"What you thought was best was locking me out!" Inka didn't shout but it was very close. One hand lifted itself from the table a few inches to smack back down, chakra singeing the wood in small line where the base of each finger joined the palm. "I understood you not telling me about work even before you were a Kage, or your past because I wasn't willing to speak about mine. But this wasn't about anyone else but us needing to protect our child!" Despite the anger his tone turned begging. "How could telling me lead to them finding out? You trusted me so little?" And again Inka was building up his anger, his incredulity. "Was I so ******** weak that I couldn't even be trusted to keep my mouth shut?!"
"Don't!" He hissed, flinching back at the talk about love. He didn't want the soft words and he didn't want this conversation derailed. Amber eyes glared down at his own hands, lips twisted in a snarl, reluctantly agreeing to what else Syy was saying because it was true. Neither of them knew what the other needed. They both just acted the silent pillar that leaned against each other. But even before he had disappeared, arguments like these had happened before. Ancestors strike him he knew they'd eventually get to this but he didn't expect the path it took to get here, ******** hell above and below...
Leaning back in his seat, staring down at the dark hands in his lap, Inka felt exhausted. He didn't know what else to say. Didn't feel the motivation to finish his meal. Wasn't even hungry. He sighed through his nose, squeezing his eyes shut as a hand rubbed at his forehead before pulling up and through his hair, leaving some strands in complete disarray. He managed to look up, already regretting asking Syy to tell him what else he should know because he didn't feel confident he could keep going with this. Not so soon in the wake of their last topic. And he wasn't expecting Syy's life history, could only squeeze his eyes shut, head turned away, as the heart-breaking details kept coming. It was just misery on top of misery and what could Inka do but sit there and listen until finally Syy said something that made Inka's just give in completely, a cold wash coming over him.
"..." Inka opens his mouth, but quickly decides against it - he can't question it. Not now. So he stands up, unsettled in remaining still for so long with his emotions in such turmoil. His movements are shaky, rushed, and he looks like he's going to start pacing but instead he bee-lines to the kitchen sink, grips the edge and just focuses on breathing once again. He starts washing the dishes, ignoring the tremor in his right hand and focusing instead on submerging everything in scalding hot water. He couldn't ask. He couldn't talk. He'd ******** it up again anyway.
ch 960 // 1,030 | 950 // 950 st ⧼ Father ⬘ Mizukage ⬘ Godaime ⬘ Bukijutsu ⬘ Performer ⧽
T e c h n i q u e s :
• Speed ► Slight [Moderate Buki] [Heavily when drawing Small Weapons] [Moderate in smoke] [Heavily Buki in smoke ] [ Supreme when drawing Small Weapons in smoke ] • Reflex ► Supreme
O t h e r :
astrasinthewild
Quote:
Quote:
Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:42 pm
↳ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳᵞ ʳᵉᵃ≀ᵒᵑ ᵗᵒ ᶠᵢᵍʱᵗ↰
〚 ┤| 𝕊𝕪𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕁. 𝕊𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕦 |├〛 ⫸ ⫸
〚Syy let Inka walk away, sitting silently as he listened to the clattering of dishes. He was so tired. And it wasn't the kind of tired that would go away with sleep. He felt like all of him was a nerve, exposed, and he was constantly being crushed by the guilt of what he had chosen to do. Of what he'd said or didn't say. Eventually, he stood, pushing his chair back. He went into the kitchen but didn't move to help Inka with the dishes. Instead, Syy just looked at him. At his back, the shape of his shoulders, his hair, the color. How it fell along his neck, how his clothes fit. He drank in everything he could because he didn't know if this would be it. If Inka would decide that enough was enough. That he couldn't handle this anymore. Entering the kitchen, he reached out to gently touch Inka's wrist, expecting it to be wrenched away or for him to be struck but doing it anyway.
"You...are right." he said, standing quietly beside Inka, his fingers resting on Inka's wrist if he didn't pull away, head bowed "I didn't know any other way. So I locked you out. But not because I didn't trust you. Or because I thought you were weak." he closed his eyes, just breathing and trying to pull his temper back in. His fingers were icy, the tips white and slender on Inka's wrist "I thought...if I admitted anything, that it would be taken away. That saying anything about Minowa would make him vulnerable. Would make me vulnerable. It was my own weakness, not yours, that kept me from telling you." his drive to protect himself had been ingrained him from a young age. He could say it was to protect others but that was only so he didn't lose them. So he wouldn't be abandoned again. So he couldn't be hurt.
