“Consequences?” Ren bites back a laugh. “You make this sound so dire.”
Any choice has consequences. Ren knows that choosing to love another man, to say nothing of loving this man in particular, is not as commonly accepted as it should be. He doesn’t yet know the social norms of this place, but if they were back home in Tokyo? Well, likely it would be more accepted than in his rural hometown, but still not universally accepted. His friends may or may not approve, but Ren believes they’d understand and accept the two of them being together regardless. His parents … probably wouldn’t, but they’ve barely acknowledged Ren’s existence over the past year, so their opinion of him and his choices only holds so much weight in his mind. None of those people are here, though, and it wouldn’t matter if they were. Ren’s choice has been made, whatever the consequences may be, and no one else will sway him from it.
“I want you in my life,” he says, plainly, with a one-shouldered shrug. “However you’ll have me. If that’s just as your rival, or just as your friend, I’m OK with that. But … if you wanted to try being more than friends … I’d really like that.”
He smiles gently, heartbeat fluttering in his throat. “But I need you to be honest with me, too. If it’s not what you want, if you don’t feel the same way - tell me. Whatever we decide on needs to be unanimous.”
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Any choice has consequences. Ren knows that choosing to love another man, to say nothing of loving this man in particular, is not as commonly accepted as it should be. He doesn’t yet know the social norms of this place, but if they were back home in Tokyo? Well, likely it would be more accepted than in his rural hometown, but still not universally accepted. His friends may or may not approve, but Ren believes they’d understand and accept the two of them being together regardless. His parents … probably wouldn’t, but they’ve barely acknowledged Ren’s existence over the past year, so their opinion of him and his choices only holds so much weight in his mind. None of those people are here, though, and it wouldn’t matter if they were. Ren’s choice has been made, whatever the consequences may be, and no one else will sway him from it.
“I want you in my life,” he says, plainly, with a one-shouldered shrug. “However you’ll have me. If that’s just as your rival, or just as your friend, I’m OK with that. But … if you wanted to try being more than friends … I’d really like that.”
He smiles gently, heartbeat fluttering in his throat. “But I need you to be honest with me, too. If it’s not what you want, if you don’t feel the same way - tell me. Whatever we decide on needs to be unanimous.”
That’s how Phantom Thieves do things, after all.