Will You Forgive Me? (Akechi x Akira)

Chapter 21- New Plans

Goro walked purposefully into the cafe, his eyes focused solely on Akira, "didn't you say that you wouldn't ruin friendships for me mere hours ago? Or does your word really mean that little." He turned away from Akira. His shock arrival didn't seem to only startle Akira, Futaba and Morgana looked like they had seen a ghost appear in front of their very eyes. He must have been outside listening in... how long had he been there? Obviously long enough to get a picture of what was happening and Akira's intentions. What was with this afternoon...? He glanced at the door for a moment, wondering how long until Sojiro or some other member of the phantoms thieves burst in.

Akira wanted to protest, to tell Goro he had the wrong idea. Futaba and Morgana weren't going to abandon him after something like this. They would understand... but he didn't say a word. He felt an influx of nausea hit him and he fought to keep it under restraint. If anything else was sprung on him this afternoon he might just lose it.

"I'm honestly surprised I fell for it again, the bugging I mean." He said with a pleasant smile at Futaba. "Sakura, you truly have bested me yet again. You have my respect. And you," Goro's eyes found Morgana who stood his ground under Goro's eyes. "It truly is humiliating to be found out by a cat."

Akira wanted him to shut up. If he stopped talking maybe this would be ok. Maybe the situation could be salvaged. He was making all this sound far worse than it was!
"We don't want your praise. How long were you listening in for?" The second half of her sentence lacked the bite of the first, sounding more curious than angry.
"A while. I was simply taking a leaf out of your book Sakura, an eye for an eye as they say." The smile Goro threw in her direction was venomous.
"I really..." Futaba attempted, though the rest of her sentence died into the air around her. She looked at a loss for words. Goro in turn seemed quite pleased with being able to bring Futaba to speechlessness.

"Since you're all caught up can you tell us what you're up to and why you got our leader involved." Morgana piped up, obviously trying to direct the attention to a new topic. Goro's lips pursed in the same manner someone would if they were given an unusually sour lemon to suck,
"My my, someone's eager. Of course, I will tell you, but just let it be known that if it were my choice I never would have come back here in the first place." His voice was rough and there was a touch of resentment in the words.

What if Goro had survived on his own without the twins' assistance. Would he seriously have just walked away from them all? Would Akira have never seen him again? He didn't know why he was doubting it so much. Of course he wouldn't. Goro's hatred for them was painfully apparent and it wouldn't change. He would have relished the opportunity to be rid of them all for good with them none the wiser he was still alive and kicking. When neither Futaba nor Morgana made any sign to respond to his words he continued.

"I was saved from my death, that part was true, though I still won't be telling you what did it. As a consequence for my near death situation I was given a task that if not completed I'd receive the fate I would have if I had not been dragged out of that blasted boiler room." Futaba's eyes widened,
"You're saying that you'll die?" Akira knew this wasn't true. Though if he was sentenced to a life spent in the velvet room as a prisoner, he would honestly prefer death. An eternity in limbo... The short time he spent there when he needed to fuse personas was enough for him. Maybe that was Goro's view too. But of course Goro couldn't tell Futaba of Morgana about the room. There was so much connecting to it.

Goro nodded and continued, "this task involves gaining forgiveness for my actions from each of the phantom thieves. Though telling you that may have just cemented my fate." Goro simpered sweetly. Futaba blanched, her eyes moving to Akira as though asking for validation of this story.
"It's true." He nodded.
"That's... why would you tell us if it means you might die...? I don't... it would be our fault...!" Futaba's eyes were wide and there was something akin to terror swimming in them.
"That's crazy! So that's why you and Akira have been spending time with each of the group members." Morgana thought aloud, "though why drag this guy into this?" Goro scoffed at this.

"Are you that deluded that you believe any of you would be willing to hang out with me alone? I feel the threat of me being able to turn around and kill you lot at any choice of time would be far too daunting." There was a dense silence that followed Goro's words. Although Akira knew that Goro was at least half joking, the looks on Futaba and Morgana's faces showed they literally took it as a threat on their lives.
"So... Do you guys understand now?" He said into the silence as an attempt to break it.

Futaba turned her eyes to him. They looked awfully glassy and vacant,
"Yeah I think I do, but..." she said, then hesitated, "you truly believe Akechi, don't you? And you want to help him...?" Akira could tell Goro was looking anywhere but at them.
"Yes, I do." He answered strongly. Futaba looked at him for a moment more without saying a word, but then she sighed.
"W-well I'm the only person you haven't hung out with right?" At that Goro nodded at the large cupboards full of different coffee beans, still refusing to dignify the group of them with eye contact. "uh then, let me hang out with you." Futaba said extremely quickly, though he had caught every word.

Akira gaped and Morgana's mouth took on the appearance of a little 'O'. He practically heard Goro's neck crack as he spun to glare at Futaba reproachfully.
"You can't honestly be serious." He growled, but Futaba stood her ground.
"Of course I am." Goro chuckled coldly at this.
"Your recklessness is astounding. You do realise I'm not one of your goody goody little friends." Why was Goro acting like this? He had gotten what he wanted. Hadn't he?
"F-fine, I get it... you've been having Akira stand in with other people right, so maybe he could this time too?" She quickly looked over to Akira, her eyes almost pleading.

"And here I was thinking I had gotten out of one of these." He said with a mock sigh.
"Oh you're coming." Goro said in a silky voice that caused a chill to run up Akira's spine, "you're not weaseling out of this that easily." When Akira simply blinked at him he snorted derisively, "don't tell me you actually have plans." Akira deadpanned. Of course he didn't have plans, and of course he was happy to come with them, but the mocking tone in which Goro had uttered the words...
"I'm happy to come if you guys want me there." He said, instead of returning the favour and asking Goro about how much free time he had.

Futaba couldn't hide the sigh of relief she promptly breathed. Goro similarly looked relieved, but he didn't show it as obviously. He simply nodded at him, the harshness in his face seeming to lessen.

"I'd prefer if we continue this tomorrow." Goro said finally. "You can decide what we do."
"A-alright." She replied tentatively. Akira couldn't blame her for being apprehensive. "I should get going now, there's this new episode of this anime I'm watching and it should be airing in about..." Futaba pulled out her phone and gasped, "oh crap! I got 5 minutes, whelp adios!" She announced quickly with a little wave to them and hurried out the door at lightning speed. Akira had no idea whether or not that was just an excuse to get out of here or genuine. That was the thing with Futaba, you never really could tell.

"Am I invited to this or-" Morgana began rather sheepishly,
"I thought that was a given." Goro said, peering at the cat, "though I don't believe we'd be able to stop you from coming that easily." Morgana looked happy at that even his tail gave a triumphant swish.
"Yeah that's right, there's no way you'd be able to stop me anyways." He purred. Goro looked relatively amused by this response.
"You should go upstairs, you look like shit." Goro said, his eyes drifting over to Akira. Akira frowned at him reproachfully. A little harsh.
"Not pulling any punches today, I see." Akira said in a mock enthusiastic voice. Though he couldn't help thinking that Goro's remark was on the money. He certainly felt like shit.

"I wouldn't phrase it how he did, but Akechi has a point." Morgana said, examining Akira like some piece of poorly created sculpture, "you're looking a little off colour. Maybe you should go up and rest." Was he that transparent?