~♥TWENTY-NINE♥~

[generalflirt]

[Masaomi has been dreadfully ill since, well... since about Nagisa's party and going to look for a starfish the night before. Since then, well... he passed out there, barely made it home, and had been nursed ever since. He was slightly delirious though all this, and he relied on Saki to get him through things while working on autopilot. He wasn't able to really move much himself until about the 29th or so. After that you might have seen him going in and out of the kitchen. But had he not seen Saki as much somehow...?

This pattern lasts until he wakes up about three PM on the 3rd. He's finally feeling better, and is able to pick up the journal, flip through things, and then go check on Saki and... she's not there. He searches the apartment, is it just him or is it more empty. Finally, he goes to make a filtered message to her to see if she's around...

And. She's not. The filter breaks.

She's gone.

Gone.

He got back his cell phone a while ago - he hasn't opened it, really, but after Fray gave it back to him the only thing he used it for was that thing with the texts and "Tanaka Taro." But. He flips it open to see Saki's picture in there. His grip tightens. They never even talked and she's gone.. completely gone. He begins to shake. The rage lasts a while and he tries to calm down enough to make a little post saying she's gone. and finally... two hours later, he thinks he is]

[Voice]

Everyone. Ah, I - I... [...No, he can't do it. He can't be calm]

Son of bitch! No! [And then he throws the cell phone clean across the room. It hits the wall with a loud sound - it's not broke, not quite, but the battery pops out of the back and the screen cracks. But who cares. Now, now? His voice is pained beyond anything people have heard in Luceti since about when Mikado was sent home, but this pain is different - Mikado's was cold fury, this one is erratic fury and sorrow and... well yeah]

Why now?! [Voice break] Why- dammit, [He grits his teeth] Dammit!

Comments

[generalflirt]

I've been sick, remember?

[And now he cocks his head, looking back over to Shikamaru]

[endgames]

Mm. [It's just hair, anyways.]

You heard what I said, right? [Said to Masaomi, naturally, but Gold should probably hear what he has to say next too.]

[mischiefbreeder]

Why not just let it go, then?

[Regardless, he's turning his attention to Shikamaru now.]

[generalflirt]

Ah, I did.

[But he heard there is more to it in the tone too]

[endgames]

[Good. He nods.]

That's not about to change for me. I'll still call you my comrade. But...[His hands come out of his pockets to cross his arms again, and his fingertips brush against the edge of the metal plate tied to his arm.]

Even with my best friends [Chouji. Ino. Naruto.], I have other loyalties that come first sometimes. It doesn't mean you can't count on me, but... [No, now he sounds like he's being defensive. He smirks and shakes his head.] It's up to you.

[He knows there are people here with issues about that sort of thing.]

[mischiefbreeder]

[Of course. Things are different in Shikamaru's world. For Gold, his loyalties always lie with his friends. That'll never change. If they need him, he'll be there.

But there's more to Shikamaru's world. He's devoted to his village, and fighting for them, and that's going to outweigh his loyalty to his friends. Gold can understand that... If New Bark Town found itself in a crisis, he'd be there fighting for it in an instant.

And now he's looking at Masaomi. What's your answer that that?]

1/2

[generalflirt]

[ Masaomi stares at Shikamaru, long and hard. His expression doesn't change. It's ... troubling, yes. Troubling. He doesn't have experience with conflicted loyalties, but he can only imagine they could make everything messy. The fact he's being upfront about it is refreshing, yes, but it doesn't alleviate the problem. Touching that thing on his sleeve. That's to his village his people?

For Masaomi, his people... what are his people.

He cocks his head to the slide slightly after a while. What is he even trying to protect? These two? No, he's putting them in harms way. Himself? Maybe a little. Katara? Definitely, but that's not quite it. Mikado...? ...Again, yes, but it's more difficult. He closes his eyes after a fashion]

[generalflirt]

What I am protecting... is this village. [That's said more to himself than anything. It's a minor realization on his part] In that case, what you're referring to isn't all that different, is it?

[A beat]

I'll count on you, in that case.

[endgames]

[He doesn't look away, waiting throughout that for Masaomi to make up his mind. It's too important to back down on - the most important thing to him. He had to be clear on it.

Shikamaru nods to the question - not much different at all. And having Masaomi word it like that puts this into much simpler terms too. It's like an alliance. His responsibilities remain with Konoha, but so long as that isn't put at risk, he can help them out here too.]

All right. Then we're settled? [Unless Gold has a problem with it, or something.]

[mischiefbreeder]

[The moment Shikamaru mentions things to be settled, that prompts Gold to pull Masaomi into a friendly headlock. He'd grab you too, Shikamaru, but you're over there and that requires moving.]

Yep, looks like we're all squared away now, right?!

[generalflirt]

...Yeeeah, that out to be it. [In the headlock. He sort of smirks a bit, but]

[endgames]

Heh. Cool.

[He grins briefly, glad that that's done for the time being. There'll be more to think on later.... but that can wait.]

[mischiefbreeder]

[Gold releases Masaomi now, instead swinging his hands behind his head and clasping them together. He slowly starts to walk towards the staircase, away from the two.]

Well, you know where to find me if somethin' needs done... [And then he turns his head to look at the duo.] ...Masaomi. [And a grin.]

[generalflirt]

Ah, I do.

[And now he'll go to... follow on out of this basement]