Archive of Our Own

Yosuke should have abided by the rule of never going into the TV world alone. Especially because he was the one to create that very rule in the beginning.

His eyes lethargically blinked awake, the darkness that covered his eyelids like a blindfold slowly dissipating until all he could see was grey concrete and metal surrounding him. He felt like a bus had hit him, his body was aching and the threat of returning to a slumber loomed threateningly over his head. His vision was bleary and blurry, clarity being turned up like a dial every second until he really could start differentiating what was in his sights. What he saw was completely unrecognizable— it appeared to be a jail cell, a pretty roomy one too. The size of it was as big as his own personal bedroom back home. There were large and dense steel bars prohibiting from exiting and past those bars was a staircase that was too far from him to see where the top of it was. Yosuke’s head turned to see nothing but blank walls on either side and the dust in the air was enough to make his exceptionally dry throat even more of an issue.

A dull thud shot through Yosuke, blooming from his lower half and trickling up towards his shoulders. Instinctively he tried moving his hand to massage his aching knees but he was stopped midway by the sharp jabbing of huge rusted steel handcuffs in his wrists and the jostling metallic echo of huge chains keeping him down. Yosuke finally began realizing what was happening to him— he was pinned on his knees and forcibly linked to handcuffs that had been embedded on the floor behind him. That explained the tenderness of his shoulder joints and how exhausted his upper body was from not being able to lie down.

He pathetically pulled at his chains with a fraught pleading that by some chance, it would be weak or break entirely. It was a gigantic reach and he knew it, but he still tried. All he got in response was the sickly screech of tugged on chains and sore wrists. Yosuke knew he would be here for the long haul, but what had happened that put him in this predicament? His brain was slow on the upkeep but he tried putting it back in action.

It was hard to remember, he had black spots where his memories should be, but what he did remember made his head shoot up directly and state off to the staircase before him. He broke out into a cold sweat.

“Shit— Yu-”

Everything was rushing back to him, thoughts fumbling over one another to be the first one recalled. Yu had gone missing— it was the final few days before he had to return back to his life in the city, leaving all of his friends and loved ones behind for a life he didn’t necessarily want. And he had gone proper missing. Yosuke was the one to suggest tuning into the Midnight Channel and what he saw burned itself so intensely into his skull that he could never unsee it. The shadow’s back was towards the screen, a long white that faded to black midway cloak covering its form completely. A gigantic crown floated idly above its head— Yosuke didn’t need much else to go off of to know who exactly this was reminiscent of. After all, he could never forget his partner’s figure.

When the typical static image appeared, the Investigation Team saw who had been in the TV immediately. The minute the figure was on screen, Yosuke’s phone blew up.

He never wanted to feel that guttural fear from his missing partner ever again.

They all had made a game plan about what to do at their headquarters after Yosuke filled them in on who they exactly saw. Kanji, Rise and Chie all wanted to go into the TV as soon as humanly possible while Naoto, Yukiko and surprisingly Teddie were on the side of waiting a few days to properly restock on their supplies and get themselves in order first. When they all looked at Yosuke for a final decision, it made him tense. Was this how Yu felt? Being put under a spotlight and deciding make-or-break decisions? It was overwhelming, but Yosuke couldn’t help feeling a bit proud of himself. He was the de-facto second in command, after all. 

He recounted telling them to focus on restocking. That Yu’s shadow would be more powerful than they could ever imagine on account of his multiple personas. There was disappointment from one side— Yosuke was in the same boat, he nearly forced them all into the TV to get him back as soon as possible, but in his heart he knew he couldn’t do it. Yu would’ve taken a few days to get them in as good of a position as they could be before they tackled something of this magnitude.

Yosuke found himself asking ‘what would Yu do’ more often nowadays.

He looked down at his grime stained attire— it was still his casual winter clothing since their spring had been a bit more chilly lately. It reminded him of his mistake. It was the same outfit he wore for when they all met up to discuss what to do. 

Yosuke remembered the wrongness lurking down his spine when he snuck into Junes late at night, his keys jingling against his belt as he made his way into the familiar electronics section. He couldn’t stop his impulses— he wanted to at least see where the shadow was staying. He was a hypocrite for telling everyone to wait while he flung himself into danger, but he needed to. For his partner. Yosuke remembered the stomach-lurching falling sensation when he went into the TV by himself, he could never get used to the feeling going into the TV brought on him. And most of all, Yosuke remembered stumbling into Yu’s dungeon, witnessing something surprising as he entered through a large wooden gate manned by two iron cladded knights. Somehow they opened it for him— Yosuke wasn’t even sure how that was possible. His heart was stuck in his throat and he couldn’t get rid of the look of bewilderment in his eyes as he stood stunned at what he saw. Yu’s dungeon was an entire medieval-esqe village and at the very end of the area resided a gigantic citadel that screamed ‘do not approach’. But what got him wasn’t the absurd size of it all or the threateningly welcoming aura it gave off.

