endgames | 032 -- [Voice || Action]

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032 -- [Voice || Action]

[A ninja walks into the bar.

Okay, that's getting ahead of the story. Let's backtrack then. Not too far. Everything he's been through in the past two weeks doesn't need to be said. At least, this isn't the place for it. What's important to mention is that on March 27, Nara Shikamaru left Luceti, gone back to home and to war. He returned on the same day and got thrown into another, and coming back to day-to-day life in this village after has felt almost unreal.

It's been nearly two weeks, but it wasn't until today that any of it definitively sunk in. All of the deaths. Everything they've lost - that he's lost. That the fighting is over, even if the war isn't.

You wouldn't think moving on with your life would be the scariest thing about that.]

[Voice]

Yo. [The greeting comes after he's gotten a grip on himself, so lackadaisical you wouldn't know the difference.] Some of you might've noticed that old pizza place was being remodeled. It's taking longer than I thought, but I've been working on turning it into a convenience store since November. It can probably open soon.

I'm gonna stock it with the basics. Milk, bread... staples like that for when no one wants to walk all the way to the grocery. So what snacks and drinks do you guys want? I'm not going to the trouble of getting things it turns out no one likes. That way, they'll just sit on the shelf to collect grease and dust. That's gross.

[He waves lazily, like he gave up on the motion halfway through, and reaches over to switch the feed.] Lemme know.

[Filtered to Trafalgar Law || Unhackable]

Hey. Got what you asked of me too.

[/end Voice]

[Several hours later... A ninja walks into a bar, and for the first time orders not Mountain Dew, but Genshu sake. A whole bottle.

Convincing himself to drink is more difficult than ordering it, however. Shikamaru sits at the bar for a while, spending more time staring into his cup than lifting it to his mouth. It's not like he's in a rush. He made a point not to tell anyone what he was up to, just that he would be back late and would get dinner on his own. Eventually though, he does get to drinking. It's a lot easier once he's started, and he loosens up. He won't be at the bar long after that, called away on an errand which leads him down toward House 22.

(ooc: threads with Law and Masaomi will be canonically last for this part)

The next day... he has a hangover. And it sucks. 8|

But he has people to talk to. Sakura and Asuma are both on his list, if they're home. Ino is last, and not without Chouji to go with him. Anyone else in the building is welcome to run into him on this day too, of course.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[...

DRINKING...

Looking intensely bothered by the display, he lowers the cup to say something...!! But then no. Nope, nope, just gonna keep drinking. And side-eying.]

[Slowly a pleased little grin works its way across the pirate's face and he lightly brushes his partner's fingers with his own. Like Itachi, he's mentally snickering.

Then he turns to Shikamaru, casual as a cucumber, and politely holds up the bottle.]

More sake?

[Itachi does give him another look at that. He's still smiling, but the brief look is cautionary.

After all, if anyone has to help Shikamaru get home it will be Law. Itachi can't exactly walk up to the front door of ninja headquarters without raising suspicion.]

We aren't about to make out in front of you, Shikamaru, if that had you concerned.

Oh thank god. [Any tension that might have been stubbornly remaining goes out of his shoulders with a whoosh. He slumps there happily in relief before remembering Law's offer.] PDA's gross'n'ough when it's parents.

[Definitely more, please. He holds the cup out to Law again, the motion simultaneously urgent and lackadaisical.]

[Returning the look to Itachi. Don't worry. He's got this. He'll be able to walk back.

Slowly refilling.]

Oh geez. [Shaking his head.] It's worse when it's the kids. Trust me.

[The first image that comes to mind at that comment is Itachi's younger brother. While he has nothing against Sasuke being in a relationship (would hope for it to happen, actually) the idea of walking in on him and his significant other is the most awkward thought in the world.

He frowns over his cup.]

...I agree.

[He watches, intently, the pouring of the glass.

"Hey, old man."
"What is it?"
"Why did you marry such a strict woman?"
"Let's see... She may be like that, but your mother has times when she's happy and smiles kindly too. That's probably why."
"...that's it?"

The flow of booze stops, and he looks up from it with a quiet startle, thoughts slammed back in the present. His brain's on playback, and a sly grin follows as he processes both comments.]

Hah...? Perhaps you've both been on the other side of that fence?

The grass ain't greener there. [Musing. Thank you, Luceti.] But yes, I've visited.

Edited 2013-04-13 03:15 (UTC)

[Shikamaru gets a deadpanned look with a raised eyebrow at first, as his mind is still on his brother. Have you seen his brother? What were the chances of him ever walking in on anything?

His gaze quickly shifts to his partner, however, as the other brow goes up as well. Really, Law?]

[ <-- a person who's seen Sasuke making out with someone ]

[Gosh, so depressing again. Law's talking about it like his own kids--]

Wait wait wait... That stuff made me think of my parents doing stuff like that. [...point!] What were you thinking of?

... [Glancing at you both, eyebrows UP in turn.] I've been a father in a couple of experiments. [Luceti Valley.] And I have family. I've been present for a few things...

[And that's all he's saying. Yup.

Okay. One more thing. Because he can sense this question on someone's mind.]

... not actually had kids, mind.

[Can't. Won't. Should not.

So many reasons.]

[Itachi clears his throat again. ...Then once more. It's almost as though he may be trying to stifle something, but a small smile is all that remains once he's gotten himself in check.]

...It appears we've all misheard.

[Good, good. Law has no offspring running about on crappy pirate ships without a father and so he nods, accepting it as a simple misunderstanding--

--oh but what was THAT. Pointing finger - still up, by the way - swings to point straight (well it's straight to him) at Itachi now. Or rather the throat. He is very impressed.]

That sound... Did I dishear that sound?

Edited 2013-04-13 05:04 (UTC)

Nope. I daresay you did not.

[Amused pirate is VERY AMUSED.]

I'm not sure what you're talking about.

[Itachi calmly refills his cup from the water pitcher.]

It was a laugh! Definitely a laugh. [Point point!] Do it again.

[Meanwhile Law is ten seconds from doing some laughing of his own.]

I don't laugh on command.

And that was not... It was hardly even a chuckle.

[He's not sure when the last time he laughed was. It's hard to just break into it.]

[He takes a swig from his cup and sets it down on the nearest flat surface. It's not yet half-empty.]

I seeee. [Elongated 'e'. He's talking faster now, slurs a little more pronounced.] Then we need a joke. Law! Do you know any jokes?? We're gonna need good ones... If his face's stuck like that, think what the part of throat that can make sounds like that is like now.

[He bends his fingers, like a swinging door.]

Creaky.

[Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffft.

Itachi, partner, he can feel the sulk from over here. He's going to playfully nudge the ninja's shoulders with his own.]

I don't know. My jokes aren't very good. Or clean. [He's honestly like Sokka. But saltier. Smiling at Itachi.] But if I can get a smile out of you, I'm willing to give it a shot.

I've been smiling.

[He isn't now, true, but he has been.]

And I'm not sure you'll have much luck with jokes. It's hard to laugh when I know you're trying to force it out of me.

[The words tumble from his mouth at about the same pace they go through his brain.]

We just gotta think of a good one... I dunno many. It's strange to believe that I don't tell many. That's Masaomi's thi...

Aha! [He snaps his fingers, beaming. Masaomi's always telling jokes. He can just borrow one of his.] That's it!

Alright alright alright. [He rubs his hands together, anticipatory.] You've heard of the five second rule, right??

[Settling against his partner, still smiling and shaking his head. Then wrapping an arm around him.] ... we're giving you a hard time, partner.

[Teasing. Well Law is. Annnnnnd raising an amused eyebrow at that.]

... not really...

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