[Deleted]

@akira

#ef6799

She had known it would end up this way, and really she shouldn't have felt bad about it. Yoko had planned to stop at five drinks and now she was at eight-and-a-half. She did feel bad, though. Not from guilt or poor planning, precisely. No, no. It wasn't emotional, but physical.

It was 9 p.m. on a Saturday night. A full bar, a lively scene. The world was spinning, her stomach was angry, her heart felt like lead, and she couldn't make any of it stop. She was miserable. She'd been stewing about her trip to Shijima for a couple days, reviewing everything, letting things sit in the back of her mind and deep in her heart. Some of it was nice. A lot of it wasn't.

She sighed, taking another drink. She didn't even know what the flavor was anymore. Just that it was red. Red was usually good, right? Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, apples...

Blood.

The pinkette's morbid musings were interrupted by a hard shove from her right. A small group of men--recent graduates, maybe?--had come up to the bar beside where she sat. They were all things rowdy and obnoxious, and the one closest to her had managed to spill half of her drink all over her lap. This wouldn't have been a huge issue, except her outfit was off-white and her glass had been something just above mid-shelf that made spilling it a total waste.

"Fucking..." She sucked air in through clenched teeth. One of the men, approaching critical levels of drunkenness, had noticed his buddy's stumble and come over with a towel he'd pilfered from one of the bartenders on the floor. He'd offered to help mop up the mess, and at first this had seemed nice.

Until he'd used the close proximity to make a grab at her thigh, then failed at trying to sweet talk her, and earned himself a hard punch in the throat.

The no-gooder stumbled backwards with a choked cry and a pissed-off poisoneer sat glaring at the entire group, daring them to do something else stupid. They backed off. For a bit.

Yoko continued on with two more drinks but these landed her in the bathroom to empty her stomach. Too much too fast. She knew she should've been pacing herself. She knew it.

But her heart didn't want to.

She left the ladies' room ten minutes later feeling somehow more distressed than she'd gone in. It was now that the group from before sprung on her. The rear hallway where the restrooms were located didn't have a direct line of sight to the bar--meaning somebody probably could've gotten stabbed back here and the assailant would have a pretty decent headstart. No one could see the group of three surrounding a lone woman below the dim red lights. No one could hear the curses and insults they were tossing out. No one would know the losing battle she was fighting in not getting dragged out through the back exit to the adjacent alley.

Yoko was panicked, clawing at a hand fastened to her forearm, chiding herself at light speed that she should've just stopped at five. Maybe her strength would've cooperated if she had. Maybe her techniques wouldn't be such a fucking gamble.

All of this trouble--because she definitely didn't have enough going on already.

OOC INFO

& NOTES!

SPECIAL ABILITIES ❖ Enhanced Chakra Control ❖ Medical Training ❖ Poisons ❖ Evasion ❖ Heightened Speed

TECHNIQUES/TOOLS [❖] (None)

❤ NOTES: No notes!

[Deleted]

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He'd been watching her, longer than he should've.

[break][break]
What Yoko hadn't known, or hadn't care to join was that there was a second floor, and a walkway to reach it - a rectangle in the ceiling of the second floor that hosted another part of the party. Much louder music and a livelier crowd. Akira had been drinking - sitting on one of the tables sat around the rectangular square, but the color of her hair had prompted him to shift his neck and it took him a few moments, but yeah. It was her. He had been here for a few hours himself drinking silently and watching other people.

[break][break]
And the pit in his stomach swelled, as well as did the fondness of his heart in her absence. As did the jealousy in wondering where she'd been - but not surprised that she hadn't come to find him, or to speak to him. There were many emotions, and yet: Akira found himself watching her.

[break][break]
Just watching.

[break][break]
'Should I go speak to her?'

[break][break]
But there was knowledge in biding his time. So he watched.

[break][break]
Like a little test if she'd end up going home with someone else. But she didn't - and continued drinking. The guilt in his stomach increased all the same. He felt the buzz from the drinks he'd been having fade off from the lack of drink passing by his own lips as he watched her - the very argument he'd been having with himself this entire time. The feelings of guilt, hurt. His own week had been interesting, as had been the following days after from meeting new Academy Students, and a host of other things.

[break][break]
A fury burned in his stomach when he saw the man grab at her thigh. One part of him almost expected her to like it. But no. She punched him in the throat. A sense of pride welled in his chest as he placed a fist on his chin - watching her deal with the situation. That was a very long play of emotions. He shook it off. 'No.' It hurt too much.

[break][break]
But he was still angry at her. 'I should leave.' Akira shook his head. And she went to leave

[break][break]
That was a good way to break out of it.

[break][break]
It wasn't his place. He shouldn't have.

