We Can’t Both Survive: The Game

Hey hi hello again

The story is about to hit 11 chapters on ao3, so I figured I should drop another one here :3

Thanks for the love I got on the last one, I really appreciate it.

I’m keeping the same cover image for now, but I might change it up at some point. Maybe. If im not too lazy lol

Formatting the texts on this app sucks btw. It’s a lot more readable when different parts can be bold within the same paragraph, but that’s the price of using amino I guess

Again, use the Ao3 version for better formatting, or to read ahead lol

Anyway in this chapter Ren starts breaking down Goro’s facade. It’s not hard when you already know what’s going to happen next.

We can’t both survive.

•

The Game

Goro hated relying on other people. It was agony, pacing back and forth in his apartment as he waited to see if the thief would take the bait. Message him, go on.

Fall for the lie like everyone else has.

He craves the validation of his genius, his cunning. It’s the sole reason he chose working as a detective as his cover, after all.

When he felt his phone buzzing, he snatched it out of his pocket, feeling the twinge of confusion strike again.

Amamiya: I want to meet for a game. Darts or Pool. Tomorrow. Your choice.

Akechi: Is that all? You made it sound as though there was a problem with us meeting! I am fairly relieved. I would prefer darts, to tell you the truth.

It wouldn’t normally be true. He prefers a game that’s equal strategy to skill. Darts just requires you get good at your aim - once you have that it’s a fairly simple game.

But the simplicity is key here. A game he could play no matter the circumstances. He’s got a lot he would like to question Amamiya about, and focusing on his next pocket would somewhat distract him. No, he needs to be skilled, and be sharp.

Amamiya: Don’t go easy on me, then. I’ve gotten a lot of practice recently.

Akechi: oh? Why is that so?

Amamiya: Maybe I’ll tell you. If you win.

A challenge, then. It’s laughable, really.

If he wins. As if he’ll need that much luck. He could probably beat this kid right handed…

In fact, maybe he will. Then he can simply claim it was humility and kindness, and not a desperate attempt to prove superiority. He can’t be seen crushing this younger boy mercilessly…but if he handicapped himself, his victory would be decisive.

And besides, if Amamiya truly is as good as he boasts, then Goro can swipe his pride away by revealing the handicap. He’ll win regardless. A rigged game from the start.

He used to be so unfamiliar with the taste of victory. But now, he basks in it. He built himself out of the ashes, he is revenge incarnate.

So what if the thief holds a few cards he wasn’t aware of? Goro stacked the deck himself. He will get the intel he seeks. He will infiltrate the thief’s circle of trust, he will WIN. This…Joker, he’s nothing but a pawn, a side character in his path to glory.

He’s…   

A pain.

Why did he sound so sure they were doomed to a fate like that? And why did he say something so out of pocket? Their conversation had nothing to do with…

He’ll find out tomorrow.

Akechi will learn everything he needs to. Then, they can move past this speed bump.

There is nothing to worry about.

Akechi had hardly picked up the dart, when he heard Amamiya let out a small, tired sigh.

“…wrong hand.”

”…excuse me?”

Akechi blinked, genuinely caught off guard as he turned to look at his opponent.

”You’re using the wrong hand. I asked you to give it all you’ve got…I don’t need a handicap.”

Amamiya pushed his glasses up his nose a little, hands in his pockets. His face was calm, but there was a deep sense of tiredness resonating in his voice.

”Ah- very perceptive of you…I was concerned if it would be appropriate for me to truly compete against you. I am your senior, after all.”

His calm demeanour was - ever so slightly - cracked. A hint of frustration hid within his gentle, pleasant smile.

How did he know? They’ve barely interacted. Perhaps he noticed when helping him up, but…   

Come to think of it, Amamiya knew which hand to offer to help him up. Instinctively, almost…

”I don’t want a fair contest. I want a challenge. If I wanted to win, I would’ve invited Yusuke.”

There was a moment of quiet between the two. A tension too thick to last, as Akechi studied his foe. Before he shrugged softly.

“If you truly wish, I won’t hold back.”

Akechi waited until they were a few shots in before he brought it up again. Soften the atmosphere between them first.

“You knew I planned to go easy on you before we even began, didn’t you? Maybe you rival my talents with perception!”

A faux laugh fell from his lips, as he shot straight for the triple 20.

Amamiya’s turn.

“I am no detective, Akechi. It was…intuition, I guess.”

His aim was as sharp as he had suggested over the phone. But the worst part, Akechi noted, was that the boy didn’t even appear to be trying all that hard. No, to a keen eye his demeanour seemed…ever so slightly bored.

