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Two days ago was one of the most nerve-wracking days in the history of Ann’s life. Masayoshi Shido’s heart of change was broadcasted to the entirety of Japan, and with it, the possibility of becoming Prime Minister of Japan scattered to the wind. Until that happened, Ann and the rest of the Phantom Thieves spent the day anxiously awaiting good news. It wasn’t until they saw the change of heart, that they could let a deep breath of relief out. After that, they could finally relax and focus on their own lives, like exams for example. It wasn’t something Ann wanted to think about after the biggest heist of the Phantom Thieves ever, but for once, doing something a normal student would do, was a nice welcomed change.
Except there was a question asked that made Ann go back to that anxious girl she was the past few days.
“So, Ren? Do you wanna get married?”
Ann’s pencil froze mid-stroke.
“Of course!”
Ann’s pencil tip snapped from the sudden pressure she put on it.
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
Another day in Leblanc. That’s what Ren originally assumed when he was sitting at Leblanc with Ann. Sojiro had left them alone as he had business elsewhere and Morgana was dragged away by Futaba. So, it was just the two of them in Leblanc, alone. Ren saw all the study material sprawled out on the table they were sitting at. It was the day before the final exam day when Ann asked if he could give her a little one on one session for the last day. Ren wouldn’t decline his girlfriend, but there was only so much they could do one day before the exam and Ann wasn’t the greatest at keeping the info in her head so quickly. If she had time, Ren was sure he could get it to stick in there, but one day…..Ren would consider it lucky if he could stick at least two sentences of info in there.
There was also another problem.
“So, Ann….any questions you have?..... Something you need help studying with?”
“Nothing really,” Ann answered with a lackluster voice. It made Ren question if he heard Ann right yesterday. She did ask him to help her study….right?
“Ann, you asked me to help you right?”
“I did.” Ann was currently looking at the paper in front of her. It was a blank piece of paper and she was just scribbling to her heart’s desire. Though she did it in a dull manner as if her mind wasn’t scribbling and it was just an outlet of sorts. Ren figured Ann didn’t ask him to actually study and maybe there was something else bothering her.
Ren got up from his seat across Ann and sat right next to her. Ann was suddenly snapped out of her daze of scribbling when she noticed Ren sitting right next to her. All of a sudden she felt herself thinking of that day.
“So, Ren? Do you wanna get married?” Ryuji’s nonchalant voice replayed in her mind. The answer that followed was what caused this little ‘study’ session to happen. “Of course!” The answer back was so quick and so sure. No hesitation whatsoever. As if, he had someone in mind already. There was only one person Ann could guess Ren was thinking about. Herself.
Marriage wasn’t a topic so easily discussed at this point in their relationship, so Ann never tried thinking about it too much, but that day caused a spiral of thoughts to enter and plague Ann’s mind. It brought up that memory where she inadvertently said she thought they were a good match together, insinuating she wouldn’t mind if he was that special person. The one any person wanted to meet and stay with. Forever.
“Hey, Ann? Somethin bothering you?” Ren’s voiced snapped Ann out of her thoughts again. She looked to face him and took a couple moments looking at his expression.
How would she feel spending the rest of her life being with this person? Ann didn’t dislike it at all. She enjoyed spending time with Ren, but….was that something she could decide right now? Weren’t they too young? That’s why she was so fixated on Ren’s answer. How did he decide it so readily? So quickly? Did he really mean it? When she was here struggling with the choice.
“Ren, can I ask you something?” Ann asked softly.
Ren noticed the odd tone but didn’t decline. “Of course, Ann. Why would you need to ask that?”
“I want you to be honest? Alright!” Ann said, her voice becoming slightly louder than before.
Ren noticed Ann’s serious eyes. Her voice becoming clearer than before. She really wanted an honest answer from him, and he wouldn’t deprive her of it. “Of course.” Ren smiled and crossed his heart. “Phantom Thief’s honor.” The small playful act finally let Ren see a small smile on Ann.
“When Ryuji asked you…. if you ever thought about marriage….” Ren saw Ann pause her words, noticing her look away for a second before looking back directly at his eyes. “and you…answered the way you did…..were you thinking about us?”
“Of course.” Ann didn’t expect the readily and resolute answer. The same one. Again, no sign of hesitation. That itself, caused a crimson tone to rise in Ann’s cheeks. Ren saw Ann stagger back to the wall in Leblanc. Though she was trapped at the booth they were in, Ann stared at Ren with confused, but curious eyes. “Ho-Ho-How can you say that so suddenly!!” Ann finally said, flabbergasted at Ren’s lack of embarrassment. Ren noticed her whole face now was a cherry tone.
“Well, you asked me, right?”
