Archive of Our Own

The bolded 2 on Ren's paper didn't shock him, really, because it never did. He could only clutch it to his chest and pretend that he might absorb the answers and the knowledge by mere contact, because surely something had to work. His teacher said that something always worked, for every kid. His parents said that he just wasn't trying hard enough.

It made Ren sad to feel so dumb, but it felt like that was the only answer he could even reach. Why else did his head hurt when he studied, and he still couldn't remember anything the next day? That was the answer that classmates came to as well, the smartest ones who he would ask how they did so well. It was just because he was stupid, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Ren!" One of those very classmates grabbed his shoulder as he was crossing through the schoolyard. "How'd you do on this one?" He asked with a grin, holding a paper that certainly held a 5, or even a 4. Things Ren saw only very rarely on his own.

Ren smiled, still. "I got another 2." He admitted, though it surely wasn't news. He was relieved, even, just to get an occasional 3. "But I'm sure you did great!" He grimaced a little at the lisp of his words, unused to the constantly arranging gaps between his teeth. He'd never even quite gotten the hang of it to begin with.

"Obviously I got a 5!" His classmate gloated. "I'm not stupid like you are, Ren." The taunting of his words didn't quite reach Ren, who smiled even then.

"I know." Ren replied, holding his paper a little tighter. "I'm gonna be dumb forever, but I'll keep studying anyway. Maybe it'll make me a little less dumb someday."

His classmate rolled his eyes, the gesture missing Ren. "Fix your voice first, you even sound dumb. It's like you don't even want anyone to respect you."

That was enough to waver Ren's smile. "I know." He answered, quieter now. He may as well stop talking completely, there were so few people who even listened when he did.

Another hand fell firmly on Ren's shoulder, and he looked over to see the sharp glare that only Goro could give. "You're the one who needs to shut up. Leave Ren alone, got it? He's a lot more smart than you think." He looped his arm with Ren's. "And I happen to like his voice." Goro turned away sharply, dragging Ren with him.

Ren followed willingly, the sting of tears prickling at his eyes. Only Goro defended him like that, but it was just because they were friends. That was what friends had to do. "You don't need to say those things." He sniffled, the paper in his hands crumpled now.

"No, I don't." Goro agreed, glancing towards Ren. "But I want to. You figured out who the traitor was in Featherman way before I did! And you never get lost at all. That's really smart. I don't want you listening to them, just to me. Plus your voice is nice, it makes me happy."

Ren giggled, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "Thank you. Your voice makes me happy, too. You're just the smartest person in the whole world, so you notice that stuff. I'm dumb in school, anyway, and that's all a lot of people know about me."

Goro scoffed, stopping and grabbing Ren by the shoulders. "No, Ren, that's not right. He was bullying you, okay? Mama taught me how to notice that stuff, so I can protect my friends. And, you're my best friend, so I've gotta protect you extra good."

"Well, you're my best friend, too!" Ren grinned. "But...there's never anything to protect you from. You're so brave, and smart, and strong. You're just the coolest!" He exclaimed with a frustrated pout. "Does that mean I'm not as good of a friend, 'cause I don't protect you?"

With a shake of his head, Goro looped his arm with Ren's again. "No, Ren, that's not how it works! You're a good friend, got it? You don't have to protect me to be a good friend, I promise." He smiled to reassure his friend. He didn't say it, but in a lot of ways, Ren did protect him. Goro didn't have other friends, and his mom wasn't home a lot. "Hey, I've got an idea! Let's study together!"

Ren gasped, the thought having never crossed his mind. "Yes, please! You learned all this stuff last year, so you can help me, can't you? Pretty please?" He grabbed Goro's hands, eyes wide and pleading.

"Yeah, obviously!" Goro laughed. "I'm super smart, right? That means if I teach you, you'll learn more than trying to figure it out alone. Come on, there's an empty classroom that's good for studying!" He released one of Ren's hands, dragging him along to the classroom he sometimes hid in after school to avoid an empty home.

They slipped inside unnoticed, as Goro knew was easy to do. They dropped their bags, settling beside one another and against a wall.

Goro began rummaging through his bag for a pencil and his own homework. "Hey, Ren, could you tell me what stuff you struggle with most? That way we know where to start."

With a nod, Ren looked up from his own bag, sat on his lap. "Well, I'm really good with math most of the time. It's easiest to study, because I've just gotta get really good at a few things. I have a lot of trouble writing, and remembering specific stuff. I get kanji mixed up all the time, too, and there's too much to remember how they all look and when to use them." He pouted, notebook in hand.

"Wanna practice drawing them out?" Goro suggested. "That way you can at least get better with how they look. And, I can quiz you on science and history stuff. I did really well in all those classes last year." He paused at Ren's discouraged expression. "But, I had to study a whole lot to be able to do well."

It's nice, Ren thinks, that Goro is trying to make him feel better. But he knows that he studies a lot, too, and he isn't nearly as good at this stuff. If only he was smarter, Goro wouldn't have to take time away from studying himself in order to help. He wished his parents would help him study instead...

"Okay!" Ren grinned, flipping through pages of poorly-drawn kanji, little notes wondering how he could remember when to use each one, and tiny doodles of kittens hidden in between.

Goro could tell through every page that Ren was working his hardest, and that the intricate lines could be a lot to memorize. Without a doubt, he could tell that Ren studied harder than likely anyone in his whole class, and certainly harder than those who bullied him. It was unfair, he thought, that Ren should have to work so much harder yet still be looked down upon.

"Hey, Ren?" Goro asked once Ren found the first clean page, near the very back of his notebook. "Maybe it would help to do all the ones you've learned for the same sounds, and you could put little notes by each one for the other sounds or meanings they might have. Seeing them all bunched together might also make it easier to remember that."

Invigorated, Ren had already begun to carefully draw out the first kanji on the page: the one that read out as his name. He knew it by heart, having pages and pages of just that in a long-filled notebook beneath his bed. His name, he often recalled the belief that his name was the only joyful thing his parents had ever given to him.

Seeing his friend's energy returned, Goro got to work on the assignment given to him that day. As often as Ren seemed to be discouraged, it took little to reignite the spark that brought so much joy into Goro's life. Every day, without fail, Ren greeted Goro with a smile on his face(and every day, without fail, Ren pretended that joy hadn't dulled to a single flickering ember as he began his return home).

It did gnaw at Goro, he couldn't deny, how he envied Ren's spirit. The hours of work he must put in every day to simply maintain a passing grade at times, yet still having the energy for play and laughter. Meanwhile, Goro wasn't always even able to stay up long enough to give his mom a hug on the nights she came home late.

"Goro?" Ren asked, eyes wide and bright as they so often were. "Do these look okay?" He tilted his notebook in Goro's direction, seeking both critique and approval. Goro was his only source of either, when his parents only offered inattentive praise or annoyed insults. He craved the attention that he knew Goro would pay to him, knowing that it never came from a place of frustration or disappointment.

Goro glanced over the kanji already beginning to fill the page. "You should give yourself more credit, Ren. These look great!" He pointed to one. "You missed a line here, though." He tapped on another. "And this line is supposed to be longer, you might lose points if it's too short. But you haven't even had to check anything, it's really impressive that you've been able to do this much on your own!"

Ren giggled, holding his notebook closer to his chest. "I've practiced these ones a lot, I always try to start off doing the stuff that's easier, to get my brain ready for the hard stuff. Like stretching before gym!"

"That's smart." Goro nudged his shoulder against Ren's. "But, don't discredit yourself, you're seriously a whole lot smarter than you think. I've seen your homework, and you always do pretty well then. Maybe tests are just harder for you."

With a nod, Ren set his notebook back on his lap. "I guess so. I have as much time for homework as I need, though. Tests are so short, and even though a ton of my class finishes before me, I still have to rush through the last few questions every time. It's cause I'm dumb that it takes me so long."

Goro sighed, understanding why Ren has become so convinced at his perceived lack of intelligence. "Ren, it doesn't make you any less smart because it takes you a long time. Next time, let's work on figuring out how to help your brain work a little faster." He grinned. "Probably cause you wear it out so much, it just needs to figure out how to keep up!"

"Probably." Ren echoed. "Your brain is probably super tired, too, though! At least I haven't read through the whole entire dictionary!" He stuck his tongue out playfully.

Goro laughed, leaning over to hook an arm around Ren's neck and ruffle his hair. Though he squealed and giggled at the action, Ren made no attempt to even playfully wiggle away. It wasn't hard for Goro to notice that Ren never broke a hug first or drifted away from physical affection of any kind.

