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Ren lazily checks his notifications. He won’t be able to meet up with anyone today, so he ignores those. He replies to Mishima’s message about a new Mementos target, then answers Ryuji’s private messages.
Hows it goin
Anything interesting?
As interesting as sick person watch can go
Ryuji types back quickly.
Oh
I was going to ask if u want to go train with me and ann
Sorry not today
Mb i forgot
Ann’s asking if she's still sick
A quick look at Futaba, yeah, she’s not faring any better than when she was complaining about her cold at the group chat yesterday. To be fair, she hasn’t gotten worse since Ren sat down next to her bed in the morning, but still not healthy enough to ask him to play games with her.
Yeah
But like if it was too bad boss would've come here himself
I told her the same
They chat some more with Ryuji, and Ren puts his phone down after telling them to have fun.
To see Futaba’s eyes peeking from the blanket.
“My head hurts,” she whines in a way that makes him feel bad.
Ren checks the time.
“Looks like you can take another painkiller now,” he continues in a hushed tone after Futaba nods with a pout, “But you're supposed to eat before that. Boss would kick me out if I let you starve.”
“Curry…”
Ren doesn't think that's a good idea, with all the spices and whatnot, but it’s Morgana who says it. He is sitting a bit further away from Futaba.
“That's not really sick person food, is it?” he says, “You should eat vegetables.”
“Noooo!” she rasps, “I’m the sick one. I should eat whatever I want!”
“You already eat whatever you want.” Morgana eyes her as she coughs.
Futaba just glares at him. Ren isn’t sure if it’s because she is sick or because her eyes look bigger without her glasses, but she really looks like she isn’t in the mood to be teased before it can escalate.
He trusts Morgana to behave as he goes and gets water for Futaba, then comes back and hands her the glass.
Futaba falls into a coughing fit before she can put the glass down. Ren takes it from her before she can drop it.
“That sounds like it hurts.” Morgana comments.
“You think?” Futaba manages to say.
“Hey! Stop taking it out on me!”
“Ren! Say something to– hey, where are you going?”
From where he is standing, Ren takes a moment to observe Futaba under the blankets and Morgana tangled around it.
He fixes his glasses.
“I have two beasts to nourish,” he says smugly, upon both of them standing straighter, “Try to get along.”
Ren is used to cooking by now, but it's the first time he's in this kitchen, standing next to the counter, trying to figure out what to do about food. Leblanc feels like home at this point. He knows the cupboards and the fridge like the back of his hand. But this isn't quite the same. He also wasn't really involved in the kitchen back when he was in his hometown.
Well, Sojiro said to use the kitchen freely. In that case...
He finds what he thinks are leftovers in the fridge after some rummaging and heats the oven. He knows he's heard small and hurried steps coming close.
“Just plain rice?” Morgana perks up from next to him.
“It’s not for me,” Ren says, stirring the pot.
“Hmm... don’t you think she should eat more while she can, though?”
Bold words coming from someone who was arguing otherwise just now.
“I think I saw tofu too...”
Morgana wags his tail.
“Beef tofu!”
Ren smiles, “I was going to give miso soup a shot, actually.”
“You’re boring, chef...”
A voice in him tells Ren that Morgana is probably getting hungry as well.
“I’ll get something for you too.”
That shuts him up, because of course.
Ren does pretty well, preparing the simplest soup and heating leftover rice. He makes sure Morgana has enough to eat as well before carrying the tray to Futaba’s room.
“You brought food?”
“I said I would.”
Though Ren isn't sure why, Futaba shyly accepts the tray with a sheepish look. Her fingers are wrapped around the bowl as Ren counts the pills scattered around on her bedside table.
“Is it too hot?” he asks, voice getting higher nervously. Of course, he essentially wants Futaba to be okay, but he is vaguely aware of another layer in his worry because Sojiro put her in Ren's hands, and he really doesn't want to make him regret that choice.
“Calm down...” Futaba pushes her hair back, unaware of the chaos in Ren's inner world, “I just wasn't expecting this much... Guess you're really the master cook now.”
