Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

You know what? This is fine. Everything is going to work out perfectly fine!

Riiiight. Ren shook his head, blowing out a breath. It didn't matter now. He'd already made plans, already told the Thieves, and already told himself his life was going to change. Morgana perched on top of his desk, licking himself clean.

"You'll be fine. Akechi's not going to push away the one person who actually tolerates him," he quipped unapologetically.

Ren frowned at him, crossing his arms. "Hey."

Morgana sighed far too loudly for a physical cat, rolling over and hopping down. "It's true, both ways. I don't think he actually likes anyone but you."

Giving his cat an unamused look, he turned to the mirror on his shelf. Black fluffy hair was sticking out everywhere on top of his head, flying in all directions. Large silver eyes, now bare and unframed, were too wide and anxious. Bitten, slightly chapped lips were worn from Ren's constant worrying.

Great. No use in dwelling on this now.

Ren took a deep breath, steeling his shoulders as he walked down the attic stairs. He scanned the familiar interior of Leblanc, searching for a certain brunet. Ann was sampling one of his freshly-baked brownies, Ryuji was playing on his PSP in the same booth, Haru and Makoto were discussing something in the chairs near the counters and Sumire was talking about her latest gymnastics tournament with Yusuke and Futaba.

Thank God he's not here yet.

"Dude, just tell him you like him." Ryuji walked over to him with an exasperated smile, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It ain't that hard."

"Shut up, Ryuji," Ann chided sternly. "You know it's not that simple." She polished off her brownie, going over to the sink to wash her hands.

Makoto stood up from her seat, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear sheepishly. "Actually, Ann, usually it is pretty simple. It's clearly Akechi and Ren's case that's complicated."

"Makoto-senpai's right," Sumire piped up in agreement. She cast a supporting smile at Ren. "But we're all here for you, Ren-senpai!"

Ren nodded a bit more confidently, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You're right. Thanks guys. I've gotta act, sooner than later. It's been like, two years. It's about time I said something," he convinced himself. He took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair.

Right. I've got this. I'm going to charm Goro Akechi today. I'm going to steal his heart.

The door's little bell jingled as someone stepped into the café, footsteps light. Goro.

Ren's eyes immediately zoned in on him, wearing his old blue vest. He was adjusting his gloves boredly, hair brushed back behind his ears and exposing his jawline. He'd trimmed his hair a few months ago to the nape of his neck, claiming it got in his way too often. But it'd grown back to its old length already, framing his face. "Was there something you needed, Ren?" he inquired flatly, leaning against the door. His disinterested eyes were so sharp, piercing straight into Ren's soul and cutting him apart.

You, holy goddamn shit, you're so hot—

Ren cleared his throat, willing his thoughts away. Not now. No use in shooting his shot too early in the game. He was to slowly enchant Goro, steady and teasing, leaving the other wanting more, not him. He unconsciously ruffled his hair, attempting to make it somewhat presentable now that Goro was in the room with him. "Actually, yes. I called everyone here 'cause I have another great idea," he answered with a teasing smirk.

Goro raised an eyebrow, his expression level. "Fantastic," he drawled out deliberately in a monotone.

Ren ignored him, walking closer to stand in the middle of the room. He usually wasn't this moody—so many Thieves in one room must've gotten on his nerves. "So, Ryuji told me a few weeks ago that Destinyland was having a sale for high school students this week! Obviously, Makoto-san, Haru-san, and Goro don't apply, but the rest of us do. And it'd be a fun trip for all of us, plus a graduation celebration for us third years," he added mischievously, gesturing to Ann, Ryuji and Yusuke.

"Okay!! That sounds super fun!" Futaba burst out quickly, rushing to agree. She laughed nervously, probably realizing how abrupt that sounded. It was a few seconds before her line, but she nailed it nevertheless.

"I'll accompany the little squirt the entire time to make sure she isn't overwhelmed by the crowds," Yusuke offered helpfully. He went completely off-script, never missing out on an opportunity to jab at the second-year.

"Who the fuck are you calling little squirt?" Futaba shot up from her seat, slamming her hands on the table. She aggressively crawled over the booth to grab a fistful of Yusuke's shirt.

Haru gasped and held a hand against her heart. "Who taught Futaba-chan swear words?" she demanded frantically.

Ryuji cleared his throat and became very interested in the wall.

Ren took a break from watching the drama to watch Goro instead. The other boy was evidently mildly annoyed and listless, glancing around the café.

"So...are you gonna come with us?" Ren prompted as casually as his heart would allow, walking over to him. He flashed Goro a bright smile, leaning against the door as well.

Goro glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, barely turning his head. "Presumably not," he mused matter-of-factly. "I have been rather busy with work and the university lately."

Bullshit. He still came over to Leblanc every other day, studying or playing chess with him. Ren narrowed his eyes. He wasn't getting away that easily.

They had a...strange relationship. Any outsider would believe that they're dating, but there were no official words. No confessions, no dates. Just a quiet understanding, scarred and fragile, but both of them weren't willing to let it go. Especially not Ren.

But he didn't want to oppress Goro too much, simply nudge him out of his shell. So he gathered his courage and slung an arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Damn it...you're still taller than me," Ren muttered under his breath, bringing his other arm up too. He was only a few centimeters shorter than Goro, but he still went on his toes and pressed his forehead against the back of Goro's head.

"Anyways. You have to come with us, Goro!" he begged playfully, blowing on the back of his neck. "It's to celebrate the fact that I graduated without any cheating or suspensions!"

Even though Ren couldn't see him, he was more than sure Goro rolled his eyes. "Listen—"

"Please, Akechi-senpai?" Sumire pleaded from her booth. She looked up at the two of them with her sad puppy eyes, adjusting her glasses. "It's been so long since we were all together!"

Sparing Yusuke one last insult, Futaba bounded over to them enthusiastically. "Yeah! And you gotta join, since we have to scout out if there's any Feathermen at Destinyland," she persuaded resolutely.

Ren smirked triumphantly at Goro, knowing he was a lot softer with the two youngest. His hesitance to speak merely proved Ren correct.

"Most likely not," Makoto spoke up with a half-smile. "But we'd still love you there nonetheless."

Goro took a step back, causing Ren to be pressed up against the door. "I'm...glad to hear that, Niijima," he said carefully. "But—"

"No buts," Haru interrupted kindly. "We all want you there."

"Yeah! Yusuke and I've decided that we need you for our next art project," Ann chimed in as she looked Goro up and down. "I'm modeling for him, and we need your insight. You're like, the smartest person here along with Makoto-san."

"Um, hello?" Ren waved a hand that was still on Goro's shoulders. "What am I, a cockroach?"

"You're a nuisance," Ann corrected with an eyeroll. "Every time we do something art related, you keeping bringing up nude paintings, you fucking weirdo."

Ryuji and Ren burst out laughing, with Ren clutching Goro's shoulders and Ryuji doubling over the counter. Goro made a noise full of irritation, but he didn't shove Ren off.

Yusuke sighed deeply, crossing his arms. "You would think that they've matured at least a little throughout this whole process."

A sharp clap rang throughout the room, calming down the two and quieting Ren and Ryuji's lingering chuckles. "I think we've strayed from the original goal," Makoto reminded them.

