jigokulogs | July open log and catch-all [OPEN]

[ Now that the dogs are quiet and eating and not demanding his attention, Izō stands up and brushes himself off. ]

...Might start a shelter or somethin'. [ Nishitani put the idea in his head and he can't stop thinking about it. ] That'd be th' best thing for 'em, don't ya think?

[ He carefully avoids the compliments Ryouma gave him by shifting the subject. Good job, Izō. ]

Really? Ya should! I think it'd be a great idea!

[ avoid them all you want, izō, this supportive energy isn't going anywhere. ]

Buildin' somethin' of your own like that..? It's a real good feelin' and y' deserve it, Izō. It'll be even better when ya help these guys find homes.

[ He can't handle this!! His own personal hype squad in the form of the people that love him is too much to bear. He can't blush any harder than he already is. ]

Yeah, yeah...Jus' wanna do what's best for 'em. Got someone that'll help me get this shit setup, too. Guess I jus' gotta make it happen...

No time like the present! Y' got a lotta people around ya who know what they're doin' so ya probably don't need any help from me, but if there's anything at all, y' always know where t' find me. Even if I'm busy! I'll always make time for ya.

[ they just want izō to have nice things!! ryouma is willing to cut him a small break, though, because watching him blush is incredibly entertaining ~~and cute~~. ]

Oughta get the word out once yer up an' runnin'. Bet a ton'a people would show up to volunteer jus' to pet the dogs.

Ya gonna be one of 'em or are ya gonna be too busy keepin' yer goose from gettin' cooked?

[ Yes, despite the fact Ryouma offered his help, he has to be mean about it. Why wouldn't he? ]

I toldja! I'll be there!

[ his goose is going to be just fine!! and causing problems!! considering his obligations does serve as a useful reminder though. ]

Oh, hey, I change my mind. Can I give ya one piece of advice? Lemme help ya find somebody who ain't got nothin' to do with any of this faction business to look things over before ya sign yer name t' anything. Ya need somebody impartial who knows the laws on yer side to make sure ya ain't gettin' roped into somethin' that's gonna hurt ya down the road. Somebody sank one of my ships once, and I got every last ryou 'cause I had the laws on my side.

[ ryouma isn't the one that pointed out that the shuten clan doesn't really care about goodwill projects, but he did listen. ]

Ya get everything ya want down in writin' and ya ain't gotta worry about if someone cheats ya, 'cause if they do that then ya got legal grounds t' get fair compensation. But it's tricky stuff, so ya need a professional. Don't jus' wash yer hands of the whole thing and let somebody do it for ya without gettin' a second opinion.

[ Izō more or less lets the advice go in one ear and right out the other. He had every intention to just let Nishitani set it up -- it wasn't Izō's money funding the project, in the end. Nishitani knows way more about this than he ever would.

He doesn't say that to Ryouma, though. Sweeping that fact under the rug just feels like a better idea. ]

I'll, uh...keep that in mind. That shit's way over my head an' I dunno who th' fuck I can trust t' do anythin' like that. Lotta shady characters in this city, ya know?

That's why I said I'd help ya, unless I'm one'a those shady characters now too.

[ he knows he has no business questioning matters of trust — and that it's possible izō didn't even mean it that way — but his ability to restrain the first thought that comes to mind is one of those things that's suffering from his constant overworked state. he's not bitter at izō, just the shuten clan. ]

[ Ryouma gets a quick, hard punch in the shoulder. ]

Shut th' fuck up before I get real pissed at ya for sayin' dumb shit like that t' my face.

Okay, okay! Y' didn't have t' hit me so hard...

[ but it's good that he did because ryouma deserved that. ]

All I'm sayin' is if ya build something yourself it oughta be yours without somebody else stickin' their hands in it where they don't belong. All ya gotta do is check and then ya know. Isn't that worth more than wonderin'?

Ya got rank now, Izō. Ya gotta show people ya won't be taken advantage of 'cause ya got yer eye on 'em. Even if they're part of yer own crew. 'Cause it's just business, right?

I get it, ya don't gotta keep sayin' it!

[ He deals with his frustration in a productive way by grabbing the empty bowls the dogs are done with. ]

I'll fuckin' have someone else look it over.

