And now the wind
Blows against my stride
And I'm losing ground to
Enemies on all sides
Am I the prey
That was hunter once
Could it be my last day
Could they strike me down？
Can I say
You were wrong
I was right
Had to slay
Every stray
Thug in my sight
---------------------
(Akechi's P.O.V, the next day)
I was still in the sweatpants and the baggy long sleeve shirt I had slept in, even at 3pm.
I had fulfilled all my duties to the media for the next few days, so I had some much needed free time until I headed to Sae's palace in the evening.
I sat on the balcony of my apartment, the wind blowing my long hair in the wind. I so badly wanted to nap more, but being in my room only proved that Shido, despite not being here, could still torment me in my thoughts.
Bzzt. Bzztt.
I glanced over at my phone and picked it up. It was the Phantom Thieves chat.
Ren: We need to meet at LeBlanc. Today after school.
I wasn't surprised. I knew this was coming. As expected, Ren didn't take the news of Sae's progression in the investigation well when I told him at the batting cages last night.
I inwardly smirked seeing his message. Ruffle some feathers. That was my mission, and clearly I'd fulfilled it.
Ryuji: what's going on?
Makoto: are you alright Ren? I haven't seen you at school today
Ann: You better not be skipping!
I read over the messages and became intrigued. Ren Amamiya, playing hooky? That was quite out of character, even for him.
Ren: I woke up with a fever. I'm at home resting.
A pang of realization hit me in the chest.
"Hah, no way."
I switched chat windows and began typing to Ren privately.
Akechi: You're sick?
Ren: The doctor said it should go away by tomorrow. The medication she gave me is pretty strong, I've been sleeping alot.
I began assessing whether the group of us meeting at LeBlanc to talk about the big next step was worth it to do today. If I had given Ren my cold, I was well aware at how difficult it was to even function normally with it. It wasn't fun.
But, despite that, today was one of the many deadlines in my personal agenda. I couldn't hesitate a single moment, not with Shido breathing down my neck.
Akechi: Make sure you eat.
Ren: I live in a cafe. That won't be hard.
I switched chat windows and jumped back into the Phantom Thieves chat.
Ren: My cold can wait. This is important. It needs to be addressed today.
Yusuke: You seem nervous...
Ryuji: Maybe it's the fever? You really should just rest buddy..
Makoto: I don't think we should take Ren's words lightly. Is right after school okay?
Futaba: Makoto's right. I've been watching him periodically all day, he is on edge for a reason.
Akechi: I am the source of the intel, and I side with Ren. This is extremely serious.
Ann: I'm already getting anxious...
Haru: Ren, if you're feeling okay enough to have us over, I'll be there as soon as school is done.
Ann: We'll take the train with you Haru. Makoto, Ryuji, let's meet at the gate after school.
Makoto: You got it
Ryuji: I second that!
Yusuke: I'll make my way over there once I'm done my lessons as well.
Futaba: Mona and I will be waiting at the door for you guys!
Akechi: See you there.
Once the chat calmed down, I sighed and stood up.
"Haha. Maybe all those surprise kisses I gave him really did give him my cold..." I chuckled to myself, then headed inside. I guess this was my excuse to finally get out of my pajamas.
----------------------
"WHAT!!??!!??"
I watched Ryuji fume from his corner of the attic. The group had only just arrived, and this was already turning out to be a hassle.
"So you're saying if we don't make a move, the Japanese police department could most likely have atleast one of us I.D'd within 3 weeks?"
Makoto looked to me as I stood leaning against the wall near the window. I glanced her way and nodded.
"Sae has been gaining traction on the investigation. Most likely because she's been using corrupt methods."
Ryuji began stomping around again.
"THATS BULLSHIT!"
Ann sighed nervously.
"I-if we get found out..we're done for.."
Just as I had guessed, the group was starting to get anxious. I had to make sure my acting was on point for this conversation.
I frowned and looked to Ryuji.
"Did you happen to use gloves when making these cards?"
Skull pouted.
"It never...crossed my mind...."
Yusuke put his hand to his face in frustration.
"Even when I was making the Phantom Thieves Logo, I failed to realise that having my fingerprints on something so political could be such an implication..."
The group went silent. A soft coughing could be heard from the couch.
"...you said she's been....using...corrupt methods?"
Ren quietly questioned me from his place on the sofa by the tv. He was wrapped in a blanket and donned flushed cheeks and bleary eyes.
