Chapter Text
Akihiko was the first of their group to wake up that morning; it took him a moment to remember where he was, and that it was not the Iwatodai dorm complex. He stretched out languorously on an unfamiliar mattress that was so large, comfortable, and luxurious that actually sleeping on it as he was must have been some kind of sin. Clean white sheets tickled the hair on his legs when he moved them. Morning sunlight was streaming in through the picture windows carrying midsummer heat and the scent of the ocean.
If that feeling could have been bottled, he might have bathed in it.
Akihiko rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, waking up slower than usual. It would be a while longer before the others woke, so there was no need to rush. Today would be their first full day on Yakushima. After everything they had learned concerning Tartarus, the Gekkoukan school grounds, and the true nature of the Dark Hour - the memory soured his morning somewhat - Akihiko imagined that everyone would appreciate the chance to rest. Takeba, probably more than the others.
Minato and Junpei were still asleep; Minato on a makeshift futon, and Junpei on an old chintz couch that could not possibly be comfortable. Mitsuru, naturally, had her own room. Takeba and Minako were bunking with Yamagishi on the other side of the house. Akihiko, knowing he had some time to spare, decided to go for a run.
He spared a glance for the others while he changed into his workout clothes.
Minato had been perfectly happy to make himself a futon over by the window. He had slipped his headphones off shortly after midnight, gripped his Evoker, and waited unblinking for the Dark Hour to pass. He had drifted off to sleep shortly after, slipping his headphones back on. He was still sleeping. His headphones were still on, though his music player had switched itself off at some point during the night. It was actually kind of eerie how he hadn't moved from the spot.
Junpei, on the other hand, looked like he'd had a rough time. He'd been tossing and turning all night; Akihiko had heard him at it. His blankets were all rucked up and twisted around his legs. It was no surprise, given his sleeping arrangements... but Akihiko reminded himself that Junpei had literally asked for this. Akihiko offered to arm wrestle for the bed and everything... but Junpei had blankly refused him. His loss. Akihiko spared one last glance for the others, and left the room.
He ran for a good forty minutes before he was forced to head back. Yakushima was more of a challenge than he had expected; the steep inclines and rough terrain took a lot out of him, and he wasn't able to maintain the swift pace he was aiming for. It was a decent enough workout, but it wasn't the kind of workout he had wanted. Akihiko drank a lot of water while he ruminated on the problem. He still didn't understand the relationship between his physical stamina and his ability to utilize his Persona. It was getting harder to summon Polydeuces in the heat of the moment; it tired him out in a way that he did not fully understand.
Akihiko stopped by the kitchen on an impulse, mixing himself a protein shake as a matter of course, drinking something to replenish his electrolytes, and fixing himself a cup of syrupy coffee as a treat. He ran into Mitsuru while he was there. She spared a few words about the girls' plans for the day before running off to deal with something else.
Akihiko pinched a protein bar from the cupboard before heading back to the boys' room. Minato was up and gone by the time that Akihiko got there. His futon was neatly folded, as if no one had ever slept in it.
Eerie bastard.
Junpei was still sleeping. Or, he was trying to sleep. Akihiko paused, a frown creasing his forehead as he considered his underclassman.
... what the hell are you doing?
Junpei was tossing and turning quite heavily. It looked like he was having some kind of nightmare. Akihiko kept a wary eye on Junpei as he pulled off his sweaty workout shirt. His shorts were as damp as his shirt, so he pulled those off and dug around for a swim suit instead. He figured that everyone would want to go down to the beach at some point anyway, so he decided to get ahead of the game. He'd brought two suits. He found one in a corner of his travel bag and, keeping an eye on Junpei, swapped his jockstrap for the swim suit.
Junpei groaned, loudly. He was kicking at something beneath his blankets. Akihiko bit his lip in hesitation. He knew from experience that it was a bad idea to try and wake a sleepwalker, but Junpei looked seriously ill. He was sweating profusely, which could not have been normal. Akihiko had just about decided what to do when Junpei gave a sudden, violent kick that sent his blanket to the floor.
... oh, damn.
Akihiko froze. It took him longer than he would care to admit to realize what he was seeing. He blushed like a signal fire when he realized what the shiny red bell-shape jutting out from the slit in Junpei's boxer shorts was.
... oh, shit. shitshitshit.
Akihiko had no idea what to do. Should he try to cover it up somehow? Throw a blanket on him? Junpei would probably just kick it off again. He could leave the room and pretend he hadn't seen anything... but there was still a chance that someone else might walk in and see. How would Takeba react to this? Yamagishi? Minako? Or even worse... Mitsuru?
Akihiko made a snap decision. He went to lock the door. Junpei's dignity was beyond saving... but this way, at least Akihiko would be the only one to see this. He thought he might climb out the picture window after.
