thephantomthief | IC INBOX

[He plops to the ground.]

Yeah, but we weren't having a drink while doing so. It's nicer to see each other too.

[The last thing he wants is to be intimidating...]

[ maybe for you, he wants to say, but being mean and being petty is what put him in these metaphorical shoes from the beginning.

so in the absence of saying anything nice, ryuji says nothing at all, picking at the tab on a can he hasn't popped yet.

at length, he begins to open his mouth: ] Look, I... [ and stops. he can't do it, this is why he went into hiding once the fur had melted and he shrunk back down. he can't face ren after a string of stupid mistakes, can't tell him to leave, either. ]

[Part of him knows. But Ren also knows that hiding and being bitter will just continue to make things worse. He's ready to rip off that band-aid and help him in any way he can.]

...I know you feel guilty...and....look I'm just happy you're around, you know that, right? The last time I saw you was months ago. And even if that you then isn't the you of now, it still hurt a lot when you disappeared.

So I'm asking. Please don't run...but if you do, I promise I won't chase after you.

... [ ouch. if this is supposed to make ryuji better, it's kind of having the opposite effect. perhaps the wires between them are simply getting crossed. ] Wow, man...

[ what do you say to it? all he can do is shoot from the hip, as it were, like always: ]

I just didn't wanna trash the place, not like I wouldn't come back...

[ he isn't. pouting, because ryuji doesn't do this (it's uncool), but he might be on the verge, sprawled out all over the floorboards helplessly. ]

[Ren just falls on a pile close to him.]

I know...I'm just afraid...

[Ren rarely talks about his feelings. It's hard for him as well.]

[ ryuji opens and closes his mouth again. he didn't expect the tables to turn here; it flips a switch inside of him, straightening up. ]

...? Kinda sounds like you're the one who needs to talk, buddy.

[ which at least is...preferable, to what he thought he'd be facing. this he can talk about, easily. ]

[He briefly groans because it's both true, but also he is not supposed to be like this but at this point he's sort of Had It and it needed to come to a breaking point.]

Noooooooo....

[It's the wimpiest nooo.]

[ okay, not only have the tables turned, they're more or less gotten flipped upside down. ]

Renren. C'mon.

[ as if this isn't emphatic enough, ryuji tugs at his hand. closer, closer. it won't be worth until they're sitting at least shoulder-to-shoulder.

plus, free chroma! everyone wins, besides ryuji's knees, which smart a little. ]

[Oh how the turntables.]

I'm supposed to be the leader, right? It's hard to talk about my feelings. If I start to falter I won't make a good example.

[But he relents. He sort of needs this and he knows Ryuji's not the type to go around telling others --

...

--WELL NOT THIS TYPE OF STUFF HOPEFULLY.

Also the Chroma is nice.]

I just worry if any of you end up leaving...or what if I leave and someone called Akira or I don't know, Takio Sumida or Izumi Urata or Itsuki Onda show up? Is it possible to be jealous of yourself?

Wow, it's almost like you're human or something. When you don't got wings or tails on you anyway...

[ which ryuji still can't fully process. give him a few more moons and he'll learn to deal with it. ]

But you said some of us took off before, right? I still don't know how to feel about being the third, it's kinda freaky... [ and a little annoying, to keep being compared to them both... ] I remember what you said when ya took me in, though...

[ it feels like a lot longer ago than it actually was. two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. ]

Even if the memories're different, we're still friends, aren't we? Y'think it really matters that much?

[ a genuine question. it felt like a hard pill to swallow at the time, but ryuji knows ren is always ren no matter what point in time he came from, so it's trustworthy enough information for him. shouldn't it go both ways? ]

We can always go with humanoid?

[Still trying to make jokes regardless.]

You're the second Ryuji thankfully. [Oh god three that would be...urgh. He sighs softly and it climbs up as condensed water before turning into small bits of snow.] I can't say I understand but I think I know how you feel...and I never wanted you to feel that way either.

[In a way, he was just trying to fix his own issues by giving Ryuji way too much information.]

No I don't think it matters at all...you could be called Ryu Sakatoni and I'd welcome you with open arms. I think...it's more when someone leaves that it hurts. You don't have time to say goodbye. You're just gone, the next day. In my case you and Ann just never came back for a long while.

What the hell, gimme a cooler name than that...

[ or is he missing part of ren's point? it's possible, given who he's speaking with here. ]

I mean, leaving in general hurts, dude. I wasn't fooling around when I talked about spammin' the group chat everyday...

[ whether or not this is the same ren (obviously he isn't), the fact remains ryuji missed him too, misses him regularly, despite recognizing the need to give him space and adjust. to put it lightly, it's been a long month. ]

But, uh... [ ah, he's no good at articulating things like these... ] Don't they have a saying? Absence makes a happier heart? [ no, but, points for trying. ] If it's meant to be, you'll prolly run into 'em again. Happened before, didn't it?

Well that's what you sometimes call something that looks like a human with extra parts but how about winged human? Furry human?

[He shrugs briefly, but careful observation would reveal he has a smile on his face.]

Yeah I know...[He falls silently again. Neither are them are good at this. Ren speaking about himself most of all. He doesn't even bother correcting his friend for that phrase.]

I hope so too...I am thankful I get to see most of us here and friends I never would have made otherwise. Even persona users from the past...I really miss Makoto but...Morgana most of all. A year without him around feels a bit empty.

