[Ren really is catlike in more ways than one, huh? Akechi's struck by the absurd desire to scratch under his chin, but instead just presses bare fingertips to his lips as he'd done before when he still had his gloves on.

It is... troubling, to say the least, to know that Ren's record is out in the open. He knows firsthand just how much that bothers him. His thumb gently presses into the corner of that frown as if he might be able to ease it through touch alone, though he knows that's unlikely as anything.]

I don't think it will be a problem for you. [His thumb whisks up, gently caressing Ren's cheek, marveling at the idea that he just can.] You've already created strong bonds with many people here. Something like that won't be enough to break them. If anything, once exposed to the truth, your circumstances may cause people to respect you more.

[Akechi, on the other hand, is still dealing with the consequences of having his own darker past exposed, the wound in his shoulder one of the more obvious ones. And so maybe he can't help but sound a little bitter as he adds,]

The only true blot on your record for the people here is me. You understand this, yes?