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batsutousai.bsky.social
🏳️‍🌈🦇Batsutousai🦇🏳️‍🌈
@batsutousai.bsky.social
88 followers 61 following 480 posts
Reader, Writer, Crocheter, & All-Time Nerd.
Eternally 30; self-identifing with she/they, but will answer to any pronouns
I live under a rock, because they can't find me here.
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batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 31/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic has been posted to AO3!
#jjw
Discovering Ohya knows about Akeshu & some Mementos time

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
Ren said, “Thank you, both. I…don’t think I realised how much I needed that.” Because it had been a week. Ryuji caught an arm around his shoulders and tugged him into a half-hug, which Ren allowed with a fond huff. “Yeah, man. Things get too heavy, you gotta take a bit to just make a fool of yourself, right? Be less suave.” “Fuck you,” Ren retorted—because Ryuji had complained, more than once, about how obnoxious it was that Ren could pull off casually cool without really having to try for it, especially as Joker, while Ryuji was far better at acting the delinquent—and they both laughed. “Yeah,” Shiho said. “This was… You know, I love Ann, but this isn’t the sort of fun we would usually have. We’d do a film, or crêpes, or—” she grimaced “—one of her shoots. Which, those can be a lot of fun!” she added in a rush. “Nah, man, she did the same thing with us,” Ryuji promised, and Ren nodded. “She’s great, and we love her, and it can be kinda cool in a weird way to watch her do the modelling thing, especially once she got serious about it, but, sometimes, you just want to make a mess and eat some meat.” And then he flung a finger at the diner. “I need steak!” “Oh my god, Sakamoto. You only have two settings,” Shiho complained, but she was laughing as she did.
December 8, 2025 at 6:13 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 30/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
Ren meets Sumire's parents and a conversation is had. Also, Big Bang Challenge Pt.1!

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
Sumire hesitated, looking a little like she was debating the possibility of just flopping back onto her bed, so Ren stood and held a hand down to her. “We’ve faced down scarier gods,” he said. She let out a slightly startled laugh and caught his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. “So, be a little more like Alice?” she suggested. Ren took a moment to envision Sumire standing across from her parents and doing the equivalent of yelling “No, mine!” at the top of her lungs, and couldn’t quite manage to completely strangle a horrified laugh. “Not like Alice, then,” Sumire said as she stepped gingerly towards the door of her room and her watching father, a strained note to her pleasant tone. “I’m not sure Alice is the best choice to emulate, in this instance,” Ren settled on. “May I suggest Ella, instead?” She twirled in place, shooting him a brief startled look, before letting out a quiet laugh. “Grace and beauty?” “Kindness, and the inner strength to endure,” Ren corrected, before shrugging and adding, “And, sure, grace,” as she did another little twirl in place.
December 5, 2025 at 3:44 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 29/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
Sojiro is DONE with everyone's bullshit, and Ren and Makoto's talk goes... Well, it goes.

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
"Did it not occur to either of you, that a kid who had the sort of connections to get a story plastered across the front page of Maiasa Newspaper once, could probably manage it a second time?" Kobayakawa went ashen, while Shiono winced; no, neither of them had thought of the potential repercussions in punishing those students who had been involved in the initial article. (Honestly, neither had Ren, although he or one of the other Thieves probably would have thought of it pretty quickly, if he or Ryuji or Shiho ended up expelled for talking to Ohya.) "Are we done here?" Sojiro demanded. "Perhaps," Shiono ground out, "Amamiya could tell us where the supposed records of complaints the reporter had came from. As a show of good faith." "He," Sojiro replied, "does not owe you any 'good faith'." Shiono narrowed his eyes at Sojiro. "He took part in slander against this institution—" "As his teacher pointed out," Sojiro interrupted, "it's only 'slander' if it's untrue. In which case, who gives a damn where the supposed records came from, sue the newspaper and be done with it." And then he fell silent and raised a single, speaking eyebrow at Shiono, who looked away. Because everyone in that room—excepting, perhaps, Kawakami, who probably at least had suspicions—knew that documentation was legitimate, which meant the administration had been knowingly keeping an abuser on staff, which had led, in this case, to Ren being beaten, harassed, and (nearly) choked to death. Which meant, if anyone in that room owed a show of 'good faith', it was Kobayakawa and Shiono.
December 1, 2025 at 10:13 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Third side-story for my NG+ series is now up, titled "And the Greatest Good Is Little Enough". It's Kawakami's PoV through the events of chapter 27.
#jjw

