[ Izō definitely does not want to go out to a random pier nor dock at the asscrack of dawn. Karasu complains in his head the whole time and Izō can't even be annoyed about it.
And yet...Izō shows up half an hour later, looking like he hasn't slept and is definitely still drunk. ]
[ well, it's... something? it's a boat done up to be reminiscent of an old-fashioned daimyo's party boat. it's like he's moved up in the world???
ryouma is sitting on the railing, kicking his feet like a child while he does something on his phone. he looks up when izō arrives, appearing extremely proud of himself despite the horrible thing he's sitting on. who cares if it's ugly? you can love an ugly baby. ]
Well? Whatcha think?
[ and, of course, proudly stencilled on the placard on the side of the ship are the clear characters 馬神秘 — horse mystery. ]
[ If looks could kill, Ryouma would be floating face down in the river right now. Izō scowls and flies up, perching right beside him and grabbing a hold of his shirt. ]
Gimme one good reason not to throw ya in th' water right now.
[ ah, old faithful. he relaxes again with a sigh and considers himself lucky he didn't drop his phone in the river. it wouldn't be the first to go, but he'd like to avoid that (again). ]
I was gettin' t' that! [ lies; this is totally improvised. ] Figured I'd invite ya along for a ride.
[ that much is true, he just wasn't sure when that would be. now is as good a time as any! he swings his legs over the railing and gets up to lead izō inside. it even has a proper entryway where he kicks his shoes off — having one doesn't mean he's suddenly neater — and then heads into the main room.
which is... similarly gaudy in the way a traditional-style restaurant is, but the tatami floor is nice. the good thing about the size of this boat is the way different areas are sectioned off as private areas, and some even have proper sliding doors, making it more like a home than a less extravagant model might've been. the bar area is at the far end and has a couple of small steps to go down to properly be in. ryouma will inevitably trip on these at some point. he's probably not going to have to buy liquor for the foreseeable future, though, so there's that. ]
Gonna have t' tear a lot of this out. Not sure what t' do yet exactly, but it'll be a lot less silly once it ain't like this...
[ The good thing about weird bird feet is no need to take off his shoes. It's the little things that help you cope with being irreparably changed.
Izō squints disapprovingly at the interior, too distracted by it to notice the steps. He yells as he trips down the stairs and instantly places the blame on someone else. ]
[ ryouma spins around because he wasn't looking when izō falls down the steps, he just heard it. maybe he should've seen that coming... it doesn't matter if that's impossible he thinks it anyway. at least he manages not to laugh; the fussing and yelling are awfully cute, as usual. ]
Sorry 'bout that, Izō! Slipped my mind...
[ he doesn't know where to begin with the whole overhaul and redecorating venture at this point, but he's willing to humour the suggestion. for now, he offers izō a hand up. ]
Guess I owe ya two drinks now?
[ as if he wasn't going to just let izō help himself to whatever he wants anyway, but now he can do so... twice? ]
[ ryouma just sighs a little and smiles when izō swats his hand away. this is nothing out of the ordinary, of course, so he just goes along with it. ]
Sure, I wanted t' show it off a little...
[ ... but it's one thing leaving out details as he does, and another to lie outright, which is what ryouma would be doing if he failed to answer the question now.
emily would say they should do this sober and she's probably right, but he'll be lucky if izō doesn't storm away so he's not taking liquor off the table. what he expects is izō leaving angrily anyway, and ryouma feels a little guilty now that this looks like a trap. ]
I wanted t' talk to ya too. [ he doesn't have a good way to define what he really means, so he's going to assume his tone makes it clear what sort of talk he means. ] I've been doin' a lotta thinkin' for a while and this thing fallin' into my lap felt like a sign. Ain't stoppin' ya if ya wanna go though.
[ he's usually a lot more persistent about things, but he felt like he lost that privilege when he shot izō, whether or not there had been a curse involved; now he takes whatever he can get with gratitude. ]
[ His irritation fades to something more complicated. It'd be a total dick move to leave now and leave Ryouma with whatever he's feeling -- not beyond what Izō is capable of, naturally. He doesn't leave, though. He stays, but keeps his gaze averted. ]
Go on, then. Th' fuck's on yer mind?
[ Like he doesn't have an idea. Discomfort wells in his stomach. ]
[ what's on his mind? where does he begin? he leaves izō to the bar for the moment, choosing to light a cigarette instead. it's become his nervous habit more than ever recently and everyone else just has to deal. not that he expects izō to care. ryouma glances down at the pack before replacing it in his pocket, making a face because he's not sure that's enough for this whole conversation.
well, whatever. he's faced a lot in his time, this should be easy by comparison. should being the operative word. ]
Well, not too long ago things sorta came to a head with Hizen and we had a long talk. Realised there's a lotta things that weren't real clear or outright misunderstandings.
He might not've taken after ya specifically, but it got me thinkin' anyway. Maybe it's the same way... 'cause it ain't like we ever talked about any of it.
