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An exhausted huff escaped Takuto's mouth as he flopped onto his sofa with a thud. He had been extremely busy all day and every last drop of his energy had been sapped. Lifting his glasses, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he tried to decide what he should have for dinner.
On his way home, people were constantly discussing the news. He didn't catch the exact story they were talking about but he assumed that it was about the upcoming elections and Shido again…
He clicked his tongue in irritation at the thought of that slimy, two faced, bald little-
Ding dong!
He was pulled out of those thoughts by his doorbell ringing. Who on earth could it be at this time? He carefully pushed himself back up, ignoring the dull ache in his thighs.
"Coming!" He called out, stifling a yawn as he slowly wandered over to the door. Slipping a pair of slippers onto his frozen feet, he unlocked the door and pulled the handle.
"Hell- Ren?!" He gasped at the unexpected sight.
His son, completely battered and bruised. Blood dripped down from his nose, his lip was cut and swollen, his breaths were quick and shallow, the dazed look in his eye made it difficult to determine whether or not he was actually conscious. He was leant on a silver haired woman that Takuto didn't recognise.
"Quickly, carry him in. I'll explain everything." She commanded urgently.
"What the hell happened to him?!" Takuto demanded as he carefully took Ren from the woman, gently carrying him into the living room and laying him down on the sofa.
The silver haired woman glanced around cautiously in the hallway before entering the apartment and locking the door behind her.
"I take it you haven't seen the news." She remarked.
"No, should I have?! And what the hell does that have to do with Ren?!" Takuto asked with a sarcastic bite, panicking at the sight of his injured son.
"Please keep your voice down. This is important and needs to stay strictly confidential." She requested, raising a finger to her lips.
Takuto took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Something was clearly going on and he needed to know what it was.
"Please tell me what happened to my son…" He softly pleaded, sitting down next to Ren and stroking his hair, if only to comfort himself. The father grabbed a tissue from the nearby box and wiped the blood away from Ren's nose.
"First and foremost, I am Sae Niijima, I am a prosecutor. The leader of the Phantom Thieves was captured in the middle of a heist. He was brought in for interrogation. I was one of the people who interrogated him, however the officers who spoke to him before me didn't treat him well. They beat and drugged him to get him to confess." Sae began to explain in a very to-the-point manner.
A horrified gasp left Takuto's mouth at that news. That explained the dazed look in his eyes.
"Ren, can you hear me?" He softly asked, leaning closer to his son's ear.
"Ungh…" was all Ren groaned.
A relieved sigh was Takuto's response. At least he was still responsive…
"I was asked to help from another member of the Phantom Thieves. They asked me to break Amamiya out because he was being targeted by the true culprit of the Okumura case." Sae continued.
"T-Targeted...?"
"Goro Akechi was going to murder him."
Takuto froze.
He didn't know how to react at all.
Goro Akechi…?
Murder…?
"Wh-Wha…?"
"The Thieves had been targeted by some kind of conspiracy. They wanted to pin the blame of their crimes onto the Thieves and then silence them. The Thieves needed these people to think that Amamiya was dead for whatever their plan is. If they figure out that he's alive, Leblanc is the first place they'll raid in search of him. Sakura-san informed me that you are Amamiya's father. Would you be able to hide him until the coast is clear?" Sae clarified before her ultimate request and reason for coming to Takuto's apartment.
"You don't even need to ask. I'll keep him safe from those monsters, even if it kills me." Takuto replied instantly.
Sae smiled thankfully at him.
"I've received some messages from his teammates. They've informed me that Akechi seems to be working for someone, so they're investigating any leads they can find. Also, they've specifically requested for you not to let Amamiya outside. Apparently, if he finds out they're working on something without him, he will try to join despite his injuries." She relayed the messages from the rebellious teens.
"Yeah… Yeah, that definitely sounds like him… Well, don't worry. I can be pretty stubborn when I want to be, and I will not let him leave this apartment until he is fully healed." Takuto promised with an amused chuckle.
All these years and Ren was still as hard headed as always.
Sae chuckled back as she clutched onto her handbag.
"Thank you for helping so quickly. I still don't fully understand everything either… Sakura-san has informed a doctor that he and Amamiya trust, so a woman by the name of Tae Takemi will drop by tomorrow to give him a check up. Please take care, Maruki-san." Sae added before politely excusing herself.
"Thank you for saving him, Niijima-san." Takuto quietly called out after her as he stared down at Ren.
It was really starting to set in…
Ren almost died tonight…
He barely escaped with his life.
Takuto clasped onto Ren's hand as that realisation hit him like a ton of bricks.
"You don't need to thank me… I only did what I thought was right. Stay safe." Sae assured him before exiting the apartment.
Takuto quickly stood up and locked the door behind her. He couldn't even remember what he was doing before the two of them arrived, but that didn't matter anymore.
Goro Akechi tried to murder him…? Takuto grimaced at that thought. He glanced back at Ren with a worried expression as a memory entered his mind.
"Hey, I saw you with that Akechi-kun earlier… At that Miel et Crepes café place. Were you on some kind of date or something~?"
Ren coughed and spluttered, choking on his drink after hearing that question. "Wh-What?! No! I-I wouldn't-! That's not-! We were just talking!"
"Oh really~? The blush on your face says otherwise~" Takuto teased him with an amused grin.
"That's just from all the coughing! That's all!" Ren hurriedly argued, averting his eyes bashfully.