”I see. Well, intuition can get you far. Most great discoveries are based on unfounded speculation, at least initially.”

Akechi smiled gently, choosing his words carefully.

“But my intuition leads me to believe there’s…more to this. You’re playing a good game, Amamiya, yet you look entirely disinterested.”

”…hm. I think I’ve just played too much. It’s become pretty much muscle memory at this point.”

”Then why invite me for a game?”

He made sure the question was phrased innocently, his sweet facade smiling at his opponent as he watched him stumble over his excuse. Missing his next shot as a result.

Got him.

”I’m…not sure. I figured you would want some kind of competition?”

It’s true. Goro loves to prove he’s the best. He loves to win, to be on top. He gets drunk on praise.

But nothing about his facade should suggest that. He makes sure that Akechi, the genius detective, is never lumbered with such harmful associations. He is the illusion of perfection - he cannot allow himself to be crass enough to publicly enjoy success.

”Another spark of intuition, then?”

He smiled, as he took his own shot, landing perfectly on the board. He’s in the lead, and has no intention of tripping up now. He will have his answers. He will get an explanation for the strange ‘intuition’ Amamiya keeps experiencing.

”…maybe. I’m not sure.”

The thief’s face was unreadable. The conversation fell silent as Akechi lined up his next shot, before

“But I think it might have something to do with your persona.”

And Akechi tensed, trying to play it off and throw the dart regardless. His aim was slightly off, but he’s still got the lead. Narrowly.

”Pardon?”

”Your persona. You aren’t really like this, are you? This is just…how you act. For the audience.”

Ah, right. That kind of persona…  

He knows he’s shot himself in the foot here. He was so genuinely caught off guard by the accusation, someone as perceptive as Amamiya was bound to notice.

Still, his opponent didn’t mention the overreaction at all, continuing,

”The act is far too nice to be true. If you really were that nice, you wouldn’t have been upset to lose your excuse to lose to me. You’re competitive, and mean, and full of hatred.”

”I feel you are reading too far into-“

”But I am too.”

A smile played on Amamiya’s lips, one Goro had only seen within the confines of the metaverse. Confidence. Arrogance.

This is a challenge. The game was never about darts, that was merely the pretence. The true game starts now.

”How much do you think I know about you?” Goro smiled, raising an eyebrow. “Because you seem to think you know an awful lot about me.”

”I’m sure you know more than you’d ever it about me. I reckon I’m in the presence of a fan.”

Goro snorted, watching his foe take his shot.

“You believe you have fans? Did you miss the situation at the TV station, somehow? You by unnoticed, and I have to deal with hundreds of obsessive young girls.”

”Enemies may be more appropriate, I suppose. But I don’t think you’re one of those, Akechi.”

A small pause.

“Besides, I wasn’t unnoticed. You saw me”

”Only because you threw yourself in front of me. Are you quite certain you aren’t a fan of mine?”

”Believe me detective, if I’m right, I couldn’t hate your line of work more.”

”What crimes are you committing to make you hate detectives?” Akechi laughed, a little stiff.

If he’s right…  

The phantom thieves know he’s investigating them. They were there when he announced it. If this was about his work interfering with them, it wouldn’t be up for debate. Why would he phrase it like that?

He can put the pieces together, but…that world is implausible. It wouldn’t make sense. It cannot possibly…

…

He threw the winning dart into the board

“You have some kind of insight into events yet to come.”

”…I thought it might take a few more hints. I’m impressed.”

Amamiya smiled, and started tidying up after themselves.

“I hope you enjoyed yourself, Akechi. That felt…new. I certainly had fun.”

It appears the evening is over, and yet Goro’s mind is bursting with unasked questions. He needs to know everything, he needs to trick this…this oracle into spilling the secrets of his fate. If things don’t go to plan, he needs to know how to fix them.

”…You’re leaving? But-“

”I told you I’d explain if won, yeah? This isn’t the place for it.”

Ah.

As much as he’d loathe to spend the time travelling alongside Amamiya, he must it that it makes sense. There are other people here, and…well, if his foe has seen into his other line of work, then there is plenty they must discuss in private.

Working alongside the enemy is hard. Trying to pretend he enjoys it is harder.

”Very well. Do you know a place?”

”…We can talk in my room. You’d find where I live eventually anyway. Stalker.”

The last word was a tease, said with a slight smirk.

While it’s true he’s been stalking the boy as a thief, he’d never openly it to such a thing. But denying it felt equally pointless, so he merely huffed and headed for the door.

”Text me the address. I will cycle there.”

He can’t stand looking at that smug face a moment longer.

Still. As much anger and loathing he holds for the petty thief…

He can’t deny it. He had fun.