Ryuji shrugged, still grinning widely. "C'mon Akechi, just join us." He looked over at him awkwardly. "You'd complete the Thieves."

Morgana leaped on the counter, turning towards Goro. "Yeah! And you can also give me rides around the park, since I can't keep up with everyone," he declared conceitedly.

Ren sneaked out from behind Goro, running a hand through his hair. He shoved his hands in his pockets, smirking at Goro. "Checkmate."

Goro sighed, knowing a lost battle when he saw one, especially when Ren was looking up at him with so much hope in his smile. "I'm going to drop Mona in the cotton candy machine."

Ryuji snickered, jogging over to slap Goro on the back. "That's the spirit. I'd pay money to see that."

A deadpan formed on Goro's face at the slap, and he opened his mouth to (most likely) bite back.  

Luckily, Ren knew his rival all too clearly. He quickly called for everyone's attention again. "Okay! Since we confirmed that Goro's coming—" he earned a dirty look from said boy, "—I'll let Makoto-san arrange and organize everything because a) she wanted to, and b) she'll do a damn better job than I ever will."

Makoto grinned half-smugly and half-sheepishly, brushing invisible dust from her skirt. "Well. The date is this Saturday, giving us three days to prepare whatever it is we need to prepare. The weather should be decent, with slightly lower temperatures in the morning and evening. We'll most likely meet an hour before the doors open, but how long you stay at Destinyland is entirely your choice; just give us a call."

The chorus of nine young adults and one pseudo-cat agreeing echoed throughout the room. Ren turned to smile at Goro sweetly, walking behind the counter to make coffee and snacks for everyone.

Goro rolled his eyes dramatically, but followed him anyway. "You don't get to beckon me like an owner to a dog, Amamiya," he informed dryly. He took a seat on the chair, crossing his arms and leaning back. Only his gaze moved to pursue Ren.

Ren smirked as he began grinding up the coffee beans. "Yet you still came to me like a good little pet, so it says more about you than me," he shot back teasingly.

Goro's blood-red eyes flashed dangerously. Without missing a beat, he extracted his switchblade from the pocket of his jacket and angled it towards Ren. "Watch your mouth."

The other boy didn't even flinch, meticulously pouring water into the reservoir. "Do I really need to remind you what happens when you try to defeat me?" he asked mildly, glancing up. One would believe he's angry, but Goro probably knew that he was solely being a little shit.

Goro scoffed in irritation, leaning back against his seat again. He looked away, pretending to be busy putting away his knife. "You're an arrogant, smug little brat. You don't stand a chance against me, especially since I obliterated you in chess yesterday," he snapped. 

Ren's jaw twitched, the sole indication that he was annoyed. He calmly focused back on his coffee. "That was merely luck," he answered serenely.

Ah. Critical hit. "Really? Was it luck when I captured your queen with a pawn?" Goro asked condescendingly. He stood up, leaning forward to study the other boy. "Was it luck when I—"

"I'm going to poison your coffee," Ren interrupted darkly, pouring the liquid into cups. He deliberately sprinkled chili flakes into the cup he set in front of the other boy.

Goro didn't even glance at the drink, his eyes firmly on Ren's. "Go ahead."

Fuck. Of course he's hot when he's angry.

With a sigh, Ren switched the cups and took a sip of his chili-flaked coffee. "It's actually pretty good," he remarked lightly.

Goro sighed even deeper, as if they had a competition on who could sound the most disappointed. "Just don't let Boss hear you."

Goro spent approximately four hours deciding his outfit the day before. Should he go casual, with his usual blue vest? Or should he wear a polo shirt? No, that'd be too formal and they'd be walking for a fair amount, so he'd be too uncomfortable. Eventually, he settled on a short sleeved white button up, a light blue windbreaker and black five-pocket pants. It looked decent on him and was tight around shoulders, accenting his biceps and forearms. Not that he cared much, though. It was simply comfortable and clean.

On Saturday, he woke up two hours before he needed to. After getting ready, he spent an hour fixing his hair and accessories, as well as another half hour posing and doing different activities to ensure everything looked fine and was comfortable. He'd pulled his hair up into a half-up low ponytail and wore the silver bangle Ren'd gifted him a year ago. He practically always wore it these days, but kept it tucked under the sleeve of his windbreaker. He didn't need a certain sentimental mess seeing it and gushing as usual.

As he went to the station, he convinced himself that he took so long to get ready because he needed to outshine Ren. He couldn't allow his rival to surpass him in looks or ambience.

In fact, he was so keen on appearing proper that he even arrived at Leblanc five minutes early. Of course it wasn't because he wanted a minute of Ren to himself.

Ugh. That doesn't sound convincing at all. I need to cut the bullshit.

Goro shook his head, steeling his shoulders. It'd be easier if he gave up trying to hide the growing feelings towards Ren from himself. He already knew he couldn't live without Ren—no use trying to pretend it wasn't true.

But if Ren really was by himself, they could resume their conversation from yesterday—

Nevermind. The entirety of the Thieves were already there when he opened the door, whispering amongst themselves. The room fell dead silent as soon as the door shut behind him. Ten pairs of eyes darted towards him, ranging from panicked to worried to a freaking cat's. It reminded him too much of a certain turning event in his life where most of them stared at him with similar expressions. Admittedly, he's on better terms with the Thieves now, but he still didn't like to be reminded of his past actions.

Goro raised an eyebrow. "Is the new trend arriving at places ten minutes earlier than the scheduled time?" he asked flatly.

Ren popped up from the booth, smiling cheerfully. He waved the jab away, adjusting his unbuttoned white shirt over his black one. They were matching in the sense where they both wore some form of white top and a splash of blue, from Ren's dark blue jeans. It sent a rush of something pleasantly warm down Goro's spine.

"Since we're all here, we can set off now," Ren announced, wrenching Goro from his thoughts.

"Oh, right! Morgana, you...can't really come with us..." Haru piped up hesitantly. She tugged on a strand of hair guiltily. "I've been to Destinyland more times than I can count, and they always do a bag check."

The damn cat screeched about, jumping onto the table. "Whaaaat? Why can't Ren just carry me around like usual? Arghh, and I was really looking forward to this!" he whined loudly.

Goro observed him with a deadpan, tired of his shit. God, this was why he didn't come in contact with the Thieves often.

"Morgana, it's going to be okay," Ren soothed patiently. "You'll stay here with Sojiro, and you know how much he spoils you. And I'll get some sushi for you, all fatty tuna."

After a bit more convincing, he finally got the cat to shut up and stay there. Goro waited at the door, the first one out and walking to the station. The morning air was crisp and cool, blowing against Goro's warm face. It didn't help that Ren caught up with him and grabbed a hand for himself, humming some stupid melody.

The only reason why Goro didn't push him away was because he was too polite. And even though as they were boarding the train, they were separated, Goro still sought out Ren and took his hand. Of course it was because Ren would've been lost without him. The boy really was hopeless around his rival, wasn't he?

Ren dragged him over to his little friends, all huddled in a corner of the train. Goro scrolled idly through his phone beside him, turning out the incessant chatter of the Thieves. If he closed his eyes, in this familiar position, he could almost believe he was playing the Detective Prince role again, hanging out with the Thieves to gather information and backstab them. But Ren still had a hand in his, so maybe he wasn't quite so lonely.

