[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

Yamatsu's mind was hazy today, to many thoughts clouded his mind like a overcast day in the mountains. He almost regretted inviting Risi for dinner after he made the quip of meeting Yamatsu's parents. He did not speak much on their way back to the village that day after that. Another regret he had at the moment but one he hoped to rectify. He had been cleaning all day to make his home look presentable. Living alone had put him in a mindset of cleaning when he felt a room was to dirty. Two large bags filled with trash and other clutter he had been getting rid of sat by the door. The living room was his main focus, there should be no reason for Risi to enter his room or the kitchen. The table in the middle of the room was cleaned leaving only a small vase with freshly picked flowers sitting within. His mother had used to pick them from their yard when they had guests over. He made sure the couch and chairs were dusted and cleaned as well. A nice place to sit could make all the difference his father once told him. The walls were a plain tan color, he had yet to change them or do anything since returning to the village. Honestly he was just happy the Raikage was able to fix up the place as well as it had been. Yamatsu looked up at the clock on the wall noting the time. Risi should be here soon, a few quick touches here and there brought his mind at ease. With a quick thought he headed to the kitchen making sure everything he had planned was ready and looked well. He was not much of a cook of he tried his best and the food was edible. With a sigh of relief he made his way back to the living room. As he was about to sit down he heard a knock at the door making his heart race. Risi was here, there was no one else who came to visit Yamatsu. Making his way to the door he took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. "Hello, thank you for stopping by." He practiced the words before opening the door. Why was he so nervous? It was not like this was a date, was it? His hand trembled as he grasped the handle opening the door. "Henlo, spank you for plopping by." His face turned red seeing the other male there as he lost his words out right.

Risi -- 423

LAIKA OF THQ

[risi]

Risi takes a deep breath as he stands at the front door to Yamatsu's home; it looks fairly simple, a rather spartan home from the outside, but that wasn't a bad thing per se. As for Risi having prepared for his night with Yamatsu, something rather like a date, he had chosen to dress somewhat semi-formally, without his normal top hat, and instead wearing a pair of dark half-sunglasses, his red eyes only half-obscured while his long black hair falls over his back. For a top, he wore a white dress shirt, tightly fitted to his lithe body. He was similarly wearing a long black overcoat over it. He also wore black pants, a rare thing for the young man, along with Y-shaped suspenders that drape over his shoulders and connect to the front of his pleated slacks. Instead of boots, he now wore a monk strap pair of loafers, though the heel was tall enough that they could have almost passed for heels. The silvered fittings drew the entire outfit together, with the brightest coloration being his scarlet eyes and his similarly painted lips.

In such clothing, he's probably quite shocking to open the door to, and Risi lets a genuine smile part his red lips. He's in full teasing mode, already, thanks to the silly greeting he's given by the tongue-tied Yamatsu.

"I hope you won't spank me too hard for plopping by.~"

At the very least, he'd left all his shinobi gear, including his scythe, back home. After all, he was here for dinner, not for a quick stop between missions. Risi leans in closer to Yamatsu, his eyes half-lidded as he gazes down at the tan young man while bracing his hand against the door frame, his voice now a bit breathy instead of the teasing tone he'd used before.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?"

As curious as he is to see the inside of Yamatsu's home, he keeps his eyes locked to the other Genin's, rather than letting them wander over his shoulder. He'll be able to get a good look at the home once he's inside, anyways, and with his face so close to Yamatsu's, he'll probably be able to scent the perfume he'd put on just for the occasion. It was a slightly sweet citrus-y smell, a sharp undertone, but with the light application, it made for a pronounced but carefully regulated undertone. It might also, hopefully, keep any oddities hidden should his actual personality creep out. He didn't often have to use his outward-facing personality for long periods, and this would likely be a bit of a test.

