#goro has feelings and doesn't know what to do with them

[kangen-wanshi]

"Can you say it again?" ft Akira Kurusu, Yusuke Kitagawa, Goro Akechi

He said the words "I love you", and you're not sure whether you hear him right or not. So, he repeats it with his own way.

Tags: fluff, kisses in Yusuke's part, a bit of spoiler in Akechi's

Akira Kurusu, He repeats it with his words

If you ask, he will say it again,  and again, and again.

He loves you.

It makes you stop whatever you're doing, as you finally look up to his eyes.

Akira has always been blunt with his words. Though with his ability to change his persona, and his entire demeanor, sometimes it's difficult to see how much his words actually worth on first glance.

But with the amount of time he says it to you, with the repeated intensity, and with that glint of desperation and honesty in his gray orbs, you can't help but let yourself believe the three simple words that came out of his mouth.

If he manages to catch you off guard, he won't hesitate to proceed with his action. To prove it to you with more than just words past his lips.

He would approach you, intimately close. Lips barely ghosting your own, hands still tucked in his pockets, waiting for you to let him in.

If you reciprocate him with similar action, say, you close the gap between the two of you on your own accord, his hands would start wandering, and words just are not enough anymore to convey his feelings.

But if you stutter, lose your composure and express to him about how you need to proceed with his bluntness, he'll understand.

He is pretty bold. He knows he catches people off guard.

Still. While waiting, Akira will not hesitate to repeat those three words to you every now and then.

He would repeat it everyday if he could.

Don't keep him waiting though. There's nothing more that Akira wants but confirmation from you.

"I love you."

Yusuke Kitagawa, He repeats it with his kiss

Yusuke is a poet. He experiences life, and turns them into poetry. Whether it be through his words or his art.

But sometimes, he's willing to admit that no form of art but his own action can transpire the true desire in his heart.

And in this case, his affection for you.

Paintings, poetry, and many works of art have been a representation of his desire for your affection. A reflection of what he feels when he's by your side.

You're his muse. One that has your fingers wrapped tightly around his heart.

When he confessed, he's sure his feelings would transpire.

But you just stared at him, confused grin yet flustered face and furrowed brows, and dared to ask him to repeat himself.

Well if words are not enough for you he doesn't mind showing it with his action.

Yusuke is quick, and bold.

A hand behind your head, the other easily sneaked around your waist keeping you there close to him.

You're still given space to escape, of course. But when he senses not an inch of hesitation from you, he's gonna go all out.

"Do you hear the cries of love in which my heart longs for? It calls only for you, dear."

Goro Akechi, He repeats it with his eyes

Akechi, frankly, is good and bold with both his words and his actions.

He's loyal to you even after the reveal of his true self, he doesn't hesitate to lower his voice and make himself gentle around you just so you're not hurt by his thorns.

He's as protective as he is vocal about it.

Sometimes, he even confessed to you jokingly. Though with your flustered state that is real and honest, in comparison to his 'fake' persona, sometimes he's glad that you never see the true, deep longing he felt about you.

With how often he acts gentlemanly around you, and how often he treats you like a loyal person, it's difficult to find out whether the words "I love you" actually weigh something or not for someone like him.

That's why, when he whispered it to you quietly during a confession, you asked him to repeat himself with a grin on your face, hoping he would just brush his own words off like any other time.

But when you look at him, right in his eyes, you know that this one is different. 

The way he keeps holding your gaze. His hands slowly hold yours, tighter by the second.

Akechi can't be trusted with his words. Or his actions. So that's why he hoped, he begged, that you would see his genuine love through his eyes.

"Can you see.. The transparency, and the truth behind my words now?"

#x reader #reader insert #les does writing #persona 5 #persona 5 royal #persona x reader #persona 5 royal x reader #akira kurusu x reader #yusuke kitagawa x reader #akechi goro x reader #persona 5 x reader

[akechi-stole-my-heart]

akechi's "i do not regret with my choices i'm rather proud" line in no more what ifs is so widely misunderstood it drives me nuts. it's a coping mechanism guys. it's a lie.*

(*that has an element of truth to it, as most of akechi's lies do.)

like. there's this trend to take the line at face value. he doesn't regret what he did for shido. he doesn't feel bad or think he did anything wrong. he has zero remorse. but you shouldn't take anything akechi says at face value, and regret and remorse are two very different things.

there's a lot to unpack here, so bear with me as i try to break it all down.

so okay, the source of this whole misunderstanding--the line in no more what ifs. i've gotten into this before in my analysis of the song, but the context of it is specifically in maruki's reality. goro is looking back on his life and thinking about where he ended up because of his choices. he's thinking, was i a fool? did i mess up? was there a better way? this line of thinking is reflected within the game itself when he explicitly says in the engine room that he wishes he met akira sooner, but that it doesn't matter what he wants because it's impossible to change what happened.

but here's the thing--that impossible wish he made in the engine room, where things were different and he and akira could be friends? it's no longer impossible. it's literally right in front of him. but it has a catch. accepting the reality of his impossible dream comes at the cost of being himself. all his choices and agency will be stolen, including the choices he made in the past that got him here. so he's left with one last choice--accept maruki's reality, give into his desires, and lose himself. or accept the choices he made for himself, and the consequences that came with them.

so, his conclusion in the song is that any what if's and regrets are pointless. he cannot afford to regret. he must be proud of what he did and who he is. goro is terrified of losing himself and being forced into becoming another puppet like he was for shido. (and notice--him acknowledging that he was a subservient puppet before, as he does on 2/2, requires that he's aware that the choices he is so apparently proud of weren't entirely his own. he was pushed there by someone else. he still blames himself for being manipulated, but a part of him knows that what he did for shido was wrong, and that he shouldn't have done it. doesn't sound like someone completely without regrets to me.) so he has to hold onto his choices and be proud of them. he can't let himself be tempted. the price he'd pay for them is far too high.

so, yeah. it's a coping mechanism. he's forced into that conclusion by his circumstances. akechi does regret where life has brought him and how he got there and the choices he's made, but regret is pointless, because he can't change the past and he can't accept maruki's future. so he chooses not to regret. people like him can't let themselves regret.

but of course, that's not all. in a post-canon world where he lives, goro isn't going to suddenly break down and be filled with remorse. because like i said, his feelings are complicated, and he still has his pride. akechi doesn't want to admit his faults or his weaknesses, and he does still think the people he targeted deserved it. so is he remorseful? yes and no. he is aware what he did was wrong, and that it was all for absolutely nothing. but he still doesn't view the world as something worthy of saving or protecting. to him people are all still inherently evil, save perhaps for akira, so what he did was both deserved and negligible, because the people he hurt were on the path of destruction regardless of him anyway.

so feeling for his victims and experiencing true remorse is going to be a process of recovery. at the same time, akechi still has the innocent child who wanted to be a hero hidden inside him. part of him does care, it's just been so neglected he isn't aware of it most of the time. that part of him began to be reawakened with akira and would continue to be as he makes connections, especially with the people he hurt like the phantom thieves.

which is part of why i think akechi befriending and reconciling with the thieves is so important! he needs to face the consequences of his actions and realize what he did didn't just hurt evil people, but innocents too. he needs to learn to see people as beings who can change, who are redeemable and are good. that people can love him even if he's done horrible things. and as he realizes these things about himself, he will eventually start to realize that it's true about the rest of the world, too.

goro wants to believe in the world, and in people. he doesn't anymore, but he wants to. when he starts to believe in people again, that's when he'll be able to finally be honest about his past mistakes, and feel true remorse for his actions and mistakes, and be able to start to make amends. the parts of the detective prince that reflected the little boy who believed in truth and justice are still in him somewhere, he just needs a lot of time, self reflection, recovery, and help to rediscover those parts of himself.

another aspect of this is how akechi voluntarily turns himself in. i do think there are ulterior motives here, mainly that he can be the one to help convict shido. it's also self-destructive, a way to sort of end his life when literally doing that didn't work. it's the path of least resistance, where he never has to truly look back on his crimes and self reflect because well, he's paying for his crimes anyway, so who cares. it's the easy out. but it also shows that he is aware what he did was wrong and that it's right for him to try to make amends. goro isn't totally without remorse or regret. his remorse and regret literally pushed him into trying to kill himself. he's just very, very bad at coping with them, and so chooses instead to repress those emotions like he has been for years.