"Ahhh! We're finally here," Ann cheered and stretched her arms, worn from holding onto the hand straps the entire ride.

Makoto sighed quietly, digging through her bag. "The security check messed up my order," she muttered under her breath. "If only they had the decency to put things back where they were."

Goro scanned the huge place, from the tall castle in the background to the towering buildings. It'd be easy to get lost in the park, especially since it was still his second time here. And he was guessing Ren hadn't been to the park more than once, from his past and probation year.

"Come on, let's get in line for Large Lightning Hill Traintrack!" Ryuji decided boisterously. "It's the best ride in the entire park!" He grinned widely like a little kid, pointing towards Backtierland.  

Sumire nodded rapidly, joining her senpai as they inched towards the direction. "Yeah! It's so cool!"

Goro shrugged as the others agreed, walking along with them. He didn't really care what they did—he could handle any roller coaster, with all the Metaverse shit that he'd experienced. He was just there to make them all stop whining about wanting him along.

Ren popped up next to him, poking his cheek with a blunt nail. "Goro!" He beamed at him, silver eyes gleaming under the sun. "Let's have a competition! We're going on all the rides, and whoever gets scared or screams loses!" he proposed as they walked side-by-side.

Goro arched an eyebrow at him, trying not to focus too much on the other's vibrant expression. "I'll most likely wipe the floor with your face," he warned offhandedly, inspecting the details of their surroundings to further sell the façade. Undeniably, his competitive side was fired up and flaming, but he'd like to effortlessly defeat Ren.

A delighted laugh brought him back to the present, as well as the arm that looped through his. "I've been on all the rides before," Ren told him confidently. "So, we have to stick together for all of them, so I can have a good view of your terrified face."

Goro rolled his eyes at his cheekiness, grabbing Ren's chin and tilting it up to lock eyes. "Bring it, Joker."

Ren's cheeks tinted a light pink as he almost tripped.

Goro took that as a flush of excitement, and it spurred him on even more. His rival practically gave him the victory on a golden platter.

"I can keep track of your scores," Makoto offered amusedly, pulling out her phone.

Ren winked at her, apparently trying to recover from his flustered state. "That'd be amazing!"

Goro shrugged, having no objections. She was probably the most reliable one, after all.

Thankfully, the line wasn't as long as he'd anticipated. They'd arrived there right when the rope dropped, so it made sense that there weren't hordes and hordes of people.

"This is boring," Futaba mumbled after five minutes of standing. She was sandwiched between Yusuke and Ren, the two that kept her the calmest.

Haru tapped her chin thoughtfully, leaning against the fence. "Hm...when Father and I used to visit, I'd always play a game with our staff," she explained wistfully. "It helped pass the time a lot."

Futaba cocked her head, an impish smile spreading across her face. "Oh! I just got a great idea!" She looked around the circle of Thieves. "We should totally play truth or dare!"

Terrific. Goro inched away from the group, bringing his phone a little closer to his face.

"For real? That's for kids," Ryuji complained, apparently sharing the same sentiment as Goro. It freaked him out.

"Shut up," Ann argued without any real anger, flicking his forehead. "I'll start. Akechi, truth or dare?"

Goro would've liked to believe that he contained his wince rather skillfully. "Actually, I—"

"Come on, Goro, don't be a wimp," Ren challenged breezily, casually fluffing his wavy hair. "Unless you're too scared, then..." He didn't even have to finish the sentence, knowing Goro'd take the bait either way.

Goro sighed deeply, hating how easily he gave in to Ren's antics. "Truth."

Ann covered her grin with a hand, pretending to think. "Hm...do you have a crush on anyone?" she prodded eagerly, the words rushing out in excitement.

Ren wolf-whistled, leaning against the streetlight and smirking at him in anticipation. "Good question, Ann."

The question hit a little too close to home, especially when Ren butted in for no apparent reason.

Goro shifted his weight, putting a hand on his hip as he tried to come up with an answer. He hadn't really given the ridiculous feelings he felt for Ren any name. But a simple, insignificant 'crush' wouldn't describe them at all. No. His affection for Ren was much deeper, much stronger. If 'crush' was a firework, his feelings would destroy the universe and space in an explosion of ash and fire. He physically could not live without the other boy's light, without his color in a black and white world of façades and meaningless gray.

Either way, he still had to answer to Ann, who was inspecting him curiously. "I don't have a...'crush', exactly," he corrected slowly. "The concept of a crush doesn't properly suit what I feel."

Ann's mouth dropped comically as she glanced around the group. Futaba was grinning cheekily, while Sumire and Haru were whispering amongst themselves. Yusuke didn't have a reaction, per se, but was busy studying the details of the décor while Ryuji was searching up the best snacks in the park.

Ren still had that infuriating smirk on his lips, tilting his head teasingly. "Aww, Goro's got a little crush," he quipped lightly. "Care to tell us who?"

Oh shit, he's so cute. Fuck. The cockiness in the curl of his lips, his soft, pale skin, his lashes—shit, just everything and anything about him. Fuck—I—

Goro took a mental deep breath, blinking to relieve the tension in his face. He had to control himself. Had to tame the fire billowing from his heart, keep it contained lest it burned the one he loved most.

Goro narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms. "No, thank you. Speaking of, however, is there anyone on your mind?" he shot right back, trying to hide the heat on his cheeks.

Ren shook his head, playing with his bangs. "I don't have a crush either. I love someone a lot," he admitted truthfully, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Like you, just a 'crush' won't suffice."

WHAT? Ren likes someone? Who the actual fuck and I will tear them apart because they don't deserve him—well. But who does he love? It must be one of the Thieves. They're the closest people he's with, and—

"Anyway, Goro, truth or dare?" Ren seemed eager to move on from the previous subject, clearing his throat. His eyes darted to Goro's lips for a half a second, watching the way he bit them in thought. Ren stumbled as he ripped his eyes away and followed the people in front of him.

Goro walked a few paces forward, the line moving somewhat a bit faster for a few seconds. "The majority of people would choose someone else, someone who hasn't gotten a turn yet," he objected quickly, leaning against the wall behind him. He chose not to think about why Ren was staring at his mouth. Were his lips too chapped? He slipped a hand in his pants pocket to find his chapstick, applying some to his lips.

Ren stood right next to him on the wall, their shoulders a breath away from touching. Before he could say anything, Sumire interrupted him.

"It's completely fine, Akechi-san," Sumire reassured him happily. A little too happily, but who was Goro to suspect she was hiding something? It's Sumire, after all.

Yusuke nodded along, breaking away from the intense staring contest he had with the wall. "Yes. Please, proceed with your game."

Ren smirked triumphantly at their replies. "What, are you too chicken to take a dare from me?" he taunted gleefully.

Walking along to the line's sluggish pace, Goro considered his next actions. He wouldn't live with himself if he backed out from the dare, but what were the chances that Ren would pry about his feelings? What were the chances that Goro would say something he'd regret?