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

Risi stood there looking radiant in the dusk hour. Even tho the sun was setting he looked like a ray of glimmering darkness in a world of white. It took Yamatsu more than few moments to say anything. He heard Risi's attempt to tease him about his misspeaking but could form no words. His heart raced like the wolves on a hunt. He felt his mouth dry up like he had not drank in days. Risi was not wearing his hat like when they last met choosing to let his hair fall over his slender shoulders. Their outfit looked immaculate bringing him back to his senses. Yamatsu looked down to the plain white tee shirt he wore helping define his already tanned skin. The shirt hung a little low almost as if it was one size to large. His pants were wrinkled from a hasty drying session after he forgot put them on the line earlier. He looked like a peasant compared to the god before him. Risi leaned forward a scent filling Yamatsu's nose. Orange? Lemons? Whatever it was smelled delicious making his mouth water. He was sure he had been standing there for much longer than he hoped and probably looked like an idiot by now by not letting Risi enter his home. Before he said a word he noticed a major flaw in his plans. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the twin bags of trash, moving to stand in front of them leaving space for Risi to pass by. "Um right uh please come in, my home is your home... so please make yourself at home?" He motioned for Risi to enter hoping they would not think he lived like a slob. The strange scent still made his thoughts swirl his cheeks flushed red. He was more nervous now than when he had met Kizumi for the first time. At that point he had been afraid of not being accepted back into Kumogakure. Now he was nervous, scared, excited he was not sure, maybe all three. His head turned down the hall to the door at the end. He had always pictured a day like to to have his mother walking from back there to greet his new "friend".

Risi -- 376

LAIKA OF THQ

[risi]

Risi smiles as he sees Yamatsu's much more plain clothing, seemingly unperturbed by his appearance, although inwardly he's chastising himself for having dressed up for their dinner together, having apparently misunderstood that it was just a casual dinner at a friend's house, and not, as he'd hoped assumed, a date. As it is, he's still happy to be led inside by the other young man, who stands aside to let him slip past, and although Yamatsu moves away, Risi intentionally brushes past him, just barely letting their clothes rub over each other on his way into the home, which the Genin notices is about as simple as the outside appears. It's a good thing he's decided to wear his sunglasses, as well, although it might seem somewhat odd at such an hour to most people; with the Yatagarasu's eyes, he was actually able to see the flashing of fluorescent lighting, and most electrical lights that rely on flickering at a specific frequency.

Of course, these eyes also let him notice that the bags of garbage next to the door haven't been taken out just yet, but instead of being disgusted, Risi is at least a bit charmed that he went through the effort of cleaning the house just for him. It was touching, even if it was a bit hare-brained to wait until the last minute before actually taking the collected garbage out. He chooses to feel flattered, but he's still smiling as he sits himself onto a nearby armchair, lifting one leg and crossing it over the other. Despite the mostly masculine clothing, the pants slide up a bit, and it's clear that instead of simple black socks, he's wearing a pair of nylon stockings, hiding the paleness of his legs at the ankle.

"Now now, don't get too ahead of yourself, dear Yamatsu.~ Your house isn't my house... yet..."

He lets a cheeky smirk play over his red lips as he lets his dark sunglasses slide down a bit over his nose, so the other Genin can clearly see the teasing wink sent by Risi before he pushes the sunglasses back up onto the bridge of his nose with a single dainty finger. Risi then looks about curiously, taking in the room himself and feeling somewhat curious; the house looks like it's furnished for just one person, so it's quite clear that Yamatsu actually lives alone, without any parental oversight, which wasn't particularly rare for Genin, but was rather uncommon for Genin that tended towards being a bit younger.

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

As Risi brushed pasted Yamatsu he could smell the perfume again. It was alluring and he could not help but watch then walk past into the living room. His heart raced so fast he felt he was having a heart attack. Taking a deep breath in and out he followed the beautiful man, his eyes glued to Risi's hips as they swayed. The older of the two entered the living room first. It was clean if not dusty but he had done the best he could to tidy up. Risi sat down in one of the two chairs as Yamatsu sat across from him. It was hard not to stare, his eyes shifted from the pictures on the wall to Risi. Then to the area where his mother used to have house plants. Now there was just one, it was hard enough for him to remember to water it and did not want to risk multiple dying. His eyes rested back on Risi as he was crossing his legs. Did he see stockings? No it could not be, his face turned red at the thought of what was under there. "I did not mean any disrespect that you would want to live here... I MEAN! Ummmm..." He stood up walking to the wall looking at the pictures. Risi had said they were excited to meet his parents after their mission with the bear. He had not told him what had happened yet, nor did he speak much after that fact. Honestly he was surprised Risi showed up and did not think he was weird or anti-social. He reached out pulling a picture from the mantel. It was the last picture he had taken with his parents when he was thirteen, before the plague took them and his old team. Before he fled to the mountains. "You wanted to meet my parents? I can't help with that to much except this." His voice cracked with sadness as he handed Risi the picture. He tried to say it out loud but the words caught in his throat. He had not said the words out loud to anyone, maybe Kizumi. He was afraid that once he said it, then they would really be gone. He stayed turned away from Risi not wanting him to see the few tears rolling down his face. A whistle brought him back to reality as the sound of the tea kettle from the kitchen screamed. "I'll be right back um... Make yourself at home please." He turned quickly rushing off to the kitchen. The picture was simple, taken in the back yard of their home. Yamatsu's mother was on his left, his father on his right. It was obvious he got his looks from his mother. His hair and tan skin color came from his father. The looks on their faces was genuine happiness not faked for the moment. Yamatsu had completed a small mission by himself and his father had bought a new headband for him. He held it up in the photo like a prized fish or dead rabbit. It was the last time they had all be together for something special. The next time they would all be together for a major event, they were dying in their bed. He could still hear his father raspy voice telling him to run.

