Title: Mind as Judgment (Part 2/8)
Universe: Persona 4
Pairings/Characters: Soji/Yosuke, Izanagi!Soji/Yosuke, Chie/Yukiko, Rise/Naoto, Kanji/Naoki, Teddie, Dojima, Nanako, Namatame, Adachi, Izanami, Igor, Margaret
Summary: How do you seek the truth when the entire world becomes a lie?
Rating: light R
Warnings: MASSIVE spoilers for November and December, disturbing themes, violence, non-graphic smut but it's still smut
Notes: For future reference, the previous chapter, this chapter, and all upcoming chapters will fall under the tag "soji and izanagi's excellent adventure" (among others). Just to clear up any sort of confusion in the long run...
II. somnus -sleep-
Yosuke had tried calling Soji for the fourth time this evening, and still received no response. He'd already left three messages prior, and at this rate there was no need to leave another. So he hung up, sighed, and stared worriedly at the screen of his own cell phone.
".....Dammit, partner, why the hell aren't you picking up?" He asked himself. "I...I know you're going through a shitstorm right now, but..."
What he wanted to say way, why the fuck won't you talk to me? Because, really, Soji had been acting strange ever since both Nanako and Dojima were hospitalized, and Teddie vanished, into quite literally, thin air. Maybe the others hadn't noticed, but Yosuke did. He was all too aware that Soji was putting on a brave face, internalizing everything----for them.
For him, especially. Whenever Yosuke would try talking to Soji about what he might feeling in light of the aforementioned circumstances, the latter, in turn, shrugged it off, telling him that he'll get through it; he just needed to be alone for now, but nonetheless had all the support he needed in the form of the team.
In the form of Yosuke himself.
But Yosuke didn't believe any of that, not even for a nanosecond. If they---if he---were his support, why wouldn't he let them---him---support him in the first goddamned place?
His mind quickly went back to the last he'd spoken with Soji, which was yesterday:
"You know, Soji," Yosuke remarked pointedly, looking at his gray-haired boyfriend, "you can talk to me."
Soji himself looked up from eating his instant soba noodles. "...About what?"
An annoyed sigh, followed by a roll of the eyes. "You know damn well what."
"But there's nothing to talk about. I'm fine, Yosuke. I...I'm dealing with it."
Yosuke shot him a look. "No, you're not. Kou and Daisuke told me you haven't been showing up at basketball practice, and Minami-san ran into me at Junes and said you haven't been at the daycare, either. What the hell have you been up to when we're not training in the TV world?"
"Crap, Hana-chan..." Soji began, laughing weakly, "...I knew I had a cute boyfriend, but I had absolutely no idea I have a cute wife now. Are you scared that I'm cheating on you?"
"Th...that's not the point!" Yosuke spluttered, turning spectacularly red while pouting off to the side a little out of embarrassment. "I...I'm just worried about you in general, okay?! You've been acting really fucking weird! During training, you...you're a lot more intense than usual, and...and you're straining yourself, even against weaker monsters...I mean, Kanji's had to cover for you more often and Yukiko-san has to heal you every five seconds...really, partner...Soji..."
He found himself looking at the ground. "...I'm here for you. So just talk to me, will you?"
Soji looked at Yosuke for a few moments in silence, and then moved closer to him, putting a hand to his cheek and turning his head so that he was looking him right into his eyes. "I know."
More blushing as the brunette closed a little more of the distance and slowly wrapped his arms around Soji's waist. "No; no...really, man. I..."
The latter suddenly leaned forward and cut him off mildly in the middle of his statement by kissing him softly on the lips.
"You don't need to say it. Like I said...I know, Yosuke. And I'm sorry."
"Wh...what are you sorry about? You haven't done anything---it's not your fault."
"No, it is. I'm...really sorry."
Yosuke grimaced. Something was up. Something was very wrong here. He got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach just remembering the unreadable expression on Soji's face.
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"...Huh?"
Soji frowned as he scanned his current surroundings. He'd managed to get into Junes (as he worked part-time there when he wasn't doing his rounds at the day care, Yosuke's dad gave him a key to the store), go to the electronics department, and hop into the TV there like he and the others always did----they couldn't, and most importantly, didn't want to, risk entering the Midnight Channel from any other TV---after all, who knew where they'd end up.
Unfortunately for Soji, he'd gotten himself into just that situation, and it was strange. He most definitely wasn't at the starting point where the team usually landed in; all that he could see, all that surrounded him, was a white fog. From the sound of his footsteps as he shifted about and squinted his eyes to at least gauge what direction he could head in, he was standing on some type of tiled floor.
The glasses weren't really working in this particular area as well as they did in all the others he and the team ventured into. The fog itself was also denser, more oppressive----he had to keep taking deep breaths in order to keep himself from going into a coughing fit, and it was giving him a literal, bothersome headache to top it all off
Finally, there was a feeling of deja vu that wouldn't stop prodding at him. Had he been here before?
"...Izanagi?" He inquired. "Do you know where we are?"
No response. Soji made a 'tch' noise and mumbled, "...fine, be pissy at me for what I said at the bus stop. I don't need you; I've got other Personae who are of much better help than you ever were."
Gripping the handle of his katana, he marched on resolutely into the wispy fog. He had no other choice but to move forward.