It was the feeling that he was being watched.

“What the hell…” Yosuke had taken a single step into the village and witnessed something teleporting into existence in front of him— surrounded by ash and mist and light that twanged and circled and blew out in Yosuke’s direction. All he could do was cover his eyes with his forearms and once it all disappeared, he slowly lowered his arms and stared at what was in front of him.

Despite the few black spots that persisted, this was a sight Yosuke would never forget. Not in his lifetime. Yu— no, his shadow— stood before him, cladded in gaudy royalty attire that could come out directly from a shoujo otome game. Its cloak cascaded down its form entirely, dragging behind him and pooling at its ankles. The crown continued to float above its head and silver shoulder tassels littered its width. It looked like some European militant with extra pizazz to match.

If there was one word to describe the boy Yosuke was looking at that— it would be kingly.

The shadow stared back, the unyielding eye contact was enough to make Yosuke’s legs almost buckle in intimidation. Its stare was powerful, it could make any weakling drop to their knees and beg for forgiveness. To say Yosuke wasn’t a bit fearful would be an understatement, but there was more on the line and his fear would only bring him down. The silence was suffocating, he felt like he was being choked out without even being touched. His stance was guarded, his malakh kunai clutched tightly in both hands. It seemed the shadow was enthused by how defensive Yosuke appeared to be, though. Entertained by his antics, Shadow Yu merely took a step closer to Yosuke— its minuscule grin widening ever so slightly when Yosuke stepped back in response.

“I knew you would come. But our time to talk isn’t now. Be patient, my right hand.”

Shadow Yu’s hand suddenly made a swiping motion and Yosuke’s world was engulfed in total darkness. That was the last concrete thing he could remember up until his awakening.

Yu was somewhere in this hellscape, and Yosuke would stop at nothing to get him back. He loved him in more ways than one, and after having to confront those feelings he couldn’t sit back and let this happen. Yosuke had harbored feelings for Yu ever since they first became friends– the profound admiration he held had been a decoy, a fluke to convince himself he didn’t hold anything more than an intensive platonic perspective regarding Yu. But it was for nothing, it was hurting more than helping to ignore how he felt. Yu had turned his world upside down, and he was eternally grateful for it. Now it was Yosuke’s turn to repay the favor from a year ago– Yu’s shadow had to be dealt with, and it had to be dealt with by his hand.

His instinct was to use Susano-o but the lack of response was bone-chilling. It felt like he was silenced. The room must’ve had a silencing status effect on it to keep him from causing any trouble.

The bars on his jail cell suddenly began rising, catching Yosuke’s attention and putting him on guard for whatever was coming his way. The darkness of the room was making it almost impossible to differentiate what or who was approaching, but the clacking of heels on concrete and the thwip of a fluttering cape made it impossibly obvious who it was. 

Each daunting step closer set Yosuke’s nerves on fire. It felt as if seconds took hours and as the distance between them neared gave Yosuke the sense of dread being upon him soon. Dread filled his lungs and he tried his best to not let terror get the best of him.

“You must be starving… You’ve been out for quite some time. Almost two whole days. Or what I assume to be two days, time works ever so differently as you know.” The sinister tone– sleek with cool coyness and a saccharine sweet attentiveness made Yosuke’s hairs stand on end, goosebumps trailing upwards on both arms under his heavy white coat. He was instantly on edge and he strained his eyes to see the culprit of his imprisonment standing above him with authority. He didn’t have a rebuttal for the apparent fact– being unconscious for some time had taken a toll on Yosuke. His jaw clenched and his neck ached from looking up at such a dramatic angle, but he ignored the burning.

“You’re a weird one,” Yosuke snapped, pointedly disregarding Shadow Yu’s faux concern. “Usually shadows don’t kidnap people. Or even make themselves known for longer than a second. They’re always running off… So why aren’t you?”

Shadow Yu simply chuckled, the bitterness biting at it not bothering it in the slightest. Instead, it kneeled down to meet Yosuke head on, postured with one knee pressed on the floor and the other propped up. Even its crouching stance screamed royalty. “Because I don’t run from the people I love, Yosuke. Or at least, that’s what I try to convince myself.”

The word love struck a chord. The shadow could’ve used the phrase ‘care about’ but something about his wording was too meticulous. Too curated in that awfully familiar pattern that the real Yu exhibited. Yosuke longed to hear that four letter word from his partner, but hearing it from the twisted and warped version of himself desecrated that fantasy entirely.

“Yu would never run away, he doesn’t need to convince himself because it wouldn’t happen,” Yosuke barked, refusing to let his best friend be slandered– even if it was from himself in a way.

“If you say so… You must be exhausted. I brought you a little gift.” The pivot in conversation left Yosuke reeling and he hadn’t caught up in time before Shadow Yu started searching for his unwanted present.

