[ There's something almost punitive about asking someone how they're doing when the answer is ninety nine percent likely to be Not great, Bob! Resisting the instinct toward bitterness is harder than it looks and yet all that's drawn out of Ren is a beleaguered, quiet sigh that makes his shoulders droop a little after.

Ryuji's mood is dependent on Ren's, and Ren's is dependent on whether or not he gets to keep being around Ryuji. Dependent is a word that comes up frequently when discussing them as a unit, cloaked in other, less damning phrases - to rely on, count on, lean on. So it's not a big surprise that Ryuji's uncertain because he doesn't know where Ren's head is at. But isn't it obvious? Ren might be so good at hiding his thoughts that not even Ryuji can see past it now, or there's willful ignorance.

Or he's still protecting Ren's feelings, and damn if that doesn't seem right. Self-sacrificing? Also chicken shit, in some respects. It puts Ren in the position of arbiter of feelings, deciding whether to protect Ryuji in return, or if adhering to their history of brutal honesty is worth the shellacking he's sure Ryuji will give himself.

I mean, about... how you feel about me. Since when do you talk in soft vagaries to Ren, man.

I'm not okay if you're not okay. Not that Ren hasn't done the same in the past, but how magnanimous of you. ]

Not much different. New day, new coat of paint to throw on it.

[ Ren's not stopping the work, needing at the very least a visual barrier, a mechanical means of not zeroing in on the beating heart of the matter. ]

You... were pretty final that I have no chance and then some stupid food made me cry for hours after that.

Like, I don't even get to be sad that you obviously like someone that isn't me if you had that realization, cuz I'm your best friend. And I am happy for you.

I dunno what you wanted to hear. We're not in the habit of lying to each other.