Risi -- 556

LAIKA OF THQ

[risi]

Risi can't help but to get a small smile on his face when he sees that the crossing of his legs seems to have an effect on the other young man, too, and he rests his chin on one of his own hands as he watches Yamatsu stumble over his words again, thoroughly enjoying the apparent discomfort at his somewhat suggestive flirting. But then he notices a change in Yamatsu's demeanor, but he pretends not to notice the change in his mannerisms, as it might make Yamatsu somewhat suspicious that his ditzy and flirtatious behavior was really a ruse. That would be somewhat awkward and certainly a difficult situation to find oneself in. He takes careful note of the fact that he was being melancholic while gazing at the photographs on the wall, just as he had become as soon as he had mentioned the prospect of meeting his parents, and Risi manages to put two and two together before Yamatsu somewhat unknowingly confirms the Genin's assumptions.

Ah, dead parents. That would make sense, then...

Thankfully, his facial control is still on point, leaving him looking quite surprised when Yamatsu hands him the picture, explaining that this is as close as he can ever get to really meeting this parents. In a sense, Risi is able to relate, as the Inshi never felt it totally necessary for any operatives in their spy networks to have a particularly close relationship with their actual parents, whom could be leveraged against them in several ways by their perceived enemies. But Risi's emotional training also makes him inwardly somewhat distant in terms of emotional attachment, including towards his own parents, and so while he can personally relate, the sadness that Yamatsu is experiencing for his lost parents is rather more foreign to the older Genin than it might be for one of his peers. In spite of this internal distancing, Risi runs a thumb over the glass protecting the picture, then uncrosses his legs and stands up to hug Yamatsu. He's interrupted from his attempt to comfort the tan-skinned young man by the tea kettle blasting its piercing shrill scream, and he lets the Genin go to make tea.

Once he's come back, Risi has replaced the photograph on the wall again, sitting back down in the chair and looking at Yamatsu with concern on his face.

"I'm sorry that you lost them both. I didn't know about that before..."

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

The tea kettle sat on the other burner as Yamatsu stared at the wall. He should have told Risi about this on their way back to the village after the bear. His fist clenched on the counter top as a few stray tears rolled down his face. He needed to get a hold of himself, he had company, this was not the time to be like this. He dried his face before pouring two cups. He was not sure how Risi took it so he brought the little bit of sugar and milk he had just in case. With a deep breath he walked from the kitchen to the small table in front of Risi's seat. Setting the small tray down he looks over to the beautiful man standing in his living room. That in itself was a reason to smile and be happy today more than most days at least. "I should have said something before hand. I apologize for bringing it up so suddenly. I was not sure how you liked your tea so I brought what i had." He picked up a cup offering it to Risi. "Oh I also checked on dinner and it should not be much longer. It's going to be a small dish of fried rice and rabbit meat. I hunted the rabbit myself." He smiled proud of that small accomplishment. He did not sit but stood there waiting for Risi to sit first. It was something his father had always done for his mother and he thought it respectful. He sipped the tea he had made hoping it tasted alright. He had never made it before and wanted to seem proper for the man who looked like they came from higher standards than Yamatsu would ever hope to reach.

