I clung to was my solace. Even with everything that had happened, I could sleep soundly, notably in one of the most uncomfortable of places.

Atleast, as long as he was here, I could compartmentalize the anger and fear I'd been suffering and tuck it away. Just for now..

I felt his gentle touch shift some of my bangs from my eyes. The ticklish sensation on my forehead made my eyes open.

Flashbacks?

....what was he...?

My eyes suddenly burst open-wide and I turned to stare into his gaze, shifting my head from it's place on his shoulder.

"I'm not-"

But as I registered the exhaustion in his face, mixed with his completely bandaged ear, I realised there was no use. I couldn't hide it from him. It was clear that I'd been suffering, given his injury.

I grit my teeth. My eyes turned away from his.

"It's not that bad..."

"Bad enough to open fire on Shido--"

"You should have let me kill him." My tone was threatening.

"He didn't do anything to you."

I suddenly sat up fast in disbelief. What the hell was he saying?

"What? You know very well what he--"

But when I turned back to meet Ren's eyes, his expression had changed. He was frowning, and an air of concern loomed over his face.

"We aren't in that reality anymore. This Shido hasn't done anything harmful to you, Akechi..."

I grit my teeth and growled at my boyfriend. This Shido and the Shido in the true reality were no different to me. My cognition had been changed, but my trauma wasn't erased. I refused to settle on that fact.

I lived for revenge. And that's what I would get. No matter how many times it needed to be done. No matter what kind of ripple effects it had.

Before I could respond, Ren spoke, reaching his hand forward and softly, worriedly, stroking my cheekbone.

"Maruki was clear that we had no enemies here...

...so why is it you always look so afraid?"

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(Akechi's P.O.V, after school, the next day)