isleofavalon | there 'may' be a best month of spring 🌺🍃

[ The spotlight oughta be blinding, but the beam itself isn't so much a shock. Sasara is, of course, used to the spark of the stage. He doesn't refuse the invitation. However, he has to lift his hand up to his eyes to see who's joining him. Forcing his view past the glare ahead, nudging him into uncertainty, that's all it takes for him to only make out that it's Rei when they're already partnered up, the bracelets put on.

When he looks up Sasara finds a reminder of Rei's sinister look, that they'd parted on, cutting through the glow.

What's he supposed to do? He turns away.

...Put on a show, of course! ]

Hello, hello there! We're Dotsuitare Hompo!! [ Now, take a bow with him, Rei. But Sasara looks up again, around, and seems confused. ] --Huh? The teacher's absent today? Suppose, we'll have to write him up!

[ Sure, sure the laughter has to warm up a little more. Sasara doesn't hesitate to stoke it up. ]

Ah! And how about you, old man? Ain't it time to graduate!? [ Rei is the boke :) ]

[To think he'd end up on stage with exactly the man he's been trying to avoid... fate works in funny ways, doesn't it! Rei sighs inwardly as he's strong-armed into a bow.

He's not about to let fate get the best of him, though, so of course Rei's going to play along, acting good-naturedly. Not that he has much of a choice-- the selenite bracelet they'd strapped onto his wrist is bitingly cold. But it's all about attitude.]

Graduation, huh... [Rei tilts his head theatrically, as if considering it.] Yeah, you can tell 'cause there's something in the air, right? I can feel it. I've got senioritis, y'know. Senioritis!

[ Funny ways! The audience takes this little act as just so, reacting to the quick back and forth. Needless to say, that's what Sasara enjoys. The Andara bangle fits him loosely — quite comfortably. The old man's participation all but hampers the flow.

He's quietly surprised. Not only Rei left from their last conversation with a bitter taste clinging to what'd been said– ]

S-Senioritis!? [ Sasara takes a dramatic step, in that all but a jump, aside. Just as soon, he changes pace again to smack Rei with this fan of his. ~~'cause what's a comedian w/o having that among his super important items brought along to a different universe~~ ]

Ah!! Ya oughta see a Mr. Doctor for that, not a Mr. Teacher!

[ Just let the show go on like this until the ring leader hook-pulls them off the stage. ]

Ah?? [Rei rubs the spot the fan hit with an exaggerated motion.] Ain't they the same? Sure, maybe one of 'em delayed graduating by a few years, but...

[Even if he's currently wary of the guy, Rei has to admit Sasara is good at what he does. Dotsuitare Hompo in its original form was his favorite comedy group for a reason.... though it would be nice if he could enjoy this more.

They go on like that for a while. Sasara is nothing if not a good showman, and Rei is stuck doing his bidding. As funny as they are, the impromptu comedy act doesn't make for a perfect demonstration of the bracelets... which is probably why the ringleader forgot to remove them once they were finally dismissed.]

Hah... [The two of them now stand alone in the quiet of the backstage. Rei rubs at his neck tiredly, sighing-- but the motion makes the low light reflect off of his still-attached selenite bracelet, and it catches his eye.

Ah, hell.

He glances to Sasara-- did he notice?]

[ What a show! He says as much. ]

Haah! For being all improv, that was pretty good, ya know!

[ Standing backstage, Sasara hands start feeling around in his pockets for a cigarette— no, scratch that, he's off smoking still. A piece of candy it is instead. Like a moth drawn to spotlight Sasara's still turned around, looking out at the stage. That audience is different from that at The Roost; it's true in more ways than he figures. But he just misses the size of it, filling up a whole TV studio with people laughing their heads off, all such. Playing in a more intimate setting's nice too, it just hasn't been the same... Talking to Rei all casually, without facing him. Hm. Sasara could put his finger on what's troubling him right then and there.

He decides not to point, and puts the sweet in his mouth rather, puts his hands up to lean his head back against them. ] Hm? [ That's when he notices, though not any sooner than Rei. ] I s'ppose, that guy forgot...

[ With how it fits around Sasara's wrist loosely, he spins it. They haven't talked at all in a while. After getting some of that praise out, it's like Sasara remembers too, that the air's sorta tense between them. But he's got more than half a mind to remind they shouldn't just ditch without returning the props. He turns around. ] A-ah, Rei... [ But he winds up saying only half of what he intended to. ] Those bracelets–

What about them?

[Rei's voice is calm. His posture is relaxed, arms folded. Still, Sasara knows him too well at this point: he's clearly on the defensive.

Rei doesn't want to give Sasara any ideas about the bracelet's use, in case he doesn't think of it himself-- but just that hint of a guarded edge to Rei's demeanor.... well, it might just tip him off.]

[ Halfway through asking Rei about returning them, this ain't it...

Sasara isn't one to get swayed like so, but that show leader, he didn't just sell the power of his jewelry to the audience.

It's the foot they'd both left off on, now put back into marching step. He looks at Rei and sees a guardedness at play that he'd only just come close to by a hair. Rosho hadn't noticed, had he? Sasara hasn't said a word, at least, not after Rei's company sounded like a threat in itself. But-- ]

Hold on. [ Sasara clasps his wrist, the bracelet around it, within the sure grip of his other hand. It's staying on. ] Old man, I wanna ask you something.

[Damn it. Sasara's sharp.

Rei's eyes dart across the room around them, but there's no immediate exit in view. It's not like he could run away, anyway... Sasara just ordered him to hold on, with that fucking bracelet, so where can he even go? His feet are rooted to the spot.

He frowns. There's only one option left to head Sasara off-- a warning.]

You'll regret it.

[It's not even a threat: it's just the truth.]

