usogi | [ i already regret sasuke and senri ]

[who will win at gay chicken because sasuke doesn't budge, and he doesn't look embarrassed either]

You didn't. It was Ray's favor.

[Quietly:]

I want you to go back home with Takaomi. The two of you.

[ . . . senri blinks at that. he's too stunned to think about gay chicken rn but]

... of course.

Why would you think I would do anything else?

[His eye narrows, jumping back and forth over Senri's face. He looks completely unconvinced.]

Because I know how stupid you can be.

Stop being rude.

[senri pouts at the accusation, though he still seems slightly bewildered]

.... we're students at an elite academy in Tokyo. If you win the top seat with your partner, then you get access to a lot of high-profile things. Information, government access, more money than I've ever seen before - you can change the entire country if you graduate ahead of everyone else.

If I don't win here... that's my only chance of getting my wish.

There's no way I could go anywhere else.

I'm not worried about you trying to go anywhere else.

[Not exactly. But he still doesn't seem entirely convinced, and he doesn't elaborate on what he means really. Reaching up, he steadies Senri by taking the boy by the arms, and he steps away and around.

Like he intends to leave???]

[wh

senri continues to look confused?? he's going to follow after, reaching for sasuke's sleeve]

What are you saying...? You know I can't try to do what you want if you're unclear about it.

[though that said it's not like senri is the type to just easily agree to anything anyway]

[Of course, he stops, but all he does it glance back around his arm at Senri.]

I know you're not an idiot, Senri. I'm saying... you're going back with Takaomi at the end, and no one is going with you. Especially not me.

[ . . . . senri pauses.

and pouts.]

.... I hadn't even asked.

[even though sasuke's right - he thought about it.]

You didn’t have to.

[His look is an attempt to be stern, though it’s way softer than he’d have liked it to be.]

I know it’s something you would have considered. [He pauses. Blame Merriment for the easy guilt.] Don’t make me do something we’ll both regret to keep you from being an idiot.

... I wasn't going to make you if you didn't want to. I also didn't know how to ask you yet - but I would've.

[he glances off to the side, even if he doesn't let go of sasuke]

But... well, I know that you have people waiting for you too. Friends that you miss, even if you won't admit it. I'm not going to be the person that thinks you'd step away from that, no matter how mad you might be about your home.

... if you wanted a place to go, though. Somewhere a little calmer. It's not completely boring where Bakaomi and I are - there's still a lot of chaos, and some danger, probably enough to at least keep you on your toes. [the mafia is there]

You could come with us, if you wanted.

[He's going to kill Senri for doing this to him.]

I'm going back to Konoha. My village... all of the ninja villages need to be reformed. [Hm. Weird. The words are oddly different this time around.] Naruto... [He frowns. He hasn't pulled away, though also has turned around.]

We were having our final battle. I have to go back... to make sure he's ready to become Hokage. If he can't defeat me... then he doesn't deserve to be the leader of our village.

[ . . . . ]

You probably have to help him with that then, after the battle is over.

[though senri doesn't sound entirely happy about it - even though he said himself that he thinks that sasuke is capable of a lot more good than bad, and he'd rather that sasuke live along to bring more growth to the world that he hated so much]

.... I guess they need you too....

[probably more than senri does]

[Sasuke is quiet, watching Senri's face. He really is glad he isn't connected to Senri this week, not for this conversation. His hand comes up, the one Senri is clinging to, and two fingers are somewhat out, and Senri can probably guess what's coming.

Except, instead, he brushes his calloused fingers through the edges of Senri's hair.

When the hand comes down slowly, he suddenly pinches a wad of Senri's cheek between his fingers. It's a bit rough, shaking lightly, but it isn't too bad.]

What's with that pathetic face? Stop looking that way.

[sdlkfjfd

another noise of complaint at the pinche, and senri is going to bring up his hand to try to swat sasuke's away in annoyance]

I'm not pathetic - you're just mean!

[STOP TEASING HIM, HE'S SAD]

Heh.

[The arm is rigid, and it's actually pretty tough when Senri swats it. His fingers keep holding the cheek between his fingers.] Your dream... The real one you want... I hope you get it.

Even if it's not what you want to hear. But don't forget... Family isn't always your clan, or your blood. Family is who you make it. The people who follow you into any darkness to bring you back. [His fingers release, and his hand lowers.] You don't need me to realize you already have that.