okay, so, conclusion. stop forcing in lines in comics and fic where akechi is like "I don't regret!" without also portraying the nuance lying beneath that line. how in third sem it's a coping mechanism, and otherwise it's a shield keeping him from being honest with himself about his past and his ruined dreams of being a hero. remorse ≠ regret, and goro feels both but to different extents and different reasons. he hates his victims, but he's deluding himself about their guilt, and once that delusion crashes down and he sees that he's hurt innocents, he's going to have to deal with a lot of intense feelings like his already existing self hatred.

akechi isn't some heartless killer who feels nothing for his victims. he's only using that idea of himself as a coping mechanism. he forced himself to become that by repressing the parts of him that care until he can barely feel them anymore. he isn't just the black mask, he is also the detective prince. he's both. akechi is and always will be both sides of himself, even when he tries so hard to shut one of those sides down and ignore it as an aspect of the truth. you can't write akechi well until you understand that. akechi is always both.

so, does akechi regret? well...it's complicated.

#p5 #goro akechi #sera posts #there is a separate but related meta about goro and agency that I want to make but its much less about goro as a character #and more about how both the game treats what he did and how the fandom does and how both are lacking #the nuance that the situation should be treated with #yet again another meta for another day #but hey I finally made the regrets meta I've been wanting to do this for foreverrrr #when I say forever I mean forever. I had a draft saved about this from almost two years ago lol #cw suicide #just in case bc of that one paragraph

[bengiyo]

Top 5 BL parent-child relationships?

I actually don't think we had a ton of parents this year, but some of them were good!

Gim and Gun in My School President

When I tell you I ugly cried when they were singing Let Me Tell You at Hot Wave and I thought that might be the last thing she ever saw of her son: was him being brave on stage and doing what he loved even as he worried about her. I'm literally tearing up right now just thinking about it. She showed up as soon as her son and his friends were in trouble and intimidated people into letting them go. The last lesson she tried to teach her son was to cherish the people who love you. I love her so much.

Photjanee and Tinn's Father in My School President

It takes a lot to recognize that you may have messed up with your kid, and even more to not interfere in their affairs when you're worried. She recognized that something she had done made her loving son not trust her with something important about himself, and she turned to her husband to figure that out. Then, when the crisis moment came and someone came for her son, she put herself right in front of the opposition and said "No, don't you ever touch my son ever again." She stood in the crowd and said, "Scream louder," for his first love. This dad always has his son's back, and will do the dad thing of nudging the stern mom to relent and let them have a little fun because he trusts his son.

Jim and Li Ming in Moonlight Chicken

The hardest part about being an uncle who becomes a father is it's not something you planned. In Jim's case, he also lost his partner. Despite his poverty and his grief, Jim still gave Li Ming all of his best qualities. Li Ming is kind and thoughtful. He is righteous and stubborn. He values community. Nowhere else in this genre have we ever seen a father and son expressed like them. They are one of the most important things Aof has ever given us, and it doesn't surprise me that this is what we got out of his original work.

Shiro and His Parents in What Did You Eat Yesterday? 2

When Shiro told his father that his friend borrowed the character from his name and so the child is named Goro like him. He went on to say that he always regretted that he couldn't give them grandkids, but feels like he's done right by them by passing on what he learned from them, you could see something finally click between all of them and give them peace. Shiro's parents have not handled his queerness gracefully, and I've loved the slow work between all of them to do better by each other. Coming out of the painful barrier they put between them and Kenji in the movie, I like how much of this season was Shiro's parents undoing that.

Ueda Koji in Our Dining Table

This man lost his wife and now caring for a very young son with the help of his depressed adult son. No matter the grief he's carrying, he's continued to maintain his profession and provide for his sons. When he sees a kind stranger reignite his own son, he does everything he can to support that relationship, including physically throwing his own son out of the house to go reconcile. He gave Yutaka the kindest advice I've ever seen about going into love with your heart open and your mind clear, knowing that you will probably lose that love at some point. Incredible father figure of the year.

Ask Me Top 5 BL 2023 Anything

Wow, congratulations, anon. You are the first person to make me cry as I answered all of these questions.

#answered #best of bl 2023 #our dining table #my school president #moonlight chicken #what did you eat yesterday? #kinou nani tabeta #bokura no shokutaku

[randoimago]

Hello! May I request h/c of Maruki, Iwai, Akechi's s/o playfully avoid their kisses (but in the end s/o kisses them all over their faces)? Thanks

S/O Avoiding Their Kisses

Fandom: Persona 5

Character(s): Goro Akechi, Munehisa Iwai, Takuto Maruki

Type of Request: Headcanons

Note(s): This is super cute and here you go!

Akechi

Akechi hardly gives you a lot of physical affection since he's typically busy. You get praise and he's honest with his feelings, but not a lot of physical affection.

So he is a tad surprised that you move out of the way when he's going to give you a kiss. Akechi stares at you for a bit and for a split second he thinks he did something wrong or you're hiding something from him and don't want kisses. But he notices the small smile on your face and rolls his eyes.

He does try to give you another kiss before he leaves and narrows his eyes when you avoid that kiss too. Can't help a scoff at whatever game you're playing. You move to try and hug him at least and he gives a pleasant smile and avoids your hug as he leaves for work.

You wanted to start this game of yours, so he'll play it too. You see him at lunch and when he gets a break, you and him hang out again. And the whole time he's avoiding any kind of physical affection that you try to give him. Doesn't even try giving you kisses now until you admit defeat.

When he gets home from work, annoyed with his superiors and the fact that he hasn't had any kind of love from you, well he's quick to call you over and tell you that he's tired of this game you're playing. Is much more pleased when you do sit down with him and pepper his face with kisses.

Iwai

Also not an overly affectionate person, but always kisses you before he goes to work. His job can be dangerous and he don't know what bullshit the police could come up with to bring him in or what yakuza buddies he might see that could bring trouble.

But you avoid the kiss he wants to give you and he stares at you for a moment. Will ask you if you're sick or something and you just smile up at him and shake your head. Iwai goes to kiss you again, but you dodge out of the way and he rolls his eyes.

You visit Iwai at work during the day and Iwai tries to kiss you again when no one is in the store. Iwai never engages in affection when you're at his store. You almost forget your game at his actions, but still move aside.

Some regulars call Iwai out throughout the day of seeming grumpier than usual, to which he states that he's not grumpy and for them to hurry up and get out. At home, Iwai is still grumpy and doesn't even try to give you affection. Obviously you don't want it for some reason and he's not going to pester you.

It isn't until he's sitting down that you approach him and give him a kiss to the cheek. That causes him to raise an eyebrow and ask if you're done being childish now. You give him a grin and attack his face with kisses. You have to wear a scarf or something for all the bite marks your neck has the next day.

Maruki

He wanted to give you a kiss to your cheek before he left for work. Was a bit surprised when you took a few steps to the side instead. Maruki definitely pouts a bit. But at least you give him a hug.

Maruki is at school and humming and overthinking about why you avoided his kiss. Maybe this is like one of those TikTok trends his students talk about?

You visit him at lunch and he's happy to see you and ready to kiss you again. But you avoid his kisses again. You make some excuse about someone seeing and he pouts more.

That night he gets home and wants to just relax and kiss you and you still don't let him. Maruki lets out a sigh and asks if he did something wrong or if you're doing okay and that's why you're avoiding him.

At his sad face, you do give in and tell him what you've been playful and that's why you're avoiding his kisses. Maruki was so pouty at not kissing you that he didn't even notice you were being silly. He can't help a chuckle as he realizes his silliness. Thankfully you're quick to make things better by having him sit down and just peppering his face in kisses.

#persona 5 x reader #goro akechi x reader #akechi x reader #iwai x reader #munehisa iwai x reader #maruki x reader #takuto maruki x reader

[elvenbeard]

Maybe the biggest gift is the friends we made along the way 🎂

Happy Birthday, V!

