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Magpie thinks about it. He holds the image in his mind, and turns it to all angles; lets every bright facet glint in the sun. Then he sighs once more, long and loud.

"No," he says. "No, it wouldn't be. Crow, I can hear you. It's not like you think." He can just imagine Crow's delight at hearing him admit that—just sometimes—winning isn't everything. Well, let him. He's known about tainted little victories since day one.

"All right, then forget winning. What about closure? You're undoubtedly interwoven into this Palace. Would going not be worthwhile just to know what he really, truly thinks of you?"

To get answers. To understand. To do something...

"You can fill in the blanks, make assumptions, but if Palaces are anything like dungeons, then they peel away the lies and reveal the truth buried inside."

"Are you trying to appeal to my fragile ego now?" At some point, he's twisted his hand into Raven's again. "Why are you so determined that I should do this? Don't say it's because you want us to be friends. You know well enough life's not like that."

"I do miss when things were that simple. And I wouldn't be surprised if a part of you did still care for him beneath all the resentment." No sense in lying about it. He's happy to accept the hand, though. "But what about your Ren? Wouldn't he be happy to see you set aside your feelings to pursue a common goal, regardless of how you may feel about the Palace's victim?"

It's just a hunch. He doesn't know Magpie's Ren enough to say with confidence.

"But more than anything, my time in Inaba has taught me the importance of facing the truth, however unpleasant. You don't strike me as the type to get lost in the fog."

He brushes aside the question of what his Ren does or doesn't think; he doesn't trust himself to judge. Instead, he looks to the side, trying to catch Raven's wide eyes. "Is that true? You believe in facing the truth, no matter how unpleasant?"

"All of the members of the Investigation Team have had to face the sides of themselves that they hid from the world. ...Well, besides Yu, because apparently he's special like that." Despite the slight edge, he remains calm as he speaks. "In order to awaken our Personas, we had to accept ourselves, sometimes at our worst, or... sometimes the brightest sides of us we suppressed in order to survive."

It isn't hard to guess where Raven falls in that respect.

"The last Shadow we faced challenged us on a broader level. He warned us that the truth brings only pain and that we'd be better off turning the other way. We refused, of course, because we'd come too far to surrender, no matter what ugly truths await us. It's... important, I believe, to take a stand in the face of a cruel reality."

—and he flinches, looking down. "So what happened?"

"We defeated the Shadow and rescued Teddie. Despite the Shadow's taunts, we triumphed and prepared to move forward. Naoto-san, on the other hand..." Raven sighs. "He's been avoiding his Shadow for quite some time. Well over a month now, but he claimed it was due to the necessity of prioritizing Rise-san's safety and preventing her kidnapping."

He looks down at their joined hands. "We did protect Rise-san, and she awakened her Persona by choice. She took the time to reflect on her suppressed self and was the first to accept her Shadow without a fight."

"Rise-san. Risette. You and your endless network of contacts." We triumphed and prepared to move forward. It hits him deep in the pit of his stomach, as the things he wants desperately sometimes do.

For no reason very much, he remembers Aki-chan, asking whether they'd still love him if he was a worm.

Edited 2024-07-11 17:47 (UTC)

"She came to Inaba for a hiatus, and we reached out, knowing the pattern of the kidnappings." That's all there is to it, really. It's not as though he inherently attracts famous people.

"But this isn't about me. It's about you, and I genuinely believe you can withstand this and emerge stronger and with peace and clarity of mind."

"Unfortunately, the truth is that whatever happens, I'm going to emerge significantly closer to a stroke."

He leans to the side, just a little, resting against Raven. "Can we stop talking about this now? I feel like I understand better how it is to have parents."

"What? You think I'm qualified for parenting? I'm not even fourteen yet." But it's okay. He'll lean back. It's always nice, after all, to sit this close.

"But if you think I'm bad, remember that Crow and Ren are sure to pounce. I'm happy to give you time to think, but I hope you understand that this is just the prelude."