"Are you sure it's not because you're in loooooove~?" Takuto continued his teasing.
"God! You're so annoying!" Huffed Ren as he threw a cushion at his father. Takuto caught it with ease.
"I'm your dad, that's my job! Would you rather I move onto the dad jokes I've been saving up for ten years?"
"Oh god, please don't…"
Takuto laughed at his son's dread filled response. It was obvious he had a crush on the detective, but it was also obvious that he would never admit to it.
He walked back over to Ren and crouched down next to him. The raven haired boy's eyes were drooping.
"Ren, sweetheart, can you hear me? Give me any kind of answer if you can hear me." Takuto softly requested as he softly stroked Ren's hand with his thumb.
"......-ed…" was the quiet grunt given in response. A shaky sigh left Takuto's mouth, relief washing over him at the sound of his son's voice.
"I'm sorry, kiddo, I didn't quite catch that… Can you say that again?"
"... Ti…red…" Ren managed to mutter out. Takuto forced a smile onto his face.
"Okay, kiddo, go ahead and get some sleep. You've had a long day, you deserve it." He whispered, carefully lifting Ren as he sat down next to him.
He leant Ren's body against his chest and held onto him. The steady sound of his heartbeat would hopefully be able to soothe the disoriented boy.
Despite the dangerous stakes of their situation, it somehow reminded Takuto of the times he used to soothe Ren after having nightmares as a child. The memories of those times made Takuto absent-mindedly start stroking Ren's hair.
There was a lullaby Ren used to love too… God, it had been so many years since he had to sing it… How did it go again…?
"Don't sleep through dreams that can't come true…"
Ren's hand twitched as the familiar tune entered his ears.
"No more tears shall drop from your cheeks anymore…
You won't need to strive for greatness…"
The bruised boy's breathing slowed as he began to relax and drift off to sleep.
"Believe in me…
That you don't need to suffer from…
Anything…"
Takuto cut himself off as he heard Ren softly snoring. He smiled lovingly down at his son. He wanted to make sure that Ren was as comfortable as possible; it's what he deserved after all the bullshit he went through today…
Although… Now that he was fast asleep, Takuto wouldn't be able to change him into pyjamas. He decided to simply remove Ren's blazer and then wash the entire uniform tomorrow morning. The jacket was damp, similar to Ren's hair. He guessed that the bastards probably dumped water on him to wake Ren up.
The thought made him scowl in rage.
But, that wasn't what was important right now. Ren was his number one priority.
Takuto took a deep breath to bury all of his anger before carefully picking Ren up. The raven haired boy grumbled sleepily as he nuzzled his head into Takuto's chest. The father froze for a few seconds, making sure that Ren wasn't waking up. After he was positive Ren was fast asleep, he carried him to bed.
Ren groaned groggily as he regained consciousness. His head was a lot clearer than it was last night, but still kinda fuzzy. His whole body ached and stung. His eyes slowly fluttered open, filtering the morning sunshine in through his eyelashes.
He… didn't recognise his surroundings at all… Where was he…? Wait… Where was he?!
Panic coursed through his entire body as his survival instincts kicked in.
He was in an unfamiliar environment… They could hurt him again…!
No! No, he didn't want them anywhere near him! Get away! He needed to get away!
He immediately sat up straight, bending double as intense pain shot through his torso. He gasped for breath as panic enveloped him.
"Hey, kiddo! Calm down! It's okay! You're at my place, you're safe, no need to worry, just breathe… Okay?" Takuto softly called out as he entered the bedroom to the sight of Ren panicking.
Ren looked up at the blur with his father's voice, hyperventilating as he tried and failed to calm himself down. Takuto slowly walked over and carefully handed a cup of coffee to Ren, keeping hold of his hands as he began speaking to him again.
"Okay, Ren, listen to me. This should help you calm down. All you need to do is answer my questions. Okay? So, what can you see?"
"I-I-I ki-kinda see you…"
"Anything else?"
"Th-The sunshine."
"Okay, what do you hear?"
"Y-Your voice…"
"And?"
"U-Um… Traffic outside… and… someone in… in another apartment playing… playing violin?"
"Very good. Now, what do you smell?"
"Your cologne. A really faint smell of coffee… And some eggs and bacon?"
"What do you feel?"
"The warmth from the mug and your hands."
"Very good, and last question: what do you taste?" Takuto gently lifted Ren's hands up to his mouth and the boy took a sip.
Ren grimaced slightly.
"Really crappy instant coffee…"
Takuto chuckled at his son's complete disgust at the drink. He has really been spoiled by drinking Leblanc's coffee every day.
"And there you go. Do you feel better now?"
"Yeah… Yeah, I do… Thanks, dad." Ren mumbled thankfully as he took another sip of the disgusting coffee.
Takuto simply smiled and placed a soft kiss on his son's forehead.
"H-How did I get here…?" The teenager asked with a confused frown.
"Niijima-san brought you here to keep you safe. And I intend to keep you safe, Ren. You are not setting a single foot out of this apartment until you are fully healed, understand?"
"Wha-What about Sojiro…?"
"Don't dodge my question… But, don't worry, it was Sakura-san's idea for you to come here. And he's sending a doctor you apparently know over later today."
"Takemi?"
"That was the name that was mentioned, yes."