“...How much for you to say that in front of Boss?”
Futaba comically pouts, refusing to answer by taking a mouthful of rice.
Ren lets Futaba eat at her own pace and goes to clean up the kitchen, acting like he doesn't hear Morgana's snigger at him being so 'proper' behind his back.
Futaba has left some food on the tray when he comes back, but he'll let her get away with that since she's eaten more than half of the portion.
“How do I trust you're not poisoning me?” she playfully asks as Ren gives her a set of pills.
“Maybe you do, maybe you don't,” answers back, “We'll see.”
“Wow.” Morgana comments, dejected, “What a delightful conversation.”
Futaba roughly pets Morgana, messing his fur in the process, and chooses to trust the medicine Ren gave him.
It's silent again. A different silence from before, because Futaba has been sleeping for the majority of the time Ren has been here, and eating at the other part. Now she propped her pillow on the headboard and is sitting up, phone in hand. She is squinting her eyes to see the screen properly, and Ren lowkey wants to take the phone back at the sight.
“Do you need your glasses?” he asks.
Futaba's reaction time is slower than usual, but she does look up from her phone.
“No,” she says, “Can't lie down with them.”
And before any of them can point out the obvious –that she isn't lying down– she hands her phone to Ren with the order of placing it on her desk, and lies back down.
Ren replies to a few messages on his phone, then turns it off, too. He asks Futaba if she is comfortable, then if she needs anything back to back, which results in her rolling her eyes.
“You're spending too much time with Sojiro,” she teases, but Ren knows it's coming from a place of good intent. He just shrugs with a smile.
“Never took you for a worrywart.” Morgana comments as he jumps from his spot next to Ren, and arches his spine, “I'm going to stretch my legs for a while. I'm tired of sitting.”
“He is the real worrywart,” Ren says as soon as Morgana is out of earshot.
“Sojiro or Morgana?”
Ren furrows his brow to think for a second.
“Both in their own way,” he says, making Futaba snort a laugh.
She settles back into her pillows, but the humor leaves her face quickly. Instead of turning away or closing her eyes to sleep, she fidgets with the edge of her blanket, rolling the fabric between her fingers.
Ren would tie it to the sickness, but he knows Futaba well enough to tell apart her gestures. He lets her sort her thoughts out silently, his head resting back on his chair. His eyelids drop in a momentary exhaustion of the day, leaving a dull throb behind his eyes.
Futaba cleans her throat with a cough.
“Ren?”
His head snaps.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Futaba coughs again, “Uhm... never mind.”
Ren shifts closer.
“I promise I won’t tell Morgana.”
“Ha ha...” Futaba dryly mutters, her eyes darting elsewhere, “I was just wondering... do you have any siblings?”
Out of any other questions she could have asked, this has been the most unexpected. Ren didn’t think she’d be curious about something related to him in the first place. Not many people did.
“Where did this come from?”
“Just a thought... Yes or no?”
“I don’t,” he softly says, “Just me.”
“Oh...” Futaba looks down at the mattress, her fingers picking at a loose thread on the quilt. “I guess we're a matching set, then.”
The joke falls flat. Something about her voice is different– yes, she’s been stuffy and grumpy all day, but Ren picks up a different type of sadness that catches him a bit off guard.
“Did you want siblings?” he watches her quietly.
“I was lonely growing up. It was my mom and me mostly...” she sniffles.
“You love your mom,” Ren says. It's not a question, but Futaba nods anyway.
"We did everything together. Even when I got sick, she’d just bring her work into my room so she could watch me,” she reminisces, “But she wouldn't always be there, and I remember just... wanting someone else around.”
Futaba perks up from the blanket. She looks utterly defenceless like this.
“Am I being weird, or can you relate?”
Ren huffs.
“I’m sure all of us can. It's not weird,” he answers.
If he gets asked on a deeper level; he might admit this has been the best year of his life solely because he finally has people in his corner, he might reminisce about how he’s spent his whole childhood outside and just wandering outside to avoid feeling so small and lonely in that big house all by himself, he might even say that he used to hang out with his parents when they were in a good mood and that now that bridge has been burned.