It was just as the lock clicked shut that something small and solid went zooming past his head. Akihiko ducked to the side almost instinctively as the - is that a pink elephant? - shattered into a hundred pieces against the door frame. He even made a move for his Evoker before he remembered that it was still in his bag, and it wasn't the Dark Hour.
Junpei was up. He was standing on the chintz couch with his arm outstretched, as if at the peak of a throw. "NO!" Junpei bellowed. Akihiko flinched in surprise, and Junpei giggled like a schoolgirl. "You mustn't do that!" Akihiko stared at the spectacle in disbelief. Junpei was naked, now. Just naked. His boxers were gone. One of his legs was up on the chintz backing, and the other was up on the armrest. His legs were spread wide, and he kept thrusting his hips like he was presenting them to Akihiko. His cock jutted out in front of him like a flag pole on the side of a building. Akihiko tried to understand. Junpei's eyes were closed. His expression was dopey and unfocused with a line of drool running from the side of his mouth.
"Junpei...?" Akihiko said cautiously. How the Hell did you make a throw like that without even looking?
"You must never say never, and never say die!" Junpei bellowed, in English for some reason. "Once more into the breach, dear friends! Once more, we fill up the wall with our English dead!"
"Tch..." Akihiko clenched his fists, and firmed his stance. Junpei didn't even speak English. Had he gotten that from a movie quote, or something? Akihiko's eyes widened in surprise when Junpei picked up a large reading lamp, nearly losing his perch. It looked as heavy as it was expensive, and going by the heft it was completely solid.
It that connects...!
Everything happened at once. Junpei threw the lamp as hard as he could, and Akihiko ducked under it. It grazed his ear painfully, hitting the wall behind him with a loud thump and a noise like crumbling gypsum. Akihiko darted forward, not really knowing what he was supposed to do when he made it to Junpei but not willing to miss his first and only chance. Junpei threw his arms wide and made a bellowing call, like Tarzan. He went for an enormous ceramic flamingo and hefted it like a two-handed blade. He swung it in a wide act - sloppy! - that barely missed Akihiko's head. Akihiko planted his foot on the carpet and launched himself upward with his arms outstretched. Junpei pulled the flamingo back, hitting Akihiko on the back swing and shattering it across his midsection.
He was too late to stop Akihiko from tackling him. Flamingo bits went flying in every direction, cutting into Akihiko's thigh as they thudded to the floor. Junpei whooped and giggled like a kid on a carnival ride as they skidded to a stop in Minato's futon. He landed on top of Akihiko, who groaned in pain.
Akihiko was not about to take any chances. He had to get Junpei into a hold or something and keep him down until he regained his senses. It was as good a plan as any other, only... it seemed that Junpei had a similar idea. Akihiko was at a disadvantage so long as Junpei was on top, and Junpei was surprisingly ruthless. Akihiko felt his arm go back in a ragged half-nelson. Junpei might have trapped Akihiko with that, had he been in full possession of his senses, but his technique was understandably sloppy. Akihiko made a blind jab with his elbow and felt it sink into abdominal muscle. Junpei grunted with pain as his grip loosened. Akihiko was able to break the hold and throw him off.
Akihiko scrambled to his feet. On the ground, Junpei was just ruthless enough to win. He'd borne a few cuts when he and Junpei fell, but they weren't serious. Junpei was on his feet almost as quickly as Akihiko was. Akihiko watched in shaky disbelief as the younger boy took what looked like a sumo stance. His legs were braced wide, with his cock, still hard, jutting out in front of him. Akihiko darted forward, but Junpei intercepted him with a firm slap. Akihiko retaliated, catching Junpei's hands and pushing.
Don't think about it. Don't think about the dick. Don't think about the dick...
Akihiko knew almost nothing about sumo... but the rules of the game were hardly relevant, here. He was physically stronger than Junpei, but what good would it do to push him back? Akihiko furiously debated his options as he backed Junpei against the bed frame. He could always try to throw Junpei to the ground again. He tried hooking his hand under Junpei's thigh to do just that. Junpei responded by grabbing his ass. Akihiko squawked and lost a step. Junpei stumbled against him, and Akihiko heard a tearing sound. Akihiko's swimsuit, which had already been partially torn on pieces of shattered flamingo, tore away in Junpei's grasp. Junpei threw it away and went for another throw without hesitation. Akihiko was only barely able to keep his balance. He hooked his arm under Junpei's torso and tried to throw him again before the situation could spiral any further out of control.
Almost without transition... Junpei fell asleep.
Of all the things that Akihiko might have expected... he had not been expecting that. All of a sudden, his fierce opponent had gone completely slack. Akihiko went careening forward into the bed-frame.
CRACK!
He could not have stopped it if he had tried.