Even still, his face was determined to stay focused, despite his fever clearly escalating.
"Have you seen the bulletins reporting a reward for any information on the Phantom Thieves on tv lately?"
Haru suddenly gasped from beside Ryuji.
"I saw that this morning! I thought I might have misheard..."
I shook my head.
"Sae-san is becoming desperate. The entire Japanese task force is under alot of pressure now that Okumara is dead. At this point, with the lack of information they have, I would presume they could even fabricate a story and have it written in as fact. All they need is an inkling of a culprit, and Sae-san is leading that charge."
Morgana jumped onto the table in the middle of the room.
"Then that gives us only a few weeks to formulate and execute a plan..."
Ren began coughing some more and I glanced his way. He put a hand to his forehead, then frowned before leaning back against the couch with a heavy, sickly sigh.
I could see his condition was getting worse. This needed to end quickly.
"Luckily, I already have a plan."
The group all looked to me in surprise. I took out my phone and opened the meta-nav. I placed it down on the table face up, showing them the hit for Sae's palace.
"I've already discovered that Sae-san has a palace."
Futaba suddenly gasped.
"Hang on, let me see that." She grabbed my phone from the table and began looking at the screen.
I blinked.
"Uh-uhh..."
"Hold on. Are you serious!? She has a palace!?" Ryuji growled and, to no surprise, Makoto sat down on Ren's bed.
"S-sis..." She muttered worriedly.
"It's the courthouse. It's taken the form of a casino."
When Makoto looked up, I smirked. She'd already figured it out.
"Her view of justice has become so distorted...she compares it to gambling..."
A tense silence sat in the air of the room.
Ren stood up.
"Then we need to trigger a change of heart, now." His eyes were weary and his skin was ghostly white. He looked weak, enough that I subconsciously sidestepped closer to him, ready incase he needed a support.
The group all looked to Ren, then fell silent. It was clear he was much too sick to go into a Palace.
"I don't think that's the best idea to go now, Ren..." Yusuke uneasily frowned.
"We'll go tomorrow night."
I spoke up before the leader could try and convince everyone otherwise.
"But--"
"Get rid of that cold, then we'll go. Sae-san can wait a day." The rest of the group nodded in agreement, and Ren sighed softly.
"... alright."
--------------
Within the hour, the group of us all decided to leave. Ren's fever was still extremely high, and Morgana was pushing us to go so he could take more medicine and sleep.
"Very well then, tomorrow night." Makoto nodded to us and we all agreed, then the group took their leave downstairs. Mona headed down with them to say goodbye.
I followed up the rear, the last in the line of Thieves to head down to the main floor.
"A-kechi-san...."
His quiet, raspy voice made me pause at the banister of the stairs. I swallowed, harnessing the courage to face him. This uncomfortable emotion rose in my chest every time I looked at his sickly form..
Bzzt. Bzzt.
I paused for a moment. I was getting text messages from my phone in my pocket.
No. Now wasn't the time.
I glanced over my shoulder, though I didn't meet Ren's gaze.
"Hmm?"
"Stay.."
My heart unintentionally leapt in my chest. I turned my head forward again.
"But you're sick.."
"No thanks to you."
His sarcasm had no limits. I rolled my eyes and turned around.
"Ren---"
But the sight of him stopped me mid sentence. He was on the bed now, and his cheeks and nose were flush. He had his blanket around him, but was shivering profusely.
I swallowed as my heart danced in my chest.
"It would b-be...nice t-to have some c-company before I f-fall asleep from this medicine.." He picked up the bottle on his windowsill and threw two pills into his mouth, swallowing easily.
I couldn't understand why, but when he suddenly sighed and ran a pale hand through his hair, it made my heart begin to pound even harder.
I took a deep breath and steeled my nerves. I couldn't. I only had tonight to run the preliminary for the ambush in Sae's palace. If I missed that..
Shido would have my head.
"Unfortunately I just can't, I work t----"
"Nnnn...."
Ren suddenly stood and meandered his way over to me. I watched as his sickly body wavered with each step.
That made me angry.
"S-stop!! You're already weak as it is!!"
He ignored my words, wobbling back and forth, before suddenly falling forward. I gasped and dashed at him, catching him in my arms.
