(open) bet you thought you'd seen the last of me

[forethinking]

Who: Ren and YOU!!
What: His return to the Void after his canon update
Where: Everywhere, we know how I roll, I'll probably update this forever
When: OOCLY, around the 10th of December!
Content Warnings: 100% Persona 5 Royal Spoilers will happen BUT I will put it in the comment subject if anything comes up.

Comments

heavenly blanc - open

[forethinking]

(Ren is back to work. The bar is not as well tended as it should have been, or rather, as he makes sure it is. It has dawned on him that he has been missed and that things work a little smoothly when he's around, so it's time for him to get things in line. When a customer enters, they'll see Ren trashing empty bottles of alcohol, cleaning the counters, washing dishes... You name it.

It's with a smile that they're greeted, Ren as per usual in his little green apron and glasses. It's almost like he never left.)

Welcome.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack finds himself in Heavenly Blanc on a fairly average basis. Usually to see if Tifa or Cloud are stopping in or to have a drive-by drink or two with Blue. So he thinks he's pretty acquainted with the place. But seeing someone like Ren working does surprise him a bit.]

Oh hey, man. You work here too?

[You learn something new everyday.]

[forethinking]

(Ren stops in his tracks a little at the new customer. He's pretty sure he's told him that when they first met, but alas, his memory might be wonky with the whole appearing and reappearing. Instead of mentioning any of that, though, Ren gives Zack a short, polite smile.)

I'm the barista.

[activatingcombatmode]

[Nope, he just totally forgot. and maybe i did too]

Nice. How about something strong? What would you recommend?

[He could use the caffeine boost.]

hehehe its ok

[forethinking]

I know just the thing.

(Ren gestures for Zack to sit - wherever he'd like, really, while he goes behind the counter and washes his hands. The coffee doesn't take too long to brew, all his movements automatic like he owns the place.

Perhaps, here, he kind of does. All the cafe parts are a part of the cafe he both works and lives in, after all.)

<3

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack smiles and takes a seat where he can still have a good chat with the barista. Coffee really is an art, Zack wouldn't be very good at it if he ever tried. He appreciates people who know how to handle it properly.]

I could never figure coffee out myself, I always just order in or use some of that instant stuff in a jar.

[Awful, right??]

[forethinking]

(It's all thanks to Sojiro, the owner of the establishment in Tokyo. It took him a while to warm up to Ren, but eventually...)

You can always come here.

(PLEASE NO INSTANT COFFEE. IT MAKES REN SAD.

Zack is presented with a perfect cup of coffee, and Ren, as per usual, takes a cup for himself.)

[activatingcombatmode]

I might have to make a habit of that too. This smells great.

[More than just beers here!

Zack is grinning when he receives his mug of perfect coffee. The aroma of coffee beans is nice and strong just like Zack likes it. He only adds a little creamer. That's it. When he takes a good first taste Zack does let out a satisfied sigh.]

Damn, it's strong. If this doesn't wake me up I don't know what will.

[He likes it!!]

[forethinking]

(There's satisfaction in knowing he picked the right one! After all, there are several blends and different combinations in the store that would produce just as strong a coffee, but he feels like he nailed his choice with it.

Ren smiles after a sip.)

We have our schedule on the wall.

(It's just a little paper with what shifts are first or second on the day, which now makes more sense. Thank God for time!!)

It's only coffee when it's just me.

[bridge_princess]

[The voice opened by someone who looked methodical and glum in their every action. She looked more like she was going through the motions. Old forms. The usual places.]

Yeah yeah...

[She was halfway to her usual booth, the same booth that she sat in every single time she came here, when she paused and her head swiveled to regard him. The shock was readily apparent in her eyes.]

Wait a tic... Ren?!?

[forethinking]

(Parsee doesn't look so good. He knew she didn't deal well with a lot of things, especially the disappearances, so perhaps what he sees is the aftermath of theirs.

His eyes just followed her to the booth until she clicked what she was seeing in her head and he snorted, because it was funny more than anything else.)

Yeah.

[bridge_princess]

[She didn't, no. But, almost as soon as she saw him and believed it was him, she started to look relieved, then angry, then relieved again, then curious, then unsure, and then... ok, he seemed to recognize her, which made the next action obvious to her.

Instead of sitting down, she walked right up to him and made a grab for his cheek to give it a pinch.]

You real? No fair Void if that's you messing with me.

[forethinking]

Ou-ouch, it really is me, Parsee.

(He fought against the reality check because really, there were ways of making it less painful, he's sure.

When she finally lets go, he rests an arm on her shoulder, as to encourage a hug if she would like one.)

Promise.

[bridge_princess]

...

[She breathed in and out for a moment. The offer of a hug was sort of seen, or at least interpreted correctly, but she picked the bar to sit down at, letting out a breath of relief.]

People haven't come back yet since they disappeared. We didn't know. I thought you were gone. The hell, man? Where'd you go?

[forethinking]

I was sent home.

(He knows. He's seen how the Void seemed a little off, a little chaotic, but all he can do is apologize for something he had no choice in the first place.)

I don't know how.

[bridge_princess]

Yeah, we still haven't figured that part out well. You weren't gone that long, but you were still gone.

...

How long has it been for you? [She was squinting, trying to figure a few things out, and it seemed logical to ask. After all, it could easily have been a long time. Time was weird here.] Did you go back to the moment you left from, like we thought.

[forethinking]

Three months, give or take.

(Considering it was in the end of December that he had left. Finally, he goes behind the counter to get their coffee going.)

It was like I had never been here.

[begetblue]

[ Turing just stared at Ren, with the greeting going in one auditory receptor and out the other. He wasn't gone forever, or dead. It was like nothing had happened at all, really. Nothing had to change.

Despite that sense of normalcy, on an impulse they did something that wasn't typically normal for them; they ran up to Ren and went straight for a hug. ]

ohnonononononononononononoononnoniosçgafje~wflksdklf

[forethinking]

(Oh, no. This will be too much for Ren to bear.

It's with zero hesitation that the boy kneels to the ground when he sees Turing running to him, arms open to catch and when he does so, the warmest hug on earth is delivered to the little robot.

He's sorry, Turing.)

[begetblue]

[ They hugged Ren tight. They couldn't cry like a human could even if they wanted to; how did others see it when they had to show their emotions in different ways? For this, words would have to do. ]

I... I missed you very much...

[forethinking]

(Turing may not cry, but Ren can sense the sadness and the longing in the stuttering computer voice. Of course, he hugs just as tight.)

I missed you too. I'm sorry I've been away.

[begetblue]

It's okay... I'm just glad you're back.

[ They were quite sure that he hadn't left so suddenly on purpose, but what if any of them had the chance to do the same if it meant going home? They were sure that Ren being here also meant he was leaving a lot behind. ]

Is that selfish?

[forethinking]

It's not.

(It's not selfish to want to see that your friends are okay and wanting them close. He cannot imagine the distress this poor robot went through.)

[begetblue]

Thank you for saying so...

[ They pulled back a bit--enough for the little shy smile to be fully visible, anyway. ]

Thank you for being my friend as well.

[forethinking]

Thank you back.

(Really, Turing is just like a little brother. Ren offers a hand for them to take.)

What did I miss?

(More art you'd like to tell him about, Turing?)