He brings an arm up to massage the crook of Ren's neck beneath his collar, with two fingers. "Why not give him a place on the training runs? Assess how he gets on in the team. Like when we brought you in." It's a weak joke, despite everything.
"Mind you, the stakes were a lot lower then. Niijima's Palace was nothing compared to the power Amada appears to have. And if we all die here ... at least we'll come back."
Goro has neglected to say how he feels about Suou joining the team.
"I'm the Trickster," he says, agonisingly lightly. "That means I don't get an opinion. You're right that we need everyone strong we can get. But, also... I don't know if strength is what will take down Amada. We need more. And you're working on that, too."
The next moment it's gone, and he sighs. "What do you want me to say? I can't stand the guy. That doesn't mean we don't need him, or that I'm going to stamp my foot like a child and sacrifice the mission, at the cost of our lives."
"Thanks," he murmurs, more gently than before. "See? The world didn't end or anything.
"About Suou, if everyone else says that too and he can meet my requirements, we'll trial him. It's easy for us to say we can suck it up, but we might not actually be able to fight well with him on the team."
Ren's eyes light up at the praise. He's not fully aware of that reaction, which is probably for the best. He leans into the kiss, and is actually smiling a little when they pull away, despite the subject matter of the conversation.
He studies Goro's face to see how he's doing. He hasn't forgotten the look on his face when he showed up at Leblanc, or when they first got to the attic.
But Goro is doing fine. Still a little bit pale, perhaps, but they've identified a path forward. Which is all he really needs to do. "You can do this. You've got everything you need. You're way more ready than I was, going in."
Ren gives Goro a look of amused skepticism. "Whatever you say, dude." He might have argued more, but he can still hear Goro's voice. Good decision. He's not aware of how much he longs for Goro's approval, the same way he wasn't aware of his face brightening when he received it, but the words have buoyed him.
Goro smiles, pressing a kiss to Ren's lips. He's aware of how thirsty Ren is for praise; it would be hard not to be, as intimate as they are. And maybe Ren deserves a little praise.
His own eyes are still a little shadowed, though, as he flops down onto the bed to stare up with that faint smile, folding an arm behind his head. "I'm glad you agree. Did we establish anything?"
"Yeah." He flops half on top of Goro, head on Goro's shoulder and one arm and leg curled possessively around him. "Suou can eat my ass. And you'll try to put up with him if you have to. And you should answer me when I ask you what you think."
"I don't want anyone else to do it, that's for sure." He straddles Ren, pinning him down with a flex of his wrists, still laughing. But then he sighs, face falling. Fucking Suou.
Ren can't reach for Goro without breaking the hold on his wrists. He considers it for a second, but decides in the end to stay where Goro put him. "Talk to me," he says instead, calmly, not like he demanded it before.
Maybe he should get a tattoo on his forehead. I Want Goro Akechi to Tell Me His Feelings. Like Actually For Real. No, I'm Not Kidding. But the text would have to be kind of small to fit it all up there. A t-shirt...?
"Yeah," is all he says, rolling over to face Goro.
Ren thinks he gets the idea, actually, even if he hasn't had the exact same personal experience. "Mm." He touches Goro's cheek, running his thumb over unbruised, unbroken skin. "But it's not just you against the world anymore. I won't let him do anything to you. Or any of them back home."
... and Goro just looks into his eyes. Because even if there's nothing Katsuya can do to him, besides making him need a sick bag, they both know the plan that's still waiting at home. Arrest, and torture, and probable death—or at least, so it was planned. "Can I ask you something? About the plan, I mean."
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"Mind you, the stakes were a lot lower then. Niijima's Palace was nothing compared to the power Amada appears to have. And if we all die here ... at least we'll come back."
Goro has neglected to say how he feels about Suou joining the team.
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"Thanks," he murmurs, more gently than before. "See? The world didn't end or anything.
"About Suou, if everyone else says that too and he can meet my requirements, we'll trial him. It's easy for us to say we can suck it up, but we might not actually be able to fight well with him on the team."
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He studies Goro's face to see how he's doing. He hasn't forgotten the look on his face when he showed up at Leblanc, or when they first got to the attic.
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His own eyes are still a little shadowed, though, as he flops down onto the bed to stare up with that faint smile, folding an arm behind his head. "I'm glad you agree. Did we establish anything?"
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Ren can't reach for Goro without breaking the hold on his wrists. He considers it for a second, but decides in the end to stay where Goro put him. "Talk to me," he says instead, calmly, not like he demanded it before.
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"Yeah," is all he says, rolling over to face Goro.
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"He makes me feel five years old," he eventually says. "I'm used to walking on eggshells. You know that. I know how to do it. But it's like...."
And Ren may not even get it. After all, despite the horrors he endured, he was never the kid Goro was. He'd had a normal family—to a point.
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