"C-come on Ren---"
I couldn't even chastise him as I tried to keep him standing. He nuzzled his nose into my neck, every breath he took running waves of feverish heat across my skin.
Bzzt. Bzzt.
I continued to ignore the messages going off on my phone in my pocket.
"You're really w-warm..." Ren grumbled softly, his voice sounding more determined now.
I blinked in sudden realization.
He was doing this on purpose.
Anger sparked inside of me. I pulled away from him with a growl.
"Amamiya, this isn't a joke--"
"No... it's not..."
His arms snuck themselves into my undone work blazer and coiled around my waist. Then he began to shiver.
"I'm....already getting t-tired..." He mumbled once more, before his legs gave out and he dropped to the ground. I gasped again and fell with him as he pulled me down. More vibrations from my phone diverted my focus, but I shook my head and looked down at Ren.
This had to be a joke. There was no way Joker was this debilitated after just a simple fever...
"You're not this sick..." I growled, feeling torn between holding him and trying to stop his shivering, or pulling away and leaving to begin my work for Shido.
"Maybe not..." Ren all of a sudden nipped the nape of my neck, and I froze. His heavy, quiet breaths ran along my skin, sending chills up my spine.
We met eyes and held each other's stare. Across his flushed face, a devious smirk suddenly appeared.
"But it is making you stay...isn't it?"
------------------
(Ren's P.O.V)
I awoke hours later. I'd managed to get 6 or so hours of rest, luckily ̶f̶o̶r̶c̶i̶n̶g̶ convincing Akechi to stay and watch over me while Morgana decided to do some snooping around the courthouse overnight.
Coming out of my slumber, I opened my eyes to see him standing at the steps again, moments before making his departure. With only a small heater lamp and the window to offer some form of light, his body was almost completely shrouded in darkness. I glanced the light outside of the window, it looked to be about 3am.
I sat up on my bed.
"You're still sneaking off at night for that mafia job?"
Akechi hesitated, his hand on the banister. His body language clearly showed me he hadn't expected me to awaken before he left.
"It's not easy to get out of that line of work you know..."
His voice was somber and hesitant. I could tell he hadn't wanted to stay the night. I slowly stood up, taking care not to rouse my body temperature too much as I did so.
A single thought I had settled on for a while came to me. He was leaving so suspiciously; it was time I finally said it.
"I think this second job of yours is a lie."
Akechi and I had been playing this intimate game of tag for weeks. I could tell by now when he wasn't truthful. Especially when his sudden departures didn't make sense.
Despite my loaded words, he didn't readily respond. A silent tension stood between us.
"Haha..." A sinister chuckle fell from his lips. Slowly, it grew louder, sending a chill up my spine.
"Hahahahaha!" He whipped around quickly, a twisted, psychotic grin morphing his face.
Had he...snapped?
"So what if it is, Ren!?" Akechi's voice was crazed. He began walking torwards me. I took a breath and glanced to my left and right, looking for a weapon incase I needed it. Warning flags were going off like fireworks in my mind.
Something about him had clicked. He was dangerous.
Akechi closed the space between us, grabbing my collar and pulling me to my toes with one hand, then rose a suspiciously gentle other hand to push some of my hair behind my ear. I narrowed my eyes as our gazes met. He was definitely threatening me.
"What the hell are you going to do about it, hmm?"
--------------
(Akechi's P.O.V)
I'd run out of options.
I never doubted that he'd one day realise I wasn't the truthful Ace Detective he'd come to know.
But now that the secret was out that I had been lying to him, I couldn't just shrug and walk away.
This plan would only work if I had the Phantom Thieves in my hands. And I was willing to sacrifice everything to get that.
Ren's weary eyes stared at me, now completely on the defensive. The cold metal of the knife tucked in my pantleg as a precaution stung my skin, knowing that this may turn into a time I needed to use it.
With every calculated risk I'd taken with Ren up to this point...was he really stupid enough to take me on, right here, right now?
He was sick. Surely he would lose.
After a long, tense few minutes of silence, Ren sighed and averted his eyes from me somberly.
"It's none of my business."
He lowered his guard. He wasn't ready to fight me yet.
I loomed over him, then dropped my gaze and turned away, letting his collar free. The adrenaline inside my veins subsided. I began to come down from that psychotic high..
"Your fucking right it isn't." I seethed at him.
I'd done it again. I'd managed to push away anyone who tried to get involved. Anyone who intervened, or tried to care.
