If I'm There Ren Kaji x Reader Part Two
Part One Here
Ren looked down at you, his brows pulling together. "What?"
"Don't 'what' me. I know you guys." You glanced between him and his two vice-captains, catching the faint twitch at the corner of Enomoto's mouth before he managed to hide it. Kusumi didn't even try. He simply looked down at his phone as though whatever was on the screen had suddenly become fascinating. "Whatever you're planning, you're not doing it alone."
"We're not planning anything," Enomoto said.
You stared at him.
He lasted all of two seconds before smiling.
"You're terrible at lying."
"I thought that was pretty convincing."
"It wasn't."
The exchange caught the attention of the first-years nearby. Sakura's gaze moved between Ren and the other two second-years before realization seemed to settle across his face. "You're going after the guys who did this?"
No one answered him immediately, which was apparently answer enough.
"Well, I'm coming." Sakura pushed himself away from the wall, rolling one shoulder as something almost eager worked its way into his expression. "I've been itching for a fight."
Nirei looked at him with the familiar alarm that seemed to appear whenever Sakura showed even the slightest enthusiasm for violence, while Suo seemed entirely unsurprised.
"I'll come too," Suo said.
Nirei's attention snapped toward him next, and for a moment, he simply stared between his two friends as though he'd been hoping at least one of them would possess enough common sense to reconsider. When neither did, his shoulders sank slightly. The nervousness was written all over his face, but after another glance between Sakura and Suo, he adjusted his glasses and straightened anyway.
"I'm coming too."
Sakura looked toward him. "You don't have to."
"I know." Nirei swallowed, still looking considerably less enthusiastic about the prospect than anyone else in the room. "But I'm not letting you two go without me."
Suo's smile softened slightly, and Sakura seemed to accept the answer without another argument.
You watched the entire thing unfold from Ren's arms, increasingly aware that what had started as one silent look between your boyfriend and his vice-captains had somehow turned into a group activity. No one had actually said the words let's go get revenge, yet everyone seemed to understand exactly what was happening.
Of course this was your life.
Your boyfriend and his two vice-captains were planning revenge in the middle of Pothos while three first-years you'd known for less than an hour casually volunteered to join them. Sakura looked almost excited about the possibility of getting into a fight, Suo seemed entirely too relaxed about following him into one, and Nirei looked like he'd just willingly signed himself up for his worst nightmare because there was apparently no chance he was letting his friends go without him.
You sighed softly and let your head fall back against Ren's shoulder as the conversation shifted toward what they were actually going to do. Enomoto started asking about how many guys you'd seen, Sakura wanted to know if they were all still likely to be together, and Nirei attempted to point out that perhaps they should know what they were walking into before anyone started swinging. Suo contributed just enough to keep everyone from getting too far ahead of themselves, while Kusumi listened quietly beside Enomoto.
It wasn't long before the most obvious problem with their plan finally came up.
"Where do we start looking?" Enomoto asked.
For the first time since the conversation began, no one seemed to have an immediate answer. Ren knew the general area where you'd been found, and Nirei, Sakura, and Suo could get them back to the alley you'd come running out of, but that didn't mean the guys who attacked you would still be anywhere nearby. Makochi wasn't exactly small enough to wander around until they happened across a group of ten assholes.
You listened for another moment as they tossed around possibilities before finally lifting your head from Ren's shoulder.
"Well, I can help with that."
Ren's eyes shifted toward you.
You smiled. "I can take you to them."
"No. You're hurt."
The answer came so quickly that you almost laughed. Ren hadn't even needed a second to consider it, his arm remaining firmly around you as though there were a genuine possibility you might try to escape before the conversation was finished.
"I'm aware I'm hurt."
"Then you're not coming."
"You do realize I'm the only person here who actually knows where they were, right?" You shifted carefully against him so you could look at him properly, ignoring the way his eyes narrowed the second you started making your case. "I can take you back to where it happened. They were already hanging around there before they started following me, and most of them stayed behind when I got away. If they're still together, that's where they'll be."
"Tell us how to get there."
"I could, but it'd be a lot easier if I showed you."
Ren's expression flattened. "No."
You stared at him for a moment before glancing toward Enomoto for support. He immediately looked away, apparently deciding that getting involved between you and Ren was considerably more dangerous than whatever fight they were currently planning.
Traitor.
Kusumi wasn't any help either. The moment your gaze moved toward him, he suddenly found something across the café very interesting.
You looked back at your boyfriend. "I'm not saying I'm going to fight anybody. I'll take you there, point out the guys who did this, and stay out of the way."
Ren continued staring at you with an amount of suspicion that was frankly insulting.
"Wow," you muttered. "You could at least pretend to believe me."
"I know you."
The quiet answer wiped the offended expression straight from your face because, unfortunately, he had a point. Ren had watched you get yourself into enough trouble to know that I'll stay out of the way was usually dependent on nobody giving you a reason to stop staying out of the way.
Still, that wasn't enough to make you give up.
You carefully shifted your legs over the edge of his lap and lowered your feet toward the floor, only for Ren's hands to move immediately to your waist when you tried to stand. Pain pulled through your ribs as you straightened, forcing you to pause with one hand braced against his shoulder until the worst of it passed. The concern that instantly replaced the irritation on his face didn't exactly help your argument, but once you were steady, you gave him a small smile anyway.
"See? I'm fine."
"You're barely standing."
"Still standing."
Ren looked thoroughly unimpressed.
You rested your hands against his shoulders and leaned a little closer, lowering your voice as though the two of you were negotiating something far more serious than whether he was allowed to leave you behind. "Look, I know where they are, and I'm the only one who can point out exactly who was there. I'm not asking you to let me run in and start swinging. I'll take you there, show you who you're looking for, and then I'll stay back."
His eyes searched yours for several seconds, and you could practically see him trying to find a version of this plan that didn't involve bringing you anywhere near the people who had hurt you. The problem was that there really wasn't one. You could give them directions, but the maze of side streets you'd run through would be easier to navigate with you there, and none of them could recognize the guys as quickly as you could.
Enomoto finally decided it was safe enough to involve himself. "She's got a point. We get there faster, she tells us who we're looking for, and she stays out of it."
Ren glanced toward him, clearly annoyed that his own vice-captain had chosen the wrong side.
"I'll stay with her."
Suo's voice drew Ren's attention away from Enomoto. He stood a few feet away with the same calm expression he'd worn through most of the afternoon, as though offering to sit out part of the fight was the simplest solution in the world.
"Once she shows us where they are, I'll keep her back with me."
Ren looked at him for a moment, and you glanced between the two of them, unsure what exactly passed in the silence. Suo didn't elaborate or try to convince him. He simply waited, seemingly content to let Ren make the decision for himself.
Eventually, Ren gave him a small nod.
You smiled, only for his attention to immediately return to you. "You stay with Suo."
"I can do that."
"And you stay out of the fight."
"I just said—"
"Y/N."
The warning in his voice stopped you before you could finish. You stared up at him for a moment, finding absolutely no room for negotiation in his expression. Considering he'd already agreed to let you come when every instinct in him was probably telling him to leave you somewhere safe, you knew pushing your luck any further wasn't going to get you anywhere.
"Fine," you conceded. "I'll stay with Suo and out of the fight."
Ren continued watching you for another second, as though trying to decide how much faith he actually had in that promise. Apparently, it was enough. His shoulders eased slightly, and the arm around your waist remained secure as he turned his attention back toward the others.
The loose plan came together quickly after that. You would lead them back to the alley and point out anyone you recognized, while Suo stayed with you once the fighting started. Nirei looked noticeably relieved when no one included him in the fighting portion of the plan either, and Sakura looked increasingly impatient to get moving the longer everyone stood around talking.
By the time the group finally started toward the door, you couldn't help looking around at all of them with a mixture of disbelief and affection. You'd left school early expecting nothing more exciting than wandering through a few stores, surprising Ren with a matching keychain, and getting ice cream when his patrol ended. Somehow, the afternoon had turned into you limping through Makochi with six Furin students on their way to get revenge on the guys who'd jumped you, while your boyfriend kept one arm around your waist and matched every step to your slower pace.
It was ridiculous, reckless, and probably the least surprising thing any of them could've done.
The ice cream was definitely going to have to wait.
The walk back toward the alley took longer than it had the first time.
Granted, the first time you'd been running for your life.
Now, every step sent a dull ache through your ribs, and the bruises that had been tolerable while you were sitting inside Pothos seemed determined to remind you of their existence the second you started moving. Ren noticed almost immediately. He didn't comment on it, but the arm he'd kept around your waist since leaving the café tightened whenever your pace faltered, his steps automatically slowing to match yours.
You pretended not to notice, mostly because you knew exactly what would happen if you did. The second you admitted walking hurt, Ren would turn around, carry you straight back to Pothos, and whatever argument you made along the way would be ignored completely. So you kept moving, leading the group through the streets of Makochi with Ren tucked close against your side and everyone else following a few steps behind.
Sakura had apparently decided your pace wasn't fast enough somewhere around the second block, only for Nirei to remind him that you'd been beaten half-conscious less than two hours ago. Suo then pleasantly suggested that Sakura was more than welcome to lead if he knew where they were going, which had managed to shut him up for approximately thirty seconds before the three of them started bickering again.
Their voices were a welcome distraction as you guided everyone farther from the shopping district. You pointed out each turn before taking it, retracing a route that had felt considerably less important when you'd first wandered through it earlier that afternoon. The convenience store appeared first, followed by the narrow intersection where you'd realized the footsteps behind you weren't disappearing no matter how many times you changed direction. A little farther ahead sat the storefront whose darkened window had given you your first clear look at the unfamiliar faces following you.
Your pace slowed without you meaning it to, and the slight shift of Ren's hand against your waist told you he'd noticed.
"You good?"
"Yeah. Just weird coming back."
Ren watched you for another moment, clearly not entirely convinced, but he didn't push. He didn't tell you that you were safe now or fill the silence with reassurance you hadn't asked for. His thumb simply brushed once against your side, careful to avoid the bruising beneath your clothes, and you found yourself leaning a little closer to him before continuing down the street.
