He's textbook dumb, but emotionally pretty... intelligent.
At least, in enough capacity to frown when he says that to him. None of this is prompted or scripted, and Ryuji just did what he felt like was a good thing to do. Isn't that enough? He hums, giving it a little bit more thought.
Shrugs.]
Tch. Don't be an asshole. Why do I need a reason to do something I enjoy?
[Ryuji goes to turns on his side and use his hand to prop up his head, but just as he does that, man, does he realize that's a dumb fucking idea and kind of just... wiggles onto his stomach instead so that he can just look at Hajime.]
Don't do this, aight?
[The asshole part was absolutely referring to their night under the stars as a rung in the ladder of least-squared choices. He feels angry that Hajime doesn't feel like he deserves anything. No one should ever have to go through life like that.]
I wanted to hang out with you, so I asked you to come up here. So don't be an "asshole" and go and ruin us havin' a good time by thinkin' you ain't worth it.
[Probably a little more aggressive than he meant to come off, but he's stern, and if anything, unrelenting. He's never been particularly amazing at this sort of stuff, but damn, he's trying.]
[He's not expecting the aggression; it's enough to tug his gaze away from dramatically staring at the stars, wishing he were someone who mattered, to meet Ryuji's eyes instead.
Unlike Ryuji, he can prop his head up on his hand without trouble, so he does, his frown lost somewhere in his genuine confusion about why Ryuji is so insistent on this. But also... he doesn't want to question it. He really, really doesn't want to have to be the one to explain it.]
...I'll try. Sorry.
[He rolls back over, unable to keep meeting Ryuji's eyes. Something aches, right in the middle of his chest, an emotion he can't really place, but reminds him of the times Chiaki dragged him to the local arcade. A feeling of being wanted for who he is, not what he doesn't have.]
So what do people usually do at sleepovers, anyway? I can't remember if I ever went to any as a kid.
[Maybe it'll just have to be this way, a slow go of things, some Ryuji branded confidence instilled through his usual distemperament. That's fine. They have all the time in the world for this sort of thing.]
No apologies needed.
[Ever, really.]
Hm... Let's see. Read manga. Watch some movies. Play video games. Talk about stuff.
[Most of that was already gone out the window at this point. This was the shittiest rendition of Gilligan's Island in space that he's ever had the displeasure of taking part of.]
Most of the time the talkin' part revolves around girls though. I think this is the part where I'm s'posed to be like "what's your ideal type~?" [He says it in such a cheesey sing-songy tune that he has to stop himself from laughing.]
And the other half it's like. Tellin' ghost stories. Hard to do that when it'd be basically like... readin' from your own diary.
[It's night and Ezra's wandering around because of course he is. Since he found those Jedi robes, he's been wearing them, thinking he might feel closer to Kanan. And maybe he does, but it also means he's incredibly homesick. Force visions dreams aren't helping much either.
He makes his way to the observation deck, hoping to look out at the stars and feel some sense of home, but- it's teen boy central? And now he looks like some weird sleepover crashing monk.]
[Blankets scattered on the floor, just two guys, hanging out and talking about what you're supposed to do when you have a sleepover, and Ezra manages to stumble upon this wholly clandestine scene. Ryuji's ears perk up, startled by the sound of something other than Hajime's unrelenting self-loathing, and he comes back down to his back to look up at the robed wizard standing before him.]
So.... do you have a cool hat to go with that... or....
[But he smiles, dumb and true to the way he enjoys teasing the hell out of Ezra.]
[While he gets that Ryuji's teasing him, he's also completely confused. Do Jedi or their equivalents have hats on Earth. Still, he grins and takes a seat. Honestly, he could use a distraction.]
And then he's proud of nothing. This is a roller coaster ride of ribbing, that's for sure. He looks over at Hajime, and feels the incessant urge to explain himself away because it's NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OR SOUNDS LIKE.
Actually, no, never mind. He closes his eyes and affirms that a man comfortable in his own sexuality wouldn't rebuke, but accept, and fling it like it's hot, right back at him.]
Please. And you're already back for seconds.
[Scrunches his face.
No, that wasn't nearly as cool and aloof as it sounded.]
