Work Text:
“...So, what now?” Morgana softly asks as the ringing bell of LeBlanc’s door echoes. The cafe feels frozen in time, now that Maruki had left, and Akira’s blood pounds in his ears.
“If you could give me and Kurusu-kun some privacy, Morgana.” Akechi says, steadily staring at his own gloved hand.
“Akechi…” Morgana’s tail waves from side to side. “I understand. Tell me what you decide later, Joker.”
“Go spend the night with Futaba.” Akira says quietly as he holds the door open for the cat. “I’ll text her.” Morgana pauses, looking between the two of them, and blinks slowly.
“Alright. You two better not do anything stupid.” He says simply, and prances off with his tail held high.
Akira locks the door and flips the sign to "CLOSED". His hand shakes slightly, and he exhales through his nose, pressing his palm flat against the cool glass.
“I suppose I should take that to mean that you want this to be a long conversation, then.” Goro says from behind him.
“You tend to run off when our discussions start delving into feelings.” Akira says, swallowing to hide the way his voice wants to tremble.
“Maybe that’s only your cognition of me.”
“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Akira still can’t look at him. He feels like he might choke to death on the pain in his chest. “What am I supposed to think about all this?”
“Kurusu-kun. I want to choose my own path. Being in this dreamland removes my choice in the matter. I don’t want to be subject to anyone’s whims anymore.” Akira turns, and sees a fire burning in Goro's eyes. With a stab of guilt, he realizes that his own wish had brought him here without considering what Goro had wanted.
“But,” He breathes, “Akechi… you’ll…” His eyes sting. Akechi scoffs.
“So what? Maruki must be stopped. Are you so weak-willed to be tempted by something so trivial?”
“Don’t.” Akira can’t keep his voice from cracking. “Don’t say that. If this was my wish, then you should know how important you are to me.” He crosses the cafe in two long strides and places his hand on Goro’s arm. He feels solid and warm and real. A couple of tears roll down Akira’s cheeks. Akechi’s gaze only hardens.
“I don’t want your pity.” He says sharply. “What happened to your lofty ideals? If you let your own desires blind you to reality, for me, I will never forgive you.” He shrugs off Akira’s grip to cross his arms decisively. “The fact that you’re hesitating at all is like a betrayal of everything you've ever stood for.”
Akira miserably rubs at his face. “Are you really dead?” He asks softly, wishing he could just hold him so tightly that he’d never have to let go. His chest aches. Goro’s fierce expression falters into something more sorrowful.
“I’m not sure.” He says, frowning. “My memories between our fight in Shido’s palace and us seeing each other again on Christmas Eve are a complete blur. The most likely answer, though…”
Akira hugs himself with a sniff. “Wh-when we were escaping the ship, Ryuji almost died. He got caught in an explosion. He shouldn’t have survived, but he just woke up in the real world in a different place than where we exited. Maybe that’s what happened to you. The Metaverse kicked you out.” He sounds desperate even to his own ears.
“It’s not impossible.” Goro says, then sighs. “But it doesn’t change that the real me can’t be here. Goro Akechi is either dead or in custody. I’m just a dream.”
Akira takes a deep breath, and gently pries Goro’s arms apart so he can slide his fingers between his. “Were you going to tell me? Before we took the treasure?”
Goro lets out a little laugh, his smile crooked and sad. “You already knew, though. Denial doesn’t look good on you, Kurusu-kun.”
“Aren’t we past surnames?” Akira asks, blinking back tears again. “You’re only here because I wanted you to be, more than anything. If you’re my wish, can’t you at least call me by my first name? Goro.” He squeezes his hand. Goro’s fingers are much more slender and nimble than his own, he notes absently. Like a pianist.
“...Akira.” He concedes gently. “What are you doing?” His wine-colored eyes are trained on Akira’s fingers spread between his own, a small crease forming between his brows.
“I’ve decided. We’re going to go and kick his ass tomorrow. Together. But, if you don’t mind…” He steps closer, and reaches up to touch Goro’s cheek, which calls a pleasant dusting of pink to his face. “I’d like to live out my wish just for one night.”
“You… Haha, I don’t understand you all all. You could have wished for a version of me that wouldn’t have questioned any of this. One who just wanted to be your…” His blush darkens, and he tentatively touches Akira’s wrist next to his face. “Your boyfriend. But it seems you wanted the whole package. Conflicting feelings and all.”
“Why wouldn’t I want the whole package? You’re incomparable.” Goro blinks at him, utterly and fondly perplexed, and shakes his head.
“Don’t do this to yourself, Akira.” He says quietly. “I’m not real. I’m going to be gone tomorrow.”
“If it’s not real, let me have this. Let me say goodbye. Fuck.” Akira pauses to wipe his eyes. “This is so unfair.”
“It is. Life is. Getting a happily ever after handed to us on a silver platter like this would just be hollow.”
“Would it really be so bad? To let him win? We could just both let this world make us forget.” Akira grips his hand tightly, and cups his cheek, forcing him to meet his eyes. “Don’t you want to be here with me? With everyone?”
“...Of course I do, Akira. I’m only human. But not like this.” He closes his eyes, nuzzling against his hand with a sigh. “I don’t want to be a pawn in someone else’s scheme for the rest of my life. I want to chase my own happiness. Isn’t that why you became a Phantom Thief, to gain control over your own life?”
“That was when the people in control were trying to make me miserable. Maybe freedom never mattered to me. Maybe I just want my own happiness.” Goro scoffs, and smirks at him.
“Liar.” He says simply. He frees his hand and reaches around the back of Akira’s head and lightly guides him until their foreheads are touching. The world around them is still and ethereal. Akira’s breath catches in his throat.
“I like you.” Akira whispers. “I really, really like you.” His glasses cloud up, trapped in the warm air between their faces.
“If you ever see the real me again after all this, you should tell him that.” Goro says lightly. Akira huffs out a laugh.
“I will. Definitely.” He promises, and presses their lips together like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Goro does not protest.
They may only have tonight, but for now, they’re both warm and solid and real, and they can indulge in fantasy for just a little while longer.