The farther you walked, the quieter Makochi became. The familiar shops disappeared behind you, replaced by older buildings and narrow side streets where there were fewer people around to notice the group of Furin students following an injured girl through town. Eventually, the opening between two buildings appeared ahead, and your stomach tightened before you could stop it.
"Almost there," you told them.
The conversation behind you faded as everyone became more aware of their surroundings. Even Sakura stopped complaining about the pace as you made the final turn and the alley came into view.
It looked exactly the same.
For some reason, that bothered you more than you expected. The same trash bags were piled beside one of the buildings, a rusted fire escape clung to the brick overhead, and pieces of discarded cardboard shifted lazily whenever the breeze managed to reach between the buildings. Nothing about the place suggested that less than two hours ago you'd been surrounded by ten guys with nowhere to run, and for a moment, you simply stood there staring at it.
Ren's arm tightened slightly around you.
"This is it," you said.
Sakura's expression changed immediately as he looked down the alley. "This is where they jumped you?"
You nodded and started forward, Ren moving with you while the others followed close behind. "They were spread out around here. A few were behind me, and the others came from farther down once they realized I wasn't going quietly."
You made it several steps into the alley before stopping near the place where you remembered hitting the ground. No one was there now, though you hadn't really expected them to be standing around waiting for you to come back with half of Furin. Still, some small part of you had apparently hoped finding them would be that easy.
Nirei looked around the empty alley before glancing toward you. "They're not here."
"Looks like it," Enomoto answered.
You frowned as you looked around, trying to pull the mess of the attack apart enough to remember something useful. Most of it had blurred together once the first punch was thrown, but you remembered several of the guys appearing from farther down the alley after you'd already been cornered. They hadn't all followed you there. Some of them had already been nearby, and when you'd finally managed to break away, the shouting behind you had come from that same direction.
Your attention shifted toward the opposite end of the alley. "Keep going. I think they came from farther back."
Ren glanced down at you. "You sure?"
"Pretty sure."
That was apparently good enough for everyone. You took the lead again with Ren at your side, guiding the group toward the far end of the alley while the others followed behind. The buildings grew older the farther you went, and eventually the narrow stretch of pavement opened into an area you hadn't gotten far enough to see earlier.
Several old buildings were scattered around the lot, most of them looking abandoned, but one stood farther back than the others. The warehouse itself wasn't particularly remarkable. Its metal siding was rusted around the edges, several windows had been covered from the inside, and on any other afternoon you probably would've walked past without giving it a second thought.
The motorcycles parked along one side were what stopped you.
One of them was familiar.
"I've seen that bike," you said, nodding toward it when everyone followed your gaze. "It was parked near the alley earlier, before they started following me."
The atmosphere around the group changed almost immediately. Sakura stepped forward, whatever impatience he'd shown during the walk disappearing as his attention settled on the warehouse. Enomoto and Kusumi exchanged another one of those silent looks that seemed to pass for entire conversations between them, while Nirei visibly lost some of the determination he'd managed to build on the walk over now that the vague possibility of a fight had turned into an actual building sitting directly in front of him.
Ren's arm remained around your waist as all of you crossed the open stretch toward the warehouse. Nobody suggested you stay behind this time. You were the only person who could identify the guys who'd attacked you, and until you did, there wasn't much point in separating from the group.
Sakura reached the entrance first and stopped in front of the wide metal door, looking back at everyone with an impatience that made it obvious he was waiting for permission only because someone would complain if he didn't.
Enomoto sighed. "Go ahead."
That was apparently all Sakura needed.
He pulled the door open, and the sound of metal scraping against concrete echoed loudly enough through the building that any hope of entering unnoticed disappeared immediately.
Not that Sakura seemed particularly concerned about that.
He walked straight inside.
"Sakura!" Nirei hissed, hurrying after him. "You could at least look first!"
Suo followed with an amused smile, and Enomoto shook his head before entering with Kusumi beside him. You went next with Ren, his arm still securely around your waist as you crossed the threshold together.
The first thing you noticed was the noise.
The second was how quickly it stopped.
Conversations died one after another as the people scattered throughout the warehouse realized they had company. Heads turned toward the entrance from every direction, and within seconds, the large room had gone quiet enough that the sound of the metal door closing behind you seemed unnaturally loud.
You stared.
There were far more than ten people inside.
Guys were scattered across nearly every part of the warehouse, some sitting on crates or battered furniture while others leaned against metal support beams or stood around tables farther toward the back. Several wore jackets you recognized from earlier. Plenty more didn't.
You tried counting automatically and gave up somewhere after twenty.
Beside you, Nirei went noticeably pale. "That's... more than ten."
"Little bit," Enomoto muttered.
Sakura, for reasons you would probably never understand, looked almost pleased.
You would've laughed if your ribs didn't still hurt.
Ren shifted closer instead, his body angling slightly in front of yours as more people around the warehouse began standing. You could feel the tension returning to him beneath the hand resting against your waist, but when you glanced up, his attention had shifted to you. You knew what he needed without him having to ask, so you turned your attention back to the crowd and began searching through the unfamiliar faces.
Recognition came one after another. The guy who'd grabbed your arm was near one of the tables, while another who'd caught up to you after you'd tried to run stood closer to the wall. Two more were farther back, and judging by the way their expressions changed when they noticed you standing among the Furin students, they remembered you just as clearly.
"There," you murmured, nodding toward them. "Those guys were there."
Ren followed your gaze without saying anything while you continued searching, your eyes passing over face after face until movement near the back of the warehouse caught your attention. A guy pushed himself up from where he'd been sitting, and the second you saw the bruising covering the center of his face, you knew exactly who he was.
A small, deeply satisfied smile pulled at your split lip.
His nose looked terrible.
The swelling had gotten worse since you'd last seen him, dark purple bruising spreading beneath both eyes while the bridge of his nose looked painfully swollen. Considering the condition he'd left you in, it was difficult to feel particularly bad about the damage you'd managed to give him in return.
Ren followed your gaze toward him. "Him?"
"That's the one."
The leader seemed to realize you were looking at him at the same time. His expression darkened as his eyes settled on you, and he shoved himself away from the table before starting across the warehouse. Several guys moved aside without being asked, clearing a path as he approached and making it fairly obvious that the asshole with the broken nose was more important than the others you'd recognized.
The closer he got, the easier it became to see exactly what you'd done to his face, and despite everything that had happened afterward, you couldn't help feeling a tiny bit proud of yourself.
His eyes swept over the Furin uniforms surrounding you before settling back on your face. "You really came back?"
You smiled sweetly. "Miss me?"
The bruising around his nose somehow made the anger twisting his expression even more satisfying. Apparently, you weren't the only one admiring your handiwork either, because Nirei leaned slightly to the side from where he stood near Suo, staring at the swelling across the guy's face before looking at you.
"You did that?"
You glanced at the leader's nose again before giving a small shrug. "Yeah."
A quiet laugh slipped from Suo beside you.
The leader's attention snapped toward him. "You think this is funny?" His jaw tightened before he jerked his head in your direction. "This bitch broke my fucking nose."
Suo's smile didn't disappear. If anything, the amusement in his visible eye only became more obvious, but before he could respond, you felt Ren go completely still beside you.
You glanced up at him, catching the subtle change in his expression. Anyone who didn't know him might have missed it entirely, but you knew him well enough to see the sudden sharpness in his eyes and feel the way his arm slowly loosened from around your waist. He'd spent the entire walk keeping his anger under control for your sake, and now the person responsible for most of the bruises covering your body was standing directly in front of him, calling you a bitch while complaining about the one injury you'd managed to give him in return.
Ren stepped forward, finally removing his arm from around you.
The leader's attention shifted to him, his eyes dropping briefly to the Furin uniform before traveling back to his face. "What? You her boyfriend or something?"
Ren didn't bother answering. His attention moved toward Suo instead, and the first-year seemed to understand what he wanted before he even spoke.
"Stay with her."
Suo gave a small nod. "Of course."
Ren looked back at you. "Stay with Suo."
This time, you didn't argue. You'd already promised him back at Pothos, and after seeing exactly how many people were inside the warehouse, even you could admit that standing in the middle of the fight while your ribs already felt like they'd been used as a punching bag probably wasn't your smartest option.
"Okay."
Ren started to turn away, but you caught the front of his jacket before he could get far. His eyes returned to you as you tugged him closer and leaned up, pressing your lips softly against his.
The kiss was quick, careful of your split lip, but it was enough to ease some of the tension from his face when you pulled away. His hand settled instinctively against your waist, holding you steady as you smiled up at him.
"Beat his ass."
The corner of Ren's mouth lifted. It wasn't much, barely more than the beginning of a smile, but you caught it before his attention returned to the guy waiting several feet away. Ren gave your waist one last gentle squeeze before stepping away, and Suo moved closer as promised while you settled beside him with Nirei nearby.
The leader watched Ren approach, whatever confidence he'd been carrying beginning to slip now that there was nothing standing between them. His eyes flicked toward the Furin students spread throughout the warehouse before returning to Ren, and apparently he decided he had no interest in finding out what would happen if your boyfriend actually reached him.
"Get them."
The order barely left his mouth before the warehouse erupted.
Guys pushed away from the walls and surged forward from every direction, filling the open space between the two groups almost immediately. Ren didn't stop. He ducked beneath the first swing aimed at his head and drove his fist into the guy's stomach without breaking stride, leaving him doubled over as he continued toward the leader. Another stepped into his path almost immediately, only for Enomoto to intercept him before he could get close.
Ren glanced toward his vice-captains. "Take care of the extras."
Enomoto grinned as he shoved the guy away from him. "Got it."
Kusumi was already moving.
The two of them split off without another word, cutting through the guys trying to close in around Ren and clearing a path through the warehouse. They moved with the kind of coordination that came from having done this together more times than you could probably count, Enomoto intercepting anyone who tried to follow Ren while Kusumi caught the ones attempting to circle around from the opposite side.