archiveofourown.org/works/74976486
Sadayo wanted to shrug it off. She wanted to keep turning a blind eye, keep convincing herself that it wasn’t her concern. But, it was hard to forget the healing black eye Amamiya had returned to school with, the first time Sakura—who had seemed gruff and disinclined towards giving excuses for Amamiya unless he truly believed they were necessary—had called out for him, or the way their entire group had closed ranks the second time he’d stayed home. It was hard to forget how Kamoshida had seemed set to flee from Niijima, or the way Niijima had started attending volleyball practises more often than not. The way volleyball students seemed to be having fewer wounds this year. The fact that Sadayo had found Akechi in the PE faculty office during lunch with the lights off, and a little hand-held blacklight casting bright spots on the floor. As soon as he’d noticed the door opening—she’d actually come to check on Kamoshida, since he’d looked terrible the day before, and she’d overheard a couple of students saying he’d looked ill again when they’d seen him while checking their exam scores, and hadn’t wanted to wake him up if he was trying to take a nap where he was less likely to be disturbed than the nurse’s office—he’d clicked off the blacklight and stood, flashing a disarming smile and commenting that he was afraid he’d got a little lost, and it would quite help if she’d show him back to the student council office. The thing was, Sadayo wasn’t an idiot, and she’d enjoyed her share of crime novels and dramas as a teenager and young adult, back when she actually had some free-time; she knew the sorts of things that blacklights were meant to highlight, that a detective reportedly seeking signs of an abusive member of the faculty might be using it to find. She didn’t want to get involved. It wasn’t her problem. And, then, the article dropped. AO3 Page for the fic: Summary: Side-story to Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters). Kawakami reflects on the changes that seem to have spawned from the transfer student, and realises some things about herself. Characters: Kawakami Sadayo, Persona 5 Protagonist, Takamaki Ann, Mr. Inui (Persona Series), Principal Kobayakawa (Persona Series), Shujin Academy Vice Principal (Persona 5), Phantom Thieves of Hearts Relationships: Kawakami Sadayo & Takamaki Ann, Kawakami Sadayo & Sakamoto Ryuji, Kamoshida Suguru & Kawakami Sadayo, Mr. Inui (Persona 5) & Kawakami Sadayo, Kawakami Sadayo & Persona 5 Protagonist Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Blackmail, Canon-Typical subject matter, Depression, Self-Esteem Issues, Defeatist Mentality, Implied/Referenced Prostitution
November 30, 2025 at 12:54 AM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 27/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
Time with other Thieves, & also, some nude modelling?

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
Once they were on the train, drawing a blank on other publicly-acceptable topics, and needing the distraction from the creeping sensation of thinking they might be being followed, Ren asked, “What were you and Futaba arguing about earlier? Featherman?” Akechi blinked at him. “I– Yes?” He cleared his throat, eyes tracking to one side, like he was embarrassed, and Ren suddenly got a lot more interested. “Sakura and I shared a…mutual offence at a theory posited in a message board we both frequent. We were getting our plan of attack straightened out.” Ren blinked, tilting his head to one side. “You and Futaba,” he said slowly, “have bonded over telling other fans they’re wrong?” Akechi grimaced and muttered, “Yes.” “I have to tell the others,” Ren decided, and reached for his mobile, while Morgana made a noise which Ren was relatively certain was him attempting to muffle laughter from inside his bag. “Do. Not,” Akechi snarled, making a grab for his arm, only to stop and wince. Ren snorted, but left off his mobile. “Okay, okay,” he said. “Your secret’s safe.” (Honestly, Futaba was as likely to give him hell if he told the others; they were both utterly ridiculous, refusing to let on that they might, in some way, be friends.)
November 27, 2025 at 5:51 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 27/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
Velvet Room answers and the article fall-out!