"Do you wanna take a break?" Goro asked, slowly unwinding his arm from around Ren. The last thing Ren needed, especially now, was to exhaust himself to the point of frustration.

Ren nodded, setting his notebook aside and reaching into his bag. "Uh-huh. I'm hungry, dad forgot to set out money for me to buy lunch again, so I brought a snack with me." He explained, pulling out a messily tied bag. "I made one for you, too!" He beamed proudly as he tugged it open and handed Goro a wrapped onigiri.

"You made it?" Goro asked quietly, taking it carefully as Ren grabbed the other out for himself. "You're the best, Ren, thanks." Slowly, he unwrapped it, as Ren happily began eating beside him. It was sloppy, with the rice shaped into an odd ball and falling apart a little bit, the nori practically stuffed into it from Ren seemingly having struggled to wrap it. Still... "This is really impressive, Ren. You're probably better at cooking than anybody in your whole grade, maybe even of all the students here!"

Ren perked up, rice sticking to his lips as he grinned. "You think so? I'm trying really hard to learn! Mom has some cookbooks that I found, and she and dad said I can use whatever food I want as long as I don't waste anything. They even leave money a couple times every week so I can go to the store and buy stuff!"

Goro tried his hardest not to let his smile falter. The way Ren had been talking lately made it seem like he never even saw his parents anymore. Ren was only eight, he couldn't take care of himself like Goro could. Still, they must be doing their best to give Ren a good life, just like his mom was. Ren always had clothes that fit, new school supplies, and plenty of food, so it must pay off. "You're the coolest, Ren. Hey, you know, mama said that you're welcome at our place whenever you want. Or that I can visit you." Even though his own mother often worked late, he at least saw her in the mornings, and most days before going to bed. She knew that he was okay with that. He hoped that Ren didn't try too hard to make his parents believe the same.

Shockingly, Ren shook his head. "I've got a lot of chores. My parents always have to deal with how dumb I am in school, so I've gotta make sure I always do my chores so they know I'm working hard. Plus, I've got homework, and I wanna study more, and dinner, and getting ready for tomorrow's school..." He listed, his smile flickering more and more with each responsibility forced upon him for the day. Did he even have the time, Goro wondered, to play before he'd need to go to bed?

"After this term ends, let's play together a lot, okay?" Goro bumped his shoulder against Ren's. "We'll hang out every single day, and I can help with your chores if you need me to!" He gave a big grin, watching as Ren's mood soared back above its usual height.

Shoving the last bite of his onigiri into his mouth, Ren threw his arms around Goro, hugging him tight. "You're the best friend in the whole world." He whispered after swallowing the remaining rice. "Thanks, Goro."

Goro set the rest of his own onigiri down on the paper Ren had previously wrapped it in, then squeezed his arms around Ren in return. "We can't both be the best friend in the whole world." He laughed, feeling Ren's hair against his face. "I'm always gonna be here, okay? Promise." He reached down, looping his pinky with Ren's.

"Promise." Ren echoed. "And, I'll always be here, too. I never wanna go anywhere, if you're not with me. And, if you have to go somewhere, I'll go, too." He cleared his throat dramatically, pulling back to clasp Goro's hands in his and stare directly into his eyes. "Like Red Hawk said, I've always got your back, even if you're scared or lost. Because that's what true friends do." He ended in a grin.

Goro squeezed Ren's hands, wondering if Ren even considered that Ren Hawk had said that to one of the show's villains. The same villain, coincidentally, that was Ren's favorite. The one that he always pretended to be when they played together.

"Hey, Ren?" Goro looked down at where Ren still held onto him. "Why is Black Condor your favorite, anyway? I never got why you like him so much."

With a squeal, Ren tugged his hands away, grabbing out a new notebook and flipping through it excitedly. "Because he's the coolest!" Ren exclaimed. "Even though he betrayed Red Hawk, it's obvious that he cared about him! I think it's gonna come out that Black Condor was forced to do it somehow. I mean, look at them! They were best friends!" He showed Goro a page of collaged magazine pieces of Red Hawk and Black condor, including a lot of promotional material with them side by side.

"You're right." Goro nodded, even if he wasn't so sure himself. "You were the one who predicted that Black Condor was hiding a really big secret that he didn't want anyone else to know. You've always been super perceptive about Phoenix Ranger Featherman R."

Ren nodded quickly. "It's the best! I like it better than all the other Featherman shows, too. It has the coolest characters, and action scenes, and I just love it so much!" He laughed, hugging the book to his chest.

A shrill bell rang through the school, indicating that anyone remaining in the building needed to start heading out so that staff could lock up for the evening. Goro picked up his half-eaten onigiri, tucked his homework in his bag, and moved to stand with it thrown over his shoulders.

"Wait, Goro!" Ren took ahold of his wrist while his other hand dug through his bag. "I saved up my allowance to buy something really special, and I completely forgot that I brought it today to try it out!" He pulled out a bright green polaroid camera, one clearly made for kids. "I wanna take a picture with you before we go home."

Goro chuckled, settling back on the floor and leaning towards Ren until their shoulder's touched. "Alright, but you need to make it quick so we don't get in trouble."

Ren nodded quickly, fumbling with the camera as he held it out to point towards them. "I will! It's super cool though, Goro, watch!"

Ren pressed the button to snap a picture, both of them grinning, and it took only moments for a dark photo to print out. "It takes a little bit to show up, but it's really fun! I hope it's all ready for you to see before I have to get off the train." He slipped the camera into his bag, then carefully tucked the developing photo between pages of his notebook. "Okay, we can go now."

Goro stood and held a hand out to Ren, who was just finishing putting them away. "Alright. Time to head home." Ren nodded, taking Goro's hand and accepting the help up.

"The term is gonna be over soon, and I want to really work hard getting caught up during summer." Ren declared, wobbling a little bit from the weight of his bag. He giggled as Goro stabilized him. "But, I really want to play with you a bunch, too. I wanna see you every day!"

Goro laughed, walking with Ren out of the classroom. "We need to plan to hang out at the park every single day, or sometimes at our houses. Mama will be happy that I'm not just at home by myself all day."

Ren nodded, bouncing on his feet with excitement in every step. "Uh-huh! And my parents won't mind, as long as I study and get all my chores done, too. I can't wait!"

The two talked and laughed with every moment they had together on the way to the station, Ren swinging their still intertwined hands back and forth with each step. When it came time to separate, Ren's stop coming one before Goro's, they parted in a tight hug.

As the train began to move once more, Goro now sat alone with his onigiri set on his lap, still unfinished, and the joy that Ren brought slowly dissipating from the air around him. It was Wednesday, his mom never came home before he was asleep on Wednesdays. There were still a few packs of instant ramen in the cupboards, he knew, but his mom couldn't shop until Friday, so it might be better to leave them tonight. He still had a few bites left, and that would be plenty to hold him over until tomorrow.

Goro hopped off the train once his stop came, starting to walk towards the empty house he'd known all his life. He knew his mom worked as hard as she could, provided the best life for him that she could, but he wished someone was there to help her. He wasn't old enough to work yet, even if she'd let him help with day-to-day expenses. If only he had two parents, like Ren did, who were happy and comfortable in their life. Even though they were always so busy, like his mom, they knew that Ren was taken care of. He'd give anything for his mom to be able to live the way they did.

Well, he'd give anything except for Ren. There wasn't a single thing in the world that would take Ren from him, not as long as Goro could help it. He wasn't sure if Ren would be able to manage without him.

Meanwhile, Ren only kept up a smile as long as he worried Goro could see him. He hoped that his parents weren't home, so he didn't have to show them the test that he'd failed. He always heard Goro talking about how much he hoped to see his mom every day, and Ren didn't feel like it was fair if he ever said that he didn't want to see his parents at all. Not when all they brought was words as cold as their treatment of him. When he'd turned eight just a few months before, they'd declared that he'd proven his ability to be independent, and knew he'd be just fine caring mostly for himself so that they could relax and enjoy their lives.

Ren knew that they were right. He was able to care for himself, cooking and cleaning all on his own. They provided him the money and resources that he needed, and he was perfectly healthy and responsible because of it. He knew that he'd trade all of that in an instant for the love that Goro's mom had for him. She loved Ren more than his own parents did. He'd had people say that his parents loved him in their own way, but when they'd never so much as said those words, he knew better than to believe it.

Only several minutes after leaving the train did Ren remember the photo in his bag. He dug it out quickly, finding it now fully pictured. The two of them were squeezed together, half of Ren's face cut off by his poor angling, wide grins on each of their faces. Ren laughed as he saw the rice stuck around his lips.