But as he glanced back at Ren's challenging grin, his relaxed and confident form, Goro made up his mind. He wouldn't let himself be ridiculed by this brat. Didn't he swear that he'd wipe the floor with Ren's face? It was time for him to act on his words.

"Fine, then. Dare," Goro chose carefully, putting his hand on his hip. Dare was virtually the riskiest, but selecting truth was a guaranteed loss. He glowered at Ren, but it felt like all gazes were on him instead.

Ren's deep eyes lit up, and he bounced on the balls of his feet. He was either oblivious to the staring or just didn't give a shit. "Great! I dare you to k—"

"And how many are in your party?" a worker asked with way too much enthusiasm for a Saturday morning. He got all up in Ren's face, radiating fake happy energy.

Ann's eye twitched in annoyance at the intrusion while Sumire sighed quietly. Futaba visibly deflated against Yusuke, and Makoto slapped her forehead.

Goro reached out to grab Ren's collar, pulling him back slightly. "Nine in total," he replied shortly, his hand trailing down to delicately ghost against the small of Ren's back. He didn't like the weird vibe the worker had.

"And two for us." Ren gestured to them both, latching onto Goro's other hand.

"Awesome! Take that line down there, and you'll be boarded on the attraction shortly!" The worker, realizing how sharp Goro's gaze was, took a step back.

Ren immediately tugged Goro along, heading towards the line. "Okay, thank you," he answered politely, shooting the poor guy a smile.

Oh shit—the people in front of them were already on the coaster, which meant in a few minutes, Goro would be rolling down the hill. With Ren beside him. He retied his half-up ponytail, needing his hands to work on something so his mind wouldn't wander as much. He forced himself to take in the theme surrounding them, from the oil lanterns to sacks and tools piled around the corners. He barely even remembered what the ride was about, and he'd been too occupied by Ren to even analyze his surroundings.

"Oh! Ann and Ryuji are right behind us!" Ren waved at them from across the gate, fist-bumping them both.

Goro glanced at them out of the corner of his eye, nodding as a greeting.

Ann didn't take the lack of interaction personally, smiling at him all the same. Ryuji most likely didn't care, nodding back.

The carriage arrived filled with people, screeching to a stop as they all stood up. A few younger ones were on shaky knees, holding their parents' hands. "Excited to lose?" Ren goaded playfully as he poked Goro's cheek again.

Goro swatted the hand away, jabbing Ren's back with his own thumb. "You wish."

He could hear Ren's unfiltered laugh as he brushed past him and climbed into the seat. He wanted nothing more but to turn around and drink in the addicting music. However, he took a seat and pulled his lap bar down without another word. Self-control was one of his strengths, anyway.

Or so he fucking thought, but no, Ren just had to slide right next to him and squish their shoulders and legs together. He had five whole inches to spread his body the other direction, yet he decided to squeeze together with Goro as if there were another imaginary person sitting with them on the end. To make things worse, the lap bar didn't do anything to stop him from wiggling around, a good four inches away from their actual fucking laps.

Goro whipped his head towards him in confusion and annoyance, but Ren was turned around in his seat and talking to Ryuji. Great. It sent a pang of something ugly down Goro's chest, scorching its way down to his stomach. He shook his head, willing the irrational feelings away. Ren could talk to whoever he wanted, give his attention to whoever he wanted. It wasn't fair of Goro, of all people, to be jealous over Ryuji.

He's not yours. Just...focus on pushing him away for now. You can deal with your fucking feelings later.

"Ren, could you—" Goro couldn't even speak before the automated voice began yapping away about the ride. The universe was fucking out to get him, apparently.

The roller coaster was slow in its ascent, shaky and struggling to lift the weight of a full train. Ren was grinning excitedly even before the drop, which didn't really deserve the name. It wasn't even a dip—merely a curve that happened to slope at a negative degree as opposed to positive or stagnant. However, they were still thrown around like sacks of potatoes, so Goro supposed he had to give some credit where it was due.

Even Ren seemed a bit more limp than what his figure would suggest, swaying over to Goro's side more often than he should've. Finally tired of being slammed into the sidewall one too many times, Goro decided to shove back. Then he realized why Ren was so slack—he'd been purposefully pushing up against Goro and using the ride as an excuse. One glance at his mischievous grin was proof enough.

He might as well have declared war. Goro planted his feet on the floor, a hand on the railing as he stood his ground. Ren smirked at the challenge, almost throwing himself on top of Goro in an attempt to knock him loose. The lap bar didn't do shit to restrain his movements.

"Fuck—Ren!" Goro hissed as their shoulders slammed into contact. He glared half-heartedly at the laughing boy, finding himself unable to remain angry at him. God, I'm so fucking whipped.

"I can't help it—I'm getting thrown everywhere!" Ren very obviously lied, far too much glee in his bright eyes. He grabbed onto Goro's arm with a hand, jerking him away from his side of the carriage.

As the train rocked and curved around, the two boys tried to shove each other out of the cart. It was a stupid, dangerous idea that Goro had no idea why he decided to join, but all he knew was that he'd rather eat dirt than give Ren the satisfaction of winning. Only his rival could fire him up like this.

Especially when Ren almost shoved him up against the corner of his side. Goro could not lose to something as childish and insignificant as this, so he mustered up all his strength and shoved Ren with his shoulder just as the train dipped down again.

Ren was tossed back and back and back and—holy shit what the fuck—

Goro's heart dropped to the fucking floor as Ren somehow got pushed past the lap bar—he knew that shit didn't work—and his arm shot out in a flash to grab Ren's shirt sleeve. Once he had a hold of the fabric, he yanked as hard as he could and grabbed Ren's shoulder. He latched onto the other immediately, wrapping his arms around Ren as tightly as he could. There was no time to think about his actions or the consequences. All he knew was that the ride was shit and he was not about to allow Ren to get injured in freaking fucking Destinyland of all places.

Black fluffy hair tickled his cheeks as he huddled Ren's entire figure, cradling him to his chest and trying to get him as physically close as possible. Nothing mattered more than making sure Ren was stable and safe. He'd devoted the rest of his pitiful life to ensuring Ren's safety ever since that fateful winter—there was no Goro without Ren. Maybe things weren't true vice versa, but it was definite that Goro relied on Ren more than he liked to admit, more than he thought was possible.

His middle constricted agonizingly, throbbing through his desperation. The ache cleared his mind slightly as frenzied eyes studied the boy underneath him, searching for any signs of pain.

To his relief, he found none, but the reason why his waist was hurting. Ren had a death grip on him, arms wrapped around his middle and cutting his airflow off. His face was buried in Goro's neck, light breaths on his collarbone.

In hindsight, he'd realized that maybe he dramatized things a bit too far....yet he couldn't bring himself to let go, at that moment, for some odd reason. It irked him more than he'd let on. He craned his neck to see if there were any more "thrill points" in the ride, but thankfully, it slowed down quickly.

Although it led to one tiny little problem. The other Thieves, wanting to see who won the round, all whipped their heads towards the pair. Just to feel their eyes widen and jaws drop at the sight in front of them, Goro hugging Ren's shoulders and the other clinging onto Goro's waist.