It worked remarkably well for about thirty seconds.
There were simply too many of them.
A few slipped through the openings between Enomoto and Kusumi, and it didn't take long for their attention to settle on the three people standing farther back. You saw the moment they noticed the bruises covering your face and apparently decided an injured girl, Nirei, and the smiling first-year beside you looked considerably easier to deal with than the second-years currently knocking their friends across the warehouse.
Suo noticed too.
He stepped smoothly in front of you, placing himself between you and the approaching group without losing the calm expression he'd worn since the fight began. One hand lifted slightly, his stance shifting just enough to tell you he was ready for the first one who got close.
He never got the chance.
Sakura came flying in from the side.
His foot connected with the first guy's head hard enough to knock him completely off course, sending him crashing onto the concrete before he'd gotten within several feet of Suo. Sakura landed easily and barely spared him a glance before turning toward the other two.
Nirei startled beside you. "Sakura!"
"What?" Sakura snapped, already ducking beneath the fist coming toward him. "They were coming over here."
Apparently, that was all the explanation he felt was necessary.
He drove a fist into the second guy's stomach and followed it with another hit before the first had even fully registered. The third tried to come at him from the side, only for Sakura to pivot and catch him with a kick that sent him stumbling backward into a stack of old crates.
You stared at him.
You'd known Furin students could fight. Everyone in Makochi knew that. You'd heard enough from Ren and spent enough time around his friends to understand why people thought twice before causing trouble in their territory, but watching Sakura tear through three guys in what felt like seconds was something else entirely.
"Jesus."
Suo glanced toward you, his visible eye curving slightly. "Impressive, isn't he?"
You didn't get the chance to answer before another guy managed to break past Kusumi. His gaze landed on you almost immediately, and despite the fact that he'd just watched three of his friends make the exact same mistake, he apparently decided his chances would somehow be better.
Sakura saw him too.
You could practically see his mood improve.
"Oh, come on," Nirei groaned.
Sakura was already moving. He intercepted the guy halfway across the warehouse, driving him back with the first hit before following him straight into the fight. From there, he seemed to settle completely into his element. Every time someone managed to slip around Enomoto or Kusumi and head toward the back of the warehouse, Sakura appeared before they could make it anywhere near you.
At some point, you stopped worrying about anyone getting through.
Between Enomoto and Kusumi handling the majority of the group and Sakura seemingly taking personal offense to anyone who managed to get past them, the number of guys still standing was dropping considerably faster than you'd expected. Suo remained close beside you, ready to step in if someone actually reached you, though Sakura appeared determined to make sure that never happened.
You couldn't help watching him with a growing mixture of disbelief and amusement. He'd known you for less than an afternoon. A few hours ago, you'd been nothing more than some injured girl who'd collided with Suo in an alley and passed out after asking them to find Kaji. Sakura hadn't even known your name then, yet here he was treating every person who tried to get near you like they'd personally offended him.
You were beginning to understand why Ren trusted these guys.
Another body hit the ground several feet away, and Sakura straightened, breathing slightly harder as he looked around for whoever planned on trying next.
You smiled. "Having fun?"
His head snapped toward you. "Shut up."
The color creeping across the tips of his ears only made your smile widen, but you decided to spare him the embarrassment of pointing it out. Nirei looked considerably less generous, though one warning glare from Sakura was enough to make whatever comment he'd been preparing disappear.
Across the warehouse, Ren had finally reached the leader.
The guy seemed to realize that throwing everyone else in his path hadn't accomplished much. His expression tightened as Ren approached, and he barely managed to get his arms up before Ren's fist connected with the side of his face.
Unfortunately for him, it was the same side where his nose was already broken.
The impact sent him stumbling into a metal table, its legs scraping loudly across the concrete as he caught himself. His hand immediately flew toward his face, and the strangled curse that followed was loud enough to reach you even over the rest of the fighting.
You winced. "Ooh."
Suo glanced at you.
"That had to hurt."
A quiet laugh escaped him, and Nirei stared between you and Ren as though he wasn't entirely sure which one of you he should be more concerned about.
The leader recovered quickly enough to swing back, but Ren leaned away from the punch and drove another hit into his ribs. There was none of the usual irritation you'd seen when he dealt with trouble around Makochi, no annoyed complaints about someone wasting his time or getting on his nerves. He was frighteningly focused instead, every movement sharp and deliberate as he forced the guy farther away from the rest of the fight.
Watching him, you understood exactly why he'd wanted Suo to keep you back.
This wasn't Ren dealing with some random idiot causing trouble in town. The man in front of him was responsible for the split in your lip, the bruising spreading across your face, and the ache in your ribs that made every breath a little more uncomfortable than the last.
This was personal.
Another crash pulled your attention toward the opposite side of the warehouse, where Enomoto had just sent someone stumbling into a pile of crates. Kusumi was handling another two nearby, while Sakura had somehow acquired three more opponents and looked entirely too happy about it.
Despite the ridiculous difference in numbers, Furin was winning.
Nirei seemed to realize it around the same time you did, his eyes moving across the warehouse in disbelief. "They're actually handling all of them..."
You smiled as your gaze returned to Ren, who caught the leader by the front of his jacket before driving another fist into his face. "Of course they are."
Suo remained beside you, calm as ever despite the chaos unfolding only several feet away. He'd positioned himself just far enough in front of you that anyone who somehow made it through Sakura would still have to go through him first, and considering what you'd already seen from the first-years today, you had a feeling that wouldn't end particularly well for them either.
For now, though, you stayed exactly where you'd promised.
You'd told Ren you would stay with Suo and stay out of the fight, and despite how tempting it was to join in when you watched one of the guys who'd kicked you earlier go running past, you intended to keep your word.
The problem was that the guys in the warehouse had no intention of making that easy.
For the first few minutes, staying out of the fight wasn't particularly difficult. Suo remained close enough that anyone who made it past the others was dealt with before they could get anywhere near you, and Sakura had apparently appointed himself as an unofficial second line of defense. Every time someone slipped around Enomoto or Kusumi, he intercepted them with enough enthusiasm that you were beginning to suspect protecting you had become secondary to the fact that he was having the time of his life.
You were perfectly content to let them handle it. Your ribs hurt, your face hurt, and the adrenaline that had kept you moving earlier had long since worn off. As satisfying as it might have been to get a few hits in yourself, you had promised Ren you would stay with Suo and out of the fight, and for once, you were actually planning to listen.
That plan worked until two more guys managed to break through at the same time.
Suo caught the first before he'd made it more than a few steps, turning smoothly to avoid the punch thrown at him before sending the guy stumbling away. The second tried to take advantage of the opening, forcing Suo farther from you as he moved to intercept him as well. Neither presented much of a problem on their own, but keeping both occupied meant his attention was pulled away for just long enough that someone else managed to slip through.
You recognized the guy almost immediately as one of the men from the alley. You couldn't remember exactly which of the bruises covering you belonged to him, but judging by the grin spreading across his face when he noticed you standing without Suo directly beside you, he remembered you perfectly well.
Across the warehouse, Sakura noticed him too.
"HEY!"
His shout carried over the rest of the fighting as he shoved the guy in front of him aside and tried to make his way toward you. Two more stepped into his path before he'd gotten far, and the sudden anger on his face made it obvious that he knew he wasn't going to reach you before the other guy did.
"Suo!"
Suo glanced over, but he was still caught between the two men who had drawn him away. He started to move toward you anyway, only to have one come at him again from the side.
The guy from the alley was already too close.
Nirei seemed to reach the same conclusion because the nervous energy he'd carried since entering the warehouse disappeared beneath something much more determined. He moved in front of you so abruptly that you nearly walked into his back, planting himself between you and the approaching man despite the fact that his hands were shaking badly enough for you to notice.
"I've got it."
You stared at him for a moment, caught somewhere between concern and the overwhelming urge to hug him.
Nirei absolutely did not have it.
He was terrified, and unlike Sakura or Suo, nothing about the way he held himself suggested he had any idea what he planned to do once the guy actually reached him. Still, he didn't move. He stayed directly in front of you because, as far as he knew, you were already injured and couldn't protect yourself.
It was possibly the sweetest thing anyone had done for you all afternoon.
It was also not happening.
The guy was only a few feet away when you reached forward, caught Nirei gently by the back of his jacket, and pulled him aside.
He stumbled a step and whipped around. "Y/N, what are you—"
"It's okay."
You barely finished before the guy reached for you.
His hand never made it.
You caught his wrist and twisted sharply, using his own momentum to pull him forward before driving your knee straight into his stomach. The breath left him in a strangled grunt as his body folded, giving you enough room to release his wrist and bring your elbow down hard between his shoulder blades.
He crashed onto the concrete.
For a second, you thought that might be the end of it. Apparently his pride had survived the fall better than the rest of him, because his hand shot out and caught your ankle when you tried to step away. The sudden pull nearly took your balance with it, but you shifted your weight quickly enough to stay upright and twisted free before driving your heel into his chest.
Pain flared through your ribs at the movement. You ignored it.
He scrambled back to his feet and swung for your face, clearly having abandoned whatever assumption he'd made about you being an easy target. You ducked beneath his fist and stepped into the opening, landing a sharp punch to his jaw that snapped his head sideways. He stumbled, and one final kick to his chest sent him backward onto the concrete.
This time, he stayed there.
You straightened slowly, breathing a little harder than you had been a minute ago. Your ribs were making their displeasure with your decisions painfully clear, but the guy at your feet wasn't getting back up anytime soon, so you considered the trade worthwhile.
"Asshole."
It wasn't until you looked away from him that you realized Nirei was staring.
He hadn't moved since you'd pulled him aside. His eyes traveled from the unconscious guy on the floor to you and then back again as though he needed to confirm what he'd just witnessed before attempting to make sense of it.
Across the warehouse, Sakura wasn't doing much better.
