Fanfic / Coffee and Conversations

This page contains unmarked spoilers for Persona 5 Royal. You Have Been Warned!

Coffee and Conversations is a Persona 5 fanfic by AnimeBasketballer. During the third semester of Royal, Sumire tries to reach out to a distant Akechi, and they discuss a variety of subjects over a cup of coffee.

Coffee and Conversations has examples of:

• Adaptational Villainy: invoked Played with. When Sumire and Akechi discuss Maruki's actions, they ultimately disagree on the motives. Sumire agrees with the canon interpretation, that he was misguided Well-Intentioned Extremist who truly wanted to help people, including her. Akechi however has a different interpretation, believing him to be a monster pretending to be kind who was just using Sumire for his own desires, and that Sumire's willingness to defend him is proof enough she's still brainwashed, even if not literally. By the end of it, Sumire has come to agree with him, but Maruki himself never actually appears to prove whether or not their beliefs are true.
• Alternative Character Interpretation: invoked Sumire and Akechi both have very different viewpoints on Maruki's actions: Sumire views him as a Well-Intentioned Extremist who genuinely wanted the best for her while Akechi thinks of him as a "monster wearing the skin of a kindly doctor" for using her as a meatshield and warping her mind during her lowest point. After realizing Maruki didn't bring back Kasumi even though he easily could have, Sumire ends up agreeing with Akechi.
• Armor-Piercing Question: Sumire is rendered speechless when Akechi asks why Maruki didn't bring back Kasumi, even though it would have been healthier than trying to turn her into a copy of her sister.
  Akechi: Why then, did she not return when Isshiki and Okumura did?
• Big "SHUT UP!": Sumire tells Akechi to "Shut up!" after he points out how Maruki never wanted to help Sumire so much as "fix" her by turning her into a copy of Kasumi; she's frustrated in part because not only is Akechi completely correct, it meant the one person she actually trusted never wanted to actually help her.
• Bottle Episode: Most of the fic takes place in a coffee shop in Kichijoji, and the only two characters to appear in-person are Sumire and Akechi.
• Broken Pedestal: Sumire is initially grateful towards Maruki for helping her out of her funk and letting her meet the Phantom Thieves. However, after Akechi points out that he manipulated her and would have had no qualms about essentially killing her, Sumire's opinion on him takes a noticeable downturn. By the end of the fic, she vows to punch Maruki in the face for all he did to her.
• Death of Personality: As Akechi points out, had Maruki succeeded in granting Sumire's original desire to become Kasumi, Sumire herself would have essentially died in favor of a copy of Kasumi.
• Death Seeker: Downplayed with Sumire, who still believes she deserved to die instead of Kasumi. However, the idea that Maruki would have essentially killed her if it would have made her happy genuinely unsettles her once she thinks about the implications.
• Dramatic Irony: Sumire believes Akechi is encouraging her to get with Ren because Akechi will be in jail once Maruki's reality is undone. In actuality, it's because Akechi might actually die. Same applies for Sumire's thinking she and Akechi can be friends eventually once this was all over, since Akechi will likely be dead before then.
• I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Akechi is well aware of his impending death should Maruki's reality be undone. As such, it's heavily implied that he wants Ren to get with Sumire (despite his own feelings for him) so Ren still has someone to love once Akechi is gone.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Akechi is brutally honest and still the same spiteful Jerkass he usually is, but he genuinely cares for Sumire. Throughout their conversation, he helps her realize that Maruki was ultimately just manipulating her, encourages her to stand up for herself and points out that the thieves don't hate her for attacking Joker.
• Jerkass Has a Point: As crude and blunt as Akechi is, Sumire admits he makes several good points, especially in regards to how harmful Maruki's methods were.
• Locked Out of the Loop: Downplayed. While Joker told her some general details, Sumire is largely unaware of Akechi's actual conflict with the Phantom Thieves and his past, Joker saying it wasn't his story to tell her. As such, when he gets passionate about not wanting to be used by someone, she's left wondering what happened to him, unaware of his Dark and Troubled Past that led to him being used by Shido.
• Only Friend: As Sumire notes, Akechi is only really remotely friendly with Joker, being a jerkass to everyone else, including her. After their discussion, Sumire even notes that the two still aren't friends, but now that she got to talk to him, she thinks she can become friends with him one day.
• Shipper on Deck: Akechi encourages Sumire to hook up with Ren, noting that they're "both as ridiculously sentimental as each other."
• Taking the Bullet: As Sumire mentally notes, Akechi took a lot of attacks for Ren (and a couple for her) during their Metaverse excursions. She takes it as a sign that he does indeed care for her, since she and Ren were the only thieves he took attacks for.
• You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Akechi encourages Sumire to use her anger as a means to avoid being manipulated again.
  “It’s good that you’re angry, you know. Keep a hold of that; sometimes anger is the only thing that will get you anywhere.”
  He said it so nonchalantly, like he was just continuing a conversation, although he looked off to the side. Clearly, he felt as uncomfortable as she did, which was good because it was his fault, so he deserved it. She shot him a watery glare, though it probably came across as more pathetic than intimidating.
  “That’s stupid, Senpai. I don’t want to spend my life miserable and angry.”
  “It may be. It’s how I’ve always lived, but I am aware I am not a…rational person.” He gritted out, pulling at the end of his glove as he spoke. “But I think, this time, you’re right to be angry. You want to know what you’re supposed to do?”
  He leant forward again and clasped his hands together. That intense look in his eyes was back, and Sumire couldn’t help but worry about what he was going to say.
  You use that anger. Keep it close and make sure nobody ever uses you like that again. You deserve better than being manipulated, Yoshizawa-san. You are not some madman’s experiment. Never let anyone treat you like that again; and when we fight Maruki, you can punch him in his stupid face.”