CMO for Murder Camp

[le_mat]

Ren currently rooms with Gonta and can be found easily throughout most of the day.

Comments

[linearcrash]

[ It's cute. Nine is in pajama pants and a tank-top. ]

Yeah, I was. Had to move some furniture for 'em. [ Let's count Lance as one of the kids, too. Stepping in closer to bump his forehead against his. ] Wanted to see you without everyone around, yo.

[le_mat]

[He's a little surprised by the pants- not in a bad way, just... plaid pants are part of his own school uniform, so they get his attention. He headbumps back, and let's Nine inside]

Away from the crowd, huh? Want something to eat? I was thinking about getting some real food in me before all the snacks. You know, be a real adult or something.

[linearcrash]

[ Following him in. He's about to say something, but the mention of food has him putting that on hold. ]

Yeah, real food would be good. [ Grinning, and then it kind of falters for a moment as he tilts his head. ] What does it even mean to be a real adult anyways?

[ Some of them are a lot more childish than the kids he knows. ]

[le_mat]

[He pads over to the fridge, opening it up]

...fuck if I know, honestly. I think I know better than I did before, thanks to Red. Thanks to... you know, the kids. But I couldn't really tell you. Leftovers okay?

[linearcrash]

[ Leaning against a counter. ]

Leftovers are fine. [ Rubbing the back of his head. He can kind of get it. The kids have impacted him and Red has... well Red definitely gave him some hope for adults again. ] You know, before I never thought about it. Didn't think it would matter because I wouldn't live long enough to ever see it.

[le_mat]

... because of your duty, yeah?

[He still only knows a little about it, but he knows enough to guess]

[linearcrash]

Something like that, yeah. We were all raised for war. [ Thinking about it for a moment. ] I don't really talk about it much, huh?

[le_mat]

I can't blame you- until recently it didn't matter. You'd either go back to it or you wouldn't... I don't really talk about my home much unless someone asks too.

[linearcrash]

You can ask, you know. Whatever you want. I just don't really think about it. [ He might even share what's classified if he can figure a way to even explain it.

The mention of Ren's home did remind him of his original purpose for wanting to poke at him alone. ]

Hey, I did want to ask if you're okay.

[le_mat]

Heh... I wouldn't even know where to start.

[Still, that makes him tilt his head in curiosity, taking a box of takeout Chinese food out of the fridge]

Eh? What brought that up? I mean... I'm not great. I haven't been great since we came here. But I'm managing, I guess?

[linearcrash]

[ Nine looks away for a moment. How do you even word this? ]

Yeah, I know. [ He knows he's not doing that great. There's a lot of concerns he has there that he's not really ready to voice just yet. So let's focus on what made today different. ]

The mission today. We went to a place that was pretty much a jail. [ Where Stan was put in solitary confinement. ]

[le_mat]

Ah... that.

[Something warm unfurls in his heart. Nine had looked at what happened and thought of Ren's trauma. Used what little Ren had told him and how Ren reacted to such things and was concerned, even though Ren himself hadn't shown much outwardly.]

Stan... he looked like he was wasting away. In that little cell all alone. It was... familiar, you know. When I was in jail I didn't get to see many people- I was a minor, you know. But I was also basically a national level criminal. If they put me with other minors I'd 'attack someone or try to escape' but they weren't allowed to put me with adults for... obvious reasons. So it was just mostly... me.

I couldn't leave Stan like that. I couldn't. At least I was able to use my skills for something that actually helped, for once.

[linearcrash]

[ Protect the Chinese food because Nine is moving in to wrap his arms around Ren. ]

You got him out of there, hey. It was pretty cool seeing you in action.

[ Pressing a kiss against his hair. ]

How long were you in there for?

[le_mat]

[He lifts his arms to save the food, laughing a little]

About... three months? End of the year into spring of the next- December to the end of... March?

[He tilts his head back so it can rest against Nine's shoulder.]

You know... you shoulda gone when I told you to. But... I'm touched that you didn't. That you stayed with me. I didn't need you to, but you did anyway.

[linearcrash]

Whoa. That's a long time to be alone, hey.

[ Giving him a squeeze as he tilts his head to nuzzle against him. He can't...picture being locked up alone. He's always had Class Zero with him, and they were all operating with the knowledge that the enemy doesn't take prisoners ever. ]

Yeah, I know. It was selfish, but I wanted to stay.

[ He did have faith in the team and Mitsuru. ]

[le_mat]

I wasn't completely alone. I had guards and caseworkers around. but it was... lonely, you know? There's a difference between people you know and people who are paid to be there.

[he nuzzles back]

Other than that you followed directions well. I guess... I'm a little glad you decided not to be a soldier there at the end though.

[linearcrash]

Ever feel lonely here?

[ He's going to start slowly swaying side to side. Want to kind of dance with the food, Ren?

He thinks about it for a moment. ]

I think it's the first time I ever did something like that, yo.

[le_mat]

[He gives in and stretches over to put the food down before sinking back into Nine's hold]

Not in the same way. I get... homesick. But that's not really the same thing.

[He let's Nine sway with him for a bit, almost feeling lulled]

Well... I'm not your commander or leader. I wouldn't want you to follow my orders like that anyway. You should do what you want- you're not a soldier to me.

[linearcrash]

[ Good thinking. ]

I don't know if I miss home. I miss Class Zero and Mother, yeah. I don't miss the place though.

[ Just going to drop his head to Ren's shoulder to plant a kiss there. He finally stops swaying at the soldier comment. Smiling a little. ]

That's a first, too. You keep taking those, huh.

[le_mat]

I AM a thief. I steal valuable things.

...hey. Tell me about them. About Class Zero.

[linearcrash]

Hey, does it count as stealing if I want you to take it?

[ Giving him a squeeze. ] I don't mean to brag, but we're kind of a big deal. [ Might be bragging. Just a little. ]

There's King, Queen, Ace, Jack, Deuce, Cinque, Cater, Seven, Sice, Eight, and Trey. Machina and Rem transferred into the class after we moved to Akademia.

[ He let's Ren go to reach for the chinese food. ]

Got any forks? We can just eat out of the box, yo.

[ Like adults or something. ]

[le_mat]

Huh... like a set of cards.

[He starts to say more, only]

Nine, it's cold!

its too hot to live

[linearcrash]

Haven't had it cold?

[ He'll offer the container back for Ren to choose if he wants to heat it up. ]

We met about ten years ago. [ Remembering the convo with Chuuta. ] Oh yeah, we don't go in order. Seven is the oldest and Deuce is the youngest.

[le_mat]

It's better warm.

[He slops the noodles into a bowl and pops it in the microwave]

Ten years... so did you all just happen to have fitting names, or are they code names? Like how I'm Joker?

[linearcrash]

The first one, I think. I mean, the others definitely remember having the same name before coming to the facility. And it sounds right to me.