Thread; Ren - Blog Posts

renfarber​:

Ren smiled as her face was peppered with kisses, the fear abating for now. All she felt was safe and warm and happy, and she traced her fingers along his arm, as if to remind herself he was really here. “Good morning,” she whispered, “Just making sure you didn’t sneak off in the night,” she smirked, as though she hadn’t actually been afraid of that. She repositioned herself a bit, a sleepy little hum escaping her as her leg wrapped around his and she gave him a soft kiss. “I called in to work. I need a day to recover.”

-

“Morning,” he replied with a lower tember, a crack rolling in his throat. His body so tired that even if vocal cords were spent. He peeked at her, her angelic face shining right at him in the light shining through the curtains. He fought hard to keep his gaze steady as he stopped kissing her face. He hadn’t intended to wake up now, but she was awake and smirking up at him. He’d gather all strength to see the way she was looking at him now. It made him feel like the sun. He propped himself up to hover over her with more stability. “I can’t sneak off while inside you.” He said with a knowing smirk of his own which ended up growing into a unabashed smile. "You need a day to recover?” He questioned as he returned her kiss. He pulled away wanting to hear her repeat it. Leo looked down at himself with a little nod, giving his lower half silent praise to affect her mobility skills. “Does that mean round twelve then? Or is it thirteen?” He asked so smug and proud of himself as he skated his fingertips on her bare arm. 

renfarber​:

who: @le0davis​ where: ren’s apartment, early morning

They’d still been awake when the sun rose this morning. Ren had no idea how long ago that was now. Just after Leo had fallen asleep, she’d texted her boss to say she wasn’t coming in today, and then she’d joined him, sharing her pillow as they slept together - literally, this time. The sun was peeking in now, through the gaps in the curtains, making the remnants of sweat glimmer on their skin. She could feel his breath on her forehead. She wanted to stay here forever. Even if a tiny voice in the back of her head kept telling her that he’d leave, now that he’d got what he wanted from her.

-

“Serenity,” he murmured, his eyes barely opening up a squint before shutting again. His eyelids were heavy from the lack of sleep. He had really exhausted himself. Every single one of his muscles had tensed and relaxed repeatedly throughout the duration of their night together. He couldn’t believe the night to be true even as he was laying on her bed with her scent engulfing him with her skin upon his. He opened his eyes fighting against the fatigue to glance down and see that her eyes were already open. He shut his own again but in favor of losing a sense in order to focus on the way her skin felt on his lips as he kissed her forehead a couple of times. “Why are you up? What time is it?” He asked inbetween peppering kisses.

renfarber​:

She couldn’t help it - she was moved by some otherworldly force that was probably just the ghost of who she’d been nine years ago; some version of herself that existed now as nothing more than a feeling in her gut made her reach out to take Leo’s hand. She was barely aware of her thumbs on his palm as she listened to him speak, but that made sense; it was a motion she’d done so many times when they were together that she could literally do it in her sleep. Whenever he felt tense, she’d reach for him in some small way, like this, and he would unravel just a bit.

He looked up at her, eyes locked on hers, and he told her he wasn’t a good guy. As though that was supposed to be news to her. As though that might put some wall up between them, like she might run from whatever monster he considered himself to be. But she’d always known him - for a thousand lifetimes - and she wasn’t about to run now. 

“Okay, so you’re a fuck-up,” she smirked, with a soft shrug of her shoulders, “so am I. We always have been. You fucked around and you hurt people but you got a daughter out of it. And all of my mistakes resulted in Max. It doesn’t make up for any of the pain we’ve caused, but… good things come from bad things all the time.”

It was only then that she noticed she was holding his hand. She didn’t let go.

“…I punished myself for about eight years for what I did to you. I didn’t think I deserved happiness so I kicked it in the face whenever it came too close. I only stopped because I got pregnant and my focus shifted, and I just… I don’t want you to waste your life like that. I don’t want you to punish yourself. I want… I don’t know what would make you happy, but I think you should go after it. I think you should let it in.”

-

Unlike Ren, Leo was completely aware of her fingertips touching his skin. His hand even threatened to shake as her hold on him had became more confident and firmer. It was like he had completely forgotten what he was upset about or if he was even upset at all. He even set his glass down without taking a sip he had meant to take. His entire mind became wrapped around the fact that she was touching him. How did she manage to do this to him? Create peace in a mind that was plagued with demons? Even her words had made him feel better. Mira and Max were the best things to ever come out of their unique paths. Even if unexpected, Leo couldn’t see it any differently now.

But Leo was confused by her advice. Because instead of advice that would keep him from going with his reckless instincts; they were encouraging them. And with that justification, he was let loose. “I know what would make me happy right now, and I want to go after it.” He said so sure of what he wanted and who he wanted to let in. He swallowed nervously, and his eyes stole a glance at her full pink lips, “It’s you - and your kiss.” He confessed, his eyes determined to hold her gaze as he said this. His free hand abandoned his chilled glass in favor of cupping the side of her neck and his thumb caressed her jawline. His hand in hers hand shifted so their fingers became intertwined. At that same moment, he had leaned in closing that silly amount of space Ren had wanted between them. He didn’t waste another second to fully press his lips upon hers. His eyes instantly closed as he relished in their softness, an explicit sound emitted from the back of his throat. The truth they were alone tonight hung in the air. No children or another person would be able to part them for hours. The kiss could become so much more. And of course, he had the desire of it being much more than a kiss. It made him part his lips to suck on her bottom one to ask for entrance so he could fully taste her. The hand on her neck became more possessive, clutching with the want to bring her closer.

renfarber​:

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. There was no why. There was no reason. She’d had nine years to think of it (and many nights therein during which she thought of nothing else), and a couple of therapists thrown in, and all she’d learned was that she’d been scared. Of love, of being loved, of failure, of success… she’d just been terrified and overwhelmed by of all of it. 

“We were so young, Leo. And everyone was telling us that we couldn’t possibly be as sure about each other as we said we were. But I was sure. Even looking back now, I don’t see myself as some stupid kid who didn’t know what love was. I knew what it was, because we had it. It was real, and that was scary. I’ve never seen love work out well for anyone, so I guess I just… fucked it up. I wish I hadn’t.”

She winced slightly at his last words, as though physically struck by them, and was quiet for a moment. “I didn’t… decide to hurt you, that was never what I wanted. I know that I did, though, and I haven’t forgiven myself, so I can’t expect you to forgive me either. But… even if you hate me, we need to try to get along, right?”