Just takes time, man. I don't think any of us ever would've thought we'd run into a guy like who'd help us get all our shit together. Like, how nuts is that?!

[ hopefully the solid whack between ren's shoulder blades doesn't hit too hard. ]

Same thing here, don't you think? Can't have one of us without all of us, so...

[ as for morgana, that's a cat of a different color. after what's happened in the past several days, this probably isn't ryuji's place to say it in the slightest, but damned if there's not something about the guy tugging at his heart in a weird way.

they're old friends, he still misses him, that's all. surely. ]

Like...maybe I'll never get as hairy as he was— [ yikes, ryuji, what are you doing— ] But I could always, uh. Fill in?

[ he shouldn't make promises he can't guarantee to deliver. it's too late now, though, already filling the air between them. ryuji knows it's impossible to live up to, anyway; his meager offers to help were already turned down once before. here shouldn't be any different than the last time. as they say, it's the thought that counts. ]

Ouch! Hahahaha. Okay, okay I get it.

[He briefly rubs his shoulder, but Ren seems to have gotten the Message.

And...that is such a sweet offering, but at the same time Ren tries to imagine Ryuji as Morgana and he attempts to bite his lip but begins to start to laugh the more he thinks about it. It's not a mean laugh just the mental image playing over and over and...]

S-sorry. Now I am imagining you as hairy. Would you tell me to go to bed?

[ mission...semi-accomplished? ]

No shit, I can imagine it too, 'cause it was just yesterday...

[ if ren's in higher spirits, though, that's all that matters. ]

Why, you still on a tight schedule or somethin'? [ as far as he knew, ren came and went out of here as he pleased. ] I guess if somebody's gotta...

[Aww if you only knew how your angry vulgar boy words are like music to Ren's ears. Not like Yusuke's way with them that sounds like silk, Ryuji is more like...soft yarn, really. Not as refined but oh-so-soft.]

I meant like...a Ryuji cat. Catji?

[He is feeling better, even if his shoulder now hurts.]

Well running the café takes time but I can take time off whenever I want. I like being busy...it keeps me from overthinking things. You see what happens when I do.

Ain't that your moon?

[ or has he mixed them up? in any case, it doesn't sound like ryuji's thing; there were perks to the...bizarre week he's had, back when no one was at each other's throats.

more importantly: ]

Big deal, if you don't care of yourself, this happens too.

[ pow. he hits ren, forgetting how this had pained him already; as soon as he remembers, he rubs him down. was he always this strong? ]

When's the last time you had some solid Ren-time, man?

Yeah but I'm imagining you as a cat right now.

[No, it's just Ren's imagination Ryuji.]

I get punched by you?

[It hurts, but he'll laugh at it. It''s weird at least the rubbing helps a little due to the energy that comes from it.]

Uh Ren-time is always time?

[What IS Ren-time?]

So quit it, I'm fine as-is... [ or so ryuji says, until the wisecracks begin. for a split second there's legitimate distress on his face, and he rubs...harder, because this will fix everything, right? ] Gimme a break, I'm not trying to hurt anybody...

[ honestly. the fear of hurting others, or the people he knows, is the reason why they're parked in here at all. wasn't ryuji (attempting to) leaving, once? ]

Look, I'm serious! You gotta relax, take care of yourself sometimes...even my mom did it when her plate got too full.

I know. You're fine just the way you are. [Walked right into that one Ryuji. Ren might even do a small wink. As a joke, of course.] I know...

[At least they both seemed to have calmed down although he's a bit worried Ryuji might leave.]

So what you're saying is we should go to a hot spring? Can a Ren-time be also spending with Ryuji-time?

[ okay, maybe he can stop touching ren now. he's never shied away from skinship before, but even casual moonlacing makes ryuji's gut feel all funny inside. just something else he still needs to adjust to... ]

Tch. Dumbass...

[ it barely qualifies as a complaint, softly huffed. ]

Oh, yeah, they have those here...? [ his memory's jogged a little. maybe it'd set them both right as rain... ] Er, with me? You sure you wanna?

[ they see each other in passing every day! on paper it's not all that different from the past, but...the air's changed in some imperceptible way. maybe just because it's a foreign world, and ren's already carved out his own life here. ]

[Noooo please continue to touch Ren - awww. He doesn't reply back to the complaint because, well, it's barely a whisper. Also it's fair. He can be a dumbass.]

Yeah! In another city that's about two hours away with the foxes...it's a lot more traditional looking than here. I'd say almost Kyoto inspired as far as a city in another universe could be. [He looks at him from his vintage points before nodding.] Well yeah...it's fun being around you, you know.

[Now he'll just stare at the ceiling.]

Like I said, each day is important, right?

Kyoto, huh...always wanted to go...

[ oh, that's right. wasn't everyone talking about taking a trip, once upon a time? it already feels like a lifetime ago; maybe ren's offering a decent substitute. ]

Hah. Even when I try to clobber ya?

[ that was probably best left buried. ryuji's stretch is a little awkward, wincing when his joints loudly pop. his body's moved in ways he'd never have dreamed of, recently... ]

Guess you just gotta make the most of what you've got.

Well in this world, it's filled with foxes. And uh...some of the old-style Kyoto stuff too.

[You know. Red light district.]

Ha! Well maybe a little less then, but that just means I have to switch my personas around.

[Wink. That's also his queue to yawn and stretch out his arms and legs as well. The floor was okay, but it was probably better for them to actually do something.]

Yeah. [A pause.] Thanks. I think I needed that too.

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