[break][break]
And stepped away - his feet clacking against the ground. Smart shoes, white shirt: black trousers and maroon suspenders. Then: a bright orange bow tie like his hair. He'd felt like dressing up just like her.

[break][break]
So the man went to leave - but noticed on his descent on the steps that the three had decided suddenly they'd wanted to take a piss together. Akira perhaps paying attention out of jealousy, but it was good that he'd noticed. It would have been normal and Akira would've walked away had they decided not to all go at the exact same time. They weren't women: they didn't go to powder their noses together and by the ruffled nose and sneer from the main one she'd hit, they weren't going for a drink. They headed to the toilets.

[break][break]
It didn't take long for Akira to piece the idea that Yoko had gone there as well because his mind scanned through the crowds: seeing no bright bubblegum pink hair nor white dress to catch her by. The danger sense in his mind was tingling, and he went to go check it out.

[break][break]
Akira would grab one of them holding at her forearm. He would fly backward and into the wall. Simple enough. Then Akira would place his hands on the outward shoulder of both of them, using them as a little springboard to jump - both of his legs ending up on each side of their kneecaps, and... well.

[break][break]
He was a heavy man.

[break][break]
They would drop: their legs weren't broken. He hadn't broken anything: and he clasped his hands around both of their mouths as they dropped: knowing the sounds would've drawn some attention. The man would let them fall back after the initial scream. "Nothing's broken. Think about what you did." Akira would turn to face them, clearly not considering them a danger. The orange haired man turned to Yoko, and would lift her arm over his shoulder, so he could place an arm around her hip and pulling her out of there. "You need to be careful...my-..." Akira murmured to her, but didn't finish his sentence. Not really being able to meet her gaze as he stared more at the floor, at the shoes of people.

[break][break]
He was going to say my darling, but it was too soon. Too much too soon. Still, there was much more clarity than what he'd had a week ago, by no manner of his own and by the help of those around him. That, and the much needed solitude that seemed to plague through his life that even coming out tonight was a difficult manner.

[break][break]
His breath smelled of amber - the sickly sweet wooden tones of whiskey on his body. Little marks of splashed drink, but otherwise seemed perfectly fine. Akira was very tender with her, bringing her back out into the bar - finding somewhere they could sit down once more. And he did, but a grouped table of people, seats attached to the floor on either side.

[break][break]
"Do you need some water?" Akira would sit down opposite her- still not having met her gaze.

[attr="class","sacred_credit1"]♰

[Deleted]

@akira

#ef6799

Yoko's heavily intoxicated brain was moving just a little bit too slow for the speed of violence that ensued before the assholes in collared shirts had managed to succeed in dragging her outside. Heels just didn't give very good traction, and she'd been prepared on some level for a fight. It wasn't as though this was the first time she'd been hassled by anyone--male or female.

But there was a sudden eruption of movement and a familiar face and a familiar voice and a familiar scent and oh...

God she was dizzy.

Did she have to throw up again? Should she run back into the--

Not an option anymore. Yoko's stupor had her gazing at the downed men much longer than necessary, and she followed along with Akira as he guided her arm around him and then walked off with her, back into the heart of the bar.

Everything was moving so fast. Worst of all? Her heart. She was confused and nervous and afraid. She didn't know what to say. Or how to act. Her pulse was so loud in her skull it was nearly drowning out the music.

If she'd been semi-sober she likely would've cared a great deal that Akira had shown up to her wearing a supremely tarnished dress tainted by cherry-apple-strawberry-whatever-the-fuck-it-was. But she was struggling to even see straight, so it was the most that she could do to simply sit still and sit quiet after they got situated at a table.

Water? Did she want water?

No! She wanted to know what had possessed him to come crashing into the situation and then treat her like...that. Sure, it was kind. It was heroic. But last time she'd seen him, he'd been at the clinic, a precarious little meeting on the heels of what had happened at her home, where he'd been nothing short of hostile and hurtful. He didn't just expect to sweep that all under the rug by one kind deed, did he? Surely he didn't think she'd forgotten?

The woman's posture was thoroughly withdrawn into herself--curled forward, hands in her lap, tension in every joint and muscle, eyes that couldn't stay glued to any one thing.

"Why did you help me?" she asked. "You--" She couldn't finish, instead putting a hand tightly over her mouth. Her stomach again.

One of the bartenders came over and placed a glass of water down for her--the same bartender who'd made roughly half of her drinks tonight and knew exactly how plastered she was. Yoko gave a nod in appreciation, giving her nausea time to settle on its own before removing her hand and finally grasping the cup.

"I'm sorry," she said. "You helped me. I should be grateful. So... Thank you." She sounded sincere, but there was a shakiness to her voice too. She was only sometimes meeting his gaze--too nervous to be looking him in the eye (or anyone else, really).

OOC INFO

& NOTES!