As I stepped across the room and towards the stairs once again, a pang of disappointment swelled in my chest. I grit my teeth and fisted my hands. I didn't like this new emotion.
Don't you dare let yourself feel weak, Akechi.
I came to the stairs and took a step down.
"You know...in my home town, I didn't have many friends."
Ren's somber voice made me stop. I wanted to leave. I needed to leave. I was hours and hours late for my errands in the Palace...
"Having someone who would stay the night, sleeping beside me on the floor while I was sick...that was a kindness I never thought I would experience."
Me? Kind?
Hell no. That's not me.
Just walk away.
I could feel my phone exploding with messages and phone calls. I was sure it was Shido, since I still hadn't fulfilled my errands on time. I needed to go.
"I'm glad you stayed with me, Akechi-san..."
Ren's gentle voice suddenly sounded from behind me. I felt his feverish forehead fall to rest on my shoulder, and his arms gently hug me from behind.
My phone continued to vibrate in my pocket. But my heart stuttered. I couldn't handle it. Turning away from him...the only man who had somehow, someway..
Torn away a piece of my mask.
"Haa...haa...." I began panting softly, overcome with emotion and confusion.
I willed myself to go. To walk away and shut myself in again. But my legs wouldn't move.
I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave.
I spun around in his arms and tackled Ren to the floor, the two of us falling onto the floorboards with a thump.
I stared into his weary, worried eyes with my own, feeling angry, anxious, fearful...
And desperate.
He'd done it. He'd broken me down yet again.
"Akechi-san.... Why, when you look at me, do you always look so sad?"
His fingers brushed the skin of my cheek. I froze, then clasped my fingers around his hand.
I swallowed, knowing full well my expression was utterly tormented with emotion. I couldn't hide it any longer.
"I--I...need a--" I paused, breathing heavily.
"--a favour...."
Ren stared up at me. I could tell I had his trust; he didn't even flinch as I asked.
"For you, anything."
Overwhelmed with desperation and the overflowing pain of loneliness, I leant down and planted a needy kiss on his lips. At the same time, I ran my finger along the hem of his sweatpants.
Ren suddenly pulled away, and we both stared at eachother in silence.
My heart sunk. Would he turn me away? It was the only intimacy I could possibly ask for that could give me what I needed most right now.
Acceptance. Love. True human contact.
"....let me, first."
His voice rang in my ears as he grabbed a hold of my blazer and pulled it off, then took off my shirt. He leant up and our lips met once again. Within minutes, we'd both stripped down to just boxers.
I couldn't hear my phone vibrating, even as it went off constantly every hour until sunrise.
----------------------
(Ren's P.O.V, a few hours later)
I snapped awake, the familiar feeling of Akechi sleeping cuddled beside me now gone. I sat up fast.
"~~~~oww..."
Pain surged through my lower back. I wound my hand behind me and rubbed my skin, trying to stave off the pain.
Well, if I was in this much pain, I couldn't even begin to guess how much pain Akechi must be in by now.
Remembering the intimate events of our passion just hours ago, it was clear that Crow, as heavy handed as he was in personality, was actually the gentler of the two of us physically....
I stood up and looked around, grabbing a pair of underwear and putting them on. Not a single article of Akechi's clothing could be seen in my room.
"How did I know you would run away again..." I sighed, running a hand through my hair, then grabbing my glasses.
Well, atleast my fever was finally gone.
Once I'd gotten dressed, I headed downstairs. It was just before 8am, meaning Sojiro would be here any moment to open the store. I decided to take the liberty of turning the sign to read 'Open' on the outside of the door.
I stepped out, and--
Crunch.
Huh?
I looked down under my foot, then bent over and picked up whatever I had stepped on.
A broken cellphone?
As I looked it over, I noticed the screen was cracked in multiple places. That too and there was clearly glass pieces on the ground.
That's when it suddenly dawned on me.
I'd seen this phone before.
Instantly, a suspicious fear welled up inside of me. I looked left and right, up and down the alleyway, but saw nothing.
Did something happen to him?
I couldn't shake the feeling. Something wasn't right.
"...why is Akechi's phone...here?"
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It would be an entire week before I saw Akechi again.
( :O!
Phew. Longest chapter yet! Please let me know what you guys thought! This one is quite the turning point in many ways!
Oh! And stay tuned. This is just the beginning lol ;3 )