B/N: This is a fanfic assuming you have already completed the true end because there are spoilers ahead. All copyrights to Persona 5 belongs to Atlus.

A pair of black loafers gently landed onto the busy streets of Shibuya. While she was standing right in the middle of Shibuya's crossing, commuters did not seem to perceive her presence and simply walked on while minding their own business. Confirming that she has successfully arrived in the real world, she gave her attire a quick check and ensured that her bulky compendium was still with her.

Smiling in the satisfaction that everything was in order, she casually merged into the stream of pedestrians and followed whatever direction the crowd was moving. It didn't take long until she caught sight of the person she was looking for; her Trickster, currently still with the rest of the Thieves and had gathered together at a corner near the station square. Deciding that it was only courteous of herself to not infringe into their conversation, she kept a reasonable distance from them and patiently waited for them to disperse.

The streets of Shibuya were many times more crowded than the Velvet Room that she was familiar with, although it took her some effort, she thankfully found an empty seat at a nearby concrete parapet. Lavenza leaped onto the parapet and took a seat, quietly observing the thieves making merry and organizing their plans for tomorrow's celebration. To her surprise, the guy with black frizzy hair had locked eyes with her. He gave her a tactful wave outside of his friends' perception and gave her a quick smile before returning to his conversation.

"Let's meet at Leblanc tomorrow and have a final meeting on the situation." Makoto suggested, rubbing her shoulders as she started to feel the chill from the wind and the snow.

"Yeah, let's do that." Yusuke agreed, with some of the other thieves nodding their head in approval as well.

"…Hey!" Ann cheerfully interrupted. "It'll be Christmas, so why don't we do a last celebration party!?" A suggestion that began an exciting stream of commotion from her fellow comrades. It's like there's always a party after every significant heist. Akira recalled to himself, noting that the celebrations were nothing to scoff at ever since Haru's celebration at Destinyland, although there were some unfortunate events that followed up, she had certainly raised the standards way too high.

"I like the sound of that! There better not be anyone that's got plans already!" Ryuji fist-pumped in excitement, infecting the others with his cheery enthusiasm.

"It's settled then!" Ann confirmed, her excitement was also starting to show on her face.

"Make sure you persuade Boss to let us reserve the store for the party." Yusuke reminded, clearly showing his intentions of enjoying a cup of coffee, especially Boss's brew.

"Sure thing." Akira replied nonchalantly, holding back the desire to exploit his caretaker's soft spot for Futaba and let her do the honours instead.

"We're counting on you. Well then, see you all again tomorrow." " Yusuke smiled at his reliable leader as he said his goodbyes to his fellow friends.

"I'm worried about Sojiro, so I'm gonna head home." Futaba interrupted and immediately headed off before the rest could even respond.

"We should go home too." Ann suggested, starting to feel the chills and just wanting to find someplace warm for refuge against the cold.

Everyone said their goodbyes and broke off to their respective destinations, Akira shrewdly made a detour around the Station square as though he was heading off as well, but only to meet the girl in blue. She smiled at him and got to her feet as he approached and lightly waved with her free hand.

"Lavenza? Was there something you need from me?" Akira politely asked the resident from the Velvet Room, not very sure that there was still leftover business even after the whole 'god problem' had been settled.

"It is nothing of grave importance, but…" She trailed off hesitantly, unsure of how to phrase her words. "If it is alright, do you think we can take a walk around?" She tiptoed around the topic nervously.

"Yeah sure, I would be glad to." Akira smiled, glad that at least he wouldn't be left alone on Christmas without plans. "Oh wait, give me a minute." His finely honed senses detecting traces of a familiar presence approaching him. Moments later, Sae emerged from the crowd, smirking at him as she opened the conversation with a tease.

"I didn't expect to find the world's saviour alone on Christmas Eve." Sae joked. Aren't you alone as well? Akira retorted mentally, but he knew better than to say it out loud.

"…Can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked. Akira simply gave her a quick nod, conversations between them were quick and direct, and ever since coming to an understanding after the interrogation, they now treated each other with maturity and respect.

