Author's Note: My first attempt at a Persona 5 story. I wanted to do something involving Persona's 3, 4, & 5. However, I couldn't get it straight in my head, so I had this idea instead.

Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 5 or its characters, all rights belong to Atlus.

Lonely Boy I

Ichiko Ohya took a final drag of her cigarette before stubbing out the ashes in an overstuff ashtray. She sat beside the former prosecutor turned defence attorney Sae Nijima who was absently stirring her drink as she read the file Ohya had provided on her client. Ohya sighed pulling another cigarette out of the packet and reached for her lighter.

"Those things are going to kill you one day," Sae observed absently pouring over the material Ohya had gathered.

"Eh, better this than being targeted by some Yakuza boss," Ohya replied avoiding sour looks from Layla, the proprietor of Crossroads who huffed disapprovingly of her friend's habit. Ohya responded by sticking her tongue out at the woman who rolled her eyes.

Sae exhaled running her fingers through her luscious grey hair, Ohya leaned back admiring the young woman. Sae caught her stare and smiled asking, "What?"

Ohya shrugged replying, "You could have any man in Tokyo, and yet you remain single, why is that?"

Sae snorted a laugh, "I have high standards, higher than the lecherous old men and wet behind the ears prosecutors that file in and out of the SIU building daily. I'm not anyone's trophy wife, and I will not reduce myself to being some salaryman's baby making machine. I have a career Ichiko, I've worked damn hard to get where I am. My father spent every yen on my education, and I'll be damned if that goes to waste. Besides Makoto still, needs someone a role model. She's more than reproductive organs."

"I think she knows that already," Ohya replied with a smile, gently nudging a tabloid mag towards the young lawyer. On the cover was a report regarding the Phantom Thieves movie that had just gone into production based on the book by Yuuki Mishima.

"Yes, well, a reminder never hurt anyone," Sae replied with a wry smile.

Sae slipped the manila folder into an attaché case patting her friend on the hand as she stood saying, "It's been fun, but I have to get home. I promised Makoto I would be there when she returned from the movies."

"Oooh, hot date?" Ohya teased.

"I hope not," Sae replied as she walked out of the bar.

Sae stepped out into a late August evening and immediately regretted the three glasses of whiskey she'd had while chatting with Ohya. The warm late summer night dulled her senses and amplified the effects of the alcohol on her system. Stumbling slightly, she ventured forward glad she'd taken a cab to their meeting. She stopped to steady herself against a wall when a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist pulling Sae into the alleyway.

"You smell good, I bet you're looking for a perfect time." A man's voice announced as he pushed Sae further down the alley finally pinning her to the wall by her wrists. He was shorter the Sae, but of stocky build, he reeked of alcohol and cigarettes. He black three-piece suit was a size too small and rough from years of wear.

Sae's eyes widened with fear trying to pull away from the man, but his stature belayed his strength as he held Sae in place. Sae's father had been an astute self-defence teacher passing down his knowledge to his eldest daughter who had passed it down to Makoto at a suitable age. However, none of the training helped when she was trying to combat an assailant and the effects of alcohol.

The salaryman leaned in his alcohol-soaked breath making Sae's stomach turn as he spoke, "Come on sweetie, just a little taste, I won't hurt you, promise."

"I think you've had enough." Another voice said as they put a hand on the salaryman's shoulder.

Spinning the man around they dodged a fist with ease, with his hands in his pockets Sae's saviour lunged forward headbutting the man in the face. A satisfying crunch of the man's nose breaking reached Sae's ears as he collapsed to the ground sobbing.

"You'll, you'll pay for this! I-I'll get…" The salaryman began to protest as he slinked away towards the entrance to the alley.

"You'll get nothing, I take it you know what this is?" Sae replied holding up her prosecutor's badge, carefully hiding her ID from the salaryman's prying eyes.

The salaryman's face lost its colour as he stood up unsteadily, looking in fear between Sae and her saviour he swore and ran out of the alley into the streets of Shinjuku.

Sae exhaled slumping against the wall breathing deeply to regain her composure. Once she had, she realised her saviour was quickly walking away as if trying to escape her notice. Running after him she grabbed the young man by the arm saying, "Wait, I didn't, properly…"

The words died in Sae's throat as she stared into the grey eyes of Akira Kurusu. He turned away without saying a word trying to walk away from her again, but Sae refused to let him go. The shock of seeing him again seemingly washing the alcohol from her system as she grabbed him by the arm pulling him back into the alley. It was only when he stepped into the light that she got a real look at him.

Akira's black hair was usually unkempt however it was currently matted and dirty as if it hadn't been washed in weeks. His charcoal grey shirt was stained and torn as were his blue jeans. As Sae got closer, she finally noticed the smell emanating off Akira. Covering her nose, Sae asked, "Kurusu, have you been living on the streets?"