He'd been trying so hard to reach you that apparently nobody had informed him he no longer needed to. The guy he'd been fighting took advantage of his distraction and caught him across the shoulder, snapping Sakura's attention back long enough for him to retaliate with a punch that sent the poor idiot stumbling away.
Then Sakura immediately looked at you again.
"You can fight?!"
The disbelief in his voice made you frown. "Yeah. Why are you saying it like that?"
Nirei finally found his voice. "Because you just—he was—and then you kicked—"
His hands moved vaguely between you and the man lying on the floor, apparently unable to decide which part of what he'd witnessed required explanation first.
A quiet laugh came from your other side as Suo returned, the two guys who'd pulled him away no longer presenting much of a problem. His gaze dropped toward the unconscious man at your feet before returning to you, amusement settling easily across his expression.
"I suppose the broken nose should have been a clue."
"Thank you," you said, pleased that at least one person was being reasonable about this.
Sakura was not.
"Then how the hell did ten guys beat you up?!"
You stared at him long enough for his own question to answer itself. "There were ten of them, Sakura."
Judging by the way his brows pulled together, that apparently wasn't the compelling argument you thought it was.
"So?"
Of course.
Of all the people in the warehouse, Sakura would be the one who heard ten against one and couldn't understand why that might present a problem.
You shook your head. "I'm not having this conversation with you."
Another guy came at him before Sakura could argue, forcing him to turn away and deal with the considerably more immediate problem. Nirei was still staring at you in bewilderment, though some of the fear had finally disappeared from his expression now that he knew you weren't completely helpless.
You looked toward him and smiled. "For the record, that was really sweet."
His face went blank. "What was?"
"You trying to protect me."
Color rushed into his cheeks so quickly that you almost laughed.
"I wasn't—I mean, obviously I was going to—he was coming over here and Suo was—"
"I know." You gave his shoulder a gentle pat. "Thank you."
Whatever response he'd been trying to form disappeared entirely.
Suo looked far too entertained by the exchange, but before he could make it worse, movement farther across the warehouse caught his attention. Two more guys had managed to work their way around the edge of the fight, and his posture shifted as he prepared to intercept them.
You saw the glance he gave you before leaving.
"I'll stay here," you promised.
His gaze dropped pointedly toward the unconscious man at your feet.
"He came to me."
That earned a quiet laugh before Suo moved off to deal with the approaching men, leaving you beside a still-flustered Nirei. You had every intention of returning to your original plan and staying exactly where you were now that no one was actively trying to hit either of you.
Then Nirei asked the question you probably should've anticipated.
"Does Kaji-san know you can fight?"
"Of course he—"
You turned toward Ren.
He was already looking at you.
The leader stood several feet in front of him, looking considerably worse than he had when the fight began, but Ren's attention had temporarily abandoned him in favor of the unconscious man at your feet.
Right.
There was a difference between Ren knowing you could fight and Ren being happy about you fighting while already injured after specifically promising him you wouldn't.
You gave him a small, apologetic smile and pointed toward the guy on the floor. "He came to me!"
There was no chance Ren heard you over the noise filling the warehouse, but he didn't need to. His eyes narrowed before dropping toward the hand you'd unconsciously pressed against your aching ribs.
You removed it immediately.
That didn't help.
Ren's expression flattened in a way you knew far too well, and you attempted a reassuring thumbs-up that somehow seemed to make it worse.
Beside you, Nirei glanced between the two of you. "Is he mad?"
"Probably."
The leader chose that moment to try taking advantage of Ren's distraction.
It was a mistake.
Ren avoided the hit without taking his eyes off you, caught the guy by the front of his shirt, and drove his fist into his face hard enough to send him staggering backward.
Nirei winced.
You did too.
After another second of watching Ren resume the beating with considerably more force than before, Nirei pushed his glasses farther up his nose.
"I think he's mad."
You watched Ren land another hit and considered it.
"Little bit."
The fight didn't last much longer after that. By then, the number of guys willing—or able—to get back up had dwindled considerably, and the few who remained seemed to be reconsidering their choices now that most of their friends were scattered across the warehouse floor. Enomoto and Kusumi made quick work of the last group near the entrance, while Sakura continued throwing himself at anyone unfortunate enough to still be standing with enough enthusiasm that you were fairly certain someone could announce the fight was over and he'd ask if everyone was sure.
The leader had somehow managed to stay on his feet longer than you expected, though calling what he was doing fighting by that point felt generous. His swings had become sloppy from exhaustion and the beating Ren had already given him, making each one easier to avoid than the last. Ren, on the other hand, looked irritatingly composed for someone who had spent the past several minutes repeatedly punching another person.
When the leader tried one final swing, Ren caught his wrist and shoved the arm aside before landing a hard hit across his jaw. The guy dropped onto the concrete and remained there, and with him went whatever fight the few remaining members of his group still had left in them.
A strange quiet gradually settled over the warehouse. Heavy breathing replaced the sounds of fists and bodies hitting concrete, broken occasionally by a groan from somewhere on the floor as everyone began taking in the aftermath.
"Well," you murmured, glancing around at the frankly impressive number of people Furin had managed to put down. "That was fun."
Nirei turned toward you with an expression that suggested fun was nowhere near the word he would've chosen, but your attention had already shifted across the warehouse.
Ren had straightened near the leader, wiping the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand before his eyes immediately searched the room and landed on you. You smiled automatically when you caught his gaze, only to receive absolutely nothing in return.
Nirei followed your line of sight and lowered his voice. "Oh, he's definitely mad."
"Thank you, Nirei."
"Sorry."
Ren started toward you, stepping around the various bodies scattered between you without paying them much attention. Enomoto noticed where he was headed and followed his gaze toward you, his eyes dropping briefly to the unconscious guy nearby before amusement pulled at the corner of his mouth.
Sakura noticed too, although apparently for an entirely different reason. He fell into step beside Enomoto and immediately pointed toward you. "Did you know she could fight?"
"Yeah."
Sakura stopped so abruptly that Enomoto made it another step before realizing he was no longer beside him.
"You knew?"
Enomoto looked genuinely confused by the outrage. "Of course I knew."
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
You caught enough of the conversation to stare at him from across the remaining distance. "Why would anyone need to tell you?"
Sakura opened his mouth, hesitated, and seemed to realize he didn't actually have an answer. His face twisted in irritation anyway, but whatever argument he might've invented was cut off when Ren walked straight past him and stopped in front of you.
Any amusement you'd been getting from Sakura disappeared almost immediately.
Ren's eyes dropped to your side. "How bad?"
You knew exactly what he meant, but innocence seemed worth trying. "How bad is what?"
His eyes slowly lifted to yours, and the look he gave you lasted long enough that your resolve crumbled embarrassingly fast.
"My ribs hurt."
"I know."
"Then why'd you ask?"
The flat stare you received probably should've stopped you from smiling, but it didn't. Ren's expression remained unimpressed as his hands moved toward you, one settling carefully against your waist while the other came up to your face. His thumb brushed lightly beneath the bruising along your cheek as he checked you over, the irritation in his expression gradually giving way to concern.
"You made it worse."
It wasn't a question, and lying to him when he'd literally watched you grab your side from across the warehouse seemed pointless. "Maybe a little, but in my defense, Nirei is just so precious. I couldn't let him take the hit."
Nirei's head snapped toward you, his face immediately turning red. "What?!"
You glanced over at him. "You were shaking and still tried to stand in front of me. It was adorable."
"I was protecting you!"
"I know." Your expression softened as you looked at him. "That's why you're precious."
The color spreading across Nirei's face somehow deepened, and he looked toward Suo as though hoping his friend might intervene before you embarrassed him any further. Suo only smiled, clearly enjoying this far too much to help.
Ren's attention remained on you, entirely unmoved by what you apparently considered a perfectly reasonable justification for making your injuries worse.
"You promised."
"I stayed with Suo, and I stayed out of the fight until the fight came to me."
Ren's eyes narrowed slightly, but you could practically see him searching for an argument against that and hating the fact that you technically had a point.
Enomoto apparently reached the same conclusion. "She's got you there."
"Shut up."
You bit the inside of your cheek to keep from laughing as Enomoto grinned behind him. Ren ignored both of you and returned his attention to your face, his hand sliding carefully from your cheek to the back of your neck. The adrenaline that had carried you through the fight was already beginning to fade, leaving behind the exhaustion you'd managed to ignore until now, and apparently he could see it before you were willing to admit it.
"Come here."
There was no reason to argue with that.
You stepped into him and wrapped your arms around his middle, resting your cheek against his chest as Ren folded himself carefully around you. One arm settled across your back without putting pressure on your ribs while his other hand moved into your hair, holding you close enough that the last of the tension you'd been carrying finally began to ease.
His lips brushed the top of your head before he spoke, his voice quiet enough that the words were meant for you rather than everyone gathered around.
"You scared the shit out of me today."
The admission wiped away whatever teasing response you'd been preparing. You tightened your arms around him as much as your ribs allowed, remembering the way he'd looked when you first opened your eyes at Pothos and found yourself in his arms.
"I know. I'm sorry."
Ren didn't tell you it was okay because both of you knew he would've been lying. Instead, his hold tightened just a little, his fingers moving slowly through your hair while you stayed tucked against his chest. The others began gathering nearby, but no one interrupted. Even Sakura seemed to understand that his apparent betrayal over nobody informing him you could fight could wait.
You would've been perfectly content to stay there longer if your stomach hadn't chosen that moment to remind you that your original plans for the afternoon had included something considerably less violent.
You tipped your head back enough to look at Ren. "You know what would make me feel better?"
Suspicion appeared immediately.
"Ice cream."
Ren stared at you for several seconds before his forehead dropped gently against yours, a tired breath escaping him that sounded suspiciously close to a laugh. "You've gotta be kidding me."
"I was promised ice cream."
"You almost got killed."
"And somehow that means I don't deserve ice cream?"
A snort came from somewhere behind him, and you pointed in Enomoto's general direction without taking your eyes off Ren. "See? He agrees with me."