A relieved smile appeared on Ren's face. It was clear that he trusted this woman, and that was enough of a reason for Takuto to trust her.
"Anyway, I made you some breakfast. Do you think you'll be able to stomach it?" Asked Takuto, softly patting Ren's shoulder.
"Should do."
"Alright, I'll bring it in here."
"I can eat at the dining table."
"Maybe. But you need to rest, so you're going to stay right here for the time being."
Ren opened his mouth to argue.
"And this isn't up for discussion."
Ren closed his mouth as his father exited the room.
He didn't want to be stuck in bed… It made him feel useless…
He looked up as Takuto walked back in, carrying a small tray with a plate of food.
"It's just some eggs and bacon with some toast. It's simple, but it should give you some much needed energy." He stated as he carefully placed the tray onto Ren's lap.
"Thanks, dad." Ren simply replied, his stomach growling at the smell. Takuto quietly chuckled and ruffled Ren's hair.
"You eat up. I'm gonna go run you a bath. You need to keep all those injuries clean, otherwise they'll get infected. The last thing we need is for this to go from bad to worse." He announced, standing back up and walking over to the door.
"Okay…" was Ren's simple response as he took a large bite of his toast.
After entering the bathroom, Takuto put in the plug and began running the warm water. He remembered that he had a bath remedy lotion that was specifically made for cleaning and healing wounds. He was always tripping over and getting small cuts and scrapes, so he figured he might as well buy something to soothe those injuries.
"C'mon… Where did I put it…? It's gotta be- Oh! There it is! Perfect!" He mumbled to himself as he searched for the bottle. He poured a healthy amount into the water and waited for the water to reach a decent height.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind, causing him to pull out his phone and scroll through his contacts.
[Takuto: When the doctor comes for Ren's cheek up, would you be able to send a few things over with her?
Sojiro: Sure thing, what do you need?
Takuto: Just some changes of clothes and Ren's spare glasses.
Sojiro: That's easy enough. How is he?
Takuto: He's awake and eating breakfast.
Sojiro: That's good to hear, at least…
Sojiro: Can't believe the shit they did to a kid…
Takuto: It's despicable…
Sojiro: I knew Shido when I worked in the Government… He always was a manipulative piece of shit… Never thought he'd go this far, though…
Takuto: Oh, trust me, I'm painfully aware of Shido as well
Takuto: That bastard stole my research on cognitive psience and used it for his own gain.
Sojiro: That research was stolen?!
Takuto: It's a very long story…
Sojiro: It always is whenever that scumbag is involved…
Sojiro: This is probably something we need to discuss, but now isn't the time.
Takuto: Agreed.
Sojiro: Maybe you should meet up with us when the kids hold their meeting. Your information could be helpful.
Takuto: I'll do just that. If it means bringing him to justice, I'll do whatever I can to help.
Takuto: Oh, hold on
Takuto: I have to go, I hear Ren moving about
Sojiro: That kid never knows how to sit still…]
"And just what do you think you're doing?" Takuto asked in a knowing tone.
Ren awkwardly froze as he stepped through the bedroom door, carrying the tray with an empty plate and mug.
"I was just putting these in the sink…?" He mumbled sheepishly, knowing that he had been caught in the act.
"When you were specifically told to stay in bed?" Takuto continued, raising an eyebrow. Ren looked away.
"Give it here." Takuto ordered him, clutching the tray and pulling it away from Ren.
"I can do it myself…"
"But you were told not to. Now go get in your bath. Just leave your clothes by the door, I'll clean them later." Huffed Takuto as he carried the tray into the kitchen.
Ren simply sighed and did as he was told.
"Ggh…!" Takuto heard Ren grunt from inside the bathroom as he walked past.
"Are you okay in there?" He called out through the door.
"I-I'm fine…!" Ren called back, however the crack in his voice informed Takuto that he was not fine. The chestnut haired man sighed worriedly as he placed his hand on the door handle.
"I'm coming in, okay?" He told Ren before opening the door. He couldn't help but let out a horrified gasp at the sight that greeted him.
Ren's entire body was littered with cuts and bruises. Especially large bruises were located on his torso and left thigh. He gritted his teeth, letting out a pained hiss as he tried to lower himself in the warm water.
Tears were building up in his eyes as he tried to endure the intense pain that was throbbing through his body. His arms trembled uncontrollably as he tried to keep himself from falling in.
Takuto rushed over, placing one hand on Ren's waist and the other under his arm.
"Slowly… Easy does it… There we go…" He muttered quietly as he gently lowered his son into the warm water. He didn't let go until Ren was carefully sat down.
Ren let out exhausted, ragged breaths as he began to relax, sweat dripping down his chin.
"You okay now?" Takuto gently asked as Ren recovered from the excruciating workout.
The raven haired boy nodded weakly.
"Okay… I should probably wash your clothes." Takuto sighed.
Ren grabbed onto his wrist, holding him in place. The father waited for Ren to tell him what was bothering him.
"I'm scared I'm gonna pass out…"
Takuto frowned subtly as he held onto Ren's hand.
"Do you want me to stay in here and keep an eye on you?"
Ren nodded as his breathing began to slow.
"Okay… Just sit there and soak for a few minutes, let the lotion do its thing."
"Okay…" Croaked Ren as his shoulders finally lowered.
Takuto smiled and ruffled Ren's hair.
"Wow… I didn't notice it last night 'cause it was wet but your hair is really greasy…" He muttered, cringing slightly at the feeling.