Clearing his throat roughly, Goro instantly let go and detached himself from the other with burning cheeks. Oh fucking fantastic. If only I were the one to crash down and die at the crest. But he couldn't help ruffling Ren's hair just slightly, giving him a quick glance up and down to see if he sustained any injuries.

Ren beamed at him radiantly, the tips of his ears and neck a deep red. "That was pretty fun," he commented, apparently satisfied with the attraction. (As in, the roller coaster.) He glanced towards Goro teasingly. "And it seems like you thought so too." His breathing was a bit irregular and fast—eyes blown out and wide. Perhaps the wind and adrenaline had affected him. It was highly reasonable, of course—he'd nearly been thrown out of a moving train.

Goro placed the back of his hand on his cheek, ignoring the way the Thieves stared at them both like they were passionately making out. "The wind happened to blow rather violently," he replied coolly. "It also didn't help how you were attempting to take me out."

Ren smirked widely at that, winking cheerfully. "Oh, I'm always trying to take you out, Goro," he reassured smoothly. He stood up after the lap bar was raised, brushing himself off.

Goro raised an eyebrow, climbing out of the carriage. "Excellent. I plan on returning the favor." Of course his rival was always trying to one-up him. It was a good thing—it meant they could both constantly push each other to their physical and mental limits and improve even further.

The entirety of the Thieves except for Yusuke and Makoto were giggling under their hands, somehow finding this all humorous. Makoto was scolding Futaba and Ann, whispering to them under her breath. Whatever it turned out to be, Goro decided it wasn't worth his time and began walking a tad faster away from them.

"Ah, I see you have excellent taste, Akechi," Yusuke praised as he caught up with him. "You're right on track to Spray Hill, supposedly containing hundreds of animatronics and artistic features. Let us commence forth!"

Goro blinked. "Uhm...I mean, yes, you're correct," he forced a half-smile. "I'm right behind you." Anything to distract myself from him.

"Yo, Spray Hill is so fun!" Ryuji shouted enthusiastically as the rest of the Thieves followed them. "The drop is so sick—you get splashed with so much cold water!"

Goro wrinkled his nose at that part, running a hand through his hair. It'd most likely damage the silky strands and dry them out.

And hand snuck up the back of his neck, scratching lightly at his hair. Ren grinned widely at him as he spun to face him. "Aww, is our perfect, dainty prince too scared to get his hair a little down and dirty?" he mocked.

Goro glared at him out of the corner of his eye. "I'm very tempted to slap you right now, Ren. You'd better think twice about your next words—you're on very thin ice and the game's going to be over." In a flash, he snatched up Ren's hand and twisted it threateningly.

Ren only laughed mirthfully as he threw his arm around Goro's shoulders. A spark ran up Goro's spine, forming goosebumps all over his arms. He hated how he loved it.

Ren dragged him over to the Spray Hill line, which was already filled with people chattering and moving about. All smiles and physical affection, he laced their fingers together tightly, as if Goro'd melt away if he didn't cling on.

Goro had allowed minimal public physical touch such as hand-holding or any weight on his shoulders, at the very least. Ren never let up any opportunity to lean his head on Goro or capture his hand, for some bizarre reason. It was conceivable that Ren was simply a physical person, and Goro happened to be the closest human within range. Yes, that must be the answer. There were no other possibilities, after all.

"I'm bored again...so let's play 20 questions!" Futaba suggested with a devious smile. She was hanging on by wrapping her arms around Yusuke's neck and dangling her feet. The other boy didn't seem to mind, letting her like a pro.

Goro facepalmed at the idea of another freaking game, recalling how the last one nearly exposed his secret. He heard a similar sharp sound across from him and lifted his head to see Makoto with her face in her hand. They shared a look through the background of their partners chuckling.

"Come on, Mako-chan, it'll be fun," Haru encouraged with a hopeful smile. She wrapped her arms around Makoto's waist, looking up at her dreamily.

Apparently, that was all it took for Makoto to crumble feebly and agree. Weak. As if Goro could ever sink to the same level—

Futaba hopped off of Yusuke's back, crossing their little circle over to where Ann, Sumire and Ryuji were chattering. "Guys, pleaseeee," she implored earnestly. "My phone's still charging in the power bank, so I need a distraction."

"How short is your attention span?" Goro couldn't resist asking, shifting his weight. He stood on his toes to survey the rest of the line, mentally agreeing that maybe it was going to be a bit of time before they boarded.

Futaba whirled around to face him, narrowing her eyes. "What was that? Oh, you wanna be the one getting asked? Be my guest," she announced loudly, nudging Ren. In a flash, she wisely ducked behind Yusuke and let the other Thieves have a turn at trying to figure out what best pissed off Goro.

Their little circle turned a bit tighter as they all gathered around the brunet. Goro took a step back, nearly bumping into Ren. The other gently put a hand on Goro's back, both as a soothing gesture and to prevent him from most likely bolting away. Again, Goro's heart twitched violently in his chest from how well Ren knew him. It was unnerving, really.

Sumire smiled at him nervously. "Maybe it's a good thing that Akechi-senpai's not asking—I think he'd figure it out too quickly since he was a detective," she surmised gingerly.

Goro shrugged a shoulder, looking away. "I wasn't one in reality," he dismissed shortly. He'd assumed the other Thieves had filled her in on his...situation, yet it seemed as though she still considered him as an actual detective.

That didn't deter the bubbly ones a single bit. "But you're really smart anyways," Haru complimented gently. "I'm sure you would have an easier time figuring things out than us."

"Not this again," Ren groaned dramatically, throwing himself on top of Goro. He took a position similar to Futaba, except his feet actually reached the ground and he didn't have to hang behind Goro. "Why don't we acknowledge the other smart people in the room, like Makoto and I?"

Goro was very proud that he didn't have an outer physical reaction to the touch. He concluded that he was simply desensitized to Ren's touch since he found every damn opportunity to touch Goro. But that still didn't stop his stupid heart from skipping a beat and racing towards the finish line.

"We're not in a room, dumbass," Ann retorted playfully. She tossed a pigtail over her shoulder as she walked a few paces forward, the line finally moving again.

Ryuji sniggered, lagging behind him to muss up his hair. "I think that's why you're not mentioned," he quipped brazenly.

A short burst of wind blew on Goro's neck as Ren gasped theatrically, slumping against his back. "Help me, Goro—my own friends betrayed me!"

Goro raised an eyebrow, turning his neck to stare at him. "Imagine how that feels," he deadpanned blankly, his face void of emotion.

"A-anyways," Futaba coughed in her elbow. "Let's start! First, think of something for us to guess, Akechi!"

Despite not being keen on participating, something had already popped in Goro's mind. Someone, actually. Ren. But really, when was he out of Goro's mind? He brought a new definition to rent-free, always lingering and circling around his brain. Goro was certain his answers would make things very clear, but hey, the faster they guessed, the faster his turn was over.

"Does it have multiple colors?" Yusuke started them off, still letting Futaba hang off of him as they gradually advanced in line.

"Yes," Goro stated evenly, absentmindedly tapping his fingers over Ren's hands. They were looped around his neck comfortably, both boys leaning on each other.

Makoto cocked her head in thought, inspecting the other boy thoroughly. "Is it alive?"

Goro nodded, scrupulously keeping his face neutral and flat.