Uncovering itself from the depths of inside the shadow’s cloak emerged a plastic covering of some kind. It was difficult to make out but when Yosuke’s eyes adjusted, he knew what it was. His head snapped back up to look at the shadow’s face– it appeared entirely unbothered. At peace, even, as it popped open the container and brandished a spoon to match.

“Royal Jelly…” Yosuke hushed, a bit stunned. “Where the hell did you even get that?”

“Don’t worry.” Shadow Yu ignored his question once more, instead focusing on scooping out some of the gelatinous substance and reaching it out towards Yosuke. “Ah~ I’ve always dreamt of feeding you and now I get the chance to. Let me take care of you.”

Even if it was a shadow, it still had Yu’s face, and the pleased expression it had beared was too much for Yosuke. His cheeks engulfed in flame and he tightened his lips in case of any attempts. There was no way in hell he would let Yu’s shadow feed him, that would be a breach of privacy that he wouldn’t be able to come back from. This had to be a ploy– somehow the shadow knew his feelings and was playing with him. There wasn’t another route, he couldn’t believe that was a secret desire held by his leader. In protest, Yosuke turned his face sideways, denying Shadow Yu’s advancements. He was a huffy kid not wanting to eat his greens– he could be childish for dignity’s sake.

“Don’t be like that, partner. Open wide and say ahhh,” Yu’s Shadow grinned, continuing to push the spoon softly against Yosuke’s mouth. Its attempts were foiled though because Yosuke’s head frantically shifted and dodged every which way.

The shadow’s patience was wearing thin and suddenly its free hand jolted forward with speed and aggressively captured Yosuke’s face. Pinched between its fingers, it forced Yosuke to look at it and the stare he was met with could freeze him over. Terror washed over Yosuke entirely, breaking him into pieces as his sights were flooded with nothing but a harsh and icy stare. He almost wanted to bend to its whim, but giving in wasn’t an option. It was a remarkably familiar look too— this was Yu’s ‘obey’ look. Although he never felt as if his demands were meant to be seen as obeying. Doing what was told of him by his leader was a sign of reliability from both parties. This glare Yosuke was receiving— it was that very same look but distorted fully.

Yosuke couldn’t stop the onslaught of involuntary feeding— the spoon shoved its way through his mouth and was jammed down his throat with no remorse shown. His face burned and the urge to cough and choke was unforgiving. The grip on his face was hard enough to bruise— he knew it. But the worst wasn’t the excessively pushed jelly that housed itself in his system, it was the sickening leet of authentic affection coming from Yu’s shadow. As if it was doing Yosuke a favor— taking care of him like it wanted to prior. Each swallow felt like hours and by the time he was finished and the spoon slipped from his mouth, Yosuke was hacking and gasping for breath all while Shadow Yu pulled away with a pleased smile.

“See? All done. You won’t be as exhausted anymore. You need to eat to stay strong, I hate it when you aren’t at your best,” Yu’s shadow cooed. Its iron grip stayed, making Yosuke unable to reply. It wanted to hear its beloved partner’s voice, so its grasp lightened and instead shifted into cradling his cheek. Yosuke’s cheeks were steadily turning purple, a palm and fingerprint shape embedding itself in the crevices of his freckled face. There were speckles of water welling in the corners of Yosuke’s eyes and he couldn’t fight back when Yu’s shadow went to wipe them away with its thumb. “I’m sorry for hurting you. It seems I’m always destined to hurt you.”

The hand against his tan skin was so warm despite the white glove that covered it. He could feel it through the leather fabric and it took everything in him to not melt into the embrace. Yu’s face had a power to make him relax, but he had to remind himself that this wasn’t Yu. This wasn’t his partner. A destructive carbon copy with the capabilities of killing him had taken him for its own and Yosuke had to deal with it. He wasn’t so dumb as to think he could take it on his lonesome, but he could bide his time. The shadow’s words got under Yosuke’s skin— they were completely untrue. Yu had never hurt him, if anything Yosuke was the one causing trouble for him. Yu was following all his antics with a smile and an acceptance to boot. He pulled his head away sharply from the shadow’s grasp with speed akin to being burnt.

“Y-You don’t have a clue about what you’re talking about,” Yosuke croaked. The Royal Jelly had been rather helpful, the prior exhaustion that littered his limbs and senses had been long gone as soon as it hit his stomach. He felt better and more alert, although the method of taking the consumable could’ve been better in his opinion. “Yu wouldn’t even hurt a fly. He’s been helping everyone he meets and he’s the most considerate person ever. You’re just his insecurities talking.”

“Then why am I leaving you all behind in a few days?” Shadow Yu hummed, tapping dreamily at its lower cheek.

Yosuke’s teeth gritted. Of course Yu would feel distress over his departure from Inaba. In only a year, he managed to change so much about the sleepy town. He made it better, both by his kind actions and his general existence. Yosuke had lived a Yu-less experience in the town and he refused to go back to it. But the shadow clearly didn’t realize something big. Something he was avoiding altogether.