"Sorry…" Mumbled Ren, the pain slowly beginning to fade as the lotion began to work it's magic.
"Why are you apologising? Hair gets greasy, it just happens, it's not your fault. Look, how about this? While you soak and relax, I'll wash your hair for you." Takuto offered.
"'m not a little kid…" Ren mumbled with a childish pout.
"Yeah, but you are my kid. And nothing's ever going to change that." Takuto chuckled as he grabbed the nearby plastic jug, filling it with water and pouring it onto Ren's head.
Ren's hair instantly flattened, being plastered to the boy's head by the water. Takuto scoffed before bursting out laughing at the sight. Ren looked at him with an unimpressed expression, most of which was hidden by the hair covering his eyes.
"Y-You look like a sheep dog…!" He gasped out between giggles.
"Gee, thanks…"
"S-Sorry… I-It just caught me off guard…!" Takuto apologised before clearing his throat with a cough and turning to look through the shelf of shampoo. "Okay, so what smell do you want? I've got mint, coconut, cherry blossom or apple."
"You and your apples…"
"Apple it is, then."
Ren sighed, shaking his head while Takuto opened the bottle and poured the required amount on his hand. He chuckled quietly to himself, nostalgia washing over him as he softly scrubbed his son's hair.
"God, the last time I did this you were… What? Five...six years old?" He remarked in amusement.
"Something like that, yeah…"
"I can still remember our Sunday evening routine perfectly… Eating dinner, then giving you a bath, then you were allowed to watch one DVD while you had a warm drink, and then it was bedtime." Takuto reminisced as he lathered up the shampoo.
"Yeah… I remember you got kinda annoyed 'cause I went through a phase of watching the same dvd over and over." Ren replied with a nostalgic smirk.
"I wouldn't say I was annoyed… But I do admit that I got pretty sick of having to watch Rise Of The Broken Feather every night for a month and a half…"
"Yeah, that's fair enough…"
Takuto laughed softly as he massaged Ren's scalp, making sure to clean all of his hair. An idea struck him as he ran his fingers through his son's raven locks.
"I remember you always asked me to do this when you were little."
"Hmm?" Ren hummed curiously, looking up at the mirror as he wondered what his father was talking about.
His hair was sculpted into a single spike on the top of his hair. A soft laugh escaped his lips at the silly sight.
"Oh c'mon…" He huffed, trying and failing to appear annoyed at the childish action. Takuto just laughed with him and pushed the spike back down.
"And the other one you loved was… this." He announced as he sculpted Ren's hair again. Ren rolled his eyes with a sigh as he looked back up at the mirror.
This time his hair was shaped into cat ears. Ren burst out laughing at that one. Once again, Takuto laughed with him, holding onto his shoulder and resting his cheek against Ren's. He looked at Ren with a loving smile, glad that he was able to smile, let alone laugh, after everything he went through the day before.
Ren sat on the sofa, drinking a warm cup of tea (after refusing to drink any more of that crappy coffee). He was wearing a t-shirt and pyjama bottoms that belonged to Takuto. They were a little bit baggy, but at least they were clean and comfy.
"Do you feel better after that?" Takuto asked as he shoved the school uniform and wet towels into the washing machine.
"Yeah… I feel less stiff." Ren sighed as he enjoyed his drink.
"That's good to hear…"
Knock knock!
Ren flinched violently, almost spilling his tea as he glanced nervously over at the front door.
"It's okay." Takuto whispered to him as he walked over to the door and looked through the peephole.
He saw a blue haired woman in punk clothing, holding a large bag.
"Who is it?" He cautiously asked.
"Tae Takemi."
Ren let out a relieved sigh as he recognised the soft, dulcet voice.
Takuto nodded at him before unlocking the door and pulling open. Takemi quickly entered, letting Takuto instantly relock it behind.
"...Wow." was all she could say to the pathetic sight in front of her.
"H-Hey, Takemi…" Ren awkwardly greeted her, forcing a smile onto his face.
"Don't pretend to be fine. Now, come on, let me take a look at you, my little guinea pig…" Sighed Takemi, slipping her jacket off and opening her bag.
"R-Right…" Ren muttered, a little nervous of the results Takemi would discover.
"Um… 'Guinea pig'...?" Takuto repeated with a worried frown.
"Amamiya has been very helpful, giving me a hand with my clinical trials." Takemi informed the father very matter-of-factly as she pulled out the equipment she needed.
"H-He what?!" Takuto shrieked, looking at Ren in disbelief.
"I-I needed the medicine for Thief stuff… Besides, Takemi told me about an old patient and I wanted to help her…" Ren awkwardly explained, averting his eyes from his father's anxious gaze. Yep… His explanation sounded about right…
"You… weren't doing anything dangerous, though… right?" Takuto asked with a worried sigh.
"Not at all. The medicine doesn't affect people without the disease." Takemi assured him before turning to Ren. "Okay, take your shirt off please. I need to see the damage."
Ren reluctantly complied, wincing slightly as he lifted his arms above his head. Takemi sighed and shook her head at the sight.
"It's not as bad as being dead, but still…" She huffed as she sat next to Ren. "Now I know that you don't want to remember what happened, but I need to know what I'm working with. So, would you be able to tell me how you got certain injuries?"
Ren grimaced.