At least he had Goro by his side, and always would. They would be best friends forever, just like he'd promised.

The splattering of rain on the rooftop came at a quarter until the school day ended. Ren looked to the window from the last of his work, seeing that it was already streaked with droplets. He hadn't checked the weather that morning, but the sky had been clear on his walk to school. He should've thought to bring an umbrella just in case.

When others piled at the door, Ren lingered, neatly putting away his things while knowing how soaked they'd become before he made it home. At least it wasn't heavy enough for his things to be ruined—for the time being.

However, as Ren changed his shoes, he felt a soft tap on his shoulder. When Ren turned, still half balanced on one foot, he was met with Goro's amused smile.

"You don't have an umbrella with you, huh?" Goro asked, pinching Ren's ear once he was again on both feet. "Share mine with me, I'll walk with you to the station. If the rain hasn't slowed down by the time we reach your stop, I can bring you home."

Ren picked up his bag with a sheepish smile. "Thanks, Goro. I can make it home from the station alright, though, even if it's still raining!" He insisted, following Goro to the entrance of their school.

Goro, however, was frowning. Ren was usually so much more bubbly, he'd expected to be hugged and met with excitement from Ren at the offer. "Actually, Ren, why don't you come to my house instead? The rain is only supposed to last for a few hours, so we can play while you wait it out."

Before even receiving an answer, Goro took Ren's hand and unfurled his umbrella. Ren clasped onto him, following quickly. "Really, I can? You promise it won't be a problem?"

Goro tugged on Ren's hand, making him bump against Goro and giggle. "No way! Mom already said she wouldn't be home until really late, and I need someone to watch the premiere of the new Featherman episode with!"

Ren squeezed onto his hand, leaning closer once they set out into the rain. "I forgot that was tonight!" He gasped. "Do you think we're gonna see Black Condor again? It's been like a thousand weeks!"

A snorted laugh broke past Goro's lips. "It's only been four, Ren, and last week didn't even have an episode because they took a short break. But, yeah, I bet we will. I'm more upset that, since there've been so many fight scenes, we didn't even get to see Red Hawk's face these last two episodes! He'd better take it off this time."

Ren giggled, releasing Goro's hand to hook their arms together. "What do you like so much about his face? He's got that dumb and floppy hairstyle, too."

"What!?" Goro exclaimed, gasping in dramatic offense. "His hairstyle is not dumb! Red Hawk is objectively very attractive, and he's the most pleasant to look at in the entire show. His face just makes me happy, okay?"

Ren leaned his head towards Goro's shoulder, feeling raindrops hitting his arm. "Black Condor is way more attractive than Red Hawk, and I'm sure a whole bunch of people agree with me. He's all mysterious and dark..." Ren swooned, laughing at the roll of Goro's eyes.

"He is mysterious." Goro relented. "I guess we'll just have to accept the difference of opinion. Even though one of us is obviously right." He lifted the umbrella higher to poke the handle against Ren's cheek. "You said before that Black Condor's smile reminds you of mine. Maybe that's why he makes you happy."

Ren puffed out his cheeks in response, but nodded along. "Probably. Your smile does make me super happy."

As the train rolled past several stops, including Ren's own, they chatted and laughed about the show they both loved so much. Goro recalled when they'd first met, one and a half years before, and Ren had been so bright-eyed and joyful upon finding another fan who would talk with him about the shows.

When they did come to Goro's stop, he dragged Ren off the train, putting the umbrella up to protect them from the still persistent rain. They soon arrived at Goro's home, free from the potential for a strong gust of wind leaving them soaked regardless of precaution. They dried their shoes before slipping them off, and Goro put his umbrella away for the day.

"What do you want to do until the episode starts?" Goro asked as he flicked on the light and turned the lock on the door. "We obviously can't play outside like we usually do, and there's not enough room inside for us to run around."

Ren crossed his arms, deliberating with a serious expression as he glanced around, hoping for a clue to present itself among the organized clutter. It seemed a success when a grin broke out on Ren's face and he spun to look at Goro. "Do you know how to build a fort?"

Goro laughed, Ren's enthusiasm infectious. "Yeah, I do! We can even watch Featherman in it later, too. How big do you want it to be?"

Ren threw his arms out in display of the size he wanted. "It should be huge, and super cozy! I've never actually built a fort before, but I really want to. You'll help me, right?" His eyes were wide like a puppy's.

"Of course!" Goro ruffled his hair playfully. "Help me gather up pillows and blankets. Then, we can grab a few chairs to hold it all up, okay? We have some extras in the closet, I think, for when it gets cold."

Goro led Ren to the closet where heavy coats and blankets were kept, handing the lighter of two to Ren and taking the other himself. They were larger than other blankets he owned, though not much thicker. He and his mom would typically have them folded in half to make up for that.

With blankets now set aside in the living room, Goro instructed Ren to help him move the two folded chairs from his dining area to sit on either side of the area they'd designated to build their fort.

"Hm..." Goro frowned, looking at the placement of the chairs. "The fort will be way too close to the ground if we keep things like this. We should move the chairs closer together, and have it longer in the back, that way it can be held up over the couch."

Ren nodded, mostly because it was Goro telling him, and Goro was always right. "Okay! It'd be sad if the fort fell on top of us 'cause it's too short."

Goro first instructed Ren to help him lay the smaller of the two blankets out on the floor for them to lay on. Then, they spaced the chairs so that the thin side of the other blanket would drape over them. After a few failed attempts on Ren's part, Goro tied down both sides while Ren held them in place. Finally, they threw the opposite end of that blanket over the couch and Goro put a couple books on top to keep it secure.

"We did it!" Ren cheered, his cheeks pink from how hard he was smiling. "What do we play in a fort, though? We can't run around." He looked towards Goro, certain that he'd have an answer.

Goro hummed in thought, not quite sure himself. "What if we pretend that it's our secret hideout, and we're hiding from a bad guy?" He suggested, quite proud of the idea. "Oh, and we can brainstorm ways to defeat him!"

Ren nodded quickly. "Yes, let's do that! But instead of a bad guy, I wanna hide from a monster. A huge, scary monster!" He stretched his arms out wide, displaying the side of the monster he imagined.

"Yeah, let's do that!" Goro agreed. "But why a monster?" He asked as he ducked under the blankets and huddled in the back of the fort, Ren able to sit up easily but Goro needing to hunch over.

Ren shrugged, tapping his fingers on his legs. "Dunno. Monsters are scarier than bad guys, I think. Oh, and we get to decide what the monster looks like, too! That's important." He giggled. "You'll protect me from the monster, won't you?"

Goro bit back an argument that an evil human could be far scarier than a monster. "Of course, Ren. You know I'll always protect you." At the very least, he could protect his friend from an imaginary monster.

With a squeal, Ren threw his arms around Goro. "You're the best!" He declared. "My hero, as always." He scooted closer, pressing up against Goro. He liked how warm Goro was, but he'd never really known why.

Goro's stomach flipped at being called Ren's hero. His mom called him her hero, too. What was the standard, if the words and actions that came naturally to him made him heroic? "I guess all that time playing as Red Hawk is rubbing off on me." Goro joked. "Tell me what the monster looks like."

Ren crossed his arms, contemplating. "Um...I don't think it should be big. Monsters are always big, and that's boring, so it should be smaller. The size of a fox, I think." He nodded. "Yeah. And it won't have eyes, because that's scarier than monsters with a whole bunch of eyes."

"You're putting a lot of thought into this." Goro teased, surprised by Ren's description. "Okay, how about this..." His contemplation was cut off by a crash of thunder and Ren's startled yelp. Arms were suddenly squeezing around him, and Goro instinctively hugged Ren close.

Goro took a deep breath, feeling how his friend shook. "This monster, I'd say it shouldn't have sharp teeth or claws. Instead, it's sneaky, and it growls really loud when you least expect it. But, you see, this monster has one big weakness. It can't scare you when you're being given a big hug." He held Ren tighter, feeling a wet droplet fall onto his neck. "It can't get you. Not when I'm here. And even when I'm not, all you've gotta do is think about how it feels when I hug you, and you'll be completely safe. Okay?"

"Okay..." Ren sniffled. "I'm not scared. Not scared at all. No monster is gonna get me when you've already got me. I'll remember what to do if the monster scares me again, promise." He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve once he slowly pulled back.

Goro offered him a gentle smile. "Good. I'm your hero, right? And heroes always save people from monsters, no matter what." He squeezed Ren's shoulder gently. "Hey, your parents aren't going to be home for dinner, right? You can eat with me tonight."