"I'm selfish. I was afraid of being hurt again. So I hid things. Because if I hid them, then I wouldn't lose them. I wouldn't lose you. I still have that fear. I don't know if I will ever lose it. But..." what he'd said about his soul falling in love with Inka was the truth. It was the only truth he'd ever had and it was so fragile. So fragile. Even before the Sero, he had been afraid to touch it with his darkness. Minowa and Inka... "You and Minowa were the only things...the only brightness in my life. I thought that telling you the dirty history of my past, sharing my darkness, would break that light. And I needed it. I had to have it. Without it, what could I be except a monster made?" Syy looked at the water, seeing the steam, and wishing he could take Inka's hands out. Again, he wanted to protect him. How foolish. "You are the strongest person I've ever known. And I feel like I am the weakest. So I hid. Not out of distrust. But out of fear." he breathed out and looked at Inka's profile, his head tilted to look at the bridge of his nose, the fall of his lips, the curve of his chin "Fear that I would let you down somehow." he closed his eyes, taking in Inka's scent as it mingled with water and soap "I'm sorry my actions led to this. That I...that I made you think that you were not enough. You are. You are everything." his hand pulled away, his eyes opening to gaze at Inka again, gold/blue eyes shining almost green in the kitchen light "I won't say it again until you want me to. And if you never do, then I will never say it." he stopped, not willing to hear Inka's "Don't!" again. It wasn't that it would hurt him to not hear it. Just as it had not hurt him to tell Inka he loved him and to not hear it back. But to put Inka in that position, where he was feeling so pressured that he couldn't speak. That was something Syy could not do again.〛
Inka felt his shoulders shake in hearing the chair move behind him, anxiety rising at being so unsure what was going to happen next. Footsteps sounding closer and closer behind him, Inka bit the inside of his bottom lip, staring intently down at the dishes, deliberately ignoring how a cup kept slipping out of his grip. He paused, finger flinching but otherwise not reacting to Syy's touch to the back of his wrist. Amber eyes stared down at the colour contrast, Syy's skin somehow still standing out against the small froth of bubbles in the water.
Inka felt the knot in his throat and chest loosen, hearing Syy's gentle words admitting how scared he had been. Inka could understand that, at least. Not wanting to talk about something because of how deeply he had feared that it would come true. Or come back. He still lit the mourning incense, but he wasn't scared to say her name anymore.
"Bullshit." His voice was shaking, but there was no malice. "I wouldn't have fallen for a monster. Even as a stupid sixteen-year-old." He huffed, trying to deflect with humour. Uncaring of the water and suds, Inka reached over and caught Syy's palm in return. He swallowed, still unable to look back up and meet the older Senju's gaze, and gave Syy's palm a squeeze before returning to the dishes. "You have somewhere to stay?" He asks quietly, still in deflection mode.
ch 975 // 1,030 | 950 // 950 st ⧼ Father ⬘ Mizukage ⬘ Godaime ⬘ Bukijutsu ⬘ Performer ⧽
T e c h n i q u e s :
• Speed ► Slight [Moderate Buki] [Heavily when drawing Small Weapons] [Moderate in smoke] [Heavily Buki in smoke ] [ Supreme when drawing Small Weapons in smoke ] • Reflex ► Supreme
O t h e r :
astrasinthewild
Quote:
Quote:
Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 11:14 pm
↳ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳᵞ ʳᵉᵃ≀ᵒᵑ ᵗᵒ ᶠᵢᵍʱᵗ↰
〚 ┤| 𝕊𝕪𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕁. 𝕊𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕦 |├〛 ⫸ ⫸
〚His throat tight, Syy felt his eyes burning just a bit as Inka spoke. The other man's grip on his palm had his fingers feeling warm even though they had yet to regain their color. He wanted to touch Inka's chin, to brush his head along Inka's hair. Just to know that this had happened. That they had spoken and that...he was still there. Again. It was the second time in as many hours that his perception of himself was being tested. Inka's joke was light, an obvious deflection, but it helped move the tightness in his throat so that he could speak again "I don't." he said, keeping his distance but taking up the dishes to rinse them as Inka washed them "I was at the hospital when I arrived. But...I do not think they want me to come back." he thought about how Aika had forced her way through a window, wincing as he realized he still did not know where Aika was. But she would find him. She always did. He set the dishes on the dish rack to begin drying, speaking up "Minowa comes by property damage naturally, it seems." his own thin humor indicating that he also had broken something at the hospital. Granted, a broken vent was a little easier to forgive than a window pushed out of it's frame. He wanted to ask Inka everything he had never asked before. His life. His history. But now was not the time. Too much pain was in the air right now. And while some of it may have been resolved tonight, there was still so much left unsaid, even by Syy. Like the Sero. And what had been done to him. He wanted to ask why the village had been left, how the Kirigakure shinobi had found themselves homeless. He suspected the Sero but "I would be grateful for your couch, if it is available."〛
Inka managed to grunt out a noise of confusion as to why the hospital didn't want Syy back, something about the way it was said and Inka's own current raw sensitivity meaning he was picking up on inflections that weren't even there. But he could only scoff softly at the dishes at Syy's amused comment afterwards, and that's all Inka needed to know on the matter for now. "... you can sleep in my bed." He managed to finally speak. "I'll be up for a few hours more." Even with what remained on the counter, it was obvious it wasn't just household chores that would be keeping Inka up. "oh." He suddenly whispered, glancing at Syy - finally - with a look of concern. "I won't have any clothes that would fit you though." He spoke as if to himself, one hand lifting the back of a wrist against his forehead, mindful of the suds, but enough to stop some from catching onto his hair.