SPECIAL ABILITIES ❖ Enhanced Chakra Control ❖ Medical Training ❖ Poisons ❖ Evasion ❖ Heightened Speed

TECHNIQUES/TOOLS [❖] (None)

❤ NOTES: No notes!

[Deleted]

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Akira could smell the booze rocketing off her body, it didn't help there had been some over her white dress but he hadn't been paying enough attention to se the exact detail. Just the intoxicating smell that wasn't her perfume but the disgusting stench and smell of mixed perfumes, sweat and alcohol.

[break][break]
With her sat down, he sat down too. He wanted to place a hand over hers but it settled for beginning unpinch his sleeves, rolling them up as one form of thing to do. The drink he'd had before had been left upstairs and he'd entirely intended on leaving, so... he would have to make do with something else that could occupy his vision.

[break][break]
Her question hurt a bit, as though she should've expected him to be aware of it and ignore him. There were plenty of reasons why he wanted to do it. Akira wanted to come up with something that wasn't 'I had been watching you for the last two hours like a creep and wanted to say hi.' but really, why shouldn't he have helped her?

[break][break]
Whatever burps she had, she was doing a good job at not having retched it over the table.

[break][break]
Akira nodded appreciatively at the barman as well as her- though significantly more strained than Yoko's, the lightest twist of his mouth forming into what was meant to be a smile. The barman had probably saw that tension and left them to it. They left the two of them alone.

[break][break]
But for her to apologise?

[break][break]
Akira stopped her, his fingers fanning out as his palm rose passively at her.

[break][break]
"No- I'm sorry. Buh-t-" he quickly stopped, his mind quickly occupying another reason. "-we should get into that when you're more... awake." Awake was one way to say 'when you're not so fucking shit faced you alcoholic.'

[break][break]
His week had been significantly kicking his ass, from spent rage to humiliation, a loss of his pride and being dealt with all different things. Two things: one with Akatsuki and another who wanted him as well. But his eyes landed on her finally, the thing he sought most was the same gaze he'd once had, months before in a winter's morning and there was a tangible line connecting their eyesight as though something had sewn them together.

[break][break]
"I couldn't let them hurt you." It was ironic, given the circumstances. But, that was what he'd wanted to at least give to her that he hadn't before. He was speaking louder in the bar because of the rising noise, but really? It was just for her ears, and few people would care enough to pry in their wasteland of filth and ethanol. His hands would clasp together in front of her, and the main sign of nervousness she would've been able to tell if cognisant enough was the movement of his thumbs dancing around one another in an endless circle.

[break][break]
He, like her, had gone through a whole load of shit without her. He gulped at the sudden feeling of rejection in his stomach. Fearful, perhaps. Empty, remorseful: so many things going on in the own cocktail of his mind. "Did you want to get out of here, then?" Akira was wondering if the cold air would do her good. Somewhere quieter for his mind. But, still absolutely aware that she was afraid of him. She knew what he could do - heck, even he knew what he could do. So if she even complied with that, they would be sticking to some well lit, populated roads.

[break][break]
Sadly, that was how he'd need to be.

[attr="class","sacred_credit1"]♰

[Deleted]

@akira

#ef6799

More awake. What a funny way to phrase it. She was awake. Wide awake. Totally, completely awake. It was because she'd been awake and so lucid to everything that was wrong that she was even out here in the first place--trying to forget and not think about any of it.

Yoko sipped at her water, watching Akira form an answer that was unexpectedly sincere. He couldn't let them hurt her. She stared. Was he being serious? Or was he lying and giving her sweet words to try to win her favor back? She looked down at the seal on her finger--all three of them.

Yeah. No more drinks tonight.

She was aware of his nervous fiddling but Yoko was far too drunk to make any real comment on it. It was hard enough forming words that didn't immediately slur into verbal goop. Still, her feelings about what he'd said would be clear enough through the overly emotional turn of her expression. She was touched and also conflicted on how to address the topic. At least right at that moment.

Did she want to leave? Well. Not really. But it was probably for the best that she did. If she drank more, she'd just end up back in front of the toilet again. No sense in wasting the money, and she couldn't very well go sit by herself now.

"Okay," she chirped evenly--the sound a little more robotic than she'd intended. In reality, she sounded tense because she was still trying to keep her stomach in check.

Yoko slid her bag up her arm to her shoulder and stood from the table--plenty wobbly, but remaining on her feet--and waited for direction and wherever "out of here" was. She would follow. Or let herself be guided. She wasn't in good shape to do much else. But, at the least, she hadn't throat-punched him, too, which by some measures might've been considered a small victory.

OOC INFO

& NOTES!

SPECIAL ABILITIES ❖ Enhanced Chakra Control ❖ Medical Training ❖ Poisons ❖ Evasion ❖ Heightened Speed

TECHNIQUES/TOOLS [❖] (None)

❤ NOTES: No notes!

