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Aug. 17th, 2021 01:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feotakahariA Persona 5 fic. This is my interpretation of why you build your bonds faster when your Persona matches your confidant’s Arcana.
“I must confess,” Yusuke admitted, “that I am currently suffering from artist’s block.”
“So that’s why we’re at Destinyland?” Joker asked, coolly surveying the crowds.
“Indeed. Some people see this park as a place of childlike wonder. Others see it as a triumph of capitalism. Perhaps both are true, or neither. I choose to examine it with my own eyes, and decide for myself how best to embody it. One way or another, it will be a worthy subject.” He watched a small child who was discovering the hard way that sugary snacks and roller coasters don’t mix. “At least, I hope so. The tickets were rather expensive.”
“Ah, you ain’t got nothin’ to worry about,” Joker reassured him. “You’re good at this shit, Yusuke. You’ll totally find something to -- why’re you looking at me funny?”
“I cannot help but notice that this isn’t your usual speech pattern,” Yusuke told him.
Joker’s eyes crossed, like he was trying to look at something that wasn’t really there. “I beg your apology,” he said. “I was speaking with Ryuji earlier, and he must have rubbed off on me somewhat.”
“No apology is necessary,” Yusuke said, but he made a mental note of it anyway.
--
“God, I’m getting fat,” Ann complained.
“Really?” Joker asked. “I wouldn’t have said that.”
“Yeah, because I’d kick your ass!” Ann told him. “But it’s true. Too many crepes, not enough exercise.”
“You could always accompany me to the gym--”
“No thanks,” Ann quickly interjected.
“But in truth,” Joker finished, “I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s not your weight which makes you a model, it’s your strength of will. You project an aura of confidence.”
“Huh. You’re talking . . . different today.”
“I guess that’s what happens when you spend all day with Yusuke,” Joker said. “He’s kinda contagious.”
Ann made a show of shuddering. “I’ll remember that if he ever asks me to model again.”
--
Coffee was good. Coffee cleared Joker’s head. It helped him listen to Haru’s worries.
“For better or for worse,” Haru said, “Okumura Foods depends on foreign labor. It’s competitive relative to the wages other companies pay, but it’s still hardly enough to live on. The question is whether and how much I can raise it. As the board loves to remind me, I have a fiduciary duty to our shareholders not to waste money.”
“I don’t think that’s your only duty, though,” Joker said. “If you asked your shareholders if they wanted to starve your employees, no one would say yes to that, right?”
“Is it really that simple, though?” Haru asked.
“It pretty much has to be,” Joker said. “It’s like, are you going to be a good boss or a bad one? So don’t make too big a deal over . . ." He trailed off. “What I meant to say was, you’ve already decided on your plan of action. All you’re doing now is looking for a way to justify it to yourself. Overcomplicating it further won’t help anything.”
Haru raised an eyebrow at the change in his speaking style, but said nothing.
--
Joker was talking to Sojiro after work when they heard banging on the cafe door.
“Open up!” Makoto yelled. “This is an intervention!”
“Woo!” Futaba added. “An intervention, and this time it’s not for me!”
All of the Thieves were there. Even Morgana stood with them, the little traitor.
“We’ve noticed how you’ve been speaking… strangely lately,” Haru began.
“Yeah, how you try to butter us up by talking like we do!” Ann added.
“We’re your friends, Joker,” Morgana told him. “We like you because of who you are. You don’t have to put on an act for us.”
“I can’t believe you kids are that worried about me,” Joker said. “Not that I don’t appreciate the concern, but . . .”
He noticed Sojiro giving him the stink-eye.
“Maybe I do have a problem,” he admitted.
--
“So! Found your voice yet?” Futaba asked. She was hunched over in her gaming chair, while Joker occupied the bed.
“That’s hardly an appropriate question,” Joker said.
“Oh, come on! If anyone gets to razz you over this, I do!”
“Ah, then you’re joking? I can understand that. In truth, I have found a way of speaking. I don’t know that it will suit me forever, but it seems appropriate nonetheless. It’s a sort of tribute.”
Futaba stayed silent.
“I can’t help but miss him,” Joker admitted, “even after everything he did.”
“I miss him too. That’s weird, isn’t it? After Mom? But he wasn’t a bad guy in the end.”
“Well, I won’t make it my only voice,” Joker said. “And on that note . . .” He gestured to her PC. “You ready to own some noobs?”