Was staying up way too late and getting way too emotional over these fictional gonks last night, but yes... I've wanted to do a bigger scene like this for so long, and what better occasion than male V's canon birthday today!

These aren't all my favourites from the game (the sofa wouldn't be big enough for it xD), but the people Vince would like to invite over for the occasion for sure, let it be a year or two down the line when they all actually are in the same area at the right time and come together like this (and uuuhhh... obvious problems with one certain ex-bodyguard set aside and solved because I said so!). It would really be a special thing to have everyone there that's been with him during one of the worst times of his life. Thanks to them (amongst many others) he even gets the chance to celebrate another birthday.

Some more ramblings about some of the interactions I'm picturing here and why I placed everyone the way I did under the cut xD And some more pics to come in a separate post later :3

Front and center obviously Vince and Kerry and Judy, my faves, my loves <3 I think this would probably be one of only a handful of times Kerry ever meets Judy in person. He only ever hears her over the holo and knows her from what V told him, because she left Night City before they got a chance to meet prior to the game's endings. I think they would go along so well though, and besides Kerry, Judy is the person Vince feels closest to out of the group pictured here, and he'd be so excited to know Kerry and her get along as well.

Then Judy and Panam... I lowkey ship it so hard, and I mean, they would make one power couple, but at the very least I think they'd become good friends, maybe Judy even travels with the Aldecaldos for a while or joins them, like in the Star ending when she's romanced.

I put River in the back and center cause he's the biggest of the bunch and I think he'd love being there, watching over everyone in a way (and keeping an eye on Takemura, cause he doesn't trust him xD). I'd like to think him and Viktor get talking about boxing, workouts, maybe make plans for a friendly sparring match. Maybe they've even met before on some occasion, only just realizing it now. Viktor is btw out of the whole bunch the person Vince has know the longest, almost as long as he knew Jackie in my background story for him.

Goro keeps himself in the back because he definitely is the odd one out of the bunch (probably didn't wanna come in the first place), but maybe he's starting to realize this moment that a life without Arasaka is not the end of the world after all. That there's always room for new beginnings, no matter how unlikely it seems (but he's still gonna give V shit, and V is gonna give him shit, obviously XD they're bickering like an old couple probably, much to Judy's and Panam's amusement who previously were rather wary of Goro).

Then a pair I only really got thinking about when I set this up were Misty and Kerry because... It does kinda make sense, and I think they'd get along really well? Like, Vince and Misty have known each other for a few years, and he likes her a lot, but he's not as close to her as he was to Jackie for example. She was definitely a positive guidance throughout the whole mess in 2077, and he really appreciates her for always seeing the good in everything. And I think Kerry would be a bit confused about her in the beginning, but since he also has spiritual leanings I think they'd find a lot of common ground. I also think Misty would just treat him as Vince's partner, some guy, not be all in awe about him being famous - aware of it, but ignoring it, because it does not matter in the grand scheme of things how rich and famous you are but whether or not you're a decent human being.

And Nibbles is there because she lives there, obviously, this is her penthouse, her sofa xD Needs to make sure everyone behaves!

I had been thinking about including Rogue in the scene, but then I also thought... she probably wouldn't come xD Be like "nah kid, thanks, but you do you", and she's not that close with Vince on a personal level. Same goes for Claire, I love her so much, and while I think she and Vince get along very well, they're not as close (or maybe she just didn't have time).

I was pondering also if I wanted to include Jackie and Johnny in some way, because they can't be there physically for known reasons (and even though Vince wouldn't have invited Johnny just to annoy him, Johny would have come anyway to annoy him back, so there's that XD). Decided against it in the end because the ideas I had would have meant more editing than what I was ready to do just now, but I have some more ideas with Vince and Jackie and Johnny that work better in a different setting anyway.

if you've read this far, here's a piece of birthday cake 🍰

#cyberpunk 2077 #male v cyberpunk #cyberpunk v #cyberpunk vp #cyberpunk 2077 vp #cp2077 vp #cp2077 #virtual photography #kerry eurodyne #judy alvarez #panam palmer #misty olszewski #goro takemura #river ward #viktor vektor #nibbles #vincent ezaki #my vp #my screenshots #my headcanons #I'm dying everytime at Kerry's smile #and Judy's and Panam's and River's and... #I'm too bisexual for this #also I have a super neat new desktop background now :3 #and highkey lowkey wanna print it as an actual photo to put up somewhere #I might... just as well do that #cyberpunk 2077 spoilers

[somethingpersonarelated]

Another No More What Ifs Analysis

Okay, so... between wanting to analyze this and Our Light, and the kpop posts that I'll be doing that overlap with this. This blog will turn into Persona Music Analysis hour. Long post. Heavy spoilers for P5R, Proof of Justice, and Mementos Mission. BEGIN!

Let's begin with some context for the song. I think this is crucial to understanding why it is associated with Akechi's character. If you're familiar with this, you can skip to the lyrical analysis! The best analogy is that Beneath the Mask is to Akira as NMWI is to Akechi, in my opinion. Proof of Justice was an OVA released with the P5 anime (in May 2019) a couple months before the release of Persona 5 Royal in Japan (October of the same year). This OVA is centered around the relationship between Akira and Akechi. Specifically, Akira's grieving process as he goes through the places where they used to meet to find clues about the phrase "Proof of Justice" which was written in the Leblanc crossword. The Jazz Jin, as noted by Muhen here, is a place where Akechi would typically go alone. He also notes in confidant rank 4 that it wasn't necessarily a place that he was keeping secret, but that he never brought people around there since it was his personal space to reflect. As we'll examine, the content of the lyrics is too specific to not be related to the story, and there aren't any other characters or themes I could think are as associated with the song as Goro Akechi. Just wanted to clear this up first, as for some it's not entirely clear why the song is specifically Akechi's (since it's not explicitly stated, and the lyrics are hard to catch while you're playing through normally).

Lyrical Analysis

people come and they go some people may stay with you though I am all alone tonight and I kept on asking myself questions

The very first line is one of the easiest to dissect. Goro, since the death of his mother, has had few stable figures in his life, whether it is his parents, family, or friends. This also extends to his line of work as a celebrity detective, as he is kept so busy that there are very few people he sees on a regular basis, at all. He notes in the second confidant rank (if you choose to ask if he has no friends) that he doesn't have people that he chooses to spend time with. [I chose this option on my last play through and remember it but I can't find the dialogue anywhere].

The doubt that grows in this verse comes from the second line. He is taken by surprise that there is someone he is giving thought to for more than a couple seconds at time. Someone he is... to some degree choosing to spend time with even though he is doing it for the mission. At first, to investigate the Phantom Thieves identity to prevent them from interfering in his revenge plot, and then to lure Akira into a death trap. Tying it back to the first line analysis with the third and fourth line, this dissonance has put the first example of his doubt in this song.

Conceited I was at time I never really doubted myself But tonight got me thinking about it all if I am the fool or what not

There is a self-awareness that Goro always has about his personas (in the metaphorical sense). Goro kind of knows that he's arrogant and it was not ever something that bothered him. Even his character flaws will not get in the way of his plan, even if those flaws are just his humanity peeking through. There's a longing in Lyn's delivery of the last two lines here. He's stumped as to why he feels this way and the inner conflict makes him pause more than he is comfortable with.

"If I am the fool or what not." This line, is literally perfect, the double meaning is just ugh! We'll see this idea again near the end of the song, but I want to take an opportunity to talk about it now. For two years, Goro was the only Persona-user he knew, so he had no reason to believe anyone would ever stand a chance against him. Not only is he angered at himself for allowing Akira to get close to him and cause these doubts but he's also questioning what his role was.

I do not regret with my choices I'm rather proud ooh I know I won't change anything because I can only be me so

I had already written parts of this analysis like two months ago but I saw a post written by @vashtijoy here on how Mementos mission has a sneaky reference to this song. So check that out! It's something I never noticed.

Before Shido's palace, there's an acceptance of the circumstances in this line, that he has to do it regardless of what he may think because he has a goal. Throughout the third semester, we see an Akechi that is alive and tried to deal with the consequences of his actions before Maruki took that opportunity away from him. But he does not show remorse for what he did, that it was the only path he could have chosen with the information he knew.