-

He was completely enthralled by hearing the story of them from her perspective. Again an insight he never expected to have. She spoke of their love like some tangible and strong element. He had felt the same way. He was so sure of their love because he had been raised without it. Nothing had ever felt so potent or as sweet as his first taste of love with Serenity. He tried. Leo actively tried to fall in love like that again. He looked for the little things that made up Ren in other people. Vihana was actually someone he hadn’t expected. She was beautiful, kind, and took care of him. It was easy and simple because he never really was himself. Even now, she had no idea who he was. 

He groaned with a roll of his eyes. It wasn’t directed towards her. It was energy that he needed to push out. The whole situation they were in now compared to where they were years or even months ago was nothing like he had ever fantasized. He didn’t have the right to be tired of the ride that dipped and derailed from his choices. But he was. There was never a break unless he had numbed himself with his vices. He brought his elbows up on the table, he held his hands together and proceeded to tap his forehead on them. “Serenity,” he said, his eyes closed as he rested on his hands. “I don’t hate you. I can’t ever hate you. I just hate what you did. But I can’t exactly talk now, can I?” He questioned, lifting his head up to look at her once again. “I didn’t exactly get into the situation I am in now by being a good guy.” He said with the glint of calmed chaos in his dark eyes. He didn’t where his mood was going. The alcohol made his veins sting and his attention jump around. Though the weight of his problems just kept trying to follow behind him. He grabbed his glass again to get rid of it. “I’ll play nice if you will.” He said swirling the remaining contents in his glass.

renfarber​:

She could physically feel his eyes on her, so that two feet away still felt impossibly close. It was the way he’d looked at her for a thousand lifetimes, and she would never get used to the way it burned her skin. She wondered if he felt it too, as her eyes traveled over the face she’d long since memorized.

There was so much they needed to talk about, but everything they said felt like throwing knives. Even if one didn’t land a blow, all they were doing was giving each other ammunition. She knew the latter was true about the words on the tip of her tongue. His ego would soak them up like so much whiskey, but she filled both of their empty glasses and then spoke them anyway.

“I haven’t been with anyone since you. Not… not seriously, I mean. There have been hookups, obviously, and flings, I guess, but… nothing more than that. Blake noticed it, years ago, and asked me why, so I told her about… my first love. And how I’d never felt anything so intensely in my life, and how overwhelming it was for me then. And how I purposely fucked it up because it scared me so much.” She avoided his eyes, absentmindedly (nervously) tapping her glass. 

“I didn’t tell her your name, which was obviously a mistake in hindsight, but… I did tell her you had the only key to my lock,” she said, letting out a small humorless laugh, taking a sip of her drink. “Just in case you wondered how much she knows.”

-

He didn’t know if he should be relieved that she had just ended their little spat by pouring whiskey. either way he hadn’t felt so present in a moment than he’s ever had than when he was with her. always an electric current in the air, whether it was a spark or flaming fire. he took his heavy bottom glass back to his lips for a sip when she had spoke again. the topic change at hand made him take another long sip before she had him hanging on every word. it was like being let into her diary. he found himself surprised that she hadn’t taken a chance on anyone else, and that he was being labeled as her first love. serenity was his and only, despite what he believed he claimed on his wedding day. Though another sentence that left her lips made him more perplexed. 

“Is that why you did it…?” His voice trailing off as his head couldn’t help but recall the past. He remembered the night she told him. But every word or explanation had she given him had just went one ear and out the other. He didn’t want to hear it, and he had thanked that defense mechanism many times. One of his many toxic traits was believing that being stubborn was a great thing. It was always easier for the orphan to walk through life with his guard. Had he heard this reasoning then, he wouldn’t be as receptive as he was now. Though the booze might have helped. “You were too scared to...” he paused looking at the counter again as he figured how to word the reasoning she had given him. “...love me?” He said lifting his head and eyes back to her. He still wasn’t even too sure if that was the right wording. “So you decided to hurt me in the worst way possible to end it?” These words flowed out without any malice. Just the string of these specific words trailing one another made it seem harsh. Leo’s face was soft as he tried to analyze it in a way that only a broken man could do. That there was something the matter with him. He reached his hand out to wrap around the glass once more.

renfarber​:

She’d asked. She shouldn’t be so shocked, because she’d asked if he’d gotten rid of it. But she didn’t actually think he would have done so. It made sense; of course it did. Ren had shattered their relationship, right at the moment it was at its most perfect. They’d been deliriously happy, they were making plans for the future, they were obsessed with each other, and unwaveringly in love. So of course he’d been blindsided, and heartbroken, and furious. Of course he’d thrown away the key.

But making sense didn’t make it hurt less. She didn’t want to reason with herself about it, about how it shouldn’t feel like a knife to her heart to see the empty space where the key to her lock had been. Or how the pain and anger in his eyes now shouldn’t break her heart just as much as it had nine years ago. It just did. 

In one swallow, she downed the rest of her drink, setting the empty glass on the table between them with an unceremonious thud. 

“Fine,” she said, staring quietly for a moment, watching him tug his sleeve back down, covering the empty patch of skin where his love for her used to be. She had a question on the tip of her tongue, and for a while it stayed there, stubbornly refusing to be spoken. But the alcohol was loosening it, and she said it anyway, as she poured herself another drink. “…Why did you kiss me?”

-

He watched the way she absorbed the information. But really what was she to expect? Leo couldn’t stand to look down at his own arm because the tattoo was reminded of her absence in his life and his arms. He even missed the stupid way their matching tattoos would meet when holding hands. He had to get rid of it. Those kind memories had morphed into ones where she had made the choice to entangle herself with someone else. It made him sick either way. It had to go. 

Leo swallowed before taking in a deep meaningful breath. Her question had knocked the air out of him, and cleared his head from the pain he had became friends with. The only thing filling his senses now was her. Her scent. Her face. And the way she tasted when he kissed her last. He brought his drink to his mouth to suppress it, but it was too late, the alcohol tasted painfully sweet like she did. He downed it, easily, and like her - he placed the glass down with a thud. 

His dark gaze moved along her features like a caress, but his face stayed neutral. “Because.” He said as if that were a complete answer or sentence. He didn’t want to tell her the truth. It would just be pathetic. He was done with feeling like some love sick fool, especially over her. He had been pining for so long - nearly a decade. This hurt was the part of him that helped him grow into someone so heartless, arrogant, and careless with love... all because he couldn’t experience it with her. 

renfarber​:

He was right, of course. She didn’t want to talk about any of this, but she wanted to talk about Leo’s wife like she wanted a hole in her head. She’d only brought the woman up to see what reaction she’d get, and the confused brow and almost callous laugh told her enough. He had no love for the woman whose ring he still wore. Maybe that should have made things better, or easier, but it didn’t.