"First off, thank you for taking my request." She bowed solemnly in appreciation for all that the thieves had gone through for her sake. "With your actions, I can only hope that public opinion changes…" She paused for a moment, "It will change, won't it?" and hesitantly sought for his assurance.

"We'll find out." Akira casually shrugged his shoulders, feeling that stressing about it at this point was simply a waste of effort.

"True. It was social reform on a scale no one has ever accomplished before." Sae sighed. "But I believe that it will." She now looked confidently straight at Akira, her eyes now brimming with confidence instead of the crazed fervour when she was desperately hunting the thieves down.

"Shido confessed to a variety of crimes. We can arrest him on those charges. But the problem lies in proving him guilty." She paused with her eyebrows furrowed in disapproval. "It'd be difficult unless the correlation between the Metaverse and the mental shutdowns is made."

Akira listened to Sae's comments, his sharp mind already predicting that this conversation would lead to her suggestion at turning himself in, either as a witness and/or a victim of Shido's crimes.

"Akechi, who perpetrated those crimes, has gone missing… You're the only ones left who can testify." She revealed. "…I'll be blunt." A moment of hesitation gripped at Sae's conscience the moment she attempted to convince him.

"You want me to turn myself in to the police." Akira interrupted, causing Sae to flinch at this interjection. She dejectedly chuckled to herself at this guy's quick-mindedness, certainly living up to the name of the tactical leader of the Phantom Thieves.

" *Sigh* Your testimony will be necessary in order to prove Shido guilty. However, that will mean placing you on center stage. You'll be treated as a hero who saved this country." Sae continued, knowing full well that Akira already has a grasp on the current situation. "But there's no way that the police or the public prosecutors will let that slide."

Akira frowned as he continued listening to Sae's explanations. While he didn't become a Phantom Thief in order to gain praise or fame as some saviour of the world, but he certainly didn't think that he would attract the animosity of the authorities just simply because of their inflated pride and egos.

A light tug on his jacket's sleeve roused his attention as he saw Lavenza standing beside him, betraying a hint of disappointment on her usually calm expression. Sae rambled on without perceiving Lavenza's presence, ending off with her suspicions that the police may just resort to some radical methods to arrest the entire team.

"You'll most likely be sent to juvenile hall… and placed in solitary confinement. They'll be content as long as they get a testimony without the Phantom Thieves being hailed as heroes." Sae shook her head in disappointment at how the society functioned. "By doing so, it should guarantee the safety of your teammates. Or rather, I'll make sure it's guaranteed." Sae affirmed confidently, brimming with a determination that she would at least protect the rest of her benefactors.

"It's to prevent society from becoming distorted again. That's what you want too isn't it?" She asked, Akira now solemnly nodding at her question. "This is almost like… a final deal between the two of us. I'll ask you once more. I'd like for you to turn yourself in to the police, of your own accord." Sae requested once again, hoping to get a firm answer from him directly.

"I'll save my teammates." There was absolutely no hesitation in Akira's decision. There was little left for him to worry at this point with the disappearance of the metaverse and the defeat of Yaldabaoth, which makes ensuring the safety of his friends of the utmost priority right now. He barely caught the petite girl beside him giving an impressed smile at his decision. "But." He interrupted before Sae could say anything else. "I need a little more time." Akira added while checking his phone, acting as though there were new notifications.

"Very well. You can turn yourself in tomorrow morning." Sae acknowledged. "Have a good night." She gave another slight bow before turning around and making her way off, leaving Akira to his own plans. He waited until the prosecutor went out of sight before addressing the girl from the Velvet Room.

"Well, what a downer right before Christmas." Akira cheekily commented as he smiled at his partner, making a light-hearted response to a serious situation that he had just wound up in. Lavenza chuckled at his optimistic joke and lightly swatted him, acting as though she was reprimanding him for taking the situation lightly.

"Ouch, ouch." Akira made a fake yelp and acted as though it was painful. "Hahaha, come on. Let's forget about this, we have a night to enjoy. Let's go" He invited her with a smile, hoping to brighten up the mood with some positivity.