“I think...” Ren clears his throat. Futaba is watching him closely. She probably didn’t expect him to talk; to be fair, he hadn’t, either, “If I had a close family member, maybe they would help fix things with my parents...”
“Ren,” Futaba sits up halfway. Ren sees the way her eyes droop with a mix of fever and deep concern.
“Forget about it,” he shifts back to his seat, “I’ll let you sleep.”
“I just... I wish I could do something,” she genuinely sounds upset and continues even after Ren tells her it’s not important, “I mean it, though. You’re so involved in my family, I guess I count you as a part of it.”
Ren’s face gets frustratingly hot. He is suddenly interested in the stain on the wall.
“Come on– Don’t be like that,” Futaba pokes his shoulder, a weak grin returning to her face, “You look like Sojiro did when I called him dad.”
So she was aware of that. Might tell that to Sojiro.
“Maybe don’t say such things so suddenly,” Ren jokes.
Futaba manages a raspy laugh that turns into a coughing fit. She drops her head to the pillows. Ren uses his wrist to check her forehead and pulls the blanket towards her chin.
The room falls quiet. Ren fiddles with his phone for a few minutes, not much noise coming from Futaba’s side. He’s almost certain she’s drifted off when Morgana slips into the room, letting out a sharp, disapproving sigh.
“You’re still awake?” Morgana asks, managing to make it sound like an insult.
“I’ve slept all day.” Futaba mumbles, sounding half-asleep anyway.
“He has a point,” Ren sides with Morgana, earning a satisfied chirp, “You should be resting more. I know you’re tired.”
“Boring...”
“I’m supposed to help you feel better, not entertain you,” Ren says with a small smile, “And I take my job and my bed at the attic very seriously.”
Futaba is quiet for like three seconds.
“At least let me get my daily login rewards…”
“Sure. Get up and sit in front of your computer if you can.”
Futaba throws Ren a used -gross- paper towel, which he dodges effectively.
“Why are you fighting sleep? It’s not like there's anything better to do.” Morgana says.
“I want to hang out! Is that really so weird?” Futaba speaks as high as she can without straining her voice too much. She's usually good with Morgana, but today, not much kindness has been shown from her side towards him. She lies back on the mattress, opting to turn her back towards him.
“It’s not weird,” Ren says, pointing a glare at Morgana to stay out of this, “Tell me anyway.”
He sees Futaba squeezing her fist around her blanket.
“Promise you won't laugh.”
Ren wouldn't. But even if he wanted to, Futaba looks too upset and embarrassed about it enough that he would try his best not to.
“Just… whenever I get sick, I just sleep the whole day,” she starts. It takes everything in Ren to not say I’m familiar, Morgana even opens his mouth for a bit before she continues, “And sometimes I get these dreams... They can be very… scary.”
Yes, they helped bring down Futaba's Palace. No, that did not solve every issue she's had. Every time she steps out of her comfort zone, she does that on her own volition. So, yeah, that part is not surprising.
Ren realizes he is supposed to say something after a beat.
“Is that too childish?” Futaba asks half-heartedly.
He shakes his head. Come on, step up. She's asking you to.
“Not at all,” Ren honestly says, “Was that all you wanted to say?”
Futaba buries herself deeper into the blanket. Ren really has to stop her from doing that, but it can wait a few minutes.
“Futaba, I’m not mad,” he finds himself saying. He isn't sure if that's what she is worried about, but it would definitely be the type of thing he would worry about, and that's why he says it, “And it’s not childish, really.”
“Really?” Her red nose scrunches.
Ren nods.
“Fevers can cause nightmares… or so am I told,” he reminisces about the dark day following his interrogation and the horrible fever he has weird memories of, “If you say that they are scary, then I believe they are.”
Futaba lowers the blanket a bit.
“But you really shouldn't stay up if you’re getting sleepy,” Morgana says, which, Ren thinks, is the case. Her eyes have been fluttering for a while.