[Honestly, Hajime was just going to comment on how comfortable Ezra's new pajamas look, but you know what. Ryuji is correct, they definitely are wizards' robes. He just laughs and nods, agreeing with Ryuji's assessment of what they're doing and starting to pass some blankets over.
And then pausing, because he can't just let something like that go.]
So should I leave you two alone, or...?
[Sorry Ryuji. For once it's not his (lack of) self-confidence talking, he's literally just playing along here.]
[Yeah, yeah. Ryuji's already busy making room for the wizard in the sick ass pj's, and it's rather fortuitous that Hajime accidentally planned for this by being... overprepared and bringing way too many sheets and blankets.]
[It's not like anyone was USING the blankets in the empty rooms, anyway! It's fine. Hajime is holding onto his pillow though, just so it's obvious that isn't up for grabs.]
Right... obviously.
[Just as obviously, Hajime has no clue what he's talking about.]
[Ezra gets comfy, propping up the blankets and pillows he's been given into the ultimate comfort zone. Comfey.]
Uh.
[How does he explain this quickly and get back to sleepover fun.]
You know the stuff I told you about the Force, Hajime? And you know the stuff you saw me do, Ryuji? Like the jump and the panel stuff? Jedi are people who are able to do that. Sorta.
[One would think that Ryuji would take a more scientific approach to this. But nope. It's magic. Convince him otherwise.]
That's pretty damn neat, not gonna lie.
[He's also completely willing to believe it. Nothing on this station is going to surprise him anymore. NOTHING.
He reclines, a little annoyed that he can't put his hands behind his head and look up past the windows, so he just relies on his pillow to prop him up to do so. Except, it's not quite fluffy enough. Bummer.]
[Privately, Hajime agrees. It sounds like magic powers to him, and that... doesn't really sit well with him, honestly. But then, he should have known that someone like Ezra, a guy who's traveled between planets, couldn't just be a normal guy.]
Sorta?
[Sorry though, he's the inquisitive type, and he doesn't quite get how one can "sorta" have magic powers.]
That is really cool though... probably not the kind of thing you can teach other people, huh?
[Although some magic is based in the Force??? It's complicated. He sighs and rolls up his sleeves a little, not quite used to the monk look.]
I can teach you about the Force and the Jedi. But being Force sensitive is just something you're born with. Anyways. What were you guys talking about before I crashed the party?
And who's to say that I ain't some space wizard in the making?
[Ryuji laughs.
Yeah, that's? Not a thing. Definitely not a thing. He can do some weirdly powerful shit, but that's only because he's contracted with a mythological monkey king that has some cool lightning powers and a big stick (that totally sounds legit).]
Talkin' about? Not much, really. This guy over here was givin' me shit for invitin' him out to begin with. [He flashes a toothy grin at Hajime- oddly affectionate and proud of how loserish they both were.]
Then we were gonna... I dunno. Tell stories or some shit.
[Oh, it's something you're born with? That makes sense to Hajime, and he just nods. So it's like a talent, then, just... a talent they don't have on Earth. Vaguely, he has to wonder just how important someone like Ezra could be to Hope's Peak, but... that's a moot question. It's not like they can just book a space shuttle home for a visit.]
Oh yeah, sure, I'd believe you're a space-wizard trainee.
[Ryuji gets a by-now-familiar exasperated stare, then Hajime just rolls his eyes and returns his attention to Ezra.]
Yeah, we hadn't really decided what to do. Did you ever have sleepovers with your friends? What did you guys do?
I mean, sure. If you're a Padawan, you do have to call me Master Bridger, though.
[There's no way they can know he's never been properly knighted, shhhhhh.
Hajime's question throws him off for a second, but he quickly thinks of a response that isn't as sad as well, I didn't have friends growing up and then I fought in a war and all the other people my age were also fighting so.]
Actually, I used to share a room with a Lasat, and I know you guys don't have them on Earth, but think really big, really purple, and really smelly. So... not really the fun sleepover type. What about you two?
[It's not even a full 2 seconds after he says it that Ryuji plainly, bluntly, throws it out there in the open to make sure that there's absolutely no confusion whatsoever here-]
Not happenin'.