Lavenza gawked in awe as she stepped into Central Street. The Christmas lights that had been setup certainly brought the shopping street to a whole new level of festivity. Bright red, green and white neon lights dotted the buildings with patterns of snowflakes, reindeers, Santa Clauses and many more. Couples roamed the streets as they spent their time together, street performers and choirs showcased their talents with dance and songs that matched the occasion. It was as though the entire shopping street had been reconstructed into a circus party.

Akira smiled as he watched Lavenza take in the fresh sight of the celebrations, clearly fascinated by the brilliant and shining decorations. He took the chance and purchased some roll cakes at the patisserie nearby, formulating a plan to introduce the disastrous world of sweets to the stoic girl that had always lived in the velvet room. He couldn't help but mentally imitate Futaba's MWEHEHE as he formulated his masterplan.

"Shibuya's always so hyped up for their celebrations." Akira casually commented and Lavenza turned around with excitement painted clearly across her face.

"I- or rather, Caroline had always been watching this street when she was idle at the gates to the Velvet room." Lavenza revealed, "But today seems much more beautiful, and crowded!" She was almost bouncing on her feet as she waited for an answer from him. Akira chuckled and started to explain the holiday of Christmas to Lavenza. At the beginning she paid full attention to him, but was eventually distracted at some new fancy displays that lined the shops.

While Lavenza was distracted by some fairytale-themed parade that were marching through the street, Akira spotted some Christmas-themed accessories on sale at a nearby chic-fashion shop. He formed a frame with his hands and simulated Yusuke's actions, trying to picture the girl with the festival get-up. Deciding that she would unexpectedly look good with it, he promptly completed the purchase of a pair of hairbands that had brown plushy reindeer horns. Exploiting his competent sneaking skills, he crept up behind Lavenza and stealthily slid the hairband over the blue one she was wearing, causing her to jolt in surprise and turn around, only to get caught in a snapshot when Akira managed to whip out his phone in time and activate the camera shutter.

But their rowdiness only caused Lavenza's concealment to momentarily lapse, causing the people around them to be able perceive her. Murmurs and slight squeals from nearby could be heard as people began noticing their antics.

Pfft! Akira could only barely contain his laughter as his phone was showing the facial expression of a shocked girl that contrasted with her cute image. Lavenza was trembling half in anger at his prank and embarrassed at being seen by others while wearing a weird article. Akira walked up to her side with an expression of apology and placed a similar hairband on his head as well. "You look great." He gave her a wink, but was only met with a 'hmph!'. Akira chuckled to himself and asked a nearby couple to help them take a photo.

"Come on, smile for the photo." Akira nudged her as he bent down slightly to match her height. Lavenza pouted in defiance but ultimately gave in and smiled at the camera at the last second.

"Come on in" Akira invited and unlocked the doors to the cafe, going in first to turn on the already offed lights. Lavenza followed shortly and nostalgically observed the place, comparing it to the memories made during the twins' observations. The café was comfortably warm and quiet, compared to the snowy streets that were still bustling with celebrations. She occupied one of the counter seats and started to study Sojiro's coffee beans collection that lined the shelves, trying to memorize and differentiate the various types of blends available.

"Here." Akira soon emerged from the kitchen with a glass of warm water and a slice of the roll cake that he had purchased earlier. "I'll make some coffee for you." He put on his usual apron while preparing the equipment needed for a brew. She appreciatively held the cup of warm water with both hands and enjoyed the lukewarm heat.

"The leader of the Phantom Thieves in an apron... I must share this with my master." Lavenza quipped as she gave her trickster a quick look over, making sure she would be able to relate the details of his attire to her master when she went back.

"The ruler of power with a reindeer hairband, I must share this photo with Igor." Akira retorted cheekily while dangling the phone in front of Lavenza, barely keeping it out of her reach as she desperately attempted to snatch for it while blushing in embarrassment.

It didn't take long before the water in the siphon's bulb had boiled and rose up to its hopper. Akira smirked at a sulky Lavenza who was puffing her cheeks and kept his phone back into his pocket. He added the coffee and let it brew while he got busy with the barista machine.

From Sojiro's lessons, he had already achieved a respectable level of experience and knowledge on how to brew a perfect cup of coffee, and the teacher himself had already given his seal of approval. But the old man is still miles ahead of him.

