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

[generalflirt]

[Oh. A part of him is conflicted, because despite his own past experiences with alcohol, a voice in the back of his head tells him that Shikamaru of all people, is better than this. That voice is quashed just as fast by the talk Chouji and him had early in the draft.

We will, huh.

So he shrugs and takes a seat - or well, he just crouches such that he's lurking near the ground with legs bent]

Let's do it.

[endgames]

[It probably doesn't help with how hard Shikamaru has avoided it up until now. Frankly, even drunk, he was almost expecting to be called on that. When he's not, the grin stays in place.]

Good man. S'what I wanted to hear.

[He hands Masaomi the full cup. The cup is chilled, having sat in the cold night's air for longer than when he called Masaomi to start.]

Theeere you go. [The second cup he knocks back, not trusting himself not to spill it as he lets himself fall back to sit on his ass. It kicks up a little dirt cloud; particles of earth that stick to his black pants and shirt. Once he's sitting, he reaches back up to grab the bottle.] Serve yourself whenever you like... It's like an open bar.

[This is said with a sweeping hand motion, and a snicker. He fills up his cup again and sets the sake bottle back between them.]

[generalflirt]

Pretty crappy decor for a bar. [He says this with a lop-sided grin as he takes up the cup. HE doesn't down it in one go, instead downing a decent sized sip. Which makes him make a slight face, but]

[endgames]

I got tired of walking, you know? I was gonna go that way [he turns his head, looking off to the mountains in the distance], but it's far. Seriously... you ever thought about how far? It's very far. You have to walk the whole way, and then climb, then climb again. Man... It's troublesome.

[He pauses to take a short drink from his cup.]

Anyways. I gave up and stopped here.

[generalflirt]

Says the guy that cheats by jumping everywhere! [He laughs at that, taking another sip. Another little face, but he's feeling it already. Man this is stronger than he thought]

[endgames]

[Pfft. He's just gonna laugh to that one.]

[generalflirt]

Seriously, seriously! It's buildings and trees, buildings and trees! [He makes a wave-humping motion to demonstrate "jumping" - but as he makes it he realizes it could symbolize something else, which just makes his already existent giggle fit that much worse]

[endgames]

[Oh he catches that.]

Hey. Heeeey. [He leans forward, to point better.] ...you're not a lightweight, are you?

[generalflirt]

Hey, hey, hey, dooon't assume things like that! [Waving a hand dismissively. :T ]

[endgames]

Ha! At least you could be a man and disguise it with a full glass. You're not gonna sip it like a girl the whole time, are you?!

[generalflirt]

Hey, it's half done here! [And in fact, the assert his manliness he downs the rest of that glass before going to pour another]

[endgames]

[It's met with applause.]

Yesss. That's more like it.

[Heavily slurring his words there, and not to be outpaced he downs his cup again too. He'll refill when Masaomi is done with the bottle.]

[generalflirt]

Dun drop dead on me, Shikamaruuuu.

[And wow, this is a weird feeling. HE rolls his eyes, still grinning in spite of himself]

[endgames]

Tch. [He raises the back of his hand jokingly, like "don't make me hit you", dropping it back into his lap a moment after.] I can handle it, I can handle it.

[He stopped being able to handle it half a bottle ago. THANKS LAW.]

[generalflirt]

You say so, man. You explain it to Temari-san when you puke in her bed.

1/2

[endgames]

Oi! You shuddup about that!!

[endgames]

[...]

Maybe if she'd let me. [HMM serious thoughts. Better follow that up with another drink.]

[generalflirt]

Not sure she wants the smell! [And he laughs as he takes a long drink from the other]

[endgames]

[He sniffs himself with a puzzled expression. Unimpressed.]

Loser. Making me feel like the weird one...

[Masaomi's obviously smelling things. Yes it's definitely that and not that he's so hammered that all five of his senses are calling it quits.

But Temari. ...hmm.]

[generalflirt]

[Well he did say puke. Of course vomit would smell. Why's he so weirded out by that jeez. Oh well, another long drink, finishing that glass later, he just rolls his eyes]

[endgames]

[Like he can keep track of that!! But okay, he slaps his knee now, setting his once again half-drained cup down.]

I should to- definitely. [Determined face!] Definitely do it.

[generalflirt]

Yeah!

...When I'm not there!

1/2

[endgames]

Not that, dumass. [Slurring again, and missing syllables. He's getting kind of excited now though.] I should definitely tell her--

[--right now, even! He pushes up onto his feet, takes a step and!!]

[endgames]

[And takes a step and promptly falls flat. fuuu that did not go as planned. 8|]

[generalflirt]

[Pfffffthahahahaa he brusts out laughing at that. Hard enough he rolls out of his seat and falls on the ground himself]