“You aren’t leaving us behind.” Yosuke was adamantly against his point of view. He was flat out wrong. “I know if you had a choice, you would’ve lived here. This isn’t your fault at all. Just because you’re gonna be gone doesn’t mean you won’t be around.”

“Hm? Now this is interesting… Elaborate for me, my second-in-command.”

“I-“ Yosuke’s eyebrows cinched, conflicted and suddenly put on the spot. “You changed everyone’s lives. You don’t have to be around physically for it to be felt. You’ve affected too much already and you’re still gonna live on with us regardless if you’re there or not. You’ll be coming back for Golden Week and holidays and we’re gonna-“

Yosuke shut his mouth tight. He nearly spat out his own repressed desire. He wanted to room with Yu— he wanted to live with him. He couldn’t entertain the idea of not having him by his side at all costs. He just hadn’t brought up that plan to Yu yet, and he definitely didn’t want his shadow to hear it first from him. Yu’s shadow pouted kiddishly when Yosuke stopped his sentence, but he ignored it.

“We’re always gonna be friends. You’re never leaving us behind. We won’t abandon you.”

“Abandon, hm?” That perked Shadow Yu’s attention as it began knitting its fingers together, resting the interlocked appendages under its chin in an idol-like manner. “Interesting word choice there. You’re just as cute as ever, partner.”

If Yosuke was in a less precarious situation, he would’ve sputtered and choked on his spit like an imbecile. But there was something darker lurking in the compliment— it made Yosuke nervous. It really was toying with him. It must’ve inferred that Yosuke held something fonder in his heart towards its real world counterpart. It was messing with him and Yosuke didn’t appreciate it one bit. He didn’t believe a word it said, only focusing on the dread he felt. To him, this shadow was a serpent— wrapped around him tight enough to kill. There was an aura of impending doom. Yosuke couldn’t relax for the life of him.

“Whatever. You’re just a shadow, you’re bullshitting because you’re a monster,” Yosuke whispered sharply. The small tut of Shadow Yu’s tongue forced Yosuke to spare him a glance.

“You’re too cruel, partner. You might be mean to everyone else, but you’ve never been mean to me,” Yu’s shadow sighed, shaking its head lightly. “And I let you get away with calling me a shadow before but I’m not too fond of that title… Why don’t you call me Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Is that what you’re supposed to be? An Emperor?” There was a scoff but Yosuke couldn’t deny, if a king angle was what Yu’s shadow developed into, it worked for it. There was more to the royal looks the shadow was sporting— it looked dazzling as a king. If Yosuke was shown a photo of it, he would’ve believed it was a king without a second’s worth of hesitation. Yu was constantly in a leaderly position— forced to make orders and monitor those around him. Inaba could be considered his kingdom in a sense— the denizens, his commoners. He was always taking care of them and doing fetch quests. If Yu were to ever be a king, he would be a hands-on one without a doubt.

Shadow Yu cocked its head— disbelief written on its features. Almost as if no one had ever questioned or dismissed its very clear cut aesthetic. “I thought it was rather fitting. After all, who else knows how to command an army besides a monarch?”

“An army? Now you really aren’t making any sense,” Yosuke puzzledly put, confusion lacing his tone.

“An army, yes. I am the main figure head and the rest of you are my knights. You all do my bidding and you’re at my beck and call whenever. Especially you, partner.” Shadow Yu snickered under its breath. “Oh, but it isn’t as if I enjoy all of this responsibility. I can’t even have any fun as a royal, you all are so useless on your own. Someone has to keep you on the right track.”

Yosuke refused to believe anything being told to him. Yu would never in a million years believe his friends were useless. He had been so intent on reminding them of their value through his actions, so all of this… It must’ve been a lie. It had to be. “Stop telling me all this. I don’t— this is getting too much. I shouldn’t even be hearing all of this if it’s not from the real Yu himself.”

“It is quite adorable that you believe he would tell anyone about this. Let alone you.”

How come was he the exception? “Why’s that?” Yosuke bristled.

Yu’s shadow simply waved at itself. It didn’t need words to prove his point. Its very existence was a testament to how tight-lipped Yu was— how he rarely ever spilled his honest feelings. It dawned on Yosuke how truly little the other spoke about himself and his issues. Was Yosuke that crappy of a friend that he couldn’t be trusted with Yu’s personal thoughts? He had seen all of his bad sides, and he stayed around… So why couldn’t Yosuke do the same for him? His head instinctively drooped down slightly, his caramel colored strands dangling over his face, obscuring it partially.

The shadow must’ve detected how brutal of a reality check Yosuke was given. “I know what you’re thinking, my trusted right hand,” it softly spoke. It was a whisper in the wind, authentic fondness sinking into every word. It was almost exactly like Yu, except the double voice reverb was still present. “Some things just can’t be shared. Not even with those we care about most. My burdens are too heavy— it’s better for everyone.”