[Even if you were the Last Jedi and Ryuji could figure out how to start bending mess hall spoons with his brain powers.
And it's kind of weird... also, that Ryuji seemed to have the most normal? Is that even the right word, considering they were criminals, type of life back home in high school.]
Yeah, it happened a lot, to be honest. I mean, we were always out late. Hajime... did the trains stop running after midnight in your Earth, too?
It kinda came down to necessity sometimes.
[You know... getting home from the metaverse at 3 in the morning wasn't exactly conducive to decent sleep schedules. Even if Ren's cat protested against that very thing, every damn chance he got.]
[Hajime just laughs at Ryuji's firm instance that it's not going to happen. No playing around with that, huh?
But oh, the focus is on him now, and he brings a hand to his chin. Did the trains stop running?]
Uh... yeah, I think so. I didn't really stay out that late, so like I said before, I haven't really had any sleepovers since I was a kid.
[It's the nicer way of saying he didn't have any friends whose places he could crash at. What the fuck, how is Ryuji the most normal teen of them all??]
Kind of wish whatever made my Gamegirl show up dropped off, I don't know, a baseball or something. Or at least something more multiplayer-friendly.
[But oh, that reminds him-]
Hey, Ezra, what kind of games did people your age play on Lothal?
Guess you'll never learn how to do a Jedi mind trick...
[Even with the different universes things, it's pretty obvious that they're both way more normal than him. At least from what he can tell. It's also weird to know that there's a universe out there with a normal Ezra, if not because of what Palpatine showed him, then because there are infinite possibilities.
He hugs a pillow to his chest, wondering if he should tell the truth, tell a sorta lie, or tell a complete lie. Lots of options here.]
Grav-ball, dejarik, stuff like that. Apparently there's some similarities with Earth stuff. Like chess? We both have chess.
[Ezra's about to ask what Earth games are like or talk about how dejarik's much better than chess when another thought hits him.]
Okay. If you could have anything show up here, what would it be? Obviously people are out of the question and yeah, a way out or a ship or anything like that. But a baseball, or some food from back home. I'm drawing a blank right now, but I mean, I've got the Emperor and.... uh, other stuff too.
[The pillow to chest move doesn't go unnoticed, but he commits this to be a (relatively) judgment-free zone. Instead, Ryuji closes his eyes and smiles to himself.]
We have chess back home. It's pretty boring.
[Well, he should also admit-]
And I'm not that good at thinking ahead. I tend to live in the what's needed right now kinda mindset. Oh, there's also shogi. That's probably more important to my culture than chess is, but from what I know, it's kinda the same.
[What does he miss from home?
It's his mom. Second to that? Ramen, probably. Because that, too, reminded him of her.]
I dunno. I was always kinda poor, so I never really had a ton of stuff to begin with. I guess I'd say my Play Storm Sigma and video game collection.
[He opens one eye and looks over at Ezra, then at Hajime. They're all teenage boys, right?]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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He keeps looking back out the window, frowning a little.]
Why'd you invite me? I'd think you'd have a lot more fun with Haru or your other friends.
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He's textbook dumb, but emotionally pretty... intelligent.
At least, in enough capacity to frown when he says that to him. None of this is prompted or scripted, and Ryuji just did what he felt like was a good thing to do. Isn't that enough? He hums, giving it a little bit more thought.
Shrugs.]
Tch. Don't be an asshole. Why do I need a reason to do something I enjoy?
[Leaning back, he stares up at the stars, too.]
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I'm not being an asshole, I'm just... you know.
[Nobody important? A talentless loser? An asshole? Yes.]
...Don't worry about it. I'm... really glad you did, don't get me wrong. I mean, I wouldn't have dragged all these blankets here if I wasn't, right?
[A smile. He's fine it's FINE.]
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Don't do this, aight?
[The asshole part was absolutely referring to their night under the stars as a rung in the ladder of least-squared choices. He feels angry that Hajime doesn't feel like he deserves anything. No one should ever have to go through life like that.]
I wanted to hang out with you, so I asked you to come up here. So don't be an "asshole" and go and ruin us havin' a good time by thinkin' you ain't worth it.
