[Ren can’t help being fascinated; Akechi is so complex, a riddle wrapped in secrets and masks, a crossword puzzle with more puzzles for clues. He could devote the rest of his life to studying the other boy and never stop discovering new truths.
Ren smiles fondly, then turns his attention and his nimble fingers to carefully peeling off Akechi’s glove, mindful of the talons. Once the glove is free, Ren smooths out the fabric and sets it aside, near his glasses. Taking Akechi’s now-bare hand in his own, Ren lightly brushes his fingertips over the bumpy texture.
It’s so different from human skin, and maybe some people would find it hideous or repulsive, but not Ren. No matter what Akechi looks like, he’s beautiful in Ren’s eyes. He fights the impulse to again say I love you and instead silently shows the sentiment with a slow, careful press of his lips to the back of Akechi’s hand.]
[The bumpy, scaly texture continues to right below the elbows, at which point feathers take hold. His posture relaxes at the kiss, and he lets Ren savor this moment.
But, being Goro Akechi, he can't just keep it at that.]
Did you know that birds don't actually have backwards knees? It's a common misconception, due to the proportions of their legs and their feathers obscuring the actual knee and calves.
[Ren will be the most attentive, diligent student when it comes to an opportunity for learning more about Goro Akechi. Top of his class, no doubt. He stares up at the other boy through those long, dark lashes and shakes his head with a faint smile curving his mouth.]
I had no idea.
[Just as carefully as before, Ren’s fingers work the glove off Akechi’s other hand.]
Did you know, [he counters, smoothing out the second glove and storing it on top of its mate,] that I love when you tell me nerdy little facts like that?
[Just like with Akechi’s other hand, Ren dips his head to place a soft kiss on the scaly skin. He sighs a quiet note of contentment and brushes his thumb over the bumps of the other boy’s knuckles.]
[Chuckling, he basks in the second kiss. All this attention, just for him. It's just so funny in hindsight.]
But to put it simply, a majority of birds are digitigrade. That is to say, they stand on their digits. Even the duck, with its webbed feet, tiptoes its way through life, and what many mistake as the entire foot is little more than the toes.
[Ren’s supposed to be resting, but he finds now that he’s not as tired as when he agreed to it. Lavishing Akechi with attention in the form of these soft, exploratory kisses is a better use of his time, and it’s revitalizing in its own way. Ren couldn’t be still now if he tried, not while he’s been given such rare access to the boy who has so thoroughly captured his heart.]
You know a lot about birds, [he murmurs, sliding light fingertips up Akechi’s arm to his shoulder, where he moves in closer to brush his lips against the feathers, another gentle kiss.]
You must’ve studied a lot. [Ren turns his head to kiss the side of Akechi’s neck, slow and soft, and sighs quietly, content to rest his head on Akechi’s shoulder for a moment, eyes closed.] Tell me something about your favorite bird?
Edited (don’t let me tag half asleep 💀) 2025-09-03 05:21 (UTC)
Those kisses up his arm make his feathers fluff up in surprise, eyes glued wide open. That's... new. Very new. Not bad, of course, just...
Right. Questions. Birds.]
Crows are extremely intelligent and will remember those who have wronged them. They'll tell their children, carrying grudges through generations. Conversely, they'll also recall those who treat them well.
[So crows are not only super smart, they don’t forgive and forget? How fitting for Akechi to have used Crow as his code name. Ren smiles fondly at the factoids, but the fluffed-up feathers make it short-lived. Ren’s only ever seen Akechi’s feathers like this when he’s upset, so Ren interprets this now as having done something wrong. He pulls back, frowning in concern.]
What did I do that you didn’t like?
[He’s a little confused. Akechi didn’t sound uncomfortable … was he holding back for Ren’s sake?]
Oh. OK, [he says, with a relieved nod. Surprise makes sense; Ren’s fairly certain no one else would’ve touched Akechi like this before. There’s no real way he could’ve expected Ren’s kisses.]
As long as it’s a good kind of surprise.
[Ren leans in again, slowly, and presses a line of soft kisses from the hollow of Akechi’s throat down his sternum. His fingertips gently trace over the ridge of his collar bone and down the side of his chest. Ren pauses to place his ear against the other boy’s heartbeat, listening for the steady proof that he’s alive, while his hand stills at the end of his ribcage, palm flat against his stomach.]
So soft, [Ren murmurs dreamily, and once again closes his eyes.]