ch 990 // 1,030 | 950 // 950 st ⧼ Father ⬘ Mizukage ⬘ Godaime ⬘ Bukijutsu ⬘ Performer ⧽
T e c h n i q u e s :
• Speed ► Slight [Moderate Buki] [Heavily when drawing Small Weapons] [Moderate in smoke] [Heavily Buki in smoke ] [ Supreme when drawing Small Weapons in smoke ] • Reflex ► Supreme
O t h e r :
astrasinthewild
Quote:
Quote:
Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 11:40 pm
↳ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳᵞ ʳᵉᵃ≀ᵒᵑ ᵗᵒ ᶠᵢᵍʱᵗ↰
〚 ┤| 𝕊𝕪𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕁. 𝕊𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕦 |├〛 ⫸ ⫸
〚Sensing that Inka had gotten the joke, Syy carefully put the next dish on the drying rack. A good thing too because his next comment caught him a little off guard. He didn't...Maybe I won't dream tonight. he thought hopefully, before silently nodding. At Inka's sudden gaze, he blinked and then made a look of understanding "I think..." he walked away for a moment and then returned with his jacket, pulling a wadded piece of clothe out of the side pocket. Shaking them out, he revealed a pair of wrinkled but clean hospital pajama bottoms. He didn't have the top, unfortunately, but "These will be fine. And if I may use your wash in the morning, I can clean my current clothes." he had other clothing but at the moment, those were with Aika, left at the academia. He didn't need a shirt, not really, and he wasn't going to ruin one of Inka's trying to make it fit "Where...?" he paused, waiting for Inka to motion to where he should go, before bowing his thanks. As he straightened, Syy's gaze met Inka's again and he stepped in, gently brushing Inka's hair with his fingers. Ears red, he turned quickly and walked away.
In the room, he tried not to snoop. Taking his clothes off, Syy frowned at the state of them. Shabby. Dirt and soot. Grass. He shook his head but folded them nonetheless, laying them neatly aside. The scars on his body were illuminated by the faint light, chest and back, shoulders and upper arms. Shiny, newly healed, yet deeper than the others, the older ones. Stepping into the pajama pants, he secured the waist tie firmly before eyeing the bed. He wasn't sure what side Inka slept on ...he can poke me if he needs me to move. sitting on the left side, the one with the most space around it, he slid his feet into under the sheet and carefully drew his hair forward. Working meticulously, his fingers teased out the remaining bits of grass and undid knots. Leaving the grass in a tiny, neat pile on the side table, he began to braid his hair It's been a long time since since I slept in a bed. once done, he kept the braid over his shoulder and settled down onto his left side. Syy's eyes blinked, unwilling to close It's all right. he told himself, then silently spoke his fears into the dark room "This is real. I am here, not there." it was something the therapist had taught him, before he'd left the hospital, a way to fight off the fear of falling asleep. The fear that falling asleep was actually waking up and finding that everything had been a dream "This is real. I am here, not there." he whispered, closing his eyes. He repeated it several dozen times before his words slurred then stopped as his breathing became regular and he fell asleep This is real. I am here, not there....〛
After sending Sypher off to sleep, Inka was left alone in the kitchen, only the sound of the dishes keeping him company. He sighed, dried his hands and instead began packing away the leftovers, placing a heaped pile into containers to make a single, full, meal in each one. One was placed in the fridge, alongside Syy's and Inka's leftovers and the rest to the freezer. Inka paused, staring at the closed fridge door before walking over to the notepad and pen by the front door, moreoften used as passing along message between himself and Minowa when the other left earlier than usual in the mornings. He wrote a small note telling Syy to helphismelf to leftover but to grab one from the freezer to replace what he took from the fridge, just in case himself or Minowa forget to tell him. One task done, Inka returned to the dishes.
