[closed] "getting three gorgeous men to protect you during training is impressive..."

[gotyourbach]

Who: kaede akamatsu (gotyourbach), qrow branwen (blodsvorr), goro akechi (grakraka), gundam tanaka (gundamned), ryuji sakamoto (ryuji)

Where: the dojo!

When: pre-Candlenights log

What: Nervous about taking a weapons class for the first time, Kaede invited several of her friends to come with her. Like, half of them are there for entirely different reasons, though.

Content Warning: Ryuji is a vulgar boy, also Akechi is here? So who knows, really. Possible spoilers for DRV3 I guess.

[Welcome to the dojo! While this particular room might be soundproofed from the outside, the inside is anything but restful and contemplative. The high ceilings and slightly-springy mats reflect the sound back inside, the crack of wood against wood and metal against metal as others train inside really creating the atmosphere that this is a place to learn how to fight. Or wallflower. Or watch out for weird perverts. Hey, whatever you're here for!]

Comments

[gotyourbach]

Ummmmm...

[Her cheeks are starting to flush a darker pink, not just from exertion as he keeps moving her hands like this. She's not dumb, she can tell he's trying to test-- something, but it's still really familiar, overly familiar. Her hands are the most important part of her body, after all, and this is way different from just holding someone's hand.

She tries to tug her hands away when he says she doesn't have the wrists for it, though, shaking her head as if to try to refute him already. She's going to learn how to use a weapon properly, even if she doesn't want to!

But oh. He's not trying to discourage her, just change her way of thinking.]

A whip...?

[She's imagining something like a lion-tamer would use, and she winces.]

I... think I would hit myself in the eye with something like that. And... it'd be really easy to hurt somebody pretty badly with it by accident, right? I definitely... definitely don't want that.

[Not only the face, but she's thinking about it wrapping around someone's neck, and... she swallows hard, shaking her head again.]

I don't know...

[ryuji]

[He wouldn't ever tell someone not to try and figure out a way to defend themselves. It's going to be dangerous out there, and leaving a person without a way to attack back is like asking them to be killed. Ryuji doesn't want Kaede put in that situation at all, but he notes the hesitation in both body language (strongly) and her concerns about spoken (weakly).

An affirmative "mmn" sound comes out of his throat. Well, it was just an idea. It doesn't matter, ultimately what she ends up choosing, as long as she's good at it.]

If you're this determined to figure out how to kick ass, I don't, uh. I dunno. I think you'd get the hang of a different weapon.

[Smiling, he rolls his shoulders.]

It's just... I think you can actually damage your wrists easier if you're usin' a stick to whack a shad--- an enemy. Whatever you end up choosin', I'd say to go for somethin' a little less straining there.

[A small pause, unsure if his words of advice are even remotely helpful here.]

'Cause... I mean... I used t'be a track star. It was pretty much, like, my everything. I hurt my leg and I can't really run anymore. Qrow said you're a wiz at the piano, so, yeah.

I know what it's like to lose something you're really good at, and. Just be careful, aight?

[gotyourbach]

Sakamoto-kun...

[She takes hold of her right wrist in her left hand, massaging it gently in an absent gesture as he talks about damaging them. He might be right; she doesn't know enough about using any of these weapons to know for sure. A staff had seemed like the obvious answer to keep from hurting anybody, and keeping potential enemies at a distance, but...

It aches, right in the middle of her chest, to think of losing her ability to play piano. It's quite literally, on the deepest meta level here, all she has. So the thought of Ryuji losing his ability to run, if running is to him what piano is to her, then... she can't truly imagine that.]

I... [It hurts. She releases her wrist, presses a hand over her heart instead as she meets his eyes.] I can't lose my ability to play the piano, s-so... if you really think something like a whip would be better, I'll try it! I just...

[Kaede hesitates, fingers clutching slightly at the sweat-soaked top of her uniform.]

I really don't want to hurt anyone. Just stop them from hurting my friends.

[ryuji]

[He nods back to her when his name is mentioned. He's not an SHSL runner, but... yeah, that was his one ticket out of the mediocre birth he was given. It took a long time to find something to fill the gap of that, and then proceeded to lose that as well. He's just... so tired of losing. And he's equally tired of seeing the people around him lose, too.]

No one really wants to hurt anyone. Unless you're a complete and utter psycho, and I sure as shit ain't gettin' those vibes from you.

[Ryuji's trying to lighten the mood a little bit here.]

You, uh. You fight to help others. You fight 'cause there's something you gotta protect. It ain't about who's right, who's wrong. None of that shit.

[Spoken like a truly morally gray thief who stole hearts, here.]

And even when you fight and you lose, you gotta keep fighting. Long as you got that sorta vibe goin', I'll do my best to back you up.