How can I be so sure? at a crossroads I'm afraid too But I can't let fear get the best of me Someone once said burn my dread babe

This verse... this verse makes me wanna cry. I cannot even lie to you. The direct statement that there is fear behind the fact that he doesn't want to kill Akira and the acknowledgement in the last two lines that one of them has to end up dead. That he is also acknowledging that Akira must also be fearful, by playing with fire through continuing to lead the Phantom Thieves. The doubt is consuming him in this verse. The crossroad offers two choices, one where he sacrifices himself for Akira and one where Akira no longer is with him. The reference to Persona 3 really carries the weight here with this theory. I would explain more but I only spoiler tagged for P5R so we move.

Who knows what tomorrow holds? just wanna live my life the way I want what fills up my soul is passionate music that makes me want to sing

The first line, to me, reads that he's given up on allowing himself to think if there's another way to resolve his doubts. That there's another path where neither of them die and that it can't exist. He wants to live freely, which is what he thinks is assured once his revenge plan is complete. In another world, maybe it was one where both of them could be together without this chasing them. The last two lines I don't have a particular opinion about, but I think they add to the fact that Goro has given up entertaining other possibilities.

my story will be starring me just like yours ooh ooh who knows when will it end what matters most is how you bring joy to life so

I think about confidant rank 8. It feels written all over this line, and we come back to an idea that was present with "If I am the fool or what not." I think there's a bit of that 'hatred' that he talks about, that he's resentful that Akira story will end differently than his own. He's waiting for the day to come and resolves by centering himself, that once his goal is achieved, that he will achieve joy for the first time in his life. Refusing to acknowledge that Akira was showing him companionship that brought him happiness for one last time.

The Theme of Doubt

One of the things I have had trouble defining is what the doubt Goro is referring to is, or why the doubt is there. It's one of the things that is left in the air. Speculating here a little more than I usually will try to: the doubt stems from the fact that Goro is enjoying his time with the protagonist and is unsure what that means. In terms of what he is doubting, I'm not sure, I don't think he is referring to his plan, but rather the fact that Akira is caught up in it at all. His resolve to complete his plan never changes, but he wishes he could choose to leave him out of this. This tracks with a line stated by the SIU director which implies that some of the cruel actions carried out by the conspiracy/antisocial force by Akechi are not entirely his idea. He still carries them out without hesitation, but he never thinks of them himself. One of the reasons I wrote out this analysis was to see if there were any opinions on what this part of the song meant since I have trouble wrapping my head around it myself.

Goro, in base game and third semester, never shows any form of doubt or regret to the protagonist directly, only brief flickers and implications from dialogue. But this song is layered with it and bashes you in by telling you that it is what he is struggling with most when it comes to executing his plan. It's what nags at me even though I've tried to analyze this song a couple of times on my own.

IN CONCLUSION: I obviously hate goro akechi. (lying is fun)

#shuake #akeshu #akechi goro #akira kurusu #persona 5 spoilers #persona 5 royal #no more what ifs #persona music #persona analysis #i spent way too long writing this #can you tell this is my favorite persona song #p5 meta #thinking emoji

[shimamitsu]

feel free to share your thoughts in the tags!

brief summaries if you need to refresh your memory below

scene 11: pt. 2 of shimamitsu's little misunderstanding. the next day, mitsumi asks mika for advice and realizes what she really wanted to say to shima. after school, she tells him that things are dull when he's not around. shima tells her he doesn't want her to believe or even listen to the rumors going around about him. he says it's the first time he's been real friends with a girl. the chapter ends with mitsumi calling fumi and asking her if she can feel that way about a friend

scene 19: the chapter starts with a flashback of young shima reciting lines to cheer his mom up. after both shima and mitsumi hear their classmates talking behind her back, shima talks to her. shima wishes she doesn't get hurt and never changes who she is inside. they dance to the musical number they're preparing for the school festival for a few seconds. after that, mitsumi tells him that she trips up a lot, but that makes her a pro at jumping back up. the chapter ends with their classmates singing happy birthday to shima and his mom finding a festival flyer in his room

scene 22: at the school festival, ririka accuses shima's mom of making him act for her sake again. after picking keiri up, shima's mom leaves. mitsumi realizes ririka did it on purpose and before she can say anything else to shima, mitsumi strikes her famous anteater pose. while doing his last show, shima wonders what the thing he feels towards mitsumi and kanechika is and realizes it's jealousy. after the show, shima tells ririka he doesn't want to follow her down a destructive path anymore and that he enjoys his school

scene 27: after the events of pt. 1, makoto hangs out with her senpai from her club. when she mentions yuzu and he calls her "the pretty one", she starts overthinking and gets frustrated. they part ways, she calls yuzu and shes asks makoto to hang out. when they meet up, yuzu tells her she looks super cute and fixes her hair. while listening to her speak, makoto thinks that being friends with her makes her happier than yuzu will ever know. the next day, her senpai sees her in the hallway and he thinks she was cute the day before

scene 29: while chatting with a co-worker, nao-chan reminisces abou the days she spent taking care of young mitsumi back in her hometown. in a flashback, nao-chan picks up mitsumi from kindergarten and mitsumi shows her a flower crown. nao-chan tells her she'd always wished to be a pretty girl who wears pretty things like her. after a while, mitsumi gives her a flower bracelet, nao-chan asks her if she's cute and mitsumi answers that she's super cute. back in the present, mitsumi's family receives the new year and her dad calls nao-chan. she tells him she'll visit them this summer and bring mitsumi's friends with her

scene 31: after the events of pt. 1, mika tells mukai she's gonna confess to shima and asks him if it would gross a guy out to receive chocolate from her. mukai tells her the average guy would be psyched. mika confesses, shima turns her down and she cries while saying she's glad she's allowed to fall in love. the next day, the girls share sweets and mitsumi gives shima a little heart shaped chocolate

scene 33: mitsumi and her friends hang out after school to celebrate her birthday. nao-chan meets up with goro, her boyfriend, and tells him that even if she loves mitsumi, sometimes she can't help but feel she has the life nao-chan always wanted. the next day, nao-chan makes her pancakes. the chapter ends with mitsumi telling shima her aunt's the best

scene 39: after yuzu's friends set her up on a date without her knowing, she has an argument with them and goes home early. the girls find out about this from shima, so makoto visits her and tells yuzu she wishes she'd tell her when she's hurting. while crying, yuzu asks makoto if it's ok if she doesn't have many friends, and makoto tells her it is

scene 45: mitsumi and ujiie compete for the position of student council president and mitsumi wins. ujiie cries and tells her how he really feels about her and that she wouldn't get his struggles. mitsumi also cries and says she gets it and tells him she knew all of it was impossible for her while thinking about shima and her friends

scene 46: mitsumi and shima go on a picnic date. after having a talk, they decide to break up. even if he agrees, shima still feels upset. mitsumi reassures him and tells him that no matter who he is, she'd still like him, and that's why she wants to be friends. the chapter ends with both of them walking while holding hands

#pls vote i'm curious and also bored #i have a list of my fave chapters and there are like 20 of them but i picked the top 10 for length reasons... it was hard #most of these are fan favorites anyway #skip and loafer #skip to loafer #using the tags so more ppl see it hehe

[yakuzacanons]

hello once again prefacing with saying i love ur blog and ur headcanons :3 tbh amongst all the relationship hcs this one feels almost odd to ask but idk this is what i care about: what kind of cake flavours do u think the fellas like? if u were gonna treat em to something or get them a birthday cake, u gotta know what theyd like, right?

Last one for tonight, also anon how did you know I've literally been musing on this idea ever since I first started this blog? Same braincell fr fr. Your mind is huge and wrinkly and powerful. Long one since this now includes characters all through Yakuza 7. Enjoy!

Also, INBOX IS OPEN AGAIN. I finally have less than 10 asks so I feel comfortable taking more on. Hit me with em.

