Thanks for the vote of confidence, [he says, with a light chuckle. There’s no offense taken, though. Ren knows by now this is just how Akechi is, and he wouldn’t have him any other way.
Ren carefully pushes himself entirely up to sitting, but he doesn’t immediately lean in to complete the kiss. He allows himself a moment to just look at Akechi, take in every detail up close. The way the sunlight flashes on his feathers. The way his eyes are still sharply perceptive, missing nothing, seeing right through to Ren’s own heart.
It’s equal parts thrilling and terrifying to be perceived so thoroughly. Ren cultivated so much of who he was to the outside world during the past year to seem average, plain, unmemorable, yet Akechi saw him anyway. Saw through him, just as Ren did with Akechi in turn.
It truly hits him then - he almost died just now. Not in the way he almost died as a Phantom Thief at Akechi’s hands, not in the way any of the perils of the Metaverse could’ve snuffed out the flame he carries within himself - a mundane death. Drowning. It’s such an ordinary way to die it feels both unreal and hyper-real at the same time, and Ren shivers. He would’ve never had this moment, this kiss or the one before, and his breath stutters as this awful truth sets in.
Akechi too nearly died, twice, in front of Ren’s eyes. It’s a miracle he survived all the forces that sought to destroy him - Yaldabaoth, Maruki, the Metaverse, their society, his own horrible father. It’s a miracle that he is this close to Ren, warm and breathing and alive.
Ren’s heart beats so hard as all of these thoughts race through his mind he thinks it may rip itself out of his ribcage by sheer independent force. It’s almost too much to bear, but he wishes to never stop feeling so intoxicated with pure elation.]
I love you so much, [he murmurs, stupidly at a loss for any other words. He can’t make a silly joke to ease the tension when everything he feels in this moment is so painfully real.
He leans in finally and presses his lips to the corner of Akechi’s mouth, soft and reverent. His hand comes to rest over Akechi’s heart, as if to remind them both that he’s really alive.
Once again, Ren remains silent when the kiss ends and he slowly pulls back, and this time, he’s unable to immediately meet Akechi’s eyes. It doesn’t matter if he’s speechless and thus lost the played-at challenge for a second time. As far as Ren is concerned, they’re both winning now, in the only ways that matter.]
no subject
Thanks for the vote of confidence, [he says, with a light chuckle. There’s no offense taken, though. Ren knows by now this is just how Akechi is, and he wouldn’t have him any other way.
Ren carefully pushes himself entirely up to sitting, but he doesn’t immediately lean in to complete the kiss. He allows himself a moment to just look at Akechi, take in every detail up close. The way the sunlight flashes on his feathers. The way his eyes are still sharply perceptive, missing nothing, seeing right through to Ren’s own heart.
It’s equal parts thrilling and terrifying to be perceived so thoroughly. Ren cultivated so much of who he was to the outside world during the past year to seem average, plain, unmemorable, yet Akechi saw him anyway. Saw through him, just as Ren did with Akechi in turn.
It truly hits him then - he almost died just now. Not in the way he almost died as a Phantom Thief at Akechi’s hands, not in the way any of the perils of the Metaverse could’ve snuffed out the flame he carries within himself - a mundane death. Drowning. It’s such an ordinary way to die it feels both unreal and hyper-real at the same time, and Ren shivers. He would’ve never had this moment, this kiss or the one before, and his breath stutters as this awful truth sets in.
Akechi too nearly died, twice, in front of Ren’s eyes. It’s a miracle he survived all the forces that sought to destroy him - Yaldabaoth, Maruki, the Metaverse, their society, his own horrible father. It’s a miracle that he is this close to Ren, warm and breathing and alive.
Ren’s heart beats so hard as all of these thoughts race through his mind he thinks it may rip itself out of his ribcage by sheer independent force. It’s almost too much to bear, but he wishes to never stop feeling so intoxicated with pure elation.]
I love you so much, [he murmurs, stupidly at a loss for any other words. He can’t make a silly joke to ease the tension when everything he feels in this moment is so painfully real.
He leans in finally and presses his lips to the corner of Akechi’s mouth, soft and reverent. His hand comes to rest over Akechi’s heart, as if to remind them both that he’s really alive.
Once again, Ren remains silent when the kiss ends and he slowly pulls back, and this time, he’s unable to immediately meet Akechi’s eyes. It doesn’t matter if he’s speechless and thus lost the played-at challenge for a second time. As far as Ren is concerned, they’re both winning now, in the only ways that matter.]