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
“We’re going to Mementos today,” was the first thing Akechi said to him when he opened his eyes, and Ren laughed and kissed him. The video game tournament wasn’t due to start until noon, and Futaba and Sumire had both stared, wide-eyed and hopeful, at Akechi over breakfast, until he snarled that, yes, they could come with them. (Sojiro and Ren spent most of breakfast avoiding looking at each other, because damned if it wasn’t fucking hilarious to watch Akechi slowly resign himself to an audience in real time.) So it was, that they entered the metaverse by the Ginza Line gate, where Akechi insisted they should go down a level before calling their personas. Ren swung himself down a level with his grappling hook (mostly because he wanted to see if he could), while Raoul carried Sumire and Morgana, Futaba rode Al Azif, and Akechi scaled the wall. “I honestly can’t decide if I’m impressed or creeped out,” Futaba admitted while the rest of them waited for Akechi on the level with the path that led them back to the rest of Mementos. “I can’t believe that he’s spent the last two years getting around that way.” “I’m impressed he found it as an alternative,” Morgana admitted. Akechi scoffed as he jumped down the last metre. “I tried riding the trains, first,” he admitted, even as he motioned for Ren to lead the way out onto the platform proper, “but the doors don’t open on the side with the platforms we can easily access, and I wasn’t suicidal enough to try riding on the top without knowing the clearance in the tunnels. And they come too fast and too constantly for anyone to walk on the tracks. These maintenance walkways were my only option, and they led to a perfectly climbable wall.” “It was a good solution, when you didn’t know about the doorways,” Morgana offered. Akechi ignored him, instead calling, “Hereward!”
November 27, 2025 at 2:13 AM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 26/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
Chapter of flowers! 💐🌹

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
He swallowed and admitted, “I watched you die; getting to spend time with you, in any way, feels special to me.” Akechi closed his eyes. “You and your damn sentiment,” he muttered, but Ren suspected that he got it; he was not, after all, the only one who had watched the boy he cared for be murdered, and Akechi had the dubious pleasure of having been holding the gun. “Fine, I’ll come back with you tomorrow, and you can pick what we do on Sunday.” Ren eyed him for a moment. “Even if that’s spending the day hanging out with Fu-Oracle or the other Thieves?” he asked, stumbling over how to refer to Futaba, because he’d almost forgotten they were in a damn palace. Akechi looked briefly pained, but he agreed, “Even then.” Oh, that was tempting, especially after Ann’s earlier comment about isolating. Except…well. “You know,” Ren mused, “we never did get to watch that Featherman film you like so much, and I wouldn’t mind going to the batting cages with you and kicking your ass.” Akechi stared at him for a moment, expression completely blank, before it bloomed into a wide, slightly toothy smile. It made him look oddly young, like someone who hadn’t sold his soul to a moral-less bastard intent on ruining everyone around him. Ren’s heart ached.
November 21, 2025 at 10:51 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Found a perfectly good rose fallen on the station platform and somehow untrampled, so I guess I get a rose today.

I accept, because it has been A Day.
Photo of a hand holding a red rose.
November 21, 2025 at 9:09 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 25/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
Akechi finds a way to ensure Kamoshida won't attack Ren again.

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
Kamoshida was waiting inside, leaning against the wall near the school store window. He looked rough, like he’d gone a week without sleep. Since Ren wasn’t the only one visibly surprised by his state, he guessed it was new. And, given the reason Morgana hadn’t been with him yesterday, Ren had a pretty good idea about who was to blame for his state. Still, he waited until after they’d dropped Makoto and Haru at their classrooms, gone all the way to the top floor to drop Sumire at her classroom, and then split from Ryuji and Shiho on their floor, before asking Ann and Morgana, “What, exactly, did you four do in the castle?” Morgana, helpfully, just cackled. Ann turned in her seat and leant one elbow on his desk, resting her chin in her palm. “Jealous?” she asked sweetly. Ren took a moment to consider that, then shrugged and said, “Satanael can ground the bank.” She stared at him for a moment, then leant back and groaned. “Why does that have to sound so cool?” “Did Kaneshiro piss himself?” Morgana asked, sounding delighted. “Maybe a little,” Ren allowed, because he’d definitely panicked a bit at the threat to smash the bank. “Come on, trade.” Ann huffed and settled back into her previous position, looking mildly less smug. “We honestly were just going to wreck the dungeons, but then Mona suggested something interesting might happen if we wrecked the treasure room. It wasn’t hard to get up there, we just had to wait for the entrance hall to be empty and go through the back hallway behind that stupid portrait of him. Way faster.”
November 18, 2025 at 12:04 AM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Second side-story for my NG+ series is now up, titled "If It Be Truth, For Truth's Sake". It's Ohya's PoV through the events of chapter 24.
#jjw