As the machine began churning to life and leaking out steam from its vents, Akira took out a pair of white porcelain cups from the cupboard below. With adept movements, he steamed the milk inside a separate flask and extracted a shot of espresso from the machine straight into one of the cups. He adjusted the flask while he was pouring in the frothy milk, creating a foamy silhouette of the Phantom Thieves' mascot on top of the latte. Akira completed the design of a Morgana latte art with some chocolate powder that outlined his features. Puffing his chest out in pride as he served the delightful drink to his guest.

"This should go well with the cake." Akira placed the cups between them, pushing the cup towards Lavenza who has sitting across the counter.

"My, It's Morgana. It looks great!" She clapped her hands in joy and complemented the latte art that Akira had created for her, amazed that he was skillful enough to replicate their companion's face on the drink. She was already very much impressed as she watched him connect each step of the preparation smoothly and handling himself with confidence.

"The taste's even better." Akira boasted with a smirk as he poured his own black coffee from the siphon and taking his seat opposite her. It was cute watching her turn the cup round and round while figuring out how to drink the beverage without destroying the art. "Hahaha, just drink it, I can always brew another cup for you." Akira laughed as he got up to prepare another cup of latte for her.

"Then I shall. Thank you for the treat." Lavenza made her thanks in her usual formal and polite format and brought the cup to her lips. Her good table-manners were soon overturned as she hummed in delight at the sweet and mellow drink, unaware that she now had a coffee moustache on her upper lip.

Akira just quietly watched as the girl sampled the roll cake, squirming in delight at her first taste of such a sensational delicacy. I guess the rumour that all girls like sweets is true. Akira mused, confident that Ann will soon befriend a new crepes partner.

The two spent some time quietly drinking their coffee in peace. Lavenza had mischievously confiscated Akira's half of the roll cake when she found out that he had secretly taken another photo of her, now with a foamy moustache on her face. The banter and slight 'physical violence' that had followed drained the rest of their remaining physical strength. I bet Caroline would be going 'COME HERE INMATE!' all over the place. Akira thoughtfully compared the differences between the girls from the Velvet Room, wondering why they were so different.

"What an ironic turn of events." Lavenza suddenly commented while looking downwards at her second cup of latte. Akira had already finished cleaning up the machines and was had settled down to enjoy the rest of his coffee when Lavenza had suddenly spoken up. "That you are about to be locked up, just when you have finally escaped the prison within your heart." A tinge of sadness betraying her emotions.

"It's alright. There's nothing more important than them." Akira replied as he took a sip of his coffee and jokingly wondered if it was the coffee or turning himself in that was leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

Lavenza simply smiled at her trickster, truly happy that he has finally found some good friends for himself and something to live for. "Well, I suppose I need not say anything else if you are already prepared." She finished her drink and placed the cup back on its coaster. "It was delicious." She beamed in joy as she got off the seat. Akira sensibly took this as her message that she was about to return to the Velvet Room. He went around the counter and offered to send her off… to wherever she was going to return from.

"It's alright, here would be fine." Lavenza effortlessly swung her hand before her and the café was immediately tinged with the familiar bluish aura that accompanied the gate to Velvet Room. "Before I go, could you lend me the bookmark I gave you?" Lavenza asked before she stepped across the boundary to her world. Akira opened his wallet and extracted the bookmark from one of its pockets, handing it over to her in confusion about what she wanted to do with it.

Lavenza clasped the bookmark between her hands and a sudden flash of light blinded him momentarily, causing him to instinctively shield his eyes with his hands. As the light subsided, he saw Lavenza handing the bookmark back to him. "Thank you. You can have it back now." Akira just confusedly looked at her and wondered was just done to the bookmark.

Lavenza cheerfully skipped into the gate and revolved on her heels right before the gate closed and smiled sincerely at him. "I love you, my trickster. You are truly the world's greatest man." She declared boldly and promptly disappeared into the depths of the Velvet Room.

A/N : I just had to write this because they only introduced Lavenza, make you do some dungeon and poof! Game ends. Do tell me if there's any way I can improve.

Yes, this will be a P5 (not Royal) Akira x Lavenza story. I'm just going to keep the rating at T at the moment and will modify as per necessary.