โค Mystery | Akechi Goro
Warnings: Yandere Akechi, stalking, harassment, manipulation, gaslighting, breaking and entering, belittling of MC, delusions of grandeur from Akechi, etc. Ask to tag!
Includes: GN! Reader, college aged Akechi and MC, hints at the data-mined ending for P5R so technically not canon complacent, MC is paranoid and is gaslighted like crazy <3
A/N: Commissioned by a lovely anon for "Fics for Gaza"! Thank you for being so patient with me (TT); link to the og post and their blog @ficsforgaza in case you want to check it out! Mister Goro โMansplain, Manipulate, Manslaughterโ Akechi strikes againโฆ
After years of working as a detective, Akechi knew how to avoid being caught.
โ โDear detective,โ the letters heโd pen always began the same way.
Heโd do it with a pristine pair of gloves and a printed out note, leaving no trace of his handwriting or fingerprints that could be detected no matter how hard you tried to find them. He made sure to use common stationary, the type that could be found in any store just to make it harder for you to trace back to him, he wouldnโt want you sniffing out any luxury goods and pinning down what stores heโd gone to.ย
He hopes you appreciate the effort heโs put into this little game he was playing with you.
The clues he did give you, because there was no fun to be had if you werenโt at least suspicious that he was the anonymous sender, were calculated as to taunt you just enough to allude his identity to you but vague enough that you couldnโt reasonably go to anyone else to accuse him without losing respectability and keeping your reputation of a sensible investigator.
โ โ[โฆ] but, if you want me to give you a clue you can just ask. Iโd much rather you be on the right track, Iโd truly be offended if you confused me with some idiot on the street.โย
It was a balancing act that would have been tiring to most, but to him it was nothing short of intoxicating. After a lifetime of being forced to put on an act, it felt nice to have an outlet where he could let out all his pent up emotions, especially when it came to you.
He knew you well enough, the last few years of his time as a celebrity had been spent working exclusively alongside you. It was hard for him to find someone suitable enough to share the spotlight with and he enjoyed your presence and he didnโt want to go through the process of checking if there was anyone better, though he sincerely doubted that was true; he knew you better than you knew yourself and he had long since decided you were staying by his side as his assistant. Thatโs how he knew that he was driving you crazy and that, soon enough, youโd reach your breaking point; he was looking forward to it.
โ โ I mean no offense by my question, I write to you with concern, after all; Have you considered quitting? It looks like youโre not doing too well these days, maybe the stress is catching up to you. Youโre no fun when youโre this exhausted.โ
What he was doing was undoubtedly cruel, but Akechi thought he was more than justified in his actions; you would probably hold it against him at first but, in the long run, youโd realise he was right. He was certain his therapist would scold him and tell him he was undoing all of his work, but Akechi knew you better than anyone; he was doing you a favour by helping you resign.
You were not made for this line of work; if he couldnโt handle it, why should you? You two had been working together for years before he quit the limelight.
At first he was annoyed to no end to have to stand next to you, there was no doubt in his mind he was better than you in any and all aspects that mattered, and he was right, but soon enough โ much to his surprise and initial annoyance โ he grew to tolerate your presence and even enjoy it.
You were honest and barely held your tongue when it came to him, from the beginning you had stood out as someone who truly enjoyed their position. He canโt understate how deeply he resented you at first, he found your attitude annoying and pretentious but soon learned that you really did mean it when you said you were doing this for yourself โ he hated that, and for a while his feeling only doubled down but he grew to appreciate your honesty and a friendship began to blossom, unfortunately for both of you in the long run. You grew to become one of the only people Akechi genuinely thought highly of; even if he didnโt truly enjoy his work as a celebrity, being by your side made it tolerable. It was something he realised after working with his doctor; He cared for you, even if heโd denied it at first, you were someone he treasured deeply and he didnโt want to see you get hurt the way he had been. Why couldnโt you see that?