archiveofourown.org/works/74277281
“Lala-chan,” Ichiko said, “I’m going to fail those kids.” Because, shit, what was a washed-up reporter like her supposed to do? She’d made her name chasing after politicians and revealing their mistresses and drug addictions and misuse of political funds, had got dropped down to chasing after fashion trends and fluff pieces because her partner got caught up in something deeper than Ichiko would likely ever understand. She chased the story, because that’s what she knew to do. The pieces that would pop, that would sell papers in the moment and be forgotten tomorrow. She didn’t have the skills to write this sort of piece. She couldn’t even promise them it would get published. She was going to end up doing, to those kids, what every other adult who had listened for two minutes had done. Lala hummed. “You know,” she said, “I knew this young woman, once. She raved about a piece her mentor had done, said she was going to make him proud, one day, write the sort of article that stayed with you, haunted the readers for days and months and years.” “She was a moron,” Ichiko groused, because being reminded of her early days, before she’d lost everything, did not do her any favours. “I don’t think she was,” Lala said, before a gentle hand scooped under Ichiko’s head, forcing her to sit up straight and meet Lala’s dark gaze. “I think she’s just scared. I think she’s been beaten down and lied to, told that there’s nothing she can do to change her fate, and no real future left waiting for her.” Ichiko swallowed and looked away. “I think,” Lala said, gentle, “that she is just like those kids.” Something shuddered down her spine, and something else felt like it was fluttering in her chest, beating against the cage of her ribs. “They’ve found their courage, because you were willing to listen. I wonder, Ichiko-chan, where you will find yours.” AO3 page for the fic. Summary: Side-story to Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters). Ohya finds the strength to rise up from her own slump and fights for the stories of those students who had entrusted them to her. Relationship Tags: Lala Escargot & Ohya Ichiko, Persona 5 Protagonist & Ohya Ichiko, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist Character Tags: Ohya Ichiko, Lala Escargot, Persona 5 Protagonist Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Suicide, canon typical subject matter, protective adults
November 16, 2025 at 7:12 AM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 24/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
Today, we rob a bank

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
“And you must be the little sister he’s always talking about.” “Yup! Sakura Futaba,” Futaba said, offering out one hand for a shake, which Lala dutifully returned, clearly amused. “What’s he saying about me? Only good stuff, I hope,” she added, side-eyeing Ren when he stepped up next to her to grab one of the waters and take a sip. “Mostly about your expensive figure habits,” Lala admitted. “Yes! Because he owes me, like, three—” Ren turned to stare at her. Futaba froze, and then let out a loud, put-upon sigh. “Fine, only two.” “Futaba,” Ren croaked. She whined, “Scaring me is worth another one!” Ren shook his head, then held up a single finger, while Lala chuckled. “Fine,” she muttered. “But you have to get me the ball-jointed Pink Argus with the sparkly light arrows and the high-polish metallics. I need her. Sojiro keeps telling me no.” Ren huffed, because he was relatively certain that figure was out of production, and was going to cost him a large chunk of his appropriated yen to find in mint condition, which would be her preference, he knew. Then again, he couldn’t really imagine many things more deserving of blowing the conspiracy’s money on, than an over-priced collector’s item for Futaba.
November 14, 2025 at 10:58 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 23/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
Kamoshida warning!