In some ways, feeling the still scalding hot water lightly cook his hands was a good distraction but it wasn't long before he had stop, leaning on the edge o the sink and just breath in the light steam as he tried to keep himself from... freaking out, essentially. Drying his hands, Inka gave up on it once again and instead to go and knock on Minowa's door, opening it to find the blond-haired boy sitting up in bed, reading, Itoko curled against his side. Smiling softly at the sight, Inka crawled on the bed as well, gently wedging himself between Minowa and the wall.
"Sorry." He whispered to the two of them, gently brushing Minowa's hair with his fingers before rubbing Itoko's head as well. He spent a few minutes like that, talking quietly with Minowa and assuring the boy that everything was better now. He and Syy would probably have some more fights, but sometimes you need to. By the time he had calmed himself thanks to Minowa's presence, just over an hour had passed since Syy had gone to bed and, honestly, Inka was ready to fall asleep as well. Leaving the two to rest, Inka left the half-done dishes and carefully opened his bedroom door, not wanting to knock in case it woke Syy up.
It was like being punched by the sight as if for the first time all over again. Standing in the doorway, Inka leaned against the wall, taking in the sight, wondering if the morning would make this any less... intense. Not sure what to do with himself, Inka took the opportunity to pick up Syy's folded pile of clothes and unfolded them, inspecting each one to make sure he could put it in the machine or it needed the soak treatment instead. Tucking them all under one arm, Inka took them to the bathroom-crossed-laundry to set them to wash before returning to his room, sitting down at his desk and flipping open the folder Kishi had delivered him just before they had sat down for dinner. It was a copy of Syy's medical record, confirming the blood results, and detailing... an intensive breakdown of Syy's injuries.
He couldn't read it. Not right now. So he pushed the file aside and focused on other work, picking up a report that just neads a read and taking it over to a lounge chair to be more comfortable until enough time had passed and Inka could set Syy's clothes to dry and then... get ready to sleep himself. Before hoping into bed, Inka wrote another note for Syy, placing it where Syy had left his clothes, explaining where they were, before stripping down and changing into his own sleeping pants and carefully slipping into the other side of the bed.
He wasn't... not used to sleeping in a bed with someone else there, thanks to Minowa and Itoko. But of course this was... different to how it used to be. Still. They're two grown men. They can handle sleeping next to each other.
ch 1,005 // 1,030 | 950 // 950 st ⧼ Father ⬘ Mizukage ⬘ Godaime ⬘ Bukijutsu ⬘ Performer ⧽
T e c h n i q u e s :
• Speed ► Slight [Moderate Buki] [Heavily when drawing Small Weapons] [Moderate in smoke] [Heavily Buki in smoke ] [ Supreme when drawing Small Weapons in smoke ] • Reflex ► Supreme
O t h e r :
astrasinthewild
Quote:
Quote:
Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2021 5:22 pm
↳ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳᵞ ʳᵉᵃ≀ᵒᵑ ᵗᵒ ᶠᵢᵍʱᵗ↰
〚 ┤| 𝕊𝕪𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕁. 𝕊𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕦 |├〛 ⫸ ⫸
〚The night terror started in the early hours. Perhaps an hour or two after the sun had started to rise. Syy’s mind had been exhausted when he first drifted off but as he slept, it started to bring things back. Nightmares first. Just the same ones that he always had, being back in that place, waking up and being trapped. Or earlier memories. Of Kumogakure and...darker places. He murmured in his sleep, his words meaningless, and soft. He frowned a bit in his sleep, then grimaced, then let out a gentle sigh. He tilted his head a bit, shoulders shifting in his sleep. The first indication of something being wrong was a slight tremble through his body. He was under the Sero. His eyes tracked the leaves that fell lightly around him, glancing up to watch the branches sway. All around him were shadows, figures in mist, moving and walking past him. All the figures were the same, a small one and a taller one. There was nothing distinct about them. Turning his head, he looked over his shoulder at the massive trunk of the Sero, it’s deep roots bucking the land and the moss that covered them glistened. Turning back around, two of the figures had stopped and slowly came into focus.
Syy was laying half on his side, half on his back, his chest towards the ceiling and his hips twisted. He had one arm over his stomach, the other up near his head, and the tremble caused the hand near his head to clench into a fist. It wasn’t much but it caused him to curl into himself slightly, his legs pulling the sheet. His eyes fluttered open but didn’t appear to see the room around him. Inka? Min? Syy’s voice seemed to come from far away as he titled his head, looking at the figures in front of him. Inka held Min’s hand, looking concerned, and Min was watching Syy with a quizzical look. Min offered his hand to Syy and he tried to reach out only to be stopped before he could extend his arm. Looking down, he saw roots spiralling through his muscles and under his skin. They started behind his elbow and thickened around his wrists. He looked at his other arm, same thing. He looked up, seeing Inka speak but...