“Well…” she said, still wanting to put up some kind of guard, to keep some kind of distance, “I would ask how you met Blake, but I heard all about the charming man she made a wedding cake for.” She didn’t know why she sounded so bitter; it wasn’t her he’d cheated on. “And she’s heard all about the man I loved a decade ago. The one with the key to my lock,” she said, gesturing at the padlock tattoo amongst the medley of others on her forearm. “How’d you explain that to your wife? Or have you gotten rid of it by now?”

-

Leo sighed quite audibly when Ren brought up Blake. There it was. One of the many things Leo would have to elaborate on tonight, that’s if she wanted him to. But the way she continued on, had led him to believe that this was some way to bombarde him with all the wrong things he’s done. A great defense, and it was working. No one had genuinely lifted up a mirror to his face, and he did not like it.

Leo abandoned his drink and leaned back in the chair. His dark eyes moved down to his forearms. He didn’t say anything to her, he only began unbuttoning the sleeve to his dress shirt. He pulled the sleeve to show her his tattoo. Or rather what was left of it. Thanks to a stinging, burning laser, it looked as if he had the faintest discoloration along the length of a tattoo. It could have easily been lost in the green tone of his veins and be mistaken for a birthmark. Leo kept his eyes on the clean skin, and spoke with an even tone. “Why would I keep the key to someone who broke my heart?” His voice sharpening against the word, remembering the infliction she caused him. Her brought his eyes back to her face. Pain written all over his face before he straighten his expression again. He began to tug his sleeve back down and spoke. “Now, are we done pointing fingers?”

renfarber​:

She hadn’t realized how nervous she’d been until she saw him smile. This apartment was her, all over, just the essence of who she was splashed all over the walls. It was her, and it was Max, and so it mattered to Ren if Leo liked it. If he liked them. She didn’t know how to feel about that mattering to her, so… she just pushed it down with all the other feelings she had right now. They could come back out after some whiskey untangled them.

She dragged a chair over to the counter so she could reach the top shelf of the cabinet. She wasn’t entirely sure why she kept the liquor up here - it wasn’t as though Max could get into it at seven months old - but it was always good to make things like that hard to reach. For emergencies only. And this definitely counted. On her way down, Leo handed her one of Max’s toys, and she smirked. “Thank you.”

“Max is with my mom,” she said, getting ice out of the freezer. “I should text her, actually. She should probably keep him overnight.” Her eyes flicked up to him, knowing how he’d take that. She held up a finger. “Because we’re drinking. And we need to talk without a crying baby. You stay two feet away from me,” she smirked. She shouldn’t be joking about this, not when he had a wife, not when he had a baby with her best friend… it just… came so easily. 

She poured two drinks and passed one over, sitting at the table and sending a quick text to her mom. Seconds later, her phone beeped, and she rolled her eyes, texting again and then turning off her phone. 

“Mom says hi,” she smirked. Gloria had always loved Leo. Even now, after Ren had cried on her shoulder about the mess they were in. It was disloyal, honestly. But Ren supposed it was only fair, since she didn’t hate Leo either. She sighed, pulling her braids over one shoulder, and looking at Leo. “So… how’d you meet your wife?”

-

Leo’s brows immediately quirked up at Ren’s words, taking them just as suggestively as she assumed he would. He couldn’t help but break into a small laughter at the finger she had held up. He held his hands up and sat at the table at the furthest one from where she was currently. “Two feet it is.” He agreed though he did find it funny how she needed the physical distance from him. Like he had a pull. Though he felt the same way about her lips. 

He watched as she poured the drinks. His eyes admiring the caramel hue a bit too closely. It had been a minute since he was able to indulge. It was getting a lot harder to sneak away. His hand couldn’t help but tap on the counter till the drink was passed over to him. From there he had taken a well measured first sip while she was distracted with her phone.

“Tell Gloria, I said hey,” he smiled that shit eating grin that was just a permanent reaction to when his ego was stroked. Though that grin had immediately left his lips at the mention of his wife. His forehead wrinkled as he pulled his brows together, he laughed once before replying, “You don’t wanna talk about that.” He said openly refusing to answer. “We have other things to talk about.” He said quite solemnly as he brought his drink to his lips. 

renfarber​:

“Mhmm,” Ren smirked, opening the door, and holding it for him. “There’s a fine line between madness and genius… and if you have to cup your pizza with both hands to keep the toppings from falling off the sides, you’ve gone too far.” It was way too easy to fall back into joking with Leo. She was still mad and she was still hurt and she was still really fucking confused, but she was still Ren. And he was still Leo. They couldn’t escape that if they tried.

Her apartment was on the second floor, and they had to walk up a slightly dingy staircase and not too far down a slightly creepy hallway to get to it. It looked worse than it was - the neighbors were great and the landlord was… fine, as landlords go. Even so, she’d move the second she had a chance to.

Right now, as Leo could see when she unlocked the apartment door and swung it open, she and her son shared a studio apartment. She had a murphy bed that she kept up now so Max had space to scoot around and play. He had his own little section with his crib and his change table and everything he needed. She’d painted everything white so it looked bigger and brighter than when she’d moved in. She’d filled the place with her record collection and decorated it with posters of her favorite films. But as cozy as it was, they were essentially sleeping in the kitchen. That was life in New York, though, she supposed. [ x ]

“Don’t sue me if you trip over a toy. Max is obsessed with throwing things this week. Thinks it’s the funniest shit,” she said, shaking her head. She hung up her jacket and headphones and set down her work bags and turned back to Leo. “Bathroom’s just there, everything else is… here. That’s the grand tour. Want a drink? Might help.” 

-

Leo’s lips mashed together as he listened her tease him. His eyes had lit up. It still got to him that she would remember things. She knew him. He remembered how much that fact had floored him. And that it had struck him so much that he kissed her. His Serenity. But that had all  changed, didn’t it? She finally got meet the person he had become. A person he still hid from his wife. “Agree to disagree?” Leo offered as he kept watching her as he followed her. He was trying to see if he could read her face as if there were some answer there. 

