endgames | 025 -- [Action || Voice]

[When Shikamaru heads down to Asuma's apartment Monday morning, he finds it empty of everything but Kurenai's things and a silver lighter standing on the table. It's wrong, but he doesn't give in to the false hope.

Of course it would stay. Even though Shikamaru gave it back to him, the lighter stopped being Asuma's the moment he picked it off his dying body.

Kurenai must've stepped out before it happened. She's a ninja, and not so senseless to have left the door wide open and run off in her grief. And so he waits for her, and tries to find his words.

After he leaves Kurenai, he has to tell Ino. Team 8 he'll find in person too - he has a request for them on top of this. It's been too long since they've heard a stir from their enemies.]

[It's well past midnight before an announcement comes, after he's made this post and spent a few hours going over the discussions there. When people are either busy with the information he gave them, or asleep.

He smokes a cigarette on his way back to his apartment in the night air, putting it out before he steps into the building, his posture falsely relaxed until he steps into his own room.]

Sarutobi Asuma is gone. [There's a pause and- no, he doesn't think it was mentioned.] Also, Haruno Sakura returned to her world a few weeks ago, for anyone who knew her.

Funnily enough, I haven't seen that masked Akatsuki guy in a while either...

[Too many people to filter that too. It's vague enough, but anyone who needs to know should get what he means. It would have been better news if he'd known before.

He'll answer journal comments in the morning.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, I was.

Tell me your name. I'll ask if Ino found anything.

Would she still have anything though? You said she's been gone a few weeks but not how many. That's what I was curious about, and that's a long time to keep something.

Especially if that something had else's name on it.

Other things were going on, if you hadn't noticed. She could've left something for me, and I wouldn't know yet.

I noticed. [ So "a few weeks" to "within all that nonsense". At least for how long she's been gone. He already assumed it was during that, but, really, Shikamaru. Stop being a pain!! ]

But all right. You said Ino, right? Where can I find them?

Journal's not a bad place to start? If you don't want to take me up on my offer.

[NEVER.]

Then I'll start there.

[ bye!!1!!!! ]

[Loser. He's sure it was you. You've pulled this anonymous stunt on him before. 8|]

[ wow whatever he does what he wants. it's not like he cares about sakura or anything. ]

[This is why everyone thinks you're gay.]

[ It isn't his fault the best teachers are often middle-aged to very old dudes who live in caves and like to try and bend little boys to their will, okay.

oh wait you were talking about the sakura thing

nvm /moves to other thread. ]

025 -- [Action || Voice]

written. HOW DOES THAT BLUSH ICON--i don't. why.

voice. Sasuke, why so moe.

written.

voice.

written.

voice.

written.

nothing.

nothing back.

nothing infinity.

nothing shut-your-mouth-you-can't-pick-infinity.