Ren smiled faintly. "Really? You're sure? Um, I can cook something, I think! I wanna do something for you, too..." He looked up at the blanket draped above their heads. "If the monster comes back, you'll give me another hug, won't you? I dunno if it's safe out there."

"Yeah, I will." Goro promised. "It's safe, Ren. Come on." He crawled out from the fort, Ren following close behind. Once out, he offered a hand to Ren and pulled him up. "You don't have to cook anything, you know. I've got ramen and stuff. Mama was able to make some extra money last week, so we have plenty!"

Ren shook his head adamantly. "No, I wanna do something special! I don't remember a whole lot off the top of my head, but if you have some rice and eggs then I can make omurice!" He insisted.

Goro couldn't help but surrender to Ren's determination to cook dinner for them. "Okay, but I'm going to wash all of the dishes after. I think we have some rice and a few eggs still. Come on, let's go see."

With a small bag of rice and two eggs set out beside him, Ren grabbed the step stool that Goro usually used when he needed something up high. "I don't know how to use oil, so I just boil the rice instead, 'cause I can do that." He explained, lifting up a saucepan from one of the cupboards and kicking the stool towards the sink so he could fill it up with water. "It's still good, so I don't think it matters. I am really good at not getting egg shell everywhere, though! Only gotta pick out a few pieces most of the time." Ren proudly declared as he turned on the water.

Goro stood back to watch, noticing just how confident Ren seemed. He'd already known that Ren taught himself to cook because of the onigiri he'd brought to school recently, but he could easily impress some of the students going into junior high!

Once Ren deemed there was enough water in the saucepan, he heaved it from the sink with a strained grunt. Goro steadied him while he got down from the stool and struggled to lift it up onto the stove. "You okay?" Goro asked softly. "Don't push yourself, okay?"

"I've got it!" Ren insisted, dragging the stepstool back over and using it to get up to the stove. After looking around for a moment, he figured out how to turn the heat on. "There! Now we've gotta wait for it to boil."

Goro nodded. "Your parents must be really proud that you can do so much for yourself." He remarked casually, only somewhat picking up on the fall of Ren's shoulders.

"Um..." Ren looked down at his feet. "Actually, I don't think they really know. They've never mentioned it. I mean, they told me that I'm really good at taking care of myself, but that's it." He bit his cheek when he felt his eyes starting to sting. "Is your mom proud that you can manage at night on your own?"

Goro crossed his arms. "Of course she is! I bet your parents just don't say it, even though they feel it. Since they work so hard to make sure you've always got everything you need, that means they really care about you." He grinned, assuming that there couldn't be any other reason Ren so rarely saw his parents.

Ren turned his back to Goro, looking at the heating pot of water. "Yeah, probably." His parents weren't busy working, though. He knew that they were always out doing whatever adults did for fun, they'd told him as much. Parents who cared wouldn't just roll their eyes when their kid told them that being home alone at night made him feel scared.

The silence worried Goro. Did Ren have a fight with his parents? He never heard Ren talk about them, unless he was saying that they wouldn't be home. Then again, maybe Ren just didn't like being alone so much. He understood that.

When the water began to boil, Ren got up on the stool and carefully dumped some of the rice into the saucepan, trying to remember how much was supposed to go into that much water. If it was too watery, then he could cook it longer or add more rice. If it was too dry, he could pour some more water in.

Goro stood back, watching Ren work. He'd offer to help, but he had no idea how to do more than make a bowl of ramen. He barely even knew how to work a stove! Instead, he grabbed out two plates and two forks for both of them. When he set them on the counter, Ren was pushing the rice away from the heat. Since he'd be moving onto the eggs next, Goro grabbed out a frying pan for him and set it on the same burner where the rice had been. "Here. It needs to heat up for a little, right?"

Ren nodded, stepping down from the stool. "Uh-huh. Otherwise the eggs take forever to cook, and it's super boring cause I still have to watch them the whole time. Do you have ketchup to put on them? That's the other important thing, but I guess they can be eaten on their own."

"Yeah, I do!" Goro confirmed. "Rice and eggs all on their own would probably be pretty bland, huh? Even though I'm sure it would still be good." He leaned back against the counter. "Sometimes when I have a day off of school and mama doesn't have work and isn't too tired in the morning, she'll make eggs for us. She's not too good at it, though, and they burn a lot of the time." He giggled. "So she always makes sure we have a little ketchup to put on them, so they'll taste alright." It was one of few things that his mom ever cooked. He never complained about them being burnt, though. He saw the dark bags under her eyes even then.

"That sounds really nice." Ren smiled half-heartedly. "Hey, Goro, is it true that stuff tastes better if it's cooked with love? I hear that sometimes in books and shows, but I dunno if it's real."

Goro placed a hand on Ren's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Yeah, it is. When I learn how to cook, I'm going to make you something with so much love that you know for sure that it's true. Okay?"

"Okay!" Ren grinned, giving Goro a tight hug. He couldn't wait. Hopefully Goro would learn how to cook soon.

Ren's care with the eggs led to only one of the shells breaking into the bowl, and the pieces were big enough to easily scoop out with a fork. He was proud that he'd gotten so good at it. One egg was cooked at a time, with roughly half of the rice folded into it. Soon, both plates had a steaming omurice served onto them.

"Ren, did you bring your camera?" Goro asked as Ren turned the heat off and pushed the pan aside. "I want to take a picture of you holding both of the plates."

Hopping off of the stool, Ren's face lit up. "Yes, please! It's in my bag, can you go get it? Oh, should I put the ketchup on them, so it looks pretty like on TV?" He was practically bouncing with excitement.

Goro laughed. "Yeah, definitely. I'll be right back." He left the kitchen to find Ren's camera. It was set in his bag, as he'd said, on top of all his other things. Goro wondered what else Ren had taken pictures of since he'd bought it.

"I've got it!" Goro called out, carrying the camera with him to the kitchen, where Ren waited impatiently. "Okay, hold both plates carefully, then I'll take the picture." He instructed.

The omurice definitely didn't look professional quality. The eggs looked just the way his mom made them, and rice was strewn all over the plate. The ketchup as well had splattered everywhere, but Ren beamed as if he had just won a prize.

With a smile of his own, Goro snapped the picture, then he set the camera down to take one of the plates from Ren. "It looks perfect." He assured Ren. "Let's eat."

After Ren had put his camera and the picture away, they stood at the counter together to eat. The chairs were holding up the fort still, and there wasn't anywhere else to sit. The omurice really did taste good. Goro thought so, at least. The rice was a little bit crunchy, and the eggs were definitely more burnt than when his mom made them, but all Goro could really taste was the effort that Ren put into making dinner for the both of them. Ren appeared to feel the same.

"Ren?" Goro asked softly once they'd finished eating. "Um...even if your parents aren't very proud of everything you can do, I am. You're amazing. I mean, seriously, you've got to be the coolest person in our whole school. You should be proud."

Hearing Goro's praise made Ren sniffle. "Thank you." He rubbed at his eyes, a faint smile on his face. "Hearing that makes me happy. I want to cook for you again, okay? Promise that I can?"

Goro nodded. "Yeah, Ren, I promise. As long as you promise me that you'll never stop being confident in yourself. You say I'm super smart, right? Then you should believe me when I say that I couldn't be prouder to be your best friend."

"Okay." Ren giggled. "Can we keep playing until the episode starts? I have to go home when it's done, 'cause it's getting late, but we can talk about the episode tomorrow!"

Goro smiled. "Yeah, of course!" He stood up, pulling Ren from his chair and dragging him back to the fort. Dishes would be cleaned once Ren left, as would pillows and blankets currently strewn across the floor, but neither chores nor cleanliness mattered now. There wasn't a care for anything but each other in either of their minds.

Later that night, Goro wondered about Ren's relationship with his parents. He never talked about his mom like Ren did. Even though he missed her a lot, the memories he did have with her were nearly all happy ones. Ren had never told Goro anything happy about his parents.

They worked hard so that Ren had everything he needed and more. Goro's own mother made time for him whenever she could, but Ren's parents didn't seem to. Why was that, when they didn't have to work themselves to perpetual exhaustion just to make ends meet? Surely they were trying their best, but it was no wonder Ren seemed so sad about their absence.

If Goro ever met Ren's parents, he'd have to tell them that Ren needs them around more than he needs them to work so hard. They'd realize sooner or later that it was worth being with their son over a few more luxuries.