โ โI donโt enjoy seeing you so miserable, detective, your fans probably donโt like it much eitherโฆโ
You were talented, no doubt about it, but you had always been second best to him, and thatโs how it would forever be. Everything you did was compared to and eventually overshadowed by his own accomplishments, you could solve a case in a day and heโd come and do it in half. Everything you could do, he could do better; way better in fact, so much better people often forgot youโd done it first or at all. Your name was but a footnote in his life, at least for a while that was how itโd been.
You werenโt bad or stupid, far from it, he wouldnโt have allowed himself to be on stage with just anybody after all. But if he was Sherlock, solving the big cases and taking the spotlight, you were Watson, destined to sit back and assist him - only ever getting the spotlight when he wasnโt around (though that has proven to not always be the case, as even now it is as if you lived in his shadow โ his name always came first).
โ โI really donโt get why you insist on being a detective when youโre so mediocre at it, seriously, when was the last time you solved a case by yourself? Youโre wasting everyoneโs time. Why not do something youโre actually good at?โ
It was that very nature of your relationship that had led him to believe that, when he eventually left the role of detective for something that he would actually enjoy, you would follow him. After all, basically all of your teenage years had been spent together, working in tandem, why would he expect you to turn your back on him and the life you two had known for superficial stardom. You always spoke of helping others and he had found a way to do it in a truly significant manner that allowed you two to be free and live honestly, away from the media.
Akechiโs time working on the Phantom Thievesโ case had given him new insight into the life he had led up until that point, as much as he wished he didnโt have to credit them with much - the months after they had disbanded had left him rethinking his choices. To you, and by proxy anyone outside of himself, his therapist, and Ren, his decision would have seemed sudden and maybe even brash; but he thought that, once you heard him out, you would join him.
Sure, the relationship between you two was good, years of knowing each other and working together had left you two with a great friendship, but it was nowhere near close enough to make you pack up and leave everything you had worked for behind because he had a sudden realisation. At least, you would think thatโd be clear to him but, alas, it wasnโt. He had constructed an image of you, but for all of his smarts it was too incomplete to truly understand you.
โ โWhen will you go to the authorities about me? [โฆ] Is it a lack of clues? If you leave it to the professionals I am certain theyโll do a better job trying to track me; even Iโm getting tired of this.โ
He had been blindsided by his ego and forgotten that you were just as complex as he was, that just because he had realised this life was not for him it didnโt mean it wasnโt for you. Akechi's understanding of your relationship was tested when you finally broke the news that you and him were fundamentally different people with equally different goals.
He had invited you over for lunch when heโd broken the news, the brunette made sure you were one of the first to know so you could come out together and announce your retirement at the same time. He had been so sure you would agree with him it was almost offensive how predictable he thought you were.
It was a high end restaurant, you two had come here before during your breaks from work, but it had still shocked you to receive the invitation since it had been some time since you two hung out as friends and not coworkers. The last few months had been filled with work and much self reflection from his part and soon enough you two had graduated from high school without really talking to each other outside of work hours or the occasional friendly text. For a long time, Akechi had made it clear you werenโt friends and it took you years of knowing each other for him to finally acknowledge how close you two had gotten, but even then you were the one initiating most hangouts; maybe his odd behaviour should have been your first clue something was up.
He had sat you down and let you order, making sure to get you comfortable before unloading the news onto you. He was well aware you would be surprised at first, but he was certain of todayโs outcome.
โI think itโs time I quit,โ he had said after the waiter had brought over your drinks, he took a long sip of his water before continuing, โthis is a waste of time and I see no reason to continue, afterโฆ everything thatโs happened, I realised Iโm sick of this.โ
At the time, you were unsure how he wanted you to react; you werenโt angry, a bit surprised and confused, yes, maybe even sad, but you were in no way about to praise his choice and follow in his footsteps.
โI am surprised,โ you managed to say, dabbing at your lips with a napkin, the news had shocked you enough you had choked on your drink but you were quick to reassure him before he could make any snide remarks about your etiquette, โbut, if itโs what you want to do, then Iโm happy for youโฆโ
An awkward silence followed your words, as if he were waiting for you to say something else. He was not expecting you to agree immediately, you needed to hear him out but he didnโt want to look too desperate.