Perhaps the most important question of all was asked by Ryuji of all people. "Do you like it?"

Goro hesitated for a moment. Of course he liked Ren, among a billion other feelings he had for the other boy. But like wasn't the proper word to describe the intense shocks that ran through his veins whenever Ren touched him or smiled at him or was even near him. Just having his presence there was more than enough to yank him back from the dead—how could Goro possibly describe him with a single like?

"Yes and no," he gave a vague reply as he brushed his fingers over Ren's.

That stumped the rest of the Thieves for a good few minutes, both fortunately and unfortunately. There were both endless possibilities and no options. According to the Thieves, there was nothing Goro both liked and disliked.

Sumire bit her lip, propping her head up with a hand to her chin. "Hm...is it loud?" she guessed hopefully.

"Yes," Goro answered thoughtfully. Ren was rather loud compared to himself, although he could be loud when he wanted to...

Ren suddenly stood upright, pulling away from Goro's back to grin at him deviously. "I know! You're thinking of Morgana, right?"

Goro blinked at the unexpected answer. He was so far off that a small scoff escaped his lips. "Hell no."
That prompted the Thieves to have a whole debate with each other, whispering and making a little group. Each other them cast curious glances towards Goro, who was scrolling on his phone boredly. It really wasn't that deep, but apparently he underestimated the Thieves' tenacity.

After gathering all of their brainpower, they continued interrogating him about this mysterious, multicolored living being.

Was it an insect? No. Animal? Goro was very tempted, but he shook his head instead. Is it a reptile? Makoto had to gently inform an embarrassed Ryuji that reptiles are in fact animals. Is it a person? Yes. Yes indeed.

"Whaaat?" Ann threw up her hands. "Then who could it be? You either hate their guts or like them enough to tolerate them."

Goro shrugged, keeping his face level and blank. "More or less," he admitted tonelessly.

"Guys—it's literally our turn to ride," Futaba interrupted matter-of-factly, pointing to a worker who was trying to get their attention to split them up. The poor guy seemed so stressed, trying to juggle the large group and the others waiting in line.

Haru calmly handled the situation, even putting in a word for Yusuke since he wanted to have front seat. That way, he had front row in watching the animatronics and getting splashed.

"That was way more than 20 questions," Ren commented as he took a seat in the very back.

Goro practically had no other choice but to squeeze in with him, as he didn't want to risk sitting with strangers in the log around him. It was a tight fit, but they both made do. Eventually, Ren was half on top of his lap. It made Goro take a moment to pray he wouldn't move, lest something unfortunate happened. He was going to throw himself out the log mid-ride. But he clenched his teeth and tried to ignore the heat radiating off the boy next to him, his hands in white-knuckled fists over his thighs. Ren clearly wasn't aware of Goro's struggles, leaning on him and almost bouncing in exhilaration. How the workers didn't even bat an eye was beyond Goro's knowledge.

"Speaking of, we never got to know who it was," Sumire piped up from in front of them. She turned to look back at her upperclassmen, a curious gaze towards Goro.

Goro shrugged, although it was a bit hard to do when his shoulders were squished against Ren's. "Oh, well."

Ren snickered quietly. "You're so mean."

A retort was sharp on Goro's tongue, except the log began moving. He actually tried to focus on the rabbit and other creatures, despite nearly falling asleep at the beginning. The crawl up to the mountain was boring, but even he had to admit the story was a bit interesting. Even if the creepy animatronics and dark lighting set his nerves on edge.

"Holy shit, it's coming!" Ryuji yelled from the second to first seat, his voice cracking after the last word.

Goro braced himself, planting his feet on the seat in front of him. He felt Ren tense up beside him, suddenly reaching over and grabbing Goro's hand.

"What kinda voice crack was thAAAAATTTTT—AHHHHHH!" Ann screeched loudly as the log tipped over the edge of the mountain.

Goro's stomach dropped as they slipped down the 50 feet chute. His eyes were locked on Ren, watching him through what seemed like slow-motion. Those silver eyes he loved so much were sparkling with the reflection of the sun and incoming water drops, his messy black hair flying away from his face, exposing the beautiful features, his soft, pink lips spread in a wild grin...

There wasn't much time to actually study Ren before a thin sheet of water drenched them in cold wetness, plastering Goro's hair to his face and Ren's bangs to his. Goro swept his hair back, breathing through a pounding heart. Goro had never been more thankful that Ren stopped wearing glasses after last year, because he was so fucking majestic and beautiful and holy shit, Goro did not deserve this angel beside him—

Ren turned to smirk at him, slumping back against Goro's shoulder. "Was that high-pitched scream yours, Goro-chan?" he teased playfully, looking up at him through his damp hair.

Goro glared at him, rolling his eyes. Perhaps he wasn't entirely an angel. "No. However, I will gladly cause you to scream," he shot back coldly.

Ren froze up and gaped at him for a second, as if expecting him to say something else. He even ignored the animatronics clapping and cheering in the background in favor of simply staring at him.

Goro raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Suddenly, peals and peals of laughter flowed out of Ren's frame as his shoulders shook, head tilted back in mirth. His head was completely on Goro's shoulders as he proceeded to laugh his ass off for two minutes until the log screeched to a stop.

"What the hell's so funny?" Goro finally demanded as Ren tripped and almost ate shit trying to climb out of the log.

The only response he got was more hysterical laughter.

A full sigh escaped Goro's lips as he gritted his teeth in annoyance. He marched forward and snatched Ren's collar, jerking him closer until their faces were mere inches away. "I asked you a question, Ren."

Ren's laughter morphed into heavy breathing as his cheeks began to turn pink. Probably from exhaling all the oxygen from his lungs. He brushed his dripping hair from his face, shaking his head as he leaned forward to close the space between them, resting his head on Goro's collarbone. "If you wanted a hug, all you had to do was ask," he deflected playfully.

Goro resisted the urge to just tilt his chin up and kiss him. It would be so quick, so easy. Just an index finger up, hooking his jaw and leaning in to—NO, NO, BAD, GORO, NO, NO.

He cleared his throat, wishing to clear his thoughts instead. He separated himself from Ren, but was careful to keep his movements gentle. He even straightened Ren's wrinkled shirt for him after they parted. But he grew embarrassed half a second later and shoved his hands in his pockets, hunching over not unlike Ren in his younger years. He busied himself with taking off his damp windbreaker and tying it around his waist.

"Spray Hill's always fun every time I come here," Haru hummed cheerfully as she wrung the water from her hair.

Ren wasn't deterred by him at all, still grinning easily. He slipped his hand into Goro's, who for his part, was too weak to object.

Sumire quickly scampered up to the front of their group, going on her toes. "Should we get some food?" she asked hesitantly. "It's been a minute since we've eaten, and it's around noon."

Makoto nodded as she pulled out her phone. "You're right. And besides—it's not every day we're together, in Destinyland of all places. We should try some exclusive snacks."

Haru lit up, looking up at Makoto excitedly. "Oh! I know a stand right around here! I used to always get ice cream after Spray Hill!"

"That sounds heavenly," Yusuke approved. He dug around his pockets for spare change before Futaba walked up to him and slapped some coins in his palm.