"I didn't say anything," Enomoto replied.
"You didn't have to."
Ren closed his eyes for a moment, and the fact that he hadn't immediately said no told you everything you needed to know. When he finally opened them again, some of the tension that had followed him since Pothos was gone.
"Fine. Ice cream, then I'm taking you home."
Your smile widened. "Deal."
"And you're not walking."
The smile disappeared almost as quickly as it had arrived. "My legs aren't hurt."
"Don't care."
"Ren."
He ignored the complaint completely. One arm slipped carefully behind your back while the other moved beneath your knees, and by the time you realized what he was doing, your feet were already leaving the ground.
"Ren!"
Your arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as he lifted you against his chest. He adjusted his hold until you were settled comfortably in his arms, careful not to press against your ribs, and the complete lack of reaction on his face told you there was absolutely no point in asking him to put you back down.
"I can walk."
"I know."
"Then why are you carrying me?"
Ren glanced down at you as though the answer should've been obvious. "You're hurt."
You stared at him.
He stared back.
Somewhere behind you, Sakura snorted.
Your head immediately turned toward him. "Don't."
He looked away, but not quickly enough to hide the amusement on his face. "Didn't say anything."
"You were thinking it."
"Can't prove that."
Nirei made the mistake of laughing, then immediately tried to disguise it as a cough when you looked toward him. Suo wasn't nearly as considerate. His smile had widened considerably, while Enomoto looked like he was one comment away from making the situation infinitely worse just for his own entertainment.
You decided ignoring all of them was the only way to preserve what remained of your dignity.
Settling back against Ren, you let your arms rest more comfortably around his neck while he started toward the warehouse door. The others gradually fell into step around you, Sakura and Nirei resuming their bickering before you'd even made it outside while Enomoto occasionally inserted himself purely to make whatever they were arguing about worse. Suo's quiet laughter drifted through the group, and Kusumi walked beside them in his usual silence, looking remarkably unbothered by the entire afternoon.
Ren carried you as though your weight meant absolutely nothing, one arm secure beneath your knees while the other supported your back. Every few steps, his hold shifted almost imperceptibly whenever the movement jostled your ribs, adjusting before you even had the chance to tell him something hurt. You noticed, of course, but pointing it out would only earn you another one of those looks, so you rested your head against his shoulder instead.
For someone who'd spent most of the afternoon insisting you were perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, you had to admit this wasn't terrible.
Actually, it was kind of nice.
You tucked your face a little closer against the side of his neck, and Ren glanced down at you briefly before his expression softened. He didn't say anything. He simply pulled you a little closer against his chest and kept walking.
This was definitely not how you'd imagined spending the extra hours you'd gotten from leaving school early. You'd planned to wander through a few stores, surprise your boyfriend with something small, and meet him for ice cream when his patrol ended. Somehow, that had turned into getting jumped, accidentally befriending three first-years, and watching your boyfriend and his friends dismantle an entire warehouse full of idiots on your behalf.
At least one part of your original plan had survived. You were still getting your ice cream, and tucked safely inside your pocket were the matching keychains Ren still knew absolutely nothing about.
By the time the ice cream shop came into view, any lingering concern you had about being carried through Makochi had disappeared completely.
You were comfortable, and that was really all there was to it. Your head had found a perfectly good place against Ren's shoulder, his arms were warm and secure around you, and walking sounded increasingly unnecessary the longer he did all the work. The steady rhythm of his steps had even started making you sleepy, your eyes drifting closed for a few seconds at a time as you relaxed against him.
After the third or fourth time, Ren's voice broke through the comfortable haze.
"You awake?"
Your eyes opened. "I was never asleep. What do you mean?"
Ren glanced down at you, and the look on his face made it obvious he wasn't buying that for a second. You smiled innocently and tucked your face back against his shoulder, earning a quiet laugh from him before he let you have it and continued carrying you without another word.
The others were still walking around you, their conversation filling the space Ren seemed perfectly content to leave quiet. Somewhere behind you, Sakura was arguing with Enomoto about something you'd stopped following several blocks ago, Nirei kept attempting to correct both of them, and Suo occasionally added a comment that somehow made the argument worse despite sounding perfectly reasonable. Kusumi walked among them in his usual silence, occasionally glancing down at his phone while the chaos continued around him.
It was strangely peaceful considering where all of you had just come from.
You lifted your head again as Ren carried you the last stretch toward the shop, your entire mood improving now that the familiar storefront was only a short distance away.
"There she is."
Ren glanced down at you. "It's ice cream."
"Don't ruin this for me."
The faint twitch at the corner of his mouth gave him away, but he didn't respond as Enomoto reached the door first and held it open for everyone. Ren carried you inside without hesitation, earning a brief look from the employee behind the counter when they noticed the bruising across your face and the group of Furin students filing in behind you. Their gaze lingered for a second before they seemed to decide they were better off not asking.
Probably for the best.
Ren lowered you carefully into one of the booths, keeping a hand at your waist until you were settled. The loss of his warmth was immediate, and you found yourself missing the comfortable spot against his chest almost as soon as he stepped away. After spending the entire walk letting him do all the work, sitting on your own suddenly felt considerably less appealing.
You kept that particular realization to yourself.
The others gathered around the table while Ren glanced toward the counter, but before he could go anywhere, you caught his sleeve.
"Two scoops. Cookie dough and cookies and cream. Waffle cone."
"I know."
Of course he did.
You released his sleeve with a satisfied smile and watched him head toward the counter with Enomoto and Kusumi. The rest of the boys clearly had no intention of passing up ice cream either, and whatever tension had followed everyone out of the warehouse seemed to disappear almost entirely once they were faced with the much more important task of deciding what they wanted.
Suo and Nirei settled into the booth across from you, and Sakura joined them a moment later. He'd barely gotten comfortable before his attention landed on you again, the lingering curiosity on his face making it obvious that watching you put someone on the floor earlier was still bothering him.
"So when did you learn how to fight?"
You smiled. "It's a secret."
His brows pulled together. "What?"
"A closely guarded one, actually. Can't just go around telling people."
Sakura stared at you as though he was waiting for the real answer. When none came, his expression flattened. "Why would that be a secret?"
You considered the question with far more seriousness than it deserved before giving a small shrug. "Because I'm a wizard."
Nirei made a startled noise beside him, while Suo's visible eye curved with immediate amusement. Sakura, on the other hand, looked increasingly convinced that meeting you had somehow become his punishment for something.
"You're not a fucking wizard."
"You don't know that. We met today."
That earned a quiet laugh from Suo, and the faint color creeping toward Sakura's ears made it increasingly difficult not to join him. You'd only known Sakura for a few hours, but discovering how easy he was to tease had been dangerously quick.
He narrowed his eyes at you. "Seriously."
You took pity on him before he could turn the conversation into another interrogation. "I've trained for years. That's all you're getting."
It clearly wasn't enough for Sakura, but before he could argue, Ren returned with your ice cream. Any interest you had in continuing the conversation disappeared at the sight of two generous scoops of cookie dough and cookies and cream sitting in a waffle cone.
Your entire face lit up as he set it in front of you. "I love you."
Ren gave you a flat look as he took the seat beside you. "Because I bought you ice cream?"
"I loved you before. This just reinforces it."
The faintest hint of amusement touched his expression as his arm settled naturally along the back of the booth behind you. You leaned into his side without thinking, careful of your ribs as you got comfortable against him and took your first bite.
Worth it. Completely worth it.
Everyone else gradually returned with their orders as well, filling the booth and the table beside it until what had started as your afternoon plans with Ren had somehow become an impromptu group outing. Enomoto and Kusumi took the neighboring table, while Sakura, Suo, and Nirei remained across from you. For a few minutes, the conversation shifted away from your apparently mysterious past as everyone focused on their ice cream, but you should've known Sakura wasn't finished.
His attention eventually moved from you to Ren. "You knew she could fight?"
"Of course."
The immediate answer seemed to offend Sakura more than if Ren had hesitated.
His eyes moved toward Enomoto and Kusumi at the next table before returning to Ren. "So everybody knew?"
"Pretty much," Enomoto answered around a bite of ice cream.
Sakura looked genuinely betrayed. "And nobody thought to tell us?"
You lowered your cone slightly. "I'm confused about why you think there should've been an announcement."
"Because you can fight!"
"So can you. Nobody sent me a newsletter."
Nirei laughed beside him, earning an irritated glance that he immediately tried to hide from by focusing very intently on his ice cream. Suo made no such attempt, his amusement obvious as Sakura seemed to realize he wasn't going to get anything useful out of you and turned his attention toward Ren instead.
"Do you know how she learned to fight?"
"I told you, I'm a wizard," you interrupted before Ren could answer.
Sakura's expression flattened. "I'm asking Kaji."
"And I already gave you the answer."
That clearly wasn't good enough. He ignored you in favor of looking expectantly at Ren, apparently convinced your boyfriend would be more cooperative. You turned toward Ren as well, curious to see whether he'd finally put Sakura out of his misery or leave you to continue tormenting him.
Ren glanced at you briefly, catching the innocent expression you weren't doing a particularly good job of maintaining, before returning his attention to Sakura.
"You heard her. She's a wizard."
The complete seriousness with which he said it caught you so off guard that you burst out laughing. Pain pulled sharply at your ribs almost immediately, cutting the sound short as you winced and pressed a hand against your side. Ren's hand was there a second later, settling gently over yours while his brows drew together.
"Stop making me laugh," you complained, leaning farther into him until the ache began to ease.
"I didn't."
"You told him I'm a wizard."
"You told him first."
"Yeah, but I wasn't expecting you to go along with it."
The faintest hint of amusement touched Ren's face, and you narrowed your eyes at him even as his thumb moved slowly over the back of your hand where it rested against your ribs.
Across the table, Sakura seemed to finally accept that getting a real answer out of either of you was a lost cause. He gave up with an irritated sigh and returned to his ice cream, while Nirei continued smiling beside him and Suo looked far too entertained by the entire exchange.