[Deleted]

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Sipping at the water he was basically sat there with his dick in his hands, ready to pull at his own clothes with the heat he felt flushing in his cheeks, or that the music was too loud and the ringing was getting in his ears. But, she happened to listen and so he had the reason and opportunity to stand up - his hands turning to palms as he stood up. Akira would walk first: both to make an obstacle for people to bump in to. At the same time, intending on being in the front so she could keep a good eye on him. And lastly: to be her guide.

[break][break]
And then they'd break out on to the road in the cool evening underway, even though there was light left in the world for so late. She might've not cared where they went but Akira's feet found familiarity in the streets they walked. It was a large village and he'd been there his entire life.

[break][break]

[break][break]
And his idea of guiding was taking her back to her own home, and then turning tail and going back to his home. Akira wouldn't make an attempt to place a hand on her, his own being found in his pockets. The only change would be if she were to wobble and fall, or if she deliberately sought him out. A very real possibility for how much she'd drank.

[break][break]
Gods, he couldn't just let them walk in silence. Be as it may that he needed to be the one to start the conversation, he supposed it was better than nothing. An odd tone of calmness that she hadn't seen for a while. It was a throwback to they'd met. Not quite literally their first meeting, but the time after she'd admitted the unexpected itinerary of her trip to Mizu no Kuni. But that was a question, and one that he wasn't sure he wanted to know about.

[break][break]
But oh god he did.

[break][break]
"...How was your trip?"

[break][break]
Still, the constant barrage on his emotions had been taking its toll and he hadn't been unhappy for taking the time out to actually leave the house. More often than not he was secluded. In solitude: angry at the world for no other reason that he'd chalked up to the things happening recently.

[break][break]
But at the minimum he'd figured out how to proceed. And he would have to be the one - because his feelings had arranged themselves in an order that would release from his mouth, but one that he doubted would happen for her in this drunken state. No, he needed her to have absolute clarity.

[attr="class","sacred_credit1"]♰

[Deleted]

@akira

#ef6799

Yoko followed. Not in a perfectly straight line, not with her usual grace, not with a tall posture--but she followed. She clutched at her small purse in front of her. It was laid across one shoulder and she could've let it dangle against her hip, but running her fingertips along the metallic clasps and hard edges of fabric gave her something to focus her anxiety upon as she stared blankly at the man's back as he walked.

It was quiet. She was okay with that. Well, not "okay." Awkward silences were no fun. But it was better than him screaming at her. Or threatening her. Or accusing her. Or any number of other things.

Finally he did break that silence, asking about her trip. She should've expected it, really--she had told him about it at the clinic a few days before leaving. But did she want to talk about it? No. That trip was the whole reason she'd been out drinking tonight.

There wasn't the usual voice in her head that urged her to answer "because she couldn't just not answer." She could. There was a small voice. The one telling her that she could refuse to talk about it. She could say it made her uncomfortable--because it did--and she could dismiss it. And that, too, gave her pause, because usually she didn't have those types of thoughts: choice in the smaller things.

But maybe it would help? With the stress. Her therapist had told her numerous times that simply "talking" about things did help--even if she felt like it didn't. Subconscious and all that. And despite her feelings right now, she did care about Akira--and he'd cared enough to ask, so...

She sighed.

"It went well," she said in a tired mumble. "I met with a colleague, got a referral to see an expert in what I'm studying, and spent a few days with him and his team. He was an asshole but I learned a lot." Ugh, understatement of the year.

"H-How have you been while I was gone?" She didn't mean to sound so cautious with the question but that's how it came out anyway.

OOC INFO

& NOTES!

SPECIAL ABILITIES ❖ Enhanced Chakra Control ❖ Medical Training ❖ Poisons ❖ Evasion ❖ Heightened Speed

TECHNIQUES/TOOLS [❖] (None)

❤ NOTES: No notes!

[Deleted]

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music

[break][break]
The response she'd given did give a clue that she did have some cogs working behind her eyes, not all jammed up from the alcohol. But still, her voice was mumbling. Who could blame her: as thin and small as she was trying to take on that many drinks at once? It also eased some of the rumbling in his own stomach, and he felt like he wanted to throw up but for a different reason. It was a mix of queasiness and his own amount of alcohol.

[break][break]
And her tone didn't really give him much to work with, so he would just take her word for it. Not that he could do much else: and also knowing what her word currently meant to him (not a lot.)