[ he hates how that sounds, letting "it" just hang in the air. they both know what that means, he's sure. it's vague enough to be applicable to whichever particular axe izō has to grind at any given moment because ryouma is acknowledging the tangled mess of their shared history. ]
Ain't like I wanna drag this out, 'cause I think we'd both like it better never lookin' at it. [ just to call them both out, why not ] But I'm afraid I'll lose ya for good if I don't.
[ Izō shrinks in on himself. A cigarette is a good distraction for both of them. His hands shake as he lights it...Damn it. This should be easier.
Unfortunately for both of them, the words spill past his lips, like a dam breaking. ]
What? Ya wanna hear 'bout how long I spent hatin' ya for leavin' me behind? How I resented ya for jus' up an' goin' like that? That what ya wanna hear?
[ it's rare that ryouma is ever rendered completely speechless, but congratulations, izō you have accomplished it. getting cut would have hurt less — which he can say as someone who has felt it before — and he winces each time one of those questions land sharply like another blow. ]
Y-yeah. S'pose I do...
[ he sits down on one of the steps and looks properly miserable. all the joy of having this ship might as well not even be a thing compared to this older and far more painful feeling. ryouma is sure how quickly izō spat it all out to be indicative of how bad it is (and subsequently, how unlikely he is to be forgiven). ]
I want ya t'tell me exactly how it is. Ain't like y' ever been shy 'bout that.
[ which has always been a trait ryouma appreciates, even now when it hurts. even though this is different and all at once and whatever they have here between them might not survive this as it is. still, he owes it to izō to do this, so he'll take whatever he's given... as usual. ]
[ Bitter feelings well up unbidden. Izō would much rather crush them back down under a torrent of booze, but that would be unfair to everyone involved. He takes a long, slow inhale on his cigarette instead. ]
Ya already know it all...I went t' my grave hatin' ya. [ He grimaces and averts his gaze. ] I don't...I don't hate ya no more. Don't mean what ya did don't still hurt, but...I let go'a someday that 'cause yer here. An' yer tryin' t' make it right...Least I can do is give ya another shot.
[ ryouma dares to be hopeful up until the mention of the shooting. it's not that he forgot — because he'll never forgive himself for that — but he feels intensely guilty every time it's mentioned. he really only has his major hang-ups right here, what with his stubborn determination to do everything else in his life without regrets. ]
But y' know I never meant for that to happen, right? I was tryin' to protect ya, not—... not what happened.
[ he could be talking about either situation, and the words would be just as true. this fact has never been lost on him, which is part of why he feels bad about it. ]
I'm sorry, Izō. I never regretted anything more than leavin' ya.
[ there's a lot more he wants to say, but it's hard to find the right words for everything. at least he's apologised, especially since it's what he should've done the last time they had an awkward conversation. instead, he confessed his feelings back then, like a fool who didn't deserve to say any of those things. ]
If I coulda taken it all back and done it differently, I would. I feel like I oughta say somethin' else, but now that it's happenin' I'm not sure what t' say. Not sure they make the kinda words to apologise for ruinin' somebody's life.
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[ Izō definitely does not want to go out to a random pier nor dock at the asscrack of dawn. Karasu complains in his head the whole time and Izō can't even be annoyed about it.
And yet...Izō shows up half an hour later, looking like he hasn't slept and is definitely still drunk. ]
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ryouma is sitting on the railing, kicking his feet like a child while he does something on his phone. he looks up when izō arrives, appearing extremely proud of himself despite the horrible thing he's sitting on. who cares if it's ugly? you can love an ugly baby. ]
Well? Whatcha think?
[ and, of course, proudly stencilled on the placard on the side of the ship are the clear characters 馬神秘 — horse mystery. ]
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It's the ugliest fuckin' thing I've ever fuckin' seen! An' what's with that fuckin' name?!
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[ that works both ways, he's decided. ]
It's fancy. Anyway, it ain't like I picked it. Y' don't look a gift Horse Mystery in the mouth.
[ how long was he waiting to say that? it's a good thing he's up here so he can't be pushed into the river where he belongs. ]
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Gimme one good reason not to throw ya in th' water right now.
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Aw, don't be like that!
[ it's his usual laughter that's not as much nervous as somewhat flustered. ]
The bar's still stocked..?
[ it's a restaurant on the inside, after all, and he won it as-is. ]
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Well, why didn't ya fuckin' say so in th' first place? I'm startin' t' get sober, so let's fuckin' drink.
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I was gettin' t' that! [ lies; this is totally improvised. ] Figured I'd invite ya along for a ride.
[ that much is true, he just wasn't sure when that would be. now is as good a time as any! he swings his legs over the railing and gets up to lead izō inside. it even has a proper entryway where he kicks his shoes off — having one doesn't mean he's suddenly neater — and then heads into the main room.
which is... similarly gaudy in the way a traditional-style restaurant is, but the tatami floor is nice. the good thing about the size of this boat is the way different areas are sectioned off as private areas, and some even have proper sliding doors, making it more like a home than a less extravagant model might've been. the bar area is at the far end and has a couple of small steps to go down to properly be in. ryouma will inevitably trip on these at some point. he's probably not going to have to buy liquor for the foreseeable future, though, so there's that. ]
Gonna have t' tear a lot of this out. Not sure what t' do yet exactly, but it'll be a lot less silly once it ain't like this...
