032 -- [Voice || Action]

[endgames]

[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.]

Comments

[etudes]

But doesn't Shikamaru-kun think there's something pretty about words like that? Like in poetry..

[endgames]

I think if you put that in a poem, not a lot of people would get it.

[etudes]

I talked with someone about poetry before, but they said they didn't really get poetry.. so in that case, a word like that would be perfect.

[endgames]

In that case, so would a dictionary.

[etudes]

Shikamaru-kun doesn't need a dictionary now anymore though, right? I just taught him. [ AND SHE'S SO PROUD OF IT.. no, really, she's smiling. ]

[endgames]

[...oh fine. It's hard to be a smartass when she looks so happy.]

Yeah, yeah. I'll definitely remember it.

[etudes]

If Shikamaru-kun ever wants to know something else, he can always ask me.

.. Just like I can ask Shikamaru-kun about stuff I don't know. [ like the snacks and all.. ]

[endgames]

You'll be my go-to. Let's see... you're a wordsmith, and booksmart. What are you're other specialties that I should keep in mind for that?

[etudes]

Um.. I can play the violin. Would that be a "speciality"?

[endgames]

Interests count. I'm not much for music, so it's one you got above me.

[etudes]

.. Huh.. [ It really sounds like it's near-unbelievable for her. ] Shikamaru-kun.. isn't much for music..? Why? Doesn't Shikamaru-kun think music is a really nice way of transferring your feelings to other people?

[endgames]

Yeah, it's nice enough. I don't mind it... You could say I don't care enough to listen to it all the time, but it's fine every now and then.

[He's the same way with art, apparently, despite being a decent doodler.]

[etudes]

Then would Shikamaru-kun listen to my violin playing sometime? Maybe after that he'll be convinced it's nice to listen to music all the time..

[ No, Kotomi. No, he won't.. ]

Sorry for the delay! This tag got lost in another folder.

[endgames]

Hm? [He puts his chin in one hand.] Sure. I can listen sometime.

[He does not know what he's agreed to.]

oh, it's totally fine! i'm glad you found it again!

[etudes]

[ Poor, poor, Shikamaru. ]

I can come over to Shikamaru-kun sometime if he wants to. Or I can play in Shikamaru-kun's new convenience store.

Me too!

[endgames]

That could be cool. It's not open yet, so it has that echo thing going for it. Know what I mean?

[etudes]

Ah.. that might make it sound even more pretty, right? [ More like even more destructive. ] Shikamaru-kun's so smart!

[endgames]

I'm busy today, but you can come over whenever you want after that. I'm usually working in the store in the afternoons.

[etudes]

In that case I have preparation time.. [ .. hm.. ] Is there any kind of song Shikamaru-kun particularly likes? I'll study it and practice really hard and then come to play it.

[endgames]

Not really... Like I said, I don't listen to it much. So whatever you like, I guess.

[etudes]

Then I'll try my best to find something anyone would like. [ she nods to herself. ] Don't worry, Shikamaru-kun, it will be great.

[endgames]

Cool. I'll look forward to it.

[He tries to sound eager, even. It's been a bad day - a bad two weeks, really - so it's more difficult than it should be, but he pulls it off. He doesn't want to discourage her.]