[ Even if he trusts Nishitani to handle it without fucking him over -- which he really shouldn't. ]

Good! And I promise I'll never mention it again when ya do.

[ so there is a genuine guarantee that he'll be slightly less irritating. ]

I just want ya t' be protected. And that's pretty useful advice in general, y' know? It's okay t' not know things or not feel like it, but now that ya got a little money, it's even easier to find people who do know things to help ya out.

[ look at all these things he found out the hard way. ]

Quit givin' me advice I didn't ask for!

[ Yelling makes his feelings easier to deal with. ]

If I wanted it I woulda asked ya!

[ Translation: he accepts the advice. ]

[ ryouma laughs and gives izō the usual apologetic smile he uses when he needs to diffuse a situation. ]

Well, ya know how it is...

[ he's always going to try and help. ]

Besides, ain't like this is the sorta advice you'd expect me t' have t' give ya, is it?

No...Never thought 'bout any'a this. I ain't good at this shit...Nishitani jus' put th' idea in my head.

[ People encouraging him to pursue things that aren't killing is still a struggle for him to deal with. They should know he's not any good at anything, right? ]

Gotta do my best for these guys, ya know?

Yeah. And I know ya will, Izō. I toldja y' gotta knack for this stuff. And that Nishitani guy..?

[ he makes a face because it's a sour memory, but in his own words, ryouma will never begrudge someone for just doing their job. even if their job sucks for him personally. ]

The guy's a professional. Checkin' would just be doin' your due diligence.

[ he reaches over to give an enthusiastic (and encouraging) pat on the shoulder, choosing to smile instead of dwelling on the rest. ]

But not t' worry! I'll make all the arrangements for ya since I'm the one insistin', ain't gotta worry about a thing.

[ it doesn't matter that he's taking on something else in his already grossly overloaded schedule. if it helps izō, it's worth it. ]

Majima got him collectin' on ya, huh?

[ Izō decides to leave it alone other than that. His love life is a fucking mess right now. ]

Ya sayin' I can't handle it myself now?

Yeah. Wouldn't play along like how he wanted me to, so it got a little messy, but just part of this life now, right?

[ a shrug. he made his bed, and now he has to lie in it. ]

Anyway, I ain't sayin' ya can't handle it. I'm puttin' ya in touch with the right person, is all. That's what a lot of my job is these days anyway...

Surprised he didn't fuck ya up good.

[ Leave it alone!! ]

'S what yer good at, right? Makin' connections an' all that shit...

Oh, he told me in no uncertain terms that he could make my life a whole lot worse. I told him he could waste his time if he wanted to, but it wouldn't change a thing. He's got nothin'.

[ because izō is his only weakness, of course, and he's protected because he knows majima cares about him too. ryouma can say and do whatever he wants because he doesn't have to worry about the fallout for anyone but himself, which is exactly how ryouma likes it. ]

Pretty much. Setting up deals and figurin' out what people want. It's not easy, but it's always all I've had goin' for me, so I might as well be good at it, huh?

[ he laughs easily like usual to disguise the fact that he means it literally. it really is all he's got in life right now because if he doesn't succeed, he'll have no more life to speak of anyway. ]

[ Majima and Nishitani care about Izō. It's truly a saving grace that Ryouma is involved with him, otherwise his life would be even more unpleasant than it already was. ]

Guess I should thank ya for doin' me th' favor. Shouldn't do it for free too often y'know.

Well, seein' ya get the place up and runnin' when ya do will be thanks enough for me. None'a this is how I imagined it would go, but seein' ya do so well really makes it all worth it...

[ because he will be truly the happiest person when the time comes. this is easily descending into a sappy, overly sentimental place, so he tries to laugh it off instead, as he does. ]

Ain't chargin' ya no matter what, though!

I mean, if ya did, I got plenty'a reasons not t' pay ya.

[ The look Izō gives him is devious. ]

Or I'd jus' give it t' Nishitani an' cut out the middleman.

Now, there I'd insist.

[ he should not be this easily baited. and yet... this brings out a possessive streak in him since izō is opening that door. ]

Mostly, 'cause I ain't givin' him anything else.

Shit, finally found somethin' yer fuckin' touchy about.

[ Yes, Izō is going to tease him about it instead of apologize. ]

That bad?

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kaientai - 2022-07-25 05:08 (UTC) - Expand