Syy’s eyes closed tightly as his mouth opened, panting, struggling to breathe, his chest aching. Sweat began to bead up along his collarbone and neck, then his shoulders, and the hand resting on his stomach clenched, fingernails digging into the muscles of his abdomen. He turned his head away, opening his eyes but he didn’t see the room around him and his brow was furrowed and knit together, pained. Inka was speaking, saying something, but he couldn’t hear him. Min looked up at Inka, then back at Syy as he strained against the roots holding his arms back “Papa says it’s time to go. Come on, Dad.” Min said, his face crumpling a little as Syy panted with the effort of fighting the roots. Time to go? He tried to step forward but his legs wouldn’t move and he fell to his knees, roots wrapping up his thighs as he struck the ground. His arms ached and his shoulders were in agony, pulled back by the roots. Min clung to Inka more but neither moved. Syy could feel roots along his spine, in his throat. The roots were tangled in his mouth, choking him, and then the ground was giving way beneath him. And he was falling, being dragged down by the roots and the dirt.
The muscles in his throat were tight and Syy sat up abruptly, wheezing as he tried to breath. But still he didn’t see the room around him. He was in the nightmare, trapped. Only appearing to be awake as he brought one leg up, his hands gripping his knee tightly. Sweat along his spine and shoulders caused his skin to be chilled, clammy almost, and he was still panting as he tried to breathe. He closed his eyes and curled his torso forward, hand clutching his throat, doubled over. His hand dropped from his throat abruptly, his head coming up. Syy swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting on the edge, his braid hanging down his back and coming partially loose.
Syy was still asleep as the first light began filtering through the clouds and blinds, stirring Inka out of his slumber. The brunette stretched his legs out straight before remembering, and yet somehow never having forgot, that Syy was asleep beside him. He sighed, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and turned his head to regard the man at his back, seemingly at peace and undisturbed. With a yawn and stretch, Inka rose and grabbed clean clothes for after his shower. Minowa would awaken shortly as well, if not already, so Inka had breakfast to cook. Inka checked on the older Senju but found the man still sound asleep, so Inka only cooked enough for Minowa and himself, consisting of only the leftover plain rice from last night, broth, and an egg, it wouldn't take long to make it fresh for the man when he was ready to wake up in his own time.
Abandoning a now slightly larger pile of dishes, Inka returned to his room with Syy's dry, refolded clothes to replace the note he had left. Taking his seat at the desk, the brunette returned to reading and responding to reports, leaning back in the padded chair and rocking slightly on the legs absently - until Syy started shifting. Thinking the Senju was waking up, Inka put down the report and waited, expecting he'd soon be offering breakfast but instead he was soon frowning, recognising the signs of distress he'd seen far, far too often in Minowa.
"Syy," Inka spoke softly, but calmly, calling on what the doctors had taught him. "Syy, it's me. It's Inka." He didn't more to approach the man, staying out of swinging range. Amber eyes narrowed, concern mixing the anger he felt bubbling at the thought of what caused this. "Listen to my voice, Syy. You're in a safe place. I need you to trust me." Inka sat back, but didn't stand up, watching as Syy seemed to be awake now, as he bolted up. "Syy?" When the man didn't respond straight away, Inka gave him a few more seconds, just in case he was just needing a moment. "Syy...!" Inka gritted his teeth, catching his alarm as Sypher grabbed at his own throat. He needed to stay calm for this. "You're okay. You can breathe. You're safe. You're in Konoha. You're in my apartment." He continued, keenly aware that only a side table was in between himself and a very lethal man.
"Syy." Inka spoke, amber eyes tracking over the half-dressed man, wary of any signs that he saw Inka as a threat rather than a person he could trust. "Do you remember where you are?" He asked. "You found me in Konoha. I brought you to my home. To Minowa. You stayed here the night." Inka felt a dull ache from how tight his muscles were wound, ready to leap out of harms way. "You're safe now."