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
He didn’t realise he was shaking, until he was trying to pull out his mobile, and Morgana whispered a worried, “Ren?” “I’m fine,” Ren whispered back, because he was. His pride was a little battered, maybe—he really should have clocked Kamoshida before he got that close to him—but he had survived far worse than Kamoshida getting a little handsy and calling him a slur. That said, he also wasn’t stupid enough to not warn the others, so he opened the chat for just the Shujin students—no point in worrying Akechi or Yusuke, but there was nothing he could do about Futaba’s vouyeristic tendencies—and typed out a quick, ‘Kamoshida warning’ Ann flinched ahead of him and immediately twisted to look over her shoulder. “Are you okay?” she whispered, even as the others flooded the chat with that same question. 'I’m fine,’ he put in chat. 'Worried about Ann Shiho Haru tho’ Ann let out a quiet, dismayed sound, and then had to scramble to hide her mobile when Usami decided that meant she needed to answer a maths question, which Ren had to help her with. When it was safe to look back at the chat, he found Makoto had taken charge, ordering, 'No one leaves the grounds until clubs are out. Ann & I will attend the volleyball practise. Ren & Ryuji split yourselves between Haru & Sumire.’
November 10, 2025 at 10:32 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 22/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
Madarame's exhibit and a date

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
“Perhaps,” Ren said, before Haru could continue to bait Akechi in front of witnesses, “we could view the art?” “Sensei, are you feeling quite alright?” Yusuke asked, as Madarame was starting to look even more pale. Madarame let out a laugh that had a distinctly panicked edge to it. “Oh, I’m afraid even we old hats can get nervous on opening days, but don’t worry about me, my boy. Why don’t you show your friends around?” “If you’re certain, Sensei,” Yusuke agreed, sounding uncertain; the picture of a concerned mentee. “Quite, Yusuke, thank you,” Madarame agreed, and then stepped away, towards signs indicating public toilets for use. They all watched after him for a moment, before turning back towards Yusuke, who was definitely fighting a smirk. “Kitagawa, what did you do to that man?” Akechi asked, tone mild, but lacking the plastic edge. “There’s a painting of me in here, isn’t there?” Ren guessed. Yusuke’s mouth turned up at the edges and his eyes took on a distinct glint. “I told him the image came to me in a dream,” he said, with just a hint of smugness. “It is not my fault he didn’t ask who the subject was.” “Nice,” Shiho said, while Ann held up a hand for a high five, which Yusuke didn’t hesitate to complete.
November 7, 2025 at 10:42 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 21/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw
We're a little delayed with the boundaries talk, lol, but they got there.