โUm,โ you look away, his burgundy eyes were a little too intense, โwhat made you realise you wanted to quit?โ
โThere is nothing at the end of this road,โ he answered as if he had been expecting you to ask, it felt practised and unnatural, โitโs all the same and can we really say weโre doing something important? All we do is run around, solve peopleโs problems and get congratulated, but are we really solving their problems? We temporarily give them peace of mind but itโs always a trivial issue that would have been solved with or without us. Sometimes, I think itโd been better if the police had been involved from the beginning in some cases โ weโre not true authority figures, after all. I donโt want to continue wasting my time doing what others want or need me to do for them, Iโm tired of being usedโฆ I want to do something only I can.โ
โI didnโt think you saw it like that,โ you muttered, you seem deep in thought at his words, โitโs a new perspective, even for you.โ
โI guess so,โ Akechi agrees with you, โbut I stand by it, I canโt lie to myself and say that what weโre doing is real work or that I enjoy it.โ
โI canโt say I necessarily agree,โ you conclude, you take a sip of your drink and go on to continue your thoughts, โeven if what weโre doing isnโt solving their whole lives, itโs something. At the end of the day, if you can lighten their load and inspire them to keep going and working hard, even if itโs over small things that wonโt matter in the grand scheme, isnโt that better than nothing? If they find strength in seeing celebrities succeed, then thatโs better than being hopeless.โ
โSo youโd rather do the bare minimum, hoping you inspire someone rather than being an active participant of change?โ
โYou make it sound like Iโm stupid, Akechi,โ you eye him wearily, โsure, Iโm not going out there and solving wars, but if my work can inspire people to keep going, letting them know thereโs always an answer, isnโt that encouraging them to work towards the future? If I can inspire someone to help another, thatโs enough for me โ change doesnโt have to come from direct actions, sometimes itโs a chain reaction.โ
โAnd you think you can set it off?โ He scoffs, heโs aware he sounds rude but youโre preaching nonsense as far as he can tell and heโs never been fond of unrealistic optimism.
โ... Are you implying I canโt?โย
โI just donโt think you have what it takes, I donโt think anyone has what it takes, to hope someone sees you and is inspired into action is too reckless โ you may as well print a poster and call it a day,โ he glares at you, seemingly annoyed at your naรฏvetรฉ, โif you want to make a real change, you canโt be tied down to fantasies.โ
โSo what am I supposed to do, quit?โ You ask flabbergasted and feeling insulted, youโre well aware that your work isnโt the pinnacle of hard labour but youโve given your all to get to a place where you can at least show people that thereโs a future where justice can exist, where their hardships can at least be acknowledged.
โI think so,โ you are shocked, โI think youโd do much better elsewhere rather than wasting your time, become a real detective, lawyer or even a damn police officer if youโre so desperate; we canโt play pretend forever.โ
To you, the rest of the conversation was a blur; you only remember leaving early and feeling as if heโd spent the last hour discrediting everything you had done while trying to convince you to quit and do God knows what heโd try to rope you into. It also felt as if all the time youโd spent together suddenly didnโt mean anything either.
The only thing you can say with confidence that he said to you had left you feeling small and disappointed, as if he had confirmed your biggest fear; that you would always be second best:
โIf I couldnโt do it, what makes you think you can?โ
He really did mean it too, you could tell from the way he seemed genuinely surprised you thought you could outlive his career. You think at some point he might have tried to assure you he didnโt think you were stupid, something about how heโd poured all of himself into the role and couldnโt accomplish his goal and how he was hoping youโd realise that it was impossible before you were burnt out too, but all you can remember is the way he looked at you as if you were a stupid child having your ABCโs explained to them, how at some point he seemed annoyed at you like heโd been back then.
Akechi realises now, months later and after a lot of self reflection, that his approach was inadequate and that, in the long term, it had done more damage than good. Alas, time cannot be turned back; if he wasnโt able to talk you out of it, then heโd have to show you that you were wasting your time.