By the time everyone finished their ice cream, the sun had started sinking lower over Makochi, stretching the shadows of the buildings farther across the sidewalks outside. What had begun as a quick stop after patrol had lasted considerably longer than expected, mostly because no one seemed particularly eager to leave once everyone had settled in.
Eventually, though, Enomoto announced that they should probably head out before the afternoon somehow found another way to become more eventful.
You couldn't argue with that.
Goodbyes were exchanged outside the shop, although yours with the first-years came with considerably more enthusiasm than anyone probably would've expected after knowing each other for only a few hours. Nirei made you promise to take it easy once you got home, which was adorable enough that you resisted the urge to call him precious again and embarrass him in front of everyone. Suo simply smiled and told you to get some rest, while Sakura shoved his hands into his pockets and muttered something about seeing you around.
You smiled at him. "Maybe I'll teach you magic next time."
His face immediately twisted. "Forget it."
The laugh that threatened to escape was stopped by one warning glance from Ren, and you pressed your lips together before your ribs could suffer for it.
You liked them. Somehow, an afternoon that had started with you being chased through an alley had ended with three new friends, and you had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time you found yourself surrounded by Furin's first-years.
Once everyone began heading in their separate directions, you and Ren started toward your house. His hand found yours, your fingers slipping easily between his as he kept you tucked close to his side. He slowed his pace without comment whenever yours faltered, never drawing attention to the fact that you were moving considerably slower than usual. Every so often, his thumb brushed over the back of your hand, the small touch absentminded enough that you weren't entirely sure he realized he was doing it.
The quiet between you was comfortable. It always had been. Ren had never needed to fill every silence with conversation, and being with him had taught you that you didn't either. Sometimes it was enough to walk beside each other with your hands intertwined, your shoulders brushing every few steps while the familiar noise of Makochi carried on around you.
After the afternoon you'd had, you were more than happy to let the silence stay.
You were nearly home when your free hand slipped into your pocket and brushed against the small package you'd tucked safely inside hours ago.
You paused.
The keychains.
Somehow, through everything that had happened since you'd bought them, they were still there. You'd completely forgotten about them somewhere between being chased through an alley and waking up in Ren's arms, but feeling the little package beneath your fingers brought back the reason you'd been wandering around before meeting him in the first place.
A smile tugged at your mouth.
Ren glanced down at you when you slowed, and you gave his hand a small tug until he stopped beside you.
"I almost forgot. I got you something."
You released his hand long enough to reach into your pocket and pull out the small package. Ren watched as you opened it, revealing two tiny ice cream cone keychains nestled inside.
They were simple, each one made to look like a miniature waffle cone topped with a little scoop of ice cream, and the second you'd spotted the matching pair earlier, you'd known you were buying them. Ice cream had become one of those little things that belonged to the two of you without either of you ever deciding it would. An easy stop after patrol, an excuse to spend another half hour together, something Ren knew you'd never turn down no matter how many times you claimed you weren't hungry.
You'd thought the keychains were adorable when you'd bought them.
Standing in front of Ren now, actually having to give him his half, made the whole thing feel considerably cheesier than it had in the store.
Still, you held them up between you with a smile. "They're ice cream cones."
Ren looked at them. "I can see that."
"They match."
His gaze moved between the two tiny charms before lifting back to you, and despite the unimpressed expression he was clearly trying to maintain, you knew him well enough to catch the subtle softness that appeared around his eyes.
You picked up one of the cones and held it toward him. "This one's yours."
Instead of taking it, Ren reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys, holding them toward you.
Your smile widened immediately. "You want me to put it on?"
The look he gave you made the answer obvious.
You happily took his keys and attached the tiny ice cream cone to the ring, carefully working it into place before turning it between your fingers until you were satisfied. Seeing something you'd picked out hanging among the things Ren carried with him every day sent a ridiculous little rush of warmth through your chest.
"Perfect."
Ren took his keys back, his thumb brushing once over the tiny cone before his attention shifted toward its match still resting in your palm. He held out his hand.
"Your keys."
Your smile softened as you pulled them from your other pocket and placed them in his palm. Ren took the remaining ice cream cone and attached it himself, working carefully with the tiny clasp before giving the charm a small tug to make sure it was secure.
When he handed your keys back, you immediately held them beside his.
The two little ice cream cones dangled together between you, and something about seeing them side by side made you absurdly happy.
"Look at us." Your smile widened. "We're adorable."
Ren looked from the keychains to you. "Don't."
"You know we are."
His mouth twitched, and that tiny almost-smile was all the confirmation you needed.
You lowered your keys and stepped closer, slipping your arms carefully around his neck. Ren's hands found your waist automatically, settling gently against you without putting pressure on any of the bruises hidden beneath your clothes.
"I knew you'd like it."
"Didn't say that."
"You didn't have to."
This time, the smile actually appeared. Small and fleeting, but unmistakably there, and entirely yours.
Ren leaned down and kissed you before you could tease him about it. His lips were soft against yours, the kiss warm and familiar after an afternoon that had been anything but. Your fingers curled loosely behind his neck as he drew you a little closer, still careful of your ribs even when you were the one pressing yourself against him.
When he pulled away, he stayed close, his forehead resting lightly against yours.
"Thanks."
You smiled. "You're welcome."
Ren kissed you once more, shorter this time, before his hand found yours again. Your fingers intertwined as naturally as they had before, and the two of you continued toward your house with matching ice cream cones tucked safely into your pockets.
It was cheesy, and you knew it was cheesy, but that was part of why you loved it.
Besides, Ren could pretend to be unimpressed all he wanted.
You'd seen that smile.
The bruises looked worse in the morning.
You discovered that almost immediately after waking up, when one glance in the mirror revealed that the faint discoloration from yesterday had settled into much darker shades overnight. Your cheek was still swollen, the split in your lip had started healing, and practically every movement reminded you of another bruise you hadn't realized was there.
Still, you were upright.
That counted for something.
The containers of cookies tucked carefully into your school bag made getting ready take slightly longer than usual, mostly because you checked them three separate times to make sure nothing had been crushed beneath your books. You'd stayed up later than you probably should have making them, but after everything that had happened yesterday, going to school without doing something to thank everyone who'd helped you hadn't felt right.
Sakura, Suo, and Nirei had found you when you'd barely been able to stay on your feet and gotten you somewhere safe without knowing anything about you beyond the name you'd managed to give them. Enomoto and Kusumi had dropped everything the second they found out what happened, and neither had hesitated to follow Ren into that warehouse afterward.
Cookies seemed like the least you could do.
Ren had called the decision stupid when he'd found out you'd spent part of the night baking instead of resting. He'd reminded you that you were hurt, complained that you were only going to make yourself feel worse, and then, after all of that, asked what kind you'd made.
You'd reassured him that his favorites were in there too.
That had quieted him considerably.
By the time the two of you reached Furin the next morning, your fingers were intertwined with his and your shoulder had found its familiar place against his arm. Ren had been keeping a closer eye on you than usual throughout the walk, slowing whenever your injuries forced you to and giving your hand a small squeeze whenever your face betrayed an ache you were trying to ignore.
Furin was still relatively quiet this early, with only a handful of students scattered around the grounds as you and Ren made your way inside. You'd walked these halls enough times with him that there was nothing particularly unfamiliar about being there, and you stayed comfortably at his side as he led you farther into the school.
You hadn't made it far when a familiar voice called your name from down the hall.
"Y/N!"
Your face brightened immediately.
Umemiya was making his way toward you from farther down the hall, his usual easy smile already in place. You lifted your free hand in greeting, but the closer he got, the more his attention shifted toward the bruising that had darkened across your face overnight.
His smile disappeared.
"Wow."
You sighed. "Good morning to you too."
"No, I didn't mean—" Umemiya stopped in front of you, looking considerably more concerned now that he could see the damage up close. "Kaji told me what happened. I just didn't realize it was this bad."
"You should see the other guys."
The response came easily enough that Umemiya stared at you for half a second before a laugh escaped him. Beside you, Ren gave your hand a small squeeze, though whether it was because he found you amusing or because he wanted you to stop making jokes about getting jumped was difficult to tell.
Probably both.
Umemiya shook his head, some of the concern easing from his expression. "I'm glad you're okay."
"Me too. Getting murdered would've really messed up my week."
"Y/N."
You looked innocently toward Ren. "What?"
His expression said enough.
Umemiya laughed again before opening his arms toward you, and you released Ren's hand long enough to step into the offered hug. He was gentler than usual, clearly mindful of your injuries as his arms settled carefully around you.
"Seriously," he said as you hugged him back. "I'm glad you're alright."
Your smile softened. "Thanks, Ume."
When you stepped away, Ren's hand found yours again without any thought from either of you. Umemiya noticed, the corner of his mouth lifting, but thankfully decided against commenting on it as Enomoto and Kusumi joined the three of you.
"Ready?" Umemiya asked.
Ren nodded, though his attention immediately shifted toward you.
You recognized the look before he even opened his mouth. "I'll be fine."
His brows pulled together. "I didn't say anything."
"You were going to."
Enomoto stepped up beside you and rested a hand dramatically against his chest. "Don't worry. I'll protect her with my life."
Ren stared at him.
Enomoto's expression remained serious for all of two seconds. "Or at least make sure she doesn't get jumped again before first period."
"You're not helping," you told him.
"I thought that was reassuring."
Kusumi glanced down at his phone, and a second later Enomoto's buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, read whatever Kusumi had sent, and looked offended.
"Whose side are you on?"
Kusumi smiled faintly.
You didn't need to see the message to know it had been at Enomoto's expense.
Ren seemed equally unimpressed with all of you, but eventually his attention returned to you. His thumb brushed once over the back of your hand before he reluctantly released it.
"Won't be long."
"I'll be right here."
That seemed to satisfy him enough to leave, and you watched as he followed Umemiya and Kusumi toward the stairs leading up to the roof.
Enomoto waited until they disappeared before looking at you.
