"He didn't put up a fight, at least, and maybe insofar as I convinced him he'll... stay convinced?"

"That would be nice."

"Yeah, it would. I guess we'll see."

Ramen.

"He didn't - identify especially with the version of me who was wrong about everything.  As much as I might have expected.  I think he was more thinking of himself as new in that moment."

"...huh. I guess given the givens it'd be more convenient if he has - continuity with himself across discontinuities in time, so you're not trying to negotiate with a series of 'em none of whom expect to ever 'return', but that doesn't necessarily require that he identify with any other backlash flavors."

"He expected to be back someday.  I don't know whether he's, y'know, right."

"Yeah."

".......In case there's any doubt I think you didn't do anything wrong.  Even if he doesn't."

"I appreciate that. I usually have, uh, slightly higher standards for myself than not doing anything wrong, but I'll take it."

"Sometimes it's the best you can do."

"Yup."

Ramen ramen ramen. When they're both done they can deal with the dishes and go back to the couch.

Cricket's already done eating and assumes his position on Haru's lap and his duties as The Wire Explainer.

Julien will..... attempt to do some of his textbook reading?  Sure.

.....Nooo.  Absolutely not, actually.  Not on his phone.  Maybe when his mom brings him his laptop, except for actually how he's so stupid right now and he's not going to be able to get through the material and his professors are definitely not going to give him any extensions and then he'll fail out of college and also his power will be evil and he will have noooo life plan.  And he doesn't even know what the hell is going on in The Wire, so clearly he's not only useless but also destined to be miserable forever.

The Wire is really complicated. Occasionally Cricket patiently spells characters' names for Haru based on how they are rendered in the subtitles so that Haru can look them up and see what they look like.

It's pretty obvious even if you have no idea what's going on in The Wire that Haru and Cricket are very fond of one another even if you factor out all the purring.

That's both very morally comforting and very cute.  It doesn't really make him any less miserable, at the moment.  What about podcasts.  He can podcast for a while, probably.  The Rose Buddies reboot is pretty brainless.  He can manage that.  It's surreal to be this stressed listening to something about The Bachelorette, but worrying over whether Aiden is like, okay, or just kind of a goober who's fine actually - is probably one of, if not the, most harmless things he could be panicking about right now.

Eventually Ren comes home with a bag of groceries. "Tofu!" she announces, brandishing a package thereof.

"Thank you."  He wipes his eyes and sits up.

"No, no need to move, I've got it. How are you doing - Haru, they're out of the fruit gem things, sorry -"

"That's fine, thanks anyway."

...If she insists.

- Taptaptap on Haru's arm.

"- mm?"

"I am going to need to borrow a shirt.  For when my mom's here."

"Does she not - get - yeah, sure, let's go get shirts." Up the stairs.

Up the stairs.  "It would just be kind of weird?  She's my mom."