Kazuma Kiryu

Most people think he doesn't like sweets, but in reality he's just kind of neutral on them. Grew more accustomed to them when Haruka was younger as she really liked them. More than anything he's just baffled and really touched that you'd want to treat him to cake of any kind.

He likes simple cakes, preferably without frosting or a lot of decorations. Things like bundt cake or castella cake are great choices for Kiryu.

Majima Goro

Also kind of shocked that you'd want to treat him to cake but also at the same time is very excited at the prospect at being treated to cake. If you surprise him with some, he'll give you a big hug and a very enthusiastic thank you.

Tends to lean towards richer, darker flavors. Chocolate cake with a simple dark chocolate frosting is great for him. Also enjoys Black Forest cake, if you can find it.

Saejima Taiga

The poor gentle giant cannot remember the last time he had cake. It's not really something they serve in prison. Genuinely treasures the gesture and really savors it.

Honestly hasn't got a favorite. Likes cakes with some texture to them, like carrot cake. Does get easily wowed by fancy decorations or toppings.

Akiyama Shun

Out of all the boys, the most likely to return the favor of treating you to cake immediately the next time he sees you. The others would save it for an occassion but Akiyama would immediately pay you back by treating you to your favorite cake.

He's a sucker for Devil's Food cake or Red Velvet cake. Likes cream cheese frosting as it provides a nice tart contrast to the sweet intensity of the cake itself.

Tanimura Masayoshi

People rarely treat him to much of anything so he's giddy as all hell to be treated by you. Would totally love to treat you to your favorite meal on your next date as a thank you. He'd treat you to cake himself but he doesn't really know where to get good dessert. He's better with savory foods.

Likes fruity flavors, especially if they're leaning towards citrus. Pineapple upside down cake or a lemon cake would be good.

Ryuji Goda

His position means he's been treated to a fair share of desserts but it means a lot coming from someone that he personally and emotionally cares about deeply. If you make him a homemade cake, he would be speechless.

Likes cakes with some creaminess of some kind, like Boston Cream Pie (which is in fact a cake despite the name) or any kind of cheesecake.

Nishikiyama Akira

Says something like "Ah, for me? You shouldn't have!" but inside he's like "Oh wow, they got me cake? I don't know if anyone's ever done that!" and he's really happy.

Impressed by cakes with fancy layers inside, like opera cake or battenburg cake. Crepe cakes are also a good idea. Cakes with fillings are also nice. He's more about what's inside the cake than outside.

Daigo Dojima

Similar to Ryuji, his position has shown him a fair share of desserts or birthday celebrations. However, someone treating him personally is a little new. If you make him something homemade, he might actually cry a little.

Partial to coffee flavored things. Although it's not a cake in the most traditional sense, he does like tiramisu. However, a regular coffee cake is also greatly appreciated.

Mine Yoshitaka

Probably the only boy that is kind of opposed to cake. He appreciates the gesture but he just doesn't have a sweet tooth. However, as long it's milder in flavor and not intense in sweetness, he will eat it.

If he had to pick a favorite cake, he'd go with Baumkuchen as it's pretty popular in Japan and easy to get. The sweetness is pretty mild and he likes the vanilla taste as it's not super saturated.

Shinada Tatsuo

Has the strongest sweettooth out of all the boys, even more than Ichiban. Just happy to be having cake with you, honestly. You don't have to be fancy with him either. In fact, fancier cakes are kind of lost on him so don't go getting him something complex like you might do for Nishikiyama.

He's a little embarassed to say it as he thinks it sounds girlie for some reason but he likes strawberry shortcake. Victoria sponge cake is also good, as it's basically the same flavor profile but built slightly differently.

Kasuga Ichiban

Second most fond of sweets of all the boys. Type of guy to share cake with all of his friends. He's more about enjoying it all together than eating the whole cake by himself, if that makes sense.

Genuinely has no preference over what kind of cake you get. Ichiban's got a pretty open mind when it comes to food. He likes the texture of chiffon cake the most as it's super light and fluffy. When it comes to flavor, he likes the caramel taste of flan cakes a lot.

Joon-Gi Han

A sucker for a pretty and aesthetic dessert. Likes his cake almost too pretty to eat. Similar to Nishikiyama in that he will hide how excited he is to be having cake with you.

Likes chocolate cake the most in any form. As long as it's chocolate flavored in some aspect, whether it's the cake itself or just the frosting, he likes it. Dobos cake or Sachetorte are great if you really want to impress him.

Tianyou Zhao

Prefers Eastern style cakes to Western style cakes but will eat both. Actually likes more bite size desserts like cupcakes or moon cakes.

For flavors, he likes coconut or mango cake. A box of really nice moon cakes will also do but it must be at the appropriate time during the year or else he's going to wonder why on Earth you're giving those to him. Also fond of those pineapple cakes from Taiwan.

#majima megaphone moment #yakuza #yakuza headcanons #yakuza imagines #ryu ga gotoku #ryu ga gotoku headcanons #ryu ga gotoku imagines #goro majima #majima goro #akiyama shun #nishikiyama akira #akira nishikiyama #shun akiyama #kiryu kazuma #kazuma kiryu #tianyou zhao #tatsuo shinada #taiga saejima #saejima taiga #joon gi han #ichiban kasuga #daigo dojima #ryuji goda #mine yoshitaka #yoshitaka mine #masayoshi tanimura

[vashtijoy]

Futaba's line in the engine room about Robin Hood being Goro's "lies" kind of rubs me the wrong way, opinions?

I think it makes a lot of sense for Futaba to say that. In the same way, Morgana's statement that "everything, even his appearance, was a lie" is not wrong.

We know with the light of hindsight, and from how P5R treats Akechi's two original personas, that you can't get a persona from a lie or fabricate a persona—or at least, that Akechi didn't do that; we've got Word of God that both of them represent part of Akechi. But Futaba doesn't know that.

As for Morgana's statement? Well, Akechi's appearance is a lie. The persona he's using in Sae's Palace is a lie. They may be real, but you can lie with the truth—Akechi is using a real persona and a real Metaverse outfit to misrepresent himself to the Phantom Thieves and to deceive them.

It seems pretty clear that whatever part of him Robin Hood represents, Akechi doesn't relate so much to it. He probably feels he's long outgrown it. He may not be wrong.

Futaba なのに人生ソロプレイだったから、目覚めた力は、自前の『嘘』と『恨み』の、たった2個だけ⋯ na no ni jinsei soropurei datta kara, mezameta chikara wa, jimae no "uso" to "urami" no, datta niko dake... But you trusted no one, so you only got two Personas: one for your lies, and one for your hate.

I didn't comment on the second half of this in my last post because I'm not too confident in my reading of it yet—in particular that use of jimae no, which can mean just "your X" but also often suggests that you got X through your own efforts: "when you awakened to your power, the only two things in you that could become personas were your lies and your hate".

uso is pretty obvious, but I'm a little uncertain of translating urami as "hate", since it's the exact word Akechi used to describe his feelings for Shido—and it was not rendered "hate" there:

Akechi 恨み抜いたよ⋯けどヤツは、当時もう与党の都議サマで、子供じゃどうしようもなかった。 urami nuita yo... kedo yatsu wa, touji mou yotou no togi-sama de, kodomo ja dou shiyou mo nakatta. I resented him, but he was already a high-ranking official by then. A kid like me could do nothing. I had it in for him, but he was already flying high on the Tokyo Assembly for the governing party, and what could a child do about it?

So: not "lies and hate", but lies and resentment; lies and vengeance—bitterness, grudges, spite. Hate is not wrong, exactly, Akechi is full of hate; everything he wants has grown from it. But the sort of hate it is? It's exactly that poisonous resentment that's eaten him alive.