Risi -- 297

LAIKA OF THQ

[risi]

Risi is still acting as though he feels a bit uncomfortable, but the familiar sight of tea does actually settle the young man internally as well, and with that grounding him from the nervousness of spending an extended amount of time with another shinobi sets him at ease. With Yamatsu standing with him, he recognizes that he's waiting for the Genin to take his seat as well, and so he quickly takes his own seat while mixing in the milk and sugar for his own tea into his cup, then gingerly lifting it to his own lips for a long, slow sip of the tea. It wasn't a bad mixture, and he looks at Yamatsu approvingly as he sets the teacup back down on the table. The cup wasn't fine china or anything, and there was no saucer, but it was... homey. Quaint, and not in an embarrassing way, but an earnest kind of quaintness.

The idea of fried rice and rabbit meat is a bit odd for him, but Risi very firmly keeps any signs of worry off of his face. He was honestly more accustomed to nut cakes, meat from Iwagakure cattle, and other forms of fairly fine dining, but the last thing he wanted to do was let Yamatsu think that he was too posh for simpler meals. He'd have to eat these simpler meals anyways, if- But Risi catches himself at these kinds of thoughts, pausing with the teacup halfway up to his mouth again, but he completes the movement again, the hesitation only a fraction of a second. Risi was a spy for the Inshi clan, his own internal thoughts really shouldn't be about a future life with any shinobi, even if he technically was one as well. It was dangerous, both for him and anyone he might end up with. He returns Yamatsu's smile instead before replacing the teacup once more, dabbing gingerly at his lips and trying to avoid staining the cloth with his own red paint.

"That sounds absolutely yummy! I can't wait to dig in..."

He gives Yamatsu a half-lidded look, with the strikingly red eyes making the look somehow even more sensual somehow. He knew just how to look at someone to make them feel as though he was coming onto them, even if he hadn't said anything suggestive or flirtatious. It really was quite a skill he'd picked up.

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

The way Risi looked at him made Yamatsu feel uneasy. Not uncomfortable but uneasy just like they say, as if butterflies were fluttering around inside him. Yamatsu can not help but sit silently, it had been a long time since he was alone with another human. Before it became awkward or at the least more awkward he spoke up. "Risi you were amazing hunting that bear! I was impressed and your scythe was so cool too!" He tried not to ramble in fear of annoying the other male. "Thank you for coming over tonight, I have never had an after mission get together. Please let me know if you need anything or have ideas." He could smell the food it was almost ready. After dinner he wanted to take Risi to the backyard, show him the trails his father had shown him. They would make an adventure of it, new friends exploring the unknown. Friends, the word stuck in his mind as if it was not right. Of course they were friends right? Or was it something else? He looked back over to Risi, his eyes slowly taking in the long legs. The wide hips made his gaze pause for a moment before they kept moving up. The man was beautiful and that could not be denied, Yamatsu would not deny it. Risi's eyes caught him dead in his tracks the crimson gaze like a pool of fresh blood. Yamatsu licked his lips.

Risi -- 243

LAIKA OF THQ

[risi]

Risi smiles proudly, and it's not just his outward-facing "mask" of a face that's feeling that pride, although he's careful not to let this praise become a habitual need. He tempers himself by thinking in his own head that he still needs more practice to be able to utilize the scythe more effectively; it wasn't usually a weapon for him, just a tool for casting Genjutsu. But for some reason, he did feel that the praise meant more coming from Yamatsu. He'd been praised before, by members of the Inshi family when he'd done one or two information-gathering missions of his own in order to do their bidding, but now he was receiving praise from someone he wasn't even related to. It was certainly a new sensation; the Academy was far more harsh and rarely gave praise, or that praise would be met with disdain or additional responsibilities. This praise was somehow even more cozy than the praise he'd received as a Kyuumu clan member.

"Oh, no, it was nothing, really! I've never seen someone summon more than one creature at a time, and that was a real shock for me!~ Besides, your wolves helped a lot by distracting the bear and keeping it still. I never would have been able to get a hit off otherwise."

Unfortunately for Risi's own self-esteem, this statement was factual and true. In reality, he had little skill with the scythe, and the only reason he'd really done any damage to the bear was because of the distraction. Even more deflating is the fact that Yamatsu had apparently misinterpreted what Risi had been suggesting after the mission; while he'd thought it had been a date, Yamatsu apparently thought it was some kind of two-person party. He suddenly felt drastically over-dressed, an emotion both his internal and external "selves" felt distinctly.

"Oh, it's really all right!~ It's a lot of fun..."