ch 1,030 // 1,030 | 950 // 950 st ⧼ Father ⬘ Mizukage ⬘ Godaime ⬘ Bukijutsu ⬘ Performer ⧽
T e c h n i q u e s :
• Speed ► Slight [Moderate Buki] [Heavily when drawing Small Weapons] [Moderate in smoke] [Heavily Buki in smoke ] [ Supreme when drawing Small Weapons in smoke ] • Reflex ► Supreme
O t h e r :
astrasinthewild
Quote:
Quote:
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:22 am
↳ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳᵞ ʳᵉᵃ≀ᵒᵑ ᵗᵒ ᶠᵢᵍʱᵗ↰
〚 ┤| 𝕊𝕪𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕁. 𝕊𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕦 |├〛 ⫸ ⫸
〚Papa says “Syy” it’s “Syy, it’s me.” time to “It’s Inka.” Syy shook his head, trying to chase away the ghosts in his mind. He could see shapes and shadows, misty figures that were and weren’t there. And sunlight. Sunlight? there wasn’t any sunlight in the Sero. He could hear his name but it was too...close? Behind him? “You’re in a safe place.” It’s time to go. “I need you to trust me.” Papa says
Stop it! he reached up and grabbed the sides of his head with both hands, trying to focus on one voice. Syy’s back was tense, muscles and scars tight as he breathed heavily to center himself. The light coming through a window was brighter than the figments in his head. He heard the voice behind him again Inka? “You’re in Konoha. You’re in my apartment.” that...was he in Konoha? Not the Sero? Still breathing hard, he dropped his hands from his head and stared at the palms, focusing on the scars on his wrists and forearms. As his vision cleared, the misty figures seemed to evaporate in the light and he looked up, disoriented, to stare at the room “Syy.” he turned slightly, one hand resting on the bed, to look over his shoulder. He could see someone. Shaking his head, Syy tried again to focus on the other person before the features slowly came into view. They were speaking and the voice...it was Inka. He swallowed This is real. You are here, not there. “You’re safe now.” He shook his head again, still reeling from the night terror, one hand covering his eyes as his breathing became regular again This is real. he turned his back to Inka again, dropping his hand to look towards the window and out through the blinds “You...are here.” the words were mumbled but clear, a bit stunned. He could see the light, some of the village, recognizing the buildings closest as apartments.
“Sorry, I’m sorry.” his voice was clear now, but there was a heaviness to it. Syy kept his back to Inka, unwilling to face him. He knew he wasn’t well. He knew that he had these...these episodes or whatever they were. He should have...insisted on sleeping on the couch. Or just...gone back to the hospital or somewhere else. Inka wouldn’t know it unless he had read the medical report but Syy wasn’t a danger. At least, not where ninjutsu was concerned. Yes, he was physically a danger simply because of who he was but he wouldn’t-he couldn’t I shouldn’t have stayed. “Sorry...” he said again, his voice quiet. He didn’t get up, in case Inka was concerned he was a threat, but he did rest his elbows on his knees and dropped his face into his hands. He stayed like that, just breathing and quietly speaking, though whether it was to Inka or himself was unclear “I’m fine, fine, I’m fine. I’m fine, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Sorry.”
Outside the apartment, a very strange sight was occuring. Aiki had tracked her master's scent from the academia to a very nice food place (where she had gotten a treat and some pats) and then to a spot where his scent mingled with another, unfamiliar scent. There was a lot of distress in that spot and she had whined and cried, circling the spot for several minutes, before following the scent further. Now, she had mastered the odd task of climbing all the steps up the building mountains and was outside the apartment of the unfamiliar scent that was still mingled with her master's scent. Bum in the air, tail wagging, she had her nose pressed to the bottom of the door to sniff, wanting to make absolutely sure this was the right place. She still had master's bag from the sterile place they had been at before, and as she straightened, she scooped it up to hold gently in her jaws. On her way up here, she had witnessed many odd things but one had always ensured entry to the dwelling. Carefully rearing up on her hind legs, she smacked both front paws against the apartment door. Then she pushed back and bounced against it, the doggy version of knocking. Once done, she sat politely and waited. Well, almost politely. Her tail was wagging so hard and smacking against the entryway that it was almost announcing her again. But she was excited! She had found master, found a new scent (surely another new friend waiting) and there was another scent that she almost recognized but wasn't entirely sure of.〛
"I'm here, Syy." Inka spoke, relieved to hear the other man talking back. It was a good sign - good enough for Inka that he was able to stand up and slowly walk around the bed to Syy's side, deliberately making sound with his footsteps to not catch the Senju off-guard. "And you're here, too." Carefully, Inka lowered himself to sit on the bed, just within arms reach. "In Konoha with Minowa and me. Safe." He reminded, amber eyes soft in the early morning light. "Would you like to come with me to the kitchen? Get something to drink." Inka blinks, hearing a thud from the front door, summoning a frown on his face at the odd noise but he ignored it. He turned his attention back to Syy, opening his mouth to speak once more when he heard another noise - a more alarming one.