"Don't really have a choice… Everything's kinda hazy, though..." He muttered under his breath.
Takemi scowled slightly.
"Would you like a drink, doctor?" Takuto offered, hoping to find some way to thank her for helping his son.
"His tea smells rather nice. I wouldn't mind a cup of that." The blue haired woman chuckled.
"Sure thing."
"Okay, do you remember how you got this large bruise here?" The doctor asked, pointing to a large, dark purple patch of skin on the boy's torso.
"One of the men kicked me really hard in the stomach." Ren answered bluntly, hiding the frightened look in his eyes underneath his slightly damp hair.
Takuto almost dropped the kettle.
Takemi huffed quietly to herself. She placed her stethoscope onto Ren's chest.
"Alright… Take a deep breath in." She ordered.
Ren complied.
Takemi took note of the wheeze.
"Hold." Ren complied.
"Breathe out." Ren complied.
"Hmm." She hummed as she made some notes.
"Wh-What does 'hmm' mean?" Ren anxiously enquired.
"From the sound of it, I think it's likely that you have a cracked rib. Nothing too bad, but still not good. Should be easily fixed with some medicine and rest, though." Takemi informed him.
A stressed sigh left Takuto's mouth as he poured the hot water into the mug. Just hearing about the damage done made him feel sick. Even from the kitchen he could see Ren's shoulders trembling as he recalled those events.
The check up continued for a while. Ren explaining the origins of each injury the best he could, Takuto holding back his immense rage towards the scum that did this to his son, Takemi giving her diagnosis. An hour later, she had checked everything.
"Alright… All things considered, I think that this medicine would be most helpful. Take it three times a day with each meal. Fair warning, though, it doesn't exactly taste pleasant but you've just gotta suck it up. Also, it will make you feel pretty drowsy… Although, it's not like you have anywhere you're supposed to be, so just go ahead and nap as much as you need to." Takemi concluded, handing a large paper bag of the prescription medicine over to Ren.
A nervous scowl appeared on Ren's face as he took the bag from her.
"Okay… Thank you, Takemi." He murmured, staring down at his lap.
"If you want to thank me, do as you're told and recover. Oh, and I was asked to drop these off." Takemi replied dismissively, handing another bag over to Ren.
A bag full of his clothes. Ren felt his spare glasses and quickly slid them onto his face. He sighed happily. It was great being able to see things completely in focus again. He also found a small gift from Sojiro: a bag of his favourite coffee beans.
"Thank you, Takemi…" Ren mumbled again, this time with a grateful smile on his face.
Takemi didn't say anything. She simply smiled as she placed her equipment back into her bag and stood up, walking over to the front door.
"If you need anything, just call me and I'll come straight over." She offered, pulling her leather jacket closer.
"Thank you so much for all of this, doctor." Takuto thanked her as sincerely as he possibly could.
Takemi waited until the two were out of Ren's sight and lowered her voice to a whisper.
"I've been told that you're a counselor, yes?"
"Yes, that's right."
"This probably goes without saying, but please help Ren through this. I can only heal the physical scars, so it would be best if he had someone to help heal his emotional scars as well." She requested quietly. Takuto shot her a reassuring smile.
"You don't even need to ask. I'm going to do whatever I can to help him."
"That's good to hear… I honestly feel like you're the best person for this. From what I've seen and heard, Amamiya keeps everything to himself… But, if he's speaking to his father… Well, he'll be a little more likely to open up."
Takuto nodded knowingly at Takemi's words. "Well, it will probably take a little while, but I'll get him to open up, bit by bit."
Takemi simply nodded back.
"Well then, I'll be going now. Take care." She politely excused herself, unlocking the door and shutting it behind her as she began her walk home. Takuto quickly locked the door again.
He let out a shaky sigh as Takemi's diagnosis repeated in his mind. Clearing his throat, he walked into the kitchen.
"Well, I suppose we might as well have some lunch. Test the medicine while we're at it." He announced, pulling out two bowls of instant yakisoba.
"'Kaaaaaay…" Huffed Ren as he carefully slipped his shirt back on, wincing as he did.
"I know you don't wanna take gross medication, but it's for your own good…" Takuto rolled his eyes with a smirk, knowing exactly what was bothering his son. Ren simply grumbled childishly under his breath.
After preparing the yakisoba, Takuto carried the bowls over to the sofa and placed them on the coffee table before walking back to the kitchen and fetching two cartons of apple juice.
"Eat some of your yakisoba, then take one of your tablets and then take a sip of your juice." Takuto ordered him, taking one of the tablets out of the packaging and placing it on the table in front of Ren.
"Fiiiiiiiiine…." Ren mumbled, blowing on the noodles and taking a large mouthful.
After eating a few mouthfuls, Ren reluctantly picked up the tablet and shoved it into his mouth.
A grimace enveloped his entire face the moment the tablet touched his tongue.
He forced it down his throat with a tough swallow before grabbing his juice and downing the entire box.
"God damn…" He muttered, shoving another mouthful of yakisoba into his mouth to rid himself of the horrible taste.
Takuto couldn't help but laugh at the pure and utter disgust on his son's face.
"Taste good?"
".... Don't even joke about it."
"Fair enough."
Takemi wasn't kidding when she said that the medicine would make him feel drowsy. The tablet took effect about half an hour after Ren had taken it, and five minutes after that, Ren was fast asleep.
He'd been asleep for about five hours now.
