Yeah, uh. Sorry for missin' class the other day? I was kinda sprawled out in bed... y'know, dying.
[Maybe not the best choice of words, but he is still very much in the camp of "well I guess I'll just die" sort of jokes that probably soar over this crow's head.]
Figured I'd get a parent's note but who the hell am I s'posed ta even get that signed from? Hey, Madman Dominatrix, can you put your government on this piece of paper, I gotta tell Qrow that I ain't gonna be in school and by the way, sorry I sneezed on your desk. Nope, not a chance in hell.
[All of that bullshit was said still... somewhat nasally.
Ryuji's pretty well looked after, after all. Considering how many people put up with his crap, of course.]
No excuses: you're getting extra homework. [There is no extra homework. It is just the only possible response to that.] And I'm all for nicknames, kid, but let's skip on that one for the Director.
[His tone is still casual, his gait easy. He's comfortable. And Ryuji is better, which means it's not like Ryuji's been dodging him. Still, they need to talk about what happened, probably. Maybe. If nothing else, there's gotta be... something after all that.
Fuck if he has any idea how to do this. And so, bribing with food.]
[It ain't that hard to really understand what's going on here, but Ryuji just doesn't know what he's supposed to do about any of it. Sure, he saw a ghost of himself from the future telling him that he's going to end up face down, ass up in the river Styx, drowning, but... what can he actually do about that right now?
He doesn't know how or when it's supposed to happen.
And then there's the whole... Qrowflection thing, too. At least that's something he can compartmentalize, try to talk about, get something across in a meaningful way.]
Aight, aight. I'll drop the dunks on the old lady.
[Ryuji might be all about rebellion against the machine, but little by little seeing her work so tirelessly, he's not really sure he has a legit reason to distrust her outside of the usual hating adults paranoia.]
You, uh. You wanna talk about the stuff back in Vista Virs, right? Like, that's what I'm gettin' myself into right now, right?
Ryuji is, of course, not stupid. Qrow's known that from the start. He's also ridiculously blunt, which is helpful sometimes for cutting through bullshit. Maybe even in times like this. So Qrow shrugs, and he doesn't deny it, but he doesn't insist on the point, either.]
I think it might be worth picking up on, yeah. But if you don't want to, food is still on the table. [...Literally. Goddammit. (Tai would have loved hearing him trip into that one.)]
Although, he doesn't have a crush on her or anything, right? Workplace romance is typically frowned upon in any dimension, usually. Except the dimension where the only romance allowed is with coworkers. Must be a weird place.
The bluntness is something Ryuji likes, though, and it's something he's come to trust. He's similar in the way that he carries himself, but the difference being... Qrow knows when it's better not to be that way. Maybe, probably. Just observationally speaking, of course.]
Kinda hope that's where the food is. Sounds like it's the place it's s'posed to be.
[Yeah, he's not letting you live that down. But they're not far from their destination now, when he gives it a thought, and then concedes.]
Sure, whatever, man. If you wanna talk about it, let's talk about it. I ain't really got anything to hide to begin with.
[Qrow groans because ugh, why did Ryuji have to pick up on that. (Qrow knows why.) But before diving into things, he leads them in, grabs a table, and makes his order. He will also wait on Ryuji's order, because you know, manners.]
It sounds like you got hit harder than most, back in those caves. No one else has brought up anything like your... unique situation.
[Ryuji happily orders a drink, an appetizer, and a meal. He's not intentionally trying to be rude by ordering the entire left side of the menu, but lately all he's been able to do is eat. Dave keeps a fresh pack of snacks available almost all the time, but his metabolism is just so fast that he can never seem to keep the calories in.
Which means he's finally, after almost a year out in space and a year before that going to gym every day, starting to bulk up. That's not the point here, though, and as he plays with the butter knife against the table mat, trying to carve out a coupon for Fantasy Costco, he keeps himself occupied so that the conversation happens a little bit easier.]
Yeah, I guess. I don't really know what I'm s'posed to do about it, though. [Almost got that coupon.]
I know it's pretty obvious, but... like. I don't wanna die. Or, if I do gotta die, I want it to be something I can come back from. Dunno what... else to say.
[Qrow is stubborn. That's why he wants to fight it. But Qrow has also lost too many people over too long a span of time to insist it won't happen. Qrow has failed too much for that. Even so, he looks Ryuji in the eyes, and he makes his stance clear.]
That means you've gotta be careful on missions. Watch it on the reckless choices, alright?
[He frowns, looking down at the table. That's the problem- he's a reckless person in general. He has too much to lose not to make sure that he gives these missions literally everything he's got.]
Dude... You ain't askin' me not to do the job I'm supposed to do here, right? 'Cause if it comes down to it, bringin' back an entire world of people I miss the hell outta is more important than whether or not I get to enjoy it.
[He says it so nonchalantly, that it's almost a little disturbing. Ryuji's a plethora of resolve, an excess of perseverance. But he also knows what he's willing to give up to make sure certain conditions are met. Dave, Akira, Akechi. His three priorities in life, and he never would've thought that one day he'd be staring down the barrel of that baseball batgun.]
But if you mean gettin' smarter about it, sure. I'm a pretty useless dumbass sometimes. I dunno how to change that either. Just, don't put me in a glass bubble and call it safety, y'know?
I'm not telling you to quit, because I'm not a damn idiot.
