endgames | 025 -- [Action || Voice]

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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.]

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[She notices the few inches but she pays it no mind. Right now, she's paying attention on more important things like this embrace she's giving him which, to her slight surprise, he returns. It feels more solid now because holding him in this state is almost similar to holding a sand sculpture. She needs to grasp it correctly for it to hold in place.

Burying her face on his chest, she gives a smile.]

You're not alone, okay? [And this should prove that point even when Shikamaru might feel that his shirt is starting to get a little wet.]

I know.

[He doesn't cry - he sobbed himself sick earlier, before Kurenai got back. He doesn't have it in him for another round.

He doesn't know how he feels either, but he knows he can count on his friends until he can get himself over this. So that's what he plans to do. Stick with friends like Ino, who's crying into his shirt now. He doesn't mention the tears, and one hand moves up to the back of her shoulder again.]

And it's okay to think about yourself too.

[It's a good thing he doesn't mention the tears because Ino isn't aware she's crying. Probably holding them off earlier wasn't really successful in the first place.]

I am thinking of myself. [Lol, you're talking to Ino here.]

[Ha. He's reminded of how silly her order was for him to sleep, and he smiles sadly.]

You're thinking of your promise to sensei.

[Which is a part of her too, as big a part as his own promise. But there's other parts there, isn't there?]

[Don't break her heart now, Shikamaru.]

I always do. [Which is probably a contradiction to what she said earlier but she's stubborn which might be proven by her next words.] But I'll have you know I also think of myself.

[Ha, so there. And if he can actually see her face, which she's still burying on his chest, he might notice that trademark Ino-tsun or that pout. She had come a long way from that self-obsessed Sasuke fangirl, really. Now she has others - like you, lazy genius - to look after. Sometimes, even more than herself even if she won't readily admit that.]

[He can't help but laugh a little, though he can only see some of it. Ino will always be Ino.]

I don't need to be reminded.

[how dare you laugh at her Ino-ness!!!

She pulls away for a bit, though, just far enough for her to notice that she just soaked his shirt with her tears. She sniffs.]

Great. I promised myself I wouldn't cry. [Curse you, tear glands!!]

[He doesn't say anything to that - he won't say anything about it to anyone else - just conjures up a tissue from somewhere for her.]

Thanks. [She accepts the tissue with a snort.] I tend to forget you're a real gentleman, Shikamaru. [Teasing teasing. She knows he can be.]

If it were wide known, I'd have to do it all the time.

And that'd be troublesome.

And that would mean it'd no longer count where it matters.

I'm feeling very special right now if it helps.

[But that smile fades when she pauses. The question she's about to ask might be a little hard to inquire.]

Have you told Kurenai-sensei yet?

[Mission accomplished then. A smile quirks, just momentarily.]

Yeah. Before coming here.

I'm sure it's harder for her than on any of us.

[To be robbed of your child and then now your dead lover, she can only imagine her grief.]

You remember how hard it was before...

[This time, he doesn't think it's much better.]

I know. But you also know how this is much worse for her.

[She doesn't have any one of them here, her family.]

[He sighs. Yes, he remembers Ino. That was him agreeing with you.

But mostly he's sighing because his heart really does go out to her. He's not sure how to help her; this time it's not the same, it's worse.]

[She sees it that she sighs too.]

I wish I can do something, but as it is, I don't know where to start.

[She can try making flower arrangements for her, but she knows that'll just make her remember their sensei more.]

[It's not bad, to remember.]

Bit of time. I think small things are the best way to go about it now, and being available. We're not the same, I know, but we care about her too.

[Maybe in time, but not while the wound is fresh.]

Yeah, you're right. [And she smiles softly at that.] Our presence should count for a lot. [Because that also means that they care.]

Kiba and Hinata too. They know her best, after all. I'll take some pointers from them.

I think that's a good idea. I can probably ask them what their sensei's favorite hobby is. [She'll ask Hinata because there's no way she'll go to Kiba for this.]

["Evening drinks", if he remembers right. It makes him think of the days his dad came home drunk, but he smiles anyways.

I finally get why he drank so much, back then...

Maybe Kurenai has a second favorite hobby.]

It's a start.

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[action] last before I go!

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