[And then he turns back to go again.]

[senri pauses - and he listens to sasuke. he doesn't really know how to say that the only family that he's found for himself are the ones here, and he selfishly wants to take them all back with him. he doesn't know how he'll be able to build these relationships again and.

he just shakes his head and lets it go, and doesn't mind if sasuke leaves.

until later in the evening and senri is just going to try to find sasuke - catching onto his wrist. he looks upset about something again?? or at least he's definitely not his chipper self.]

... can I stay with you tonight?

[Look. Being stuck with Senri nonstop for four weeks, being strung with Senri for one... Sasuke isn't so far removed he doesn't understand the little nuances of Senri's being.

So his brows furrow, and he searches Senri's face even if Senri won't happen to look at him or something.]

What happened?

[he just looks exhausted as he sighs]

Bakaomi lied to me. Which - sounds hypocritical but I've really....

[he's been trying. he's been trying not to give in to the urge to lie, and cover things up for the sake of keeping the peace. with taka especially. senri just shakes his head.]

I don't want to see him. It'll just be one night - I'll deal with it tomorrow, but right now I'm so....

[smad, really. he's smad.]

[Honestly, he doesn't know whether to look worried, or mad, or just tired himself. A part of him wants to pry, but another part feels more safe being detached. He's not the best with consolation, obviously.]

Fine.

[It's so hypocritical of him to think this is stupid--whatever argument is going on between the two of them. How many times had Sakura put up with his and Naruto's bullshit? Too many.]

What did he lie about?

Does it matter? You always ask questions you don't want the answer to....

[god senri is such a bitch when he's mad and so many people deal with the residual moodiness if they already know he's like this - but he just shakes his head and for once lets go of sasuke before he's shaken off. he just crosses his arms and looks annoyed]

.... he lied to me. Out of everyone here, he's not supposed to do that. For one, he knows he's bad at it. Two, he's not... that type of person.

I don't care if you lie to me, or Ray, or - even Madopyon. I see that coming.

Not from him.

[Wow, Senri sure is BITCHY. But it's fine. If anyone can be use to handling Senri at the worst (besides Takaomi), it's Sasuke. Since... Sasuke is perpetually like this on most occasions. Usually.

His sigh is exasperated. He grabs Senri by the wrist and starts pulling him through the inn.]

You know he lied to you, or you think he lied to you?

[dlkjdff

senri will let sasuke take his wrist even as he keeps frowning]

I know. I started a conversation knowing that he was hiding something from me.

And I gave him the opportunity to tell me the truth, but he kept lying and trying to cover it up. If he'd just told me the truth or admitted it out of guilt, then I wouldn't be so angry... but I know he was trying to hide something from me.

So he isn't cursed.

[It's a question, but not really a question. His eye searches the areas of the inn to make sure no one else is wandering around. He leads Senri back to one of the rooms he's claimed, for now, as his own.

And then he frees Senri once inside, so Senri can roam.]

You realize this doesn't tell me anything when you aren't upfront about whatever idiotic disagreement the two of you are having.

He lied to me about something that someone else is hiding and I don't know if that person told you, but it's not really a big deal because no matter what happens we'll all be safe. I need you to trust me on this one.

I can't be upfront about it because it's another secret that isn't mine to tell.

[which is... convoluted in his own way but if senri's allowed to roam then guess what senri's going to fucking pace because he's super irritated]

But no. I thought that for a second - like Chilled Bones but emotional? Except now I know all three Merriments, and none of them are using that power, and I can say for certain that he was just -

He just felt like acting like he didn't care about me instead.

[Damn, Senri is so frustrating. He's surprised this hasn't already happened considering just how IRRITATING Senri can sometimes be.]

If it isn't your secret to tell me, it may not have been his secret to tell you either. Besides, don't be stupid. There's plenty of other abilities that could make him lie. Eye of the Beholder, Devil's Advocate, Hopelessly Devoted, even Virtuous Influence.

[His hand passes over his good eye, rubbing the socket, and then back through his hair. He watches Senri pace the room, and it's good there's nothing but wide and open tatami for it.

But there's a cabinet low on the floor by the wall with one door open, and Sasuke moves over to close it, shifting whatever's inside.]

Did you ask him why?

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