(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

gym - open

[forethinking]

(A lot has happened back home. While Ren is not much of a talker, there's still a lot of emotions that are running through his veins, a lot of noise in his brain as he tries to make sense of that and the fact that he's still blind on what controls the Void, what dictates who goes home, who stays... The lack of freedom of choice is a little maddening to him.

He doesn't quite have what to fight, though. Instead, he redirects the energy to a boxing bag in the gym, proper punches in both form and posture. He's been here quite a while, as the sweat running down his shirtless spine might indicate.

One, two, jab, cross.)

[starshower]

[Tifa isn't sure who she expected to see at the punching bags this time, hearing the rattling of its chains before she even enters the gym, but it certainly isn't Ren. She had been looking for him for hours, days, however long it's been, with no luck. Others had said they saw no sign of him, and searching his usual spots were entirely fruitless, and that's when the dread had started to kick in.

Either something terrible had happened to him here, or he was... gone. Just like the others who had disappeared from this world to (hopefully) return home.

So, when she spots him letting punches loose on the bag, she's filled with relief and... anger? Where had he gone? Why had he made her worry? There was still a lot that she would have liked to tell and ask him, and that chance could have easily been snatched from her.

While he's in the middle of his one, two, jab, cross, Tifa sneaks up behind him and, ignoring the sweat, suddenly wraps her arms around him in a hug, interrupting his practiced motions.

Hello.]

[forethinking]

(The arms wrap around him and he freezes in response, almost like she had turned off a very aggressive switch by this straightforward display of affection. It does take him a second or two to properly process it though, and it's only when his gaze falls to the gloved hands that he recognizes who is embracing him.

Tifa. They might have missed one another as he looked for her, perhaps at the same time she was looking for him. His hand, bandaged instead of gloved, falls to hers in a caress to the back of it.

He takes a deep breath.)

I'm sorry for disappearing.

[starshower]

[She gives him a tighter squeeze when his hand comes to rest over hers, and despite the grip, it's warm... gentle. The action itself speaks more than what she can express with words—something she's never been so good at when it came to her own emotions. Tifa lets go so that they can face each other, and when they do, Ren will be met with a look on her face that contradicts the hug.

One that's stern, worried, and upset.

One that comes from losing too many people in her life to be able to handle another.]

I've been looking everywhere for you. Where were you!?

p5 spoilers!

[forethinking]

(It's still mind-boggling. Back home, everyone put in work to get him out of juvenile detention and here, it seemed like things fell out of place without him, people missed him. He wasn't expecting her to be happy he left, but he didn't expect so much pain either.

His eyebrows almost meet in the middle of his forehead when he sees her. There aren't enough words of apology that could suddenly make her worries lessen. Perhaps it's time to give Tifa what he has been denying - full honesty.)

I went home, I don't know how. (He tells her, picking up his v-neck to put back on out of respect. Hopefully she didn't see the nipple piercing. That would be awkward. Similarly, the glasses don't return to his face either.) I was going back to my city and next thing I know, I'm back in the Void.

[starshower]

[She might have caught a glimpse of the piercing, but that's the least of her worries (for now). At the moment, Tifa's more concerned with hearing him out, listening to what he has to say if anything, and finding out how he had come and gone just like that.]

Hang on. You're telling me you could go home and come back? You didn't mean to, did you?

[Without telling her that he was, of course...]

[forethinking]

It just happened.

(Ren gestures to the nearest bench for them to sit. He feels like this is going to be a long conversation, and both of them should be comfortable for it.

It's only fair that she wants to know about his disappearance, not only for his sake but also for what it means for those entrapped in the Void. He intends to be honest.)

I didn't have any say on it.

[starshower]

Huh... [she mutters as she slumps on the bench.] So, we just leave without even being able to say no, huh?

[What would that mean for her if she were to leave Cloud and Aerith behind? Leaving them here so suddenly has been a worry of hers since day one, mostly because she doesn't know what will happen to them back home.

Maybe she'll find some answers to help ease those worries.]

What happened when you got home?

p5 royal spoilers

[forethinking]

I returned to the moment I was taken.

(Christmas Eve, about to agree to Sae's proposal of turning himself to the police before Goro stepped in.)

I didn't remember you.

(While it was a fact, he still feels sad to say it.)

[starshower]

Right...

[Tifa's hands, nestled together on her lap, tighten at the news. It was what she was afraid of. It is a relief, however, to hear that he returned to the moment he had come from, but without the memories of this place? That's a bit jarring.]

So everything we do here is just... [Her sentence falls short, and she's unable to find the right words to finish it, but she figures that Ren probably knows where it was going.

Instead, she focuses on something else—his bandaged hand that she gently picks up and holds in hers.]

This happen back home too? Or you still don't know how to throw a real punch...

[forethinking]

(A little pointless.

He understands where the frustration comes from, but instead of holding onto the negative part, Ren decided to embrace it. If they're not going to remember, when and if they go home, why hold back?

His hands are calloused but small and delicate to the eyes, and Ren just shakes his head. They're uninjured, aside from the soreness.)

Couldn't find gloves. Better than nothing.

[starshower]

That's a relief.

[She had worried that something had happened—that he'd gotten into a fight and injured himself, or that the sparring they've done together was for nothing. As long as he still knows how to throw a proper punch should the situation call for it, then...

Well, she's still not quite satisfied.

Mostly because she still hates how horrible it felt when he'd gone, and how worried she was, but in true Tifa fashion, she tries to smile through it.]

So, you gonna tell me what kind of trouble you got up to while you were gone or am I gonna have to pry it out of you?

