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

[He has better foresight than that. He knows so little of Sasuke's motives, being completely straight with him would be foolish.]

To what purpose? I'd sooner see you shoot the messenger than obsess over a second person.

[Sigh.] You may have severed your bonds, but Itachi is finding new ones here. Don't read too much into it, because it's as simple as that.

[The mess between these two brothers is not a place he wants to sit himself in. Even with the insight that other Sasuke who was here once gave him, their relationship makes so little sense to him.

The one thing that remains solid is Itachi is the focal point of everything. Just talking about him is dangerous, but understanding how much of a threat Sasuke is to them necessitates understanding that relationship too.]

[ ... ... ... So, basically, yeah. Itachi said it, probably. He was hoping it was just Naruto. ] Yeah, I know that.

[ That's a bit of a touchy subject itself. Itachi's the one who told him to sever his bonds. Why is Itachi going around making new ones? And with Konoha ninjas at that.

Sasuke wants to tell Shikamaru to leave Itachi alone, say that Konoha's done enough to him, but he doesn't. Or won't. No matter his feelings about Konoha ninjas getting close to Itachi, Itachi is loyal to Konoha. Of course he'll want to speak with them. ...

...

... ] ... What do you think of him?

[...that's a difficult question. Not because he doesn't mind saying it, but because he's keenly aware that this Sasuke is not the one who told him the truth. He's gotten a death threat for knowing before (not that he cares so long as everyone else is kept out of it).

At the same time, he suspects Sasuke already knows that's he's more keen on it then he lets on in public.]

I think I misjudged him.

Is that all?

[No, but he wasn't sure what he would to say to it. 8||]

And I also think the only person I've met who's braver is Naruto.

Your opinion of Naruto's grown higher. [ He doesn't like someone saying Naruto is braver, or better in any way, than Itachi but this time he'll let it go. ]

But if you think Itachi is brave, there must be a reason for it. What happened to his brand as a criminal?

It still stands - by his decision.

I didn't mean by Konoha's standards. I meant by yours.

And I meant by his. Konoha is a different place than it once was. I think they would see it differently now, as I am coming to.

[Because while Itachi has proven himself time and again, especially working with them when Tobi arrived, it pays to be cautious.]

But that is second to his decision, and I will respect that.

[ ~~wow why would itachi's opinion about anything matter??~~ Well, whatever, Shikamaru, if answering like this floats your boat, go for it. ] I didn't ask for his opinion either, and I don't need to be told what he wants.

[ Long pause. ] Talk to Itachi. Do you have anything else to say?

As the highest-ranking Konoha shinobi left, it matters to me.

[He sighs. It's sort of your fault he knows any of this. Sometimes he wishes he hadn't found out.

But that's the part of me that is a coward.]

But that's it. I'm done. Talking to you makes me tired.

[ Sasuke doesn't respond. ]

025 -- [Action || Voice]

Voice, private. Sasuke, you attention whore. Just admit you miss your fangirls.

Voice, private. Only late at night when he's all alone with Madara.

Voice, private. ...can't be as bad as the days with Orochimaru

Voice, private. those were some bad nights, bro. let's not talk about it!!

Voice, private.

Voice, private.

Voice, private.

Voice, private.

Voice, private.

Voice, private.

Voice, private.

Voice, private.