Takuto didn't mind. He was glad that Ren was getting the rest he needed and besides, it gave him a chance to sort out his laundry and consider his plan of action to get Ren to open up. Although, now he was considering waking Ren up, since it was starting to get dark outside. They were probably due for their next meal in a couple of hours.
He sat down on the sofa, watching the rain hammering against the window and he pondered what he should do.
Ding dong!
Takuto flinched at the sudden sound of the doorbell. He wasn't expecting any visitors…
He glanced over at the bedroom door nervously before looking at the front door.
"Who is it?" He called out from the sofa.
"It's me! C'mon, Takuto, lemme in, I'm soaked!" A familiar voice pleaded from the corridor.
Takuto was conflicted for a few seconds, but ultimately decided that it would be more suspicious if he didn't let him in. He unlocked the door and the leather jacket wearing man instantly shoved his way in.
"Thanks, dude! Sorry for barging in, I just needed somewhere to dry off and I figured that we hadn't spoken in a while so I should come check up on you." Shibusawa chuckled awkwardly as he carefully placed his drenched jacket on the back of a chair.
"That's nice of you, Shibusawa, but-"
"And I figured, since it's you and I know what you're like, that you hadn't eaten yet. So, I brought some takeout with me! Some extra large beef bowls from that place in Shibuya!"
Takuto smiled nervously. He appreciated the gesture, he really, really did… but now really wasn't the best time. The smell of the food made his mouth water.
Well… Since they're extra large, he could make the excuse that he was too full to eat more and then save the leftovers for Ren.
"That's nice of you, Shibusawa… Do you want me to hang your jacket up to dry?" He offered, hoping that the visit wouldn't last too long.
"Yeah, that'd be great. So, how have you been lately?" Shibusawa thanked him as he began unpacking all of the food.
'So stressed that I'm about ten seconds away from passing out…' Takuto thought.
"Pretty good, I guess. And you?" Takuto said.
"Yeah, I'm pretty good too. Not a lot's really happened… Well, to me, that is. In the news on the other hand." The black haired man chuckled.
"You're telling me…" Takuto huffed tiredly as he hung Shibusawa's jacket over the large curtain pole.
The soaked man cleared his throat awkwardly as the realisation hit him.
"O-Oh, right, yeah… Sorry… I forgot you probably don't wanna talk about Shido…" He quietly apologised.
"No, it's fine. Besides, it's not like anyone's been talking about anything else…" Takuto huffed, sitting back down on the sofa while Shibusawa placed all of the food onto the coffee table.
"Yeah… I'm starting to get real sick of seeing his face everywhere…" The raven haired man sighed as he flopped onto the sofa.
Takuto remained silent as a hateful glower enveloped his face. First the bastard stole his research… And now he tried to have his son murdered… Takuto would never forgive him. For as long as he lived.
Shibusawa froze at the sight. He'd never seen such an expression on Takuto's face before. He wasn't aware that Takuto was even capable of making faces like that.
"W-Well, anyway! How's your paper going? You published it yet?" He stuttered, changing the subject to one Takuto would enjoy as he grabbed his food.
"Oh. Not yet, I've just got a few last minute additions and edits to do and then it will be finished. I'm not sure how long it will take, though, since I'm a little preoccupied at the moment." Takuto replied, munching on his own dinner.
"Yeah? Well, that's great to hear! I can't wait to see how people react! This could be a huge dis-"
Thud!
The two men froze at the sudden noise. Takuto inwardly panicked when he realised the sound came from the bedroom.
"Th-The hell was that…?" Asked Shibusawa with a tense whisper.
"Pr-Probably nothing! Don't worry about it!" Takuto hurriedly dismissed the sound, his heart pounding anxiously against his chest.
"Nothing, my ass! What if someone's broke in?! I ain't letting someone steal your shit!" Hissed Shibusawa, slamming his bowl onto the coffee table and leaping out of his seat, over to the bedroom door.
"Wait! Don't!" Takuto cried out as he flung himself after Shibusawa.
But it was too late.
Shibusawa swung the door wide open. And froze.
"The hell…?" Was all he could utter as he saw a battered and bruised Ren holding onto the bed as he tried to pull himself up off the floor. The tense expression on his face clearly indicating the agony he was in.
"Ren! What are you doing?! You have to rest!" Takuto gasped, shoving his way past Shibusawa and gently grabbing ahold of Ren.
"I-I needed to pee…" Ren mumbled in a defeated tone, embarrassed that he couldn't do something so simple by himself.
"What the hell is going on?!" Shibusawa demanded as he stared at the boy he watched grow up struggle to stand on his feet.
Takuto grimaced worriedly as he considered his best option in this situation. He took a deep breath to calm himself before looking at Shibusawa with a serious glare.
"You can't tell anyone about this. Understand?"
A nervous sweat dripped down Shibusawa's chin at the tone in Takuto's voice.
He nodded.
"You know the news story about the leader of the Phantom Thieves’ leader?"
"The teenager that committed suicide in custody?"
"Yeah. But he didn't commit suicide. Shido tried to have him killed, but his teammates managed to break him out."
Shibusawa's eyes shot wide open as the realisation hit him.
"S-So, you're telling me that… Not only is Ren the leader of the Phantom Thieves… You're telling me that he almost got fucking killed as well?!" He yelled in disbelief, slamming his hand onto his forehead as he struggled to make sense of this information.