But as Ren was unlocking her door, he realized he was being let into her home. He was going to see how and where she lived with her son. This wasn’t something that crossed his mind till he already had an eyeful of it. His eyes moved to the left to the right, up and down. And that’s all that was really needed to take in to get the gist of the place. It reminded him of when he first moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan. He had to share a similar space with another grown adult. But what Ren had done with it was far more cooler and cozier than he had ever seen a place be. It was like he could see himself living in the space. He walked in further, finding himself being taken with a retro styled movie poster for Universal’s Frankenstein. He caused him to smile because he had the same poster. 

 He laughed turning back around to face her, “That is the funniest shit.” But then he glanced down and saw a teething toy on the ground, and as a new parent, he saw how maybe that wasn’t really that funny. Leo picked it up and handed it to Ren. “Where is Max anyway?” Leo asked, and it surprised him how much he was actually hoping to meet her son. “And yeah I’ll take a drink. Whatever you’re having.” 

miracle incoming

who: ren + @blakemadden + @le0davis when: wee hours of the morning, may 15, 2022 what: in which blake doesn’t know that her best friend and her baby daddy used to date, and ren just found out that her best friend and her ex are having a baby, and leo doesn’t know that his ex is besties with his mistress OR that he’s having a baby at all. fun!

Keep reading

renfarber​:

.

He sounded genuine enough. And he certainly looked like he meant what he was saying. But she couldn’t shake the knowledge that his wife had probably also believed him when he spoke to her like this. Not to mention, she’d seen him yell at Blake and punch a wall mere minutes before looking at her like she was a gift from God. So she remained skeptical, looking at him through narrowed eyes.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” she said bluntly, climbing the steps and getting her keys out of her pocket. “…But I know that we have to.” She hesitated, with the keys in her hand. Inviting him in seemed so… maybe intimate wasn’t the right word, but it was all she could think. This was her home. Her safe place for Max. Leo felt like a stranger now, did she really want to let him in? “I was going to order a pizza. You still pile everything on yours like a crazy person?”

-

Leo nearly held his breath as he watched her face. It was like he was memorizing it just incase. He felt his stomach tense at her blunt words. He deserved that. He deserved worse. Her next words caused him to finally take a full breath. But then he stared at her, not realizing he had gone from being shut out to being asked if his pizza order was the same. "Erm,” he made a disgruntled noise that he pulled off to be one of offense than confusion. “Supreme pizza is not crazy. It’s genius.” He said quite stubbornly. He obviously believed wanting everything wasn’t a crime, though that logic only worked best with pizza. “Does that mean I’m invited to your pizza party...?” He asked, his eyes darting to her door and then to her. He had to admit this was much more than he was expecting. 

renfarber​:

Ren was playing this Escape The Ex game on expert mode, and she had to say, she was killing it. She knew it wasn’t sustainable; both she and Leo would be in Blake and Mira’s lives forever if all went well - and forever was a very long time to avoid someone. But for now she was expertly avoiding seeing him, and thinking about him, and thinking about anything at all. So it was working.

She was on her way home from work now, and Max was at her mom’s, and she was looking forward to a rare bit of quiet alone time when she got back. She had her headphones on, and her favorite Strokes album playing, and all in all it was looking like a great day. Until she saw who was sitting on the steps of her building. Her stomach dropped and she stopped in her tracks, and even though he’d seen her now, she was still thinking about turning and running away.

But, she knew, this was hard on him too. He’d brought it on himself, and on her, and on Blake, but it wasn’t as though he’d been the only one. If Ren or Blake had just been honest with each other and mentioned Leo’s name once during their friendship, all of this could have been avoided. Secrets caused this mess. Maybe talking would fix it.

Still, there was a bit of nervous anger in her voice when she finally spoke, pulling her headphones down around her neck. “What do you want, Leo?”

-

Once he saw her, he got up from his seat, keeping himself in between her and her door. “Serenity, I-” Leo began to say but was cut off by her question. He brought his palms up for a second before settling his arms back down at his sides. It was his poor attempt at showing she had nothing to be afraid of, even though him showing up in front of her home uninvited wasn’t already unnerving. “I just want to see you, to talk to you... I feel like there’s much to be said between us.” He said, his gaze never leaving her face. He missed her so much already it was ridiculous how these past several days felt longer than their decade apart. “I-I understand if you don’t want to talk to me, but I had to try one more time Ren.” Leo stepped one step closer to her but then also to the side, giving her a choice to talk to him or just close the door on it forever.

closed starter: @renfarber​ where: serenity’s apartment

Leo had became desperate. He couldn’t explain the constant desire to want to see and talk to Serenity. She had dodged him so well for the past week. She would appear at Blake’s only when he wasn’t there, and would leave just as before he got there. He had tried texting her. The guy even tried calling her and leaving voicemails. But he got the longest radio silence he’s ever received from any woman. On day eight, he realized he should stop and take it as a sign that he was just nothing but a ghost to her now. But by the next hour, he decided that that was bullshit, and if that were the case he should at least get closure. 

He had gotten Blake to help him, there was no way he could catch Serenity without her help. And quite frankly, Blake owed him a little favor for blind sighting him. He sat on the small steps of Serenity’s place just mulling over things he could say when she arrived. And would look up everytime he heard any movement. 

renfarber​:

Her heart was hammering already, even before he whispered her name. He said it like a magic spell, like a whispered wish, like a… prayer. In those four small syllables she heard him asking for the world. And despite herself, she knew she’d give it to him.

She wasn’t surprised that he’d kissed her - she knew his heart well enough to have heard him ask - but she was surprised to find herself kissing him back. Pulling him close. She realized now that she’d been wanting to touch him all night, settling for fixing his hair and eating his food, when what she’d really wanted was this.

This.

She kissed him with a passion she hadn’t remembered she was capable of, but it came back to her easily now. Everything came back now. The body she’d long since memorized. This feeling, like lightning. And the knowledge of how completely and absolutely they’d always been able to overthrow each other.

Because, unlike with anyone else, with each other, they’d willingly given their power up, placing it in the other’s hands.

She could feel that happening now, and that’s what finally woke her. She couldn’t do this. She wasn’t the girl she’d been. She needed to keep her power now, because she had someone at home who needed her to have it. And Leo did, too.

She pulled away, maybe too slowly, and shook her head as she caught her breath.

“I have to… leave…” she whispered.

-

It shouldn’t have surprised but it did… the familiar nip and pressure that was her kiss was his again. she tasted just as sweet as he remembered. he couldn’t believe it. it made him even more responsive, more present to take all that she had bestowed upon him. When she reached out to him, he did too, holding her face to bring her closer. He had completely lost all thoughts that didn’t surround her.

a pathetic exhale left his throat when her mouth left his. his mind instantly crying out for more. More of what was once his. He pulled away as slowly as she did. His eyes fluttered open to look at the beautiful flush on her cheeks and lips. Hearing her whisper had knocked him out of haven that was created between their mouths.