“It’s not better for you,” Yosuke murmured through his tense jaw. He had decided the next time he saw Yu, he would deck his lights out. He deserved it for being such an idiot.

“Ever so considerate. This is why you are my favorite.” Yu’s shadow tucked its gloved finger underneath Yosuke’s chin, pushing his entire head upwards so that he’d be forced to look up at it. It urged Yosuke closer, a mystifying spell being casted.

“S-Stop talking to me… This isn’t right. Quit it,” Yosuke weakly rasped, numbness blooming throughout his senses. He had to stay strong, but it felt like he was caught in a mouse trap with no means of escaping. He was the shadow’s plaything to use and bend as he pleased. All he could do was pathetically plead for its silence and pray that his wish would be granted.

It stood up, casting an even darker shadow over Yosuke. This time— instead of straining himself to look up at the menacing figure that loomed above, he instead kept his head hung low. He felt like such a stooge, a fool who was truly at someone else’s mercy. A sudden sharp pressure hit underneath Yosuke’s chin, pushing his head up into a full on tilt upwards and forcing him against his will to look up at the shadow. With the barest amount of light that came from the windows in the halls, Yosuke could make out what was making him move his way in such an unnatural way. 

The shadow had stuck the tip of its shoe there, furthering the air of power that flowed through its movements. Such a gesture was ridden with filth— demeaning and utterly devoid of respect. All Yosuke could do was grind his teeth together as he stared daggers upwards at his assailant.

“If you wish for me to stop, then I will. It’s always been quite difficult to turn down any request you make…” Such kind words flowing from such a vile mouth made Yosuke flinch, but he couldn’t help but keen from how validating this all was. There was always truth to shadows, but filtering honesty with provoking was complicated. “I will be taking my leave now.”

“Wh— where are you going?” Yosuke hastily inquired, demanding to know its plans.

Yu’s shadow hummed, contemplating on if it should play along with Yosuke’s question or not. “I must make a few… Preparations for when the other knights turn up. You understand, don’t you?”

“A-And Yu? Is he- where’s my partner.” Yosuke whipped his head off of the tip of the shadow’s shoe, needing to feel a semblance of control.

“Where else? The climax of the village. The top of the tallest tower in the citadel,” Yu’s shadow answered.

Yosuke wasn’t sure whether or not to believe it. It was a shadow after all, and there were lessons to be taken away from trusting them. And why would it willingly give him the exact details of where his partner was held? But this could’ve been real too, it knew Yosuke couldn’t escape so easily so giving crucial information like this would eat him alive until he was rescued. His head felt like it was about to split open from all of his thinking.

When Yosuke didn’t reply, the shadow took its cue. With an elegant bow, it whipped around— the cloak flowing with authority behind it as it headed out of the stuffy jail cell. It waved a hand downwards, the bars coming loose from their chamber above and rolling down with ear grating rusted metal that sounded as if it was fighting against itself. When it was fully on the ground, the shadow headed towards the staircase. But instead of immediately climbing, it looked over its shoulder back at where Yosuke was pathetically knelt down.

“You may not trust whatever comes from me, but do not forget to remember who I am truly.” That was the last thing spoken before it took its leave entirely.

Yosuke dropped his body down as far as it could go, all the tension and defensiveness pouring out of him like a river. He wasn’t physically exhausted, but emotionally he was spent without a single reserve left to spend. But he couldn’t let himself rest— the shadow’s last words hung heavy in his mind. Yosuke didn’t need to think about what it could’ve meant— he already knew.

Whether or not he denied it, this was Yu’s shadow. This was him in all of his repressed glory. This was a side of his partner.

Never had Yosuke wanted to see Yu more desperately before this happened.

Like clockwork, the shadow returned every few hours. But instead of initiating any sort of conversation, it only came by to provide Yosuke sustenance and consumables— as if it was going out of its way to ensure Yosuke’s comfort while he stayed trapped in the TV world. It was a painstakingly kind action to receive even though Yosuke knew there had to be some sort of trick. But whenever he tried to probe further— ask why he was being treated with such conscientiousness, he was always met with a single repeated phrase.

“Because it’s you.”

That only served to confuse Yosuke more, but there was no use fighting a listless battle. Shadows weren’t built for rationality, they were beings of pure raw negativity— the kind that refused to be acknowledged until it was too late.

Yosuke had not an inkling of how long he spent in the dungeon. Time worked differently between realms so what could’ve felt like days might’ve been barely a day in the real world. He had complete trust that he’d be discovered, but he’d much rather have it be sooner rather than later. He was sore beyond comprehension and he felt greasy all over. His hair must’ve been caked with dust already. At least he wasn’t starving, there was that saving grace.

