[It's mostly true. You don't get to just jumpsuit up into mythical level pajamas, or, in Ryuji's case a skull mask and a set of biker's leathers, and suddenly just become some superhero. They've both made a lot of sacrifices and came through to understand that it's still worth it, right? Ryuji wouldn't change himself and he wouldn't change his past, including every stupid thing that he's ever done. Especially the ones that he did for others. There was a moment he was never privy to, a conversation between Ren and their teacher, Kawakami-sensei, where her initial distaste of Ryuji was finally subdued a little. She had realized that all his shitty attitude or the way he got aggressive - it was never over himself. When he punched Kamoshida, and when he was thrown down and had his leg broken, it was because his team was suffering through their coach's abuse. It was because Kamoshida had let leak the circumstances of his home life... and he didn't care about how that made him look. He thought about his mother, who worked so hard to keep the two of them safe after his father had left the picture. And her honor. Especially her honor.
And maybe that same sense of self-abandon is something people don't really assume about him until they get to know him. He might look like and act like the type of punk that wants people to fuck off, and sometimes- yeah- he does. That's definitely true. But he's never fought once on his behalf for his own benefit. He stands up for everyone but himself, because he thinks that other people have a right to have their moment in the sun. On the flipside of that, of course, is the reliance on a really dumb idea... that he's damaged goods himself, but whether or not he deserves anything had never crossed his mind. At least, maybe, and probably it's a dumb idea too- that since he owned up to his feelings, since they both did.
That maybe he deserved to be happy with Dave?
And there are so, so many things he really likes about him- sure, seeing his own style of histrionic heroics reflected back right at him is sort of a reminder of his own stubbornness, but honestly? He respects him so much for being that way. He respects that he understands it and doesn't give him shit for it. He'll course a line through all the things that they can't fix themselves, and it's not Bruce Willis in Armageddon he's aiming for, but Will Smith in Independence Day. Now all he needs to do is learn how to pilot, and maybe he can run off into the hivemind of utter bullshit and blow it to smithereens. But barring that, maybe he can just make a bubble for the both of them, at least. Keep this safe. The way he feels when Dave has his hands on his wrist is too real, too important to not want to protect that.]
Hey. [His voice softens, obviously having hit a chord-] You've saved my ass like. How many times already? And sure, I know it's a pretty killer ass to look at 'n everything. [Ryuji.] But... no matter what, we're gonna be alright. Even if there ain't shit you can do right now. You know? As long as I got a place by your side, I'm gonna find my way back to it.
[He doesn't know what's happening to him, though. He also doesn't really... want Dave to see what his chest looks like, with his heart all blacked out and clearly visible even through the skin. Especially ironic since he's supposed to be a person who can steal hearts.]
So, uh. I mean, how about this? What if I stay long enough to make sure you get some sleep and I'll head over after you've dozed off? This way we can both stop worrying about each other for a few minutes.
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And maybe that same sense of self-abandon is something people don't really assume about him until they get to know him. He might look like and act like the type of punk that wants people to fuck off, and sometimes- yeah- he does. That's definitely true. But he's never fought once on his behalf for his own benefit. He stands up for everyone but himself, because he thinks that other people have a right to have their moment in the sun. On the flipside of that, of course, is the reliance on a really dumb idea... that he's damaged goods himself, but whether or not he deserves anything had never crossed his mind. At least, maybe, and probably it's a dumb idea too- that since he owned up to his feelings, since they both did.
That maybe he deserved to be happy with Dave?
And there are so, so many things he really likes about him- sure, seeing his own style of histrionic heroics reflected back right at him is sort of a reminder of his own stubbornness, but honestly? He respects him so much for being that way. He respects that he understands it and doesn't give him shit for it. He'll course a line through all the things that they can't fix themselves, and it's not Bruce Willis in Armageddon he's aiming for, but Will Smith in Independence Day. Now all he needs to do is learn how to pilot, and maybe he can run off into the hivemind of utter bullshit and blow it to smithereens. But barring that, maybe he can just make a bubble for the both of them, at least. Keep this safe. The way he feels when Dave has his hands on his wrist is too real, too important to not want to protect that.]
Hey. [His voice softens, obviously having hit a chord-] You've saved my ass like. How many times already? And sure, I know it's a pretty killer ass to look at 'n everything. [Ryuji.] But... no matter what, we're gonna be alright. Even if there ain't shit you can do right now. You know? As long as I got a place by your side, I'm gonna find my way back to it.
[He doesn't know what's happening to him, though. He also doesn't really... want Dave to see what his chest looks like, with his heart all blacked out and clearly visible even through the skin. Especially ironic since he's supposed to be a person who can steal hearts.]
So, uh. I mean, how about this? What if I stay long enough to make sure you get some sleep and I'll head over after you've dozed off? This way we can both stop worrying about each other for a few minutes.