Yet I still have fangs and claws that can tear through metal.
[He leans into the touches and kisses. It's... good, obviously. This much attention is hardly the sort of thing he received in any meaningful capacity.
But hm. Perhaps he ought to playfully trace a talon up Ren's chest. Not too much pressure. It's not his goal to draw blood, but it is better than simply sitting still.]
[Silly Akechi. Yes, you’re ferocious and terrifying, now kiss the boy practically curled up and purring in your lap.
Said boy inhales an almost-gasp at the sharp path that talon takes against his skin, but he grins, because he likes that Akechi has decided to participate. Ren takes it as a sign that his slow and steady approach is working, that his more-than-rival is gradually becoming more comfortable with the reality of being loved. His hand slips down to curl around Akechi’s hip, and he tilts his head up to plant a kiss at the spot where Akechi’s jaw bone meets his neck.]
[Ren grins into the kiss he’s given and hums a quiet, pleased sound.]
Guess that’s what happens when you let me love you.
[He has affection to spare, all for Akechi, any time he wants it. Here, have another kiss, and another, each one slow and lingering. One more for good measure, while Akechi presses a hand to Ren’s scalp, and he arches back into the touch like a kitten showered with attention, lips parted for a shivering, quiet sigh.]
Akechi freezes, ears up and alert, feathers fluffed, posture just a bit stiffer than before. At least he has enough control to keep his talons from pressing any harder. He just didn't expect such a direct question.]
Well.
[...]
Suffice it to say, I cannot imagine anyone else understanding me.
[Oops. At this very short distance, it’s impossible for Ren to miss how Akechi instantly goes tense and flustered at his question. He backs off again with an apologetic smile.]
Sorry. I didn’t mean to make things weird. I wasn’t even really thinking about - you know, us. I just -
[Ren shrugs, folding his hands in his lap. He’s starting to feel a bit embarrassed about his choice of words.]
Seahorses also mate for life. I did some reading, after that time you took me to the aquarium. I just think it’s … admirable. That kind of devotion seems really sweet.
[Well, if Akechi can’t say he’s better than Shido, Ren certainly can.]
You already are better than him. You changed your own heart, remember?
[Slowly and cautiously, Ren reaches out to take Akechi’s hand, if the other boy allows it. Maybe the smallest amount of warm, gentle touch will pull him back from the spiraling thoughts that seem poised to pull him under.]
I wouldn’t love you if you were anything like him. And I think I’ve been pretty clear about where I stand on loving you. Would you like a reminder?
[Relief washes over him when he’s permitted to take Akechi’s hand. It’s a reset back to square one where affectionate touch is concerned, but a restart is far better than a hard stop. It’s a reassurance for Ren that he hasn’t made an irreparable mistake, that he can try again and do better. Slowly, he brings Akechi’s hand up to his mouth and places a kiss over the rough texture of his skin.]
Goro Akechi … I love you so much.
[Ren would expound on that statement if he had sufficiently poetic words to describe how he wants to give the other boy whatever happiness he can accept, how he wants to keep him safe from harm, how he wants to pick apart his pain until it’s nothing but dust scattering in the wind. But Ren is no poet; he says less and does more.
What Ren does is place Akechi’s palm against his chest, over his sigil, over his heart. He covers the other boy’s hand with both of his own, gently pressing down.]
I can’t fix what happened to you in the past … but I can support you, now and in the future.
[Akechi inhales deeply when Ren brings his hand over that sigil. It's such a vulnerable, intimate gesture. His talons could tear his chest open with ease...
But they won't. He won't.
No, his touch is light, letting Ren hold his hand in place.]
One of these days, I'll hear those words and won't second guess whether or not I deserve it.
Until that day comes, I’ll keep believing it for you. And I’ll keep reminding you - as many times as you need to hear it - until you believe it, too.
[Ren is determined, even willing to be stubborn about this. He isn’t giving up on Akechi, or the them they’ve become over the past few months. The only way to stop his heart from pouring out the love he holds for Akechi is to stop his heart from continuing to beat at all.
Ren plants another kiss on the back of Akechi’s hand, then slowly falls back into the pile of pillows, beckoning for his more-than-rival to join him.]
C’mon. We were supposed to be resting.
[Maybe a good cuddle would do them both some good.]
