Quiet Snow is a Persona 4 fanfic by Theralion.
Yukiko Amagi's beloved is applying for a job as assistant manager of the Amagi Inn, the last step needed for them to be together. There's just one problem- she's a woman, and her named Shizuka Yagami. She must not only convince
The fic can be found on Fanfiction.net
and Archive of our Own. A collection of side stories can be found on FF.net and AO3.
Please note: Chapter numbers will be used according to the numbers inside the text of the fic. For example, the first chapter after the prologue is Chapter 1, even though it's the second chapter.
The fic contains examples of:
- Adaptation Relationship Overhaul: In canon, Yu and Yosuke were Heterosexual Life-Partners whose chemistry made them shipping material. In the fic, Shizuka is not quite as close with Yosuke as she is to Yukiko and Chie, and Yosuke has an unrequited crush on Shizuka.
- Adaptational Sexuality: Both the protagonist and Yukiko were heterosexual in canon, while in the fic, Shizuka and Yukiko are lesbians.
- And Then What?: Yukiko asks this question of one of the boys who confesses to her. She asks if he's willing to stay with her in Inaba for the rest of his life and work for her at the Amagi Inn, neither of which are appealing to him. She adds that her family has high standards for any potential suitors, which he most likely won't be able to meet. He gets the hint and withdraws his confession.
- Arc Words: "Yes, ma'am." This phrase is often repeated at moments that define or redefine Shizuka and Yukiko's relationship; while they're on the Investigation Team together, Shizuka is the leader, but at the Amagi Inn, Yukiko is Shizuka's boss.
- Arranged Marriage: Yukiko's mother Fuyumi was in one but turned it down to marry Yukiko's father.
- Birds of a Feather: Yukiko and Shizuka bond over their commonalities, such as their Embarrassing First Name, and the fact that their parents' jobs determine the course of their lives.
- A Birthday, Not a Break: Shizuka's birthday falls on July 10, which happens to be the day King Moron is found dead. His body being discovered forces her and Yukiko to cancel their plans to celebrate Shizuka's birthday.
- Bittersweet Ending: "The Life I Chose," a side story in which Yukiko chooses not to inherit the inn, ends with Yukiko working as an Office Lady and serving coffee, a far less fulfilling job than running the inn. Her parents are forced to sell the inn when they retire, likely costing more than a few of their employees their jobs. Yukiko is estranged from her parents, but Chie puts her in touch with them in the hopes of them reconciling. Yukiko has many regrets, but accepts her decisions and is happy being with her girlfriend.
- Boring, but Practical: After seeing the price tag on Teddie's canon outfit, Shizuka instead buys him a polo shirt and a pair of jeans for a much lower price.
- Delinquents: Shizuka's genderflipped Izanami invokes this, wearing a Sailor Fuku with a long skirt.
- Embarrassing First Name: Yukiko and Shizuka don't particularly like their first names. Shizuka resents how her name implies she's quietly obedient, while Yukiko dislikes being named after something as transient and worthless as snow. This is part of the reason why they're on a Last-Name Basis at first.
- For Want Of A Nail: The "Sakura Amagi" side stories examine what would have changed if Yukiko was born in the spring, rather than the winter. She is instead named Sakura due to being born in the spring, actually likes her first name, wears pink rather than red, and is a first-year rather than a second-year.
- Gender Flip: The protagonist is female, as is her version of Izanami.
- Incompatible Orientation:
- Yukiko is a lesbian, but Chie isn't, hence why Chie can't become Yukiko's "prince".
- Yosuke is heterosexual and has feelings for Shizuka, but she is a lesbian who has feelings for Yukiko.
- Innocently Insensitive: In "The Life I Chose," one of Yukiko's coworkers asks her about places to stay for her upcoming honeymoon in Inaba, not realizing that Yukiko cut ties with her parents so she wouldn't have to inherit the inn.
- Last-Name Basis: Unlike the localized version, most characters call each other by their last names.
- As a result of being rather polite and disliking their first names, Shizuka and Yukiko call each other "Amagi-san" and "Yagami-san" most of the time, even after starting their relationship.
- Natsuo still calls his wife Fuyumi "Amagi-san" at work, and she follows suit after he took her name.
- Meaningful Echo:
- In Chapter 5, during a phone conversation with Shizuka and Yukiko, Shizuka apologizes for rambling, which Yukiko notes is the opposite of her name (which means "quiet"). Later that chapter, after Yukiko explodes at the sleazy reporter, Shizuka notes that Yukiko's fiery outburst is the opposit of her name (which means "snow").
- In "Yagami and Hanamura," Yosuke says that he has "two very important things to say" to Shizuka- admitting that he was jealous of her and making a Love Confession to her. In Chapter 6, Yukiko uses the same phrase regarding her decision to stay in Inaba and her own Love Confession, and Shizuka notices the familiar phrasing.
- Meaningful Name:
- Shizuka's first name, like Yu's, means "quiet," which she resents due to her belief that her family expects her to quietly obey them. Her last name means "eight gods," which is similar to Yu's last name of Narukami ("roaring god") and references her ability to wield Personas.
- In the Sakura Amagi chapters, Sakura is named after the cherry blossoms, due to having been born in the spring.
- Men Use Violence, Women Use Communication: Shizuka refuses to get into a fistfight with Yosuke at the end of the latter's Social Link, instead lightly slapping him and saying it was most important that he was able to talk about his feelings.
- Nice Girl: While a bit stricter as a leader than Yu Narukami, Shizuka is a kind and polite girl at heart.
- Rule-Abiding Rebel: Yukiko notes that while her mother Fuyumi defied Yukiko's maternal grandmother by refusing an Arranged Marriage, she still did all the duties expected of a daughter of the Amagi Inn owners- inheriting the inn, getting married and raising her child to be her successor.
- Same Surname Means Related: In "The Life I Chose," one of Yukiko's coworkers immediately notices that she's related to the owners of the Amagi Inn, which is why she asks Yukiko about places to go for her upcoming honeymoon in the area.
- Shockingly Expensive Bill: The price tag on Teddie's chosen outfit, which apparently costs almost a week's pay for the Amagi Inn's waitresses, horrifies Shizuka and convinces her to make Teddie choose something else.
- Switching P.O.V.: Most of the fic alternates between Yukiko and Yu's first-person POVs.
- Take That!: The fic criticizes the common misconception that Yukiko's deciding to inherit the inn rather than leave Inaba is a betrayal of her Character Development. It's pointed out in Chapter 6 that Yukiko inheriting the inn is not only a way to support everyone she cares about but is also harder than striking out on her own, and that if she'd inherited the inn merely because she was too spineless to make her own decisions, she would inevitably have failed.
- Temporal Theme Naming: Yukiko's mother is named Fuyumi, while her father is named Natsuo. Fuyumi wanted a winter-themed name for Yukiko, who was born on December 8, but she herself already had a name with "winter" in it, so she settled for Yukiko, which means "snow girl."
- They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!: Yukiko insists that Teddie call her "Amagi-san" rather than "Yuki-chan." The request is ignored, but the fact that Yukiko makes it shows that she's becoming more assertive.
- Took the Wife's Name: Natsuo Amagi married into the Amagi family and took on their family name.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Shizuka calls Yukiko out on wanting the inn to close so that she won't actively have to choose to leave it behind.