[ As sharp as he may be, he's gotta guess, Rei saw it coming too. This moment, the stale air between them while the audience outside is still loud and laughing. A moment's stand-off.

Even if trust between them's been shaved paper-thin, Sasara knows he can believe that threat.

Then again, he's been lugging his regrets all around, only dropped them off his shoulders at Rei's advice. Words that were contorted but genuine. He thinks, though, in the end unloading this one won't have him feeling the same way as confessing to Rosho. Yeah... he'll still regret it more if he lets the old man run on with it.

If not talking strains Dotsuitare Honpo's bond more than. If, just because 'a that, they break up ~~again~~. He doesn't feel like doing this, but...

( It can't be helped— ) ]

—is it just to do with Ichiro? [ The D.R.B. ... more like... Sasara's face is set, even if he'll regret it. ]

Tell me why you're in it.

[By "it" he means just the D.R.B., huh? That's almost funny, really. Everything is so much bigger than just Otome's little sideshow, but it's captured the imagination of so many so completely.]

No. It's... —ngh.

[The vagueness of Sasara's question gives Rei room to skirt it by the bare minimum. But every moment he spends not answering makes the pull of the bracelet that much more painful, enveloping his thoughts with a searing headache.

Agh, fuck. He doesn't have enough time to think this one through. The words build up in the back of his throat like bile. Fuck, fuck—]

It's only— part of a whole. [Grimacing, Rei presses a hand to his throbbing scar.] I engineered the Mics, so...

[ Without Dark magic to use on his own, Sasara doesn't know what he oughta be used to, what he needs to be seeing... what he's making Rei stand up against. He can stand it; right?

Putting his hand up, though, Sasara thinks he finds what shapes into a pang of sympathy. Just then, Rei's answer sprouts a revelation the Andara seems to recognize, almost pulses to, as if telling him "That's right." ]

W-what...? [ "It's what you wanted to hear." Suddenly, just like the old man's warning, Sasara isn't sure that he did. ] Then... the first time ya met Rosho and I...—

[ He stops himself. That's how he'd manage to come prepared? And that's how he knew about– ] About Samatoki, too, 'cause of that... [ Stuff he wouldn't say. Things Ichiro never talked about. Sasara ought to, now, but he can't stand back from where he's jumping to. ]

You're with Chuuo-ku?

[The pain disappeared the instant he answered, but its sudden absence is a shock to the senses in itself.

The expression on Sasara's face stings more than Rei expected it to. He knew it was coming-- if not now, then at the end of everything. This should be nothing. It's just earlier than expected.

...]

Hah... Hahaha...

[Rei makes eye contact with Sasara again, wiping sweat from his face with the back of his hand. He is unrepentant, remorseless. Daring Sasara to condemn him.]

Something like that. [The bracelet burns a little-- but how else could he quantify it?] You didn't really think I made all my money from petty scams, did you?

[ Every thought spent on Rei, every time Sasara'd said he trusted him—and really did—is tossed back at his feet. Thrown carelessly, it looks to him, in Rei's eyes. And yet his warning just sounds hollow, leaving a sharp sense of betrayal to fill the sudden gap between them.

He has to take a leap before the chasm parts too wide to get across on his own. If he slipped... then, he wouldn't trust the other to catch him. ]

Why!?

[ But this time Sasara's is a question without any real aim. Something said, that has more than once faded silently, not even loud enough to echo, and another time been answered by himself. Whenever he asks 'why', he ends up hating the answer. Even so, the selenite clings to. He's not yet letting Rei go, not yet sending him away, or leaving him in the dust.

Maybe after this one. ]

After all 'a that... you're gonna turn your back on us? [ Rosho doesn't even know it yet– though, where there's anger outspoken, it won't take anyone but Rei to see pain underneath. ]

"Why"?... [Ugh... god damn it. Take that stupid bracelet off already. Sasara may be unraveling, but the andara works as well as ever, and these questions are getting harder to dodge.]

I've got a score to settle. [It's a true answer, but it's putting it very simply; Rei's designs are much grander than that.]

And I'll do anything for it-- [he'll sacrifice them if he has to]-- so stay out of the way if you know what's good for you. Sasara-kun.

[Rei is grinning, but it's more like baring his teeth.]

[ However vague what Rei's saying is and however much Sasara's been letting the matter of keeping yet another secret weigh him down, he finally feels like he's sinking. Knee deep, then quickly up to his waist, trying to twist out of it and not getting.

Vicious is what Rei's grin is to Sasara as he looks up at him.

'We'll do it together!' That's what he'd said as their leader, what he believed too. But revenge? Sasara doesn't think he can help with that– No... he can't do it, if it winds up as Rei against Rosho and him. He reaches into his jacket—his mic is there.

Rei's hand threatens the same motion. ]

I can't let ya...!

[ There's a beat. Just a moment of nothing said, though. After all, he won't take it out... Sasara just undoes the andara bracelet from his wrist and drops it. ]

Edited 2021-06-05 18:27 (UTC)

[With the release of the andara bracelet, the selenite band loosens as well; Rei slips it off, twirling it idly around a finger. Thank god--he wasn't sure he could handle dropping any more secrets.

He would battle Sasara, right now, if he had to. But part of him is glad his leader doesn't have the heart to, so Rei doesn't have to test whether or not he has it, either.]

You can't "let" me? [His grin has settled now that the damage is done, but his lordly personality still drips from his every word.] My plans will happen whether you let me or not. You should just be worried about yourself.

[....he's tired.

Rei turns to leave.]

...Later, Sasara-kun.

there 'may' be a best month of spring 🌺🍃

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desperately trying to make that 'sensei' joke work 🤡

LKFDGJ;SDFKF I'M IMPRESSED

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