They start out seeming like good ones, right up until the other shoe drops. Helping out a woman being harassed by a drunkard, checking out the imposing castle that stood where his school was supposed to be, and, more recently, moving in with his best friend whom he may or may not be mildly attracted to. Just to name a few.
For what it's worth, his bad ideas typically come full circle, arriving at a happy outcome in the end. He was able to come to Tokyo, met his friends, and went on the adventure of his life—and honestly? That one inconvenient detail aside, living with Ryuji has been a blast so far.
This one, though... Ren isn't sure it's capable of ending well.
It starts out innocent enough, with a phone call from his mother. His parents aren't quite as intent on ignoring his existence as they were when he was on probation; the year back home was small but steady progress towards repairing a relationship that was hardly even there in the first place. Still, it hasn't stopped them from thinking they know what's best for him, despite all evidence pointing towards Ren having little to no interest in following whatever road map they want to lay before him.
Dating is part of that. His mother, in particular, seems endlessly concerned with his love life, or lack thereof. It makes sense. Ren is an only child, after all, and well... He supposes he did kind of bring it upon himself when he let it come up in conversation one day that he is, in no uncertain terms, also interested in men. He should have foreseen that she would react this way, but if there's one thing he learned in Tokyo, it's that he doesn't want to hide his true self anymore.
So when their conversation turns once again to that dreaded subject, his mother detailing her coworker's accomplished and very single daughter, it sort of just—slips out. That he's seeing someone. Which he's not, but it shuts her up.
Only for a second, though. She presses him for details, obviously, a name and occupation, and Ren's usually restrained demeanor slips, something more petulant rearing its head. ]
It's Ryuji.
[ Yeah, those are actual words that left his mouth. Ren has what almost feels like an out-of-body experience as he utters them, similar to watching a car crash in slow motion. Oh no.
The exchange doesn't last much longer after that. His mother tries to tell him the same thing as last time: that whatever strange preferences being in the city has impressed upon him are just a passing thing, that he'll want to settle down for real and start a family once he decides to be serious about his future. And this time, Ren efficiently steers the conversation to an end. Probably a good thing, because now he has to figure out how to go back on what he just said without it only encouraging his mother to double down on her efforts.
A day passes, and he's no closer to an answer to that dilemma than he was right after hanging up. But now, sprawled across half of the couch the following evening, one foot kicked up against Ryuji's knee as he only half-watches whatever TV show his roommate picked out, another possibility picks at the corner of his brain. ]
What would you say if I asked you to date me? [ No preamble, no explanation, just sounding vaguely wondering. A lot of their conversations start off like this, with some inane question just thrown out there, except that it's never a hypothetical relationship proposition. ]
itt: internal screaming all around
They start out seeming like good ones, right up until the other shoe drops. Helping out a woman being harassed by a drunkard, checking out the imposing castle that stood where his school was supposed to be, and, more recently, moving in with his best friend whom he may or may not be mildly attracted to. Just to name a few.
For what it's worth, his bad ideas typically come full circle, arriving at a happy outcome in the end. He was able to come to Tokyo, met his friends, and went on the adventure of his life—and honestly? That one inconvenient detail aside, living with Ryuji has been a blast so far.
This one, though... Ren isn't sure it's capable of ending well.
It starts out innocent enough, with a phone call from his mother. His parents aren't quite as intent on ignoring his existence as they were when he was on probation; the year back home was small but steady progress towards repairing a relationship that was hardly even there in the first place. Still, it hasn't stopped them from thinking they know what's best for him, despite all evidence pointing towards Ren having little to no interest in following whatever road map they want to lay before him.
Dating is part of that. His mother, in particular, seems endlessly concerned with his love life, or lack thereof. It makes sense. Ren is an only child, after all, and well... He supposes he did kind of bring it upon himself when he let it come up in conversation one day that he is, in no uncertain terms, also interested in men. He should have foreseen that she would react this way, but if there's one thing he learned in Tokyo, it's that he doesn't want to hide his true self anymore.
So when their conversation turns once again to that dreaded subject, his mother detailing her coworker's accomplished and very single daughter, it sort of just—slips out. That he's seeing someone. Which he's not, but it shuts her up.
Only for a second, though. She presses him for details, obviously, a name and occupation, and Ren's usually restrained demeanor slips, something more petulant rearing its head. ]
It's Ryuji.
[ Yeah, those are actual words that left his mouth. Ren has what almost feels like an out-of-body experience as he utters them, similar to watching a car crash in slow motion. Oh no.
The exchange doesn't last much longer after that. His mother tries to tell him the same thing as last time: that whatever strange preferences being in the city has impressed upon him are just a passing thing, that he'll want to settle down for real and start a family once he decides to be serious about his future. And this time, Ren efficiently steers the conversation to an end. Probably a good thing, because now he has to figure out how to go back on what he just said without it only encouraging his mother to double down on her efforts.
A day passes, and he's no closer to an answer to that dilemma than he was right after hanging up. But now, sprawled across half of the couch the following evening, one foot kicked up against Ryuji's knee as he only half-watches whatever TV show his roommate picked out, another possibility picks at the corner of his brain. ]
What would you say if I asked you to date me? [ No preamble, no explanation, just sounding vaguely wondering. A lot of their conversations start off like this, with some inane question just thrown out there, except that it's never a hypothetical relationship proposition. ]