“What can I do to help?”
“Don't you sleep badly sometimes, too?” Futaba asks. Ren is glad she doesn't actually wait for an answer, “What’s your plan?”
“Well, Morgana is a good cuddler…”
Something he has never done intentionally. But, yeah, has happened.
Ren almost doesn't catch Futaba's voice. Her face is buried under the blanket again.
“Just… stay for a while.”
“That's what I’m here for,” Ren says, finally pulling down the blanket a little to relieve some heat. Futaba clings to his sleeve as he moves to pull his chair closer.
There's an absolute silence for a good second before Ren gives in and sits on the bed. Futaba’s head is turned against him at first, but she shuffles closer as well.
“There’s a movie I made Sojiro pick up yesterday,” Futaba sniffles, “Let’s watch it together.”
Ren gives her a tissue before she can use the back of her sleeve to wipe her nose, “Sure. When you feel better.”
Futaba groans.
“Were you always this much of a Boy Scout?”
“I’m a man of duty,” Ren fixes his glasses.
Futaba rolls her eyes.
Morgana jumps to her side.
“You should pay for a subscription to a rental shop as we did! It’s cheaper than getting every movie individually.”
“Mhm,” Futaba yawns, “I don’t watch a lot of movies.”
She lets out one final, quiet sniffle before her eyelids finally stay closed. With her hand still loosely gripping Ren’s sleeve, her breathing starts to slow, evening out into the deep, heavy rhythm of a feverish sleep. Morgana curls up right against her side, purring softly as he watches over her.
Ren doesn’t move. He stays frozen on the edge of the mattress, not wanting to pull his arm away and risk waking her up.
The quiet settles back into the room, and Ren realizes a strange, heavy warmth has settled right behind his eyes. He blinks against the dim light of the room, reaching out his free hand to his head.
“You should rest too, while you can,” Morgana advises, “You’ve been hovering over her since morning.”
“It’s fine. I'm watching her temperature,” Ren brushes it off. It's not like he’s done much to get tired,“Boss should be back soon.”
Morgana watches him for a few more seconds, making Ren think he’s noticed him rub his forehead a few times from the telltale of a headache, but he doesn’t insist.
He does come closer and inspect him, though. Ren lets him at first, but he is too tired to let Morgana knead his paws on his thigh tonight.
“Morgana…” Ren swats Morgana’s tail, annoyed, “Go bother Futaba.”
“She keeps coughing. I can't sleep like that!”
“There are other rooms,” he huffs, “Please.”
A beat.
“Fine.” Morgana glares as he jumps to the ground, “But I won't forget you shooing me the next time you need my assistance making lockpicks, Joker!”
“Goodnight, Morgana.”
Ren doesn't think much about Morgana’s words. He’s tired and grumpy and won't hold onto it.
…probably.
Ren wakes up with a start.
Sojiro is standing next to him. It's probably him who was shaking Ren’s shoulders.
“It's just me, don't panic. Your neck’s going to hurt if you sleep like that,” he watches Ren scramble to his feet while he rubs his eyes. He then says something else that goes straight over Ren’s head, and huffs when he doesn't get an answer, opting to check Futaba’s fever.
Ren lazily looks around to make sense of his surroundings. He finds his phone and checks the time– it’s past the time he usually goes to bed. He rubs his head, a bit frustrated. He didn't really mean to sleep, and now his brain feels fuzzy because of it.
“Kid?”
“Where's Morgana?” Ren ends up asking.
“Probably where you left him,” Sojiro answers, a weird look on his face.
It takes Ren the same amount of time to remember that Morgana had retired to the living room as it takes for the thermometer to beep. He turns his attention towards them.
Sojiro reads the screen with an exhale and puts it away. Ren doesn't see it.
“Fever's broken,” he says upon Ren's curious looks. Ren's shoulders relax.
Sojiro settles properly on Futaba’s bedside, and Ren takes this as his cue to leave. He gets up under Sojiro’s watchful eyes.
“You're going?”
“…do you need something from me?” he asks. If not, then he’d like to go before it gets even later. Maybe he can even craft a few lockpicks.