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
‘Sakura has informed me that any punishments must first go through a review board of herself and either Sakamoto or Okumura.’ Ren groaned and dropped his too-hot face into his hands; of course Futaba would decide to stick her nose into things. 'Did I overstep, in my teasing?’ Akechi asked. Ren sighed and tried to think about how to respond to that, settling on, 'No’ “Ren,” Morgana said, disapproving. His mobile rang, bringing up the contact image of a crow that he’d set for Akechi, and Ren sighed and answered, “Goro?” “I find it’s significantly harder to tell when you’re lying to me over chat,” Akechi said flatly, and Ren winced, caught. “Did I overstep?” “I don’t know,” Ren admitted, the honesty tasting sour. “I don’t… I’m not, opposed, necessarily, to the idea of rewards for success and punishments for failure. I just…” “You have been tortured, and I am not known for my care,” Akechi said flatly. That…wasn’t wrong, but it also wasn’t the whole of it.
November 3, 2025 at 11:09 AM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Happy Halloween & Blessed Samhain! 🎃🦇 May I tempt you with a god of death? ☠👻
Chapter 20/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
“You and your obsession with feeding me,” Akechi muttered, rolling his eyes. “I’m fattening you up for Christmas dinner,” Ren retorted. Akechi let out one of his slightly startled laughs and lightly kicked Ren’s ankle, while Ren flashed him a grin. “Dad taught him well,” Futaba said, before letting out a little, “Mwehehe.” “Your father,” Akechi said flatly, “I might actually believe is fattening me up for some nefarious purpose.” “Nah.” Futaba shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t think Dad ever really hated you. Maybe when Joker had to play dead, but, still, we knew who you were answering to, by then, and Dad knew Shady McShade already and doesn’t like him.” “ ‘Shady Mc'—” Akechi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, while Futaba twisted to muffle her cackle in Ren’s shoulder. “Your utterly baffling habit of picking out inexplicable terms—” “Okay, no, he wears those stupid orange shades everywhere. It is shady as all hell,” Futaba insisted. “Does he wear them in his big old office like he’s scared of the overhead lights?” Akechi stared at her for a moment, then deadpanned, “I will never get that mental image out of my head.” “You’re welcome!” “You adopted her,” Akechi complained to Ren. Ren smiled. “I know. Best choice I ever made.” “Oh my god, no, allergies,” Futaba said, and covered her face with her hands. “How do you just say that?” Ren snickered, and felt significantly better about life when he saw Akechi’s mouth twitch, like he was suppressing a smile.
October 31, 2025 at 8:54 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 19/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
“Oh? You don’t look like you’ll be much use in a fight,” Okumura pointed out. Ren hummed. “I was under the impression that the intention was to avoid the fight entirely, Okumura-san.” Okumura scoffed. “My point stands, boy,” he said, even as Haru quietly chastised, “Father.” Ren just blinked at him, trying to look unassuming and bland and not like he was a criminal who knew all of Okumura’s dirty little secrets and didn’t like him. Haru stepped forward and caught Ren’s free arm. “I trust Ren,” she declared, before turning a pretty, innocent smile on her father. “I will see you tonight, Father.” Okumura let out an unconvinced noise, but he got back into the car without arguing his point further. Ren turned them towards the school, Haru still holding onto his arm, like she had in Kichijoji, and was only vaguely surprised to find they had accumulated a crowd. Most of them were the standard gawkers who happened to come this way, and they moved on when the potential spectacle ended, but there were a couple of girls and a boy who didn’t, all eyeing either Haru or her arm in Ren’s with undisguised loathing. As they walked closer, one of them loudly said, “Look at this little slut. She can’t be satisfied with Goro-sama, so she’s hanging all over other boys.” Haru’s hand tightened around Ren’s arm. “I wonder,” Ren mused loudly enough to carry ahead of them, “how long it would take Akechi to find a body.” And then he smiled, wide and nasty. The group fled. Haru huffed a quiet laugh, her grip loosening on his arm. “Ren,” she said, tone chiding. “They deserved it,” Morgana yowled from inside his bag. Ren hummed. “You know,” he said, “it’s actually nice to have a use for my shitty reputation, for once.”
October 27, 2025 at 10:09 AM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 18/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
“Hey, Iwai-san? Can we take a picture with a couple of the guns? It might get you more business!” “I don’t think the people who follow you are the sort who come looking for airsoft guns,” Ren muttered. “Shut up or buy me a gun,” Ann retorted. “I’ll buy you the gun,” Ren said, because they could afford to get at least one new weapon for everyone on the team, as many times as they’d been in the lower levels of Mementos recently, “I just don’t understand the point.” Iwai, who had come around on the other side of the glass case to see which gun Ann was looking at, snorted. “And you claim to be an enthusiast,” he said, with just the slightest edge of teasing, as if Ren hadn’t already proven his credentials over the handguns. Ann snickered. “He just prefers his guns a little smaller,” she teased Ren, getting up on her tiptoes to rest her elbow on his shoulder. “A nice little handful, something he can—” “I’m sorry,” Ren interrupted in his approximation of Akechi’s too-sweet voice, “I thought you wanted a new gun?” Behind them, Shiho was cackling. Ann flashed him a wide, mean smile, then leant in and kissed his cheek, before dropping back to her heels. “Spoilsport. You have to pose with me.” “Not with one of those monstrosities,” Ren retorted, as he started towards the boxes of handguns. “Are you afraid of big guns, Ren-kun?” Ann simpered at him. Before he could figure out how best to respond, Shiho said, “Maybe there’s a good reason he doesn’t feel the need to overcompensate.” As he passed her, she held up a hand, and he didn’t hesitate to give her a high-five, winning him a smirk, while Ann let out little huffy, offended noises behind him, and Iwai guffawed quietly.
October 24, 2025 at 9:46 AM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 17/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
She let him make himself coffee and slide into the booth across from her, before asking, “What are we going to do?” Ren didn’t bother asking what she meant; there was no way this wasn’t about his and Makoto’s conversation. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Talk to him. Keep moving forward, no matter what.” He rubbed tiredly at his eyes, then looked across the table, meeting her gaze over the top of her laptop screen. “What other choice do we have?” She shrugged. “Change our names and escape to another country. How’s your English?” Ren snorted, amused by the sheer absurdity of either of them jumping ship at this point. For them, Shido had always been personal, and there was no taking Shido down without also gutting the rest of the conspiracy; they had learnt that lesson the hard way. She ducked her head back down, behind her screen. “Want to do something useful?” “What did you have in mind?” “Stealing from the gremlins.” Ren eyed her for a moment, did her the favour of not asking if that would be safe, or if she thought poking that hornet’s nest was the best use of their time. Instead, he asked, “We’re still using that word for them?” She shrugged and pointed out, “It’s a little more crowd-friendly.” That…was not a terrible point. It also had the benefit of obfuscating what sort of target they were discussing. “Fair,” he allowed, and didn’t have to see her smile to know she was pleased that he’d conceded the point. “What are we doing with their money?” “Uh, hadn’t got that far,” Futaba admitted. “Using it to buy Inari a month’s supply of ramen probably isn’t the best use, huh?” Ren snorted. “Doesn’t make it any less tempting,” he admitted, and she straightened to flash him a sharp grin over the top of her screen.
October 20, 2025 at 9:53 AM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 16/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3!
#jjw