"So."
You looked at him.
He looked at you.
Then his gaze dropped pointedly toward the school bag hanging from your shoulder.
"Are those the cookies?"
Your mouth fell open. "How do you know about the cookies?"
"Kaji."
"Of course."
You pulled your bag around and unzipped it, carefully taking out one of the containers you'd packed that morning. Enomoto's entire expression brightened when you held it toward him.
"These are for you and Kusumi."
"For us?"
"You helped avenge me." You pushed the container into his hands. "Obviously that earns cookies."
Enomoto immediately reached for the lid.
You slapped his hand away.
"Ow!"
"Half of those are Kusumi's."
"I know."
"That sounded like a lie."
"It wasn't."
You narrowed your eyes at him before reluctantly letting go of the container. "If Kusumi tells me he didn't get any, I'm never baking for you again."
The threat worked considerably better than expected.
Enomoto tucked the container securely beneath his arm. "He'll get his."
"Good."
You started closing your bag before spotting the larger container still tucked safely inside, and the reason you'd brought so many cookies to Furin in the first place returned to you.
"Oh! I have something for the first-years too."
Enomoto glanced toward the container. "Those three from yesterday?"
You nodded. "Are they here yet?"
"They should be. We got here early, but not that early."
"Can you take me to them?"
Enomoto smiled and gestured down the hallway. "Come on."
You followed him deeper into the school, your bag resting against your shoulder as the halls slowly began filling around you. Somewhere upstairs, Ren was probably discussing whatever had brought him to see Umemiya that morning.
Meanwhile, you were about to ambush three first-years with homemade cookies.
Personally, you thought you had the better meeting.
Finding the first-years turned out to be easier than expected.
You and Enomoto had barely made it through another hallway when he spotted the three of them coming around the corner together. Nirei was talking animatedly about something while Sakura walked beside him with his hands shoved into his pockets, and Suo followed with the same relaxed expression you'd quickly learned seemed to survive just about anything.
Enomoto lifted a hand. "Oi."
All three looked over.
Nirei recognized you first, his entire expression brightening. "Y/N!"
The excitement in his voice made you smile immediately. Sakura's expression shifted with recognition beside him, while Suo greeted you with an easy smile as the three of them made their way over.
"Good morning." Suo's gaze briefly moved over the bruising that had darkened considerably overnight. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck, but otherwise fantastic."
Nirei's brows pulled together with immediate concern. "Are you sure you should be at school?"
"Probably not, but unfortunately attendance still matters even after getting jumped."
Sakura looked at you for a moment before his gaze settled on your face. "You look worse."
There was a brief silence as Nirei slowly turned toward him in horror.
"Sakura..."
"What?" His brows pulled together. "She does."
You stared at him, fighting the smile already threatening at the corners of your mouth. There wasn't even anything mean behind the observation. If anything, the slight crease between his brows suggested he was concerned and had simply chosen the worst possible way to express it.
"You're so sweet."
Sakura's face immediately started turning red. "That's not what I—"
"I know."
Enomoto snorted beside you, and Sakura shot him an irritated look while you decided to rescue him before he somehow dug the hole any deeper.
"I actually wanted to find you guys before Ren takes me to school." You slipped your bag from your shoulder and carefully pulled out the container you'd packed that morning. "I brought you something."
Three pairs of eyes dropped toward the box.
Nirei blinked. "For us?"
"For you."
You held it out, and Nirei accepted it carefully while Sakura and Suo leaned closer. The moment he lifted the lid, the smell of freshly baked cookies escaped into the hallway.
Nirei's eyes widened. "You made these?"
"Last night."
Sakura looked up sharply. "You went home like that and baked?"
You glanced down at yourself. "In my defense, most of the injuries are above the waist. My cookie-making abilities remained largely unaffected."
Suo laughed softly. "A fortunate outcome."
"Exactly. Someone understands."
Sakura looked unconvinced, but before he could start sounding suspiciously similar to your boyfriend, you let the teasing fade and looked between the three of them.
"I wanted to thank you."
The change in your voice quieted them. Less than twenty-four hours ago, you'd run straight into Suo without knowing anything about him beyond the Furin uniform on his back. You'd barely managed to ask for Ren before your body gave out, and from that moment forward, none of them had treated helping you as something they needed to debate.
"You guys didn't know me yesterday. I basically crashed into Suo, told you to get Ren, and passed out."
"Very memorable introduction," Suo said.
You smiled. "I like to make an impression."
His smile widened, but you continued before the moment could turn into another joke.
"You still helped me. You got me somewhere safe, found Ren, and then came with us even though none of what happened was your problem." Your eyes moved between all three of them. "So... thank you. Really."
For once, Sakura didn't have an immediate response. His expression softened as he glanced toward the cookies in Nirei's hands, while Nirei looked so touched by the gesture that you had the sudden urge to squeeze him. Suo's usual smile remained, though there was something warmer in it now.
Nirei was the first to speak. "You didn't have to make us anything."
"I know." You smiled. "I wanted to."
That seemed to settle it.
Nirei held the container between them, and Sakura was the first to reach inside for a cookie. You watched with entirely too much interest as he took a bite, catching the slight widening of his eyes before he had the chance to hide it.
"Good?"
He chewed for another second. "They're okay."
You gasped. "Give it back."
Sakura immediately moved the cookie out of your reach. "I already bit it!"
"Then spit it out."
"No!"
"You don't deserve it."
"You gave it to me!"
Nirei started laughing, nearly jostling the container in his hands, while Suo calmly reached in and took one for himself before you could decide to confiscate the entire batch.
He took a bite and nodded approvingly. "I think they're very good."
"Thank you, Suo. You can keep yours."
Sakura stared at you. "I was gonna keep mine anyway."
"Thief."
His expression became even more offended. "You gave it to me!"
The argument probably could've continued until first period if a familiar voice hadn't interrupted from behind you.
"Y/N."
You turned to find Ren making his way toward you from the other end of the hallway, Kusumi walking a few steps behind him. Whatever they'd needed to discuss with Umemiya was apparently finished, and Ren's attention settled first on you before briefly moving toward the open container in Nirei's hands.
You smiled. "There you are."
"Ready?"
"Yep."
You reached for your bag, only for Ren to take it from you before you could get the strap over your shoulder. The motion was so automatic that you didn't bother arguing, letting him carry it as you turned back toward the first-years.
"Okay, I have to go."
Nirei smiled. "Thank you again for the cookies."
"Thank you again for saving my ass."
You looked at the three of them standing together in front of you. The cookies had been your way of thanking them properly, but suddenly, looking at the boys who had been complete strangers less than twenty-four hours ago, it didn't feel like quite enough.
So you stepped forward and wrapped your arms around all three of them at once.
The movement caught them completely by surprise. Nirei made a startled sound as you pulled him into the hug, while Sakura stiffened beside him so quickly you would've laughed if your ribs weren't currently trapped between three Furin students. Suo seemed to recover the fastest, his arm settling lightly around you as though being unexpectedly dragged into a group hug in the middle of the hallway was a perfectly normal way to start his morning.
You couldn't squeeze them nearly as tightly as you wanted to without hurting yourself, but you held on for a few seconds anyway.
"Seriously," you murmured, your smile softening. "Thank you guys."
Nirei relaxed enough to hug you back properly, and even Sakura eventually stopped standing there like you'd caught him in some kind of trap. The whole thing was warm and slightly awkward and probably looked ridiculous to anyone passing by, but you didn't particularly care.
When you pulled back, the three of them were still standing close enough that another idea came to you before any of them had the chance to move.
You leaned toward Nirei first and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
His eyes went wide.
Before he could manage more than a startled noise, you'd already moved on to Sakura, catching him completely off guard with a kiss to his cheek as well. His entire face turned red almost instantly, the color spreading toward the tips of his ears while his mouth opened and closed without producing anything useful.
Then you reached Suo.
You pressed the same quick kiss to his cheek and pulled away, completing all three in such rapid succession that the boys barely had time to process what had happened before you were standing in front of them again with a perfectly satisfied smile.
Nirei had gone pink, one hand lifting unconsciously toward his cheek. Sakura looked like his brain had stopped working entirely, his half-eaten cookie forgotten in his hand as he stared at you in bright-red disbelief.
Suo simply smiled.
"You're welcome," he said.
Something about how completely unfazed he was made your smile widen. Of course he was the only one who could survive your attack with his dignity intact.
"Bye, boys."
Nirei managed a flustered goodbye, while Sakura remained suspiciously incapable of speech. Suo lifted a hand in an easy wave, still wearing that same amused smile as you finally turned back toward Ren.
Enomoto had made absolutely no attempt to hide his laughter.
Ren, on the other hand, only glanced past you at the three first-years you'd just left behind. His gaze lingered briefly on Nirei's pink face and Sakura's considerably redder one before settling on Suo, who looked perfectly content with his cookie and the unexpected affection he'd received along with it.
Then Ren looked back at you.
"You done?"
You smiled. "Yep."
He held out his hand, and you slipped yours into it without hesitation, your fingers intertwining as he started toward the exit with your school bag hanging from his other shoulder. You stayed close to his side as you walked, glancing back once before the hallway disappeared from view.
Nirei was already talking rapidly to Suo, one hand still hovering near his cheek. Sakura hadn't moved much at all, and judging by the expression on his face, he was probably going to need another few minutes before he recovered.
Suo caught you looking.
His smile widened, and he lifted his cookie in a tiny farewell.
You grinned and turned forward again, giving Ren's hand a small squeeze as the two of you left Furin.
Yeah.
You really liked those three.
The morning had grown busier by the time you and Ren stepped outside, the streets filling with students making their way toward school and shop owners beginning to open for the day. Your hand remained tucked securely in his as you walked, his thumb occasionally brushing over your knuckles while your school bag stayed slung over his shoulder.
For the first few blocks, neither of you said much. The quiet between you had always been comfortable, and after the noise of Furin that morning, you were perfectly content to walk beside him with your fingers intertwined and your shoulder occasionally brushing his arm.
