[ As if he would ever take away the nickname Ryuji gave him so long ago. It was the first time they really connected over something, wasn't it? Besides, it's the kind of cute but personal thing that might actually help their case.
Ren's expression darkens slightly at the mention of Kamoshida and Ryuji's father. He knows those topics are off limits, but it's the sort of thing that his parents might bring up in conversation, wanting to hear about Ryuji's parents or his perspective on the scandal that went down at Shujin. He knows they wouldn't pursue it in a malicious way, but they have a hard time reading the room, and both topics tend to spark Ryuji's temper and tank his mood.
It's a recipe for disaster, really, but one Ren is prepared to mitigate as needed. ] Alright. If those come up, let me handle it.
[ A little more surprising is Ryuji's preference to keep his mother out of this… completely? She's always been more accepting than the average parent, so Ren can't imagine she would be that bothered by their arrangement if she knew the reasoning behind it. But perhaps Ryuji knows something he doesn't, and Ren will be damned if he's not going to respect his best friend's wishes. ]
We'll keep your mom out of it, too. [ Ren reassures him of that fact with a smile and briefly considers grabbing Ryuji's hand along with it to practice the gesture. Something about it feels like the right moment, but there's a little voice in the back of his head telling him not to cheapen a serious conversation. He crosses his arms over his front to contain the urge. ] Then we're good?
no subject
Ren's expression darkens slightly at the mention of Kamoshida and Ryuji's father. He knows those topics are off limits, but it's the sort of thing that his parents might bring up in conversation, wanting to hear about Ryuji's parents or his perspective on the scandal that went down at Shujin. He knows they wouldn't pursue it in a malicious way, but they have a hard time reading the room, and both topics tend to spark Ryuji's temper and tank his mood.
It's a recipe for disaster, really, but one Ren is prepared to mitigate as needed. ] Alright. If those come up, let me handle it.
[ A little more surprising is Ryuji's preference to keep his mother out of this… completely? She's always been more accepting than the average parent, so Ren can't imagine she would be that bothered by their arrangement if she knew the reasoning behind it. But perhaps Ryuji knows something he doesn't, and Ren will be damned if he's not going to respect his best friend's wishes. ]
We'll keep your mom out of it, too. [ Ren reassures him of that fact with a smile and briefly considers grabbing Ryuji's hand along with it to practice the gesture. Something about it feels like the right moment, but there's a little voice in the back of his head telling him not to cheapen a serious conversation. He crosses his arms over his front to contain the urge. ] Then we're good?