The lively hum of Café Leblanc does little to ease the knot in your stomach as you watch Ren. The Phantom Thieves all understood the risks, everyone knew what could happen when he’d let himself get caught. But seeing him like this, you could never have anticipated just how far the police would go.

Dark bruises bloom across his skin, only some of those on his face hidden by hastily applied bandages. His normally frizzy hair is even messier, with a few strands clumped together by dried blood. His smile is tired and barely reaches his eyes, but it finds its way through as he trades jokes with the others, his gaze distant yet warm. You should feel a sense of victory at his return, but a weight lingers. At what cost did the plan work?

One by one, the others file out, each offering Ren a pat on the back or a thumbs-up before disappearing into the night. Now it’s just the two of you. Well you two and Morgana who is perched on a stool, quietly rubbing his paws.