o how gentle the rain can arrive

[unfoggedlotus]

Ren follows Goro to the Dojima house, steps as sure and confident as he can make them with his heart pounding a bit louder than normal in his chest. Maybe he's nervous for this, so what? It's not every day you get to meet the alternate-reality-family your boyfriend found during his two-month timeskip that was only five hours or so to you. His head's still kind of reeling from the...everything, but he's rolling with the punches. Not like I expected things to be normal with us, he says to the part of himself that's maybe not-very-Joker-like and trying to shy away from everything.

Life comes at you fast, but Akechis come faster-- well. Hopefully not, and Ren's not thinking about that right now, nope throw curveballs at half the speed of light and expect you to catch 'em. And Ren isn't letting one slip by him yet! ...Even if this one might be aimed right between his eyes.

Ren squeezes his boyfriend's hand -- it's what boyfriends are there for, after all -- and readjusts his grip on the little...okay, large bag of gifts against his chest (hey, everything's free here, and he didn't wanna show up unprepared) as they come to a stop in front of the door.

He takes a moment, letting go of Goro's hand, for a once-over just to make sure he looks good, brushing invisible bits of dust from his jacket and readjusting his glasses. Then, with a nod to his boyfriend, Ren raises the hand carrying the pile of gifts to knock on the door.

It's showtime.

"Hey guys!" He calls out as his boyfriend opens the door, resisting the urge to run his fingers through his hair (for now). "We're here!"

> Say hello to Crow's boyfriend?

Comments

[fogbornphantom]

It's funny, really. Akechi had always hoped to bring Ren home one day. Introduce him to the family. It just so happens that the family he's introducing him to is a different one than he expected.

The house is cozy enough, at least. Magpie would argue it sorely needs a dishwasher (they can worry about that later), but there's a working kitchen with a fridge, a stove with two burners, a microwave, two separate toasters (one Featherman themed), a toaster oven, and a rather large hutch for dishes, among other things. A fairly large dining room table, a living room with a large couch, a small table with pillows to sit upon, a TV and a Nontendo Flop...

It's cozy.

And speaking of flopping, Akechi is going to do just that, taking a seat on the couch to just... decompress for a moment.

"I know it's all a bit modest, but make yourself at home, Ren."

[unfoggedlotus]

So this is Goro's home...Ren has to turn around a couple times, taking in his surroundings. He's seen the Dojima family residence so many times in the backgrounds of photographs from Goro's life in Inaba, but he's never seen it in the flesh before. Or the...dream. However that's working here.

As soon as Goro flops over on the couch, Ren moves to join him, concern about the whole "cried at seeing me again and experiencing a two-month separation from me" thing Goro went through still prickling in his chest, and...oh, that's right, his shoes. Ren kicks them off and easily slides over to Goro's side, sitting down on the couch next to him, pulling him close.

"With you here, I already am." He's grinning and god he wants to cuddle but PDA isn't it right now and argh. "You're my home."

[fogbornphantom]

"And you're mine, my love." While Ren may have reservations, it seems Akechi's a bit less reserved here. He rests his head on Ren's shoulder and drapes an arm around him. It's not like they're making out. "It's a bit modest. Magpie keeps complaining about our lack of dishwasher. ...We'll work on that at some point."

'Some point' is later, though. Right now, he is perfectly comfortable. "How are you feeling now?" He did get to meet more of the residents, both of the home and the wider area. Areas? Whatever.

[unfoggedlotus]

Well, if Goro's okay with snuggles...Ren leans into his boyfriend's touch. "I'd complain about that, too, if I had to do dishes. Never been without one."

Goro might be a little heavy on his shoulder, but honestly? He's just happy his boyfriend is finally letting him take some of the burden. Feels like he has to beat the whole "co-leaders" thing into his thick skull every few days. "Happy to be back with you. A little less nervous about...everything, now that I've met people."

[fogboundcrow]

Raven's been a bit anxious since Ren materialized. It's a bit of a daunting prospect, meeting the person he'll one day fall for. He's too young for anything serious to come of this, of course. He's not stupid. He only just turned thirteen. Ren has to be, what? Sixteen, seventeen?