Between you two, he had always been the better one; so why would you be the one it works out for? If he couldnโt do it, then you certainly canโt either.
Thatโs why his first note was an apology, his first clue to you.ย
โ โI am simply an admirer of your work, even if there are many flaws in itโฆโ
The idea of anonymous letters had come to him when reminiscing back on his time following Amemiya and his possy, the warning notes theyโd give out to their targets that would taunt them and leave them skittish, wondering if it was a joke or not and worrying about the absurd possibility there was merit to their threats. In his case, he needed to play things out differently; he didnโt want to make you suffer, he just wanted to make you see the situation the way he did โ the correct way, if you will.
And so, for the last year you have been receiving his notes.ย
You had told no one about them, too embarrassed to admit you were being affected by them and too proud to ask for help. After all, what would you say? People would probably tell you to figure it out yourself, you were supposed to be a detective after all; how come you couldnโt find the identity of your stalker? They werenโt even threatening, just taunting enough that hurt your feelings.
โ โ[โฆ] Do you really think youโve caught me? You just fired a makeup artist for no reason, if you keep acting irrationally youโll get a reputation; I suggest thinking more about who you accuse next time. People will get suspicious if you start acting soโฆ erratically.โ
Though, youโre almost certain you do know who it is, itโs been near impossible to find any tangible proof that you could take to the authorities. You were struggling and Akechi knew.ย
It was only a matter of time before you were forced to come to terms that you simply didnโt have what it took to succeed, Akechi tried telling you in a nicer way but you just didnโt listen. If you canโt even catch him, a man youโve known for years, what makes you think youโll catch a real criminal? You had known him for so long and hadnโt caught onto his time as Crow, a bunch of letters wasnโt going to be any easier for you.
Itโs surprising to the both of you how long you put off calling him. It almost offended him, was calling him so unbearable? You were almost completely sure he was the one behind the letters, after all, heโd been so nice โ as he would say, even if you donโt agree โ to leave clues, but stalling the inevitable was more of an ego thing on your part. From mentioning things you had told him in private, recalling moments that should have been between the two of you alone, it almost feels like he had documented everything; and yet he didnโt leave DNA or even a single fingerprint, everything he used was so carefully picked out you had no way of tracing it back to him that was enough to show the authorities and file a restraining order.
You didnโt know what heโd say, maybe heโd laugh at you and scold you for taking almost a year in realising or maybe heโd try to deny it and make you feel stupid for even suspecting him. Akechi always had a way with words, especially the closer you two got, that made you feel smaller in comparison to him. But at this point you didnโt care, heโd been taunting you for months and you were at your limit.
โ โYou havenโt been sleeping well, I see you frequenting that cafe more often; itโs not healthy. How many cups do you drink in a day now? Four or five? Youโll get sick.โย
You would find his handiwork everywhere you went; outside of your house, near spots youโd often frequent, sometimes youโd find them in places you had been to only hours before as if he were watching you and waiting to strike.
They were always so long too, Akechi had no qualms in explaining in great detail every single misstep youโd made, for their almost daily frequency you had to admit he was dedicated to an over six hundred word count. It would have been impressive if it wasnโt so creepy.
To be honest, you probably would have lived through it for a while longer if he hadnโt crossed the line even further; youโd found one of his notes inside your house.
As of the last few months you had been going above and beyond trying to catch him, he had been right; your work had been suffering greatly, mostly due to the stress of finding his stupid notes all around you. You had seen the headlines, wondering what had happened โ some discrediting your lifeโs work, others lamenting your decline in quality, others simply attributing your achievements to him of all people. He was starting to prove his point and it annoyed you to no end.
You barely got any sleep as you desperately combed over the letters, everything that pointed to him was circumstantial and would not serve to prove anything to anyone, much less the authorities. You both knew that it was only a matter of time before it became too much.