"Nijima-san, I um…" Akira whispered finally ending his sentence with a simple nod.

"What, why, where is your mother, oh god…" Sae asked her voice reduced to a whisper as several dark possibilities dawned on her.

Akira shook his head replying, "N-no, she's fine, or, well, i-it's complicated."

"So complicated you've taken to living on the streets?" Sae replied.

"I'm surviving…" Akira protested, but it rang hollow as his stomach growled loudly. Sae took a step closer to carefully examine the man standing in front of her. His eyes had none of the fire she'd seen even when she'd sent him to Juvenile Hall. His cheeks were sunken in, and his clothes hung loosely off his body. Sae looked back into the alley realising they were situated between two restaurants and cold reality set in.

"Kurusu, you were looking for food in the trash? What the hell is going on?" Sae demanded loudly drawing the attention of some passers-by.

Akira shuffled back into the alley hiding in the darkness. He avoided Sae's demanding gaze rubbing his arm as he replied, "I, I'm just, I have nowhere to go."

"What about Sojiro, or your friends?" Sae asked.

"I-I can't burden them. They're all doing so well, especially Makoto. I don't want to weigh anyone down." Akira replied softly.

Sae frowned trying to search his eyes for any signs of the boy she remembered, the one with the fierce fire in his eyes and the intense gaze that had pierced through her. Sighing she looked out into the street spotting a cab nearby. Taking the opportunity, she took Akira by the hand and marched him out into the street.

"Ms Nijima, where are we going?" Akira asked looking around wildly.

"You'll see," Sae replied with a smile.

After a fraught cab ride in which Sae had to pay double the usual fee because of the smell Akira was giving off, they arrived back at Sae and Makoto's apartment. Akira stood in the doorway looking around surprised that an expensive and spacious, for Tokyo, apartment felt so warm. The walls were filled with pictures of the Nijima family as was the sideboard and the stand under the TV. Sae dumped her case and jacket onto the couch and turned around to find Akira still standing in the doorway as if afraid to enter.

Sae sighed stepping forward taking Akira by the hand and leading him into the laundry with the bathroom behind a frosted glass door. Sae crossed her arms and nodded towards the bathroom door explaining, "Go bathe, I will leave some clean clothes out for you. When you're done, we'll have some food and talk."

Akira blushed, "Y-you don't have to do this Ms Nijima, I'm fi…"

"You're certainly not fine. You're living on the street and eating out of trash cans. You clearly haven't had a bath or a decent meal in weeks. Now you will do as I say." Sae protested pointing to the bathroom door.

Akira grinned a little, the Joker slipping out ever so slightly, "Ms Nijima, I'm a Phantom Thief, I don't take orders."

"Right now, you're stinky teenager standing in my laundrette. Get in the damn bath." Sae ordered.

Akira sighed and nodded, and Sae stepped out. A few minutes later she returned with a white button-down shirt, a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and an old pair of brown shoes. She placed the clothes on top of the washing machine and was about to leave when she caught a peek at Akira who had forgotten to close the bathroom door all the way. Despite weeks without proper food, he was still lithe and muscular. Even from the side, Sae could tell he was well built and the untidy hair and his piercing grey eyes...

'Snap out of it Nijima, he's a teenager. You're an adult, stop eyeing him off like a horny teenager in a hentai manga.' Sae admonished herself as she slipped out of the laundrette.

Ten minutes later Akira emerged smiling and smelling much fresher than he had when he stepped into the apartment. He bowed slightly to Sae saying, "Thank you for letting me use your bathroom to bathe and for the clean clothes. I, uh, I'm not sure when I'll be able to return them. I'll just get my old clothes and go…"

"Your old clothes are in a dumpster by now. Besides you're not going anywhere, sit." Sae ordered pointing to an empty seat beside her at the table. Akira reluctantly sat down and was confronted with a bowl of Gyudon. Akira stared at it for several seconds as his stomach growled again. Giving in, he picked up the bowl and chopsticks and began eating as did Sae.

The two allowed the meal to pass in silence and after a third bowl Akira leant back closing his eyes for a moment and relaxing. Sae smiled watching him settle for the first time since they'd met in the alley. The moment was brief however as seconds later Akira rose from the table and moved towards the door, he turned around and bowed again to Sae, "Thank you for…"

"IF you say that one more time Mr Kurusu I will punch you. You're not going anywhere tonight. You're staying here if I have to sit in the spare bedroom and guard you." Sae explained standing up putting herself between Akira and the door.

"Ms Nijima…" Akira replied softly looking away, she could feel the emotions radiating from his body. The body language told her that he felt trapped, his body language said to her he was frightened.

Walking up to him she ran her hands down his arms gently holding him by the wrists loosely as she spoke, "Kurusu, what happened, why are you so afraid. Why are you so ready to run away?"

To Be Continued…

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