“No, I thought…” Sojiro huffs, “I’ll see you off.”
“You don't have to,” Ren says, feeling bad that Sojiro is getting up for him. He can find the door and walk to the cafe himself.
“It's fine. I gotta get to the kitchen, anyway.”
Ren peeks at the living room, and yes, Morgana is still there; probably in the middle of his dreams.
“You’re not taking the cat?” Sojiro asks as Ren is slipping in his shoes.
“I don't want to wake him up,” he says. Then adds, “He’ll get all grumpy.”
That makes Sojiro laugh curtly, “Alright…”
“You can bring him if you open the cafe tomorrow… or he can just stay. He knows what to do.”
Sojiro nods, “Goodnight, kid.”
Ren tells him goodnight as well and makes his way towards the cafe that became his home. He walks there feeling still not-quite woken up, and decides to save the lockpicks for another day as he fumbles with his keys.
He struggles to catch his breath when he carries himself upstairs, and collapses on the mattress face-first without even changing his clothes, as he sleeps through the night without the usual weight of a cat on his side.
Again, Sojiro is standing next to Ren when he wakes up.
Not really counting as waking up, with how heavy his head feels. He has no idea what time it is, but it's not dark.
“Hey, kid,” he has a slight smile on his face, “You up?”
Ren props himself up on his elbows despite his head's protests against the movement. It’s like he just put his head on the pillow five minutes ago; he doesn't feel rested at all. His throat itches.
“Good morning,” Ren mutters, for some reason.
“Morning…” Sojiro's eyes are narrowed. “Stay still.”
His palm slaps on Ren’s forehead. Ren stays completely still. He watches him, disliking the look on his face as each second passes. His hand feels cold. It probably shouldn't.
“You feel warm,” is Sojiro’s final verdict. He sounds a bit annoyed, “If you've got what Futaba has, we need you on meds before it gets bad.”
Ren struggles to keep himself upright. He is aware his head is dropping, with how it’s swimming. His neck hurts already, but he wants to ask.
“Why– why are you here?” he coughs.
“I won't open today, but there’s some meat that’ll go bad if I don't use it,” Sojiro explains, “Saw your bag downstairs and wanted to check why you didn't go to school.”
“Shit! School–” Ren immediately tries to scramble out of the bed.
“Don't worry about school. We'll get a doctor’s note,” Sojiro says, stopping Ren for a moment. He sighs as Ren falls into a coughing fit, “You don't sound so well, to be honest.”
“It's– fine,” Ren manages to say. He doesn't know why Sojiro is still here. Ren can take care of himself. Sure, it looks a bit stupid to pass out on top of his bed like this, but he can just take some painkillers and sleep the whole day. “You can leave. I’ll ask Takemi later.”
“Leave you here? Not like this,” Sojiro says, making Ren clutch his sheets anxiously, “Come on, up. You're coming home with me.”
“H-huh?”
“You heard me.”
Ren stares into space for a moment. He lets his worry slip through.
“…did I do something wrong?”
“What?” Sojiro genuinely looks offended, “Why would you think that?”
Ren suddenly feels smaller under his gaze. The walls are uncomfortably pressing against him, similar to how it felt when he was much younger and naive, listening to the voices around him as he was in a similar position. Sick and exhausted. There's a cost to that.
“I don't know.”
“Ren.”
“I should take care of myself… I'd just get in the way.” his throat feels like sandpaper when he speaks, and he isn't sure why tears are prickling his eyes. It shouldn't be that serious, “What if I make Futaba sick again?”
“You're really out of it,” Sojiro mumbles, “Kid, you got this from Futaba. You can't double-infect her. If anything, you'd give her morale. She's been asking about you.”
Ren doesn't answer.
“You left the window open, too. It’s freezing here.” Sojiro complains as he looks around the room for something Ren doesn't understand, “Why didn't you tell me? Honestly…”
And suddenly, he is holding Ren’s coat, standing in front of him. He must have zoned out again.