"I still have my apartment. Always have your exits covered, after all." He turns Raven's hand over in his own.

"But the bentos, Magpie. The bentos..." How does he know this? It's a mystery. Or perhaps Crow told him. "Besides, you seem perfectly comfortable right beside me."

Oh, for heaven's sake. He scowls for a moment—

—and then he grabs Raven hard by his shoulder, and buries his face in his hair. He doesn't let go.

Oh.

Well, okay then.

Raven settles into this sudden embrace of sorts before long, hugging back. "It's going to be all right. Whatever happens, you aren't alone."

He holds Raven tight. Almost as tight as Raven held him the time he awakened to Loki. And it feels like that, almost—long ago now, when he was fifteen, screaming devastation and vengeance in the top of Mementos, with six inches of red steel for his defence as red fire filled the tunnel....

His heart hammers in his chest, and he truly doesn't know if he fears being alone again or its opposite. But he doesn't let go.

Before returning home, Crow makes a stop for donuts. However, when they step into the house, he makes sure to put the donuts on top of the refrigerator. Sweets will wait until Magpie has earned them.

For now, he can eat the cheap ramen they brought home in to-go bowls. His Shadow holds the door for Ren, while Crow places the ramen down on the table and takes out his phone.

We're back. Are you ready?

He eyes the stairway, fingers rapping at the corner of the kitchen table. "At least Raven primed him for this. It should be easier from here, provided we don't come on too strong."

Edited 2024-07-11 21:58 (UTC)

Not much for Ren to do but follow Crow and Hiro's lead, putting away the soup and giving a longing glance to the donuts. "Yeah."

When Magpie emerges from his room, he is correct in every detail, from the line of his dress to the lines of his face. He rests a glance on the plastic bowls of ramen. "Is that for my execution?"

It's no worse than Shido's office. No worse than that. Surely.

"Raven warned you. As punishment for your crimes, you must endure the ramen from Junes." He pulls a chair out before grabbing a chair of his own. His Shadow hovers by the refrigerator, loosely folding his arms.

"You'll get the donuts after our discussion."

"Right, the discussion..." Crow takes out his phone, opening the screenshots he received from Drake. "Well, there's been a new development since we last spoke. We've seen the entire conversation."

Ren doesn't say anything. He doesn't ask Magpie what the hell made you think threatening him like that was a good idea?, because he already knows. It's nothing, because he wasn't thinking when he did it. It was everything about Crow suffering, because they'd both defend Crow to the ends of the Earth and then some.

He just looks on, impartial. Like a parent who's about to give you a "not mad, just disappointed" speech.

He doesn't pale, because he wouldn't. He doesn't succumb to the fear that breaks across him like ice water, because he won't. Instead, he just quirks an eyebrow, folding leather-clad hands on the table. "That must have made interesting reading for you."

I wish you could love yourself even half as much as I love you. He looks Crow right in the eye, and doesn't react.

"I don't know what you were thinking." There's no edge to the words. Not even any particular coldness to them. More than anything, he sounds tired. "I understand you were acting on my behalf. You wanted him to stop hurting me."

He lets that sink in, so Magpie knows that on some level, he does appreciate it.

"But you took it too far. You attacked and attacked. He asked a question, and your response was to tell him to go home and die. But it wasn't just that. Those comments about putting a bullet in his head, suggesting he'd be better off committing suicide..."

He takes a deep breath, in, then out.

"It was months ago. I don't hate you. Everything Raven said applies to me as well. But it's because of that that I need to know why you took that approach."

Edited 2024-07-11 22:26 (UTC)

Just for a second, his eyes flash. "Perhaps I should have dandled him on my knee, and asked about his feelings. But that approach would never work with me, and I saw no reason to think it would work with him.

"Regardless, I have no intention of justifying myself to you. I don't answer to you, Crow." You're not my father, whispers his own voice, very far back now.

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cw: suicide mention

cw: suicide mention