Who: Ren and Tamaki What: Meeting in person Where: A park When: March Ratings/Warning: Low/none Stauts: Complete
Ren had always enjoyed coming to the park when he had time. There was nothing more calming than sitting on the green grass, watching the people move passed him, and taking in the nature all around him. Today, he’d come to study, and he’d found a patch of grass in front of a flowerbed where he could spread his textbooks in front of him.
He was engrossed in his book when he felt a sensation. Like something, something was approaching him. It was a feeling that so far, he’d only recognized from the dreams, and he stiffened, prepared for danger. He propped himself up on his elbow, and went to turn behind him to see if he could spot it. He had turned just in time to see the golden ball of fur before it was upon him.
***
Tamaki knew that Antoinette needed some exercise and he’d been going a little stir crazy around the house so he’d decided to take her to one of the dog friendly parks in the area and let her off the leash so they could both explore. As long as he kept her in eyesight it would be fine. In his mind anyway. He had bags in his pocket in case he needed to clean up anything she did and was just enjoying looking at all the flowers.
He heard Antoinette making what he interpreted as her happy bark and looked over to see what she was doing, eyes widening when he saw her running at someone and he ran after her. “Antoinette - non! Venez ici!” The commands coming out of him in French as he saw her jump on top of someone trying to lick their face. He caught up to her, fingers hooking in her collar as he tried to pull her off, wrapping is free arm around her middle to help him control her as he looked at the man she’d jumped on.
“I’m sorry.”
***
While Ren had been surprised at first, he quickly realized that it was, in fact, just an overly friendly dog that was licking his face, and he couldn’t help but smile a little. He and Nora had never been able to keep a pet themselves, but he did like dogs. He pushed her away from him, holding her back from continuing to assault his face with her tongue though still keeping hold on her collar so that she wouldn’t dash off again without her owner. “It’s fine,” he said, and then looked over at the owner. It took him only a moment to recognize the guy he’d had a conversation with over the Net. The conversation hadn’t exactly gone well, and Ren was a little bit wary.
***
Tamaki was trying to get her leash hooked back up to her collar, scolding her quietly in French before kissing the top of her head when he saw her pouting face. “You were very naughty running off like that and not coming when I called you.” He told her quietly, rubbing her side in an effort to calm her back down. He didn’t recognize the guy at first so he didn’t understand why he was looking at him that way. “She didn’t hurt you did she? She’s up to date on all of her shots.”
***
“No, no harm done,” Ren assured the blond, affectionately giving the golden retriever a scratch behind the ears. She had only been being friendly he knew. It was possible he might have had a couple of scratches under his shirt, but it was nothing that would have broken the skin at all and it had certainly not been intentional. He’d be surprised if they’d even be visible by the time that he got back home. He turned back to his book.
***
Tamaki was trying to be subtle as he kept stealing glances at the other man, trying to figure out why he’d been looking at him that way. While Antoinette kept trying to get closer to him to give him kisses. That was the one behavior of hers that he could not break. Her unending friendliness and affection for everyone. She’d never be a good guard dog because of it but then he’d never wanted her to be a guard dog. “I’m sorry - do I know you from somewhere?”
***
Ren looked up from his textbook, his irritation not showing on his face. “I believe we spoke once over Valarnet,” Ren said.
***
Tamaki had to think for a minute about if he’d ever spoken to this guy and his confusion showed on his face until it clicked in his mind. This was the guy he’d compared to his father. And it had not been a favorable comparison at all. A guilty look crossed his face as he looked down at Antoinette’s head, rubbing her ear almost as if to comfort himself. “I remember. I owe you an apology monsieur. I was not my best that day and you did not deserve that.”
***
Ren blinked in surprise, though other than the blink his facial expression didn’t change by much. After his last interaction with this guy, Ren really hadn’t expected an apology, especially not one that was unprompted. Ren thought it, and decided that it seemed genuine enough. The guy certainly seemed embarrassed by it. “We all have our off-days,” Ren said, after a moment. “No harm done.”
***
“I need to just learn to stay away from the network when I am having them. I offended and worried too many people.” Tamaki said, looking down at Antoinette.
***
Ren had thought that by now their conversation would be over, but it seemed as though Tamaki needed to talk, and Ren was nothing if not a good listener. Deciding that his books could wait, he sat up, cross-legged. “Often times, those that worry are precisely the people we should talk to when we’re having days like that.”
***
There was something about a perfect stranger that made it easy for Tamaki to open up and talk. Maybe he should go ahead and send a message to Monseiur Keane to set up an appointment to talk. He could charge it on the card linked to his father’s account since it would be a medical expense. “Maman has enough on her plate without my adding to it that way.”
***
“I’m sure that she would welcome your adding to it if it meant you didn’t need to be alone. But even if not, surely you must have some other other friends who you could open up to,” Ren said.
***
“My cousin and Haruhi.” Tamaki said with a half shrug. He tried to avoid using the term girlfriend or boyfriend either one when talking about Haruhi just because it was a lot less confusing for people when they realized they used the terms interchangeably depending on what pronouns Haruhi was using that day. It was easier to just use Haruhi’s name and cut down on the confusion all around.
***
Ren didn’t know who Haruhi was, but it didn’t seem particularly important to know specifically who it was. “I’m sure neither one of them would feel burdened if you were to talk to them about what troubles you. I’m sure they would worry more about you if you tried to keep all your troubles to yourself instead of talking to them about it.”
***
Tamaki was half sitting beside Antoinette as he loved on her, stroking her side as she kept trying to lick the other boy’s hands. “Maybe. Probably. I’m just...Worried I guess. Sometimes it’s easier to talk to a stranger.” His voice lowered as he spoke, burying his face against her neck.
***
Ren wasn’t one to talk to his problems with much of anyone, aside from Nora, but he supposed he could understand the other man’s desire to talk to a stranger. For a moment he looked at Tamaki, willing to conceded that his first impression may have been a false one, and then took a breath. “If you wish to talk, I will listen.”
***
It was tempting to take him up on that offer but in the end Tamaki shook his head. “We’ve kept you from your book long enough. Another time though. You seem like someone who’d be easy to talk to. And Antoinette likes you. She hasn’t been wrong about anyone yet.”