“Don’t leave, stay… please.” his eyes heavy on hers, wide with longing. he swallowed, trying not to let his pride keep him from saying how he really felt. He wanted her, and he wanted to tell her this. He wanted to confess his love and win her all over again. But reality and fear cooked its’ way back to the forefront of his mind. She had left him before in a situation that was far worse than spilled popcorn. She had left him with scars that he was forced to cope with. Still, somehow, the notion of her leaving and him not seeing her again was far worse. “I don’t know when I’ll see you again.” His voice was coated in vulnerability as her kiss had brought all his emotions to the surface.

renfarber​:

He said he remembered the night better than she did, and she smiled, but shook her head. There was no way that was true. There was no way he remembered the exact placement of the mustard stain on his uniform, or the scent of honey-roasted duck when they whispered close to the kitchens, or the Frank Sinatra song that was playing as his hand brushed hers when they hid behind the bar, or the one unruly curl that would have fallen into his eyes if it had been long enough - just like it had tonight. There were so many differences between that man and this one, but the feeling in her gut was the same. That she had always known him. And that she always would.

But he did remember. A thousand lifetimes, she’d said. It sounded ridiculous, she knew, but it sounded right, too. She’d known from the start that whatever happened between them, there was something there that wouldn’t die, or even lessen in its intensity, and she was even more sure of that now. It’s what had always, always scared the living shit out of her. But then, just as now, he’d made a joke and calmed her down without even knowing he needed to. 

“You know, anybody else, and I would have rolled my eyes at a line like that,” she laughed. “But like I said, nothing you ever say could surprise me. You’re just you. And I just… know you.” She leaned in, too, then (to whatever remained of the space to lean into), and lowered her own voice, just reveling in getting to whisper with him again. “And in any case, I’m pretty certain you got me naked in every single one of those lifetimes,” she smirked.

-

Leo smiled as she laughed, their meet cute was precious to him. He thanked his stars that he was fortunate enough to have met her a thousand times in their past lives. See, Leo was just as starry eyed and eccentric as she. 

Leo’s suave demeanor softened, as she said she knew him. She did. But she knew him before he evolved into the mess he was today. He desperately wished he was still that guy. The way she looked at him made him feel like he was, and in this moment, he wanted to stay there under her gaze forever. Be the one she knew and she once cared about. “Serenity...” he murmured her full name like a prayer, and in a way her name alone was one for him. He hoped she’d answer it. He closed the space between their faces, and looked at her before pressing his lips against hers in a blink of an eye. He had meant to be soft, careful, but it was like ten years of chained up affection came flooding through his veins. His kiss a mixture of both tender and fervent. He was too far gone to realize his clutch on the popcorn had weakened and fell off his lap and onto the floor. 

renfarber​:

Oh, this was dangerous. He shouldn’t be looking at her like this. And she shouldn’t be looking at him like this. They were grown ass adults now, and they should know better, and they had responsibilities, and they’d broken up for a reason, because she’d done something horrible, and then he’d said some horrible things, and enough time had passed now that there shouldn’t be any feelings left of any kind, but… there were. She could tell from his eyes that there were. And anyway, Ren had always rather liked danger.

He smiled at the mention of her mother, and he joked about her ridiculous old friends, and she laughed at his dumb jokes and his smug smile and his popcorn-throwing, and what had felt dangerous a moment ago, now felt familiar and safe. Safe enough that she felt comfortable reaching up to fix some stray curls that had fallen over Leo’s eyes.

“Do you remember the night we met?” she smirked. She wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t, honestly. They were at work, and it was a particularly slow night, and nothing of interest really happened except for Ren meeting the only man she’d ever fall in love with. They’d spent the whole shift talking and laughing (and getting yelled at for talking and laughing), and sneaking booze from behind the bar. “I told you I felt like I’d known you in another life. And that nothing you could say would ever surprise me because of it. …I was a fucking weirdo back then,” she laughed, “but I still kind of believe that.”

-

The way she looked at him was almost becoming unbearable. Did she realize that she was looking at him the way she use to? Was he giving her the same adoring look that he had reserved for her all those years ago? Would the desire to stop wanting to reach towards her subside? How could he even approach her in such a way when she knew she was married and very clearly had honored that sanction far more than he did? No matter the answers, he had to behave, he had to. 

 Leo didn’t flinch or back away when Ren’s hand came to his obstructed view. He actually kind of welcomed not seeing her so clearly. It offered a bit of a shield, but she had brushed his shaggy curls away, giving him a sharp view of her stunning features once again. He’d never get over just how ethereal she appeared. And just like that, the urge to just move closer, grab her face and just kiss her took hold of him again. But thankfully she had given him another distraction.

He looked at the cute smirk upon her face as he took her question. The night they met. Arguably one of the best nights of his twenties. He would never tell her, but he even knew what phase the moon was in the sky that night; a crescent moon. He also regrettably even knew what the special was that night; a honey roasted duck. Which now he realized was probably the reason for the slow night. He kept his gaze on her as he recalled the rest of the details, the more important ones. Like how when their eyes first met, he became a stoic fool, melting into a stranger’s eyes. But then how quickly he had warmed up to her because of her charming demeanor, one that he matched up with his own. He definitely chose humour to captivate her, and he was smitten with her honesty no matter how eccentric it was. As he listened to her recalling their conversation about other lifetimes, his face had softened and there was smile shining from his eyes as well as his lips. “I think I remember it a lot better.” He gloated, of course, needing a spotlight on him being right once again. He leaned in closely, his elbow completely taking her arm rest as he did so. “Because you said, you felt like you’ve known me in a thousand other lifetimes.” The glint in his eyes still shown as he reminded her of that detail, the lighting of the movie’s glow helped ignite it brighter. “I asked if I were rich and successful in any of them and you said yes. And then like a lameass trying to shoot my shot, I asked if I got to see you naked in any of them.” His voice lowered an octave as if to keep that part intimately between them than it already was. Leo’s gaze, however, dropped down to the exposed skin at her collarbone before he forced it back up. His clutch on the popcorn bucket was unfortunately becoming obvious with the crinkling of the cardboard. 

renfarber​:

It happened when we were so young, he said. He said it so easily, as though he’d moved on ages ago… and maybe he had. Maybe he hadn’t been as completely destroyed by it all as she had. He clearly at least had the ability (and desire) to fall in love again, which was more than Ren could say. …Not that she’d say any of that out loud.

