(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

merlaut apartment 310 - open

[forethinking]

(Home, sweet home. Akechi is not home right now, which means the door to their apartment is open while there's only Ren inside, as it usually was before they decided to stay together like this.

Inside, one might see the usual field of flowers, smell the sweet floral aroma and perhaps catch Ren on his bed, lying on his stomach, playing games on his phone. Thank God for thunderstorms.)

[anciently]

Hey! [ Standing in the doorway and looking cross is Aerith, hands planted on her hips as she surveys the scene. ] You're back!

[ It isn't a celebration of his return so much as her chiding him for leaving in the first place. She enters, unbidden, taking care around the flowers as she does. ]

Don't go vanishing like that on me again, mister! What'll I do without my business partner?

[ Besides, Ren had been on of her first friends in this world. She...would be pretty devastated if he had been gone for good.

Her expression softens, even as she crosses her arms. ]

Got it? No more vanishing!

[forethinking]

(If Ren had doubts of Aerith's capacity for being stern, those ran out of the window when she spoke. Almost like she hit him with a metaphorical chair with how surprised he is. He's still a little shaken that so many people missed him this much, and while it wasn't of his own decision, it felt good to be back.

He sits on the bed, patting it so that she can sit with him. The confusion is soon replaced by the warm smile that he has, eyes closing and all. God, he's happy to see her!)

Got it.

[anciently]

Good. [ With that settled, she stretches a bit and looks around the room, nodding as if pleased with what she sees. ] So...how was it? I don't know anyone else who just...vanished. What happened?

[ This is PRETTY IMPORTANT, after all, and she's eager to get more details in case it helps with their learning more about this world. ]

[forethinking]

I went home.

(And to several other places, but like, back home. He doesn't mind the curiosity, he'd be prying too if he wasn't the one who poofed. Unfortunately, though:)

I don't know how.

[anciently]

Figures. [ She shrugs, still smiling lightly. ] That'd be too easy, huh?

[ It won't stop her curiosity, though. Aerith tilts her head a bit as she observes Ren, questions flitting around in her mind, vying for initiative. ]

So...how long were you back home?

[forethinking]

Three months.

(At this point, he has already gathered he's been gone for a few weeks rather than the months he spent back home. It's interesting that time doesn't flow the same way.)

How is the church?

[anciently]

Wow... [ That's longer than she would've guessed. Aerith sighs softly, reflecting on how the passage of time works - or, doesn't - here. ] Three months, huh...?

[ His question distracts her, and she smiles hesitantly at him. ]

Oh - It's fine. Good, actually. We have some new flowers for the business, with Merlin chipping in, and with what I found at that dome...

[ Plus, the ones growing in the church proper have been doing well, so she's relieved about that. ]

I'm sure the flowers all miss you. [ Aerith informs him, nodding sagely. ] You really shouldn't keep them waiting.

[forethinking]

Should we go to work?

(They can catch up on the way and Ren would like to see them. It's a quiet, peaceful place where he feels calm, and perhaps that's what he needs.

The jacket that was hanging from a hook is now on Ren's body, the knife nearby is spun in his fingers before he can put it in the inner pocket. Aerith knows who he is, kind of. He doesn't have to hide that he carries for their safety.)

Were you okay?

[abeautifulgame]

[obviously, Damien has noticed Ren and Akechi missing. where everyone else has been so quick to assume that they were Gone Forever, though, the fact that all of their stuff is still here seems to speaks volumes to the contrary. he's more convinced that they took an expedition into Mementos or went exploring in the Void, trying to find more clues as to -- anything here, really]

[he's not surprised, then, when they just apparently reappear, if the fact that the door to their room is suddenly wide open again -- nor is he angry that he disappeared in the first place. instead, he just comes to lean into the doorway, casual as you please]

So?

[find anything interesting on your trip, Ren?]

[forethinking]

(Considering he's not being scolded, asked whether he's real or anything that involved the reactions he has been getting, Ren simply dismisses the idea that Damien noticed they have been gone. He's not upset in the slightest if that's the case.

Ren figures Damien is after Akechi, since he knows how much he cares for the other.)

Akechi is at the gym if you're searching for him.

