[closed]

[glossophobia]

🧙 WHO: Rosho and Rei (and later Sasara??)
⚔️️ WHAT: beating up an old man (I'm kidding) (or am I)
🕒 WHEN: sometime after this conversation
🗺️ WHERE: Phoenix Roost
⚠️ WARNINGS: prrrobably language and threats of violence... 🥴

[ Its been a long time since Rosho's stepped into the Roost. Not since Jyushi's birthday, he thinks, seeing as he never has a reason to come by. He's too busy with work to ever come to any of Sasara's shows. He also imagines it'd be too weird, standing there in the crowd, watching his former parther perform. It was always easier watching him on the television, because Sasara would never know, it was like he was right there with him again.

Rosho vaguely wonders if they have any security at all, as he makes his way to where he remembers Rei's office being. He's been running what he wants to do through his head since Sasara told him the truth about Rei. At first, those scenarios primarily involved beating the shit out of him.

Honestly, thats what most of those scenarios still are. But he has a general idea of what he wants to say now. Not that he can promise he'll only stick to words.

Hopefully, he can finish what he wants to do here before getting kicked out or anything.

Once he makes it to the office door, he waits to try and hear any movement or noise from the other side, wanting to make sure Rei isn't occupied with a guest in there. He doesn't want to get anyone else involved. When it seems clear, he knocks on the door, but doesn't say anything to give away who he is. ]

Comments

[glossophobia]

[ For a brief moment there's genuine hesitation in Rosho as Sasara suddenly shows up. Of course he plays stupid, but in reality he's far too sharp, so he can't say he's surprised that he figured out just where exactly he'd gone to. He only hopes that he could have had more time to himself. This, whatever progress he's gotten, if he can even call it progress, just isn't enough.

He's as frustrated as he was when he first got here. Rosho knows he should call it quits, and yet Rei's comment just drives the matter home once more and he's furious all over again. Its all anger and no reason with him as expected while he shouts without backing away himself. ]

Who is?! Say it again!

[ He knows he needs to stop, especially with Sasara here, but Rosho is already rushing forward again. ]

[whosaysdajare]

[ Getting right in between's dangerous... well, he'll have to! While Sasara can only imagine what's going on on Rei's face he sees the furious look on Rosho's. With his arms out, with as much space as he can put between Rei and Rosho, and himself, he's trying in the most leader-like way he can muster to step in. To step up. ]

Rosho, you too...!

[ Rei's right, what a bad routine... ]

[groundzeroes]

[Rei no longer looks angry, only tired. He watches them scuffle, the sight hitting him with a pang of nostalgia: it's just like that first time the met, in that little cafe.]

...Sasara.

[what is it now?]

[glossophobia]

[ Rosho stops before he can even make contact, and while he knows Sasara doesn't make for much of an unstoppable force, if there was anyone that could stop him in his tracks, it'd be him. He's stuck in a corner now, it's terribly frustrating.

But maybe this is exactly what they need right now. ]

If he wants to leave, then that's his decision.

[ He keeps a hard, stern gaze on Rei even with Sasara stood between them. ]

"When I say I'll do something, I'll do it." Those are your words, right? I'm not some gullible idiot all the time. All that work you put in, whatever grand plan ya had goin' on in that head of yours. Its frustrating to see it all turn out like this, isn't it? So are ya just gonna let it all fall apart? Are ya really gonna turn your back on us just 'cause ya can't keep your secrets anymore? We didn't ask ya to be a part of this team. You did! And now ya want out without the victory we said we'd get?!

[ His anger only quells slightly as Rosho turns his focus to Sasara. ]

And you too. Don't forget what ya told me back then. That if this old man ever breaks his promise, he'll pay for it.