Having heard a noise at the door, and not hearing the door open, Minowa had emerged from his room, Itoko perched upon his shoulders, to open the door - and immediate sight and smell of Aika, staring back at them sent Minowa on the defensive and Itoko screeching a warning. By the time Inka had dashed out of his bedroom, Minami was standing on the dining room table, Minowa held up on his shoulders, and Itoko hunched up and hissing from Minowa's.
ch 1,030 // 1,030 | 950 // 950 st ⧼ Father ⬘ Mizukage ⬘ Godaime ⬘ Bukijutsu ⬘ Performer ⧽
T e c h n i q u e s :
• Speed ► Slight [Moderate Buki] [Heavily when drawing Small Weapons] [Moderate in smoke] [Heavily Buki in smoke ] [ Supreme when drawing Small Weapons in smoke ] • Reflex ► Supreme
O t h e r :
astrasinthewild
Quote:
Quote:
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 5:06 pm
↳ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳᵞ ʳᵉᵃ≀ᵒᵑ ᵗᵒ ᶠᵢᵍʱᵗ↰
〚 ┤| 𝕊𝕪𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕁. 𝕊𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕦 |├〛 ⫸ ⫸
〚Syy had looked up at Inka as he came around the bed, his hands together in front of his mouth, golden-blue eyes meeting soft amber ones. The feeling of being safe was there, he couldn't doubt that. But he worried about the safety of Inka and Minowa and Itoko. The danger he presented to them. Before he could answer, the knocking noise distracted both Inka and himself, followed by an alarming screech. Following Inka out, close on his heels as the both men reacted to their son's potential distress, he hesitated a bit at the sight of an Anbu on the dining room table. His gaze followed upwards to see Minowa and then up further to see Itoko This is like one of those...nesting dolls? Syy saw Itoko's hissing and followed the bear-cat's sight to see "AIKA!" the pure relief in his voice was startling, moving quickly around Inka and past the curious scene in the dining room. Aika, who's ears had gone back in surprise at seeing the small child from the dusty room and the tree, bounced up to her feet. Her nails tapping as she excitedly whined around the bag in her mouth, pranced into the apartment as Syy collapsed to his knees to pull her into a tight hug. She dropped the bag, which fell open to reveal a few sets of clean clothes and a silver chain that didn't quite fall all the way out. Squeezing as close to Syy's body as she could, Aika let out happy whines, eyes going closed in happiness. The tension in Syy's shoulders seemed to lessen as he leaned back to stroke the sides of the wolf-dog's face "Aika. Good girl." he whispered, putting his forehead to hers, earning some licks to his nose. After a few minutes of this, Syy was reminded of the audience that was no doubt watching him. And he was half-naked.
Turning on his heels, half crouched, Syy held a hand up to Minowa and Itoko "It's all right." he said, hoping to ease or at least calm the hissing bear-cat. Looking at Inka, he straightened sheepishly, one hand on Aika's head as the wolf-dog's tail wagged happily "This is Aika." he glanced at the Anbu, putting one hand to his chest in apology "Sh-she's not a threat." indeed, the wolf-dog was leaning so hard into Syy's leg that she looked like she might fall over. Her attention had been caught by Inka, though, and she peered around Syy's legs to smile wolfishly at him, tongue hanging out and tail wagging so hard that it looked ready to pop off her bum. Orange and gold eyes, filled with joy and excitement, meeting amber eyes. Syy stood, anxious, watching the group "I promise. She's not a th-threat. She just...wants to be friends." he said softly, repeating what he'd said last night about the wolf-dog, his hand cupping the back of her head protectively. The door was still open and Syy was hoping fervently that no one walked by and saw him half-naked.〛
Inka regarded the sight with some befuddlement and incredulity. He couldn't blame Minami for getting Minowa and Itoko up somewhere high, knowing it was one of the fastest ways to help them feel safer in an otherwise upsetting situation. Minowa appeared to settle at the sight of Syy greeting the wolf-dog - and she was a big girl, Inka thought - but Itoko still appeared displeased, chittering a warning from on high with hackles raised. Inka hummed, remaining calm and appearing unaffected by the sudden shift - yet again - to the balance in the house. Apartment. It was the best way to show both Itoko and Minowa that things were fine. The brunette took a half step closer to Aika, holding out his hand for the wolf-dog to get her scent on, though Inka was ready to firmly tell her to calm down if she got too excited.