Beta read by unintended.
“I must confess,” Yusuke admitted, “that I am currently suffering from artist’s block.”
“So that’s why we’re at Destinyland?” Joker asked, coolly surveying the crowds.
“Indeed. Some people see this park as a place of childlike wonder. Others see it as a triumph of capitalism. Perhaps both are true, or neither. I choose to examine it with my own eyes, and decide for myself how best to embody it. One way or another, it will be a worthy subject.” He watched a small child who was discovering the hard way that sugary snacks and roller coasters don’t mix. “At least, I hope so. The tickets were rather expensive.”
“Ah, you ain’t got nothin’ to worry about,” Joker reassured him. “You’re good at this shit, Yusuke. You’ll totally find something to -- why’re you looking at me funny?”
“I cannot help but notice that this isn’t your usual speech pattern,” Yusuke told him.
Joker’s eyes crossed, like he was trying to look at something that wasn’t really there. “I beg your apology,” he said. “I was speaking with Ryuji earlier, and he must have rubbed off on me somewhat.”
“No apology is necessary,” Yusuke said, but he made a mental note of it anyway.
--
“God, I’m getting fat,” Ann complained.
“Really?” Joker asked. “I wouldn’t have said that.”
“Yeah, because I’d kick your ass!” Ann told him. “But it’s true. Too many crepes, not enough exercise.”
“You could always accompany me to the gym--”
“No thanks,” Ann quickly interjected.
“But in truth,” Joker finished, “I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s not your weight which makes you a model, it’s your strength of will. You project an aura of confidence.”
“Huh. You’re talking . . . different today.”
“I guess that’s what happens when you spend all day with Yusuke,” Joker said. “He’s kinda contagious.”
Ann made a show of shuddering. “I’ll remember that if he ever asks me to model again.”
--
Coffee was good. Coffee cleared Joker’s head. It helped him listen to Haru’s worries.
“For better or for worse,” Haru said, “Okumura Foods depends on foreign labor. It’s competitive relative to the wages other companies pay, but it’s still hardly enough to live on. The question is whether and how much I can raise it. As the board loves to remind me, I have a fiduciary duty to our shareholders not to waste money.”
“I don’t think that’s your only duty, though,” Joker said. “If you asked your shareholders if they wanted to starve your employees, no one would say yes to that, right?”
“Is it really that simple, though?” Haru asked.
“It pretty much has to be,” Joker said. “It’s like, are you going to be a good boss or a bad one? So don’t make too big a deal over . . ." He trailed off. “What I meant to say was, you’ve already decided on your plan of action. All you’re doing now is looking for a way to justify it to yourself. Overcomplicating it further won’t help anything.”
Haru raised an eyebrow at the change in his speaking style, but said nothing.
--
Joker was talking to Sojiro after work when they heard banging on the cafe door.
“Open up!” Makoto yelled. “This is an intervention!”
“Woo!” Futaba added. “An intervention, and this time it’s not for me!”
All of the Thieves were there. Even Morgana stood with them, the little traitor.
“We’ve noticed how you’ve been speaking… strangely lately,” Haru began.
“Yeah, how you try to butter us up by talking like we do!” Ann added.
“We’re your friends, Joker,” Morgana told him. “We like you because of who you are. You don’t have to put on an act for us.”
“I can’t believe you kids are that worried about me,” Joker said. “Not that I don’t appreciate the concern, but . . .”
He noticed Sojiro giving him the stink-eye.
“Maybe I do have a problem,” he admitted.
--
“So! Found your voice yet?” Futaba asked. She was hunched over in her gaming chair, while Joker occupied the bed.
“That’s hardly an appropriate question,” Joker said.
“Oh, come on! If anyone gets to razz you over this, I do!”
“Ah, then you’re joking? I can understand that. In truth, I have found a way of speaking. I don’t know that it will suit me forever, but it seems appropriate nonetheless. It’s a sort of tribute.”
Futaba stayed silent.
“I can’t help but miss him,” Joker admitted, “even after everything he did.”
“I miss him too. That’s weird, isn’t it? After Mom? But he wasn’t a bad guy in the end.”
“Well, I won’t make it my only voice,” Joker said. “And on that note . . .” He gestured to her PC. “You ready to own some noobs?”
Beta read by unintended.