[break][break]
"I feel like a Shōnen protagonist or in an improv group with trying to get myself out, doing things throughout the week. Doing some... charity work, and teaching at the academy. Other stuff. Training, as usual." Akira looked at his hand, seeing the marks even then from that day of training. There was a flicker of the week. Teaching Taki. Getting humiliated at the academy by a snooty private teacher. Bouncing Ryota's skull off the ground. Turning away a woman though she had been in the palm of his hand. But, true to his form he really hadn't answered her question properly. Just like he'd done with Takara, and just like he'd done with Kaito. He tended not to answer directly, and his answers ended up being telling for other things. It was like saying the truth, but being behind a door - it was muffled. "Lots of emotions." More negative than positive but she would leave that up to her imagination.

[break][break]
It had really been blowing his mind.

[break][break]
And even now, he was keeping himself at bay with his hands in his pockets as he walked slightly in front of her, slightly further to the left of her. Keeping an eye on the floor but also her in the corner of his eye. Keeping to the lit streets for her: and she would eventually realise where he was taking her. She could've still objected.

[break][break]
The route they were taking meant the music of the night was changing as they moved. No less busy as the different beats from the establishments contrasted against either one another, and against their own hearts. Muddying things.

[break][break]
'She's just going to make it difficult again.' there that smooth voice was again on the inside of his brain. It ignited a fiery jealousy again deep in his belly that made his lips curl and cheeks grow hot, and Akira was drunk enough - that it would be passable when he would wipe at his eyes, and back down.

[break][break]
'It's a conversation I should have.' But no calmness could ever last for long. And there it was. His own voice again. 'Should I?' But there was a resignation of silence again.

[break][break]
"I've missed you." Akira grumbled angrily at her. It was very interesting: the soft words with the harsh coarseness in his voice. He was still so intensely angry at her. His time with other people had helped him come to that conclusion. Even if, to his belief, she had been a selfish bitch, he still missed her touch. He swallowed those things in his throat, balling them up and throwing them away.

[break][break]
Still, he was a fucking hypocrite in saying those things to her and hurting her all the same. "What brought you out drinking? You seem like you'd had a few..." his voice trailed off as his head twisted to look back at her. Ignoring the fact that he'd definitely seen her drink one too many.

[break][break]
They probably had similar reasons.

[attr="class","sacred_credit1"]♰

[Deleted]

@akira

#ef6799

He'd been busy. What he mentioned to her, though, didn't really answer her question. She'd asked how he'd been, not what he'd done. Maybe this was his way of saying he was upset? Most people just kept themselves busy when they had a lot to think about right? He could've just said he'd had a bad week, but maybe he was too proud for that. Or maybe he'd just genuinely been busy, felt great, and was trying not to say that for fear making her feel worse because she obviously wasn't having the best time.

She was too drunk to try and interpret things if he wasn't going to just say it. The woman gave only a nod, glancing at a sign they passed by. Though they were getting away from the livelier part of town, there were a few tiny street-side bars and grills still open this time of night. The urge to get another drink was strong. Her steps were beginning to slow. Indecision.

And she still had no idea where he was leading them, only that they were walking and talking. Or trying to talk. This still felt...weird. Unnerving.

Staring at the dirt where the man's feet were, his words hit her like a brick to the heart: "I've missed you." But he said them so angrily... Was he mad at himself for missing her? Was it that he didn't want to miss her? Was that it? Still, it tugged at her heart. And somewhere in her drunkenness it did feel good to hear the words. It felt good, in a weird way, that her absence had been noticed. Like she mattered. Despite their fight, or their differing views on things, her time away had bothered him.

"I thought about you during my trip," she said, again almost a mumble, the drinks slightly slurring the edges of her words. "I dreamed of you." She wouldn't say what kind of dream--not in the middle of the street. That was just bound to go badly. Her dreams had been a mix of things: some violent and terrifying, some sweet and kind. What Izumi had witnessed was the former.

And then a pretty logical question given her state: Why was she out here? She could've laughed--and almost did. Instead, she loosed an amused snort. "I'm out here because of the trip," she confessed. The alcohol was more or less slaughtering her ability to craft flowery dodges to his questions. And she was upset, so speaking from spite came easier than trying to sugar-coat everything. "I discovered a lot of things I didn't want to. About me." She grumbled the last part, finally veering off a few steps toward one of the street bars. She didn't sit down, just leaned against the bar and ordered a shot--whatever the man felt like giving her.

She turned to look at Akira over her shoulder. "Want some?"

She meant the liquor, of course. But it didn't dawn on her how sexual it looked--between the phrasing, her voice, and the way she was draped forward upon the bar. She just wanted to get more fucked up than she already was, effectively erasing conscious thought until she passed out. She'd detox in the morning.

OOC INFO

& NOTES!

SPECIAL ABILITIES ❖ Enhanced Chakra Control ❖ Medical Training ❖ Poisons ❖ Evasion ❖ Heightened Speed

TECHNIQUES/TOOLS [❖] (None)

❤ NOTES: No notes!