You had to take a break, eventually going into hiding and hyper focusing on trying to find any concrete evidence, at this point those letters were all you thought about from the moment you woke up to the moment you fell asleep. And he still had the audacity to taunt you, leaving his handiwork outside your doorstep everyday as to remind you of why you were isolated at home most of the time.
โ โDoes this not feel a little pathetic, detective?โ
You had been toying around with the idea of confronting him, giving in and forgoing your pride and just begging him to stop. You hadnโt seen him in over a year and after your last conversation you had no real intention of trying to mend any bridges, but you needed to know if it was him as you so desperately believed or if you really were going crazy.
For a moment you thought you were dreaming when you woke up to one of his scarlet envelopes sitting on top of your nightstand; you immediately recognise it. You almost donโt believe it even as you peel the seal away and unravel the note, but itโs one of them โ it couldnโt be from anybody else. No one knew of them other than you and the sender.
You basically jump out of your bed and scramble to get your phone, too emotional too even spare it a once over, your hands are shaking with frustration - you feel flustered and annoyed, you swear to whatever deity is listening to you that if the man didnโt answer your call you would drive over and make the most embarrassing scene you could muster, reputation be damned. Akechi was currently attending university and you were more than willing to go to his campus or even his place, in public surrounded by strangers or not, and demand he give you answers; breaking into your house was too much. If it wasnโt him, then you had no idea who it could be and you didnโt know what scared you more.
The way he wrote, the way he teased you, the way he seemed to always be a step ahead of you, it all screamed Akechi. His condescending tone from that dinner echoed in his words even if only written; why did you get to live out your childhood dream if he could not? What had you done that he hadnโt? What did you have that he didnโt that made you better than him? He didnโt want to be a celebrity detective, but he was better at it, so why would you - someone worse than him - get to continue?
From every possible angle, Akechi Goro was better than you and yet, for some reason, you were the one advancing in their career, you were the one the public began to favour over himself; seeing you live the life he had given up better than he had pissed him off. He thought you were friends, maybe even closer than that, you were partners โ the only other person in the world that knew the isolation and expectations that came with stardom โย and yet you abandoned him for the very thing he despised.
Heโs still pleasantly surprised to see your caller ID flashing on his phone, though Akechi knew you to be stubborn and a part of him was hoping youโd be able to withstand his teasing a little more โ especially now that he knew how to sneak into your home โ, he had been expecting a call from you sooner rather than later.
He almost felt bad when he picked up and heard your clearly panicked voice.
Almost; this whole ordeal was too fun for him to feel too badly about his actions.
โAkechi,โ you try to not show how disturbed you are in case your hunch was right, โwe need to talk, now.โ
โHello to you too,โ he ignores the sense of urgency in your words, โarenโt you going to ask me how Iโve been? Itโs been a while since we last talked, it is common courtesy I believe to do so I believe.โ
โAnd you know why that is,โ you scoff, โI didnโt need you to continue telling me I suck at my job and that I should quit because you were illuminated by the heavens.โ
โIt was one conversation,โ you canโt see it from over the phone but his reddish eyes seem to gleam in delight, he lets out an airy laugh, โand you cut me off before we could see eye to eye, you make me sound like some sort of evil lunatic โ maybe if weโd kept in contact Iโd be nicer.โ โYeah,, right,โ you roll your eyes, unconsciously clutching at the red envelope in your hands - his degrading demeanour only serves to further antagonise him in your eyes, โletโs cut to the chase, what have you been doing lately.โ
โAnd what is it to you?โ He laughs, taking a seat as he answers your question, โBut, if you really called just to ask thatโฆ Iโve been taking a break.โ
โI see, so youโve got a lot of free time on your hands now, huh?โ But was it enough that he could be pulling this off? Even without work heโd been studious and hard working, his schedule always packed; would it be possible that a workaholic like him could actually take a break?
โNot really,โ โ your heart feels like it had stopped, had you been wrong? โ, โIโve been in therapy and working on getting into some real work, between that and keeping up with new hobbies thereโs not much spare time.โ
โHobbies?โ That didnโt sound nice, or maybe you were paranoid and unable to imagine a man like Akechi having hobbies.
