Ren didn't so much inherit Leblanc as he occasionally ran the establishment whenever the aging Sojiro asked him to.

No, Ren didn't really have one job or career to call his own. Rather he did what he always had since first arriving in the big city as a youth, he helped out where he could.

Some would call him a freelancer but he never concerned himself with labels. If Sojiro needed him to run the shop every once in a while he would do it. If Yoshida ever allowed himself to bite off more than he could chew during campaign season(and he always would) Ren would moonlight as his assistant. And this spirit extended well beyond just his family and former confidants. Futaba had somewhat jokingly called him a Swiss Army knife years ago, both with and without the compendium of dozens of personas at his disposal. There was rarely a task he would turn down, nor one he wasn't qualified for in some shape or form.

But what he was most proud to do was mentor at risk children that Sae would send his way.

As spread out as he was he unfortunately didn't have the opportunity to be a full time "big brother" to these kids but whenever got the chance to help out he would go all in. Just to let them know there was somebody out there in the huge void of a world they lived in that understood them. That they didn't have to just become what everyone thought they were predetermined to be.

"Can I go home now?"

Ren turned from the counter he was wiping to see a very...uninterested looking young woman wrapped in an apron that he could just feel her despise for. Sometimes, rarely, Ren's fluid schedule forced him to mix his appointments together into one.

Today was one of those very days.

"I think you know the answer to that Emi-chan."

Emi huffed and in doing so caused the bangs of her hair that weren't tied up in a ponytail to flop down in front her eye. When she tried to lazily blow it back up with just her breath it simply flopped down further.

"But look at all these dishes! How am I supposed to get them done by myself?"

Ren wore a knowing small smile as he leaned against the back of the counter and crossed his arms. "I know it looks bad but once you get through the first few the rest will fly by."

"Easy for you to say…" the brunette grumbled but nonetheless slinked back over to the sink. Ren knew she was a good egg despite her sharp tongue, but it wasn't her attitude that put her on Sae' and his radar. It was her lack of ambition.

He didn't know the full picture granted but the picture the former prosecutor painted was one of a single parent household where said parent had to work three more jobs than they should have just to keep the lights on. Honestly it was almost a wonder that Emi didn't resort to things like shoplifting or violence.

She really reminded him of Ryuji.

Ren spent the next ten or so minutes cleaning the empty booths and attending to the ones that housed waiting patrons. Once that was taken care of he checked back in with Emi, pride welling up in his chest when he saw that most of the dishes were now washed and waiting to dry.

"I think it's time for a break. Here take a seat."

The brooding youth followed him over to the end of the bar and sat in the same seat he himself sat countless times before right in front of the coffee maker.

He suddenly felt the strange urge to stroke a goatee he didn't actually have.

"You like coffee Emi-chan?"

"It's fine," she shrugged as she spun herself into a comfortable position and crossed her leg across her thigh. "I'll buy a cup before school sometimes."

"You ever make any yourself?"

"I don't think so."

Ren was quiet as he tinkered with the maker that had been secretly brewing for the past few minutes already. Before Emi could even unlock her phone he had slid a cup of fresh joe right in front of her.

"Oh...thanks."

She reached for some sugar but he pulled away.

"Uh uh."

"What do you mean 'uh uh'?" She asked indignantly as she glared at the barista whose expression was the definition of calm and neutral.

"Take a sip."

"You're really weird you know that."

"Take a sip."

"Fine."

Emi never broke her glare as she brought the cup up to her mouth.

"It tastes like coffee good job."

Ren resisted the urge to ask her to allow him to explain all the rich flavor profiles and history of the beans she just consumed.

"You know when I was your age…"

He stopped when the bell above the front door jingled as it opened. When a woman wearing a powder blue coat coat and a bag strapped over her shoulder stepped through he couldn't stop the smile that stretched out both his cheeks.

Right on time.

"Welcome."

"Hello."

Makoto's voice was reserved and cordial as she sat the stool a couple spaces away from Emi but Ren knew by all of her little details that she loved seeing him in "coffee mode".

"Emi I'd like you to meet somebody."

The confused teen didn't miss the way her elders never broke their gaze from each other. She didn't have much time to stew on this however because almost immediately the mystery woman turned to Emi and offered her her hand.

"Hi my names Makoto. It's nice to meet you."

"...I'm Emi. Nice to meet you too." She responded slowly as she shook the offered hand.

Ren smirked as he leaned his forearms on top of the counter. "Actually, she's forgetting something. It's detective Makoto Amamiya."

"Actually it's still Makoto Niijima. At least for the next three months or so."

"Semantics."

"I'm sorry…. I'm confused." Emi admitted in a nearly frozen, dumbfounded state.

"This is my fiancé," Ren explained. "I called her here to today to have a little chat."

Makoto sent the poor girl an understanding smile. "I'm sorry about him. He has a bit of a flair for the dramatic."

Emi slowly began to recover from the completely unnecessary sideshow that Ren had put on and leaned in closer to Makoto.

"How do you put up with him?"

"Patience and years of practice."

Ren closed up shop soon after that and Makoto and Emi moved over to a booth to talk one on one while he prepared some curry for the three of them. By the time he arrived expertly balancing three plates across only two arms they were knee deep into a conversation about Emi's interests and how Makoto decided to join the police force.

He mostly listened and only spoke if either of the two women posed a question or comment directly towards him. He and his beloved both knew that this conversation wouldn't magically solve Emi's future but they hoped it would help more than it wouldn't. Ren's eyes were lidded as he watched Makoto listen to his ward, her attention was so focused and well… motherly that it brought him back to her days as student council president. She wasn't just humoring the teenager as a favor to him, she was invested and already thinking of ways to and contacts that would help Emi on the road ahead of her he could already tell.

Against all odds this amazing caring woman was wearing his ring on her finger.

About forty minutes later Makoto had to excuse herself stating she had one more case file to look over before the day ended. Before she left she gave Emi her and Haru's phone numbers with the promise that if she ever needed help or advice with anything the two of them or somebody they had connections with would be there for her, and Ren a peck on his cheek with the promise that she wouldn't be late for dinner.

Once she was out the door he went right back to washing the last of the dishes while Emi dried them.

"She's cool."

"Damn straight."

They were mostly quiet as they went about their cleaning, a little more quiet than Ren was used to her being but she did have to process a ton in a very short amount of time.

"Hey Ren…"

"What's up?"

"Thanks for dealing with me."

Ren turned off the sink and took the towel from her, throwing it over his left shoulder. If he had taken to still taking his glasses he probably would have adjusted them. Instead he settled on a smile.

"Anytime."

Thanks for stopping by. This was written for Day 2 of Shumako Week. The prompt was Power Couple.