panelborn

There it was. The reaction Sasuke was looking for. So they did have a sore spot to prod at. And despite it, the Haruno still had the gall to mock with faux smile and title. What an insufferable man.

❝ What's this now? Bargaining? ❞

He snatched the bottle from between their knees, and did as they had done. Drank straight from it, unperturbed by the scandal of Kaoru's flavor left on it's rim. But drinking straight from the bottle is, perhaps, the worst risk he could have taken — there are no glasses to mitigate how much he takes in, and preventing that nasty competitive gumption of Sasuke's.

❝ You can't take her place. I won't get what I want from you. Although I guess killing you might... ❞ He pants when he lowers the bottle away from his face, but falters to completely put it down. His words brought something to his mind that made him frown as his gaze goes dizzily distant. ❝ ... Her hate. ❞

And saying so seems to irritate him. He's said too much. So he goes for another swig. Ungraceful in the way some of it dribbles down his chin. He finally sets the ( much lighter now ) bottle back down on the table where he'd taken it from, between Kaoru's knees.

Eyes narrow as he looks down at the man. ❝ Hate? ❞ he repeats, head tilting ever so slightly.

❝ Pfff— ❞ A laugh escaped his lips, fast hidden behind his own fingers, catching the slipping mask. ❝ That is a very... STRONG feeling. ❞

He pushed himself slowly away, giving Sasuke more room.

❝ Remembering what you all did and do for hate... you might desire much more than most people can give. ❞

Not even most love could get close to that seething hate the Uchiha held. Sasuke had thrown away everything to follow it. To desire something like that directed AT him — might just be a love confession.

As the drops trickled down Sasuke's chin, he reached out one hand — trained movement, natural instinct, he'd stopped knowing which — to wipe them away. Just before he touched, he stopped. As natural as touch was to him, he knew most people held different boundaries.

❝ Good. ❞ The tone of his voice deepened into something closer to praise than relief. Nails drummed against the nearly empty bottle, a soft tinkling sound.

❝ We can empty this, but either way, I'd suggest you not to go home today. ❞

Naruto snapped his teeth at Kaoru in warning, as though he would have tried to bite that tongue. But he let them get away to munch away on their overpriced plant. That's what he thought about such lame jokes!

❝ If you think that's gonna' get between me and a good meal, think again! My master used to drag me into all sorts of crazy places — I'm practically a pro at ignoring the pushy ladies! I'm a bonafide gentleman, dattebayo! ❞

Says the guy with the worst case of wandering eyes. And the mastermind behind oiroke no jutsu.

Kaoru's clarification earned Naruto's pause, forcing him to think back on the catastrophe of their initial meeting. He supposed it would be different for their line of work, especially in this town where no one's smiles matched their eyes — except when you forked up the right amount of cash.

Kaoru just chuckled at the other's reaction and booped the tip of his nose — the way he'd do with his unruly cat, who was currently being pampered by his parents.

❝ Are you REALLY a gentleman if you ignore the people who try to get your attention? ❞ His head tilted, an amused grin on his face. His gaze was gentle, though. Naruto really was a good soul, just as his sister had always told him.

Naruto walking off made Kaoru follow in silence for a moment. He had gotten what he wanted — but somehow it didn't feel right. Options ran through his head before he reached out from behind, fingers finding one of the wrists half-hidden in blonde hair, wrapping around it and pulling gently. An invitation as much as a redirect.

❝ I have a better idea — hot pot! Do you like spicy? If not, we can get one spicy broth and a normal one... and all the ingredients we want! ❞

He could have some tonkatsu on the side.

Somehow, he wanted to give the man a good experience of this place — it wasn't all gloom and doom. And it had probably been a while since Naruto had made a good memory somewhere.

Why did you choose your muse?

If you were to choose another muse from the same fandom, who would you choose?

If you were to choose a muse from a different fandom, who would you choose?

What's the easiest part of writing your muse?

What's the hardest part of writing your muse?

How much research do/did you have to do to write your muse?

Is there a character you've tried writing but just couldn't get no matter how you tried?

If you have multiple muses, who's your favorite? (If you don't have multiple muses, who's your favorite character from your muse's fandom?)

How long have you been writing your muse?

How long have you been RPing?

If this is not your first muse, who was?

Why did you start RPing?

If your muse was a real person in the real world, do you think you'd get along with them?

If your muse was a real person in the real world, how much trouble do you think they'd cause?

   ❝I'm no priest.❞

   A sly expression on his face as he lifts the umeshu to his lips. Not as bad as he remembered, still not something he favored, but he could get by on it tonight. Lowering the cute cup back down to the table.

   ❝I've been to many a “leisure den”. I assure you I'm not naive, or some kind of timid maiden. It was only a question.❞

   A mere curiosity, most of the “leisure dens” he had been to all had very different styles. Different styles of expected behavior, and what their hosts provided. 'Course most of it often ended up back to sex, not that he could blame everyone who visited, even he had ended up fulfilling that need when visiting time to time.

He stares for a moment as if personally insulted, and his expression dissolves into a pout.

❝ A damn riddle is what you are, just to bully me! ❞ A near-childish reaction rarely seen on him — drawing a chuckle or two from nearby tables.

A hand drags down over his face, and he looks at the man through his fingers.