[whosaysdajare]

[ Eyes on Rei, for anything else to hear from him; it ain't like they left off on talking terms. More so, with a damning silence simmering, now Rosho's the picture of it boiling over. He's saying something Sasara didn't have the guts to point out, back to, in that moment:

Rei promised. For an old liar and scammer, maybe there oughta not be any expectations for him to keep his word... but hadn't they worked together, and worked it out, as if he was? ]

Old man– [ No, he's still — ] Rei... [ —part of their team.

The same as how it happened back in that alleyway. Sasara staggers over his words, with what Rosho says to him. Maybe he did forget—or more like, even when he said and meant it he didn't think of things turning out this way.

He's catching his breath and it makes for his spot between Rosho and Rei, physically, yeah, but his anger's there too while it doesn't bubble as much. ]

Sorry... something like that, I couldn't keep a lid on it any longer! Ya oughta say something this time!

[groundzeroes]

[Rei frowns again, though it's more pensive than anything else. He's... a little bewildered, to be honest. They're fuming, sure, but not for the reasons he expected. What happened to hating him? What is this emphasis on keeping the team for? This made more sense when Rosho was just yelling.

He is silent for a long moment, just looking between the two of their identical expressions.

Finally:]

All that, and you're still gonna keep me on? [Rei was so certain, so certain they'd move on from him if he gave them a chance to confront him-- Sasara in particular: he's had enough suffering at the hands of the mics already. So what the hell??

Rei has to press the issue. He has to be sure.]

Did you forget already? It's true that I'm the engineer behind the Hypnosis Mic. I'm not going to stop with just that. And you're just okay with it?

[glossophobia]

[ Even with Sasara between the two of them, Rosho bristles, but he doesn't rise to the swell of anger this time. He remembers what Sasara told him back at their house. That he needs to rely on him. Even as a leader, there's only so much he can do, and so Rosho won't let him feel as if there's nothing else he can do in this matter.

He might not have the same tact as his partner, but he's smart in his own way. ]

I'm not gonna stand here and say you're forgiven. After all of this... like hell I trust you.

[ And that's the dangerous part of this whole thing. At any moment, a rift could show right back up, and this team could crumble apart. What they're doing is probably ridiculously reckless. Incredibly stupid.

But no one will stay silent this time. They'll make it work. They have to. With how far they've gotten, there's no turning back. ]

But it was like this from the very start, wasn't it? Like goin' back to square one. If we wanted to be generous, I'd say doin' it like this is just an upside to us. We know who you are and what you're up to. What you're capable of. At least, I know about as much as I do now. I wouldn't be surprised if you've got plenty more rotten secrets in ya.

[ BOY does he. But Rosho will deal with the whole Yamada thing when the time comes, and Rei will get the... second? Third? Ass-kicking he deserves. Right now, Rosho thinks he's done enough. He's gotten his anger out the best way he knows. Sasara standing here between them, Rei looking more than a little confused, that's just the right setting they need to get themselves in the right mindset.

This is still a team. Rei can't change that. ]

The one that made the mics is in our team. And? What of it? Let that be a big deal to everyone else. I told ya already, I don't care. The moment Sasara asked me to be part of a team with him, thats all I cared about. And thats all that matters to me. Getting to the top.

[ Rosho reaches up to stroke the fan shaped pin on his clothes. Even if there's no reason to wear it around here in Avalon, he still does, just because he can. And especially now, its a good reminder of what lays here under the surface, under the frustration and emotion and strain of words. Their feelings.

His feelings, really. That he wants to do whatever he can for the team. For Sasara. ]

You, and I. He chose us for a reason. [ Rosho steps aside in order to stand beside Sasara, a hand on his shoulder, a strong grip as he looks at him with confidence. ]

Ya don't just deserve trust. Ya earn it, and ya learn to give it to people as well as offer it in return. Its not easy, but... its good to have things that way sometimes. That's what I believe in. So, doesn't it make it just a little easier if we're all learning something like that together?

