S-P5 Prequel Oneshot (P5 Swap AU)

What is Family?

As far back as Futaba can remember, Goro had always been her brother.

The day he appeared in her life was a weird one. She was 8 when her mom had been late to come home from work and when she did, she had brought a child with her. He was slightly taller than her and looked pale and malnourished. His hair was shaggy and tangled too. It was like he had been living in a dumpster his whole life.

Her mom had introduced him before guiding him to the bathroom and Futaba had waited in the living room for them to come back out. When her mom came back out she had sat down with her and told her that he was having issues currently and not to bombard him. She also told her that he was going to be living here from now on. She was wary at first because she didn't want anyone else to take more of her moms attention like her research did but in the years to come she would warm up to the idea.

It took a few months but Futaba would eventually get Goro to open up to her. She learned that he was only 2 years older than her, that his favorite colors were red and black, that he liked featherman (like she did!), and that he was more of a dog person than a cat person.

They grew to be inseparable within the year. They would play games like Super Bash Bros or watch Featherman on tv and get into hour long debates on who the best Featherman is while her mom watched. Sometimes Sojiro would come over and they would have big family dinners and chat until bedtime. She was happy with the family she had, especially since people at school didn’t like her (something to do with her being a nerd). It was fine though because she had Goro and Mom and Sojiro to fill her life.

She and Goro would have fights sometimes. The first time they had a fight it was bad. She had poked and prodded too much at Goro and he got angry. She had learned then that his mother had died and that's why he was here now. Goro had sealed himself in his room for multiple days after that. She had felt so alone for those days and she regretted fighting with him so bad. They had resolved it after her mom got involved but the fight would forever stick with her.

In the years after they would have more fights, resolve them, and slowly Goro would seal himself into his room more and more, sucking himself into his computer screens. He stopped going to school after bullying from students who had learned his past somehow. She started to feel more alone even though she had her mom and Sojiro. Her peers at school still didn't like her and she couldn't talk to Goro about it anymore.

Eventually her mom got so into her research that she’d stop planning fun days with Futaba and Goro. Her world slowly became smaller and it became just her and Sojiro and occasionally her mom or Goro. She would start begging her mom to take her and Goro out for fun with some success.

The day her mom died was painful and hard to remember. She was 13 when her mom had run out into the road suddenly and had gotten hit. It was blurry after that but Futaba knew that some men dressed in black suits had read a note to her and Goro at the hospital and then Sojiro had brought them back home. Goro had immediately holed himself up in his room and she had cried while Sojiro comforted her.

A couple hours later social services came knocking and took Goro away because he wasn’t her mom’s child.

In the months after, Futaba was forced into therapy and her world narrowed down to just her and Sojiro. Her days were so dull and lifeless and she stopped going to school.

She would spend her time in Goro’s room until Sojiro eventually dragged her out for food. Each day dragged on forever with no end and most of those days she would cry herself to sleep, only to wake up from nightmares. Her mom’s death and Goro getting taken would infect her mind until she woke up violently and had to be comforted by Sojiro in the middle of the night.

The therapy didn't help much, even if Dr. Maruki was nice, as she started to develop a slight fear of talking to people, especially strangers.

After half a year, Sojiro had managed to get Goro back and her world became less dull. When he came back he had scars and bruises he wouldn't explain but she knew anyway. He became quieter and more angry each day and their fights came back more often. He would seal himself in his room more and only come out to apologize to her or get dinner. Sometimes he would stay in there for weeks at a time.

Eventually he stopped coming out at all. She would sit next to his room door and talk and sometimes he would respond but most times he would stay completely quiet. Sojiro had no idea how to help but he would bring dinner to the door for Goro. Dinner time would become so quiet and lonely with just her and Sojiro.

Goro would sometimes talk to her through her phone. Asking how she was doing and if she saw the new Featherman episode. They would sometimes talk for hours like before but it didn't feel right. The door between them physical but also mental.

The year repeated like that. Wake up, go to school because Goro told her not to become like him, come back, try to talk to him through the door, eat dinner with Sojiro, sleep, repeat.

This year she vowed she’d reach out to him.
No matter if she was transferring schools or if she would probably be more busy. He was her brother, no matter what anyone says and she’d do anything to help him. Anything.