The familiar screeching of metal bars rising alerted Yosuke and he didn’t need to look to know who had arrived. But the silence was something new, by this point the shadow would have been spouting off about all of Yu’s insecurities and doubts but instead it remained noiseless. Yosuke’s head shifted upwards, a sharp crick shooting through his muscles. He was so stiff. Yu’s shadow was mostly obscured by the darkness of the cell, but what Yosuke could differentiate made his veins grow cold.

It looked pissed.

Loathing was clear as day on its face, sprawled with a mixture of begrudging refusal. It unsettled Yosuke to no end. He must’ve looked as startled as he felt because its heedy, possessive voice shot out with an unknown darkness.

“They have arrived,” it said, gloved fists clenched at its sides.

“They…?” The pronoun rolled off Yosuke’s tongue before the realization hit him like a shot of electricity. “You mean—”

Shadow Yu didn’t affirm Yosuke’s question, but the tenseness of its jaw was enough of a cue for him.

It looked as if it was in pain— a scrunched up expression with a snarl that emphasized its hostility. “They are going to take you from me. I cannot allow that. You have to stay here, you must stay here.”

Yosuke was stunned at the shadow’s denial. It appeared genuinely distraught, as if its most prized possession was about to be ripped away from it. It made Yosuke feel a bit bad even though he knew he didn’t have to. Was his partner always this proprietorial over him? Knowing he shouldn’t but unable to hold himself back, he glanced up at the pacing shadow before him with an exhaustedly pitiful expression.

“Why are you keeping me here?” Yosuke said, the prior heat of mistreatment burnt right out of his words. All he wanted was answers now.

“Because I love you,” The shadow replied, any trace of hesitation absent from its tone. It was spoken as if it was an undeniable truth— a fundamental fact. An intrinsic trait.

Yosuke stared with astonishment, taking in its words wholly. This shadow was so different from the rest, never had an admission be directed squarely at anyone other than the person facing their dark side. It threw Yosuke for a loop and now it was personal. No longer could he use lies as an excuse for anything it said— there was a sense of honesty that Yosuke couldn’t shake. This was Yu’s shadow, and when a shadow spoke it often held real truths in it.

Yu loved Yosuke. Just like he yearned for all this time.

He knew he shouldn’t feel so overjoyed, especially with the context he was forced into. Yu’s feelings were outed, he wouldn’t ever get a proper confession. Yosuke had breached his privacy and now he knew too much, he never gave Yu a chance to tell him himself. But now that Yosuke was aware, it furthered his drive to get back to his partner. And now that he knew such a deep secret, he couldn’t hold himself back from prying further.

Yosuke gulped, breaking eye contact monetarily. “W-Why… Is that really it? Why would you tell me that?”

“Because he never will. He never could. He was going to leave the town with his feelings kept to himself— do you know how much I ached as he repressed everything? How he was going to keep how much he loved you to himself?” The shadow’s volume began getting steadily louder as it walked closer towards Yosuke, making the latter flinch slightly in the process.

“You’re here so you can never leave me. So I will never have to feel lonely ever again. He would never treat you like I can. He doesn’t deserve someone he can’t even face properly,” Yu’s shadow spat.

It always sounded so gentle when it spoke to and about Yosuke, but whenever it had to address Yu— the hatred that seeped into it couldn’t be ignored. 

“I can’t be left alone. I won’t be left alone. All I need is you. You have my deepest devotion, you own my entire heart. It has been and it will always be you. My beloved partner. My Yosuke.”

Yosuke didn’t realize Yu’s shadow had accompanied him on the floor until he felt his face being cradled between two palms. It forced him to stare, to really get a proper look at its face. Yosuke’s heart stuttered in his chest at the sight. It was Yu, truly and fully, completely him. He had memorized his face long ago but even with small differences like longer hair and those smoldering yellow eyes that seemed to glow too bright, it was undoubtedly him. Every single feature matched his very own partner and it was getting harder and harder to fight against the shadow.

Something snapped within Yosuke. A knot tied too tightly finally breaking apart underneath its tension. Yu’s shadow loved him, that was why he was paying him so much attention. Why he kept complimenting and cooing over him. It explained too much and not enough. But above everything else, Yosuke couldn’t bear to have what he wanted to hear not said again. It was what he only sought after in daydreams and fantasies. But here and now he could have it say those three little words as many times as he wanted to. He could be indulgent. He could be selfish.

“Say it to me again…” Yosuke whispered under his breath, a disconnect from his mouth and his brain. 

“I love you.” The shadow confessed.

Yosuke knew he shouldn’t be doing this— tempting the shadow, selfishly filling his compulsive need to hear the words he longed to have spoken to him by Yu. Once it got started, it was impossible to stop himself.

“Again.”

“I love you.”

“Again.”

“I love you. I’ll say it as many times as you desire.”

