[Ren closes his eyes, taking in the familiar scent that surrounded him, when his father steps close to him and rests his head against his. How long had it been...? It felt like much longer than it actually was. He knew a part of his mother had left the world with him, when his father had gone. The fact that he'd done so fighting had been the only solace because it was just so like him...
All at once, he felt his eyes burn. It was silly to think that somehow he'd inherited his mother's crybaby trait. Today had been full of so much emotional upheaval that he didn't know what to do. He and Ai had been entrusted with someone very important and yet here he was, far and away from both that man and the Ai who knew him.]
I already told mother... that it doesn't matter. Father is still father... and mother is still mother, no matter what.
[His throat felt tight, just as it had been when he'd seen his mother outside of her apartment building. All he could do was curl his fingers inward, his fists pressed into his lap while he tried to bite back the swell of emotions. Ren, unlike Ai, kept his thoughts to himself more often than not. The only time he spoke up was for her sake, never once wanting to force his feelings on others unless it was to back his sister up when she couldn't express herself properly.]
It's lonely... but I don't mind it so much. Father must feel lonely too, right now.
[Because his mother was hesitating, something he knew must be very frustrating. Not only just her, but his uncle Ichiru was being difficult. Ren had been lucky that Ai loved him almost from the start, once she was done being disappointed that he was not the little sister she had always wanted.]