![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Persona 5 Fic: Reassurance
Title: Reassurance
Fandom: Persona 5
Rating: mildly PGish
Wordcount: 628
Characters: Joker/Makoto
Spoilers: Major, MAJOR spoilers through the events of 11/21 (the aftermath of the 6th palace). (As of this writing, I'm not much beyond that myself, so please no spoilers beyond this point in comments. Thank you!)
Notes: A scene that came to me almost entire after we stopped playing the game last night. The theme will probably surprise no one who knows me.
---
That night, after Akechi leaves, the Phantom Thieves go over the plan for tomorrow one last time, discussing every aspect in excruciating detail, talking through the parts each member will play, looking for potential pitfalls and finding none under their control. They are ready, as ready as they can possibly be, and so the group takes its leave of Cafe Leblanc, going their separate ways, but even as Morgana trots up the stairs and the others disappear out the front door, Makoto finds her feet frozen to the spot, unable to look away from their leader, who stands in front of the sink, apparently contemplating a pile of dirty dishes.
“Hey,” she blurts out.
He turns, and raises an eyebrow. “You’re still here. Would you like me to walk you to the train station?”
“Thank you, but no.” That's not why she hasn't left. Though it is a sweet gesture, one he started making a week ago, when they decided, tentatively and awkwardly, to start dating, and her heart spikes with a mixture of affection and fear. She takes one step toward him, then another. “It’s silly, really, but I can’t stop thinking about the risk you’re taking. If something goes wrong, if my sister doesn’t believe you, if Akechi shoots you in the real world...” She’s close enough to touch him now, and so she does, reaching for his arm, and she realizes her hand is trembling. “I... I only just found you. To think that I might lose you...”
He shakes his head. “It’ll be all right,” he says, and rests his hands on her shoulders. His grip is gentle but firm. Reassuring. “You won’t lose me. I promise.”
Makoto sighs, and he leans in close, his forehead touching hers. “I hope you’re right,” she murmurs.
“I know I am,” he replies, and then he’s kissing her, his mouth on hers, warm and soft and sure. Her arms wrap around his waist, and she pulls him tight, kissing him back before leaning in to rest her head in the crook of his neck. For a few moments they hold each other, and she just breathes, relaxing into the circle of his embrace, until she finally stops shaking.
When she's ready, she pulls back, and he does the same. “Do...” He meets her gaze through the mop of hair that’s always falling into his eyes. He hesitates, and she can see him swallow. “Did you want to— stay?”
Makoto’s heart leaps, and she fights the blush that she can feel rising to her cheeks. It’s tempting, so tempting, but... “I... no, not tonight. Not yet. Not— like this.”
He lets out his breath, and she could swear he mostly looks relieved. “Not like this,” he agrees. “Maybe later. If you want. We don't need to decide now. We’ll have time.” He brushes a thumb over her cheek and smiles.
She does her best to smile back. “Just... be careful?”
He nods. “I will. And try not to worry. I trust in your plan. You should trust it, too.”
She ducks away, avoiding his praise, but still it warms her. He’s always so supportive. How did she get this lucky? “Thank you. And...” she takes a deep breath. “You’re right. It’ll work. It has to.” Because otherwise she’ll lose her sister, and her... her... she’s not ready to define what he means to her yet, but it’ll come. Like he said, she'll have time to figure that out. They both will. No other option is permissible.
He smiles. “That’s the spirit.” He kisses her again, swift and sure. “Now go. Get some rest. And I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” she echoes, and then hurries out the door, afraid that she might never leave if she doesn’t go right now.
Fandom: Persona 5
Rating: mildly PGish
Wordcount: 628
Characters: Joker/Makoto
Spoilers: Major, MAJOR spoilers through the events of 11/21 (the aftermath of the 6th palace). (As of this writing, I'm not much beyond that myself, so please no spoilers beyond this point in comments. Thank you!)
Notes: A scene that came to me almost entire after we stopped playing the game last night. The theme will probably surprise no one who knows me.
---
That night, after Akechi leaves, the Phantom Thieves go over the plan for tomorrow one last time, discussing every aspect in excruciating detail, talking through the parts each member will play, looking for potential pitfalls and finding none under their control. They are ready, as ready as they can possibly be, and so the group takes its leave of Cafe Leblanc, going their separate ways, but even as Morgana trots up the stairs and the others disappear out the front door, Makoto finds her feet frozen to the spot, unable to look away from their leader, who stands in front of the sink, apparently contemplating a pile of dirty dishes.
“Hey,” she blurts out.
He turns, and raises an eyebrow. “You’re still here. Would you like me to walk you to the train station?”
“Thank you, but no.” That's not why she hasn't left. Though it is a sweet gesture, one he started making a week ago, when they decided, tentatively and awkwardly, to start dating, and her heart spikes with a mixture of affection and fear. She takes one step toward him, then another. “It’s silly, really, but I can’t stop thinking about the risk you’re taking. If something goes wrong, if my sister doesn’t believe you, if Akechi shoots you in the real world...” She’s close enough to touch him now, and so she does, reaching for his arm, and she realizes her hand is trembling. “I... I only just found you. To think that I might lose you...”
He shakes his head. “It’ll be all right,” he says, and rests his hands on her shoulders. His grip is gentle but firm. Reassuring. “You won’t lose me. I promise.”
Makoto sighs, and he leans in close, his forehead touching hers. “I hope you’re right,” she murmurs.
“I know I am,” he replies, and then he’s kissing her, his mouth on hers, warm and soft and sure. Her arms wrap around his waist, and she pulls him tight, kissing him back before leaning in to rest her head in the crook of his neck. For a few moments they hold each other, and she just breathes, relaxing into the circle of his embrace, until she finally stops shaking.
When she's ready, she pulls back, and he does the same. “Do...” He meets her gaze through the mop of hair that’s always falling into his eyes. He hesitates, and she can see him swallow. “Did you want to— stay?”
Makoto’s heart leaps, and she fights the blush that she can feel rising to her cheeks. It’s tempting, so tempting, but... “I... no, not tonight. Not yet. Not— like this.”
He lets out his breath, and she could swear he mostly looks relieved. “Not like this,” he agrees. “Maybe later. If you want. We don't need to decide now. We’ll have time.” He brushes a thumb over her cheek and smiles.
She does her best to smile back. “Just... be careful?”
He nods. “I will. And try not to worry. I trust in your plan. You should trust it, too.”
She ducks away, avoiding his praise, but still it warms her. He’s always so supportive. How did she get this lucky? “Thank you. And...” she takes a deep breath. “You’re right. It’ll work. It has to.” Because otherwise she’ll lose her sister, and her... her... she’s not ready to define what he means to her yet, but it’ll come. Like he said, she'll have time to figure that out. They both will. No other option is permissible.
He smiles. “That’s the spirit.” He kisses her again, swift and sure. “Now go. Get some rest. And I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” she echoes, and then hurries out the door, afraid that she might never leave if she doesn’t go right now.