[Deleted]

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Trying to one up him? Dreamed? Akira was conflicted at what she'd said. Thought of him. Dreamed of him. Didn't bring him any closer to what she'd said before. Didn't make him feel good about what she'd said. But it was nice that she had thought of him during her trip. It showed that even in spite of everything she'd done - he'd done, that his absence had been noted. Like he mattered. Akira was continuing to walk forward as she veered away, and thinking she was going to fall Akira turned - getting ready to shunshin to catch her. But no. Just a street bar.

[break][break]
A street bar. That was a terrible idea. For a quick minute he wondered if it was best he just left her. Take off, see her the day after. But he shook his head, not that she would be looking to see it - and followed after her. Akira would move into the humming illuminated lights and softly beating music as he stood up next to the bar as well. It was one of those 'window open' ones where quite literally you could have one on your way past to somewhere bigger. A few smaller groups of people were around them talking. Did he want some? Akira only looked between her and the expectant server.

[break][break]
"Yeah."

[break][break]
'Like being a two timing cunt,' The voice was back again, harsher than before- taking advantage of the built nervousness in his belly and his beliefs about what she felt. 'Gods, give me a break.' He was saying to himself- not letting himself off the hook. Not everything was as deep as it was making out to be. It wasn't all about him. Couldn't he just... try and enjoy a drink? Akira would fish out some money and palm it over to the bartender.

[break][break]
'No more thinking. Just a drink.' Akira would nod at her request - not taking it any other way than she had anticipated for it to mean. Akira would face the bar, a sign or indication of his commitment to being there with her rather than having one foot out the door and facing towards the journey they'd been undertaking. A shot would feel good, anywho?

[break][break]
He would weakly hold the shot glass out for her to clink against his, and it burned the way going down. "Cinnamon," Akira tried using his tongue to wipe away the excess fluid inside his mouth, but all he'd done was spread the taste. It wasn't a terrible taste. Could've been better.

[break][break]
But he hadn't not heard what she'd said. Still, facing toward the empty, red opaque shot glass. "I learned things about me this week too. Things that need to change." He was going into territory that he wanted to talk about with her when she was more coherent. He tapped his index fingers against the glass. "Another one-" If she wanted to drink, then Akira wouldn't hold himself back either. But, nobody was there to listen to him.

[break][break]
But again, they were at a bar and it wasn't expected they'd be waiting on his beck and call. Akira would stand up straight, waiting to gesture to the bartender again. A small reprise for them to talk. "It beckons the question, alcohol is a poison - right? Can't you... just purge it?" the thought had struck him as gold.

[break][break]
But then, she could've wanted to feel like that on purpose.

[attr="class","sacred_credit1"]♰

[Deleted]

@akira

#ef6799

He decided to join her. She wouldn't have blamed him if he'd just walked away and gone on with the rest of his night. But he did stay. Even if he was only humoring her and didn't actually want a drink--it felt nice. Mostly for the company. His company.

She clinked her shot glass to his and downed it. She didn't know what the taste actually was, only knew that it burned going all the way down. She cringed a bit at the harshness of it and set the glass down. Hazy green eyes stared at the bartop.

He'd learned things too. Things that...needed to change? What did that mean? Was he referring to their fight? His lack of control? The way he'd acted? That was so open and vague she wasn't sure what he really meant. But being able to self-analyze and make changes was a mature thing, right?

She nodded to his question. Another one. Another five. Whatever. She lifted a few fingers toward the bartender to affirm and would set down a couple bills. She didn't read how much, exactly, just tossed them down--it was more than enough to cover whatever she'd buy.

Akira brought up a logical point that others had asked her before: couldn't she just purge alcohol the same as any other poison?

"I could," she said with a shrug. "Hypothetically, I could drink an ocean of liquor, forcibly draw its toxins back out of my system on a cellular level, then rapidly re-hydrate my body using suiton." She had techniques to do all of these things individually.

"But it's not what I want. I want to be numb. Just for a little while." She leaned her head down--stepping back a bit to lay her forehead against the back of her hand against the bar--and sighed tiredly. She turned her head to rest her cheek against her hand, now looking over at him.

Yoko only watched him for a moment, drunkenly admiring his face. It wasn't overtly romantic, just...appreciative.

The bartender set down their shots. He had a moment of pause seeing the pink-haired woman so languidly leaned forward and obviously drunk, but he scooped up a few bills of hers and carried on. Money was money.

"Why were you out drinking?" she asked, simply returning his question for whatever context he'd choose to give her.

OOC INFO

& NOTES!

SPECIAL ABILITIES ❖ Enhanced Chakra Control ❖ Medical Training ❖ Poisons ❖ Evasion ❖ Heightened Speed

TECHNIQUES/TOOLS [❖] (None)

❤ NOTES: No notes!