“You're coming so I can keep an eye on you both,” he finally says, “C’mon. I don't want to make Futaba wait.”
They make it out of Leblanc and towards the house without any extra trouble, save for Ren almost tripping on the stairs. Sojiro isn’t much of a talker, nor is Ren. Especially when he is trying his best not to openly shiver and complain loudly about his headache.
Sojiro disappears into the kitchen with a bag, and Ren distantly remembers that he was picking up something from the fridge in Leblanc when he was trying to catch his breath. Ren knows it’s bad that he’s just now noticing that he’s been carrying something the whole time, but if he’s as sick as he feels like, he should get a pass. Shouldn't he?
It’s weird to be treated like a sick person. His dad would probably tell him to take it on the chin and go to school, then his mom would be pissed for –eventually– having to pick him up from school.
Even weirder to recall that now, welcomed into the warm home of the two nicest people he's met. He can think of multiple people who would call him ungrateful.
Ren realizes he’s been just standing in the middle of the hallway, staring into space, when Sojiro tries to get him to take off his coat. He gets his limbs to cooperate the best he can, then allows Sojiro to drag him towards the living room. He didn’t expect Futaba to be on one of the two futons laid out, but there she is.
“She wanted to stay with you. I had to get creative,” Sojiro smugly explains after seeing Ren’s confused look. He holds one of Ren’s arms as he drops onto the empty futon not-so-subtly.
“Are you okay?” Futaba asks. She looks a bit better, but Ren wishes that she wouldn’t sound too worried.
Ren nods wordlessly. He would want to say more, but all his strength vanishes when he catches sight of the futon. He closes his eyes before his head hits the pillow and hopes for the world to stop spinning. He doesn’t need to open his eyes to sense Morgana sitting next to him.
“I leave you alone for one night, and you get sick?” he grumbles.
Ren just extends his hand to scratch Morgana’s chin. He doesn't pet Morgana often –it feels weird, with the way he acts and since he is living with him, like trying to pet Ryuji, if that makes sense– but right now Morgana feels warm and soft under his touch. Something nice to give him comfort.
“S’rry,” he mumbles after Morgana yelps. No belly rubs, cats don't like that.
He doesn’t know how much time has passed when the door opens again.
“Well, don't you look cozy.” Sojiro is suddenly standing next to him with a glass of water, and Ren sees him when he opens his eyes. His eyes instinctively search for the familiar ginger head, but he sees that Futaba is buried under her blankets again.
Ren pushes himself up to hold the glass. Sojiro has that strict look on his face that makes Ren feel frail again, but he tries not to show it.
Sojiro gives him a small tablet carefully.
“I had a little chat with your doctor about what’s safe to give to you. Got a damned lecture, but this should be fine,” he explains, “She says you are never to go around popping pills without asking first. If you need anything, you ask me. Got it?”
Since you nearly overdosed on police drugs before, he doesn’t say, but it lingers in the air.
Every instance he has taken Takemi’s medicine in Metaverse flashes past Ren’s eyes without his permission, but he figures if he hasn’t had organ failure by now, then Metaverse is an exception to reality, like most things, and that slows his heart rate.
Ren mutters a confirmation and takes the medicine, then puts the glass down with minimal trembling. Cold water has helped clear his throat a little, but the scratchy feeling will probably only get worse before it gets better.
Sojiro also asks to get a reading on his temperature, and Ren does his best to stay still as they wait for the thermometer to do its job.
He clicks his tongue after seeing the number, “Well, it started off strong with Futaba too,” he says, pushing Ren back to the pillows, “We’ll check again later.”
“I'm sorry,” he finds himself rasping again.
“We really ought to teach you to stop saying that.” He sounds annoyed.
Ren bites his tongue this time.
“How’s Futaba?” he asks instead.
“She’s fine. Don’t worry about her,” Sojiro dismisses, “You’ve done enough of that lately.”
Fair point, but a stubborn part of him still feels responsible for her. Probably best not to voice this.
“She wanted to watch that movie with you,” Morgana comments, “Guess you’ll have to wait for her to get up.”
