Floor 3, Room 3

[fallingsand]

BRUNO

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[fallingsand]

Oh. Don't... don't put it that way. That. That always ends badly.

[ No one's fate should be in his hands! Aaaa, terrifying, but he will pick one of the cards, after a moment of hemming and hawing over which one to take. He selects one of the swords after that hesitation.

And he immediately knows what it's for.

This leaves him staring in slight horror at the card in his hand. ]

...uh, uh oh...

[jokey]

Bruno.

[It's not a reprimand, but it's firm, the kind of tone that says "oh, we're talking about this." Akira can reasonably assume these cards have some practical use, perhaps in combat, and Bruno's reaction all but confirms that.]

You don't want me wasting my time chasing down the people who couldn't care less about my help, but you're afraid to step out of the shadows and stand by my side. We're supposed to be partners, aren't we? You're supposed to trust me.

[That means accepting that this power was given to them for a reason. Akira looks Bruno in the eye.]

Tell me what the card says.

[fallingsand]

H-hey, don't turn that around on me, Akira. You're the one always running off doing god knows what, not me.

[ How can he stand by Akira's side if the guy can't be found, huh? ]

And the card doesn't say anything but it does do—

[ Maybe he shouldn't have gestured with it because he accidentally aims the Swords card at the door of his room and the door promptly explodes, rattling the third floor and thoroughly destroying that poor thing. ]

[jokey]

I'm not running anymore. We're in it to win it now.

[For better or worse, Bruno is stuck with him now. Maybe he'll even prove it by finding Solomon and decking him in the face?

...Uh, more on that later? Did Bruno just blow up the damn door? Akira just kinda... carefully gets up from his seat...... and goes to confirm the damage with his own eyes. Mm, yep. Can confirm the door is burnt beyond repair.]

What did the door ever do to you?

[fallingsand]

...

[ Ohhhh godddd whyyyy. Bruno stares at where the door used to be even as Akira goes to check on it. Yeah, he's going to need a new door. Oh boy. ]

It. It blows things... up? The. The card, I mean.

[ Although the card he had is now dissipating into nothingness. ]

[jokey]

No biggie. Explosions happen.

[He's pretty sure he saw woodworking tools on Bruno's desk? They can combine their skills and make Bruno a new one, easy peasy. Countdown to the peanut gallery's arrival in three, two, one...]

That's gonna be useful in combat.

[Wandering back over to the chair, Akira flops down.]

But it looks like you're the powerhouse between us. You comfortable taking the lead?

[fallingsand]

[ Him? The powerhouse? Taking the lead? Wait, wait, hang on. ]

Akira, I am never going to pick a Sword card again if that's what it does. It's... it's so violent!

[ And loud? Yeah, loud! ]

[jokey]

[Akira looks between Bruno and the shouldering remains of his door, nonplussed.]

Well, yeah. Violence is the whole point.

[Akira's seeing the vision here, though? Bruno's the one who has to choose and utilize the card. This is more to aid Bruno than it is Akira, but as far as he's concerned, that's exactly how it should be. What kind of partner would he be if he wasn't meant to help Bruno reach his full potential?

Akira grabs his chair and inches a little closer, dropping the casual tone to address Bruno more seriously.]

There will be times when we have no choice but to fight for our lives... and the lives of our friends, too. If you don't want me wasting time chasing unreliable people around, then be the person I can count on to have my back in a pinch.

[fallingsand]

[ Violence is the whole point, he says, and that's the problem Bruno has with it. ]

I'm not going to hurt people for you, Akira. I can still have your back without resorting to that. I mean, if it's... I don't know. Knocking things into the path of someone or something or taking out a door or. Or stuff like that, then maybe, but violence? C'mon.

[ he won't mention punching solomon that was a rare exception and bruno punches don't even bruise ok ]

[fellheart]

[ yeah, so, guess whose room is on the third floor? from the end of the hallway, robin who apparently is in his room for once (maybe he was reading. who knows) will poke his head out from his door, and

...

and upon seeing akira, will just comment: ]

Why is it that when something happens here, it's always you...?

[jokey]

[And here's Robin, always quick to show up to the scene of the crime... but it's fine. Akira has a plan to counter this man.]

Oh, hey Robin. Come to collect on that hug?

[Throws his arms open wide!!]

[fellheart]

... I'll take the reverse of an IOU, thanks. A you owe me?

[ one that he's never going to collect on or call in, as you do. ]

[jokey]

Sure. We'll call it that.

[Akira makes a shooing motion. Better run off before he comes barreling towards you with both guns arms blazing.]

[fellheart]

[ he's going, he's going! let him get back to whatever skulking and lurking he does in private. ]

[fallingsand]

[ Oh, hey, uh. ]

It... th... that was me, actually. Sorry?

[fellheart]

...

[ bruno is... usually one of the more harmless in the manor? huh. interesting. clearly, this means: ]

I see whatever ailment it is that possesses him is infectious.

[ akira's troublemaker aura has clearly spread to bruno. ]

[fallingsand]

[ Joke's on Robin, Bruno's always been the troublemaker in his family haha. ]

...well that's a little uncalled for.

[ cough anyway ]

[fellheart]

[ ok, ok, but before he's shooed back into his room by the anti-tsundere defense mechanisms: ]

What exactly were the two of you doing, anyway?

[chronosynthesis]

By the Pale Mother!

[Syrlya just about kicks his chair over as he hurries to the door, throwing it open and leaning out. Sees the fragments of the door leading from Bruno's door.

... Slowly scuttles back in and closes his door. This can, for once, be someone else's problem.]

[impacter]

[Across the hall, someone looks up from his writing for .5 seconds like a dog hearing a faraway sound, before shrugging and returning to what he was doing. Eh, it's probably fine.]

[divineth]

[Not long after this happens, Urianger comes running down the stairs. His room is directly above Bruno’s so he felt a shake and became…concerned, to put it lightly.]

What…? [He stares at the exploded door.] What hath happened? Art thou all right?

[fallingsand]

[ Hi Urianger, how ya doing? ]

Everyone is fine... [ Bruno relays that with a sigh. Here's hoping Akira doesn't threaten Urianger with a heaping pile of sexual harassment, too, wow. ] I just. Accidentally blew my door up.

[divineth]

[a heaping pile of what]

I…see. [He visibly calms once it’s confirmed that no one is actually hurt.] A spell gone awry?

[fallingsand]

[ looks over at robin

don't worry about it ]

Y-yeah. Yeah. Pretty much that.

[divineth]

[Good thing Urianger doesn’t owe Akira a hug that he knows of.

He considers asking if he can help, but…Bruno and Akira probably have it figured out.]

Shall I leave it to thee, then?