[Deleted]

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music

[break][break]
Light and airy music was playing in their background. Not that Akira was listening to it. But all too familiar. Akira would watch her give her explanation in response to him. She chose to explain in her own way to remind Akira she certainly knew more about the subject than he did. Not in a bad way, just that she knew her shit when it came to Medical Ninjutsu.

[break][break]
It'd pretty much affirmed his theory. She could. She chose not to. The incident she'd been in earlier? Could've been avoided... but it would've missed the point a little bit, and she shouldn't have been cornered in the first place, that wasn't her fault. He turned back to the bar. Then to the other side, people watching a little bit. Someone could've said that he was shifting uncomfortably, given how much his upper body was moving and twisting while his lower body seemed rooted.

[break][break]
The bartender dropped five shots down in front of them both. An odd number of shots. That was fine, the man could do math in his head. She could've given him more, that he didn't doubt. "If you do that, we can talk about that then. Whenever you're ready." Akira could top up himself if he needed to. But right now, knowing that she could return to clarity when she wanted was assuring - and gave him reason to be there rather than having to reappear the day after. There were things he wanted to say as well.


[break][break]
Akira would finally have the first proper eye contact with her as she reversed the question onto him. It was a good point. He'd been doing it quite a few days this week. Hadn't brought anyone home. Could've; didn't. It was the feeling in the way his face stretched and the drone in his ears didn't seem so bad, or how he felt good in the part past where he was light and airy and exhausted, but before world spinning and vomiting. Akira rested his forearms against the bar, leaning against it as he leaned forward.

[break][break]
"Same reason. And, to get out of the house. The silence has been deafening lately." Not quite literally, but she would understand what he meant and was trying to get at. Akira was trying to get out of the house. Akira just didn't want to be locked up with his thoughts inside the house - pushing himself to go outside was helping in a way.

[break][break]
Akira would push one of the shot glasses at her, and grabbed one himself. clink. Drink. Side eyeing her as she drunk as well. The thought of their argument still fresh in his mind. All two occasions. And his feelings, always a big one.

[break][break]
There was the matter of Arashi as well. She didn't write him. Akira had always sent letters, and she responded as well: but never wrote one first. But he couldn't have mattered very much if that was how it was. She had her own things to deal with. Akira couldn't send letters to her secretly either, with how under watch he had been. But he'd been thinking about her so little recently. A mix of that anger and upset mixed together, his desire to get out - all meant he simply... hadn't been thinking about it. Also, the big rejection. There was that, too. The words couldn't pass his lips though, especially not in their current situation. Was he really over her?

[break][break]
He wasn't sure.

[break][break]
Did he want to make it worse or just focus on the drinking? Maybe try and actually have a fun time with Yoko?

[break][break]
That wasn't out of the question...

[break][break]
They were going to come to it eventually. His heart throbbed.

[break][break]
Crotch too.

[break][break]
'Fucking sort yourself out.' Akira found himself thinking to his brain. Even at Kokuo! Bastard.

[break][break]
Akira turned to face her, it was just the two of them here. Now one arm resting against it. "What do you think of the bow-tie? It's a little much..." Akira would say, pointing out the stark orange resembling his own hair. "I would say it's as good as your dress... but I see that got stained..." He finally took the first moment to actually see the blot and marking on the white dress she wore, that ever so contrasted against the delicate muscles in her back.

[break][break]
Fun it was.

[attr="class","sacred_credit1"]♰

[Deleted]

@akira

#ef6799

So he was open to talking about the trip. That was considerate. Not that she was in any hurry to launch into it. No, no. Tonight was to stop thinking. To just enjoy not analyzing anything. To just...be.

Akira had gone out to get out of the house and not think about things. So they had that in common. She gave a nod and a simple, "Hm," staring now at the shot glasses.

Another went down. She looked over when he mentioned the bow tie. A little much? "Maybe. But it looks nice." It showed he'd put effort into how he looked--even if he'd only gone to the bars. Effort was good.

Good was not her dress. It'd started off good. Yes, marvelous. A beautiful work of fabric. But the asshole at the bar had taken an axe to it in spilling her drink all over her. It was still drying, even--now a half-wet, sticky mess against her stomach and part of her thighs. She wanted it off almost more than she wanted another drink. Priorities.

She took another shot, not really waiting for him this time, just downing it. "You know what that's like, don't you?" she began. "Looking in the mirror, hating what you see... Not hating everything, just the parts that stare back at you from deep down. I can't figure out what's in my own head some nights and I just..." She sighed again, finally standing up again and taking a seat instead. "I just wish things made more sense. I wish I didn't feel so broken."

"Damaged," a voice reminded.

OOC INFO

& NOTES!