[whosaysdajare]

[ It's sorta what he expects Rei to say; he might have been trying to keep that secret in the first place, but now that it's out it ain't like he'll just up and run, right? The truth is that he probably could have made his out even in this place, if he wanted to. Yet, waiting like that, it'll just have to be this way— ]

Rosho...?

[ Sasara's head whips around to him. After breaking down, all but falling to his knees and admitting not just his own secrecy but his helplessness in the matter, after finding Rosho ready to knock Rei's lights out, he doesn't expect to find any mercy on his partner's end. ]

What're you saying!? [ The words just burst out after pause and silence. More than offended, Sasara's stunned, his response a reflex. ] You really...

[ The truth is, Sasara didn't confide in Rosho only for his partner to shoulder that burden, once again, of splitting them up. When he'd confessed that he needed help, he still thought it'd be to do something just like that. However, relying on someone else, it doesn't mean having them make your choices for you, but making their own; doing something that you couldn't have.

Sasara thought it was over. His words, unsaid, bob in his throat. ] You really think so? [ "And thats all that matters to me. Getting to the top." He's sorta in awe. That's why it takes him another moment longer to look back at Rei again. ]

Old man, there's no forgetting what ya said– [ But— ] —still, I had my part in it. Some things, they better stay secret, [ A quiet admission. Maybe this is about Ichiro, too. It's just... to say that in front of Rosho; not without the next part, though, anyway. ] but, ya don't always know about that 'til it's out. Like Rosho said, [ Trusting won't be easy now. Between all three of them, though. ] it ain't just us, you too.

Rei... [ Mhm. ] If ya got some score to settle with Chuuo-ku, I don't suppose you'll be able to pull it off on your own.

[groundzeroes]

...

[Rei is expressionless for a while longer. Inwardly, he's... well.

Rosho, with his faith and hope in the face of great odds. Sasara, with his desperate need for other people, despite everything. Standing here, a united front, challenging him.

Maybe... Maybe he's been underestimating them.

Eventually Rei sighs, tension seeping out.]

You two are as stubborn as ever. [Breaking eye contact Rei turns and bends down to pick up the toppled bird perch, setting it upright.]

But... [He stays turned away, hands on the perch.] I can work with that.

[glossophobia]

[ It feels ridiculous for him to be the one having to put all this effort to reuniting this broken team, when it hadn't been that long ago that Rosho had been furiously declining Sasara's offer to become his partner again. But now he's carrying this burden, just like the rest of them are, their secrets and their weaknesses, and he's going to continue to do so until they win the second DRB. That's their mission. That's their sole purpose. And Rosho doesn't intend to quit now that he's in such high spirits. The sky's the limit for the three of them. Even if he's the sort of person that thinks more with his heart than his head sometimes, there's nothing wrong with that, right?

He looks to Sasara for a moment as he stares at him in shock, and he hopes he sees something in his partner now that Rosho wasn't ever able to see in himself until recently: something to aim towards, something to look forward to, something to believe in. Thats what he wants to be. It was only when they all came together like this that Rosho realized he too, could do something like that for others, including himself. Even in the face of adversity. Nothing is impossible. Everyone gets a chance. ]

Ya can 'cause you've gotta from now on. There's no backing out for any of us.

[ Rosho gives Sasara a firm pat on the back and the flicker of a bright smile before his expression hardens at Rei. ]

Seriously, all that time investigating us and ya somehow couldn't figure out this'd happen? Some "Mastermind" ya are. You're stupid! The both of ya. The two of you better learn your lesson from all this. But, I'll teach ya a hundred times if I've gotta, what it means to be a part of this team.

[ Rosho punches a fist into an open palm as a clear threat. Whether it be talking sense into them or knocking it through their skulls, he'll do absolutely whatever it takes to keep them working as a team together. He's done feeling like he's the weakest link of the group. They've given him confidence and faith in himself, so now he's going to return the favor for all of them, no matter what.

(I mean, they're called "Dotsuitare Hompo" for a reason I guess...) ]