Ren knew that as the hour grew late, the chance of his parents being home when he arrived increased greatly. Would they have noticed he wasn't home? Would they be mad about him being out so late when he needed to clean or to study? Or would they ignore him regardless? He never could know for sure.

Tonight had been the first time in months that he'd sat down and shared a meal with someone outside of school, though. That brought him enough joy and warmth to hide that empty feeling in his chest, at least until morning. However, in the back of his mind lingered the memory of Goro describing having breakfast with his mom. Ren wished he'd had a story to add, but he didn't even remember what his parents' smiles looked like outside of photographs.

Ren wondered if it was possible to trade for parents who actually loved him. Probably not, though. Even if he could, he didn't know if those people could even exist. A second chance, at least, so he could try not to lose it again.

The summer sun beat down on the swings and slide of the little playground tucked in between two small neighborhoods. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, no fear of rain ruining a fun day. Laughter rang out, and though it was shared only between two boys, their joy was equal to that of a park filled with children.

Ren ducked beneath a slide, clutching a toy kitchen knife with a bulky blade and turquoise handle. His giggling alone brought life into the otherwise desolate playground. Goro chased after him—though his chase was little more than a light jog on account of his friend's shorter legs—with a toy gun identical to the one Red Hawk used in Featherman.

"You can run from me, but justice will always catch you!" Goro shrieked gleefully. "I won't rest until I've defeated you, villain!" He skirted around the bottles of water he'd brought, having correctly predicted Ren forgetting to bring his own.

"Then I guess you're never ever gonna rest!" Ren laughed, his cheeks pink from heat and happiness. "Not until I finish you off, I mean!" Most days there were other kids playing here, too, but he liked having the park just for him and Goro.

Ren nearly bumped into the side of the playground equipment before spinning on his heel, only to be faced with Goro blocking his escape. He fumbled to raise his knife, glancing side to side as he planned his next move.

Goro pointed his toy gun towards Ren, mimicking the sound effects from the show as Ren dropped to the ground. While Goro giggled, Ren lunged forward, trying to poke Goro with his knife. Quickly, Goro danced back, faking a couple more shots while pretending that all of them missed, despite Ren's clumsy dodging.

Finally, Ren managed to graze Goro's arm with his knife, yelling in delight once he did. Goro snickered as he held his arm, using Ren's distraction to put some distance between them.

"You won't get lucky again!" Goro yelled, pretending to awkwardly reload his gun with his faux-injured arm. What would a laser gun be reloaded with, if it even was? He wasn't sure, but he liked the dramatics of it.

Goro charged again, Ren scrambling to get away with sharp laughter. Ren's knuckles were white from how he gripped his knife, the bulky plastic threatening to slip if he wasn't careful. He couldn't beat Goro without a weapon!

As Ren scrambled up the stairs of the playground equipment, he snatched onto the rail, nearly slipping in his attempts to escape his pursuer. In his attempts to regain balance, however, Goro hopped up after him easily, more comfortable with his long legs and in control of his body.

Goro pointed his toy gun towards Ren. "I have you now, villain! Surrender, and I'll spare you life!" He kept a few steps back, allowing Ren to fully steady himself and briefly catch his breath.

"Never!" Ren yelled, brandishing his knife. "I'm not gonna lose to a hero like you! You might have caught up to me, but I'll take you out!" Goro always won. He always wanted Goro to win. His hero would always beat any villain. Still, the fight was what made him feel complete. Every second of their games did.

Goro took a step to the side, approaching Ren in a way that gave him ample opportunity to make his escape. Ren, high on adrenaline, followed the cue in a mirrored motion. His feet tapped slowly onto the playground equipment, his only focus on his best friend. He wasn't watching his next step.

"Hey, Ren, careful!" Goro shouted, seeing Ren growing dangerously close to the gap in the rails that led to the attached monkey bars. However, Ren couldn't react quickly enough, that last step already half-taken and his mind not quick enough to stop it.

Ren's toe caught on the edge, sending him staggering back. He snatched for one of the rails, but his small and sweaty fingers couldn't grab ahold tightly enough. The less than quarter-meter fall sent Ren tumbling onto the grit with a pained and frightened cry.

Goro dropped his toy without a thought and jumped down behind Ren, landing and kneeling at his side. "Ren, hey, are you okay? Come on, sit up, let me see." He could already see how his friend was curling in on himself and hiccupping through suppressed tears. "Ren?"

"You w-won." Ren choked out, his palm and knee burning from how he'd tried instinctively to brace himself. He'd never realized how sharp the grit they ran on so many times could be. "You beat me. Leave me here, hero, it's over." His voice trembled, but even through pain and the remnants of fear, he didn't want to end their game.

Goro placed his hand carefully on Ren's shoulder. "Heroes don't leave anyone injured or sad alone. It's because I'm a hero that I want to help you. Come on, I brought some band-aids with me if you got any cuts, and we can use the water to rinse stuff off first."

"...Okay." Ren sniffled. "It hurts a lot. I don't wanna walk, though, and I don't want you to go!" He stubbornly exclaimed, a couple large tears falling down his cheeks.

Goro sighed. "Ren, I won't go far, and I'll be quick. Okay? You need to be cleaned up." He gently placed a hand over Ren's. "I promise, I'll be back before you know it. I'm a hero, that means I always keep my promises." He offered a reassuring smile.

Ren nodded hesitantly. "Be right back, okay?" He sniffled, raising the hand that stung less to wipe the back of over his eye. "I'll wait for you."

Goro raced to the other side of the playground, grabbing one of the bottles and fishing out a few of the handful of bandages he kept in his backpack. Once everything was back in hand, he sprinted back to Ren.

"I'm back!" Goro announced, seeing that Ren hadn't moved. He was probably scared to see how hurt he'd gotten. Ren got squeamish around blood, even tiny bits of fake blood in other shows or movies. "Let me see your hands?" Goro requested gently, holding out one of his own.

Ren shakily offered Goro his hand, covered still in grit with little pools of blood forming around some of them. "I need to brush it off, okay?" Goro told him. "It's going to hurt, but it's going to be okay. I'll be as gentle as I can."

With reluctance, Ren agreed, wincing as Goro carefully wiped the grit off Ren's hand with his thumb. He should've brough some sort of cloth. There were scrapes mostly around the heel of Ren's palm, and Goro poured a little bit of water over them before applying a couple of band-aids. The next hand wasn't so bad, but still needed one.

"Legs next." Goro murmured, glancing at the depleting pile of bandages and hoping that he had enough. Slowly, he helped Ren to sit with his legs out, heart twisting at the little whimpers and flinches from his friend. Like he feared, Ren's knees were worse.

The first wasn't as bad, the scrapes nasty-looking but too shallow to bleed much. The other, though, was the one to take the brunt of the fall. The scrapes covered the expanse of Ren's little knee, bleeding enough to drip slowly down his leg. The water bottle was already half-empty, and this looked like it would take a lot.

Slowly, Goro dumped the rest of the water over Ren's knee, wincing when Ren let out a cry of pain and tried to tug his leg back. The sudden bend of his knee only served to make the pain worse. Due to shaky hands, Goro dropped one of the opened band-aids on the ground. It took three more to cover Ren's knee, using up the last of them. Fortunately, all Ren's injuries were covered by then.

"Come here." Goro murmured, his voice trembling, as he scooted closer to Ren. He wrapped his arms around his friend, biting his lip when Ren buried his face in Goro's chest with a pained sob. "It's okay, it's okay. I promise I'll always do my best to look out for you, next time I'll be more careful."

Ren sniffled loudly. "It's okay...I should've been watching where I was going. I don't wanna fight anymore, though. My legs hurt too much." He pouted, wishing they could've finished their game properly.

Goro nodded against Ren's hair. "Of course. I'll walk you home later, kay? That way I can help if your legs start to hurt so much you have trouble walking. Nothing feels sprained or broken, right?"

Ren shook his head. "No, didn't land on my ankles or anything, and my wrists are just a tiny bit sore. I'm okay other than the scrapes, promise." He took a slow breath, pulling back to wipe his eyes again. "I wanna play a little longer."

"Okay." Goro sat back, eyes darting between Ren's injuries to make sure he hadn't missed anything. "What do you want to do now? Any ideas?"

Ren frowned in contemplation, looking around before quickly wobbling to his feet and running across the playground to his bag. His legs must not hurt so much anymore, then. Goro smiled knowing that Ren would be just fine.

Beaming, wounds forgotten, Ren fished his camera from his bag and waved his above his head. Goro stood, wondering what Ren had in mind. Whatever it was had him very excited.