Ren had been quieter than usual since you'd left, though. You noticed it in the way his attention kept drifting toward you, his gaze lingering on the bruising along your cheek or the healing cut across your lip before moving away again. You assumed he was worrying the same way he had been since yesterday and let him have his silence, giving his hand a gentle squeeze whenever you caught him staring.
Eventually, Ren stopped walking.
The sudden tug on your hand brought you to a stop with him, and you turned back in confusion. "What?"
He didn't answer immediately. Ren stood there looking at you, his hand still wrapped around yours as his eyes moved slowly over your face. There was none of the anger you'd seen yesterday when he'd looked at your injuries. That had burned itself down sometime between the warehouse and this morning, leaving something quieter behind.
Something that made your smile disappear.
"Ren?"
His fingers tightened around yours. "You scared the shit out of me yesterday."
The words were quiet, but there was enough weight behind them that you didn't try to make a joke. You turned fully toward him, watching as his gaze dropped briefly to your joined hands before returning to your face.
"When Enomoto showed me that picture, I thought..." He stopped, his jaw tightening as though whatever came next was harder to say than he'd expected. "I don't know what I thought. I just needed to get to you."
Your chest tightened.
You hadn't seen that part. By the time Ren arrived at Pothos, you'd already lost the fight to stay conscious. You remembered waking in his arms and the immediate relief of hearing his voice, but everything that had happened before that was still missing.
Ren stepped closer, his free hand lifting to your face. His fingertips barely touched you, avoiding the bruising as they settled carefully against your jaw.
"Then I walked in and saw you like that."
The memory seemed to catch somewhere inside him. You could see it in the slight furrow between his brows and the way his thumb moved gently against the uninjured skin near your cheek.
"You weren't moving," he continued. "You were covered in blood and bruises, and someone else was holding you because you couldn't even stay awake."
Your eyes softened. "Ren..."
"I know you're okay." His gaze held yours. "I know that now. But I didn't when I walked in."
That was the part that silenced you.
You'd spent so much of yesterday thinking about your own fear—the moment you'd realized how badly outnumbered you were, the desperate run through the alley, the relief of seeing Furin uniforms when you didn't know how much farther you could go. You hadn't really stopped to think about what those few minutes must have been like for him.
Your fingers tightened around his. "I'm sorry."
Ren shook his head. "Don't apologize."
"I don't mean for getting hurt." You stepped closer until there was barely any space left between you. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that."
His expression tightened again, and for a moment, he simply looked at you. Then his hand slipped from your cheek to the back of your neck, drawing you carefully against him.
You wrapped your arms around his waist and rested your face against his chest. Ren held you differently than he normally did. His arms were careful because of your injuries, but there was something almost desperate beneath that gentleness, as though feeling you standing there against him was still reassuring some part of him that yesterday hadn't been worse.
You stayed there and let him.
For a long moment, neither of you spoke. His chin rested lightly against the top of your head while one hand moved slowly through your hair, and you could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath your cheek. When his arms tightened around you again, the movement was small, but the breath he took before speaking told you there was more he'd been holding back.
"I love you. More than anything in this world." His voice was quiet against your hair, but there was no hesitation behind the words now that he'd started. "And yesterday, for a few minutes, I thought I might lose you. I don't ever want to feel like that again. I can't lose you, Y/N. I don't know what I'd do without you, and I don't want to find out. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You make everything better just by being there, and you make me better too. I'm a better person because of you. I don't think you even realize how much you've changed me."
Your fingers curled tighter into the back of his jacket, but you didn't interrupt. You weren't sure you could have even if you'd wanted to. Ren had told you he loved you countless times before, but never like this. Never with his arms wrapped around you as though he needed to feel you there while every thought he'd been carrying since yesterday finally made its way out.
"Before you, there were so many things I didn't care about because I didn't think I needed to. Then you came into my life and suddenly I had someone who made me want more. You make me want to be better, not because you've ever asked me to change, but because you deserve the best version of me I can give you. You make everything brighter. Even when I'm pissed off, even when I've had a shitty day and don't want to deal with anyone, I see you and somehow it doesn't feel as bad anymore. You make me laugh when I don't want to. You make me care about stupid little things I never would've thought twice about before because they're important to you, and now they're important to me too. You make me happier than I ever thought I could be."
Your eyes began to burn, tears gathering faster than you could blink them away. Ren must have felt the way your grip tightened around him, because his hand moved slowly over the back of your head, but he didn't stop.
"I don't know when you became such a big part of everything. I don't think there was one moment where it happened. You just kept showing up, and somewhere along the way, I stopped being able to imagine anything without you there. When something good happens, you're the person I want to tell. When something pisses me off, you're the person I want to find. When I think about tomorrow or next year or ten years from now, you're there. You're always there." His voice grew rougher near the end, and you felt him draw you closer, careful of your ribs even while holding you like letting go wasn't an option. "That's why yesterday scared me so fucking much. It wasn't just seeing you hurt. It was looking at you and realizing there was a chance all of that could've disappeared. Every stupid joke you make. Every time you steal my food after saying you don't want any. Every time you drag me somewhere I didn't want to go and somehow make me glad I went. Getting ice cream with you. Walking you home. Hearing your voice. Holding your hand. All of it."
The first tear finally slipped free.
"I want all of it, Y/N. I want every annoying, stupid, ordinary thing I get to have because you're here. I want more days with you than I know what to do with. I want to keep waking up knowing you're somewhere in this world and that I get to love you." His hand tightened gently in your hair. "You are the light in my life. I know that sounds fucking cheesy, and you're never allowed to tell anyone I said it, but you are. Things were darker before you, even when I didn't realize they were. Then you came along and made everything brighter without even trying. I don't want to go back to what it was like before I had you. I don't want to remember what the dark felt like now that I know what it's like to live in the light."
By then, there was no stopping the tears. They slipped quietly down your cheeks while you remained tucked against him, completely overwhelmed by the man who usually communicated half of his feelings through looks, touches, and grumbled sentences suddenly giving you every piece of his heart at once.
Ren's voice softened when he reached the end, but his arms never loosened.
"So when I tell you I love you, I need you to know what I mean. I don't just mean I love being your boyfriend or that I love spending time with you. I mean I love you in every way I know how. I love who I am when I'm with you. I love the life I have because you're part of it, and I love whatever comes next because I know I want you there for it." He drew in a slow breath, his chest rising beneath your cheek. "I love you more than anything, and losing you scares the hell out of me because you're not just part of my life anymore. You're the person I want beside me for all of it."
For several seconds after he finished, you couldn't speak.
You weren't entirely sure you remembered how.
Ren had always loved you loudly in every way except his words. It was there in the hand that automatically reached for yours, the way he knew your ice cream order without asking, the matching keychain he'd immediately let you attach to his keys, and every tiny adjustment he'd made that morning so you could walk beside him without hurting more than you already did.
You'd always known.
But hearing it was something else entirely.
You finally lifted your face from his chest, and whatever Ren had been expecting when you looked up at him, it apparently wasn't tears streaming down your cheeks.
His expression softened immediately. "Shit."
A watery laugh escaped you. "Don't 'shit' me. You did this."
His thumb carefully caught one of the tears before it could reach the bruising beneath your eye. "Didn't mean to make you cry."
"Well, maybe don't tell your girlfriend she's the light of your life at eight in the morning."
His mouth twitched, but the vulnerability in his eyes remained.
You lifted both hands to his face, holding him gently as your thumbs brushed over his cheeks. "I love you more than anything too, Ren. And losing you scares me just as much. You make my life better every single day, and I don't want to know what it looks like without you either."
Something in his expression finally eased, the tension he'd been carrying since yesterday loosening beneath your hands.
"So you're stuck with me," you whispered.
"Good."
You smiled through the tears. "Good."
Then you leaned up and kissed him.
There was nothing hurried about it. Ren's hand slid carefully around your waist as your fingers moved into his hair, and he kissed you with the same tenderness he'd held you with, like he needed the reminder that you were right there as much as you did.
When you finally pulled away, neither of you went far. Your noses brushed, his forehead settling against yours while you stayed wrapped together in the middle of the sidewalk.
"I'm still here," you whispered.
"I know."
"And I'm not planning on going anywhere."
"You better not."
A quiet laugh slipped from you, small enough not to upset your ribs. "I'll try to schedule all future gang attacks around your availability."
Ren's expression immediately flattened.
You smiled sheepishly. "Too soon?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. Sorry."
His mouth twitched despite himself, and you smiled when you caught it. Ren kissed your forehead before finally loosening his arms, though he didn't move far. His hand slid down your arm until it found yours again, fingers intertwining with the same familiar ease as before.
Neither of you said anything else about yesterday when you started walking again. You didn't need to. The things Ren had said stayed with you as Furin disappeared farther behind you, but they didn't feel heavy. If anything, the warmth of his hand around yours felt a little different now, every absentminded brush of his thumb carrying all the things he'd finally put into words.
Your school came into view several minutes later, and Ren stayed beside you until you reached the entrance. Only then did he slip your bag from his shoulder and hand it back, watching as you carefully adjusted the strap.
"Text me if you feel worse."
"I will."
"And when you're done."
"I always do."
Ren nodded, seemingly satisfied, though you knew him well enough to know he'd probably be checking his phone more than usual throughout the day.
You stepped closer one last time and reached up to straighten the headphones resting around his neck, even though they didn't need it. "I'll be okay."
His hand settled at your waist. "I know."
This time, you believed that he did.
You leaned up and kissed him, smiling softly when he followed you for another quick kiss before letting you pull away.
"Love you," you murmured.
"Love you too."
You started toward the entrance before glancing back over your shoulder. Ren was still standing where you'd left him, waiting like you knew he would until you made it safely inside.
Your fingers slipped into your pocket and brushed against the tiny ice cream cone hanging from your keys. The little charm brought a smile back to your face as you gave Ren one last wave before heading through the doors, carrying a tiny piece of him with you.