[Yes, savor - that’s an excellent word for how Ren wants to spend his time with Akechi. They both had such busy schedules in Tokyo, but now, they can afford to take their time, explore each other, enjoy the company without as much to distract them from each other. They can build a world for just the two of them in this van and ignore everything outside its walls for a while. Ren turns on his side toward Akechi and props one hand under his head while the other gestures for him to move closer.]
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undyingcrow) wrote2025-02-27 10:46 am
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[Ren flashes him a cheeky grin, then dips his head to press a light kiss against the back of his wrist, below the hem of the glove.]
I love you. And you look perfect just the way you are.
[But if the gloves make Akechi feel self-conscious, there’s an easy and obvious fix for that.]
I can take them off, if you want.
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It's... hm. Well, it's not as though they haven't shown affection in other ways.]
Feel free. I can only imagine how curious you are.
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[Ren can’t help being fascinated; Akechi is so complex, a riddle wrapped in secrets and masks, a crossword puzzle with more puzzles for clues. He could devote the rest of his life to studying the other boy and never stop discovering new truths.
Ren smiles fondly, then turns his attention and his nimble fingers to carefully peeling off Akechi’s glove, mindful of the talons. Once the glove is free, Ren smooths out the fabric and sets it aside, near his glasses. Taking Akechi’s now-bare hand in his own, Ren lightly brushes his fingertips over the bumpy texture.
It’s so different from human skin, and maybe some people would find it hideous or repulsive, but not Ren. No matter what Akechi looks like, he’s beautiful in Ren’s eyes. He fights the impulse to again say I love you and instead silently shows the sentiment with a slow, careful press of his lips to the back of Akechi’s hand.]
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[The bumpy, scaly texture continues to right below the elbows, at which point feathers take hold. His posture relaxes at the kiss, and he lets Ren savor this moment.
But, being Goro Akechi, he can't just keep it at that.]
Did you know that birds don't actually have backwards knees? It's a common misconception, due to the proportions of their legs and their feathers obscuring the actual knee and calves.
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I had no idea.
[Just as carefully as before, Ren’s fingers work the glove off Akechi’s other hand.]
Did you know, [he counters, smoothing out the second glove and storing it on top of its mate,] that I love when you tell me nerdy little facts like that?
[Just like with Akechi’s other hand, Ren dips his head to place a soft kiss on the scaly skin. He sighs a quiet note of contentment and brushes his thumb over the bumps of the other boy’s knuckles.]
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[Chuckling, he basks in the second kiss. All this attention, just for him. It's just so funny in hindsight.]
But to put it simply, a majority of birds are digitigrade. That is to say, they stand on their digits. Even the duck, with its webbed feet, tiptoes its way through life, and what many mistake as the entire foot is little more than the toes.
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You know a lot about birds, [he murmurs, sliding light fingertips up Akechi’s arm to his shoulder, where he moves in closer to brush his lips against the feathers, another gentle kiss.]
You must’ve studied a lot. [Ren turns his head to kiss the side of Akechi’s neck, slow and soft, and sighs quietly, content to rest his head on Akechi’s shoulder for a moment, eyes closed.] Tell me something about your favorite bird?
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Those kisses up his arm make his feathers fluff up in surprise, eyes glued wide open. That's... new. Very new. Not bad, of course, just...
Right. Questions. Birds.]
Crows are extremely intelligent and will remember those who have wronged them. They'll tell their children, carrying grudges through generations. Conversely, they'll also recall those who treat them well.
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What did I do that you didn’t like?
[He’s a little confused. Akechi didn’t sound uncomfortable … was he holding back for Ren’s sake?]
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[And, er. Well. He clears his throat, trying to smooth his feathers.]
You may continue. If I get uncomfortable, I won't hesitate to tell you.
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As long as it’s a good kind of surprise.
[Ren leans in again, slowly, and presses a line of soft kisses from the hollow of Akechi’s throat down his sternum. His fingertips gently trace over the ridge of his collar bone and down the side of his chest. Ren pauses to place his ear against the other boy’s heartbeat, listening for the steady proof that he’s alive, while his hand stills at the end of his ribcage, palm flat against his stomach.]
So soft, [Ren murmurs dreamily, and once again closes his eyes.]
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[He leans into the touches and kisses. It's... good, obviously. This much attention is hardly the sort of thing he received in any meaningful capacity.
But hm. Perhaps he ought to playfully trace a talon up Ren's chest. Not too much pressure. It's not his goal to draw blood, but it is better than simply sitting still.]
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[Silly Akechi. Yes, you’re ferocious and terrifying, now kiss the boy practically curled up and purring in your lap.
