[she reaches for his hands, when he scrubs at his face. takes them, and holds them tightly.]
You're also a kid, technically. [she says, with a touch of wryness, but then she's back into being serious again.] Next week, we take what happens, and we go. There's only so much we can do.
You have to protect yourself first, so you can protect other people. Putting yourself out in the line of fire means you're just giving them a one use shield, you know? We gotta be smart.
... We have to play along, for now, we just gotta move. And do our best to pick up the pieces when everything fucking shatters. Be there for each other when it's too much. And when we find a crack in their defenses, we go for it.
[ the first comment doesn't make him laugh, really, but he huffs, a little, and lets her take his hands. ]
...you're not that much older than me. [ he sounds maybe a little bit sulky, but that's okay. ] I can't be a kid.
[ for a lot of reasons. for that same seriousness that beau's showing now. he can't be a kid because his brothers need him. because he has to keep the lights on, pay the bills, keep jiro and saburo fed. because ikebukuro division needs him to protect it, to uphold it. to keep it safe, because no one else can step into the role that he fills. ichiro's been grown almost since he could walk.
we have to play along reminds him so much of home that he grits his teeth. but eventually, he nods. a jerky motion, at first, jittery. ] Yeah. [ yeah. just like home. some things never change. ] And then break the whole fucking thing down, when we do.
[ there's a determination that's more familiar to that, though, less busted pieces. more ichiro, the fierce defender of ikebukuro. a young man who wants nothing more than to break down the walls. ]
[she's never been really good at sweet talk, and making things sound easier, sugarcoating them. so she usually just doesn't. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. she wishes she was a little bit better at bolstering, but this is what she can do, so - she just squeezes his hands.]
What I can tell you is I'm here. Whenever you need me.
[ it's more bolstering than she thinks. it's really what he knew but didn't have the ability to put together; that this place really is just like chuuoku. that these sort of fights are never fair.
finally, he looks up at beau from where he's still sitting, stop-and-go eyes dark, brow furrowed, but determined. he's calmer, at least, that righteous, uncontrolled anger fine tuning itself into what motivates him to keep getting up on that fucking stage at home. ]
Yeah. [ he nods to that. whenever you need me. appreciative of it, maybe more than beau really knows. yeah, yeah. ] Me too - you too. 's what... what friends are for.
[ ... it's nice. to have friends. it's been a long time. ]
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You're also a kid, technically. [she says, with a touch of wryness, but then she's back into being serious again.] Next week, we take what happens, and we go. There's only so much we can do.
You have to protect yourself first, so you can protect other people. Putting yourself out in the line of fire means you're just giving them a one use shield, you know? We gotta be smart.
... We have to play along, for now, we just gotta move. And do our best to pick up the pieces when everything fucking shatters. Be there for each other when it's too much. And when we find a crack in their defenses, we go for it.
no subject
...you're not that much older than me. [ he sounds maybe a little bit sulky, but that's okay. ] I can't be a kid.
[ for a lot of reasons. for that same seriousness that beau's showing now. he can't be a kid because his brothers need him. because he has to keep the lights on, pay the bills, keep jiro and saburo fed. because ikebukuro division needs him to protect it, to uphold it. to keep it safe, because no one else can step into the role that he fills. ichiro's been grown almost since he could walk.
we have to play along reminds him so much of home that he grits his teeth. but eventually, he nods. a jerky motion, at first, jittery. ] Yeah. [ yeah. just like home. some things never change. ] And then break the whole fucking thing down, when we do.
[ there's a determination that's more familiar to that, though, less busted pieces. more ichiro, the fierce defender of ikebukuro. a young man who wants nothing more than to break down the walls. ]
no subject
[she's never been really good at sweet talk, and making things sound easier, sugarcoating them. so she usually just doesn't. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. she wishes she was a little bit better at bolstering, but this is what she can do, so - she just squeezes his hands.]
What I can tell you is I'm here. Whenever you need me.
no subject
finally, he looks up at beau from where he's still sitting, stop-and-go eyes dark, brow furrowed, but determined. he's calmer, at least, that righteous, uncontrolled anger fine tuning itself into what motivates him to keep getting up on that fucking stage at home. ]
Yeah. [ he nods to that. whenever you need me. appreciative of it, maybe more than beau really knows. yeah, yeah. ] Me too - you too. 's what... what friends are for.
[ ... it's nice. to have friends. it's been a long time. ]
Let's fuck this place and its stupid rules up.