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"This place exists between dreams and reality, mind and matter. Only those that have signed the contract can enter this place."
He says nothing. He can't say anything.
"Hmm, what is this? You're not meant to be here, are you, little one?"
He can't move. He doesn't remember how he got here.
"The true Wild Card... I sense the potential within you, but no. You're not the right one."
A blue butterfly floats past his vision, a metal door slams shut, and then he knows nothing more.
He wakes up in a cell. He doesn't remember coming here.
The walls are covered in plush blue velvet, and chains hang from the ceiling, noisily clanging against each other. He sits on the ground in his regular school uniform and leans against the wall.
He doesn't know how long he's been here. He wonders how much time has passed since Shido's Palace. Either way, it's peaceful here. He doesn't have to fight here.
He closes his eyes.
"Akechi?" a voice asks.
He looks up at the figure on the other side of the bars. "Hello, Joker."
"So, you're here too." Akira takes off his mask and sits down next to him. “Of all the people...”
"Did you fulfill our promise?" he asks Akira. He's not quite sure why.
"I did." Akira fiddles with his dagger, polishing it with the edge of his coat. "We stole his Treasure and induced a change of heart. He confessed to Okumura's murder on live television.”
"Are you here to save me, then? The righteous leader of the Phantom Thieves, upholding his own justice?" He scoffs. "If that's the case, you should just leave now."
"I'm here so you can save yourself," Akira says softly.
"And what makes you think I will?"
Akira hesitates, then sighs. "I don't know if you will. But we both know this isn’t over.” Akira slips a hand through the bars and into his. “And with what’s coming up, I need all the help I can get.”
It's then that he realizes they never really figured out what they were. Not since Akira had pulled him aside, away from the other Phantom Thieves, right before taking down Nijima’s Shadow.
“Joker, what are you—” Akechi hissed as he was pulled around a corner.
Akira ran a hand through his hair, then gently reached up to take off Akechi’s mask. He placed his other hand against Akechi’s chest, and pushed him backwards until Akechi’s back pressed against the wall.
“Joker—” Akechi tried again.
“Crow, please,” he begged, and Akechi stopped talking. “Look, I know now’s not the right time, but I didn’t know when or how to say it. But I don’t know if we’ll make it through, and I don’t want to have any regrets when this is all over, so—”
Akira leaned forward and pressed their lips together.
It was more of a peck than anything, nowhere near a proper kiss. But when Akira pulled away, something in Akechi’s gut twisted at the loss of contact, and he resisted the urge to chase him down and kiss him back.
“Akira, I—” he said, eyes blown wide.
But Akira shook his head and instead handed the mask back to Akechi. “We need to go before the others come looking for us.” He looked at Akechi, regret on his face. “I’m sorry. After this is over, we'll...”
“Pragmatic as always, Joker,” Akechi said, putting his mask back on. “Let’s go.”
And now, here they were, sitting together at the end of the world, holding hands like they hadn’t been ready to kill each other the last time they met.
“I trust you more than I should,” Akira admits. “And I know we didn’t part on the best of terms, but you can’t just stay here.”
He turns to face Akira. “And what will we do when we leave? Will we become star-crossed lovers, have our happily ever after ending?” He lets out a bitter laugh. “We both know it’s not that easy.”
“No, it’s not,” Akira agrees. “But I’m tired of being a prisoner of fate. I’m tired of playing this game. And I think you are too.”
Akira squeezes his hand, gently, and stands up. He puts his mask back on and flips his dagger, offering the handle to Akechi.
“Come with me,” Akira begs.
He curls his fingers, remembering the feel of Akira’s hand in his. He licks his lips, remembering the feel of Akira’s lips against his own. He looks into Akira’s eyes, remembering the spirit of rebellion that brought him into this dark, twisted world.
He stands up, and in a flash, he is cloaked in his Metaverse outfit once again.
The door between them glows a brilliant blue, then fades away.
Akechi steps forward and takes the dagger.
“Let’s go.”