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Izō squints disapprovingly at the interior, too distracted by it to notice the steps. He yells as he trips down the stairs and instantly places the blame on someone else. ]
Why didn't ya fuckin' say anythin' 'bout these?!
[ Yes, he's yelling at Ryouma about it. ]
Fuckin' do somethin' 'bout them first.
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it doesn't matter if that's impossible he thinks it anyway.at least he manages not to laugh; the fussing and yelling are awfully cute, as usual. ]Sorry 'bout that, Izō! Slipped my mind...
[ he doesn't know where to begin with the whole overhaul and redecorating venture at this point, but he's willing to humour the suggestion. for now, he offers izō a hand up. ]
Guess I owe ya two drinks now?
[ as if he wasn't going to just let izō help himself to whatever he wants anyway, but now he can do so... twice? ]
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Yer damn right ya owe me two drinks now. [ He huffs. ] ...Ya didn't jus' drag me out here t' show off yer horse mystery or whatever, right?
[ There's got to be an ulterior motive clearly. ]
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Sure, I wanted t' show it off a little...
[ ... but it's one thing leaving out details as he does, and another to lie outright, which is what ryouma would be doing if he failed to answer the question now.
emily would say they should do this sober and she's probably right, but he'll be lucky if izō doesn't storm away so he's not taking liquor off the table. what he expects is izō leaving angrily anyway, and ryouma feels a little guilty now that this looks like a trap. ]
I wanted t' talk to ya too. [ he doesn't have a good way to define what he really means, so he's going to assume his tone makes it clear what sort of talk he means. ] I've been doin' a lotta thinkin' for a while and this thing fallin' into my lap felt like a sign. Ain't stoppin' ya if ya wanna go though.
[ he's usually a lot more persistent about things, but he felt like he lost that privilege when he shot izō, whether or not there had been a curse involved; now he takes whatever he can get with gratitude. ]
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Go on, then. Th' fuck's on yer mind?
[ Like he doesn't have an idea. Discomfort wells in his stomach. ]
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well, whatever. he's faced a lot in his time, this should be easy by comparison. should being the operative word. ]
Well, not too long ago things sorta came to a head with Hizen and we had a long talk. Realised there's a lotta things that weren't real clear or outright misunderstandings.
He might not've taken after ya specifically, but it got me thinkin' anyway. Maybe it's the same way... 'cause it ain't like we ever talked about any of it.
[ he hates how that sounds, letting "it" just hang in the air. they both know what that means, he's sure. it's vague enough to be applicable to whichever particular axe izō has to grind at any given moment because ryouma is acknowledging the tangled mess of their shared history. ]
Ain't like I wanna drag this out, 'cause I think we'd both like it better never lookin' at it. [
just to call them both out, why not] But I'm afraid I'll lose ya for good if I don't.no subject
Unfortunately for both of them, the words spill past his lips, like a dam breaking. ]
What? Ya wanna hear 'bout how long I spent hatin' ya for leavin' me behind? How I resented ya for jus' up an' goin' like that? That what ya wanna hear?
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Y-yeah. S'pose I do...
[ he sits down on one of the steps and looks properly miserable. all the joy of having this ship might as well not even be a thing compared to this older and far more painful feeling. ryouma is sure how quickly izō spat it all out to be indicative of how bad it is (and subsequently, how unlikely he is to be forgiven). ]
I want ya t'tell me exactly how it is. Ain't like y' ever been shy 'bout that.
[ which has always been a trait ryouma appreciates, even now when it hurts. even though this is different and all at once and whatever they have here between them might not survive this as it is. still, he owes it to izō to do this, so he'll take whatever he's given... as usual. ]
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Ya already know it all...I went t' my grave hatin' ya. [ He grimaces and averts his gaze. ] I don't...I don't hate ya no more. Don't mean what ya did don't still hurt, but...I let go'a someday that 'cause yer here. An' yer tryin' t' make it right...Least I can do is give ya another shot.
[ Izō sighs. ]
Even if ya shot me...
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But y' know I never meant for that to happen, right? I was tryin' to protect ya, not—... not what happened.
[ he could be talking about either situation, and the words would be just as true. this fact has never been lost on him, which is part of why he feels bad about it. ]
I'm sorry, Izō. I never regretted anything more than leavin' ya.
[ there's a lot more he wants to say, but it's hard to find the right words for everything. at least he's apologised, especially since it's what he should've done the last time they had an awkward conversation. instead, he confessed his feelings back then, like a fool who didn't deserve to say any of those things. ]
If I coulda taken it all back and done it differently, I would. I feel like I oughta say somethin' else, but now that it's happenin' I'm not sure what t' say. Not sure they make the kinda words to apologise for ruinin' somebody's life.