He took a sharp inhale to try and steady his racing mind, forcing his eyes to look anywhere else but the beautiful boy before him. “I— this isn’t right. God, this isn’t really you. This isn’t my partner.”

“I could be. You could rule alongside me, you could be mine forever. He could never provide you what you require.” Yu’s shadow shook its head, clear detestation for Yu present on its tongue. 

Yosuke’s heart hurt. “You can’t keep me locked up just because you think Yu doesn’t deserve me.”

“You have the faintest clue what I have been forced to handle all this time. He has spent too many nights in agony because he believes you could never love him back. But worst of all, he is too much of a coward to even try,” Shadow Yu miserably put.

“If he’s a coward for keeping quiet, then so am I.”

“What are you…”

Yosuke refused to follow up though, torn between confessing to the shadow or putting it off for when Yu rescued him. “You have to let me go.”

“I-I… I can’t.” The shadow’s eyes began shining over, tears rimming the waterline as it shook its head adamantly against the idea. “I’m afraid if you aren’t with me.”

“I’m always going to be with you, though. I’m your second-in-command after all… Your, um, knight.” Yosuke was a bit embarrassed by playing along, although he also attributed the embarrassment to how nice it felt to be seen as Yu’s knight.

“B-But—“

“Partner. I can’t be the one to accept you. And I can’t accept your feelings like this. You have to face yourself, not me. Let me go and it’ll all turn out okay. I promise.”

Never did Yosuke think he would be having such a guttural conversation with a shadow, authenticity was a rarity when it came to them as a whole. But there was something so fragile about the shadow in front of him— as if it was leaving its vulnerability in Yosuke’s hands. It seemed to take his words as gospel anyways as it drooped its head in defeat and reluctantly released Yosuke’s face from between its hands.

“Then…” Yu’s shadow started, giving a soft sniffle. “May this lowly emperor request one thing from his most trusted right hand?”

Yosuke bit the skin inside of his cheek, weighing his options in his head. Requests from shadows never turned out well, but this was Yu’s shadow. The same shadow that was treating him with kindness— at least, somewhat kindly, he couldn’t forget the Royal Jelly incident even when he tried. It was clear favoritism and soft-heartedness directed to Yosuke because of who he was. There was something calling out for him to accept it.

“Yes… Your Imperial Majesty,” Yosuke grumbled out, the reddening on his cheeks deepening from having to use such a lame epithet.

“May I kiss you?”

“W-What!?”

“Please. I need this.”

The unexpected begging caught Yosuke off guard. Yu’s shadow was pleading, as if its life was on the line. Like Yosuke was holding the last meal it would ever consume as it died slowly of starvation. Its voice held the most emotion he had heard from it the entire time he was stuck in the dungeon. It desperately needed this from Yosuke, a salvation from its God. His immediate instinct was to deny deny deny. He wouldn’t waste his first kiss with Yu on his shadow. 

If Yosuke was more of a cynic (which he already was), he would’ve seen this as an emotional ploy. A bargaining chip for his freedom. But with how Yu’s shadow looked back up at him, its wide grey eyes trembling with water and fear, Yosuke’s resolve steadily crumbled. The kicker though was a certain emotion bubbling under the surface for the shadow. One that felt too personal and relatable for Yosuke.

The fear of being rejected.

Maybe that was why Yosuke resigned with a sigh. He couldn’t bear to be responsible for crushing Yu’s soul, either in shadow or real life form. And even deeper down, he wanted it too. This would potentially be the last time he would meet with Yu’s shadow— come face to face with the most intimate detailings of his partner. To know his harbored feelings were so repressed that it developed into a counterpart was heavy, but it made sense. They could part with a kiss. This entire thing started with Yosuke, so it was only fair for it to end with him too.

Yosuke nodded his head. “Okay,” he weakly said, pursing his lips in quiet flusteredness.

When their gazes connected, the sheer relief that overtook the shadow’s face nearly blinded Yosuke. He felt a small pressure on his face, gloved fingers cradling his jaw and tilting his head up to be more aligned with the shadow before him. It sent sparks down his spine and he knew he should feel the opposite as he was still a hostage, but how could he feel anything other than giddiness when faced with his partner’s other self? Yosuke let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, his chest tightened with anticipation as Yu’s shadow slowly drew forward. He couldn’t feel the typical breath dancing against his lips, shadows weren’t human after all— no matter their outer appearance. Yosuke hadn’t realized his eyes fluttered closed either, his lips parting for the being in front of him in temptation.

Then a light pressure blossomed over Yosuke’s mouth as he felt a chill run across his nerves. Yu’s shadow finally connected their mouths for a kiss and despite how normal its lips seemed to be, all Yosuke could feel was an ice cold surface pressing against his mouth. But even that couldn’t dissuade him. Letting out an unconscious sigh, the kiss deepened— he didn’t know who did it but he couldn’t care less when the light pressure delved into firmer territory. They worked against each other in tandem and for a first kiss, they were surprisingly in sync with one another. Even in shadow form, Yu and Yosuke were always working together perfectly.