Said boy inhales an almost-gasp at the sharp path that talon takes against his skin, but he grins, because he likes that Akechi has decided to participate. Ren takes it as a sign that his slow and steady approach is working, that his more-than-rival is gradually becoming more comfortable with the reality of being loved. His hand slips down to curl around Akechi’s hip, and he tilts his head up to plant a kiss at the spot where Akechi’s jaw bone meets his neck.]
Tell me something else about crows?
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[Fine, Ren. Two can play at this game. A mere jawbone kiss? He'll take one directly on the lips, thank you very much.
One of his hands is going to apply just a little pressure to that scalp, too. Behold, his master charisma.]
Crows are loyal and generally mate for life. The social bonds they form among their family are a testament to their intelligence.
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Guess that’s what happens when you let me love you.
[He has affection to spare, all for Akechi, any time he wants it. Here, have another kiss, and another, each one slow and lingering. One more for good measure, while Akechi presses a hand to Ren’s scalp, and he arches back into the touch like a kitten showered with attention, lips parted for a shivering, quiet sigh.]
You like the - the idea of mating for life?
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Akechi freezes, ears up and alert, feathers fluffed, posture just a bit stiffer than before. At least he has enough control to keep his talons from pressing any harder. He just didn't expect such a direct question.]
Well.
[...]
Suffice it to say, I cannot imagine anyone else understanding me.
[There. That should suffice.]
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Sorry. I didn’t mean to make things weird. I wasn’t even really thinking about - you know, us. I just -
[Ren shrugs, folding his hands in his lap. He’s starting to feel a bit embarrassed about his choice of words.]
Seahorses also mate for life. I did some reading, after that time you took me to the aquarium. I just think it’s … admirable. That kind of devotion seems really sweet.
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[But that would require Shido to be a decent human being. The mere thought of that makes him grimace.]
I want to be better than him. How attainable that is is... another story entirely.
[He can't say he's wholly better with all the blood on his hands. He just can't.]
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You already are better than him. You changed your own heart, remember?
[Slowly and cautiously, Ren reaches out to take Akechi’s hand, if the other boy allows it. Maybe the smallest amount of warm, gentle touch will pull him back from the spiraling thoughts that seem poised to pull him under.]
I wouldn’t love you if you were anything like him. And I think I’ve been pretty clear about where I stand on loving you. Would you like a reminder?
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This is good.]
Go ahead.
[It'd be nice... He still doubts he deserves it, but he'll try to indulge.]
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Goro Akechi … I love you so much.
[Ren would expound on that statement if he had sufficiently poetic words to describe how he wants to give the other boy whatever happiness he can accept, how he wants to keep him safe from harm, how he wants to pick apart his pain until it’s nothing but dust scattering in the wind. But Ren is no poet; he says less and does more.
What Ren does is place Akechi’s palm against his chest, over his sigil, over his heart. He covers the other boy’s hand with both of his own, gently pressing down.]
I can’t fix what happened to you in the past … but I can support you, now and in the future.
[An echo of what Akechi said to him earlier.]
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But they won't. He won't.
No, his touch is light, letting Ren hold his hand in place.]
One of these days, I'll hear those words and won't second guess whether or not I deserve it.
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[Ren is determined, even willing to be stubborn about this. He isn’t giving up on Akechi, or the them they’ve become over the past few months. The only way to stop his heart from pouring out the love he holds for Akechi is to stop his heart from continuing to beat at all.
Ren plants another kiss on the back of Akechi’s hand, then slowly falls back into the pile of pillows, beckoning for his more-than-rival to join him.]
C’mon. We were supposed to be resting.
[Maybe a good cuddle would do them both some good.]
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[With a soft whisper of a sigh, he makes his way closer to Ren. This is... fine. He's fine. There's comfort to be found here.]
We should savor this while we can. Once my transformation is complete, certain shows of affection may prove... difficult, in this form.
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How do you mean?
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cw for implied sa mention
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cw well past suggestive but tryna be tactful
VERY WELL PAST SUGGESTIVE CW for what they're talking about, haha
at least they're talking about it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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back to cw city for more than suggestive and ren’s bad brain i’m sorry
TEENAGERS SURE ARE... teenagers.
THEY SURE ARE … cw above the belt touching
THESE DUMBASSES... but we will FTB/timeskip accordingly xD
iiiiit's showtime~
obligatory emotional ftb/timeskip goes here xD