Still, even with Magpie there to keep him company, it's been a little intimidating. When the happy couple returns, he looks up from a book he was reading at the table.

"Oh. You're here."

Funny how he was so nosy before. Now he's just... unsure.

[unfoggedlotus]

…Yeah, Ren’s still not sure how to approach his boyfriend’s younger self.

“Hey,” he tries. “Raven, right?”

[fogboundcrow]

"Yes. That's right."

He surveys Ren closely. Earlier was just so weird. But this is different. The initial emotional rush has probably cooled down. So... now what?

"I've heard a lot about you. ...Some of it in Crow's sleep. He's... certainly needed you."

[unfoggedlotus]

Ow. It sucks to hear just how badly Goro's done without him. "Well. I'm here now." He tries to smile in some sort of supportive way. "Heard from the others that he's been working too hard. Wanna help me change that?"

[rosemaudite]

A little Raven happened to mention that shenanigans are afoot. And, well, it's something for Haru to do other than seethe about the home-turf update her Goro gave her (she's beginning to piece together some elements of their own countermeasures, but that doesn't make her any less incandescently angry).

She even brought popcorn for the promised absurdity, because Why Not.

"So you are," she says. Someone who actually lives here can do the traditional 'welcome home' bit.

[pancakeboy]

Rather before that point, a medium-sized bird ambushes her at the kitchen counter.

"I won't ask who invited you." Raven, of course. "Popcorn, that's ... a brave choice." Also hilarious, but hey.

[rosemaudite]

"I was promised absurdity. It seemed appropriate. Would you like some?"

[pancakeboy]

"I really would." And he takes... one piece. Hm. One single, solitary kernel between gloved finger and thumb. Well, she knows Goros.

"What else did you hear? Just so we're both up-to-date with the absurdity?"

[unfoggedlotus]

“Oh, Haru! Hey!” Okay, that’s not someone Ren expected to see when walking into the house. The air’s different, but there’s Haru, sitting on the couch with popcorn. “Er, assuming you’re named Haru. Still wrapping my head around the alterRent realities thing.”

[rosemaudite]

"...That pun was atrocious." Just putting that out there. "But yes, it is still Haru. You can call me Rose if you need to differentiate between myself and the other one."

[unfoggedlotus]

"Was it truly Haruble?" He asks with a wide grin, because he can't help himself. Ren lets out a chuckle at his own joke and then calms down. "It's nice to meet you, Rose."

[pancakeboy]

And also on the couch, just snapping off the TV, is the single most composed Akechi you have ever seen. Or, well, Crow can probably tell. Come to that, Ren likely can too.

He glances up as the two of them step inside, and offers a little wave in Ren's direction. The glasses. The hair. He is, abruptly, bitterly jealous, but smiles brightly. So you're the homewrecker, he thinks, bright and shining. If the kids weren't around, he'd have said it.

"Ren Amamiya. I've heard so, so, so much about you in just the last few hours." Smile, smile, and smile again. It works, sometimes.

[unfoggedlotus]

Out of the frying pan and directly into the mouth of the lion, or something. Ren subtly takes a deep breath and waves back at the Akechi sitting on the couch — obviously Magpie just from the sheer defensive prickliness radiating off him — and approaches with a smile of his own.

“Akechi Goro,” he replies, proud his voice doesn’t waver. “I’ve heard lots about you in the past couple hours, too. Glad to finally meet my boyfriend’s other-special-someone. He’s done a lot of crowing about you, you could say. Absolutely raven reviews.”

[pancakeboy]

Oh, the smile never falters. He's so good. His fingernails are itching in their gloves. "Ah, you go in for puns. Magnificent. No wonder Crow flocked to your side. Quite the feather in your cap." His nose wrinkles. "Not the best, but you see how little I have to work with.

"How are you liking the hall of mirrors?" Special someone, his ass. Then again, Crow does seem to have worried about him a lot. It's almost touching.

[unfoggedlotus]

"I think you're making a pretty Go-od-ro effort," Ren grins, trying -- tentatively -- to be encouraging in the face of the prickliness. "At first I was a little thrown off, but I think I could get used to it -- as long as I get to see your face in my mirror every day." A wink.