Yu’s shadow pulled away though, the kiss lasted for only a few seconds, nothing more, nothing less. It was fleeting and Yosuke unwillingly wanted more. But he knew it was wrong. Swallowing heavily and withdrawing himself as if he had the wind knocked out of him, Yosuke inspected the shadow to see what came next. 

The kiss was a goodbye— a fulfillment of what both wanted but failed to act upon. It was bigger than the both of them, and meant too much to be conveyed properly.

“Thank you,” Yu’s shadow softly said, gratitude radiating off of it. 

Yosuke blinked slowly, cohesive thinking escaping him by the moment. “U-Uh… No problem.”

The shadow stood back up, a sense of development wafting throughout it. It looked a little bit lighter. Yosuke tried to ignore the fact that he might have solved this entire problem just by kissing the damn thing. His attention was caught when it gave a small chuckle. “I will face him myself and bring all of them to you. Only if you make me a promise.”

“What? Seriously?” Yosuke gawked. “What is it?”

“Bring him home. Talk to him. He needs to be told something or else he will go crazy within the confines of his mind.”

Yosuke could do that. He didn’t need to be told anyways, he already had a plan to confront Yu directly. He knew he would be exhausted when he accepted himself and that wasn’t an ideal circumstance for a confession, but as long as he expressed his feelings the longer conversation to be had could be put off for another day or so. Yosuke nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation completely. There was nothing stopping them now, all the walls built up out of worries were torn down. The only regret Yosuke had was not confessing earlier, the missed time to be together was a wasted opportunity. But he looked forward to the new memories they could make together.

As partners.

The silent understanding was heavy between them and the shadow gave a last longful smile before taking its leave out of the dungeon. The iron bars slowly descended once more, although Yosuke couldn’t be too mad at that— he didn’t have an intention to leave or else he could’ve gotten lost. He needed to stay put. It snapped its fingers and the handcuffs that restrained Yosuke disappeared into thin air. His body immediately crashed to the floor, soreness blossoming throughout his joints and limbs. His head laid on its side and in his field of vision was a bead for his rejuvenation. A gift from the shadow. Yosuke grabbed it and as he slowly pushed himself to sit back on his ass, he looked around and noticed Yu’s shadow’s absence. It was finally gone from him and unlike his prior expectations, he knew it wouldn’t be returning back to him any time soon.

Yosuke waited patiently for the inevitable arrival of his team, absentmindedly rubbing his tender and bruised wrists for a bit of relief. He popped the bead in his mouth in the meanwhile, swallowing it dry without much effort. It cooled his stiff body and provided some relief, although its effects laid with immediate injury instead of long term aches. 

He must’ve been in a daze because the sudden loud scrambling of a dozen pairs of feet down concrete steps alerted him to the people he needed to see. Yosuke didn’t have time to get up to his feet, he wasn’t sure if he could stand properly after not being able to for a duration of time. He suspected he’d wobble over and immediately fall. A loud shing rang through the room and he watched as the metal bars were cut through with precise ease, coming undone and falling to the floor with clanks and thuds. Yosuke could see the twinkle of a katana blade from the corner of his eye and trailing upwards was his partner, barely holding himself together and looking as if he was at the end of his rope.

Yu must’ve pushed himself to the brink after post acceptance to get to Yosuke himself. It made his heart race in his chest. The Investigation team had huddled around behind him, but all of Yosuke’s attention was on his partner.

“Partner…” Yosuke croaked, not bothering to feel anything but raw relief.

“Yosuke…” Yu croaked back.

Yu was disheveled and exhausted, but he was breathing. He never looked more gorgeous to Yosuke.

Suddenly Yu charged forward, collapsing to his knees and allowing himself to lurch into Yosuke’s personal space. His body gave out, he was about to pass out with his head pressed deeply into Yosuke’s neck. Murmurs of how relieved he was towards Yosuke’s safety were muttered from between his lips and Yosuke immediately wrapped his arms around his best friend to comfort him entirely. The entire cell remained silent, allowing the two boys a moment to themselves as relief swept through the room like a tidal wave.

Yu was alright. Yosuke might’ve not known the entirety of Yu’s insecurities and he wasn’t there for the full acceptance of himself, but he trusted that it all went well. Working through issues wasn’t a one time situation, Yu would have to continuously grow and grow. And he’d do so with Yosuke by his side. He’d never have to do anything alone ever again.

“I’m never leaving you behind. Ever,” Yosuke whispered, clutching his partner closer to his chest.

Yosuke couldn’t wait to escape the TV world and for their relationship to get started. It was hard to look towards the future, but for the first time in a while he felt truly hopeful that it would end up how he wanted it to.

As long as he had Yu with him, he knew it would all be okay.