Then it seems that Risi's and Yamatsu's eyes meet directly, and he can feel an electric shock shooting up his spine from the sight of those golden eyes staring directly into his, and he can't help but think that he could get used to the other young man giving him that kind of hungering look more often. Perhaps it was the scent of the food cooking and being nearly done, but something tells Risi that Yamatsu licking his lips that way meant something else entirely...

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

As his gaze lingered on Risi Yamatsu began to feel predatory in the way he was looking at the more elegantly dressed man. With a deep breath clearing his thoughts Yamatsu stood bowing low. "I apologize for the suddenness but the food smells to be about ready." In all honesty he was not sure what he was feeling towards Risi but he was confused. The kitchen looked like he had been robbed. After just a few minutes he had thrown all the cabinets open. Dishes were in disarray as were the few forks and knives he owned. Where the heck were his bowls? He hoped Risi did not hear the destruction he was making but knew it could not be helped. He could have sworn he had them in this cabinet right here, or was it this one? A smell caught him like a punch to the chin as he spun around. The food was burning! He had forgotten to turn the burner off like an idiot. He started to panic, tonight was supposed to be perfect. It needed to be perfect and he was ruining it with his glances and depression. Now this fiasco? "Uh... The uh food will be cooked a little... Uh... More than normal i hope you don't mind." He still could not find his bowls. Yamatsu emerged from the kitchen the flustered look on his face seemed ingrained now. He carried two plates each with a bed of bark brown rice covering them. On the rice were small bits of meat some cooked it seemed well, others noticeably burnt. As he approached he hoped the smell did not revolt Risi. He had attempted to season it but knew nothing of the process. "Fried Rice and Rabbit." He set the plates down on the quaint table with a troubled smile. "My father used to make this when we would go out camping. It was quick and simple, easy meal for two idiots like us alone in the wilds." Yamatsu had eaten worse, fresh dead animals the blood still flowing. He knew he would be able to stomach this meal but could Risi?

Risi -- 356

LAIKA OF THQ

[risi]

Risi can actually hear the commotion in the kitchen and wonders if perhaps he should go in there to help Yamatsu, then decides that might actually make matters worse, what with the looks the other man had been giving him across the table that he had to admit had been somewhat exciting. He probably would have taken it poorly if Risi, as a guest, had chosen to get involved with trying to help the other Genin find whatever it was he was probably looking for. He regrets his decision a bit when he can smell the scent of something burning in the kitchen, and he nearly jumps to his feet to ready himself to help get Yamatsu out of the burning house, but no, he can hear more clattering, which wouldn't be happening if the other man had been knocked out or if there was an actual fire emergency. So the food is burning.

Risi somewhat regrets not insisting on inviting Yamatsu to his own home, though it was being watched over by the Inshi family to try and keep a close eye on their "asset", that being Risi himself. He probably could have cooked quite a nice meal for the both of them, though he wasn't sure if someone like Yamatsu would know which was the salad fork and which was the dinner fork. Perhaps eating burnt food was simply the price one paid for more simple dining. And dining simply he would be, since Yamatsu's return was a harbinger for the food they would be eating, slightly burnt rabbit meat and fried rice. Despite his normal fine dining palette, the smell still caused his stomach to shift and squeeze, letting out the sound of his stomach growling with the need for sustenance. He gives his host a sheepish smile at the fact that his stomach had made such a sound, but he gladly accepts the plate of food.

"So long as it's cooked by you, I'm sure it's gonna taste great to me!~"

Although the internal Risi wasn't so sure and he was thinking that perhaps he should be the one in charge of meals from now on, he was still polite enough to wait for Yamatsu to serve himself before he begins eating. He also pauses for a split second as he wonders to himself what exactly he himself had meant when he thought that he'd be in charge of meals "from now on". The moment passes quickly as Risi re-focuses on the conversation with the other man.

"Well, it certainly seems very good for something you'd just make while out camping!~ It's really very good..."

Although he's very careful, he seems to have slipped a bit by letting himself pause at the end of the sentence, but he tries to cover for it by taking a big drink from his glass, gulping down the taste of the burnt meat and cleansing his palette before he focuses a bit more on the rice, with the occasional bit of rabbit meat.