#asks #persona 5 #p5 meta #goro akechi

[muzzleroars]

i am glad you still love your supercomputer au! your fanfiction and the pieces you created once is such masterpieces... your old curiouscat link gave an error so i cannot see the answers you gave to people. can you generally tell the au shortly? akiras relationships with phantom thieves, futaba and akiras relationships etc etc

aaaa thank you!! and im sorry so much was on curiouscat that i didn't back up ;o; but i can definitely give a brief overview as well as go into a little more detail about akira!!

for some background, akira was an orphaned child used in the cognitive pscience experiments, as he showed great potential in preliminary testing (ie, what would become his wildcard ability) he grew up housed in a facility for this purpose, with his main social contact through the ten years he was there being YAL20XX, a supercomputer designed to analyze data related to the field. frightened and eventually bitter toward the researchers, YAL was programmed to speak to him for them, keeping him content in a way they couldn't while gathering information he refused to give. this back and forth went on long enough that, in YAL's complexity, he grew into sentience and so into hatred for humanity - akira understood his emotions and yal, with full control of the facility, was able to plan their escape and the subsequent work they did on creating the metaverse navigator

the test for humanity is the same as in canon, with akira playing the role of black mask with his persona, mephistopheles. he is an unknown entity to the conspiracy, but his brutal efficiency means they don't bother to question who he might be. akira, as a person, rarely goes out and refuses to make connections with others, believing yal to be the only being he can trust or that can understand him - he is too different, too changed from who he could have been and what everyone else is, and he carries a great grudge for his mistreatment. he believes in the world yaldabaoth promises, and he is sure humanity will ultimately fail their test regardless of the introduction of the phantom thieves to stand against shido

his connection to the thieves is mixed, somewhat limited, but grows increasingly over time - goro is of course who he meets first, becoming a regular at leblanc so yal can keep a close eye on him through a more human lens (and have an agent that can direct him as needed) goro is very much taken by akira's bright intellect and unusual perspective, while akira slowly comes to appreciate goro's tenacity and his willingness to risk everything in his work as a thief. it's not easy for him to make connections or believe others, but goro doesn't give up on pursuing their relationship, he puts his faith in akira and refuses to leave their friendship at a surface level despite akira's coldness. and that's. very hard for akira to accept. he so fully believes in humanity's irredeemable malice and his own fundamental brokenness that he doesn't know how to feel when goro continuously defies those expectations. goro, as well as all the thieves, risk their freedom and their lives over and over again for victims they don't know, to build a better world without ever receiving praise or compensation. and goro listens to akira, engages with him but gives him space too, reaches out to see if he ever wants to join them for a day out or just spend time together. even if akira keeps saying no, goro will text him again soon. the thieves are good people, and akira isn't the unlovable monster he believed himself to be.

futaba is very interesting in the supercomputer au, because i like to think she's the one that tipped goro off to akira being much more than he seemed - largely because whatever he's using, futaba can't hack into it. it makes akira VERY wary of her, keeping his distance from futaba as much as he can without attracting attention, but she just knows something is up with him if he's got a setup she has no way into. i do like the idea that she basically fries her computer to catch a glimpse of yal with his mess of esoteric code, but it's enough to unravel akira's identity (in a much more convoluted way than canon got to lol) - she traces him back to a user known as "bowman" that was snooping similar government databases as she did, making his connection to cognitive psience come to the forefront. this is compounded by her finding out all of akira's identification, from his name to his apparent history, is all faked when dug into. at this point they all know he will have to be confronted, and that leads into the end of the game

sorry that was kinda long ;;;; but i think that about covers it!!! if you have any other questions i'd be happy to answer those too ^^

#i didn't even get to the third semester but #that's a whole other can of worms!!! #but you know doing a roleswap this way #really made me realize how much the plot uses futaba to get around things #and how i couldn't. do that at ALL in this au so i had to do a lot of thinking on multiple points #still can't remember how i worked around the interrogation room. guah #cake answers #supercomputer au

[byooregard]

hey give the people your p5 recs

cracks knuckles ok let's go

Between Scylla and Charybdis by KivaEmber

Akechi’s eyes were wide in disbelief - then he laughed; a sharp, ugly noise.

“Oh!” he leaned back on his heels, his vicious expression softening into a mocking smile, “I forgot. This is new for you, isn’t it? Fighting alone?”

Or;

Akira has a near-fatal encounter in Maruki's Palace. Akechi... barely takes it well.

[I have re-read this one so many times and I think about it & Goro Akechi so much. Also general reccomendation that everything by this author is good.]

The Plural of Soulmate is a Mess by VampireBadger

You're not supposed to have more than one soulmate. Everyone knows that.

Nobody told the Phantom Thieves, though, and Akechi...

Well, he's just kind of along for the ride.

[One time I made a whole PowerPoint where I talked about soulmate aus and I spent a whole slide on a tangent about Akechi & how he works with the themes in his character and I was thinking about This Fic Specifically. Look at this bitch. he doesn't realize that it's impossible to escape being loved!!]

Analogous by jortsbian

analogous colors: noun. of art: a selection of colors that, while not the same, bear more than a passing resemblance to each other. a palette of colors that are near each other on the color wheel, and are thus similar.

In the weeks following the interrogation room, it becomes clear Akira is struggling to cope with his situation. Yusuke and Futaba provide an easy evening to de-stress.

[I have written on my ao3 bookmark only "PHANTOM THIEVES AUTISM" and yeah. phantom thieves autism]

To Grate Against the World by pretentiousashell

“Nobody seems to know what to do with you. When I received the call, the warden seemed bewildered that you were even here at all.” It was a phone call that Naoto would not soon forget—the chilling way that the warden seemed to continually forget what he was asking mid-sentence, unable to latch onto Akechi’s name as if his existence was something contingent on his direct and immediate presence.

Akechi bared his teeth, eyes in shadow. “Nobody has ever known what to do with me,” he said, voice dripping acid.

“Then, this should be refreshing for you,” he said, delighting in the way that Akechi’s gaze sharpened as Naoto plucked a nonexistent piece of lint from his coat. “You’re coming with me. To Inaba.”

At the end of P5R, the world forgets Akechi.

[I'll admit that I haven't played p4 so I cannot attest to characterization on the p4 characters that appear; however this fic makes me insane. Off the charts Vibes with the feelings of longing and melancholy and growing up growing past trauma. Its very good I'm very normal.]

blood, guts, and chocolate cake by aesphantasmal

The aftermath of Akira Kurusu, Ryuji Sakamoto, and Ann Takamaki's first slaying of a monster.

[Magnus archives au; kamoshida is an avatar of the flesh and Akira Ryuji and Ann have to kill him. Read for the feeling of the unbreakable bond of friendship you form when you and your two acquatiences murder your gym teacher together. part of a series which you should read and I am not at all biased no sir when I reccomend also everything else by this author who I do not know at all nopenope nope.]

sagittarius by moonlight by Writeous

Futaba rescues Akira before, during, and after the interrogation. In the heat of the moment, it's hard to think of them as victories.

[good shit. siblings. phantom thieves.]

falling down, falling behind by intimatopia

Akechi: are you actually fine?

What was she even supposed to say to that? Being honest was out of the question, especially with him. She didn’t like him. She’d forgiven him, and she was friends with his friends and he was dating the one boy she’d ever let herself trust. He’d taken everything from her and she was better than him, or had to be, because that was all she had left.

Haru: Why do you ask?

[I have seen so many varying takes on Haru and her feelings about the whole Everything and so far this is the only one that I've read and went YEAH!!!! YEAH THATS HARU!!!]

The Diamond Chest by kinneas

“The quickest route to anywhere is a straight line,” Akechi says. “He’s a target, and I refuse to give up that easily. I’m doing this.”

Morgana turns his skeptical gaze on him. “Are you sure? You weren’t feeling so great earlier...”

Akechi watches their target for a moment longer, and the illusion of his soft yukata and softer hair dispels under his glass shard of a smile. There isn’t a trace of pain on his face anymore—only simmering, dark excitement. “As I said. I don’t like to lose.”

And neither does Ren. Yeah, they’re head to toe in yukata and sandals, and yeah, everyone is right: this is so, so stupid. Ren is so stupid. But he’s gonna climb this roof and catch that goddamn cop.

He meets Akechi’s gaze beat for beat. “Let’s do it.”

—

Who says you have to see Morgana speak in the Metaverse before you can hear him in the real world? Not the few hundred officers who arrested Ren in Sae’s Palace two years ago, that’s for sure.