"Hero!" Ren yelled out, jogging back to where Goro waited and holding up his camera. "You beat the villain! You're so cool!" He giggled. "Can I take a picture for the newspaper? Everyone needs to know how awesome and heroic you are!"

Goro snorted in amusement, nodding as he reached onto the playground equipment to retrieve his toy gun. "Of course, I want everybody to know that I'm here to defend them." He struck a pose with his gun, a toothy grin on his face.

Ren snapped a picture, his eyes almost seeming to sparkle. "I'll treasure this forever!" He promised as the photo printed, then took it carefully into his hand. He meant it, too. He treasured every memory they'd made. He treasured every moment at Goro's side, the way it made those apart easier to bear. He was grateful for it all. "I want to be a hero, too."

"You can be." Goro placed a hand on Ren's shoulder, no longer sure where their game ended and reality began. "Anyone can be a hero. I didn't set out to be one, but I have a friend who needs me to be. He doesn't have any other heroes right now." He gently ruffled Ren's hair, a grin on his face. "Everyone deserves a hero, and until all the injustice in the world is gone, I want to be one."

Ren threw his arms around Goro, squeezing tight. "You don't need to try. You're a hero no matter what, because there's so much good in you. Don't let anybody ever say you aren't one. You always will be for me."

"We should start heading home." Goro murmured, returning Ren's hug. "I wanna clean up before mama comes home, and I've still got a little homework left, too." He felt Ren's nod, but didn't feel his grip loosen. "We can wait a few more minutes, though."

When Ren was finally ready to take a step back, he watched as Goro gathered everything in his bag and hooked it over his shoulder. Ren took his hand after picking up his own things, new photograph already tucked away. "Okay, we can go."

They were quiet, strangely. Any other moment the two would be chatting away, but the silence felt better this time. Maybe even necessary. Ren walked close, almost tripping Goro at one point, to which they'd both snickered. The path back to Ren's home felt prettier today.

It was a hesitant parting, as they often were, but Ren noticed only when he got inside that he wasn't hurting anywhere. The band-aids on his hands and knees felt itchy on his skin, but little more. The first thing he did after removing his shoes was to find his family's first aid kit and drop a few band-aids into his bag. He had to be ready if Goro, or anyone else, got hurt.

Goro was grinning with pride as he turned to walk home. Ren had been so brave and recovered so quickly. Not a year prior, Ren had been near inconsolable over a papercut he'd got while Goro was helping him read a book slightly more challenging than Ren was used to. His friend was quickly growing stronger, maybe too quickly in some aspects, but it felt good to know Ren would be able to handle himself if Goro wasn't around. The sun was still shining bright when he arrived home, mind wandered to what kind of mask he should make for the upcoming festival. He couldn't wait to explore it with Ren.

The sun was dipping low, only an hour to pass before it kissed the horizon. The looming sunset was no deterrent when the street promised to light up long before darkness could hit. Paper windsocks and kimonos of every color a small mind could imagine swayed in the gentle breeze, laughter of friends and families heard before even the lanterns were seen.

Goro had to slow his excitement for Ren to run beside him, the pace barely faster than walking due to the younger boy's lack of experience wearing geta combined with the clumsiness expected of someone still growing. It didn't hinder Ren's enthusiasm, however, nor did the feeling of the edges on his yukata's sleeves brushing too high on his arms.. The indigo garment had only been worn three times prior, so he didn't mind it not fitting so well.

As for Goro, he was still grinning from showing Ren the yukata his mother had gifted him only the night before. It was a gorgeous crimson, a near identical shade to both his eyes and hers. White stripes flowed across the fabric that he never wanted to take off.

Wooden animal masks were strapped to each of their heads. A fox for Goro, a cat for Ren. They'd painted them a week ago, on the floor of Ren's home with watercolors he'd bought just for the occasion. Neither had the talent nor the practice of an artist, but they could have been masterpieces for how cherished they'd instantly become.

"We need to make wishes!" Ren squeezed Goro's hand, his shoes knocking on the ground. "That's my favorite part of the festival. I love seeing them all up there, blowing in the wind. I like to think that if mine doesn't come true, it was so someone else's could."

Goro nodded. "I like it, too. It feels special to be a part of something so big. And you know, maybe some wishes just take longer than others to come true. The spirits might have had to wait because it wasn't the right time yet. Mama used to say that sort of thing a lot."

Ren considered Goro's explanation. He didn't think it was right this time, though. There just wasn't any force strong enough to change his parents. "Well, I hope my wish comes true this year. I already know what, and it's so important!"

"Yeah?" Goro laughed. "Well, me too. I've got the most important wish, maybe for the whole festival! I'm positive that it's going to come true, though, because I'm going to make sure of it."

Ren was going to do the same. "What else do you wanna do?" Ren asked, seeing the festival's entrance come into view. "I definitely wanna play the shooting game! I did really bad last year, cause I could barely seen anything and my aim was super bad, but I know I'll do a lot better now!"

"I'm sure you will." Goro bumped his shoulder against Ren's. "But don't start thinking that means you'll be able to beat me!" He teased playfully. "I want to see some of the dances. I think it's really cool how they can move, and I guess it's sorta like the fight scenes in Featherman."

Ren frowned, unsure of the comparison. "I don't get it. How's that similar at all? The dancing is like-like dancing, and fighting is fighting!" He huffed, partly frustrated by the struggle to find how to describe what he wanted to.

Goro understood, at least, and hummed contemplatively as he decided how best to explain it to Ren. "Well, to start, they're both planned out and practiced. And they're both used to put on a show! There's a reason for all the movement and the expression, so I think they aren't very different."

"Okay..." Ren was still uncertain, but he figured Goro's explanation made at least a little bit of sense. "We'll go see some dances, then! I like them, too. All the outfits are so pretty, and it's awesome how happy the dancers can make people just by dancing!"

Goro beamed in response. "We can play games first, though, since they have those by the front of the festival. Come on!" He kept ahold of Ren's hand so they wouldn't get lost in the crowds, pushing past people much taller than them and the laughing children that accompanied them.

A crowd had formed in front of the shooting game Ren liked to play, one where targets would be knocked down by cork bullets. The prizes were smaller things, a tiny stuffed toy or a small snack. Ren didn't care to win, not for a prize.

Ren studied each player through narrowed eyes as he waited for his turn, studying their methods and hoping to replicate them somewhat for his own victory. It was hard to really see the differences, though, when it seemed like all they did was aim and shoot. He squinted further, so much that he could barely see, before needing to stop because it was straining the muscles around his eyes.

Goro was watching them, too, seeing the difference in stance and how they held the toy guns. The more confident someone looked, the better they usually did. There was one girl who didn't look to be far from junior high, if still in it, who caught Goro's attention particularly. She took the gun in one hand while everyone else used two. When she fired, it was like she could see a pointer to exactly where the cork would hit. All but one shot was dead on, and she groaned jokingly to her friends as they continued on laughing to other games. Goro wanted to be that cool one day.

When it finally came to their turn, Ren fumbled with his hold on the gun. With his practice, Goro was steady, but he still had little more experience than Ren when it came to actual aim. He'd never liked the recoil on the firing toys, either, minimal though it was. He glanced to Ren, who was firing his first shot. It missed, as did the second, but Ren's screeching cheer alerted the entire festival that the last shot was a success. He'd won a tiny stuffed cat.

Goro took his focus on the items laid out. One of the snacks was made from dried squid, which he knew his mother liked. She hadn't been able to come with this year, so he wanted to bring her back something! He missed first, the cork bullet bumping harmlessly into the platform. The second knocked it down, though. Goro was ecstatic.

"I thought you didn't like squid very much." Ren pointed out while they waited for their prizes, rocking impatiently on his heels. "At least, I think I remember you saying that."

Goro shook his head. "Not really. Mama does, though. I'm going to give it to her when I get home. She never buys snacks for herself anymore."

Ren squeezed his new cat plush as they continued on, the dried squid dropped into Goro's bag. Their wandering continued until Goro caught sight of a performance mere minutes from starting.

"I want to watch that one." Goro declared, to which Ren nodded despite not seeing anything particularly special about this dance over all others. He didn't mind, though, if Goro liked it best.

They skirted the small crowd to near the front, so the both of them could see, and waited. It wasn't long before they began. Bright colors and elegant movement took over as the traditional dance began, the beating of drums nearby.

Goro watched the dancers with wide eyes, his mouth partly open as he stared awestruck at their flawless movements. Ren just liked how happy they made his friend.

When the performance ended and they wandered away through the crowd, Goro had a smile of melancholy rather than the wonder he'd had before.