SPECIAL ABILITIES ❖ Enhanced Chakra Control ❖ Medical Training ❖ Poisons ❖ Evasion ❖ Heightened Speed

TECHNIQUES/TOOLS [❖] (None)

❤ NOTES: No notes!

[Deleted]

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She was eager to go ahead, going for it from drink to drink while Akira was recoiling from the second one, which had taken more effort than the first. Akira wasn't sure what she was trying to get at and didn't want to think about it.

[break][break]
A part of him knew that she was just having to be talking about their fight. Like she didn't want to feel the way she felt, and Akira still despised her for that. Despised was a strong word. "Yeah," Akira nodded. He still agreed with the sentiment nonetheless. He was old fashioned in the way he felt. "More than you know..." Akira would down his own shot: again. Well. Hers. But, they were sharing which was good. They were uneven, like they just wanted to get it down them. One shot left.

[break][break]
Akira would tentatively place his fingers over the top of her wrist. Not his entire hand, very cautious about doing just that. Only the fingertips: and certainly not over her hand, sitting with her. "I don't think you're broken, though." His gaze watched her reaction. More for her than him.

[break][break]
"Our career isn't easy. I recently got a new therapist, some unorthodox methods. Kaito, if you'd believe." He wouldn't have the slightest idea. "I'm just-" he sighed, looking down with his eyes closed. Then back up. "-some things just aren't easy in this life." But Akira wasn't in 'motivational speaker' mode and he would turn back toward the bar again, thinking of ordering another round of shots.

[break][break]
It wasn't a competition to go through but he knew she was fucked up. He didn't need to make the situation any more miserable by also stating how little he felt himself. "Things will make sense one day." Time was the cure for all things. Whether that meant death or otherwise. "Like when we first met." Akira smiled gently, sadly. "Who would've thought?" he'd be sat here, unhappy with the same person who was causing the secondary ache in his heart. "But I don't regret it..."

[break][break]
His hand from her wrist would go to grab the shot.

[attr="class","sacred_credit1"]♰

[Deleted]

@akira

#ef6799

He empathized with her, feeling like he didn't like things about himself. Maybe part of it was from his struggles with the bijuu. It would be a mix of things, though, same as everyone. She gave a solemn, small nod. It wasn't like they could be expected to be perfect, but it didn't make every day any easier, carrying around all those bad feelings.

Yoko's brain was swimming rather nicely in alcohol but this didn't stop the alarm bells sounding at the touch to her wrist. It was delicate enough--not aggressive. But the woman tensed anyway, eyes snapping to his hand, her fingertips curling against the bar and into her palm. She felt fear prickle in her chest for just that brief second.

She didn't pull her hand away, though. Just watched and listened.

Him saying he didn't think she was broken was, well, nice enough. But he also couldn't see the struggle inside her head and inside her heart. He didn't see the way things warred. He didn't see the hurt caused by that war. She shrugged and looked away, too tired to argue.

He'd gotten a therapist too? And...Kaito? Yes, she could believe that. She did wonder how awkward that was for him--for Kaito. But he had a very professional manner about him when the situation needed it--like when she'd approached him after her trip to Water Country with a rather personal request. She'd totally flipped out on him--thrown a chair, screeching hysterically--but he'd been so professional and kind. For someone in the ANBU he was unexpectedly good at being a therapeutic presence, even without the psychology know-how to back it up.

Akira dwelled on the overall shittiness of things and for a bit, Yoko just sat in silence. She didn't have much to add without spiraling down in dark, depressive thoughts spurred on by the alcohol. What made her look at him a little differently was his mention of when they'd first met.

Her features softened. "But I don't regret it," he said. Yoko smiled--genuinely. "I don't either," she said softly, watching him grab the shot.

"I didn't think I'd feel the way I do now, back then," she admitted, green-lighting another round of shots to the bartender when he shuffled by. "I had a few little relationships sprinkled here and there in my life but Ryo was the most signifi-- signi-- the biggest one. He made me look at everything differently. That's what my therapist says, that he carved these roads in my head and it takes a lot to carve myself new ones. It affects everything I do. And when I met you, I was still knee-deep in those pathways. I didn't think things would develop the way they did. I was so excited to finally feel something that didn't feel like it was forced on me or demanded of me. Falling in love is supposed to be freeing, right? But since my trip I just feel so...weighed down. Hurt. Like things in my head are still so messed up and tangled. If I could turn off parts of my brain, I would." She smiled sadly, lifting a new shot immediately as the new batch was set down.

"This is the closest I'll be getting. I'm a total mess tonight but fuck it." She threw it back, noticing the burn a little less.

OOC INFO

& NOTES!

SPECIAL ABILITIES ❖ Enhanced Chakra Control ❖ Medical Training ❖ Poisons ❖ Evasion ❖ Heightened Speed

TECHNIQUES/TOOLS [❖] (None)

❤ NOTES: No notes!