[Ryuji would never stand down when other people are in trouble, and while Qrow has made mistakes as far as telling children not to do things they're definitely going to go do, he knows enough to know this won't go anywhere. It's a Huntsman's drive as much as it's anything. A Huntsman doesn't back down from protecting people.]
But yeah, I'm telling you to be smarter. [Qrow leans over to flick Ryuji in the forehead.] Step one on fixing it: don't call yourself a 'useless dumbass.' Come on, kid. The kind of intelligence we're working with here isn't the type that goes in the books. It's tactics and strategy.
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[Maybe not the best choice of words, but he is still very much in the camp of "well I guess I'll just die" sort of jokes that probably soar over this crow's head.]
Figured I'd get a parent's note but who the hell am I s'posed ta even get that signed from? Hey, Madman Dominatrix, can you put your government on this piece of paper, I gotta tell Qrow that I ain't gonna be in school and by the way, sorry I sneezed on your desk. Nope, not a chance in hell.
[All of that bullshit was said still... somewhat nasally.
Ryuji's pretty well looked after, after all. Considering how many people put up with his crap, of course.]
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No excuses: you're getting extra homework. [There is no extra homework. It is just the only possible response to that.] And I'm all for nicknames, kid, but let's skip on that one for the Director.
[His tone is still casual, his gait easy. He's comfortable. And Ryuji is better, which means it's not like Ryuji's been dodging him. Still, they need to talk about what happened, probably. Maybe. If nothing else, there's gotta be... something after all that.
Fuck if he has any idea how to do this. And so, bribing with food.]
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He doesn't know how or when it's supposed to happen.
And then there's the whole... Qrowflection thing, too. At least that's something he can compartmentalize, try to talk about, get something across in a meaningful way.]
Aight, aight. I'll drop the dunks on the old lady.
[Ryuji might be all about rebellion against the machine, but little by little seeing her work so tirelessly, he's not really sure he has a legit reason to distrust her outside of the usual hating adults paranoia.]
You, uh. You wanna talk about the stuff back in Vista Virs, right? Like, that's what I'm gettin' myself into right now, right?
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[Don't call her a dominatrix? Please? Please?
Ryuji is, of course, not stupid. Qrow's known that from the start. He's also ridiculously blunt, which is helpful sometimes for cutting through bullshit. Maybe even in times like this. So Qrow shrugs, and he doesn't deny it, but he doesn't insist on the point, either.]
I think it might be worth picking up on, yeah. But if you don't want to, food is still on the table. [...Literally. Goddammit. (Tai would have loved hearing him trip into that one.)]
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Although, he doesn't have a crush on her or anything, right? Workplace romance is typically frowned upon in any dimension, usually. Except the dimension where the only romance allowed is with coworkers. Must be a weird place.
The bluntness is something Ryuji likes, though, and it's something he's come to trust. He's similar in the way that he carries himself, but the difference being... Qrow knows when it's better not to be that way. Maybe, probably. Just observationally speaking, of course.]
Kinda hope that's where the food is. Sounds like it's the place it's s'posed to be.
[Yeah, he's not letting you live that down. But they're not far from their destination now, when he gives it a thought, and then concedes.]
Sure, whatever, man. If you wanna talk about it, let's talk about it. I ain't really got anything to hide to begin with.
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It sounds like you got hit harder than most, back in those caves. No one else has brought up anything like your... unique situation.
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Which means he's finally, after almost a year out in space and a year before that going to gym every day, starting to bulk up. That's not the point here, though, and as he plays with the butter knife against the table mat, trying to carve out a coupon for Fantasy Costco, he keeps himself occupied so that the conversation happens a little bit easier.]
Yeah, I guess. I don't really know what I'm s'posed to do about it, though. [Almost got that coupon.]
I know it's pretty obvious, but... like. I don't wanna die. Or, if I do gotta die, I want it to be something I can come back from. Dunno what... else to say.
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[Qrow is stubborn. That's why he wants to fight it. But Qrow has also lost too many people over too long a span of time to insist it won't happen. Qrow has failed too much for that. Even so, he looks Ryuji in the eyes, and he makes his stance clear.]
That means you've gotta be careful on missions. Watch it on the reckless choices, alright?
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Dude... You ain't askin' me not to do the job I'm supposed to do here, right? 'Cause if it comes down to it, bringin' back an entire world of people I miss the hell outta is more important than whether or not I get to enjoy it.
[He says it so nonchalantly, that it's almost a little disturbing. Ryuji's a plethora of resolve, an excess of perseverance. But he also knows what he's willing to give up to make sure certain conditions are met. Dave, Akira, Akechi. His three priorities in life, and he never would've thought that one day he'd be staring down the barrel of that baseball batgun.]
But if you mean gettin' smarter about it, sure. I'm a pretty useless dumbass sometimes. I dunno how to change that either. Just, don't put me in a glass bubble and call it safety, y'know?
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[Ryuji would never stand down when other people are in trouble, and while Qrow has made mistakes as far as telling children not to do things they're definitely going to go do, he knows enough to know this won't go anywhere. It's a Huntsman's drive as much as it's anything. A Huntsman doesn't back down from protecting people.]
But yeah, I'm telling you to be smarter. [Qrow leans over to flick Ryuji in the forehead.] Step one on fixing it: don't call yourself a 'useless dumbass.' Come on, kid. The kind of intelligence we're working with here isn't the type that goes in the books. It's tactics and strategy.