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“Easy there-ow!” Ren winced when Makoto was applying alcohol on his bad wounds, making sure they wouldn’t heal as wounds. “Just hold still Ren,” Makoto applied a little more of the alcohol before bandaging up the wound and smiling briefly before more of the same approached her glimpse. She felt the need to tear up, but she knew that Ren would stop her from doing so as his warm hands were making sure she was staying strong. “That should do it for the back area,” she moved the first aid kit that Sojiro had brought her after the rest of the Thieves had left. Ren then moved his body to show the front, slowly removing his zipped hoodie before Makoto would continue treating his wounds. “Holy..” Makoto’s eyes widened and Ren just smiled to reassure her worries before he winced some more at the pressured alcohol and bandages. “Warm me next time!” he yelled before Makoto giggled and continued tending his wounds.
After finally patching up her boyfriend and helping him walk towards the attic that which he lived freely as his bedroom, Ren then laid his back on the couch with Makoto next to him. He looked back at her and pressed his head on top of her’s, playing with her headband. “How worried were you?” he asked her suddenly.
“Everyone was worried, but I was terrified upon the thought of losing you,” she murmured as she was sliding her body towards Ren before he coughed to get her to remember that he was still hurt. “I see,” Ren replied before he cast his eyes upwards. “I didn’t mean to.”
“It wasn’t like you wanted to. We didn’t have a choice,” Makoto yawned. “We took a huge gamble with this and the rest was up to God or a higher deity,” she emphasized the last few words as since their time in the Metaverse, they had begun to wonder about the possibility of a true God even existed. Ren then made a face of pure thought as he heard those words. “Yeah, God sure played a hand in this,” Ren half-joked.
“So what do we do now?” Makoto changed the subject, wrapping her hands with Ren’s and continuously yawning. Ren felt the warmth of the Priestess' hands and suddenly began to drift off with Makoto before he snapped and answered back, he too yawning. “We find the keywords to Shido’s Palace and do our usual Phantom Thievery.” he had nothing more to say than that and he yawned louder than before, even competing with Makoto. “I guess that’s all there is to it..” Makoto grimaced once she saw a glimpse of the scarred wrists that Ren would forever have in his arms. Ren then shrugged and hid them away. “Guess these will serve as a reminder,” Ren joked as he massaged them. Makoto didn’t take it very well, as that was the one thing that completely broke her. “Mako?” Ren asked what was wrong before she sprinted and placed her head on Ren’s chest, beginning to tear up and sob endlessly. “I’m sorry…I really am...I tried to keep them in...for everyone...for Sis...for you…” she sobbed with each breath she took and Ren comforted her gently. “Mako,” Ren wrapped his arms around her. It hurt but he didn’t really care for the Queen was also hurt emotionally.
“I’m here,” he said repeatedly, soothing Makoto’s cries until all she could do was wipe her face with her uniform sleeve and hiccup. “It’s just...it’s just...because of them, you lost a part of who you were. You lost your innocence, your right to be blissful and ignorant like many of us. You lost all of that tonight.” Makoto hiccupped between each word and Ren stood there in awe. Did he really lose his innocence? A part of who he once was? It couldn’t be as he was still feeling the usual, but then he looked at his scars and he realized what Makoto meant. “ You’re now broken, albeit physically, you’ve lost a sense of humanity within you,” was what he thought as he looked at his hands, now scarred forever more.
But that didn’t stop him from what he said next. Instead, it gave him the strength to say what was needed to say at that moment. “Makoto,” his embrace was stronger than ever. “You’re both right and wrong. I may have lost a part of who I was, that may be true, but that doesn’t mean I can regain it and make it anew. How? Because I have people like you and the others that keep me going, and always have my back when things go south. You guys are what makes me regain that humanity back no matter what.”
“Ren…” Makoto was in awe and then Ren smiled back, not his teasing Joker smile, but the reassuring Amamiya Ren smile he always inherited from his mother. The very same smile that helped Makoto get back on her feet at that moment and then finally calmed herself down, nodding in utter agreement to her beau’s words. She even gushed at how eloquent it was.
“And look at the time,” Ren then teased after he had finished speaking, standing up quickly before falling down as Makoto got to his aid. “Forgot about my injuries,” he chuckled and Makoto muttered “dummy” before they went to the bed and got Ren laid out comfortably on one side. “Hm?” Ren asked.
“I’m just going to the secret compartment I made for myself whenever I had to stay late,” she removed Ren’s large box and grabbed her pajamas and other change of clothing. “I had this for a while,” she teased back and Ren just answered with a couple of blinks before he laughed and waved her off to get changed. He then looked up at the ceiling, still retaining his smile. “ You guys are what makes me strong. No matter what.” Ren closed his eyes after looking at the ceiling for a few minutes. Makoto then arrived with Buchimaru sleeping pants and a simple black tee, scooting Ren over a bit gently so she could have her side. “I hope you have a good excuse for your sister about this,” Ren played with her hair.
“Sis knows we’re dating and seeing how she spoke with you and how much of a gentleman you are, I’m sure she won’t mind this one time. Plus you need healing,” Makoto snuggled amongst the covers. Ren then kissed her forehead. “I guess I could use some more.” he snuggled with Makoto, and in an instant, the two began to fall asleep in a rapid state, their hands never letting go until the morning sun would greet them the next day.
From afar the now dim windows of Leblanc’s attic stood a rather ominous figure, his blood red eyes being the key feature amongst the darkness. He smiled widely upon the sight and fixed whatever was on his head as well as his dark black suit. He smiled at the sight and admired the feat of the Joker as he clapped to himself, enveloped in the darkness that was truly his ally. “ Amamiya Ren...you have truly no idea what is really coming your way. You believe this...Metaverse as you humans so kindly named it, is far more than just desires and stealing hearts. Soon you’ll understand what this all means…” he then walked towards the shadows, and small child-like hands were enveloping around his body, but they were welcoming his presence…
Almost as if they were a part of his very being.
“Father,” they spoke and the man bowed in respects to his child. “Amalek,” Father smiled at the shadows. “I understand you know your task, correct? Shido deserves his reward for his ‘endeavors’ after all. His cruise ship certainly could use a few more welcomed guests.”
“Certainly Father. And what of Yaldabaoth?”
“Shakai’s mere servant won’t stop us from our plans. He is now under our control and won’t hesitate to do what we tell him to do.” he then moved his head back, examining the scene once more. “Call the others and remind them to be situated until the Day of Reckoning emerges. In the meantime find our tenth sacrifice.”
“Will do Father. Anything else?” the shadows saw that their Father was still fixated on the Joker and his Queen sleeping soundly. He then smirked and fixed his suit. He looked back at the shadows and saw that they were gone. “Perfect.” He continued walking towards the abyss that summoned him, now smiling devilishly more so than ever.