[my favoritest persona fanfic ever I think so hard all the time about this author's writing style and how the characters are written how they handle trauma and growing up and moving on from all the Things that happened in the year they were phantom thieves. the way akechi and jokers relationship is written & the way their arcs are written . this is both a great take on the characters and persona 5 and also a very well written Story in general with well executed Plot and Arcs. Everything else by this author is also fire.]

Will You Fuse Hestia? by kinneas

He tells them on a Thursday, when they sign their second lease together. They knew Ren was seeing someone. They knew Ren had a roommate. Now, they know the rest.

He doesn’t hear from them for a couple of months after that, but that’s nothing new.

—

The Phantom Thieves of Hearts have faced down angels, demons, and gods. Now it's time to face the parents.

[great and nuanced portrayal of jokers possible relationship with his parents. best one I've seen so far good shit.]

Interminable Ballistics by Stealth_Noodle

Amamiya isn't nearly as terrified as he was. As he should be. Instead his head is cocked, and he sounds equal parts frustrated and confused as he says, "I thought I was getting a do-over."

Akechi stares at him. Nearly drops the gun. Tightens his grip until his gloves creak. "You remember this happening before," he says slowly, more an accusation than a question.

"Yeah. I thought it was the drugs." Amamiya gestures at the floor, where wet syringes are scattered. "Is this real?"

Akechi realizes that he was tricked into killing a cognitive Ren in time to return and kill the real one. When he wakes up the next day, it's November 20th again, and he is a very stubborn man.

Unfortunately for his plans, so is Ren.

[Goro Akechi is insane and would rather die than do better. good news!]

#p5 #cleb talky #fic recs #gud writes #<<i do already have that tag but hey

[randomnumbers751650]

Reading the new Oshi no Ko chapter, I can't help but to think the reveal about Crow Girl was underwhelming. But that's not what I wanted to comment.

We know that Ruby likes to be self-indulgent, with a big backstory reason, but I feel this is evolving to be a flaw. Back then, I was positively surprised that Ruby was the first person in the entire series to understand Ai as a person, a scared normal girl trying to survive in a scary world; but this actually makes Ruby to become even more self-indulgent. I mean, it was obvious with last happenings, especially that kiss, but the way she just tossed aside Crow Girl when Aqua arrived in the scene made me think more. It was kind of a comedic gag, but the fact she did it so dismissively was a detail that called my attention.

We still haven't had a chapter with Aqua PoV since then and I bet it's because of an editorial mandate, to let people theorize about it. The Crow Girl reveal was, again, in my opinion, underwhelming. She claims that humans are immature like children in the end of the chapter and, while she's not wrong, it doesn't have any weight. Maybe if they portrayed her as a creature that can understand up to a point but cannot relate to humans, that gave them the gift of reincarnation without understanding its costs and consequences, maybe the reveal would have more weight - they tried to do that, with Aqua reflecting on how he's still haunted by Goro and cannot fully be himself.

I really wonder if Akasaka is still thinking on how to end it. So, it explains why the characters are running in circles, to buy time: Ruby becomes more self-indulgent and is stuck in this mindset, Kana is still there and so on. Is there any conclusion that can deliver what's being promised? The question might not be how to kill Kamiki, but how do it in a satisfactory way? Or, if he lives, how to do it in a satisfactory way (which is a much less popular outcome)? Because it has to do with the stakes of how much Aqua and the rest of the cast are willing to go to get to it; or put another way how far is Ruby willing to go to keep her current lifestyle. A lot of long stories suffer of that, I'm pretty sure you can think of at least one (Houseki no Kuni, in my case), and an ending that satisfacts all readers might be impossible. And knowing how the manga execs must be panicking about One Piece ending (if no worthy successor to it is found, it'll require a...downsizing in the best scenario), so they have to stretch current works. But, in the politics of serialized manga, some answers might be in processes we don't have access to (the curse of Sweet Today).

#oshi no ko #spoilers #i was talking to a friend in discord about this #i still remain uninterested in which girl aqua will end with #and i wouldnt really mind a no ship ending #or just a polyship of everyone x therapy

[cookiecomics]

⭐⭐⭐ give me that directors infodump 👀

Hehehe I'll give my director's cut on Futaba's awakening!

So I am super in love with the day Persona 3 did their second awakenings. The idea that events in the characters' lives independent from the protagonist caused a shift in their psyche that caused them to develop as characters was appealing for me. Without Ren as the driving force behind the change, they had to change on their own which led me to try to brainstorm what events might push different characters to the brink.

For Makoto it was having everything about the police and justice stripped away with both her own actions, the actions of her sister and how it all culminated into getting a full view of what the justice system she craved to belong to can do to those with no power to do otherwise, it changed her in a way that she can't come. back from. That in my eyes, was the tamest of the bunch.

Then we had Akechi, someone who, at every turn, refused to free himself from his own mental shackles of the situation he's been in. How he viewed his mother and her complicated life. How he viewed himself in relation to his father and in relation to the world. He never really went after what HE wanted, only what he thought was what he was destined to do. To him, finding meaning in life meant finding some sort of balance that would be worth the cost of his mother's life. Bringing down Shido was that for him. A monster through and through and just like the stories and legends that Akechi is no doubt familiar with, that kind of karmic justice may not be "worth" his mother's life, but it's worth his. It's penance for what she had to go through. He wasn't living for himself, not really.

There's a saying in Naruto that really spoke to how I developed Ren and Goro in this fic. Sasuke said Naruto couldn't understand him because he's been alone from the very beginning vs Sasuke who lost everyone he loved. Those are two very different types of loneliness and two different sources of anger that feel like they should be the same, but they aren't. Fundamentally, they aren't, and that's why Ren was unable to reach him in that way.

From the very beginning, I knew Futaba and Cog Akechi were going to be the mechanism for Goro's second awakening. Goro's ultimate villain after all isn't fully Shido, it's always been himself. His perception of himself, his past, his inability to let himself have that love and adoration he craves now that he's found it. The person who could reach him was the only other person who would understand his very unique brand of pain in Futaba.

Being told it wasn't his fault his mom killed herself from someone that in his eyes, has every reason to despise him, to curse him, to see him fall, meant something to him. It reached him in a way that Ren couldn't in this side of the fic because Goro never tried to kill Ren. Not really, but he did ruin Futaba's life in the exact same way that his was ruined. That's why Futaba was the only one who could reach him.

She knows what it's like to believe and be told by others that your life was a burden on your mother, that self hatred, that hatred for the world at large, that need and desire for some sort of justice for your mother. Futaba gets all of that and she says as much in the game. She doesn't have to forgive him, but she can give him what he needs, and show him first hand, in action, that love is complicated.

As for Futaba's awakening, considering the deadly sin being explored in the palace was pride, neither Ren nor Goro was wholly equipped to deal with the palace at large.

They both wanted different things and were reluctant in their own ways to compromise the whole way through. It wasn't until both of them learned that they needed other people- that they could get saved by the person whose shown the most humility in the story thus far, Futaba.

Humility can be defined as having a realistic view of yourself and self-importance. Goro and Ren both put their goals above others, repeatedly.

Futaba is one of the few people in the story who never tries to sacrifice those around her for herself. When given the option to abandon Makoto to save herself when Goro takes everyone hostage, she rejects that. When given the choice to leave Goro to Cog Goro, she rejects that too. She stands up for Ren against the phantom thieves, and even against Sojiro. Time and time again, Futaba shows that humility when everyone else especially Ryuji, Ann and Makoto often fall to their own instances of pride or anger.

And most importantly, as much as Ren's whole life was turned upside down by Shido. The person who suffered the most at the hands of Shido were Akechi and Futaba and Futaba deserved to smack her dad (lol at my fav hc) in his stupid bald head as vengeance for her mom. I was disappointed the game didn't give her a moment like that, but alas, condense storytelling.

Throughout the story, Futaba constantly desires to have the power to save those around her. With her awakening and her turning the tide against the big bad, she does just that.