"How the hell do you think I feel about this?!" Takuto snapped as Ren anxiously looked down at the floor.
Shibusawa sighed shakily as he glanced at the teenager.
"... How are you holding up, Ren?" He asked, sitting down to him.
"As well as I can, I guess…?" Ren mumbled.
Shibusawa couldn't help but give Ren a hug. They really tried to murder a child…?
"Don't squeeze me too hard." Ren hurriedly requested.
"Oh, sorry, did I touch one of your injuries?" The black haired man apologised.
"No, I just really, really need to pee."
The two adult men burst out laughing at Ren's blunt honesty.
"Fair enough, you have been asleep for five hours." Takuto muttered through his chuckles.
"Five?!"
"Yep. That medicine really knocked you out. Anyway, do you need some help getting to the bathroom?" Takuto asked, gently resting his hand on Ren's back.
"No… If I lean on the wall, I should be fine." Ren answered, determined to do this simple, everyday task by himself.
"Alright… If you're sure…" Muttered Takuto, giving Ren an encouraging pat on the back as the boy shoved himself off the bed. Ren managed to plant one of his hands firmly on the wall, leaning his weight onto it as he carefully shuffled out of the room.
The two men remained silent until they heard the bathroom door shut.
"Jesus…" was all Shibusawa could utter as he hid his face behind his hands. "They really fucked him up, didn't they…?"
A stressed sigh left Takuto's mouth. "Yeah…"
"What… exactly happened?" Shibusawa enquired, staring at Takuto seriously.
"I don't know all the details yet… All I know is they needed Shido to think Ren was dead and that a woman named Niijima-san brough Ren here after breaking him out for the Thieves…" Takuto muttered as he clutched his hand, stopping it from trembling as he remembered the sight of a barely conscious Ren tumbling through the front door.
Shibusawa huffed again.
"What the hell has that kid got himself into?"
Takuto leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. Maybe it was a good thing that Shibusawa found out… He needed someone to vent to.
"That goddamn bastard… Why is he so intent on taking everything from me…?!"
Shibusawa instantly knew what he was talking about. He wrapped his arm around Takuto's shoulders. He wasn't sure what to say, so he simply let Takuto continue.
"Y-You should've seen the look in Ren's eyes when he got here… He had no idea what the fuck was going on or where he was… A-And the one Shido sent to kill Ren?! Goro Akechi. Another child! The one Ren liked, no less!"
Shibusawa's eyes widened with each new piece of information.
He had never trusted Shido before… but he never knew that he was such a scumbag…
"I know he's basically the devil incarnate… but think about it, the Phantom Thieves know about his crimes now. It's only a matter of time till they change his heart."
"But they shouldn't have to! They're children! What the hell kind of world do we live in that teenagers are forced to take matters into their own hands to this extent?! How have we failed them this much?!"
"Takuto, shh… You don't want Ren to hear you, right? He needs to lean on you right now… I know it hurts, just learning about all this makes me feel sick… But you've gotta be strong for him." Shibusawa tried to soothe him, nervously glancing over at the bathroom.
Takuto took a deep breath to clear his head.
"Yeah… Yeah, you're right… All I can do right now is look after him and give him any support I can…"
"Yeah, that's it. Just do what you can."
The sound of the toilet flushing made the men fall silent again.
Thud!
"Ow…"
"You okay, Ren?!"
"Yeah, I just slipped over…"
Both adults sprung up and rushed into the bathroom.
They found Ren pulling himself up from the tiled floor, holding onto the sink. Shibusawa couldn't help but notice how much his legs were trembling under the pressure. Takuto gently helped him back up and turned on the tap for him.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine." Ren stated as he washed his hands. The sweat dripping down his chin said otherwise.
Just as Takuto was about to ask again, Ren's stomach growled loudly. The two adults stared at him. Shibusawa grinned.
"Well! You're lucky that I brought some dinner with me! C'mon, you two! Gotta eat if you wanna keep your strength up!" The raven haired man cheered as he carefully scooped Ren into his arms, carrying him into the living room where the takeout was.
"H-Hey! Uncle Shibu!"
Takuto grinned and rolled his eyes. If there was one thing to be said about Shibusawa, it was that he was fantastic at cheering people up.
"Oh, Ren? Remember that you need to take your next dose of medicine while you eat."
"Ah shit…"
Ren sat on his father's bed, staring up at the ceiling restlessly. The medicine was definitely taking effect as an extreme level of drowsiness had a strong grasp over Ren. And yet, there was part of him that refused to sleep… His mind kept racing, returning to thoughts he'd rather it didn't.
So, he simply sat there. In a strange sleepy limbo.
A soft knock echoed out from the door. Ren lowered his gaze to see his father entering the bedroom, holding a mug and what seemed to be a book.
A lovely aroma wafted through the air and into Ren's nose.
"Hey… You doing okay?" Takuto asked as he sat down next to his son.
"Mm. Just kinda restless…" Ren mumbled in response.
"Yeah, I figured, it's bound to happen when you're stuck in bed most of the day… I made you this." The chestnut haired man offered the mug to him.
Ren happily took, savouring the warmth radiating from it. He knew the smell. It was coffee, made with his favourite beans. He softly blew on it to cool it down before taking a sip.
"Mmm… Not bad."