โYes, like writing,โ you wouldnโt have pinned him as a writer , โI thought I could do something with all that mystery experience and write a novel, might as well put that work to use, you know?โ โI guess soโฆโ Thereโs an awkward silence; heโd been nonchalant during the conversation, answering all of your questions with ease, why were you starting to feel like youโd been crazy?
Maybe you had been wrong about him, but if itโs not him then who?
โAnd what have you been up to? I saw you were taking a break.โ
โOh, uhโฆ yeah,โ you didnโt think heโd keep up with your public appearances, he sounded so angry with your decision back then โ but if he was the author of the notes itโd make sense he kept an eye, โI have been dealing with some, umm personal stuffโฆโ
You both donโt speak after that for a few painfully awkward seconds.
โSo youโve been in therapy?โ You ask suddenly, you were stalling now โ for some reason you didnโt quite understand โ just reaching for any topic thatโd fill the silence.
โYes.โ
โThatโsโฆ good.โ Akechi has to muffle a chuckle at your inadequate response, you cringe at your own words.
โNo offence, I do enjoy conversing with you but I doubt this is what you meant when you said we needed to talk,โ the young man halts your train of thoughts, โthis has been quite awkward anyway, we might as well go straight to the point; why did you call me?โ
โBecause,โ you think about your words, you need to at least ask him about it, you donโt want to sound crazy but there is no way you can actually breach the topic without sounding slightly off, โyouโฆ itโs you, isn't it?โ
โMe? Youโre not making much sense, I am what?โ Akechi sounds confused, making you freeze for a minute.
โYouโre the one sending me theseโฆ these letters,โ you look at the one in your hand, โitโs got โAkechiโ written all overโฆ You know all these personal details written in them, how to get under my skin, and who else would be able to sneak in undetected into my house or my room and keep this up for so long? You โโ
โSomeone snuck into your house?โ He feigns surprise, cutting you off mid rant; he can tell it took you off guard.
โY-yes,โ you mumble, unsure if he was trying to fool you; you had no evidence other than a gut feeling and knowing the guy for years, โand itโฆ it has to be you, thereโs no way it isnโtโฆ Youโre the only person who could pull this โโ โThese are quite serious allegations youโre posing now,โ his voice slowly loses its playful tone, โbreaking and entering, sending letters tooโฆ Do you even have any evidence?โ โMaybe I doโฆโ You stutter out, โThe writing itโs likeโฆ yours.โ
โA good detective shouldnโt lie,โ he smirks over the phone, your fingers are trembling as he continues talking, โyou canโt just call me out of the blue and accuse me of such things, we havenโt talked to each other in months and this is the first thing you say to me?โ
โThe letters mention things only you would know and itโs all so well done, theyโre in places where, you know, weโd go and itโs just very you,โ why canโt you be more coherent โ you want to tell him to shut so you can finish your train of thoughts; because if itโs not him then who else, โand youโve been trying to convince me โโ โI havenโt even talked to you in what, a year? How am I trying to convince you of anything?โ
โDuring that lunch you said โโ
โCome on, it was one conversation and I admit I crossed the line,โ he doesnโt let you finish talking before rebutting every single thing you said and itโs starting to rile you up, โbut thatโs not proof.โ
Thereโs an awkward silence that follows, he can tell youโre getting worked up. Youโre panicking, you had spent the last few weeks trying to find any possible clue about Akeshiโs involvement in this mess and yet you had come up with nothing of substance.
โThis has really been messing you up, hasnโt it?โ His voice is deceptively soft, as if he cared about the torment youโd been facing.
โIโฆโ Youโre unsure of what to say; you had so many things thought of what to say to him, but it had all been under the pretence that he was the one responsible for what was going on but you had nothing on him other than a hunch and bitter feelings from your last conversation.ย
โI have been keeping up with your work,โ he takes your silence as an invitation to continue talking, โyouโre not doing too hot, huh? Is it because of this?โ
โ...โ He can hear you shuffling.