She didn’t want to think about it, but she couldn’t help wondering what his wife was like. What was Leo’s type now? Was she anything like Ren, or was she the complete opposite? It wouldn’t make any difference to know, but she couldn’t help being curious anyway.

But then he spoke of her, and there was something in his voice that Ren recognized. Something similar to what had been there the rare occasions he’d spoken of his childhood - she could almost see the walls going up around his heart, as the charming smile faltered slightly. He was lonely. She didn’t know why that surprised her - she knew from her own parents that married people could be just as lonely as anyone else.

“Well. Absence makes the heart grow fonder… right?” she asked, not entirely certain if she was still asking about his wife.

Just like that, the grin was back, and she was laughing again, shaking her head. “Jesus, all this time and you’re still a little shit, huh?” she smirked. “Yeah, I know you told me. That was the first thing my mom said when I told her about it, she said ‘Leo tried to warn you, child’. Fuckin’ menaces, both of you. Always ganging up on me. …But yeah, Tori was always a hot mess, which was funny until I had this one party… she drank half a bottle of vodka, invited everyone she knew to my apartment, vomited on my bed and fell asleep on the floor. So…”

-

Leo, a decade ago wouldn’t have been so nonchalant and calm about discussing their breakup. There were still parts of his twenty something mind that wanted to tell Ren how she had broken him, and the ways he had to learn to cope. But this was neither the time or place. Not when he could hide in here with it being just them without the weight of their past and he wanted to keep it that way. Plus, he didn’t know if this was the first or last time their paths would cross.

“Yeah…fonder,” His eyes flickered to her face, “…right.” The absence of her caused him to grow fonder. And as he agreed, he found he wasn’t thinking about his wife but thinking of Ren. Ten years apart didn’t dull his longing for her. Hell, as he sat there in the dark with her, his mind couldn’t help but think of closing the inches between their bodies. He had chosen to look at her hands inbetween looking at her face and it took him clutching onto the popcorn bucket to behave himself.

  Leo let out of a disapproving click of tongue and shook his head at her question. “I don’t think it’s possible to grow out of being a little shit.” He smirked back, but then smiled so boastfully as he learned that her mother had agreed with him. He had missed her mother and her friends. He remember how much it sucked to lose those connections as well. He had accepted them as his makeshift family then. But upon learning about what the last card dealt from Tori was, caused Leo’s face to move almost cartoon like. His forehead creased from lifted brows and a parted mouth as he pictured the scene Ren had walked into. He couldn’t help but try to say something funny to hopefully see her smirk or laugh again. “I don’t know that kinda sounds like a good time, if you’re Tori.” He quirked his brow at her then tossed a kernel of popcorn in the air and catching it. he chewed, looking ever so smug. it was the first time in a while, that he had such charming banter such as this. he could get use to it all over again. 

renfarber​:

Something in the way he was looking at her was making her head spin. No matter how much she tried to stay in the present here, and no matter how many times both of them mentioned how much time had passed, he was still looking at her the same way he used to. And her heart was still skipping a beat the same way it used to. And she hated that she couldn’t stop it - even if she didn’t hate the feeling, at all. 

Just as she was beginning to fall into her all-too-familiar pit of guilt over cheating on him, he winked and grinned, and she rolled her eyes and laughed, and whatever year it was, they were there together. He was way too fucking charming for his own fucking good, and he knew it. She’d never put up with that shit from anyone else, but… it was Leo. So. She stole some of his popcorn, arm brushing against his, and stopped fighting it - at least for now. 

Reality would hit them eventually, but it could wait until the lights came back on. 

“I doubt you’d want to hear an actual explanation… even if I had a good one,” she said, watching as the monochrome movie light flickered on his face. She wondered whether to tell him that cheating on him had been the only real regret she’s ever had in her otherwise free-spirited life. But she was sure he knew. And anyway, what he said next confused her into momentary silence. 

It’s silly to expect that kind of commitment, he said, and she raised an eyebrow at him. “This, from the man in the legally binding committed relationship,” she said. She hadn’t really wanted to bring it up again, preferring to live in the past, in the dark… but part of her knew that if she didn’t say it out loud, they could easily slip a little too far backwards. 

He said that she didn’t need anyone, and even if it wasn’t entirely true, she loved that he still saw her that way. She’d always prided herself on her independence, choosing who got to be around her because she wanted them there, not because she needed anything from them. It had turned out not to be quite that simple, in the end, but she still liked it, as a concept. 

“It’s good to have constants, though, isn’t it? I’ve got a good support system, like my mom and my best friend. …A new best friend though, I got rid of Tori. She turned out to be a total asshole, just like you always said she was,” she smirked. “It’s probably kind of nice, though, to have a person who’s always there for you, and who you’re always there for. Is it?”

-

Leo had purposefully adjusted himself in his seat to face towards her rather than the film. He had done the same with the popcorn, offering it to her as well as offering all of his attention. “You don’t have to explain. It happened and we were so young.” He said, trying to avoid finding that wound and licking it. It had hurt. It him so bad losing that ounce of integrity when it came to trust. He hardly had it to begin with. But above it  all, it hurt losing her. Looking at her now, it panged a bit to see how much he had missed in her life and how much he missed her in his own life. Serenity had been the only one to reach him to his core, and he kept it that way since. Even though he was now married. 

Leo laughed at her mentioning the severity of commitment marriage was then he glanced down at that shiny ring around his finger. How long had he worn it till it stopped meaning anything to him? Would admitting he was an unfaithful husband give him a chance to turn back time for a night? Should he take that risk? “It is nice when I do get to see her.” He confessed, showing his current point of view of his marriage without being too detailed. “Constantly missing each other is probably not the constant you’re describing.” His loneliness finding its’ way out with his words. Being lonely and insatiable were the fundamentals to his catastrophic nature. No statement had ever been more true for the orphan. They were his demons then, and they were still his now. Still he managed to his head around what she mentioned about her best friend situation. He grinned because he loved hearing that he was right, of course. “Told you she was. How’d you figure that? And anything else in the span of the ten years we’ve been apart that I’ve been right about?” He gloated so openly, a smile on his face as he sunk into himself more comfortably in her presence. 

renfarber​:

The pangs of missing Max were hitting her again. She knew it was normal - this child had been a part of her for so long, of course it felt unnatural being away from him now - but her fierce independence had been part of her for much longer. She needed to find a balance between being a mother and being who she’d always been.

