Chapter Text
The familiar scent of coffee and curry curled around Ren like a warm memory as he stepped into Leblanc, the bell above the door jingling softly. It had been months since he had last pushed open this door, months since he had walked these streets, breathed in the crisp Tokyo air, and lived under this roof. For a while, it had felt like a closed chapter in his life, a story he had been forced to finish, whether he wanted to or not.
But now, improbably, he was back. He had been accepted into Tokyo U's Criminology program, which meant he needed a place to stay. So of course the first person he called was Sojiro Sakura.
Sojiro turned from behind the counter, his sharp eyes widening ever so slightly before his expression smoothed into something more neutral—an old habit, Ren figured. "Took you long enough," he said, crossing his arms.
Ren smiled. "Miss me, Boss?"
Sojiro snorted. "As if. Just means I’ve got another mouth to feed now. Hope you didn’t expect a welcome-home cake or anything."
Ren chuckled. Despite the gruff words, he could hear the warmth in the older man’s voice that definitely hadn’t been there when they first met. Sojiro had changed. Or maybe Ren had.
But before he could respond, a sharp voice rang out from the staircase.
"Ren!"
He barely had time to react before something small, green and fast as hell slammed into him, arms wrapping tightly around his torso. A wild mess of orange hair buried itself in his chest, and a muffled voice groaned, "You're late, nerd."
Ren laughed, adjusting his grip to return the hug. Futaba smelled faintly of shampoo and old electronics; the same scent he remembered from all those long nights spent in her bedroom, hacking into enemy systems and planning their next move. Well, that and... other things. He felt her hands tighten against his back, like she was making absolutely sure he was real.
"I missed you too. I'm glad you didn't just forget about me once I left," he murmured against her hair.
She pulled back slightly, just enough to shoot him a glare. "Duh, obviously! You think I’d just forget about you, Leader?" Her voice wobbled on the last word, betraying the emotion she was trying to hide.
Ren reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. Her eyes flickered, hesitant but searching, as if trying to measure just how much had changed. He smiled softly. "I knew you'd wait for me."
She huffed, punching his arm lightly. "Yeah, well, waiting sucks. So you better not pull that vanishing act again, got it?"
Ren caught her wrist before she could retreat entirely, his fingers closing gently around her sleeve. "I won’t," he promised.
For a moment, she just stared at him, mouth slightly open, before her gaze darted away, a pink hue dusting her cheeks. "W-well, good," she mumbled, before quickly shuffling past him toward the booth near the window, retreating into the safety of her usual spot.
Sojiro watched the exchange with a knowing smirk. "Heh. Do you two kids need a minute, or should I start making coffee?"
"Coffee!" Futaba called immediately, burying her face in her arms on the table.
Ren chuckled, slipping onto the seat across from her. She peeked up from her folded arms, eyes sharp. "You're different."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I mean... you left, but you came back. And I was kinda scared, y’know?" She drummed her fingers against the table, fidgeting. "Like, maybe stuff wouldn’t feel the same. Maybe you’d be all different, and I’d be all different, and we'd just be awkward and weird and—"
Ren reached out, resting his hand over hers. She froze mid-ramble, her fingers twitching under his touch.
"We’re still us, Futaba."
She stared at their hands, her breath catching slightly. He felt the way her fingers curled in, before finally relaxing against his palm. "...Yeah. Yeah, we are."
The warmth of her hand was familiar, grounding, and Ren let himself take a quiet breath, soaking it in. For all the chaos they had faced together, for all the battles, the heartbreak, the impossible odds—they had found their way back. Not just to one another, but to a world in which they could feasibly build a future together.
Sojiro placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of Ren, watching them with an amused expression as their hands tangled together. "You two should just move in together already and save me the trouble of watching this little romantic pantomime play out."
Futaba instantly yanked her hand back, flailing. "SOJIRŌ!"
The older man just chuckled and walked off.
Ren picked up his cup, blowing over the rim before taking a sip. It was rich and familiar, just as he remembered. He met Futaba’s wide, still-flustered eyes over the top of the cup. "Could be fun," he teased.
She shoved his arm. "You—! Argh! Stupid, smooth, annoying, unfair nerd!"
But despite her grumbling, she didn't move away. If anything, her knee bumped against his under the table, lingering just a second longer than necessary.
Yeah, they were still them.