Ann didn’t know how to respond to that so readily as Ren did. “I-We-I-I know I said that! But How do you-you-you,” Ann was now pointing her finger at Ren’s chest, slightly infuriated at how he was taking this so easily. “How can you say that so easily?!!!!!!”
“Was this why she was nervous?” Ren thought as he inched closer to Ann. She had nowhere to go since she was already backed up against the wall, but it’s not like she was trying to get away from Ren anyway. It was just due to her surprise that she did that. “Isn’t it obvious?” Ren said back.
“No!!! It’s not! That’s why I’m asking you!!!” Ren soon got close to Ann to where he could grab Ann’s hand and hold it gently.
“Ann…. We’ve been through a lot together…right?” Ren asked.
Ann thought back to the past year. So much happened that she couldn’t compare any of that experience to her previous years in her life. It was something she could never forget. “Of-Of course we have.” Ann couldn’t deny that.
All the good and bad, they’d been through it together. Ryuji and Morgana were there as well at the beginning, but what Ren had done for her, it’s what led to their current relationship. He was there when she needed him, when she asked him to hang out; he’d always be there. If she had something she wanted to talk about, he’d be the first person she turned to, and it would always end with him. They became somewhat inseparable. It was only a matter of time before their relationship became what it is now, but there was still another big step they could take. One that Ann wasn’t so sure of, but Ren apparently is.
“After all we’ve been through…..all that stuff, you became someone extremely important to me, Ann.” The hand holding Ann’s tightly held her, but not to the point where it was uncomfortable. Just showing that longing he had for her. “someone I don’t want to leave my side.”
“Ren…..”
“I’m sure you think I’m thinking too far ahead right now, but…I want you to know Ann…..I really love you. When I said that to Ryuji… in front of everyone, I said that because I really do feel that way about you.” Ann looked down at the hand that held her’s. She couldn’t look Ren directly in the eyes anymore after what she was feeling right now.
Ren brought his other free hand to her cheek, which was still as soft and smooth as all the other times he did this. It was a feeling he never wanted to get tired of, a feeling he didn’t want to lose. He brought his forehead to hers, which finally made Ann look into his eyes as he looked into hers. “When I realized these feelings I had for you, I finally thought….I had a path in life I had to follow.” Ann saw Ren close his eyes with a smile. “When that whole mess with Shido happened a year ago, I thought I wasn’t going to be anyone special. I thought I’d be alone when I came to Shujin. No one would want to interact with a criminal like me. Even if Kamoshida never spread those rumors, the truth would eventually get out if I got close to someone. “ Ren gave a rueful laugh at what should have been. “I assumed I’d just keep to myself on that first day. Maybe even the whole year.”
Ren opened to see those clear blues eyes focused on his face. Her cherry face toned to down to only a slight pink blush as Ann only focused on Ren’s feelings for her. It’s what she wanted to hear in the first place.
“and you all changed that. Ryuji, Morgana, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, Haru, and…..,” Ren gave a quick kiss on the cheek to Ann before embracing her. “you. Ann, you’ve definitely helped me realize, that I will-” Ren paused in his words as he wanted to make it clearer to Ann. “want to have a life after this is all over and….I want to spend that life with you.”
Ren soon started hearing sniffles behind him, which made him smile. “Is this not the answer you were looking for?” Ren soon felt a hard smack on his back. Obviously punishing him for trying to tease her at the moment.
“How can I not feel like this when you’re pouring your heart out like this?”
“Sorry I don’t do it enough. I probably don’t tell I you love enough too, right?” Ren could feel Ann shake her head at his response.
“Even if you don’t tell me a lot, I can feel it and anytime you did say it….well, I still get butterflies just thinking about it…..”
A small period of silence came between them. They both took the moment in appreciation for each other. They both thought they were really lucky to have encountered each other when they did. At their lowest, they found each other and persevered through those troubled times. Together.
“Did…..did you feel bothered by what I said? To Ryuji I mean.” If he made Ann feel uncomfortable, then he’d take a step back and let their relationship develop to that point more slowly. As long as they got there, he didn’t mind how long it took.
“No! Not bothered…just surprised, I guess.” Ann said softly as she thought about it more. “I’m happy you feel this way for me…., it’s just I didn’t think you’d say it so readily, you know. Usually, it’s the girl who thinks about that stuff more.” Ann lightly giggled in Ren’s embrace.
“Who said that? Guys can be soft too!” Ren’s playful reply earned more laughter out of Ann.
Another pause in their conversation. They took their time basking in the embrace they were in with each other. Ren ran his fingers through Ann’s platinum blond hair while Ann curled her slender fingers through Ren’s curly short hair. Something they’d mindlessly do when they were together like this.
