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]

Mm. ...Not a song, sorry. Japanese funerals usually are pretty quiet affairs.

[Incense and cremation]

[endgames]

Saaame. ...usually it's rainin' too.

[He squints and looks up at the sky, as if expecting it, but things seem dry for now. He snickers, then bows his head back down.]

You'd think-- think it was a bad manga.

[generalflirt]

That does sound weird. It rain a lot in Konoha?

[He says this looking up at the sky too. It is odd. This does seem like a moment where there should be a thunder crack at least. EVen if reality usually doesn't cooperate like that]

[endgames]

[A shake of his head ends with him leaning dangerously to left, and he sticks out on hand into the dirt to catch his balance. It prompts a laugh, soon as he's sure he's not going to fall over.]

In the rainy seasons. It's, uh... [Snicker. Okay.] Bu it's waaarm most times. Land of Fire right? S'not like Wind, though... Wind's dry... And Lightning is cold...

[Slowly he adjusts himself, so he's sitting upright again, still chuckling a little.]

[generalflirt]

Man, you'd thinking Lightning would be hot, white hot, like it was Katara or Temari-san or something.

[endgames]

Oh, the chicks are hot. [Point.] You'd like 'em.

[generalflirt]

Eeeeh, you're making some tall claims, Shikamaru.

[endgames]

They have boobs.

[What more is necessary on the Kida Masaomi scale of attractiveness.]

[generalflirt]

[...

Pffffhahaha okay he just bursts out laughing at that]

[endgames]

Legs too! [COME ON PAY ATTENTION. He puts his hands in front of his chest, indicating size.] Big ones. Not the legs, but the boobs.

[Or maybe it was just that one girl. He thinks she's dead now, tho.]

[generalflirt]

I figure, I figure! But since when does a fetishist like you notice those?! [With hand motions for breasts] At least start with the legs!

[endgames]

I notice. [He almost sounds hurt, and turns up his nose some.] S'ard not to, when they're bigger'n your head.

[generalflirt]

...That's possible?!

[endgames]

Yeah yeah. Our Hoka-- [WAIT. He abruptly cuts himself off and looks about. She's not around, right??]

[generalflirt]

...Yeeeees?

[endgames]

[Aaaand we're back. Still, he lowers his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.]

Our Hokage has ones like that. Gotta have respect for her, though. She's the Hokage. She's a great Hokage, even if she doesn't wear a bra.

[generalflirt]

No bra...

[He says this dramatically, swallowing even]

[endgames]

Nope.

[A solemn shake of his head, and then he shrugs, turning to look at the wet sand where he poured the alcohol.]

I dunno if she's still alive. It bums me out.

[generalflirt]

Sheesh, sounds like it. [He says this shaking his head, rocking in the seat he's in and feeling the tipsiness fade a little more in the night air]

[endgames]

Yeah...

[For all he drank, he's disappointed his thoughts keep looping back to that. But this is a funeral, or as close to one as he's going to get in this place. Now's a good time as any.

Touching the wet sand, as if to make sure that spot is still there, Shikamaru gently claps his palms together. He holds them steady like that in front of him, head bowed and quiet.]

[generalflirt]

[He's not sure who they are praying for... But Masaomi mimics his friend's actions. It's the least he can do]

[endgames]

[He doesn't know a lot of prayers... the only one that comes to mind is the one the monk insisted on for Asuma at the Fire Temple, so long ago. He says it under his breath, deliberately slow so as to not stumble over the words. Since Masaomi is from Japan, to him it might sound similar to a Buddhist chant. But maybe not.

Long before he got out here, the alcohol had dulled his senses pretty well. It left his fingers and face kind of tingly, and a little numb. It's mostly thanks to that that when he starts openly crying halfway through the prayer, he's not even aware of it.

Still isn't, when he finishes and opens his eyes. The first thing he checks for is the ghost of his dad. Not seeing him, his focus is drawn back to Masaomi instead, and the position he's mirrored. It's... It's deeply touching, and he wears the emotion on his sleeve.]

[generalflirt]

[It did sound familiar. And he grins a little to himself and to Shikamaru, also shrugging some when it's clear the time for prayer is over]

[endgames]

[Shikamaru smiles back, or tries to. Mostly he succeeds.]

Thanks. [His posture sags.] For comin'. I'm glad you're real.

[generalflirt]

Give me some credit! Being solid's one of my eight virtues.