Her eyes turned to Leo’s when he said Max’s name, and she noticed then how close their faces were. This seemed so familiar, being alone in the dark with Leo, that for a second she forgot that any time had passed at all. Like he’d always been here, and she’d always been his, and everything that had happened between then and now had just been a dream. Like maybe this was who she’d always been.

Of course, then he said the word married, which did the trick of snapping her out of that. She sat back, clearing her throat, and put her phone back in her pocket. She hated her own heart for beating so quickly, and tried to turn her attention to the film. Which worked… for about thirty seconds.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted out, “…for what I did to you. Did I ever tell you that?”

-

Leo had read her body language as an offense of what he had said. He pulled away and sat back in his seat, his jaw visibly flexing as he tried to figure out what he said wrong. It made him realize that perhaps complimenting her appearance was too forward. But even after all these years, she was far more beautiful than the first time he laid eyes on her. Leo bit his bottom lip, chewing once before speaking, “Uh… I mean you tried to.” He looked down at his lap as he tried to collect his thoughts on the past. Plenty of images of him shutting her out in anger and sadness flashed in his mind. “I wasn’t really receptive to your apology while I was thinking about how you could possibly wanna fuck anyone else than me.” Leo said looking back up at her with a mischievous grin. Then he winked to look as attractive as he could in that moment as if to prove his point.

After a beat, he brought his hands up in lighthearted defense as he laughed at his stupid and blunt way of bringing up their past. “It was a long time ago. I get it now. It’s silly to expect that kind of commitment, especially at that age.” His shoulders lifted once and he popped a kernel or two of popcorn into his mouth. “I mean, change is inevitable, I can’t expect anyone or anything to stay stagnant.” He swallowed before looking at her pointedly. “I mean especially you. You don’t need anyone.” His voice deepened at the end of his thought with darkened eyes. 

renfarber​:

Ren took out her phone (a cardinal sin of movie-watching, but nobody else was around to care), and hesitated before opening the folder. It was weird how instinctual and animalistic it was, this need to protect her baby. Logically she knew that showing a photo of her child wouldn’t put him in any danger - especially not with Leo. He’d always been so good to Ren, even when she hadn’t deserved it. Leo wouldn’t hurt a soul, right?

So she tapped the folder and found her favorite picture of her son. “His name is Max,” she said, beaming at the photo before showing it to Leo. “I named him after my dad.” She waited for the inevitable comment about Max’s blue eyes - the first thing everyone noticed. Every other part of Max had come straight from Ren, but his father’s eyes were all anyone wanted to talk about. They were beautiful, though, she had to admit. 

“It’s… bizarre, how much has changed, huh?”

-

Leo squinted at the imagine of a baby boy in a onesie with his limbs up as if reaching towards the camera. It was clear to see that the boy was happily reaching out towards his mom. It brought a smile to Leo’s face as he realized this. He looked a little longer now and only saw the bits of her that were passed down to her child... especially that smile. “Max,” he repeated the name then finally met her eyes at their new close proximity. “He’s beautiful, he looks just like you.” Leo commented, holding his stare on her face. Realizing what he said, he felt a blush start at the nape of his neck. He’d indirectly had called her beautiful. He cleared his throat trying to shake off the feeling. “Yeah, it is bizarre.” He said trying to get his mind back on track. “You have a baby, and I’m married. Who’d have thought?”

renfarber​:

She laughed, the sound of it bouncing off the walls, even with the eerie theme music of the film playing. “Yeah, dude. I made a whole human. Wild, right?” She shook her head. Being pregnant and giving birth and taking care of a whole human child were the scariest, most painful, disgusting things that had ever happened to her. But unconditional love was always kind of like that.

Her nose scrunched at the word ‘boyfriend’ and she shook her head again. “Nah, it’s… it’s just me.” It sounded kind of sad when she said it like that, but Ren preferred it this way. Having Max all to herself. It was selfish, of course, but when had Ren ever done anything that wasn’t? Leo knew that more than most. “Do you… want to see a picture of him? You can say no, I know not everybody likes babies.”

-

 Leo smiled again hearing that melodic laugh. His mind had selected her voice above the film. wild, indeed. he began feeling the true weight of time once again. he hadn’t been there for any of the changes time had brought her, and vice versa. but had enough time past that he didn’t view her as the first and only woman to break his heart? 

Just you, he thought, repeating it to himself in a sad tone. Leo knew being a parent wasn’t easy. Hell, one of his parents passed away and the other gave him up to stop being his parents. How she was doing it on her own was hard for him to wrap his head around. Especially when he was the type to not even have a pet. He looked at her with this admirable look on his face. She was always so independent. “Yeah, show me,” he as his curiosity began to grow. Maybe seeing her son would actually help the reality that she was a parent click in his thick skull. “You’re the first person I know to have a kid.” He added, letting her know this was a new experience for him.

renfarber​:

He smiled at her, and she was twenty-one again, and the guilt that she’d been suppressing broke through. Before him, she’d never believed that she had the power to hurt anyone. She’d known that Leo loved her, but she hadn’t known how much, until she watched as his heart shattered in her hands. She hadn’t wanted that power ever again, so she’d never let anybody else that close.

And so, “Fuck no,” was her response to his question. It was automatic, instinctual, and she had no time to think better of it before the words were out of her mouth. “I mean… I’m happy that you’re happy, but it’s just not… for me, I don’t think,” she said, looking down at her hands and wondering how much was too much to say. “I do have a kid, though, so… that’s weird.”

-

Leo’s eyes widened slightly at her response. He had once objected to the idea of marriage just as strongly as she did. Especially after things ended with Serenity all those years ago. But meeting his wife made him see how beneficial life with a partner could be. Happy, though? He forced a nod, agreeing with her that he was happy. That’s how a marriage was suppose to be. Or appear to be. 

“A kid?” He questioned, his voice chiming too loud with surprise. “Like a whole person that you grew inside you and then…” he gulped thinking about delivering a baby and then being stuck with it. “That is weird. You’re a mom now.” He agreed and then began to mess with his popcorn bucket. not having the appetite for the snack. This was a lot to learn. There was a child out there that was hers. He bit his lip as he looked at her and tried to picture it. But the only thing his mind went to was who was the man that shared half of her son with. “Your boyfriend’s the father; I’m assuming?”

renfarber​:

She sat when he sat, and stared for too long just like he did. She saw his eyes taking in her new hair and her new tattoos, just as she took in his new facial hair, and his new… wedding ring. Suddenly the ten years felt like ten years. There was less than a foot in physical distance between them now, but there were ten full years, and a spouse, and at least one baby. But even so, she couldn’t stop herself from fucking smiling at him.