"What's wrong?" Ren asked. "Didn't you like the dance? I thought it was really good." He reached out to take Goro's hand, knowing it brought comfort even if he didn't quite understand why.

Goro shook his head. "That's not it. I'm happy, Ren, don't worry. The dance was incredible. I just remembered, when I was younger my mama used to love to dance. I think that's why I love seeing people dance. She looked really happy, when she did. It's been a while since I've seen her dance, though."

Ren squeezed Goro's hand as he thought. "You should ask her if she'll dance with you, when you're home. Maybe tomorrow. She might still love it, but forgot. You can remind her. Then you'll both be happy!"

Goro gave a wide grin. "That's a perfect idea, Ren! If she's not too tired when I get home, I'll ask if we can dance!" He couldn't remember the movements she's taught him back then. He hoped she wouldn't be disappointed to have to show him again, but he doubted that would happen.

The evening stretched on, accompanied by games, snacks, and endless laughter. Ren had never felt so much hope, because if tonight could be so wonderful, couldn't every other? No shadow loomed over his mind telling him that he wasn't enough, wasn't worth loving. The tendrils of doubt that his parents has sewn into him from such a young age were invisible when Goro was the only one who mattered. And in Goro, loneliness had been just about forgotten since he and Ren had grown so close. He was no longer used to the feeling.

As their time together drew to a close, they found their way to the bamboo tree where festival-goers hung their wishes. In an effort to seal their hopes into the stars, the two boys sat to finalize their destinies.

Ren slowly etched out his wish on the colorful strip, his hand trembling as he tried to make it perfect. If the spirits couldn't read his wish, then it wouldn't come true! With the last stroke made, Ren picked up his wish, grinning. He jogged to the bamboo tree where the rest hung, pushing to his toes to hang it high. The white paper swayed gently in the breeze, and somehow, Ren knew it would be made true someday.

Goro appeared beside him, hanging his own yellow strip of paper nearby Ren's. As their eyes met, Ren took a step back, grabbing onto Goro's hand. "It's getting really dark." He spoke quietly, reluctant.

"Yeah, it is." Goro agreed. "Hey, we'll go to next year's festival together, too. If we don't go home and sleep, we'll be too tired to play tomorrow!"

Ren smiled weakly, something hollow in his gut, though he didn't understand what or why. He wasn't quite old enough to know how intuition felt, nor how reliable it could be.

They walked towards the entrance to the festival, on the path that would soon diverge and bring them home. Ren held his little stuffed cat in his other hand, squeezing it tightly. Inevitably, it came time to go their separate ways.

"Wait." Ren grabbed Goro's hands before he could turn away, the shrill excitement that had laced his voice the entire evening softened to sincerity. "Before we go home, there's something really important that I've gotta tell you." He bowed his head slightly before looking into Goro's eyes. "I'm going to save you someday, too, Goro!"

Goro was stunned by the declaration, mouth hanging slightly agape. "What are you talking about? I know that you call me your hero, but I don't think that I've ever really saved you, have I?"

Ren shook his head rapidly. "No, you have! Lots of times! Like, you've saved me from bullies! And from being scared!" He insisted loudly before his voice quieted. "You've saved me so many times. You help me with my school work, and you play with me so I never get too lonely. When it was thundering really loudly outside, you protected me then, too. And when I scraped my knees at the park. You always do so many things for me, that's why you're my hero. I want to save you, too."

"Ren..." Goro whispered, holding his hands tighter. Goro threw his arms around Ren, squeezing his friend hard. "Let's go to the park tomorrow morning. Mama has tomorrow off work, so she'll sleep late, but maybe if we get to my house in the afternoon she'll play with us!"

Ren nodded rapidly[, pulling back from the hug before quickly snatching Goro's wrist. "Wait, we haven't taken any pictures!" He gasped, dropping Goro's hand so he could snatch the camera from his bag. "I need to remember everything about tonight, so I never forget it!"

Goro laughed, stepping close to Ren and leaning into his shoulders. Matching grins printed onto the film, the festival lights just behind them, marking a life that they never wanted to live without. Ren's arm was looped with Goro's, who bent awkwardly to his height. The moment the camera clicked was the very second it became another precious possession. Each of them were.

They parted, and Ren waved to Goro with a brilliant smile, neither knowing that it would be the last time Ren smiled so brightly for far too long. Neither knowing that, despite the perfect evening they'd spent together, the reason this day would be etched into Goro's heart was still yet to come.

The fading sunbeams flickered out completely, promising the familiar dawn of a new day, one that was expected to turn out as any other. Ren would run to the park, excited for another day of play, and wait under the hot sun until his patience wore out. Goro's house would be empty when he went to check on his friend, and no one would ever tell him where his friend had gone. Not until he heard it from Goro himself, eight years later. Eight years that would feel like a lifetime for the boy who'd only lived so long.

Goro wouldn't be at school when the following semester commenced. He wouldn't be at the park, or at the train station. The lack of his presence would follow Ren like a ghost until the only way Ren could remember his face was through precious photographs. Photographs that would someday be tucked into a box for safe keeping, caging the one remaining reminder of a joyful time.

For now, Ren walked home with a skip in his step, trying to decide what game he'd want to play once the sun rose. Two wooden plaques swayed in the breeze, knocking against one another.

I want to be Goro's hero!

I hope Ren and I can be best friends forever

In the two decades that had passed, Ren became a man near unrecognizable from the child he had been. He remembered the joy of playing with a friend, he remembered more the sorrow of being left without a goodbye and the loneliness that followed.

Ren knew his friend had been named Goro, but hadn't quite pieced together that the Akechi-San on TV had been the same boy. If it weren't for the evidence he kept close, he would have begun to wonder if Goro had been real at all. When he had seen Goro again, that forgotten warmth bubbled back up and threatened to spill. He'd known right then that he'd never let Goro leave him again.

Ten years ago, Ren had packed up everything in his childhood bedroom into cardboard boxes. The memories held in those belongings remained packed away in his closet, some still taped shut. He couldn't imagine parting with them, severing ties with that optimistic child, but he worried what would happen if he let them free.

With the house currently to himself and the approach of a new year, Ren finally decided to face the boy he feared he'd let down. So he sat, now, with three small boxes surrounding him. A couple of old action figures, a few stuffed animals, a collection of every high grade he'd gotten in all of primary school. He'd been so proud of those, to know that Ren was the top of his class at sixteen would have him overjoyed.

At the bottom of the current box he was sorting through, Ren found an envelope. No seal, no writing, just a blank envelope with carefully protected contents. Beside it was a bright green polaroid camera, still nearly full of film.

Delicately, Ren pulled the envelope from the box. It had been so many years since clumsy fingers had slowly buried the happiness he'd thought would last forever, keeping them close yet safe from wear. What he wouldn't give to go back and tell that little boy that his best friend didn't want to go away, and that he'd see him again before he knew it.

Ren's hand shook as hard as it had then as he cautiously removed those photographs he'd all but forgotten. The smooth surface almost frightened him, a reminder of when he'd pulled them out of his camera proudly, intent on showing Goro the precious memories stored inside.

Atop the pile lay the first photo he had ever taken, his and Goro's heads leaned together in front of a concrete wall, the brightest smiles on their faces. Ren had grains of rice stuck to his lips, and the gaps in his teeth that had seemed too huge back then seemed now like nothing. He poked his tongue against the tooth that had grown into one of those spots. It was cute, wasn't it? He understood Goro's urge to protect him then. How could anyone bear to make such a sweet smile disappear?

The next picture didn't exactly feature Goro(exactly, because his finger covered the top right corner of the photo) like the others. Instead, Ren was the centerpiece, a glowing subject with a small plate in each hand. On the plates were the messiest omurice he had ever seen. Had he really burnt that much of the egg? His pride alone must have saved the flavor. The rice, too, was surely either under or over cooked. Then again, Goro was probably right when he said that Ren must've been the best cook in their whole school. What other eight year old could boast that they cooked a whole meal all on their own? They didn't have to.

A photograph of one of their many days spent at that park caught Ren's eye. He remembered that day. Goro stood with the toy gun he'd always loved, wearing a bright red Featherman shirt and scuffed up black shorts. The proud smile on Goro's face reminded Ren of a paparazzi photo, which had been just what they'd tried to replicate. Behind him lay a band-aid stuck to the ground and that toy knife Ren used to play with. He wished that he still had it, despite having not thought of it in years.