[abeautifulgame]

I might go looking, later. [because yeah, they tight] Right now, though, I was curious if you learned anything worth sharing, while you were gone on your little expedition.

[surprise! he did notice you missing!]

[forethinking]

I didn't go on an expedition.

(? He wasn't expecting it at all.

Ren rises to his feet, only to get them coffee going. This might not be Heavenly Blanc, but it sure feels strange to debate things with Damien without a hot cup.)

The Void sent us home.

[abeautifulgame]

[ ... ]

What?

[he's sorry, but -- what?]

[forethinking]

The Void sent us home.

(Ren knows he heard perfectly, but again, repeating might help?)

It's been three months.

[abeautifulgame]

[please excuse him while he continues to attempt to process that. he's having a hard time getting over how fucking horrifying that is, if only because his story ends badly, if and when he ever goes home]

It wasn't that long, here.

[forethinking]

So I've heard.

(He can tell how the piece of news affected the other, he's not so sure how. Things must be bad at home for him to not rejoice over the chance of returning.

Finally, he offers the coffee, gesturing to the couch.)

[bluecastleace]

[It’s been a while since Iwaizumi’s seen Ren. He hadn’t thought much of it at first - the guy definitely seems like a busy one anyway. After a while though, it started to dawn on him that something may be up - nothing crazy like jumping universes, but maybe just something keeping Ren inside. He decides finally to walk by his apartment and check in on him and what do you know, he’s just...chilling on his bed.

[Iwaizumi knocks lightly on the door frame so as not to startle him before he starts talking.]

Hey, Ren. I haven’t seen you in a while. What’s up?

[forethinking]

(Just chilling, having a great time playing Tetris. The knock doesn't startle him, but that Iwai came to the third floor for no other reason than to see him does a little. Almost like he wasn't expecting it.

Ren smiles as he sits up, leaving his phone on the bed.)

The Void sent me home and back.

[bluecastleace]

[The...?

[Wait.]

What?! What do you mean?!

[The statement was said so casually, but it leaves Iwaizumi’s head positively reeling - he hasn’t heard that such a thing was even possible until now.]

How? And it sent you back? Why? What?

[forethinking]

I don't know. That's what happened.

(And for the other questions, unfortunately, Ren comes out empty ended as well. He hasn't done anything out of the ordinary, neither here or back in Tokyo, to discover a formula for this.

He's about to get them some soda, perhaps hear whatever it is that Iwai has to ask or say about Ren's own adventure, when he sees the pictures on the fridge, in place by magnets next to a drawing Turing gave him. Easy enough to say they're Iwai, when he's in them. Calmly, he removes the magnet and takes the photos in his hand, walking to the other with a hand on his shoulder for the handout.)

These are yours.

[bluecastleace]

But that doesn’t make any sense, you—-

Huh?

[Iwaizumi frowns. Now Ren is handing him...what? A stack of pictures? His? He’s about to protest when he catches a glimpse of one of them, but in that moment he snatches them a little too quickly out of Ren’s hands and starts flipping through them. For the second time in the last two minutes, he feels like his heart stops, mouth falling open. His voice is quiet, distant when he speaks again, eyes glued to the familiar shots.]

How did you...?

[His team...Hanamaki, Matsukawa, his kohais, Watari...

[Oikawa, that bastard...

[Iwaizumi states up at Ren, shaking his head weakly.]

Where did you get these?

[forethinking]

They just appeared.

(He recognizes the look - the one of someone who is longing, almost grieving. The tone was enough of a clue.)

Our belongings show up sometimes.

(His outfits, for one.)

[bluecastleace]

[Well, if the look and tone didn’t give it away, the sound of him swallowing a lump down in his throat probably would. He falls silent, running a thumb over one of the pictures as he stares at it, eyes steadily beginning to sting and fill - but he’s so distracted by the images that he doesn’t even think to hide the emotion. He just shakes his head.]

Dumb bastards...[Grieving is a good word. His voice is choked with emotion as he sucks in a sharp breath.]

[forethinking]

(Ren closes the door behind Iwai the second he sees the watering eyes. Privacy, he believes, is necessary. The other boy has been through a lot coming here, from his first day and onwards, and while Ren has put in work to make him feel welcomed, he knows it's not the same as being home.)

Would you like to talk?