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
Akechi scowled at him, and Ren hurried to say, “I don’t mind, but I’m taking one of your gloves in trade,” before that potential fight could actually break out. Akechi turned to face him, clearly startled, while Futaba asked, “Only one glove?” “Oh?” Akechi murmured, leaning in. “Is there a promise you’re meant to uphold?” “Are you— Is this a flirting thing?” Futaba demanded, while Sumire giggled and Morgana let out a noise of understanding, because it had been impossible to hide the glove from him for the entire year at his parents’ house. “Should I not?” Ren asked, and wondered if Akechi knew the meaning of the glove had changed, for him. If he should admit that it had become a his way to remember Akechi, instead of their original promise, especially with the rest of the world seeming to have forgot he’d existed. “You still haven’t beat me.” (Something to revisit when they didn’t have an audience.) “You cheated last time,” Akechi pointed out. Ren braced his chin on his palm and smirked at Akechi. “Did I?” “Please save your weird foreplay for a time when we are not here!” Futaba called. “Ren, you owe me Featherman!” Ren huffed, was reasonably confident she meant that to mean a Featherman action figure to add to her collection, but it could always be one of the DVDs or some other over-priced merchandise for whichever series she was salivating over that week. “Could you at least wait until I actually have a part-time job before exploiting me?” “Not if you’re making me envision you and A-sketchy getting naked together,” she retorted, and Sumire let out an embarrassed moan and hid her very red face in her hands. “You broke Sumi. That’s two Featherman.”
October 17, 2025 at 10:18 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Midnight is my very bed bed-making helper.

He attacks the blanket when I straighten it against the mattress and loves being on the bed when I throw the blanket out to spread it over the bed because he gets to attack the corners as they fall and then hide under the blanket. Best. Game.
Photo of a black cat half under a folded back blanket on a bed.
October 15, 2025 at 10:30 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
The first side-story for my NG+ series is up, titled "Gain Friends For the Time When We Awaken", it's Sojiro's PoV of the story up through chapter 16.
#jjw

Read it: archiveofourown.org/works/72548536
Watching his kids curled together on the other side of the booth, traumatised and terrified and so unbelievably strong in spite of it all, it broke Sojiro’s heart. Because this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. They should have been able to trust the adults around them, should have been able to turn to someone before everything had gone to hell. Shido never should have ended up in a position where he could hurt either of them, or twist Akechi to do his bidding. There never should have been enough assholes, after Shido’s court case, to gather together and decide to kidnap a bunch of kids. To torture them. It didn’t escape Sojiro that Ren had avoided mentioning specifics, but he had a pretty good idea, now, why he’d told Tae that he’d recognise internal bleeding or broken bones. Couldn’t help but remember that Ren had said he’d had to sleep next to Akechi’s corpse. And Futaba’s last comment, that those assholes had had to kill them. He was furious. He wanted to storm into the Diet and rip apart every single one of Shido’s allies; wanted to go to Shido’s office and dose him with something slow and agonizing, so he might suffer even a fraction of the pain Sojiro’s kids had gone through. Except, he couldn’t do any of that. He had two traumatised kids and all of their traumatised friends, and they needed him to be there for them, giving them a place where they were safe. Where they could laugh and study together, Akechi sitting hunched and wary at the counter, looking like he was waiting to be ordered out, but his gaze kept sliding over to Ren, softening at the edges, and Sojiro had a feeling that he was going to be seeing a lot of the kid. He had a feeling he was going to be seeing a lot of the little redhead, Sumire, too, and he couldn’t help but smile, watching her and Futaba curled together in one booth, sharing a plate of curry and occasionally sharing jibes with the other half of the group. It was so clear that they adored one another, and Sojiro couldn’t be an… Screenshot of the AO3 header for a fic titled Gain Friends For the Time When We Awaken, by Batsutousai. The summary reads Side-story to Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters) Sojiro has watched the weight of a future that never happened bowing the shoulders of his kids and their friends, and decides he needs to do something to ease that weight, even if isn't something they would approve of.
October 15, 2025 at 9:22 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 15/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3! (Please be mindful of the warnings.)
#jjw

