021 -- [Action]

[endgames]

[Today when Shikamaru woke up to his morning routine of journal stalking, there was a mission notice waiting for him. Fantastic. But you reap what you sow with these things...

Shikamaru spends the next few hours going over everything he thinks he'll need for this mission before heading out of his apartment. Most of his plans for the week are on hold (again) but there's still a few things he wanted to take care of; people to see.

In particular, he'll seek out Ino and Naruto, stopping to talk to most of his friends from home too, if he sees them. Give them a heads up on where he's at for the next week or so. After that he'll head into the square in the mid-afternoon in search of one Albert Silverberg. Masaomi is next, though Shikamaru will actually bother hailing him over the journals if he doesn't see him. Same for Sokka, if he can't find him at the smithy or the Avatar House.

Even if he isn't seeking anyone else out, he'll still stop to speak to people he knows if he runs into them today. Especially if they came along into the tunnels during that last experiment. Curiosity, mainly - he wants to know if anyone's doing better now.

Feel free to catch him anywhere in town this afternoon. Until he finds Albert, he'll be the guy carting around a shogi board under one arm.]

Comments

[endgames]

As if. [He snorts.] He'd be a lot more troublesome for you. Professional interrogator.

[generalflirt]

For ninja? Yeah, I might be pretty outclassed there.

[endgames]

It's just as well. You're not seriously interested in her, are you?

[That may be a blunt observation, but he's honestly curious. ...not just for the answer, but in how Masaomi responds to it. It's rare to get a straightforward answer out of him when it comes to a lot of subjects.]

[generalflirt]

What makes you say that?

[Lightly. He doesn't seem entirely surprised Shikamaru would suggest that]

[endgames]

I dunno. You flirt with a lot of girls, but you act differently around some. Like Katara. [He pauses.] And that one girl from your world I saw you with by the grocery store a while back.

[generalflirt]

Katara?

[His smile quirks here, and he waves a bit here, not sure if he's dismissing or approving that. It's not really a secret, but all the same.]

[endgames]

[If he didn't mind it being Ino, it's not like Katara's going to be a big deal.]

Should I take emphasis on syllables as a yes?

[generalflirt]

That. Depends what you're suggesting. You know and I know that I'm very egalitarian with the ladies.

[endgames]

[He nods to affirm that.] That's why I bring it up. It's like I said: you act differently around Katara sometimes. [And Saki.] More genuine?

[It's hard to tell. He's not sure how often Masaomi acts genuinely with anyone, not that it's the point here.]

You like a lot of girls. But I think that if you were to put one ahead of the rest, that girl would be Katara. [He pops open his bag of chips.] She's a crush.

[That's the theory, anyhow. That he doesn't say more means for now it's just that, and puts the ball back in Masaomi's court.]

[generalflirt]

[...

... He laughs, awkwardly. He blushes too, because he knows he's been found out, but as opposed to going right into it while he's not in control of the situation, he waves a hand to dismiss that]

Man, do you even care that much?

[endgames]

You're my friend, aren't you?

1/2

[generalflirt]

[Siiiigh]

[generalflirt]

I don't think she's aware of it.

[endgames]

[And there we go.]

Probably not. [Shikamaru wonders sometimes if she knew how much Chouji liked her.] For someone so perceptive, she misses a lot. She's the kind of girl you have to be straightforward with.

[generalflirt]

Ah, Shikamaru-kun, I think I know a thing or two about her.

[Lightly. Now that he said it, there's actually a hint of defensiveness in that]

[endgames]

[He catches that and raises an eyebrow, but has nothing to say to contradict it.]

Just saying I can see where you're coming from. I'm not here to dish out advice anyways.

[generalflirt]

Maaaan, you almost got my hopes up!

[And he leans back on his arms, laughing]

[endgames]

Heh. Sorry.

[Just because he cares doesn't mean he'll involve himself in something like that without a reason. But he cracks a grin, and holds out the bag of chips in a wordless offer.]

[generalflirt]

[Loser. But he takes the bag]

But man, can you blame me? She's hot.

[endgames]

She's cute enough.

[He's a guy. Even if he's not interested in either her or Ino, it's not like he doesn't notice these things.]

[generalflirt]

Dude, that's totally selling her short.

[He laughs again, shaking his head]

[endgames]

Heh. In my defense, while I can say she's definitely attractive, it's hard for me to look at her that way. Chouji liked her too.

[By definition of the bro code, even if he'd ever liked her that way, she is forever off limits. Double so now, since Masaomi likes her.]

[generalflirt]

Ah, so he did after all.

[A light hum. He wondered about that - teased him, pretended to ship it... or hell, maybe he did at some point, but now he's left with a bad taste in his mouth about that. His tone is light and he actually glances at Shikamaru. He can't help but wonder if this is making hims insult Chouji's memory or something]

[endgames]

Between the two of you, that has to mean there's something really special about her.

[Before coming out here, Shikamaru had wondered the same thing for a moment. Especially as his best friend. It didn't take long to realize how silly that line of thought was. Chouji's not that kind of person - just the opposite.

Shikamaru misses him a lot right now, and misses that look entirely.]

[generalflirt]

That's one way to put it, at least~ Ah, or maybe we're just both shmucks, right?

[Now with a grin]