[oh tifa, if only you knew...]

persona royal spoilieeees

[forethinking]

(Oh, way to scramble his brain, Tifa. He's not sure which part he should tell her - or even how to begin. So much has happened, so much that can upset her and so much that he wants to tell her, ever since Cloud brought his unfairness to his attention.

He breathes in, like he is working overtime to pick the words.)

My reality was made wrong, we put it back in place.

(At least it's something!)

[bazooker]

[After her first experience with the gym, Haru figured it wouldn't hurt to try again. She knew she wasn't physically strong compared to most people here but she had to try. After all, she really wanted to try and lift 40 pounds over her head!

That and exercise was a good way to deal with stress right? Between dealing with the realization her leader and friend(?) was gone, she didn't know what to think. For the first couple of days, she wondered if everything was going to be okay. It was difficult not knowing what happened to them. For all she knew, this world could have transported them into another world or somewhere even more dangerous. It was nerve wrecking as she started to lose sleep wondering what happened.

Even so, she couldn't allow herself to cry. She just couldn't because that's not the right thing to do. She had to be strong and move forward. Even if it was only Ann, Kasumi, and her. It was what Ren would have wanted. They just had to keep the team together no matter what.

Before she entered, she heard some light jabbing. It seems she wasn't going to be alone today. However, just as she entered into the room, she gave a loud gasp. Dropping her bag on the floor, she just stared at him]

R-Ren-kun? [She wasn't seeing things, was she? Suddenly, whatever tears she was holding back came down. How silly of her. To cry in front of him when she should be happy! With that, she gave a small sniffle before wiping away her tears.] Is...Is that really you?

[forethinking]

(A few months back, Ren has made Ann cry. He still feels terrible about it, watching his friend sob over his incapacity to open up. How he hadn't told her about the horrors he withstood in the interrogation room, how he lets things stirr inside him without a single sound to his friends.

This time, though, it was different. He hadn't chosen to leave, nor did he choose to stay. It just happened as abruptly as the first time, and he's here, dealing with it. His first places to search were the girls' apartments, but none of them were home.

Without a cellphone, all he could do was to walk and search - it was just when he found himself in need to stay here for a while and recenter. When he hears the sweet voice, he pauses immediately, turning to see yet another pair of tearing eyes because of him.

Ren comes closer, holding her hands because he doesn't dare to hug when he's this sweaty.)

It's me. I'm sorry for disappearing, Haru...

[bazooker]

[Haru wasn't sure if what she was seeing was him. Now that she had heard what this place does to people, it made her question everything. Here, she was hoping to find some respite for herself and her friends but it didn't seem to be the case.

As she looked at him and her hands, she wasn't sure if this was a product of her imagination or was it an illusion of this world. She didn't know what this world would do to her but she couldn't help but continue to cry.]

N-No, you shouldn't apologize, I'm glad you're safe! I was so worried you might have gone to another world or if you or Akechi-kun might gone somewhere dangerous...!

[Who knows what the void could have done to the both of them. It was a relief to know at least one of them was here safe and sound]

[forethinking]

(All Ren can do is to gently place her hand on top of their both, using his spare one to wipe some of the tears on her face.

He does need to apologize for making her cry and worry like that, when it's pouring out and all he can do is explain. Ren doesn't waver his gaze, nodding to his words as to punctuate them.)

Akechi is in our apartment. We went home, though I'm not sure why.

[bazooker]

[It was then she realized how awkward this situation was. Even though she was crying, she couldn't help but laugh. Here Ren was as he was covered in sweat as if everything was okay.

She couldn't help but shake her head at everything.]

But the both of you are safe, that's more important! [And on that note?] If you went back home, then please do tell me what was the last thing you remember before arriving here?

[forethinking]

(A thumb gently wipes the tear rolling on her cheek. He doesn't care that much that he's shirtless, sweaty and still running on adrenaline from all the punching.

All these things poofed from his mind when he sees her crying.)

I was on the train home.

P5R spoilers from here on out!

[bazooker]

Then does that mean...?

[While she heard what happened from Kasumi, it was another to confirm her worries. However, with so many different worlds out there, she still wasn't sure]

We defeated Dr. Maruki?

[forethinking]

We did.

(And there's a proud smirk on his face - one that just confirms that it was never a question in his mind whether they'd be able to or not. He just knew it.)

[bazooker]

[In return, Haru's face just lit up]

Then it is true, we truly did defeat him! How exciting! [However, there the realization hit her. Slowly, the smile on her face disappeared before a small frown appeared]

I suppose it means father is truly gone... [She mumbled to herself. While she knew this would happen, there was a small part of her that wished it wasn't true.]

[forethinking]

(His face followed this rollercoaster of emotions - from excitement to sorrow, a frown taking place at the last stage as he gently caresses her hands.)

I'm sorry, Haru-chan.

[bazooker]

[With that, she shook her head]

No, it's okay, Ren-kun. I knew what the consequences were and I am grateful to have spent the time that I did with him. It's just...

[She mumbled to herself. As she looked down to the ground, she struggled to find the words of what she was going to say next.]

It reminds me of how he could have been.

[forethinking]

(He knows. That's the path that they chose, after all. To not dwell in any 'what if's, real or otherwise, and to face reality as is. It's only natural that Haru would like to have her father around, like he should have been if it weren't for... Akechi.

Ren's sweat has mostly evaporated at this point, and there's no magic word he can say that will make it all better. All he can do is open an arm, offering a hug to the girl if she so wishes.)