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

Yamatsu beamed with happiness, his new friend was eating the food he had made and actually seemed to like it. He was so nervous he had burnt it to much or had not seasoned it enough. He was sure his father was looking down on him with a smile. His mother was probably screaming at him for not dressing up in front of such a gorgeous man. He wished they were here joining them, he would have loved to introduce Risi to them and have them meet him. Why did he feel that way? Weren't they just friends? He had not realized he was not eating anymore but again staring at Risi. He could not help but gaze upon the older male with every chance he got. Something deep inside made him happy to be sitting across from Risi. Yamatsu set his fork and knife down standing up offering Risi a hand. "Come with me, i want to show you something." His heart raced again at the thought of Risi's fingers intertwining with his. He knew they were not done eating but it was getting close to a special time that he wanted to share with Risi. At least as far as he could remember it should be close to time. As a child he had sat in the backyard with his family. During the evening hours the setting sun dropped right between two mountain peaks. There was a path on the other side of the village wall that cut their yard off from the wilderness outside. His father had paid for a small gate to be build into the wall so they could travel and hunt without leaving through the main gate. As the sun set between the peaks there was a small moment where is shown through the gate. Like a light to another world his mother used to say. He wanted to show Risi this special thing and share it with another living being.

Risi -- 327

LAIKA OF THQ

[risi]

Unlike Yamatsu, Risi's parents were probably still alive, but if they were, Risi had never met them. The only family he knew were the Inshi themselves, and they didn't want his spy work to be distracted by worrying over his parents, so he had never felt the loss of his parents. How could someone feel loss for something they'd never truly had? But that didn't mean he never thought about them. Other children had parents, after all, and while he had received some level of care and even the occasional affection from some members of the Inshi family, they were nothing like real parents to him. So he could somewhat understand Yamatsu's feelings about his parents, who were now gone.

The Genin definitely notices Yamatsu staring at him, and it actually makes his cheeks flush. It wasn't the false blush he could sometimes make happen by imagining something rage-inducing in order to make him angry, this was an actual blush that Risi could not actually control. It's also a surprise when Yamatsu suddenly stands up and offers Risi his hand, with the explanation that he wanted to show the Kyuumu ninja "something". His cheeks flush more, wondering what this might mean, but he takes Yamatsu's hand anyways as he stands up from his seat at the dinner table, allowing the darker-skinned ninja lead him away and out through the back of the house, straight to a path leading to a gate separating the house from the outside world. Not just outside, to Kumogakure, but outside to a place beyond the village. His bright red eyes took in the view, which was somehow even more gorgeous, thanks to his raven-enhanced eyes catching sight of the way the magnetic field was shifting between the twin peaks, making a cascade that wouldn't be visible to people like Yamatsu with his normal vision, but caused Risi to experience a sight truly breath-taking.

He stares, mouth truly agape, for a long moment at the view, and gives Yamatsu's hand a light and gentle squeeze as he feels his heart beating hard and fast, even probably felt by Yamatsu through their hand-holding.

[Yamatsu]

The Young Pup

They stood there watching the sun set between the peaks for what seemed to Yamatsu like an eternity. He did not want this moment to end, standing there like he had done so many times with the family he loved. Now he stood there hand in hand with someone who made him feel seen, feel heard and felt again. A single tear rolled down his face as he fought back the urge to break down. He knew this moment would end as the sun set below the horizon. He squeezed back the slender hand that held his hoping maybe just maybe he could keep that burning orb in the sky just a little longer. He sighed as the great light in the sky disappeared before them. His heart raced and he could feel Risi's pulse heightened as well. Why was he nervous, or was it something else, maybe it was just their reaction to his surprise. "Thank you for coming tonight..." His voice was low almost a whisper. The young boy and that was what he was a heart a boy, looked up at the beautiful man next to him. They might have just been a few years apart but Yamatsu knew the level of social maturity he had was nothing compared to Risi. His time away had hindered his emotional growth for the worse. He used to think it was a blessing he survived but now wondered it it was a curse. He turned away from Risi unable to hold back any longer. The silent sobs quickly gave way to a flood of tears as he lowered himself to his knees. "I shouldn't be here... They should still be here..." He was not screaming but his voice had raised considerably. He slammed his fist into the wooden planks of the patio where they stood. He would not be strong enough to break it but it creaked and cracked all the same. "I wasn't strong enough to save them... If i had stayed maybe it would have been different... Maybe they would still be here..." He had stopped hitting the ground and just sat there. "I'm sorry you had to see this..."

Risi -- 362

LAIKA OF THQ