“It’s good to see you,” she said, and it was, although it probably shouldn’t have been. It was weird to see him, older and married and scared of her, but the dappled projector light softened everything. Like they were the ones in nostalgic black-and-white. “How long have you been married?”

-

The way she smiled at him kept his nerves from growing further out the lines. it was a familiarity he appreciated as he really tried to let time settle between them. The corners of his mouth lifted, causing his eyes to wrinkle with a soft smile. “I was gonna say the same thing.” He said, bringing his eyes back to her. Though he was still careful around her. Out of precaution or experience; he didn’t know which. He brought his eyes back to the screen. because he couldn’t let himself dote on her appearance any longer. It was far too easy to fall back into admiring her looks. He owed some restrain at the very least for his twenty-three year old self. he carried that broken hearted twenty something leo, too close and too long. 

At her question about his marriage caused his brows shot up and he looked at his left hand. The white gold still glinted in this light. “Oh,” he enthused and arranged his hands so his left one was out of view at the side of his popcorn bucket. “Almost a year or so.” He replied not really knowing the date by memory. It was somewhere in his phone. He finally looked at her again. “What about you--married?” He questioned quickly, his curiosity getting the best of him. his eyes even flicked downward to her hands. 

renfarber​:

She’d thought she’d be prepared for this. She’d thought that enough time had passed (what was it, almost a decade now?), and that she’d moved on, and she was over what had happened… but she wasn’t. She was smiling, looking at him now, because he looked so much like the boy she’d loved. She was smiling, but her heart had sunk, and her brain was so focused on his face that it forgot to remind her to breathe.

“No,” she said - too loudly for the quiet, echoing theatre, “no, please don’t go. It’s a good movie… I’ve heard. I haven’t seen it, but… that’s kind of the appeal.” Of course, she didn’t need to explain that to Leo. Anyone else on Earth, maybe, but this familiar-but-distant man, standing in shock ten feet from her, giving her almost the same expression he had the last time she’d seen him… he already knew. He knew her love of new things, new experiences, new places, new people. He’d loved that about her once. And it had hurt him in the end.

When she finally remembered how to move, she made her way toward him. Slowly, gingerly, like he were a wild animal or a broken bird, and might either attack or flee if she moved too suddenly. She would deserve both, she knew, even if it had been ten years. But selfishly, she just wanted to see him.

The lights went down, and the projector came on, and they were still standing, staring, closer now but still unsure of each other. “Will you stay?” Ren whispered.

-

Her loud protest to him leaving echoed tremendously. It stopped him in his slow attempt to leave. And quite honestly it warmed him up a bit. It was a good surprise to know that she wanted him to stay and enjoy the film. He hadn’t seen it either, but he couldn’t find himself to speak up as he was grew overwhelmed and overstimulated by everything. He was at a crossroads of what to do. He knew had this meeting been less than the decade that passed he’d already be out the door. Hell, maybe even popcorn in her hair.

Leo’s feet stepped back once she began her approach towards him. He had only stopped when he remembered his drink on the ground. He was stuck between making a mess or allowing her closer. He went with the latter. It did offer him a chance to look at her better. Her hair was in braids, he’d never seen it styled like that before. He also noticed her tattoo collection had grown. When his own collection had diminished.

But it was different now. He was different. He had love coming at him from multiple hearts. Love that he had desperately wanted from just one heart, years ago. Hers. Did he still feel that way now? With his heart strings being pull down by someone on his phone and with broken vows he pretended to keep with his wife? The lights turning down and glow of the hazy film lit the room. It shown upon her face in such a familiar way. He would usually stare at her in this light to watch her reaction when they shared this pastime. He blinked and answered her wordlessly, by sitting back down in his seat. His eyes never moved off of her. He just kept looking at her with an air of anticipation. It took him a bit too long to let it go and turn his head to the screen. He began to become too aware of his own breathing as he felt the side of body she was at heat up. He parted his lips to say something but quickly closed it to focus on the film. But just a moment later, he did once again.

renfarber​:

who: @le0davis​ where: some half-abandoned theatre in lower manhattan what: in which leo and ren get slapped in the face with nostalgia

This wasn’t Ren’s first time away from Max, but it still felt weird every time she left him with her mom. Being alone felt unnatural now, like she was missing a limb. She’d spent her entire life trying not to get too attached to anyone at all, and now here she was, heart aching for a boy. All that being said, she did find a moment to marinate in the eerie silence of the almost-abandoned cinema. Just as she’d suspected, there was absolutely no one in here, and the ticket seller had looked at her like maybe she was a ghost.

The film was an obscure horror film from the 50s called The Creeping Unknown, and the old floors creaked as she made her way through the empty auditorium to find a seat. It was the perfect atmosphere for some much-needed alone time… but then she saw the mop of curls peeking over a seat in one of the middle rows. Not only had this intruder invaded her quiet night, but they’d also taken the best seat in the place. Despite herself, she was intrigued, and made her way over, just to see what kind of person had the same strange idea of a fun night…

But of course it was him.

“…Leo?” she asked (but who else would it be?). 

-

Leo needed a moment to himself that didn’t involve women, work, or alcohol. he needed the silence and care that a theatre could give him. He scored as he sat down on the perfect seat, dead center of the entire theatre. It was completely empty. Just him and the silver screen. It was a haven that he hadn’t had in a long time. And of course, it was an obscure science fiction horror film was a comforting choice for him. He sat comfortably with a small bucket of popcorn in one hand with his soda on the ground in front of the left seat beside him. 

He had heard the theatre creak but had thought nothing of it. Until he had heard a voice, he flinched at the sound of his name. Who had found him here in his safe space? He turned his head to see the owner of the voice. He looked at her, stunned, with his hand frozen in his popcorn bucket. “R-ren?” he questioned with narrowed eyes as he looked upon her in the dim lighting. He couldn’t believe it. and then it happened, a brief flash of the first time he saw her to the painful last time he had seen her. it was like his heart in his chest was given a tight squeeze and dragged down to his stomach. “uhh,” he drawled through the pain. it had been ten years but it felt like yesterday, seeing her now. “i’ll leave.” he blurted out, standing up so abruptly, bits of popcorn flung everywhere.