“I kinda want to see you try a different style.” Ann brought out of nowhere.
“You talking about my hair?” Hearing the short ‘hmm’ from Ann, Ren chuckled softly. “Funny thing is, I was just about to say that about your hair too.” Ren always did feel their bond was special, and every day, he felt more sure about it. They were always on the same page.
“…Maybe one day we can try it. Some kind of date with a theme.”
“Sounds like fun.” Ren was open to suggestion. Anytime Ann wanted to go through with it, he’d oblige.
“Ren…I love you too.” Ren smiled at the Ann’s out of nowhere confession. Well, it wasn’t out of nowhere for Ren. Ann always was outspoken about her affection for him, it was usually him that had a hard time saying the same thing back to her. She was just so perfect to him and he wanted to let her know that. That she was everything he’d hoped to find in the love of his life, and even then, she blew away those original fantasies he had about that perfect girl.
“So…You really thought about us being… 'together’.” Ann brought it back to that.
“Yeah, I don’t think I can picture myself with anyone else.” Ren softly replied.
Ann took her time thinking of a response. An answer that didn’t disappoint him or herself. She did love Ren, there was no doubt about it. Anytime she said she loved him, that came from the heart. She enjoyed his company. She enjoyed the fact he was always there. She just enjoyed everything about him!
As Ann started coming up with more reasons as if she needed more to realize what she felt about Ren. Eventually, it finally dawned on her. There were so many things she loved about him, why was she hesitating? He was obviously different from any of the guys she’d encountered before him and after him if she was crazy enough to decline. There was no one else that made her feel this way. So Ann decided to go for it. Before she could say anything though…..
“Hey, Ann…I realized I jumped the gun on that.” Ren suddenly said, stopping her attempt to reciprocate his feelings. Ren felt Ann break out of their embrace and look at him with eyes slightly widened at the declaration.
“Wha-What do you mean?!!!!” Was she too late? Ann didn’t expect that little hesitation she had to make Ren step back.
“I mean, marriage….I just realized we’re still young…” Ren chuckled at the obvious fact. “even if I had a ring and proposed right now, I can’t take care of you as I am now.” Ann suddenly imagined that scene and wondered how she would react to it. Probably be dumbfounded and ecstatic.
Even if Ann did reciprocate his feelings for marriage at this point, nothing would change. They’d still be in their second year of high school and they’d still be dating. When it would lead up to the actual proposal, wouldn’t the feeling be lost doing it a second time?
Ren gently held Ann’s hand. “That’s why. Let’s wait till we're older. When we’ve grown up, out of school, know our careers, have something like a stable living in case…..” Ren paused and slightly coughed at the insinuation he was going to make. “, anyway-
“C’ mon! Finish what you were going to say!” Ann said with curious eyes. She could pick up on it, but she couldn’t tell if it was going where she was thinking or if it was something else.
Seeing those sparkling eyes, Ren’s defenses fell apart. He couldn’t refuse that look. “Ah-Um…build a stable living….in case…you know?”
“Uh-huh?” A small grin forming on that gorgeous face.
“…..in case we have to welcome someone else….into our family.” Ren finally said it. He closed his eyes to avoid seeing Ann’s initial reaction. Though, as soon as he did, he felt a pair of lips kiss his cheek. He opened his eyes to see Ann happily smiling at him.
“Already thinking of a family huh? I didn’t know you were a family man, Ren?” Ann gleefully teased.
Ren simply chuckled at Ann’s teasing. At least it wasn’t a rejection of the notion. “Surprised?”
“No, maybe if it was before this little talk we had.” Ann paused as a thought just struck her. “………Amamiya….” Ann said quietly.
“What was that?” Ren couldn’t hear as Ann mumbled too low.
Ann turned to face Ren with a thoughtful gaze. “Ann Amamiya.”
Ren stood there, stunned silent at the name.
“If we do get married….actually when we get married,” Ren picked up on the confirmation. “ my initials are going to be A.A, pretty funny huh?” Ann giggled at the fact.
A tender smile showed up on Ren’s face. “Yeah, so wait for me.” Ann stayed quiet at Ren’s declaration. “Wait until I can make that a reality.”
Ann nodded her head sweetly. “Mhmm, don’t make me wait too long.” Ann joked at the end, making Ren nod as well.
The promise would soon become a reality. After unforeseen dangers occurred, the events following Shido’s change of heart caused the bond between them to grow even more sure that there was no one else that could replace the spot they held in each other heart’s. Ironic, that the two Phantom Thieves ended up stealing the other’s heart’s and ended up becoming the defining treasure of each other as well, at least, until a new child came into in the world many years later.