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
Ann didn’t ask, and neither did Morgana, which was probably why Ren told them, over crêpes, about the kiss Sunday morning. “You know,” Ann said, while twisting her crêpe, looking for the next best spot to bite in without losing too much of the cream, “from what I know about Crow, he’s probably having as hard a time figuring out where his head is at, as you are.” “Yeah, I know,” Ren admitted. “It’s pretty telling that this is the first time he hasn’t felt annoyed when it’s implied he should be dating someone.” She flashed him a sympathetic smile, and Ren reached out to swipe a bit of cream off her cheek, then ate it off his finger before she could lean in first. “Excuse you! My crêpe, my cream!” Ren snorted, and didn’t complain when she retaliated by taking a finger-swipe of the cream in his own crêpe. “He does care about you,” Morgana offered. “He’s only ever tolerated the rest of us because of you.” Ren winced, while Ann hummed a noise of agreement around her finger, then pulled it from her mouth with a ‘pop’. “I think he’s getting better,” she offered. “He never would have come to a sleepover in January, or agreed to go to a party with Noir.” “Pretty sure that’s at least half because her fiancé deserves to be kicked off the observation deck of the Skytree,” Ren felt the need to point out. Ann visibly considered that as she licked along the edge of her crêpe. “Fair,” she allowed after a moment. “Still, explain the sleepover.” “Spending time with Ren,” Morgana said, even as he reached one paw out in the direction of Ren’s crêpe. “Sharing is caring.”
October 13, 2025 at 1:52 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
I did another one, a monster, and some friends did the fairy witch and haunted house that they also had out. Lol, they hung them all on the wall.
A coloured-in picture of a monster with horns with the words Happy Halloween over its head. A photo of two coloured-in pictures. One is a haunted house scene, the other is a smiling witch with butterfly wings.
October 11, 2025 at 2:43 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
The hotel left out pictures and crayons, so I coloured a kitty.
A coloured-in picture of a black cat wearing a purple witch hat relaxed on a jack-o-lantern.
October 11, 2025 at 1:14 PM
batsutousai.bsky.social
Chapter 14/46 of Whether it Be Dream or Truth (To Do Well Is What Matters), my #akeshu / #shuake NG+ fic is on AO3! (Please be mindful of the warnings.)
#jjw

archiveofourown.org/works/698144...
“Yeah, I’m just normal,” Shiho said, sounding a little bitter. Next to her, Ann’s expression twisted with uncertainty, and she opened her mouth, like she might say something, before closing it again. “That okay!” Jose insisted. “I’m normal, too! We can be normal together!” Shiho blinked a couple of times, looking like she was having a hard time processing that. Jose turned back to Ren. “That’s something humans do, isn’t it? Be ‘normal’ together?” “Dude, there is nothing—” Ryuji started, before grunting and hissing, “Noir!” Haru murmured something too low for Ren to make out, which made Ryuji grimace and duck his head in apology. “Being 'normal’ together isn’t really an activity,” Ren admitted. “But, humans will often spend time together performing activities that would be deemed 'normal’.” “Oh. Like drinking flowers?” Jose guessed. “Like what?” Shiho hissed, and Ann mostly muffled a giggle. “That’s not really something humans do,” Makoto said diplomatically. “Well, we could certainly sit together and drink something while Jose enjoys his flowers,” Haru pointed out.
October 10, 2025 at 12:45 PM