❝ Tall, dark, handsome? I can't imagine that face not being welcome everywhere... ❞ He leaned closer again, nails drumming on the counter, a deep itch to solve the mystery placed in front of him.

❝ Crafting omamori, but not a priest. Orders ANY fruit-infused sake... doesn't like all fruit-infused sake... Well-mannered, but claims not to be welcome everywhere... ❞ He gives up. ❝ I genuinely have no idea what to make of you. ❞

Raised and trained to read patterns. Just to meet an enigma that pointed in one direction and walked into another.

❝ Conduct yourself as you want — we are a place to socialize just as much as we offer substances to forget, and company of any kind... for a night with an Oiran, the traditional steps are needed, though. ❞

   So it was like that then. Couldn't say that it didn't piss him off still, but this wasn't his place to start anything. He was the odd one out here, he was in their place, so even if it pissed him he was gonna keep his mouth shut. Keep it to himself, and only nod in response to the suggestion. 

   Adjusting in his seat as the glass is placed before him, pretty. Umeshu wasn't his favorite, but it was drink regardless. One being poured for him before he could respond too, kind of shut down any rejection he could've given. A sharp exhale from his nose in response.

   ❝Koume… you're certainly a strict host.❞

   Shaking his head softly in amusement.

   ❝I'm not lost, but I'm not seeking anything. Just in a different place after a job, that's all. Can I smoke in here ?❞

   A question asked after pulling out a carton and a lighter, fingers lingering on the top, lightly tapping.

❝ Am I? ❞ he asked, a puzzled expression on his face. The other had asked for fruit-infused sake. Plums were fruit — he was rather certain about that. He blinked slowly, head tilting even further, before reaching for the cup.

❝ If I chose wrong... I apologize. Don't worry, I can drink this myself, and I'll get you something else... I also have strawberry? ❞ Though that was even more on the nose, believed to be an aphrodisiac — and as he did not appear like a usual client, he hadn't wanted to insult him. Well, even he sometimes guessed wrong.

Kaoru blinked again, slowly, leaning forward onto the counter, chin propped on his hands.

❝ Could it be you don't quite understand where you ended up? ❞ Amusement hummed in his voice, eyes narrowed slightly as he smiled up to the man in front of him.

❝ You walked right into a leisure den... a place for pleasure, relaxation, and companionship... ❞ He straightened, pulling an ashtray from behind the bar and placing it in front of the guest as an answer to his question.

❝ So... people who seek pleasure usually come here. Filled with some form of carnal desire... not "priests" who gift cute protection... ❞

❝ You think I've been trying to make you bend, this whole time? ❞ He stares into his glass, swirling its contents around, ❝ It's your sister, actually. ❞

That would be the second hint that Sasuke underestimated his alcohol intake. He almost never brought her up around Kaoru, and certainly not when admitting more nefarious intentions. Maybe a few buttons weren't the only things being loosened, after all.

This time he didn't wait for the other after he downed another cup — pouring the pricey goods for himself and being generous about it. He may as well pay for the whole bottle, at this point.

❝ I wanted it to be known the threat of harming her family isn't off the table, so she remembers her place. But it seems me being around you hasn't scared her off. Maybe she doesn't actually care about you. ❞

He really didn't care about others' desires unless they were of use to him. But neither was he one to ignore a setup or simply allow an insult to stand as the last word.

His expression stayed the same; only the way he fanned himself became a bit too smooth, a bit too trained. And deep in his eyes, winter returned to spring. Froze the lush green in place.

The honesty that had seeped into his person froze at the mention of only one name.

Thoughts were slow, cold. No panicked racing, no quip that followed, not even fiery anger. Silence grasped the room in the way it never does — even the gentle quiet that had been there was gone. Threatening his sister was one thing. Threatening their family was another entirely. Oh, the other would look most pretty while coughing up blood and clawing his own skin off, certainly...

Pretty head tilted, and his smile widened — like an assassin's knife as bright. Quite similar to the first one he offered Sasuke when he had presented rare tea and summer's jeweled treats.

He closed his fan on the table's edge with a low thud and placed it beside his seat. One hand reached for the bottle, and the other arm swept the table clean — the expensive porcelain shattering on the floor — and then it was he who claimed the table, sitting before Sasuke, feet on either side of him. He brought the bottle directly to his lips, threw his head back, and gulped down the expensive wine, discarding all decorum. The bottle hit the table between them as he set it down like another offer.

❝ Bend her? Break her? So she is like YOU? ❞ Voice sickly sweet, like sugar poisoning. He leaned closer, looking down at the other now.

❝ My sister loves me — she does not need to tell me for me to know. But she also trusts me, and both of us grew up with the fact that one of us could die... ❞ Eyes narrowed. The prospect still hurt. But that was what it meant to be shinobi.

❝ So it's likely simply to harden her more, not bend or break her... ❞ His head tilted, elbow dropping to his knee, chin propped against his hand. A hardened Sakura would lead hospitals and invest more in research to help more people. Kaoru could not imagine the person he'd become if that horrible sacrificial fire of will ever took her...

❝ So, Hokage... ❞ Said absolutely perfectly respectfully — and like he called the other a bitch at the very same time. ❝ In what shape do you want to bend her? Let's start there, shall we... because you have the second best version of her before you. And I AM bendable... ❞