Chapter Text
Sleep usually evaded him, even in long train rides like this one. All Akira wanted to do was reminisce. Think. Remember the time he spent during his one year in Tokyo. The friends he made. The experiences they shared.
He wasn’t going home. He was leaving. He supposed he did have a piece of it all. The fitness watch, Ryuji gave him on his wrist, Iwai’s gecko pin on his lapel, Sojiro’s recipe notes stashed safely in his personal journal… What he wouldn’t give to go back.
Ping!
His phone went off, and he quickly checked it, smiling upon seeing Futaba lamenting his absence in the Phantom Thieves group chat. It wasn’t called “The Phantom Thieves” anymore. Not since February. Back then they’d discarded the name in favour of several different stand ins until finally settling on “Akira’s bitches”.
The name hadn’t been his idea. It was Futaba’s actually. Despite her having no desire to be his ‘bitch’, romantically or otherwise, being his surrogate sister. More just riffing off the fact he used to be their leader.
It was funny. If Akechi was still around he would absolutely hate it.
New Messages from: Akira’s bitches
The Mighty Alibaba: WHYYYYYYYYYY!!!
The Mighty Alibaba: IM ALREDY SO BOREEEDDDDDD!!!!
The Mighty Alibaba: COME BACKKKKKKKKKK @jokah
I am speed: dude it already feels so dead without him
art thot: Akira and Morgana are not dead merely temporarily out of reach.
art thot: I am certain we will meet again.
Mom: True, but I do understand what Ryuji and Futaba are saying. I do already miss them even though we spoke not a few hours ago.
Flower Power: I completely agree!
Flower Power: miss you Akira-kun and Mona-chan! 💜
jokah: I miss you all too
React: 💜🩵💚💛💙🩷
fashunista: You’re coming back for summer you hear!!
fashunista: Or I’m coming over there to drag you back myself!!!
Mom: Tell Mona we say hi! Is he reading right now?
jokah: asleep
jokah: [tap to load image]
React: 💜🩵💚💛💙🩷
fashunista: Cute!!!
The Mighty Alibaba: AWWWWWWWW LOOK AT DA SLEEPY MONA
Flower Power: how adorable!
I am speed: dude why he look like that tho
human pretzel reacted 💞 to your chat
human pretzel reacted 💞 to your image
The Mighty Alibaba: wild Sumire spotted!!!
human pretzel: Sorry I’m late to the chat! Practice kept me a while! I completely agree with everyone. I will be sure to miss Akira-senpai and Morgana-senpai greatly while they are away. If gymnastics ever brings me to your area, I’ll come visit!
jokah: we’ll miss you too Sumi
fashunista: Don’t worry, Sumire! They’re coming back for summer whether they want to or not!!
jokah: i feel threatened
fashunista: good! :)
In his chair on the mostly silent train, he smiled to himself. Okay, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. His friends had his back, even from a distance. He could handle one more year at Yasogami High.
Drifting off for just a moment, he let his eyelids grow heavy, the white noise and the train movements cradling him to sleep…
…until he jolted awake, suddenly uncomfortable and with his personal space being invaded by someone next to him. The train car was full, and he was sitting somewhere different. What happened?
“Mental shutdowns?”
Ears perked at the snippet of conversation he caught. He craned his neck, trying his hardest to remain unnoticed and eavesdrop more.
“It’s the truth!”
“To a person though? That’s gotta be made up!” The girls laughed. “You’re really into that occult stuff huh?”
Mental shutdowns meant Akechi. That meant Akechi was alive! Listening to that conversation meant…
His heart sank just as quickly as it jumped into his throat. He checked his phone. Blinking white letters stared back at him. Taunting him.
April 9th, 2016.
Oh fuck.