I might sleep myself, Ren doesn't say out loud. He initially thought he’d be too aware of his surroundings and the situation to actually relax, but the futon is starting to pull him in.
Sojiro glances over his shoulder to check on Futaba -dozed off comfortably- before turning his attention to Ren with a satisfied look.
“You want anything specific? Something your parents do when you're sick?”
Leaving me alone, Ren distantly thinks.
He shakes his head.
“You don't have to… stick around for me,” Ren says.
“Are we really doing this?” he rubs his forehead tiredly, “I’ve seen worse. A little fever isn't going to scare me away.”
Ren knows, in the back of his head, that Sojiro is the one who kept him alive when he was sweating out the drugs from the interrogation room. He doesn't have a clear memory of it, but if Sojiro is also thinking of the same night, his hesitancy to leave would make sense. He made a bad first impression by being out of commission.
“Futaba had it worse.”
Probably. He likes to think he’ll pull through better. He hasn’t gotten sick in years.
“Not a competition.” Futaba groggily mutters under the blanket.
“Weren't you sleeping?” Morgana pointedly asks.
“Everyone’s talking,” she says, and, well, fair point. She sits up to drink some water. She looks more coordinated than Ren feels right now.
“Even so, I know what to do when she gets sick,” Sojiro answers, “You see, I’m kind of at a loss here.”
Ren can't explain the bitter taste in his mouth well.
“I don't need anything,” Ren says, believing what he says as well. He lives in an attic. He really doesn't need much to get by.
“So you're getting the standard procedure.” Futaba sounds happier than she should for some reason. Ren doesn't have the energy to understand, “Sojiro should just go ahead and make us curry since Ren is too polite to ask for it!”
Sojiro's stare lingers on him for the longest moment before he realizes asking him is a waste of time and turns to Futaba with a sigh. Ren grabs his blanket tighter instinctively.
“Alright,” he says, “Do you want tea or juice until then?”
“Hmm… tea…” Futaba mumbles.
Ren zones out for the rest of the conversation and comes to awareness by Morgana's voice.
“You should sleep more,” Morgana says, looking at Futaba from Ren's side. Futaba looks a bit confused, since she isn't used to Morgana taking control over her sleep schedule. “Then you can have a big dinner and recover fully.”
Ren rolls over his other side as the mention of food makes his stomach turn.
“And don't think you're excluded!” Morgana is suddenly yelling in his ear, and he has to force himself not to wince, “Boss literally just told you to ask for anything. Don't ignore us.”
“Meh,” Futaba calls over, “He has a good boy complex. I got it figured out.”
That gets him to lift his head slightly to give her a confused look.
“The hell does that supposed to mean?” he asks half-heartedly.
“Good night!”
Futaba is out again. That has to be a skill.
Ren flops back to his pillow, hoping the sleep comes early to him, too.
“I know you hate being incapacitated, but this time it’s different,” Morgana kneads his paws on the sheets, “So why don't you try to relax?”
Ren doesn't answer. He sighs.
“Futaba is fine, she is just milking Boss' attention at this point,” Morgana says, which, Ren isn't sure if he wants to agree or not, “Boss is going to take care of you both, and you get to sleep in a warmer bed tonight. Enjoy it!”
Ren frowns, “Do you get cold in the attic?” That shouldn't be a problem. He makes sure to run the heater.
“No. Not what I meant,” Morgana fixes him with that look Sojiro just gave him, “Just stop thinking, for now, okay? Everyone's got your back here.” The next part is said in a very hushed tone, but Ren catches it anyway, “I'm here, too.”
Morgana turns his back on him after that.
Ren... doesn't have an answer to that.
The smell of something other than curry is slowly traveling to the room they are now sharing with Futaba, who chose to sleep next to him over her own bed for some reason. Futaba's chest is rising and falling rhythmically, accompanied by Morgana's soft and steady purring.
Trapped under warm blankets, Ren feels... safe. Weirdly so.
He pats Morgana's head twice, then allows himself the privilege of relaxing with trusted people on his side.