"Oh wow, that's high praise from you, Mr. Connoisseur…"
Ren giggled contentedly as he enjoyed the soothing taste of the coffee. "Where's Uncle Shibu?"
Takuto chuckled quietly. Despite not seeing him for ten years, Ren still called Shibusawa what he called him as a child.
"The rain finally stopped and his jacket dried so he rushed off to make the last train of the night."
"Oh, okay."
"Although, he said he'll come by to check up on you and that he'll bring stuff to keep you entertained."
Ren smiled at that news. Thank god, because he was getting sick of just sleeping constantly. And it had only been one day.
"Speaking of entertaining… Have a look at what I found while tidying up." Takuto announced excitedly, displaying the book in his hands to Ren.
"A photo album?" Ren asked as he analysed the cover.
"Yep. A photo album of when you grew up in Tokyo with me."
Ren's eyes sparkled with excitement at that announcement.
"Really?! I haven't seen any photos like that in years!" He exclaimed, pushing himself up into a more comfortable position.
"Really? Your mum doesn't have any photos from back then?" Takuto asked, surprised by that news.
Ren shook his head.
"No. None. She didn't really take many photos while I grew up with her, either. Most of the photos were taken by Grandma and Grandpa…" Ren informed him bluntly.
Takuto hid a slight frown before replacing it with a smile.
"Well, we've got the photos here, so we might as well take a look!" He cheered, snuggling up next to Ren as he opened the album.
The image that greeted them was a photo of a younger Takuto holding a baby Ren. Underneath was written
'September 15th, 199X'
The day Ren was born.
A soft, loving smile appeared on Takuto's face as he remembered that day. He stared down at the tiny hand holding his finger in the photo.
Ren squinted as he took a closer look.
"Are you crying in that?" He asked.
"Yep. I couldn't stop crying because you were just so beautiful. You know… My parents had to persuade me to hand you back to the doctor because I didn't want to let you go…" Takuto reminisced with an amused grin. Ren let out a quiet, breathy laugh.
"Really?!"
"Yep. Every time the doctor asked me to hand you over, I just held you closer."
Ren giggled at the cute story while Takuto turned the page.
Lots of smaller memories. Takuto curled up and sleeping next to the baby Ren, feeding Ren, teaching him how to walk.
The photos moved onto Ren's toddler years. Taking him on a trip to the park, Ren feeding a stray cat, trying to catch frogs in the rain.
Takuto couldn't help but laugh as he remembered that time of Ren's life. He was overflowing with curiosity and Takuto was always having to chase him around to make sure he didn't get hurt. He glanced over at the boy himself. Ren clearly didn't remember any of these events, but it delighted him to see photographic evidence of them.
The next page showed Ren's first day at school. It displayed the family standing in front of the elementary school. Ren clung to Takuto's trousers, looking at the camera with a shy smile.
"I kinda remember that day…" Mumbled Ren as a vague wave of nostalgia washed over him. He had a fuzzy memory of a kid grabbing his hand and declaring him as his best friend.
"I remember that day clearly. You really didn't wanna let go of my leg… But you happily let the teacher walk you into school after I told you that I had packed some cupcakes into your lunch." Takuto replied, rolling his eyes with an amused smirk. Ren burst out laughing.
"Yeah! That does sound like me!"
Takuto couldn't help but laugh with Ren after hearing his bright, bubbly giggles. Turning the page, their laughter continued.
A photo taken in their old kitchen. Ren sat on a stool, covered in flour and looking at the camera with a guilty expression while Takuto was in the background, also covered in flour as he sweeped the kitchen floor.
"Oh I definitely remember that…!" Takuto gasped out between laughter.
"It was an accident!" Ren defended himself through his giggles. Takuto had to hold Ren's hand steady as the laughter almost made him spill his drink.
The photos continued, all of them showing smaller memories of Ren's childhood. Takuto patching up Ren's knee after falling off his bike, Ren showing off the gap from where his first tooth had fallen out, celebrating his birthdays, Ren proudly showing off his costume for his school play, Takuto trying to reach Ren after he had managed to get himself stuck in a tree…
Reaching the end of the album of memories made the two feel a little melancholic.
"I really wish I could have seen you grow up beyond seven years old…" Takuto muttered as he carefully placed the album onto the bedside table.
"Yeah… I wish I could've gone to you instead of mum…" Ren mumbled in response, gently leaning his head onto Takuto's shoulder as he frowned slightly.
"How was growing up with your mum?"
"... It just… It just felt like she didn't care… It didn't matter what I did, she didn't take much notice…" Ren explained, remembering the blank expression on his mother's face when he, at eight years old, proudly showed off his full marks on an exam. "Even when I got arrested, she didn't care… She just told me that she didn't want the hassle of having a criminal for a son…"
Takuto scowled at that news.
Even after he went through something so traumatic as being arrested for a crime he didn't commit? Why did she fight for custody if she didn't want him?!
He held onto Ren's hand.
"Even if she doesn't care, just remember that I'm always here for you. It doesn't matter what she thinks, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks… I will always protect you. You know that, don't you?" He stated, resting his forehead against Ren's.
The teenager's eyes widened. He couldn't help but think about Shido and what he had to do. He grimaced slightly as he looked away.
"What if the whole world was against me?"
Takuto squeezed Ren's hand comfortingly, causing the boy to look back up at him.
He smiled softly at his son.
"If the whole world turned against you, I would just have to create a world where no one hurts you."