"She's energetic." Inka commented. Casually stepping up onto a dining chair, he held his hand out for Itoko to lean over and sniff on his own terms. "Binturong usually only encounter high-energy, large animals when being hunted by one." Inka reasoned. "Keep her calm and we'll work out the rest in socialising them." He promised, nodding to Minami before stepping back down to the floor. "Why don't you take her into my room and you can get dressed." Amber eyes regarded his son. "Think Itoko can manage if you stay in your room with him? Just for a little while more." Minowa seemed to then regard Itoko much the way his Papa had been, before nodding.
ch 1,030 // 1,030 | 950 // 950 st ⧼ Father ⬘ Mizukage ⬘ Godaime ⬘ Bukijutsu ⬘ Performer ⧽
T e c h n i q u e s :
• Speed ► Slight [Moderate Buki] [Heavily when drawing Small Weapons] [Moderate in smoke] [Heavily Buki in smoke ] [ Supreme when drawing Small Weapons in smoke ] • Reflex ► Supreme
O t h e r :
astrasinthewild
Quote:
Quote:
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 5:58 pm
↳ᴵ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳᵞ ʳᵉᵃ≀ᵒᵑ ᵗᵒ ᶠᵢᵍʱᵗ↰
〚 ┤| 𝕊𝕪𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕁. 𝕊𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕦 |├〛 ⫸ ⫸
〚"She's only a year and so old." Syy said in response to Inka's comment about Aika being energetic, just a tiny bit defensive. Aika may have been energetic but she was not ill-mannered, pressing her nose firmly into the offered hand and taking a deep sniff of Inka's smell. She was just so pleased to see Syy that her tail wouldn't stop wagging. At Itoko's chittering, her ears went down and she gave the bear-cat a sheepish, apologetic look and lowered her whine to a soft whimper. Syy made a motion and Aika immediately dropped to her belly, head settling on the floor. Syy took the opportunity to close the door, relieved no one had come by I must get my shirt on... he bent, scooping up the bag and pushing the things back into it. He sighed, grateful that everything was still there, and then looked at the Anbu "Uhm, thank you." he dipped his head in a bow to them, still unsure who they were. What he was thanking the Anbu for, however, was unclear. Perhaps just thanking him for everything. Or anything. Inka's comment on socializing did make him wince a bit I did try. it was hard to socialize an animal when he didn't even want to socialize. But he nodded "All right." he didn't say anything but Aika immediately followed him as he walked, sticking next to his legs as they went into Inka's room.
Once he'd shut the door, Syy sunk down to the ground and Aika immediately pushed her head in between his chest and his arms. Giving sympathy. Support. He pet her head gently, bending his head to breath in her scent "Aika...Aika..." he whispered, eyes closed. He stayed that way for several minutes before he felt strong enough to stand. This had been an exhausting morning. Stepping towards his clothes, he paused and cautiously sniffed at himself ...Inka won't mind if I use his shower... he stripped the hospital pajama pants and stepped into the shower. Aika followed but stopped at the door, laying down protectively in front of it as Syy got clean. A quick shower, one to clean off his skin and remove some of the dirt and remaining grass from his hair. Stepping out and over Aika, he toweled off as Aika cleaned up the spots of water he left behind. Instead of taking the freshly laundered clothes, "Thank you, Inka..." he said softly, he took out the clothes in the bag. A high neck shirt with a throat clasp and long sleeves, a lighter black and white short kimono, a gold and embroidered outer kimono, and a slight green jacket over that. His pants were dark, his feet in socks, almost all of his skin covered as best he could manage. Except his hands. Flexing them, Syy watched the white scars brighten on his knuckles and the backs of his hands ...it's fine."I'm fine." he said quietly, as Aika licked his fingers. Unsure if Inka wanted him to come back out now or to wait, he sat on the bed, Aika next to him on the floor and her head in his lap.〛
"Syy?" Inka knocked on the door to his bedroom, concern colouring his voice. It had been a few minutes of silence before the sound of the water running could be noticed, so Inka had let it be, instead finally finishing the pile of dishes while Minowa and Itoko decompressed in their room, the Binturong slowly being acclimatised to Aika's smell. The brunette sat at the table, any traces of feet being on the surface wiped away, waiting... and waiting. When he figured too much time had passed, he had went to check on the older Senju.
"Do you need anything?" He asked, wondering if Syy just needed some time to himself or was genuinely stuck.
ch 1,030 // 1,030 | 950 // 950 st ⧼ Father ⬘ Mizukage ⬘ Godaime ⬘ Bukijutsu ⬘ Performer ⧽
T e c h n i q u e s :
• Speed ► Slight [Moderate Buki] [Heavily when drawing Small Weapons] [Moderate in smoke] [Heavily Buki in smoke ] [ Supreme when drawing Small Weapons in smoke ] • Reflex ► Supreme