โIf youโre struggling, we can meet up,โ he suggests, โI could help you, you know?โ
โTo quit?โ You laugh but there is no humour in it; maybe he had been right, you dully think, after heโd left youโd naturally garnered the support he had once had but it had felt undeserved, your work had been stagnating due to the letters and general feelings of inadequacy as you were made to replace the role Akechi once had.
โTo help you with the letters,โ he sounds legitimately annoyed and you flinch internally, โclearly you canโt do it yourself, how long has it been going on for?โ
โA couple of monthsโฆโ You trail off, you feel like a child being scolded by their mother; left to desperately scramble for any excuse for your poor behaviour.ย
โMonths, are you actually being serious right now?โ He doesnโt give you the time to respond, you can hear him shuffling, โAnd you havenโt found anything?โ
โNot really,โ you gulp, โwhich is whyโฆ I thought it could be you.โ
โIโm quite hurt youโd think me capable of that,โ you canโt make out what he was feeling based on his tone but his words seem to indicate he really was shocked at your accusations; guilt begins to form in your gut, โsure, our last conversation wasโฆ rough, but I would never dare hurt you, I only want to help.โ
His words further cement your feelings of guilt, maybe youโd seriously misjudged him. No, you definitely had; in your years of knowing him heโd been condescending and irritable, but heโd never hurt you. You were the one whoโd been overreacting, you had stormed off on him, you had cut him off, you had accused him without evidence and even now, as he offered to help you, you couldnโt help but doubt his words.
โBut youโฆโ scrambling to find the right words you desperately try to communicate your concerns but the more you finally voice them to someone the less sure you are about them, โif itโs not you, then who? Youโฆ youโre the only one who I wouldnโt catch, right? Becauseโฆโ
Maybe he had been right, you think, ever since he quit youโd been left trying to live up to the legacy he left behind but you had failed. Youโd let yourself become overwhelmed, chasing after a dream you simply didnโt have the chops to live out, and even went as far as to accuse one of your friends of hurting you over a conversation that he seemed to have forgotten.
โI have not received a single assignment that has required me to harass my ex-colleague,โ heโs probably referencing his therapy treatment, you think, โI have come far enough to realise I have been childish in my past, which is why I would never do something like sending you clearly distressing notes.โ
He continues.
โI am genuinely concerned for you,โ he sighs, โwhich is why I am offering to help you.โ
โIโฆโ Youโre unsure of what to say, you had been hoping heโd admit to being the man behind the letters, โI just want this to end.โ
โIโll go over, okay?โ You vaguely hear him moving around, โHave everything ready, any letters you have saved or anything you think might be important, weโll work this out and, once weโre done, we can talk about your future.โ
You hum in agreement, too worn out and exhausted to argue.
โIโll see you soon,โ heโs putting on his gloves as he speaks and slowly opening the bag heโd been carrying, โgoodbye.โ โByeโฆโ
Once the call is ended you throw your phone into the bed and collapse on top of your mattress. You close your eyes tightly, clutching at the papers in your hand. You had shoved the letter back in before reading it, you opened your eyes slowly and glanced at it. You sit up, the springs in the mattress mask the sound of a creaking door, and reopen the envelope.
The letter was almost like all the ones before it except for some slight wrinkles in the paper, teasing remarks, insults hidden between words, and the spare compliment sprinkled in there. Your brain doesnโt even register what it says, too used to its content to care. Youโre about to put it back in when you notice a strange discoloration on the back, you frown. Gently you move the paper against the yellow light from your bedside lamp. The letters were smaller, significantly more rushed โ as if theyโd been added recently โ and harder to decipher; you fidget with it as you begin to make out what it says; at least, you try until you hear footsteps echoing through your hallway. You freeze, seemingly losing all mobility as they begin to draw closer and closer until theyโre basically at your bedroomโs door
There is someone in your house, you realise.
Gloved hands grasp at the doorknob and all you can do is watch in horror as a tuft of light brown hair comes into view.
โ โIโm inside.โ
