(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

[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?)

[begetblue]

[ Turing of course took that hand. It was soothing to keep having that concrete reminder that Ren was actually there. Their sensors attempted to keep them grounded, saying he was definitely there, but their feelings just kept on asking troublesome questions, and no amount of logical data could sway those anxieties.

At Ren's question, their gaze fell. ]

I... Nothing much, really.

[ Turing was not a good liar. ]

[forethinking]

(Turing is a bad liar, and Ren is too empathetic to not get the hint in how their gaze fell, how their words seemed to lack their everyday energy and optimism in the face of the question.)

What's wrong?

1/2

[begetblue]

[ Turing still didn't raise their head. ]

I'm unaware if there have been any major changes that you've missed. I wasn't really looking for that.

[ They paused. It was only right to give some kind of explanation not only for that lie, but also why they couldn't give a good answer about the current status of the void, but... ]

[begetblue]

I was looking for you instead...

[ They couldn't stand the thought of losing anyone else. Despite how fruitless their search had been, they had kept going out of a desire to pursue a perhaps naive hope instead of a familiar despair. That hope was infinitely preferable to reliving the day they had learned of Hayden's fate, even though it had also lead to long, tiring days in difficult environments. ]

[forethinking]

(Ren paused in his tracks, kneeling once more to look at Turing at eye level when he sensed the profound sorrow in the words. There was nothing he could do about it - he can't promise he won't disappear again, he can't control the Void's will, as much as he'd like. Moments like this are only fuel for his desire of getting back at whatever controls the Void.

Still, even when he has just seen everyone in his life fight for his freedom, he still struggles a little with the thought of being missed so much. All he can do is hug Turing, patting their tiny back.)

I'm here now.

[begetblue]

[ Turing couldn't respond with words despite the all efforts of their programming. All they could really do was cling to Ren like a child who had been startled awake by a nightmare and needed to be soothed. On some level, they did know he had no way of ensuring the void wouldn't do the same thing again. They really did, but in that moment all they really cared about was Ren being there in the moment and not what might still happen in the future. ]

Is it okay if I stay? I know loitering is generally prohibited, but I will do my best to not get in the way!

[forethinking]

I encourage you to.

(After all, there's nothing to be lost with a person staying in Heavenly Blanc - it's not like it's occupying a space out of a paying customer... And even if it were, Ren sees no problem with letting anyone stay for as long as they want, ordering or not.)

[begetblue]

[ They giggled. Ren putting it that way made it feel like they were getting away with something instead of getting permission. (Turing's Mischievousness has increased.) ]

Then I will stay for a while!

[ Just don't ask how long "a while" is. ]