[thedevilinyourdetails]

...So, he's here.

Aki-chan -- currently perched on his shoulders, because it was the only way he could get the guy to sit still for a few minutes -- pokes him in the cheek moments after the door opens.

Akira chuckles. "It's time to investigate the new Ren, huh?" He hums, looking up to see his little hitchhiker's face. "Got your notebook?"

Nod, nod. Filou-chan taps it on his head, and he can feel the bursting pages through his fluffy curls.

"Have your blanket?"

Shuffle. It's wrapped around his chest like a cape.

"Remember the secret code?"

Aki-chan flashes two fingers -- one on each hand -- in front of his face, followed by one tap to his chest for I'm good!. Then, he flashes four fingers (two per hand) in the same manner for can we change the subject, please? with two taps, and six fingers (three per hand) for I'm really not feeling good; I wanna leave now summed up with three taps.

"How are you feeling?"

"Cited," Filou-chan manages, a little rough. "Wanna Ren-frend. Who's livinin wiffus."

"You and me both," Akira grins up at him, adjusting Aki-chan's legs on his shoulders. "Rens are awesome people, and this one even has Large Chirpling's seal of approval." He stands up. "Let's go."

The walk from the living room to the entrance is a quick one, thankfully. "Welcome in," Akira greets Amamiya with a small bow; Aki-chan mimics him. He looks up and down the newest addition of their little roost and grins. "Your reputation precedes you, Amamiya-kun."

[unfoggedlotus]

It's one thing to text with someone who's apparently another version of you. Seeing two Goros helped set the stage, and he's heard enough about the little guy to at least try and mentally prepare himself, but he still pauses for a moment when the two approach. One of them's older. Then again, the other one's younger. It really is a crossover episode, huh? Time and space bending in weird, wobbly ways. Alternate versions of himself with alternate names. Maybe one day, he'll meet one with a goatee, and that'll signify his evil twin.

Then they can build a rivals to best buds dynamic. That'd be something else.

But... right. The dynamic duo of Akira Kurusus. And apparently they know things. Goro had said that Raven had been spreading the word. That older Akira also popped into his inbox unannounced. That was weird. His smile's a bit sheepish for a sec, and a silly little chuckle follows suit. "Tuft of feathers, right?" It's the easiest thing to assume, "Or maybe it's the face that I'm a menace." He winks at the little guy. "I bet we can get into all kinds of mischief together."

Nailed it.

[thedevilinyourdetails]

“Mischief? A Ren after my own heart,” Akira grins, lopsided, taking the new Ren inside the house. “You could say that you’re stealing it. Metaphorically and platonically, of course.” A wink. “I’ve got a little bird of my own back home.”

Aki-chan kicks his feet a little in excitement. “I guess we should introduce ourselves, huh? You already know I’m Akira, and this,” he nudges his hitchhiker, “is Aki-chan.”

Somewhat nervously, Akira-kun shuffles his things, opening his notebook to his introduction page and holds it out for Ren to read. Akira has to stop — he can’t see with a notebook stuck in front of his face, surprisingly — but it’s a small price to pay for filou-chan.

[bloodboxes]

[There's a pale child sitting over by the TV, watching the commotion with a mix of wariness and curiosity.

If it was home, then he'd be on his best behaviour - and he's been trying to here, too, even though so many of these people have his name and his face that it's kind of weird. Not always in a bad way, but just... weird.

So he's being quiet, and he's also sucking on what looks from the outside like a Featherman helmet shaped juice carton as he figures the newcomer out.]

[unfoggedlotus]

After weaving his way through the crowd and spending not a few minutes talking to people, Ren finds himself looking at another little kid -- a small, red-eyed version of Goro with the most adorable teef. This is...Moth, right? Well, might as well ask him.

"Hey," Ren crouches down next to the kid. "You're Moth, right? Mind if I sit with you?"

[bloodboxes]

[Suck, suck- it's a moment before the straw comes away.]

It's short for "Hawk Moth" but moths are cool too. [Nod.] It's okay. You're Crow-san's friend, right?