The group, led by Haru, went over to a stand that sold ice cream and churros. Goro resisted the urge to mutter about his wet hair, which had indeed fallen from the loose band. At least his roots were relatively dry, thanks to their back seat.

"Goro. Goro. Goro—oh my God, that's so cute!" Ren whispered urgently to him as he shook the other boy's shoulders. He pointed to a Michael Mouse-shaped ice cream bar, covered by a layer of crunchy chocolate.

Goro sighed under his breath. "It's not wise to eat something cold right after being doused by freezing water," he countered flatly. "And besides—it's a complete scam for a whole thousand yen for that tiny popsicle." He tightened his grip on Ren's hand slightly, in case the other boy made a mad dash towards the cart.

His instincts proved to be correct, as Ren attempted to sprint towards the stand before getting yanked back by Goro.

"Your shoes are wet, moron," Goro deadpanned as he ran a hand through his hair. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're going to trip."

Ren grinned sheepishly, still tugging on Goro's hand. "Fiiiine. But come on! The others are already getting their stuff."

Without another word, Goro allowed himself to be dragged to the cart. Who was he to say no to his rival, especially when he looked so adorable buying his ice cream bar? And of course, Goro had to buy one as well, after a bit of prodding from Ren. He was already regretting this tomorrow.

And to be honest, he wasn't complaining much. The sugary cream and chocolate were so good together, especially since it was nice and icy. He could feel himself catching a cold, but he couldn't be fucked to care.

"Hey, Goro," Ren piped up slyly. He bit off an entire ear from his ice cream, making a face at the cold mouthful.

Goro shook his head in amused exasperation at his rival, holding back another sigh. Without a single thought in his empty brain, he reached out a thumb and brushed a smudge of chocolate off Ren's lip. He brought it over to his own, licking it off of his finger before using it to hold his ice cream bar stick. "What."

A second, later, he realized just what the fuck he did. His ears positively burned under his hair, anxiety shooting a bullet in his chest. Oh God. Oh God.

Oh fucking shit ass motherfucker goddammit fuck fuck fuck—he's going to hate me now, if he didn't hate me before. He's going to be so disgusted and ohhh, I fucked up extremely wonderfully, didn't I? Excellent, I will now cease to exist—

Before Goro's mind could produce any more self-degrading thoughts, Ren cleared his throat.

He swallowed quickly, his cheeks turned cherry red and spreading to his face and down his neck. "Uhm—I was gonna ask. I want one of your ears," he declared confidently, silver eyes sparkling with determination despite blushing like a flustered mess.

Goro's brain promptly short-circuited and shut off. "Pardon me?" he blurted out, doing a double take. Did he really die? What kind of hell was this? Even though Goro would gladly offer Ren anything he wanted, this was still a rather peculiar request.

Ren's mouth dropped open, and he shook his head frantically. "Wait—no! I meant one of those ears," he explained quickly, pointing to Goro's ice cream bar.

One of Michael Mouse's ears was already eaten, while the other had a bite that was caving in and melting down quickly.

Goro cocked his head at him, deliberately taking another bite of his ice cream on the other side. "You have two of your own, Ren," he pointed out, trying to keep the fondness out of his tone.

"But yours would taste better," Ren insisted earnestly, as if it was a real scientific fact instead of something he made up in his mind. He inched over to the side of Goro with the ice cream, glancing up at him with expert puppy eyes.

"That's logically inaccurate," Goro objected matter-of-factly, glancing away. He refused to falter at merely a glimpse of Ren's face, knowing he was a weak, weak man.

Ren shrugged dismissively, pulling on Goro's shirt sleeve. "Pleaseeeeee, Goro? Please?" he begged urgently. "Just this once?" His bottom lip was jutted out pitifully, with his messy hair framing his beautiful face...

God, I fucking have to stop obsessing over him. He's playing so fucking dirty.

"Fine," Goro relented, turning his head away abruptly. He took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind of that dangerous pout.

Ren's innocent smile flashed wickedly for half a millisecond before he shrugged it away. "Okay! Thanks, Goro," he bubbled airily. Then he bit down half of Goro's ice cream bar in one large mouthful, covering his lips with a hand.

Goro rolled his eyes dramatically, not even caring. As long as Ren's gaze wasn't on him and his heart wasn't exploding, he convinced himself that he was fine. But he found another way to get on Ren's nerves after seeing that sliver of evil in his smile. After all, it wasn't very fair that Ren was the only one who took from him, right?

Without giving himself the chance to back out, he grabbed the hand Ren held the treat with. "Since you took out the entire mouse," he explained wryly, gesturing to his own popsicle, "it's solely fair I do this." He brought it near his own mouth and took a small bite of Michael's ear.

He'd expected Ren to complain or whine like the child he was, but he merely smiled oh so prettily. He seemed more than happy that it happened, taking another bite at exactly the place Goro's lips pressed against the ice cream.

Goro's face heated up, and he whipped his head away and towards the rest of the Thieves. He had to know where they were walking, after all. He deemed that Ren was purely up to something.

"Since we're on vacation, we should go find the Tole Whip place!" Ann suggested eagerly, tossing her churro wrapper in a nearby bin.

"What's that, Ann-senpai?" Sumire asked excitedly as she bounced along next to her.

"It's like a pineapple flavored soft-serve!" Ann answered back with the same amount of energy, nearly skipping as she led the Thieves around.

Goro thought that someone with more experience should lead them, but he shut his mouth. Besides, he was strictly going to be there until around the afternoon, ditching them with an already crafted excuse.

They ended up walking through nearly the entire park as they searched for the place, since only Haru knew the exterior. Goro tried to ignore the presence of the most important person in his life right next to him, knowing he'd absolutely make a fool of himself due to his nerves.

"Oh my God!" Sumire squealed loudly, nearly making Goro jump. He whirled towards her, a hand hovering over the pocket holding his knife. There was no need.

A large white rat wearing green pants was walking around, waving at anyone who made eye contact. Or, more accurately, someone dressed as the cartoon mouse was greeting people and taking photos.

"For real? It's Michael Mouse," Ryuji sputtered as he dug out his phone. He instantly began taking pictures of him, with the flash on.

Which prompted the rat to turn towards them. He waved wordlessly, staggering over to them.

It sent chills down Goro's back. Uttering a few colorful curse words, he instinctively grabbed Ren's arm. He shoved the boy in front of him and made a clean pivot with his heel to march away. He was in no mood to entertain some middle-aged man dressed as a children's cartoon's mascot or some shit.

But Ren was having none of that, snatching Goro's wrist and dragging him back. "Where're you going?" he asked innocently, flashing him an enthusiastic grin. "Everyone's going over to Michael!"

Goro twisted his arm away, crossing his arms tightly. "Bullshit."

On the other hand, the Thieves were indeed very thrilled. Sumire especially, as she was having the time of her life chatting away with the mouse. Haru was talking with the staff and guessing who was underneath the costume, having visited so many times as a kid. Of course, she was quiet so as to not spoil Sumire's excitement.

Goro didn't have such qualms and stood off to the side, in an endless cycle of resisting the urge to roll his eyes and then rolling them. Sure, maybe, he'd really, really wanted to go to Destinyland when he was younger. The other kids at school were always talking about how fun it was. Childhood Goro wanted a photo with Michael just like them. He gave up on that hope at around seven.