[Probably a little more aggressive than he meant to come off, but he's stern, and if anything, unrelenting. He's never been particularly amazing at this sort of stuff, but damn, he's trying.]
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[He's not expecting the aggression; it's enough to tug his gaze away from dramatically staring at the stars, wishing he were someone who mattered, to meet Ryuji's eyes instead.
Unlike Ryuji, he can prop his head up on his hand without trouble, so he does, his frown lost somewhere in his genuine confusion about why Ryuji is so insistent on this. But also... he doesn't want to question it. He really, really doesn't want to have to be the one to explain it.]
...I'll try. Sorry.
[He rolls back over, unable to keep meeting Ryuji's eyes. Something aches, right in the middle of his chest, an emotion he can't really place, but reminds him of the times Chiaki dragged him to the local arcade. A feeling of being wanted for who he is, not what he doesn't have.]
So what do people usually do at sleepovers, anyway? I can't remember if I ever went to any as a kid.
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No apologies needed.
[Ever, really.]
Hm... Let's see. Read manga. Watch some movies. Play video games. Talk about stuff.
[Most of that was already gone out the window at this point. This was the shittiest rendition of Gilligan's Island in space that he's ever had the displeasure of taking part of.]
Most of the time the talkin' part revolves around girls though. I think this is the part where I'm s'posed to be like "what's your ideal type~?" [He says it in such a cheesey sing-songy tune that he has to stop himself from laughing.]
And the other half it's like. Tellin' ghost stories. Hard to do that when it'd be basically like... readin' from your own diary.
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He makes his way to the observation deck, hoping to look out at the stars and feel some sense of home, but- it's teen boy central? And now he looks like some weird sleepover crashing monk.]
... oh, hey. Is this uh some kinda party or?
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So.... do you have a cool hat to go with that... or....
[But he smiles, dumb and true to the way he enjoys teasing the hell out of Ezra.]
Yeah, we're chillin' up here for the night.
Wanna join?
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[While he gets that Ryuji's teasing him, he's also completely confused. Do Jedi or their equivalents have hats on Earth. Still, he grins and takes a seat. Honestly, he could use a distraction.]
Sure. Beats the last time we slept together.
[Sorry, Ryuji.]
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[Man... he is SO PROUD OF THAT PUN.
And then he's proud of nothing. This is a roller coaster ride of ribbing, that's for sure. He looks over at Hajime, and feels the incessant urge to explain himself away because it's NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OR SOUNDS LIKE.
Actually, no, never mind. He closes his eyes and affirms that a man comfortable in his own sexuality wouldn't rebuke, but accept, and fling it like it's hot, right back at him.]
Please. And you're already back for seconds.
[Scrunches his face.
No, that wasn't nearly as cool and aloof as it sounded.]
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And then pausing, because he can't just let something like that go.]
So should I leave you two alone, or...?
[Sorry Ryuji. For once it's not his (lack of) self-confidence talking, he's literally just playing along here.]
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I'm a Jedi.
[Ezra corrects him, rolling his eyes. There's not much point in keeping it secret anymore.]
Come on, the more the merrier, right?
[Apparently he can be smooth so long as he's not actually flirting.]
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A Jedi. See, Hajime? He's a Jedi.
[What the hell's a Jedi? Does it matter?]
Come on in, bro.
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Right... obviously.
[Just as obviously, Hajime has no clue what he's talking about.]
What's a Jedi?
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Uh.
[How does he explain this quickly and get back to sleepover fun.]
You know the stuff I told you about the Force, Hajime? And you know the stuff you saw me do, Ryuji? Like the jump and the panel stuff? Jedi are people who are able to do that. Sorta.
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[One would think that Ryuji would take a more scientific approach to this. But nope. It's magic. Convince him otherwise.]
That's pretty damn neat, not gonna lie.
[He's also completely willing to believe it. Nothing on this station is going to surprise him anymore. NOTHING.
He reclines, a little annoyed that he can't put his hands behind his head and look up past the windows, so he just relies on his pillow to prop him up to do so. Except, it's not quite fluffy enough. Bummer.]
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Sorta?
[Sorry though, he's the inquisitive type, and he doesn't quite get how one can "sorta" have magic powers.]
That is really cool though... probably not the kind of thing you can teach other people, huh?