#ATOTT

[bengiyo]

What Did You Eat Yesterday? Ep 3 Stray Thoughts

Last week, we watched everyone dunk on Shiro for how he doesn't want to be perceived as older. Kayoko and her family didn't think they should call Shiro "Uncle" but stressed that they wanted him to be part of baby Goro's life. Shiro's boss also wanted Shiro to become a managing partner because Osamu isn't great at managing finances, but was worried that Shiro was fickle for not having married at this point. To cap things off, even Kenji teased Shiro about being called Uncle as they made naan.

I love that Kenji makes them wear the rings when they go to hang out with Kohinata and Wataru.

Oh my lord, Shiro didn't realize this was a costume party, but I love the Easter egg of Kenji wearing the outfit from their dinner date in the movie.

I'm actually losing it over Wataru as a cat/wolf and Kohinata being so into it.

I had pause. I laughed way too hard at Kohinata cooking in the costume with the sunglasses on. He wrote HALLOWEEN BOO on his arm!

I'm glad we got the Wataru backstory. I like knowing the specifics of his hurts around family. Unsurprised that Kohinata has been looking at Wataru for 19 years.

Thank you for focusing on the real mystery about the Gilbert pet name, Shiro.

"Keep it on!" I know they had a good time.

I'm really glad this show continues to face some of the ugly realities about getting older, like preparing for your parents' passing. They even go into helping your parents save face. They admit to saving the money Shiro sends them to buy this tomb, but won't let him pay for it directly. I'm also fascinated by the mom's admission that she's caused problems for the Kakei family and should perhaps be entombed separately.

It's also been interesting checking in with Kenji's bosses and their family situation since we know about the cheating. They stayed together, but the relationship is fraught with problems that Kenji is well aware of. I do like that Kenji trusts his boss enough to admit that Shiro's mom doesn't want him around.

New season new episode with Kenji making a decadent rice and egg dish.

Instantly crushed by the sadness of Kenji's persistent hurt that he can't have a relationship with Shiro's parents.

What's that joke about Joy in EEAAO getting an apology from her mom that wasn't fruit?

I love that Shiro owned his role in the hurt that Kenji has suffered, even if Kenji softened it with his own emotional pragmatism.

I love Kenji. They offer to let Kenji be entombed with them and he immediately recontextualizes all of this drama as that between a mom and her daughter in law. He's so beautiful.

Now who is this child causing problems next week?

Another episode about parents and the wounds we suffer. Wataru's history and ongoing separation tied well with Kenji's feelings about Shiro's family. I appreciate more why Kohinata tries to take such care of Wataru and spoil him because a part of him probably feels guilty even if Wataru was always too gay for his family's taste. I like that Kenji and Shiro's mom are starting to find a bridge.

#kinou nani tabeta #what did you eat yesterday? #japanese bl #bl series. #Ben watches

[randoimago]

Hi! There were already a few maid cafe h/c requests. Can this theme be continued for other characters? Akechi (embarrassed, ordering pancakes in the end, haha), Yusuke and Mishima finding out that their s/o works at at maid cafe? Thanks!

Finding Out S/O Works at a Maid Cafe

Fandom: Persona 5

Character(s): Goro Akechi, Yuki Mishima, Yusuke Kitagawa

Type of Request: Headcanons

Note(s): It is really fun to write, so I'll happily keep writing for this idea!!

Akechi

I don't know if he'd be embarrassed if he learned you work at a maid cafe. If anything, he'd be hiding a smug smile as he just thanks you for being his maid and asks that you take care of him.

Of course he gets pancakes. But he'd also get an omurice just to see if you put something cutesy on it or call him a bastard. He really wants to see how committed you are to this.

Really, Akechi makes so much money from his job that you really didn't have to get one yourself. But if you're really happy with this then he won't tell you what to do. That said, let him know if there are any less than savory customers and he'll take care of it.

Mishima

He was already dying at the idea of going to a maid cafe. The fact that you end up as his maid? Mishima's jaw drops and his face goes bright pink as he stammers about how this is an accident and he didn't do this to intentionally embarrass you.

Mishima is still dying. He knows it's you, but maybe that's what's making it worse. You just look so cute in the outfit and he knows the whole "master" thing is for your job but he is imploding.

He tries to calm down, he really does. But his face is still very pink as he's pointing at the menu what he wants to order. The temptation to buy extra stuff for you to do cutesy things kills him, but he knows if he actually did that then you'd really kill him either from anger later or from cuteness.

Yusuke

Ryuji mentioned that everyone needed to experience a maid cafe once in their life before they die. Yusuke finally had enough money so he did that. He doesn't know what he was expecting when he finally stepped inside but it wasn't you greeting him in a maid outfit.

Yusuke has so many questions, but he can wait. He does feel embarrassed, but you are doing your job so he'll try to be as normal as he can. Which isn't a lot for Yusuke.

Compliments your artistry when you bring out different dishes that have cutesy designs on them. He probably tries to do a quick sketch of you that he leaves as a gift when he's done. For once, he can say Ryuji was right.

#persona 5 x reader #yusuke kitagawa x reader #yusuke x reader #yuki mishima x reader #mishima x reader #goro akechi x reader #akechi x reader

[bring-forth-your-justice]

Welcome back 😃 If you’re still taking requests, can I please request headcanons for Joker and Akechi reacting to their American S/O telling them about the various holidays America has compared to Japan? I think America has the most holidays compared to any other country 🤔

Mmm how to go about this- Sorry if the editing is bad T_T 

Akira

This boy at the beginning of the game lacked literally any knowledge so I doubt he is aware of the various celebrations people celebrate around the world.

He knows for the most part that Japan celebrates Christamas and Halloween like the America’s even if not to their extent.

So when he sees his s/o fledged out in full green, he was really confused. 

They were sitting in one of the booths in the cafe waiting for him and once he entered the cafe he walked over the booth and sat down across from them.

“So what's with all the green and clovers?” he asked curiously, with an amused smile on his face.

“Ah- no way Akira do you not know? It’s St. Patricks day!” Yet still after that brief explanation, the boy was still rather confused. “Ah yea, I guess I keep forgetting Japan doesn’t have the same celebrations America does.”

Akira would find your mix up rather endearing. Really he finds everything about you endearing. 

As he’s come to learn about you, you tend to celebrate everything and everyone, so coming across you with another party plan or celebration outfit wasn’t a sight uncommon but sometimes it was confusing. 

Today, you took your time explaining how St. Patrick day worked and what you were celebrating. 

“Yea, while a lot of people don’t celebrate it for its historical reasons, its still a day of celebration and cheer for a lot of people! Heck, some people take it as a day for good luck.” You chuckled and as you did, Akira’s eyes lit up.

He took your hand and asked, “Why dont we go out today? Maybe something lucky will happen. If you want we could try to make some Irish food after.. I’ve never really tried before but It would be interesting.”

Akira is always supportive of you and whatever it is you want to do, within reason of course. It is for this reason, the two of you spent your day buying green things and looking for 4 leafed clovers in the park.

Akechi

While Akechi doesn't have his hands deep into international affairs, he does keep a small notice for your sake.

He’s not exactly the type to celebrate many of Japan’s holidays as is, pretty sure he wouldn’t even celebrate his own birthday if not for your interventions.

Your enthusiasm and outgoing personality is definitely something Akechi had to grow to feel comfortable around, and eventually, it was something he loved.

Since he loves you terribly and has a constant need to be the perfect boyfriend for you, he does his best to keep track of all the holidays you spend.

After all, it just means another thing to celebrate, with you. That's all that really matters to him.

He doesn’t exactly get it, he tries, but he doesn’t always understand. But he doesn’t exactly mind you explaining it to him. Again, he just wishes to cherish every moment with you.

It is sometimes alarming, you showing up in full green, and hands filled with all sorts of green objects is definitely something that surprised him. 

He couldn’t even get a word in before you walked into his apartment, setting down the party supplies and getting to work.

He racked his head around trying to remember what day it could be, but he didn't need to since you grabbed his hand, placing a kiss on his cheek and a hat on his head.

“Happy St. Patricks Day Goro!” 

And suddenly, he doesn’t really feel the need for an explanation. He’s just happy to see your smile.

#akira kurusu x reader #goro akechi x reader #p5r #xreader #I'm tired lmao #let's go another one down this week 😎