But Ren seemed intent on making the interaction a 'positive experience' or some shit. He even posed for a selfie with Sumire, the mouse in between them with arms around their shoulders.

Goro tore his eyes away from the cheerful scene, something tight squeezing his chest for no fucking reason. Perhaps he was still feeling the aftershocks of the chills from his wet hair. Which had been dry more than have an hour ago.

 Following the two's lead, the rest of their group began taking pictures in pairs with Michael Mouse. Haru and Makoto, with a staircase effect of Makoto hugging Haru's shoulders and Michael hugging Makoto's. Yusuke and Futaba, with Futaba on Yusuke's shoulders to match Michael's height. Ann and Ryuji, throwing up peace signs and finger guns. Everyone with the ones they were closest to, had the closest bond with.

A perfect pairing, Goro believed. He was more than fine with being on the sidelines. This was how it was supposed to be, after all. It was how the gods wanted it, with everything fitting together flawlessly. It would be unjust if Goro shoved his way into his life. He needed Sumire, not some villain who tried to murder him and his friends. He needed Sumire, the Bless to his Curse. The sun to his moon. The Light to his Dark.

Fuck. I'm my greatest enemy, aren't I? Self-sabotage is the most effective sabotage.

He didn't have time to fall deeper in the rabbit hole he dug for himself. Ren'd noticed Goro standing by himself, bored and looking around blankly. Of course, his astute, clever rival saw right through him.

Ren approached Goro with undeserved concern in his eyes masked by a bright, cheery smile. "Come on, let's go take a picture," he prodded lightly, tugging on Goro's hands.

Goro pulled his hands away without hesitation, fixing his gloves on tighter. He didn't dare meet the other's eyes. "No, thank you. However, it would be wise for you to indulge in your time with Yoshizawa-san. All things considered, you two will have far less time together, now that you've graduated."

Ren froze up for a second, his hands forming fists by his sides. Something in his face flickered, as if he was trying to interpret the dark underlying tone in Goro's voice. Goro vowed to control himself better from that point forward.

Whatever it was, Ren yanked himself out of his daze with an unreadable smile. "I already took a photo with Sumire-chan. I want one with you, too," he said softly, as if his rival was a fragile piece of glass on the verge of shattering.

Goro shook his head, tightening the arms across his chest defensively. He glanced away, ending the conversation with his rejection.

This time, this time, I need to refuse him. I can't hurt him, hurt us any further by deluding myself into thinking we could ever...be together. The more time we spend, the more Ren feels for me, the harder it'll be for us to separate. The harder Ren will take the fall when I inevitably leave.

Goro didn't want to withdraw from the bane of his existence. It was just...natural that way. Natural for Ren to ultimately learn to love Sumire. Natural for him to ultimately forget Goro. Natural for Goro to ultimately leave him, as they drift apart and weren't rivals anymore.

But from the vividly determined glint in Ren's eyes, to his furrowed eyebrows, his set mouth—he wasn't planning on letting go of Goro anytime soon.

Goro smiled bitterly. He would soon enough.

Ren folded his arms, his cheeks puffed out slightly. He was biting his bottom lip, frowning at the ground. He didn't even get any Tole Whip, despite originally being delighted at the prospect of another sugary treat.

"You're pouting," Ann told him as she scooped up another large spoonful of Tole Whip.

"I'm not."

"You're pouting," Ryuji informed him as he balanced two cups of soft-serve at the same time.

"I'm not."

"You're pouting," Makoto notified him as she gave Haru a napkin.

"Fine, maybe," Ren admitted defeat, standing up from his bench.

But who the fuck does Goro think he is? Telling me to get together with Sumire, basically saying that I should forget him?! What the fuck is he implying? That I'm not enough for him? That he's not enough for me?

It was very likely. Goro was far too obvious. Ren had half an idea what he truly meant. They were rivals, after all. Two sides of the same coin.

What did Goro think, that the coin's going to be sliced in two? By fucking what? Does he think I'll forget about him that easily? After 2/2/2017? How fucking dare he. How dare he try to cut off our bond, how dare he think I'll choose Sumire over him? I don't even romantically like Sumire? What is he on??

Ryuji cleared his throat, indicating that Ren spent too much time sulking. He jerked a thumb at Goro.

The brunet was playing fucking chess in a bench by himself, other hand brushing his hair from his face. But it only revealed more of his dark eyes, shifting and blinking far too much for normal.

Well. Ren wasn't about to let him go. He had to pay for even thinking about leaving Ren. He covered his hurt with anger, taking a deep breath and steeling his shoulders. Showtime.

He approached Goro from behind, noiseless and careful to keep his footsteps silent like a cat's. He pounced on Goro, pointing at the screen. "Move your bishop there. It's about to get eaten."

"Fucking hell—" Goro jumped off the bench, narrowing his eyes at Ren. He shoved his phone in his pocket. "What is it?" he demanded sharply, definitely annoyed already.

Ren smiled cuttingly, hiding the poison blade behind a sickly honeyed smile. He mirrored Goro's posture unconsciously, putting his hands on his hips. "You're going to stick by my side throughout this entire trip," he stated matter-of-factly. "You're gonna come over to Leblanc after college every day for the rest of the week. And since we're officially going to the same university, I'm moving in to your apartment."

Goro momentarily lost his breath, staring at the other boy as if dumbfounded.

Ren relished in his victory for approximately two seconds before Goro's mind started working again.

"We still haven't...we still haven't finished our debate," he argued with as much dignity as he could. He shook his head, running a hand through his flowy hair. "And who are you to order me around?"

Ren crossed his arms, tilting his chin up confidently. He wasn't going to take Goro's shit, especially after what he said before. "I'm your rival, that's who I fucking am."

Goro glanced off to the side in annoyance from the attitude before focusing his gaze back on Ren. "That still doesn't answer why the fuck you think you can command me around at your will," he shot back icily. A frustrated, exasperated half-smile twitched on his lips, not even close to meeting his eyes.

He's not mad, was the first thing that registered in Ren's mind. He's hiding something.

Knowing Goro, it was most likely something self-deprecating or something else that kept him away from Ren. Something fucking with his mind, preventing him from communicating with Ren.

Fine, then. Time to prove to his rival that he's the only one Ren would ever want.

Ren smiled sweetly, grabbing Goro's chin and tilting it down towards himself. If he leaned just slightly forward, their lips would be touching. "I still have a plethora of tricks up my sleeve, Go~ro. Don't get on my nerves again."

The double take Goro took was more than satisfying, as was his mouth dropping open in shock. His breath, which Ren could feel on his face, was coming out in short bursts.

A rush of adrenaline thrummed through Ren's veins at the confirmation of his win. It was electrifying, knowing he had this kind of effect on Goro. He let go of Goro's chin, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Don't forget to come over! I'll make sure to stock up on the coffee beans you like," he continued as if nothing happened. The tension between them was thick as fucking brick, but Ren turned to walk towards the rest of the Thieves.

Well. If Goro was going to misbehave, Ren was going to pull out all the stops. He'd long burnt his restraint and temperance to ashes.