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[Although some magic is based in the Force??? It's complicated. He sighs and rolls up his sleeves a little, not quite used to the monk look.]
I can teach you about the Force and the Jedi. But being Force sensitive is just something you're born with. Anyways. What were you guys talking about before I crashed the party?
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[Ryuji laughs.
Yeah, that's? Not a thing. Definitely not a thing. He can do some weirdly powerful shit, but that's only because he's contracted with a mythological monkey king that has some cool lightning powers and a big stick (that totally sounds legit).]
Talkin' about? Not much, really. This guy over here was givin' me shit for invitin' him out to begin with. [He flashes a toothy grin at Hajime- oddly affectionate and proud of how loserish they both were.]
Then we were gonna... I dunno. Tell stories or some shit.
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Oh yeah, sure, I'd believe you're a space-wizard trainee.
[Ryuji gets a by-now-familiar exasperated stare, then Hajime just rolls his eyes and returns his attention to Ezra.]
Yeah, we hadn't really decided what to do. Did you ever have sleepovers with your friends? What did you guys do?
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[There's no way they can know he's never been properly knighted, shhhhhh.
Hajime's question throws him off for a second, but he quickly thinks of a response that isn't as sad as well, I didn't have friends growing up and then I fought in a war and all the other people my age were also fighting so.]
Actually, I used to share a room with a Lasat, and I know you guys don't have them on Earth, but think really big, really purple, and really smelly. So... not really the fun sleepover type. What about you two?
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Not happenin'.
[Even if you were the Last Jedi and Ryuji could figure out how to start bending mess hall spoons with his brain powers.
And it's kind of weird... also, that Ryuji seemed to have the most normal? Is that even the right word, considering they were criminals, type of life back home in high school.]
Yeah, it happened a lot, to be honest. I mean, we were always out late. Hajime... did the trains stop running after midnight in your Earth, too?
It kinda came down to necessity sometimes.
[You know... getting home from the metaverse at 3 in the morning wasn't exactly conducive to decent sleep schedules. Even if Ren's cat protested against that very thing, every damn chance he got.]
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But oh, the focus is on him now, and he brings a hand to his chin. Did the trains stop running?]
Uh... yeah, I think so. I didn't really stay out that late, so like I said before, I haven't really had any sleepovers since I was a kid.
[It's the nicer way of saying he didn't have any friends whose places he could crash at. What the fuck, how is Ryuji the most normal teen of them all??]
Kind of wish whatever made my Gamegirl show up dropped off, I don't know, a baseball or something. Or at least something more multiplayer-friendly.
[But oh, that reminds him-]
Hey, Ezra, what kind of games did people your age play on Lothal?
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[Even with the different universes things, it's pretty obvious that they're both way more normal than him. At least from what he can tell. It's also weird to know that there's a universe out there with a normal Ezra, if not because of what Palpatine showed him, then because there are infinite possibilities.
He hugs a pillow to his chest, wondering if he should tell the truth, tell a sorta lie, or tell a complete lie. Lots of options here.]
Grav-ball, dejarik, stuff like that. Apparently there's some similarities with Earth stuff. Like chess? We both have chess.
[Ezra's about to ask what Earth games are like or talk about how dejarik's much better than chess when another thought hits him.]
Okay. If you could have anything show up here, what would it be? Obviously people are out of the question and yeah, a way out or a ship or anything like that. But a baseball, or some food from back home. I'm drawing a blank right now, but I mean, I've got the Emperor and.... uh, other stuff too.
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We have chess back home. It's pretty boring.
[Well, he should also admit-]
And I'm not that good at thinking ahead. I tend to live in the what's needed right now kinda mindset. Oh, there's also shogi. That's probably more important to my culture than chess is, but from what I know, it's kinda the same.
[What does he miss from home?
It's his mom. Second to that? Ramen, probably. Because that, too, reminded him of her.]
I dunno. I was always kinda poor, so I never really had a ton of stuff to begin with. I guess I'd say my Play Storm Sigma and video game collection.
[He opens one eye and looks over at Ezra, then at Hajime. They're all teenage boys, right?]
Or my kinda small hentai collection.
[There, he said it.]