There was one last photo, one of a day that Ren would never forget. He had worn an indigo yukata, the same he had the year prior. It had been a little too tight and a little too short, felt awkward on his growing body. Goro, however, had a brand new one that his mother had bought him by surprise. It was a beautiful crimson, similar to Goro's eyes, and patterned with white. Goro had looked so happy showing it to Ren. Each had a matching animal mask pushed to the side of their head, a fox for Goro and a cat for Ren. They had painted them by hand days prior, so they certainly weren't the most pleasant to look at, but it was endearing.

Ren vividly remembered the wish he'd made that day, to someday become Goro's hero. He wished it could have been in a far less terrifying context, but he certainly had made it come true. He had become a hero for so many, for everyone, and only a few of them even knew it. He liked it better that way.

"Ren?" Goro's voice called from the entryway of their home, startling Ren, who hadn't even heard the lock turn.

Ren set the pictures on his lap. "I'm in our room!" He yelled back. "Hey, um...I found some stuff while I was cleaning, and I want to show you."

Before long, Goro stepped into their bedroom, eyebrows creased. "There you are. I was a little worried, you always come running to greet me when I come home." He sat down beside Ren, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and kissing his head. "What do you have to show me?"

Ren leaned into him, holding the photographs for Goro to see. "Look! I found all those pictures I took when we were little. I thought my parents had thrown them away or something, but I've had them tucked away all this time." He smiled fondly.

"Look at us..." Goro whispered, his hand coming to cover Ren's. "You were so cute back then. Not that you aren't adorable now, of course." He chuckled. "You have the same smile, you know."

Ren studied his smile in the picture, then the one on the wall of his and Goro's wedding. "I guess I do." He grinned. "Not you, though. You still have such a sweet smile, but it's changed a lot."

"I've changed a lot." Goro reminded him. "My happiness is different, even though so much of it still comes from the same place. You, though...you never really lost anything, not like I did. Not forever, anyway. There were so many things that you didn't have to start."

Ren nuzzled against Goro's shoulder. "You were the only thing I ever really lost. Everything else didn't really matter, because it wasn't ever real. I get what you're saying." He brushed his thumb delicately over the preserved joy of his childhood self.

"Our daughter won't ever lose her smile." Goro murmured, knowing the depth of Ren's worries. "We love her, and we aren't going anywhere. She has good friends already, even got invited to a birthday party today. She won't have a childhood like ours."

Ren nodded. "Yeah, I know. I still wonder every day how my parents could care so little about me. Especially now that I have a child of my own, I can't understand it. It does make it easier, I guess, not to blame myself. I thought for so long that it had to be my fault, but there's nothing that such a young child could do to lose their parents' love. I'm still not sure if it hurts more or less to know I never had it to begin with."

Goro carefully took the picture of Ren holding the omurice, smiling down at it. "I know I'm no replacement, nothing could be. But I hope that we can make that hole feel a little smaller. Like my old therapist told me, trauma and loss may never shrink, but the world will grow around them."

"I guess that's true." Ren traced his finger over the little smile printed on his face. "You two are my world now. You two, plus dad and all my friends. LeBlanc's sister location, now, too. I'm a far cry from that lonely little kid, but I think he'll always be a part of me."

Goro nodded. "That's alright. That kid was the sweetest I ever knew. The adult is, too." He kissed the side of Ren's head. "I will say, though, I remember that omurice looking a lot better." He laughed, never noticing the rose-colored glasses he saw everything Ren did through. "Makes me wonder how the onigiri looked."

Ren chuckled, certain it was far sloppier than either of them remembered. "I hope my food looks a lot better these days. It definitely tastes better. It took forever for me to figure out how to make rice stop being so crunchy."

"Your food looks much better now." Goro agreed. "Though frankly, I'm still very impressed by what you could do back then."

Goro flipped to the next photo, from the playground. "You were so resilient, too." He murmured. "I worried for you a lot, always have. I remember that day another kid got hurt on the playground, and her dad rushed to bandage her up and give her a hug. You wanted to go home after. You never said why, but I know it was because you didn't have parents like that."

Ren smiled delicately. "I completely forgot. I didn't know why it made my chest ache, thought it was because I didn't like seeing someone hurt. You're probably right, though. Honestly, you did more to raise me than my parents ever did." He pressed his nose into Goro's neck, hugging him tighter. "Even though I lost you so soon, I don't know what I would've done if you'd never been there."

"I think you'd be here still." Goro murmured, setting that photo down. The only one remaining in Ren's hand was from the festival. "Still married to me, still with a beautiful daughter of our own. We'd have met regardless, and I'm sure I'd have fallen for you even as a stranger. I am glad, though, that I was there for a little while. If I hadn't been, we'd have spent many more nights dismantling all those things your parents made you feel."

"Mmh..." Ren nodded, recalling all the times in the early years of their relationship when Goro had to give Ren reassurance for every little thing. Every time Ren was caught calling himself stupid or selfish. The way he'd almost always devolve to tears as Goro gave him all the love he'd never dared to wish for.

Goro delicately took the final photo from Ren's hand. "I hoped I would always be your best friend. That was my wish that night. I should've wished to always be there for you, or always be in your life, instead." He chuckled. "Maybe then I wouldn't have gone away."

Ren giggled softly in return. "Maybe." He whispered. "I wished to be your hero. Now I almost wish I wasn't because of the circumstances that made it come true. I'd gladly never save you if it meant I hadn't ever had to."

"You were already my hero." Goro kissed Ren's hair. "My memories of you got me through a lot. It made me feel like my life was worth living, in a way, because I was able to save you so many times. In the end, both our wishes turned out for the best. We're both right here."

Ren sat up, taking Goro's face into his hands and kissing him. "We are. We're right here." He kissed Goro again, one tear dripping from each of his eyes and slipping down his cheeks. "And I don't have to worry about anyone taking you away from me again."

"Never." Goro agreed, his thumb tracing the streak left behind on Ren's cheek. "I really had thought someone would have told you, in those years following. I was sure you'd be sad, but at least understand why I'd gone away. When I found out you'd spent all that time having no idea where I'd gone, I was angry. I suppose I was always angry when I thought about how other people treated you."

Ren leaned his face into Goro's hand. "I tried asking my parents, not that there was any reason they would know. They said you had moved away. My teacher wouldn't even answer me, just told me to sit down and get ready for class. Even when I hoped I could get it out of you neighbors, they told me that I didn't need to know because I was a kid."

Goro sighed, setting the photo down gently with the rest and pulling Ren into a hug. "That's...what I was told, too, at first. When I got home that night and saw them carrying her out, they wouldn't let me see her. I didn't get to until the funeral, surrounded by whispering relatives who I'd never met. Up until then, I'd held onto hope that somehow they'd got the wrong woman. That my mom was waiting for me at home. I couldn't deny it anymore after that." He pressed his nose into the crook of Ren's neck, the position having offered him comfort time and time again. "I still remember exactly how it felt to realize how similar death looked to sleep."

Ren held his hand on Goro's back. "I didn't know that was the only time you'd seen her. I never knew how to ask anything about it, wonder sometimes if I should've asked more. Still don't know if I ever figured out the best way to be there for you."

Goro took a deep, slow breath before pulling back and tenderly cupping Ren's face in his hands. "You did everything right. I don't know if there was anything you could have done better, but nothing ever felt wrong to me. You do fine, Ren. You always do."

Ren laughed weakly, placing one of his hands over Goro's. "Hey, do you think we could get an album or something to hold these? I know there's not many, but I feel like we need to do something other than keep them in a box in the closet."

"That sounds perfect." Goro nodded. "In fact, I have an idea of what else we can do with that album. Her birthday is coming up next month, gives us just enough time to make sure everything is ready."

Ren's heart skipped a beat, reminding him wholly why he'd fallen so hard for this man. "I love you. You know how much I love you, don't you? We need to have a date night soon, dad loves watching her so we just need to find a time-"

Goro cut Ren off with a kiss. "I love you, too. A date night sounds incredible. However, I believe someone has to get dinner started so it can be ready once the birthday party ends."

Ren glanced toward the clock, gasping when he realized just how long he'd been looking at these same four photos. "Right!" He giggled, kissing Goro one last time before pushing to his feet. "You can get these cleaned up for now, right?"

"Of course." Goro took one more look at each of the photos, the memories flooding back in waves. What Goro wouldn't give to let that little boy know that he'd turn out alright. He'd turn out happy.

Days passed in a home that had only known warmth and laughter. An album bound in cherry blossom patterns sat at the front of a bookshelf, a wrapped box beside it. Inside the box was a brand new polaroid camera and a long roll of film. The final page of the album contained four cherished pictures, the rest to hold a lifetime more.